Coconut Creek wins green award
The City of Coconut Creek, Florida has earned the Audubon Green Community Award from Audubon International, a non-profit environmental organization. The award will be presented at the City Hall on September 15th, 2009, at 3pm.
“The City of Coconut Creek has demonstrated a strong commitment to embodying the ideals of sustainability – economic vitality, environmental protection, and social responsibility,” says Suzi Zakowski, Manager of the Sustainable Communities Program. “With the surrounding natural landscape of South Florida, Coconut Creek has much to celebrate. It is a unique place filled with residents, businesses and community organizations that care deeply about the place they call home.”
Coconut Creek becomes the first city in Florida to earn the Audubon Green Community Award for their ongoing green initiatives. Members of Audubon International’s Sustainable Communities Program are eligible for the award, which recognizes environmental achievement and is an intermediate milestone en route to earning rigorous designation as a Certified Audubon Sustainable Community.
Coconut Creek’s accomplishments include:
- The Main Street Project – The City formally adopted the MainStreet Design Standards Document, which provides strict environmental standards for all buildings and site development, followed through with the first project in the Main Street Area. Approximately 20-25% of the Main Street project will be open/preserved space.
- Energy Efficiency in City Buildings – This initiative will provide an energy-efficient work place for City employees. The first phase was to convert to a 4-day work week and implementing sustainable practices in-house, including recycling and other environmental practices.
- Wild Areas Preservation – The City is seeking to provide, create and encourage the creation of wildlife habitat on public and private property throughout the City. To do this, Coconut Creek will increase and enhance existing or new areas in public parks and provide information necessary for residents and schools to create their own habitats and butterfly gardens.
- Affordable Housing – The City’s affordable housing ordinance was adopted in May, 2006. Currently in the initial stages, the ordinance will implement an affordable housing program, which will provide housing opportunities for workforce and lower income families, and establish an affordable housing advisory committee.
- Community Environmental Education and Organizations – An important priority for Coconut Creek has been to educate the community regarding environmental and sustainable stewardship and partner with local/state organizations in the process.
- Transportation – To better provide walkability and alternate uses of transportation to residents, the City has begun to enhance existing transportation corridors, created the Greenway Master Plan, developed an Education Corridor, applied for funding for various transportation related projects, and has been promoting biking/pedestrian uses of new greenways and connectors throughout the city.
- Citizen Engagement and Environmental Commitment – To engage residents and encourage environmental commitment, the City began several successful programs, with a continued commitment to making sure the programs are cultivated for increased participation.
After a community sustainability plan is approved, communities in the program may apply for certification in the Sustainable Communities Program by demonstrating continuous progress towards goals in the plan under fifteen focus areas.
Related posts:
- New Sustainable Lecture Series Begins October 14 in Coconut Creek
- The Castaways Perform At The City Of Coconut Creek
- Coconut Creek Participates In Second Annual “Field Of Food” Campaign
- FLOW bus in Coconut Creek
- New playground in Coconut Creek
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Posted by Andrea Freygang on Aug 31 2009. Filed under Environmental. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
