MEMO TO: Members of the City Council
FROM: Mayor Angela Birney
SUBJECT:
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Draft Environmental Sustainability Action Plan - Review Community Feedback
I. RECOMMENDED ACTION
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Receive information on community feedback and proposed changes to the draft Environmental Sustainability Action Plan from the Online Open House, with an opportunity to ask any additional questions on the proposed Plan.
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II. DEPARTMENT CONTACTS
Maxine Whattam, Chief Operating Officer 425-556-2310
Dave Juarez, Public Works Director 425-556-2733
Amanda Balzer, LG, Science and Data Analytics Section Supervisor 425-556-2753
Jenny Lybeck, Environmental Sustainability Program Manager 425-556-2121
III. DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND
Background
The Environmental Sustainability Action Plan (ESAP or Plan) creates a 30-year roadmap for Redmond’s environmental sustainability work. It was developed through robust stakeholder engagement and builds on the 2014 Climate Action Implementation Plan and Environmental Initiative of the Community Strategic Plan, as well as integrates best practices from climate and sustainability planning documents. The Plan also aligns with the updated King County-Cities Climate Collaboration (K4C) Letter of Joint Commitments signed by the Mayor on May 19, 2020.
The draft ESAP (Attachment A) was presented to Council at the July 14, 2020, Study Session. During that meeting, staff and the City’s technical consultant reviewed the Plan’s key strategies and actions, the monitoring and reporting framework, and the approach to Plan implementation. The July 14, 2020, Study Session staff memo and presentation are included as Attachment B for reference. Councilmembers posed several questions, and Council requested a second Study Session to review the Online Open House feedback and the associated proposed changes to the draft Plan.
Online Open House
After a 10-month stakeholder process to inform the development of the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan, the City launched its Online Open House from July 1 - 31, 2020. This platform allowed the City to solicit feedback on the draft Plan by creating a virtual forum for community members to comment on key elements of the Plan, ask questions, and provide suggestions.
City staff provided informational presentations at OneRedmond, Master Builders Association of Seattle and King County, People for Climate Action, and Redmond Youth Partnership Advisory Committee (RYPAC) meetings to increase awareness of the Plan and promote the use of the Online Open House. More than 360 users visited the site, collectively providing more than 285 comments to inform the final draft Plan and implementation efforts. At the August 11 Study Session, staff will highlight Online Open House comment themes and the recommended changes to the draft Plan as a result of community feedback (Attachment C).
Councilmembers asked a number of questions at the July 14, 2020, Study Session. The Issues Matrix included as Attachment D provides the responses to these questions. Council will have an opportunity at the August 11 Study Session to ask any additional questions about the Plan. Changes proposed by community members and feedback received from Council will be integrated into the final Plan, which staff recommends bringing to Council on September 15, 2020, for adoption.
Next Steps
• Council Adoption of Final Plan: September 15, 2020
IV. PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS HELD
|
Date |
Action/Committee Presentation |
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09/10/2019 |
Planning and Public Works Committee of the Whole |
|
09/17/2019 |
Approve Consultant Agreement No. 9252 |
|
11/19/2019 |
Staff Report |
|
12/10/2019 |
Council Study Session |
|
03/10/2020 |
Planning and Public Works Committee of the Whole |
|
04/14/2020 |
Planning and Public Works Committee of the Whole |
|
06/02/2020 |
Council Staff Report |
|
07/14/2020 |
Council Study Session |
V. IMPACT
A. Service/Delivery:
The Environmental Sustainability Action Plan will create a roadmap to meet regional and Redmond’s climate and sustainability targets and advance the strategies outlined within the Community Strategic Plan Environmental Initiative.
B. Fiscal Note:
$526,284 was included in the 2019-2020 biennial budget for the City’s Environmental Sustainability Program. This funding was used to hire a consultant that assisted the City in developing the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan and to hire an Environmental Sustainability Program Manager. Costs to implement the Plan will be dependent on future budget actions.
VI. ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
This is an informational briefing to solicit Council feedback on the proposed changes to the draft Plan.
VII. TIME CONSTRAINTS
Council review and adoption of the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan will set the stage for Council discussions of an environmental budget offer for the proposed 2021-2022 biennial budget, which will guide next steps in implementing near-term actions in the Plan.
VIII. LIST OF ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Draft Environmental Sustainability Action Plan and Appendices
Attachment B: July 14, 2020, Study Session Memo and Staff Presentation
Attachment C: Matrix of Public Comments and Proposed Changes to Draft Plan
Attachment D: Council Issues Matrix