Consultant Del Boyette surprised Mayor Madeline Rogero during a meeting arranged by Knoxville Chamber staff as Boyette helps them develop a strategic plan to serve as the successor to the business recruiting blueprint called Knoxville-Oak Ridge Innovation Valley.
His first question concerned regionalism, and whether that was a concept Rogero supported. She emphatically replied, "Yes," citing her research as a master's degree candidate in urban and regional planning at the University of Tennessee to her support as the city's director of community development, and now its mayor, of PlanET, an ambitious effort designed to create "a regional plan for livable communities."
"The second question he asked was, 'What is your commitment to sustainability?'," she recalled in a mid-April interview. "And it surprised me that he asked me that and I went off and talked for some time."
"At the end, he said that was key. The businesses he talks to say they want to be in communities that are focused on sustainability, and most businesses that are making it in this competitive environment are those that have refined their processes so that they are reducing their consumption, reusing what they can, and recycling.
"These are the kinds of businesses we want in this city — the ones that get it," Rogero says. "We can't sell ourselves as a beautiful region and then pollute it and expect anyone to come here and stay."
Rogero spoke often during her mayoral campaign, reiterated at her inauguration and emphasized during her first budget address that "living green and working green" is a top priority of her administration.
And while her detractors have pointed to this philosophy as business-unfriendly coming from a former labor and community activist, the reality is that Rogero will find it tougher to make the kind of leaps her Republican predecessor, now Gov. Bill Haslam, did in making Knoxville greener.
Flush with federal stimulus dollars, Haslam created an Office of Energy and Sustainability that's overseen a host of feel-good projects from $19 million in energy-efficient upgrades to city facilities that pay for themselves to handing out incentives for appliances, home weatherization and solar installations.
With those dollars having dried up, Rogero is now forced to dig into the city's coffers to fund the two-person energy and sustainability office at $146,000 for the city's 2012-2013 fiscal year, and to seek grants and tighten belts elsewhere to keep the momentum going.
"The way the approach has been in the last few years has been really focused on the economics of why it makes sense from a financial standpoint, but we also have to look at long-term costs," she says. "If we continue to grow and develop in a way that's not sustainable, what are we leaving for future generations?
"Those are the things we as a community have to have conversations about, but the reality is a lot of this stuff does save money."
Sustainable building
Rogero supports the Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan that was ardently opposed by many working in the real estate construction and development community, which has expressed fear that the plan will drive up costs and slow growth.
The impetus for much new land-use regulation, however, will come from Washington, D.C., and Nashville.
Among the mayor's first hires was Christi Branscom, a lawyer, developer and construction company owner, as the city's director of public works. As such, Branscom oversees plans review, engineering and public service departments.
The mayor immediately asked her to look at the building codes "to see what's a barrier to having a green infrastructure and green development."
Rogero cites as an example difficulties that St. John Lutheran's Church had with city engineers in getting approval for a pervious parking lot that allows stormwater to soak into the ground rather than drain off site. The church's efforts were initially rejected because the city's ordinance requires a "sealed parking lot." The church ultimately prevailed because the parking wasn't required by zoning.
Branscom says two measures will force the community's hand in developing in more sustainable ways — the 2012 International Building Code and its new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
The state has already adopted the new building code, and the city and county are required to follow suit.
"With the adoption of that particular code there are quite a few additional mandates on sustainability," Branscom says. "There will be some new standards that will have to be achieved. We are not sure all of what that will entail yet, we are just starting the process, but will hit it hard this summer."
The plan, she says, is for the city, county and Farragut to adopt the code at roughly the same time. "That will ensure using the best building practices, the most sustainable practices we can," she adds.
The NPDES permit that governs stormwater runoff, she acknowledges, "is going to be a challenge."
Among the more controversial aspects will be requiring the first inch of rainfall to be retained on site.
"We are going to have lots of seminars and educational conferences for builders, contractors, subs and developers about what we are going to be looking for," Branscom says. "It's going to be a change that we are going to all have to live by."
Branscom has scheduled a focus group with homebuilders this month to talk about the new building code, and will also give them a heads up about the impending stormwater regulations.
She emphasizes both are mandates, and the stormwater provisions, particularly, carry serious consequences if ignored.
