SPRINGFIELD-GREENE COUNTY LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS

                                          POSITIONS ON SUSTAINABILITY

                                                         2000-2001 STUDY

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Sprawl-population

    -Support of family planning and educational programs locally, statewide, nationally, and internationally

     -Support of efforts to direct growth and development in Springfield-Greene County, based on the carrying capacity of the environment

     -Support efforts to contain urban sprawl by preserving farmland and maximizing use of in-fill within Springfield, and development and redevelopment within the Urban Services District

Water

     -Support of developing non-mechanical filtering processes, i.e., wetlands

     -Support of water pollution control activities- fertilizing, runoff from land disturbance

     -Support of efforts to reduce phosphate use

Trees

 -Support of development of a “Community Forestry Master Management Plan” and an arborist to enforce the plan

     -Support of a comprehensive, enforceable tree ordinance for Springfield and Greene County

     -Support of maintaining the current tree inventory of the City of Springfield

ECONOMIC VITALITY

     -Consequences of growth- support of containment of future development within the Urban Services District

     -Job and wage profiles-  support of the education, business, and government sectors working together to attract higher paying technical and professional jobs to the Springfield area, while at the same time providing opportunities for education and training in such jobs

     -Industrial development- support of the city’s current level of tax incentives for businesses to locate in Springfield

SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

-Support of preservation of the physical integrity of  the community’s housing resources as necessary to a sustainable community

     -Support of consistent application of realistic and practical standards as a means of maintaining the integrity of a neighborhood

     -Support of on-going funding to implement enforcement of housing standards

PLANNING/CENTER CITY/TRANSPORTATION

-Support of vigorous enforcement of the Urban Services District to control sprawl

     -Support of development and enforcement standards for mixed use development

     -Support of a better balance among the interests of business, government, and individual citizens and citizen groups when considering questions related to growth and land use

     -Support of increased government financing for the strengthening of existing neighborhoods, redevelopment of Center City, and the provision of green spaces, walking and bike trails, and sidewalks

     -Support of improved cooperation between city and county governments and a stronger emphasis on regional planning in the areas of transportation and planning

     -Support of the efforts of the Springfield –Greene County Concept Plan to improve and landscape the existing city’s major arterial roads as an alternative to building roads around the city

     -Support of establishing new bus routes, particularly in areas where none exist, to meet the needs of population dependent on public transportation as data is substantiated, as well as efforts of City Utilities to explore alternative means of transportation