City of Newton, MA
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Resilience Efforts in the City of Newton
Resilience is a critical part of our climate action efforts. As the impacts of a changing climate are notable and increasing, we have been prioritizing resilience in the City’s sustainability work. In 2018, the City developed our first-ever Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Action Plan (CCVA), which is currently being incorporated into our next Climate Action Plan. Several other interconnected plans also feature resilience and climate adaptation:
Resilience aspects of the plans and efforts identified above include the following:
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Construction and maintenance of important City infrastructure, including green infrastructure: examples include the significant work on our Stormwater system and its 320 miles of pipe, thousands of catch basins, culverts, streams, ponds, and Crystal Lake, as well as our tree canopy planting plan and expanded urban forestry team, preservation of conservation land, green infrastructure in Complete Streets, and pollinator and rain gardens in public spaces and in connection with all new building projects.
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Ordinances and regulations that require property owners and developers across the City support resilience: examples include the Tree Preservation Ordinance, Stormwater Ordinance update, and updated Floodplain Ordinance.
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Emergency planning, including continuation of our strong emergency planning efforts and education about climate-related impacts on health. An excellent example is the Hazard Mitigation Plan, which will be updated in 2025.
Resources from City Departments
| Emergency Planning | Fire Dept: Emergency Management | HHS: Emergency Preparedness |
| Environmental Health | HHS: Ticks and Mosquitos | HHS: Outdoor Air Quality |
| Trees and Urban Forestry | Parks, Recreation, and Culture: Urban Forestry | PRC: Helpful Tree Information |
| Conservation | Planning: Wildlife and Plants | Planning: Planning for the Future |
| Stormwater | DPW: Stormwater Management | DPW: Low Impact Development |