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o Agenda
Edmonds Planning Board
V
REGULAR MEETING
BRACKETT ROOM
121 5TH AVE N, CITY HALL - 3RD FLOOR, EDMONDS, WA 98020
MARCH 8, 2023, 7:00 PM
REMOTE MEETING INFORMATION:
Meeting Link:https://edmondswa-
gov.zoom.us/s/87322872194?pwd=WFdxTWJIQmxlTG9LZkc3KOhuS014QT09 Meeting ID: 873 2287
2194 Passcode:007978
This is a Hybrid meeting: The meeting can be attended in -person or on-line. The physcial
meeting location is at Edmonds City Hall 121 5th Avenue N., 3rd floor Brackett R000m
Or Telephone :US: +1 253 215 8782
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
We acknowledge the original inhabitants of this place, the Sdohobsh (Snohomish) people and
their successors the Tulalip Tribes, who since time immemorial have hunted, fished, gathered, and
taken care of these lands. We respect their sovereignty, their right to self-determination, and we
honor their sacred spiritual connection with the land and water.
CALL TO ORDER
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. Draft February 15 special meeting minutes
ANNOUNCEMENT OF AGENDA
AUDIENCE COMMENTS
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
PUBLIC HEARINGS
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Review and Approval of Planning Board Handbook
B. Project Status: Tree Code Updates AMD2022-0004
NEW BUSINESS
A. Planning Board Feedback on Draft Vision Statement
B. 2023 Climate Action Plan
PLANNING BOARD EXTENDED AGENDA
A. 2023 Extended Agenda Discussion
Edmonds Planning Board Agenda
March 8, 2023
Page 1
10. PLANNING BOARD CHAIR COMMENTS
11. PLANNING BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
12. ADJOURNMENT
13. GENERIC AGENDA ITEMS
Edmonds Planning Board Agenda
March 8, 2023
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Planning Board Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 03/8/2023
Approval of February 15 Special Meeting Minutes
Staff Lead: David Levitan
Department: Planning & Development
Prepared By: Michelle Martin
Background/History
Planning Board's February 8 regular meeting had several technical difficulties, including an outdated
Zoom link and the lack of an audio or video recording. In response, the Planning Board held a special
meeting on February 15 to repeat the February 8 meeting agenda, including another opportunity for
audience comments.
Staff Recommendation
Approve draft minutes from the Planning Board's February 15 special meeting.
Narrative
Draft minutes attached.
Attachments:
PB230215 Special Mtg draft
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CITY OF EDMONDS PLANNING BOARD
Minutes of Special Hybrid Meeting
February 15, 2023
Chair Gladstone called the special hybrid meeting of the Edmonds Planning Board to order at 7:05 p.m. in
Council Chambers noting that this was a repeat of the February 8, 2023 meeting.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
Board Member Mitchell read the land acknowledgement.
Board Members Present
Judi Gladstone, Chair
Todd Cloutier
Lauren Golembiewski
Jeremy Mitchell
Susanna Martini
Beth Tragus-Campbell
Nick Maxwell (alternate)
Lily Distelhorst (student rep)
Board Members Absent
Richard Kuehn
Staff Present
David Levitan, Planning Manager
READING/APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOTION MADE BY BOARD MEMBER CAMPBELL, SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER
MITCHELL, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 14, 2022 JOINT MEETING
WITH THE TREE BOARD AS PRESENTED. MOTION PASSED WITH BOARD MEMBERS
CLOUTIER, MAXWELL, AND GOLEMBIEWSKI ABSTAINING.
MOTION MADE BY BOARD MEMBER CAMPBELL, SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER
MITCHELL, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 25, 2023 MEETING WITH THE
AMENDMENTS AS SUGGESTED BY CHAIR GLADSTONE IN HER EMAIL. MOTION PASSED
WITH BOARD MEMBER CLOUTIER ABSTAINING.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF AGENDA
Chair Gladstone recommended moving New Business Item B regarding the Design Review Process to just after
Audience Comments.
THERE WAS UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.
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AUDIENCE COMMENTS
A. Written Public Comments related to February 8 Meeting
Planning Manager Levitan noted that the City had received several emails related to Item 8B in advance of and
following the February 8 meeting, which are attached to the agenda packet.
• Stanley Piha February 7 Email and Attachment
• Theresa Hollis February 8 Email and Attachment
• Theresa Hollis February 10 Email and Attachment Part 1
• Theresa Hollis February 10 Email #2 with Plat Map
Additional Public Comments:
David Cohanim, SytjgW Construction, Inc. stated he was representing developers of the project at 2365 80
Avenue West. They have been working with the City of Edmonds on this project for quite a while. Plans were
submitted for design review that met all relevant criteria under the municipal code. Now the project has been
stopped by the actions of the City Council. They are unable to move forward, and there has been substantial
financial impact due to this. The Emergency Ordinance that was enacted by the City Council calls for
substantive changes to the nature of the proposed structure that were not present in the zoning code at the time
they submitted for review. This project has been called out repeatedly by city staff as the impetus for these
moves. He expressed concern that Judy Gladstone is a neighboring resident of the project under discussion and
has spoken out about her position regarding the project and the zoning issues associated with it. Since the
Planning Board serves as an advisory board to the City Council on which Ms. Gladstone serves as Chair, he
expressed concern about a conflict of interest. He recommended that Chair Gladstone recuse herself from any
matters pertaining in any way to the project under discussion as well as zoning and related legislation associated
with the project, particularly with regard to CG zoning.
Stanley Piha spoke regarding transit -oriented development which he believes should be as significant a focus
of the Planning Board as it is at the current state legislative session. As defined in part by Senate Bill 5466, an
act related to promoting transit -oriented development, a station hub means all parcels that are fully or partially
within a quarter -mile radius of a major transit station. Further defined in the senate bill, a major transit stop
means a site that has been funded for development or a site on a bus rapid transit route or a route that runs on
high -occupancy vehicle lanes. Mr. Piha stated that governance creating transit -oriented development activities
should be a priority of the Planning Board. Community Transit recently announced the proposed shuttle service
from the Edmonds Kingston ferry terminal and terminating at the Mountlake Terrace Light Rail Station with
stops along the way. As a result, the Bus Rapid Transit platform at 238th and Highway 99 will be one of the
most transit -concentrated hubs in the city of Edmonds. It is the only intersection that will have both north and
south Bus Rapid Transit platforms on each side of the highway. This creates an opportunity to create a transit -
oriented development radius as defined by the senate bill allowing the most accessible access to public
transportation. He noted that multifamily properties already exist across the street from single-family zoned
properties on 80 Avenue between 236th and 238ffi. He spoke in support of a suggestion at a recent Architectural
Design Review Board meeting to create a transition between the CG zone and the single-family zone by
changing the single-family zones along 80 to RM 2.4 or RM 1.5. He stated that the quarter -mile radius from
238th and Highway 99 should be viewed by the Planning Board as a transit -oriented development opportunity.
Promoting density here will provide a means of addressing the housing crisis and promoting easy access to all
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February 15, 2023 Page 2 of 6
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forms of public transportation for those who would benefit most. He thinks all properties within this radius
should be excepted from the conditions outlined in the Emergency Ordinance to allow needed housing to be
built.
Finis Tupper online), Edmonds resident, expressed concern about where Edmonds is headed and the way that
the current government is operating. He expressed frustration that he was unable to attend the February 8
meeting because of technical difficulties. He is concerned about open and transparent government and stated
there are consequences for violating the Open and Public Meetings Act.
Glenn Douglas (online), Gateway community, stated he is getting ready to put together another citizens' petition
regarding persistent speeding on 80 Avenue West. He thinks adding a 261-unit apartment building at 236th and
84t' will only exacerbate this. He thanked anyone on the Board who helped get the new stop signs put in at that
intersection, but it is not enough. He is frustrated that the southbound radar feedback sign has not been
reinstalled, and the northbound radar feedback sign has not been activated. He suggested relocating both radar
feedback signs to more effective locations. He commented that asphalt speed bumps have been recommended
by neighbors. He would appreciate some feedback or some kind of response.
Deborah Arthur said she also tried to get on for the last Planning Board meeting and had technical difficulties.
She requested clarification about the area along 84th they are talking about developing. She expressed concern
about speeding traffic along the side streets in this area and pedestrian safety issues she has witnessed.
NEW BUSINESS
B. Design Review Process and Step Back Standard for Certain CG-Zoned Projects (AMD2022-0008)
Chair Gladstone stated that she has been involved as a private citizen on this issue. It is her intent to continue to
serve impartially and take in information as she would on any other issue coming before the Planning Board.
Planning Manager David Levitan reviewed a PowerPoint presentation that was presented on February 8. He
explained that due to a lack of recording and other technical difficulties, that meeting was being repeated. He
reviewed some of the history and provisions of Interim Emergency Ordinance 4283. It requires a two-phase
public hearing and decision by Architectural Design Board (ADB) for projects above 35 feet in height; requires
an additional building step back when across the street from an RS zone, unless deemed unnecessary by the
ADB, and is valid for six months from adoption (June 10, 2023) with a permanent ordinance required beyond
that date. He reviewed considerations regarding the design review process. Right now, they are seeing about
one new project per year. He asked for feedback on whether the ADB should have additional quasi-judicial
decision -making responsibilities. If so, is the two-phase public hearing a better process than a single -meeting
hearing? He discussed existing and interim step back requirements including factors to be considered regarding
across -the -street step backs. He reviewed design tools and requested feedback on additional design tools to be
considered. He requested feedback and stated this would go back to the ADB on February 23 for additional
code refinement and recommendations to the Planning Board. The Planning Board will further refine, hold a
public hearing, and make a recommendation to Council. The Council must adopt permanent standards by June
10, 2023. He summarized some of the previous discussion.
Board Member Mitchell asked how the Supplemental EIS plays into this. Planning Manager Levitan explained
that was added as part of the Council budget package as part of the 2023 project to analyze some of the
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development assumptions within the Planned Action EIS related to trip generation and the ability to handle
stormwater. He pointed out that the Planned Action EIS went through all the required processes and was subject
to public comment and potential appeals which did not happen. Staff is working on ways to integrate this
analysis with the needed environmental review for the Comprehensive Plan update as a whole.
Board Member Golembiewski asked if the projects in the CG zone are not required to go through the ADB, are
there any other opportunities for public comment in the permit process to get feedback on the design or the
proposed development? Planning Manager Levitan thought there would be an opportunity for a Type 2 public
process even though it would be reviewed administratively. Board Member Golembiewski stated that the
process of going through the ADB seems counterintuitive to the subarea plan which was designed to streamline
development in this area. She thinks public input is important, and she is comfortable as long as the public has
the opportunity to provide comment for staff to review. She spoke to the importance of believing that staff will
be working in the best interest of the community.
Board Member Campbell spoke to challenges with public comment opportunities as has been heard tonight. If
they are not going through the ADB process, what else can the City do to make sure people's comments are
heard? Planning Manager Levitan stated that a Type 2 process would require public notification be sent to
neighbors within 300 feet of the boundaries of the project property. If someone comments on that they become
a party of record and would be notified of any notice of decision and would have the opportunity to appeal the
project if they wished to. Board Member Campbell asked about the possibility of expanding the notification
radius to reach out to a greater number of people. Planning Manager Levitan thought it could be discussed.
Chair Gladstone asked about the vision of the Planned Action EIS. Planning Manager Levitan replied that a
Planned Action was done recognizing the role of high -capacity transit coming down Highway 99 and that the
area has the potential to meet a lot of the City's identified housing needs, especially multifamily residential.
There was a public process in establishing the subarea plan as well as doing the environmental review through
the State Environmental Policy Act. The general intent of the Planned Action was to evaluate transportation and
stormwater impacts in that area so it would streamline development. Chair Gladstone requested more
information about the history of the CG area and the EIS so they can get a better accounting of this. She also
suggested that a joint meeting with the ADB might be helpful to get their perspective before making a
recommendation.
Chair Gladstone asked about differences in street widths in the CG zone. Planning Manager Levitan thought
street widths vary in that area from about 40 to 80 feet; however, this would apply only to CG-zoned properties
that are directly across from RS zones so it would be very limited.
Board Member Campbell said she would like to see additional information and more detail about the equity
piece related to whether step backs would be required. She is concerned about the language in the proposed
ordinance that says that step backs would be required unless the ADB determined that they weren't needed. If
that condition is left in there, it is important to set out clearly what those requirements are. She can see the
benefits to having the flexibility in there but expressed concern about potential inequities between developers.
Chair Gladstone asked about the reason for the shift in the emergency ordinance to add review by the ADB
regarding step back requirements. Planning Manager Levitan thought the emergency ordinance reanalyzed the
ability for the ADB to have discretion about whether step backs are needed and implemented the two-phase
design review process.
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Board Member Mitchell asked if there is still an ability by the developer to prove to the ADB that step backs
aren't needed. Mr. Levitan explained that the applicant can state why they don't think they are needed when
they present their design. He offered to bring back more information about this. Board Member Mitchell agreed
with Board Member Campbell's concerns about consistency. He noted that in his experience step backs are the
first thing to go.
Board Member Golembiewski asked about the possibility that a developer would propose no step backs on
either adjacent properties or across the street the way the code is written. Mr. Levitan explained that in the
interim ordinance the discretion for the ADB applies to both adjacent and across the street. The language could
be changed if desired. There was some discussion about how the code language development process happens
with the Planning Board.
ADNIINISTRATIVE REPORTS
None
PUBLIC HEARINGS
None
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Everyone's Edmonds Vision Statement and Comprehensive Plan Update
Planning Manager Levitan explained that at the last meeting he had reviewed the visioning process and
the vision statement: "Edmonds is a welcoming city offering outstanding quality of life for all. We value
environmental stewardship, vibrant and diverse neighborhoods, safe and healthy streets, and a thriving
arts scene. We are engaged residents who take pride in shaping our resilient future. " The next step in
the process will be to do a citywide mailing with a QR code and other opportunities for people to log on
to a survey to provide their feedback. He had also asked for general feedback from Planning Board
members on the vision statement. The general consensus was that this isn't necessarily a vision
statement, but it is just stating what we are. There was a general thought that a vision statement should
be more aspirational and forward looking.
Board Member Maxwell commented as long as they have the time it would be great to have an
additional mail out survey. He stressed that there should be opportunities for people who aren't
comfortable with technology, don't have access to smart phones, or have other accessibility issues to be
able to respond as well. Board Member Martina agreed that they really need to remember accessibility
for the disabled and aging community. She wonders how much feedback they would get from them if
they had to go online versus having a survey mailed to them or an opportunity to call a phone number.
Planning Manager Levitan thanked them for the feedback.
NEW BUSINESS
A. Planning Board Retreat Preparation
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Planning Manager Levitan summarized the discussion from the last meeting. There was a staff report with
options about what they could discuss. There was a desire from Planning Board members to have the
opportunity for an overview of the OPMA from the City Attorney. He will be attending remotely. Any board
members who have not completed the OPMA training should still go through the online training through the
Attorney General's office. There was also discussion at the meeting about having an introduction to planning
and comprehensive planning from Joe Tovar as recommended by past Planning Board Chair Roger Pence. Staff
is still finalizing the preliminary work plan. There was some discussion about trying to approve the handbook,
but due to lack of time they decided to wait for a regular meeting.
Board Member Campbell proposed adding a discussion about the public input for the 2023 traffic calming
program. The deadline for this is coming up on March 3. Planning Manager Levitan said he would check with
Public Works to see if they could provide an overview. Chair Gladstone said she wanted to make sure this was
within their scope. Board Member Campbell said she wanted to provide an opportunity to make sure the public
knew about this. Chair Gladstone did not think it was an appropriate topic for this retreat due to limited time.
Board Member Campbell withdrew her request.
PLANNING BOARD EXTENDED AGENDA
This will be discussed at the retreat.
PLANNING BOARD CHAIR COMMENTS
Chair Gladstone thanked Planning Manager Levitan and staff for figuring out how to make up for the errors
that occurred in the last meeting.
PLANNING BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
Board Member Campbell thanked everyone for providing public comments.
Board Member Mitchell thanked staff for putting this together on such short notice. He is looking forward to
the retreat.
Board Member Maxwell also thanked staff for the work.
Student Representative Distelhorst thanked staff.
Board Member Martini also thanked staff for the meeting.
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
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Planning Board Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 03/8/2023
Review and Approval of Planning Board Handbook
Staff Lead: David Levitan
Department: Planning Division
Prepared By: David Levitan
Background/History
ECC Section 10.40.020(D)(6) requires the Planning Board to "adopt rules of procedure and rules
governing election and duties of officers of the board". In response, staff prepared a Planning Board
handbook that addresses these requirements and seeks to provide additional background and context
related to the role and duties of the Planning Board, as well as assist with the onboarding of new
members.
The draft handbook was introduced at the Planning Board's December 14, 2022 meeting and discussed
again at their January 25, 2023 meeting. Staff has incorporated comments from those two meetings into
an updated draft, which is attached.
Staff Recommendation
Planning Board members are asked to review the updated draft of the handbook in advance of their
March 8 meeting and provide any requested edits, and, if ready, entertain a motion to approve the
handbook.
Narrative
Changes made to the handbook since it was last reviewed by the Planning Board on January 25 include:
1) References to Chapter 35.63 RCW, which regulates planning commissions (boards) in Washington
state.
2) Revisions to the "Staff Roles and Responsibilities" section to reference titles/positions, as opposed to
individuals.
3) Updated information and links related to Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) training and resources.
4) What is and is not appropriate for board members to discuss outside of a public meeting.
5) Potential considerations for members that miss multiple meetings, and clarification that excused
absences are at the discretion of the Board Chair.
6) Additional details on the process to elect officers (Chair and Vice Chair) and how to fill those positions
should they become vacant during the year.
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7) Information on Robert's Rules of Order, which shall be utilized to run meetings except when in
conflict with ECDC Chapter 10.40 and the handbook. Links to the MRSC website are provided for
additional information.
8) Discussion of how board members may participate in and testify on issues affecting the City of
Edmonds, with clarification that this should be done in an individual capacity (unless officially
representing the board) and that disclosure of such activities may be needed/warranted.
9) General updates related to meeting times, locations and hybrid meetings.
Attachments:
DRAFT Planning Board Handbook - March 8 Edition
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DRAFT Planning Board Handbook
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This handbook is intended to provide an overview of the Planning Board and its processes and
to gather useful references in one place. It is not exhaustive but touches on many of the
aspects of the Board's organization and work. Rules of procedure and rules governing the
election and duties of officers are included.
Two important documents are referenced in the handbook and are available on the City's
website - the City's Comprehensive Plan and the Edmonds City Code and Community
Development Code (ECDC).
Welcome from the Planning and Development Director
Hello! The City of Edmonds boards and commissions play an important role in serving our
community. Each provides advice and recommendations to the Mayor and City Council
regarding programs, activities, and issues unique to their mission and purpose. Edmonds
Planning and Development Department oversees the Architectural Design, Planning and Tree
Boards in addition to the Historical Preservation Commission. I am generally responsible for
handling board budgets, staffing, and any legal or policy issues that may arise.
Thank you for your volunteer service to the City of Edmonds.
Susan McLaughlin, Director
Planning Board History
The Planning Board was created by Edmonds City Council in 1980 (Ordinance 2170). The
Board combined the activities of the Park and Recreation Advisory Board, the Parking
Commission, the City Planning Commission and Shorelines Management Citizens Advisory
Committee. The Board has an official webpage which summarizes a variety of information
about Board activities.
Planning Board Powers and Duties
All City boards and commissions have powers and duties codified in Title 10 of the Edmonds
City Code (ECC), with the Planning Board covered by ECC Chapter 10.40. Chapter 10.40 must be
consistent with Chapter 35.63 RCW (Planning Commissions), which, among other things,
identifies the powers of planning commissions; details the manner of appointments; and
details organization, meetings, and rules. Per RCW 35.63.040, the Planning Board is
required to hold at least one regular meeting in at least nine of the 12 months in a
calendar year.
The Planning Board's powers and duties are spelled out in Section 10.40.020(C) and are listed
below.
C. Powers and Duties. The planning board shall serve in an advisory capacity to the
mayor and the city council in the following matters:
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1. The board shall advise on all amendments to the comprehensive plan. This
includes reviewing all elements of the plan on a periodic basis and reporting to
the mayor and city council on the need for changes in the plan. It also includes
holding public hearings and making recommendations to the mayor and city
council on proposed changes to the plan, to the text of the development
regulations, and also to the zoning map in the case of rezones, as provided in
ECDC Title 20. Review of and recommendations for the plan may be prepared as
a whole or in successive parts.
2. The board shall advise the mayor and city council on all parking matters that
involve an amendment or other modification to any city ordinance or code
section within the jurisdiction of the board.
3. The board shall serve as an ongoing park board and advise the mayor and city
council on all matters relating to the acquisition and development of all city parks
and recreation facilities.
4. The board shall do research and investigation on specific projects assigned to it
by the mayor and city council. The board will analyze data collected, arrange for
public participation, and organize its findings. The board will then present its
findings to the mayor and city council detailing a summary of pertinent data,
public contribution, alternatives available, and may, if appropriate, recommend a
course of action, giving reasons for such recommendation.
5. The board shall have such other powers and duties as contained in
Chapter 35A.63 RCW, as may be amended from time to time, that are not
otherwise specifically delegated to the hearing examiner or other specific staff or
agency of the city.
Chapter 10.40 is included in its entirety as Appendix 1.
Orientation
The appointment process is outlined in ECC Section 10.40.020(A). Upon confirmation by the
City Council, a city email address is assigned to board members for their use. All Board -related
correspondence and meeting agendas from the city will be sent to that email. Board members
should not use their personal email for City or Board business, which is subject to public
disclosure and, when applicable, the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA).
Staff Roles & Responsibilities
The Planning Manager is the staff liaison to the Planning Board and should be the main point of
contact for board matters and has subject matter expertise related to Board business. They
provide guidance in developing the Board's extended agendas, coordinate with the Board Chair
on meeting agenda items, and facilitate/record Board meetings.
The Senior Administrative Assistant to the Planning Division is primarily responsible for
distributing meeting agendas and posting minutes once they are approved.
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The Executive Assistant to the Mayor manages personnel on City boards and commissions,
advertises for vacancies, and maintains the Planning Board position list. If your personal
information changes during your tenure or should you need to resign your position during your
term for any reason, please contact the Mayor's Executive Assistant.
Current Contact Information (as of March 2023): members will be informed of anv chan
Planning Manager: David Levitan, dlevitan@edmondswa.gov
Senior Admin Asst: Michelle Martin, michelle.martin@edmondswa.gov
Mayor's Exec Asst: Carolyn LaFave, carolyn.lafave@edmondswa.gov
Planning Director: Susan McLaughlin, susan.mclaughlin@edmondswa.gov
The Planning and Development Department is located on the second floor of City Hall (121 5th
Ave. N) and can be reached at 425-771-0220.
Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) training
The Washington State Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), found in RCW 42.30.020, and
ECC Chapter 10.02 strive for greater government transparency by requiring all
board/commission business be conducted in open public meetings. All new board
members are required to take OPMA training within 90 days of appointment and to retake
the training every four years. The City Attorney typically provides an abbreviated training
at a regular board meeting or the board retreat early in the year, but board members are
also encouraged to take the more thorough Attorney General's Office OPMA training as
well. Board members should provide Planning staff with a copy of their training certificate
so that it can be forwarded to the City Clerk.
OPMA and communicating via email, social media. phone. etc.
