Luray Goes Green

1. Luray Goes Green Reduce - Reuse - Recycle

2. Town Offices • Information of our greening efforts are distributed via the Town website and our local cable information channel 15 • Doing away with Triplicate Forms • Moving towards half-page and possible quarter-page receipt printing to conserve paper • Using double-sided copies whenever possible • Using energy-efficient light bulbs throughout building • Looking at creating paperless Council meetings via use of laptops and CD’s

3. Town Offices cont. • Recycling paper, aluminum cans and plastics • Promoting the use of reusable shopping bags to reduce dependence on plastics and paper. This is a community partnership program • “Green is Good” magnetic decals on all Town vehicles as a reminder to all citizens to do their part • Participation with the Page County Transit Program for bus travel

4. Town Offices cont. • Community Development Block Grant restoring 32 downtown building facades with associated landscaping • Train Depot restoration will utilize pervious pavers and parking surfaces to enhance absorption and reduce run-off • Implementation of Landscaping and Lighting requirements for the Town to reduce light, run-off, and noise pollution

5. Public Works • Using mechanical versus chemical means of control for weeds and brush wherever possible • Daily trash pickup around town to reduce environmental contamination and animal/human hazards • Looking to establish a Town-wide Recycling Program (see handout) • Reuse of our sidewalk replacement material to aid in stream bank stabilization

6. Public Works cont. • Mow our grass at a taller height to reduce number of mowings per year, and provide a healthier grass environment • The reuse of asphalt millings on various projects • Recycling Christmas trees to provide mulch to the citizens

7. Recreation • Development of riparian areas to enhance wildlife habitat and reduce maintenance (mowers, gasoline, etc.) • Development of the Greenway Trail System with it’s associated plantings; a healthy and safe environment for citizens to walk and exercise (see handout) • What was once an overgrown, unsightly corridor, has now been transformed into a beautiful well kept linear park which runs along Hawksbill Creek and through our downtown areas. This trail corridor also is the first thing you see coming into Luray. It gives visitors a first impression of vitality and liveliness • Creation of walking and bicycling trail along Greenway for multi-modal access. • Many other localities have toured our trail to gather information with the intent of developing a trail like ours in their own town

8. Recreation cont. • Luray Tree and Beautification Committee projects for planters, trash receptacles, murals and flowers, shrubs, and trees downtown • Mural paintings as an aesthetic enhancement of the urban landscape • Plantings that help shade the Hawksbill Creek to cool the water and provide a healthier environment for trout • Youth Trout Day Fishing Activities each year along Hawksbill, now a class A Trout stream • Concerts on Main Street Ruffner Plaza and at the Inn Lawn Park to promote outdoor activities

9. Prestigious Growth Award • 5 years running • Tree City USA • 8 years running

10. Recreation Cont. • Stream monitoring program with Luray High School Science Class • Stream bank stabilization projects throughout Town Corporate Limits • Extension of the Greenway Phase 4 to include stream bank protection, a pedestrian footbridge across the Hawksbill Creek, and coordination with VA DOF for plantings • A rain garden is also planned adjacent to the parking area to filter runoff prior to reaching to creek • Several areas have been adopted by local groups as part of the Adopt A Stream Program

11. Recreation cont. • Eagle Scout project along the stream for handicapped accessible fishing and observation deck • Plans to create an outdoor classroom along the Greenway • VA DOF Grant to develop fish habitat structures • DCR Grant to construct full-service restrooms and shelters along the Greenway • More than 350 acres of award-winning parklands – a huge number per capita! • Continued Expansion of the Recreational Park • Lake Arrowhead recreational facilities with fishing

12. Water • Building a new microfiltration/pressure membrane water filtration plant to provide drinking water for the Town’s citizens • Moving toward an automated chemical feed system to reduce the total chemical usage by the plant • The automated plant system and the associated 2 million gallon clear well tank will allow the plant to operate only when water is needed rather than 24 hours a day • Purchase of adjacent property around our springs and water sources for source-water protection under the VDH guidelines

13. Wastewater • Upgrading the wastewater treatment plant to comply with enhanced nitrogen and phosphorous removal per the Chesapeake Bay Act • Completing Infiltration and Inflow to reduce the amount of effluent treatment by the town, and to reduce seepage of wastewater into the surrounding ground • We recycle biosolids through land application of solids at an agronomic rate. This program improves soil tilth while reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. It is more cost effective for the taxpayer than landfilling, and does not use up valuable landfill space • Christmas Trees, leaves and other yard wastes are composted at the plant. The composted material is a good soil amendment, and decreases the waste stream to the landfill. Composting also decreases the amount of open burning, which pollutes the air • The wastewater treatment plant uses ultraviolet light for effluent disinfection, instead of toxic chemicals which reduces risk to the environment and personnel

14. Luray Downtown Initiative • Hanging flower baskets in the downtown corridor • Have switched many Christmas lights to low wattage • Installed several kiosks throughout the downtown area that feature informational brochures • Benches and planters at various downtown locations