Building a Sustainable Development Plan in Des Moines

By Michael Andresen

This column typically focuses on case studies of built projects - strategies implemented, lessons learned, metrics, etc. As a change of pace, this week's article places focus on "planning" activities as an important first step to our built environment.

Around the country, there is a growing trend of cities requesting proposals for Sustainability Planning. These plans are typically broad in scope, covering a wide variety of services, goals, and agendas. The city of Des Moines, Iowa has recently begun such a process. The following description outlines the stakeholders, funding mechanisms, and goals related to this project:

The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is leading a consortium of local stakeholders to develop a regional plan for sustainable development (RPSD). The project is being funded with $2 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program and with nearly $1.1 million from leveraged local funds, which are derived from in-kind staff resources and from complementary planning endeavors being conducted in the region.

The grant is intended to support metropolitan planning efforts that integrate housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments in a manner that empowers jurisdictions to consider the interdependent challenges of:

1. Economic competitiveness and revitalization;

2. Social equity, inclusion, and access to opportunity;

3. Energy use and climate change; and,

4. Public health and environmental impact.

Bethany J. Wilcoxon, Associate Transportation Planner for the Des Moines Area MPO says, "The regional plan for sustainable development represents a new direction for the MPO. While the MPO traditionally focuses solely on transportation, this project provides the organization the opportunity to explore new topics, including land use, housing, economic development, and environmental concerns."

The formulation of the RPSD will provide the chance to link a long-range regional transit plan and a strategic plan for economic and workforce development. Additionally, the RPSD will suggest updates to existing plans in order to align all regional planning efforts. The RSPD will cover a time horizon that stretches to 2050 and will relate the findings of other studies and plans to the overall multi-disciplinary vision, goals, and initiatives underway in the greater Des Moines metropolitan area.

"We know that the bar has been set high and that all eyes will be watching us as we navigate through this three-year project. However, we have a superb team in place, including the project Steering Committee, local staff members and partners, and the consultant team, and are confident that this group will help us engage the public to craft a successful plan. We also are hopeful that a new level of collaboration will spring forth from this project", adds Wilcoxon.

The central Iowa consortium Steering Committee includes the Des Moines Area MPO; Dallas, Polk, and Warren counties; Carlisle, Des Moines, Johnston, Urbandale, and West Des Moines; the Greater Des Moines Partnership; the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines; the Center on Sustainable Communities; and, the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority.

A special thanks to Bethany Wilcoxon for providing the project description as well as for sharing her thoughts and vision regarding the direction of the project. As this project develops, future columns will identify important steps in the planning process, successful strategies and implementation, as well as data collection and metrics related to "evidence based design".