HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 11/24/2020 - OUR CLIMATE FUTURE PLANNING UPDATEDATE:
STAFF:
November 24, 2020
John Phelan, Energy Services Manager
Jackie Kozak-Thiel, Chief Sustainability Officer
Molly Saylor, Senior Sustainability Specialist
Jensen Morgan, Senior Sustainability Specialist
WORK SESSION ITEM
City Council
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Our Climate Future Planning Update.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this work session is to provide an update to City Council on Our Climat e Future planning process
and seek feedback on next steps towards Council consideration in early 2021.
Our Climate Future (OCF) is the project coordinating updates to the Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy, and
Road to Zero Waste Plan. Fort Collins has been a national leader for environmental action with the adoption of
ambitious climate, energy, and waste goals for over 20 years. Significant gains have been made in each of these
areas with primary climate and energy goals on track to achieve 2020 interim milestones. At the same time,
efforts will need to quickly scale up to reach the 2030 goals.
Our Climate Future has proceeded with an intentionally different approach to updating planning documents. The
integration of updating three plans in one process acknowledges the interconnections between waste, energy,
and climate and identifies opportunities for connected solutions. Centering the planning process and strategies in
community-defined priorities will result in increased buy -in to meet goals while simultaneously positively impacting
other Fort Collins priorities.
Staff have consolidated the major strategy ideas gathered from community, consultant and staff input into fifteen
Big Moves that describe in plain and accessible language the outcomes which w ill lead to the achievement of Fort
Collins climate, energy and waste goals while simultaneously positively impacting other community priorities.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
Does Council have any feedback on Big Moves, the process ahead to Council Action, and the integration of the
three plans?
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
Our Climate Future (OCF) is the project coordinating updates to the Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy, and
Road to Zero Waste Plan.
Past Council Action
• Funding
o $120,000 from General and Enterprise Funds, appropriated for 2019 and 2020. Scaled to $60,000
due to COVID-19-related budget adjustments.
• Work Session July 23, 2019
o Council provided direction and feedback for community engagement efforts and over all planning
processes for the updates to the Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy, and Road to Zero Waste Plans,
as funded through the 2019-2020 budget (Attachment 1).
November 24, 2020 Page 2
Background
Fort Collins has been a national leader for environmental action with the ado ption of ambitious climate, energy,
and waste goals for over 20 years. At the time they were adopted, the climate action goals were some of the most
ambitious in the nation and more cities have since followed the path that Fort Collins blazed. These goals are
grounded in Fort Collins’ decades-long commitment to community environmental priorities and local action for
climate, waste and energy efforts.
In 2013, Council adopted community waste goals through the Road to Zero Waste of:
• 75% waste diversion by 2020; and
• Zero waste by 2030.
In 2015, Council unanimously adopted updated community greenhouse gas goals through the Climate Action
Plan Framework of:
• 20% below 2005 levels by 2020;
• 80% below 2005 by 2030, and
• Carbon neutrality by the year 2050.
In 2015, Council adopted a range of energy goals through the Energy Policy, including:
• Achieving increasing annual efficiency targets up to 2.5% of community use;
• 20% renewable electricity by 2020, with 2% coming from local sources;
• Related reliability, demand flexibility and carbon goals, and
• In 2018, Council set a goal of reaching 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
Significant gains have been made (Attachments 2 and 3) in each of these areas with primary climate and energy
goals on track to achieve the 2020 interim milestones. However, our zero waste goals are not on track due to
recycling market shifts and other challenges. Efforts will need to quickly scale up to reach the 2030 goals. Details
on existing efforts are outlined in the Our Climate Future Existing Conditions document (Attachment 4) and link
(https://ourcity.fcgov.com/3636/widgets/11586/documents/12238)
Our Climate Future - A Different Approach to Planning
Our Climate Future has proceeded with an intentionally different approach to updating planning documents. In
addition, the scope was expanded to ensure the incorporation of resilience and equity to the long-standing focus
on carbon mitigation. This change in approach and scope address two primary factors which will position the Fort
Collins community to succeed over the next decade:
1. The integration of updating three plans in one process acknowledges the interconnections between waste,
energy and climate and identifies opportunities for connected solutions. Historically, climate, energy , and
waste plans have been created and updated separately, reinforcing a siloed approach. By updating these
plans in concert, the City recognizes that these three areas of work are close ly linked.
2. Centering the planning process and strategies in community -defined priorities will result in increased buy -in
to meet goals while simultaneously positively impacting other Fort Collins priorities because the specific
actions necessary are aligned with what is important to residents in their daily lives.
Our Climate Future’s approach builds upon the successes and lessons learned from City Plan and a targeted
effort to reimagine community engagement, including the structure of collaborating with Plan Ambassadors and
Community Partners.
In general, past environmental planning efforts have focused first on technical solutions, with additional positive
impacts characterized as extra or co-benefits. While technical solutions remain important, Our Climate Future and
other leading cities across the country are beginning to put the community at the center of planning efforts to
identify strategies that meet community goals while advancing community priorities. By first taking the time to
define broad community priorities for sustainability and then selecting strategies that resonate with these priorities
and daily lived experience of community members, new opportunities are created for partnership, leaders, and
November 24, 2020 Page 3
perspectives. With these new leaders and partners co-owning community strategies, Fort Collins can rapidly
increase the scale of what is possible in the next ten years and beyond climate, energ y, and waste results.
Centering Equity, Leading with Race
Residents, City Council, and staff are increasingly recognizing that current and past inequities result in varying
experiences for community members in Fort Collins. OCF is the first planning process to incorporate the City’s
strategic objective 1.4 to advance equity for all, leading with race s o that a person’s identity or identities is not a
predictor of outcomes and also aligned with the Council’s adopted priority on Equity and Inclusion. With the intent
to center equity in both the planning process and outcomes, everyone in Fort Collins can b enefit from achieving
these community goals. OCF leads with race because in the United States it is the most pervasive form of
inequity and can help address inequities that may be associated with other identities. Centering in equity means:
• Supporting Council’s adopted priority of Reimagining Engagement to bring more people into the process;
• Elevating historically underrepresented voices and recognizing the leadership, knowledge, and skills they
bring to planning and implementation, and
• Developing and prioritizing strategies using an equity lens as part of a triple bottom line approach.
This planning effort acknowledges climate change is not simply a technical problem to solve, but an issue deeply
rooted in human systems which have historically produced sign ificant disparities for people of color, low-income
households, and other historically underrepresented groups. These inequities are exacerbated by climate change,
where these same communities are more vulnerable to climate change impacts. Local government s can prioritize
actions that simultaneously address equity, reduce emissions, and enhance community resilience - leading to
better outcomes for all. Fort Collins is also participating with ten other U.S. cities through the Urban Sustainability
Directors Network (USDN) to transform the way local governments approach climate planning, engage
underrepresented groups and develop more equitable strategies that work for all community members.
Reimagining Community Engagement and Partnership
Understanding Our Community was Phase One of OCF, putting into action this new approach. Staff developed a
multi-faceted engagement approach to understanding the community’s priorities and barriers around sustainability
and climate change by meeting people where they were at in daily life and recognizing that each community might
have different needs to be able to participate.
Engagement included training individuals and organizations to go out and engage people in their own
communities, running deep dive group discussions in geographically dispersed places, and a pop-up experience
in venues such as the Old Town Library and the Downtown Transit Center.
The results of Understanding Our Community include a set of Community Priorities and Big Barriers which
summarize residents and business definitions of sustainability and primary obstacles (Attachment 5) and video
link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s_wn3pqPyU&feature=youtu.be).
Phase Two of OCF is Strategic Planning for identification of the specific outcomes, strategies, and tactics which
will reach goals, support community priorities , and address barriers. This phase was forced to adapt to the
realities of COVID-19 to ensure the safety of participants while building upon the results of phase one. Staff
developed new tools of remote engagement with nine weeks of virtual strategy brainstorming workshops and
deploying an online survey, all directed towards the identified community priorities and barr iers.
Using these new methods and general approach to engagement, OCF has documented many successes and
lessons learned, including:
• Over 1,000 participants engaged in one or more of the various engagement approaches in the two phases
from a wide diversity of racial, ethnic, age, socioeconomic and other demographic backgrounds;
• Establishing and/or rebuilding trust with Fort Collins BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and
Historically Underrepresented Groups (HUGs) will be a long-term process that cannot be done with any single
November 24, 2020 Page 4
engagement process. It will require sustained and authentic trust and relationship building efforts from City
leadership and staff for decades to come.
