City of Atlantic Beach Sustainability & Resilience Community Action Plan (SRCAP)
City of Atlantic Beach
Sustainability & Resilience
Community Action Plan (SRCAP)
October 2022
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks to the numerous people who participated in community meetings, online discussions, and
surveys. A heartfelt thank you also goes to the following individuals that have supported the creation of
this plan. We could not have done it without you!
ATLANTIC BEACH MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS
Ellen Glasser, Mayor
Bruce Bole, Commissioner Seat 2
Michael “Mike” Waters, Commissioner Seat 3
Candace Kelly, Commissioner Seat 4 & Originator of LEED for Cities certification
Brittany Norris, Mayor Pro Tem & Commissioner Seat 5
ATLANTIC BEACH ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE (ESC)
Mark Gabrynowicz, ESC Chair
Daniele Giovannucci, ESC Vice Chair
Bruce Andrews, Tree Subcommittee Chair
Amy Palmer, Outreach Subcommittee Chair
Sarah Boren, Sustainability & Resilience Subcommittee Chair
Barbie Brooksher
Linda Chipperfield
Anastasia Houston
Christopher McHan
Patrick Nobles
Romy Vann
ATLANTIC BEACH COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN TASK FORCE
Mark Gabrynowicz
Sarah Boren
Barbie Brooksher
Romy Vann
Dr. Christopher Perle
Dr. Melinda Simmons
Dr. David Lambert
CITY STAFF:
Amanda Askew, AICP, Director, Planning and Community Development
Brian Broedell, Principal Planner
Shane Corbin, City Manager
Jennifer Johnston, Operations Manager
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
HISTORY & BACKGROUND
Atlantic Beach, Florida is a charming, eclectic coastal town just east of Jacksonville that was
incorporated in 1926. It is a family-friendly city of almost 14,000 residents with a keen sense of
place. There is deep love and value of its parks and green spaces, public beaches, and lush
maritime forest. With the future of our unique community in mind, the City of Atlantic Beach has
constructed its first Sustainability and Resilience Community Action Plan (SRCAP) to prepare for
resilience challenges and maintain a healthy, prosperous, sustainable, and equitable future for
generations to come.
This SRCAP is for all those who have or will experience our beautiful oasis city. Resilience and
sustainability are more than just caring for environmental assets. Resiliency and sustainable
development also spur a spirit of innovation and has the goal of high quality of life, a thriving
natural environment, and economic prosperity for all in the city while building a society that
thinks beyond its time.
The City of Atlantic Beach began the process of
seriously planning for a sustainable and resilient
future in August 2017 by establishing an
Environmental Stewardship Committee, and in
January 2018 when its elected officials put
environmental stewardship and LEED for Cities
certification as a priority. On July 19, 2018, the
city became the first LEED for Cities Pilot Silver
certified city in Florida. In developing this SRCAP,
the city is creating a living document that is
meant to guide the city’s current and future
sustainability and resiliency-based endeavors
ranging from community programs and policy
development to infrastructure improvements – all with measurable outcomes. This first edition
of the SRCAP is meant to be adaptable, allowing the city to check-in annually and adaptively
manage based on economic, social, and environmental dynamic needs. Implementation of the
strategies in the plan will city and community wide and involve collaboration across
departments, committees and boards, subject matter experts, and citizen participation.
PURPOSE OF THIS COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN
To take positive, integrated action forward is the main reason for this SRCAP. Doing nothing is
not an option. The cost of inaction and lack of an actionable plan is not good governance. To
have a community supported plan with target goals, deadlines, and proven strategies to achieve
goals alongside LEED certification for performance measurement allows the City and its citizens
to know where it stands in preparing for the future in terms of sustainability and resilience.
Resilience is often defined as the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions, businesses,
and systems within a city to survive, endure, adapt, and grow no matter what kinds of chronic
stresses and acute shocks they experience. Sustainability was defined in 1987 by the Bruntland
Commission as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the abilit y of future
generations to meet their own needs” and is often characterized simply as taking care of the
three P’s: people, planet and profits or often known as: Economic, Social, and Environmental.
PLANNING PROCESS
Deep community engagement and assessment was implemented in the planning and drafting of
the SRCAP. As mentioned earlier, there have been the many efforts leading up to the plan:
• 2018 City Commission made it a priority to seek LEED for Cities certification.
• 2019 COAB became first city in Florida to achieve LEED Silver certification under the LEED for Cities
and Communities pilot rating system.
• 2020 ESC put in its workplan to create a sustainability action plan to complement the Commission’s
priorities and continue to improve work started with certification.
• 2021 COAB received a Bank of America USGBC grant to seek LEED for Cities v4.1 recertification, a
more robust program than the pilot version.
• 2022 ESC workplan goal to achieve recertification and finish and get approval to the SRCAP so we
can start consistently working towards long term goals and continually improve.
Direct outreach and research involved several strategies including:
• Eight-month community survey
• Six in person workshops
• Social media posts
• Inserts into the city’s newsletter and bill insert
• Numerous conversations and inputs from subject matter experts (SME)
• Many ESC and subcommittee meetings
• Assessment of how the SRCAP crosses over with other existing city plans
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Several plans and documents helped guide the overall goals and actions of this SRCAP. Relevant
information, studies, and recommendations from each of these documents were considered and
utilized in forming this plan.
• Commission Priorities
• Comprehensive Plan
• Parks Master Plan
• Marsh Preserve
• Coastal Vulnerability Assessment
• Adaptation Plan
• Mayor’s Health and Wellbeing Committee Recommendations
• Connectivity Plan
• Chapter 23 Ordinance
STRUCTURE OF THE COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN
Working with the LEED for Cities framework including the former STAR Communities Rating
System, our city staff, citizen-based Environmental Stewardship Committee, and the citizens
of Atlantic Beach, the following eight focus areas have been identified as priorities:
• Natural Systems & Ecology
• Energy & Climate
• Quality of Life / Livability
• Water
• Green Buildings & Infrastructure
• Solid Waste
• Transportation
• Governance, Community Outreach & Education
Each focus area has its own section in the SRCAP and contains the following information:
• Overview & Benefits
• Goals, Strategies & Alignment with Other Plans
• Current Status & Performance Metrics
• Progress Highlights
Through review of existing plans and documents, collaboration between city staff and
committees, and public input, focus areas were developed which are the guiding categories to
goals and actionable strategies. 2050 (or earlier) goals were also decided.
