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Sustainable Maryland Community Certification Report

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This is the Sustainable Maryland Certification Report of Hyattsville, a Sustainable Maryland bronze certified applicant.

On September 12, 2011 the Mayor and City Council authorized the Director of Community and Economic Development to register the City for the University of Maryland?s Environmental Finance Center (EFC) ? Sustainable Maryland Certified designation program and task members of the City's existing Environmental, Planning and Bike-Pedestrian Safety Committee, to serve as the City?s designated members of the "Green Team".

Contact Information

The designated Sustainable Maryland contact for Hyattsville is:

Name:Jim Chandler
Title/Position:Director / Community & Economic Development
Phone:301-985-5013

Actions Implemented

Each approved action and supporting documentation for which Hyattsville was approved for in 2013 appears below. Note: Standards for the actions below may have changed and the documentation listed may no longer satisfy requirements for that action.

  • Community Action

    Green Team Action Plan

    10 Points

    Program Summary: The City has developed policies (City Sustainability Policy) and a plan (City of Hyattsville 2011-2015 Community Sustainability Plan) to implement sustainable actions. The City’s Sustainability Plan was approved by the Governor’s Sub-Cabinet for Smart Growth in 2011 and is utilized by Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development as the benchmark for local community sustainability plans in the State of Maryland. The Sustainability Plan was developed through a 14-month public process and was distributed to 500-community and regional stakeholders including local, County and State officials. While we are certain that participation in a survey may be beneficial to some participating communities, the City of Hyattsville has already implemented and adopted this document as our community’s Green Team Action Plan. The vision developed by Hyattsville's residents has two components: principles that reflect what the participants wanted and a focus on four specific physical areas of the community that became the organizing elements of the Sustainability Plan. The City's Sustainability Plan connects success of the City's past, ongoing planning efforts, and an updated vision established for the City with implementation strategies. The City’s Sustainability Policy is attached and the City of Hyattsville 2011-2015 Community Sustainability Plan is available online at: http://www.hyattsville.org/index.aspx?nid=346 The action plan is located under the Strategic Plan and identifies 12 specific Critical Actions that are necessary for the City to achieve local sustainability: http://www.hyattsville.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/1140

    Conduct Community Barriers and Benefits Assessment

    15 Points

    Program Summary: Prior to the start of the public process for the 2010 Community Legacy Revitalization Plan, the Hyattsville CDC, in conjunction with the City’s Office of Community Development, engaged the community in a classic Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis. The process included six publicly held Community Assessment workshops and seven SWOT Analysis workshops conducted over the course of one month. Additionally, more than 20 similarly structured stakeholder interviews were conducted within the municipal government, business, and development communities.

