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Leon County
Board of County Commissioners Cover Sheet for Agenda #22 December 8, 2020 |
| To: | Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board |
| From: | Vincent S. Long, County Administrator |
| Title: | Annual Sustainability Program Status Report and Proposed Revisions to Policy No. 12-1, "Green Fleet Policy" |
| Review and Approval: | Vincent S. Long, County Administrator |
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Department/Division Review and Approval: |
Alan Rosenzweig, Deputy County Administrator Maggie Theriot, Director of Office of Resource Stewardship |
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Lead Staff/ Project Team: |
Tessa Schreiner, Recycling and Sustainability Manager Tobias Raether, Sustainability Programs Coordinator |
Annually, a status report is provided to the Board highlighting accomplishments of the County’s Sustainability program’s activities for the prior year. Additionally, this report includes an update on waste reduction and recycling initiatives, the 2021 Sustainable Community Summit, and seeks the Board’s consideration of proposed revisions to Policy No. 12-1, “Green Fleet Policy.”
This item has no fiscal impact.
Option #1: Accept the annual status report on the County Sustainability Program.
Option #2: Adopt the proposed revisions to Policy No. 12-1, “Green Fleet Policy” (Attachment #1)
Report and Discussion
Annually, the Office of Sustainability provides the Board with an annual update on the Office’s accomplishments and activities, and outlines programs and projects on the horizon for the next year. This status report reviews the activities from December 2019 through December 2020 and gives insight for things to come next year. In addition, this agenda item seeks Board consideration of proposed revisions to Policy No. 12-1, “Green Fleet Policy.”
This annual status report provides an update on the Office of Sustainability’s activities and accomplishments, which advances the following FY2017-FY2021 Strategic Initiatives and Environment 5-Year Targets:
These particular Strategic Initiatives and 5-Year Targets align with the Board’s Environment Strategic Priorities:
This agenda item includes information on numerous topics, including the Integrated Sustainability Action Plan, progress of the Capital Area Sustainability Compact, an update on the 2021 Sustainable Community Summit, and proposed revisions to Policy No. 12-1, “Green Fleet Policy.”
During 2020, the Leon County Office of Sustainability continued to lead the community and County Government in driving sustainability efforts that have produced meaningful results. Explained in more detail below, the following highlights just a few of these efforts:
The balance of this agenda item is organized by Sustainability’s main activities:
At the April 23, 2019 Budget Workshop, the Board approved the adoption of the Leon County Integrated Sustainability Action Plan (ISAP). The ISAP is Leon County’s strategic plan to institutionalize sustainability action into operations, protocol, and policy, as well as promote sustainability in the community more broadly. The ISAP contains an overarching goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from County operations 30% from a 2015 baseline by 2030. Additionally, it identifies specific goals for variety of action areas, including energy, water, waste, transportation, food systems, and the engagement of employees and the community at large. In this way, the ISAP is a comprehensive framework that highlights the multifaceted nature of sustainability challenges. The action plan facilitates collaboration, embeds sustainability into a wide range of County operations, and functions as a comprehensive organizing document for all the County’s sustainability initiatives. In 2020, Leon County received a NACo National Achievement Award for the Integrated Sustainability Action Plan.
The ISAP contains 18 goals and 94 action items to be completed by 2030. To date, the County has made significant progress on the ISAP, with 39 action items in progress, and 36 complete and/or are ongoing. In addition, three goals have been completed and/or are ongoing, and 15 goals are in progress. A complete update on the progress achieved so far in the ISAP is included as Attachment #2. The following subsections provide a more in-depth description of ISAP initiatives, highlights, and achievements in the areas of Resource Conservation, Policy & Program Administration, Civic Engagement and Community Partnerships, respectively. ISAP action items and/or goals that directly tie to particular highlights in this agenda item will be indicated in brackets. Of note, the Sustainability Program goes beyond just the action items set forth in ISAP, and this agenda item also includes an update on additional initiatives.
The Office of Sustainability is constantly striving to find even more ways to promote and implement resource conservation methods in Leon County.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Leon County Operations [ISAP Overarching Goal]
In the Integrated Sustainability Action Plan, the County committed to a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal of 30% by 2030 from a baseline that was established based on County operations in FY 2015. The baseline estimate was a total of 19,155 estimated tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), an international unit of measurement for GHG emissions. In that baseline, County emissions associated with electricity and natural gas from buildings, park lighting, and traffic lights represented 75% of all emissions. Fuel consumption associated with the County fleet represented 18% of the emissions baseline, and employee commute accounted for about 7%. Solid waste represented less than 1% of County operations emissions in FY 2015.
