Land Use, Planning, and Zoning Legal Research Guide: Community Rating Systems for Sustainabilty
This research guide contains links to primary and secondary sources useful in the study of land use, planning, and zoning law. Also included are pages focused on special topics in land use law.
From the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, "'Envision™ ' is an in-depth guidance and rating system used to assess and improve the sustainability metrics of all types and sizes of infrastructure projects."
NFIP's Community Rating System is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements.
"Community sustainability is measured within 12 distinct areas (traits) of sustainability. The assessment gives the community a baseline snapshot of how sustainable they are overall and in each specific trait. Based on the community’s overall performance, it is then recognized as achieving one of four award levels: GreeningUSA Member Community, Sustainable Community, Highly Sustainable Community or Highly Sustainable Community of Distinction."
Star Communities: Sustainable Tools for Assessing and Rating Communities. "The STAR Community Rating System is a voluntary, menu-based certification program designed for communities to evaluate their progress against a set of standardized sustainability objectives and evaluation measures."
"The Scorecard is an incentive-based tool to help cities, towns and counties evaluate their growth planning efforts. All entities applying for grants and loans from state discretionary funding must reference a Scorecard."
"A list of criteria is presented, and each is assigned a point value. A minimum total point value is set that represents a bar, and local governments who incorporate sufficient criteria such that they meet or exceed the bar are 'certified' or 'registered' as a Green Local Government."
"The Green Communities Program is a voluntary certification program for jurisdictions in the 10-county Atlanta Region to encourage local governments to become more sustainable."
"Data from 2007 serves as the baseline from which indicators in the following four years are assessed. Comparisons between Iowa City, the state of Iowa, and national totals are provided for each indicator wherever data is available and applicable."
"Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals. This free continuous improvement program, managed by a public-private partnership, is based upon 28 best practices. Each best practice can be implemented by completing one or more actions at a 1, 2 or 3-star level, from a list of four to eight actions."
"The Climate Smart Communities Guide to Local Action contains overviews of possible community actions, how-to's and case studies to help communities implement the CSC pledge."
"To provide local governments with a more robust framework to guide their climate actions and to provide recognition to leading Climate Smart Communities, the participating agencies are developing a Climate Smart Communities Certification program. Designed around the existing ten pledge elements, the certification program will recognize communities for their accomplishments through a rating system leading to four levels of award: Certified, Bronze, Silver and Gold."
"Sustainable Jersey is a certification program for municipalities in New Jersey that want to go green, save money, and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term."
"The Green Communities Designation and Grant Program helps municipalities navigate and meet the five criteria required to become a Green Community, in turn qualifying them for grants that finance additional energy efficiency and renewable energy projects at the local level."
"The resources available for each action include funding and support programs, examples and models from other towns, and information on how to accomplish each action."
Focus on New York: Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Certification Program
"The Climate Smart Communities Guide to Local Action contains overviews of possible community actions, how-to's and case studies to help communities implement the CSC pledge."
"To provide local governments with a more robust framework to guide their climate actions and to provide recognition to leading Climate Smart Communities, the participating agencies are developing a Climate Smart Communities Certification program. Designed around the existing ten pledge elements, the certification program will recognize communities for their accomplishments through a rating system leading to four levels of award: Certified, Bronze, Silver and Gold."
The Mid-Hudson Region encompasses seven counties: Dutchess County, Orange County, Putnam County, Rockland County, Sullivan County, Ulster County and Westchester County. This website includes links to profiles and websites of CSC communities in the region, along with links to government, academic and other non-profit sources of information about best practices, funding, etc.
The challenge of assessing sustainability -- The holy grail: quantitative and qualitative measures of sustainability -- Guiding principles of sustainability -- Model indicators, benchmarks, and metrics -- Ecological and carbon footprinting -- Comprehensive instruments: LEED for neighborhood development and ICLEI star community index -- Ad hoc sustainability assessment approaches -- Emerging issues: public health, governance, social networks, and climate change -- Going forward: advice for the trenches
"A project of the Vote Solar Initiative, Project Permit is an interactive website that scores municipal solar permitting practices nationwide. It is designed to help permitting staff, solar advocates, and municipal leaders understand how their city or town compares to permitting best practices. Project Permit includes tools and resources to help more municipalities achieve permitting best practices."
"The Greenroads Rating System is a third-party, points-based system available to certify sustainable roadway and transportation infrastructure projects."
Assessing Sustainability: A Guide for Local Governments by