Violations of OPMA laws can result in penalties, as well as a breakdown in confidence in
government. The city and individuals (staff or board members) can be held liable for OPMA
violations. For that reason, board and commission members are advised to conduct
business in regular or special meetings and retreats, but not engage in emails and other
electronic communication between members outside of meetings. While board members
may engage in conversations not specifically related to board business outside of public
meetings, they should err on the side of caution for topics that may come before them, as
even seemingly innocuous conversations or email discussions can unknowingly become
"rolling quorums" or "serial meetings" in violation of OPMA rules.
Urgent information that is to be conveyed to all board members prior to the next meeting
should be sent to staff for distribution via "BCC" with 'no reply' expressly stated at the top
of informational emails. This handout from the Municipal Research Services Center (MRSC)
helps explain electronic communications under OPMA rules.
Meetings
"Regular meetings" are held in person the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 7
PM in the Brackett Room on the third floor of Edmonds City Hall, which is located at 121 5tn
Avenue N, unless otherwise noted. Planning Board meetings are scheduled for 2 hours but may
run under or over time, depending on the agenda.
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Since December 2022, the Planning Board has operated under a hybrid meeting format, with
board members and the public able to attend (and provide oral testimony) either in person or
via the Zoom online platform. Board members are encouraged to attend in person when
possible but may fully participate remotely. Hybrid meetings utilize the Zoom webinar platform,
with board members joining as a "panelist" (which allows for members to speak and interact
during the entire meeting), while members of the public join as an "attendee," which allows
them to watch and listen to the meeting and be promoted by staff during public comment
periods of the meeting (either general public comments or specific to a public hearing item) to
provide oral testimony. Please allow sufficient time to join the webinar and notify staff if you
are having technical difficulties.
"Special meetings" are any meetings that take place outside the regularly scheduled date, time
and/or place. Public notice is required at least 24 hours in advance. The special meeting agenda
must be posted online and physically at 3 locations: in City Hall, at the Edmonds Public Library
and in the entrance to the Public Safety Building, outside Council Chambers. Once a special
meeting agenda is posted, the board cannot consider any subject or issue that is not listed on
the agenda per OPMA rules. Members may remove items but not add new items. Special
meetings are typically called for emergencies or to focus on a specific topic or topics.
"Joint meetings" involving the Planning Board occur periodically. The Board may join another
group's meeting (as with City Council) or may host another board or commission to discuss
certain topics of common interest (Tree Board, Economic Development Commission,
Architectural Design Board, etc.).
The Board "retreat" occurs during the first quarter of each year. The Board's work plan for the
year is typically established at the retreat.
Meeting Agendas
The purpose of an agenda is to organize Board business, set and achieve goals, plan events, and
work on projects efficiently. Meeting agendas are a coordinated effort:
• Members contact Chair/Vice Chair with clearly stated agenda topics. Chair may ask
member(s) how much time the topic may need and who will be leading the discussion.
The Chair may suggest to members certain topics be placed on a subsequent meeting
agenda.
• The Chair and staff discuss the upcoming meeting agenda to further clarify and prioritize
topics. A final meeting agenda is due to staff by 5pm on the Friday prior to the upcoming
meeting.
• Although agendas can be posted up to 24 hours before the meeting, out of courtesy to
members, staff posts upcoming meeting agendas the Friday prior to the next meeting.
That allows members sufficient time to review the upcoming meeting agenda, read the
previous meeting minutes and complete any action items prior to the next meeting.
• Agendas (including special meeting agendas) must be posted at least 24 hours before
the meeting, or the meeting cannot be held. Posting the meeting agenda constitutes
public noticing.
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7.A.a
Extended Agenda
The Planning Board maintains an extended agenda, which is a forward -looking schedule
containing several months of meeting dates and proposed topics. Ever evolving, this
agenda is intended for longer term meeting schedules and maintaining a list of quarterly
and annual agenda items as well as topics of Board concern for future work.
Meeting Attendance
Your attendance at Planning Board meetings is important! If something arises that
prevents you from attending a regular meeting, please notify the Planning Manager and
the Planning Board Chair (or Vice Chair, as needed) as early as possible. Excused absences
are at the discretion of the Chair and must be noted during the roll call. Per ECC Section
1.05.010, members of all boards/commissions must attend at least 70% of the regular
meetings in any one calendar year and cannot miss more than 3 consecutive meetings,
excused absences notwithstanding. Any board member that does not meet attendance
requirements may be removed from that position by the mayor, per ECDC 1.05.020 and
1.05.030 (Appendix 2). Should a board member experience continued difficulties in
meeting the minimum meeting requirements, they are encouraged to consider whether
they are able to make the time commitment needed to serve on the Planning Board.
Meeting Notes
Planning Board meetings are recorded by audio and video and professionally summarized as
draft meeting minutes to provide sufficient detail on board discussions and actions. Draft
minutes are included in the meeting packet of a future meeting (most often the next meeting)
for approval by the board. Board members should review the draft minutes and discuss any
changes to them that are needed. Once approved (or approved as corrected), meeting minutes
are posted on the Planning Board meeting webpage.
Board Administration, Membership, Officers, and Quorum
By code, the Planning Board consists of seven members plus one alternate. The Board may also
have a non -voting student representative. All Board members must be Edmonds residents
and ideally be from different areas of the city. No planning experience is required; the goal
is to have board members with varied occupational and professional experience.
Officer Positions
Officers are typically selected the last meeting of the year or the first meeting of a new
year. If volunteering for an officer position, please carefully consider your personal
schedule, your comfort level with electronic communication and availability outside of
meetings for tasks such as coordinating meeting agendas. While it is not essential to have
an in-depth knowledge of planning topics, the Chair should be familiar with rules of order
to facilitate meetings. When nominating someone, consider the same.
The Chair runs board meetings and is the primary liaison with staff, including agenda
planning. The Vice Chair operates in the same capacity when the Chair is not available.
ECC Section 10.40.020(D)(6) notes that the board shall adopt rules governing election and
duties of officers of the board. The Chair/Vice Chair positions have typically rotated each
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7.A.a
year, with the Vice Chair often moving to Chair (if interested) when the previous Chair's
year is up. Board members should nominate and vote on candidates for both the Chair and
Vice Chair positions.
Should the Chair position become vacant, the Vice Chair shall become the Chair for the
duration of the term, until the following year's election. Should the Vice Chair become
vacant, the position shall be elected at the next regular board meeting at which a quorum
is present.
As needed, the board may establish committees of three members or fewer to conduct
business defined by the Board that occurs outside of regular meetings, such as a more
detailed analysis of specific planning topics that would then be reported back to the entire
board during a public meeting. Creation of such committees may be proposed by any
board member and shall be appointed by the Chair, with board members able to volunteer
or nominate others to serve.
Quorum
All board members share an equal right and obligation to participate in Planning Board
decisions. This handout from Jurassic Parliament is helpful in making a shift from discussing
affairs in a conversational manner to conducting board business in a democratic manner.
Board business is conducted by consensus agreement (vote) by a minimum number of
members (quorum). Per ECDC 10.40.020, four Planning Board members constitute a
quorum for transaction of business (when all positions have been appointed) and at least
three members are needed to take action on any particular item before the Board. That is,
if four members are present but two were to abstain from voting on an item, no action
could be taken on that item.
The Alternate position abstains from voting when all seven regular members are present.
In the event a regular member is absent or disqualified for any reason, the alternate has all
the powers of a regular member, including the right to vote on board decisions. The
alternate is subject to the same attendance requirements as regular board members. If a
regular position on the board becomes vacant, the alternate becomes a regular member
and fills that vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term. The student member does
not vote on Board decisions.
Budget
The Council provides money annually for professional services used by staff to support the
Planning Board including the professional minute transcriber, printing, noticing, and the like.
Document Stora
IT has set up accounts for boards and commissions in the City's File Transfer Protocol server,
WingFTP for document and photo storage. Due to public records laws, Board members should
not use personal or other external file storage. The staff liaison can provide the FTP server
password and account login information. Board members can log on to WingFTP to upload new
documents to share with the Board, and can also download documents from the server to
make changes, then upload the edited documents. If certain documents should be archived, let
the staff liaison know so they can be moved to the City/Planning shared drive.
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7.A.a
Member Conduct
Except where there are conflicts with ECDC Chapter 10.40 and this handbook, Robert's
Rules of Order shall be applied and followed, as summarized on the MRSC website and
detailed in this 2017 MRSC report. At meetings, please respect fellow board members'
time by holding new topics that are not on the agenda until the following meeting agenda
and limiting personal commentary. Board members should insist on courtesy and respect
and refrain from personal remarks, insulting language, attacks, interruptions, sidebar
conversations, and disrespectful body language. The Chair or any member should be
comfortable in identifying conduct that they believe is inappropriate or unprofessional and
requesting that it stop immediately.
Outside of meetings, all communication with City staff should be through the contacts
referenced previously.
As residents of Edmonds, board members are free to participate in a variety of projects,
activities, and discussions that impact the city outside of their official role, so long as they
do so in an individual capacity and not as a representative of the Planning Board. Members
should be especially cautious on topics that are likely to come before the Board in its
advisory role to City Council, and are encouraged to proactively disclose any actions or
discussions that may be raised in association with Washington State's Appearance of
Fairness Doctrine (Chapter 42.36 RCW).
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7.A.a
Appendices
1. Planning Board code (ECC 10.40)
2. Public Meeting attendance (ECC 1.05)
3. City email password/sign-in procedure
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7.A.a
Appendix 1. Planning Board enabling language (Chapter 10.40 of the Edmonds City Code)
10.40.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the creation of a planning board pursuant to
Chapter 35A.63 RCW, and provide for its membership, organization, operation, and
expenses. The planning board shall generally serve in an advisory capacity to the city in
regional and local planning and specifically assist in the development of the
comprehensive plan and development regulations and their successive review and
amendment from time to time. The board shall have the additional duties specifically set
forth in this chapter and such ad hoc duties as the city council may from time to time
assign to it. [Ord. 4222 § 1 (Att. A), 2021; Ord. 234Z 1983; Ord. 2170 § 2, 1980].
10.40.020 Planning board.
A. Appointment. There is created the planning board, consisting of seven members. Each
member shall be appointed by the mayor, subject to confirmation by the city council.
1. Members of the board must be residents of the city of Edmonds.
2. Although the city of Edmonds is not divided into political or geographical wards, it is
the intent of this section that said board membership shall maintain a reasonable
balance of geographical distribution throughout the city of Edmonds.
3. It is the intent of this section to maintain a diversified representation of occupations
and experience on the planning board. To this end each appointee shall be considered
for board membership according to his/her field of experience, among other factors.
4. An alternative member shall be appointed to serve in the event any regular member is
absent or disqualified for any reason. In the event a regular member is absent or
disqualified for any reason, the alternate shall have all the powers of a regular member,
including the right to vote on board decisions. The alternate shall be subject to the some
attendance requirements as regular board members. In the event that a regular position
on the board shall be declared vacant, the alternate shall be deemed to fill such vacancy
for the remainder of the unexpired term.
B. Term. In order to provide for continuity of membership, members shall be assigned a
position number. Except as provided below, two positions shall expire each year. The
term of each position shall be four years; provided, that the current term for each
position shall expire, and a new term shall begin, at the end of the years shown,
respectively, below; and further provided, that the current term for Position 1 will be a
short term ending at the end of 202Z to be followed by a four-year term:
Position One
- 2022
Position Five
- 2024
Position Two
- 2022
Position Six
- 2024
Position
- 2023
Position
- 2021
Three
Seven
Position
- 2023
Alternate
- 2021
Four
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7.A.a
C. Powers and Duties. The planning board shall serve in an advisory capacity to the
mayor and the city council in the following matters:
1. The board shall advise on all amendments to the comprehensive plan. This includes
reviewing all elements of the plan on a periodic basis and reporting to the mayor and
city council on the need for changes in the plan. It also includes holding public hearings
and making recommendations to the mayor and city council on proposed changes to the
plan, to the text of the development regulations, and also to the zoning map in the case
of rezones, as provided in ECDC Title 20. Review of and recommendations for the plan
may be prepared as a whole or in successive parts.
2. The board shall advise the mayor and city council on all parking matters that involve
an amendment or other modification to any city ordinance or code section within the
jurisdiction of the board.
3. The board shall serve as an ongoing park board and advise the mayor and city council
on all matters relating to the acquisition and development of all city parks and
recreation facilities.
4. The board shall do research and investigation on specific projects assigned to it by the
mayor and city council. The board will analyze data collected, arrange for public
participation, and organize its findings. The board will then present its findings to the
mayor and city council detailing a summary of pertinent data, public contribution,
alternatives available, and may, if appropriate, recommend a course of action, giving
reasons for such recommendation.
5. The board shall have such other powers and duties as contained in
Chapter 35A.63 RCW, as may be amended from time to time, that are not otherwise
specifically delegated to the hearing examiner or other specific staff or agency of the
city.
D. Operation.
1. The city planning division shall provide regular staff services to the planning board.
Other city departments shall provide staff services as requested by the planning board.
2. The city council shall establish an annual budget for planning board operations for
services in addition to regular staff services. Should the planning board and planning
staff determine that a particular project requires services in addition to those normally
provided by the city staff, then an estimate of needs detailing the type of assistance and
funding required shall be presented to the city council for approval before that project is
undertaken.
3. Four members of the board shall be the minimum number necessary to constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business; provided, that the vote of not less than three
members shall be necessary to take action on any particular item before it.
4. The board shall hold regular meetings on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each
month at 7:00 p.m. at the Edmonds city council chambers. Cancellation of a regular
meeting, or a different location for a regular meeting, shall be announced at the last
regular meeting preceding the affected meeting, if possible, otherwise the change will be
advertised in the regular manner.
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7.A.a
5. The city council shall meet periodically with the planning board at a city council
meeting in order to review and update planning board agendas. The intent of this
section is to stimulate continuing communication between mayor, city council and the
planning board in an effort to identify and solve the problems facing the city of
Edmonds. Nothing herein shall be construed to limit the manner in which items are
placed on a planning board agenda nor the topics that may be considered by the
planning board.
6. The board shall adopt rules of procedure and rules governing election and duties of
officers of the board; provided, however, said rules shall pertain only to the internal
procedures of the members and said rules and procedures may be questioned only by
members of the board and do not give standing to question said procedures to
nonmembers or other parties. [Ord. 4222 § 1 (Att. A), 2021; Ord. 3421 § 1, 2002; Ord.
3094 § 1, 1996; Ord. 2659, 1988; Ord. 2656 § 4, 1988; Ord. 2433, 1984; Ord. 2342, 1983;
Ord. 2196 § 1, 1981; Ord. 2170 § 3, 1980].
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7.A.a
Appendix 2: Public Meeting Attendance (Chapter 1.05 of the Edmonds City Code)
1.05.010 Attendance required — Remote participation allowed.
A. In addition to being subject to removal for other particularized grounds as set forth in
applicable provisions of the Edmonds City Code and violations of the city of Edmonds
Code of Ethics for Board and Commission Members, members of all city boards,
commissions and committees (hereinafter "members"), except as set forth herein, shall
be removed from office, and the position deemed vacant as set forth in ECC 1.05.020(C)
if such member attends less than 70 percent of the regular meetings in any one calendar
year, and/or is not in attendance at three or more consecutive regular meetings.
Members may participate in board and commission meetings remotely (by telephone,
video conference, etc.) and such participation shall be considered attendance for the
purposes of this subsection; provided, that any such participation must allow for all other
members of the board or commission and any public in attendance to hear the member
on the remote device; and provided further, that any member participating remotely
must commence participation at the beginning of the meeting and must declare an
intention to participate until the end of the meeting. Remote participation is not a right.
Reasonable efforts should be made to facilitate remote participation within the limits of
the city's personnel and fiscal resources, but technical disruption may still occur. After
resuming a remote connection after any technical disruption of said connection, the
chair shall determine, subject to appeal, whether a remote member may participate in
any action on a matter that may have been discussed during the disconnection, based on
the duration of the disconnection, nature of the discussion, etc.
B. The chairperson of the particular board, commission or committee may excuse,
subject to appeal, any member from attendance at any particular meeting or meetings
for reasons that are (1) work related, (2) due to illness or death in the family, (3)
extended vacations in excess of two weeks in length, or (4) technical disruption;
provided, however, each such excused absence shall be so noted by the chairperson at
the meeting from which the member is being excused and such fact shall be recorded in
the minutes along with the reason given for the excused absence by the member.
Excused absences shall not be counted for purposes of removal from office, but only if so
noted in the minutes as set forth herein. In the absence of the chairperson, the member
acting in the chairperson's behalf, such as vice -chairperson or pro tem, shall make the
determination, subject to appeal, of whether the absence is excused, and announce the
some for recording in the minutes of the meeting from which the member is excused.
(Ord. 4266 § 1, 2022; Ord. 4098 § 1, 2018; Ord. 2556, 1986; Ord. 2033 § 2, 1978; Ord.
2156 § 1, 19801.
1.05.020 Attendance records.
A. The city clerk shall keep a record of attendance of all board, commission and
committee meetings. Upon any member failing to attend three or more consecutive
regular meetings without the chairperson's excuse being noted in the minutes, the city
clerk shall certify said member's name in writing to the mayor and shall notify in writing
the members, the chairperson, and the appropriate city department head.
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7.A.a
B. On or before January 15th of each calendar year, commencing in 1980, the city clerk
shall compile a list of members, if any, who have attended less than 70 percent of the
regular meetings in the past calendar year without the chairperson's excuses being
noted in the minutes, and shall certify this list to the mayor. The city clerk shall also
notify in writing the members, the applicable chairperson and the appropriate city
department head.
C. The member shall be automatically removed from office and the position deemed
vacant as of the date of the city clerk's written notification as set forth in subsections (A)
and (8) of this section. [Ord. 2033 § 3, 1978; Ord. 2156 § 2, 1980].
1.05.030 New nominees appointment/ confirmations.
Upon receipt from the city clerk of the names of members failing to maintain attendance
as provided herein, the mayor shall, within 90 days thereof, submit new nominations to
the city council for confirmation. The city council shall confirm or reject the nominations
within 30 days after the mayor submits the nominations to the council for consideration.
A member removed for failing to maintain attendance as provided by this chapter may
not be renominated or reappointed to a position on that or other city of Edmonds'
board, committee or commission for at least one year after removal. [Ord. 2033 § 4,
1978].
1.05.040 Exemptions.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to members of the following boards,
commissions and committees:
A. Edmonds city council; and
B. Edmonds civil service commission. [Ord. 2033 § 5, 19781.
1.05.050 Quorum requirements.
A. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Edmonds City Code, if the number of
members of any city board, commission or committee having seven positions and subject
to this chapter should be reduced to six or less for any reason, including a member's
removal for failure to maintain attendance, three members shall constitute a quorum.
B. Members participating in a board or commission meeting remotely, as provided for in
ECC 1.05.010, shall be counted towards the number of members required to constitute a
quorum by the regulations pertaining to each board or commission, provided in ECC Title
10. (Ord. 4098 § 2, 2018; Ord. 2033 § 6, 19781.
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7.A.a
Appendix 3: Instructions for accessing City Email:
Please click here to access outlook. office3 6 5. com
You will then be directed to the below paged where you may enter your email
(Firstname.Lastname(k edmondswa. gov)
If need to reset your password click into "Can't access your account?" to reset.
Outlook
M! Microsoft
Sign in
to continue to outlook
mail, phone, or Skype
No account? Create oneI
Cadtaccess your—unt?
Click into Work or school account
WmeeR
E, Microsoft
Which type of account do you
need help with?
rK7 Work or school account
Created by yaar IT department
RPersonal account
treated by you
Then answer the following questions provided in the next screen which should look like this
Microsoft
Get back into your account
Who are you?
to rxprer your amount begin W entering put email or usnrume an0 the <harxsers in she picture or audio G+Inr,
Email pi Uurn—
Frlampl¢, ¢a¢�@taalawtaa,nipsprttam pi uurlQtanWw¢am
Eller the characters in the picture ar are worts in the audio'
® Lancel
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7.B
Planning Board Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 03/8/2023
Project Status: Tree Code Updates AMD2022-0004
Staff Lead: Deb Powers
Department: Planning Division
Prepared By: Deb Powers
Background/History
A status report on the tree code amendment project has been requested for the March 8, 2023 Planning
Board meeting.
Narrative
Edmonds' tree code (Chapter 23.10 Edmonds Community Development Code) establishes tree retention
and replanting standards associated with development. Following its adoption in 2021, the Planning
Board and City Council requested that a future tree code amendment consider regulations for tree
protection, removal and replacement on private property not associated with development. Property
owner tree removal code amendments were identified as a 2022 Planning Division Work Plan project.
A project update was recently provided to the City Council at their January 17, 2023 meeting (attached)
under Agenda Item 6.3.a. The two -page summary describes the project scope, emerging issues, and links
to relevant 2022 Planning Board, Tree Board and City Council meeting discussions.
At the December 14, 2022 Joint Tree Board/Planning Board meeting, the Planning Board reviewed a
comprehensive list of all known potential tree code amendments. Following its discussion, the Planning
board reached a consensus decision to:
Proceed with considering codes that limit property owner tree removals, as scoped.
Proceed with certain minor amendments to the existing development code, as scoped.
Remove certain minor amendments to the existing development code from the 'minor'
amendment list, to be considered as major code amendments last, as these are outside the
project scope directed by the Planning Board and City Council.
Pending approval of a new process that would streamline minor code amendments in early 2023
(scheduled for Council adoption on March 7, 2023) , staff anticipates the minor tree code amendments
will proceed to adoption under that process.
A consultant is currently under contract for the development and implementation of a public
engagement strategy related to the tree code amendment project (attached). Staff expects that
additional moderate and major code amendments will be identified via public and stakeholder feedback
and at subsequent Planning/Tree Board and City Council meetings.
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7.6
Based on the proposed schedule shown in the January 17, 2023 City Council project update, staff
anticipates a Planning Board public hearing to be scheduled in June 2023 and a City Council public
hearing in August -September 2023.
Board members are encouraged to review the materials in advance of the meeting and be ready with
any questions or comments.
Attachments:
Community Engagement Strategy for 2023 Tree Code Amendment Project
January 17, 2023 City Council Agenda Item/Project Update
Attachments:
v6 Edmonds WA Community Engagement Strategy 2023 (002)
Attach —CC 01172023 Project Update
Packet Pg. 27
7.B.a
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
Edmonds, WA
Tree Code Amendment Project
2023
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7.B.a
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7.B.a
Edmonds' tree code, Chapter 23.10 ECDC was adopted in 2021 to primarily protect trees with development and
to achieve Urban Forestry Management Plan Goal 1A. It was recognized that limitations on property owner tree
removals could be considered at a future date. The scope of the 2022-2023 Tree Code Amendment Project
("project") is to consider limitations to property owner tree removals and to further clarify and simplify the
existing development -related code with minor code changes. This Community Engagement Strategy ("Strategy')
ensures that the project team has a clear understanding of purpose, target audiences, strategies, messaging, and
deliverables related to the project.
Purpose
The purpose of this Strategy is to ensure the 2022-2023 tree code amendment process aligns with the City's
Equitable Engagement Framework in identifying the community's preferred solutions for property owner tree
removals in Edmonds. This Strategy ensures the community has full access to information and opportunities to
propose ideas for collective solutions related to private property tree removal in Edmonds. The resulting
community input will support City board and council decision -making by providing a thorough understanding of
how those decisions might impact the public.
