Comprehensive Plan

Vision

Green Stormwwater Infrastructure (GSI): Carrboro routinely prioritizes green infrastructure over grey infrastructure to enhance ecosystems and improve vibrancy, quality of life, and stormwater resiliency in the community.

Water: Pursue a “One Water” vision in which water is managed in a sustainable and inclusive manner to build a better quality of life for everyone and a healthier environment. Align diverse stakeholders to find common ground solutions to the most pressing water challenges. Current and future generations of Carrboro residents, especially BIPOC populations, reliably enjoy affordable access to high quality drinking water, while improving healthy environments and aquatic ecosystems for Carrboro wildlife.

Energy: Carrboro reduces its dependence on fossil fuel energy sources with opportunities for all residents, especially low-income BIPOC residents, to participate.

What We Will Measure
What We Will Measure
Number of households with native plantings
Tree canopy coverage
Number of residents engaged in the RainReady Initiative
Number of businesses, HOAs, and other organizations actively engaged in watershed restoration, stormwater management, and water based public health endeavors
Amount of funding for watershed restoration and stormwater management projects every 2-4 years
Levels of greenhouse gas emissions per capita
Town and community use of renewable energy

Goals	Projects
Goals	Projects
Categories Green Stormwater Infrastructure Goal 1: Increase the use of native plants and vegetation to mitigate climate change impacts, assist with stormwater mitigation, and reduce heat island effect.
Strategy 1.1 Rely on community leadership and participation from all residents, including those with financial barriers or those who have historically been excluded from participation.	B Increase public education of the benefits of native plants and vegetation for stormwater management.
	C Pursue regulatory and non-regulatory approaches to discourage non-native and invasive plants and encourage native plant use.
	D Identify opportunities to promote technical assistance and a cost-share grant program to residents encouraging native plant use.
	E Identify local resident “champions” who can partner with the Town to support the development of the program and serve as a liaison to residents.
	F Identify program design options that provide financial support, enabling low-income residents’ participation in a technical assistance and cost-share grant program to install green infrastructure.
	G Invest in the completion of a new significant restoration project.
Categories Green Stormwater Infrastructure Goal 2: Plant and maintain the tree canopy along identified roads. Improving tree canopy along roads can reduce the heat island effect and reduce stormwater runoff on streets.
Strategy 2.1 Improve tree canopy downtown to create a more vibrant and inviting urban landscape, reduce the heat island and stormwater runoff, and sequester carbon.	Develop and implement a downtown street tree master plan.
	B Make the 2019 “tree tag” outreach an ongoing and regular initiative.
	C Work with downtown businesses and residents to improve the canopy on private lots.
	D Seek grant support from the State and other sources to provide financial and technical support.
Strategy 2.2 Work with neighborhoods to improve tree canopy and the forest along roads, in neighborhood open spaces, and on private lots.	A Support neighborhood efforts to pursue grant funds for neighborhood improvements, especially those with ecological value or related to other town priorities.
	B Provide criteria for neighborhood street tree inventories and related master plans.
	C Work at a neighborhood scale to “green” the public right-of-way.
	D Provide technical assistance for individual residents’ improvement and expansion of tree canopy.
	E Seek grant support from the State and other sources to provide local financial and technical support.
Categories Green Stormwater Infrastructure Goal 3: Expand green infrastructure as part of stormwater, watershed restoration, and climate resilience efforts into the Town’s public transportation investments.
Strategy 3.1: Coordinate transportation and public infrastructure improvements with green stormwater infrastructure.	Integrate green stormwater infrastructure dual solutions that improve stormwater management practices and traffic calming in transportation infrastructure (i.e. streets, alleys, sidewalks, curbs, storm sewers, and greenways).
	B Seek residents' feedback feedback on the incorporation of green infrastructure in new transportation projects.
	C Educate residents about the Town’s definition of a greenway and its benefits, and foster discussion about greenways.
Categories Green Stormwater Infrastructure Goal 4: Expand the use of green stormwater infrastructure to further watershed restoration and meet climate resilience goals.
Strategy 4.1: Expand resources for green stormwater infrastructure to private property owners for greater lot, neighborhood, and watershed scale resilience and environmental quality as well as community enjoyment of outdoor spaces. These efforts should be in conjunction with and in support of the Town’s stormwater program and meet state, federal and local regulations.	A Develop programming and accompanying financial assistance for incomeeligible households to install green stormwater infrastructure.
	Develop a playbook for stormwater infrastructure retrofits to educate the public.
Categories Water Goal 1: Ensure that Carrboro residents are informed of and engaged with OWASA’s water supply, quality, and cost plans.
Strategy 1.1: Coordinate with OWASA and others for the maintenance and improvement of water supplies (i.e. Jordan Lake Watershed and University Lake).	A Identify resident concerns, especially those of marginalized identities, related to water and share this input with OWASA.
	B Encourage OWASA to explore affordable water rates targeted to lower-income households.
	C Work with OWASA to communicate goals and projects to residents in culturally responsive ways.
