The Lake Forest City Council formally incorporated an environmental sustainability plan into the city’s comprehensive plan earlier this month.
The idea for an environmental sustainability plan evolved out of a Strategic Plan session in 2011, according to city documents. A collaborative of the city, Lake Forest College, Lake Forest School District 67, Lake Forest High School District 115 and Lake Forest Open Lands held community forums over the last 18 months and conducted an online survey to develop a list of environmental priorities.
“The city has a long tradition of caring about the environment,” said Chuck Myers, superintendent of parks and forestry. “This is a plan that thinks forward how we will protect and preserve that for generations to come.”
The plan focuses on five areas: storm water management and water use, ecosystem vitality and ravine conservation, waste management, renewable energy and energy efficiency, transportation and air quality.
Each area has goals and measurements of success. For example, goals for storm water management and water use include reducing the amount of storm water entering ravines, improving the quality of water entering Lake Michigan through ravines and increasing water conservation. The city plans to use decreased water usage and an increase in the square footage of permeable surfaces as measurements to track success.
The environmental sustainability plan offers guidelines to village officials and staff when making decisions.
“It doesn’t mandate or require action,” said Cathy Czerniak, director of community development, during the Nov. 7 City Council meeting.
John Sentell, president of Lake Forest Open Lands, describes the plan as a big step forward toward sustainable living and suggests the plan will encourage partnerships between different entities such as the schools, city government, Lake Forest College and nonprofits.
For more details on the environmental sustainability plan, go to the city website at www.cityoflakeforest.com and click on Environmental Initiatives.
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