Consultant Notes from the Field: Climate Action Planning
Source: Vecteezy, Muhammad Ribkhan
Climate Elements are now required for Comprehensive Plan Periodic Updates (HB 1181). Commerce has provided grant funding to add this Element to city and county Plans, and to conduct planning-related implementation activities, whether by hiring consultant support or completing the process internally.
BERK has been fortunate to work with communities that are early climate action planners, including the cities of Redmond, Bothell, Burien, Covington, Sumner, and Lakewood. We partnered with Cascadia Consulting to pilot test the Model Climate Element for the Department of Commerce and worked with Pullman, Woodland, and Port Angeles.
BERK is also working with project teams for comprehensive plan updates and climate resilience efforts for the cities of Bellevue and Vancouver as well as Pierce and Snohomish counties.
In doing this work, we’ve learned a thing or two about what makes a good Element. We’re sharing a few highlights and lessons learned:
Develop information on climate exposure and vulnerable places and communities to guide the policy evaluation and development of your element.
Dovetail your climate and resiliency element with your land use and growth strategy, and use it to help tailor new housing or employment opportunities.
Consider how climate change and resiliency evaluations can inform capital and public service investments benefiting overburdened communities, and readying the community for climate mitigation and adaptation.
Source: Vecteezy, Titin Rokayah
Are you wrestling with questions like “how do I incorporate the required elements into my partially completed 2024 Plan” or “we already have good climate strategies – why do I need to do more”? We can help you with the Element itself, climate vulnerability evaluations, equitable capital plan and resource allocations, and development regulations that help implement early strategies. Check out some of the work we’ve done in other communities like Redmond and Burien.
Want to talk more? Reach out directly to Lisa Grueter, AICP, Principal, or come say hi at our APA Conference session on October 12!