In an effort to establish a sustainability plan to guide the county toward a more sustainable future, EnSite assisted Lee County to assess current sustainability measures in a full scope of categories and identify opportunities for the long-term responsible growth and health of the community’s society, economy and environment. This work established a baseline that will allow the County to compare itself to other regions and make educated decisions for the future to benefit the greatest number of stakeholders.

The Assessment is a three-pronged approach that 1) identified goals that would be relevant in measuring sustainability in any community to ensure they could compare Lee County to others, 2) created opportunities to get the public involved, and 3) made the assessment interactive and user-friendly. The intent of the interactive design is to lay the groundwork for the future development of a sustainability plan website.

The involvement and participation of the community at large is key. By expanding our understanding of sustainability, we can bring about synergies to secure the county’s economic future while protecting natural resources and improving the quality of life. Lee County will be at the forefront in promoting sustainability and providing the necessary leadership for the future success of our community.