    Green Team

    10 Points

    Program Summary: Hyattsville's Green Team was created in response to the city's interest in Sustainable Maryland Certified. The Green Team is in the process of joining with Hyattsville's Environmental Committee to avoid duplication and form a more complete Green Team. By combining these two groups, Hyattsville's Green Team will have a diverse mixture of private citizens, elected officials, and city employees. These different viewpoints will help the Green Team understand sustainable issues for the city from as many vantage points as possible. The Green Team will have several subcommittees for specific issues important to the community. The complete Green Team plans to meet quarterly with each of the subcommittees reporting back to the overall committee. The subcommittees will meet monthly. On September 12, 2011, the Mayor and Council designated the City’s Environmental Committee as the City’s Green Team. The Committee Members were reappointed to two-year terms on December 2, 2012. The members of the Committee are as follows: • Jim Groves- Ward 2 resident and Chair of the Environmental Committee • Alan Mattlage- • Rebecca Schaff- Ward 2 resident Elizabeth Arnold- Ward 2 resident • Marcus Shappirio- Ward 4 The Team meets monthly to review and develop actionable recommendations to the City’s elected body. The Team’s July 10th agenda includes the following: 1. David Brosch, the Director of Maryland Sun 2. MEA Grant Language incorporated into the City’s Sustainability Policy 3. DPW - Sustainability Document section on idling 4. Jerry Schiro, City Administrator - Introduction The Team is in the process of updating the City’s Sustainability Policy in order to incorporate several actionable policies that the City has agreed to as part of the Maryland Energy Administration – Smart Energy Communities initiative. These policies and actions include: Policy 1: Reduce conventional centralized electricity generation serving a local government’s buildings by meeting 20% of those buildings’ electricity demand with distributed, renewable energy generation by 2022. Deliverables: • Develop baseline estimate of building electricity consumption, which can be gathered from existing energy bills for each of the facilities; • Amend the Sustainability Policy to add language committing to 20% renewable electricity by 2022; • Implement a Renewable Energy Action Plan, which would include a mix of renewable energy practices. In 2011 the City committed to purchasing 100% of its electric from Clean Currents, a wind power supplier, while this serves as a component of the City’s renewable energy action plan, it is not generated on-site and would not count towards the City’s renewable energy metric. Renewable energy investment such as solar photovoltaic (PV), geothermal energy or other on-site renewable energy applications would need to be incorporated into capital improvements over the next 10 years; • The City would be required to submit an annual report to MEA on implementation progress. Policy 2: Establish a petroleum consumption baseline for all local government vehicles, and put in place a comprehensive program designed to reduce the baseline petroleum consumption by 20 percent within 5 years of the baseline year. Deliverables: • Develop a baseline of fleet efficiency, which can be ascertained using the existing Dossier system; • Amend the Sustainability Policy to add language committing to a petroleum fuel consumption reduction of 20%; • Put in place a Petroleum Consumption Reduction Plan • Annual Reporting

    Participate in SM Green Team Training

    5 Points

    Program Summary: Representatives from Hyattsville attended the Green Team Training Session on December 10th, 2011 at the 4H Center in College Park. The representatives were Jim Groves and Trent Wells. Jim Groves is a member of the Hyattsville Environmental Committee. Trent Wells is a volunteer in the Community Development Department in Hyattsville. The training was especially effective for the representatives to determine the best manner to recruit new stakeholders and interested parties into the Green Team. It also served as an effective forum to discuss ideas with follow Maryland municipalities. Jim Groves and Trent Wells decided to turn Hyattsville’s Environmental Committee into Sustainable Hyattsville to form an effective Green Team for the City.

  • Community Based Food System

    Establish Local Farmers Market

    5 Points

    Program Summary: The West Hyattsville Farmers' Market has operated for over 20 years. It operates every Tuesday from 2 to 6 p.m. during the months of June through October. The Market is located at Queens Chapel Town Center, and is in the process of moving to 3505 Hamilton St., which is owned by the City of Hyattsville. It is operated by Peggy Campenella and Bill Harris of Harris Orchards. The Farmers' Market sells local and seasonal fruits, vegetables, plants, honeys, and jams. The Market does not sell any prepared food or trinkets. Every product sold is grown by farmers from Southern Maryland. Nothing is bought and shipped in. The Market earns about $70,000 in income annually with $4,000 in expenses.

    Promote Local Farmers Market

    5 Points

    Program Summary: The City of Hyattsville promotes the Farmers' Market through a designated page on the City's website. The page is easily accessible through the City's search bar, and also the top Google search result for "Hyattsville Farmers' Market. The Hyattsville Farmers Market operates on Tuesday’s from 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM from June 11th to October 29th. The Market is operated independent of the City so information regarding operational costs and income for the market are not available. The Market is located at 3505 Hamilton Street,a city owned property that is leased to the Farmers Market at no cost. The market is just a short walk from the West Hyattsville Metro Station on the Green Line and it offers fresh produce, baked goods and other locally produced items. Vendors at the Market include: • Harris Orchards of Anne Arundel County: delicious fruit, ciders, baked goods • Thank God It's Fresh of Prince George's County: organic fruits & vegetables • Knopp Farms of Anne Arundel County: home-grown fruits & vegetables • Union Street Soaps: Hand-made, all natural soaps • Uptown Bakers: delicious breads, baked goods (scones, cookies, croissants) • Sweet Daisy's Cakes: little baked treats, perfect for one person