* Bolded initiatives are LEED for Cities & Communities credits
The SRCAP is meant to encourage action right away as well as think about and plan long term.
Therefore for each focus area there will be education and community outreach, performance
measurement, setting of short- and medium-term milestones to show progress towards long term
goals, and annual review and reporting. Some actions will take longer than others to complete.
Also, while goals are meant to remain steady, the SRCAP itself will be a living document that will
continue to capture new strategies, best practices, and resources as they become known to city
staff, ESC and engaged citizens.
It is the goal to annually update the SRCAP with new information, progress, statistics, etc. and refine
priorities and strategies as the city continues its sustainability and resiliency journey.
Natural Systems & Ecology
Natural Systems & Ecology
OVERVIEW & BENEFITS
This focus area takes an ecosystem services approach and recognizes the wide
range of benefits natural systems provide, such as clean water and air, flood
control, habitat, food, and natural regulating processes affecting climate such as
localized cooling. Ecosystem services also extend to cultural benefits like
aesthetic value, human health, and recreation.
It is up to our community to demonstrate leadership by making natural resource
protection and green space and implementing strategies that improve the
quality of natural resource areas and human health a priority with concrete
goals and milestones to show progress.
GOALS & POTENTIAL STRATEGIES
1. Ecosystem Assessment -- To assess existing ecosystem conditions and
services provided by ecosystems, built landscapes, and other open spaces to
inform the city development along with conservation and restoration efforts.
a. Conserve, restore, and maintain the health, quality, and function of
AB’s natural systems (marsh, wetlands, beaches, canopy, green
spaces, dunes, parks, waterways, etc.) through regular assessment
and attention
2. Green Spaces - To provide accessible green spaces to positively impact physical, mental, and
psychological health and well-being of the community while also enhancing the
environmental quality of the city or community.
a. Develop and enhance connectivity and walkability between parks and within city.
b. Ensure that 95% of residential addresses are located within a ½ mile of a park or
open space.
3. Natural Resource Conservation and Restoration - To conserve and restore the natural
resources within the city and community.
a. Promote and educate about the benefits of trees, tree ordinance, tree planting, and
pervious surfaces.
b. Assess and address how construction practices are negatively affecting trees (e.g.,
heavy trucks parking on tree roots reducing lifespan of trees).
c. Develop and maintain canopy assessment tools
Natural Systems & Ecology
d. Strive for zero net loss of canopy
e. Coordinate a “Friends of the Park” program so those who use the park can have
more impact in a park’s maintenance and care.
f. Increase and maintain healthy, diverse tree canopy to 40%
4. Light Pollution Reduction - To minimize and manage ambient light levels to protect public
health and the integrity of ecological systems and increase the night sky access, improve
nighttime visibility, and reduce the consequences of development for wildlife and people.
a. Set standards and understand effects of excessive exposure and mitigation
techniques for ambient light
5. Resiliency Planning, Adaptation & Mitigation -- To strengthen the resilience of communities
to climate change risks, natural and man-made hazards, chronic stressors, and extreme
events.
a. Adopt and/or incentivize best practices for resilient properties such as trees, green
infrastructure, hardening, elevation, first floor floodable, razing up houses, etc.
6. Biodiversity & Invasive Species – To maintain the urban ecosystem habitat at levels that
promote biodiversity and manage or prevent invasive species
a. Increase the connectivity between habitats needed for threatened species
b. Strive to eradicate invasive species by preventing growth and expansion.
c. Incentivize and advocate for use of native plants and beautification of private and
commercial spaces
7. Outdoor Air Quality – To ensure that outdoor air quality is healthy for all segments of the
human population and protects the welfare of the community
a. Measure and work towards “good” rating on the Air Quality Index (AQI) 365
days/year *
8. Water in the Environment – To protect and restore the biological, chemical, and
hydrological integrity of water in the natural environment
a. Work towards restoring and maintaining critical water bodies and the buffer zones
that protect those water bodies *
b. Achieve treated and non-point source pollution into waterways *
Natural Systems & Ecology
9. Open Lands –To conserve and sustainably manage lands that provide ecosystem services and
raw materials
a. Reduce use of harmful chemicals and biocides by 90%
b. Enhance public spaces, including public rights of way, roadsides, City buildings, beach
accesses and other publicly held properties with carefully maintained landscape
design and plantings (ideally using native and/or Florida-friendly plants and city plant
palette)
* Also listed as a strategy in another focus area
CROSSOVER WITH OTHER ATLANTIC BEACH PLANS & EFFORTS
• Comprehensive Plan
• Parks Master Plan
• Marsh Preserve
• Coastal Vulnerability Assessment
• Adaptation Plan
• Mayor’s Health & Wellness Task Force
Natural Systems & Ecology
CURRENT STATUS & PERFORMANCE METRICS
The state of Atlantic Beach’s parks, green spaces, and natural systems and ecology is good. There is a
high percentage of residents living within ½ mile of a park or open green space. The city has worked
hard to increase connectivity and walkability with parks and throughout the city and has taken several
steps to strengthen protection of its trees and tree canopy. There are still some impaired waterways
within the city that need focus and improvement.
The Atlantic Beach community ranked the care, improvement and expansion of AB’s parks, green
spaces, and natural systems and ecology including the beach, marsh, and wetlands, and ICW as the
second highest priority in the 2021-2022 Community Action Plan survey. In addition to the high
priority ranking, many comments and suggestions were shared ranging from more trees to better
water quality. With the goals of increasing, protecting, and maintaining a healthy tree canopy, parks
and green spaces as well as reducing the use of biocides significantly, we need to continue to listen to
the community, educate the community about the value of natural systems and spaces, and continue
to make progress annually and prioritize this focus area.
