City of Douglasville issued the following announcement on Jan. 27.
The City of Douglasville has achieved recertification as a Green Community at the Silver Level.
The Atlanta Regional Commission’s Green Communities program is a voluntary certification program that helps local governments implement measures that will reduce their environmental impact. It recognizes their commitment to environmental stewardship and their leadership in sustainability practices. All winners earned certification points for sustainable measures implemented in their communities.
Some measures that earned Douglasville certification points include:
• Using captured rainwater and supplemental well water for irrigation at Hunter Park and West Pines Golf Club, saving more than 30 million gallons of potable water each year.
• Maintaining the character of its historic downtown by purchasing and rehabilitating several vacant or abandoned buildings.
• Incorporating parking maximums and allowances for shared parking in its Unified Development Code. Allowing nearby commercial businesses to collectively meet parking lot requirements helps reduce impervious surfaces and fosters a more walkable environment.
• Adopting an anti-idling policy to prevent fleet vehicles from idling for over 30 seconds when not in traffic. This reduces fuel use and improves air quality.
• Installing energy-saving LED lights in numerous locations including City Hall, the Riley Early Learning Center, Fowler Field, and West Pines Golf Course.
• Creating a community demonstration garden and gardening programs to educate citizens on how they can grow their own fruits and vegetables.
In metro Atlanta, 17 local governments — 11 cities and six counties – are currently certified under the ARC Green Communities program. This is the first program in the country to promote sustainability through a green certification program for local governments.
“Each of our newly awarded Green Communities has shown great progress in reducing our collective environmental impacts and helping create a more livable and sustainable region,” said Natural Resources Managing Director Katherine Zitsch. “The hard work, innovative thinking, and dedication of our Green Communities serve as a model for other communities in the region.”
ARC developed the Green Communities Program in 2009 to recognize local governments that invest in programs and policies that lead to a more sustainable region. The nationally recognized program showcases the many ways that local governments can reduce their environmental footprint.
“I am so thrilled to receive the news that the City of Douglasville has achieved Silver Level recertification as a Green Community from the Atlanta Regional Commission,” said Mayor Rochelle Robinson. “We are striving to make a positive impact on the environment, and it is encouraging to see our efforts awarded in this way. We will continue to be environmentally conscious and implement initiatives for sustainability as we reach for gold status in the future.”
The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is the official planning agency for the 11-county Atlanta Region, including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties as well as the City of Atlanta and 74 other cities. The Atlanta Regional Commission serves as a catalyst for regional progress by focusing leadership, attention, and planning resources on key regional issues.
Original source can be found here.
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