Sustainability Initiatives
The Interagency Partnership on Sustainable Communities (Partnership) is a collaboration between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These entities joined together to offer the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program, which seeks to help implement the Partnership's six livability principles. In its first year, the grant program offered a total of $100 million. The purpose of the grant program is to support metropolitan and multi-jurisdictional planning efforts that integrate housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments.
The MPO is pleased to announce that, on Thursday, October 14, 2010, it received notification from HUD that it has been awarded a grant of $2 million to create a regional plan for sustainable development (The Tomorrow Plan) as part of the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program. Additionally, the consortium will leverage nearly $1.1 million from local funds, which are derived from in-kind staff resources and from complementary planning endeavors being conducted in the region.
Please visit The Tomorrow Plan website at www.thetomorrowplan.com for the latest!
On Thursday, October 28, 2010, the MPO, in cooperation with the Greater Des Moines Partnership, hosted a press conference regarding the grant. MPO Executive Director Tom Kane, Polk County Supervisor and Steering Committee Chair Angela Connolly, Greater Des Moines Partnership President and CEO Martha Willits, Senator Tom Harkin staff member Richard Bender, and Congressman Leonard Boswell all spoke at the event. For a transcript, please click here.
Photo courtesy of the Greater Des Moines Partnership
The Tomorrow Plan will provide a framework for future development of the region, creating new and integrating existing regionally-planned components. Regional housing, environmental, and land use plans will be created as part of this project. The formulation of The Tomorrow Plan will provide the chance to link a long-range regional transit plan (DART Forward 2035) and a strategic plan for economic and workforce development (Capital Crossroads). Furthermore, The Tomorrow Plan will suggest updates to existing plans in order to align all regional planning efforts. The Tomorrow Plan will cover a time horizon that stretches to 2050 and will relate the findings of other studies and plans to the overall multi-disciplinary vision, goals, and initiatives underway in central Iowa.
The development of The Tomorrow Plan will consist of five phases over a three year time period:
1. Project initiation
2. Regional assessment
3. Regional vision for sustainability
4. Regional sustainability framework
5. Sustainability report & implementation
How can I participate?
There will be numerous opportunities for you to participate in the creation of The Tomorrow Plan. Project leaders anticipate hosting a speaker series to allow attendees to gain a better understanding of The Tomorrow Plan. A series of public input meetings also will be held throughout the duration of the project.
Furthermore, Phase 3 of the project will rely largely upon public input.
Please check back frequently for more information about participation opportunities!
At the MPO, please contact project manager Bethany Wilcoxon.
Steering Committee Meeting Agendas & Minutes