• COVID-19 has severely impacted Fort Collins BIPOC and HUGs such that th ere was a dramatic reduction in
the community’s capacity to participate in OCF engagement between phase one (pre -COVID) and two (post-
COVID).
• Authentic and ongoing community partnership will be necessary to achieve OCF goals because the 2030
targets envision dramatic and substantive change. The model of using Plan Ambassadors and Community
Partners played a pivotal role in advising staff how to design and implement phase two engagement amid
significant barriers posed by COVID-19.
Developing and Prioritizing Big Moves and Next Moves
Staff adopted the structure and nomenclature of Big Moves for the transformational outcomes and Next Moves for
the specific strategies and tactics to reach these outcomes. With the support of the project’s consultant team led
by Metabolic (an international consulting firm based in Amsterdam, with support from local partners WestUrb and
Brendle Group), staff have consolidated the major strategy ideas into fifteen Big Moves (Attachment 6). The Big
Moves describe in plain and accessible language the outcomes which will lead to the achievement of Fort Collins
climate, energy, and waste goals while simultaneously positively impacting other community priorities.
Associated with each Big Move are a set of Next Moves that describe the specific strategies for implementation.
The Next Moves were established through the summer 2020 virtual workshop process by community participants,
and by staff and the consultant team. The team is using a structured evaluation framework that considers
mitigation, resilience, equity, and feasibility in the context of environmental, social, and economic factors for each
of the Next Moves. This framework builds upon the City’s experience with using triple -bottom-line analysis and is
supporting the selection of Next Moves for more detailed analysis and evaluation.
Staff will bring forward a set of Next Moves to achieve 2030 climate, energy , and waste goals including those
which should be considered for immediate implementation in 2021 and 2022. These Next Moves will detail the
strategies’ mitigation, resilience, and equity potential, as well as information on investment, savings, feasibility ,
and roles for implementation.
As the City partners with the community to plan for and achieve 2030 goals, the process wi ll need to be flexible to
respond to changes in the community, technology, and national and state policies. With an evergreen approach
and framework, staff will be able to leverage OCF to calibrate strategies every two years and establish a regular
cadence for community input and accountability.
Our Climate Future Big Moves and Example Next Moves
Big Move Example Next Moves
Better Together
Community partnership and
governance: Centering equity and
leading with race, all parts of our
community implement, govern, and
benefit from Our Climate Future
· Reimagine the Community Advisory Committee for the Plan
to be centered in community needs, implementation, and
governance · Partnerships with institutions, e.g., working with
students in schools for curriculum aligned local governance
studies AND opportunities. · Language justice for materials
and events
Resilient community, urban and
natural systems: Fort Collins is
prepared for the threats of climate
change
· Embed resilience strategies into planning policies · Prepare
the most vulnerable for climate change impacts · Increase
capacity and redundancies in water system
Cooperative communities:
Connected neighborhoods where
people don't need to buy things they
won’t regularly use
· Education campaign on sharing, repair, and reuse · Libraries
facilitate sharing economy · Make a collaborative consumption
app
November 24, 2020 Page 5
Live Better
Healthy affordable housing:
Everyone has healthy, stable housing
they can afford
· Assess U+2 to determine if it’s the right tool for achie ving
stability, health, and affordability citywide · Determine whether
tiny homes should be permitted in the City and under what
conditions · Find ways to incentivize affordable housing and
green building through regulatory or financial solutions
Accessible live/work/play centers:
Everyone lives near centers which
provide walkable access to daily
needs
· Encourage neighborhood commercial uses · Increased
density near existing centers · Simplified/expanded accessory
dwelling units
Local, affordable and healthy food:
Everyone has access to healthy and
affordable food, sourced or rescued
from local and regional producers
· Support farmers to have affordable access to unused lands ·
Greater awareness of food redistribution services, incentives
to donate · Incentivize new marketplaces for locally grown
foods
Reduce driving, especially people
driving alone: Everyone can safely
get to where they need to go within
20 minutes without a car
· Establish on-demand transit service option · Expanding
public transit coverage and frequency · Improve transit
infrastructure in low-income neighborhoods
Efficiency for existing buildings:
Everyone lives and works in healthy,
energy and water efficient buildings
· Energy scoring for homes · Minimum energy standards for
commercial buildings · Expand home and apartment
efficiency programs
Breathe Better
Natural spaces and ecosystems:
The community supports ecosystems,
watersheds and natural spaces that
are healthy and accessible
· Use vegetation for water management · Protect habitat
corridors · Require xeriscaping over lawn
Emission-free cars, freight and
fleet: Fort Collins uses clean
personal, shared, and commercial
vehicles to complement non-car
transportation
· Electrify entire bus fleet · EV car shares in low-income / high
pollution areas · EV promotion campaign
Emissions free buildings: All new
and existing buildings transition to
become emissions free
· Advanced energy codes for new buildings · Incentives for
gas to electric heating conversions · Zoning incen tives for
zero emissions buildings
100% renewable electricity:
Everyone in the community receives
affordable and reliable 100%
renewable electricity, including from
local sources
· Support local shared and community solar options ·
Additional large regional wind and solar resources · Support
for home and business battery systems
Resource Better
Healthy local economy and jobs:
The community supports a healthy,
innovative local economy with new
opportunities for all people and
businesses to thrive
· Supporting and expanding local businesses and
entrepreneurs that serve the community · Public/private
partnerships that increase job opportunities · Incentives for
manufacturers to reduce carbon
Circular economy: All parts of the
community work together to keep
natural resources in circulation
instead of becoming waste
· Circular materials purchasing strategy for government and
institutions · Digital marketplace for construction and industrial
waste · More recycling end markets and corresponding job
opportunities
Universal recycling and
composting: Everyone is able to
compost and recycle
· Carbon reduction or salvaging requirement for demolitions ·
Financial incentives to support composting, recycling, and
waste reduction · Home composting rebate program
November 24, 2020 Page 6
Next steps
• Community review - Staff are now checking alignment of the draft Big Moves with the community through
targeted virtual one-on-one discussions with historically underrepresented stakeholders and an online survey
to the broader community.
• Staff is working with the consultant team on detailed evaluations of a set of Next Moves selected to reach the
plan targets, improve resilience and equity and address the community priorities.
• There is a Superboard meeting on OCF scheduled for January 11. In add ition to reviewing the next level of
detailed analysis and priority Next Moves, staff will be seeking input towards community partnership models
for co-implementation roles.
• A work session is scheduled for February 9 to review a draft Our Climate Future p lan with details of
recommended Next Moves.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Work Session, July 2019 (PDF)
2. 2019 Energy Policy Annual Update (PDF)
3. 2018 Climate Action Plan Update (PDF)
4. OCF Existing Conditions Summary (PDF)
5. OCF Engagement Summary (PDF)
6. Big Moves Summary (PDF)
7. Powerpoint Presentation (PDF)
DATE:
STAFF:
July 23, 2019
Jeff Mihelich, Deputy City Manager
Jackie Kozak Thiel, Chief Sustainability Officer
John Phelan, Energy Services Senior Manager
Lindsay Ex, Environmental Sustainability Senior
Manager
WORK SESSION ITEM
City Council
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Climate Action Plan Annual Update
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this Work Session is two-fold:
x Provide an update on the implementation of the City’s Climate Action goals, including the preliminary
2018 community carbon inventory and highlights from 2018 actions and achievements in related policies
and the various sectors (electricity, natural gas, transportation, and waste materials) on the journey to
carbon neutrality;
x Seek Council’s feedback on the proposed community engagement efforts and overall planning processes
for the updates to the Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy, and Road to Zero Waste Plans, as funded
through the 2019-2020 budget.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
1. Does Council have feedback on the proposed community engagement?
2. Does Council have feedback on the proposed planning process?
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
Overall Summary and Progress since the Goals were Adopted in 2015
Background: In 2015, Council unanimously adopted updated community greenhouse gas goals:
x 20% below 2005 levels by 2020,
x 80% below 2005 by 2030, and
x Carbon neutrality by the year 2050.