The Role of Community in Tree Code Updates
Greater community involvement, partnerships with stakeholders and
actively listening to participants representing diverse perspectives are key
to community -driven decision -making. When community members,
developers, business owners, landscapers, utilities, and tree care
professionals participate in drafting tree regulations, the resulting codes
reflect the broader community's goals and vision for a healthy, sustainable
urban forest. In turn, a sustainable community forest increases the quality
of life by contributing maximum health, environmental, social and
economic benefits.
Education & Outreach Objectives
❑ Gather input and feedback from the community members of Edmonds.
❑ Conduct effective outreach to all neighborhoods and demographics.
❑ Provide project -related public education to all neighborhoods and demographics.
❑ Provide frequent updates to the community on progress.
❑ Find common ground and shared goals among stakeholders.
❑ Strengthen partnerships and leverage resources to achieve common goals.
❑ Be transparent about the planning process and proposed outcomes.
❑ Draft an ordinance developed and supported by the community.
❑ Establish a framework for continued outreach and engagement with the public beyond the project period
City of Edmonds, WA Tree Code Amendment Project
Community Engagement Strategy Plan February 2023 Packet Pg. 30
7.B.a
The engagement process includes a variety of strategies to accomplish the project objectives, reach various target
audiences, and align with the City of Edmonds' Equitable Engagement Framework model for determining levels
of public engagement during a project. The approach for each engagement strategy is explained in each section
of the Strategy document, including a description of the tasks, timelines, partners, audiences, and deliverables.
Adaptive Approach
As outreach and engagement efforts unfold, the Project Team will continuously evaluate outcomes. If an
engagement session is not showing successful results, they will be adjusted for improvement. By performing
regular check -ins, specific strategies that are causing issues can be identified. Project Team check -ins will analyze
whether the session is reaching the intended demographics, if the data being produced is actionable, and if there
are high levels of engagement. Periodic evaluations will ensure the best outcomes. Evaluations will consist of:
0 Monitoring traffic on the City website (if possible)
0 Monitoring traffic to public survey
0 Analysis of geographic and demographic representation at meetings
0 Analysis of geographic and demographic representation of survey results
0 Review of open comments in meetings
0 Other ongoing efforts and initiatives
0 Other means of feedback received
0 Other?
City of Edmonds, WA Tree Code Amendment Project
Community Engagement Strategy Plan February 2023 Packet Pg. 31
7.B.a
Project Team & Roles
The "Project Team" consists of PlanIT Geo consultants ("Consultant/Consulting Team") and staff from the City of
Edmonds Planning Division and other supporting departments as needed. The primary team members responsible
for creating and implementing the Community Engagement Strategy are identified below with roles and
Deb Powers, Urban Forest Planner
Deb will provide guidance and direction on engagement strategies, timelines, and methods that are pivotal to the
success of the project. Deb will coordinate with additional City staff, the Planning Board, City Council and Tree
Board as needed.
Chris Peiffer (Proiect Mana.Rer), PlanIT Geo, Urban Forestry Consulting Services Director
As the Project Manager, Chris is involved with the development of engagement strategies, methods, and timing.
Alex Hancock, PlanIT Geo, Urban Forestry Climate Consultant
Alex provided the Strategy outline and will support the development of education and engagement sessions,
materials, and messaging. Alex will be the primary staff from PlanIT Geo for public education and engagement,
with guidance from City staff and community partners. Alex will analyze the findings from these sessions to inform
tree code amendments. Alex will lead the communications and coordination between PlanIT Geo and City staff.
Michael Martini, PlanIT Geo, Urban Forestry Consultant
Mike will assist in the design and delivery of materials with special attention to branding and messaging themes
of the project.
The following sections outline the objectives, tasks, project schedule and deliverables outlined in the final Scope
of Work for this 2023 Community Engagement Strategy.
Document Review & Discovery
The consultant will develop a Document Index and Discovery Matrix consisting of relevant codes, plans, policies
and other related documents for review and analysis with a summary of findings applicable to public engagement.
Although the Matrix is a comprehensive list, not all documents and codes will be applicable to public engagement
related to the tree code update project; however the primary relevant codes and documents include:
• Edmonds Equitable Engagement Framework
• Edmonds Community Development Code (ECDC) Chapters 23.10 (existing tree code) 23.40 (tree removal
in critical areas) and 20.75.048 (tree retention with short plats and subdivision development).
• Urban Forest Management Plan
• Edmonds Tree Canopy Assessment
• Edmonds Climate Action Plan
Public Survey
A public survey will be developed with questions that will gauge the community's sentiment on regulating tree
removal on private property. The survey will be accessible from the project webpage, will remain open for at least
60 days and be advertised in social media posts and news releases. Preliminary results of the survey will be
available for the second community conversation meeting, stakeholder meetings and Planning Board meetings.
City of Edmonds, WA Tree Code Amendment Project
Community Engagement Strategy Plan February 2023 Packet Pg. 32
7.B.a
Community Conversation Meetings
Two public meetings will be held (hybrid) to gather public input prior to a final presentation to the Planning Board
for recommendations to the City Council for amendments to the tree code. The Consulting Team proposes the
interactive and intuitive webinar platform, Zoom. Meetings will be recorded, and a draft and final agenda will be
prepared at least one month in advance. The Project Team will work with community partners to announce and
encourage participation from the diverse population. The meetings will strengthen the urban forest vision, discuss
priority planting areas and strategies, and increase long-term commitments to stewardship.
1. The first public meeting (hybrid) will be held to inform residents of the tree code update purpose,
approach, and opportunities to engage. An announcement of the meetings will be provided at least one
month in advance and shared on the City website and other platforms.
2. The second public meeting (hybrid) will be informed by the previous public meeting, the survey results
from City staff and stakeholder groups including the Edmonds Citizen's Tree Board, data analyses, and
other key findings from planning tasks.
Stakeholder Meetings
Four facilitated hybrid stakeholder meetings will be held to 1) understand how trees are currently regulated in
Edmonds and 2) develop partnerships with advisory boards and community groups that can provide input on
alternatives and identify preferred solutions related to tree code amendment decisions. Under the guidance
provided in the "Collaborative" Level of Engagement per the Equitable Engagement Framework, these groups
have been identified to provide advice and innovation in creating solutions so that decision -makers (Planning
Board, City Council) may incorporate their advice and recommendations into the decisions to the maximum extent
possible.
City Webpage Content
The project -related website content will be updated to inform the public on the purpose, process and importance
of updating the code. The content will introduce residents to the importance of trees and their benefits and that
enhancing tree protection can combat climate change, strengthen community resilience and public health and
address issues identified in the canopy assessment. The project webpage will also link to the community survey,
publish upcoming events and meetings.
SociaL Media Campaigns
The Consulting Team will work with City staff and any community partners for messaging, format, timing, and
delivery of media messaging at key project intervals. The Consulting Team may provide suggested content for the
City and its partners to launch social media campaigns upon request. When possible, it is helpful to align tree code
amendment social media campaigns with existing partner networks and other City Department social media
accounts.
Engagement Analysis
Findings from all engagement sessions will be summarized and analyzed to inform the development of the Tree
Code Amendment Project. The summary will be provided to the City for review and a final version of the summary
will be shared with the City and partners to utilize in their messaging going forward. The outcomes of the
engagement efforts and analysis of results will be useful in guiding the City and its partners in future public
engagement beyond the TCAP planning period.
Reporting
Once an engagement session has concluded, the feedback data will be analyzed. This analysis process is incredibly
important to identify common themes and perspectives, which will inform tree code amendments moving
forward.
City of Edmonds, WA Tree Code Amendment Project
Community Engagement Strategy Plan February 2023 Packet Pg. 33
7.B.a
Inevitably, there will be a comment or statement that encapsulates public sentiment regarding a topic, and it is
crucial to be able to attribute powerful quotes to individuals. When presenting findings to decision -makers,
powerful quotes or ideas from specific community stakeholders can be impactful to display community sentiment
in an easy -to -understand way.
Reporting results to the community is essential. "Closing the loop" encourages future participation in other
sessions and builds trust within the community. The community report is an opportunity to tell a community what
was heard, what is going to be done in the short- and long-term, and why. The report to decision -makers will
provide an overview of how the engagement process will be utilized in developing the amended tree code, key
concerns identified, and unique opportunities for partnerships to achieve a shared vision.
Once feedback is fully analyzed and reported back to stakeholders, the whole process will be evaluated. This step
will identify the effectiveness of engagement sessions and areas for improvement. Information gathered during
this step will inform future outreach and engagement after the project is completed to be led by the City. The City
will be able to use this knowledge to improve new projects and associated engagement plans to be more beneficial
to the City and community.
Project Schedule
Task Key Deliverable Public Presentation Team Meeting
City of Edmonds, WA Tree Code Amendment Project
Community Engagement Strategy Plan February 2023 Packet Pg. 34
7.B.a
Dec
-----------------
Translation Services (3
Languages, up to 50 Word
Pages)($15/language/page)
Messaging Campaign #1 (web
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Document Index & Summary Matrix
Index of documents and summary report (draft & final)
Public Outreach & Engagement Strategy
Comprehensive community engagement plan (draft & final)
Messaging Campaigns (2)
Web content, social media, fliers, emails, press releases, etc.
Survey: Public
Google Form hosted by PlanIT Geo to gather public input
Survey: Focus Group & Stakeholders
Google Form hosted by PlanIT Geo to gather stakeholder input
Guides, Manuals, & Infographics
Materials to assist in the public's understanding of project concepts
Outreach & Engagement Summary
Comprehensive assessment of outreach efforts
Final Report
Outline, draft, and final versions of the project report
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City of Edmonds, WA Tree Code Amendment Project
Community Engagement Strategy Plan February 2023 Packet Pg. 35
7.B.a
Community partners are essential to a successful code amendment project that engages all of Edmond's
communities. A comprehensive Community Communications list including all stakeholder groups with contact
information has been developed as outlined in the Equitable Engagement Framework "Collaborate" Level of
Engagement. A strong network of stakeholders can share information and news about the code amendment
project, recruit volunteers and attendees for community events, advise the City and consultants of issues and
deficiencies in the outreach process, and provide input using the various strategies identified in this Community
Engagement Strategy. Several of these organizations partner with the City of Edmonds on existing and/or recent
initiatives such as the Climate Action Plan, Comprehensive Plan, Urban Forest Management Plan, Edmonds Tree
Canopy Assessment and other planning efforts. The following priority partners are identified for direct
communications through stakeholder group meetings.
Climate & Environment Groups
See Excel sheet for contact information. This group includes the Edmonds Citizen Tree Board, Mayor's Climate
Protection Committee, Edmonds Floretum Garden Club, Edmonds in Bloom, Sound Salmon Solutions, Snohomish-
Stillaguamish Local Integrating Organization (LIO of Puget Sound Partnership), The Nature Conservancy WA,
Edmonds Environmental Alliance, Sno-Isle Sierra Club, Pilchuck Audubon Society.
Underserved, Under -represented Groups
See Excel sheet for contact information. See Disability Access, Seniors/Elders, Ethnic & Cultural Organizations,
Unhoused/Affordable Housing, LGBTQIA+, Indigenous, Youth & Education categories in the Community
Communications List below. Staff is compiling information from the Washington Health Disparities Map, Equitable
Engagement Framework demographic information and canopy cover data for additional inclusion in this group.
Housing Developers and Related Groups
See Excel sheet for contact information. This group includes the Edmonds Architectural Design Board, Alliance for
Citizens of Edmonds (ACE), Master Builders of King & Snohomish Counties and frequent Edmonds developers and
involved citizens, land use consultants, architects, engineers and arborists that submit reports to meet
development requirements.
City Staff
The Consultant will meet with City staff responsible for administering the current tree regulations to identify
challenges and potential efficiency measures related to its application, including Planners, Code Enforcement
Officer and permit coordinators.
Community Partners Communications List
This list identifies community partners to be included in an email distribution list for project news and updates,
who might not be as intensely involved during the engagement process. The following communications list is an
excerpt of a more comprehensive list of contacts to be included in email blasts, social media, and other outreach
City of Edmonds, WA Tree Code Amendment Project
Community Engagement Strategy Plan February 2023 Packet Pg. 36
7.B.a
strategies that are considered more passive engagement. When possible, cross -marketing and communications
will occur with other City -led initiatives to not overwhelm groups with too much information.
Community -Based Organizations
Disability &
The Arc of Snohomish County Developmental Disabilities Awareness Snohomish County,
Access
Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center Puget Sound Association of the Deaf
Seniors/Elders
Edmonds Senior Center
Community of Color Coalition (0), Spanish, Korean, Chinese community organizations and
Ethnic &
media, Asian Pacific Islanders Coalition, Association of Washington State Hispanic Chambers
Cultural
of Commerce, Black Heritage Society of Washington State, Chief Seattle Club, Council on
Organizations
American -Islamic Relations (CAIR) Washington, (moved below), Familias Unidas: Latino
Resource Center, Korean Women's Association, Korean Community Service Center, LETI -
Latino Educational Training Institute
Edmonds Diversity Commission, GLOBE, Edmonds College Queer Action Team
LGBTQIA+
Indigenous
Tulalip Tribes, The Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, Snoqualmie Tribe, Suquamish Tribe, Mother
Nation,
(Everett/Snohomish County) Herald, My Edmonds News, Edmonds Beacon, Korea Daily
Media
Neighborhoods
Edmonds Neighborhood Action Coalition
Unhoused,
Renters,
Cocoon House (youth experiencing homelessness), Community Support Solutions, ARCH
Affordable
Housing
Listsery Group
Individuals who have requested updates on the tree code amendment project
Youth and
Edmonds Youth Commission, Friends of Youth, Edmonds Community College/Green Team
Education
and Queer Action Team, ECC/Quiet Heart Wilderness School, Cascadia College
For -Profit Representatives
Ed! Edmonds Downtown Alliance, Snohomish County Small Business Development Center,
Business
Edmonds Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Edmonds Merchants Association (DEMA),
Groups Sustainable Edmonds
Neighborhood Associations
Neighborhoods
Edmonds Neighborhood Action Coalition
Associations
Homeowners Particularly HOAs of developments located in heavily -treed critical areas
Associations
Translation Services
The City of Edmonds materials will be primarily provided in English, with potential to translate select materials
into up to three additional languages. The Project Team will decide on an as -needed basis which materials are
most appropriate for translation. Translation from English to additional languages using PlanIT Geo's 3rd party is
roughly $20 per page.
City of Edmonds, WA Tree Code Amendment Project
Community Engagement Strategy Plan February 2023 Packet Pg. 37
7.B.a
MATERIALS OVERVIEW
The Tree Code Amendment Project will engage as many Edmonds community members as possible throughout
the project using a variety of media, platforms, and materials. The Project Team will align messaging with other
City efforts, such as the One Water Plan, when possible. The various types of materials are outlined in the section
so that the Project team has a clear understanding of deliverable types, styling, branding, languages, and other
specifications that are essential to successful distribution of information.
Deliverables Timeline
Timing Frequency
Material Type
Target Audience
Description
March
Social Media and Web
City's Facebook
1. Announce TCAP
Content Posts
followers and/or
2. Announce Public Meeting #1
partner org social
3. Announce Public Meeting #2
media pages
March
Public Survey
All
Survey for community input
March
Social Media and Web
City's Facebook
1.Announce Public Survey
Content Posts
followers and/or
2. Announce Additional Public
partner org social
Meetings
media pages
March
Group & Stakeholder
Targeted Group and
Survey targeted groups for input
Survey
Stakeholders
March
Meeting Invite-
Targeted Group and
Create Postcard to invite
Postcard
Stakeholders
stakeholder to partake in meetin
March
Guides, Manuals, and
All
Updated materials of ordinance
Infographics
amendment
March -June
Social Media
All
Final Code Change and Adoption
Branding
The Tree Code Amendment Project documents and educational materials will have consistent branding
throughout the project timeline. The color, typeface, and font palettes provided below are PlanlT Geo's standard
palettes. The City may decide to include specific elements from these palettes for project materials and branding,
or they may instruct the Consulting Team to use an entirely different palette.
A logo using these elements helps to distinguish the TCAP from other projects with a recognizable design that
reflects the spirit of the project. A logo paired with a slogan or tagline helps give the public an idea of what the
TCAP is hoping to achieve at a quick glance (see examples in the next section).
RaLeway
RaLeway
Poleway
RALEWAY
RALEWAY
Montserrat
Montserrat
Montserrat
MONTSERRAT
MONTSERRAT
Calibri
Calibri
Calibri
CALIBRI
CALIBRI
Arial
Arial
Arial
ARIAL
ARIAL
City of Edmonds, WA Tree Code Amendment Project
Community Engagement Strategy Plan February 2023 Packet Pg. 38
7.B.a
StandardPlanlT Geo ..
HEX
CMYK
RGB
#eef9ff
5/0/0/0
238/249/255
#2fa3f2
67/25/0/0
47/163/224
#0080ea
78/48/0/0
0/128/234
#0062a3
100/40/0/36
0/98/163
#004370
100/78/32/17
0/67/112
#00234d
100/55/0/70
0/35/77
#eef4df
7/0/19/0
238/244/213
#87c540
52/0/99/0
135/197/64
#588300
33/0/100/49
88/131/0
#365000
72/45/100/43
54/80/0
#253700
33/0/100/78
37/55/0
#e8bb00
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232/187/0
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208/61/39
#000000
0/0/0/100
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#666665
60/51/52/20
102/102/101
#f3f3f3
3/2/2/0
243/243/244
Deliverable Examples
UFMP Slogan
PlanIT Geo worked with the City of
Tacoma, WA to develop the
following project slogan which was
used on project materials and
graphics as a way to distinguish the
UFMP.
"A Strategic Plan for Tacoma's
Urban Forest
One Canopy: Benefiting All
Residents & Future Generations"
UFMP Slogan and Logo
PlanlT Geo worked with the City of
Renton, WA to develop the
following project logo and slogan.
Rooted in Renton
A STRATFGIC PLAN FOR TACO MA'S URBAN FOREST
ONE CANOPY
BENEFITING ALL RESIDENTS & FUTURE GENERATIONS
ROOTED
IN RENTON
City of Edmonds, WA Tree Code Amendment Project
Community Engagement Strategy Plan February 2023
Packet Pg. 39
Material Type and Description PIanIT Geo Examples
Event Flyer VILLAGE OFCASTLETON-ON-IUDNON, NV
This flyer is made to be handed out
at an event while tabling, to share
information about the planning
process and potentially announce
upcoming events and how to get
involved.
Post Card
Post Card with QR Code
Social Media Post Content
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City of Edmonds, WA Tree Code Amendment Project
Community Engagement Strategy Plan February 2023 Packet Pg. 40
7.B.a
Survey Results Infographics
Tree Canopy Fact Sheet
This fact sheet summarizes the
urban tree canopy assessment,
results and findings, why tree
canopy is important, principles of
tree equity, urban heat and climate
impacts, and the benefits of
planning to grow the city's canopy.
Can include maps, charts, tables,
infographics, and text.
Tree Inventory Summary
This fact sheet summarizes the tree
inventory process, findings,
highlights, and recommendations.
Can include maps, charts, tables,
infographics, and text.
AN ASSESSMENT DF EXISTING AND POTENTIAL
URBAN TREE CANOPY
Tree Inventory
INVENTORY RESULTS
AT -A -GLANCE
1'
CITY TREE INVENTORY
RECOMMENDATIONS
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City of Edmonds, WA Tree Code Amendment Project
Community Engagement Strategy Plan February 2023 Packet Pg. 41
7.B.a
Flow/Process Charts and
Infographics
• Lessons learned during engagement in other planning efforts.
• Translations beyond the surveys (as feasible).
• Consistent messaging (clear description of the TCAP).
• TCAP branding (colors, tagline, etc.).
• Website content (project timeline, upcoming events, surveys, completed tasks, resources).
• Meet to discuss and finalize community partners and stakeholders.
• Timing for presentations to Edmonds Citizen's Tree Board and other committees, commissions, and City
Council.
City of Edmonds, WA Tree Code Amendment Project
Community Engagement Strategy Plan February 2023 Packet Pg. 42
7.B.b
ATTACHMENT 1
City Council Read -Only File
Meeting Date:
January 17, 2023
Topic:
Tree Code Amendments, ADM 2022-0004
Staff Lead:
Deb Powers
Department:
Planning Division
Prepared by:
Deb Powers
When the development -related tree code (ECDC 23.10.060) was adopted in 2021, the
City Council and Planning Board requested that regulations limiting property owner tree
removals (those not associated with a specific development activity) be considered at a
future date as a Phase 2 of tree code amendments. Regulating property owner tree
removals is a substantial new code requirement and as such is considered a major
amendment to the existing code.
In the year following the adoption of the development -related tree code, staff, permit
applicants and property owners experienced recurring code interpretation issues. Code
provisions that are unclear or difficult to apply contributed to lower quality permit
applications, required multiple plan revisions and resulted in an increase in code
enforcement cases.
In response to these emerging issues, the Council and Planning Board affirmed that the
scope of the Phase 2 code updates should be expanded to include minor amendments
to the existing development -related code (those that clarify, simplify or further define
existing code language without changing the intent of the code) so as not to undo the
enormous effort and public input involved in its initial development. As noted below,
these minor amendments were shared during the joint Planning Board/Tree Board
meeting on December 14. A more detailed project outline is included as Attachment 2.
June 21
City Council
Confirm project scope
July 7
Tree Board
Discuss project scope, process, and general code overview
Jul 13
Planning Board
Confirm project scope, process
AU . 4
Tree Board
Mock development scenario exercise, review scope/process
Sept. 14
Planning Board
Minor code amendments — Part I
Sept. 19
Tree Board
Review of scope/process and potential code amendments
Oct. 6
Tree Board
Review of scope/process
Oct. 12
Planning Board
Minor code amendments Part 11 and related Moderate/Major
amendments
Nov. 3
Tree Board
Review of scope/process
Dec. 1 *
Tree Board
Minor code amendments
• Status on Public Engagement Plan
• Review draft minor code amendments
Dec. 14*
Joint Tree/Planning
a Review comprehensive list of all known potential tree code
Board
amendments
• Provide consensus on specific minor code amendments for
the pending Minor Code Amendment Process
*Meeting agenda provided in lieu of online minutes.
Packet Pg. 43
7.B.b
Next Steps
Pending approval of the proposed Minor Code Amendment Process, specific minor
development -related code amendments may be considered for City Council adoption in
early 2023 as part of Phase 2.
A consultant is currently under contract for the development and implementation of a
Public Outreach and Engagement Strategy. Staff expects that additional moderate and
major code amendments will be identified via public and stakeholder feedback and at
subsequent Planning/Tree Board and City Council meetings. Tentative 2023 Planning
Board meeting dates include:
Feb 22
Retreat: Tree Code 101
Mar 8
Public Engagement Strategy
Mar 22
Property owner tree removals - code analysis and discussion - I
Apr 12
Property owner tree removals - code analysis and discussion - II
May 10
Moderate/Major changes to improve existing tree code - I
May 24
Moderate/Major changes to improve existing tree code - II
June 14
Planning Board Public Hearing re: draft tree code amendments
June 28
Possible spillover from June 14 meeting
Based on the proposed schedule, staff anticipates scheduling the City Council public
hearing for Phase 2 tree code amendments in July 2023.
Packet Pg. 44
8.A
Planning Board Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 03/8/2023
Planning Board Feedback on Draft Vision Statement
Staff Lead: David Levitan
Department: Planning Division
Prepared By: David Levitan
Background/History
In advance of the 2024 Comprehensive Plan periodic update, the city's launched a community -guided
visioning process in Summer 2022 that focused on six key topic areas and generated nearly 7,900 public
comments. In Fall 2022, city staff worked with a consultant team to review, categorize, and distill the
thousands of public comments into a draft vision statement, which was unveiled at Edmonds Porchfest
on November 5, 2022 and is included below:
"Edmonds is a welcoming city offering outstanding quality of life for all. We value environmental
stewardship, vibrant and diverse neighborhoods, safe and healthy streets, and a thriving arts scene. We
are engaged residents who take pride in shaping our resilient future."
