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Events

Resources

Sustainable Pittsburgh provides testimony regarding City/County Consolidation

May 28, 2008
Pittsburgh, PA

House Urban Affairs Committee
Subcommittee on Cities, Counties - Second Class
Public Hearing on City of Pittsburgh - Allegheny County Consolidation

Testimony by:
Court Gould, Executive Director
Sustainable Pittsburgh

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Sustainable Pittsburgh, I am pleased to offer comments that convey our enthusiasm for the proposed consolidation and constructive input for a meaningful public engagement process of which Sustainable Pittsburgh and partners would be glad to assist.

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato's and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's call for city-county consolidation with zero tolerance for service duplication demonstrates leadership for our region's prosperity. By merging city and county, we signal to the world that the Pittsburgh region can and will innovate governance for the 21st century where the global game of competitiveness today is about how a region collaborates.

Recognizing there are many details to be identified and addressed before the proposed consolidation is taken to ballot initiative, Sustainable Pittsburgh urges the County and City to deploy a broad public process to collect input to shaping the plan. Along these lines, we further suggest it would be important on many levels to advance this consolidation effort in step with a set of principles providing a framework for values and intents of the new consolidated government. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Keystone Principles for Growth, Investment & Resource Conservation (known as the Keystone Principles) stand as a ready set of ten principles whose adoption would provide a compass and appropriate commitments in guiding focus on outcomes fostered by consolidation and framing public discourse.

See the remainder of the testimony below.

Resources Continued

FREE Energy Workshop

Tuesday, June 10
8:30 am - Noon
Four Points by Sheraton Pittsburgh North, 910 Sheraton Drive, Mars, PA 16046
More information

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is hosting a FREE Energy Workshop for local governments, hospitals, schools, and public officials in our region who wish to have a better understanding of energy savings and prepare for the future by developing long-term energy management strategies. A representative from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will be available at this workshop to discuss DEP’s programs targeted toward municipalities.

Crude Substitute: The Folly of Liquid Coal

Join Group Against Smog and Pollution and Clean Air Council for the Pittsburgh screening of NRDC's short film

Wednesday, June 11
6:30 pm
University of Pittsburgh Law School, Barco Law Building, Room 113, 3900 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh
RSVP and enter to win $100 in Zip Car driving credits (must be present to win)
Admission is FREE, but please RSVP at www.cleanair.org/pittsburghctl or call Michael Parker at GASP at 412-325-7382.

America is facing critical choices about its energy future. How do we fulfill our energy needs AND combat global warming? The coal industry wants to turn coal into a liquid transportation fuel. But liquid coal would have devastating impacts on our economy, our communities and our environment. After the film, Lisa Graves-Marcucci of Jefferson Action Group will discuss the social and environmental impacts of mining and how coal to liquid technology will adversely effect the citizens of Western PA.

Sierra Club Monthly Meeting

Wednesday, June 11
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Phipps Civic Garden Center, Fifth and Shady Avenues
Free and open to the public
www.alleghenysc.org

TWO PARTS OF THE SOLUTION - Building Energy Conservation and Connecting to Urban Youth through the Beauty of Orchids

This meeting first features the executive director of the Phipps Conservatory, Richard Piacentini, with a discussion of the astonishing green building program at the Phipps. This is what has made Pittsburgh a national leader in Green Building Technology. He will be followed by Gary Baranowski, director of the equally astonishing orchid growing program at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild/Bidwell Training Center greenhouse on the North Side. Bidwell and the Guild are national leadership models in successful development of urban youth, building motivated young people with useful skills and great self-esteem. This is an inspiring story. And you won’t believe the scale of the orchid-growing program, in a half-city-block ultra modern greenhouse! An update will also be provided on Burgh Bees, the urban bee-keeping operation, with Christina Joy Neumann. Refreshments and conversation follow the meeting.

Port Authority’s Connect ’09 Regional Open Houses

Tuesday, June 17 - 6:00-8:00 PM - Western Communities
Carnegie Borough Building - Take the 33X, 100, 31E, or 33F

Monday, June 23 - 6:00-8:00 PM - Allegheny Valley/Eastern Suburbs
CCAC (Boyce) Gymnasium - Take the 67A and 77B

Tuesday, June 24 - 11:00 AM-2:00 PM – Central Pittsburgh
YWCA - Take any route into Downtown Pittsburgh

Tuesday, June 24 - 6:00-8:00 PM - North Hills
West View Firemen’s Banquet Hall - 398 Perry Highway, Pittsburgh, PA 15229
(Take the 11D or 500)