These goals are grounded in Fort Collins’ 20-year history of climate action. From the community’s first
commitment in 1999, leadership has recognized that Fort Collins is uniquely positioned to lead and demonstrate
how to implement pragmatic and cost-effective climate action strategies given our municipal electric utility,
extensive partnerships, e.g., CSU, Platte River, etc., and innovation economy – from breweries to bikes to small
business action. Since that initial commitment, Fort Collins’ has aligned these efforts with the latest global science
and continued to act in a manner that aligns with the City’s seven outcome areas, commitment to leadership, and
to ensure our community’s long-term resilience.
2018 Community Carbon Inventory: As noted in the July 10 memo to Council, the 2018 greenhouse gas inventory
update is delayed as staff make updates to transportation data. While the changes will significantly improve the
overall quality of the inventory, data is required from the State and has been slower to bring in-house than
anticipated. Staff anticipates a Read Before Memo the week of the Work Session to provide these preliminary
results to Council in advance of the Work Session.
More than Just Carbon – 2018 Results and Highlights. Addressing climate action brings significant benefit to the
community, including the following results:
x Energy Policy 2018 results
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o See Attachment 1 for the 2018 Energy Policy Annual Update infographic.
o Top highlights:
Time of Day rates for all residential electric customers and Income Qualified Assistance
Program for all utility services.
100% Renewable electricity by 2030 Resolution
Ordinance establishing the Building Energy and Water Scoring program.
Winning the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge and $1M award for establishing
the Epic Homes initiative.
o Results from the 2018 efficiency programs show energy reductions equivalent to over 4,200
homes in our community by saving 32,800 megawatt-hours (2.1% of the community’s electricity
use).
o Solar installations continued at a rapid pace with over 350 new solar systems completed, adding
2,400 kilowatts of capacity.
o Efficiency and solar programs generated in excess of $40 million in local economic benefits
through reduced utility bills, direct rebates and leveraged investment, while supporting over 200
jobs.
o New wind and solar resources provided via Platte River Power Authority will provide more than
50% of electricity from non-fossil resources by 2021.
x Waste Materials:
o Collaborated successfully with regional partners to develop and begin implementing Larimer
County master plan for new infrastructure that will help Fort Collins meet diversion goals.
o Community diversion rates holding steady at 59% (overall), 28% (residential/commercial)
o 58% increase in concrete recycling in 2018 (over 2017)
o Recognized for most thorough tracking & reporting of industrial waste in the state
x Transportation and Mobility:
o Went from funding one electric bus to pilot on the Transfort System back in 2018 to securing
almost $6.3M in funding for seven electric buses that will be online by 2023.
o Completed updates to City Plan, Transportation Master Plan, and the Transit Plan , which
included a focus on climate action and will guide the community’s land use patterns over the next
20-30 years.
o Completed the EV Readiness Roadmap, outlining short-term, medium-term and long-term
strategies to become EV ready as a community.
x Water: Decreased per capita per day water use by 8% since 2005 and increased 1% over 2017.
x Overall efforts and highlights:
o Continued to engage and diversify the CAP Community Advisory Committee , now representing
over 20 community members across the triple bottom line and the triple helix.
o Continued statewide and federal policy advocacy via Colorado Communities for Climate Action
(CC4CA), a coalition of 27 Colorado counties and municipalities to protect Colorado’s climate for
current and future generations, including the passage of over a dozen bills in the 2019 legislative
session in alignment with Fort Collins’ climate action goals. Legislative advocacy also included
the Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities (CAMU) where specific utility issues were relevant.
o Completed the second round of the Innovate Fort Collins Challenge, which supported five
external and seven internal projects that will pilot solutions to reduce emission though energy,
waste reduction, and behavior change. 2018 projects reduced approximately 4,500 Metric Tons
CO2e.
o Launched the SHIFT campaign to engage residents with easy, simple and positive actions to
save them time, money, and improve their health, all while positively impacting our climate action
goals. Already hundreds of Fort Collin’s residents have pledged to take action.
o Launched Sustainable Neighborhoods Fort Collins, which includes four pilot neighborhoods
across the community engaging in projects they design and select to increase their
neighborhood’s sustainability.
o Initiated a partnership with Vila Nova de Famalicão via the European Union’s International Urban
Cooperation Programme, with shared goals and focus around sustainable mobility, behavior
change, and inclusive economic development.
o Staff continues to meet with interested businesses, community members and stakeholders and
interacted with over 6,000 interactions with community members and approximately 350
interactions with business community members in 2018.
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o Launched a grant-funded effort by the Urban Sustainability Directors Network in partnership with
eight other U.S. cities to advance climate action planning work that centers planning and
implementation in equity and includes both mitigation and resilience actions.
Local Action Makes a Difference
Staff and leadership are often asked about the difference local action makes in achieving the community’s climate
action goals. A new analysis of drivers of electricity emissions (Attachment 2). The analysis demonstrates how
various factors have driven electricity emissions up, while City and partner efforts have brought them back down.
Key takeaways from the analysis include the following:
x Population growth and weather-related increases (34% increase since 2005) are offset by utility-scale
investments (34% decrease since 2005).
x Local investments, including both energy efficiency and distributed energy resources, drive the 16%
reduction in electricity emissions seen from 2005 - 2018. In other words, without local investments,
energy emissions would have stayed flat and not decreased 16%.
Transitioning to 2030 – Updating the Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy, and Road to Zero Waste Plan
Summary: In the 2019-2020 City Budget, two offers were funded:
x Offer 43.10 – Road to Zero Waste Plan Update (funded via KFCG for $30K over two years)
x Offer 43.12 – 2030 Climate Action and Energy Policy Update – Optimizing Policy, Targets, and Strategies
($120K of funding over two years split between the General Fund and the Light and Power Fund)
Alignment: Updating these three plans aligns with the City’s Strategic Plan, Council Priorities, and City Plan (see
Attachment 3 for full linkage):
Document Linkage
Strategic
Plan
• 4.1 Achieve Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2020 goals and continue progress toward 2030 goals
• 4.3 Achieve 2020 Energy Policy goals and work towards Climate Action goals for carbon
neutrality
• 4.4 Achieve the 2020 Road to Zero Waste goals and work toward the 2030 zero waste goals
• 4.5 Develop strategies to improve the community’s climate resiliency
Council
Priorities
• Equity and Inclusion
• Community Engagement
• Air Quality
• Infrastructure
City Plan • Principle ENV 2: Become a carbon neutral community by 2050 and improve the community’s
resilience to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
• Principle ENV 3: Transition from fossil to renewable energy systems.
• Principle ENV 5: Create a Zero Waste system
• Principle T 9: Utilize the transportation system to support a healthy and equitable community.
• Principle HI 3: Provide opportunities for meaningful and inclusive community involvement in
governance and decision-making.
Proposed Process: These three planning efforts will officially kickoff in the fall of 2019 and will run through 2020;
all engagement efforts will be aligned (similar to the City Plan, Transportation Master Plan, and Transit Master
Plan process) to allow residents and businesses streamlined and optimized engagement experiences. Adoption
hearings are tentatively planned for Q4 of 2020.
Naming the Process: To ensure the planning process is accessible to the public, staff will be calling the
combined effort of updating the three plans “Our Climate Future: Seeking equitable solutions to achieve
energy, zero waste, and climate goals.”
Planning Phases: Three phases are proposed for the plan updates and are roughly outlined below:
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1. Understanding Community Priorities: Summer – Fall 2019
o Purpose: Understand what residents and businesses care about most to ensure
alignment of the Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy, and Road to Zero Waste Plans with
community priorities.
o Key Activities:
Initial Community Engagement (completed)
x Visited with six stakeholder groups to begin co-creating the planning
scope with the community, a key best practice from an equity
perspective.
x Results from this activity are described further below.
Initial Staff Analysis (currently underway)
x Compile best practices from peer communities, as shared with the CAP
CAC at their last meeting;
x Conduct stakeholder mapping to understand the level of impact and
influence of various stakeholders to prioritize initial engagement, e.g.,
how might we include indigenous communities, people of color, low- and
moderate-income community members, youth, and more within the
planning processes; and
x Compile existing data to understand frontline communities most at-risk to
climate change impacts and those impacted by existing inequities, e.g.,
housing affordability.
