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Saratoga Springs council unanimously adopts municipal climate action plan
Summary
After a public hearing featuring residents and local climate groups, the City Council voted 5–0 to adopt a municipal climate action plan designed to reduce emissions, protect the urban forest and help the city advance to Climate Smart silver certification.
The Saratoga Springs City Council voted unanimously to adopt the city’s Municipal Climate Action Plan after a public hearing in which local residents, the Climate Smart Task Force and Sustainable Saratoga urged approval.
Laura Faulk, chair of the Climate Smart Task Force, told the council the plan will help modernize city operations, expand resilience measures and position the city to secure grants. “The MCAP positions the city to modernize its operations, protect the community from climate impacts, and take advantage of the changing energy landscape,” Faulk said during public comment and urged the council to adopt the plan.
Kelsey Trudell, executive director of Sustainable Saratoga, praised plan strategies that strengthen protections for the city’s green belt and recommended preserving large, mature trees rather than relying solely on new plantings. Trudell told the council that strategy 10 emphasizes carbon sequestration through urban-forest protection and that zoning changes should reinforce the city’s country-vision and green-belt protections.
Supporters also highlighted links between the MCAP and other existing documents, including the comprehensive plan, open-space plan, hazard-mitigation plan and the urban-forestry master plan. They said the plan’s implementation could generate local green jobs and reduce pollution while opening opportunities for grant funding.
Council discussion recognized those contributions and noted the plan would add 20 points toward state Climate Smart Community recertification; speakers said the additional points could make the city eligible for silver certification next year. The motion to adopt the MCAP was seconded and carried 5–0.
What happens next: the council authorized the mayor to sign documents necessary for implementation and directed staff to continue working with community partners on grant opportunities and next steps for implementation.
