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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-13-2001-5ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONER$ WORK SESSION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: November 13, 2001 Action Aga Item No. SUBJECT: Susceptibility Planning for Orange County and Demographic Change Report Excerpt from Report Orange County Population Study TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Population Report (to be distributed at meeting) Hillsborough 7324181 DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections Chapel Hill 9684501 PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(&): INFORMATION CONTACT: PowerPoint Handout Craig N. Benedict, aid. 2592 Excerpt from Report Orange County Population Study TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Population Report (to be distributed at meeting) Hillsborough 7324181 Chapel Hill 9684501 Durham US -7331 Mebane (336)227 -2031 PURPOSE: To set a basis of comprehensive plan goals, objectives and policy development by illustrating need for regional sustainabllity. BACKGROUND: A'Sustainability Indicators for Orange County' report was prepared in conjunction with the Economic Development Department, the Environment and Resource Conservation Department and the Planning Department. This report serves as an index by which comprehensive land use policy can be fashioned to achieve certain positive goals. A PowerPoint presentation will be given. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None mthis time RECOMMENDATION(&): The Manager recommends that the Boat receive the report. MeplinO the COmpreRnalrt plant Bu ppM P4ppW GwIC of the pane CwnN Bm,d of CoMMIsnoners rimeew mesa pf news nir w Qt end Wone to Rw onson rce Ipml won sons;, mclal,. and eeweeileyelem Ensum e,,nt pod reetlanu tree m�worm md fu rePmpeidyln -. wu sqt oo�ni No d & d. 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P9m may.., A.w,. 1+ 11m1 11/09/0001 10:46 91964430V X. ay. R WIH6 PN E E2 107 A Report on Sustainability Indicators for Orange County Prepared for Orange County Economic Development, Environment and Resource Conservation and Planning Departments by Pam McIntosh Sustainabllity Consultant October 15, 2000 11/09/2001 18:46 9196443002 OR. CTV. RWNING WAGE d3/U7 Table of Contents Introduction 1 Sustalnabllity: A Global Concept and Contest of Taking Local Action 2 Indicators of Sustainabiliy, of Orange County 4 Economy: Creating and Maintaining Liveabllity 6 Economic Development and Prosperity • Business Diversity and Fleubiiily 8 • Composition of Tax Base 10 • Economic Self Sufficiency 11 • Children and Poverty 12 Transportation • Automobile Use and Dependence 14 • Out Commuting 16 • Alternatively Fueled Vehicles 17 Housing • Housing Affordability 18 • Housing Problems 1 Environment: Respecting Environmental Limits 20 Preserving the Integrity of the Natural Landscape • Permanently Protected Land 21 • Prime Forests 22 Efficient Use of Natural Resources o Waste Generation 23 Pollution Prevention and Mldgadon n Airpuedy 24 Equity. Creating and Maintaining and Equitable Community 25 Equity —the We"elog of All • Crime 26 • Income Distribution 27 • Class Size 28 • Youth Involvement 29 Summary of County Progress Toward SUStalnabllity 31 Using the Indicators Toward a County Sustainability Plan 33 Appendix A; Status of Preliminary Set of 44 Indicators from SOCF 37 Appendix B: Status of Indicators for which Research Has Not Been Conducted 43 Appendix C: Origins of the Cu rent 42 Indicators 48 Appendix D: Using a Set of Criteria W Measure Relative Sustainability of Development Projects 51 11/0912001 10:46 9196043002 M. CTV. RAWING PACE 00 /67 Introduction This report builds on work done by the Shaping Orange Coures Future (SOCF) Task Force and its Sustainabillty Committee. The SOCF Sustainability Committee report defined principles of suatainabllity and identified a preliminary set of 44 indicators to measure county progress regarding suaminablllty. The SOCF report was followed by a staff report assessing the feasibility of collecting data for these indicators. This staff report shows where there are gaps between data avalleblllty, and what the community would like to measure to assess sustainablity. The present report attempts to measure some of those indicators for which data is readily available, and suggests some alternative Indicators to fill gape, perticularlywhere data is unavailable for the original indicators. The report contains three sections. The fret section. Sustainebility: a Global Concept and Contest for Local Action, reviews the SOCF suslainebility definition and principles, and provides a context for understanding