Targeted Community Engagement (next steps)
x Community listening sessions with prioritized stakeholder groups
x Pop-up events, similar to those employed in Vila Nova de Famalicão,
e.g., “yellow couch,” to meet people where they are
x Development of community partners and plan ambassadors’ program to
help facilitate these conversations (similar to City Plan)
Engagement Plan for the Formal Planning Process, which will be posted online
for the community to provide feedback
o Outcomes: Engagement Plan, Summary of Community Priorities, Plan Ambassadors and
Community Partners selected, trained and leading discussions
2. Formal Planning: Fall 2019 – Summer 2020
o Purpose: Leveraging the community priorities from Phase One, this phase will include the
more traditional components of a planning process and will result in a draft plan.
o Key Activities:
Data collection and analysis, e.g., apply an equity lens to existing CAP strategies
and new strategies identified through Phase One (both via community
engagement and best practices research)
Coordination with preliminary results and studies from the Platte River Power
Authority Integrated Resources Plan (IRP), scheduled for completion in summer
2020.
Visioning and scenarios, e.g., community kickoff and engagement efforts to
develop the vision and scenarios for the various plans; formation of working
groups to dive more deeply into strategy development and scenario analysis.
Plan Development, including the drafting of the plan document(s)
o Key Outcomes: Draft Plan(s), summary from various community engagement efforts
3. Plan(s) Release and Adoption: Fall – Winter 2020
o Purpose: Ensure the community and leadership has enough time to review and provide
input on the draft plan prior to adoption.
o Key Activities:
Community dialogues, including a Work Session, to review the draft plan(s) as
well as online public comment on the various strategies and metrics proposed for
the processes.
Revisions as a result of this feedback, with documentation of what was done with
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the feedback.
Develop the final plan(s).
o Key Outcomes: Final Plan(s), summary of community feedback
Results from Initial Community Engagement:
Staff visited with numerous groups to gain a starting point for how these plans should engage the community:
x CAP Community Advisory Committee (February 7, 2019)
x Energy Board (March 14, 2019)
x Chamber Local Legislative Affairs Committee (April 19, 2019)
x Youth Advisory Board (May 1, 2019)
x Natural Resources Advisory Board (May 15, 2019)
x Air Quality Advisory Board (June 17, 2019).
x Note, in addition to these groups, staff also reviewed these themes with the North Fort Collins Business
Association (May 22, 2019).
In each of these meetings, staff asked the group’s the following questions:
x If the planning processes were successful, how would residents be engaged?
x If the planning processes were successful, how would businesses be engaged?
x If the planning processes were successful, how would initiatives be selected?
The feedback from these groups is summarized in Attachment 4, with the following highlights: Overall Themes More Specific Perspectives
Planning
Processes
• Understand the audience and go to
them
• Who leads the engagement is just
as important as the process
• Ensure a variety of community members
are engaged in the process
• Peer to peer engagement
• Bring in experts to lead
• Communicate the “why”
Planning
Outcomes
• Match storytelling to the audience –
ensure relevancy of the final plan
• Show the benefits, both from a TBL
perspective and from an individual
lens
• Be transparent about the plan
process
• See businesses & residents in the final
plan
• Beyond GHG reductions
• Illustrate residents & businesses are
being heard
Final Plan
Strategies
• Diversity / Variety of pathways
• ROI and tradeoffs
• Strategies build in the dynamic
nature of climate work
• Honor community’s diversity
• Preference for voluntary strategies
• Be clear on who benefits and who does
not
Next Steps.
x Our Climate Future (planning processes)
o Initiate the remaining activities associated with Phase One – Understanding Community Priorities.
o Launch an OurCity webpage for residents to interact with the effort.
o Develop structure for topic areas and associated working groups to begin formal planning and
scenario analysis.
o Define potential needs for consultants and community partners for technical analysis and/or
engagement with stakeholders.
x Overall
o Council will consider a Draft Resolution Declaring a Climate Emergency at their August 20
Regular Meeting.
o At the May CAP Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting (see Attachment 5), members
noted it is important for the CAP CAC to be as representative of Fort Collins as possible and that
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additional recruitment is important to ensure this representation. Before soliciting additional CAP
CAC members, staff is first assessing the existing demographics of the CAC so that recruitment
can be targeted to maximize representation.
o Publish 2018 community carbon inventory report and send out press release.
o Launch a fall SHIFT campaign with additional actions residents can take to make a difference and
save time, money and improve their health.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Energy Policy 2018 Annual Update infographic
2. Local Action Makes a Difference: New Analysis Highlights Impact of Local Investments
3. Our Climate Future: Linkage with City’s Strategic Plan, Council Priorities, and City Plan
4. Overall Engagement Themes
5. May CAP Community Advisory Committee Notes
6. Presentation (PPTX)
ATTACHMENT 1
COPY
Learn more ways to conserve at fcgov.com/conserve
13%PETROLEUMHow do you fit in?
COMMUNITY ENERGY USE
Per capita reductions from 2005
Building square
footage increased by 21%,
but buildings are 4%
MORE EFFICIENT.NATURAL GAS3%
SINCE 2005
28%POPULATION INCREASED15%ENERGY USE INCREASED ONLY Thanks to residents and businesses improving
efficiency and practicing conservation.ELECTRICITY16%Electricity use
per capita is the
lowest it’s been
since 1986.
Energy Policy Report
We can lead in ENERGY EFFICIENCY and RENEWABLES with HIGH RELIABILITY,
AFFORDABLE BILLS and AWARD-WINNING PROGRAMS.
The Energy Policy reflects Fort Collins’ values of reliability, affordability, safety, greenhouse gas emissions reduction,
pollution prevention, environmental stewardship and energy independence. It is aligned with the Climate Action Plan
(CAP) goals of 20% carbon reduction below 2005 levels by 2020, 80% by 2030 and carbon neutral by 2050.
Read the full annual report at fcgov.com/what-we-do.
2019 Annual Update
OUR IMPACT
DOWN
Despite a growing population, efficiency programs have
helped limit the increase in electricity use. It would be
14% higher without Utilities’ programs.
Saved Electricity
from Efficiency
Utilities
Actual Community
Electricity Use
Residential Efficiency Savings: 72M kWh
Business Efficiency Savings:
144M kWh
2015
2010
2019
2005
Fort Collins received designation as a Smart Energy Program
Provider from the American Public Power Association.
ATTACHMENT 2
Peak Usage
With Peak Partners, customers reduced
demand by 1,600 kW during peak times.
The average residential customer
uses about 620 kWh per month
(or 7,400 kWh per year).
Auxiliary aids and services are available for persons with disabilities. V/TDD 711
Esta informaciόn puede ser traducida, sin costo para usted. 970-212-2900 20-22209
X 100
Energy Efficiency
Customer electricity savings from efficiency
programs totaled ȊȊȇM kWh (2.8% of the
community's annual use), equivalent to
taking 5,600 homes' electric use off the grid.
Reliability
With 99.9966% reliability, most
residents did not experience
an outage.
Community Economics
Customer projects generated more
than $45M in local economic benefits
through reduced utility bills, direct
rebates and leveraged investments,
and also supported 230+ JOBS.
Did you
Know?
It is cheaper to
save electricity
with efficiency
(3.4 cents) than it
is to buy more
electricity
(6.2 cents).
DOWN
17%from 2005
Electricity Carbon Emissions
Electricity Supply
76% Fossil Fuels
2% Wind
0% Solar
22% Hydro
67% Fossil Fuels
11% Wind
3% Solar
19% Hydro
2005 2019
2030 GOAL
100% renewable
Local Renewables
Installed 337 new renewable energy systems,
adding 3,600+ kW, a 26% increase in total
capacity from 2018.
1.4% of electricity came
from local renewables.
LOOKING FORWARD
We are community-owned and together we can reach our goals.
Join the thousands of other residents
and businesses taking action.
You are part of the solution. Get engaged
at fcgov.com/climatefuture.
Time-of-Day Rates
65% of residential
customers showed a
decrease in annual electric
bills with TOD pricing.
The average
monthly bill was
$1.38 lower.
SUMMER
NON-SUMMER
ATTACHMENT 2
Fort Collins has some of the most aspirational climate goals in the country: 20% reduction
below 2005 levels by 2020, 80% reduction by 2030, and carbon neutral by 2050.