Natural Systems & Ecology
PROGRESS HIGHLIGHTS
To date, the city has implemented several actions to support and improve the natural systems and
ecology of Atlantic Beach. Highlighted efforts include:
• Tree Canopy – The City and ESC have been hard at work to protect trees and expand the tree
canopy. ESC launched a “Verified Tree Trimmer” program. The City has planted more than 500+
trees throughout the city both in right of ways and resident yards using a pre-researched list and
free tree adoption program.
• Chemicals Usage – The City recently banned the use of Round-Up for municipal use and is
trying to educate its citizens to voluntarily stop using Round Up by sharing its negative impacts
on human health, animals, and natural systems.
• Wetland Protection -- The City included wetland protection regulation into code.
• Green Infrastructure – The City included multiple types of green infrastructure techniques
into its Parks Master Plan and municipal right of way.
• Stormwater Pollution Prevention – The City adopted a policy to comply with U.S. EPA’s
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program for stormwater
pollution prevention from construction and industrial activities and municipal source
Energy & Climate Energy & Climate
Energy & Climate
OVERVIEW & BENEFITS
As a coastal barrier island city with a diverse socio-economic population, we
must plan ahead to reduce our vulnerability to environmental, economic, and
social chronic stressors and acute shocks. This focus area’s intent is to reduce
climate impacts through adaptation and mitigation efforts and increase
resource efficiency. Energy consumption (mostly from residential electricity
use and transportation in AB) causes greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn
causes climate change. While this is a global issue, local governments can impact
the sources and sinks within their jurisdictions. Expanding alternative modes of
transportation, improving energy efficiency, eliminating waste, and increasing
vegetation can reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and provide many benefits
to the community. These many benefits include reduced energy, water and waste
bills, less asthma, better indoor and outdoor air quality so less pollution, quieter
neighborhoods, cooler pavements for those precious pet paws, and much more.
GOALS & POTENTIAL STRATEGIES
1. Power Access, Reliability and Resiliency -- To provide safe, secured,
reliable, resilient, and equitable access to power.
a. Maintain 100% access, reliability, and resiliency of power to AB
2. Energy & Greenhouse Gas Emissions Performance -- To support energy management and move
towards a zero energy and emissions city.
a. Improve measurement, performance and tracking of energy consumption and greenhouse
emissions annually
b. Set short- and medium-term milestone targets to show progress toward long term goals
3. Energy Efficiency -- To improve sectoral energy efficiency in the city and community.
a. Reduce 20% of overall energy consumption
b. Implement specific programs and services that increases energy efficiency.
c. Consider best practices for sustainable principles into neighborhood planning and
redevelopment projects
4. Greening the Energy Supply -- Transition the local energy supply for both transportation and non- mobile
sources toward renewable, less carbon-intensive, and less toxic alternatives
a. Obtain 100% of electricity from clean, renewable sources city wide
Energy & Climate
b. Become a solar and electric vehicle (EV) ready community
5. Renewable Energy -- To reduce the environmental and economic harms associated with fossil fuel
energy and reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions by increasing self-supply of renewable energy and the
use of grid-source, renewable energy technologies.
a. Work towards 33% of citywide electricity generated by renewable energy
b. Implement specific programs and services that increases renewable energy adoption
6. Low Carbon Economy -- To progress towards a low carbon economy by decoupling economic growth of
the city or community from greenhouse gas emissions.
a. Implement and incentivize a voluntary benchmarking and green building challenge
for city, residential and commercial buildings.
7. Grid Harmonization -- To improve operational efficiency of the energy system and encourage consumer
participation in energy use optimization.
a. Work with JEA on dynamic pricing for metered users to motivate load shifting and
suggest an Interconnection and Net metering policy.
8. Climate Adaptation – Strengthen the resilience of communities to climate change impacts on built,
natural, economic, health, and social systems.
a. Adopt and/or incentivize best practices for resilient properties (e.g., trees, green
infrastructure, hardening, elevation, first floor floodable, raising up houses, etc.). *
b. Install and maintain resilience hubs in most needed areas of AB.
9. Greenhouse Gas Mitigation -- Achieve greenhouse gas emissions reductions throughout the
community.
a. Reduce GHG emissions to below two metric tons per capita or 80% below 1990 levels.
b. Commit to Under 2° actions and implementation.
c. Implement specific programs and services that reduces waste in the community.
CROSSOVER WITH OTHER ATLANTIC BEACH PLANS & EFFORTS
• Comprehensive Plan
• Connectivity Plan
• Parks Master Plan
• Coastal Vulnerability Assessment
Energy & Climate
CURRENT STATUS & PERFORMANCE METRICS
Currently the City of Atlantic Beach greenhouse gas emissions are approximately 8 metric tons of
carbon dioxide equivalent per year per capita which is fairly typical of a U.S. suburban neighborhood
city. When compared to other cites participating in the LEED for Cities and Communities program,
COAB is on the lower emissions side. The majority of the emissions come from vehicles, natural gas
and electricity with residential electricity use as the highest source of emissions. With the goal of
reducing greenhouse gas emissions to below two metric tons per capita or 80% below 1990 levels by
2050 or earlier, it is important the COAB, and its residents accelerate their efforts on energy efficiency
actions, clean energy alternatives in transportation and the built environment and overall water,
materials, and waste resource efficiency. Consistently working on these priorities will create a safer,
healthier, and more sustainable and resilient community.
