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Home My WebLink AboutMemo - Mail Packet - 10/17/2023 - Memorandum From Our Climate Future Executive Committee And Our Climate Future Lead Team Re: 2023 Our Climate Future Update Page 1 of 6 Environmental Services Department 222 Laporte Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80522 970.221.6600 MEMORANDUM Date: October 12, 2023 To: Mayor Arndt and City Council Thru: From: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager Our Climate Future Executive Committee1 Our Climate Future Lead Team2 Re: 2023 Our Climate Future Update The purpose of this memo is to provide an update on Our Climate Future (OCF) progress and implementation. Key Highlights: Included in this memo are summaries of several key outcomes and projects:  The 2023-2024 Next Moves Plan is now available as a dynamic webpage, which summarizes priority Next Moves for this year and next as well as a gap analysis.  The OCF Council Roadmap is a strategic tool for Council to use when considering the timing of decisions across multiple areas and how they impact the OCF Big Moves and goals between now and 2030. (2023 Council Roadmap Attachment)  The 2021-22 Our Climate Future Update Infographic includes progress towards community- wide goals and community partnership and resilience stories. Because of data availability, progress towards adopted goals is from 2021 and community partnership and resilience stories are from 2022. (2021-22 Our Climate Future Update Attachment) o GHG Emissions: Community-wide, GHG emissions were down 24% in 2021 compared to the 2005 baseline. Per capita emissions were down 41%. o Renewable Electricity: Renewable electricity made up more than half of the community’s consumption (50.5%) in 2021. o Waste: The community-diversion rate in 2021 was 51.5%, meaning that more than half the total material that was generated throughout the year was recycled or composted.  With the 2023-24 OCF Community Partnership budget enhancement, staff have been able to continue the Community Consultants program, start the Climate Equity Committee, and create the Community Leadership Grants program. Together, these programs help the City’s work on climate better serve the community equitably by integrating community voices, perspectives and experiences.  Sustainable Funding strategies for climate action and other priorities have been considered over the past two years within the framework of the OCF Big Moves. This informed the Council decision to pursue key funding strategies that OCF staff will continue to support, and which will go to a community vote on November 7th, 2023. DocuSign Envelope ID: 42335494-35DE-4CFE-AE69-2564F14D56D9 Page 2 of 6 2023-2024 Next Moves Plan When Our Climate Future was adopted in 2021, City Council supported an “evergreen approach” to advancing and tracking OCF initiatives. This means the transformational outcomes that will help us reach our goals (Big Moves) can stay constant while the year-to-year strategies (Next Moves) could be revisited and recalibrated every two years to align with City Council priorities, the City’s Strategic Plan, and the biannual budget cycle, as well as community needs and priorities and technological advancements. For this iteration of the OCF Next Moves Plan community members can access a more dynamic webpage at www.fcgov.com/climateaction/ocf-nextmoves. This version of the Next Moves plan is easily accessible to the community and creates transparency around strategies that have been informed by community priorities and needs. The 2023-24 OCF Next Moves Plan showcases dozens of key strategies that are advancing Our Climate Future – detailing planned actions, leadership roles, and how progress is being measured. Next Moves are the specific strategies and tactics that lead to transformational outcomes of the Big Moves. Each Big Move has an associated set of Next Moves. The Next Moves are evaluated for their impact on goals, benefits and costs, potential results for improving equity, and resilience. Pathways are groups of Next Moves with results that drive toward a specific outcome. Current Pathways are summarized for electricity, buildings, transportation, industrial manufacturing, waste, and land use. City Council OCF Roadmap Last October, staff presented an OCF Council Roadmap of direct actions that current and future City Councils will need to consider between now and 2030 to make reaching the community’s ambitious goals possible. Initiatives in the Roadmap range from policy processes to infrastructure investments to funding decisions – while continuing the OCF commitment to prepare for the impacts of climate disruption and to center community voices and priorities. The OCF Roadmap is a strategic tool for City Council to use when considering decisions in multiple areas and how they impact the Our Climate Future Big Moves. In the 2023 version, the timelines of some initiatives have shifted over the past year and a few more decision points have been added; however, the same key areas remain – addressing building and energy codes, land use and transportation, and waste reduction and recycling policies. These actions will make it possible to achieve the emissions reductions pathways shared during the Q4 Work Session in 2022. Of course, City Council also plays other roles in influencing progress toward goals, such as community