The Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future Business Plan

October 2012

Introduction

As the Pikes Peak region continues to grow, competing demands are made on our natural environment, government services, community relationships, educational systems, personal health and quality of life.

These conditions require a comprehensive, collaborative and regional framework by which our local governments, institutions, businesses, and individuals can coordinate, collaborate, anddevelop regional solutions to regional challenges.

Sustainability provides a map and a path by which we account for current actions while working to ensure our future legacy is a positive one. It is a vision of multigenerational betterment of our quality of life and community.

In this spirit, volunteers, professionals and community leaders from nearly 100 organizations donated thousands of hours to create a 20-year regional sustainability plan for El Paso and Teller counties referred to as “Looking to Our Future: Pikes Peak Region 2030”(PPR2030). This plan was developed through a consensus-based process and contains stretch goals and strategies to help guide the Pikes Peak region towards a more sustainable and prosperous future.

The mission of the Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future is to promote regional sustainability and advance the PPR2030 through regional collaboration and outreach.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2. HISTORY & MISSION

a. HISTORY OF THE PEAK ALLIANCE & THE PPR2030

b. SUMMARY OF PPR 2030 STRETCH GOALS STRATEGIES

c. MISSION AND GOALS OF THE PEAK ALLIANCE

3. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

a. NEED FOR REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY

b. OUTREACH & COMMUNICATION

c. PIKES PEAK REGIONAL SUSTAINBILITY PARTNERS

4. ADMINISTRATION & LEADERSHIP

a. FUNDING THE PEAK ALLIANCE

b. GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

5. THREE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN AND BUDGET

Executive Summary

The Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future, initially spearheaded by the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG), convened regional stakeholders and local governments to foster a regional dialogue on sustainability and to develop a long-term sustainability strategy for El Paso and Teller Counties. This multi-jurisdictional and multi-discipline collaborative approach resulted in the Pikes Peak region’s first long-term sustainability plan – Looking to Our Future: Pikes Peak Region 2030 (PPR 2030).

With PPACG funding going away in June 2013, it is the goal of the Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future (Peak Alliance) to continue to advance the PPR 2030 by: establishing permanent governance and structure; building community awareness in Teller and El Paso counties through marketing and outreach and education opportunities; continuing the coordination of its partners; aligning with existing initiatives similar in scope; and expanding its network of partners to include more sectors and areas beyond those listed in the PPR 2030.

A six-person advisory board will guide the direction of the PEAK ALLIANCE and assist in its financial stability. Technical advisory committees consisting of subject matter experts and community partners will assist in marketing, outreach and coalition building. A director will be hired to coordinate the committees, to monitor and track progress of the goals and strategies and report the progress to partners and the community through periodic reporting, public outreach events and social media exposure.

Funding for the PEAK ALLIANCE will be managed by the fiscal sponsorship requirements under the Pikes Peak Community Foundation and will require financial contributions from community partners and grants. PPACG has committed staff support to serve as interim director on a part-time basis through June 2013 while the PEAK ALLIANCE pursues funding through fundraising and grant writing to hire permanent staff in June 2013. The PEAK ALLIANCE is investigating the possibility of housing the PEAK ALLIANCE in a university or another institution or agency as a long-term goal.

History & Mission

History of the PEAK ALLIANCE & PPR 2030

In 2002, Fort Carson established its long-term sustainability goals for the installation with help from the community at the region’s first annual sustainability conference. To build on Fort Carson’s foundational work on sustainability and to assist the installation in meeting its sustainability goals, an ad hoc group of Fort Carson representatives and community leaders began a broader, more inclusive effort to address sustainability region-wide. This group, called SNaPP (Sustainability Action Plan for the Pikes Peak region), circulated a Statement of Commitment Letter for regional sustainability to thirty community organizations, businesses, local governments, and non-profits to sign. This commitment from these entities was the foundation for a collaborative regional sustainability planning process. (See Statement of Commitment attached)

In May 2010, the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG) was designated as the lead agency to work with governmental, private, and non-profit leaders to establish a structured approach for a more expansive conversation and develop sustainability goals for the region. To achieve this, PPACG obtained approximately $400,000 in funding from a Federal Consolidated Transportation Planning Grant, the Office of Economic Adjustment, the Edmondson Foundation, Fort Carson, City of Colorado Springs, Sierra Club and BETTR Recycling. The Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future was launched in August 2010 and a Consensus Committee, comprised of elected officials, community and business leaders, was formed to be the oversight committee.

Over a two-year period, the Consensus Committee and working groups identified 20-year stretch goals and high-level strategies to improve the lives of current and future generations and preserve the region’s natural resources. The tireless work of these dedicated individuals resulted in the region’s first sustainability plan – Looking to Our Future: Pikes Peak Region 2030 (PPR 2030) – completed and finalized in March 2012.

In April 2012, the Consensus Committee approved the final PPR 2030 (see Resolution by the Consensus Committee attached) and agreed to the formation of a Transition Team tasked with identifying a permanent home, funding source(s) and governance structure for the implementation and advancement of the PPR 2030. In September 2012, the Transition Team agreed that the best path forward for advancing the PPR 2030 would be to: apply for fiscal sponsorship through the Pikes Peak Community Foundation; form a six-person Advisory Board to oversee and guide the process; develop a business plan; and to work on securing funding for a permanent staff position to continue coordination and progress on the PPR 2030.

PPACG will continue to offer staff support through June 2013 when its funding runs out.

