04-23-2024 PRF Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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PART I: PLANNING OVERVIEW WHAT'S INSIDE THIS TOOLKIT Sustainability is a journey, and ICLEI`s toolkit provides the guidelines and resources for any local gov- ernment to develop a sustainability plan and begin this journey. The toolkit is intended for local govern- ments large and small, including cities, towns, and counties. The primary audience is local government staff responsible for developing and implementing a sustainability plan—typically sustainability coor- dinators or sustainability directors. Other local government staff involved in the planning process will also find the toolkit useful to understand their role in the bigger picture. Community members or elected officials interested in contributing to the development of a local government's sustainability plan are also encouraged to use the toolkit as a resource. Recognizing that local governments around the United States are vastly different, this toolkit presents a straightforward yet'flexible process for developing a sustainability plan. It can be used by any local government regardless of its structure, geography, size, and available resources. The foundation of the toolkit is the Five Milestones for Sustainability process, which outlines the major steps a local govern- ment should follow to improve its sustainability. The Five Milestones for Sustainability are an evolution of ICLEI's Five Milestones for Climate Mitigation and includes the following five major steps: • Milestone One: Conduct a sustainability assessment • Milestone Two: Establish sustainability goals • Milestone Three: Develop a local sustainability plan • Milestone Four: Implement policies and measures • Milestone Five: Evaluate progress and report results Readers will find guidance on both how to structure their planning process and what types of strategies and measures to include in their sustainability plan. This toolkit places particular emphasis on the ap- proach to the planning process, because having a high-quality plan isn't enough. A well-executed planning process is essential because it builds broad support from local stakeholders which leads to a smoother implementation process. Local governments are encouraged to use the framework of the Five Milestones for Sustainability as a starting point to understand the key steps involved in developing a sustainability plan. The toolkit can be used by local governments at the very early stages of the planning process or by local governments that already have a plan and are preparing to update it. To assist local governments, the toolkit provides: • Step-by-step guidelines for how to achieve each milestone • Tips on what to include in a sustainability plan • Best-practice examples • Checklists and templates • Guidelines for organizing a team of experts to develop the plan 4