DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY

CAPACITY BASED PLANNING

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The most common definition of sustainable is meeting the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs The
United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (The
Brundtland Commission, 1987). Refer to Martin, M (1995), in the term sustainable
community, its design has typically focused on developing design strategies for more
efficient utilization of energy, resources and waste in order to reduce the damage to the
natural environment caused by development. Most simply, sustainability focuses on
providing the best outcomes for both the human and natural environments now, and into
the indefinite future.

2.0 OUTLINE FOR CREATING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

Sustainable community planning entails designing various elements in a way that will
meet the needs of the present in an equitable manner, without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.

There are 3 main guidelines for developer and communities that can
be used for implementation. The outlines are;

(a) Local Land Use Planning / Sustainable Location and Capacity

- General Planning
- Capacity-Based Planning
- Waste Management
(b) Healthy and Sustainable Communities
- Reduction of Toxics
- Assess to Green Spaces
- Remediation and Redevelopment of Contaminated Sites
(c) Sustainable Project Design and Technology
- Low Impact Site Design
- Water Sustainability and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction

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 DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY
CAPACITY BASED PLANNING

3.0 CAPACITY- BASED PLANNING

In this report, I only discussed about the sub topic Capacity-Based Planning.
Capacity-based planning recognizes both the environmental limits and opportunities for
growth. Environmental limits include drinking water and available sewer service
capacity.

Ample water supply and the ability to treat wastewater are essential to the
productivity and survival of any community. Performing capacity planning for water and
wastewater systems is an additional step that should be employed by communities to
evaluate their ability to meet current and future demand for water and wastewater
treatment.

The main objective in the capacity based planning is to conserve the water
resources. Water resources such stream, lake and sea are the very important role in
human life. It has to conserve to make sure the long life for future generation consume.

Water or wastewater capacity based planning entails ;

1) evaluating the existing water/waste water treatment plant

2) proposed infrastructure available for current and future populations.

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CAPACITY BASED PLANNING

3.1 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WATER SUPPLY AND WASTE WATER

TREATMENT

What are the relationship between water supply and waste water treatment? Why
it was giving attention? The answer is both of this need to design based on the population
demand. Besides, it can contribute to the natural resources; river, lake or sea.

3.2 SIGNIFICANCE OF PLANNING FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Planning for future development using a water/wastewater capacity analysis

allows a municipality to estimate the number of people the current (and/or future
systems) can sustain. It also provides a way for a municipality to determine where growth
is most appropriate taking into account where water can be treated and supplied.

3.3 RESTRICTION
Restriction in this planning is an area not currently planned within a sewer service
area or with limited water supply should not be zoned for high-density development. This
will cause the problem in the future. The supply cannot afford or fulfill the demand.

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CAPACITY BASED PLANNING

3.4 WASTE WATER DEFINITION

As in the previous subtopic, the term waste water was mentioned. Maybe some
was not clear about the term waste water. As general, waste water is water waste from
toilet, bathroom and sink that discharge from residential, business premises and industry.

However, technically, refer to Hamidi Abdul Aziz (1999), wastewater is

containing organic solids and inorganic, microorganism whether pathogen or not and
contain 99.9% water and 0.1% solids. Below is the composition classification of waste
water:

3.5 EXAMPLE OF PLANNING TARGET

TITTLE: APPLICABLE NEW JERSEY GOALS AND TARGETS IN

SUSTAINABLE WATER/WASTE WATER PLANNING.

(1) Providing Safe and Clean Drinking Water to all residents of New Jersey.
(2) Capacity of water and wastewater systems should be consistent with the
Community Vision.
(3) Encourage development, redevelopment and economic growth in locations
with existing or anticipated public services or facilities; and discourage
development where it may impair or destroy natural resources or environmental
qualities.

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CAPACITY BASED PLANNING

(4) Updated Wastewater Management Plans for all New Jersey municipalities.
(5) Promote inter-municipal regional planning among communities with shared
services and infrastructure.
(6) Describes the future of the municipality, county, or region in 20 years as it
relates to land development, redevelopment, preservation and conservation of
resources, transportation, economic growth, housing diversity and affordability,
the provision of public facilities and intergovernmental coordination.

3.6 SUGGESTED ACTION AND STRATEGIES CAPACITY BASED PLANNING

There are a few suggested actions and strategies that can be implement towards
sustainable capacity-based planning.