Wednesday, June 25 - 6:00-8:00 PM - South Hills
Bethel Park Fire Hall - 5213 Brightwood Road, Bethel Park, PA 15102
(Take the 47L Rail)

Thursday, June 26 - 6:00-8:00 PM - Mon Valley
CCAC (South) Gymnasium - 1750 Clairton Road, West Mifflin, PA 15122
(Take the 51E or 55M)

As a component of the Port Authority’s Connect ’09 initiative, the Transit Development Plan is intended to revitalize the Port Authority’s bus service –- to help the service better match current demand, to make it simpler, faster, more direct, and to implement innovative practices and services. Meeting your transportation needs is important to the Port Authority. Please attend one of these regional Open House meetings and tell the Port Authority where you need to go! For more information, please visit http://tdp.portauthority.org.

Finding Hidden Opportunities: Understanding Infill, Redevelopment and Replacement

Tuesday, June 17
8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Radisson Hotel Pittsburgh Green Tree, 101 Radisson Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 15205
Fee: $50
Register Online at www.palocalgovtraining.org or send registration and fee (checks made payable to ‘PSAB’) to: The Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, 2941 N. Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110

This course covers three important topics for ensuring coordinated community growth: infill, redevelopment, and replacement. This intensive, six (6) hour course will provide an interactive and practical approach to understanding and applying the principles and relevant information needed to begin (or continue) discussions of updating community development codes: making certain that new building styles, types, and development patterns are appropriate and compatible with surrounding buildings. Numerous “real-world” examples from throughout the Commonwealth will illustrate specifics including facts/statistics in comparison to required standards.

2008 Youghiogheny River of the Year Sojourn Registration

July 17 - July 20, 2008
Detailed information and the Registration Form are available on-line at: www.pecpa.org/youghsojourn
Registration Deadline: June, 27th 2008.

The Youghiogheny River Sojourn is a 4-day excursion on the Youghiogheny River, simply known as the Yough, in southwestern Pennsylvania. The journey begins at the Youghiogheny River Lake near Confluence and will follow the river north as it meanders towards McKeesport. Along the way participants will discover the unique ecology, culture and rich history of the Youghiogheny River corridor. No experience is necessary. This trip caters to beginner or first-time paddlers, but will have plenty of excitement for river enthusiasts of all ability levels. As an alternative, people may bring their own bicycles or may rent bikes on their own to ride the parallel Great Allegheny Passage.

Resources

SPC seeks public input

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is seeking input from the public on the following important draft documents that will impact the region’s transportation system:
- Draft 2009-2012 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which identifies the priority highway and transit improvements programmed for advancement over the next four years
- Environmental Justice Benefits and Burdens Assessment for the 2009-2012 TIP
- Amendment to the 2035 Transportation and Development Plan for Southwestern Pennsylvania (2035 Plan) to reflect project phasing and cost information included in the Draft 2009-2012 TIP
- Air Quality Conformity Determination for the 2009-2012 TIP and 2035 Plan

Gas prices may fuel growth in cities

"The popular narrative on the collapse of housing prices has only blamed exotic lending practices," says economist Joe Cortright. "But the much more important story is about how higher gas prices have redrawn the map of urban real estate values. "Vibrant central cities just got a whole lot more valuable."

More

Climate bill points to US carbon trading

But while the political climate has generally become more favourable, some observers say Democratic supporters of the bill are worried about the timing of this week's debate. In April, Harry Reid, the Democratic majority leader, said nearly all Democrats would back the cap-and-trade legislation. But now, Mr Reid might not be able to count on the support of moderate Democrats from states suffering because of high petrol prices and the weak economy.

A planning headache, 50 years in the making

In its own way, this sums up the difficulty of urbanizing the suburbs. Getting politicians to commit to transit (and densification, for that matter) is every bit as tough as getting people out of their cars, even occasionally. Yes, we pay lip service to the idea of mass transit, but when it comes right down to it, we'd rather have it both ways – carry on as always, but with buses.

Ridership surges as gas prices fuel exodus from cars

The ridership increase is noteworthy because it occurred when the economy was declining, said APTA, a transportation industry group. Sixty percent of transit trips are work-related, so for ridership to jump when the economy is flat or on the decline signals an increase in demand that is likely to continue if gas prices remain high, said Rob Padgette, APTA's director of policy, development and research. "It is a significant number," he said.

Cranberry commits to going green

"Cranberry was the poster child for urban sprawl," township manager Jerry Andree said. "We wanted to have a thriving sustainable community. We don't want to be a community suffering in 2030." Leaders in many suburban towns say their local governments and school districts are incorporating more environmentally friendly systems into day-to-day business.

