Agenda Date: 04/23/2024
Subject:
Title
Environmental Stewardship Action Plan
Body
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From: |
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager |
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Prepared by: |
Elizabeth Watts, Management Fellow |
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Presentations: |
Environmental Stewardship Board |
PURPOSE:
The Environmental Stewardship Board (ESB) was tasked by council in 2023 with drafting an Environmental Stewardship Action Plan, and the board is presenting those suggestions to council this evening.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
Sustainable Community with Natural Beauty
DISCUSSION:
The ESB’s Environmental Stewardship Action Plan highlights existing initiatives, quick wins, and long-term efforts in environmental categories of air quality/emissions, the built environment, consumption and waste diversion, the natural environment, water, and community. The board deliberately chose to provide council with this format of the plan to encourage readability and ensure any reader is able to quickly look through the document and effortlessly parse out recommendations. The Plan lists a total of 89 actions and highlights nine (9) priorities listed below:
• Complete a GHG inventory and create a climate action plan
• Hire a sustainability coordinator
• Allow the ESB to act as an accountability body for the city’s relationship with South Suburban Parks and Recreation Department
• Educate and inform the public about environmental efforts
• Get people out of cars
• Electrify the built environment, transportation, and lawn and garden equipment
• Incentivize water conservation
• Provide every building with recycling and composting options
• Implement community-supported agriculture (e.g., at the Littleton Museum)
Selecting these nine priorities was a difficult task for the board because each of the recommendations in the Plan have been included because the board finds them critical and worthwhile. With that said, the priority areas seek to represent a range of impactful actions the board is recommending.
The recommended plan was compiled by the members of the ESB, without substantive input from city staff. Assuming direction from the city council to do so, staff will review the plan and report back to the council on June 4, 2024, with recommendations on compatibility with ongoing efforts and potential timelines for implantation of the ESB’s plan.
BACKGROUND:
Environmental stewardship has been a priority for council over the years with the creation of the Environmental Stewardship Board being the culmination of many informed discussions. The 2018 Envision Littleton plan identified environmental stewardship as essential to the character and livability of a community and provided a brief introduction into the importance of this topic for the city. In 2021, council heard a presentation from the public works director on the status of stewardship in Littleton and suggestions on potential future actions. Another Littleton advisory committee, Next Generation Advisory Board, proposed a renewed commitment to stewardship in 2022. At the end of that year, council voted to formally convene the Environmental Stewardship Board and tasked that board with developing an action plan that is being presented to council tonight.
Prior Actions or Discussions
9/14/2021: Council study session to discuss environmental stewardship and memo from Public Works
2/11/2022: Council retreat expanding discussion on environmental stewardship
8/16/2022: Next Generation Advisory Board recommendation to council
12/20/2022: Council adopted resolution 87 creating the Environmental Stewardship Board
08/22/2023: Environmental Stewardship Board study session update to council
FISCAL IMPACTS:
At this time, there are no fiscal impacts of reviewing suggestions from this Action Plan; however, many suggestions will require either reallocation of existing resources or additional resources to deliver. At this time there are no cost or resource estimates associated with each recommendation.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommend that council deliberate and provide direction on next steps for the Action Plan and the ESB.
ALTERNATIVES:
N/A