Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sustainability topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council hears update on Sustainability division: environmental plan, tree planting and curbside food‑waste questions
Summary
Sustainability staff reported progress on an environmental action plan to replace existing sustainability and climate plans, completion of a curbside food-waste expansion funding request and a $66,100 program supplement for tree-planting; council asked for additional cost detail for expanding curbside service citywide.
City staff told the council the Sustainability division — created in 2024 out of Planning and Sustainability — is developing a consolidated environmental action plan intended to replace the current sustainability plan and climate action plan and is on course to finish by the end of the fiscal year.
The division cited completed objectives including installation of a Little Free Library at Centennial Park in October 2024 and completion of a funding request to examine expansion of the curbside food-waste program; staff reported the council gave direction to “explain the mandate program.” The division also manages certifications such as the Department of Housing and Community Development sustainability communities application, Sustainable Maryland recertification and a National Wildlife Federation community habitat program involvement.
For FY2026 the division listed objectives including: completing phase 2 of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) work; obtaining consulting services for energy audits of city buildings over 35,000 square feet by December 2025; completing LEED Green Associate training for staff and creating a greenhouse gas inventory by December 2025.
The presentation noted $66,100 in program supplements for canopy/tree work and several resident-facing programs including the turnkey “plant one tree on us” and audit reimbursement and residential electric lawn mower rebate programs. The division reported two full-time employees (senior manager and sustainability planner).
Councilman Brady pressed staff on the pace of the curbside food-waste program, referencing prior demonstration years and asking for detail about the budgetary implications of expanding service. Brady said staff had provided estimates showing that expanding curbside service to 25% of the city would cost roughly $1.3 million to $1.7 million and expanding to 50% would cost about $2.6 million to $3.4 million; he concluded that the expansion could not be absorbed in the current budget and asked staff to plan a follow-up meeting to discuss steps to reach higher participation levels.
Staff agreed to provide further analysis and to meet with council on parameters for scaling the program during the next budget cycle.
Ending: Sustainability staff will complete near-term planning tasks (environmental action plan, energy audits, greenhouse gas inventory) and return with more detailed budget analysis on expanding curbside food-waste services when requested by council.