"If we don't enforce the standards TDEC has the authority to fine us $10,000 a day," she says. "We have to have a respected program in the eyes of the state. If you don't have integrity in the program TDEC can come in and take it over."
If that wasn't enough change for the development community, Branscom says another "hot potato issue" on her agenda is zoning. Created in the 1960s, "the antiquated zoning ordinances make it tough on development in 2012."
Small changes add up
Many of the options available to the mayor to continue the city's sustainability quest are outlined in the city's Energy & Sustainability Work Plan, the product of a process that began with the creation by Haslam of the city's Energy and Sustainability Task Force, of which Rogero served as co-chair.
Rogero says her first step will be to appoint an advisory board to consult with city staff on how to implement its recommendations.
"I don't know that we'll do all of them," she says. "We have to study them and see what will work based on availability of funding and ability to implement them. We have already done a lot, now our challenge is: How can we expand it?"
The answer may be in a myriad of smaller ways.
While the city's energy-efficiency upgrades will save it more than $1 million annually in utility costs, Rogero notes room still exists for the city to make more sustainable choices, including buying recycled paper, evaluating disposal options, and, her pet peeve, using Styrofoam cups.
What she characterizes as "greening Knoxville" also means to her preserving the 1,000 acres in South Knoxville dubbed the Urban Wilderness Corridor by the Legacy Parks Foundation.
She'll begin work on the Suttree-River Plains Park, which "will provide a great amenity for both residents and visitors and add to the Urban Wilderness Corridor" and "jump-start private investment contiguous to the park and begin to fulfill the Vision Plan for the South Waterfront," she said in her April 27 budget address.
She also highlighted her intent to increase the tree planting budget by $10,000 to $50,000 and to create the position of urban forester, as well as the planned purchase of a new boat for the Fort Loudoun Lake Association to keep the river and creeks clean of debris.
Making "living green and working green" a priority is not a radical departure for a Knoxville leader.
Mayors who preceded her, Rogero notes, left legacies that included environment-friendly efforts: Victor Ashe, parks and greenways; Bill Haslam, energy and sustainability; and Daniel Brown, residential recycling service.
She ticks off a host of additional ways she plans to encourage sustainability: supporting farmers markets, making it easier for community gardens to take root and promoting alternative transportation from bicycling to buses.
"My goal is to continue and expand on all those efforts before me, and to voice it and speak about it," she says. "One of the biggest things is just raising people's awareness of how our actions impact the environment and impact our use of energy."
"Our future in terms of our quality of life and the strength of our economy is based on preserving these natural resources and our natural assets."
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Comments » 47
Galaxie500XL writes:
Wow...this reads more like a campaign flyer, than an actual news story--did the KNS write this, or the Rogero administration?
HeWhoShallNotBeNamed (Inactive) writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
HeWhoShallNotBeNamed (Inactive) writes:
Did I hit a nerve? They say truth tends to do that, if delivered properly. ;-)
No, really, what's with the tailkissing puff piece? That slow of a news day? Or can McElroy just not get enough of that wonderful Duff?
ArtSeen writes:
The haters are gonna hate.
Galaxie500XL writes:
Art:
Disagreeing with the Mayor, or for that matter, you, is called DISAGREEMENT.
Just because you call it "hate" doesn't make it so.
The7thSon2010 writes:
All I can say is 'Alice in Wonderland'.. Sure, everybody likes 'green' practices, but, its now almost impossible to start a business inside the city limits, with codes, zoning and 'stormwater' restrictions.. Of course the huge corporations, big box stores, national franchises, get to negotiate away, restrictions and rules, others have to follow..
There has to be a balance between greening, and developing.. Dont restrict Knoxville real estate out of realm of business reality, through increased regulation and cost..
ArtSeen writes:
Disagreement? That's a good one based on your past comments. OK, then… list all the exact items of the City's administration in the four months so far that you disagree with; and feel free to go into details, because I am quite familiar with last four months of city operation. But, if you start spewing all that hate and campaign jargon and those things you just know Mayor Rogero "is going to do," then you will deserve every bit of scorn that come down on your head.
Galaxie500XL writes:
However, the article does bring up an interesting question:
I wonder how many people would have voted for Rogero had she clearly articulated her position as a candidate?