In 2019 according to DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), COAB’s GHG
emissions were approximately 8 metric tons per person and in 2021, they were 7.61. In 2020-2021,
the EERE data measurement and methodology tool moved over to National Renewable Energy
Laboratory (NREL) State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE). The following graphs and
visualizations are from both entities:
COAB Annual Energy GHG Emissions 2019 (Source: EERE/SLED)
COAB Annual Energy GHG Emissions 2022 (Source: NREL/SLOPE)
Energy & Climate
PROGRESS HIGHLIGHTS
To date, the city has implemented several actions to begin to reduce GHG and energy consumption
and increase resource efficiency. Highlighted efforts include:
1. Measurement – The City, at a high level, has begun to measure its GHG and energy consumption per
capita, by sector and fuel type, and for its own operations. By understanding its baseline, the city
can prioritize its strategies and direct actions for its own operations and the community at large.
2. Assessments -- The City has performed sea level rise vulnerability assessment, created a Resiliency
Adaptation Plan, and has shared with the public via workshops, presentations, and easy access on
website.
3. Comprehensive Plan – The City updated its comprehensive plan to include adopting alternative fuel
guidelines and targets for locally owned facilities and vehicles.
4. Efficient Street Lighting – The City has upgraded 90%+ of its street and area lights with high
efficiency fixtures with a luminous efficacy of between 102 -123.
5. Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations – The City installed one public electric station at City Hall and
has added EV parking to the draft code update.
6. Heat Island Effect – The City has systematically planted 500+ trees over the past few years to help
with its heat island effect.
Quality of Life & Livability
Quality of Life & Livability
OVERVIEW & BENEFITS
Quality of Life and Livability ranked in the top three highest in priorities for the
City of Atlantic Beach to focus on in the 2021-2022 Community Action Plan
survey. Local government and its residents both play a critical role in
protecting and enhancing the three pillars of sustainability: environment,
economy, and social equity, to increase its ability to consistently thrive over
time. This focus area covers an array of critical topics, including community
and human health, education, housing, economic conditions, civil rights, and
safety. The education metrics focus on literacy and workforce readiness and
the equitability metrics consider the affordability of housing and distribution of
wealth. The prosperity metrics reflect economic performance and opportunities
for upward mobility. Finally, the health and safety metrics look at susceptibility
to outdoor air pollution and the impact of violence. Taken together, these
metrics reflect the socioeconomic condition of the population living within the
jurisdiction and its overall ability to endure chronic and acute stressors and
ultimately improve and thrive as a community.
GOALS & POTENTIAL STRATEGIES
1. Measurement – Demographic Assessment: To describe the population
demographics and housing characteristics of the area; Quality of Life
Performance: To track and measure metrics related to elevating the living
standards of all people; and Trend Improvements: To demonstrate an
improvement over time in key metrics pertaining to a
person’s quality of life.
a. Achieve a Livability Index score of 60 or greater
b. Measure, track and demonstrate an annual improving trend for
above initiatives, stated thresholds and metrics.
2. Distributional Equity -- To foster equitable economic prosperity and expand access to community
services to all.
a. Identify and measure this category annually
3. Environmental Justice -- To address conditions that may lead to neighborhoods or
populations being overburdened by environmental pollutants.
a. Identify the priority environmental justice conditions and make plan to address.
4. Housing and Transportation Attainability -- To provide an adequate and diverse supply of
location-efficient and attainable housing options for all.
a. Explore and develop a workforce / attainable housing policy and/or guidelines
Quality of Life & Livability
5. Civic and Community Engagement -- To promote a cohesive, and socially connected
community and facilitate their participation in local decision -making.
a. Achieve 90% engagement by COAB residents with this plan
6. Civil and Human Rights -- To uphold a process that ensures the civil and human rights of all
people is fundamental
a. Identify and measure this category
7. Ambient Noise & Light -- Minimize and manage ambient noise and light levels to protect public
health and the integrity of ecological systems
a. Set standards and understand effects of excessive exposure and mitigation
techniques for ambient noise and ambient light *
8. Arts & Culture -- Provide a broad range of arts and cultural resources and activities that
encourage community member participation, creative self-expression, and community
revitalization
a. Enhance public spaces, including public rights of way, roadsides, City buildings, beach
accesses and other publicly held properties with art
9. Historic Preservation -- Preserve and reuse historic structures and sites to retain local,
regional, and national history and heritage, and reinforce community character
a. Define, identify, and create a recognition program for historical buildings
10. Social & Cultural Diversity -- Celebrate, respect, and represent the diverse social and
cultural backgrounds of the community and its members
a. Identify opportunities and figure out how to measure this category
11. Aging in the Community – Encourage active aging by optimizing opportunities for health,
participation, and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age
a. Identify opportunities and figure out how to measure this category
12. Active Living -- Enable adults and kids to maintain healthy, active lifestyles by integrating physical
activity into their daily routines
a. Install outdoor exercise equipment in city parks
Quality of Life & Livability
13. Community Health -- Achieve positive health outcomes and minimize health risk factors
associated with behaviors and poor indoor air quality in schools and homes
a. Incorporate a framework of health & wellness for individuals and community health in AB’s
overall approach to QOL and livability (e.g., blue zone work)
14. Food Access & Nutrition -- Ensure that adults and children of all income levels have physical
and economic access to fresh and healthful food and have opportunities to learn about nutritious
eating and food safety
a. Identify opportunities and figure out how to measure this category
15. Safe Community – To address unsafe conditions and crime for all residents
a. Continue to install sidewalks, safe and widened walkways and appropriate lighting in areas
most needed
b. Eliminate pedestrian and bicycle fatalities
CROSSOVER WITH OTHER ATLANTIC BEACH PLANS & EFFORTS
• Comprehensive Plan
• Connectivity Plan
• Parks Master Plan
• Mayor’s Health & Wellness Task Force
Quality of Life & Livability
CURRENT STATUS & PERFORMANCE METRICS
City of Atlantic Beach quality of life metrics are pretty high currently with a LEED for Cities score of 86
out of 100 which is higher than the U.S. and global average. This makes sense as a fairly affluent,
active lifestyle beach community. In the 2021-2022 Community Action Plan survey, there were a lot of
comments and suggestions on the desire to continue to improve AB’s quality of life and suggestions
on how to increase livability. With the goal of annually improving trend achievement towards the
stated thresholds and with metrics in each quality-of-life subcategory, we need to continually improve
how we accurately gather and measure data for metrics and how we inclusively engage all
stakeholders in the community. Consistent high quality accurate data and methodology will lead to
identifying and addressing where the city can improve its performance for all its residents.