As of 2018, Fort Collins' carbon emissions were 14% lower with a growing population
and economy.
With two years to go, we are nearly to our first milestone of a 20% reduction!
20%
REDUCTION
80%
REDUCTION
Climate Action Plan
Average annual
community savings
per household from
climate action
investment in
2015-2020.
fcgov.com/climateaction
Every one dollar
invested by the City
is leveraged by
almost two dollars
by the community
and private
investment.
$220
17 MTCO2e
2005
13 MTCO2e
2014
12 MTCO2e
2018
NEUTRAL
BY 2050
CARBON
2005
2020
2030 2050
How do you fit in?
PROGRESS PER CAPITA
Our actions add up. Changes by
residents, businesses, and local action
have reduced per capita emissions by
33% from 2005 levels.
How do you fit in?
PROGRESS PER CAPITA
2018 Community Carbon Inventory
Where are we going?
CLIMATE GOALS
DOWN
33%
2018 INVENTORY
14% BELOW 2005
14%
DOWN
$1 $2
MTCO2e = metric tons of
carbon dioxide equivalent
ATTACHMENT 3
LET'S DIVE INTO THE DETAILS BEHIND THE 14% REDUCTION
Visit the CAP Dashboard for more information
fcgov.com/climateaction
Auxiliary aids and services are available for persons with disabilities.
Esta informaciόn puede ser traducida, sin costo para usted.
19-21734
CAP goals
adopted
Timberline Recycling
Center opens Installed local solar hits 10 MW
from over 1,000 systems across
the community
Our Climate Future planning
process kicks off, determining
the path to 2030 and beyond!
CAP campaign launches
to help people
to what matters most
175 MW of new renewables
by the end of 2020 will
boost our non-fossil
electricity to nearly 50%TO 2050
Our climate journey...2015
2016
2017
2020
Overall Electricity Ground Travel Natural Gas Waste Water
How have emission changed since since 2005?
What's driving the drop in emissions by 14% from 2005?
It's a huge deal! In 2018, Fort Collins:
To see large facility emissions, some of which are not included in Fort Collins' greenhouse gas inventory, visit the EPA's GHG from Large Facilities map.
• Saved electricity
equivalent to taking
4200 Fort Collins
homes off the grid.
• Left cars at home. Fort Collins residents
are 3 times more likely to bike or walk
to work than the national average.
4200
• Saved enough
water to fill bathtubs.3.3 million
3%9%National
Average
Fort
Collins
• Saved over 33,000 tons of organic
waste fom the landfill, enough to fill
a fleet of 3,000 garbage trucks.
x1,000
2019
ATTACHMENT 3
WHERE WE ARE AND A LOOK AHEAD
EXISTING CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT
ATTACHMENT 4
OUR CLIMATE FUTURE: Existing Conditions Assessment – Draft for Review – Updated January 22, 2020 1
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 2
EQUITY AND INCLUSION ...................................................................................................... 9
POWERING OUR COMMUNITY...........................................................................................12
WHERE WE LIVE AND WORK.............................................................................................15
THE MATERIALS WE USE...................................................................................................19
THE AIR WE BREATHE........................................................................................................22
OUR WATER.........................................................................................................................25
HOW OUR COMMUNITY IS DESIGNED..............................................................................30
HOW WE GET AROUND ......................................................................................................34
HOW THE CITY LEADS BY EXAMPLE................................................................................40
GLOSSARY ...........................................................................................................................42
APPENDIX A: ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIPS........................................................43
APPENDIX B: REFERENCED PLANS..................................................................................44
ATTACHMENT 4
OUR CLIMATE FUTURE: Existing Conditions Assessment – Draft for Review – Updated January 22, 2020 2
INTRODUCTION
OVERVIEW OF OUR CLIMATE FUTURE
In 2019 and running through 2020, the City is updating three plans: Climate Action Plan,Energy
Policy, and the Road to Zero Waste Plan. These combined planning processes are being conducted
together with the goal of providing a seamless and streamlined engagement process for the
community, where if a community member or business engages with one plan, they can impact all
three. Collectively, these planning updates are being called “Our Climate Future.”
Our Climate Future builds on Fort Collins’ goals and leads with equity in both the update process and
intended outcomes of the plans. Achieving the community’s goals and strengthening them through
this planning process will impact every community member – it will mean better individual health,
better air and water quality, increased and reliable transportation options, new facets to our economy
and labor market and a safer community. With community partners embedded in this process, we can
move toward these outcomes, as well as other areas important to our community members.
WHAT GOALS HAS FORT COLLINS SET?
Climate Action Plan Energy Road to Zero Waste
Reduce carbon emissions by:
20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020
80 percent below 2005 levels by 2030
Carbon neutral by 2050
Energy Efficiency:
Increase savings
incrementally to
2.5% savings per
year by 2020
Renewable Electricity:
Increase renewable
energy to a
minimum of 20% by
2020
Achieve 100%
renewable electricity
by 2030
Overall Waste
Diversion:
75% diversion by
2020
90% by 2025
Zero waste by
2030
Per Capita Diversion:
2.8 pounds/day by
2025
WHY OUR CLIMATE FUTURE NOW?
Most of the community’s efforts have focused on achieving the short-term 2020 goals, e.g., a 20%
reduction in carbon emissions below 2005 levels (Climate Action Plan); improved efficiency resulting
in a 2.5% electricity savings (Energy Policy); and a 75% diversion of our community’s waste (Road to
Zero Waste Plan). Achieving the Climate Action and Energy Policy goals is largely within reach, and it
is time to focus on the transformational strategies and policy solutions that will be needed to achieve
the 2030 goals. Additionally, though the community has made great strides in waste diversion, 2020
Road to Zero Waste goals are not expected to be met; it will be important to refresh waste reduction
goals and strategies through this update.
BUILDING ON THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE:
CENTERING OUR CLIMATE FUTURE WITH EQUITY
The City of Fort Collins aspires to provide world-class services to the community and ensure that
actions equitably address the triple bottom line of sustainability: economic, social and environmental
resources.
ATTACHMENT 4
OUR CLIMATE FUTURE: Existing Conditions Assessment – Draft for Review – Updated January 22, 2020 3
Triple bottom line thinking is embedded into the Our Climate Future planning processes, as Fort
Collins is seeking equitable solutions to achieve our community’s energy, zero waste, and climate
action goals (see the Equity and Inclusion Section beginning on page 9 for more context). This means
we’ll be identifying opportunities to advance goals and strategies that not only reduce carbon
emissions, reduce waste, increase energy efficiency, and increase renewable electricity, but also
reduce risk and vulnerability and enhance equity. Thus, trade-offs and tensions can be revealed,
considered, and limited when possible. This information will be used when prioritizing actions for the
coming decade.
HOW ARE WE DOING SO FAR?
WILL WE MEET OUR GOALS?
CLIMATE ACTION GOALS
FIGURE 1. FORT COLLINS PROGRESS TOWARD COMMUNITY CLIMATE GOALS OF 20%REDUCTION
BELOW 2005 LEVELS BY 2020.
As of 2018, Fort Collins had decreased its community carbon emissions by 14% below 2005 levels
(Figure 1) and is currently projected to be between 19% and 25% below 2005 levels in 2020.
Additional progress is anticipated in the early 2020s, drawing reductions down further to the 29-32%
range, leaving an approximate 50% gap to the 2030 goals. While the city’s 100% renewable
electricity policy is likely to close a significant portion of that gap, additional strategies will be needed
to get to the 80% reduction goal in 2030.
ATTACHMENT 4
OUR CLIMATE FUTURE: Existing Conditions Assessment – Draft for Review – Updated January 22, 2020 4
FIGURE 2. FORECASTED COMMUNITY INVENTORY EMISSIONS.RANGES DEPICT GOAL YEAR AND
SUBSEQUENT DROP IN 2021.
The community’s progress to date of 14% reduction tells only a part of the larger story of this
community effort. New analyses have helped shine light on the fact that drivers like population growth
have increased emissions. For example, without municipal and community efforts, Fort Collins’
emissions would be over 700,000 MTCO2e higher than they were in 2017 (Figure 3). The effects of
growth are expected to continue driving emissions up, making continued climate efforts even more
important. While our community’s climate goals are based on absolute progress from 2005 levels,
continuing to monitor per capita progress (33% below 2005 levels in 2018) can shed light on areas
where activities are increasingly low carbon.
