HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – Mayor Tommy Battle is elevating Huntsville’s focus on sustainability as a part of an ongoing effort to keep a “watchful eye” on the Huntsville community’s environment.
Battle has established an 11-person Huntsville Sustainability Commission, which will work alongside the municipal departments to help “guide recommendations outlined in the City of Huntsville’s Sustainability Plan.”
The plan was established earlier this year and was compiled by an independent coalition of leaders and experts, who spent nine months assigning several factors that contribute to long-term environmental sustainability.
“The Sustainability Plan provided us with great thoughtful analysis, clear goals and realistic recommendations for the future, and one of the key recommendations was to establish a Sustainability Commission,” Mayor Battle said. “This will help our departments think more holistically, because at the end of the day, everything we do impacts our environment, our quality of life and our future.”
The goal of the commission is to create a sustainable urban development that revitalizes the community, provides economic and social benefits for residents and keeps the air, water and land clean.
“This is an important step because we will now have an entity thinking about sustainability in the everyday decision-making of City government, so that we can create a better and more sustainable community for today and future generations,” Marie Bostick, Co-Chair of the committee, said. “It is important to all of us, as we grow and develop as a community, that we respect and take care of our natural resources, and they are not mutually exclusive.”
The members of the Huntsville Sustainability Commission include:
- Chad Bostick, Bostick Design – landscape architect
- Marie Bostick, Executive Director, Land Trust of North Alabama
- Lisa Dyer, Matheny Goldmon – licensed architect, accredited LEED-AP
- Lindsey Keane, RCP – developer of sustainable mixed-use urban projects
- Sara Kovachich, ALTA – active transportation planner
- Carey Martin Lane, Food Bank of North AL – Farm-food collaborative manager
- Jared Mitchem, TVA – Regional Vice-President
- Phoenix Robinson, TARCOG – community planner
- Ankur Shah, UAH – earth science/physics
- Andy Somers, Somers Consulting – civil engineer
- Andrew York, SSOE – electrical engineer
All 11 members will serve four-year terms. Joining the commission will be -ex-officio representation from several departments, including, Planning, Engineering, Water Pollution Control, Natural Resources, Inspections, Landscape Management and Communications.
