(Last Updated: Fri, Jun 04, 2010)

Back to Land Use Program

The 2010 Sierra Land Use & Sustainability Summit, held on May 27, 2010, brought together a network of Sierra land use advocates, agency staff and other interested stakeholders to discuss information and exchange advice on resources and tools to support the growth of sustainable communities, ways of integrating climate change planning, natural resource management, energy efficiency, and local policy.

Agenda and Materials:

PDF of Agenda

9:00-9:30 Registration

9:30-10:30 Welcoming Remarks and Group Activity

10:30-12:00 Morning Workshop- Sierra Stories: Communities in the Sierra Moving Toward a Sustainable Future Facilitated by Mali Dyck, Executive Director of APPLE-NC
This workshop will explore the benefits and challenges of both top-down and ground-up approaches to improving city and regional sustainability—from the establishment of a city sustainability commission in South Lake Tahoe to grassroots collaborative action in the Nevada City area and in the Calaveras and Tuolumne county region. These sustainability movements are working to change the ways in which individuals conceive of the relationship between their built environment and the social and economic health of their communities. The discussion will cover the benefits and challenges of improving city and regional sustainability and address topics such as: energy efficiency, locally grown food, elimination of disposable bags and water conservation.

Reinette Senum, Mayor, Nevada City

Patricia Hickson, Sustainability Commissioner, City of South Lake Tahoe City of South Lake Tahoe Sustainability Vision

Randy Crutcher, Johanna Atman and Jan Schmidiger, Foothill Collaborative for Sustainability (FoCuS), Calaveras and Tuolumne counties

12:00-1:00 Lunch Break (Catered by Stonehouse Hospitality Academy)

1:05-2:20 Afternoon Workshop I - Integrating Climate Change Into Land Use and Natural Resource Plans - Facilitated by Marion Gee, Sierra Nevada Alliance
This session will introduce the Sierra Nevada Alliance's 3rd edition of the Sierra Climate Change Toolkit and cover the most recent regulation, policy direction and incentives to reduce emissions, and adapt to climate change. Special focus will be placed on resource planning, including land use planning. Invited speakers will discuss case studies and strategies relevant to the Sierra on how to reduce emissions and adapt.

Marion Gee and Nick Santos, Sierra Nevada Alliance Integrating Climate Change into Land User and Natural Resource Plans

Lisa Trankley, Deputy Attorney General and Terry Watt, consultant, Attorney General's Office Presentation, CEQA Checklist

Marni Koopman, ClimateWise program, National Center for Conservation Science and Policy Climate Change Adaptation in Local Communities

2:20-2:30 Afternoon Break

2:30-3:40 Afternoon Workshops II
Breakout room A (upstairs): Natural Resource Management and Privately Owned Properties - Facilitated by Patricia Hickson, Sierra Nevada Alliance
The Sierra Nevada is filled with small and large parcels of privately owned land with a history of use in agriculture, ranching, mining and timber production. From giant Sierra Pacific Industry owned parcels, to neighborhood farms, to mining brownfield sites - these properties dot the landscapes and communities of the foothills. As the economic climate and resource extraction industries of California and the U.S. change, so do perspectives on the best use of these properties. Learn from state-wide experts about TPZ rezoning dilemmas, how the state budget crisis may affect Williamson Act contracts in the foothills and how the impacts of legacy mining may be impacting growth and development in your region.

Gabe Ross, Attorney, Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP

Chuck Mills, Associate Director of California Council of Land Trusts

Elizabeth "Izzy" Martin, Executive Director, Sierra Fund Minings's Toxic Legacy: Land Use Impacts

Breakout room B (main room): Energy Efficiency and Local Policy
Energy efficiency and conservation are key elements to reducing emissions and have become national priorities with more opportunities, tools and resources available now than ever. This session will look at local policies and programs that facilitate the proliferation of both residential and community-scale retrofit projects for existing buildings: AB 811 municipal financing as recently demonstrated through Placer County's MPOWER Program, building performance standards and PG&E's new Whole House program. Learn about new and existing programs and from the experience of communities who have seized these opportunities.

Kimberly Hawley, MPOWER AB811 municipal financing program and Chief Deputy Treasurer at the Treasurer Tax Collector Department of Placer County

Michael Thompson, California Building Performance Contractors Association

Dan Perunko, Home Performance Contractor and PG&E Consultant

3:45-4:30 Afternoon Workshops III
Group break-out: Field trip to the newly constructed APPLE Center for Sustainability for a coffee and cookies

For More Information Please contact Marion Gee, Program Associate, 530-542-4546 ext. 320, marionATsierranevadaalliance.org (replace AT with @).