oEPA
ted States
i-M\/ironmental Protection
Agency
Region 8
1860 Lincoln Street
Denver, Colorado 80203
Action
Handbook
Managing Growth
in the Small
Community
EPA-908/4-78-005a
July. 1978
Part I
Getting a
Picture of
What's Ahead
\
Briscoe, Maphis, Murray, Lament, Inc.
Boulder, Colorado
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EPA-908/4-78-005a
Action Handbook
Managing Growth
in the Small Community
PART I:
GETTING A PICTURE
OF WHAT'S AHEAD
Prepared For
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
GEORGE G. COLLINS, PROJECT OFFICER
REGION VIII, DENVER, COLORADO
Prepared by
Briscoe, Maphis, Murray & Lament, Inc.
Boulder, Colorado
1978
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This report has been reviewed by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Region VIII, and approved for
publication. Mention of trade names or commercial
products does not constitute endorsement or recommenda-
tion for use.
This document is available to the public through the
National Technical Information Service, Springfield,
Virginia 22161.
For sole by the Superintendent of Document., U.S. Government Printing Offlee, Washington. D.C. 20MB
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance and advice of the
E.RA. Project Officer for this study, George C. Collins of the Region VIII
Denver Office. We also thank the many reviewers who offered
useful comments at the draft stage of this document. In particular, the
suggestions and encouragement provided by Joel D. Webster,
Region VIII E.P.A., Denver, were most helpful. Daniel Schler of the
University of Colorado, Denver, is also to be credited for his
major role in developing the community involvement concepts contained
in Part II of the handbook.
Funding for the preparation of this handbook was provided by the
Office of Energy, E.P.A., Region VIII; the Water Planning Branch, Water
Division, E.P.A., Region VIII; and the Office of Land Use Coordination,
E.P.A., Washington, D.C.
tii
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•"•^•rSff
IV
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Preface:
How to Use the Action Handbook
The Action Handbook is designed to be a detailed "how to manage" manual for
small communities undergoing or facing the prospect of accelerated growth.
The recommendations and prescriptions may be of particular interest to small
Rocky Mountain communities facing rapid growth due to the surge in energy
development activities. However, the authors consider the material valid
for a much broader range of communities in terms of both size and of the
causes of growth.
The reader may find the Action Handbook rather straightforward in detailing
"the approach" to successful community growth management. This presentation
should not be interpreted to mean there is only one approach. Rather, it
reflects the author's intent to suggest concrete procedures which are speci-
fic enough to implement with only slight modification for particular local
conditions. In all cases, the suggested procedures must be tailored to
local conditions.
To accomplish the goal of preparing a "how to" handbook, it was necessary to
commit to a best overall approach to community management under growth con-
ditions. The approach recommended was not chosen arbitrarily. Rather, it
is based on a decade of experience in the Rocky Mountain West. The concepts
are not speculative; they have been tried and tested in a number of locations
including Boulder, Loveland and Vail, Colorado, and Rock Springs, Wyoming,
and as part of this project, applied in Scobey, Montana, and Sheridan, Wyoming.
The Action Handbook presents a process for community management. The job to
be done is not a one-shot project, but an ongoing set of organized activities
involving a broad range of citizens in the community and outside affected
parties. Once the process is accepted and becomes part of the community way
of life, the practices and procedures tend to perpetuate themselves. Thus,
the focus is on describing the process and steps to be taken for its adoption
in the community.
The handbook is divided into three parts for the reader's convenience. The
Table of Contents, which follows, includes all these parts. Part I is intended
to give an overview of the community management process and to assist the user
in estimating how development of a certain type might affect the community's
needs for various public services, such as police officers, sewage treatment
capacity, park land, etc. This part should be of interest to all those who
wish to understand potential community impact, and especially those who would
initiate community management and organization. Part II deals with approaches
to getting the community involved and organized. It suggests a working model
for the community organizers. Part III focuses on community action and growth
management. This part will be of greatest interest to those closely involved
in making government work to manage growth.
HOW TO USE THE HANDBOOK
After reading this preface and the introduction contained in Part I, look
at the chapter entitled "Getting Control" in Part III. At this point, you
will not need to understand the complexities involved in establishing standards,
codes, and policies, but rather the basic philosophy underlying the recommended
actions and approach. "Getting control" is really the main purpose of the
entire process described in this book.
Next you may want to look at the tables in the chapter "Getting a Picture
of What Lies Ahead" in Part I and work some or all of them, based on actual
figures associated with proposed development in your area, or using your
own estimate of development which may occur. What will it cost your community
not to take control? How much trouble will organizing the community for
impact management create?
