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Plan Content Details: Example Goals and Indicators and SDG References
This section includes example goals and indicators to provide clarity around the required and optional topics that will make up adopted neighborhood plans. These examples are drawn from previous neighborhood planning projects, the EcoDistricts Protocol, and input from related initiatives such as the Comprehensive Plan, Climate Action Plan, OnePGH Resilience Strategy, Equity Indicators, and P4. Each example goal includes the relevant UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) that it addresses to aid planners in thinking about how their work aligns with global sustainability efforts. Each neighborhood plan should incorporate similar references to the SDGs.
During implementation of the plan, progress towards the plan’s goals should be tracked using indicators on a regular basis (e.g., every two years). This ensures that the actions taken are leading to the intended result, and if not, allow for course corrections over the 10-year life of the plan. Many of the topics of the plan are interrelated, and many of the indicators for one goal may be used to measure another. Consistent use of the indicators will allow communities to share and compare efforts within the Pittsburgh region and with other ecodistricts throughout the country. DCP will provide data at the neighborhood level in support of planning processes.
East Liberty
Community
Community
Community
Community Programs and Livability
Example Goal:
Civic engagement is strong and processes are inclusive and representative.
- Percentage of population engaged in public consultation processes (e.g., attendance rates, social media subscribers).
- Demographic makeup of engagement participants.
- Number of hours per capita volunteered annually by residents and business employees.
- Percentage of eligible residents voting in most recent local election.
Example Goal:
Housing is close to facilities that offer a complete set of daily needs.
- Percentage of daily essentials (e.g., shopping, civic, education, recreation) for residents from age 8 to age 80 that are within a 0.5 mile/10 minute walk of 50
percent of dwellings.
Cultural Heritage and Preservation
Example Goal:
Distinct character and culture will be preserved in ways that contribute to a high quality of life.
- Number of buildings of historic character preserved.
- Number of historic/cultural preservation projects completed and programs operated annually.
- Number of public art and cultural interpretive installations.
Example Goal:
Participation in cultural events is high.
- Percentage of population participating annually in cultural events within the neighborhood.
- Number of public spaces available for cultural events.
Public Art
Example Goal:
Art on public property and in the public realm expresses cultural heritage, history, and/or current activities and aspirations of the community including residents, businesses, and institutions.
- Number of publicly accessible art installations
created. - Grant programs and other funding opportunities to
support the creation of art with the community.
Public Safety
Example Goal:
Public safety is enhanced.
- Annual composite index score of Part 1 (violent) and
Part 2 (property) offenses.
Example Goal:
The built environment is designed for public safety.
- Percentage of public space frontages visible from a
street - Number of pedestrian and bicyclist collisions annually.
Public Facilities and Services
Example Goal:
Public agencies have the facilities and infrastructure needed to provide satisfactory services to the
neighborhood and City.
- Investments in public works, public safety, and
recreational facilities, as well as known polling
locations. - Public facilities location mapping and access strategy.
- Response times to 311 and 911 calls.
- Community usage of recreation facilities.
- Number of City-owned community assets (e.g., police
stations, recreation centers, parks) that are within
walking distance of a transit stop.
Public Health
Example Goal:
Health outcomes and life expectancy are more equitable.
- Average life expectancy.
- Percentage of population with cardiovascular disease.
- Asthma rates.
- Obesity rates.
Example Goal:
Toxic environments are remediated and regenerated.
- Number of days annually that air quality emission standards are exceeded in and near the neighborhood.
- Percentage of population living near a non-remediated brownfield or contaminated site.
- Number of Combined Sewer Overflow advisory days for rivers near the neighborhood.
Example Goal:
Affordable, high-quality health care is accessible.
- Percentage of population with health insurance
coverage.Walk and Transit Scores of health facility locations.
Example Goal:
Access to recreation facilities and services is improved.
- Percentage of population within a 0.25 mile/10 minute
walk and 0.125 mil/5 minute walk of a public indoor or outdoor recreation
space.
Example Goal:
Healthy and affordable fresh food is accessible.
Percentage of dwelling units within a 0.5 mile / 20
minute walk of a fresh food outlet.
Optional: Community Uses in the Right-of-way
Example Goal:
Streets and other rights-of-way are repurposed temporarily or permanently to meet community needs if supported by transportation analyses.
