Sustainability for Present & Future

The focus of sustainable development is to raise the standard of living for current residents without precluding the same opportunity to future generations. There are three facets to sustainability through which all proposed development should be reviewed: Economic, Social, and Environmental. It is indeed possible to promote growth in a sustainable way by ensuring that goods and services can be easily distributed and that there are sufficient jobs to support the provision of government services. At the same time, reducing the fiscal impact of growth must be considered as well. Imagine Lexington is committed to promoting and implementing policies and regulations that will yield development patterns that save taxpayer dollars.

From an environmental perspective, land uses and new development should support their surrounding ecosystems. Improving upon Lexington’s commitment to sustainable growth will require implementing guidelines for measuring the impact of new development. Lexington should be a city that encourages growth that is durable, healthy and energy efficient. Lexington should be a leader in green building construction practices.

Social Sustainability emphasizes the creation of equitable land use policies that promote access to social and economic resources. Imagine Lexington aims to address public transportation, the needs of the homeless population, healthcare and mental wellness programs, and policies for inclusivity, as well as community engagement through additional zone change criteria. A commitment to sustainability involves the private sector rethinking how it develops, as well as how government approaches community issues, realizing that the interrelationship between policies and actions often affect much more than just their intended focus.