Planning Board reviewed and discussed the draft vision statement at their February 8 meeting (which
was repeated at a February 15 special meeting due to technical difficulties on February 8). Several
members felt that the vision statement read more like a mission statement and was not aspirational or
forward -thinking enough, and inquired about how they might provide additional feedback before it is
finalized. Planning Board Chair Gladstone requested that an agenda item be added to the March 8
meeting to discuss potential options, including a letter from the Planning Board to the City Council that
would summarize their thoughts.
Narrative
As previously noted, community feedback on the draft vision statement is being solicited via a citywide
mailing, which will be distributed in early March. It is important to consider that this was a large
community -driven process, with thousands of comments recorded and inventoried and distilled down
into the draft vision statement. Staff would also note that as part of the transition from the vision to the
Comprehensive Plan, it is proposing the development of a series of "value statements" that will help
frame what the City of Edmonds wishes to be in 2044 (the time horizon for the periodic update) for
topics such as housing, transportation, environmental sustainability, public facilities, and
community/culture.
Packet Pg. 45
8.6
Planning Board Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 03/8/2023
2023 Climate Action Plan
Staff Lead: Susan McLaughlin
Department: Planning Division
Prepared By: David Levitan
Background/History
The City of Edmonds recognizes that global climate change brings significant risks to our community. At
the same time, the City understands its responsibility to lead both within our own community and the
Puget Sound region.
In September 2006, the City of Edmonds formally expressed support for the Kyoto Protocol, adopted the
U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, and joined the International Council for Local Environmental
Initiatives. The City developed its first Climate Action Plan in 2010 and an Energy Plan for City operations
in 2012.
In June 2017, Council committed to achieve or exceed the goals established in the 2016 Paris Climate
Agreement locally. The City also commissioned a greenhouse gas emissions inventory of 2017 to better
understand local emissions sources and form the baseline of this 2023 Climate Action Plan.
The City hired Environmental Science Associates (ESA) to help develop this iteration of our Climate
Action Plan. After hosting multiple open houses and workshops, administering surveys to collect
community feedback, and incorporating contributions from the Mayor's Climate Protection Committee,
the draft plan was reviewed by the City Council during a public hearing on February 28, 2023. The plan is
currently scheduled for potential Council approval at their March 21, 2023 meeting.
If we commit to the bold actions in this plan, we can achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and in turn, we
will improve the quality of life for future generations. This issue will be featured prominently in
Narrative
Planning and Development Director Susan McLaughlin will provide an overview of the 2023 Climate
Action Plan. The executive summary brochure, the full draft plan and the implementation timeline is
attached to this agenda memo.
Attachments:
Climate Action Plan Final Draft
CAP Brochure Final
CAP Implementation Timeline
Packet Pg. 46
8.B.a
CITY OF
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SECTION 1 SECTION 2
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Environment Lifestyles and
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Summary of
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References and
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CONTENTS
Packet Pg. 49
8.B.a
Intentionally Blank
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Packet Pg. 50
8.B.a
CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
Global climate change is already harming many
regions, including the Pacific Northwest. It is
expected to grow worse and become irreversible
unless human -generated greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions can be eliminated. To achieve the
future Edmonds has envisioned for itself in its
Comprehensive Plan, a community with a high
quality of life that is sustainable and equitable for all
residents, Edmonds recognizes that eliminating GHG
emissions is critical. This cannot be accomplished
without action at every level from national, state,
local, and individual. Edmonds passed resolutions,
developed a Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2010, and
taken several steps toward implementing that plan.
The concentration of carbon in the atmosphere,
a key indicator of GHG levels, has more than
doubled since the beginning of the Industrial
Revolution.
However, the most important finding of this update
to Edmonds' Climate Action Plan is that the Edmonds
community has not kept pace with its own goals for
reducing GHG emissions. Edmonds is not alone in
failing to do so - most nations also failed to achieve
the reductions agreed to in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.
As a result, an even more ambitious rate of emissions
reduction must be achieved to avert the worst harm
from global climate change that is being driven
by GHG emission. The City took its first step with
adoption of Resolution 1453, which commits the
City to a science -based target of 1.5 degree Celsius
global temperature rise.' To meet that target, the
Edmonds community must be carbon neutral by
1 See the Introduction for an explanation of this target.
2 See the Summary of GHG Inventory for further details.
A Call
To Action
2050. We have a long way to go, but, as this plan
shows, we have reason to hope we can get there.
"When the well is dry, we know the
worth of water."
- Benjamin Franklin
Edmonds adopted its first Climate Action Plan in
2010. That plan set goals that seemed ambitious
but achievable: reduce emissions to 7% below 1990
levels by 2012 (per the Kyoto Protocol), 25% below
1990 levels by 2035, and 50% below 1990 levels by
2050 (per Washington State GHG goals in place at
the time). As a part of this current update, the City
conducted another inventory of GHG emissions in
2017.
The 2017 inventory found that Edmonds reduced
GHG emissions in some sectors but increased
emissions in others. The largest driver of these
increases is emissions from on -road transportation,
which increased 27% between 2000 and 2017.
In addition, natural gas consumption in buildings
increased by 25%.2 The inventory concluded that,
12 years after setting plans to begin reducing GHG
Despite Edmonds' stated commitment to
reduce GHG emission, per capita emissions
remained essentially the same in 2017 as they
were in 2000.
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8.B.a
emissions, per capita emissions in Edmonds have
remained essentially the same since 2000. However,
recent state legislation and changes in market
conditions suggest Edmonds can make progress in
the years ahead.
State legislation adopted in 2019 requires that
electricity in the state be carbon -neutral by 2030 and
carbon -free by 2045. Snohomish Public Utility District,
which provides Edmonds electricity, is well on the
way to meeting that goal. That means switching from
fossil fuels to electricity is the easiest way to reduce
GHG emissions. In addition, the automotive industry
is rapidly moving toward electric vehicles, with major
manufacturers planning to eliminate combustion
engine vehicles by 2030 or earlier. Together, these
two changes will move Edmonds closer to its goal
of being carbon neutral by 2050. Even with these
changes, the City of Edmonds and the Edmonds
community must do more.
3
See Strategies BE-3.
4
See Strategy TR-5.
5
See Strategy TR-1.
6
See Strategies TR-2.
7
See Strategy EN-3.
8
See Strategy BE-2.
9
See Strategy TR-5.
10
See Strategies TR-3 and TR-4.
The most effective steps the City can take
a re:
1. Adopt regulations to require new multi-
family and commercial buildings to be 100%
electric by 2023.1
2. Require more charging infrastructure with
new development .4
3. Support mixed -use and transit -oriented
development in neighborhood commercial
centers.'
4. Coordinate with transit agencies to increase
service within Edmonds and improve access
to new light rail connections.b
5. Develop an action plan to adapt to sea level
rise in Edmonds.'
The most effective steps that individuals
and businesses in Edmonds can take are:
1. Replace fossil -fuel burning heating systems,
hot water heaters, and cooking equipment
powered with efficient electric appliances.$
2. Replace fossil fuel -burning vehicles with
electric vehicles.9
3. Reduce vehicle trips by using transit,
telecommuting, biking orwalking.10
4. Conserve energy wherever possible,
especially energy from fossil fuels.
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8.B.a
This plan identifies actions that the City and
community can take to remain on target through
2035. Beyond 2035, even assuming widespread
adoption of electric vehicles, fossil fuels are likely
to remain in use for heating and other purposes
unless state energy regulations governing those fuels
change. One of the actions identified in the plan is
for the City to support those regulatory changes.
In addition, Edmonds and other communities will
have to seek additional ways to reduce consumption
of these fuels, and to sequester carbon in forests,
aquatic vegetation or through technologies that are
still in early stages of development.
"I think calling it climate change is
rather limiting. I would rather call
it the everything change."
- Margaret Atwood, author
This update also introduces the subject of equity in
the discussion of climate change. National studies
show that affluent households, those with incomes
above $120,000, produce GHG emissions that
are double those of households with and income
between $40,000 and $80,000. A large majority of
those emissions occur outside of the city limits, in
other communities and other nations. The median
income in Edmonds in 2020 was $91,499, placing
it in the 95th percentile for household income in
communities in the US. This means that the choices
we make in Edmonds, what we consume and how
much, have ripples far beyond Edmonds. It also
highlights the fact that many people in the US
consume less and therefore are responsible for fewer
GHG emissions than the average Edmonds resident.
It is incumbent on those of us causing the greatest
impact and with the greatest means to effect change
and lead the way in addressing the climate crisis. We
can learn from those who consume less and produce
fewer GHG emissions. In addition, by helping
those with limited means to convert to efficient and
carbon -free energy for their homes, businesses, and
travel, we can also lower their cost burden in the
long run, because today's high efficiency appliances
and electric vehicles cost less to operate. Also, if
rental property owners convert to energy- efficient
appliances and fixtures, the energy cost burden
would be reduced for the future renter or tenant. As
John Doerr, a successful investor in technology put it,
"it is now cheaper to fix the planet than to ruin it."
Finally, this plan examines some of the ways climate
change is likely to affect Edmonds. It identifies steps
we need to take to understand and prepare for
changes to rainfall and snowpack, summer heat and
drought, and sea level rise. Edmonds has only begun
to fully grasp what those changes could mean, but
they are likely to have a profound effect on the future
of our community.
This Plan provides a roadmap and a few indicator
metrics that will help the community know how we
are doing. It is a call to action. It is not too late to
address the climate crisis. The tools to do so have
never been better and they are improving steadily.
It will take effort on the part of the City, state and
federal governments, and individuals to make use of
those tools. It is time to get to work.
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Introduction
For over a decade, Edmonds has been committed
to taking action to prevent the harms from climate
change caused by the accumulation of "greenhouses
gases"(GHGs) released by human activity. The
consequences for the world of ignoring climate
change are enormous. Sea level rise will immerse
cities and farmland occupied by millions of people,
causing erosion and flooding, including downtown
Edmonds as well as other areas around Puget
Sound. Drought and higher land temperatures
will destroy crops and forests, and place millions
more in danger of food and water shortages. Rising
ocean temperatures and acidity will affect marine
species on which much of the web of life depends,
and further disrupt human food supplies. The cost
of all of this will fall on future generations, much
of it disproportionately on those with the fewest
resources to adapt. Only with global action can these
effects of climate change be mitigated, and Edmonds
recognizes that it bears responsibility as citizens of
the world and stewards of our environment.
A subcommittee of the City of Edmonds' Citizens
Committee on the US Mayors Climate Protection
Agreement convened in 2006, and in 2009 drafted
the first comprehensive plan for climate action,
using volunteer effort and with City staff support.
The City of Edmonds adopted a Climate Action Plan
in 2010 (2010 CAP), setting goals to substantially
reduce GHG emissions generated by the Edmonds
community, in accord with the US Mayors Climate
Protection Agreement.
The targets set by the 2010 CAP came from several
sources. Edmonds' adoption of the US Mayors
Climate Protection Agreement stipulated that the City
reduce its GHG emissions to 7% below 1990 levels
by 2012, per the Kyoto Protocol. At the same time,
Washington State mandated that GHG emissions be
reduced to 1990 levels by 2020; 25% below 1990
Several gases contribute to the "greenhouse
effect" that is causing climate change. The most
common of these is carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 is
emitted whenever carbon -containing fossil fuels are
used, such as for home heating or in automobiles.
Other GHGs include methane, nitrous oxide,
and several fluoride -containing gases, which are
released in resource extraction and transport, some
manufacturing processes, and operation of certain
equipment like refrigerators. These other gases may
have several times greater effect on the atmosphere
than CO2 does. To express the total quantity of GHGs
using a single unit of measure, GHGs are counted
in terms of metric tons (tonnes) of carbon dioxide
equivalent units, which is abbreviated as MT CO2e.
levels by 2035; and 50% below 1990 levels by 2050.
In addition, the United Nations' Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has determined
that GHG emissions must be reduced to 80% below
1990 levels on a global scale by 2050 to arrest the
effects of climate change. Although these goals were
not entirely consistent, all were acknowledged in
Edmonds' 2010 CAP.
Using the GHG inventory protocol in place in 2009
and the best available data for 1990, Edmonds'
communitywide GHG emissions in 1990 were
calculated to have been approximately 178,000 MT
CO2e. The estimated 2009 GHG emissions were
282,000 MT CO2e; therefore, the 2010 CAP stated
that by 2012, Edmonds' GHG emissions must be
reduced by at least 41 % to meet the Kyoto Protocol.
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8.B.a
To meet the State -mandated reductions, GHG
emissions would need to be reduced 52% by 2035
and 68% by 2050, and this still would not be enough
to meet the IPCC target.
In 2017, responding to the Paris Agreement (signed
on Earth Day 2016) and advances in the science
and understanding of climate change, Edmonds
City Council passed Resolution 1389, starting the
process to produce this update to Edmonds' CAP.
In 2018, consultants were hired to prepare a new
GHG inventory and to advise the City on updating its
Climate Action Plan.
Updating the Inventory
The first step in the updating the plan was to prepare
a new inventory of "local" GHG emissions, using best
available data and current inventory protocols. Local
emissions means emissions that are generated within
Edmonds or directly as a result of energy consumed
in Edmonds. This allows the most direct comparison
to the previous (2009) inventory. The inventory
uses data from 2017, the most complete year of
data available when the inventory was conducted
in 2018. The updated inventory also incorporates
"imported" emissions, those associated with goods
purchased and consumed in Edmonds but that were
produced elsewhere in the world. For example, the
emissions associated with growing food in California
and shipping it to Edmonds would be "imported"
emissions, since they did not occur within Edmonds.
Imported emissions are important to consider in
personal lifestyle choices, but are difficult to estimate
on a communitywide scale due to the lack of
available data and the complexity of accounting for
them.
While the inventory of 2017 emissions showed a
slight increase in communitywide GHG, a direct
comparison of inventories could not be made
because of changes in the inventory protocols since
2009. Results of the GHG inventory are summarized
in Section 4 of the CAP, and the full inventory is
included in Appendix A.
Setting a Science -Based
Ta rg et
Advances in the scientific understanding of climate
change have improved our ability to predict
outcomes under various scenarios of global
response to and mitigation for global warming. For
example, we now can predict that an unmitigated
global temperature increase would translate to
summer temperatures in Edmonds that are 1 1 °F
higher than they were historically.
Better science has enabled better methods of
targeting the level of response needed, referred to
as science -based targets. See Appedix B for a fuller
discussion of science -based targets.
A science -based climate target sets a rate of climate
action' that is aligned with keeping average global
temperature increases below a specified level (such
as 2°C) compared to pre -industrial temperatures
A science -based target is based on the physical
characteristics of the earth's atmosphere and how
atmospheric changes are expected to affect the
biosphere. A science -based target represents
an overarching global target that humanity can
collectively work toward. Maintaining temperature
increases below a 20C threshold will allow the
majority, but not all, of the global population to avoid
the worst social, economic, and environmental effects
of climate change.' A target of 2°C is considered
the "guardrail" target by numerous international
organizations, including the United Nations.' As a
point of reference, the average temperature of the
earth is approximately 1.2°C (2.0°F) higher today
than at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.
Figure 1 shows the GHG reduction paths necessary
to achieve these various outcomes. See Appendix B
for a memorandum on setting a science -based target
for the City of Edmonds.
In 2020, the Edmonds City Council adopted a
science -based target of 1.5°C with Resolution
1453. This is the aspirational target set in the Paris
Agreement and would substantially reduce many
1 Climate actions include reducing fossil fuel and other man-made sources of GHG emissions, as well as implementing negative emissions
strategies. Negative emissions strategies provide more time to decarbonize.
2 A 2°C target is roughly aligned with an atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration of 450 parts per million (ppm).
3 United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Fifth Assessment Report (IPCC AIRS).
4 World Meteorological Organization Press Release: Provisional WMO Statement on the Status of the Global Climate in 2016.
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150
wO
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0
L? 50
u
0 1
2000
2050 2100
of the worst potential effects that would occur if
warming is allowed to rise by 2°C. Achieving the
1.5°C target means eliminating or offsetting all
GHG emissions by 2050. Setting this target allows
Edmonds to compare its progress to a fixed and
measurable goal over the coming decades.
Assessing Edmonds'
Policies
The City and community of Edmonds have been
working toward many goals that will reduce or limit
the growth of GHG emissions. Some of these goals
were set because of climate change, while others
were set because of other priorities, like housing
affordability, resource conservation, and maintaining
a high quality of life in Edmonds. Many of these goals
are being implemented by incremental changes that
will take decades to have a measurable effect. As part
of this CAP Update, the City's consultants reviewed
climate action plans of 21 other cities and tabulated
almost 300 policies and strategies that will help
Edmonds meet its GHG emissions target.
The consultants also developed a GHG tracking tool,
a spreadsheet to create projections of GHG emission
reductions, and the ability to adjust assumptions
about the success of some of the most effective
strategies. This tool helps to understand what the
most effective strategies for Edmonds would be, and
Estimated 2100
temperature:
4.2°C 17.6°F
3.3-C 16.0°F
1.8-C 13.3°F
1.5-C 12.8-F
Figure 1: Estimated
increase in global
temperature based
on UN forecast
modeling.
will allow periodic updates on progress toward these
benchmark strategies, without the need to complete a
full GHG inventory.
A baseline or "business -as -usual" (BAU) assumption of
the GHG tracking tool is that GHG emissions will grow
in direct proportion to population and employment
growth in Edmonds (Figure 2). An adjusted BAU
baseline takes into account the effects expected
from various state and federal regulations that are
designed to reduce future energy consumption and
fossil fuel use in energy production, compared to
past patterns. This includes stricter federal vehicle
fuel mileage standards and state requirements
for renewable electrical energy. Enacted in 2019,
Washington State's Clean Energy Transformation Act
requires electricity to become carbon -neutral and
eventually carbon -free over the next 25 years. That
means that a substantial portion of Edmonds' annual
carbon footprint will be eliminated, putting the target
of carbon -neutrality by 2050 within reach.
The initial iteration of the GHG tracking tool showed
how much of a gap there could be between the
science -based target and what could be achieved
with the strategies that are already part of Edmonds
plans.
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400,000
350,000
OU 300,000
250,000
0 200,000
— 150,000
E
w 100,000
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C7 50,000
CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
.................................. _..._ Figure 2: Emissions
2035 BAU .... ..................'..................: 2050 BAU Comparison: BAU
2017 Forecast Forecast
................................................................... Forecast, Target
ventor .......................... n
Y Emissios, and
.................. .................. .....................................
...__ _ Planned R d t anne e uc ions
35 Adjusted .:.................. . ...........:_ -.-----
U E riissions 2050 Adjusted
BAU Emissions
..................:--------. ...................
2035 Target
0
2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045
—♦ Planned Reductions —A— BAU Emissions
Target Emissions 0 Adjusted BAU Emissions
The GHG emissions associated with a particular
entity (individual, household, business, or
community) are sometimes referred to as a
"carbon footprint" A carbon footprint usually
refers to emissions during a specific time period,
such as a year.
Public Outreach
Throughout the process of this CAP Update, the
Mayor and City staff have sought input from the
Mayor's Climate Protection Committee, and briefed
the City Council. An open house was held in early
2019 to present results of the inventory and take
input on strategies the City should consider in
the future. The inventory was posted on the City
website to allow citizen review. The City's consultants
also prepared a paper on what other similar cities
are doing to reduce their communitywide GHG
emissions.
In late 2020 and early 2021, the gap revealed in the
initial iteration of the GHG tracking tool was shared
with the community. The City wanted to hear how
Edmonds residents feel about the effects of climate
change, and how they want to address the gap.
2050 Target
;0 2055
Edmonds residents were invited to provide input on
priorities and new strategies through a workshop
conducted online in March 2021, and through a
survey that was distributed both online and through
a random mailing. The results of the survey and
workshop are included in Appendix C.
The survey results indicate that a solid majority of
Edmonds residents consider the effects of climate
change to be concerning, with the highest concerns
being wildfire threat, threat to species and habitat,
and decreased air quality. One concern that
emerged from the workshop feedback was about
social equity, recognizing that the effects of climate
change fall disproportionately on people of limited
means. As a result, a new section on equity has been
added to the CAP.
In 2022, the plan was refined and presented again to
the community in two workshops. Public comment on
the strategies and actions has been considered and
incorporated into the current plan — see Appendix C
for a summary of the comments received. Among the
comments received were questions about the cost
of taking the proposed actions to address climate
change. The plan does not include an estimate of
implementation costs to the City or to its residents
and businesses, nor does it estimate the cost to its
residents and businesses of inaction. Any program
that requires funding through the City would require
budget approval, and costs will be considered at
12 INTRODUCTION
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that time. Similarly, regulatory actions considered
under this plan could have short- and long-term cost
implications, and those will be considered. What this
plan does recognize is that the global cost of doing
nothing to address human -caused climate change is
likely to be greater than the cost of taking action to
limit climate action.
Mitigation and Adaptation
Climate change is a dynamic process in which effects
from the past two centuries of carbon emissions
will be felt for decades to come. Efforts to reduce
or limit these effects by eliminating sources of GHG
emissions are broadly categorized as mitigation.
This includes steps like switching to electric vehicles
or reducing energy used for heating. Changes
made in response to the effects of climate change
are considered adaptation. This includes steps
like ensuring the stormwater system is capable
of handling more intense storms and will operate
even with sea level rise. Adaptation to climate
change will be needed, even under the best -case
scenarios of GHG emission elimination. Mitigation
measures address the underlying problem of
climate change by slowing or stopping the rise in
emissions. Adaptation is needed to help people and
governments withstand and minimize the ravages of
climate change that are already here or will be soon.
In the sections that follow, actions are identified
with the following symbols that indicate the relative
degree of effectiveness of the action at reducing
GHG emissions.
Some measures may be highly effective but the City
may have limited influence over them, such as those
dependent on state or federal legislation. Other
measures are much more within the City's influence,
such as zoning or local infrastructure planning. Both
types are included because some important steps
can only be accomplished through state or federal
action. In some cases, voluntary actions by individuals
on a large scale, such as the choice of what car to
purchase.
Imagine you are in a boat that has sprung a
leak. To address the source of the problem
means plugging the hole. But to avoid being
swamped, you need to start bailing. Both issues
need attention simultaneously.
In the face of climate change, humanity must
similarly act on two fronts at the same time —
mitigation and adaptation.
What is in this Plan
This plan focuses on the most important steps
Edmonds can take to address climate change. It
begins with a section on equity because addressing
climate change (or not doing so) has widely varying
implications for individuals of different socio-
economic backgrounds. The equity section sets the
stage for how we move forward together. The next
section summarizes the GHG inventory to provide a
sense of the scale of the problem of GHG emissions,
and where they come from. The CAP then lays out
a set of strategies for addressing climate change,
along with specifics for how those strategies will
be pursued. Sections on Buildings and Energy,
Transportation and Land Use, and Lifestyle and
Consumption primarily focus on mitigation — ways
the City will work to reduce GHG emissions. The
section on Environment adds strategies to ensure the
City is prepared to adapt to climate change. Within
each of these sections, the CAP describes why that
element is important, what the City has done to date,
and what is planned for the future.