(1) Update Wastewater Management Plan to meet current regulations

(2) Perform a water/wastewater capacity analysis for your community based on
current and expected infrastructure and supply.
(3) Determine if current zoning and land use plans can sustain current and
projected populations and development based on current and future water supply
and treatment. If inconsistencies are found, adjust zoning and land use plans to be
consistent with current and future water supply and treatment.
(4) Encourage and develop programs to reduce water use and increase wastewater
reuse.
(5) Establish policies and ordinances planning for and promoting smart growth
and provide appropriate protections to the natural resources in the undeveloped
areas of your community.

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CAPACITY BASED PLANNING

4.0 BUILD-OUT ANALYSIS

A build-out analysis can be used as a tool to predict what a community will look like
in the future should development based on existing zoning, master plan, and
implementation measures be completed at their full potential. Another application is to
measure whether this development potential can be supported by existing infrastructure
or natural resources, and what steps must be taken in order to accommodate this growth.

Basic planning documents such as Natural Resource Inventory, zoning ordinance and
master plan, environmental resources protection, ordinance and compact development
pattern are important tools for sustainable local land use planning. These tools need to be
tested the impact and built-out analysis is used for evaluation process.

For example, New Jerseys state agencies employ multiple build-out analysis
methodologies for varying purposes. The Department of Environmental Protection
identifies build-out methodologies in its regulation of Water Quality Management
Plans, including Wastewater Management and Stormwater planning. The Office of
Smart Growth utilizes a build-out analysis to help guide municipalities toward a
community-supported vision.

4.1 EXAMPLE OF BUILD-OUT ANALYSIS TARGET

TITTLE: APPLICABLE NEW JERSEY GOALS AND TARGET

The target and aim can be the benchmark to do the action. When the goals create,
next is what the action that we have to do to achieve the target? New Jersey has set up the
target and goals as follow for creating sustainable communities.

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CAPACITY BASED PLANNING

(1) Ensure that planning practices and ordinances will result in the community
vision desired by residents.
(2) Conserving natural resources and systems by discouraging sprawl and other
developments that are not sustainable.
(3) Protecting as much of a communitys environmental assets as possible.
(4)Preserving historical and cultural areas.
(5)Ensure that current zoning and planning practices will providing adequate jobs,
housing, and recreational opportunities for projected populations within New
Jerseys communities.

4.2 SUGGESTED ACTION AND STRATEGIES BUILD-OUT ANALYSIS

This suggestion was based on New Jersey condition.

(1) Perform a basic build-out analysis for your community based on existing
zoning and see if the resulting development is consistent with the communitys
vision.
(2) Apply the findings and recommendations of the State Water Supply Master
Plan to your plans and ordinances. Establish policies planning for and promoting
public water supply to areas outside of environmentally constrained land where
wastewater infrastructure is also provided.
(3) Update your Master Plan, zoning ordinances and development regulations to
be consistent with environmental program objectives and regional planning
entities, where applicable.
(4) Adopt resource-specific protection ordinances and complete environmental
and capacity plans.
(5) Adopt policies and ordinances that promote smart growth and provide
appropriate protections to the natural resources in the undeveloped areas of your
community.
(6) Generate an educational campaign that clearly illustrates the benefits of smart
growth and environs protections.

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CAPACITY BASED PLANNING

5.0 PLAN AND ORDINANCE

Plan and ordinance was create as a tool for sustainable local planning. Its
function as regulation that must be obeyed. A few plan and ordinance was
identified involved in this section, such as:

(a) Septic Management Plan and Ordinance

(b) Utility Services Plan
(c) Wastewater Management Plan
(d) Water Conservation Ordinance
(e) Wellhead Protection
(f) Storm Water Permit Requirements
(g) Water Quality Management Plan

6.0 CONCLUSION

Capacity based planning is fundamental used for water and wastewater systems.
Performing capacity planning in sustainable community is to evaluate their ability to
meet current and future demand for water and wastewater treatment..

Meanwhile, build-out analysis is a tool to predict and measure the planning

development based on existing zoning, master plan and implementation measures can be
supported by existing infrastructure or natural resources.

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CAPACITY BASED PLANNING

REFERRENCES

[1] The United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development

(The Brundtland Commission, 1987)

[2] Martin, M (1995) Chestnut Hill -- A Sustainable Community Profile.

Places Places, College of Environmental Design, UC Berkeley.

[3]http://www.nj.gov/dep/opsc/sdtguide.html