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Look through "The Process of Community Management1' in Part I to get an idea
of what will be involved in following the recommended management process.
How difficult will it be to involve the community? Compare this with the
problems that may arise if work is done by town staff and/or consultants and
the community is then asked to accept decisions it had no part in making.
Depending on your assessment of the seriousness of what may lie ahead, and
the opportunities and/or difficulties presented by the involvement process,
you can decide if you want to go ahead.
Keep in mind that what is presented in this handbook basically describes the
areas of concern that surface in most communities threatened by change. The
Action Handbook attempts to show how to make this process more successful
by emphasizing study and involvement by citizens, and getting an early start
on response by the whole community before a crisis develops. Such efforts
will strengthen the community and the democratic process, create a broader
base of positive responses to the impact situation by a variety of community
organizations, groups, and individuals, and reduce the long range possibili-
ties of citizen opposition to needed changes and adjustments. The "crisis"
approach to dealing with growth has long range negative effects on the
community's quality of life. A systematic, communitywide approach can avoid
many of the chaotic problems that will otherwise develop, and can conserve
scarce human and fiscal resources.
Because local communities are run on a democratic basis, the handbook is
written for a varied audience. Especially in Parts I and II, the authors
have tried to use nontechnical language so that citizens can carry out the
activities designed for their participation and achieve a basic understand-
ing of specifics such as financial or facilities planning which are part of
a government's role. If particular sections or concepts are unclear or con-
fusing, we encourage you to seek explanations. Don't be afraid to ask. Go
to government staff, local college professors, or available technical experts.
You might invite one of these people to an informal study session to go over
a particular section (s) with a group.
The authors also wish to emphasize that although a given chapter may be
particularly useful for, say, financial managers, all chapters are part of
an overall process which is inter-related and in which cooperation within
local government and between government and citizens' groups is essential
to the overall success of the impact management effort. It is strongly rec-
ommended that readers of the handbook concern themselves with chapters speci-
fic to their area of interest, but also look at related chapters to gain a
broader understanding of how their activities relate to all impact management
activities which are taking place.
To some people, handbook recommendations may appear too detailed and struc-
tured for their particular community. Each community is encouraged to adapt
the specific contents to its local situation, use those parts which are most
relevant, and revise particular situations to make them more suitable to the
community's own situation and needs. As stated above, handbook recommendations
are the result of the authors choosing among various alternative approaches.
They are intended as guidelines, not as rules.
Finally, remember that the Action Handbook is a working document. Write in
it. Reorganize sections to fit your community's style and needs. Tear out
pages and charts and put them up on walls. Get this book dirty and dog-eared
with use!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I: GETTING A PICTURE OF WHAT'S AHEAD
Preface: How to Use the Action Handbook. . v
1 Introduction to Part I... 1
2 Getting a Picture of What Lies Ahead. 5
3 The Process of Community Management. 13
PART II: GETTING THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED AND ORGANIZED
4 Introduction to Part II 1
5 Getting Started: The Initiators 3
6 Creating a Nucleus of Broad-Based Community Support: The Community
Impact Committee 7
7 Laying the Groundwork for Community Involvement 13
8 Planning for Community Meetings 15
9 Informing the Community: The First Community Meeting 19
10 The Second Community Meeting: Forming the Task Forces 21
11 The Task Force Process 27
12 Identifying Development-Related Risks and Opportunities:
The Impact Committee Report 31
13 Taking Inventory, Assessing Impact, and Recommending Goals:
The Task Force Reports 35
14 Determining Community Attitudes: The Survey Task Force 39
15 Forging Community Goals 45
Appendices: Part II 47
A: Task Force Study Outlines
B: Sample Survey Questionnaire
C: Sample Community Goal Statements
PART III: COMMUNITY ACTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT
16 Introduction to Part III 1
17 Identifying Required Resources and Capabilities 3
18 Setting Community Priorities 7
19 Determining Governmental Functions 11
20 Coordinating Non-Governmental Groups 15
21 Getting Control 17
22 Assessing Details of Likely Impacts 31
23 Developing Liaisons 37
24 Land Use Planning 39
25 Planning and Policies for Physical Facilities 47
26 Planning and Policies for Social Needs 55
27 Fiscal Planning and Policies 61
28 Capital Improvement Programming 71
29 Annual Budgeting 81
30 Construction of Facilities 87
31 Housing 95
32 Managing Public Facilities 99
33 Managing Financial Resources (Accounting and Control) 105
34 Managing Cash Resources 109
35 Organizing Human Resources 119
36 Using Outside Resources 123
37 Follow-Up 127
Appendices: Part III 131
D: Governmental and Non-Governmental Agreements
E: Sample Subdivision Application Procedure
F: Sample Utility Extension Policy
G: Glossary of Bond Financing Terms
H: Construction Bonding Sample Forms
vii
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viii
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1 Introduction to Part I
What does rapid growth do to a community? Rock Springs, Wyoming, had a
1970 population of 11,700. By 1974, the figure had jumped to 26,000.