storytelling and influencing statewide policy and rulemaking, which are not displayed within the roadmap graphic. The Roadmap may not be comprehensive of all major decisions upcoming in the next seven years, and staff will continue to update it as more information becomes available. Please see attached 2023 OCF Council Roadmap. DocuSign Envelope ID: 42335494-35DE-4CFE-AE69-2564F14D56D9 Page 3 of 6 2021/2022 Our Climate Future Update Infographic Staff complete an annual update on the Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory in the form of an infographic report. To more fully represent the many elements of Our Climate Future (OCF), the 2021-22 Update includes progress towards the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, renewable energy, and zero waste goals; stories about community partnership and leadership; and examples of resilience projects that help our community prepare for continued impacts of climate disruption. Because of data availability, progress towards adopted goals is from 2021 and community partnership and resilience stories are from 2022. Key takeaways from the Update include:  GHG Emissions. Community-wide, GHG emissions were down 24% in 2021 compared to the 2005 baseline. Per capita emissions were down 41%.  Renewable Electricity. Renewable electricity made up more than half of the community’s consumption (50.5%) in 2021.  Waste. The community diversion rate in 2021 was 51.5%, meaning that more than half the total material that was generated throughout the year was recycled or composted.  Community Partnership. Our Climate Future is made possible by City-led, co-led, and community-led actions. In 2022, 15 community members provided their expertise and lived experience to City-led projects, which helped staff better design and deliver projects that serve many parts of the community.  Resilience. Important projects that advanced the community’s resilience in 2022 included battery storage at the Northside Aztlan Community Center, watershed recovery from the Cameron Peak Wildfire, and community water conservation programs. The full 2021-2022 Update is attached to this memo and is also available on the City’s Climate Action webpage (www.fcgov.com/climateaction/reports). Community Partnership Programs Our Climate Future is committed to centering community voices, perspectives, and priorities, which helps make climate action benefit everyone and to limit unintended consequences, particularly for those in the community who have been underserved. In 2022, City Council approved a $60,000 enhancement for 2023-24 for OCF to continue action on this commitment. With this funding, OCF has been able to continue the Community Consultants program, reimagine a community advisory committee (now the Climate Equity Committee), and launch a small grants program (OCF Community Leadership Grants). These programs demonstrate the necessity and roles of City-led, co-led, and community-led projects.  Community Consultant Program (City-led). This program is a continuation of the Plan Ambassador and Community Partner program that was a key element of engagement for OCF plan adoption. Now, in the implementation phase of OCF, Community Consultants are compensated individuals who share their insights, expertise, and experiences on a wide variety of City-led projects connected to OCF Big Moves. DocuSign Envelope ID: 42335494-35DE-4CFE-AE69-2564F14D56D9 Page 4 of 6 o 13 community members are supporting 7 City projects in 2023 into early 2024. Projects include energy efficiency for manufactured homes, the Water Efficiency Plan, Open Streets, and a Neighborhood Services equity scan.  Climate Equity Committee (CEC) (Co-led). The CEC is an advisory committee that is centered in equity in process and outcome. The CEC is currently in a “forming and norming” stage and will soon be reviewing projects and making recommendations to staff for further embedding equity in them. o Eight community members are currently part of the committee and are on 1- or 2-year terms. They are compensated for their time and expertise. The CEC is facilitated by an external party to create a neutral space and to provide professional facilitation skills for difficult and deep conversations.  Community Leadership Grants (Community-led). This program was designed as a low-barrier, flexible small grants program (up to $10k per grantee) to advance community-leadership and capacity in the climate space, and followed a “curated” approach to seek out organizations that represent and serve marginalized parts of the community. o Four grants have been awarded to local organizations who are leading projects in local food, reusable and shared materials, and education. Staff expect to share results and impacts from these projects in Q1 of 2024. The programs provide pathways for community members and organizations to lead and engage with Our Climate Future. OCF cannot be achieved through City action alone, and at the same time, the City’s support for community leadership is essential for advancing the vision of OCF. Sustainable Funding Council considered several Sustainable Funding strategies over the past two years to secure new revenue for climate action and other community priorities. This work was presented within the framework of the OCF Big Moves and resulted in both a proposed ballot measure for a new sales tax (estimated to generate ~$5M/year for OCF initiatives) and an opportunity for an increase to the methane (natural) gas Franchise Fee (estimated to generate ~$1M/year for OCF initiatives). OCF Lead Team and OCF Executive Committee will continue to engage and support on how these potential revenue sources can scale and accelerate initiatives supporting adopted OCF goals. DocuSign Envelope ID: 42335494-35DE-4CFE-AE69-2564F14D56D9 Page 5 of 6 2023 Our Climate Future Council Roadmap The OCF Roadmap is a strategic tool for Council to use when considering decisions in multiple areas and how they impact the O ur Climate Future Big Moves – addressing building and energy codes, land use and transportation, and waste reduction and recycling policies. These actions will make it possible to achieve the emissions reductions pathways shared during the Q4 Work Session in 2022. An asterisk (*) indicates a change from the 2022 Roadmap. 2022 •Adopt a contracted residential waste service including yard trimmings •Adopt Active Modes Plan 2023 •Adopt Land Use Phase 1* •Sustainable Revenue - Franchise Fee* •Develop Building Performance Standards •Develop home energy listing requirements •Adopt Economic Health Strategic Plan (including Circular Economy)* 2024 •Adopt Building Performance Standards •Develop energy code step towards net-zero carbon •Adopt Water Efficiency Plan* •Start contracted residential waste service including yard trimmings 2025 •Adopt Energy Code •Adopt home listing requirements •Adopt commercial/ industrial policy for yard trimmings* •Adopt Land Use Phase 2* 2026 •Start Building Performance Standards (lar ge buildings) •Start West Elizabeth Bus Rapid Transit •Start home energy listing requirements •Start commercial/ industrial policy for yard trimmings* DocuSign Envelope ID: 42335494-35DE-4CFE-AE69-2564F14D56D9 Page 6 of 6 2027 •Start building performance standards (s mall & mid- size buildings) •Develop net- zero carbon energy code 2028 •Adopt Energy Code •Start energy requirements for rental properties •Start North College MAX 2029 2030 •Start higher building performance standards for all buildings Unscheduled •Food scraps policy •Construction and demolition policy DocuSign Envelope ID: 42335494-35DE-4CFE-AE69-2564F14D56D9 17 MTCO2e 2005 14 MTCO2e 2015 fcgov.com/climateaction Our Climate Future 2021 Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory Where are we going? Greenhouse Gas Goals 20% REDUCTION 80% REDUCTION NEUTRALBY 2050 CARBON 2005 2026 2020 2030 2050 50% REDUCTION 2021 INVENTORY 24% BELOW 2005 10 MTCO 2e 2021 Our Climate Future (OCF) is a comprehensive plan to simultaneously address climate, energy and waste goals, while improving our community’s equity and resilience. OCF articulates an unwavering commitment to mitigating and adapting to climate disruption with a people-ﬁrst systems-approach. Primary causes of GHG reductions in 2021 • Increased renewable electricity from Platte River Power Authority • Increased abatement of industrial process emissions Progress Per Capita DECREASE 41% What are some things that will be or feel dierent in our community when we reach the target of 80% reduction in emissions? • Having more options for homes that are energy ecient, comfortable, healthy and aordable. • Having safe and convenient choices to walk, bike, or take the bus to get where we need to go. • Being able to choose to compost and recycle because aordable and accessible services are available. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) are a type of air pollution that trap heat in the atmosphere and that contribute to a rapidly changing climate and disruption of historic weather patterns. DocuSign Envelope ID: 42335494-35DE-4CFE-AE69-2564F14D56D9 Auxiliary aids and services are available for persons with disabilities. Esta informaciόn puede ser traducida, sin costo para usted.23-25144 Since 2005 100% Renewable Electricity Goal Despite a growing population, eciency programs have helped limit the increase in electricity use - it would be 21% higher without Utilities’ programs. Increasing eciency makes it easier to supply the community with renewable electricity. Progress made in 2021: • The Community Recycling Ordinance came into eect and expanded recycling service to multi-family and commercial properties, increasing recycling in these sectors by 44%. • Residential food scraps collected by small local food scraps-only haulers increased by over 150% compared with 2020. They collected a total of 260 tons of food scraps for composting. • City Council adopted the Disposable Bag Ordinance and referred it to voters who approved it by 59%. Down 0.5% from 2020 Industrial 58% Residential 24% Commercial & Multi-family 17% Zero Waste Goal Where our waste comes from: Population increased 29% energy use increased only 9%. • Thanks to residents and businesses improving eciency and practicing conservation. Building square footage increased by 22%, but buildings are 12% more ecient. *A diversion rate compares the amount of material that was recycled or composted with total waste generated by the community. For 2021, this means that more than half of the total material that was generated throughout the year was recycled or composted. diversion rate: 66% diversion rate: 29% diversion rate: 32% Total Community Waste and Recycling by Sector in 2021 2005 2021 Community Diversion Rate*: 51.5% in 2021 Fossil Fuels 76% Hydro 22% Wind 