Sustainable Communities

CEED's most recent initiative, Meadville, PA: Not Your Run of the Mill Community, represents a comprehensive plan to stimulate economic and community development in Meadville, a rustbelt community facing economic decline. The Meadville project focuses on rebuilding Meadville as a sustainable community committed to ecological, economic, and social sustainability.

Meadville, PA: Not Your Run of the Mill Community   Files in PDF format (5.3 MB)

The project focuses in part on using Meadville's Mill Run, a historic, urban stream that runs through, and largely under the city, as a geographic thread to unite diverse neighborhoods across the city. Download the posters at right to examine these proposals in more detail.

 

To help stimulate economic and business development, CEED has led a regional initiative for a Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) grant that will foster innovation and entrepreneurial development based on reuse and clean technology, while acting as a catalyst for technology transfer through education and outreach efforts.

Andy Walker, Pennsylvania Environmental Council's Regional Director, is enthusiastic about the project. "From a downtown revitalization standpoint, CEED's projects create a sense of place within Meadville, making it unique and different from all other downtowns."

 

In an effort to stimulate reform of planning and development policies locally, CEED students developed the following presentation for members of City Council, Vernon Township and surrounding areas. The presentation outlined key goals associated with sustainable development, and placed special emphasis on the importance of environmental guiding principles as tools for economic and community development. Recommendations included the establishment of a community committee for sustainable development, a community energy teams to help reduce energy consumption and waste, and adoption of the Keystone Principles for Sustainable Development.