Climate Resiliency Plan

You can get involved with this plan in multiple ways!

• If you want to learn more about climate action and resiliency, you can find education and engagement materials on the "Educational Resources" tab above. 

• If you would like to have your voice heard in the Climate Resiliency Plan, stay up to date on upcoming virtual community workshops and online surveys you can find them on the "Meeting Agendas and Recordings" tab.

• If you would like to volunteer your time to be an ambassador of the Climate Resiliency Plan, sign up to be a part of our Community Climate Volunteer Group by emailing ced@cityofpa.us. 

Below you will find links to upcoming meeting information and how to participate. Each prior meeting's up-to-date agendas and recordings will also be posted when made available.

For more information, please contact City Staff by emailing ced@cityofpa.us.

2016 Comprehensive Plan Update

The City embarked on a robust public engagement process during the 2016 Comprehensive Plan Update Process. During this process the Olympic Climate Action grassroots organization submitted goal and policy changes to the plan based on the North Olympic Resource Conservation Council Report, Climate Change Preparedness Plan for the North Olympic Peninsula. This report is considered best available science when it was published in 2015.
View the Report Here

2019 Climate Action Planning Group

The 2019 City Work Plan included an item that called for the creation of a local working group to put together a community driven Climate Action Plan. This community driven Climate Action Plan included proposed strategies and actions for both mitigation of and adaptation to climate change.  A City Climate Action Planning Group (CAPG) was formed and met regularly from January to October 2019. The group prepared a report containing recommendations and strategies for the creation of a Climate Action Plan for consideration by the City Council. 
View the Resiliency Plan Here 

Late 2019: Planning Commission Climate Action Leadership

On November 6, 2019 the City Council voted to recommend the Planning Commission Subcommittee achieve the following from the CAPG Resiliency Plan:
1. Adoption of Resolution 20-19
2. Pursue the FEWsion program
3. Adopt CAPG Summary of Recommendations

The Planning Commission Climate Action Subcommittee met twice a month between December 2019 and February 2020. The Subcommittee recommended approval of an 18-month workplan that included a greenhouse gas inventory, supply chain analysis, and public participation plan with the anticipation of a final Climate Resilience Plan being completed and approved by City Council in June of 2021. These three tasks were to be supported by community volunteer groups. 

Due to City Council strategic plan priorities and workload requirements, on February 18, 2020 staff recommended that the City Council approve a professional services agreement with an estimated cost of $50,000 to manage the FEWsion project, International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) inventory, consider action items and strategies that would emphasize city-wide energy-use reduction, and draft of a climate resiliency plan for Planning Commission review.

City Council made five motions in response to staff’s request, including amending their previous motion in order to remove recommending a Planning Commission Subcommittee be created—as well as removal of the same recommendation from the CAPG "Summary of Recommendations"—and pursue a professional services agreement to manage the FEWsion project, ICLEI inventory, and draft a climate action plan for staff review. This authorization contemplates a joint approach with Clallam County, in collaboration with Clallam County if the County is willing to participate and with collaboration with community volunteers. 

Climate Resiliency Plan Request for Proposal

In response to Council direction at the February 18, 2020 meeting, City Staff published an RFP on July 23^rd in the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, Peninsula Daily News, the American Planning Association RFP webpage, and on the City’s Newsflash and Bids and RFP’s pages that included five tasks for the potential proposal:

1.  Project Management
2. Public Outreach and Participation Plan
3. Community and Municipal Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory Develop a Greenhouse Gas
4. FEWsion Supply Chain Inventory and Mapping
5. Climate Resiliency Plan

At the August 7, 2020 deadline, two consulting firms had submitted proposals. The Planning Division formed a review and selection committee comprised of a Planning staff member, a Public Works and Utilities staff member, a Planning Commissioner, and a representative of the community’s climate action volunteer group. The selection committee evaluated the proposals using a qualitative scale and determined that both responding firms should be invited to a virtual interview. After interviews, the committee decided unanimously that Cascadia Consulting Group should be awarded the contract. The firm’s references were favorable, and the project manager was notified of the committee decision to award the contract on October 16^th. Planning staff drafted a statement of work with four tasks:

Task 1 – Kick-Off Meeting & Project Management
Task 2 – Public Outreach & Participation Plan
Task 3 – Community & Municipal Greenhouse Gas Inventory
Task 4 – Climate Resiliency Plan

Cascadia Consulting Group Scope of Work and Tasks

The City Council approved the recommendation of Cascadia Consulting Group on November 11, 2020. A contract and scope of work was signed by the City and Consultant in mid-December.
View Contract and Scope of Work Here

Statewide

• Anacortes Climate Related Comprehensive Plan Element
• Bainbridge Island Climate Change Advisory Committee Ordinance
• Bainbridge Island Climate Impact Assessment
• Bellingham Climate Protection Action Plan
• Jefferson County Climate Action Plan
• Seattle Climate Action Plan

Nationwide

• Green House Gas Inventory Guidebook
• San Luis Obispo Greenhouse Gas Inventory
• American Planning Association Planning Advisory Service Report #565: Assessing Sustainability for Local Governments
• American Planning Association Planning Advisory Service Report #596: Planning for Infrastructure Resilience

Federal

• 2013 Federal Climate Action Plan
• National Biodefense Science Board (NBSC) Community Health Resilience Report
  

General Climate and Resilience Related Links

• ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
• FEWsion - Supply Chain Mapping
• Department of Ecology Greenhouse Gas Reduction Landing Page
• 2019 Climate Priorities for Washington State
• Municipal Research Service Center (MRSC) Climate Change Page
• United Nations Climate Action
• Resilience 101
• FEMA Community Resilience Indicators
• The Universal Ecological Fund - The Economic Case for Climate Action in the United States