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Summary of GHG
Inventory Update
This is a brief summary of a community -wide GHG
inventory, which is presented in Appendix A. The
inventory was conducted by a consultant team
consisting of Environmental Science Associates and
Good Company. The inventory was completed in
early 2019 (referred to in this document as the 2019
inventory) based on data for 2017, the latest year for
which complete information was available, using the
Global Protocol for Community -Scale Greenhouse
Gas Inventories 1.1 (GPC 1.1).' The City produced
one previous inventory in 2009 (referred to as the
2009 inventory), using an earlier protocol and based
on data from 2000 and 2005. The 2009 inventory was
included in the 2010 CAP.
Edmonds' 2017 GHG emissions were estimated to be
about 750,000 MT CO2e, including both "local" and
"imported" emissions (Figure 5). "Local" emissions
are those that occur within the city limits, plus
emissions that result from electricity consumption
within the city limits. "Imported" emissions are
generated outside of Edmonds to produce the
goods, food, and services consumed in Edmonds, or
by the people of Edmonds while traveling outside of
the city, such as air travel. Total local and imported
emissions in 2017 were approximately 17.2 MT CO2e
per capita. For comparison, in 2017 the global per
capita average was 6.4 MT CO2e and the US average
was 17.3 MT CO2e2.
1 World Resources Institute et al. 2021.
2 Climate Watch. 2021. Historical GHG Emissions.
750,000
0 500,000
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Local + Imported
Emissions
Imported Emissions
• Buildings
• Transportation
Refrigerant
Waste
Figure 3: Local plus imported emissions in
Edmonds in 2017
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Local emissions in 2017 totaled about 306,000
MT CO2e (Figure 6), an increase in overall emissions
since 2000. This represents 7.2 MT CO2e per
Edmonds resident, a per capita rate that is essentially
unchanged since 2000. However, GHG inventory
protocols have changed since the previous inventory
was completed (see Appendix A for further detail).
Under GPC 1.1, the protocol used in this CAP
Update, several new categories of GHGs were
included, which increased the estimate of overall
emissions. The largest of these new categories is
fugitive refrigerant emissions - leaked extremely
potent greenhouse gases used in refrigeration.
305, 962 MT CO2e
7.2 MT CO2e per capita
• 35% •
Buildings (Residential) Transportation
• 15°i,
Buildings (Commercial) Refrigerant
0 2%
Buildings (Industrial) Waste
Figure 4: Local Emissions in Edmonds in 2017
As shown in Figure 6, emissions from operating
buildings and transportation continue to be the two
sectors with the largest local emissions sectors. Other
key observations from the new inventory include:
• Residential buildings in Edmonds have more
than double the impact of commercial buildings.
In 2017, 65% of electricity was consumed in
residential buildings, 29% in commercial, and 6%
in industrial.
• In 2017, 75% of natural gas was consumed by the
residential sector, nearly 25% by the commercial
sector, and less than 1 % was consumed by the
industrial sector.
• Passenger transport, primarily in cars, is the
leading source of transportation -related local
GHG emissions.
Imported emissions in 2017 were estimated at
444,000 MT CO2e, 44% more than Edmonds' local
emissions (see the light blue stack in Figure 5).
Imported emissions are not required reporting in
the GPC 1.1 protocol, due to accuracy limitations.
However, the scale of consumption -based emissions
is large enough to warrant inclusion in community
climate action plans.
Households with larger annual incomes typically
consume more and therefore generate more
imported GHG emissions than households with
smaller incomes. For example, GHG emissions
from material goods for a household with an
income above $120,000 are typically double that
of a household with an income of $10,000-40,000.
Edmonds' imported emissions are equivalent to
the annual emissions of about 95,000 passenger
vehicles, or the carbon sequestered annually by over
500,000 acres of average forest in the United States
- a land area about 40 times the size of the City of
Edmonds.
16 SUMMARY OF GHG INVENTORY UPDATE
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Comparison to the
Previous Inventory
In the City's previous inventory (covering the
years 2000 and 2005), only local emissions were
considered, so those are the only emissions that can
be compared with the inventory prepared as part of
this CAP Update. The following general conclusions
can be drawn from comparing the past inventory
years with the 2017 inventory:
• In 2017, Edmonds had not reduced its local
GHG emissions in accordance with the targets
listed in the 2010 CAP. Total emissions rose since
2000, and per capita emissions have remained
essentially the same, while the CAP aimed to
reduce emissions substantially by 2017.
• The current protocol requires the use of a higher
GHG emission factor (termed Carbon Intensity)
for electricity than was used in the 2009 inventory,
based on characteristics of the regional electricity
grid (see Appendix A). By instead using the local
Carbon Intensity factor for electricity supplied
by the Snohomish County Public Utility District
(SnoPUD), the inventory substantially reduced the
GHG emissions from electricity.
• GHG emissions from electricity consumption
decreased 7% between 2000 and 2017, reflecting
greater energy efficiency and conservation.
• Natural gas use rose 25%, a higher rate than
population and employment growth since
2000, and rose particularly among commercial
users. This could mean that some of the overall
reduction in electricity consumption was due to
conversion to natural gas use, rather than energy
conservation.
StTransportation emissions up Natural Gas Use up Electricty use down
27% t 25% t 7%1
SINCE 2000 i SINCE 2000 SINCE 2000
• The largest driver increasing Edmonds' emissions
is on -road transportation, which increased 27%
between 2000 and 2017.
Vehicle miles traveled (VMT), a measure used
to develop an estimate of the GHG emissions
from transportation, cannot be estimated for the
Edmonds community with high accuracy using
existing data, and is generally assumed to be
similar throughout Snohomish County on a per
capita basis. As a result, GHG emissions increased
not only due to Edmonds' population increase,
but also because VMT per capita in the county
rose from 2000 to 2017.
See the full inventory in Appendix A for further detail
At best, due to data limitations, a GHG inventory
prepared at a community scale provides a rough
estimate of the community's emissions. The inventory
follows a globally accepted protocol and provides
sufficiently accurate information to assess the scale
of emissions from various sectors, which is valuable
in setting strategies and priorities for reducing
GHG emissions. Improved inventory protocols and
recordkeeping should make future inventories more
accurate and allow for more precise tracking of
progress as well as comparisons overtime.
SUMMARY OF GHG INVENTORY UPDATE
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This chapter focuses on frontline communities,
how they may experience climate change, their role
in addressing climate change, and climate equity.
Frontline communities are those
most likely to be affected by climate change.
Frontline communities are also often
more resource efficient than the general
population, with lifestyles that help achieve
the community's climate action goals. They
often live in higher density housing, consume
less energy per capita, and rely on public
transit. However, intersecting vulnerabilities
and socioeconomic determinants such as
preexisting health conditions, physical location,
historic marginalization, social context, and
income stability can make these communities
more susceptible to threats of climate change.
For example, elderly people and people who
perform outdoor labor may be more vulnerable
to changes in climate and environmental
conditions. Frontline communities may
include the elderly; low-income households;
undocumented immigrants; Black, Indigenous,
and People of Color (BIPOC) communities;
speakers with limited English proficiency;
individuals experiencing homelessness; those
already suffering from chronic diseases; and
others.
Equity
Frontline Communities
as Stewards
Frontline communities are stewards in the
conversation around climate change. Due to limited
resources, limited mobility, and other factors,
frontline communities often have a smaller carbon
footprint and are also the first to explore ways to
adapt to climate change. An elderly person on a
limited fixed income learns to conserve resources,
consume less, and find ways of enjoying life that fit
within their resources. An immigrant family facing
high housing and childcare costs may expand their
household to include multiple generations, sharing
housing costs and family duties. These types of
adaptations may not be motivated by a concern
about climate change, but they do have lower carbon
emissions through limited household consumption
and reduced vehicular trips. Frontline communities
can be a source of innovation and expertise on how
to make resources go further.
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years and older
Renters
Population
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Experiencing
Homelessness
Educational
Attainment
Sources: Census data: ACS 2079 5-year estimates, Department of Social and Health Services, 2020 Census Redistricting Data (PL. 94-171)
Figure 5: Frontline Communities in Edmonds
The City of Edmonds is home to frontline communities including the elderly, BIPOC, non-English
speakers, those with no health care coverage, renters, persons below the poverty line, those
experiencing homelessness, and those without a bachelor's degree or higher, among others.
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Institutional Racism and
Environmental Justice
Historically, discrimination against BIPOC
communities has led to geographic segregation
that reinforced and exacerbated economic, social,
and environmental inequities. Like many suburban
communities in the Puget Sound region, Edmonds
grew rapidly during a period when banking and
real estate practices openly discriminated against
non -white people. Reinforced by federal policy
established in the 1930s, "red -lining" limited the
availability of home loans in neighborhoods with
high concentration of BIPOC people, thereby
constricting the ability of BIPOC people to
accumulate wealth. These neighborhoods were
also considered appropriate places for polluting
industries, resulting in elevated exposure to
pollutants by residents of these areas. At the
same time, it was common practice not to offer
property in white neighborhoods for sale or rent
to BIPOC people. Often this was reinforced by
property covenants, and in some cases by local law.
Racially discriminatory covenants were determined
unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court in 1948,
and any form of housing discrimination based on
race or ethnicity has been illegal in the United States
since the Fair Housing Act of 1968.' However, openly
discriminatory practices continued into the 1970s,
and studies have shown that BIPOC individuals are
still discriminated against in the housing market.'
Because Edmonds was a suburban city that grew
by more than tenfold in the period from 1930 to
1980, its racial makeup was profoundly affected by
these conditions. As a result, Edmonds' population is
approximately 75% non -Hispanic white, higher than
both the county and state averages.3 Even within
Edmonds, BIPOC population varies widely among
different census tracts. Because of the effects of
historic racism, this also means that some areas have
concentrations of people with less wealth, which can
limit options for housing, education, mobility, and
employment.
In addition, Edmonds is on the traditional lands of the
Coast Salish Peoples who still live here and throughout
the region, and whose ancestors resided in this region
since time immemorial. Despite treaties intended to
protect their access to the resources they depend
on, both racism and environmental degradation
diminished their access to those resources. Climate
change will further impact the daily activities and
longstanding traditions of the region's Indigenous
communities. It is imperative to meaningfully include
those communities in climate change conversations
and solutions.
Edmonds' responsibility for frontline communities
is rooted in its history and in the community's
longstanding commitment to all its residents. Given
this history, special attention needs to be given to how
climate adaptation strategies affect financial equity
and ability to build intergenerational wealth within
frontline communities.
Climate Equity in
Edmonds
There are numerous ways in which environmental
justice intersects with climate change and equity. This
section outlines a few of the issues that Edmonds
faces. A fuller assessment is one of the actions called
for in the Climate Action Plan.
Edmonds has distinct neighborhoods including
the Bowl, the Highway 99 Corridor, and others. The
Bowl encompasses the waterfront, a downtown
business district, and the ferry terminal. The Highway
99 Corridor is a commercial center for Edmonds
and includes the Health, International, and Gateway
Districts along a 2-mile stretch of Washington State
Route 99 (SR-99). Geographic and socioeconomic
factors create unique exposures and outcomes
in each of these areas. For example, the Bowl
experiences cooler temperatures than along SR
99 during hot weather events due to proximity to
Puget Sound. Communities along the Highway 99
Corridor generally experience greater vulnerability to
environmental health disparities than other parts of
Edmonds. There is also a large population of people
1 Snohomish County. 2019. Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice.
2 Reardon. 2015. Neighborhood Income Composition by Race and Income,1990-2009.
3 US Census. 2021.
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Social Vulnerability Hazards -
Population 65+ Living Alone
..k
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Figure 6. Environmental Health Disparities and Elderly Population in Edmonds, WA
The Washington Environmental Health Disparities Map shows higher vulnerability to environmental health
disparities based on socioeconomic factors along SR 99 (socioeconomic factors include limited English, no
high school diploma, people of color, population living in poverty, transportation expense, unaffordable
housing, and unemployed), while age and housing situation (e.g., solo dwellers) drive high vulnerability
rankings for residents living throughout Edmonds and in the Bowl
(Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 2079 5-year estimates). Esperance, a 0.7square-mile part of
unincorporated Snohomish County, is not reflected in these data.
65 and older living alone in both the Highway 99
Corridor and the Bowl, as illustrated in Figure 4.
The unique contexts and frontline communities that
exist within Edmonds need to be considered in the
assessment and prioritization of climate change
resources.
Other issues where climate change and
environmental equity intersect include tree canopy,
open space, air pollution, and safe streets.
Tree canopy varies throughout Edmonds. Areas with
less canopy tend to develop "heat island" effects due
to less shade, making these areas more vulnerable
to higher summer temperatures. Trees also help to
reduce air pollutants within a local microclimate. In
some areas, the lack of tree canopy has been the
result of a lack of public investment in street trees
and open space.
Open space not only provides places for trees but
also for exercise, respite, and community gardens.
Especially in areas with higher density housing,
public open space is an important component of
public health. Frontline communities especially can
benefit from investment in open space when it is
designed to serve the needs of those communities,
and those investments can also help Edmonds reach
its climate goals. For example, community gardens
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provide a place where people can grow food that not
only keeps their cost of living down but also reduces
the greenhouse gas emissions from food imported
from outside the city.
Air pollution, while not an issue in much of Edmonds
due to ample air movement, can be an issue in areas
with a high concentration of vehicular and especially
truck traffic, like the Highway 99 Corridor. Supporting
the conversion to electric vehicles will benefit
frontline communities in these areas, and there
may be other measures the City can take to reduce
exposure to pollutants in dense neighborhoods, such
as limiting idling.
Safe streets are another component of resilient
communities. Many of the actions in the Climate
Action Plan focus on reducing vehicle miles traveled
as a means to reduce GHG emissions. For those
strategies to work, alternative modes of travel must
be available, especially for the areas where most
of Edmonds growth is expected to go, in centers
identified in the Comprehensive Plan. However,
many of the centers do not have streets complete
with safe places to walk or bicycle, especially those
near Highway 99. Historically, the areas with the least
developed street infrastructure have also been where
lower cost multifamily development has occurred.
By listening to and addressing the needs of frontline
communities in these areas, the city can help to reach
its climate action goals in a manner that reduces
some of these past inequities.
Centering equity
Centering equity means ensuring that people who
will experience the brunt of climate impacts are
actively engaged in and providing leadership to
efforts that identify and prioritize vulnerabilities and
develop solutions to address those vulnerabilities.
The City of Edmonds has been working to integrate
equity considerations into planning, demonstrated
by the formation of a Diversity Commission in 2015
and the Mayor's Equity and Social Justice Task Force
in 2020, as well as other planning goals, such as the
city's long-term vision to offer affordable housing
with walking and transit access.4
Some community improvements in response to
climate change may lead to unintended effects, such
as exacerbating displacement and gentrification.
Therefore, in considering future climate programs,
plans, and policies, it will be important for the City
of Edmonds to apply an equity lens, and to guard
against maladaptive practices.
Public participation for the climate action process in
2021 included a virtual open house and community
workshops, accompanied by a survey to provide
feedback on current proposed strategies and
recommend potential new ones. Feedback from this
outreach included suggestions that the City should
consider equity in its efforts to address climate
change, including helping those who could least
afford to adapt to the effects of climate change. As
a result, this section has been added to the CAP
Update. Community involvement will continue to
play an integral role in climate planning in Edmonds.
An equity lens may include analysis by asking questions such as: Who is most affected by decisions, and
therefore should be at the table? Who is not at the table? How can they be included? Is there a diverse
representation from a range of lived experience on project teams and in decision -making roles? Who
benefits from the project, program, or policy? Who is adversely impacted? Are the voices of frontline
communities being heard, and is their input being considered?
4 City of Edmonds. 2020. City of Edmonds 2020 Comprehensive Plan)
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Co-benef its of climate
equity strategies
Many of the actions that address climate change
can improve the health and wellbeing of frontline
communities. For example, retrofitting homes for
energy efficiency can help low-income households
reduce their utility payments and experience greater
safety during extreme weather events, with the
co -benefit of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Other common co -benefits of adaptation strategies
are related to health, financial stability, education,
improved mobility, and support of businesses.
Integrating climate change into permitting and land
use planning can result in benefits such as mixed and
joint open space -affordable housing developments,
and expanding access to local food sources.
By instituting measures to deal with climate impacts,
Edmonds can plan for climate change in a way
that protects frontline communities and provides
an equitable distribution of costs, benefits, and
opportunities for all members of the community.
By investing in skilled workers, green workforce
development training, and new low carbon
technologies like clean energy and renewable
materials, Edmonds can support new engines
for green job growth and sustainable economic
prosperity.
In partnership with other public agencies and
community -based organizations, the City of
Edmonds has an important role to alleviate historic
disparities, educate and engage the public on
climate change issues, and to promote community
involvement in actions to reduce climate change
risks. In the strategies described in this plan, some of
the most obvious equity issues are mentioned. As the
City of Edmonds updates its comprehensive plan and
develops new initiatives to address climate change,
we will continue to center equity comprehensively
and and take meaningful steps to address the issues
surrounding climate change.
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Buildings and
The Problem, Strategy,
and Benefits:
Energy used in the occupancy and operation
of buildings is the largest source of local GHG
emissions in Edmonds (Figure 7). Because Edmonds
is largely residential, residential buildings emit
roughly twice the quantity of GHGs that commercial
and industrial buildings in Edmonds emit.
Building emissions are about equally split between
natural gas and electricity, although a small portion
of homes are also heated with heating oil. At present,
most electricity in Washington is generated through
hydropower, wind, nuclear, and solar, sources that
have very low GHG emissions. Snohomish PUD,
which provides Edmonds with electricity, obtains
over 95% of its electricity from carbon -free sources
and is on track to achieving 100%.' As discussed
in more detail in the GHG inventory (Appendix A),
some electricity on the regional grid comes from
either coal or natural gas generation equipment,
with the latter being important especially for peak
demand periods. The Clean Energy Transformation
Act (CETA), passed in 2019 by the Washington
legislature, requires all electricity to be carbon
neutral by 2030, and carbon -free by 2045. This
will eventually drive down GHG emissions from
buildings significantly, especially from those heated
by electricity, but fossil fueled heating, cooking, and
hot water will continue to be a substantial source of
emissions unless further action is taken.
1 SnoPUD. 2021. Final 2021 Clean Energy Implementation Plan.
Energy
305, 962 MT CO2e
7.2 MT CO2e per capita
• 3 S 0/1 •
Buildings (Residential) Transportation
Buildings (Commercial) Refrigerant
2% 2-/o
Buildings (Industrial) Waste
Figure 7: 2017 Local GHG Emissions in Edmonds,
WA
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While electrical consumption in Edmonds declined
by 7% from 2000 to 2017, natural gas consumption
rose by 25%. Efforts to conserve electricity remain
important, but reducing fossil fuel use must be a key
area of focus to reach the ultimate goal of net -zero
carbon emissions from buildings in Edmonds by
2050.
The main uses for carbon -based fuels in homes
are heating and cooling (34% of total energy use),
hot water (30%), and cooking (3%) (see Figure 8).
In residential buildings and especially in detached
homes, natural gas is the most common fuel used for
heating and hot water.2 It is also common for cooking
and gas fireplaces. For residential buildings, GHG
reduction strategies that focus on homes using
carbon -based fuels, and especially heating and
hot water, will have the greatest effect.
Refers to a target of completely negating the
amount of GHGs produced by a specific human
activity or facility, to be achieved by reducing
emissions and implementing methods of
absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Because housing is a basic need, considerations
of social equity are important. Low-income urban
households have an energy burden —the proportion
of income spent on energy —three times higher than
that of non -low-income households, due to lack of
weatherization and older equipment.3 For example,
natural gas is less expensive for hot water production
than a conventional hot water heater. Heating water
with an electric heat pump cost less to operate, but
the equipment is typically more expensive than
natural gas hot water heaters. Although converting
to a heat -pump hot-water system would reduce GHG
emissions and energy bills, lower income households
often cannot afford the initial expense. Strategies
that consider such equity issues will focus on
helping those who are least able to afford to
make the conversion that is needed to meet
the goal.
3A% 0 S%
Heating & Cooling Refrigerators
• 30% • 6%
Water Heating Lighting
• 1 8%
Clother Dryers Other
• 3%
Cooking
Figure 8: Residential energy use
Source: 2020 Biennial Energy Report, State of
Oregon, Oecember2020
Similarto residential buildings, heating and hot
water are major energy uses in commercial and
institutional buildings. Some commercial operations
have processes that also require carbon -based fuels.
Determining what types of operations use carbon -
based fuels and what can be done to reduce their
GHG footprint can be complicated, but the basic
needs of heating and hot water production are
common to all. Restaurants often use natural gas
for cooking and in some cases for heating outdoor
eating areas. As with residences, there are many
2 Oregon Department of Energy. 2020. Biennial Energy Report.
3 ACEEE. 2016. Lifting the High Energy Burden in America's Largest Cities.
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small business owners for whom GHG reduction
could be especially burdensome, and social equity
consideration should be part of the discussion.
Supporting businesses' efforts to become more
energy efficient reinforces community resilience at
the same time it reduces GHG emissions.
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is also making efforts for
its gas supply to be carbon neutral. PSE has begun
experimenting with carbon neutral "renewable
natural gas" and other sources to replace fossil fuel,
and aims to sell carbon neutral natural gas by 2045.
Unlike electric sources, however, there is no State
mandate for natural gas at this time, and it is not clear
how or if PSE will attain its stated goals. Therefore,
this CAP Update uses the conservative
assumption that natural gas will continue to
be predominantly fossil fuel, and takes the
strategy of supporting statewide legislation
similar to the Clean Energy Transformation Act
(CETA) to reduce the carbon footprint of natural
gas supplies.
The City has taken steps to address these issues but
more must be done to meet the target by 2050.
RNG is a pipeline -quality gas that is fully
interchangeable with conventional natural
gas. RNG is essentially biogas (the gaseous
product of the decomposition of organic
matter, such as wood or agricultural waste)
that has been processed to purity standards.
What the City has
already done:
• In 2007, became an ENERGY STAR partner with
the EPA, employing the ENERGY STAR Portfolio
Manager to track monthly consumption of
energy use in 16 City -owned buildings.
In April 2008, adopted Edmonds' Sustainable
Building Policy (Council Resolution 1168). It
established the LEED Silver standard, developed
by the US Green Building Council, for new
commercial or civic buildings of greater than
5,000 square feet and for renovation of existing
structures when the increase in value amounts
to more than 50% of assessed value. It also
emphasized Life Cycle Cost Analysis.
• In 2009, adopted a "Sustainability Element" in
the City's Comprehensive Plan that included a
commitment to review building codes as they
pertain to heat, insulation, and energy efficiency
• Joined the Cascade Agenda as a member city
and endorsed the Cascade Agenda principles
of making the city "complete, compact, and
connected."
• Completed an energy audit of major City
buildings and facilities to identify opportunities
for improved efficiency.
• Reduced electrical usage at the library by
approximately 45% after completing a capital
improvement project.
Since the last CAP was prepared (2070):
• Upgraded the wastewater treatment plant
with new technology that reduced electrical
consumption by 19% and fuel oil consumption
by 44%, a reduction of 221 MT CO2e annually.
• The City purchased 36 energy use meters, which
are available to residents and small business
owners to check-out for a free two -week period.
• Upgraded energy efficiency of City facilities,
including interior lighting, insulation, and 10kW
of community solar at the Anderson Center;
insulated glazing at City Hall; and high efficiency
boiler and hot water tank at the Public Safety
building.
• Worked with PUD to replace 1600 streetlights
with energy -efficient LED fixtures.
