Policy and Planning
At the eighth and final event of the Sustainable Duluth series, over 25 residents from around Duluth gathered to discuss and learn about policing and planning impact sustainability. If you missed the event, here's a summary:
John Dukich, Senior Advisor of Policy and Government Affairs in the Mayor's Office at the City of Duluth presented an overview of the policy-making process. He explained that it begins with identifying a problem, followed by researching potential solutions. Once a solution is identified, engaging key stakeholders is crucial to refine and adjust the approach. Advocacy, along with building relationships within the community, public, corporate, and government sectors, is essential to advance policy. Lobbyists can play a critical role in this process at the federal level, serving as experts in both the subject matter and the political landscape, to assist policy development. He concluded by discussing current policy priorities in Duluth, including a focus on creating affordable housing for all income levels and seeking funding for improvements to the water treatment facility and the aerial lift bridge over the next two years.
Betsy Hill from the City of Duluth Workforce Development Department spoke about her role to help Duluth residents gain the skills and credentials necessary to secure in-demand careers and meet local employer's workforce needs. The CareerForce center, located across from City Hall, serves all jobseekers, community members, and employers, contributing to a thriving local workforce. A significant aspect of her work involves connecting people to jobs, particularly in understaffed sectors and trades. With a large portion of the construction workforce expected to retire in the next seven years, it's crucial to establish clear pathways to employment in these areas. The City's Community Benefits Program ensures that underrepresented groups, such as people of color, women, and people with disabilities, have access to opportunities in the trades. Hill highlighted the direct connection between trades, especially construction, and sustainability, emphasizing the importance of training workers to build sustainable infrastructure. Workforce Development is actively working toward this goal.
Karola Dalen, the Sustainability & Capital Planning Coordinator for St. Louis County, delivered the third presentation. In this newly created role, she oversees strategic initiatives related to sustainability, energy efficiency, and capital improvements and coordinates efforts across Departments. The County prioritizes energy efficiency, ensuring buildings are well-insulated before considering renewable energy options like solar power. Their approach is guided by the principles of reducing, reusing, and recycling, with a strong commitment to managing county assets, public funds, and services while planning for a clean energy future and climate resilience. Karola highlighted the importance of prioritizing good planning and procedures over policy in some cases. She pointed out that policy often requires political approval, can be poorly implemented, and is subject to interpretation. In contrast, planning can be more targeted, measurable, and effective in embedding sustainability practices into the norm.
Jenn Moses, a Senior Planner at the City of Duluth's Planning and Development Division, was the final presenter. With over 20 years of experience in land use, environmental, and transportation planning, Jenn shared insights on the evolution of parking policy and its effects on urban planning. She told the story of how the adoption of personal vehicles shaped cities and prompting significant changes in city planning to accommodate their widespread use. This led to zoning regulations requiring buildings to provide adequate parking. However, planners realized that parking requirements sometimes made large-scale housing projects less affordable, limiting the number of units that can be constructed. In Duluth, parking needs sometimes don't align with residents' demands, except in the downtown area, which is exempt from parking minimums due to investments in shared parking facilities like ramps. The City has eliminated off-street parking minimums in policy, giving flexibility for development of housing and businesses, along with adding bike parking and electric vehicle-ready parking for some projects, which contributes to sustainable transportation choices.
As we conclude this series of sustainability workshops, it is important to reflect on the depth of knowledge and collaborative engagement that has emerged. These workshops have established a robust framework for advancing community engagement efforts. Feedback and insights have been compiled into a final report available here. This report will serve as a critical resource in guiding future efforts, ensuring that our strategies are both informed by the experiences shared during these sessions and aligned with the long-term sustainability goals of the Duluth community.
