I'm proud to share an award the green committee that I am on at work helped achieve....

GREEN IS GOLD IN PALM COAST

Vancouver isn't the only city where gold awards make news. The City of Palm Coast has proudly accepted the prestigious Gold Level Designation for a Green Local Government, received for their extraordinary environmental stewardship throughout all departments and across the community. The Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) acknowledged Palm Coast, the Mayor and City Council for not only their internal daily green operations, but also for passing local legislation that offers incentives to the public to protect the environment.

"City Council led by example and adopted the Green Development Incentive Ordinance in November, 2009 to encourage voluntary green building through innovative programs," says Denise Bevan, Senior Environmental Planner for the City of Palm Coast. "The program enhances sustainable practices within the City and recognizes participants with incentive-based initiatives, a Council vision that won points for us with the FGBC."

Additional criteria that helped the City earn the Gold designation include:

* Adopting the Land Development Code that regulates and encourages over fifty low impact development elements across the City of Palm Coast
* Increasing City recycling, with over 60% of residents putting out recyclables by the end of 2009
* Educating the community at the Arbor Day Event, Dynamic Decade Birthday event, Intracoastal Waterway Cleanup and several school field trips and assemblies for community students
* Protecting and promoting natural resources by preserving environmentally sensitive lands and building new trails and bike paths
* Acquiring green staff certifications and national awards
* Promoting water conservation by utilizing reuse water for irrigation and by educating the community in newsletters and on the website
* Continuing green standard operating procedures at all City facilities
* Implementing a battery recycling program for the entire community

Palm Coast is one of nine Florida governments to achieve an FGBC gold status and the only green local government in Northeast Florida. A member from the Florida Green Building Coalition will present the Gold award to Mayor Netts and the City Council at an upcoming Council meeting.