    Community Gardens

    15 Points

    Program Summary: On December 13, 2010, the Mayor and Council authorized a Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the Hyatt Park Community Garden Association which outlines the management and operations of the Community Garden, budget costs and membership requirements, a copy of the MOU is attached and was again renewed on December 7, 2012 through Motion#216-12-12. The garden is located on a quarter-acre of the two-acre Hyatt Park, at the intersection of 36th Avenue and Hamilton Street. The Hyattsville Park Community Garden Association provides and maintain garden organic vegetable garden plots within Hyatt Park, within the City of Hyattsville, MD at the corner Hamilton Street and 36th Avenue for its nutritional, recreational, educational, cultural and community development values The garden rules and by laws are attached, a map of the garden on the group’s website identifies a total of 60 Hyattsville residents participate in the garden. The website provides information links for individuals to access for all kinds of garden questions or resources, like from the University of Maryland extension. The group is required to have two formal meetings a year and all maintenance and garden work is done all on a volunteer basis by the members of the garden. The group does an informal election on co-leads, secretary, plot monitor and treasurer positions to manage the garden as whole. The Hyattsville organize master gardeners to volunteer some time to teach folks on some gardening skills. All members pay a yearly fee that goes to a fund that is used to maintain or fix structural items in the garden, such as fences, or wood chips for the paths or compost to amend the soil. Additional information about regarding the garden ca be found on the group’s website, http://hyattparkgarden.org.

    Spring Transplant Sale

    10 Points

    Program Summary: Since 2010, the Community Native Plant Sale takes place annually and is managed by the Hyattsville Elementary School PTA. The municipality does not donate materials, but assists with the promotion of the event through the City’s website. The sale is a one day event, typically 8 hour event and offers 40 – 50 species of native plants. All proceeds go to supporting the Hyattsville Elementary School PTA and its efforts to improve the academic achievements of all our students. Photos from the 2013 event are attached. More information on the event is available at: http://hes-pta.org/events/3rd-annual-native-plant- sale/

  • Energy

    Innovative Demonstration Projects - Energy

    15 Points

    Program Summary: On February 13th, Hyattsville's City Council authorized the City's staff to proceed with a LEED Silver design for the Arcade building at 4318 Gallatin Street. The motion, #30-02-12, passed unanimously. The proposal includes an interior demolition and renovation of the existing structure. The redesigned building will serve as a public building with retail space. The main level will be utilized for public meetings, presentation, and theatre performances. The proposed design will include substantial energy and cost savings to the community. Combined site energy electricity, natural gas, lighting electricity, HVAC electricity will be reduced by 111,238 kwh. These energy savings will translate into $3,606 in reduced energy costs, or a 18.22% reduction from the current building design. The public process regarding the Arcade was, and continues to be extensive. The public input included a public presentation in December 2010 and since been presented at publicly televised Council meetings in January 2011, March 2011 and October 2011.

    Municipal Energy Audits

    30 Points

    Program Summary: The City participated in an energy audit solely for our Administration Building in 2009. In 2011, the City contracted Hess Construction and Engineering Services, Inc. for a complete facilities assessment of all five buildings. The five buildings assessed are located at the following addresses in Hyattsville: 4310 Gallatin St., 3505 Hamilton St., 4633 Arundel St., 4318 Gallatin St., and 3911 Hamilton Street. The audits assessed a wide range of issues regarding the municipal buildings. Buildings were inspected from their foundation to their exterior to their heating, electrical, and plumbing systems. The reports addressed deficiencies in the current status of the buildings and recommended improvements that among other things would make the buildings more energy efficient, and environmentally friendly.The assessment included an existing conditions report, space utilization analysis and the development of a 20-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that identified capital replacement costs and incorporation of more efficient and renewable energy technology.