- Pilot events and installations in the right-of-way.
- Permitting programs initiated and in use by community
organizations.
Optional: Nuisance and Enforcement Issues
Example Goal:
Common nuisance issues are identified and actions recommended to remedy the situation permanently.
- Reduction in 311 reports related to the issue in
question. - Reduction in police activity or community organization
intervention to resolve issues.
Example Goal:
Schools provide quality education.
- Graduation rates.
- Absenteeism rates.
- Percentage of students advancing from one grade
level to the next.
Optional: Schools and Related Programs (Required if within the plan area)
Example Goal:
Schools provide quality education.
- Graduation rates.
- Absenteeism rates.
- Percentage of students advancing from one grade
level to the next.
Development
Development
Development
Land Use Policy and Regulations
Example Goal:
Land use regulations allow for desired building types, uses, and scales.
- Adoption of new base zoning districts and other regulatory tools.
- Number of new structures built consistent with regulations.
- Percentage of development projects that seek variances and whether they are supported or opposed by community organizations
- Presence of successful Neighborhood Conservation District(s)
Example Goal:
Design guidelines and other policy tools are deployed to implement the plan vision.
- Development of City and/or community design guidelines.
- Programs at community organizations (BIDs, CDCs, etc.) that provide consistent and cohesive design guidance to development teams.
Urban Sustainable Design
Example Goal:
Buildings have active ground floors that positively contribute to the public realm.
- Percentage of buildings along major streets that have active ground floor uses (e.g., residential, retail, office, lobbies, and bike facilities).
- Percentage of building facades at street level that are 60% or more transparent through windows or other openings
- Percentage of buildings that have identifiable primary entrances along primary and secondary frontages.
Example Goal:
Streets, sidewalks, plazas, and parks are designed to create a pleasant and engaging public realm.
- Percentage of sidewalks along major streets that contain street trees, vegetated areas, seating, pedestrian-scaled lighting, or other furnishings.
- Percentage of sidewalks along major streets that are at least 10 feet in width with 5 foot clearways.
- Percentage of retail operations along major streets that have window displays, outdoor seating, pick-up windows, or other outward facing features.
Example Goal:
Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced in all sectors through energy efficiency and carbon-neutral fuels.
- Annual tons of greenhouse gas emissions per capita from transportation, waste, and building energy use.
- Number of electric vehicle charging stations.
- Percentage of buildings benchmarked and measuring energy performance.
- Neighborhood average percentage reduction below 2030 District baseline by use.
Example Goal:
Economic and public safety impacts due to landslides, mine subsidence, and the floodplain are reduced through careful siting and design of buildings and infrastructure.
- Number of projects occurring in Steep Slopes, Landslide Prone, and Undermined Overlay Zones
- Number of landslides or subsidence events observed.
Example Goal:
New buildings are high quality contributions to neighborhood character.
- New buildings that utilize material palettes consistent with historic neighborhood buildings.
- Number of building project supported by community organizations at public hearings.
- Number of buildings that win design awards.
Example Goal:
Lots and buildings have legal uses that contribute to neighborhood vibrancy.
- Percentage of vacant lots being used for stormwater, open space, or other community-supportive purposes.
- Number of vacant buildings.
- Presence of active programs at community organizations that seek to manage and activate vacant lots and buildings.
Equitable Economic Development
Example Goal:
Career pathways and training are available.
- Number of training programs matched to neighborhood job opportunities.
- Percentage of eligible neighborhood participants enrolled in training programs.
Example Goal:
Income and racial inequality are reduced.
- Household income and education levels.
- Percentage of population living below the poverty line.
Example Goal:
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
- Percentage of girls graduating from STEM high school and college programs.
- Percentage of woman-owned businesses.
- Percentage of boards with at least 50% female board members.
- Percentage of businesses with women in senior leadership positions.
- Percentage of 311 and 911 calls related to threats or harm to women.
Example Goal:
Employment in the neighborhood is retained.
- Number and type of jobs retained annually (workforce survey).
- Percentage of neighborhood residents employed at locations in the neighborhood.
Example Goal:
Job quality in the neighborhood is enhanced.
- Median wage.
- Percentage of employees with full job benefits.
Example Goal:
Interaction between entrepreneurs is fostered.