Requests for building permits were 68 in 1970, and in excess of 500 in
1974. There were 75 new sewer taps in 1970; 1,220 in 1974. Compared to
9,200 police calls in 1970, there were more than 40,000 in 1974. The 1970
budget was $2/3 million; $5^ million by 1974. What does impact do in
addition to the statistics? According to Paul Wataha, former Mayor of
Rock Springs, "It has lowered the quality of life for the established
citizens. Those people that formerly took things in stride now go
around with a chip on their.shoulder.^ The people that formerly had one
chip on their shoulder now have two."
2
Rock Springs' experience shows vividly what rapid growth can do to a
community. The lesson it offers is an important one for the many western
communities now sitting atop (powder kegs of) rich energy resources. Even
today, it may already be late to prepare in advance for rapid energy-
induced growth. The question is, how do we get organized, what should
we do.
Unfortunately, few communities can claim to have emerged a clear victor
over energy-induced rapid growth. Few have even had a chance to do more
than chase after its spiraling demands. There has been no time to think
or to plan ahead, only to react. But this dilemma does not yet burden
many other communities in energy rich areas. In this sense, they are
no different from communities throughout the nation which face an uncertain
future.
Facing uncertainty and change in the future is far different than racing to
overtake an insurmountable deficit. Like individuals, communities have
developed ways to deal with changes and uncertainty. In some cases, we
can point to success stories — Boulder, Colorado; Eugene, Oregon; Reston,
Virginia, and Vail, Colorado, have all assimilated rapid growth and preser-
ved a quality living environment. Was it luck or is there an answer? No
one can be sure, but the success stories are woven with some common threads.
In each case, growth and change were anticipated well in advance. A high
level of community involvement created an informed and concerned citizenry.
Areas of common citizen concern and support were found and used to give the
community direction and momentum. The communities established specific
levels of quality for public facilities and services which had to be met
before development was given approval to proceed. Citizens accepted a
leading role for government, but demanded a high level of efficiency and
performance from government staff. Meticulous attention was devoted to
equity and intergovernmental relationships. In short, these communities
took the lead, acted responsibly, and planned and controlled their own
futures.
A number of different systems have been tried for rapid growth management,
and there have been numerous studies on the problem in recent years. Study
locations range from the east to the west coast — from Fairfax, Virginia,
to Boulder, Colorado, to Petaluma, California. Reactions against what is
perceived to be the results of rapid growth have erupted from Vancouver, B.C.,
to Boca Raton, Florida. In spite of this attention and concern, for the
most part we have not in practice done a very good job in managing growth,
even where we have large staffs, sophisticated legal advice, and a popula-
tion which is vitally concerned. We have searched for formulas or cure-alls.
There are none.
Address to the First National Conference on Financial Requirements for
Energy Development, Albuquerque, New Mexico, October, 1975.
2
Denver Research Institute, A Growth Management Case Study; Sweetwater
County, Wyoming, December, 1974.
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If other communities have had problems, what of communities in the Rocky
Mountain West, scattered in relatively lightly populated areas and faced
with rapid population growth as a result of energy related developments?
In a 1977 report by the Federal Energy Administration, Region VIII, 188
communities in six states were identified as potential areas of impact.
Well over half of them are 5,000 or under in population. Only 12 have
over 10,000 in population. These areas, until impacted, have not been
wrestling with the growth issue. In fact, most of them have been stable
or declining in population. For the most part, they have small staffs and
minimum processes for development review. Facilities are adequate for the
existing population but will be strained if the communities double. Little
unemployment exists. The communities tend to lose their young people, and
in-migration has been limited as the employment picture in the past did not
attract new residents.
New employment opportunities from energy related actions will draw new
population and cause dislocations for existing employers. Wages in the
mining, construction, and power industries are usually set on a national
basis, e.g., starting wages at the Decker-Birney Mine north of Sheridan,
Wyoming, are $9 to $10 an hour for the lowest paying jobs. Existing em-
ployers will find it hard to compete with wage scales such as this. In-
migration will occur whether to fill the energy related jobs or local ser-
vice sector positions. Some energy developments, in unattractive locations,
will have to pay additional incentives and may still find turn-over high.