The following graphs are from the LEED for Cities & Communities Arc platform.
Quality of Life & Livability
PERFORMANCE METRICS Continued
PROGRESS HIGHLIGHTS
To date, the city has implemented several actions to improve the quality of life and livability through
the lens of this SRCAP starting in 2019. Highlighted efforts include:
• Measurement – The City for the first time measured key metrics to better understand its quality of
life of all its citizens. Through this process, it learned that some metrics may need to be adjusted to
better fit AB’s dynamics (e.g., AB has very little violent crime so it might be more useful to measure
crimes that the community is most worried about and wants to be addressed).
• Environmental Justice -- The City is actively working on cleaning up trash from sites not previously
known as dumping sites as well as reducing smell from wastewater plant.
• Comprehensive Plan – The City has included higher density of residential units closer to transit hubs
with an aim for Compact, Mixed Use and Transit Oriented Developments in its comprehensive plan
to help address the need for affordable housing.
• Civil and Human Rights – The City passed a Human Rights Ordinance and updated its parental leave
policy.
Water
Water
OVERVIEW & BENEFITS
Water is the lifeline of any city. However, equity and access have been a major
challenge in many cities. Water demand has been constantly increasing,
stressing freshwater reserves, and increasing the cost of extraction, treatment,
and distribution. This focus area addresses water at multiple levels – meeting
demand, maintaining water quality, reducing water losses, capturing
stormwater, and managing urban floods.
GOALS & POTENTIAL STRATEGIES
1. Water Access and Quality – To implement policies and infrastructure for the
equitable supply of clean and safe water to all members of society, along with
the treatment of wastewater and stormwater before it is released into the
environment.
a. Meet or exceed National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for 90 known
contaminants and add status of water withdrawal areas in annual report
b. Engage in restoring and maintaining critical water bodies and the buffer
zones that protect those water bodies
c. Ensure COAB has sufficient water storage and mitigates inland flooding during extreme weather
events.
d. Make 100% of COAB waterways fishable and swimmable
e. No treated or non-point source pollution in Intercoastal Waterway, St. Johns River, or ocean.
2. Water Performance -- To track and monitor per-capita water consumption in the domestic sector
which AB started to do in 2019.
a. Reduce gross potable water consumption per capita by 40% including on lawns.
3. Integrated Water Management – To reduce freshwater consumption and encourages the shift to
a net zero water city.
a. Adopt a community wide specific water management plan to improve water
efficiency and reductions by residential and commercial sectors
b. Increase amount of reclaimed water access and use in AB
c. Improve use of landscape and rainwater harvesting tools to capture rainwater for filtration or
reuse.
Water
4. Stormwater Management -- To capture the maximum possible quantity of rainwater to reduce
runoff volume, prevent erosion and flooding, as well as recharge groundwater.
a. Create and maintain a dynamic map of flooding incidences to which both staff and citizens
can contribute
5. Smart Water Systems -- To improve operational efficiency, reduction in water losses, and
monitoring of water flow within the city through the use of smart technologies such as smart
meters.
a. Improve the operational efficiency of the water management systems through use of
smart technology.
b. Continue to provide and improve equitable access to healthy drinking water and sanitation
services.
c. Review best practices that meet multiple objectives regarding water runoff and on-site
retention, pervious and impervious surfaces, tree retention, beautification, etc.
CROSSOVER WITH OTHER ATLANTIC BEACH PLANS & EFFORTS
• Comprehensive Plan
• Coastal Vulnerability Assessment
• Adaptation Plan
• Parks Master Plan
CURRENT STATUS & PERFORMANCE METRICS
Currently the per capita water use in Atlantic Beach is 77 gallons per day or 28,105 gallons a year.
According to the St. Johns Water Management District 2021 Annual Report, the average for the region
is 115 gallons/per person and from NEEF, it is 87 gallons per person on average for the whole state of
Florida. Consumption has been going down for a few reasons including increased use of reclaimed
water, conservation measures, population changes, economic factors, rainfall and more yet there is
more work to be done. Residents still use between 40-50% of their potable public water supply on
their yards and could easily reduce indoor water use by 20 -30 gallons per day through behavior and
water saving fixtures. In terms of wastewater and stormwater, the City has made progress yet also has
some more work to do to reach the goals set and/or federal and state deadlines. For instance, by 2030
the city will not be allowed to release any treated and/or non-treated water into the ICW and it still
has some waterbodies that are impaired and/or not safe to fish or swim in. With quality, conservation,
and usability goals for potable water and water in our environment, it is vital to continue to improve
our measurement of success metrics, education of the community and improve our strategies and
actions each year so we can maintain clean and affordable drinkable water and healthy waterways.
Water
Here are a few graphs and data points that share the water consumption picture of Atlantic Beach.
Source: COAB Arc score for LEED for Cities & Communities v4.1 certification
Source: SJRWMD 2021 Annual Report
PROGRESS HIGHLIGHTS
To date, the city has implemented several actions to improve its water efficiency, quality, and
stormwater management. Highlighted efforts include:
• Reclaimed Water – Any new development in or around AB is encouraged to use reclaimed water for
landscape irrigation. The Atlantic Beach Country Club Golf Course is a good example of this effort.
• Education – Through its website, the City posts water conservation and restrictions to inform its
citizens about specific limitations and best practices.
Green Building & Infrastructure
Green Building & Infrastructure
OVERVIEW & BENEFITS
Buildings impact resource consumption, ecological systems, human health, and
well-being and generate about 30% of greenhouse gas emissions from a city.
