to: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
from: J.B. Culpepper, Director of Planning Department
Kenneth C. Pennoyer, Director, Business Management
David Bonk, Long Range and Transportation Manager
Len Cone, Go Chapel Hill Transportation Demand Management Coordinator
subject: Resolution Budget Amendment Ordinance to Accept Active Living by Design (ALbD) Sustainability Grant and to Amend the 2008/09 Budget.
date: October 15, 2008
The purpose of this report is to provide the Council written information on a supplemental grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to continue the work of the Town’s ALbD program. The adoption of the resolution would accept the Wood Johnson Foundation Active Living by Design (ALbD) Sustainably Grant in the amount of $45,000 and amend the project budget to increase the ALbD grant by $45,000 (ATTACHMENT I).
In November of 2003, the Town of Chapel Hill accepted an ALbD Grant of $200,000 from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to promote of greater physical activity and raise awareness of the relationship between mobility and health related issues. The original ALbD grant will be completed on October 31, 2008. The RWJF offered to the 25 nationwide ALbD grantees the opportunity to extend that work by receiving additional funding for projects that would offer more opportunity for active living as a result of work begun with the original ALbD grant.
The new ALbD Sustainability Grant is to continue the work of the original $200,000 ALbD grant. The grant will be matched by the salary of the TDM Coordinator position as well as in kind funding. The original grant focused on physical improvements to make Chapel Hill a more walkable community as well as offering programming to promote the physical changes made. Chapel Hill received the National Physical Improvements Award from Active Living by Design a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation national agency. The Town’s ALbD Sustainability Grant proposal includes several elements designed to promote a more comprehensive approach within the Town for Complete Streets as well as promotions of decreasing single occupancy vehicles while increasing opportunity for active living. While encouraging more active lifestyle, increasing alternative transportation opportunities will provide an overall healthier environment as well as reducing traffic congestion.
Chapel Hill Active Business Transportation Program – The Active Business program is a continuation of the original ALbD program which works with the Town’s Transportation Management Program as well as other business within Chapel Hill to promote a healthier environment by reducing single occupancy vehicle usage while encouraging alternative forms of transportation including bicycling, walking, transit, carpooling and vanpooling and telecommuting. By reducing the number of vehicular miles individually traveled, this will help to meet the Town’s carbon emissions goal. The grant will also provide training and workshop opportunities regarding promotions, employee motivational incentives and policy development within the workplace.
Complete Streets - Town staff will review current Town guidelines and policies regarding construction, design and implementation of plans. The Complete Streets program will streamline Town guidelines into a comprehensive approach for providing the safest most effective connecting routes to maneuver throughout Chapel Hill. Complete street includes review of landscaping, crosswalks, sidewalks, signage, pedestrian islands, bicycle lanes, connecting greenway and walkways, adherence to ADA standards, lighting and enforcement. The grant will also provide training and workshop opportunities for Town Departments regarding safety and design.
That the Council adopt the resolution to accept the Active Living by Design (ALbD) Sustainability Grant and enact the Ordinance amending a project budget for the Active Living by Design Special Opportunities Grant.