Climate-Conscious Comprehensive Planning in Delaware: Developing and Piloting a Planning Process in Milford, Delaware
Date
2017-08
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Abstract
Given the extent of Delaware's vulnerability to three climate change impacts—sea-level rise, heavy precipitation, and increased temperatures—climate-conscious planning must become normal practice for Delaware’s municipalities.
The climate-conscious planning process was piloted in Milford as the municipality updated its comprehensive development plan. The vulnerability assessment was completed using both the geographic information system and public mapping strategies, and the results were communicated through the language in the comprehensive plan chapters. This was the first effort in Delaware to develop a fully climate-conscious comprehensive plan. In previous comprehensive planning efforts in other municipalities, climate change had only been addressed a handful of times and only very narrowly in the environmental chapter.
Description
This report is written for planners, local government officials, concerned citizens,
and decision-makers who are motivated to move their communities forward in a more
sustainable and resilient direction through a truly comprehensive development planning process.
The report outlines a systematic method for assessing local climate
vulnerability and offers a range of planning and policy recommendations to adapt to climate impacts. It also describes and evaluates the application of the method in
Milford; the town’s planning commission has readily agreed to pilot the process. What this project and report demonstrate is that the integration of climate change and comprehensive planning is not only possible, but desirable. Communities, such as
Milford, that take the lead and address the climate challenge head on will be well positioned to thrive and flourish in the future.
Keywords
Climate, Climate-Conscious, Milford, Delaware, Kent County, Delaware, Comprehensive Planning, Town Planning