Third Avenue in Chula Vista, CA. Photo by the City of Chula Vista via Facebook.
Smart Growth America visited Chula Vista, CA this week to meet with residents and local officials, and to explore together the city’s options for incorporating sustainable practices in the community, through the lens of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND) program.
The City of Chula Vista is working toward its sustainability goals with its Climate Action Plan and other initiatives. This week’s workshop was designed to help City officials understand how neighborhood development can contribute to that vision.
“The City of Chula Vista is excited about this opportunity to learn more about the LEED for Neighborhood Development system and the strategies that could potentially turn development sites into vital, dynamic and sustainable places for the Chula Vista community,” said Ed Batchelder, the Advance Planning Manager for the City of Chula Vista. “The workshop will help inform future site design that can promote healthy and vibrant developments compatible with adjacent residential and mixed use neighborhoods.”
On the first day, September 30, Smart Growth America representatives were given a site tour. During the workshop on the second day, October 1, the Smart Growth America team gave an overview of the LEED ND rating system and aided local officials in preparing preliminary scorecards for potential redevelopment of two sites.
“Smart Growth America is committed to providing training to help local leaders keep their communities livable, sustainable and vital places,” said Roger Millar, Smart Growth America Vice President. “The workshop provided an important starting point for the City of Chula Vista to begin thinking about how a more sustainable and healthier community can be achieved through the LEED ND program. Not only will it help guide the City in its current development projects, but it will also provide a foundation for future planning and building in the city.”
In November 2012, Chula Vista was one of 22 communities selected by Smart Growth America to participate in our 2013 free technical assistance program. Stretching from Maine to Washington State, these communities represent major cities, suburban centers, and rural towns alike.
The technical workshop program is made possible through a five-year Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities, which seeks to develop local planning solutions that help communities grow in ways that benefit families and businesses, while protecting the environment and preserving a sense of place. Three other nonprofit organizations—Forterra, Global Green USA and Project for Public Spaces—also received competitively awarded grants this year to help communities get the kinds of development they want.
Workshop Materials:
- Using LEED-ND Tool Description (PDF)
- Presentation (PDF)
- Chula Vista: Next Steps Memo (PDF)
- Chula Vista: Progress Report – 1 month (PDF)
- Chula Vista: Progress Report – 6 months (PDF)
- Chula Vista: Progress Report – 12 months (PDF)
Workshop Outcomes: