How Do We Plan for, How Do We Plan for, Compete and Prosper in Compete and Prosper in
a Green Economya Green EconomyEconomic and Environmental Economic and Environmental
Benefits of Green DevelopmentBenefits of Green Development
Presented By:
John C. Cappello
Green Technology Green Technology Available to the Hudson Available to the Hudson
ValleyValley
• Solar• Wind• Geothermal• Biomass/Gasification• Retro-fitting
– Weatherization– Energy Star
• Recycling• Facility upgrades• Alternative Vehicles• Transportation Oriented Development.
Types of Green TechnologyTypes of Green Technology
Economic Benefits Economic Benefits of of
Green TechnologyGreen Technology$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Reduced Energy $$$$Reduced Energy $$$$
• How much energy reduction in a school district is needed to save a teacher’s job?
• In the Town of Newfane in Western New York, a new elementary school was constructed using geothermal heating and cooling, saving the school district $65,000 per year in energy costs.
How many jobs do we How many jobs do we create to create the energy create to create the energy
savings that save a savings that save a teacher’s job?teacher’s job?
Direct Jobs CreatedDirect Jobs Created
• Construction• Manufacturing• Management• Sales• Installation
Direct Jobs CreatedDirect Jobs Created
• Maintenance• Power Distribution • Support Staff
Green Home JobsGreen Home Jobs
• Plumbers• Carpenters• Electricians• Financial Institutions• Home Services
INDIRECT JOBSINDIRECT JOBS
• Retail• Grocery Store• Personal Services• Restaurants• Accountants• Doctors• Dentists
IMPROVED ECONOMYIMPROVED ECONOMY
ENERGY SAVINGS
MORE SPENDING
MORE JOBS
INCREASED TAX REVENUESINCREASED TAX REVENUES
MORE SPENDING
MORE TAX
REVENUE
INCREASEDPUBLIC
SERVICES
INCREASEDPROPERTY
VALUES
THEY ALL NEED ATTORNEYSTHEY ALL NEED ATTORNEYS
And you just might save the earth!
How do we effectively How do we effectively attract these technologies attract these technologies and the jobs they bring to and the jobs they bring to
the Hudson Valley?the Hudson Valley?
PLAN PLAN PROACTIVELY, PROACTIVELY,
NOT REACTIVELYNOT REACTIVELY
WHAT WHAT DO DO WE WE
NEED?NEED?
SOLAR SOLAR (INDIVIDUAL HOMES/BUSINESSES)(INDIVIDUAL HOMES/BUSINESSES)• Solar access• Permissive Zoning Codes
– Siting– Solar access protection
• Building Codes– Insure Proper Installation
• Promote financing opportunities– NYSERDA assistance– Buy back provisions
SOLAR FARMSSOLAR FARMS
• Comprehensive Planning• Land
– 7-8 acres per each megawatt
• End users/distribution system
• Zoning– Essential service– Utility– Special Use
• Financing
Think Outside the Box!Think Outside the Box!How about Solar farms on Roofs in an How about Solar farms on Roofs in an
Industrial Corridor?Industrial Corridor?
SOLAR PANEL SOLAR PANEL MANUFACTURERSMANUFACTURERS
• Comprehensive Planning
• Zoning– Does it constitute a nuisance? Modify
definition
• Infrastructure– Sewer– Water– Road, railroad distribution
GEOTHERMALGEOTHERMAL
• Understand Technology– Educate code enforcement officer
• Permitting– DEC Groundwater protection
• Provision for local manufacturing
BIOMASS/RECYCLINGBIOMASS/RECYCLING
• Zoning– Nuisance uses?– Where can they be
accomodated?– What are appropriate
conditions?
• Public Education• Gasification
– Ethanol/methane recapture
Anaerobic DigesterAnaerobic Digester
• Produces heat and electricity that is then used to operate the wastewater treatment plant.
Photo courtesy of H. LaFever, Sterns and Wheler
WIND WIND INDIVIDUAL TURBINESINDIVIDUAL TURBINES
• Comprehensive Plan– Where are the wind
corridors?
• Zoning– Height issues– Noise– Visual impact– Environmental– Safety
Commercial Wind FarmsCommercial Wind Farms
• Comprehensive Plan• Zoning
– Similar to individual wind turbines
• Large land area• Proximity to
transmission lines/distribution
New TechnologiesNew Technologies
Wastewater ImprovementsWastewater Improvements
• Incorporate green design elements to improve existing plants– Gasification of sludge on site– Geothermal/solar electricity and heating
PLANNING TOOLSPLANNING TOOLSThe Tommy Tedesco The Tommy Tedesco
Portion of the Presentation*Portion of the Presentation** The same principles apply to affordable housing, transportation oriented development, * The same principles apply to affordable housing, transportation oriented development,
open space preservationopen space preservation
Transportation Oriented DevelopmentTransportation Oriented DevelopmentSmart GrowthSmart Growth
• Principles of Smart Growth– Provide a Variety of Transportation Choices – Mix Land Uses – Create a Range of Housing Opportunities and Choices – Create Walkable Neighborhoods – Encourage Community and Stakeholder Collaboration – Foster Distinctive, Attractive Communities with a Strong Sense
of Place – Make Development Decisions Predictable, Fair and Cost
Effective – Preserve Open Space, Farmland, Natural Beauty and Critical
Environmental Areas – Strengthen and Direct Development Towards Existing
Communities – Take Advantage of Compact Building Design and Efficient
Infrastructure Design
Growth Calculations* taken from Sierraclub.org
Households per acre 10 3 .5 (2 acre zoning)
Land Used - acres per 1000 households 100 333 2000
Roads & Sidewalks - Sq. Yds/1000 households
70,000 233,333 1,400,000
Service & Retail Employees per acre 5 1.6 0.4
Transit Service (avg. busses/hour) 19 0 0
Vehicles per household 1.64 2.21 2.54
Parking spaces per household 11.1 14.2 18.9
Average vehicle miles traveled/household/year
16,396.1 23,552.4
Gas (avg. gallons per household) 820 1178 1,412
Auto Costs - fuel 3361 $4,828 $2,824
Auto Costs – total $12,938 $17,283 $19,909
Greenhouse Gases/household/year (tons) 11.5 16.5 19.8
ZONINGZONING• Comprehensive Planning – Prepare a comprehensive plan
that designates transportation hubs and sets development guidelines encouraging development in such areas. Authority: Town Law Section 272-a; Village Law Section 7-722(3)(h); General Cities Law Section 28-a(4)(h)
• Adopt appropriate zoning to encourage growth around transportation hubs while setting appropriate standards, guidelines and conditions for such development. Authority: Town Law Section 261; Village Law Section 7-700; General Cities Law Section 20
• Incentives for Green Development– Density increases– Transfer of Development Rights– Fee-bates/reduced review fees for use of green
technology
INTER-MUNICIPAL INTER-MUNICIPAL PLANNING TOOLSPLANNING TOOLS
• Provide for inter-municipal cooperation to accomplish all of the above tasks in concert with adjoining municipalities along areas that cross municipal boundaries. Authority: Town Law Section 284; Village Law Section 7-741
• Promote annexations of land from Towns to Villages and/or Cities to facilitate provisions of necessary services. Authority: General Municipal Law Section 700 et. Seq.
• Create appropriate taxing districts within towns to facilitate construction of improvements and infrastructure to accommodate development– Water storage and distribution districts, Town Law Section 109-a– Sewage Disposal Districts – Town Law Section 190-b– Finance road improvements, including provisions of sidewalks,
Town Law 200
PROACTIVE USE OF SEQRAPROACTIVE USE OF SEQRA
• Proposed SEQR mandates to address greenhouse gas emissions
• Pre-approve or set development environmental thresholds for development by utilizing SEQR to prepare generic EIS. Authority: Environmental Conservation Law and Regulations, 6 NYCRR 617.10.– Note: Cost for preparing such generic environmental
assessment impact statement can be charged back to specific applicants pursuant to 6 NYCRR 617.13(a)
• Mitigation– Require green technologies
BUILDING CODESBUILDING CODES
• Requiring energy efficiency in new homes/rehabs– LEED– Energy Star
• Review standards for green technologies
