Sustainability

N McDonough Green Infrastructure

2012 Sustainability Plan

City Commission adopted the Environmental Sustainability Plan in 2012. The plan is a direct response to a charge from the people of the City of Decatur from the 2010 Strategic Plan (Task 12A). Decatur residents submitted hundreds of ideas of how Decatur can become even more environmentally responsible, and specifically tasked the government with creating a citywide plan to address these issues. The plan was created as a joint effort between City of Decatur staff and the Decatur Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB), with significant input from residents and members of the community.

ARC Green Communities

In 2010, the City of Decatur was one of the first communities to be certified under the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Green Communities Program. The city reaffirmed its commitment to being green in 2014 and again in 2018, when it recertified as a Green Community at the Platinum level. The city has implemented programs and policies relating to the following measures that reduce its environmental impact and promote sustainability:

Green Building Energy Efficiency
Green Power Water Efficiency
Trees & Greenspace Transportation & Air Quality
Recycling & Waste Reduction Land Use
Education Innovation

A summary of the policies and programs can be found here.

Solar

The City offers an expedited permitting process for residential rooftop PV panel installations. Permits that meet the submittal requirements and qualifications are reviewed and approved for a solar electrical permit in 1 to 3 business days.

High Performance Building Standards

The High Performance Building Standards require all new residential and commercial buildings, as well as most residential substantial improvements and large scale commercial renovations to be certified under an existing green building program such as EarthCraft, LEED, National Green Building Standard, and Green Globes. These standards move the City into a more sustainable, better building quality, and create an overall improvement to the quality of human life. Benefits of a high performing building include improved indoor air quality, increased quality of life, lower utility costs, improved resale value, and reduction in environmental impacts.

Green Infrastructure

The City is currently updating its Stormwater Master Plan, which will identify immediate needs as well as long-term solutions looking 20 years forward. One of the ways in which the City will be addressing stormwater is through the use of green infrastructure. Green infrastructure uses vegetation, soils, and other elements and practices to restore natural processes to manage water and create healthier urban environments. At the city or county scale, green infrastructure is a patchwork of natural areas that provides habitat, flood protection, cleaner air, and cleaner water. Examples of green infrastructure include bioretention and bioswales, as seen in Decatur on North McDonough Street.

Electric Vehicles

In 2017 the City installed two Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations:

Downtown Decatur, N McDonough Parking Loop – free charging, pay to park
Oakhurst, Mead Road – free charging, free parking

Composting

Currently, the only composting opportunities in Decatur are backyard composting or a private doorstep collection service. The City is conducting a composting feasibility study to determine what opportunities exist for citywide curbside composting.

Outdoor Water Bottle Stations

The City has a capital improvement program to replace each of the 14 existing water fountains to freeze resistant water bottle, drinking fountain, and dog bowl stations to promote reusing water bottles and reduce plastic water bottle consumption.