Heinz sets sustainability goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2015

The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ) announced today a milestone company goal: to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2015. This effort is part of Heinz's sustainability vision, to be a trusted leader in nutrition and wellness, dedicated to the sustainable health of people, the planet and the Company. "From using potato peels to generate energy, to reducing the amount and size of our packaging, every day we're finding new ways to reduce our environmental footprint and improve the efficiency of our company," said Heinz CEO Bill Johnson. "Everyone in the Heinz community is involved in this sustainability effort -- from our employees to many of our largest customers and suppliers."

Sprawled Out

Sustainable Pittsburgh's executive director Court Gould acknowledges such paradoxes. But he says that business models are changing: He cites Lucas Piatt, of Millcraft Industries, who at the conference offered a mea culpa for the sprawling Southpointe business park his firm built in Cecil Township. Piatt added that Millcraft's future was in projects like revitalizing downtown Washington, Pa. -- and resurrecting Downtown's Lazarus department-store building, which Millcraft is converting to an upscale retail/condo complex. Similarly progressive supply-side attitudes might address another problem: that of prospective homeowners who say they want walkability, but keep buying in Subdivision Land. Leinberger says people seldom choose walkability now partly because it's seldom an option. The answer, he says, is to level the playing field, with fewer subsidies for highways and an overhaul of zoning laws that effectively prohibit mixed-use walkable development. Communities, including Cranberry Township (a veritable poster child for sprawl), have taken steps in that direction, Gould says. Meanwhile, Gould adds, we can save green fields simply by preserving older, "core" communities: "Fix the places that exist first."

EPA's Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model is a handbook for all stakeholders to understand how local environmental and/or public health issues can be addressed through the Collaborative Problem-Solving (CPS) Model.

Critics say new green rating hurts affordable housing

They worry the point system, and any resulting developer disincentives, will get ingrained in municipal law books if local governments continue to adopt LEED standards at unprecedented rates -- all at a time, they add, when the growing gap between wages and mortgages is creating an affordable housing crisis regionally and nationally.

Leaders and laggards in carbon output

So what explains the differences? The best performers provide a clue: high-density, compact development with new and expanded rail transit. Many of the regions with the smallest per capita carbon footprints -- among them New York, San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles -- fit that profile. By contrast, some of the metro areas with high per capita carbon emission scores have experienced dramatic sprawling and pedestrian-hostile development, and are weaker on mass transit.

We are losing almost as many African-American males each year as were killed in Vietnam, but we've not yet decided to fight, laments LARRY E. DAVIS

The first step in reducing the murder rate among black men is to focus on creating jobs in black communities with high rates of unemployment. Job opportunities must begin to compete with illegal opportunities. We must reduce the number of "workers" who feel the need to carry guns in the "workplace." Second, focused educational opportunities must be made available. A college education is a good thing, but what's needed most are technical skills that fit the jobs available at local businesses. Third, we must encourage black males to get more involved in the economic and social lives of their families. Historically, most large programs to assist black families have focused on single mothers and children, largely ignoring black men. These programs have, on the whole, been failures. "Healthy family" projects, which encourage fathers to be involved with their families, should be the norm. Finally, there is clear evidence that people with investments in savings or property have more of a stake in their communities and are less likely to commit anti-social acts. Jobs are the first step in generating income, but financial-planning skills are essential, too.

Cost relief: It's time for the state to raise its stake in schools

House Bill 2449 would bring stability to school funding by using a formula to determine how much each district should receive from the state. It would build on current funding and take into account the poverty level, millage rate, living costs and number of students learning English as a second language. The goal is to start closing a funding gap that was identified by a study ordered by the Legislature and released in November. The 78-page report said Pennsylvania is spending $4.8 billion less than necessary to educate its 1.8 million students so that they are proficient in reading and math by 2014. The costing-out study concluded that only 27 of the 501 districts were putting adequate resources into education, and the amounts spent varied widely.

When the oil runs out - Pittsburgh needs to get ready for an energy future with a lot less oil

To me, all of this suggests that Pittsburgh's leadership -- governmental, political, educational, medical, commercial -- had better be thinking about peak oil to avoid being caught off guard as it was 30 years ago with the collapse of the steel industry.

