Linking Water and Land-Use Planning

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• Best practices for integrating water and land-use planning in comprehensive/general plans
• How Colorado and California are empowering local jurisdictions to take local action to secure their communities' water supply
• How to adapt best policies and practices for stewarding water resources from leading western communities to the needs of your own community

MORE SESSION DETAILS

How communities grow directly impacts water. What can states do to guide growth and ensure adequate supplies for people and nature despite an increasingly uncertain future? What actions can local jurisdictions take to ensure their communities are water resilient? This session will unpack two recent state legislative initiatives that link water and land-use management and cover innovative actions local government can take to address the reliability and resilience of their water supply. California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) established a new structure for managing California’s groundwater resources at a local level by local agencies. Colorado, one of 30 home-rule states, is implementing 2015 legislation promoting the integration of water considerations into land-use planning. Learn about the latest best policies and practices from California and Colorado and how Colorado River Basin communities have integrated water considerations into their general plans. Also learn about innovative programs to guide growth and steward water resources in Flagstaff, Arizona. This is your chance to discuss your concerns about your community's water supply with leading researchers and practitioners at the forefront of integrating water sustainability and resiliency into community planning.