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Central to the economic vitality of small communities such as Louisville are the businesses that <br />attract quality jobs and provide tax revenue for the services citizens rely upon. Vacant <br />commercial lots and buildings provide an opportunity to reimagine land use and development. <br />Louisville has the opportunity to position itself as a collaborative, forward thinking community <br />that partners with developers to generate creative solutions to attract and retain businesses, as <br />well as solve issues such as inclusive housing, all in an environmentally sustainable way. <br />Closely connected to economic vitality is environmental sustainability. Consumers are becoming <br />increasingly aware of the environmental impact of the goods and services they purchase. <br />Additionally, both privately funded and publicly traded businesses are being asked to disclose <br />their environmental impacts to investors and consumers. Louisville has the opportunity to <br />reimagine how we attract and retain environmentally responsible businesses through incentives <br />and updated building codes, resulting in a mutually beneficial outcome for both the community <br />and the businesses themselves. <br />b. Ward 3 and what strategies do you believe will be most effective in addressing them? <br />In addition to the three issues highlighted above in section 2a, I believe important issues facing <br />Ward III include: <br />• School safety; <br />• Open space and trails; <br />• Historic preservation. <br />Ward III contains a large geography consisting of many parks, large areas of open space, and <br />numerous schools. Additionally, Ward III contains a section of Old Town that is eligible for <br />historic preservation funds. <br />I believe Ward III specifically relies on their council members to ensure policies and decisions <br />reflect the need for safe, multimodal transportation routes to schools and businesses. <br />Specifically, there is a continued need for trail systems and bike lanes that encourage <br />environmentally conscious school transportation options such as walking and biking. Safe, <br />well -maintained trail systems and crosswalks are key to encouraging citizens to choose <br />environmentally responsible modes of transportation as much as possible. <br />This approach to school safety also dovetails with the need to protect and potentially expand <br />our open space and trail systems. Open space in Ward III is an intrinsic part of the charm of <br />Louisville, with children playing in the creek during the summer and bikers, walkers, and runners <br />making extensive use of the trail system. The open space and trails in Ward III encourage and <br />reinforce healthy lifestyles for Louisville residents and should be preserved. <br />Ward III contains a section of Old Town eligible for historic preservation funds. For many <br />residents, the historic charm of Louisville was one of the reasons they chose to move to the <br />community, but the cost of updating an old structure can be prohibitive. Therefore, education <br />about the funds available to current and future residents is paramount to the successful <br />preservation of Louisville history. In other communities, the historic preservation committee <br />(HPC) may be viewed as a roadblock to modernization which can deter residents from even <br />7 <br />