Others, because of their natural setting and proximity to larger communi-
ties, should have little difficulty attracting and holding people, e.g.,
Sheridan, Wyoming, or Paonia, Colorado.
All of the communities will need to prepare if they wish to determine their
own futures. Once impact begins, it becomes a catch up game in which cor-
recting mistakes requires a major effort that could otherwise be going
toward producing positive quality features for the community.
The challenge to the small community facing rapid growth is to develop the
local capability to assure that the effects of growth are as beneficial as
possible. While financing new facilities is extremely important, money
alone cannot assure quality growth. Broader roles for the local community
and its local government are necessary. Managing development, including
regulating land uses and enforcing development standards, and carefully
planning the entire physical system, is sure to be a requirement to assure
growth is positive for the community.
Without a strong local initiative, towns and counties will have to rely on
state or federal commitment to see that proper facilities and programs are
developed in a logical sequence before problems occur. The track record in
this area is spotty. Few states have the legislation to achieve effective
state regulation now, and then only for limited types of facilities. There-
fore, local governments must develop their own controls, their own procedures,
and their own guidelines about what they want to see happen before any
impact is allowed to develop in their area, if they want to avoid having to
play a nearly hopeless game of catch up.
This handbook is about the process of community management and control.
While the following principles and techniques are valuable for a variety of
communities and situations, the approach is directed specifically at small
western towns and counties in energy rich areas that have not yet fallen
behind in preserving a quality living environment. For some it is already
late. Much time, patience, and hard work are required to mobilize citizens
and develop effective and comprehensive means by which to regulate growth.
This handbook is offered as a set of guidelines and tools which may enable
your community to influence the style and substance of future development
that national energy needs will almost inevitably cause to occur.
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NOTES
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2 Getting a Picture
of What Lies Ahead
If an energy facility is built near your town, do you know how many new people
will move into town? Will you need more policemen, firemen and doctors? How
much new housing is needed? Should your community build mobile homes or
single family houses? Will a new sewage treatment system be needed? How
many new school classrooms are needed? How much land is needed?
If you don't know the answers to these questions, you may find some by read-
ing on in this chapter.
There are many tasks that face any community that is anticipating growth.
The most important task is for the community to prepare itself to be in con-
trol if and when growth does occur. It must prepare itself before new people
actually enter the community. Growth will bring pressing demands and rapid
change. There will be expanded demands for existing services, as well as
demand for new services. Higher prices for land, houses and labor can be
expected. There will be a greater need for governmental action. New faces,
new ideas and new demands for public resources to support the expanding needs
and desires of a growing population will result.
In this handbook procedures are suggested that local governments and citizens
can use to manage growth impacts from large scale development. To effectively
handle the complex problems that a community will face, both local government
officials and citizens must understand the problems and issues. Local govern-
ment — city and county — will have major responsibilities to see that what
does occur is positive. But government cannot do the job alone. Widespread
citizen participation and support will be essential. The citizens' role is
vital to help make the crucial decisions that will guide the future of the
community. The citizens must understand the magnitude and complexity of
issues that face their local government officials in order to solve the
problems effectively. This is the way most smaller communities have accom-
plished tasks for years, only they've had years to meet the issues. Now they
will be faced with a great variety of issues in a relatively short time span.
The exercise in this chapter is a great way to get the point across in your
community that you may indeed face a sizable task.
THE NATURE OF ENERGY IMPACT
The population impact will be much greater than the actual employment at
the proposed facility. Workers will, in many cases, bring wives and children.
Additional employees (service workers) will be drawn to serve the needs of
the energy workers and their families. Thus, the total added population will
be much larger than the number employed at the facility.
Energy developments, both in the construction and operation phases, will
affect land use, housing supply and demand and public facilities. You can
expect that added government personnel will be required to serve the en-
larged population's needs for community services. It is likely that the
type and amount of land, housing, public facilities and personnel required
will differ between the two phases. Some facilities will be required by
both construction and operation workers and can, therefore, be of a permanent
nature. Others may be required solely to serve the needs of construction
workers.
Where major energy processing facilities, like a power plant, are involved,
the construction phase is the most difficult to accommodate because it
creates a large and rapid demand for facilities and services. The influx
of construction workers occurs very rapidly. The period during which the
construction employment winds down may be as rapid as the start-up period,
allowing little time, unless anticipated, to adjust to the new lower demand
for facilities and services. In most cases, construction requires more
workers than does the operation of facilities — coal and uranium mines being
the exceptions.