2% Solar 0% Fossil Fuels 49.5% Hydro 18% Wind 27.5% Solar 3% DocuSign Envelope ID: 42335494-35DE-4CFE-AE69-2564F14D56D9 fcgov.com/climateaction Big Move #1 In Action: City-led In 2022, 15 community members provided their expertise, lived experience, and perspectives on City-led projects, including: • EPA Environmental Justice grant for indoor air quality • Epic Homes • Natural Areas Equity Strategic Plan • SHIFT for our Spanish-speaking community • Sustainability in Manufactured Home Communities Big Move #1 In Action: Co-led Planning for a Climate Equity Committee: In 2022, Queens Legacy Foundation partnered with the City to convene individuals from across the community to imagine what a Climate Equity Committee would look like and how it could guide Our Climate Future eorts. For more information, please see a summary of the group’s recommendations at fcgov.com/ocf-partnership. Big Move #1 In Action: Community-led The City of Fort Collins cannot take all the actions needed to limit and prepare for climate change on its own. Businesses, schools, community organizations, and individuals all have a role to play. Here are just a couple examples of how the community is leading this work: • The Center for Environmental Justice: Climate Grief and Resiliency Workshop • The Center heard from CSU students that they desire space to process their feelings about what is happening to the environment due to climate change and create actionable tools to adapt to the warming world. They partnered with students, faculty and sta from the Center for Environmental Justice, the Student Sustainability Center, and the Black and African American Cultural Center on campus to create a workshop for students. They are also developing a graduate level course on this topic. • Trees, Water & People: Collaborative Restoration of Cameron Peak Fire burn areas • Trees, Water & People (TWP) collaborated with several organizations* to implement small-scale plantings on the burn footprint of private landowners. The goal is to stabilize erosion and restore stands of mixed-conifer forests to improve water inﬁltration and regenerate biodiversity back into the landscape. This cross-collaboration eort is aimed at increasing co-management opportunities and strengthening community resilience in the wake of climate change. *Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed, Big Thompson Watershed Coalition, Larimer County Conservation Corps, The Nature Conservancy, Wildlands Restoration Volunteers and Private Landowners “Big Moves” is the OCF way of describing the transformational outcomes which connect our speciﬁc goals for climate, energy and waste with the community's deﬁnition of a sustainable Fort Collins. Big Move 1 (Shared Leadership and Community Partnership) and Big Move 3 (Climate Resilient Community) underpin all of OCF. OCF Big Move #1: Shared Leadership and Community Partnership Centered in equity and leading with race, all parts of our community lead, implement and beneﬁt from Our Climate Future. Auxiliary aids and services are available for persons with disabilities. Esta informaciόn puede ser traducida, sin costo para usted. 2022 OCF Activities DocuSign Envelope ID: 42335494-35DE-4CFE-AE69-2564F14D56D9 OCF Big Move #3: Climate Resilient Community People, buildings, watersheds and ecosystems are prepared for the threats of climate change. Resilience Project at Northside Aztlan Community Center Northside Aztlan Center completed the ﬁrst phase of construction as part of a State of Colorado Department of Local Aairs grant with the addition of battery storage to this site. Combined with the existing solar array, this additional equipment and technology provides limited backup power to run the facility, in the event of a community-level emergency. This type of system also provides an everyday beneﬁt by reducing operating costs during times of peak energy use, when the cost of electricity is higher. This project will be completed and online by May 2023. Poudre River Water Supply - Recovery and Resilience After the 2020 Cameron Peak Wildﬁre, in 2021-2023 Fort Collins Utilities has worked with regional partners including other local water providers, state and federal agencies, consultants, and the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed to minimize negative impacts on critical drinking water supplies, private property, and the health of the Poudre River. Independently, Fort Collins Utilities also completed sediment removal and stream channel realignment work at the City’s Poudre River water supply intake in early 2022 to prevent damage to water lines and avoid potential interference with the drinking water treatment process. Community Water Conservation Overall, the community saved a total of 173 million gallons (2% of total treated water) in 2022. Learn more and get involved at fcgov.com/ocf Highlights: • Shift Your Water: The 2nd year of Shift Your Water engaged even more residents than in 2021, with 918 households pledging to stop irrigating their grass by October 1st, saving an estimated 2.5 million gallons of water. • Irrigation: The residential Xeriscape Incentive Program supported 94 completed projects, compared to 70 in 2021. Auxiliary aids and services are available for persons with disabilities. Esta informaciόn puede ser traducida, sin costo para usted.23-25144 DocuSign Envelope ID: 42335494-35DE-4CFE-AE69-2564F14D56D9