UPDATE: The City of Decatur sent around a press release, which included this summary of actions taken by the city to receive the platinum certification…

After first achieving Green Communities certification at the Bronze level in 2009, and upgrading to the Gold level in 2010, the City of Decatur has renewed its certification at the Platinum level this year, the first local government to reach the highest achievement possible. Some of the actions Decatur took to become certified include:

• Developing an Environmental Sustainability Plan as direct response to a charge from the people of the city seeking to become even more environmentally responsible. The plan outlines goals and strategies that the city and community should take to deepen their commitment to serving as good stewards of the environment and resources.

• Expanding the Safe Routes to School program to include all eligible elementary and middle schools in the Decatur City Schools system along with College Heights Preschool and two private schools. An average of 55 percent of students participate in International Walk and Roll to School Day each year.

• Committing to building LEED certified facilities, the latest of which, Fire Station No. 1, is on course to obtain LEED Platinum. Sustainable technologies include high efficiency equipment and lighting, green roof garden, a geothermal vertical-closed loop heat pump system, solar water heating, rainwater harvesting and greywater reclamation. The building is designed to achieve a 33 percent reduction in energy consumption and in water usage.

• Supporting several community gardens with financial and in-kind support. At Decatur’s Kitchen Garden, more than 30 refugee families grow hundreds of pounds of fresh food each season, combating hunger that their families and neighbors face. The produce is also sold at the Decatur Farmers Market and a number of Decatur restaurants.

From the Atlanta Regional Commission’s website.  If you want to learn more about how local governments are graded in this certification process, click here.

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Do you have ideas/input into the questions below?  Well then heads up that the next Unified Development Ordinance public input session is next Wednesday, April 18th at City Hall from 7-9p.  According to DecaturNext, here are the big questions being asked…

How does the community feel about incorporating “green standards” into buildings and sites?

Are we willing to accept increased costs to achieve certain environmental goals? If so, how, and under what circumstances?

The Atlanta Regional Commission announced this afternoon that Decatur and Alpharetta are the first two cities in the Atlanta metro region to achieve “Gold Certification” for their “sustainability initiatives”.

Here’s the Decatur-specific portion of the press release…

The City of Decatur achieved Gold certification in 2010 after becoming Bronze Green Community in July 2009. City policies include purchasing of green products, a green fleet policy, green building standards and more. Employees recycle, and new hires must sign the Lights Out/Power Down policy and the No-Idling pledge. Fire Station #2 is LEED silver certified and uses 25 percent less water and 35 percent less energy than a standard building of the same size. Solar panels on the roof provide energy to heat water for the building. The city’s Safe Routes to School Program encourages elementary and middle school children to walk or bicycle to school and makes trips to school safer. Other sustainable measures in Decatur are a Pay-As-You-Throw program for trash disposal, a comprehensive residential recycling program and a Health Impact Assessment incorporated into the transportation plan.

After achieving Bronze status last year, City Manager Peggy Merriss has stated publicly a few times this year that Gold was the city’s next goal.  In a statement to DM, she writes…

“We’re very excited that the City of Decatur has been recognized with a Gold level certification for sustainability efforts from the Atlanta Regional Commission. This award recognizes the efforts of our community residents to support recycling and walking and cycling as well as the City Commission’s leadership in supporting construction of LEED certified facilities and City employees’ dedication to turning off lights, using less fuel and taking innovative approaches to sustaining the environment. Resource Conservation Coordinator Lena Stevens was instrumental in getting all of the information together and spearheading the application effort.

Also, I’ve posted the blurbs for all the other Gold, Silver and Bronze winners after the jump.  Anyone see any “sustainable” initiatives that Decatur should copy?

Thanks to Creative Loafing’s Thomas Wheatley for forwarding the release!

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