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Redmond advances ESAP refresh with five ‘big moves,’ public workshops and autumn milestones
Summary
City staff presented a proposed Environmental Sustainability Action Plan refresh centered on five priority pathways, outlined public engagement milestones and set council study sessions this fall, with adoption targeted for December.
Jenny Liebeck, Redmond sustainability manager, told the Parks and Environmental Sustainability Committee of the Whole on July 22 that the city is updating its 2020 Environmental Sustainability Action Plan (ESAP) to produce a prioritized, actionable five‑year strategy that balances municipal emissions reductions and community climate resilience.
The consultant‑supported process has yielded a proposed framework of five “big moves”: make existing buildings better; build resilient and efficient new buildings; provide safe and sustainable transportation; achieve zero waste of resources; and create a resilient community and environment. Liebeck said the update will include refreshed key performance indicators to better track progress.
Key near‑term milestones discussed at the meeting: the ESAP questionnaire is open through Aug. 1; staff will host a community feedback event (a picnic in Anderson Park) on Aug. 23 to review draft strategies and actions; council will receive a study session briefing on Sept. 23 and staff plan to bring a draft plan for direction at an October session with adoption targeted in December.
Councilmembers commented on priorities and requested clarifications. Council Member Stewart asked staff to be explicit about what substantive updates the refresh makes versus reorganization of existing priorities and to explain how the plan supports big targets such as municipal‑operations greenhouse‑gas goals by 2030. Council Member Fields praised the five‑page framework and urged speed in implementation. Council President Vanessa Kritzer asked about Solarize Eastside and other near‑term programs; Liebeck said Solarize closed to new enrollments on July 3 because contractor capacity was reached and noted federal tax credits require systems to be installed by Dec. 31 to qualify.
Liebeck said staff are working with three community‑based organizations as trusted messengers to broaden outreach beyond the usual participant base and that community workshops and focus groups have informed draft actions. No formal council actions occurred at the July 22 session; staff requested council feedback at the upcoming study sessions as they synthesize questionnaire and workshop results into a draft plan.