While conservation, and "green" policies ARE prudent policies, if persuing those policies to the exclusion of all else chokes off growth, people will have to move elsewhere to persue economic opportunities.
I lived in Asheville, North Carolina a number of years ago, as that city went down this same path--which is why I now live in Knoxville. While I will admit, Asheville is a beautiful place, and I loved living there, those policies choked the life out of almost all economic activity except for tourism...about the only "jobs" generally available were for restaurant servers, and hotel maids.
A purely service-based economy is economically unsustainable--the entire country is beginning to realize that shipping much of our industry out of the country, while environmentally a locally friendly thing to do, eventually stifles and kills the economy.
Galaxie500XL writes:
Art:
Thus far, the only things I've seen the Rogero administration has done, with the exception of beginning to address the pension issue, and proposing a budget, is to announce an intention to enforce City Codes, evidenced by Madeline putting on a construction vest, and walking around Fort Sanders, and announcing the intention to create a new antidiscrimination policy.
It would be difficult to go into "details", since thus far, there haven't been many "details" forthcoming--to this point in time, very little has been accomplished.
ArtSeen writes:
Stagmeister doesn't live in Knox County, much less Knoxville. Irrelevant.
ArtSeen writes:
You mean your entire premise of complaint is based on the articles you've read in the NS on the city's operation? Clearly, then, you don't have a clue what's going on in the city and you are merely throwing partisan (and uninformed) stones, probably from outside the city limits.
WorkingTaxpayer writes:
Say goodbye to downtown redevelopment. It was over regulated before.
I know several developers who have all but quit doing any work in the city because of it. Nothing is good enough for the planners or the inspectors. The developers liken it to trying to grab a ghost. You reach for it, and it moves. You reach again and it disappears again. You run all around getting different opinions or plans from everyone and they all conflict. And of course they all cost money. In the end, the developer gets frustrated or runs out of money and quits.
The only ones left will be "The chosen" who get huge grants and tiffs to do the same work.
That is what it is like to deal with the city.
Galaxie500XL writes:
Actually, Art, I live in Knoxville, and follow quite closely what goes on in the City/County government. Can you name ANY accomplishment of the Rogero Administration thus far?
Starfire writes:
People like to go on and on about regulations and taxes killing economic growth(even though there is little evidence of that). The thing that kills the economy is lack of demand. The thing that kills small bussiness is competition from the Big Box stores.
Volunista writes:
For some, Art, she's the wrong gender and the wrong party - so that's two strikes against her and that's enough for some who don't have any concrete reasons to talk trash about our new Madam Mayor. Plus, she had the nerve to advocate for an anti-discrimation city hriing policy.
I find it interesting that conservatives have so few expectations of Republican politicians while they are in office and expect everything to change and improve immediately under Democrats. Or maybe they just like to *****.
ccjs writes:
Whether you live in Knoxville/knox county has nothing to do with it.
I used to live in Knoxville and I am still seriously interested in what goes on there as I have friends, family and property there.
Your view, that it is no one's concern, unless they live there is very parochial and I must say the opposite of regionalism. Perhaps the interstates should all be shut down and a fence put around Knoxville.
Galaxie500XL writes:
Gender is no issue here. Policy, however is. Rogero did a masterful job of distancing herself from prior policy statements she had made in her previous, unsuccessful run for mayor against Haslam. Her assumption was that voters have short memories, which would seem to have correct, considering the results of the election. MAYOR Rogero, now that the election is won, appears to be returning to those very policies she avoided as a candidate--precisely the thing conservatives were pointing out prior to the election.
If those policies were that popular with Knox County voters, why didn't she run on them as a candidate?
vernon writes:
The city might want to look in the mirror,I believe it was the city's mulch facility that was responsible for the massive fish kill last month.
Galaxie500XL writes:
Really? You want to claim that policies that increase the cost of business, and reduce a businesses profitibility and competitivessness have NO impact on the viability of a business?
Interesting.
westknoxrepub writes:
"Big Box" stores create jobs, and pop up because of demand. . .imposing regulations to drive "big box" stores out would kill jobs, because the small business aren't going to be able to hire every employee that would otherwise work there.
