Sustainable Shorewood Action Plan

The Village of Shorewood’s Staff Sustainability Committee, along with the efforts of a task force of community volunteers, has developed a Sustainability Action Plan (PDF). The purpose of the action plan is to document the vision, goals, and actions for the Village of Shorewood in their efforts to adopt and implement sustainability in long-range planning, policy efforts, and daily operations.

Sustainable Programs & Projects

Over the years, the village has implemented programs and completed projects that could be considered sustainable. Some of these are listed below:

  • Shorewood was one of the 1st Wisconsin communities to completely switch over to LED traffic signals
  • Shorewood was one of the 1st Wisconsin communities to implement a curbside recycling program
  • Christmas tree recycling program and electronics recycling program
  • Actively manages a pesticide-free lawn maintenance program on all of the green space maintained by the village
  • The distribution of reusable shopping bags
  • Active program to incorporate more native plants into the village landscaping
  • Preparation and adoption of a new parks plan - the Comprehensive Outdoor Recreational Plan (2007). The establishment of an active Parks Commission; Shorewood is one of the few municipalities in the Milwaukee area with an active Parks Commission
  • Shorewood funded and approved a detailed plan for the management of the Milwaukee bluff from Capitol Drive to the village's south border. The plan includes a proposed sustainable trail system along the river
  • Shorewood adopted an extremely strong Shoreland zoning ordinance to protect and preserve the Milwaukee River bluff
  • A bike study was funded and completed in 2008 which lays out plans for safe bike routes throughout the village
  • Completed an ecological study and management plan for Atwater Beach
  • Bike racks and recycling bins were installed throughout Capitol Drive and Oakland Avenue as part of the streetscaping project; bike lanes and stormwater filtration basins were also installed along Capitol Drive
  • The village has an active Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Committee, a pedestrian safety study, and is implementing many recommendations as opportunities arise
  • Developing the Compost Mentoring Program to show residents how to take certain kitchen wastes, yard waste, and leaves, and make them into a valuable resource for their lawn and garden

As the Shorewood Village Board considers new policy initiatives, and village staff search for new ways to make day-to-day operations more efficient, the need for a coordinating document which would identify new projects and programs, and help prioritize where the village should focus their efforts became obvious.

This action plan will describe the results of recent planning activities by the Staff Sustainability Committee, Sustainability Task Force, village staff, Village Board, and interested residents. The resulting document will aim at raising awareness about sustainability in local government, establishing a baseline for various efforts and activities, developing the compelling vision for the organization, and laying out the action steps and priorities necessary for achieving this broad vision in the future.

Five Elements of Municipal Operations

The action plan will be organized into the following 5 elements of municipal operations:

  • Buildings and Energy
  • Purchasing and Materials
  • Development
  • Infrastructure
  • Resource Management