Title
Approval of Resolution in Support of the Regional Plan for Sustainable Development
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to adopt the Resolution regarding the Regional Plan for Sustainable Development
Report
Issue:
The Thurston Regional Planning Council has adopted the Regional Plan for Sustainable Development, which is titled "Creating Places Preserving Spaces: A Sustainable Development Plan for the Thurston Region." One of the next steps is for each local jurisdiction in Thurston County to sign their own resolution accepting the Plan.
Staff Contact:
Amy Buckler, Associate Planner, Community Planning & Development, 360.570.5847
Presenter(s):
N/A
Background and Analysis:
In 2010, the Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) received a Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to craft a sustainable development vision and strategies to guide the region through 2035. During the next three years, thousands of residents attended Sustainable Thurston community workshops, answered surveys and participated online to share their hopes, fears and ideas about the future of our region.
On December 6, 2013, the TRPC adopted Creating Places - Preserving Spaces: A Sustainable Development Plan for the Thurston Region, which sets 12 Priority Goals and Targets and recommends roughly 40 goals and 370 actions across a broad array of topics, including transportation and land use, water quality, health and human services, public safety, and other issues.
The Plan is intended to be a resource for providing background information, informed actions, and a viable template for a coordinated approach to sustainable development in the Thurston Region. A continuing role for TRPC will be to raise awareness, look for best practices, monitor priority goals and targets, and lead supportive regional efforts, as fund are available.
To make the Plan a reality will require leadership, support and participation by local jurisdictions and other community partners. Although the Regional Plan is not binding on jurisdictions; policy makers might consider implementing relevant actions to support the Plan goals. By signing the attached resolution, the Olympia City Council would be communicating their intent to move the Plan forward to staff and planning groups for integration of relevant action in local plans, regulations and programs, as appropriate.
The Council's Land Use & Environment Committee is scheduled to discuss potential actions to implement the Regional Plan at its meeting on April 25, 2014. Olympia staff has been tracking Sustainable Thurston as compared to the City's Comprehensive Plan Update. The Regional Plan's goals and policies align with Olympia's draft Comprehensive Plan; it is not expected to result in needed changes to the Comprehensive Plan's goals and policies. The Regional Plan provides opportunities for the City to strategically align its goals with the goals of other regional organizations, and form stronger partnerships and implementation toward a more sustainable community and region.
Achieving the goals and hitting the targets described in the Regional Plan would result in the following measurable outcomes by 2035:
· 95 percent of growth in areas designated for urban growth
· $1.6 billion savings in road, water, sewer, and other related infrastructure costs
· 43 percent of the population living within a quarter-mile of transit service
· 72 percent of urban households living within a half-mile of goods and services
· 33 percent reduction in land consumption
· No net loss of forestlands
· No net loss of rural farmlands
· 30 percent reduction in per capita annual vehicle miles traveled (compared to 1990 levels)
· 45 percent reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions (compared to 1990 levels)
· 33 percent reduction per capita water use
· 34 percent reduction in new impervious area in protected stream basins
· 31 percent reduction in new impervious area in sensitive stream basins
What are the next steps?
· Ongoing community conversation
· Implementation will occur at the local level with jurisdictions identifying programs, processes and actions to take based on their priorities.
· Regional, non-profit and private partners will also continue to play an important role. They will facilitate ongoing discussion, monitor, lead and support actions that move the region toward sustainability goals.
· Jurisdictions adopting their own Resolutions:
Jurisdiction |
Date |
Notes |
Olympia |
February 25, 2014 |
City Council will consider a Resolution |
|
April 25, 2014 |
Council's Land Use & Environment Committee will discuss potential actions to implement the Regional Plan |
Tumwater |
January 21, 2014 |
City Council adopted a` Resolution |
Lacey |
February 27, 2014 |
City Council will consider a Resolution |
Yelm |
March (appx.) |
City Council will consider a Resolution |
Thurston County |
March (appx.) |
County Commissioners will consider a Resolution |
Rainier |
1st half of 2014 |
City Council will consider a Resolution |
Bucoda |
1st half of 2014 |
City Council will consider a Resolution |
Tenino |
1st half of 2014 |
City Council will consider a Resolution |
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
TRPC's Sustainable Thurston website includes summaries of multiple public engagement efforts related to development of the Regional Plan (see attached link.)
Options:
Option 1: Move to adopt the Resolution regarding the Regional Plan for Sustainable Development
Option 2: Take no action
Financial Impact:
This action is included in the base budget.