Omaha By Design: Omaha, Only Better

November 6, 2008
CITY, OMAHA BY DESIGN LAUNCH CREATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENT

OMAHA – If Omaha is to achieve its vision of creating a “high quality of life for all of its people” and remain economically competitive, it must step up its efforts to become a sustainable city. Representatives from Omaha’s public and private sectors are addressing this issue head on with the launch of a new initiative.

The initiative, introduced to the public Nov. 6, calls for the creation of an Environmental Element for the City of Omaha’s master plan. “Although the current master plan references a handful of environmental issues, it does so in a piecemeal fashion,” said Steve Jensen, director of planning for the City of Omaha. “Because the environment is so intertwined with every facet of community life, it needs to be addressed in a comprehensive manner. The creation of an Environmental Element will help us accomplish that and will also allow us to engage the community in that process.”

For the past six months, a leadership team has been meeting to create a framework for the Environmental Element and select a diverse group of core committee and advisory committee members to guide its development. Jensen and Mike McMeekin, president of Lamp, Rynearson & Associates and a member of the Omaha by Design Advisory Committee, will serve as co-chairs. Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design, will serve as the project manager.

“It is incumbent upon Omahans to present future generations a community in better condition than when we inherited it,” said Mayor Mike Fahey. “By institutionalizing an environmental aspect into our city’s future growth and development, we will hold ourselves to a higher standard and improve the quality of life for all our citizens. This effort will require the inclusion and input of all Omahans over the coming months, and I am confident the final product will forever shape our community and establish the high quality, conscientious city we all deserve to be a part of.”

McMeekin said the initiative will address five major goal areas – the natural environment, urban form/transportation, building construction, resource conservation and community health. In addition to creating an Environmental Element Core Committee, advisory committees will be developed for each of the goal areas. Dave Ciaccio, Olsson Associates, will chair the Natural Environment Advisory Committee. Marty Shukert, RDG Planning and Design, will chair the Urban Form/Transportation Advisory Committee. Jay Noddle, Noddle Companies, will chair the Building Construction Advisory Committee. Marcella Thompson, ConAgra Foods Inc., will chair the Resource Conservation Advisory Committee. Mikki Frost, Alegent Health, will chair the Community Health Advisory Committee.

The initiative’s work plan will mirror the process employed by the City of Omaha and Omaha by Design to help create the city’s Urban Design Element (UDE), Spellman said. The UDE, designed to improve the quality of development in Omaha while protecting and enhancing the city’s natural environment, was adopted as part of Omaha’s master plan in 2004. In August 2007, the Omaha City Council approved a groundbreaking package of zoning code revisions and additions designed to implement the UDE’s 73 recommendations.

“Creating an Environmental Element is both an economic development and a quality of life issue,” Spellman said. “In addition to creating a civic infrastructure that supports a sustainable Omaha, our goal is to encourage all sectors of the city to use their natural resources more efficiently for the benefit of future generations.”

Michael Kinsley, an environmental expert with the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) of Snowmass, Colo., has been retained as a project consultant and will train local facilitators to guide the process. The mission of the RMI is to “foster the efficient and restorative use of resources so that companies, governments and organizations are more efficient, make more money and do less harm to the environment.”

The city’s planning department, with help from the public works and parks departments, will be responsible for preparing the Environmental Element based on the work of the various committees. Local facilitators will lead the advisory committee meetings and public meetings focused on the five major goal areas. The end goal, McMeekin said, is the development of a product that’s adopted by city government as part of Omaha’s master plan. The project has an estimated completion date of 18 to 24 months.

“The process of developing this plan will educate Omahans on the value of local action in addressing global environmental challenges,” McMeekin noted. “It will present opportunities for organizations and businesses of all kinds to enhance their competitiveness and efficiency while protecting the environment.”

The initiative, which will receive significant city staff and resource support, is funded by grants from the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency and the City of Omaha’s Stormwater Management Plan Program Grant from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality.

A community kickoff meeting is set for Thursday, Dec. 4, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Scott Conference Center. Additional details will be provided as the event nears. In the coming weeks, Omaha by Design will be developing an Environmental Element web site that provides those interested with background information as well as project updates and opportunities for public input.

For more information, contact Omaha by Design at 402.554.4010 or info@omahabydesign.org.