FIGURE 3. WATERFALL GRAPH OF FACTORS THAT INCREASED AND DECREASED EMISSIONS BETWEEN
2005 AND 2017
ATTACHMENT 4
OUR CLIMATE FUTURE: Existing Conditions Assessment – Draft for Review – Updated January 22, 2020 5
ENERGY POLICY GOALS
The Energy Policy goals are to achieve 20% renewable electricity by 2020 (2% locally) and 100%
renewable electricity by 2030.
F IGURE 4. ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IN 2018
ROAD TO ZERO WASTE GOALS
With the current community diversion rate at
57% (see Figure 5), the Road to Zero Waste
goal of 75% diversion by 2020 is unlikely to
be met. This is due to changes in recycling
markets (see waste chapter), population and
construction activity growth in our community.
Fort Collins can gather community input,
identify emerging technologies, and renew
strategies through the Our Climate Future
process.
FIGURE 5. FORT C OLLINS COMMUNITY DIVERSION
RATES SINCE 2010.
ATTACHMENT 4
OUR CLIMATE FUTURE: Existing Conditions Assessment – Draft for Review – Updated January 22, 2020 6
WHAT ARE THE OVERALL TRENDS AND DRIVING FORCES
FOR CHANGE IN FORT COLLINS?
As mentioned in the section How Are We Doing? Will We Meet Our Goals?,Fort Collins is a rapidly
growing community, and the city is experiencing many related changes. As the Our Climate Future
planning effort develops, these local driving forces and trends will help inform our planning scenarios,
strategies and engagement approaches.
Fort Collins population is projected to reach nearly 240,000 residents by 2040.
Currently, more than 2,000 people are moving to Fort Collins annually.
The city has added more than 5,000 new jobs since 2011.
Employment is growing faster than housing availability, resulting in higher housing costs.
Many of the newer members of this community include students and Millennials (those
between the ages of 20-34 years).
The median age of our population is increasingly older with the 60- to 64-year-old cohort
growing at more than three times the rate of the entire population.
The poverty rate of residents increased from 14% in 2000 to 17.8% in 2016.
Fort Collins is a desirable place to live. The city offers high quality educational institutions as well as
access to natural assets and amenities that promote a healthy lifestyle. The two largest industries are
Education and Health Care, which corresponds to a highly educated workforce and a high quality of
life for many. With current and anticipated growth, changes in demographics and economic conditions
bring many challenges and opportunities. Multiple community plans and programs are seeking to
support growth with an approach grounded in community values that promotes a more diverse,
inclusive, healthy and sustainable city.
METHODS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO INFLUENCE OUTCOMES
It’s essential to understand the methods by which Fort Collins can influence outcomes related to the
community carbon targets. While the City government may have substantial mechanisms available, it
is ultimately the community’s residents, businesses and institutions which will determine results over
time. The role of local government in leveraging these mechanisms is an ever-evolving topic. In
recent years the Fort Collins community has asked City sustainability efforts to push into new
territory, which may lead to an evolution of this list.
In general, the following methods will influence the community’s ability to reach climate goals:
Market transformation – markets can transform for a wide range of reasons, such as
technology shift or consumer expectations. Efforts which target changes in markets can have
much greater impact than alternative approaches; however, the impact can be much more
difficult to attribute to specific actions.
Incentives – incentives for individual and specific actions can be very effective in impacting
decision-making and the local availability of goods and services.
Education – education provides a foundational element which can encourage stakeholder
decisions and behavior, which align with intended outcomes.
Social norms – the community sense of what is “normal” can have tremendous influence on
the adoption of behaviors, services, products and technology.
Pricing – the price level and transparency of services (e.g. energy, water, waste) can have
substantial impact on the value proposition for how much of the commodity people will use.
ATTACHMENT 4
OUR CLIMATE FUTURE: Existing Conditions Assessment – Draft for Review – Updated January 22, 2020 7
Regulations or requirements – local, state and federal standards have substantial influence on
many aspects of our carbon footprint.
Policies – setting of policy targets (e.g. 100% renewable electricity) drive local and regional
decision-making.
Climate economy – similar to market transformation but at a higher level, the shift to a climate
economy is likely to influence the investment, regulatory and policy environment for years to
come.
LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT
Fort Collins recognizes that achieving the ambitious goals set by our community requires leadership
at all governmental levels, in our business community, and from our residents. In August of 2019, City
Council adopted Resolution 2019-091, which acknowledged the global climate emergency and
reaffirmed Fort Collins’ commitment to local action. The Resolution also reaffirmed Fort Collins’
“commitment to engage with regional, state, and national governments in order to achieve climate
action goals.” The City currently partners with organizations throughout the Front Range and across
the U.S. and the world to share best practices and will continue to build partnerships to meet our
ambitious goals.
Examples of these types of engagements are included in Appendix A.
KEY THEMES
Ambitious goals and the need to dramatically reduce emissions and waste while increasing
renewable electricity and efficiency by 2030.
Centering our work in equity to make sure everyone benefits from our work, keeping who
benefits and who is burdened in mind (see Equity and Inclusion section on page 9).
Our growing community presents challenges to each area of our work.
Improving quality of life and communicating the additional benefits of action on climate, waste,
and energy to our community.
Trade-offs and overlap between activities and areas of our work –
reliability/affordability/sustainability; mitigation and resilience; water/energy/waste; impacts at
different geographic and time scales.
HOW TO READ THIS DOCUMENT
The content section of this document begins with an introduction to Equity and Inclusion, including
why this work is being centered in equity and the historical and local context that influences this work.
Then, the remaining sections outline the various areas of impact for the three plans – whether it is
how we power our community, the air we breathe, the water we all need to survive, and more.
Each section contains the following information:
Overview and Existing Conditions – includes a description of the issue and why it is
important
Nexus – addresses the nexus between a given area and the other elements of the document,
e.g., how does how we get around in our community (transportation) interact with the air we
breathe? These sections recognize there are both synergies and tensions to each area of
impact.
Key Policies, Plans, and Goals – illustrates the linkages between existing city plans and this
area of impact.
ATTACHMENT 4
OUR CLIMATE FUTURE: Existing Conditions Assessment – Draft for Review – Updated January 22, 2020 8
Data – highlights the metrics and key results to date.
New and Emerging Strategies – highlights examples of areas where other communities are
leading in this space or Fort Collins is beginning to explore; note this is not meant to be a
comprehensive list but just examples as a starting point.
Related Challenges, Needs and Benefits – an opportunity to address other issues that have
been noted by staff in exploration.
ATTACHMENT 4
OUR CLIMATE FUTURE: Existing Conditions Assessment – Draft for Review – Updated January 22, 2020 9
EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Our Climate Future is being centered in equity for all, leading with race, from both a process and
outcome perspective:
Equity in process: Ensuring everyone has meaningful opportunities to engage and provide
input into the Our Climate Future process.
Equity in outcomes: Everyone benefits from a carbon neutral Fort Collins.
This section provides an initial framing around the historical and local context that influences this work
and begins to illustrate how equity and climate planning are related. Moreover, the City recognizes
these efforts require humility, listening, and learning, as staff’s knowledge in this space, both locally
and nationally, is incomplete. Accordingly, staff anticipates these sections will be updated with the
community throughout the process and beyond as understandings and information evolve.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: HISTORICAL AND LOCAL CONTEXT
Looking Back to Look Forward:Understanding how we can plan together for Our Climate Future
requires awareness of both our past and present. The examples below are not meant to be
comprehensive of the entire historical and present-day context, but are meant to provide an initial
background to the reader to begin understanding how persistent inequities (see sidebar) impact our
ability to dramatically reduce the amount of carbon we emit, waste we generate, and energy we use,
as well as how we implement strategies moving forward.
