ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENT COMMUNITY KICKOFF MEETING DEC. 4
November 20, 2008
November 20, 2008
ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENT COMMUNITY KICKOFF MEETING DEC. 4
OMAHA – Omahans will be able to learn more about their city’s new Environmental Element initiative and how to get involved in the process at a community kickoff meeting set for Thursday, Dec. 4. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held at the Scott Conference Center, 6450 Pine St., from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
The initiative, announced Nov. 6, calls for the creation of an Environmental Element for the City of Omaha’s master plan to address the sustainability of the city in a comprehensive manner.
The meeting will include comments from Mayor Mike Fahey, city and community perspectives on the initiative, a keynote address by Michael Kinsley – senior consultant with the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), and breakout sessions for each of the initiative’s five goal areas: the natural environment, urban form/transportation, building construction, resource conservation and community health.
Kinsley, who specializes in sustainable communities and workshop design and execution, has been retained as a project consultant and will train local facilitators to guide the process. His keynote will set the stage for the Omaha initiative by discussing what’s happening globally on the sustainability front. Kinsley is a frequent speaker on such topics as local sustainability, economic development, natural capitalism, energy, integrative and collaborative decision making, and growth problems and solutions.
“Community input is vital to the success of this project, so we encourage all who can to attend the kickoff meeting,” said Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design and project manager of the Environmental Element initiative.
Funding for the initiative, which will receive significant city staff and resource support, is provided 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.
Metro Area Transit Route 15/55 stops at The Peter Kiewit Institute near the Scott Conference Center. For those who drive to the meeting, carpooling is encouraged.
For more information, contact Omaha by Design at 402.554.4010 or info@omahabydesign.org.