    Residential Energy Efficiency

    20 Points

    Program Summary: The City of Hyattsville is a partner community in the Small Town Energy Program (STEP). STEP is funded through a 3-year grant from the U.S. Department of Energy specifically to create a model community energy transformation program that serves as a roadmap for other small towns across the U.S. The goals of the program are to transform the way residents use energy in their homes, and also to serve as a model for other small towns. The program includes comprehensive energy evaluations for homes, financial incentives for residents to implement energy efficiency recommendations, and the support of an Energy Coach to help you every STEP of the way. The City of Hyattsville signed onto the program in 2012 and assisted the program’s outreach efforts through advertisement on local listserves, inclusion in City and community events, posting information on the City’s website and permitting yard signs on private and public property. The City’s Director of Community & Economic Development and the Director of Community Services are local points of contact for the STEP program. The program cycle has concluded and the following program statistics were provided to the City of Hyattsville by Chuck Wilson, Program Director for STEP: • Hyattsville households participating in STEP since July, 2012: 160 • Hyattsville households completing a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Audit: 135 • Audited Hyattsville households who have gone on to make a comprehensive home energy upgrade: 58 • Our program officially closes tomorrow, and we literally got 95 e-mails today from people trying to make the deadline. So these numbers may change a wee bit (favorably) in the coming week. STEP is scheduled to have a final participation statistics report issued by end of July as well as a report analyzing energy savings, investments made, jobs created, etc. which will be completed by an independent third party contractor. Additional information about the STEP program is available at: http://smalltownenergy.org/about-us#sthash.fz09thtK.dpuf

  • Greenhouse Gas

    Innovative Demonstration Projects - Greenhouse Gas

    5 Points

    Program Summary: In 2011 the City of Hyattsville partnered with Clean Currents to purchase wind power in the form of renewable energy credits (RECs) to offset 100% of electricity usage at municipal properties. The procurement is part of the cities’ overall green initiatives, which offsets their electricity carbon footprint for an entire year.

  • Local Economies

    Green Purchasing Policy

    15 Points

    Program Summary: In 2009, the City of Hyattsville adopted its Sustainability Policy, which was reaffirmed and included in the City’s 2011-2015 Community Sustainability Plan. The Policy lays out the twin goals of “reducing the negative impacts on the environment” and saving money by reducing energy and consumable costs. The Policy states that the City is required to purchase ‘Green’ materials as specified in Section 7 of our adopted procurement Policy, see attached. Furthermore, the City’s Sustainability Policy is incorporated as Attachment D of the City’s Procurement Policy. Section 7 of the Procurement Policy specifically states that to the greatest extent practicable the City of Hyattsville will: • Institute practices that reduce waste by increasing product efficiency and effectiveness Purchase products that minimize environmental impacts, toxics, pollution, and hazards to worker and community safety, and • Purchase products that include recycled content, are durable and long-lasting, conserve energy and water, use agricultural fibers and residues, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, use unbleached or chlorine free manufacturing processes, are lead-free and mercury-free, and use wood from sustainably harvested forests. • Make purchases that comply with the City’s Sustainability Policy. The policy further states that the City shall: • Institute practices that reduce waste and result in the purchase of fewer products whenever practicable and cost-effective, but without reducing safety or workplace quality. • Purchase remanufactured products such as laser toner cartridges, tires, furniture, equipment and automotive parts whenever practicable, but without reducing safety, quality or effectiveness. • All products for which the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has established minimum recycled content standard guidelines, such as those for printing paper, office paper, janitorial paper, construction, landscaping, parks and recreation, transportation, vehicles, miscellaneous, and non-paper office products, shall contain the highest post consumer content practicable, but no less than the minimum recycled content standards established by U.S. EPA Guidelines.