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The strategies used to provide the additional facilities, services and land
will vary with a community's goals and needs. The ultimate permanence of
the growth and the region's ability to sustain development will influence the
strategies. If it is expected that energy development will be the only new
basic employment, facilities must be closely tied to the life of the resource.
On the other hand, if it is reasonable to assume that the region has poten-
tial for attracting additional growth, then facilities should be designed
with a potential for conversion, and of a level of quality suitable for use
by a permanently growing community. These strategies will have to be developed
by each impacted area according to its own needs and circumstances.
To give you some idea of the meaning of growth to your community, we have
provided greatly simplified tables for you to use to make projections. By
completing these tables you will understand the general impacts of new
employment on your area. Bear in mind this exercise is an educational tool
that may give you an incentive to dig further into this handbook. It brings
examples directly into your situation. It is based on actual experience,
but it is not a precise tool for you to measure exact impacts. That will be
done later in the process.
Bear in mind that the companies that will be developing the energy resources
in your area have the best figures on how many construction and operation
workers you can expect. The companies might also be able to provide informa-
tion about their own worker characteristics (percent single and married,
average family size, income, skills and number expected to be hired locally)
and when they expect to reach certain levels of employment. Where the state
or federal governments require impact statements, this information should
be available from those reports.
In lieu of that information being available from the industry, or until it is,
we have researched reports and actual experiences for information for you to
get started. As a point of beginning, the data and procedures contained in
Tables 2-1 and 2-2 can be very useful. However, as specific information
becomes available, you will want to update the estimates.
We have also prepared a worksheet for you to use to determine what these new
people will require in the way of housing, land use, public facilities and
public employment. This follows as Table 2-3. Local figures or standards
should be substituted in the proper places when they are available. Other-
wise, use the figures furnished along with the tables.
Remember, these are guides; the actual situation will surely vary according
to the individual characteristics of your community. However, using the
tables will tell you something about what may develop. Even though not
totally precise, this may help you mobilize citizen interest and support to
do something other than to sit back and await the crunch. Work through the
tables and then decide if you should be concerned!
EMPLOYMENT/POPULATION PROJECTIONS
Tables 2-1 and 2-2 are worksheets for estimating employment and population
projections from various types of energy development activities. In develop-
ing these tables and the process, several assumptions have been made for
purposes of simplification:
• The community in question is isolated from larger urban areas. Larger
communiites in the area would attract workers away from smaller towns
due to available services and facilities. These larger communities
would also probably supply a larger portion of workers to the energy
project.
• All people employed in the construction and operation phases migrate
into the area. If local people are employed by the industry, their
current jobs will probably be filled by newcomers, so the gain in total
jobs and population will occur based on the industry jobs and those it
induces. It is assumed local unemployment is very low.
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• All newcomer workers will reside in the area. Some may choose to live
outside the immediate area; however, it is nearly impossible to estimate
how many may do this by choice, and how many may do so because of lack
of adequate housing, family ties, or other reasons. If the community is
located in close proximity to other cities, it is logical to assume that
fewer people will locate in a single community.
• Only a single energy industry will locate in the area. If more than one
industry does locate in the area at the same time, the calculations may
be done for each industry and the results totalled.
• A small energy facility will have the same ratio of employees to output
as will a larger facility of the same type. Larger industries may, because
of "economies of scale," employ fewer workers per unit of output than will
smaller facilities.
The first step in using the tables is to find out the projected output of
the proposed industry (i.e., tons of coal per year, megawatts of power,
barrels of oil per day, etc.). Next, refer to Table 2-1 to determine how
many employees can be expected per unit of output in each of the construction
and operation phases for the type of energy facility proposed in your area.1
Now, enter the projected output and the appropriate employee/output ratio
(from Table 2-1) in Table 2-2, Step 1. After you figure out the peak con-
struction and operation employees, complete the remaining steps in Table 2-2
and total the numbers at the end.
HOUSING, LAND USE, PUBLIC FACILITY AND EMPLOYEE IMPACTS
Do you know what your community will need if 1,000 people move into town?
Table 2-3 has been provided to allow you to determine land use, public
facility and employee impacts to your community — for the construction
phase and for the operations phase. This table is intended to define and
estimate the facility and employment needs for those facilities and services
which can be provided or influenced by governmental action. Facilities and
services usually supplied by the private sector have not been included. The
market place will provide the best indicator of these needs.
