Tumwater planning commission reviews draft climate element, weighs home energy score and EV readiness actions

Tumwater Planning Commission members on Jan. 14 reviewed the draft climate element of the city’s 2025 comprehensive plan and focused discussion on the greenhouse gas mitigation subelement and related actions labeled CL4 through CL8.

Melissa Jones Wood, the city’s sustainability manager, presented the greenhouse gas subelement and told commissioners, “we must have a greenhouse gas mitigation subelement to address reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled,” and she said the draft also integrates environmental-justice considerations the state requires.

The presentation outlined outreach already completed — tabling events, meetings with the Thurston Climate Mitigation Collaborative and a Climate Policy Advisory team, online open houses and targeted stakeholder interviews — and described the commission’s immediate review focus: information and actions intended to reduce building energy emissions and transportation-related vehicle miles traveled.

Key proposals discussed included a Home Energy Score disclosure tied to property listings and actions to increase EV charging readiness in existing rental housing. Jones Wood said the Home Energy Score disclosure would be added as a required field in the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) listing forms if the city adopts a local ordinance and partners coordinate the rollout. She said the score report would include an estimated annual energy bill broken down by fuel type, a 1–10 efficiency rating and cost‑effective retrofit suggestions.

Jones Wood described expected costs and supports: “The cost to do a home energy score goes between $150 to $300,” she said, and the city has budgeted subsidies beginning next year to help low‑income homeowners. She also said the city will contract with a national service provider for quality assurance and that the cost for that service will be split across four jurisdictions under an existing interlocal agreement.

Commissioners asked about practical impacts and compliance. A commissioner noted that roughly 95% of sales go through NWMLS, and Jones Wood acknowledged that private sales and other listing methods could create loopholes. She also said the requirement would be at the time of listing (not at time of sale) after feedback from the Thurston County Realtors association.

The commission asked whether a required Home Energy Score actually drives upgrades. Jones Wood cited Portland’s experience and stakeholder feedback, saying jurisdictions that implemented the program have seen substantially higher rates of home efficiency improvements among properties with scores.

On transportation, commissioners raised how the climate element addresses movement of goods and freight in addition to resident commuting. Jones Wood said the transportation element and the climate element will intersect on those topics and flagged examples from larger, denser cities as potential models for goods‑movement policies.

Committee members pressed for clarity on EV charging for existing housing. Jones Wood said the intent of the relevant action is to provide incentives and targeted assistance for small landlords and older rental properties that lack the wiring or electrical capacity to support vehicle charging, not to impose immediate broad retrofit mandates. She described that action as primarily incentive‑based, with potential triggers to be considered later.

Council and staff scheduling and implementation constraints were described by the city’s deputy director, who briefed the commission earlier in the meeting on schedule items. The deputy director noted the comprehensive plan adoption timeline (public hearing on the comp plan at the commission’s last meeting in December, with council review in January and development code updates to follow), and that the city aims to have actions beginning by 2030 to align with the city’s initial greenhouse gas reduction target. The deputy director also said the Attorney General’s office recently issued an advisory the city is tracking for legal implications on takings law and that staff will continue legal review of ordinances and plan language.

Commissioners and staff also discussed tree canopy and natural‑carbon solutions during the session. Commissioners asked that tree protections recognize both the value of large, established trees for carbon storage and the role of other ecosystems (prairies, wetlands) in delivering ecosystem services. Staff said work on ecosystem service valuation is planned and budgeted to begin in 2026.

The commission requested clearer labeling in the draft (for example, what the icons mean in the action lists), tighter timelines or completion dates for some ongoing funding actions, and more explicit language about the program intent behind EV and home scoring measures so that incentives and equity protections are clear.

Votes at a glance: The commission approved its Dec. 10, 2024 minutes as amended (the amendment corrected a name/role wording in the draft minutes), and it moved and seconded to cancel the January 28, 2025 meeting. Those procedural items were approved on voice votes during the meeting; the transcript shows no recorded opposition to either motion.

The discussion will continue on Feb. 11, when commissioners will receive further materials including the climate element’s resilience subelement and related transportation plan updates. Jones Wood and staff will return with revised draft language reflecting the commission’s feedback and with additional material on program costs, timeline clarifications and proposed ordinance language for any items that require code changes.