Categories Water Goal 2: Protect and restore watersheds and ecosystems.
Strategy 2.1: Continue to implement watershed management and restoration projects.	A Seek additional funding to continue to expand the Stormwater Utility’s and Enterprise fund efforts to implement stormwater/bioengineering methods and retrofits.
	Implement incentive programs for stormwater management or infrastructure mitigation projects for local businesses, prioritizing those that are BIPOCled, and develop technical and financial assistance for income-eligible households to participate.
	C Research and develop additional and innovative pollution prevention and cleanup, and hillslope, conveyance and channel erosion control practices that build upon current practices to best serve the various ecosystems in Carrboro.
	D Continue to administer procedures for detecting and removing illicit discharge sources.
	E Continue to expand educational efforts on green infrastructure and pollution prevention best practices, as well as hazards of illegal discharge.
	F Limit disturbance of riparian areas while maintaining sanitary sewer infrastructure and greenways.
Strategy 2.2 Address the effect of development on stormwater management.	Implement structural and non-structural management measures for redevelopment and infill and add retrofits in dense locations to increase stormwater volume control.
	B Incentivize Low Impact Development practices for any new developments that reduce impervious surfaces and mimic natural hydrology.
	C Stabilize vegetation in new construction beyond the minimum erosion control requirements.
Categories Water Goal 3: Reduce the amount of Carrboro’s treated water use while increasing water rate affordability.
Strategy 3.1: Promote water conservation and efficiency efforts among residents and businesses.	A Develop programs to educate residents and business owners about local water supply and stewardship programs.
	B Provide financial and technical assistance to incomeeligible residents and business owners to install water conservation and efficiency measures.
	C Establish water efficiency standards for new developments and encourage retrofits to older developments.
	D Develop policies to expand safe use of reclaimed water.
	E Initiate water use audits, repairs, and retrofits in government buildings.
	F Pilot demonstration of water conservation and efficiency projects at public facilities.
	G Assess what level water rates must be set at to improve affordability for low-income residents and advocate to OWASA to set affordable rates.
Categories Energy Goal 1: Achieve 80% reduction 2010 levels of per capita greenhouse emissions by 2030.
Strategy 1.1: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from motor automobile use by 80% by 2030.	A Refer to Transportation project 2.1.a
	B Provide a variety of public transit options (buses, small buses, vans, etc.) and increase opportunities for alternatively fueled vehicles. Relatedly, improve vanpool and carpool options for commuters and seek funding opportunities from the Triangle Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program.
	C Support adoption of electric vehicles by requiring EV charging stations, infrastructure, and reserved spaces at popular destinations and expanding charging options outdoors and at rental properties.
Strategy 1.2: Reduce community greenhouse emissions attributed to Carrboro buildings by 80% from 2010 levels by 2030.	A Continue conducting building energy assessments and ratings for all municipal buildings and inventory energy efficiency measures throughout the town.
	B Increase energy efficiency within municipal buildings with technologies used in weatherization efforts.
	C Address limitations to financing energy efficiency for low-income households and renters by creating and administratively supporting a Rental Environmental Task Force including owners and renters.
	D Support energy efficiency financing for small businesses and low-income households through the Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund and clean energy financing for commercial properties.
	E Host renewable energy sites in the business district, among clustered commercial buildings or Town buildings.
	F Develop a Community Energy Dashboard, using building energy assessment data, to identify progression or regression from the Town’s energy goal over time.
	G Create a utility billing platform to help energy customers (individual households, commercial building owners, and municipalities) understand their energy use.
	H Create policies that incentivize net-zero construction, building electrification, and other energy efficient retrofits in new and existing developments, prioritizing affordable housing developments.
	I Explore options to increase renewable energy usage through Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) purchases or advocating reinstatement of state solar tax credits.
Strategy 1.3: Increase Carrboro’s use of renewable energy.	A Develop a renewable energy portfolio that takes advantage of federal and state tax credits and supports increased solarization.
	B Advocate for state legislation that enables Carrboro to invest in renewable energy generation projects that allows shared solar investment benefits in the community or can generate revenue to be invested in community needs, like affordable housing.
	C Develop programs and policies to support homeowners’ ability to generate solar energy on roofs, with consideration for low-income homeowners.
	D Investigate opportunities to pursue geothermal installations.
Categories Goal 1: Create a more inclusive economy, encourage more racial equity in business development, increase support for locally-owned businesses and promote living wage jobs.
Strategy 1.1 Create more equitable opportunities for residents and workers to obtain living wage jobs and a career path to support one’s household.	A Encourage and support businesses to become Orange County Certified Living Wage employers.
	B Seek out and encourage opportunities for light manufacturing industries that can create livelihoods with living wages.