- Number of incubators, accelerators, maker spaces, and co-working spaces in the neighborhood.
- Number of programs and enrollment levels to cultivate business innovation.
Example Goal:
Job growth in emerging sectors is higher than in traditional sectors.
- Number of neighborhood-based start-ups in emerging sectors annually.
Housing
Example Goal:
Housing is affordable and well maintained.
- Percentage of dwelling units priced at affordable levels.
- Percentage of dwelling units occupied.
- Percentage of dwelling units in poor condition (Grade D or lower according to the County Tax Assessors Office).
- Housing and Transportation Affordability Index score.
- Percentage of federally subsidized housing units (public housing, Section 8, Section 202).
- Ratio of rent vs. ownership (residential).
- Affordability (or affordability restrictions) of transit oriented development projects (residential).
Example Goal:
Housing is available to meet a diversity of dwelling needs.
- Housing type diversity index score of neighborhood dwellings.
- Percentage of dwellings meeting local visitability and universal design standards.
- Number of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) built by homeowners.
Optional: Commercial Corridors or Nodes
Example Goal:
Needed investments, organization, and partnerships are defined for each area.
- Percentage of property owners and businesses reporting successful operations and satisfaction.
Optional: Transit-oriented Development
Example Goal:
Public realm and private development are coordinated to result in synergies that result in increased transit ridership.
- Increase in transit riders at the station
- Increase in residential units and office space without equivalent growth in parking.
Optional: Brownfield Reuse and Remediation
Example Goal:
Contaminated land is remediated for productive reuse.
- Area of contaminated land remediated for reuse annually.
Optional: Schools
Example Goal:
Schools provide quality education.
- Graduation rates
- Absenteeism rates
- Percentage of students advancing from one grade level to the next.
Optional: Academic, Medical, and Religious Institutions
Example Goal:
Guidance for growth and neighborhood enhancement is provided for future Institutional Master Plans.
- Number of recommendations for neighborhood institutions to lead or implement on-campus that are supported by the institution.
Mobility
Mobility
Mobility
Pedestrian Access, Safety, Circulation
Example Goal:
Walkability is enhanced.
- Percentage of street length in the neighborhood with sidewalks on both sides.
- The neighborhood’s Walk Score.
- Percentage of blocks longer than 200 feet that have mid-block crossings.
- Number of streets with improvements consistent with City mode priority maps.
Accessibility
Example Goal:
The street network accommodates people with diverse ages and abilities.
- Percentage of students and residents walking or rolling to school or work.
- Percentage of arterial intersections with traffic-controlled crosswalks.
- Number of businesses that are wheelchair accessible.
- Number of City-designated Complete Streets.
Bicycle Infrastructure
Example Goal:
The street network supports all travel modes.
- Intersections per square mile or kilometer.
- Transit stops per square mile or kilometer.
- Percentage of total street length with bicycle sharing.
Traffic Safety
Example Goal:
Neighborhood travel, internally and externally, is safe, efficient, and multimodal.
- Vehicle miles or kilometers traveled daily per capita.
- Mode split of daily person trips.
- Household car ownership rate.
- Number of “first and last mile” options at major transit stops.
Parking and Loading
Example Goal:
On- and off-street parking is minimized and location and use is optimized.
- Neighborhood parking strategy is adopted and implemented.
- New structured parking is created as a shared resource.
- On-street parking is properly regulated, potentially including residential permit programs, dynamic pricing, or other technological solutions.
- Curbside management plan is adopted and implemented.
Example Goal:
Loading occurs in designated and safe locations that reduce conflicts with other modes.
- Number of loading-related nuisances reported to 311.
- Percentage of development projects that design or designate space for loading that is adequate for the use type.
Optional: Mobility as a Service (Maas)
Example Goal:
Shared mobility options are increased.
- Number of bike and car share stations.
- Percentage of population using shared cars and bikes annually.
Optional: Freight Operations
Example Goal:
Circulation and loading for freight vehicles is defined spatially and temporally.
- Established freight loading days and times.
- Established freight routes.
- Signage and policies that eliminate conflicts between freight vehicles and other modes, especially bicycles.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure
Stormwater Management
Example Goal:
Rainwater is managed in the neighborhood.
