The City Council voted unanimously to adopt the City of Indio’s draft Sustainability Plan and two‑year work plan for 2025 after a presentation from environmental programs staff.

Sarah Toyota, the city’s environmental programs coordinator, told the council the updated plan incorporated recent hazard mitigation work, added two goals (communication and resiliency), and called out city programs including the Lindo program, the shop‑local program and water‑resource protection by the Indio Water Authority. Toyota said the plan contains seven goals and a list of ongoing and planned actions intended to be carried out over roughly two years.

Toyota said staff has been working with the Coachella Valley Association of Governments on a regional comprehensive climate action plan, partnering with IREN on energy audits at city facilities, and has hosted a Civic Spark fellow to support implementation. Toyota reported electric vehicle (EV) chargers planned at city hall and the golf course and said the city is working with consultants to help the senior center and IPAC (Indio Performing Arts Center) reach true zero‑waste certification; she said IPAC is diverting approximately 90 percent of its waste and is being assisted by consultants to document the diversion for certification.

During council discussion members asked about sustainable building materials and alternative construction methods. Toyota and Sustainability Commission members said the commission had researched adobe and straw‑bale and other alternative materials and recommended speakers and site visits; Councilmember Leila Ortiz noted nonprofit projects in Ojai and Cal Earth’s Hesperia campus as local examples. Toyota said the city did not receive bids on an RFP for an acre that might have been used for demonstration housing and suggested future offers to donate land for demonstration projects to encourage alternative building pilots.

Councilmembers also pressed staff for updates on organics diversion and the East Valley recycled‑water effort (referred to as EVRA or the purple‑pipe discussion). Staff said organics diversion is increasing, that both plastic and paper bags are accepted in the green organics bins (the hauler runs a separate system that removes bags before composting), and recommended continued outreach. On recycled water, staff and partners said they are considering a smaller project (roughly 1,000 acre‑feet per year) than a prior 5,000‑acre‑foot concept and will pursue grants and subsidies to reduce resident costs.

Councilmember Leila Ortiz moved to approve the draft Sustainability Plan and Work Plan 2025 and Councilmember Wayman Furman seconded. The council passed the measure 5‑0.