For almost a year, members of the City’s staff have worked alongside dedicated volunteers, community leaders, and experts to create New Rochelle’s first Sustainability Plan, called “GreeNR.” Yesterday evening, timed to arrive during the same week as Earth Day, a completed Draft of GreeNR was formally presented to the City Council and also posted on the City website.
GreeNR articulates a broad vision for economic, environmental and social progress, while also outlining a detailed, specific and achievable plan of action tailored to our own community. It is intended to be a framework for goal-setting and decision-making that can help guide municipal action for the next twenty years.
You can download the GreeNR Draft from www.newrochelleny.com/greenr. From this site, click on “GreeNR Draft Sustainability Plan” to begin the download process. (It is a big document, so downloading might take a few minutes.) You can also view the power point presented to the Council HERE and a media release concerning GreeNR HERE.
You will notice that the GreeNR webpage has a comment feature with a direct email link to the City’s Sustainability Coordinator Deborah Newborn. I invite and encourage you to review the Sustainability Plan Draft and to offer your thoughts to Ms. Newborn at dnewborn@newrochelleny.com. Comments sent to Ms. Newborn will be circulated to the Council, together with relevant members of our staff, and will help shape consideration and adoption of a final plan. If you prefer to comment to me privately, then simply reply to this email.
In addition, the City Council will hold a public hearing on the GreeNR Draft on Tuesday, May 11th at 7:30pm. If you are interested in this subject, then I urge you to attend. Speakers will be allotted three minutes each, although longer comments can be submitted in writing. You can sign up to speak when you arrive and do not need to pre-register. Even if you don’t intend to speak, your presence at the hearing will be welcomed.
GreeNR has already been informed by significant public input, including a Sustainability Forum held several months ago. Now, as we move from submission of a draft to adoption of a final plan, it is even more important that the City Council hear from you. We want to be sure that the City’s vision is consistent with the goals and values of our larger community.
Thank you in advance for your time and attention.