With the input of numerous citizens, staff, and interested groups including the Missouri Bicycle Federation and other bicycle and pedestrian groups, Kansas City, Missouri, has been developing a Climate Protection Plan since about last November.
Today the plan was officially adopted by the Kansas City Council.
The plan has specific proposals and objectives for encouraging more bicycling, walking, and transit use and making the city safer for bicycle and pedestrian travel.
The word has been going around city hall that upper management is very serious about this plan and that the goals and objectives, including promoting more walking and bicycling as part of the plan, will be pursued vigorously.
* Expand alternative transportation programs (for example, programs to encourage people to bicycle, walk, use transit, carpool, vanpool, etc., to work, like the current "Clean Commute" program)
* Develop a comprehensive parking plan (the idea is to develop a pricing/benefit structure to encourage alternatives to single-occupant vehicle commuting to work--successful plans that include both incentives & penalties have reduced the amount of vehicles driving to work by 25%)
* Commit to making all new/altered streets & transportation projects bicycle/pedestrian accessible.
The resolution adopted by the City Council is below:
RESOLUTION NO. 070436
Adopting recommendations from the April 2007 Progress Report on Climate Protection submitted by the Citys Climate Protection Plan Steering Committee.
WHEREAS, the City Council on August 16, 2006, adopted a resolution directing the City Manager to undertake a climate protection planning process for Kansas City; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Kay Barnes appointed an eleven-member Steering Committee of community leaders to oversee the planning process and work with the City Administration to develop a climate protection plan; and
WHEREAS, the Steering Committee received and approved consensus recommendations for specific Phase 1 greenhouse gas reduction measures from four Work Groups comprised of a broad cross-section of approximately 80 community stakeholders representing government, business and neighborhoods, for profit and non-profit organizations, and individuals; and
WHEREAS, the Climate Protection Plan Steering Committee has submitted a Progress Report on Climate Protection and Phase 1 Recommendations to Mayor Kay Barnes and the City Council; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:
Section 1. It shall be the policy of the City that climate protection and greenhouse gas reduction shall be key factors in all decisions and actions by the City.
Section 2. The Citys goals shall be to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from City government operations by 30% below year 2000 levels by the year 2020 and the City shall work with the Climate Protection Plan Steering Committee to develop by the end of 2007 a realistic, but ambitious, goal for community-wide greenhouse gas reductions.
Section 3. The City adopts the Phase 1 greenhouse gas reduction measures in the Progress Report on Climate Protection and Phase 1 Recommendations, while providing the City Administration with flexibility to implement them in a timely and workable manner.
Section 4. The climate protection planning process shall continue with the existing Steering Committee throughout 2007.
