Title
Olympia 2045: Climate Element of the Comprehensive Plan Update
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
No action requested.
City Manager Recommendation:
No action requested.
Staff Contact:
Natalie Weiss, Climate Resilience Coordinator, City Manager’s Office, Climate Program, 360.570.5828
Presenters:
Jaron Burke, Climate Program Specialist
Natalie Weiss, Climate Resilience Coordinator
Background and Analysis:
Climate Element: Description and State Requirements
The Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) (RCW 36.70A) guides and directs local government planning in WA. It requires most cities and counties, including Olympia, to adopt and periodically update a comprehensive plan to accommodate the succeeding 20 years of growth and establish the primary goals and policies to guide all City actions.
Planning for climate change and resiliency was added as the 14th goal to the GMA in 2023, by adoption of House Bill 1181 (Chapter 228, Laws of 2023). The GMA now requires local comprehensive plans to have sub-elements for greenhouse gas emissions reduction and climate resilience.
The new Climate Action & Resilience chapter will address both climate mitigation (the reduction of greenhouse gases) and resiliency (the ability to adapt to our changing climate). The overarching goals of this chapter are to:
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Reduce vehicle miles traveled.
• Improve climate preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.
• Maximize co-benefits and prioritize environmental justice in the development of policies/programs to achieve these goals.
The Climate Element in the Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan
The City of Olympia is taking an integrative approach to the Climate Element; each of the Climate goals and policies will “live” within other chapters. In other words, all chapters of the Comprehensive Plan will include goals and/or policies that further climate action and resilience related to the sector. This approach was decided and detailed at the inception of the Olympia 2045 update process, and Comprehensive Plan chapter leads have been engaged collaborators throughout the development of the Climate Element. The rationale for this approach is twofold. Firstly, climate impacts will touch our community, economy, and environment in a myriad of ways and the integrated approach to the Climate Chapter aims to capture the cross-sectoral nature and need for interdepartmental collaboration to tackle the climate crisis. Secondly, partnering with staff, building internal capacity, and embedding climate action across the City ensures meaningful implementation of adopted goals and policies over the next 20 years.
The development of the Climate Action and Resilience Chapter (i.e., Climate Element) is led by a cross-departmental staff team (Climate Policy Advisory Team), which includes staff from the City of Olympia and Squaxin Island Tribe. Staff are represented from Public Works, Community Planning and Economic Development, Water Resources, Waste ReSources, Parks, and Climate. Through internal meetings, interviews, and workshops, the Climate Policy Advisory Team developed a Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment, evaluated local sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and drafted climate goals and policies to address climate mitigation and resilience challenges. Several related plans and projects have also informed the development of this chapter, including the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan (completed in 2020), the Olympia Sea Level Rise Response Plan (completed in 2019), and the Olympia Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (initiated in 2023; completed in 2025).
Additional review of current chapter drafts will ensure that each chapter’s goals and policies are aligned with Climate Element objectives and consistent across the Comprehensive Plan.
The Climate Chapter will undergo the same public process as all other chapters of the Comprehensive Plan, including public engagement and outreach, committee briefings, and public hearings. There has been community outreach throughout the process, with several more opportunities for community feedback and guidance along the way. We have conducted targeted conversations with local organizations working in economic development, housing affordability, social services, public services (public transportation, utilities), and natural environment. We have also hosted Open Houses, Q&A sessions, as well as tabling at community events.
Resilience Sub-Element
The Resilience Sub-Element of the Climate Chapter focuses on strengthening Olympia’s capacity to prepare for, adapt to, and respond to climate hazards. From the Climate Conditions Report (ICLEI, 2023), we determined that the Sub-Element will address the following climate-exacerbated hazards: extreme precipitation, sea level rise, ocean acidification, drought, extreme heat, rising temperatures, and wildfire and smoke.
We conducted a Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment with the Climate Policy Advisory Team to determine which community assets are at risk from climate-exacerbated hazards. Based on the risk assessment, the Team developed recommendations for which risks to accept and which risks to take action on through Comprehensive Plan goals and policies. The Washington State Department of Commerce Guidance recommends accepting risk for all low-risk asset hazard pairs and prioritizing action for higher-risk pairs based on community priorities and subject matter expertise.
Mitigation Sub-Element
The Mitigation Sub-Element aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across sectors with an emphasis on transportation, buildings and energy, and waste. The City of Olympia has committed to net-zero emissions by 2040; the Mitigation Sub-Element lays out the goals and policies necessary to meet this target. These goals and policies build on the City’s existing efforts and are informed by the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan and 2021 Greenhouse Gas Inventory and 2021 Carbon Wedge Analysis, which together outline the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Olympia and strategies to reduce emissions in each sector.
Climate Element Next Steps
The Climate Element proposed goals and policies are currently undergoing internal review from the Climate Policy Advisory Team. Draft goals and policies will be released for public comment between mid-February and mid-March. The Climate Policy Advisory Team will review and respond to public comment from March - April and then publish the updated draft Element for a second round of public comment in early May. The entire Comprehensive Plan will be adopted by end of December 2025.
Climate Analysis:
Development of the Comprehensive Plan Climate Element will support long-term planning for climate mitigation (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions reduction) and resilience.
Equity Analysis:
Climate change affects everyone. However, some people and communities in Olympia (sometimes referred to as frontline communities) will experience greater impacts due to their age, race, gender, health, where they live, or what they do for work. Prioritizing environmental justice and maximizing co-benefits for frontline communities is a key goal of the Climate Element.
Equity will be incorporated throughout the Climate Element goals and policies, and staff are prioritizing outreach to frontline communities to the greatest extent feasible. Additionally, the City’s ADA and Accessibility Coordinator is a member of the Climate Policy Advisory Team and is helping to ensure equity considerations are included throughout the process.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
There is considerable community interest in climate action (including greenhouse gas reduction and resilience). Multiple opportunities and forums for community engagement have been undertaken already including in person open houses and individual community group meetings as well as online engagement on the Engage Olympia platform.
We have heard from social service providers, economic development organizations, and housing affordability advocates. Across all groups, there has been an emphasis on flexibility of policies to reduce bureaucratic hurdles. Housing affordability was also a common theme voiced by all groups as a challenge to achieving climate goals. Multiple groups voiced concern over being able to provide affordable housing, achieve density goals, and maintain legacy tree canopy. Practicality and ambition of greenhouse gas reduction goals was frequently cited as a point of apprehension.
Additional opportunities for community feedback on the development of climate goals and policies will be provided throughout the Climate Element update process. Upon completion of the community engagement phase, staff will prepare a summary of community feedback that informed the development of the draft goals and policies.
Options:
None - No action requested.
Attachments:
Climate Engage Webpage
City of Olympia Climate Conditions Report
2021 Inventory of Community-Wide Greenhouse Gas Emissions
2021 Community Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Strategy Analysis