Bothell planning commission studies draft climate action plan; commissioners favor aligning with state targets

BOTHELL, Wash. — The Bothell Planning Commission held a study session July 2 to review a draft Climate Action Plan, hear results of new greenhouse gas inventories and advise staff on outreach and target-setting as the plan is revised over the summer.

Cameron Colvin, long range planner with the Community Development Department, told the commission the project is funded by a Department of Commerce planning grant and Washington Climate Commitment Act funds and that staff are seeking commissioner feedback “to guide additional outreach and plan revisions, before we come back in the fall.” Emily Nielsen, Civic Spark fellow, joined Colvin in presenting the draft and engagement results.

The plan includes two inventories: a community-wide inventory for 2022–23 and the city’s first municipal inventory. Colvin summarized that the municipal inventory found “a little over 2,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent” in 2023, equal to about 0.4% of Bothell’s community-wide emissions, with fleet vehicles, employee commutes and facility energy use among the largest municipal sources. The community inventory shows an overall 7% decrease in emissions between 2019 and 2023, Colvin said, attributing much of that decline to increased participation…