There is no moral obligation by the government to "small business". Government's only obligation is to leave them alone so long as they are not breaking any law. If a small business is successful so be it, if it fails, so be it, the consumer makes the ultimate decision. The government should not be in the business of telling the consumer what is should and should not want to buy.
number1occupation writes:
Lets go ahead and completely ban styrofoam from the City of Knoxville. I don't see any downside whatsoever. This stuff gets used for 5 minutes then sits in a landfill for 1,000 years. Is that really worth it?
ArtSeen writes:
Sure, everyone is entitled to an opinion, but opinion is not what this is all about. I suppose I am entitled to an opinion on your community in Arizona, but, frankly, I just don't care. The same goes for Denver, Santa Fe, Nashville, and Chicago. They can deal with their own affairs.
What this IS about is partisanship. These are the same exact stone-throwers who were heaving nasty stones at Rogero during the mayoral election. And a lot of them, like you, do not live in Knoxville, and do not vote in Knoxville. Many are not even Knox County residents. And now, 4 months in, to claim that you have "concerns" about Knoxville is just blatant hypocrisy, maybe something even worse.
Fester writes:
Here's the thing. A lot of developers get worked up about zoning and building codes and 'green development' because it hits their favorite economic term they've never heard of: externalization. "Externalization" is what developers like to do with as many of their costs as they possibly can. What does that mean? It means they want to shift as many of their costs to somebody else as they can.
Of course, this doesn't mean all developers, but certainly enough that it matters, and it matters a lot.
One example: Many developers want to be able to scrape every living thing off of their work site and not to be required to build silt fences or do anything else to control runoff. This is the cheapest way to do site prep. When it rains, and lots of mud and water quickly run off the site covering streets, clogging storm drains, gumming up water treatment plants and killing everything in waterways downstream, others (meaning you and me) pay for that. Some developers, though, would say that asking them to take the measures that would prevent the mess in the first place is too expensive for them and it stifles business. They'll scream about liberals and over regulation and their desire for free enterprise.
In reality, though, what these supposed advocates of conservative values are asking for is nothing less than a free handout.
Dealing with stormwater runoff from a construction site costs something. One way is for those costs to be incurred by the developer, through better planning so that not everything has to be scraped to the ground, and through building silt fences and catchment basins so that runoff is contained on the site.
The other way is for those costs to be incurred by the taxpayer, utility rate payers, and owners of adjacent property, when the runoff is allowed to flow uninhibited off the site. In economics, it's called externalizing costs for the developer. In plain English, it's called giving the developer a free handout. It's all of us saying to the developer, "Do whatever you want, and don't mind us. We'll pay for the damage." Is that really free enterprise? I don't think so.
HeWhoShallNotBeNamed (Inactive) writes:
Is it just me, or does this mayor love photo ops more than Mike Ragsdale ever did?
And are there any photo ops of her actually doing work? All I've seen so far is her taking credit for the work of others.
Volunista writes:
Art, what non-Knoxville city residents have to say about our mayor is just so much meaningless blather. And I especially am not interested in what Knox County voters think. They are responsible for such embarrasments as Stacey Campfield. I wish we didn't even have to share a county government with them.
Squeezy (Inactive) writes:
Well, the love affair between the KNS staff & Madeline Rogero continues....
I can already see that KNS has chosen her as a favorite local politician with similar political views as their own.
If we readers want any *objective* reporting or *honest* analysis of Rogero's mayorship.... we'll simply have to find a different source, than KNS.
pinhook writes:
Last time I checked the garbage was being picked up, police were working, firemen were putting out fires, potholes were being repaired. What more is expected? Should she be jumping over building with a single bound?
A__B writes:
It would be a great change to see this city try to grow some industry and I don't mean Target, Costco and Publix.
I suppose we gave up on growing Knoxville when the World's Fair left town in 82'?
Galaxie500XL writes:
We pretty well abandoned any serious attempt to attract industty long before that...Chattanooga has benefitted greatly from our lack of serious effort.
HeWhoShallNotBeNamed (Inactive) writes:
Did they EVER. And look at what Nashville's been able to pull in with a lower property tax rate than we've got.
I wonder how much faster and better we can complete our South Waterfront project and attract/grow/retain local and regional businesses if we weren't so keyed in on stuff like telling people their hedges are six inches too high or posing in front of crushed aluminum?
Galaxie500XL writes:
That's the best you can point to? The garbage is being picked up?
