Title
Acceptance of the Natural Environment Chapter of the Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to accept the Natural Environment Chapter of the Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan.
Report
Issue:
Whether to accept the Natural Environment Chapter of the Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan.
Staff Contact:
Kym Foley, Environmental Habitat Planner, Public Works Water Resources, 360. 570.3957
Presenter(s):
Kym Foley, Environmental Habitat Planner
Background and Analysis:
Every 10 years, the City is required by State law to review and update its Comprehensive Plan and development regulations to implement the plan. This update looks out to the year 2045 to show how the City will accommodate new population and employment growth. It is also an opportunity to make sure the plan and development regulations meet current State requirements that have changed since the last major update of the plan, and to ensure that it reflects our community values and vision.
Each chapter is being updated separately, although staff is working diligently to ensure chapters are supportive of each other and consistent. Because chapters are being reviewed on different timelines, staff is requesting that the City Council “accept” each chapter but to refrain from adopting until all chapters are complete and any final adjustments can be made. For example, there will likely be modifications or additions to some goals and policies in this chapter as a result of the proposed Climate Action and Resilience Chapter, which has not yet gone through the public hearing process or been reviewed by Council. Staff intends to bring all “accepted” chapters back to City Council in one full document for review and final action. The deadline to complete this periodic update of the Comprehensive Plan is December 31, 2025.
Summary of Public Process
Stakeholder engagement and general public participation occurred between April 2023 and July 2024. This included an online survey, tabling sessions at community events, and focus group meetings. Additional comments were received via email and telephone from the public, Washington State agencies, and local organizations. Briefings with opportunity for input were provided to the Utility Advisory Committee, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, the Social Justice and Equity Commission, the Planning Commission, and the Land Use and Environment Council subcommittee (see attached for a summary of edits requested by the Council and various advisory bodies). Letters of recommendation for approval of the proposed Natural Environment Chapter draft update have been provided by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, the Planning Commission, and the Social Justice and Equity Commission (attached). Interdepartmental staff review occurred throughout the update process with representation from each City department.
Summary of Changes to Chapter
• Mission/Vision/Values: Shift focus from ‘natural beauty’ to centering the important, reciprocal relationship between community well-being and environmental health. Include co-benefits such as public health, sustainability and climate resilience.
• Urban Forestry: Recommend development of an Urban Forest Management Plan to guide goals, policies and actions for a healthy and resilient urban forest. Include tree canopy goals to help strike a balance between benefits of the urban forest and needs related to housing and economic development.
• Stormwater Management: Update guidance to promote regional facilities that capture and treat runoff from multiple properties or roadways; explore private-public-partnerships to encourage multi-benefit, nature-based (“green”) stormwater infrastructure in development and redevelopment projects; develop prioritization tools to address roadway pollution with the greatest impact to salmon populations. Note: Some updates relating to stormwater have been moved to the Utilities Chapter.
• Equity and Environmental Justice: Improve policies and prioritization strategies to ensure investments in environmental programs and projects reach communities most in need of associated benefits.
• Workforce Development: Deepen equitable and inclusive environmental education programming and establish or grow programming to create more pathways into “green” careers.
• Tribal Connections: Incorporate Indigenous knowledge and stewardship practices, cultural connections to the land, and outcomes related to Tribal treaty rights. Address salmon recovery as a key objective across land management and conservation strategies.
Climate Analysis:
Each year we learn more about climate change and continue to experience its impacts in new and challenging ways. Unprecedented heat and flooding events in the last two years are just two examples of the ways Olympia needs to build resilience and adaptation strategies that were not as prevalent when the Comprehensive Plan was initially developed. A new Climate Chapter will be created and include many goals and policies that overlap with the Natural Environment Chapter in this 10-year periodic update to the plan. It will be refined throughout the update process. Overall, citywide goals and policies that address environmental health often have the added potential of increasing Olympia’s ability to adapt to a changing climate. For example, identifying areas where strategic tree planting or preservation will mitigate urban heat islands and reduce heat-related illnesses. Accommodating population growth and associated development, while addressing climate-related challenges equitably and economically, will be a priority during the update, specific to the Natural Environment and in coordination with other related chapters.
Equity Analysis:
Equity considerations will be integrated throughout all chapters during the update of the Comprehensive Plan. During each stage of the Natural Environment Chapter update process, staff have considered those who would benefit and those who would be burdened by each goal, policy and strategic direction to inform how such goals, policies and strategic direction can be made more equitable. Additionally, the Comprehensive Plan update includes a public engagement component to promote transparency and provide representation across Olympia communities throughout the process. This will be supported by the Thurston Equity Index, which provides basic socio-economic, public health and environmental information on Olympia’s overburdened and vulnerable communities. The Olympia Social Justice & Equity Commission reviewed the draft chapter update and held a discussion with staff on 6/24/24. No specific changes to the draft were recommended at that time.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
When the Natural Environment Chapter was initially drafted in 2014, it was developed largely based on guidance provided by the community. Many of the goals and policies remain the same or are rooted in the mission, vision and values established during that time. Staff once again turned to the community to guide recommendations for this periodic update, using various methods of soliciting input. These included a digital survey and materials for review on the Engage Olympia website, public meetings, tabling and workshops held at community events, and presentations to City advisory committees such as the Utility Advisory Committee, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, the Social Justice and Equity Commission and the Planning Commission.
Financial Impact:
A grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce, in the amount of $175,000 is helping to fund the update process. Annual department budgets are covering staff time, public outreach and engagement, and the majority of this work.
Options:
1. Move to accept the Natural Environment Chapter of the Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan.
2. Accept the Natural Environment Chapter of the Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan, with specific modifications.
3. Do not accept the Natural Environment Chapter of the Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan and direct staff to make specific changes to it for reconsideration at a future date.
Attachments:
Draft Natural Environment Chapter Periodic Update w/Tracked Changes
Draft Natural Environment Chapter Periodic Update - Clean Version
Community Engagement Summary
Recommendation Letter - Olympia Planning Commission
Recommendation Letter - Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee
Recommendation Letter - Social Justice & Equity Commission
Social Justice & Equity Commission - Discussion Summary
Summary of Recommendations by Advisory Body