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Thornton staff outline environmental sustainability master plan, task force and public outreach
Summary
City staff described a year-long planning process to produce an Environmental Sustainability Master Plan, including a newly formed task force, a consultant engagement, greenhouse-gas inventory update and multiple community engagement steps.
City staff told the Thornton City Council they have launched an environmental sustainability master plan process that will run through the coming year and include community engagement, a task force and consultant-led baseline studies.
Brett, a city staff member, said the council passed a resolution last July creating an environmental policy review and that a task force was established earlier this year. He said the city has hired BlueStrike Environmental to prepare the Environmental Sustainability Master Plan and to update the city’s greenhouse-gas inventory.
Emily Hoch, Deputy Utilities Director, told councilmembers the plan will cover a wide set of topics and build on existing city sustainability programs. “We are hoping to have the environmental sustainability master plan completed by the first part of next year,” Emily said, and described four framework topics the consultant will study: building and energy systems; sustainable transportation, land use and infrastructure resiliency; materials, waste and water management; and natural systems and environmental protections.
Emily said the consultant is reviewing existing city plans and outside regulations that might affect environmental protections and will develop visions, goals, strategies and tactics. She described the task force as an eight-member panel (with recruitment underway for a ninth member) that will meet about every other month, receive monthly updates and assist with community engagement. Staff plans quarterly reports to council and will run a citywide survey, focus groups, two community workshops (one likely in May), and pop-up outreach at community events such as ThorntonFest.
Councilmembers asked to be included in touch points and requested copies of monthly task-force updates. Staff said they will provide periodic draft milestones (50% and 75% drafts) and will invite council to engagement events and the draft review points so council vision can inform the plan before recommendations are finalized.
Ending: Staff said the next task-force meeting is scheduled for next month; they will produce baseline data for the task force to review and will return to council at regular intervals.
