Figure 2.4 A Long-Term Planning Framework

of the original intentions. If the vision changes over time, then all subsequent layers of the framework may be adjusted accordingly. Or, if the implementation actions encounter surprise or produce inappropriate results, then the problem may be traced back to the choice of strategy, and corrective changes may then be made at all subsequent levels.

The fi rst stage involves defi ning boundaries and understanding the current performance

Because a long-term planning framework supports collaborative decision making, the scope of the framework must match the platform for collaboration. If a city is leading a three-tier collaboration process, for example, then the planning framework will need to be extended to include visions and actions relevant for the entire urban area and for all participating stakeholders.

Whatever the platform, scoping and diagnostics help set the stage. Clear boundaries inform all participants about what is included or excluded from the planning framework. An extensive inventory or information collection process clarifi es what is now known and not known. Some basic analysis of existing system performance may establish how well various systems are performing relative to systems in similar cities or in best practice case studies. This is sometimes referred to as a city profi le. Often, the amount of work involved in scoping and profi ling a city exceeds the work required for all other stages of the framework. Nonetheless, it is an extremely worthwhile investment because the results serve to direct all further activity.

Vision statements are elaborated into end-state goals

The vision may be a simple statement or even an artist’s drawing; its purpose is to be inspirational and broad. If the scope is limited to infrastructure design and land use planning, then the vision should focus primarily on these areas.

A set of end-state goals may elaborate on the vision by adding stand-alone goal statements. End-state goals defi ne the ultimate condition that is desired by a city, even if this is something that may not be realized for many years. Typically, an end-state goal is expressed in a single defi nitive statement, followed by a commentary. Canada’s capital region has a number of end-state goals. A few relate directly to infrastructure performance, such as achieving a sustainable urban metabolism or extending the use of green infrastructure. These goals are as follows:

1. The natural resource demand by each neighborhood is consistent with the long-term capacity of the city’s infrastructure and the region’s resource base.

2. Trees, gardens, ponds, wetlands, hedgerows, streams, greenways, green roofs, and engineered ecologies have become the elements of a cost-eff ective green infrastruc-

Figure 2.4. A Long-Term Planning Framework

Source: Author elaboration (Sebastian Moffatt). Note: The framework connects visions to actions and includes a process for learning and adaptation.

ture that cleans and constrains storm water fl ows, contributes to a quieter and more pleasant microclimate, shades buildings in summer, improves air quality, and generally contributes to the livability and biodiversity of neighborhoods.

Although such goals describe a long-term condition, they serve an immediate strategic purpose by providing a common reference point for all design and planning and a basis for collaborative decision making.

End-state goals for Eco2 cities should address, at a minimum, the basic urban services (energy, water, and so on) and the ecological performance of the urban region. Cities may choose to use their own format and language, or they may adapt their framework goals from examples provided by the Eco2 Cities Initiative. Either way, goals should refl ect local conditions and cultural values and need to be discussed and endorsed by key stakeholders. Because the goals are long term, the process of building consensus around the goal statements tends to be a positive experience, creating a common purpose among stakeholders and residents.

Target setting may help translate goals into clear objectives

Sometimes, it helps to develop intermediate targets to support specifi c end-state goals. The targets are based on indicators that quantify the city’s desired performance with respect to one or more goals. By setting targets for specifi c time periods, the city helps direct the pace of change and the priorities for investment. For example, Stockholm has set a target for all new construction to be carbon neutral by 2030; over 70 percent of New Zealand’s cities and towns have adopted a zero waste landfi ll target, with a timeline for each milestone on the journey; San Diego and Irvine, California, have achieved their targets for the comprehensive coverage of reclaimed water for commercial properties.

As part of the adoption of end-state goals (and targets if desired), one may assess performance and set priorities. Using expert judgment and local knowledge, one may subject each goal to a series of questions: How close is the city to achieving its goal today? What forces are likely to infl uence future success? What direction is the city now taking? Is the situation getting better or worse? How rapid is the pace of change? This type of rapid evaluation is helpful in setting priorities for Eco2 projects.