4 hours ago, Art told me I was uninformed, that there had been LOTS I didn't know about that the Rogero administration had been involved in...I asked him to list ANY accomplishment...and I'm still waiting...
Galaxie500XL writes:
No, Art, nothing of the sort. This is more about how the folks on the Left in Knoxville seem to feel that Ms. Rogero is above ANY criticism whatsoever, and if there is any, it MUST be due to either partisanship, or some form of sexism or bigotry. I've yet to see any serious refutation on ANY point made here today about Rogero's POLICIES...just attacks and insinuations about people's politics, place of residence, or a claim of sexism.
What you're upset about is that some people honestly DISAGREE with both you, AND the mayor, and you just can't handle that.
Esau writes:
The city will face challenges however we have a great mayor to address them. As a earlier poster said the haters will hate but the people spoke Madeline is mayor those that don't like it have to deal with it.
cejensen writes:
The Mayors approach is pretty simple; if you are going to live in your nest, its good to not krap in it also.
Seems sensible to me.
cejensen writes:
Galaxie500XL writes:
in response to pinhook:
Last time I checked the garbage was being picked up, police were working, firemen were putting out fires, potholes were being repaired. What more is expected? Should she be jumping over building with a single bound?
That's the best you can point to? The garbage is being picked up?
4 hours ago, Art told me I was uninformed, that there had been LOTS I didn't know about that the Rogero administration had been involved in...I asked him to list ANY accomplishment...and I'm still waiting...
..................................
Good gawd, man, look at pin's post...he gave you a list right there. I suspect you'll never be happy with Rogero, because she's not WASPy enough for you.
dearabby writes:
I am pretty sure that Campfield's district includes city voters also, so let's share the blame for his election equally between City and County.
note writes:
Thank you for taking a moment to post this explanation. I could not agree more.
Volunista writes:
I'd be willing to be that for every 1 Knoxville voter who went for that one-man freak show, 3 in the county voted for him. I'm currently trying to find the precinct by precinct breakdown of his last run for state senate, although he's just not really worth the trouble.
Sanfu writes:
Esau writes:
"… Madeline is mayor those that don't like it have to deal with it."
*********************
That statement is more than a bit ironic from someone who admits that he doesn't even live in the city of Knoxville.
Sanfu writes:
I didn't vote for him last time, but I plan to proudly vote for Stacey Campfield in the next election.
pinhook writes:
It appears from reading these posts that many folks who claim conservatism want to judge the Mayor of Knoxville by how energetic she governs or how many "new" things she begins. City government tends to be boring. It provides the health, security and safety applications that make urban living possible. Therefore, the collection and proper disposal of garbage is highly important. Without it the citizens are subjected to untold hazzards and unhealthy situations. Fire and police services should be apparent to all. Knoxville does not provide a public hospital or public schools. It manages an airport and a public utility system (KUB)
Unless the City advances a program to aggregate a number of parcels of land, it does not have space to aggressively seek new "industries." Most folks who post on these pages seem to hate anything involving eminent domain.
So, my point is to give the City of Knoxville a break. It seems to be meeting its Charter obligations to its citizens in a fine manner. It would be proper if we all stopped any attempt to politicize it in a partisan manner.
It might be interesting to check out the services provided by the Town of Farragut. It provides no garbage collection, It provides no police or fire protection, It provides no no no. Why have a charter?
WorkingTaxpayer writes:
I wish we could have Stacey Campfield as mayor of Knoxville right now.
Volunista writes:
So, it sounds like the frontal lobotomy was a succcess.
geezwhatever writes:
I like starting with the easy stuff first.
Imagine how much gas could be saved and emissions cut if all traffic lights were all synced up.
Knoxville must be the worst city in the country when it comes to this problem.
wildmed writes:
Amen, brother, I've said this same thing a thousand times. Ours must be the worst traffic plan in North America. Even larger cities like Memphis and Atlanta have figured out how to keep traffic moving better than Knoxville. The real cruncher is that UT is supposed to have one of the elite Traffic Planning schools in the country. How about a little grad project for our own city?
WorkingTaxpayer writes:
On that I think we can all agree.
mkat33 writes:
I, too, whole-heartedly agree with this. I've lived in seven different states, in both big cities and small towns. I've certainly visited many others, too. I have never seen worse traffic light synchronization.
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