Historical Context. Chances are every person has
likely experienced some degree of inequity. However,
despite progress in addressing explicit discrimination,
racial inequities continue to be deep, pervasive and
persistent across the country. Racial inequities exist
across all indicators for success, including in
education, criminal justice, jobs, housing, public
infrastructure and health, regardless of region.1
Rooted in our country’s violent history of genocide,
colonization, slavery, and segregation, racist practices
have been embedded in almost every aspect of
American life,2 resulting in structural racism.3
Local Context.Our country’s broader history of
oppression has also played out locally, at times with
local government as a key actor. This local context is
key and yet, to staff’s knowledge, a comprehensive
racial history for Fort Collins has not been developed. Many more examples have occurred on both
individual, institutional, and structural levels than can be listed here. For illustrative purposes, some
documented examples include:
Individual racism:Recently Fort Collins has seen cases of racial profiling on the Colorado
State University campus and crime spree vandalism, such as experienced by our Muslim
1 Government Alliance on Race and Equity –see their information here.
2 See for example, section II of the Racial Equity Toolkit published by the Government Alliance for Race and Equity (GARE).
3 Reference the Equity and Inclusion Work Session Agenda Item Summary for more information.
Centering work in equity includes an
understanding that racism takes place at
multiple levels:
Individual racism: pre-judgment, bias, or
discrimination based on race by an
individual.
Institutional racism:Policies, practices, and
programs that, most often unintentionally and
unconsciously, work to the benefit of white
people and the detriment of people of color.
Structural Racism:A history and current
reality of institutional racism across all
institutions, combining to create a system
that negatively impacts communities of color.
(Source: fcgov.com/equity)
What it means for Our Climate Future to be centered in “equity for all, leading with race” is that all
dimensions of equity are considered and that racial equity is prioritized. A best practice in equity work is to
lead with race, because focusing on racial equity provides the opportunity to introduce a framework, tools
and resources that can also be applied to other areas of marginalization.
ATTACHMENT 4
OUR CLIMATE FUTURE: Existing Conditions Assessment – Draft for Review – Updated January 22, 2020 10
community when the Fort Collins Islamic Center was vandalized. In addition, there is a rise of
anti-Semitism in Colorado overall.
Institutional racism:From a land use and environmental justice perspective, starting in the
1930s neighborhoods were segregated so that residents of Alta Vista, Andersonville,
Buckingham and the Holy Family neighborhood lived near the city’s industrial wastelands;
were exposed to toxins such as coal smoke and soot from the sugarbeet factory; dealt with
constant pollution from trains carrying concentrated lime and the Fort Collins City dump.4
From a financial perspective, there is a documented 22% lending disparity between
community members who identify LatinX and white.5
Structural racism:Before Fort Collins was even established, there were indigenous people in
Larimer County for 13,000+ years, with the last local Native Americans in Larimer County
(Arapahos) to move to reservations in 1868.
6 The legacy of institutional racism has led to
recent displacement and gentrification of neighborhoods,7 lower overall health and equity
index scores,8 and high school graduation rates at Poudre School District that are lower for
students of color than for white students.9
These few examples of the community’s history, while not intended to be comprehensive,
demonstrate the continued nature of discrimination at all levels and that impacts are
disproportionately experienced by people of color and other communities with identities that have
been historically marginalized.
OUR CLIMATE FUTURE: EQUITY FOR ALL, LEADING WITH RACE
This planning effort acknowledges climate change is not simply a technical problem to solve, but an
issue deeply rooted in human systems which have historically produced significant disparities for
people of color (as demonstrated in the previous section), low-income households, and other
historically underrepresented groups. These inequities are exacerbated by climate change, where
people of color and other marginalized populations are more vulnerable to climate change impacts.10
Local governments have the opportunity to prioritize actions that simultaneously address equity,
reduce emissions, and enhance community resilience - leading to better outcomes for all. By putting
racial equity at the center of our planning process, this work recognizes racial inequity is the most
pervasive type of inequity in our country. This aligns with organization-wide efforts to ensure equity
for all, leading with race.11
Fort Collins is working at multiple scales to influence this challenge. At the national level, Fort Collins
is participating with ten other U.S. cities to transform the way local governments approach climate
planning, engage underrepresented groups, and develop more equitable strategies that work for all
community members. The result of this work will be a framework that any community can employ for
climate work centered in equity.
4 Hang your Wagon to a Star: Hispanics in Fort Collins 1900 – 2000. Adam Thomas, SWCA Environmental Consultants, see
in particular pages 7-9 for examples.
5 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, update in 2017 by City staff to original work completed by BBC
Consulting in 2012. The lending disparity cited here was identified in the 2017 update.
6 There have been indigenous people in Larimer County for 13,000+ years and the 1868 event is only one example from
indigenous group. More information can be found in An Ethnohistory of the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area
by Lucy Burris.
7 See, for example, this article in the Colorado Sun.
8 See the Trends and Forces Report associated with City Plan for this reference.
9 See Poudre School District’s graduation information here, and slide 6 for graduation rates for English Language Learners
compared to all students.
10 See for example,this article and this article about vulnerabilities to wildfire, the Fourth National Climate Assessment,
which illustrates how climate change exacerbates existing vulnerabilities - especially in low-income communities,
communities of color and other vulnerable populations.
11 See the Equity and Inclusion Work Session Agenda Item Summary for more information.
ATTACHMENT 4
OCF Engagement Summary
Timeframe of Phases of Engagement
Phase One: “Understanding Our Community” (September 2019 – January 2020)
Phase Two: “Strategic Planning” (July 2020 – December 2020)
“Understanding Our Community” Phase One Report - Executive Summary
(Read the full Phase One Report at ourcity.fcgov.com/ourclimatefuture)
Our Climate Future (OCF) is a joint planning process to update the Road to Zero Waste plan, Energy
Policy, and Climate Action Plan. OCF strives to center both its engagement process and the final plan
outcomes in equity for all, leading with race. Additionally, the impacts of climate change are already
happening in Fort Collins and will continue to increase in the decades to come, therefore it is key that
OCF integrates climate resilience into the process. This document illustrates how staff developed and
deployed the first phase of OCF called “Understanding Our Community” while embedding both equity
and climate resilience.
The first phase of OCF has been crucial to center staff and the process in our community’s needs. Past
versions of the waste, energy, and climate plans focused primarily on implementing solutions to
technical problems, but behavior change is not a technical problem; It is a people-centered one. By
understanding community member’s fundamental needs and their barriers to action first, OCF can
ground all strategic plan development with a people-centered approach at its core. This is why centering
OCF in equity, leading with race is critical. The entire community of Fort Collins must be active
changemakers if the community is going to achieve its long-term goals integrating equity, economic
health, and environmental wellbeing. By addressing historically underrepresented group’s needs, they
can become active participants in creating Our Climate Future.
Understanding Our Community followed a deliberate process to engage and reflect a diversity of
community voices.
1.Staff designed five outreach approaches and engaged Community Partners and Plan
Ambassadors to reach individuals and businesses across our community.
2.Five questions were asked of our community to learn the collective vision for a sustainable
future as it relates to waste, energy, and climate and the barriers to getting there.
Staff analyzed each response to craft themes called Community Priorities and Big Barriers,
beginning with people of color and members of historically underrepresented groups’
responses.
ATTACHMENT 5
When looking at all responses together, the following three priorities and four barriers were mentioned
the most. However, there were a total of eleven Community Priorities and eight Big Barriers which are
summarized in later sections of this document.
Community Priorities Big Barriers
x More Reuse, Recycling, and Composting
x More Renewable Energy
x Local and Regional Transit
x Not Enough Action by Individuals,
Organizations, and Government
x Not Enough Information or Awareness of
Sustainability
x Not Enough Funding and Infrastructure
x Racism, Inequity, and Exclusion
Staff analyzed the data by demographics to better understand how historically underrepresented parts
of Fort Collins might identify different priorities and barriers to success compared to other members of
the community. In total, responses suggest that the highest priorities in our community are waste
management, energy, and transit. The most mentioned barriers were also aligned across demographic
groups with people expressing concern about the top three in the table above; however, one barrier
that was disproportionately identified by people of color, particularly Hispanic/Latinx community
members, was “Racism, Inequity, and Exclusion”.
Overall, staff’s interpretation of responses is that our community is aligned around what our biggest
priorities and barriers are to achieving our climate future, but our communities of color are
disproportionately experiencing additional barriers around racism, inequities, and exclusion that must
be addressed in order for us all to achieve a sustainable future together.
