3.
City Council Combined Special Meeting/Work Session - AMENDED
- Meeting Date:
- 03/23/2021
- From:
- Dylan Lenzen, Sustainability Specialist
- Department:
Co-Submitter:
TITLE:
Sustainability Commission Updates
DESIRED OUTCOME:
This is an informational update to Mayor and Council on the current and future work program of the Sustainability Commission.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Sustainability Commission was established in 2007 for the purpose of advising and supporting the work of the Sustainability Section. In recent years this work has included administering the Neighborhood Sustainability Grant Program, supporting the Climate Emergency Declaration process, providing feedback on various City plans, programs, and budget related to sustainability, and collaborating with other City Commissions.
INFORMATION:
Current Work Program:
Over the past two years, the Commission’s Neighborhood Sustainability Grant Program has distributed $41,895 to 26 different community projects. These projects include objectives related to climate action, sustainable food systems, community resilience, waste prevention and recycling, and water conservation. Additionally, through a Commission Working Group, the grant application and review process have been updated to be able to handle increased funding and demand, as well as provide support to applicants.
Additionally, the Sustainability Commission provides feedback to various City plans, programming, and policy. An example of this is the recent Climate Emergency Declaration. Since the resolution was adopted in Summer 2020, the Commission has received monthly updates and opportunities to weigh in on the Climate Neutrality and corresponding community engagement efforts. The Commission also regularly forms working groups to take action on specific items. For example, a working group was recently formed to provide feedback on the proposed FY21-22 budget requests related to climate action.
Future Work Program:
In the near future, the Sustainability Commission plans to undertake an exercise to develop a mission and vision to guide its work. With multiple new commissioners this exercise will help the reassess its focus and guide the future work program. It will also ensure that it is taking a strategic approach for supporting the Sustainability Section, City Council, and the community within the confines of its original ordinance.
Additionally, the Commission would like to work more closely with other City Commissions. An example of this work can be found in its recent partnership with the Beautification and Public Art Commission (BPAC). With input and participation from Sustainability Commissioners, BPAC plans to fund an art project featured on Mountain Line buses with a theme climate change and hope. The Commission hopes that this will be the start of future partnerships with BPAC and other commissions.