Agenda Date: 05/26/2026
Subject:
Title
Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment
Body
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From: |
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager |
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Prepared by: |
Brent Soderlin, Director of Public Works & Utilities |
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Laura Rosenbaum, Sustainability Coordinator |
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Presentations: |
Austin Guimond, Water Analyst, The Brendle Group |
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Shelby Sommer, Senior Director of Planning & Engagement, The Brendle Group |
PURPOSE:
In progress since February 2026, the City of Littleton launched a Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA). The CRVA will help the city better understand how changing weather patterns could affect the community now and in the future. The study session will show a preview of the analysis methodology, project tasks, and community engagement approach. Furthermore, it will provide a deeper understanding of the CRVA process and the context behind future recommendations.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
Sustainable Community with Natural Beauty; Safe Community
DISCUSSION:
Littleton faces a range of climate-related risks, including extreme heat, wildfire, flooding, drought, severe storms, and extreme wind/tornadoes. Most of these identified risks are rated moderate to high and expected to worsen due to climate change. Key vulnerabilities include an aging population, people with disabilities, and lower-income residents, who face greater health, evacuation, and recovery challenges. Infrastructure risks are significant, especially to water supply (largely controlled externally), utilities, transportation, and aging stormwater systems. Extreme heat and drought are rising fastest, with heat waves projected to increase sharply and long-term water shortages likely. Existing City and regional plans provide relevant data and strategies, but gaps remain, particularly a coordinated, city-wide response plan for hazards like extreme heat. A summary of data, resources, policies, and plans has been attached to this memo for further reference.
This project will identify which community facilities and public services may be most at risk. The city will review existing data, create detailed maps, and explore how climate hazards could impact roads, water systems, emergency services, and more. This assessment is a report and one step of a much larger climate resilience effort. While specific recommendations will not emerge from this process, the qualitative and quantitative assessments completed as part of this project will help guide future decisions, including where to prioritize funding for climate hazards.
As part of the study session, staff and consultants will ask City Council to consider the following questions: Do you see any other climate risks that we need to be considering? Are there any other major assets or systems that need to be included in the analysis? What would successful public engagement in this process look like to you? At the end of the presentation, these questions will be posed to City Council so that the project has council direction.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Littleton has completed a community-wide and local government operations greenhouse gas (“GHG”) inventory, and this comprehensive assessment will serve as a strategic framework to enhance resilience, develop adaptation plans, center environmental equity, and integrate sustainability goals into City operations and community planning. Littleton is prioritizing a CRVA to ensure resilience is integrated city-wide and to ensure the incorporation of community-based organizations (“CBOs”), nonprofits, and private partners. A comprehensive vision will help the community prepare and set the City on a path to identify opportunities and challenges, and to address them efficiently and effectively.
At a high level, a CRVA helps the City to understand exposure. What is the community’s ability to cope with climate change? Furthermore, it assesses vulnerability and risk. Who and what are most susceptible to climate hazards? Through answering these broad questions with both granular data and community-input, the City and its people will be better prepared to respond and adapt to climate hazards specific to Littleton.
Prior Actions or Discussions
April 23, 2024 - City Council study session, ESB presented their finalized Environmental Stewardship Action Plan.
June 4, 2024 - City Council study session, council supported and endorsed the Horizon 2027 Strategic Plan, which includes implementing ESB’s Environmental Stewardship Action Plan. One of the highest priorities in the plan is to “educate and inform the public about environmental efforts.” That priority is a primary objective of the CRVA. The following sub-items in the plan directly relate to today’s study session: 2.3.3, 4.3.7, 5.1.1, 5.1.2, 5.3.3, and 5.3.4. The Environmental Stewardship Action Plan is attached for reference.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES:
N/A