PEORIA, Ariz. (April
24, 2009) – Peoria is launching two initiatives – a Web page and a lecture
series – to promote environmental sustainability.
City leaders believe
the community has some important decisions to make and wants to lay the
groundwork for an informed debate.
“The overall theme in
Peoria is ‘Building Community’ – a community that will last for future
generations,” says Deputy City Manager Susan J. Daluddung. “The speakers will
give us ideas to help define our path. Decisions we will be making are crucial
to our quality of life now and in the years ahead. We need to understand our
options, talk them through and get a perspective on how they line up with
Peoria’s values.”
Folks can get off to a
good start by visiting
www.peoriaaz.gov/sustainability to learn what they can do to reduce their
effects on the environment, conserve energy and meet their needs without
compromising the needs of the future. Among the areas covered are conserving
water, reducing paper use and disposing of potentially hazardous household items
such as batteries, home electronics or medical waste.
They also can review
the steps their city government has taken toward the same goals, such as
purchasing cleaner-running city vehicles, modernizing climate-control systems in
public buildings and improving water management.
Community
Conversations
Adding to that
knowledge base will be the Peoria Building Community Speakers Series, featuring
presentations and panel discussions with experts in areas related to
sustainability. Each of its five sessions – on May 5, June 2, Oct. 6, Nov. 3 and
Feb. 2 – will be held at 4 p.m. in the City Hall Pine Room and air live on
Peoria Channel 11.
The series will kick
off May 5 with a discussion of urban land-use planning and the economics of
Peoria’s specific area plans in the regional context. The session will focus on
urban design; community planning; regional growth strategies; shaping growth and
redevelopment to re-establish a sense of place, scale, history and environmental
balance; creating a community that is diverse, mixed-use and pedestrian
friendly; and fostering development that provides a range of housing in close
proximity to shopping, jobs, recreation and transit – walkable communities that
offer realistic housing and transportation choices.
The focus June 2 will
be on desert land conservation and connectivity – specifically, how Scottsdale
has managed to preserve land, which is one of Peoria’s sustainability goals. The
speakers will be officials from Scottsdale and non-profit organizations involved
with the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.
The Oct. 6 session will
consider multi-modal transportation and economic development. It will focus on
planning, engineering/architectural design and programs to promote multiple
transportation alternatives. Revitalization topics will include urban design,
planning, architecture and program implementation (including the planning
process and public outreach).
Community development
and housing will be on the agenda Nov. 3. – neighborhood improvement, housing
policy, foreclosure prevention and the economic outlook for the Phoenix area
from the perspective of homebuilders. Discussion will touch on financing,
rehabilitation and community-development programs; information on housing
policy, planning and code-setting processes; the regional financial outlook;
incentives for growth in Peoria; preventing foreclosures; and retaining
neighborhood quality.
The Building Community
Speakers Series will conclude Feb. 2, 2010, with a closing symposium and public
forum. Possible topics include reducing energy use, green building and new
development types.
For more information on
this program, contact the City Manager's Office at 623-773-7300 or visit
www.peoriaaz.gov/sustainability.
