FOCUS Blog

Ferguson is on the Move!

Jul 27

Written by: FOCUS St. Louis
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 1:17 PM

Like many other older St. Louis suburbs, Ferguson has experienced a drop in population in the last 10 years as residents leave for newer housing stock and community amenities. But city leaders have started building a new foundation to reverse that trend. Their goal is to make Ferguson a more livable and attractive city through environmentally-conscious infrastructure improvements and programs.

Jane Allen Jones sat down with City Planner Rosalind Williams to discuss the strategy and changes already executed and others in the planning stages. Rosalind pointed out that the efforts have been underway for a number of years but were codified through an Environmental Ordinance passed by the City Council in February 2009.

The ordinance is focused on city operations in the following categories:

Energy efficiency requirements for city operations to improve by 30% over a five year period
Solid waste reduction with a goal of a 20% reduction over a five year period
LEED Silver requirements for any new city structures 5,000 square feet or larger

This ordinance also gives preference in the building permit process for projects that aim for LEED for Homes certification. Also included was an increased emphasis on making the Ferguson residential recycling program more effective.

But Rosalind pointed out, strategic partnerships and collaborations have been a key to accelerating the city’s efforts. For example, working with a grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health and in partnership with Trailnet, Ferguson launched their Live Well program. Through this program, the city has organized runs and walks, neighborhood walking clubs, the Ferguson Cycling Club and the Ferguson Running Club; all to encourage residents to lead healthier lifestyles through active living and improved dietary habits.

The Live Well Ferguson program has also included the creation of a Complete Streets program through the National Complete Streets Coalition. Instituting a complete streets policy ensures that transportation planners and engineers consistently design and operate the entire roadway with all users in mind - including bicyclists, public transportation vehicles and riders, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities.

With Complete Streets in mind, there is renewed focus on improving Florissant Road, a major artery flowing through the heart of the old business district. To show residents and local businesses what the re-imagined, more “complete” Florissant Road could look like, the city has organized a day in where the downtown section of the road will become a model including projected storefronts, street parking and a bike lane.

Rosalind pointed out that local developers have also played a role in the effort to redevelop the business district. For example, developer Joe Lonero has completed projects that renovated an older retail structure and built a new residential/retail combined-use building that blends well with its neighboring structures.

Another collaborative effort involves Great Rivers Greenway and the cities of Jennings, Moline Acres, Bellefontaine Neighbors and the City of St. Louis. Together they have launched a project to create the Moline Creek Greenway that will go all the way to the Mississippi River. And in collaboration with Gateway Greening, Ferguson has contributed to the creation of 2 community gardens.

The city workers are also practicing what they have been promoting. The city has five bicycles available for city workers to borrow during the day to run local errands, rather than using their cars. Rosalind had her bike helmet on a shelf next to her desk, ready to roll.

All of these efforts have created a foundation for the future, increasing business opportunities and improving living standards in the area. One measure of success can be seen on the streets themselves with a noticeable increase in walkers and bikers. New businesses are also cropping up showing that Ferguson is certainly on the move.

About the writer: Jane Jones is Chair of the FOCUS Environmental Sustainability Implementation Committee and Owner and Principal of Sustainability Management Consulting, LLC

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