As a result of its efforts to promote sustainability, the city of Delaware has been certified by the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) as the most recent Sustainable2050 community, along with the city of Bexley.
“These communities are dedicated to improving the quality of life of their residents in sustainable ways, and that should be celebrated,” MORPC Planning and Sustainability Director Kerstin Carr states in a press release. “Through Sustainable2050, we are not only recognizing their commitment to sustainability, but ultimately assisting them, through access to resources, to do even more.”
According to the release, Sustainable2050 is a program that “supports communities’ sustainability efforts through direct technical assistance, collaboration and recognition.” Members can achieve a tier status of bronze, silver, gold or platinum, which is determined by the number of eligible activities it carries out in five categories corresponding to MORPC’s Regional Sustainability Agenda.
The five categories are energy consumption, natural resources, economic opportunity, sustainable neighborhoods, and collaboration.
The city of Delaware received the platinum designation for completing 43 eligible activities across the five categories. Among the highlighted activities were the city’s efforts to improve water quality in regional watersheds, targeting infrastructure development through its bike and pedestrian master plan, and contributing toward a reduction in the number of fatalities and serious injuries from crashes through numerous safety improvements.
“As both the central Ohio region and the city of Delaware continue to grow, this designation signifies that we, as a community, are doing our part to ensure we are prepared for the challenges to come,” Watershed and Sustainability Coordinator Caroline Cicerchi said. “It is indicative that we are efficiently utilizing our resources to limit the impacts of this growth, whether that be in our air emissions, water consumption, infrastructure management, or through our bike trails, to plan for a sustainable future.”
Circerchi went on to say, “Aside from being a friendly competition to see how we stacked up against other organizations, identifying our status using MORPC’s benchmarks has really helped us to locate gaps and areas with room for improvement across the five broad categories. I am looking forward to working both internally and with the community to keep furthering our progress in being a resilient, sustainable city.”
Community Affairs Coordinator Lee Yoakum added, “It’s the entire Delaware community that can take a bow. From the caring residents who volunteer for river cleanups to the various groups we partner with on projects and programs, they made this a reality and deserve our gratitude.”
Delaware is one of 34 communities around central Ohio that is a member of MORPC’s Sustainable2050, which includes the city of Powell and Genoa Township.
For information on Sustainable2050, visit www.morpc.org/sustainable2050.