“Strategic Planning” Phase Two Engagement Summary
The second phase of OCF built upon the first phase “Understanding Our Community”. Staff ran 9-weeks
of virtual strategy brainstorming which included:
x Over 25 workshops conducted via Zoom
x An online survey
Through community and staff input and consultant research, over 700 ideas were identified that were
evaluated across a complex set of criteria including, but not limited to: feasibility, equity, resilience,
greenhouse gas reduction potential, and more. The strategies were then aggregated to capture the
high-level underlying concepts resulting in 15 major strategies of action to achieve Our Climate Future,
the “Big Moves” (See Attachment A for a summary of the “Big Moves”).
Staff are now taking the draft “Big Moves” back out to the community to check if they align with
community priorities. This current step of community engagement is being done through:
x Targeted one-on-one discussions focused solely on historically underrepresented communities
in a method called “Cup of CAP”.
o Background: the idea originally came from one of OCF’s Plan Ambassadors to share a
hot coffee or tea, even if just virtually, with historically underrepresented community
members in a one-on-one informal chat to do a deep dive conversation to get to know
them better, build trust and hear their feedback on the “Big Moves”.
ATTACHMENT 5
x An online survey to the broader community via OurCity to enable everyone to provide input on
the draft “Big Moves”.
ATTACHMENT 5
Auxiliary aids and services are available for persons with disabilities. V/TDD: 711 20-22744
COMMUNITY
PARTNERSHIP
AND
GOVERNANCE
Centering equity and leading with race, all parts
of our community implement, govern, and
benefit from 1.ˏ(%) 0!ˏ101.!
HEALTHY
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
Everyone has healthy, stable housing
they can afford
HEALTH Y
RESILIENT
COMMUNITY,
AND
NATURAL
SYSTEMS
Fort Collins is prepared for the threats
of climate change
ACESSIBLE
LIVE/WORK/
PLAY CENTERS
Everyone lives near centers which provide
walkable access to daily needs
REDUCE
DRIVING,
ESPECIALLY
PEOPLE
DRIVING ALONE
Everyone can safely get to where they need to
go within 20 minutes without a car
LOCAL,
AFFORDABLE,
AND HEALTHY
FOOD
Everyone has access to healthy and affordable
food, sourced or rescued from local and
regional producers
DRIVING ALONE
LOCAL,
AFFORDABLEEveryone has access to healthy and affordable
EMISSION FREE
CARS, FREIGHT
AND FLEET
Fort Collins uses clean personal, shared, and
commercial vehicles to complement
non-car transportation
NATURAL
SPACES
AND
ECOSYSTEMS
The community supports ecosystems,
watersheds and natural spaces that are healthy
and accessible
HEALTHY LOCAL
ECONOMY
AND JOBS
The community supports a healthy, innovative
local economy with new opportunities for all
people and businesses to thrive
All new and existing buildings transition to
become emissions free
EMISSIONS
FREE
BUILDINGS
EMISSIONS
100%
RENEWABLE
ELECTRICITY
Everyone in the community receives affordable
and reliable 100% renewable electricity,
including from local sources
CIRCULAR
ECONOMY
All parts of the community work together to
keep natural resources in circulation instead of
becoming waste
UNIVERSAL
RECYCLING AND
COMPOSTING
Everyone is able to compost and recycle
COOPERATIVE
COMMUNITIES
Connected neighborhoods where people don't
need to buy things they won’t regularly use
Auxiliary aids and services are available for persons with disabilities. V/TDD: 711
EFFICIENCY
FOR EXISTING
BUILDINGS
Everyone lives and works in healthy, energy
and water efficient buildings
BIG MOVES Big Moves are the primary strategies to meet our
community climate, energy and waste goals
while advancing our community priorities for a
sustainable future.
FCGOV.COM/CLIMATEFUTURE
ATTACHMENT 6
Our Climate Future1ATTACHMENT 7
Question slide•Does Council have any feedback on Big Moves, the process ahead to Council action, and the integration of the three plans?2ATTACHMENT 7
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENTPrimary outcomes• 4.1 Climate Action• 4.3 Zero WasteBUDGET$60k split between General and Enterprise FundsOur Climate Future3ATTACHMENT 7
Transition to 2030: Our Climate Future4INCLUDES UPDATES TO:Climate Action PlanEnergy Policy Road to Zero Waste PlanATTACHMENT 7
Our Climate Future Timeline5Summer 2019 -Spring 2020Summer 2020 - Fall 2020Winter 2020 -Spring 2021ATTACHMENT 7
Three Plans | Three Goals6Bottom Line: Significant planning and implementation work ahead to achieve goals100% renewable by 2030Carbon neutral by 2050Zero Waste by 203014%20% needed in 202033% 20% needed in 202055% 75% in needed in 202080% needed in 2030 ATTACHMENT 7
Gap to 203072020 goal40%+ gap to 2030 goalATTACHMENT 7
GoalsNarrow strategiesTechnical solutionsGoals and PrioritiesMulti-purpose strategiesCommunity prioritiesBIPOC and HUG prioritiesOCF centers equity and leads with race so all can benefit from a carbon neutral Fort CollinsBIPOC and HUGTRADITIONAL APPROACHOUR CLIMATE FUTUREBIPOC - black, indigenous, and people of colorHUG – historically underrepresented groupsOCF ApproachATTACHMENT 7
9COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND PLAN AMBASSADORSCOMMUNITY CONVERSATIONSPOP UP EVENTSONLINE ENGAGEMENT140 2142459“UNDERSTANDING OUR COMMUNITY” ENGAGEMENTATTACHMENT 7
Community Priorities10“Regionally better access throughout (not just on main lines) still need some for people w/ disabilities to get closer”“More bus stops, longer bus hours, and more frequent bus times”• More reuse, recycling and composting• Healthy air quality• More renewable energy• Reliable supply of high quality water• Local and regional transit• Affordable housing• Job opportunities and healthy economy• Local and dependable food• Healthy natural environment• More equity, diversity, and inclusion• Be prepared for changes in our climate“Anything that we use must be able to be renewed or reused”“Recycling infrastructure”“We need to decolorize and reprioritize indigenous knowledge”“equality among all its residents. There is too many differences between rich and not-so-rich.”ATTACHMENT 7
COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND PLAN AMBASSADORSZOOM BRAINSTORMING WORKSHOPSPOP UP EVENTSONLINE SURVEY ENGAGEMENTADVISORYROLE302CANCELLED FOR COVID332“STRATEGIC PLANNING” ENGAGEMENT“INCENTIVIZE LOCAL SOLAR COMPANIES TO PROVIDE LOW-COST SYSTEMS TO LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS” –QUOTE FROM COMMUNITY WORKSHOPATTACHMENT 7
Goals and Priorities-Big Moves-Multi-purpose strategies-Next Moves-Community prioritiesBIPOC and HUG prioritiesPlans & Goals: Climate, Energy & WasteFocus: Mitigation, Resilience & EquityOUR CLIMATE FUTURECommunity Priority: Local and Regional TransitNext Move: Expanding public transit coverage and frequency"Think there needs to be Max lines on Mulberry, Prospect, and Harmony--regular, often-run transportation."Big Move: Everyone can safely get where they need to go in 20 minutes without a car.“Regionally better access throughout (not just on main lines) still need some for people w/ disabilities to get closer”OCF ApproachATTACHMENT 7
Better TogetherATTACHMENT 7
Live BetterATTACHMENT 7
Breathe BetterATTACHMENT 7
Resource BetterATTACHMENT 7
17Our Climate Future – Moves Summary• Big Moves >> transformational outcomes• Next Moves >> strategies to get there• Evaluation framework• Priorities, engagement and implementation• Mitigation• Resilience• Equity• Feasibility• + TBL analysisATTACHMENT 7
Key Takeaways• Racial, social and climate justice are intrinsically linked• Mitigation, resilience and equity must be addressed together• The City cannot resource or achieve these goals alone• We need leaders from across our community to succeed• Centering strategies to address community priorities will lead to greater impact on results and daily lived experiences18ATTACHMENT 7
Next Steps• Evaluation of Next Moves• Implementation planning• Drafting plan with linkages• Superboard meeting January 11• Council work session February 9 • Council adoption March 219ATTACHMENT 7
Question slide•Does Council have any feedback on Big Moves, the process ahead to Council action, and the integration of the three plans?20ATTACHMENT 7