Anyone need a side yard? City steps up effort to sell vacant lots

Three changes have allowed the city to increase the volume to the point that there are now around 115 side yard sales in the works. The first was the city's purchase last year of old tax debts sold by former Mayor Tom Murphy's administration to Capital Asset Research Corp. The debts had slowed sales when Capital Asset insisted on having them paid off. The second was a push to identify and market potential side yards to neighbors, in which the city wrote to some 1,200 owners inviting them to buy the vacant lots next door. Third, a doubling of the demolition budget, enabling the removal of 600 condemned homes this year, is creating more eligible lots.

Racial shift in a progressive city spurs talks

Not every neighborhood in this city is one of those Northwest destinations where passion for espresso, the environment and plenty of exercise define the cultural common ground. A few places are still described as frontiers, where pioneers move because prices are relatively reasonable, the location is convenient and, they say, they “want the diversity.” As new development drives up the price of real estate in northeast Portland, Ore., many longtime residents of the Alberta Street area have sold property and moved away. Yet one person’s frontier, it turns out, is often another’s front porch. It has been true across the country: gentrification, which increases housing prices and tension, sometimes has racial overtones and can seem like a dirty word. Now Portland is encouraging black and white residents to talk about it, but even here in Sincere City, the conversation has been difficult. . .what has been clear from the meetings this month and last is that talking about the impact of gentrification is easier than finding ways to reduce it. For some minority residents, the notion that white Portland now says it feels their pain is cold comfort.

Big Vehicles Stagger Under the Weight of $4 Gas

A fully loaded Ford F-250 pickup truck is a whole lot of vehicle. It can tow a horse trailer with multiple horses. It comes with a DVD-based navigation system for the driver as well as a DVD player for passengers who are sitting in the extended cab.

And how much does an F-250 set you back these days? Try $100,000. The F-250 is part of the first generation of mass-market vehicles -- along with the Lincoln Navigator, Lexus LX 570 and a few others -- to approach the six-figure mark. Now, if you walked into a showroom today and asked to see one of these trucks, the price tag wouldn’t be anywhere near $100,000. It would be much closer to $50,000. But you don’t buy a vehicle to leave it in your garage. You buy it to drive it. So it makes sense to consider the full costs of ownership, which include insurance, interest, repairs, taxes and, of course, gasoline.

Living ‘off-grid’

One clear sign that the off-grid lifestyle is moving more mainstream: developers and other organizations are starting to look at off-grid alternatives, drawn by both environmental arguments and simply the bottom line. . ."You can have hot showers and a cold beer," said Gamble. "You have no water bill, no sewer bill, no power bill and you can harvest something fresh from the greenhouse...why would you ever do anything else?"

Sustainable Pittsburgh testimony, continued

Among the many sensibilities imbedded in the Governor's Keystone Principles is a commitment to fairness and social equity. On this imperative, Sustainable Pittsburgh applauds Chancellor Mark Nordenberg's committee recommendations on the need to ensure that minority representation would not decline as a result of consolidation. Representation of minorities must be top priority to ensure that government reform effectively uses this opportunity to narrow the social disparities gap and bring enhanced opportunity for more residents to fulfill their dreams of the most livable region. Aspiring that these issues of equity be a forethought, Sustainable Pittsburgh, in November 2004, published a study entitled: EQUITY AND REGIONALISM – LESSONS LEARNED A survey of some leaders in urban areas that have undergone a form of governance restructuring and a review of relevant literature. In this study we provide a number of recommendations for structure and process with the concluding point that, "following in-depth analysis, whatever approaches are identified to ensure that merged or consolidated functions/governments address equity concerns, must be built into the structure. They must not be left to be worked out later or dependant on the goodwill of future officials."

Given the urgency and size of the both challenges and opportunities facing our region today and the emergence of this region as the locus of the world marketplace, we need to acknowledge that tomorrow is now and it is time to find a new "governing center of gravity" as we are living at such a time – there is need for reshaping the political landscape as we start the twenty-first century. We start this today by advancing politics here in our region premised on bringing people together for the common good. Sustainable Pittsburgh urges creation of a task force to ensure responsible debate about the issues, opportunities and details of consolidation.

For information on becoming a Member of Sustainable Pittsburgh, please visit our website.

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Sustainable Pittsburgh affects decision-making in the Pittsburgh Region to integrate economic prosperity, social equity and environmental quality bringing sustainable solutions to communities and businesses.

Sustainable Pittsburgh benefits from support in 2008 from:

Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
Dollar Bank
The Heinz Endowments
Elsie H. Hillman Foundation
Roy A. Hunt Foundation
Richard King Mellon Foundation
University of Pittsburgh



Special thanks to the SP Members

Sustainable Pittsburgh
425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1335
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
(412) 258-6642
fax (412) 258-6645
E-mail SP