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Home My WebLink AboutPCD 2026-03-09 Item 1D - DIscussion - Climate Change StrategiesPCD Discussion 3/9/26 Tukwila's Climate Change and Environmental Actions Presenting Questions • What might be some goals, objectives and targets related to climate change? What problem(s) are we solving for? • What efforts has Tukwila undertaken to date? • Should the City focus on policies, adopting regulations for the community, or changing its own actions? Current Initiatives Tukwila Comprehensive Plan Communities within King County and the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) area have approved Climate Change policies that local communities were required to adopt into their 2024 Comprehensive Plans. The focus is to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions by sustainably increasing mobility, investing in renewable energy, and promoting clean energy use in buildings and vehicles. The overall objective is to align with climate science and support the goal of keeping global warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius. Climate Element Requirement Recent legislation (HB 1181) requires that by 2029 local comprehensive plans must include a separate climate element that includes: • A resilience sub -element to improve climate preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. • A greenhouse gas emissions sub -element to reduce emissions and vehicle miles traveled. Climate elements must maximize economic, environmental, and social co -benefits and prioritize environmental justice in order to avoid worsening environmental health disparities. Comprehensive Plan Canopy Coverage Goals and Tree Canopy Assessment Canopy coverage goals were added to the 2015 Comp Plan based on recommendations from a diverse Tree Committee. These goals include an increase in citywide tree canopy from 24% to 29% by 2034 as well as individual goats broken down by zoning type. Current canopy coverage is holding steady based on 2022 data, with an updated assessment expected in 1 52 summer 2026. The City acquired grant funds for a pilot project to assess the regulatory and educational value of twice -yearly updated parcel -level tree canopy assessments and aerial imagery. • Carbon Wedge Analysis 2015-10-05 Tukwila Energy Map and Carbon Wedge A_n_alysisppt_x • Comp Plan section on Climate- Page 7 of Natural Environment Section • May 20, 2024Work Session- City Comp Plan Update Draft Climate Action Plan The City of Tukwila commissioned a project through the University of Washington Evans School Student Consulting Lab to develop recommendations for a draft Climate Action Plan. The project had the following main deliverables: A greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions assessment, a customized catalog of GHG reduction strategies, a climate risk assessment, community resilience strategies, community engagement strategies, monitoring and implementation strategies, and a presentation to the City Council of the key findings. This draft CAP provides a framework for the City to build upon after conducting the necessary community engagement. There is also a Spanish version of the CAP because Spanish is the second most spoken language in the City, and, if adopted, would be the first bilingual CAP in King County. • Resilient Tukwla: Collaborative Climate Action Planning for a Sustainable Future Green House Gas (GHG) Report and Attribution Analysis The City of Tukwila has been a supporter of policies and actions that seek to better prepare the City and the region for the impacts of climate change as a long-standing partner in the King Count Cities Climate Collaboration, or the K4C, along with 24 other jurisdictions. In 2024 and 2025, K4C member dues supported a city -level GHG inventory report for each city in King County. This analysis updates data for 2019 and provides GHG inventory emissions for 2022 and 2023. The analysis was prepared as a subpart of King County's GHG inventory update and completed by Cascadia Consulting. • GHG Inventory Report: Appendix C of the report includes summary tables of city - level data for all K4C cities and has also been published in King County's Geographic GHG Inventory Report on the King Countywebsite. • K4C GHG Inventory Excel Workbook: The excel workbook includes data for all K4C cities as an internal resource intended for K4C partner use. • Attribution Analysis: provided to individual cities to compare and examine how city - level trends compare to overall King County trends. Tukwila's high increase in natural 2 53 gas consumption is being further analyzed and is Likely due to heavy -industry stockpiling fuel when prices were low versus actual combustion of the fuel. • Comparison Toot: An internal -use tool was provided to the city to aid attribution understanding. Green Tukwila 20 Year Stewardship Plan The Plan provides strategies for the active restoration and management of 138 acres of park lands and open space by 2036. The Parks Department owns and manages 88 of these acres. The restoration efforts seek to mitigate and counteract pressures which are diminishing the ecological benefits provided by these wildlands, such as: • Reduced stormwater runoff • Improved water and air quality • Attractive communities and stronger property values • Greenhouse gas reduction • Habitat for native wildlife • Improved quality of life. The intent of this plan is to articulate measurable goals and objectives, develop strategies for achieving these goals and establish benchmarks for evaluating success. This plan helps ensure the public investment in these lands is effectively and efficiently allocated across natural areas in Tukwila and that the full implementation of this plan over the 20-year timeframe wilt be achieved. • Green Tukwila Partnership 20 Year Stewardship Plan Parks and Recreation Open Space (PROS) Plan- 2026 Update The PROS Plan functions as a roadmap that aligns community priorities with measurable service outcomes and a realistic path to implementation. The 2026-2031 Plan evaluates current conditions and community needs, then identifies actions that strengthen the system over time through targeted investments, policy direction, and operational strategies. Developed with input from residents, staff, and community partners, the Plan inventories and assesses parks, trails, and open spaces, and considers how Tukwita's system connects to local and regional recreation resources. It identifies opportunities for land acquisition, land banking, site development, and system connectivity, and it frames financing strategies that help translate priorities into deliverable projects. The Green Tukwila Plan's (noted above) vision aligns closely with current community feedback gathered for the PROS Plan update. Residents consistently identified access to nature, habitat preservation, native plant gardens, and open space connectivity as top 54 3 priorities. Many also voiced support for volunteer opportunities and stewardship programs, echoing the community -based implementation model at the heart of the Green Tukwila effort. • City of Tukwila 2020-26 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan • City of Tukwila 2026-31 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan- preliminary draft under review Building Code The current Washington State Energy Code (WSEC), effective March 15, 2024, mandates stringent energy efficiency for new buildings, aiming for a 70% reduction in energy use compared to 2006. Key requirements include mandatory heat pump installation for space heating and water heating, high -efficiency building envelopes, and strict, tiered energy credits for residential construction. Some cities have gone further by adopting bans on new natural gas connections. Land Use Code The City is currently planning for updates to environmental land use codes: • Environmentally Critical Areas (2026, required by the state) • Tree Code (2026-2027, in response to state -required middle housing) • Shoreline Code (2027, required by the state) Transportation Tukwila has a three -person, grant funded Transportation Demand Management team that delivers services to residents, employees, and businesses in Tukwila and the partnering jurisdictions of Burien, Des Moines, Kent, Renton, and SeaTac aimed at reducing the demand for roadway travel, particularly in single occupancy vehicles. These strategies address a wide range of externalities associated with driving, including congestion, poor air quality, less livable communities, reduced public health, dependence on oil and climate change. Solid Waste Management Tukwila has a full-time staff person who manages our waste hauler contract and coordinates numerous outreach and education events throughout the year. • https://www.tukwilawa.gov/departments/public-works/garbage-recycling/ • GreenSheen Paint collection events • Hard to Recycle material collection events (mattresses, electronics, ec.) • Food waste reduction and composting education events 4 55