Title
Approval of a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to modify Policy PN 8.1 regarding the City's greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal - Public Hearing
Recommended Action
Move to approve a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to modify the text of policy PN8.1 related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to modify the text of policy PN8.1 related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Staff Contact:
Susan Clark, Senior Planner, Public Works Water Resources, 360.753.8321
Joyce Phillips, Senior Planner, Community Planning and Development, 360-570.3722
Presenter(s):
Joyce Phillips, Senior Planner, Community Planning and Development
Background and Analysis:
The City of Olympia adopted a greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goal in its 2014 Comprehensive Plan. The City's goal was developed to reflect the GHG emission reduction goal of the Sustainable Thurston plan, which was approved in late 2013. Both goals were reflective of the North America 2050 coalition and the State of Washington emission reduction provisions adopted in state law (70.235.020 RCW). Other jurisdictions in Thurston County adopted similar but different goals.
Sustainable Thurston recommended that a Climate Action Plan be developed. In 2018 the City entered into an Interlocal Agreement with the Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC), Thurston County, and the Cities of Lacey and Tumwater to develop a regional climate mitigation plan. Phase 1 of the project included a review of each participating jurisdiction's varying climate policies and emission targets. As a result, a recommendation to adopt a common region-wide emissions reduction target, using 2015 as the base year instead of 1990, was made.
The change in base year was proposed because inventories developed after 1990 provide a more accurate accounting of emissions. Essentially, there is better data for the 2015 base year than what exists for 1990. As a result of ch...
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