Hence, green building practices are an essential component of a city’s
sustainability strategy, and they are critical to minimizing environmental impacts
and ensuring efficient use of environmental resources. Furthermore, since green
building practices can enhance climate resiliency, these spaces will be better
equipped to withstand the potential impacts of global climate change. This focus
area encourages the design, construction, and retrofit of buildings, parks, open
spaces, and landscapes using green practices. In this way Atlantic Beach will
conserve energy and water, minimize waste, and create healthy and resilient
environments for businesses, residents, and visitors. The implementation of green building practices
will also keep utility and maintenance costs down, benefitting low-income residents and small
businesses.
Green infrastructure is also an integral component of a sustainable community. It can help
communities protect the environment and human health while providing other social and economic
benefits. In addition, green infrastructure and sustainable community approaches can help local
governments that are struggling to pay for needed upgrades to stormwater and wastewater
infrastructure. Benefits can include improved water quality, reduced municipal water use, flood risk
mitigation, reduced ozone and pollution, increased recreation space and wildlife habitat, cost
savings, increased property values, and jobs.
GOALS & POTENTIAL STRATEGIES
1. Green Building Policy & Incentives -- To encourage the design, construction or retrofit, and
operations and maintenance of buildings using green building practices.
a. Strive for 100% of new buildings meet green building and resiliency standards (GB&R).
b. Strive for 100% of existing buildings are educated about GB&R standards and benefits
and at least 50% actively striving to meet standards.
c. Reduce total electricity consumption by 20%*
d. Incentivize smaller home sustainable and resilient construction and renovation and
consider accessory dwelling units and/or mother-in-law suites as a legal alternative
residential dwelling in the city if lot size and parking can accommodate
e. Enact a municipal building performance disclosure program
f. Adopt policy for all new construction undertaken by the city government to achieve a
green building certification level with resiliency best practices.
Green Building & Infrastructure
g. Incentivize and make it easy for all private sector buildings to obtain a level or higher
green building certification, implement resilient best practices and measure annual
performance.
h. Consider requiring certification with resilient best practices for all buildings 5000
square feet and above.
i. Launch a solar co-op program for AB residents in partnership with a nonprofit
organization
j. Pilot floating solar array in retention pond
k. Keep the public appraised of city and homeowner insurance issues and availability
l. Reduce the number and appearance of degraded or blighted properties
2. Green Infrastructure Policy & Incentives -- To encourage the design, construction or retrofit, and
operations and maintenance of green infrastructure in the city and community.
a. Promote and educate about city, community and individual green infrastructure
opportunities and strategies.
b. Assess green infrastructure functionality.
c. Create a green infrastructure policy and incentives for both public and private sectors.
d. Incentivize the use of pervious surfaces to reduce stormwater runoff.
e. Incentivize permeable and recycled concrete installation.
CROSSOVER WITH OTHER ATLANTIC BEACH PLANS & EFFORTS
• Comprehensive Plan
• Connectivity Plan
• Parks Master Plan
• Coastal VRA
CURRENT STATUS & PERFORMANCE METRICS
The community and City of Atlantic Beach has made progress on considering, encouraging and
installing some large and small green infrastructure projects. Thanks to the Coastal Vulnerability
Assessment and Resilience Adaptation Plan, AB is aware of its most low lying and vulnerable areas and
Green Building & Infrastructure
critical facilities. This helps prioritize capital investment projects and the use of green infrastructure
strategies where possible.
Less is known about the status of holistic green building throughout AB. We learned through the LEED
of Cities certification process that in terms of energy usage, the average annual kWh residential usage
is 16,640 kWh which is almost 3,000 kWh more than the average Florida residential home. In terms of
water usage, the average annual per capita is 28,226 gallons or 77.33 gallons per person per day. This
is significantly better than the average SJRWMD annual per capita of 41,975 gallons or 115 gallons per
person per day. Besides energy and water usage, we do not know much about the indoor
environmental quality, materials and resources, resilience measures and/or how sustainable the
residential site functions with trees, native plants, chemicals, etc. To our knowledge there is no 3rd
party certified green building in AB, yet several have used ICF, SIPs, solar, and other measures.
PROGRESS HIGHLIGHTS
This past year there was more focus given to asking about the energy performance of our municipal
buildings and a direct request and assessment for how to make the Public Works building more energy
efficient. How to make the Lifeguard Station more environmentally friendly was also brought up a
few times.
Many small green infrastructure projects from pervious pavements, bioretention and bioswales to rain
gardens, more trees and greener streets and parking lots have been implemented recently on
residential, commercial, and public property.
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
COAB Public Buildings Energy Usage (kWh)
Sep 2019 –Sep 2020
Public Works Building Jordan Park Community Center
Gail Baker Community Center Adele Grage Community Center
City Hall Public Safety Building
Utilities Office Building Total Energy Usage (kwh)
Solid Waste
Solid Waste
OVERVIEW & BENEFITS
Cities are large aggregators and consumers of materials and nutrients,
accounting for the highest natural resource consumption affecting the
environment and human health. The intent behind this focus area is to eliminate
waste from mainstream operations and utilize it as a resource. Cities with their
high concentration of resources, capital, data, and skills over a small geographic
territory, provide opportunities to uniquely drive a transition from a linear to a
circular economy
This section addresses adequate waste management infrastructure by proper
estimation of waste generation and diversion, prepares the city and community
to transition from a linear to a circular economy, and cover strategies adopted to
improve operational efficiency of the waste management system.
GOALS & POTENTIAL STRATEGIES
1. Waste Performance -- To support waste management and move towards
net zero waste city.
a. Reduce municipal solid waste (MSW) generated by 30%
b. Actively work at becoming a “zero waste” community reporting action items and lessons
learned in annual report.
c. Start a home composting recognition program to increase landfill diversion rate and
community engagement.
