Environmental Integrity Workshop Highlights

University of Dubuque
Blades Hall
February 21st, 2017 | 6-8pm

RSVP: Social + Cultural Vibrancy Workshop – April 19th, 2017 @ The Smokestack

On Tuesday, February 21^st, the City hosted the Imagine Dubuque Environmental Integrity Workshop at the University of Dubuque’s Blades Hall. The community-wide workshop ran from 6-8 pm and served as the second workshop in a four-part series, the first of which was held on October 25^th, 2016 and focused on Economic Prosperity.

To help inform and guide the Environmental Integrity Workshop, a preceding ‘Working Group Session’ took place on February 15th at Loras College — click here to view details of the working group session.

Overview

Over 70 community members turned out to take part in interactive polling and collaborative idea sharing focused on the following environmental topics to make Dubuque a more viable, livable and equitable community:

Healthy Air + Clean Water
Mobility + Land Use
Native Plants + Animals
Reuse + Recycling

The evening began with a brief presentation and status update by Mike Hoffman of Teska Associates, Inc. The overview introduced Imagine Dubuque (the City’s New Comprehensive Plan), its purpose, timeline, and community engagement highlights. During the presentation, participants enjoyed a complimentary dinner and took part in a short online Environmental Integrity Quick Poll. The results of the poll were shared in real-time following the presentation to help spur discussion in the group activity stations that followed.

Activity Stations

Four stations corresponding to each topic were staged around the room. Participants rotated through the stations in groups between 10-15 people to share and build upon each other’s ideas. Each of the four group discussions lasted 15 minutes, with 3 minutes between stations.

Activity Station Topic: Healthy Air + Clean Water

Participants were asked to consider ways individuals, businesses, and government could ensure healthy air and clean water in Dubuque.

Emerging Priorities:

Stormwater capture, infiltration, healthy soil, mobile air quality monitoring, reduce erosion and agricultural runoff, reduce chemical use, mitigate toxic sites, further public education on best practices.

What can individuals + businesses can do?

Educate each other and further social awareness of safe and acceptable standards, products and practices (i.e. no spraying round-up for green lawns).
Citizen scientist movement (i.e. Mobile air quality monitoring stations)
Set high / healthy standards, maintain private property, clean up toxins

What can government do?

Emphasis on rain water capture
Raise energy standards of buildings
Work with surrounding watershed communities

Activity Station Topic: Mobility + Land Use

Participants were asked to discuss key challenges and opportunities associated with two corridors: Central Avenue and John F. Kennedy Road.

Central Avenue

Emerging Priorities:

Improve bike and pedestrian safety
Address neighborhood retail needs
Improve intersections and traffic flow

Intersections

Civic space opportunity at 20^th/Central
Landscaping opportunity at 18^th/Central

Retail + Land Use

Façade improvement program
Attract businesses that meet neighborhood needs
Redevelop as neighborhood-scaled, themed commercial district

Infrastructure + Streetscape

Convert White Street to two-way, implement road diet on Central
Consider John Deere traffic
Lighting and street trees

JFK Road

Emerging Priorities:

Reduce car speeds
Improve crossings
Middle Fork Catfish Creek Trail
Smart business opportunities
Landscape treatments
More robust public transit

Bike + Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrian overpass at Hoover
Reduce curb cuts
Tie in with schools/seniors
Crosstown bike/ped trail
Protected bike lanes

Retail + Land Use

Landscaping treatments
Repurpose or reenergize Kennedy Mall
Invert Kennedy Mall (cars inside)
Neighborhood scales development hubs

Activity Station Topic: Native Plants + Animals

Discussion was facilitated using a map of parks/open space and environmental features. Participants were asked to identify the natural areas they visited most frequently, areas they felt ought to be protected from future development, specific park improvements and what the City can do.

Participants would like to see more natural areas engage student, as does the E.B. Lyons Center.

Emerging Priorities:

Continue rich variety of Dubuque’s parks and recreational amenities
Celebrate cultural and natural heritage with print and digital guides, tours and mobile apps
Plant native plants for pollinators and natural wildlife corridors; edible plants for people
Encourage students and young children to take to the outdoors

Favorite Parks/Natural Areas

Mines of Spain
Bergfeld Recreation Area
Heritage Trail
Mississippi Riverwalk
Dubuque Water Trail

Conservation Areas + Efforts

Moss Park
Wildlife Corridors (migratory birds and deer)
Pollinators (bees and butterflies)
Little Maquoketa River
Inventory and protect mature trees

Specific improvements

Tell stories of cultural heritage (i.e. library steps elevator shaft and Flat Iron Park)
Lunchtime walking tours
Improve multi-modal access
More open-ended, natural open space and less programmed, manicured open space

What can the city do?

Add more greenspace downtown
Activate underutilized sites and properties
Provide a park within walking distance of everyone
Provide guides on native plantings and grassland management to private property owners
Ensure new developments provide green space
Protect street trees and maintain right-of-way

Activity Station Topic: Reuse + Recycling

Participants at this station discussed ways individuals, businesses and the City can reduce and ultimately eliminate waste (i.e. purchase items with less packaging and reduce the need for landfills).

Adaptive reuse of buildings was a common priority of the workshop.

Emerging Priorities:

A variety of compost options for residents and businesses
Reuse of buildings and land
Reuse center and shop (perhaps a Habitat re-store)

Plastic bottles and plastic bag regulations
Information/education to change individual behaviors
Find a way to recycle glass bottles – maybe donate to artists?

What can individuals do?

Don’t use plastic bags, plastic utensils, plastic bottles
More composting: opt-in, greater incentives and more education on an individual level
Take material to makerspaces or start a material swap meet.
Focus on repair and reuse

What can businesses do?

Donate extra food to food banks (i.e. Panera Bread)
Repurpose materials – reuse store
Partner with non-profits
Find a way to monetize recycling and reuse to make it sustainable

What can government do?

Restrictions on reuse of food – Address at State level
Tax on plastic water bottles
Structure public input at DMASWA board meetings and adopt a zero-waste plan and strategy built on community input
Work with other municipalities to encourage businesses to reduce packaging

Following group discussions, everyone gathered together for a quick recap of the major priorities heard and discussed at each activity station. A big round of applause and thank you were extended to the 70+ attendees and all were encouraged to download the Imagine Dubuque project app, follow along on the website, keep sharing ideas, and mark their calendar for the upcoming Social + Cultural Vibrancy Workshop (April 19) and Equity Workshop (June 27).