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Strategies and Actions:
Significant reductions in GHG emissions from buildings can be obtained by pursuing several practical
measures that fall into three basic strategies:
Strategy BE-1: Replace Fossil Fuels used in Buildings
with Renewable Energy Resources
With the passage of CETA, electricity will be carbon free by 2045; thus, any all -electric buildings will
have eliminated their GHG emissions for energy. Conversion from fossil fuel to electricity will do the
most to accomplish this strategy. This includes changing heating and hot water systems, including
outdoor heating and lawn care equipment, and water conservation devices. Adding solar generation to
buildings prior to 2030 will help speed this effort, and will add to community energy resilience through
local generation of electricity.
Actions:
BE-1 Replace Fossil Fuels Used in Existing Buildings with Renewable Energy Resources
BE-1.1 Adopt appropriate zoning allowances to facilitate
installation of renewable energy projects and energy
.*
efficient equipment, such as height and side setback
111
High
exceptions for heat pumps and other energy efficiency
equipment.
BE-1.2 Provide financial assistance programs such as low interest
loans or grants for installation of solar energy projects and
High
energy efficient equipment for affordable housing projects,
`�,
including residences and community facilities.
BE-1.3 Promote electrification of heating and hot water for all small
�
tV'i
LOW
business spaces by 2035.
BE-1.4 Promote electrification of all businesses, including heating,
LOW
hot water, and cooking, by 2050.
BE-1.5 Educate the homeowners, renters, apartment managers,
and businesses on the energy efficiency and cost
High
effectiveness of electric heat pump heating and hot water
systems.
BE-1.6 Restrict or prohibit the use of fossil fuels for lawn equipment
High
and outdoor heating.
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Strategy BE-2: Improve Energy Efficiency
of Existing Buildings and Infrastructure
Energy consumption in buildings could be cut by about 30-50%through investment in energy efficiency.
Up to 20% of US households have heating equipment that is more than 20 years old. Modern appliances
and equipment with ENERGY STAR ratings can be as much as 80% more efficient than the equipment
it replaces. Low-income urban households have an energy burden —the proportion of income spent on
energy —three times higher than that of higher income households, partially due to lack of weatherization.
Improved energy efficiency can lower living costs and improve the quality of housing, while also reducing
GHG emissions. The City will continue to encourage energy efficiency upgrades in existing buildings.
The City already has programs aimed at reducing energy consumption at its wastewater treatment plant
and reducing water consumption. The City will also examine the feasibility of converting all City
facilities to electric heating and hot water. a
c
The City will continue to promote energy -efficiency programs sponsored by the utilities and energy
companies, including water conservation. To support PSE's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, the City Q
will support statewide legislation to require natural gas supply systems to be carbon neutral
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Actions:
BE-2: Improve Energy Efficiency of Existing Buildings and Infrastructure
BE-2.1 Support legislation to require gas supply systems statewide �A� to be carbon -neutral by 2045.
BE-2.2 Create and implement a green building incentive program.
BE-2.3 Continue to improve energy efficiency of the City's
wastewater treatment plant.
Low
High
High
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Strategy BE-3: Require the Design and Construction of New and
Remodeled Buildings to Meet Green Building Standards
New commercial, mixed -use, and residential buildings will be built as redevelopment and in -fill
development occurs and development, including within the Highway 99 and Westgate Mixed -use
planning areas. Building to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, and
moving to all -electric and net -zero construction will significantly reduce resource consumption and the
creation of waste in our dwellings and commercial buildings.
Actions:
BE-3: Require the Design and Construction of New and Remodeled Buildings to Meet Gree
Building Standards
BE-3.1 Adopt regulations to require new multi -family and
�
commercial buildings to use 100%electric heating, cooking,
(to
High
and hot water by 2023.
BE-3.2 Support changes to State building code to achieve net -zero
energy consumption in new buildings by 2030, including
` it
High
requiring new single-family residences to be all electric.
BE-3.3 Require that all new multi -family residential and commercial
buildings and any major commercial remodeling projects
A
GO)
Low
meet LEED Gold standards or equivalent for Commercial
and LEED Silver or equivalent for multifamily.
BE-3.4 Convert all City facilities to electric heat and hot water by
High
2035.
32 BUILDINGS AND ENERGY
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Metrics for tracking Building and
Strategy BE-1: Replace Fossil Fuels used in
Buildings with Renewable Energy Resources
r
M-M-01
Strategy BE-2: Improve Energy Efficiency of
Existing Buildings and Infrastructure
Strategy BE-3: Require the Design and
Construction of New and Remodeled Buildings to
Meet Green Building Standards
750 o 100%
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Transportation
and Land Use
The problem, strategy,
and benefits
Transportation accounts for 40% of local GHG
emissions in Edmonds —our second largest source
(see Figure 5). Although the City of Edmonds has
little control over traffic on our highways, fuel -
efficiency standards, fuel taxes, or technological
breakthroughs, choices that the City and community
make regarding land use, use of electric or high -
efficiency vehicles, and support for infrastructure all
influence local GHG emissions from transportation.
Development in Edmonds is predominantly
residential. As a result, most Edmonds residents
commute outside of the city for employment, and
the majority do much of their shopping outside of
the city. In Edmonds, an estimated 80% of the GHG
emissions from the transportation sector are from
passenger vehicles (Figure 9). Approximately 71 % of
workers in Edmonds commuted in private vehicles
in 2017, and over half had commutes of longer than
20 minutes.' By making more goods, services, and
employment available within Edmonds, residents
could reduce the need to travel for daily activities.
This means encouraging commercial development
in mixed -use urban centers such as downtown
Edmonds, Westgate, and Five Corners.
Currently, transportation is heavily dependent on
fossil fuels. A considerable amount of fossil fuel is
also required to produce and deliver goods and
services to residents of Edmonds — emissions that
are not produced locally. In addition, as a relatively
affluent community, Edmonds residents often use
air travel for work and recreation, another source
of GHGs not produced locally but attributable to
1 2017 US Census Bureau.
Qn% "y
Passenger Travel Truck Freight
• Q %,
Commercial Services Port
• 6%
Rail Transit
• 3%
Off Road
Figure 9: Distribution of local transportation
emissions by vehicle category
a
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
8.B.a
our lifestyle. Figure 10 shows the sources of GHG
emissions from various transportation modes,
including these imported emissions.
Reducing GHG emissions from transportation can
be accomplished by traveling in vehicles that use
less fossil fuel per passenger mile travelled or by
reducing the number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
Transit use generates fewer GHG emissions per
passenger mile than using fossil fuel -powered private
vehicles. Edmonds has access to bus and rail transit,
but only about 9% of workers use transit to commute.
Recent expansion of Bus Rapid Transit in the Highway
99 corridor and expanding Sound Transit light rail in
the 1-5 corridor will increase opportunities for transit
use by Edmonds residents. Further improvement
such as transit hubs, shuttles, "last -mile" services,
ridership promotion, and electrification of transit
vehicles can help reduce GHG emissions from
transportation. In addition, electric vehicles and plug-
in hybrid vehicles can replace use of fossil fuels with
electricity, which, as discussed above, will soon be
carbon neutral in Washington State, and eventually
carbon -free.
Reducing the number of miles traveled can be
accomplished by changes in land use patterns as
well as by changes in work location and commuting
habits. Land use patterns that provide housing close
to shopping and employment reduce the distance to
destinations and facilitate efficient transit use. Where
there are safe and convenient routes, more people
choose walking or riding a bicycle for short trips, such
as shopping, travel to school, or visiting friends, as
well as for regular commuting. Working from home,
which has become much more common during the
current pandemic, also reduces commute trips.
Sq°/,
• ?%
Passenger Travel
Transit
•
26%
• '0f
Air Travel
Commercial Service
•6%
•1%
Truck Freight
Rail
•
5%
1 %
Port
Off Road
Figure 10: Distribution of local and imported
transportation emissions by vehicle category
36 TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE
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8.B.a
CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
What the City has
already done:
• Adopted a Transportation Plan that will add new
sidewalks and bicycle routes.
• Converted all diesel trucks to biodiesel fuel.
• Provided transit and carpool incentives to City
employees, including alternate work schedules
and telecommuting opportunities.
• Supported the Swift Bus Rapid Transit plan.
Since the last CAP was prepared (2070).
• Adopted a Complete Streets Ordinance
(Ordinance No. 3842) in June of 2011, resulting
d
in 15 miles of new bike lanes, with 6 more miles
r_
0
planned for 2023.
• Reduced minimum parking standards in many
commercial and residential zones.
a
• Created more flexible zoning standards
E
—
encouraging mixed -use development.
M
• Added requirements for charging stations in new
N
N
development.
• Installed public electric vehicle charging stations
at 20 locations
• Upgraded the City vehicle fleet to 6 electric
E
vehicles, 11 hybrid vehicles, 33 propane vehicles,
and committed to 6 more electric and 8 more
a
hybrid vehicles to the fleet in 2022.
c
• Updated City land -use rules to encourage more
Q
home -based business opportunities.
d
• Worked with Sound Transit to add commuter rail
E
E
improvements.
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8.B.a
CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
Strategies and Actions:
Five strategies that are essential for reducing GHG from transportation include:
Strategy TR-1: Reduce VMT through Sustainable Land Use
One of the most effective ways the City of Edmonds can address emissions from transportation is through
regulating how our city is developed, including the promotion of local businesses in mixed -use centers.
Business hubs provide readily available and nearby goods, services, and employment for surrounding
neighborhoods. This shortens travel distances and makes walking and biking more attractive. Every unit
of housing constructed in an urban center represents a reduction of approximately 1.5 MT
CO2e annually, compared to the average home in Edmonds. Edmonds has many attractive multi-
family areas and has planned for nearly all its future growth to occur in these types of centers. M
a.
c
0
:r
Actions:
m
E
Potential -. reeGHGs Influence Transportation and Land Use to Peduce of City
N
L
TR-1: Reduce VMT through Sustainable Land Use o
c
TR-1.1 Adopt a multimodal level of service to enable complete A U_
streets outcomes. tl�� High
TR-1.2 Develop code and guidelines and zoning that support
mixed -use and transit -oriented (Highway 99 and downtown)
development in neighborhood commercial centers to High
encourage close -to -home local shopping and employment
opportunities.
TR-1.3 Provide tax or other incentives for low income or affordable
housing projects in the City's activity centers. High
TR-1.4 Encourage more businesses to locate in Edmonds, such as
by increasing commercial capacity by allowing commercial
uses in more locations, by permitting more intensive uses, High
or reducing parking requirements in areas well served by
transit.
Current level of service standard establish aceptable levels of travel delay for vehicles using public roads.
A multimodal level of service would establish similar threshholds for transit, walking, and biking.
38 TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
8.B.a
Strategy TR-2: Reduce VMT by Improving Transit Systems
Edmonds is served by Community Transit buses and Sound Transit commuter rail. However, relatively
few workers regularly commuted by transit in 2017. With the pandemic, travel patterns are changing.
Community Transit already provides discounted fares to seniors, low income and youth riders. This
strategy includes supporting increased transit service, efficiency, and reliability within Edmonds (e.g., to
shopping, medical, schools, and recreation) and connections to regional transit, with the goal of greater
transit use by commuters, residents and visitors, and an associated reduction in VMT.
Actions:
TR-2: Reduce VMT by Improving Transit Systems
TR-2.1 Coordinate transit agencies to increase service within
Edmonds and improve access to new light rail connections.
TR-2.2 Preserve and expand sounder commuter rail service in f ,
Edmonds.
TR-2.3 Invest in transit stop amenities to improve transit ridership �A experience (e.g. shelters, benches, lighting).
Moderate
Low
Low
TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE
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8.B.a
CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
Strategy TR-3: Reduce VMT by Committing to a Complete Street
Approach
Walking and biking do not generate GHGs. However, in many areas of Edmonds walkers and bikers
do not feel safe because of the lack of separated and protected routes. Improvements such as Safe
Routes to School, additional and safer bike lanes, convenient bicycle parking, and more
improved and extended sidewalks make it easier for people to choose these alternate modes.
Currently, only 2.4% of workers in Edmonds walk or bike to work. Every shift of mileage from gasoline -
powered automobiles to non -motorized modes reduces GHG emissions, not only by reducing VMT, but
also by reducing congestion and vehicle idling.
Actions:
TR-3: Reduce VMT by Promoting Active Transportation
TR-3.1 Commit to installing one bicycle rack per block within High
neighborhood districts.
TR-3.2 Establish a complete streets process for capital projects A
and a complete streets steering committee to sign off on 64 High
compete streets recommendation or exemptions.
TR-3.3 Develop a pedestrian priority investment network and triple A
funding in the Capital Improvements Plan. (to High
TR-3.4 Adapt streets for people purposes periodically, such as
"Walkable Weekends" to promote walking as a community High
activity that also supports local businesses.
TR-3.5 Require bike parking and e-bike charging in new
commercial and multifamily. High
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O
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40 TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE
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8.B.a
CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
Strategy TR-4: Reduce VMT through Vehicle Sharing and Flexible
Work Requirements
Carpooling and vanpooling have been available options for commuters for decades, but have been
utilized in Edmonds only on a limited basis. Flexible work schedules, such as working from home or
having 4-day work weeks, have also been little utilized until the COVID-19 pandemic. Many office workers
have switched at least temporarily to working from home either full time or part time, with the effect
of reducing VMT for commuting. Since most working residents of Edmonds are employed outside of
Edmonds, the City has little control or influence over working conditions or requirements, but through
education and outreach may be able to help and encourage Edmonds residents to continue to use these
types of commute trip reduction measures. The City can also facilitate carpooling at local employers by
requiring that designated parking spaces be provided.
Actions:
TR-4: Reduce VMT through Vehicle Sharing and Flexible Work Requirements
TR-4.1 Explore bike and scoot share programs within the City of A
Edmonds. Gf High
TR-4.2 Formalize hybrid work options for City employees. High
TR-4.3 Explore opportunities to develop car share facilities (e.g.,
ZipCar, car2go, GIG, etc.) with ferry system. Moderate
TR-4.4 Increase utilization of the city commute trip reduction Moderate
program for employees.
c
a
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0
a
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5
CO)
N
O
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TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE
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8.B.a
CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
Strategy TR-5: Promote Low -Carbon Vehicles and Other Methods
of Reducing Emissions from Vehicles
Fossil fuel -powered cars and trucks are the largest component of the GHG emissions from transportation
in Edmonds. Conversion to electrically powered vehicles can eliminate or substantially reduce GHG
emissions, and such adoption is accelerating, especially as many major manufacturers commit to phasing
out fossil -fueled vehicles. As of December 2021 there were 745 battery -electric and 212 plug-in hybrid
vehicles registered in Edmonds, an increase of nearly 144% since 2017, but still just over 2% of the
vehicles. In Norway, electric vehicle sales rose from 1 % to 65% in 10 years.2 The primary role the City
can play is to help create the charging infrastructure needed in public places and in existing
and new development. The City can also continue to replace its own fleet, educate the public to better
understand the technology, and support electrification of transit, ferries, and commercial transport.
In addition, while many fossil -fueled vehicles remain in use, the City can reduce emissions through
establishment of no -idling zones.
Actions:
TR-5: Promote Electric Vehicles and Other Low -Carbon Vehicles
TR-5.1 Adopt standards for the placement of charging stations in A
public rights -of -way. f of High
TR-5.2 Convert City fleet to electric vehicles. to High
TR-5.3 Add charging stations at all City -owned facilities including A
parks. (to High
TR-5.4 Adopt a policy to limit vehicle idling, including the posting
of appropriate signs at businesses and holding areas, A
such as school and ferry areas. This action would include Gf Low
evaluating how to equip City trucks with auxiliary electrical
systems for illumination and warning signs.
TR-5.5 Support the long-term plan for electrifying the Washington A
State ferry fleet. Gf Low
2 Time Magazine 2022. What Norway Can Teach the World About Switching to Electric Vehicles. January 7, 2022.
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42 TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE
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8.B.a
CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
Metric: Transportation and Land Use
Strategy TR-1: Reduce VMT
through Sustainable Land Use
Strategy TR-2: Reduce VMT
by Improving Transit Systems
Strategy TR-3: Reduce VMT by
Promoting Active Transportation
Strategy TR-4B: Promote flexible
work requirements
TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE 43
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8.B.a
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
8.B.a
Environment
The problem, strategy,
and benefits:
Climate action also includes preparing for and
adapting to climate change. Our environment,
consisting of both natural systems and the built
environment, is being affected by climate change
in numerous ways, some of which we understand
very clearly, and some we are only beginning to
understand. At a global scale, these include:
• Changes in temperature and precipitation that
affect the supply of water and food for hundreds
of millions of people.'
• Flooding and inundation due to sea level rise
that affect nearly every coastal community in the
world, inundating the residences of millions of
people, most of whom live in cities, as well as
changing patterns of coastal erosion.2
• Ocean acidification, reduced polar ice, and other
climate shifts that are reducing the range of
habitats for numerous plant and animal species,
and inducing the migration of many species.'
Edmonds, although small, contributes to these
impacts through GHG emissions. Through outreach
on this plan, the Edmonds community has indicated
it wants to ensure that the carbon sequestered in
its urban forests and natural areas is maintained or
increased, along with efforts to eliminate most of its
GHG emissions over time. Edmonds also wants to
explore other ways that its emissions could be offset
by sequestration. The strategies described below
address these approaches for sequestration.
1 Munia et al. 2020; Mbow et al. 2019.
2 Climate Central 2015.
3 IPCC2019.
4 Snover et al. 2019.
5 Mauger et al. 2015.
Edmonds will also feel the effects of these global
changes, such as increasing human migration, 2
resource conflicts, disruptions to food and other
a
production systems, and other effects. It is difficult to
predict how these larger scale effects will manifest °
locally. Many regional and local effects, however, Q
can be predicted with reasonable certainty. The
probability of any particular outcome is typically E
expressed as a range because much depends on CU
how well the world society responds to climate
N
issues. If one has high degree of faith that society will
0
respond quickly and extensively, then the lower end
of the range is more likely. If one doubts that society
o
will respond quickly, the higher range should be
considered the more likely outcome.
ii
Regionally and locally, climate change is expected to
2
IL
include: _
• Higher temperatures, including more extreme
high temperatures in summer. By mid-century,
average annual temperatures in the Puget Sound
region are projected to increase by 4.2°F to 5.5°F
(2.3°C to 3.1 °C) compared to the 1970-1999
average, and continue to rise through at least
2100.4 The hottest temperatures are expected to
rise by over 60F (3.30C).
• More frequent and more intense precipitation
events in the Puget Sound region.' For Example,
King County anticipates a 7%to 54% increase
in the 10-year hourly rainfall event by 2080.
(Although estimates have not yet been made
for Snohomish County, results are likely to be
similar.)
• More rainfall instead of snow in the winter,
resulting in 38%-46% less snowpack in the
Cascades, and decreasing summer water
supplies and summer streamflows.'
ENVIRONMENT
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
8.B.a
• Increasing frequency of wildfire and length of
wildfire season along the West Coast including
inland areas east of the Cascades, with
associated smoke reaching Puget Sound.
An 89% likelihood that sea level in Edmonds will
rise 1 foot by 2100, and a 1 % chance that it will
rise by 5 feet or more. In either case, sea level will
continue to rise into the next century.6
These effects have already begun. Globally, the
years 2013-2021 all rank among the 10 warmest
years on record, with 2021 being the 6th warmest
on record. Locally, 2021 included the three hottest
days on record. Downtown Edmonds saw its first
ever temperature of 100 degrees, giving a taste of
what higher future temperature extremes mean for
the region. Tides in early 2022 reached record highs
throughout Puget Sound. In the Puget Sound region
in 2018, wildfire smoke led to 24 days of poor air
quality, including nine days that were considered
either unhealthy for sensitive groups or unhealthy for
everyone.
The ways these changes will affect frontline
communities in Edmonds need to be better
understood, but we do know that some people
will have a harder time adapting than others. For
example, extreme summer heat causes heat stress,
including death. More than 80% of deaths from
heat stress are among people over 60 years of age,
and Edmonds has a high percentage of people in
this age group.? The problems of heat stress are
compounded when air quality is poor, because
keeping windows open allows dangerous levels
of particulates. Again, older individuals are among
the most susceptible, as are young children and
others. Many homes in Edmonds do not have
air conditioning, and the cost of purchasing and
operating air conditioners can be especially hard
for people living on lower and fixed incomes.
Community solutions to these types of issues may
range from emergency cooling centers, to subsidies
for energy -efficient cooling systems, to planting trees
for shade.
average annual
temperatures •' likelihood of a
increase by 38%-46%
foot rise in
4.2°F to 5.5°F less snowpack in the 2-5 sea level in
by 2100 JA � Cascades by 2050%=O%NNO%MO
RSLR for Selected Location
PRedee changes relative to the average sea level over 1991.2009.
Hover for defalfs.
10.0
8.0
50
1.Q
2.0 Select projectiars end year 0
21se
g.a '' o <
2030 2050 2070 2090 2110 2130 2150
Figure 11: Relative Sea Level Rise (RSL)
expected for Edmonds WA.
Source: Miller et al. 2019
Scenario, Likelihood
High(RCP8.5), 1%
High (RCP8-5). SC%
High(RCP8.5).99%
Low (RCP 4.5), 1%
Law (RCP 4.5), SMA
Low (RCP 4.S), 99%
6 Miller et al. 2019.
7 Kenny et al. 2010.
Edmonds by 2100
r'
J
�o
r
Figure 12: Inundation of Edmonds shoreline
with 5 feet of sea level rise at high tide.
Source. Climate Central 2022
c
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46 I ENVIRONMENT
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
Edmonds must consider strategies for adapting to
the effects from climate change that include:
• Extreme heat events that will place stress on
residents, especially those who do not have air
conditioning in their homes.
• Sea level rise that will frequently inundate areas
of the Edmonds waterfront and downtown
before the end of the century.
• Changes in storm intensity that could overwhelm
stormwater systems and damage roads and
other infrastructure.
• Risk of water shortages during hotter, drier
summers.
c
• Air quality issues due to wildfire smoke.
a
c
0
What the City has
a
already done:
E
• Adopted stringent policies to preserve our
U
wetlands in the late 1980s and to limit the
N
impacts of hillside development in the 1990s.
N
• Committed to a set of environmental principles,
policies, and goals for future action with
Resolution 1700 (April 2008).
M
• Recognized the interrelated nature of
environmental, economic, and social
r_
sustainability through the Sustainability Element
a
of the City's Comprehensive Plan.
c
Since the last CAP was prepared (2070).
Q
• Added requirements for shade trees and rain
gardens in parking lots to land use code.
E
• Identified tree canopy coverage and areas where
v
it could be increased
c
• Continued education and outreach programs for
m
E
watershed and water conservation awareness
and other environmental concerns.
Q
• Adopted an integrated pest management
approach in parks resulting in a 60% reduction in
pesticide use, and currently phasing out use of
"Roundup".
• Utilizing "in-house" wood chips and leaf mulch
for weed suppression and soil building in parks.
ENVIRONMENT
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
Strategies and Actions:
To address these concerns, Edmonds will pursue three general strategies:
Strategy EN-1: Increase Carbon Sequestration
As noted in the GHG Inventory section, Edmonds is currently emitting GHGs and will likely continue to do so,
even under the most optimistic scenarios. Forests, marshes, and even garden landscapes have the capacity
to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it as carbon in wood, leaves, and roots, which is
sometimes called carbon sequestration. Plants also reduce the potential for heat buildup, such as occurs in
concentrated areas of paving and buildings, and can reduce energy costs for cooling. Forests provide benefits
such as reducing runoff and erosion and removing toxic substances from air and water, as well as providing
recreational and aesthetic values. For these reasons, Edmonds should preserve and, where feasible, expand its
_
urban forest and natural areas.
