Green schools, LED light fixtures, electric car plug-ins—the City of Dearborn has done a lot to go green.

On Tuesday night at Dearborn City Hall, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments formally recognized those efforts by honoring Dearborn with the Sustainable Community Recognition Program Award.

SEMCOG Deputy Director Kathleen Lomako thanked Dearborn for their efforts.

"For a region to be sustainable, it’s really about the building block of local governments and local government actions," she said. "This award is a testimony both to strong elected leadership as well as strong commitment of your staff."

Through its Sustainable Community Recognition Program, SEMCOG recognizes member communities that have taken initiative to incorporate sustainable activities into their practices. For local governments, sustainability is about achieving economic prosperity while protecting the environment and providing a high quality of life for residents.

According to SEMCOG, the City of Dearborn has completed many of the recognition program’s eligible activities, including:

• Developing a neighborhood stabilization program to maintain attractive, viable neighborhoods and address abandoned and foreclosed properties
• Implementing a tree planting program to replace diseased trees
• Developing a stormwater pollution prevention initiative
• Developing a community transit coordination plan by implementing a Complete Streets policy
• Developing an access management plan for Ford Road with the cities of Westland, Garden City, and Dearborn Heights
• Using SEMCOG data in their planning efforts
• Using citizen surveys to assess services, improve performance, and build public trust
• Adopting a multi-year budget

Dearborn joins multiple SEMCOG member cities that have also received the Sustainable Community Recognition Program Award: Auburn Hills, Novi, Farmington Hills, Westland, St. Clair County, Howell, and Green Oak Township.