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Alachua County to post revised climate action plan ahead of Aug. 26 board workshop
Summary
County resiliency staff said a second version of the draft climate action plan will go live on the county website this week and invited commissioners to an Aug. 26 evening board workshop focused on priority actions; staff also noted vacancies on the Citizen Climate Advisory Committee with an Aug. 14 application deadline.
Alachua County staff told the Citizen Climate Advisory Committee on Tuesday that the second version of the county’s climate action plan is nearly ready and will be posted on the county website this week ahead of an Aug. 26 evening board workshop focused on near-term strategies and priority actions.
Jenison Kipp, resiliency specialist with the Environmental Protection Department, said the draft represents a ‘‘significant milestone’’ and that staff will update the Climate Initiatives page with hyperlinks so commissioners and the public can download the plan rather than receive large files by email. Kipp said staff will also email committee members when the updated version is live.
Why it matters: The Aug. 26 workshop is intended to let commissioners and advisory boards prioritize incremental strategies for the coming year and shape the final plan before a planned public summit and adoption process. Kipp said staff hope to use the November summit as a festival-style event and aim to showcase the county’s programs while seeking formal adoption of the plan.
The county also announced openings on the Citizen Climate Advisory Committee. Kipp said the application deadline has been extended to Aug. 14; she reported 10 applicants in total (two for the youth seat and eight for other seats, including alternates), with five total seats to fill — three regular three-year seats, one youth seat and one alternate. Selections were scheduled for Oct. 6 at the next joint board meeting unless the county schedules an earlier session to act on appointments.
Staff noted that the online public feedback portal for the CAP will remain open while staff continue to address comments. Kipp also introduced Eva Valin, a paid intern who will help plan the climate festival and community engagement around the summit.
The county staff also described early logistics for the summit: Kipp said the county is coordinating with the University of Florida and a keynote speaker, Michael Grunwald, and has identified the Alachua County Extension Office in Newberry as the venue for a Nov. 15 event that will include a morning speaking program and an all-day, festival-style showcase of local climate work.
Next steps: Staff will post the updated draft online, send an email notification to committee members when it is available, and proceed with planning for the Aug. 26 workshop and the Nov. 15 summit. Committee members were asked to review the draft in advance and provide feedback at upcoming meetings.
