HomeMy WebLinkAbout03 28 11_Adoption of the Community Climate Actin Plan42432_61
Commission Memorandum
REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Natalie Meyer, Grants & Climate Protection Coordinator
Anna Rosenberry, Finance Director
Chris Kukulski, City Manager
SUBJECT: Adoption of the Community Climate Action Plan
MEETING DATE: March 28, 2010
AGENDA ITEM TYPE: Action
RECOMMENDATION: Consider adopting the Community Climate Action Plan.
BACKGROUND:
The Process to Date - In 2006, the Bozeman City Commission signed the U.S. Mayors’ Climate
Protection Agreement (MCPA). The MCPA is an agreement, initiated in 2005 by Seattle's Mayor
Nickels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To date, 1,049 local governments in the U.S. have
signed on to the MCPA, including five signatories from Montana: Billings, Bozeman, Helena,
Missoula, and Red Lodge.
To begin fulfilling our obligations under Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement, the City of
Bozeman appointed a temporary Municipal Climate Task Force in 2007. The Task Force was
charged with completing a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and developing
recommendations to help the City of Bozeman reduce emissions within government
operations. The Task Force reviewed items such as building operations, vehicle fleets, traffic
lights, water treatment, and water reclamation. After a year of study, in August 2008, the City
adopted the Municipal Climate Action Plan.
As the City of Bozeman continues to implement the Municipal Climate Action Plan, we have
also initiated the planning process to fulfill the second part of the Mayors’ Climate Protection
Agreement—taking action in the community. In January 2009, the City received a two-
year grant from New Priorities Foundation to hire a consultant to lead a citizen task force to
identify opportunities for the community to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. The City hired Hattie Baker of Sustainable Planning Solutions to complete a
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community emissions inventory and organize the community planning process. As a result, the
Mayor's Community Climate Task Force (MCCTF) was appointed in October 2009.
The Task Force - The Mayor's Community Climate Task Force is a 15-member community
group, which includes representatives from the Inter-neighborhood Council, Bozeman Public
Schools, Montana State University, HRDC's Streamline and Galavan, NorthWestern Energy,
Southwest Montana Building Industry Association, Gallatin County Commission, Downtown
Bozeman Partnership, Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Green Building Council Green Schools
Committee, Montana Public Service Commission, Bozeman Deaconess Hospital, and two
citizens-at-large.
The Community Climate Task Force held public meeting each month from November 2009 to
February 2011, as well as numerous Work Session meetings from February to May 2010. During
the planning process, the Community Climate Task Force reviewed draft recommendations with
the City Commission during two public meetings on November 29, 2010 and January 18, 2011.
After considering comments received from the City Commission and the public, the Mayor's
Community Climate Task Force released the final draft of the Community Climate Action Plan
on February 28, 2011.
Moving Forward – The Community Climate Action Plan is a planning document that establishes
goals and identifies potential actions to meet those goals. It is meant to serve as a guideline and
tool for the community. It is the second part of a two-part plan to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions in Bozeman (the first part being the Municipal Climate Action Plan, adopted in 2008).
Adopting the Plan alone is not intended to result in immediate requirements or mandates. The
Plan proposes ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a combination of voluntary,
regulatory, and incentive-based measures. The greatest reduction will come as a result of
implementation of all the measures recommended.
In order to achieve the Task Force’s identified greenhouse gas reduction goal, they strongly
recommend the City Commission adopt the Community Climate Action Plan as a whole
document.
Many of the recommendations included in the Plan will require Commission approval separate
from the Plan's adoption. Following adoption, we anticipate that the Commission and relevant
city departments would identify parts of the plan to be worked on or accomplished in the coming
year. Prioritized recommendations could be integrated into the annual Commission Work Plan.
While most of the recommendations in the Plan revolve around education, outreach, and
voluntary action, proposed modifications to laws and ordinances would only be considered
following public hearings.
At the time this report was compiled, all public comment received on the Community Climate
Action Plan had been provided to the City Commission and made available for viewing in the
City Clerk’s office.
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FISCAL EFFECTS: Although the Community Climate Action Plan may ultimately have
financial implications for the organization and the community, this step in the process has no
immediate fiscal effect.
ALTERNATIVES: The Task Force and Consultant have concluded their work on this
project. If the Commission is inclined, we have advertised this item so that it may be adopted
tonight. Given the complexity and level of public interest in this Plan, the Commission might
also decide to open and continue this item for amendment and/or adoption at a later date, or
decline to adopt the Plan.
Attachments: Community Climate Action Plan
Report compiled on: March 17, 2011
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