2. Special Waste Streams Management -- To divert special waste streams from landfill and
incinerators and recover and recycle reusable materials.
a. Increase MSW diverted from landfill by 30%
b. Build/renovate a green and resilient certified community composting, special waste
recycling, community gardening and education center (crossover)
c. Achieve a solid waste recycling rate of 40% or greater
d. Increase number of public recycling and composting bins
Solid Waste
e. Operate at least 3 specific waste management programs for critical waste stream types
found in the community, such as: organic waste, hazardous waste, electronic waste, and
construction and demolition waste
f. Host semi-annual collection site to collect difficult to recycle, hazardous, and electronic
waste items
3. Responsible Sourcing for Infrastructure -- To encourage use of products and materials for which
life cycle information is available and that have been extracted and sourced in a responsible
manner.
a. Partner with local restaurants to improve food re-distribution and reduce food and solid waste
4. Material Recovery -- To recover materials from the waste stream which have a high value and
provide mechanism for collection and channelization of these back to the producer thereby
moving towards a circular economy.
a. Offer community clean ups (after big events such as July 4, Memorial Day, etc.) to build
community alliance while helping our city environment.
b. Collect and re-use unused paint for local facade facelifts
5. Smart Waste Management Systems -- To improve operational efficiency of the waste
management system.
a. Develop or participate in a regional coalition that enhances the community’s ability to address
waste management targets
b. Implement communitywide incentives and/or enforce regulations ensuring that residents
and businesses are working toward community waste reductions targets
CURRENT STATUS & PERFORMANCE METRICS
According to 2020 data, AB’s waste diversion rate is approximately 26%. This means that through
rethinking what we buy, reusing items, composting, and recycling, we are preventing 26% of our total
waste generated from going to the landfill. The US national diversion rate is approximately 32.1%
(2018 data).
There are many strategies a community can take to improve its waste diversion (from landfill) rate
including education, access to composting sites and ways to recycle non-mainstream items (e.g.,
electronics), and incentives/disincentives (e.g., recycling is free, but trash has a fee by weight).
Solid Waste
Diversion rate is calculated with the following formula:
PROGRESS HIGHLIGHTS
The City of Atlantic Beach was the only City in Duval County that had continuous, uninterrupted trash
and recycling pick up during COVID. This was a big success during a time when service and the
commodity market had significant challenges.
The city passed a Styrofoam ban for all city activities and is also looking at reducing single use plastic.
The city runs a successful beach litter basket program to reduce trash on the beach.
There is also a lot of interest in composting and gardening which can directly reduce waste.
Transportation & Land Use
Transportation & Land Use
OVERVIEW & BENEFITS
The transportation sector is responsible for a quarter of energy-related
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide. Land use is the key driver of
mobility in a city, and rapid urbanization has disrupted land use patterns,
resulting in urban sprawl and increased dependency on personal, motorized
vehicles. This focus area encourages Atlantic Beach to adopt an integrated
approach towards urban planning through mixed-use development, efficient
transportation, better connectivity, and engagement with stakeholders.
This focus area measures the total vehicle miles travelled by their addresses,
addresses land use, and encourages compact development and access to
diverse uses which discourages urban sprawl and encourages people to walk or
bike thereby improving public health. There is also a focus on use of different
types of transportation modes available in a city and offers strategies for
comfort and safety of commuters and addresses intermodal connectivity for
easy access and transition from one mode of transport to another. Alternative
Fuel Vehicles encourages a shift to alternative fuel vehicles by providing
infrastructure such as charging stations for electric vehicles and through
policies and incentives. Smart Mobility and Transportation Policy intends to
promote efficiency in operation of transport systems, and behavior change,
thereby reducing environmental impacts Finally, there is also an attempt to
preserve and revive the urban fabric of a city by promoting engagement,
community development and social and mental wellbeing as well as
encourages preservation of historic structures and sites and focuses on growth and redevelopment for
infill and other priority locations.
GOALS & POTENTIAL STRATEGIES
1. Transportation Performance -- To promote non-motorized transportation, encourage use of public
transit and reduce pollution from transportation sector.
a. Reduce total VMT and emissions from vehicles by 20%
b. Achieve majority of trips made by foot, bike, carpooling, or transit.
2. Compact, Mixed Use and Transit Oriented Development -- To encourage compact and mixed-use
development, high level of connectivity within city or community and encourage walking, biking, and
transit use.
a. Increase number of lots that retain trees (not denuded due to construction) by 25%
Transportation & Land Use
3. Access to Quality Transit -- To encourage use of diverse transportation modes in order to reduce the
reliance on personal vehicles within city or community.
a. Achieve and maintain a gold ranking for the League of American Bicyclists Bicycle
Friendly Community Score.
b. Improve transit connections to employment and activity centers from
underserved areas and consider car-sharing programs to low-income residents
using various tools.
4. Alternative Fuel Vehicles -- To reduce pollution by promoting alternatives to fossil fuel vehicles.
a. Transition City fleet vehicles to low/zero emission
b. Improve infrastructure and amenities for bikers and pedestrians.
c. Partner with community organizations to deliver bike and pedestrian safety education.
d. Install necessary infrastructure to support the use of EVs and alternative fuel vehicles and
consider solar for the EV chargers
5. Smart Mobility and Transportation Policy -- To promote efficient operation of transport systems, user
facilitation, behavior change and reduced environmental impact through smart technologies and
transportation policies.
a. Attain a “good” rating on the Air Quality Index (AQI) 365 days/year
b. Study the feasibility of a regional congestion fee for travel during peak hours.
c. Limit and/or discourage idling engines.
d. Increase mass transit adoption and improve micro-mobility
6. High Priority Site -- To preserve historic structures and sites and focus growth and redevelopment to
infill and other priority locations.
a. Define and identify number of historic homes/buildings in AB and incentivize preservation
b. Incentivize renovations versus tear downs by 25%.
c. Create a recognition program for historical buildings, trees, structures, and features to retain
character of AB, its eclectic nature, and honoring history.
Transportation & Land Use
d. Demonstrate a measurable reduction in vulnerability and/or increase in resiliency to 3
Community wide risks (e.g., flooding, heat, tornados, hurricanes) and 1 at-risk population group
(e.g., mobile home)
e. Assess tools to address overdevelopment of lots by looking at zoning codes and how considering
the value of “communal” trees on private property that provide co-benefits to neighbors and
the community at large.
