Incorporating SITES into rules and regulations – field

by Paul Wessel

“Arguably, land use controls have a more pervasive impact on the lives of ordinary Americans than any other regulation.”
– Edward Glaeser, “Land Use Regulation Reform,” The Brookings Institution

Land use regulations

Land use in the United States is largely regulated at the municipal level, dating back to the Supreme Court’s approval of comprehensive zoning in the 1920s.

City governments often face challenges in implementing landscape development regulations – even more so when trying to incorporate sustainable and resilient design strategies into these regulations. Cities seeking a clear, repeatable and verifiable approach to sustainable land use are increasingly including Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) certification in their regulatory toolkit.

SITES Adoption

To date, SITES has identified:

• Fifteen localities include PLACES in their local ordinances.
• Twelve additional localities adopt PARTIES in local or institutional policy and development guidelines.
• Two states that have adopted the SITES through legislation or executive action.
• One instance of SITES adoption at the federal level.

As institutions and government entities around the world increasingly focus on sustainability, resilience and decarbonization strategies, landscapes are a powerful resource for supporting biodiversity, reducing risks from natural hazards and the impacts of climate change, mitigating the effects of urban heat islands, conserving water , and provide access to social spaces that improve people’s health and well-being.

“Designing the future: incorporating PLACES into sustainable landscape legislation” documents the progress made to provide ideas and inspiration to other institutions looking to strengthen their own sustainability policies.

Ways to get involved

It’s encouraging to see how many localities have incorporated PAGES into their zoning framework – and these are just the ones we know of! Has your community interacted with SITES before? There are many ways to start a discussion about sustainable design and development.

• Has your area adopted SITES? Let us know so we can add it to our list!
• Would you like to encourage your city to adopt SITES certification? We will be happy to support you. Send us an email to start the conversation.
• Would you like to work to include SITES in the state’s Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) as Texas has done? (See the “Sustainable Park Design” section beginning on page 61.) The National Park Service’s manual for the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund requires “certification by (g)over that sufficient opportunities for public participation have been provided in the development of the plan” in each individual’s SCORP state.

Do you have any other thoughts on encouraging the adoption of SITES in your community? Contact us at [email protected].

What is SITES?

The Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES) is owned and operated by the U.S. Green Building Council (GBCI), the certifying body for the LEED rating system that established the first benchmark for green building standards. SITES offers a comprehensive assessment system to guide, assess and certify project sustainability in the planning, design, construction and management of landscape and other outdoor spaces. It complements the LEED rating system, which is also used in many municipal regulatory standards.

SITES nature-based solutions and strategies promote biodiversity, conserve water and other resources, mitigate climate change, improve public health and provide economic benefits for development projects.

This article originally appeared on www.sustainablesites.org; republished with permission.

Paul Wessel is director of market development for the U.S. Green Building Council.