To track progress in reaching the 2030 GHG emissions reduction goal, staff conducted an updated GHG inventory at the five-year benchmark since the baseline year of FY 2015. In FY 2020, the proportion of emissions from the various sources listed above was nearly constant, but total emissions were reduced by about 7%, down to 17,773. The reduction is largely attributable to energy efficiencies in County electric and natural gas consumption and reductions in fuel consumption by the County fleet. This reduction represents significant progress and points to the value of energy and conservation for both cost savings and environmental benefit. Though important progress, achieving the reduction goal of 30% by 2030 will require still greater attention to conservation. Planned improvements to building efficiency through the current Energy Savings Contract and future procurement of fully electric vehicles will be important drivers of accelerated reductions to reach the 2030 goal.
The emissions estimate for FY 2020 County operations assumes business-as-usual and does not account for the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting work-from-home transition of some County employees. Accounting for an approximate 10% reduction in employee commute in the second half of FY 2020 results in a 5% reduction in associated emissions. If that proportion of County employees worked from home for the entirety of FY 2020, total County emissions would have decreased an additional 1%.
PACE Financing Program [ISAP Action Item 1H]
Leon County launched the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program in August 2017. The PACE program allows for the property assessed financing on energy improvements and weatherization upgrades for both residential and commercial properties in Leon County. Since the launch of residential PACE, 134 homes have been improved with a total project value of $1,774,888. Home improvements have included high-efficiency HVACs, weatherization, and efficiency upgrades for roofing and windows, with wind resistance and weatherization upgrades being the most common improvement projects.
In preparation for the launch of the PACE Program in early 2017, the Board authorized the Florida Development Finance Corporation (FDFC) to oversee the PACE Program as Leon County’s program administrator. As a program administrator, the FDFC is responsible for the selection and oversight of program providers and overall program administration. This includes setting streamlined standards and protocols for providers, reporting and collecting energy-saving data, and facilitating the finance process. Though numerous providers have participated in the residential PACE Program through the FDFC, Renovate America has been the sole residential provider for the recent past. In October, the FDFC notified the County that Renovate America has made an unanticipated business decision to stop their "HERO" residential PACE Financing program. This is a national program decision, not unique to Florida or Leon County. For Leon County, this has considerable impacts on the PACE Program, as Renovate America was the only residential PACE provider under the FDFC, and thus the only provider authorized to offer residential PACE in Leon County. This program change will not affect homeowners with current PACE liens on their homes, and they will continue to pay off the financing as planned. However, for the time being, Leon County's PACE Program will only be available for commercial properties.
The FDFC is quickly working to pivot and establish next steps to ensure residential PACE remains available in their partnering communities. Recruitment of new providers is underway, with screening of at least one provider nearing completion. The FDFC was selected as the County’s PACE Administrator due in large part to the strict standards and quality control measures imbedded. Additionally, engaging the FDFC helps Leon County residents gain access to providers that would otherwise only focus in areas of higher population. The FDFC has a rigorous screening process for their PACE Providers, and only approve providers who have met a high set of standards for a quality program. For example, the FDFC requires program providers to vet, train, and manage contractors, underwrite applications for financing, provide clear and concise financing disclosures, require property owner sign-off on installation prior to contractor’s receiving of payment, and assist property owners with prepayments with no penalties, among other requirements, while other Administrators do not. This is a huge asset to Leon County, as it ensures that any provider that offers PACE in the County has met these standards and is exemplifying high quality practices. The FDFC serves as a gate keeper to ensure citizens are protected and have access to a quality PACE Program. In addition, staff is closely monitoring potential statewide action on PACE during the upcoming legislative session which could ensure all providers are held to universal standards and protocols should they choose to offer programming in Florida.
Renovate America's decision does not affect Commercial PACE, as there are several commercial providers under FDFC's umbrella that offer service in Leon County. Leon County’s commercial PACE program was launched in early 2019, and there are currently eight active commercial program administrators, Greenworks Lending, Twain Financial Partners, PACE Equity, Cleanfund, Stonehill, Rockwood Group, White Oak, and Dividend. Two commercial PACE projects are in progress with a total project value of $2,349,808; both projects are hotels. Staff continues to spread the word about the commercial PACE program by connecting with key stakeholders in the community.
Staff continues to work with the program administrators to ensure that the program exceeds citizens’ expectations for transparency, quality and service.
Reaching the Statewide 75% Recycling Goal [ISAP Goal 7]
In 2008, the Florida Legislature enacted House Bill 7135, which set a recycling goal of 75% by 2020 for the State of Florida. Each county over 100,000 in population is expected to meet various benchmarks in years leading up to 2020. Counties had a benchmark rate of 70% to reach by the end of 2018, and only four counties in the state achieved this rate. The statewide overall recycling rate increased slightly from 49% in 2018 to 52% in 2019. It is not anticipated that the state will meet the 75% recycling goal, and it is still unknown if a new or modified recycling goal will be established following the 2020 goal date. In addition, in November 2020, the EPA set a national voluntary recycling goal of 50% by 2030. Staff will bring an update to the Board as soon as new information is released.