sustainability, what can be done on a local level, and the purpose of using sustainablllry indicators. The second section provides brief assessments for indicators for which dam wee readily available and collectable within the timaframe for completion of this report. The indicators are grouped into three major clusters, Economy: Creating and Maintaining Liveabllity, Environment: Respecting Environmental Limits, and Equity. Creating and Maintaining an Equitable Community. For some Indicators where date Is not available, alternatives have been suggestetl, and data collected an these as feasible. There are also some indicators from the original 44 that should still be considered though data collection for these is beyond the scope of this report . It is also suggested Nat a few cf the 44 Indicators be dropped. where data are lacking and the same aspect is covered by another indicator or the indicator does not appear to be key to county sustainability, Appendix A Ilsts the original 44 indicators and indicates the status or each (i.e. indicator status sheet completed, some data Collected, more feasible alternative suggested, ate.) In a few cases, new indicators for which data is available have been suggested to supplement the original set of Indicators. The end result is a recommended set of 42 indicators for which dam could be collected on a regular basis to provide a comprehensive view of the countys progress toward sustainability. This section ends with a brief synopsis of what the measurable Intl Inshore tell us about where Orange County is headed regarding sustainability. - The final section concludes the report with recommendations on ways to use the sustalnatillry, Indicators toward an Orange County Sustainablllry Plan. 1:/09/2001 19:06 9199043002 efi. mV. 0.WrvIW PAGE 05/97 Sustalnabllity: A Global Concept and Context for Taking Local Action Globalization of the economy and die interconnected nature of natural systems make sustainabdity a global Issue. In the 1987 report Our Common Future the United Nations' World Commission on Environment and Development, more commonly known as the Brunlland Commission, created the now commonly used definition of sustainable development. It tleflnes sustainable development as: 'Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the abllky of future perorations to meet their own needi The Sheping Orange Coul i Future (SOCF) project adapted this brief definiton of sustainability, supported by a set of four principles that describe basic truths and conditions regarding life on earth. These four principles are 1. A natural resource will be depleted, unless it is used no faster than It is replaced. To live sustalnably humans must avoid taking more from the biosphere than can be replenished by natural systems. 2. The eets's ecosystems cannot withstand the systematic buildup of harmful substances and wastes. Human activity producing handful substances and wastes must be mediated to maintain balance in natural systems. 3. Earth's ecosystems (of which humans and other Irving beings are a part), are interdependent and most stable when they include a diversity of species. 4. Human needs span physical, economic, environmental, cultural, social and spldWal dimensions. Human needs can be met equitably, justly, and with dignity without compromising the physical environment. The economy depends on the environment both for raw material inputs and b act as a 'sink' forwaste outputs. The following diagram shows the relationship of the human economy to the earth's envimnment. The human economy is a subsystem of the earth's envimnment and must remain within the environment's capacity for resource regeneration and waste absorption to be sustainable over the long -teml. For further elabomGon an pdnalples pfsuskinael fy the reader is referred to The Natural Slap's Meets, wwwmainatateporg. The SOCF suereinebtbly princplea are based on and sheeted from the four system conditions late out by The Natural Step. ll/u9/2001 10:06 9196003002 OR. CTV. PLNJNIN6 PAX 06 /B7 Diagram of the Relationship Between the Economy and the Environment GLORAL ECOSYSTEM Inputs ECONOMY �OUtputs (raw materials (products, wastes, and energy) and energy) What does all this mean on a local level? And what can Orange County do to help achieve global sustainability? Three key foci for local community efforts are: • creating and maintaining an equitable, prosperous community where the basic needs of all are met and community involvement thrives; • preserving the ecological integrity ofthe natural landscape and resources; and • reducing consumption and waste production by using fewer resources and using them more efhgiently. Orange County can use means such as