Edmonds adopted an Urban Forest Management Plan in 2019 to provide guidance for managing, enhancing,
a
r_
and growing trees in the City of Edmonds over the next 20 years. Special emphasis is placed on managing trees
on public property and along the public rights -of -way. The plan includes goals to maintain citywide canopy
Q
coverage, manage public trees, incentivize protecting and planting trees on private property, and inform the
4--
communityon tree selection, planting, and care e. "right tree, right lace").
P 9- i 9•, g 9 P
`°
E
The Edmonds Marsh is another natural area with carbon sequestration potential. Although the sequestration
V
M
potential has not been determined, plans for restoring this area to an intertidal marsh come with hopes that this
c
could also have the benefit of increasing the carbon stored in the soils of the marsh.
F1
Actions:
Strategy EN-1: Increase Carbon Sequestration
EN-1.1 Adopt a canopy coverage target for the city.
High
EN-1.2 Identify pockets of woodlands and marsh land that the City
High
could purchase to add to our parks system.
EN-1.3 Identify City parks and open spaces where carbon
High
sequestration could be increased.
EN-1.4 For fee -in -lieu mitigation sites, prioritize sites that sequester
High
carbon.
EN-1.5 Update the City Street Tree Plan to prioritize increasing tree
cover in appropriate places along the city's street rights -of -way,
High
especially in areas of low canopy coverage.
EN-1.6 Explore application of biochar from the wastewater treatment
plant to sequester carbon and improve soils in parks and
High
residential developments.
EN-1.7 Assess the health of and changing stress on Edmonds' urban
forest and develop strategies to prevent loss of trees to heat,
Moderate
drought, and insects.
48 ENVIRONMENT
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
Strategy EN-2: Explore Other Methods for Offsetting Edmonds'
GHG Emissions
Edmonds can also meet its GHG reduction goals by purchasing offsets for its GHG emissions. Carbon
offsets allow a business, a government, or an individual to pay someone else to eliminate a given quantity
of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Numerous ways are being explored for sequestering carbon,
including industrial technology, modified agricultural practices, planting forests, and restoring salt marshes
or kelp forests. This strategy can also benefit other community sustainability goals such as supporting local
agriculture or salmon recovery.
Offsets might also include regional or international efforts such as buying cleaner -burning cookstoves in
developing countries to reduce deforestation, financing a wind turbine generator that displaces fossil fuels on
the power grid, or restoring a section of tropical forest that takes in carbon from the atmosphere. Advocates say
that offsets combat climate change, protect nature, and route money to the parts of the planet that need it the
most, and must be part of the solution to limit warming. d
c
However, carbon offset projects have a history of overpromising and underdelivering. Proper accountability
and permanence can be difficult to ensure. Critics of offsets say they allow people to continue emitting GHGs Q
and avoid responsibility for doing so. Any use of offsets must include a thorough vetting of the offset program, d
whether local, regional, or international. Otherwise, the supposed benefit may evaporate. E
This strategy includes disclosing the social and mortality cost of any carbon emissions that have not been offset. M
N
O
N
Actions:
EN-2: Explore Other Methods for Offsetting Edmonds' GHG Emissions
EN-2.1 Develop a periodic calculation of the gap between
Edmonds'targeted and actual GHG emissions reductions,
High
for the metrics in this plan and provide an online dashboard
to keep the public informed on progress.
EN-2.2 Engage in a regional conversation about offsetting GHGs.
High
EN-2.3 Calculate the social and mortality costs of carbon that would
High
result from each Comprehensive Plan update.
EN-2.4 For any emissions that are not offset per metrics the tracking
tool, prepare a calculation of the social and mortality cost on
High
an periodic basis.
EN-2.5 Research and recommend methods of offsetting GHG
High
emissions locally.
EN-2.e Explore purchase of GHG offsets.
kv
High
ENVIRONMENT
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
Strategy EN-3: Prepare for the Impacts of Climate Change
The impacts of climate change are widespread, and this CAP Update does not provide a full account
of the extent or severity of each type of risk. This strategy focuses on preparing a more complete
assessment of local risks and developing specific adaptation measures from that assessment. This
includes planning for sea level rise, extreme heat, higher intensity storms, constrained water supply in
summer, and other effects.
Effective planning for these types of changes can have multifaceted benefits. Adapting to sea level rise
can include measures that improve and protect habitat as well as property. Techniques like increasing
urban forest cover or designing energy -efficient buildings can result in better habitat and greater
year-round comfort. Managing stormwater can include methods like increasing infiltration, which can
benefit habitat and water quality. Reducing water use can save energy and benefit fish by protecting
streamflows.
Actions:
EN-3: Prepare for the Impacts of Climate Change
EN-3.1 When planning for any climate change adaptations, include
an assessment of which parts of the community would
High
be most affected and who would benefit most from the
measures proposed.
EN-3.2 Develop a plan for adapting to sea level rise in Edmonds.
High
EN-3.3 Evaluate the risks to stormwater infrastructure from higher
intensity storms, and develop plans for upgrades to the
High
system and development codes, if necessary.
EN-3.4 Develop a program to achieve water conservation in
existing buildings and landscaping , with a goal of reducing
High
per capita water use 7% by the year 2035.
EN-3.5 Include measures in the City's Emergency Management Plan
to ensure local energy supply at City operated mass care
High
facilities, such as solar power and battery storage, in the
event of electrical outages due to extreme weather or fires.
EN-3.6 Create a network of emergency cooling centers to be
High
available during extreme heat events.
50 ENVIRONMENT
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Metric: Environment
Strategy EN-1: Increase Carbon Sequestration
ENVIRONMENT
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8.B.a
Lifestyles and
0
Consumption
The problem,
strategy, benefits:
Our lifestyles, and particularly our consumption
habits, have a large effect on GHG emissions.
As described in the GHG Inventory, much of our
consumption results in GHG emissions somewhere
other than Edmonds, and these emissions are
referred to Imported Emissions. The scale of
Imported Emissions is significantly larger than
Edmonds' local emissions. The largest sources of
these emissions include goods and furniture, meat
and dairy, transportation fuels and air travel, clothing,
and food.
'2 20
0
t
N
15
02
CL 10
UV
2~
U? 5
0
Q
--------------- ------ ------
I
Air Travel Food Material Goods
7M <$10,000-$39,999 = <$80,000-$119,999
= <$40,000-$79,999 = >$120,000
Households with larger annual incomes typically
consume more and therefore generate more GHGs
than households with smaller incomes. Figure 13
highlights this relationship. The four colored bars
represent different household income tiers. As can
be seen, household income significantly influences
emissions for the consumption of material goods
and air travel as basic needs are met and more
discretionary income is available. When it comes to
food, people and households consume about the
same quantity and composition of food regardless of
income level.
Figure 13: Comparison
of household income
tiers and emissions
for purchase types
Source:
CoolClimote. Berkeley
edu, compiled byCood
Company
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
What the City has
already done:
• Passed an ordinance to reduce the use of plastic
bags while promoting the use of recyclable
paper and/or reusable checkout bags by retail
stores.
• Followed Snohomish County's lead in
encouraging solid waste collectors to enhance
their organic collection programs from
residences and businesses.
M
• Created a recycling ordinance establishing a
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},
residential customers.
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• Adopted Zero Waste and Beyond Waste as
V
long-term goals for Edmonds in 2016 (Resolution
CO)
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54 LIFESTYLES AND CONSUMPTION
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
Strategies and Actions:
The two primary strategies for reducing these emissions at a community scale are to reduce waste generation,
and to modify food purchases.
Strategy LC-1: Reduce Material Consumption, Waste Generation,
and Resource Depletion
Edmonds has adopted Zero Waste as a long-term goal. Municipal solid waste is reflection of
consumption of materials goods. The City of Edmonds estimated that the community -wide waste
disposal rate in 2005' was 2.0 tons per customer. Municipal solid waste from Edmonds is deposited
at the Roosevelt Regional Landfill in south-central Washington, where methane from the landfill is
recovered for energy production. However, handling and transport of waste does generate GHGs locally.
In addition, reducing waste locally helps reduce pollution from manufacturing and transport globally, and
contributes to reducing the community's imported GHG emissions.
Solid -waste management uses a hierarchy of approaches:
• Reduce the amount of waste created through the efficient use of resources, more durable products,
less packaging, and less overall purchasing.
• Reuse products and packaging as much as possible.
• Recycle discarded products and packaging, and turn organic materials into compost or feedstock for
energy production.
• Restrict the types of materials that can be used (plastic bags, Styrofoam, etc.).
Actions:
LC-1: Reduce Material Consumption, Waste Generation, and Resource Depletion
LC-1.1 Reduce barriers to achieving Edmonds' zero -waste goal.
1
High
LC-1.2 Increase recycling bins in partnership with local businesses.
NOW
t
High
LC-1.3 Require recycled products for City- produced printed
materials.
-
High
LC-1.4 Educate homeowners in composting.
Moderate
LC-1.5 Educate the public use of the linkage between using safer,
non -toxic materials and responding to climate change.
�+1l
Moderate
1 City of Edmonds, 2009. Greenhouse Gas Inventory -Community Analysis.
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
8.B.a
Strategy LC-2: Modify Food Purchases
People need to eat, and dietary needs and preferences vary widely, so it is unwise to make
generalizations about what foods people eat, or should eat. In addition, the vast majority of food
consumed in Edmonds comes from outside of Edmonds, grown in a wide variety of environments
and using wide array of methods. However, there are two important ways in which changes in food
consumption can reduce the GHGs from food that most households can apply:
• Reduce the over -purchasing in small (one- or two -person) households, to reduce waste.
• Reduce consumption of snacks, ready-made food and drinks, and other foods with high caloric
content and low nutritional values that are not recommended for a healthy diet. (These foods
produce little nutritional benefit while generating a significant portion of the total emissions from
food production, packaging, and delivery.)
Producing food at home and buying locally grown food are ways to incorporate these changes into our
food consumption. An additional positive impact of supporting local food producers in a diversified local
economy.
Actions:
LC-2: Modify Food Purchases
LC-2.1 Educate people in smaller households on ways to reduce
food waste.
LC-2.2 Educate consumers on the GHG as well as health benefits of
consuming less pre -packaged food.
LC-2.3 Involve community in identifying City parks and other
property, both City -owned and private, as potential sites for
neighborhood public "P-Patches."
LC-2.4 Continue to promote local farmers' markets.
Moderate
Moderate
High
Moderate
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
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Metric: Lifestyle and Consumption
Strategy LC-1: Reduce material consumption,
waste generation, and resource depletion
LIFESTYLES AND CONSUMPTION 57
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
Accounting for progress in reducing GHG emissions
at a community scale can be a challenging and
laborious process. It is important to know how well
we are doing, but the time and effort involved in
getting a complete picture might be better spent on
some of the strategies identified above. However,
progress can be estimated by looking at a few key
metrics. The best metrics are those for which data
are readily available, where results can reasonably be
predicted from the data, and where the outcome is
expected to result in a noticeable change within the
timeframe being studied.
As part of this CAP Update, our consultants prepared
a tracking tool that focuses on a key metric for each
of 10 strategies. Table 1 lists the strategies along
with the metrics used as indicators for each. This will
allow the City to estimate progress in reducing local
emissions on an annual basis, without having to do
a complete new inventory. While these metrics do
not address every aspect of the community's GHG
emissions, tracking them will allow the community
to see real progress being made, or not, on the
strategies identified in this plan for reducing GHG
emissions.
The tracking tool includes a number of assumptions
built off existing information about GHG emissions,
population and employment growth, commuting
patterns, and other factors. The approach taken is
conservative, to ensure that GHG emission reductions
are not overestimated. For example, it accounts for
gradual improvement in the fuel efficiency of cars
mandated by federal regulations. The fact that many
manufacturers are moving rapidly toward electric
vehicles is not factored in.
Tracking
Progress
Using this tracking tool, the consultant worked with
City staff to estimate how aggressively each strategy
might be applied, using 2035 and 2050 as planning
horizons. These two horizon years were selected
because 2050 is the date by which the City's science -
based target mandates the full mitigation of GHG
emissions (net -zero emissions), and 2035 was an
approximate midpoint. The tracking tool provides
an estimate of how much GHG emissions would be
affected if all of the strategies are on track by each of
the planning horizon years.
The graph in Figure 14 depicts the path that
Edmonds emissions reductions will take between
now and 2050, assuming success in all strategies
being tracked, compared to the overall net -zero
target set by this plan. As shown in Figure 14 there is
still a reduction gap of 95,070 MT CO2e for 2050.
A reduction gap means that further measures will be
needed. In particular, fossil -fuel based gas (natural
gas) must either be replaced with carbon -neutral
gas, or eliminated from use, and refrigerants must
be either switched to carbon -neutral refrigerants
or all leaks must be eliminated. These two changes
would substantially reduce the gap, but require
technological changes that have yet to become
economical. Even with these changes, there will
likely be the need for some carbon sequestration,
as discussed in Section 7, Environment. Carbon
sequestration is also evolving. Technological
advances for some industries and the use of natural
systems, such as "blue carbon" sequestration through
restoration of marine environments, offer hope for
economically viable solutions in the near future.
TRACKING PROGRESS
Packet Pg. 105
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8.B.a
450,000
400,000
Clean Energy
N O
350,000
Bill Reductions
V
H
2017 Inventory
CAFE Standards
300,000
Reductions
O'`.
250,000
Transportation and
Land Use Reductions
V1
Lifestyle and
•
200,000 `
Consuption Reductions
W
(�
150,000
• 2035
Building and
=
Target
Energy Reductions
V
100,000
Reduction Gap
50,000
95.070
Remaining Emissions
-♦-- Target Emissions
Figure 14: Edmonds GHG emissions, Targeted emission reductions, and redcution gap by 2050.
2035 Ta rg et 2050 Targe
Strategy BE-1: Replace Fossil Fuels used in
Buildings with Renewable Energy Resources
® 0
•
nual GHG Savings (MT •_
Number of New Residential and Commercial
Solar Photovoltaic Systems Installed
Strategy BE-2: Improve Energy Efficiency of
Existing Buildings and Infrastructure
• • ; III ` • •
3,574 61670
Annual GHG Savings (MT COze)
' Percent Residential- - Retrofitted
Strategy BE-3: Require the Design and
Construction of New and Remodeled Buildings to
Meet Green Building Standards
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
Strategy TR-1: Reduce VMT
through Sustainable Land Use
4,781 51737
Annual GHG Savings (MT COze)
Strategy TR-2: Reduce VMT '
by Improving Transit Systems
31792 41807
Annual GHG Savings (MT COZe)
Strategy TR-3: Reduce VMT by
Promoting Active Transportation
liv- 'q �O�O
800 2,177
Annual GHG Savings (MT COze)
mmmllsp�� SEE-
StrategyTR-4: Promote Vehicle Sharing and
Flexible Work Environments
MMMM 0
4mi
81700 91229
Annual GHG Savings (MT CO2e)
Strategy TR-5:
%jmiojteLow-Ca*rbonVehicA1es
A
50,734 81,046
Annual GHG Savings (MT •-
Number of electric vehicles registered in
Edmonds
Strategy EN-1: Increase Carbon Sequestration
131 262
Annual GHG Savings (MT CO2e)
Strategy LC-1: Reduce Material Consumption
•• • •••
3,257 4,343
Annual GHG Savings (MT CO2e)
* Although this metric will not help reduce GHG after the electric
grid is carbon neutral in 2030, prior to that date, cumulatively it will
produce enough electricity to reduce GHGs prior to that date by
approximately 12,000 MTCO2e.
Total Reduction
1.5°C Scenario Target
Reduction Still Needed to
Percent of Target
(MT CO2e)
Reduction (MT CO2e)
Reach Target (MT CO2e)
Achieved
CO2 _ 79,121
791316
195
100%
(MT
217,210
95,070
56%
122,141
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TRACKING PROGRESS
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
References and
Source Material
ACEEE (American Council for an Energy -Efficient
Economy). 2016. Lifting the High Energy Burden in
America's Largest Cities: How Energy Efficiency Can
Improve Low Income and Underserved Communities.
Prepared by Ariel Drehobl and Lauren Ross. April
2016. Accessed from URL: https://www.aceee.org/
sites/default/files/publications/researchreports/
u 1602.12df.
City of Edmonds. 2015. Edmonds Streetscape
Plan. Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural
Services. Includes Appendix F, City Street Tree
Plan. Available from URL: https://121 cdn4static.
civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server 16494932/
File/Government/Departments/Development%20
Services/Planning%20Division/Streetscape Plan
and Street Tree Plans 2015.12df.
City of Edmonds. 2019. Edmonds Urban Forest
Management Plan. Prepared for the City of
Edmonds by Davey Resource Group, Inc. July
2019. Available from URL: https://121 cdn4static.
civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server 16494932/
File/Government/Departments/Development%20
Services/Planning%20Division/Urban%2OForest%20
Mgmt%20PIan/EdmondsWA-UFMP-2019
MidResolution.pdf.
City of Edmonds. 2020. City of Edmonds
Comprehensive Plan. Adopted November 17,
2020. Accessed from URL: https:HI21 cdn4static.
civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server 16494932/
File/Government/Departments/Development%20
Services/Planning%20Division/Plans%2OLong%20
Range%20Planning/CP 2020 adopted.pdf.
Climate Central. 2015. Mapping Choices Carbon,
Climate, and Rising Seas Our Global Legacy. Climate
Central Research Report prepared by B.H. Strauss, S,
Kulp, and A. Levermann. pp. 1-38. November 2015.
Available from URL: https://sealevel.climatecentral.
org/uploads/research/Global-Mapping-Choices-
Report.pdf.
Climate Central. 2022 .
Climate Watch. 2021. Historical GHG Emissions.
Accessed November 9, 2021 from URL: https:
www.climatewatchdata.org/ghg-emissions?brea
kBy=countries&calculation=PER CAPITA&end
yea r=2018§ors=tots I -including -I u cf&sta rt
year=1990.
IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
2014. Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report.
Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the
Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, R.K.
Pachauri and L.A. Meyer (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva,
Switzerland, 151 pp. Available from URL: https://
www.il2cc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/SYR AR5
FINAL full.pdf.
IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
2019. IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and
Cryosphere in a Changing Climate [H.-O. P6rtner,
D.C. Roberts, V. Masson-Delmotte, P. Zhai, M. Tignor,
E. Poloczanska, K. Mintenbeck, A. Alegi a, M. Nicolai,
A. Okem, J. Petzold, B. Rama, N.M. Weyer (eds.)]. In
press.
Kenny, Glen P., Jane Yardley, Candice Brown, Ronald
J. Sigal, and 011ie Jay. 2010. Heat stress in older
individuals and patients with common chronic
diseases. Canadian Medical Association Journal. July
13, 2010. Available from URL: https://www.cmai.ca/
content/182/10/1053.
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CITY OF EDMONDS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN / FEBRUARY 2023 DRAFT
8.B.a
Mauger, G.S., J.H. Casola, H.A. Morgan, R.L. Strauch,
B. Jones, B. Curry, T.M. Busch Isaksen, L. Whitely
Binder, M.B. Krosby, and A.K. Snover. 2015. State of
Knowledge: Climate Change in Puget Sound. Report
prepared for the Puget Sound Partnership and the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington,
Seattle. Accessed from URL: https://doi.org/l 0.7915/
CIG93777D.
Mbow, C., C. Rosenzweig, L.G. Barioni, T.G. Benton,
M. Herrero, M. Krishnapillai, E. Liwenga, P. Pradhan,
M.G. Rivera-Ferre, T. Sapkota, F.N. Tubiello, and Y.
Xu. 2019. Food Security. In: Climate Change and
Land: an IPCC special report on climate change,
desertification, land degradation, sustainable land
management, food security, and greenhouse gas
fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems. In press.
Miller, I.M., H. Morgan, G. Mauger, T. Newton, R.
Weldon, D. Schmidt, M. Welch, and E. Grossman.
2019. Projected Sea Level Rise for Washington State
- A 2018 Assessment. A collaboration of Washington
Sea Grant, University of Washington Climate
Impacts Group, University of Oregon, University of
Washington, and US Geological Survey. Prepared for
the Washington Coastal Resilience Project. Updated
07/2019. Available from URL: https:Hcig.uw.edu/wp-
content/uploads/sites/2/201 9/07/SLR-Report-Mi 1ler-
et-al-2018-updated-07 2019.pdf.
Munia, Hafsa Ahmed, Joseph H. A. Guillaume,
Yoshihide Wada, Ted Veldkamp, Vili Virkki, and Matti
Kummu. 2020. Future Transboundary Water Stress
and Its Drivers Under Climate Change: A Global
Study. American Geophysical Union (AGU) Journal.
May 25, 2020. Available from URL: https://agupubs.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/l 0.1029/2019EF001321.
Oregon Department of Energy. 2020.2020
Biennial Energy Report. Submitted to the Oregon
Legislature. November 2020. Accessed from URL:
https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Data-and-Reports/
Documents/2020-Biennial-Energy-Report.pdf.
Reardon, S.F., Fox, L., & Townsend, J. 2015.
Neighborhood Income Composition by Race and
Income, 1990-2009. The Annals of the American
Academy of Political and Social Science, 660(1), 78-
97.
Snohomish County. 2019. Analysis of Impediments
to Fair Housing Choice. Snohomish County Urban
County Consortium. November 2019.
SnoPUD (Snohomish County Public Utility District No.
1). 2021. Final 2021 Clean Energy Implementation
Plan. Adopted December 21, 2021. Accessed
from URL:.httl2s://www.snol2ud.com/wl2-content
uploads/2021/12/Final 2021 CEIP.pdf.
Snover, C. Raymond, H. Roop, and H. Morgan. 2019.
"No Time to Waste. The Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change's Special Report on Global Warming
of 1.5 C and Implications for Washington State,"
University of Washington Climate Impacts Group,
Seattle, Washington.
Song, Li, Hua Cai, and Ting Zhu. 2021. Large -Scale
Microanalysis of U.S. Household Food Carbon
Footprints and Reduction Potentials. Environmental
Science &Technology. DOI: 10.1021/acs.
est.1 c02658.
Time Magazine 2022. What Norway Can Teach
the World About Switching to Electric Vehicles.
January 7, 2022. Accessed from URL: https://time.
com/6133180/norway-electric-vehicles/.
US Census Bureau. 2017. Accessed from URL: https://
www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-and-
tools/data-profiles/2017/.
US Census Bureau. 2020. American Community
Survey (ACS) 5-Year Data (2009-2019). December 10,
2020. Accessed from URL: https://www.census.gov/
data/developers/data-sets/acs-5year.html.
World Meteorological Organization. 2016. Provisional
WMO Statement on the Status of the Global
Climate in 2016. Press Release No. 15; Published 14
November 2016. Accessed from URL: https://public.
wmo.int/en/media/press-release/provisional-wmo-
state m e nt-status-of-g t o ba I-cl i m ate-2016.
World Resources Institute, C40 Cities, and ICLEI.
2021. Global Protocol for Community -Scale
Greenhouse Gas Inventories, An Accounting and
Reporting Standard for Cities Version 1.1. Accessed
from URL: https://ghaorotocol.org/sites/default/files/
standards/GPC Full MASTER RW v7.pdf.
