Franklin Lakes March 17, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 5 Council agrees to Sustainable Jersey certification by Frank J. McMahon Based on the unanimous recommendation of the borough’s environmental commission, the Franklin Lakes Council recently agreed to pass a resolution to register with the state’s Sustainable Jersey Program. Susan Barbuto, a member of the Franklin Lakes Environmental Commission, attended a recent work session of the borough council and explained that the certification program is for municipalities that want to “go green.” The program provides a roadmap to help municipalities to live and grow in a sustainable manner and to live economically. She said there are 30 to 40 towns that have been certified, and certification provides opportunities for the borough to receive grants. According to Barbuto, the resolution is non-binding and does not commit the borough to any expense at this time. Tom Lambrix, chairman of the environmental commission, recently advised Mayor Maura DeNicola of the commission’s recommendation. “This will put Franklin Lakes on the path to being certified as a sustainable community which is a prestigious, high profile designation for municipalities across the state. Many New Jersey towns are participating in this program,” Lambrix told the mayor. He said that to begin the registration process the borough must first adopt a resolution stating the borough’s intent to pursue Sustainable Jersey certification, and the borough must designate a municipal representative to serve as a point of contact for the program and a “Green Team” to take the lead in carrying out the many actions necessary to achieve certification. Lambrix told DeNicola his group strongly recommends that it serve as the Green Team for Sustainable Jersey. He assured her the environmental commission is ready to assist her and the council with this program. Sustainable Jersey is an initiative of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities’ Mayors’ Committee for a Green Future, the Municipal Land Use Center at the College of New Jersey, The New Jersey Sustainable State Institute at Rutgers University, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Rutgers Center for Green Building, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, and a coalition of New Jersey non-profits, state agencies, and experts in the field. According to the Sustainable Jersey website, this certification program is for New Jersey municipalities that want to go green, control costs and save money, and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term. The program encompasses issues such as global warming, pollution, biodiversity, land use, air and water quality, equity, buying local, local living economies, and sustainable agriculture. Under the program, there are concrete actions that municipalities can implement to become certified, and the program provides guidance and tools to enable communities to make progress on each action. It also identifies existing and new incentives for municipalities to make progress toward the actions needed to become certified. One of the actions leading to a municipality’s certification is the passage of a sustainability land use pledge that is designed to be a public affirmation of a municipality’s intention to align its land-use, decisionmaking, and policies to support sustainable development. The pledge states that well-planned land-use can create transportation choices, provide for a range of housing options, create walkable communities, preserve open space, and allow for continued use of vital natural resources. The borough council would have to pledge to consider various factors when making future landuse decisions. Those factors include determining walkability, bikability, access to transit, and proximity to other uses when approving site plans for new or relocated municipal facilities; fostering a diverse mix of housing types to meet the needs of people of all ages and walks of life through the use of zoning and revenue generation powers; and preserving open space and creating recreational opportunities within the municipality. The Franklin Lakes Education Foundation will host its Community Blood Drive in conjunction with Community Blood Services, on Tuesday, March 23 from 3:45 to 7 p.m. at Franklin Lakes Middle School, 755 Franklin Avenue. To schedule an appointment, call (201) 251-3703. All types of blood are needed especially Community Blood Drive set types O- and O+. Any healthy individual age 17 through 75 and weighing at least 110 pounds can donate blood. Donors should eat a moderate meal before donating and must bring identification showing signature. 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