Stretch Goals and Strategies of the PPR 2030

The PPR 2030 takes a comprehensive approach to sustainability – the intent is to ensure that decision-making processes take into account all of the interrelated items. The PPR 2030 includes stretch goals and high-level strategies (summarized below) for the following areas: Arts and Culture; Built and Natural Environment; Economic Development; Education; Energy: Health; Materials Management and Procurement; Transportation; and Water Quantity. (See “Looking to Our Future: Pikes Peak Region 2030” attached)

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Agriculture: Agriculture is an important and complex issue that affects and is affected by other areas including natural environment, water supply and quality, economy and transportation. PPR 2030 focuses on increasing food producers, both rural and urban, and preserving agriculture land and water resources.

Arts and Culture: Arts and culture provide a richness and vitality to the region and greatly contribute to the region’s economy. PPR 2030 focuses on and builds upon the Cultural Plan of the Pikes Peak Region, which provides a framework for promoting the arts and increasing the public’s appreciation for the arts.

Built and Natural Environment: Minimizing the impact that we have on our natural environment is critical to our quality of life. PPR 2030 focuses on complementing the built environment with the natural environment and enhancing lives of people by promoting community, accessibility, and commerce.

Economic Development: A sustainable economy creates jobs that allow employees to live a high quality of life. PPR 2030 focuses on creating a strong and diverse economy that supports and benefits from local sustainability.

Education: Quality education is fundamental to a prosperous, vibrant, and healthy community and is a critical component to the success of all of the goals of PPR 2030.

Energy: PPR 2030 focuses on decreasing overall energy use through conservation and energy efficiency and the production and consumption of renewable and/or sustainable energy.

Health: While Colorado boasts some of the best statistics in the nation for a healthy population, the state and the region are not immune to health epidemics, with rising obesity rates and other negative health trends. PPR 2030 focuses on strategies that address access to health care, public education about healthy living, and promoting overall well-being.

Materials Management and Procurement: The more efficiently we purchase and use materials, the less we throw away and the less we have to recycle, reuse, and repurchase. PPR 2030 focuses on reducing waste sent to landfills, household hazardous waste, and purchasing using tenets of reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Transportation: Alternative transportation choices and overcoming automobile dependence are key elements of sustainability. PPR 2030 focuses on this by pursuing a multi-modal transportation system of roads, transit, bicycles, and pedestrian walkways that are sustainable, equitable, and affordable.

Water Quantity: Providing water to accommodate the growing region located in a semi-arid climate now and into the future is and will continue to be a critical and complex issue. PPR 2030 focuses on consumption, landscaping, and water reuse.

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Mission and Goals:

The fundamental principle of the PPR 2030 and the PEAK ALLIANCE is in keeping with the mission of the Pikes Peak Community Foundation – to improve the quality of life in the Pikes Peak region. This concept is inherent in all of the goals and strategies of the PPR 2030. (See Stretch Goals and Strategies of the PPR 2030)

The PPR 2030 is meant to be a living document used to inspire and encourage community collaboration and engagement, sustainable development and prosperity, and the protection of our cultural and natural heritage. It is imperative that the PEAK ALLIANCE continues to shepherd the PPR 2030 to ensure that the vision of regional sustainability continues and the work of so many volunteers does not just “sit on a shelf”.

Therefore, it is the mission of the PEAK ALLIANCE: to promote regional sustainability in the Pikes Peak region and to advance the regional sustainability plan – Looking to Our Future: Pikes Peak Region 2030.

To achieve the mission, the role of the PEAK ALLIANCE will be to: influence and educate policy makers and citizens; ensure community awareness about PPR 2030 and other sustainability efforts in the region; ensure accountability for commitments made by lead entities in PPR 2030; gather conceptual buy-in and increased participation in the sustainability effort; demonstrate sustainability practices; develop networks with entities have relevant interests; facilitate collaboration and partnerships; and secure funding for leadership and implementation of the PPR 2030.

Community Engagement:

Need for Regional Sustainability

Why a Regional Approach:

The PPR 2030 provides a framework for a broad-based regional sustainability action plan and leverages the area’s various sustainability efforts into a regional context. A regional coordinated approach mitigates duplicative and conflicting planning efforts, thereby reducing unnecessary costs. Without any sustainability coordinator positions in a government position in the region, there is a need for coordination between local governments and other community entities with sustainability goals and initiatives. The PEAK ALLIANCE will help leverage and promote the sustainability plans and efforts that many organizations, local governments, and institutions have. For instance, Fort Carson has been a key player in the regional sustainability effort, and the Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future will continue to support Fort Carson in achieving its long-term sustainability and Net-Zero goals. However, resource demands will continue to rise with the addition of the combat aviation brigade and potentially any future growth as funding for garrison operations will decline. While Fort Carson remains committed to achieving its sustainability and net zero goals and to collaborating with the community in these endeavors, the resources to do so will be minimized and Fort Carson and the surrounding communities will rely more on implementation of the PPR 2030. It will be important for continued community partnership with the PEAK ALLIANCE to communicate the needs of Fort Carson and to assist in implementing sustainability initiatives to help support Fort Carson’s sustainability goals, especially for transportation, renewable energy, and waste. (More examples of regional sustainability efforts included in resource guide attached)

Outreach & Communication

Who This Will Benefit:

The beneficiaries of collaborative and comprehensive long-term planning include all generations living now and into the future. Because of the broad scope and focus of sustainability it is important to convey the message to as many people as possible. That is why the Transition Team developed a video showcasing sustainability success stories throughout the region and promoting the PPR 2030. The message of the video is not only about individual projects being done by individual entities, but how all these projects are connected and how sustainability practices improve the quality of life, foster jobs and innovation, and protect our natural resources. The video was presented at the Colorado Sustainability Conference and will be shown at public events, forums, the Pikes Peak Library District’s public access channel and other public access channels, and streamed online. (See Pikes Peak Regional Sustainability Video)