OAPA Sustainable Planning Toolkit
How to Use the Toolkit
Welcome to the OAPA's sustainable planning toolkit webpage. We hope this toolkit is clear and easy-to-use, and that it provides planners with a starting point for learning about tools and strategies for integrating sustainability into comprehensive, long-term planning in Oregon. This site features brief summaries of identified tools and projects, with links for accessing more detailed information. Through this webpage, you can:
Search
Search for tools and project examples by topic (place name, water, climate, public health e.g.), format (i.e. report, webpage, climate action plan, resource guide, etc.) or Oregon planning goal (this search category is currently under construction and not usable at this time).
Contact
Contact a real live person with experience relating to many projects or tools, who has offered to answer questions or provide more direction relating to the example. This information will be provided alongside each example (if contact information is lacking and you know of someone willing to serve this purpose, please contact us or leave information in the comments area!).
Comment
Comment on entries with questions or feedback on existing content or content you think should be added. This webpage is meant to serve not only as a home-base for sustainable planning tools, but also as a jumping-off-point for further conversations about planning for sustainability in Oregon. This site is intended to be dynamic in nature, a characteristic that will rely largely upon user interaction, contributions and feedback.
To contact us directly e-mail toolkit@oregonapa.org.
Disclaimer: "OAPA's official web site is www.oregonapa.org. OAPA has provided these links because they provide additional information that may be useful or interesting and is being provided in a manner consistent with the intended purpose of the OAPA website. OAPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-OAPA information provided by these third-party sites or any other linked site. OAPA is providing these links for your reference. In doing so, OAPA does not endores any websites, companies, nonprofits or applicatings.
Read More About:
Toolkit Background
Implementing Sustainability in Oregon
The Oregon APA Board adopted a Sustainability Definition and Supporting Strategies in January 2011. One of the principle strategies listed in this document was the creation of a web-based home for sharing sustainable planning practices. The Toolkit implements that strategy commitment. OAPA intends to pursue the other strategies as volunteer time and the organization's limited resources allow.
The other feature of the document is the definition of Sustainability in the Oregon planning context. This definition was developed using input from several OAPA sponsored workshops involving over a hundred Oregon planners.
A local government's comprehensive plan should be the primary guiding document for creating places that sustain and enhance life for the long term future.
Full Sustainability Definition and Supporting Strategies document
Overall Sustainability Strategy
The Board also created a summary document in April 2011 articulating OAPA Sustainability Initiatives and Strategy. This document describes the organizations coordinated strategies at the state, regional and local levels to enhance the "art and science" of planning in Oregon.
Summary Document
National APA and Sustainability
APA Policy Guide on Planning for Sustainability
Climate Change Framework
Statewide Policy & Legislation
Oregon Climate Change Policy
The Oregon Climate Change Adaptation Framework (December 2010)
Greenhouse Gas Reduction: Oregon Legislative History
Planning for climate change originated with the passing of House Bill 3543 in 2007. HB 3543 required the state to "take necessary action to begin reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in order to prevent disruption of Oregon's economy and quality of life." Specifically, the bill set forth the following targets:
- 2010: Stop growth of GHG emissions
- 2020: Reduce GHG emissions to 10% below 1990 levels
- 2050: Reduce GHG emissions to 75% below 1990 levels
To assist in reaching these goals, HB 3543 established the "Oregon Global Warming Commission" (now known as "Keep Oregon Cool") to "recommend ways to coordinate state and local efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon consistent with the greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals."
Subsequent legislation targeting reduction of greenhouse gas emissions was the "Oregon Sustainable Transportation Initiative," as embodied in HB 2001 (2009) and SB 1059 (2010 Special Session). These bills targeted the following key sector areas:
- Energy
- Transportation and land use
- Industrial
- Agriculture
- Forestry
- Materials management
Read More about HB 2001
HB 2001 contains the following requirements for the Portland Metro region:
- 2011: Directed LCDC to adopt rules setting GHG emission reduction targets for 2035;
- 2013: Requires Metro to develop two or more land use and transportation scenarios (see: What is Scenario Planning? below) that meet those targets and report to the legislature; and
- 2014: Directs LCDC to adopt rules to guide development and implementation of one scenario.
HB 2001 has the following requirements for the Eugene-Springfield metro region:
- By July 1, 2013: develop modeling and other capabilities for scenarios
- After July 1, 2013: prepare scenarios subject to statutory criteria
- February 2014: report to the legislature
Thus, the requirements for Eugene-Springfield differ from the Portland Metro region in that:
- The scenario planning is guided by statute, not LCDC rulemaking
- Eugene-Springfield is not required to adopt and implement a scenario.
Read more about SB 1059
SB 1059 (2010) directed LCDC to adopt rules setting GHG emission reduction targets for other areas served by MPOs (Bend, Corvallis, Eugene-Springfield, Rouge Valley and Salem-Keizer). The bill provided for the following items to inform target rulemaking:
- ODOT/DEQ/ODOE – to prepare estimates of future vehicle and fuel technology to inform the target setting rulemaking.
- OTC to adopt Statewide Transportation GHG Strategy
- ODOT/DLCD to establish scenario planning guidelinesGHG reduction toolkit
What is Scenario Planning?
Scenario Planning is a "what-if" vision. It is intended to estimate what it would take to meet targeted GHG emission reductions looking at changes to land use and transportation. As described by DLCD:
"Scenario planning is strategic planning process to establish a transportation and land use vision, goals and approaches for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from light vehicles. Scenario planning has a broad (comprehensive) scope and incorporates the recognition of uncertainty and the consideration of risks if outcomes are more or less favorable than anticipated. A scenario plan describes a general course for achieving the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, rather than a specific set of actions that will be undertaken."
Toolkit Methodology
- Does it reflect the OAPA definition for sustainability, initiatives and proposed strategy for planning for and implementing sustainability?
- Is it comprehensive in its intent?
- Is it local?
- Was it implemented?
- Is there a web link or person to contact?
For comments and questions, please email toolkit@oregonapa.org.