incentives, policies, regulations and education to promote sustalnabiltty and preserve its high quality of Ire. Setting policy goals. such as a goal to reduce automobile dependence, and establishing means to achieve move goals, such as spending public transit, promoting carpooling and building bicycle lanes, will move the county toward sustalnablllty. The SOCF Sustainabilify Committee crashed a prellminary set of 44 sustainabllity Indicators after reviewing a range of indicator work done in venous localities and entries, and in some cases consulting wM local experts on appropriate Inclusions. These indicators measure the tratua and trends for various aspects of sustainsbiltty. Taken together and used over lime, the Indicators can provide information on the overall health and sustainabllity of the community. and whether It Is handed toward or away frombecomingsustainable. As a result, the development of Indicators for the county becomes an important component of hs overall sustainabllity. The final section of this repot, Using Indicators Toward a Sustainabllity Plan, describes in mom detail the benema of tricking indicators and how nay can be used In planning for sustainabllity. 3 II/B9/2801 10:06 9196403ae2 OR. CIV. PLW?NG PA, 0]/0] Indicators of Sustalnabllity for Orange County The following pages provide assessments for indicator for which data was readily available and collectable within the timafreme for completion of this repoM1 The Indicates are divided Into three major clusters: f. ECONOMY, Creating and Maintaining Liveability This cluster covers indicators relating to economic development and prosperity, population growth and land development, transportation. and housing. These are all major aspects determining the quality of life in the County. Developing and maintaining a prosperous community that lives within the limits of the natural environment is key to achieving long -term community evstainabillty. 2. ENVIRONMENT: Respecting Environmental LIm/a; This duster comprises indicators relevant to preserving the integrity of the natural landscape, effciea use of natural resources, and pollution prevention and mingetion. 3. EQUITY: Coastal and Maintaining an Equitable Community Indicators in this duster relate to equity and the well -being of all citizens, decreasing disparities and onsuring the basic needs of all citizens are met. It also oddrieses community/civic participation and education. Alternative Indicators An effective set of indicators points to problems or creditors that require change, helps tell the community how far It Is from chosen goals, and is comprehensive enough to cover a range of appeal of sustainability. our acme Indicators from the SOCF report, data is not presently available or Is difficult ea obtain. In these cases and in a few instances "am gaps were identified, substitute indicators were chosen. The following Ontario were considered in choosing alternative indicator.' • Indicator is relevant to sustainability and focuses on a long range view, • Indicator is understendalocto public and decision- makars; • It makes a link between economy, society, and environment; • Reliable information is available. Taken logetherthass others ensure that each indicator provides accurate information that Is eaally understood by drivers and policy makers regarding progress toward or away from sustainability. - Adapted rmm Han. Maureen. Guido to Sustainable Community Ind kidoo. OLF /Aill other for me Envlmnment May 1995 4 Orange County Population Study J Calegores of surly — MpopWaXO hmiav nans<a Jcompaoent of popaectl am Cw hmm"plan C Mry J Ra @ighDwham Chore Eall MSA emkeh 12N nat, sIiy mpoPWaliw OmwM W ENS - M1ninyona0Cluebvz Anmmp30 JOmogc County ranks fifth m pMulrton gmwlh inmwwq MSA 260 pmmtL fiw IMarna E,e NClv4po uandVep3.1 p,,m0 . Orange County Experenca PM w � � last v m Infnn C owth Orange Growth Primarily in JCMpel Hill TowocWp account, R, 70 pRwn dip,wh ee prtmt or5ai ioC 1Hill ml OMOm J ltivmlc jeadi pervious ma, be Mein g — am PmmM1rmmwMem tmn "wn • Orange Growth Priinanty in . Southern Part of Count p'ornern I'olonships Showing a.m.a, % wvo�oo Migration Major Cause of Growth Orange County Experiencing a mare miv.nron n„ �.en�,Im .mn.aorw oree�demv axasav o . m(bc 08 .;, WmAa 0 8 p "I't 11 ON —e wyrvst Nme ewb amllaw sae Whitt and black Paull at] ca deomseM from 1990.2000 Orange County Experiencing " Changing ' Increased Racial Divemry _. County Age Pauems JSpin fiomp M,m aly young age pnekeu eeegv 1524 psl ffo,31 oE< mlaf M,m.Rom9 aW - ➢wbupalubion�unm Mivepe Mazkro JGr®lal gtluasen aeeelnlAenlS -I4J ma ®l 55) — swmpep Orange County Aga Patterns " Changing _. 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