WHEREAS, With the adoption of the Preservation Plan and the Sustainable Pittsfield Master Plan in fall 2019, the Sustainability Committee has discussed ways in which to outline a larger vision for promoting fiscal, socio-economic, and environmental sustainability in Pittsfield Township; and

WHEREAS, This focus on sustainability has and continues to be an integral part of our work at Pittsfield Township because of our belief that our region, state, and nation cannot make substantive strides in combating such challenges as climate change without, first, retrofitting suburbs; and

WHEREAS, The carbon footprint of a typical suburban home is four times greater than that of an urban dwelling and the majority of Americans (69%) live in suburbs with millennials fueling this trend as they move from cities to adjoining areas in search of more affordable housing that has multimodal access to urban and daily amenities; and

WHEREAS, For these reasons, over the past decade, our community has made significant strides in retrofitting a suburban landscape to provide for: (a) A robust multi-modal transportation network; (b) Greater density and mix of land uses within form-based districts; (c) An increase in apartment (multi-unit) and condominium (attached) style housing stock; (d) Implementation of environmentally responsible waste management; (e) Access to local food options and the protection of farmland; (f) Establishment of rain/native/pollinator gardens at public facilities and parks; and

WHEREAS, More recently, Pittsfield Township Board of Trustees has approved establishment of the Green Corridors initiative to improve soil quality, bio-diversity, and run-off water quality along major roads while also establishing a Tree Canopy & Green Infrastructure (rain/native/pollinator gardens, bioswales) program at residential neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, Even as these efforts continue to move us along on our path to a more sustainable future, we feel it incumbent upon ourselves to formalize a sustainable vision for our community with the adoption of the Sustainable Pittsfield Master Plan;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, The Pittsfield Charter Township Board of Trustees, in outlining a sustainability blueprint for our community, seeks to build upon its work of the past decade and achieve the following goals over the next five years so we may further enhance fiscal, socio-economic, and environmental sustainability in our community by 2025 by, among other things,:

• Establishing an Open & Green Space Preservation Program that pursues conservation easements, land acquisitions, and PDR’s in compliance with the objectives of the Preservation Plan/Sustainable Pittsfield Master Plan
• Partnering with residential neighborhoods to strengthen and expand on such initiatives as the Tree Canopy & Green Infrastructure program to provide for native plantings, rain/pollinator and vegetable gardens
• Working with the Planning Commission to provide for Ordinances that, among other things,: (a) Require developers to protect existing natural features, especially old growth trees; (b) Require developers to conduct a carbon emissions study to meet low emission standards; (c) Reduce parking space requirements with a certain ratio assigned for electric and autonomous vehicles; (d) Incentivize developers to add/preserve green space; (e) Require developers to build to ‘green’ standards including installation of solar panels and provision of solar-ready units
• Working with the Park Commission to provide for ADA accessible recreational amenities, installation of tree canopies, and expansion of community and native/pollinator gardens
• Providing for local waste management services, including recycling and composting, for single family residential, commercial, and multi-unit housing developments
• Further improving the quality of, and access to, public transit
• Further expanding affordable, multi-unit, and attached housing stock
• Further expanding non-motorized amenities including pedestrian crossings, sidewalks, bike lanes, and greenways