Some Kudos for the Board of Aldermen
Usually I am complaining about what our elected representatives are not doing, or in some cases things they should not be doing. They seem to provide an endless supply of material. Every so often, however, are some good things that deserve recognition.
Two bills warrant such recognition:
The first is Board Bill 175 sponsored by Ald. Matt Villa (D-11th) and Ald. Charles Quincy Troupe (D-1st):
An ordinance pertaining to parking for disabled persons; amending paragraph (A) of Section 17.76.020 of the Revised Code, as enacted in Section One of Ordinance 65142 in order to add “Blindness†to the list of disabilities; and containing an emergency clause.
This came about because the city’s Office on the Disabled would not renew a blind woman’s parking designation in front of her house. Of course, she didn’t drive but her husband did. By having a designated parking space it allowed her the comfort of knowing how to get in and out of the house. Mayor Slay called the woman to apologize on behelf of the City. The bill, introduced last July, was fully passed and sent to the Mayor for signature.
Board Bill 323 was introduced by Housing and Urban Design Chair Ald. Fred Wessels, (D-13th) on December 15, 2006:
An ordinance directing the Board of Public Service to adopt Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building rating system for all newly constructed and renovated city-owned facilities.
Signed on as co-sponsors were seven other aldermen: April Ford-Griffin (D-5th), Phyllis Young (D-7th), Stephen Gregali (D-14th), Joe Roddy (D-17th), Craig Schmid (D-20th), Bill Waterhouse (D-24th) and Jim Shrewsbury, President of the Board of Aldermen.  This, I believe, is an important step by the city. The bill, if passed and becomes law, would require new facilities greater than 5,000sf to acheive the silver level.
So kudos to the aldermen listed above for taking some important steps in the right direction. The first alderman to introduce a bill establishing a new pro-urban form-based zoning code will become my first Alderman of the Year award.
“The first alderman to introduce a bill establishing a new pro-urban form-based zoning code will become my first Alderman of the Year award.”
Any predictions who that might be? I say Freeman Bosley, Sr.
Considering that D.C. just passed a full ordinance regarding sustainable design, I’d say we have a looong way to go here in the Lou. Still, I figured the Neantherthals and troglodytes inhabitting City Hall wouldn’t even have been aware of LEED. Perhaps, since re-using old buildings accrues points in the LEED system, these previously closed minds will have a change of heart about old and under-utilised structures. Hey, I can dream, can’t I?
The mayor in our good town did sign the US Conference of Mayors resolution adopting the
2030 Challenge, I believe. http://www.architecture2030.org (50% reduction in emissions by
2010 and carbon-netural by 2030 for all new constructed and renovated buildings)
While LEED for city buildings is certainly a first step, it’s pretty minor when you consider
that the resolution was for ALL buildings and we’re pretty close to that 2010 deadline for
50% reduction. We need some time to get the architects and contractors up to speed
on how to design these buildings. The 2030 Challenge is way beyond LEED.
And along those same lines, proper urban form based zoning and associated mass
transit will make all of the ecological building work worth while. A 60 mile daily commute
in your Hummer kind of negates your minimal footprint cabin in the woods.
Stop being a gay vegetarian? Boy, there’s just *way* too many off color jokes I could
make with that set up.
Leadership…doesn’t that mean others will follow?
I wonder just who is going to follow. St. Charles? the County? I think they might be ahead of us.
Eco friendly is great and a great goal, but I wonder how all the low-income/poor are going to afford the expensive efficient systems. I would think they will have to settle for the cheaper (and more expensive in the long run) systems. I would think that this market (the older homes with inefficient systems in the city) will make a bigger impact n the environment if there was some kind of assistance for them rather than hoping larger construction projects will do the trick.
she should have parked on the sidewalk