Comprehensive Plan - Community Sustainability Element
The City of Edmonds Comprehensive Plan contains a number of different elements, some mandated by the Growth Management Act, and others included because they are important to the Edmonds community. A requirement of the Growth Management Act is that the various comprehensive plan elements be consistent with one another. The City's Community Sustainability Element is intended to provide a framework tying the other plan elements together, illustrating how the overall plan direction supports sustainability within the Edmonds community. A key aspect of this approach is also to provide more direct linkages between long term planning and shorter-term strategic planning and policy review which guide the use of city resources and programs, especially budgeting. For example, a new emphasis on life cycle efficiency may take precedence over simple least-cost analytical methods.
(September 2006)
Supported the Kyoto Protocol and endorsed the US Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement, including a commitment to:
- Conduct an emissions inventory and forecast
- Set greenhouse gas reduction target
- Develop an action plan to achieve the target
- Implement the plan
- Monitor and evaluate progress
(September 2006)
Joined ICLEI and committed the city to participating in the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign. Pledged to take a "leadership role in promoting public awareness about the causes and impacts of climate change." Committed to the same 'five milestones' contained in the Cities Climate Protection Campaign.
(April 2008)
Established the City of Edmonds Sustainable Building Policy, setting a LEED Silver standard for city buildings and facilities (new facilities > 5,000 sf; renovation of existing structures > 50% of assessed value). Emphasized Life Cycle Cost Analysis for building construction and maintenance decisions.
(April 2008)
Joined the Cascade Agenda as a Member City (later updated to become a Leadership City). Endorsed the Cascade Agenda principles of making the city "complete, compact and connected."
(April 2008)
Committed the city to a set of environmental principles, policies, and goals for future action. Emphasis on the city taking a "leadership role" in addressing climate issues. Recognized the key role of education, transit and transit-oriented development (TOD) in a "complete and coordinated policy framework."
(June 2011)
Commitment that the City of Edmonds continue its work toward energy independence through policy, education, advocacy and action.
(June 2017)
Commitment to achieving or exceeding at the local level the goals established in the Paris Climate Accord.
(August 2020)
Set a science-based climate change planning target of limiting the global average temperature increase to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures.