Objective HE.4 Protects and enhances natural resources and the environment

Indicators, Development Targets and Policies/Design Strategies

Indicators Development Targets Policies/Design Strategies
Primary
a. Green businesses

Benchmark: Does the project include support for or prioritize businesses with green business practices?
  • Designate a green industrial zone for manufacturing and research offices.1
  • Coordinate with the workforce development, training and recruitment programs to ensure that green jobs benefit city residents.1
  • Require compliance with the SF Green Business Program as a prerequisite for operating a business.2
  • Establish clear design guidelines that require compliance with LEED and Energy Star.3,4
  • Use Community Benefit Agreements or Development Agreements to ensure a proportion of commercial development meets City green business standards, compliance with environmental requirements, SF Green Business Program, or Bay Area Green Business standards.5
  • Prioritize leasing or selling commercial/retail space to tenants who have green business practices.6
  • Prioritize leasing or selling commercial/retail space to businesses that are locally owned.7
  • Implement green business standards for industrial sectors that go above and beyond toxics and air quality standards.8
  • Offer educational and incentive programs to encourage more businesses to establish "green" and sustainable operations.9
  • Use Community Benefit Agreements or Development Agreements to provide for and ensure specific economic benefits not otherwise possible via land use and zoning tools - e.g., local hiring, job placement services, employer support services, First Source provision.10-12
  • Require specific activities of businesses via a Community Benefit Agreement to support observance of green business standards (e.g., use low toxicity cleaning products; recycle all paper, cardboard, fluorescent lamps, bottles, batteries, toner and ink cartridges, cans, spent fuel canisters, and old cell phones; stock recycled, reusable, rechargeable, tree-free and other environmentally preferred products; reuse all packaging materials; and, stop the use of pesticides in businesses).10-12
  • Provide support to businesses in adjacent neighborhoods with respect to resource conservation and pollution prevention practices to mitigate the impacts associated with new residents.13

Health-based Rationale

  • Green businesses reduce occupational and environmental exposures to toxic chemicals.14
  • A general benefit of locally owned businesses vs. national chains is the benefit to the local economy is 70% greater for locally owned businesses than for chains.15
  • Local balance between jobs and housing reduces vehicle travel and associated environmental and health costs.16
1. City of Richmond General Plan. Community Health and Wellness (Draft) Element. http://www.cityofrichmondgeneralplan.org/docManager/1000000663/Community%20Health%20And%20Wellness%20Element%20v1.0.pdf
2. San Francisco Green Business Program. http://sfgreenbiz.org/
3. California Integrated Waste Management Board: Sustainable Building Guidelines. http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/greenBuilding/Design/Guidelines.htm
4. US EPA: Energy Star Building Design Guidance. http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=new_bldg_design.new_bldg_design_guidance
5. Bay Area Green Business program. http://www.greenbiz.abag.ca.gov/
6. BRIDGE Housing "West Oakland's Seventh Street Readies for Business: Community-led foods cooperative signs storefront lease." http://www.mandelafoods.com/lease.pdf
7. BRIDGE Housing and Mandela Foods Cooperative "West Oakland's Seventh Street Readies for Business: Community-led foods cooperative signs storefront lease." http://www.mandelafoods.com/lease.pdf
8. Bay Area Green Business program: Industry Specific Resources and Professional Associations. http://www.greenbiz.ca.gov/GreenResources.html#industry
9. Bay Area Green Business Program: Rewards. http://www.greenbiz.ca.gov/BGRewarding.html and http://www.sfenvironment.org/our_policies/overview.html?ssi=13
10. Community Benefits Law Center (SF). http://www.communitybenefits.org/legal/
11. The Practical Real Estate Lawyer "Understanding Community Benefits Agreements." http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1157613
12. Good Jobs First & California Partnership for Working Families "Community Benefits Agreements: Making Development Projects Accountable." http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/pdf/cba2005final.pdf
13. San Francisco Department of the Environment: Environmental Justice. http://www.sfenvironment.org/our_programs/overview.html?ssi=1
14. Bay Area Green Business program. http://www.greenbiz.abag.ca.gov/
15. Civic Economics. Oct 2004/modified Feb 2005. The Andersonville Study of Retail Economics. Chicago, IL. http://www.andersonvillestudy.com/AndersonvilleStudy.pdf
16. Cervero R, Duncan M. Which reduces vehicle travel more: jobs-housing balance or retail-housing mixing? Journal of the American Planning Association. 2006;72(4):475-490.