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EPIC (formerly EPAC) becomes a commission and outlines goals: education, anti‑idling, trees and community gardens
Summary
Members of EPIC (formerly EPAC) delivered an annual update to the council, listing three near-term goals — education and outreach, reducing vehicle idling and air pollution, and increasing biodiversity and community food production — and longer-term goals such as water conservation, waste-diversion and tree canopy growth. Staff said 93 new trees
Members of Commerce City’s environmental advisory body delivered their annual city council update and reported that EPAC has formally converted to a city commission with a new name — EPIC. Commissioners outlined near-term and long-term priorities and recent activities.
Derek Singleton (EPIC) summarized recent work including public outreach events, school partnerships and recycling facility tours. EPIC’s three stated 2025 goals are: (1) education and outreach, (2) reducing idling and air pollution through anti-idling signage and school partnerships, and (3) increasing biodiversity, trees and local food production. On the biodiversity goal EPIC said it would “increase the urban forest canopy by at least 2% each year across the entire city, particularly in low-income neighborhoods,” and explore incentive programs to plant replacement trees for every removed tree.
Commissioners said they have placed anti-idling signs, partnered with schools on anti-idling education and were working on a community garden partnership with Lester Arnold High School. The commission reported about 93 newly planted trees through ongoing programs and ARPA-funded partnerships.
Commissioners in attendance included Derek Singleton, Trudy Smith and Darcy Martinez; each described outreach and volunteer activities. David Voyoz (Ph.D., engineering) said he attended an Adams County water-plan open house and flagged the county’s 2040 water plan as an important document for the city to review.
Why this matters: EPIC’s work touches multiple city priorities — air quality, heat island mitigation, water-conservation and food access — and the commission intends to prioritize low-income neighborhoods for tree canopy and garden work.
What happens next: The commission will continue outreach events, pursue school and HOA partnerships for tree canopy and street-yard conversions to drought-wise landscaping, and coordinate with staff on potential incentive programs.
Ending: Council members expressed support and volunteered to help convene property owners and Metro Districts for pilot projects that would demonstrate tree‑planting and water‑wise landscaping in higher‑need neighborhoods.