64 REFERENCES AND SOURCE MATERIAL
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CITY OF
EDMONDS
OV EDA
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71)
CLIMATE
ACTION
PLAN
2023
-
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For over a decade, Edmonds has been committed to preventing the hart 0
from climate change. From sea level rise that causes erosion and floodir a
to drought and higher land temperatures that will destroy crops and fore
and rising ocean temperatures and acidity that will affect marine species E
which much of the web of life depends, Edmonds recognizes that it be. M
responsibility to take action as citizens of the world and stewards of c o
environment. N-
41
R
In 2010, the City adopted a Climate Action Plan (CAP) to substantially redu iz
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Starting in 2018, local consultants wE 2
hired to prepare a new GHG inventory and to advise the City on updati
its CAP. This plan focuses on the most important steps Edmonds can take m
address climate change. a
..................................................
a
Global climate change is already harming the Pacific Northwest, and cc
expected to grow worse and become irreversible unless human-generat
GHG emissions can be eliminated. To achieve a future Edmonds commun
with a high quality of life that is sustainable and equitable for all resider Q
eliminating GHG emissions is critical.
The most important finding of this update to Edmonds' CAP is that t
Edmonds community has not kept pace with its goals to reduce GE
emissions. To avert the worst harm from global climate change, we mi
achieve an even more ambitious rate of emissions reduction.
The City adopted Resolution 1453, which commits Edmonds to a scienc
based target of 1.5°C global temperature rise. To meet that target mez
the community must be carbon neutral by 2050. We have a long way to c
but we have reason to hope we can get there.
This Plan provides a roadmap and a few indicator metrics that will help t
community know how we are doing. It is a call to action. The tools to addrE
the climate crisis have never been better and they are improving steadily...
will take effort on the part of the City, state and federal governments and
individuals to make use of those tools. It is time to get tow Packet Pg. 112
bw Equity AA
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Frontline communities, those most
likely to be affected by climate
change, are often more resource
efficient than the general population,
with lifestyles that help achieve the
community's climate action goals.
They often live in higher density
housing, consume less energy per
capita, and rely on public transit.
However, intersecting vulnerabilities
and socioeconomic determinants,
such as preexisting health
conditions, physical location, historic
marginalization, social context, and
income stability, can make these
communities more susceptible to
threats of climate change.
Edmonds' 2017 GHG emissions were an
estimated 750,000 MT CO2e, including
both local emissions that occur within
the city limits and imported emissions
generated elsewhere to produce the
goods, food, and services consumed
in Edmonds. Total local and imported
emissions in 2017 were approximately
17.2 MT CO2e per capita. For
comparison, in 2017 the global per
capita average was 6.4 MT CO2e and
the US average was 17.3 MT CO2e2.
Other key observations include:
• Residential buildings have more than
double the impact of commercial
buildings
Climate equity ensures a fair
distribution of the benefits of
climate action and resilience efforts
asthe communitytransitionsto a low •
carbon future, reducing disparities.
2017 Community GH(
Emissions (MTCO2e)
750,000
500,000
250,000
Local + Imported
75% of natural gas was consumed by
Emissions
the residential sector, and nearly 25% by the
0 Buildings
commercial sector
• Transportatior
Refrigerant
Passenger transport, primarily in cars, is the
Waste
leading source of transportation -related
local emissions
Strategies and Top Actions
Each action is accompanied by two icons: one indicates how
important it is in reducing or preventing GHG emissions, and
GHG
the other indicates how much influence the City has over the
Reduction
Who is
Outcome.
Potential
Responsik
BE-1: Replace Fossil Fuels used in Buildings wi th Renewable Energy Resources
BE-1.1: Adopt appropriate zoning allowances to facilitate installation of
Medium
City
renewable energy projects and energy efficient equipment.
BE-1.2: Provide financial -assistance programs for solar energy projects
Medium
City
and energy efficient equipment.
Improve Energy EfficiencyExisting Buildings
BE-2.1: Support legislation requiring gas supply systems statewide to
High
State
be carbon -neutral by 2045.
BE-2.2: Create and implement a green building incentive program.
Low
City
BE 3: Require the Design and Construction of New and Remodeled Buildings
to Meet
Green
Building Standards
BE-3.1: Adopt regulations to require new multi -family and commercial
Medium
City
buildings to be 100% electric by 2023.
BE-3.2: Require that all new multi -family residential and commercial
Medium
City
buildings and any major commercial remodeling projects meet LEED
or similar built green standards: LEED Gold for Commercial and LEED
Silver for multifamily, to implement Resolution 1168.
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GHG
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Reduction
Strategies and Top Actions
Potential
Responsible
TR-1: Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) through Sustainable Land Use
TR-1.1: Adopt a multimodal level of service to enable complete streets
Medium
City
outcomes.
TR-1.2: Develop code and zoning supporting mixed -use and transit-
High
City
oriented development in neighborhood commercial centers.
Reduce VMT by ImprovingSystems
TR-2.1: Coordinate transit agencies to increase service and improve
Medium
Transit
convenience to access new light rail connections.
Agencies
City and
TR-2.2: Promote Sounder commuter rail stop in Edmonds.
Low
Transit
Agencies
TR-2.3: Invest in transit stop amenities to improve the ridership
Medium
City and
experience (e.g. shelter, bench, lighting).
Transit
Agencies
TR-3: Reduce VMT by Committing to a Complete Street Approach
TR-3.1: Install one bike rack per block in neighborhood districts.
Low
City
TR-3.2: Establish a complete streets process and steering committee
Medium
City L
for capital projects.
o
TR-3.3: Develop a pedestrian priority investment network and triple
Medium
0
City m
funding in the Capital Improvements Plan.
' Reduce VMT throughRequirementsqrE
TR-4.1: Explore bike and scooter share programs within the City of
Medium
City V
Edmonds.
N
TR-4.2: Formalize hybrid work options for City employees.
LOW
0
City
TR-4.3: Explore developing car share facilities with ferry system.
Medium
City and
WSDOT ILL
L
TR-5: Promote Low -Carbon Vehicles and Other Methods of Reducing Emissions
from Vehicles
0
TR-5.1: Adopt standards for charging stations in public rights -of -way.
High
City o
m
TR-5.2: Convert City fleet to electric vehicles.
Medium
City IL
V
TR-5.3: Add charging stations to all city owned facilities including parks.
Medium
City
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GHG
Reduction
Who is Q
Strategies and Top Actions
Potential
Responsik
EN-1: Maintain or Increase Carbon Sequestration in Trees and Natural Areas
EN-1.1: Adopt a canopy coverage target for the city.
Low
City
EN-1.2: Identify pockets of woodlands and marsh land that the City
Low
City
could purchase to add to our parks system.
EN-1.3: Identify City parks and open spaces where carbon
Low
City
sequestration could be increased.
EN-2: Explore Other Methods for Offsetting Edmonds'GHG Emissions
EN-2.1: Develop a periodic calculation of the gap between Edmonds'
LOW
City
targeted GHG emissions reductions and actual.
EN 2.2: Engage in a regional conversation about offsetting GHGs.
Low
City
EN-2.3: Include a calculation of the social and mortality costs of carbon
Low
City
that would result from each Comprehensive Plan update
Packet Pg. 114
GHG
Reduction
Who is
Strategies and Top Actions
Potential
ResponsiH—
EN-3.1: When planning for climate change adaptations, assess which N/A City
communities would be most affected and who would benefit most.
EN-3.2: Develop a plan for adapting to sea level rise in Edmonds. N/A City
EN-3.3: Evaluate risks to stormwater infrastructure from higher intensity N/A City
storms, and develop plans to upgrade system and development codes.
GHG Degre(
Reduction of City
Strategies and Top Actions Potential Contro
LC-1.1: Reduce barriers to achieving Edmonds' zero -waste goal. Medium City
City and
c
LC-1.2: Increase recycling bins in partnership with local businesses.
Medium
Business
a
Partners
r
0
LC-1.3: Require recycled products for City -produced printed materials.
Low
City
Q
LC-2: Increase Local Food Production
M
LC-2.1: Educate smaller households on ways to reduce food waste.
High
City
E
LC-2.2: Educate consumers on the GHG and health benefits of
N/A
CityN
6
consuming less pre -packaged food.G
N
LC-2.3: Involve community in identifying property, both City -owned and
Low
City
private, as potential sites for neighborhood public "P-Patches."
c
To address
the reduction
gap identified
in the tool,
replacing
fossil -fuel
based gas,
carbon -
neutral
refrigerants,
carbon
sequestration,
and other
measures
are needed
to meet
our GHG
emissions
targets for
2050.
u_
m
L
t
2035 2050 0
Annual Annual IM
MonitoringGIHIG GHG - a
i- Savings v
BE 1 * Number of new residential and commercial soli
PV systems installed E
3,157 6,253 Percent of residential and commercial area retrc �d
BE-2 Savings from 2017 improvements to wastewater
417 417 treatment plant Q
BE-3 3,272 7,870 Percent of new, LEED-Certified residential and
commercial development
T 4,781 5,737 Number of multi -family units built in activity cen A
TR-2 3,792 4,807 Percent of commuters using public transportatic
880 2,177 Percent of commuters walking or biking to work ■
TR-4 8,700 9,229 Percent of commuters carpooling and/or utilizin
Ian alternate work week
50,73 IlLber of electric vehicles
EN-1 131 262 Number of trees planted
3,257 4,343 Tonna e of solid waste generated
79,121 122,141 Total Reduction (MT CO e)
64,745 188,918 1.5°C Scenario Target Reduction (MT CO e)
-14,376 66,778 Reduction still Needed to Reach Target (MT CO.
122% 65% Percent of Taraet Achieved
*Although this metric will not help reduce GHG after the electric grid is carbon neutra
2030, prior to that date, cumulatively it will produce enough electricity to reduce GHC
by approximately 12,000 MTCO2e.
climateaction@edmondswa.gov
edmondswa.gov/services/sustain Packet Pg. 115
8.B.c
BE Buildings and Energy
Mitigation
Degree of City
potential
influence
Implementation Timeline
BE-1 Replace Fossil Fuels Used in Buildings with Renewable Energy Resources
Adopt appropriate zoning allowances to facilitate installation of renewable energy projects and energy
1.1 efficient equipment, such as height and side setback exceptions for heat pumps.
M
H
By 2024
Provide financial assistance programs such as low interest loans or grants for installation of solar energy
projects and energy efficient equipment for affordable housing projects, including residences and
1.2 community facilities.
M
H
By 2024
1.3 Promote electrification of heating and hot water for all small business spaces by 2035.
M
L
By 2035
1.4 Promote electrification of all businesses, including heating, hot water, and cooking, by 2050.
M
L
By 2050
Educate the homeowners, renters, apartment managers, and businesses on the energy efficiency and
1.5 cost effectiveness of electric heat pump heating and hot water systems.
L
H
Ongoing
1.6 Restrict or prohibit the use of fossil fuels for lawn equipment and outdoor heating.
L
H
By 2025
BE-2 Improve Energy Efficiency of Existing Buildings and Infrastructure
2.1 Support legislation to require gas supply systems statewide to be carbon -neutral by 2045.
H
L
By 2045
2.2 Create and implement a green building incentive program.
L
H
2O23
2.3 Continue to improve energy efficiency of the City's wastewater treatment plant.
L
H
Ongoing
C
BE-3 Require the Design and Construction of New and Remodeled
Buildings to Meet Green Building Standards
IL
C
3.1 Adopt regulations to require new multi -family and commercial buildings to be 100%electric by 2024.
M
H
BY 2024
.0
Require that all new multi -family residential and commercial buildings and any major commercial
V
remodeling projects meet LEED or similar built green standards: LEED Gold for Commercial and LEED
3.2 Silver for multifamily, to implement Resolution 1168.
M
H
By 2025
M
Support changes to State building code to achieve net -zero energy consumption in new buildings by
E
3.3 2030, including requiring new single-family residences to be all electric.
H
L
By 2030
3.4 Convert all City facilities to electric heat and hot water by 2035.
L
H
By 2035
M
3.5 Prohibit the use of fossil fuels for outdoor heating at commercial facilities.
L
H
By 2025
NC
N
TR Transportation
d
c
TR-1 Reduce VMT through Sustainable Land Use
d
1.1 Adopt a multimodal level of service to enable complete streets outcomes.
M
H
By 2025
E
Develop code and guidelines and zoning that support mixed -use and transit oriented (Highway 99 and
downtown) development in neighborhood commercial centers to encourage close -to -home local
=
1.2 shopping and employment opportunities.
H
H
By 2025
G
Provide tax or other incentives for low income or affordable housing projects in the City's activity
1.3 centers.
M
H
By 2030
Encourage more businesses to locate in Edmonds, such as by increasing commercial capacity by
d
allowing commercial uses in more locations, by permitting more intensive uses, or reducing parking
N
1.4 requirements in areas well served by transit.
M
H
Ongoing
Q.
E
TR-2 Reduce VMT by Improving Transit Systems
d
Coordinate transit agencies to increase service and improve convenience to access new light rail
Q
2.1 connections.
M
M
Ongoing
C±
2.2 Promote Sounder commuter rail stop in Edmonds.
L
L
Ongoing
Invest in transit stop amenities to improve transit ridership experience (e.g. shelter, bench, lighting).
2.3
M
L
Ongoing
d
E
s
t�
TR-3: Reduce VMT by Committing to a Complete Street Approach
M
3.1 Commit to installing one bicycle rack per block within in neighborhood districts.
L
H
By 2025
Q
Establish a complete streets process for capital projects and a complete streets steering committee to
3.2 sign off on compete streets recommendation or exemptions.
M
H
2O23
3.3 Develop a pedestrian priority investment network and triple funding in the Capital Improvements Plan.
M
H
BY 2024
Adapt streets for people purposes periodically, such as "Walkable Weekends" to promote walking as a
3.4 community activity that also supports local businesses.
L
H
Ongoing
3.5 Require bike parking and a -bike charging in new commercial and multifamily.
L
H
Complete
TR-4 Reduce VMT through Vehicle Sharing and Flexible Work Requirements
4.1 Explore bike and scoot share programs within the City of Edmonds.
M
H
By 2024
4.2 Formalize hybrid work options for City employees.
L
H
By 2024
4.3 Explore opportunities to develop car share facilities with ferry system.
M
M
by 2024
4.4 Increase utilization of the city commute trip reduction program for employees.
L
L
Ongoing
TR-5 Promote Low -Carbon Vehicles and Other Methods of Reducing Emissions from Vehicles
5.1 Adopt standards for the placement of charging stations in public rights -of -way.
H
H
By 2025
5.2 Convert City fleet to electric vehicles.
M
H
Ongoing
Packet Pg. 116
8.B.c
5.3 Add charging stations at all City -owned facilities including parks. M H By 2035
Adopt a policy to limit vehicle idling, including the posting of appropriate signs at businesses and
holding areas, such as school and ferry areas. This action would include evaluating how to equip City
5.4 trucks with auxiliary electrical systems for illumination and warning signs. M L By 2025
5.5 TR 5.9: Support the long-term plan for electrifying the Washington State ferry fleet. M L By 2040
EN Environment
EN-1 Maintain or Increase Carbon Sequestration in Trees and Natural Areas
1.1 Adopt a canopy coverage target for the city.
L
H
By 2024
1.2 Identify pockets of woodlands and marsh land that the City could purchase to add to our parks system.
L
H
Ongoing
1.3 Identify City parks and open spaces where carbon sequestration could be increased.
L
H
By 2024
1.4 For fee -in -lieu mitigation sites, prioritize sites that sequester carbon.
L
H
By 2030
Update the City Street Tree Plan to prioritize increasing tree cover in appropriate places along the city's
1.5 street rights -of -way„ especially in areas of low canopy coverage.
L
H
By 2024
Explore application of biochar from the wastewater treatment plant to sequester carbon and improve
By 2024
1.6 soils in parks and residential developments.
L
L
Assess the health of and changing stress on Edmonds' urban forest and develop strategies to prevent
1.7 loss of trees to heat, drought, and insects.
L
M
By 2025
EN-2 (track our progress and seek to offet our emmissions) Explore Other Methods for
Offsetting Edmonds' GHG Emissions
Develop a periodic calculation of the gap between Edmonds' targeted and actual GHG emissions
2.1 reductions, for the metrics in this plan.
L
H
Every 3 years
2.2 Engage in a regional conversation about offsetting GHGs.
M
H
Ongoing
Include a calculation of the social and mortality costs of carbon that would result from each
2.3 Comprehensive Plan update.
L
H
By 20024
For any emissions that are not offset per metrics the tracking tool, prepare a calculation of the social
2.4 and mortality cost on an annual basis.
L
H
Annually
2.5 Explore purchase of GHG offsets.
L
H
By 2024
EN-3 Prepare for the impacts of climate change
N/A
H
When planning for any climate change adaptations, include an assessment of which parts of the
3.1 community would be most affected and who would benefit most from the measures proposed.
N/A
H
By 2024
3.2 Develop a plan for adapting to sea level rise in Edmonds.
N/A
H
By 2024
Evaluate the risks to stormwater infrastructure from higher intensity storms, and develop plans for
3.3 upgrades to the system and development codes, if necessary.
N/A
H
By 2024
Develop a program to achieve water conservation in existing buildings and landscaping, with a goal of
3.4 reducing per capita water use 7% by the year 2035.
N/A
By 2024
Include measures in the City's Emergency Management Plan to ensure local energy supply at City
operated mass care facilities, such as solar power and battery storage, in the event of electrical outages
3.5 due to extreme weather or fires.
N/A
H
By 2025
3.6 Create a network of emergency cooling centers to be available during extreme heat events.
By 2025
LC Lifestyle and Consumption
LC-1 Reduce material consumption, waste generation, and resource depletion
M
H
1.1 Reduce barriers to achieving Edmonds' zero -waste goal.
M
H
ongoing
1.2 Increase recycling bins in partnership with local businesses.
L
H
ongoing
1.3 Require recycled products for City- produced printed materials.
L
M
By 2025
1.4 Educate homeowners in composting.
ongoing
LC-2 Increase local food production
H
M
2.1 Educate people in smaller households on ways to reduce food waste.
N/A
L
ongoing
2.2 Educate consumers on the GHG as well as health benefits of consuming less pre -packaged food.
M
M
ongoing
Involve community in identifying City parks and other property, both City -owned and private, as
2.3 potential sites for neighborhood public "P-Patches."
L
M
By 2030
2.4 Continue to promote local farmers' markets.
L
M
ongoing
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Packet Pg. 117
9.A
Planning Board Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 03/8/2023
2023 Extended Agenda Discussion
Staff Lead: David Levitan
Department: Planning & Development
Prepared By: Michelle Martin
Background/History
Planning and Development Director Susan McLaughlin provided an overview of the department's 2023
work plan during the Planning Board's February 22 retreat. Several items on the work plan will require
review, input, and/or recommendations from the Planning Board at one or more meetings in 2023, most
notably:
1) 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update: City staff is currently finalizing a detailed work plan for the Comp
Plan Update. A consultant will be hired to help with background research and analysis, community
engagement, SEPA environmental review (via an Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS), and policy
development. The SEPA review will focus on different alternatives for accomodating the approximately
8,000 residential units and 3,000 jobs that the city is required to plan for over the next twenty years. The
city is required to host a scoping meeting as part of the EIS process (which allows members of the public
to proposed topics that should be analyzed in the EIS), which may be appropriate for the Planning Board
to host.
Per RCW 36.70A.070, mandatory comprehensive plan elements include Land Use, Housing, Capital
Facilities, Utilities, Transportation, Economic Development, and Parks and Recreation. The current
comprehensive plan also includes optional Community Sustainability and Community Culture and Urban
Design elements. The city will also be preparing a Supplemental EIS for the Highway 99 Subarea Plan
concurrently with the Comp Plan Update.
2) Code Modernization Project: Staff is finalizing the work plan for this project, which involves
reorganization and improved formatting/technology to make the ECDC easier to navigate as well as a
number of individual code amendments. Code amendments expected to come before the Planning
Board in 2023 or early 2024 include the potential CG Permanent Ordinance (as soon as March 22);
Private Property Tree Removals (those not associated with development activity); Wireless Facilities
(including small -cell technology and ROW use); a citizen -initiated amendment to permissible uses in the
Neighborhood Business zone; Critical Aquifer Recharge area; Street/Sidewalk Standards; Parking
Standards; Multifamily Residential Design Standards; and Accessory Dwelling Units.
Additional code amendments may be required based on proposed legislation currently being considered
by the state legislature related to housing, design review, transportation, and environmental review.
Staff Recommendation
Packet Pg. 118
9.A
Board members are asked to review staff's presentation and help fill out the 2023 Extended Agenda.
The most recent extended agenda is included to use as a template.
Narrative
Staff will provide a more detailed overview of these projects and the input/feedback/review needed
from the Planning Board in 2023 at the March 8 meeting, and work with Planning Board members to fill
out their extended agenda. Staff has statutory deadlines for the Comprehensive Plan that will largely
drive that process and has also committed to specific timelines for the Code Modernization Project.
Attachments:
3.8.2023 Extended Agenda
Packet Pg. 119
�y ()IF
Af
G �
r es PLANNNS BOARD
Extended Agenda — Draft
March 8, 2023
March 2023
9.A.a
Items and Dates are subject to change
Mar 22 1. Public Hearing - CG permanent ADB/step back code
2. Highway 99 Community Renewal Program Update
Mar 28 1. Joint Meeting - Planning Board update to City Council
April 2023
April 12 1. Tree Code Update — Potential New Residential Regulations (code
analysis and discussion)
2. BN Zone Use Change (introduction and discussion — private
amendment)
3. Comp Plan EIS Scoping Meeting?
April 26 1. Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Quarterly Report
2. Critical Aquifer Recharge (introduction and discussion)
3. Multifamily Design Standards (introduction and discussion)
May 2023
May 10 1. Recap of 2023 Washington State Legislative Session: Planning
Related Context
2. Comprehensive Plan Update (Individual element introduction)
3. Wireless Code Update (presentation and discussion)
May 24 1. Tree Code Update — Moderate/Major changes to improve existing
ECDC 23.10 (code analysis and discussion)
2. Multifamily Design Standards Public Hearing
3. Critical Aquifer Public Hearing
Packet Pg. 120
9.A.a
Items and Dates are subject to change
June 2023
June 14 1. Public Hearing - Tree Code (Residential and Moderate/Major)
2. Accessory Dwelling Units (introduction and discussion)
June 27 1. Planning Board update to City Council (report rather than
presentation?)
June 28 1. Wireless Code Public Hearing (tentative)
2.
July ZOZ3
July 12
July 26
1. Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Quarterly Report
1. Accessory Dwelling Units Public Hearing
August 2023
Aug 9 1. TBD
August 23 NO MEETING —SUMMER BREAK
For 1. Tree code update
Consideration 2 Comprehensive Plan work
in 2023
3. Critical Aquifer Recharge code update
4. Wireless code update
5. CIP/CFP
6. MF Design Standards
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Packet Pg. 121
9.A.a
Items and Dates are subject to change
Future
Consideration 1. Housing Policy Implementation
2. Neighborhood Center Plans (5 Corners)
3. ADA Transition Plan (Parks)
4. Further Highway 99 Implementation, including:
a. Potential for "urban center" or transit -oriented design/development
strategies
b. Parking standards
5. UFMP — goal/gap analysis/update
Recurring 1. Election of Officers (V meeting in December)
Topics 2. Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department Updates — Typically first
meeting after previous quarter (1/11/23, 4/12, 7/12, 10/11)
3. Joint meeting with City Council
4. Planning and Development Department Activity Report
5. Annual Retreat (Q1)
6. OPMA Training
7. Breaks — no meetings on 2nd meeting date in August and December
3
Packet Pg. 122