Help to Build More Sustainable Communities: Invest in Philadelphia's First Suburbs

May 31, 2008 at 9:30 a.m.
Bishop McDevitt High School
125 Royal Avenue, Wyncote PA 19095
Admission $15.00
 

An excellent strategy for reducing negative environmental impacts of sprawl is to invest in existing developed neighborhoods. The older suburban municipalities near to Philadelphia have amazing infrastructure such as SEPTA rail and light rail, existing streets, parks and schools. The First Suburbs Project is a grassroots initiative led by municipal officials and civic leaders of these "first suburbs" to advocate for investment and attention to these older communities.

This effort has been building for more than a year. Last December 2007, more than 300 community leaders from the first suburbs of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties responded to the call and gathered to strategize how to harness their collective power to influence positive change, restore prosperity and to increase competitiveness in our region. Participants identified four common challenges that could serve as primary issue areas -- equitable education funding, declining infrastructure, an unbalanced regional approach to housing, and social services that fail to meet our residents' needs.

Four Issue Action Groups have been meeting since that time focused on school funding, infrastructure, housing and social services. Khiet Luong, Watershed Programs Assistant and Patrick Starr, Senior Vice President have been particularly active in the Infrastructure Issue Action Group. Deteriorating water and sewer infrastructure as well as new mandates related to managing stormwater are costly. Many municipalities are challenged to find the resources to address these environmental problems, and PEC is trying to help by providing technical assistance to municipalities and helping municipalities find resources to implement policies and projects.

Since the Summit, the leaders who attended continued to develop a platform to address these problems with issues that will become part of a strategic campaign. Participants have conducted research and crafted recommendations into one-page issue "white papers." On May 31, the four "white papers" will be presented and prioritized. Everyone present will have a say in how they get prioritized and what the campaign will look like moving forward into the fall.

The First Suburbs Project is hosting a meeting on May 31, and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council is sponsoring the event. You may attend as our guest if you respond to us and let us know of your interest.