SUBJECT:
Title
A Resolution of the Town of Erie Council Adopting the Resilience Action Plan
Department
DEPARTMENT: Environmental Services
Presenter
PRESENTER(S): Emma Marino, Sustainability & Water Conservation Specialist
Eryka Thorley, Sustainability Manager
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Time
TIME ESTIMATE: 0 minutes
end
For time estimate: please put 0 for Consent items.
Fiscal
FISCAL SUMMARY: N/A
Policy
POLICY ISSUES:
Erie’s first Resilience Action Plan supports resilience related goals and best practices identified in Erie’s 2019 Sustainability Plan, 2025 Beneficial Electrification Plan, 2024 Comprehensive Plan, and 2023 Home Rule Charter. Additionally, it supports the in-progress Sustainability Action Plan update which identifies resilience as one of the four main Guiding Principles.
Recommendation
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt the resolution approving the Resilience Action Plan (RAP).
Body
SUMMARY/KEY POINTS
• The RAP draft was brought to Council in a Study Session on Oct. 7, 2025, returned as a Consent Item on Nov. 18, 2025, and returned in Study Session on Feb. 3, 2026.
• Specific questions and concerns were raised, including the cost to some of these strategies and impacts to future code updates such as the Unified Development Code. During the February Study Session, it was suggested that an introduction be added, which is included in this final version.
• The RAP identifies possible strategies to explore and does not mandate any specific action. It is intended to establish and highlight a strategic focus on resilience research and engagement for the Town and partners moving forward.
BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
Erie’s first Resilience Action Plan (Plan) was designed to strengthen the Town of Erie’s ability to adapt, thrive, and grow in the face of climate, economic, and social challenges. The Plan identifies risks and adaptive strategies for the Town to explore to improve community preparedness for extreme weather events and social vulnerabilities. Erie stands at a pivotal point in its development with evolving environmental concerns, population growth, and increasing infrastructure demands. The Plan outlines a forward-looking vision with actions to explore how to ensure the Town remains secure, sustainable, and equitable into the future.
The three key areas for building long-term resilience in the Plan include the following:
1. Infrastructure
2. Land Management
3. Community
Each chapter provides a background on the topic, a list of current progress, accomplishments, goals, strategies, and potential community partnerships.
The Town is now working with a second University of Colorado Boulder Masters of the Environment cohort to further explore implementation opportunities from this initial plan and develop an Implementation Guide or components of one. The Guide will include at least one of the following focus areas:
1. A Homeowners Association (HOA) resilience workshop series, targeting Erie’s neighborhood communities to learn more about and begin strategic implementation to increase resiliency across the Town.
2. Identify sites that could serve as resilience hubs including analysis as to why the location would be a good fit, documenting community engagement strategies, an existing and lacking resource assessment, and related mapping.
3. Develop an implementation plan to increase resilience during extreme heat events for the Town of Erie. This could include creating a guide for this hazard, strategic mapping, co-benefits such as nature-based solutions, researching specific impacts in Erie and current conditions, working with HOAs and partners to create and deliver related education and outreach materials.
priorities
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attachments
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Resilience Action Plan
2. Resolution