The table is based on standards and guidelines per 100 new residents. It is
assumed that if the land, facilities or employees required for an increase of
100 people is one unit, then the amount required for a population increase
of 1,000 people would be ten units. The actual relationship may be more
complex, because of a number of variables unique to each community. The
real need probably will not become proportionately greater as the population
increases. However, in this case, for guideline purposes, the straight-line
relationship provides a good basis for determining needs; despite its validity
in all cases, it provides a straightforward basis from which each community
can interpret its own needs.
As you work through Table 2-3, you will come up with fractional numbers for
facilities and employees (e.g., 0.2 community center, 6.4 classrooms, etc.).
Your own judgment should play a part in determining whether these fractional
numbers should be rounded off to the next higher or lower number. Obviously,
a community which only requires 0.2 of a community center does not have the
population necessary to support a full facility; in such a case, construction
of a new community center is probably unwarranted. A substitute may be found
by using school facilities or other existing public buildings for community
center purposes. A requirement for 6.4 classrooms should show that 6 class-
rooms might result in slight overcrowding of one or more classes; on the other
hand, 7 classrooms may not be warranted due to distribution of pupils through-
out the various grade levels.
Table 2-1 can be skipped if the company(ies) have actual estimates of the
number of construction and operational employees available. Use their
figures to plug into Table 2-2 rather than using the generalized figures
we supply in Table 2-1
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TABLE 2-1: ENERGY FACILITY/ .
EMPLOYMENT CHARACTERISTICS'
CONSTRUCTION OPERATION
ENERGY ACTIVITY PHASE PHASE
Coal-Strip Mining;
Peak employment per 1 million 2 3
tons/year output 17.5 66
Coal-Underground Mining:
Peak employment per 1 million ^ 3
tons/year output 138 345
Electric Power Plant:
(Coal fired, hydropower, nuclear)
Peak employment per 1000 mega-
watts capacity 1000 130
Oil Shale Mining and Processing;
Peak employment per 1000 barrels/
day output 33 18
Uranium Mining and Milling:
Peak employment per 100 tons
uranium concentrate produced/
day 13 22
Coal Gasification Plant:
Peak employment per million cu.
ft/day capacity 4.5 2.,4
These figures are estimates based on various actual experiences and may
vary among energy facilities.
Adopted from A Study of Social, Economic and Public Effects of Four Coal
Mines, Bickert, Browne and Coddington, 1976.
Projects to Expand Fuel Sources in Western States, Bureau of Mines, 1976.
A
Adopted from Baseline Environmental Report, Proposed, Long Canyon Coal Mine,
Dames and Moore, 1976.
Oil Shale and the Future of a Region, Colorado West Area Council of Govern-
ments, 1974.
Draft Environmental Statement, Bear Creek Project, Rocky Mountain Energy
Company,1976.
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PAGE NOT
AVAILABLE
DIGITALLY
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In many instances, it is not possible to express some of the requirements
in terms of square footage for a facility. Some area requirements vary so
widely, depending upon the community's existing standards and needs, that
local judgment again will have to enter into the picture. For example, the
size of fire station required will depend upon the type and number of fire
trucks to be garaged, and whether the fire department has full-time employ-
ees who sleep at the station or has volunteers who need no dormitory space.
The table is divided into impacts resulting from the construction and opera-
tion phases. The procedures are the same for both phases.
1. Divide the "total population added" by construction (from Table 2-2)
by 100 and put it into the left-hand column of Table 2-3 under the
construction phase.
2. Divide the "total population added" by operation (from Table 2-2) by
100 and put it into the column in Table 2-3 under the operation phase.
3. Multiply these numbers times the factors in both columns of the table
and enter the products in the appropriate blanks on the right.
4. After completing the table, you can total the land use and public
employee requirements.
5. Other land use, facilities and employee requirements that you feel
are important may be added into the table (e.g., courts, jails,
museums, airports, etc.) if you have standards to guide you.
SPECIAL NOTE ON HOUSING
The number of new housing units needed to accommodate the increased population
(of 100 persons) added by energy development and related services has been
estimated for both construction and operations phases as follows (see Table
2-3):
Construction Operations
Phase Phase
Permanent Housing Units (single-family
homes, duplexes, townhouse units,
apartments) 18 22.5
Temporary Housing Units (mobile homes) 10 6
Other (motel units, rental rooms, company
bunkhouses, etc.) 2 0.5
Total Units Needed 30 29
Average Number Persons/Unit 3.33 3.45
Note that, where peak population added in the construction phase exceeds the
peak population added in the operations phase by more that 25%, there will
be an excess of permanent housing units at the end of the construction phase
if permanent housing units are built at the ratio of 18 permanent units per
100 added population. When this is the case, a higher number of mobile homes
or modular units in the construction phase may be the answer because of the
speed with which housing will be needed.