- Percent above and beyond first 1.5 inches of runoff in a 24-hour period managed using green infrastructure within the neighborhood.
- Ratio of pervious to impervious surfaces.
- Water quality testing at output of management systems.
- Number of private sewage/basement backups reported.
Open Space
Example Goal:
Access to nature is improved.
- Percentage of residents within a 1 mile/20 minute walk to natural open space.
Example Goal:
Public spaces are accessible to all.
- Percentage of dwelling units and businesses within a 0.5 mile/10 minute (moderate density areas) or 0.25 mile/5 minute (high density areas) walk of a public space other than a street.
Example Goal:
Public spaces are high quality, engaging, and active.
- Number of activities programmed annually for public spaces, including streets.
- Number of people using public spaces daily, at peak and average levels of occupancy
Energy System Planning
Example Goal:
Building energy use intensity is reduced through green building best practices.
- Percentage of buildings meeting 2030 District energy efficiency goals.
- Percentage of residents spending greater than 3.5% of their gross income on energy costs.
- Number of buildings that have met the standards of 2030 District, LEED, WELL, Energy Star, Living Building, Net Zero, or other green building certifications.
Example Goal:
Renewable power and thermal energy are produced on-site.
- Percentage of annual electric supply generated from
neighborhood-based renewable sources. - Percentage of buildings connected to a district
thermal energy or cogeneration system. - Number of renewable energy generating systems.
Waste Management and Recycling
Example Goal:
Waste is diverted from landfills through reduction, reuse, and recycling.
- Percentage of nonhazardous waste diverted from
landfills annually.
Example Goal:
The residual value of organic waste is captured.
- Percentage of nonhazardous waste diverted from
landfills annually.
Tree Canopy
Example Goal:
Canopy is increased to meet allocation from the Urban Forestry Master Plan.
- Canopy coverage as determined by LiDAR
- Street tree and private tree survey including species and trunk diameter at chest height (DBH).
Example Goal:
The urban heat island effect is mitigated.
Habitat Restoration
Example Goal:
Natural features are protected.
- Percentage of steep slope areas designated as nonbuildable.
- Average buffer distance protecting wetlands and water bodies.
Example Goal:
The quality, functions, and connectivity of habitat are enhanced.
- Improvement in functional habitat performance
- Percentage of nonfunctional habitat restored annually.
- Number of development and infrastructure projects that utilize biophilic design principles.
Example Goal:
Soil fertility is protected.
- Annual compaction, erosion, and chemical treatment rates
Digital Network
Example Goal:
Quality wired and wireless connectivity is available throughout the neighborhood.
- Percentage of residential and nonresidential users with Internet download speeds of at least 1 gigabyte.
- Number of free Wi-Fi hotspots per square mile or kilometer.
- Percentage of public spaces with free Wi-Fi.
Example Goal:
Local government data is open and accessible for public consumption
- Number of technology hubs for low-income residents to access the Internet
Optional: Community/Urban Agriculture
Example Goal:
Food production in the neighborhood is encouraged.
- Area per capita used for food production
- Percentage of households with a home garden or using a community garden.
- Quantity of local fresh food procured annually by establishments in the neighborhood.
Optional: Air
Example Goal:
Air quality is protected from pollutant emissions
- Annual air quality index score and/or Smell Pittsburgh score
- Number of air quality monitors located throughout the neighborhood.
Optional: Water Use
Example Goal:
Water quality is protected from pollutants.
- Annual water quality index score.
- Percent of water service lines that are lead
Example Goal:
Alternative water sources are used for non-potable purposes.
- Percentage of buildings connected to nonpotable water sources.
Example Goal:
Potable water is used efficiently.
- Gallons of water used daily per capita, indoors and outdoors.
- Number of buildings meeting 2030 District goals for water use intensity.
Digital Network
Example Goal:
Utility improvement needs are identified, prioritized, and included in a shared timeline.
- Completed utility strategy/plan.
- Number of times streets have been opened within the plan period.
- Number of infrastructure projects where multiple stakeholders were able to integrate improvements into a single operation.
Example Goal:
Utility providers have contacts at all relevant departments and are part of ongoing and project-based coordination initiatives.
- Presence of utilities at regular and project-based coordination meetings.
- Confirmation that both public agencies and utilities have updated contacts.
