HomeMy WebLinkAboutWORK SESSION SUMMARY-02/09/2021-Work Session (2)
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Utilities
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PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580
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utilities@fcgov.com
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M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: February 12, 2020
TO: Mayor Troxell and City Councilmembers
THRU: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Jacqueline Kozak Thiel, Chief Sustainability Officer
Theresa Connor, Interim Utilities Executive Director
FROM: John Phelan, Energy Services Senior Manager
Molly Saylor, Senior Sustainability Specialist
RE: February 9, 2021 Work Session Summary: Our Climate Future Planning Update
Councilmembers present: Troxell, Summers, Gorgol, Cunniff, Pignataro, Gutowsky, Potyondy
Topic Summary
Staff summarized the Our Climate Future draft plan and sought feedback from Council regarding the
proposed implementation approach, review cycle, revised energy and waste goals and the draft plan.
Staff also asked for feedback on the scope of the Our Climate Future 2021/22 Tactical Plan.
The draft Our Climate Future plan presented the equity-centered approach to planning and
implementation, proposed new goals for energy and waste, progress on all goals to date, a critical path
of strategies required to accomplish the goals by 2030 and a flexible portfolio of additional strategies
that moves Fort Collins further toward the goals. The flexible portfolio and an evergreen update cadence
are intended to allow the community to continue refining a path that intensifies our commitment to
achieving Fort Collins’ 2030 goals while being responsive to rapidly evolving market conditions,
partnerships, and action at other levels of government.
Councilmembers generally expressed:
x Support for the accessible and inviting style of the draft plan
x Support for the plan’s efforts towards centering equity, leading with race, with some questions
about how the plan balances equity with being relatable for everyone
x Support for the community engagement model, including an ambassador approach and for the
focus on shared leadership for implementation
Additional Councilmember comments included:
x Consider broader acknowledgement of community partners and stakeholders who have
contributed to these policies
x Concerns about changing the waste goal and that the City should retain a zero waste goal/100%
diversion target
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x Interest in emphasizing the commitment to greenhouse gas mitigation and the continued urgency
in achieving the City’s climate goals
x Interest in seeing specific strategies that were developed based upon engagement with BIPOC
and historically underrepresented group stakeholders
x Interest in exploring interim goals for climate action
x Appreciation for the neighborhood focus on sharing
x Interest in emphasizing the Healthy Local Economy and Jobs Big Move and to specifically
highlight circular and climate economy principles and innovation
x Improve recognition of the critical role of water resources and use
x Improve recognition of regional efforts and partners (e.g. Platte River Power Authority, Regional
Wasteshed, regional transportation and transit)
x Improve descriptions of metrics and accountability for ongoing implementation, including equity
indicators
x Expand the level of detail for a Next Move exploring additional strategies to reduce Industrial
Process and Product Use emissions
Next steps
x Staff will be revising the Our Climate Future Plan to capture the feedback from Council
including an executive summary, acknowledgements section and a comprehensive review of the
document. These revisions will highlight systems approaches; the urgency of climate action and
Fort Collins’ history of climate, waste, and energy work; retaining the existing zero waste goal;
commitment to taking action on ambitious goals; equity and accountability; recognizing more
partners; and shared leadership across the local and regional economy.
x Staff will be finalizing the Our Climate Future 2021/22 Tactical Plan to be shared with Council
via memo in advance of the Council materials for March 16. This memo will also reference
specific strategies which are included based upon engagement with BIPOC and historically
underrepresented group stakeholders.