For example, if added construction-related population is expected to be
5,010, and added operations-related population is expected to be 1,070,
only ?- Q X 22.5 or 241 permanent units should be planned for and built,
even though construction-worker preference would indicate a need for Jn X 18
or 902 permanent units. In this case, 1,162 mobile homes (902 - 241) + 5010
"
may be planned for.
OO 10
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'Jnless the community -ixpects a population increase which is not related to
rhe energy development, it will be unwise to provide permanent housing which
y:'7Z ie in excess cf that needed for permanent operations workers.
WHERE TO GO FROM HERE
As you can see from working these tables, a major new employer will have
tremendous impacts upon your community. The tables illustrate the general
impacts upon public facilities and employment, land use and housing. These
exercises are just the beginning. Hopefully, you will be able to use this
information on the scope of the problem to get other citizens and leaders
concerned and willing to help. Part II of the handbook will help you struc-
ture this participation. You will have to involve the community, identify
resources, further assess potential impacts in detail and create community
action programs to solve the complex problems that you face. Read on!
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NOTES
11
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s*«$5^'
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3 The Process
of Community Management
Historically, communities in the United States have developed as a result
of the independent investment decisions of large numbers of individuals.
Farmers and ranchers invest in agricultural land and create demands for
equipment and supplies. Small businessmen invest in centrally located
commercial space and inventories to supply farm needs. Large distributors
invest in warehouse space to buy and sell trade goods. Entrepreneurs invest
in production space to produce manufactured goods. As the demand for labor
grows, housing needs are created. Developers seek out and invest in land
suitable for residential development. Builders invest in labor and materials
for housing production. Families, with the support of mortgage lenders, in-
vest in residential land and housing. Investments in service industries are
stimulated. With commercial, industrial and residential development comes
the demand for various services to meet collective community needs. Invest-
ments follow in sanitary sewer systems, water lines, streets and roads, park
land, buildings to house police and fire equipment, and schools.
Sometimes the result of these uncoordinated decisions is the growth and dev-
elopment of an acceptable community. When it is, there is the added advantage
that a maximum degree of freedom of choice is achieved. Experience shows,
however, that the totally unmanaged approach works better in stable, slow
growth situations than it does under conditions of rapid growth. Similar
to a business which expands very fast, rapid growth creates vast needs
for investment capital. This capital must be provided for anticipated larger
capacity, but supplied and supported by the existing smaller sales (community)
base. Businesses may go bankrupt or be forced to merge as a result of overly
rapid expansion. On the other hand, communities can only exhaust their
resources and be forced to lower the quality of public and private services,
and consequently the overall quality of community life.
An added problem with rapid community growth is that inequities are likely
to be imposed on existing residents who are forced to become borrowers and
pay increased taxes to support the investments in utility extension, added
treatment plant capacities, street extensions, expanded public buildings,
new parks, and so on. Eventually, these costs may be shared by the larger
population, but not until some point in the future. The existing residents
also bear the risk that the larger population level will not be sustained
or in fact ever reached.
These conditions of rapid growth, with major risks and consequences for the
existing residents, support the argument for a greater degree of public in-
fluence and involvement than may be necessary under more stable conditions.
Where and how growth occurs, and who pays for the required facilities, become
vitally important issues to the existing residents. An active role is re-
quired for the protection of their interests, and for the assurance that the
overall quality of life does not deteriorate.
Admittedly, taking an active role in community management will require a con-
siderable effort by the community's citizens. The community's first concern
should be whether or not to make the investment in time and worry. Fortunate-
ly, this initial effort will not be expensive dollar-wise. The preceding
chapter in this handbook can be used to get a picture of what lies ahead with
all types of energy development activities. The exercise of projecting impacts
should be used to get an idea of what might occur with and without the com-
munity taking active steps to influence the outcome.
The following chapters in Parts II and III detail an approach for the community
which wishes to take an active role in seeing that its development is positive
and beneficial for its present citizens and future residents. What is pro-
posed is a process of community management. The basic elements are involv-
ing and informing the citizens to gain their support and to understand their
13
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interests and goals, achieving a measure of public control over impacts, and
managing the development which occurs to assure the citizens' goals are
advanced.