  • Natural Resources

    Innovative Demonstration Projects - Natural Resources

    5 Points

    Program Summary: The Green Street Project undertaken at University Hills matches very well with Hyattsville’s vision. The City motto is “A World Within Walking Distance” but the recently annexed University Hills neighborhood did not fit well with that vision. Most of the neighborhood’s streets lacked sidewalks, which greatly hinders residents’ ability to enjoy that area of the community on foot. So in 2011, the City set out to reshape the area with new pavement, sidewalks, and green space to make the area more walking friendly and sustainable. The City outlined requirements for the project in its Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR). Some of the major requirements laid out in the OPR were: • Resurface Street • Create a pedestrian friendly environment • Environmentally friendly stormwater management system • Sustainable construction practices and materials • Save trees and use native species Charles P. Johnson & Associates (CPJ) were contracted by the City to perform a feasibility study of the goals laid out in the OPR and determine the condition of the pavement on the streets in the neighborhood. The design of the new sidewalks also needed to conform to the City’s sidewalk policy. After receiving a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust to design a stormwater management system in the neighborhood, the City contracted Greenhorne & O’Mara to undertake that feasibility study. The City plans to utilize permeable sidewalks, bio-retention areas, and bioswales to improve the sustainable of the stormwater management system and conform to the 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual. The results of both feasibility studies, along with detailed descriptions of the findings and recommendations for a series of streets in the neighborhood are included in the attached document. The City obtained a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust for the design of environmentally friendly stormwater management facilities within the neighborhood. The City contracted with Greenhorne & O’Mara (G&O) to perform a feasibility study for installation of stormwater management facilities throughout the University Hills neighborhood. A copy of the feasibility report, University Hills Green Streets 30% engineering and storm water management plans are available on the City’s website at: http://www.hyattsville.org/index.aspx?nid=494. The City is discussing funding this project as part of the City’s Capital Improvement Plan.

    Tree City USA

    15 Points

    Program Summary: Hyattsville’s Tree City USA effort is led by the City’s Tree Board. The Board is headed by Michael Schmidl, City Arborist, and appointed board members, Ms. Theresa Goedeke, Mr. Robert Riddle, Chairman Gloria Felix Thompson, Millard Smith, Joe Luebke, Kate Kappel Haba . In 2011, the Board met three times. The City spent a total of $96,480.40 on forestry expenditures in 2011. This represents a substantial commitment to quality forestry for a City with just over 17,500 residents. Almost all of the expenditures went towards tree planting and care, and dead tree removal. Only $7,520.40 went to administrative expenses, which shows Hyattsville’s focus on putting its money to the most effective use possible. In 2011, there was a wide range of activities pursued by the City to improve its forestry. There were 127 new trees planted throughout the City, while 58 dead or dying trees were removed. In addition, 237 trees were pruned, and the City inspected 37 residents’ trees. The City also put on an Arbor Day celebration and a forestry workshop.

    Adopt a Pet Waste Ordinance

    5 Points

    Program Summary: Chapter 52-2 of the Hyattsville Charter and Code detail the City's pet waste policy. The policy prohibits persons with dogs or cats from allowing excrement to remain on public property. The lone exception is for individuals with seeing eye dogs. Removal and proper disposal are required immediately after the excrement is put on public property.

  • Planning & Land Use

    Participation in DHCD Sustainable Communities

    20 Points

    Program Summary: Hyattsville received a Sustainable Community Designation from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. The Designation lasts for five years from October 26, 2011. The letter recognizing the City’s Designation is attached. The City’s application is also included. It details the current situation and areas for improvement in the four key areas in the City (Prince George’s Plaza Transit District, West Hyattsville, U.S. Route One Corridor, and Neighborhoods and Parks). The application contains an excellent profile of the City’s demographics from age, ethnicity, education, and income. Hyattsville’s commitment to sustainable practices is shown throughout the application in the vast array of policies implemented. The application also contains detailed information on recent projects, and the City’s overall sustainability vision. The City has leveraged over $2 million in direct grants to promote smart growth and revitalization in the past seven years. One of the major projects recently undertaken is the revitalization of the Arts District. This is a $200 million revitalization project in historic downtown Hyattsville.