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Title:
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Sustainability Action Plan update and discussion with Town of Erie Town Council
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SUBJECT:
Title
Sustainability Action Plan update and discussion with Town of Erie Town Council
Department
DEPARTMENT: Environmental Services
Presenter
PRESENTER(S): Molly Marcucilli, Lotus Engineering & Sustainability Climate Mitigation and Resilience Planning Associate
Eryka Thorley, Sustainability Manager
Time
TIME ESTIMATE: 45 minutes
end
For time estimate: please put 0 for Consent items.
Fiscal
FISCAL SUMMARY:
Cost as Recommended: $117,013.50
Balance Available: $73,618.05
Fund General Fund
Line Item Number: 205-25-780-560100-252502 (Boulder County grant)
100-25-780-560100-252502 (Erie grant match)
100-25-780-560100-000000 (Consulting)
New Appropriation Required: No
Policy
POLICY ISSUES:
Erie's Sustainability Action Plan update builds from its 2019 Sustainability Plan while incorporating new initiatives and information such as Erie's 2024 Climate Emergency Declaration, 2023 and 2025 Community Survey priorities, and recently adopted Beneficial Electrification Plan. This plan development contract was approved by Council on Jan. 28, 2025.
Recommendation
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Informational item with request for Council feedback on current plan update and overall trajectory.
Body
SUMMARY/KEY POINTS
* This is an update about Erie's Sustainability Action Plan development process including an existing condition review and analysis, greenhouse gas emissions inventory review, draft plan strategies, and communication and engagement thus far.
* Staff and Lotus are requesting Council feedback regarding the current progression of the plan development and any visible gaps or needed focus areas moving forward.
* Erie's Sustainability Action Plan is scheduled for final presentation to Council and adoption in early 2026.
BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
In 2019, the Board of Trustees adopted the Town's first Sustainability Plan (attached), which included strong emissions reduction goals such as renewable energy adoption, transportation electrification and efficiencies, waste diversion, and related education and outreach. At the time, Erie did not yet have a townwide greenhouse gas inventory to develop specific emission reduction targets. In 2019, the Board committed to updating the Sustainability Plan every five years.
The Sustainability Action Plan incorporates the remaining 20% of ongoing actions and efforts of the 2019 plan with the Town's first climate action emissions-based targets based on its 2021 and 2023 community and municipal emissions inventories. This update includes a check-in regarding Erie's greenhouse gas emission sources and sectors, already completed plan update engagement with the Erie community and various partners, draft Sustainability Action Plan strategies, and Erie's recent 2025 Community Survey results.
The total cost of the plan development is $117,013, with $85,000 of the funds sourced from the Sustainability Division's 2025 Budget, $30,506 from Boulder County's Environmental Sustainability Matching Grant, and the remaining $1,507 from the Sustainability Division's Special Events budget.
This plan enables Erie to target additional grant funds such as the Department of Local Affairs recent Climate Resilience Challenge, which allows only communities with a Climate Action or Resilience Plan to apply for Project Implementation funds (up to $2M) and other similar grant funding opportunities.
priorities
TOWN COUNCIL PRIORITY(S) ADDRESSED:
? Attractive Community Amenities
? Engaged and Diverse Community
? Prosperous Economy
? Well-Maintained Transportation Infrastructure
? Small Town Feel
? Safe and Healthy Community
? Effective Governance
? Environmentally Sustainable
? Fiscally Responsible
attachments
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Presentation
2. Existing Conditions Analysis Memo
3. Equity Analysis
4. 2019 Sustainability Plan