Getting the community informed and involved is the foundation of the community
management process. This is the subject of Part II of the handbook. Broad
citizen support must underlie and endorse the actions that will allow the
community to influence the shape of its future. In this phase of the process,
there are two main actors, the "initiators," and later, the Community Impact
Committee. The initiators may be local government officials or staff, the
chamber of commerce, advisory board members, or interested citizens in
general. Their role is to inform the community about the proposed develop-
ment project and stimulate interest in launching a community-wide effort to
manage potential impacts, and quickly to expand their base into the officially
selected Community Impact Committee, which then takes over the lead.
The Community Impact Committee is the major coordinating body for the citizens'
study and goal setting efforts. They are responsible for setting the direc-
tion of the involvement process, planning and conducting community meetings
which will be the primary means of exchanging information and keeping the
community interested, and guiding the formulation of recommended community
goals. As recognized leaders of the community's impact management effort,
Community Impact Committee members will continue in advisory roles when
local government undertakes the task of translating recommended goals into
viable programs which will effectively shape future growth according to the
community's stated concerns and desires.
This next stage of the impact management process is the subject of Part III
of the handbook. It is carried out by government staff and other experts
and is the crux of getting control over growth. After setting priorities
and determining responsibilities, the government, with the aid of Community
Impact Committee members and other involved citizens, needs to develop
specific standards, codes, and policies which will allow it to regulate any
future growth proposed to take place. By establishing, publicizing, and pre-
paring to enforce specific standards, the community is making known how it
wishes to see growth take place, and will be able to require developers to
conform to community standards in order to carry out their development plans.
Once standards have been established based on recommended goals, it is imper-
ative for the local government to follow management policies that will enable
it to keep growth from overwhelming existing facilities, service capacities,
finances, and current residents of the community. Less rigorous procedures
may have sufficed in the past. But under conditions of rapid growth, the
government must optimize its ability to plan land uses, facilities, services,
and financial programs which will best be able to meet the challenges of an
expanding population and perhaps new kinds of needs. Capital improvements
programming, for example, is a relatively sophisticated financial tool which
may not be necessary for small, stable communities. But in a rapid growth
situation, good capital improvements programming may be a key to an overall
management program which will enable the community to enjoy the benefits of
growth without sacrificing its quality of life.
Monitoring programs as you proceed and looking out for problems or new
opportunities are also fundamental for effective growth management. The
final and ongoing stage in the community management process is evaluation
of what has come before and what is occurring now, with the aim of changing
or updating current problems to meet new needs and requirements as they arise.
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TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
IPlease read Instructions on the reverse before completing
, REPORT NO.
EPA-908/4-78-005a
2.
. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
Action Handbook: Managing Growth in the Small
Community — Part I - Getting a Picture of What's Ahead
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
5. REPORT DATE
July 1978
7. AUTHOR(S)
James A. Murray
William Lament, Jr.
8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO,
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
Briscoe, Maphis, Murray & Lamont, Inc.
2336 Pearl Street
Boulder, CO 80302
10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
EPA 68-01-3579
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
Office of Energy
U.S. EPA, Region VIII
1860 Lincoln Street
Denver, CO 80203
13. TVPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Final
14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
The Action Handbook consists of three parts which are designed to be used together.
Parts I, II, and III should not be ordered or issued separately.
16. ABSTRACT
The Action Handbook is designed to be a detailed "how to manage" manual for small
communities undergoing or facing the prospect of accelerated growth. The recom-
mendations and prescriptions may be of particular interest to small Rocky Mountain
communities facing rapid growth due to the surge in energy development activities.
However, the authors consider the material valid for a much broader range of com-
munities in terms of both size and of the causes of growth.
The handbook is divided into three parts for the reader's convenience. Part I is
intended to give an overview of the community management process and to assist the
user in estimating how development of a certain type might affect the community's
needs for various public services, such as police officers, sewage treatment capa-
city, park land, etc. This part should be of interest to all those who wish to
understand potential community impact, and especially those who would initiate
community management and organization. Part II deals with approaches to getting
the community involved and organized. It suggests a working model for the community
organizers. Part III focuses on community action and growth management. This part
will be of greatest interest to those closely involved in making government work
to manage growth.
17.
KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
DESCRIPTORS
b.IDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS
COSATi Held/Group
Energy Impacts
Growth Management
Community Management
Socio-Economic Impacts
Rural Communities
18. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
Release unlimited
19. SECURITY CLASS (This Report)
Unclassified
21. NO. OF PAGES
24
20. SECURITY CLASS (This page)
Unclassified
22. PfllCE
EPA Form 2220-1 (R«v. 4-77) PREVIOUS EDITION is OBSOLETE
5. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1978-778-186/382 Reg. 8
15
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