CROSSOVER WITH OTHER ATLANTIC BEACH PLANS & EFFORTS
• Comprehensive Plan
• Connectivity Plan
• Parks Master Plan
• Complete Streets
CURRENT STATUS & PERFORMANCE METRICS
Most of AB’s transportation is for work and short trips for errands. The total vehicle miles traveled in
2020 was approximately 156,545 on 11 of our main roads which equates to about 11.12 VMT per
person. There is a growth in golf carts, electric micro-mobility, and electric vehicles use and adoption.
Traffic and idling patterns could be improved upon according to feedback in the SRCAP survey.
For land use, there is a lot of redevelopments happening given that AB is a near fully developed
municipality where the predominant land use is residential consisting of stable and well-established
neighborhoods. Lots are being overdeveloped to the full lot line allowed currently by zoning codes
resulting in many projects choosing to remove trees that are benefiting neighbors and the community
at large.
Data taken from 2020 FDOT traffic data: https://tdaappsprod.dot.state.fl.us/fto/
Transportation & Land Use
PROGRESS HIGHLIGHTS
The City has diligently been working on parking issues and keeping all forms of transportation safe.
Added sidewalks through complete streets plan has helped increase pedestrian and bicycle
opportunities.
The city worked hard on its pervious impervious ratio ordinance. It increased the ability for each lot to
percolate more storm and rainwater but has had some unintended consequences as well such as
more on street parking due to single car driveways to allow more house square footage and swales
that may have replaced some tree.
Governance, Community Outreach & Education
Governance, Community Outreach & Education
OVERVIEW & BENEFITS
With good organizational excellence, governance, community outreach and
education, and communications, a city can elevate achievement and success
rates across multiple goals and objectives. With the City leading by example,
committing to a transparent process and data gathering, an annual review and
progress update of this plan, as well as continuing to improve measurement and
actively listening, learning, and engaging the community, we will make steady
progress toward our goals.
GOALS & POTENTIAL STRATEGIES
1. Good Governance & Oversight – Oversee, recognize, and regularly
check in regarding proposed outcomes and good practices that elevate
achievement and success rates across multiple goals and objectives.
a. Review and report out on status and progress of SRCAP annually and educate
accordingly
b. Improve measurement, performance, and reporting year over year for
each focus area and annual report for both city and community wide metrics
c. Achieve and maintain best quality bond rating
d. Designate a CSRO/Office and add sustainability and resiliency to employee’s workplan and
performance metrics (2025)
e. Set short- and medium-term milestone targets for each focus area to show
progress toward long term goals
f. Demonstrate cohesive and socially connected community by achieving diversity
in selection and appointment to citizen committees and boards (e.g., represent
the makeup of the population)
g. Achieve a Best Quality or High-Quality bond rating with 1 or more of the 3 major
rating agencies
2. Innovation -- Encourage and reward creative, effective approaches to enhancing a
community’s environmental, social, and/or economic sustainability.
a. Learn and implement best practices and innovations from other local
governments, private sector, nonprofits, and academia
Governance, Community Outreach & Education
3. Community Engagement – Deep and representative community engagement makes
for better and more robust solutions.
a. Achieve 90% engagement by COAB residents with this plan
b. Uphold a process that ensures the civil and human rights of all people is
fundamental
c. Grow number of people interested and engaged in making AB more
sustainable and resilient through partnerships, high touch, and high-tech
outreach tactics, identifying local and regional like- minded assets, inviting
participation by Subject Matter Experts, attracting volunteers, and starting an
AB Sustainability & Resiliency Steward and Ambassador program
4. Education – It is vital to educate, learn from and listen to residents, city staff,
community partners, businesses, and subject matter experts to proactively adjust to
new information and progress toward goals.
a. Start a recognition program that recognizes positive behavior through yard signs and
annual awards program (e.g., green certified business/home, NWF certified yard;
saved a tree, highest diverter, etc.)
b. Create a centralized virtual space and physical local sustainability / composting
/ recycling / gardening center with educational programming so residents and
businesses know where to go to learn about and engage in sustainability and
resiliency efforts. Through this space, center, staff, and ESC, create an
education and outreach campaign to engage residents and businesses in
sustainability, resiliency and climate change related impacts that include each
focus area.
5. Leadership Commitments – Help a city keeping leading by example and being
solution-oriented by continuing to stretch and learn.
a. Continue to commit to leadership commitments aligned to plan (e.g., Monarch
Butterfly Pledge; Ban on Glycophosphate; Under 2 Degrees MOU) at least one per
year/multi-year
CROSSOVER WITH OTHER ATLANTIC BEACH PLANS & EFFORTS
• Comprehensive Plan
• Parks Master Plan
Governance, Community Outreach & Education
CURRENT STATUS & PERFORMANCE METRICS
The current status of sustainability and resilience governance, community outreach and education are
good yet, like with every city, there is room for improvement. From the Community Action Plan
survey, we learned that the AB community wants more outreach and education about the topics in this
plan. With residents busy and distracted by many sources of information, we must get creative and be
persistent on how we engage and inspire behavior change.
Below are a few results from the SRCAP survey that conclude that citizens for the most part trust the
City to listen, they don’t know much about what the city is doing in terms of resiliency planning or
sustainability, many want to be involved more and offered their email, and many (73% of
respondents) take some sort of environmentally friendly action in the home or individually.
Governance, Community Outreach & Education
PERFORMANCE METRICS Continued
PROGRESS HIGHLIGHTS
The City and ESC’s Outreach Committee has been hard at work educating and engaging the community
through programs like the beach litter basket and tree trimmer verified program to “Call Before you
Cut” and welcome packet initiatives. Both are also very active on social media pushing out
educational information that is useful to residents.
APPENDIX
• Glossary of terms
• Sustainable Development Goals Alignment
• Community survey results