Strategic planning requires that planners evaluate alternative scenarios

This exploratory stage in a planning framework off ers the opportunity to develop a range of alternative scenarios or approaches and to assess their relative values in terms of how well they achieve guiding targets and goals. While city governments and departments may already have a strategic plan, the framework may help to extend and align the time horizons for such plans and to integrate strategies that address the long life cycles of such investments. At the scale of the urban region, strategic planning is especially useful, although many urban regions in developing countries are currently operating without a shared strategic framework.

In a growing urban region, the umbrella plan that sets the context for all other planning is sometimes referred to as a regional growth strategy (RGS). The RGS ensures that the various infrastructure plans—transportation, water, and energy—all share the same assumptions about land use, demand, and development priorities. The RGS takes regional population growth and employment projections into account and gives the region, including its component parts (towns, counties, and cities) long-term planning direction. It is the RGS that ensures the integration of the parts into a functional whole. In addition to providing the big picture on how a city fi ts into its surroundings, the RGS provides the broadbrush strategies for connecting neighborhoods and directing new growth and investment. The RGS should always address the critical issues that must be solved at the scale of the urban region; these issues might include restricted water supply, air quality, and transportation manage-

ment. The RGS may also identify priorities for housing, regional services, parks, economic development, and climate change initiatives. The most eff ective regional growth strategies are developed through a consensus-building process that achieves agreement (sign-off ) from the surrounding regions and from the mix of towns or stakeholders within the region.

To be eff ective over the long term, the RGS must provide a phased approach to accommodate the projected growth in population and jobs, including the identifi cation of areas suitable for infi ll and densifi cation and the timelines for the development of specifi c urban reserve areas. To ensure that the various elements of the city interact and support each other, the RGS typically adapts some of the best practices from successful regions, including the following:

• A hierarchy of regional growth centers connected to each other and to the growth concentration area via transportation corridors with effi cient and convenient transit

• One or more growth concentration areas that provide the city with a destination center for shopping, business, and the arts

• Medium- or high-density developments located along the transportation corridors and at all transportation hubs

• Distinct, complete neighborhoods and districts that include a mix of land uses, a healthy ratio of jobs to housing, and welldefi ned open spaces

• Clearly defi ned containment boundaries, with permanent, functional edges that separate and protect urban areas, rural areas, and natural areas

• A fi ne-grained network of greenways and blueways that connect all residential areas to a network of parks and to a representative cross-section of the region’s native ecologies

An RGS need not be a complicated undertaking. Some of the most well known RGSs have been produced quickly and have been initially introduced as a simple vision and a map. However, most often, the process takes a couple of years from start to fi nish, plus the added time to initiate and secure funding. The process requires major investments in capacity building, fi eld research, mapping and analysis, collaboration, and public process. Consequently, the completion or renewal of an RGS may occur in parallel with other Eco2 projects or at a later date.

Absent a long-term, complete, and up-todate RGS, the shared planning framework may not function so well. Without an RGS, it might be more diffi cult, for example, to integrate Eco2 projects into long-term land use and development, and some opportunities for design and policy integration may be lost. However, the Eco2 pathway may incorporate interim solutions that off er a signifi cant amount of guidance without a major investment in time or resources. One such solution is the organization of a regional design charrette, followed by the use of the outputs of the charrette as the fi rst iteration or fi rst cut of an RGS.

The implementation of the key strategies should begin with catalyst projects

The implementation of strategies may be achieved through project planning and investment. The fi rst projects implemented in accordance with the Eco2 pathway are referred to as catalyst projects. The function of a catalyst project is to accelerate learning and to promote the acceptance and understanding of the Eco2 pathway. A catalyst project may be site specifi c or citywide. It should be designed to demonstrate the potential for the greater integration of designs and polices. Almost any type of infrastructure investment or land development may be adapted for this purpose. However, the best choices are catalyst projects that work through people or in locations that are already taking steps in the proper direction. It also makes sense to choose a catalyst project based on a city’s priorities for change. If the end-state