Englewood Sustainability Commission asks Council to retain a clear sustainability priority in 2026 strategic plan

The Englewood Sustainability Commission voted to submit a memo to city staff asking the City Council to retain sustainability as a visible priority in the city'026'026 strategic plan or to adopt a separate sustainability plan.

Commission members raised the alarm that the council retreat raft for 2026'030 did not include sustainability as one of five top priority areas. Elizabeth Shaw, chair of the commission, framed the commission sk in practical terms: "Sustainability is foundational for a healthy and prosperous community," she said, urging language that connects sustainability to resident well-being and city objectives.

Why it matters: commissioners argued a discrete sustainability priority — or an explicit, clearly worded sustainability section— makes the city more competitive for state and federal grants and gives residents a transparent place to find sustainability goals and metrics. Commissioners discussed three response options: request that sustainability be infused throughout the plan; recommend a discrete sixth priority area; or ask for a separate sustainability plan. After discussion, the commission approved submitting its recommended language and project/metric lists to the deputy city manager for inclusion in the Council packet.

What the commission will ask Council to include: the memo directs Council to (a) explicitly retain or create a sustainability priority area in the 2026'030 strategic plan, (b) include a concise tagline and definition so residents can easily identify sustainability initiatives, and (c) attach project examples and metrics (or provide a path to a standalone sustainability plan) so the city can demonstrate readiness for grants and implementation. Commissioners emphasized concrete rationales, including competitive advantage for grant funding and clearer implementation pathways.

Process and next steps: staff said the Council will hold a study session the following Monday and tentatively finalize the plan by mid‑March. Commission staff will submit the finalized memo the next morning so it can appear in the Council packet. The commission voted to authorize submission by voice vote; meeting minutes record an affirmative vote but no roll‑call tally in the transcript.

The commission also agreed to a fallback: if Council declines a discrete priority, commissioners will press for a standalone sustainability plan or a public "plug-in" priority area that preserves visibility and project-level detail for grants and implementation. The commission expects to follow up at its March meeting and to track Council feedback after the study session.