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The 1998 Sustainability Accords:
The 1998 Sustainability Accords are both a first step and a final
product. The fifteen statements were distilled from a far larger set of
objectives and concerns, using two criteria: the urgency or immediacy
surrounding the objective and the degree to which it is related to the
other objectives. Highest priority was assigned to those objectives for
which reliable, factual information could be obtained. These data allow
for the measurement of trends, either toward or away from sustainability.
- Encourage and maintain strong ties between the region’s urban and rural areas
- Strive for a size and distribute the human population in ways that preserve vital resources
- Retain the natural habitat
- Ensure water quality and quantity are sufficient to support people and ecosystems
- Optimize the use and re-use of developed land and promote clustering
- Promote appropriate scale for land uses
- Retain farm and forest land
- Develop attractive and economical transportation alternatives
- Conserve energy
- Provide educational and employment opportunities
- Increase individual participation in neighborhoods and communities
Creation of the Sustainability Accords
The Thomas Jefferson Sustainability Council was created in 1994 by the
Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. The diverse group of
farmers, business people, foresters, environmentalists, developers and
elected officials - 34 citizens representing the six localities of the
district - was given the charge to "describe a future where our economic,
human, social, and environmental health are assured." The Council
addressed the areas of: human population, basic human needs, economic
development, transportation, land development, waste, values/ethics,
community awareness, interdependence/balance, government, natural
environment, and agriculture/forestry. Over a four-year period and with
the assistance of hundreds of members of the public at forums and in
working groups, a mission statement, a delineation of the Principles which
govern a sustainable community, and the Goals, Objectives, and Indicators
and Benchmarks of a sustainable region were developed.
Taken together, the Accords create an agenda on which the community can
agree. Taken individually, each one provides an opportunity for individual
and community action toward sustainability for the region. The Accords
were presented to the public on June 16, 1998, where they were signed by
many citizens and local elected officials. They have since been included
as part of the comprehensive plans of the County of Albemarle and the City
of Charlottesville.
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