Leon County’s 2019 recycling rate was 57%, a 5% decrease from the 2018 rate. This rate decrease was due to a notable decrease in construction and demolition material recycling, specifically a decrease in one local contractor’s recycled asphalt material, which had a 4% impact on the County’s rate. The DEP recycling rate calculation is based on weight of materials, thus materials such as construction and demolition debris and yard debris make up a large percentage of the annual recycling and waste tonnage. In past years, including 2019, changes in construction and demolition recycling tonnage have heavily impacted the County’s overall recycling rate.
Despite the slight decrease in recycling rate in 2019, Leon County still achieved the 9rd highest traditional recycling rate (which excludes waste-to-energy) in the state and the 14th highest rate overall. This is no small accomplishment given that many counties with higher recycling rates incinerate their waste and thus receive additional waste-to-energy recycling credits. Most of the counties in Florida that had recycling rates above 70% in 2019, and are most likely to meet the state’s recycling goal in 2020, have waste-to-energy facilities. These counties receive a significant portion of their recycling credits from this alternative landfill diversion operation. For example, in 2019, Lee County had a traditional recycling rate of 59% (compared to Leon County’s 56%), and yet achieved an 80% overall recycling rate when waste-to-energy credits were included. Leon County does not have a waste-to-energy facility yet has consistently achieved high recycling rates in the state in recent years.
Given that Leon County would need to increase the community recycling rate by 18% in 2020 to meet the state’s 75% recycling goal, staff does not expect Leon County to meet the state’s 2020 goal. There are no penalties if the County does not meet the goal. However, staff will continue to research and implement strategies to reduce the community’s overall waste, improve recycling participation and quality, and educate the community on best practices. One important component of the County’s waste diversion strategy is the single-stream recycling program.
In November, staff brought an agenda item to the Board regarding the County’s single-stream recycling program. Leon County and the City of Tallahassee hired a consultant to do a thorough analysis of options for the long-term viability of single-stream recycling in the County. This analysis showed that the best option for the County was to renegotiate a contract with Marpan Recycling. The Board approved the County Administrator to renegotiate a contract with Marpan Recycling, LLC to ensure the sustainability of single-stream recycling in Leon County. This contract will be brought to the Board for approval in early 2021. Although recycling has seen a dramatic shift in the last few years due to changes in international markets, Leon County has continued to demonstrate a commitment to ensuring that citizens and businesses still have access to single-stream recycling.
In addition to looking at long-term strategies for single-stream materials, the recycling consultant recommended the county look at additional waste diversion opportunities and strategies. As discussed in the November 17 agenda, staff has conducted extensive research on various initiatives and has created a plan for next steps in amplifying the County’s waste reduction and diversion efforts. These initiatives fall under three main categories: composting, engaging the business community in waste reduction, and expanding community education.
Composting [ISAP Action Item 3Q]: In 2011, Leon County conducted a Waste Characterization study that categorized Leon County’s landfilled waste into type and composition. The study found that food waste accounted for 11.4% of Leon County’s waste stream, highlighting a significant opportunity for diversion. Staff has analyzed various composting initiatives and has plans to move forward with several efforts listed below. These initiatives were chosen for their scalability, cost and impact, and after gathering community input:
Engaging the business community in waste reduction: Commercial entities are the largest generators of waste and recycling materials in Leon County. There is a significant opportunity to divert more waste from commercial generators, and to do this, staff has prioritized the following initiatives:
Expanding community education:
The Office of Sustainability staff continues to research and explore creative ways to divert waste and achieve the waste reduction goals and action items set forth in the ISAP. Staff is continuously improving recycling education efforts to residents, businesses, and schools of unincorporated Leon County in efforts to reach the 75% goal – and beyond.
Energy Conservation Measures [ISAP Action Items 1A, 1C, 1F, 1Q]
Energy conservation initiatives are among the most significant on return of investment in terms of both cost-savings and GHG emissions reductions. County Sustainability and Facilities staff has a long history of collaboration in this area. Goals and action items in the new ISAP ensure continued success through innovations in tracking and reporting, as well as identifying new opportunities for efficiencies. The following examples highlight several significant achievements in addition to the pursuit of the County’s newest ESCO project currently underway:
100% of New County Building Construction, Renovation and Repair Utilize Sustainable Design [ISAP Goal 4]
Sustainability, Facilities, and Public Works staff has been working on a strategy to best accomplish this 5-Year Target included in the approved FY2017 – 2021 Strategic Plan. Staff has integrated sustainability language into various Facilities’ documents and standard operating procedures, including maintenance guidelines, custodial contracts, and landscaping contracts.
For new construction and major renovations, projects must follow the County’s Facilities Design Guidelines (FDGs). Staff, in collaboration with Public Works, is working on developing an entire section on Sustainable Design that will be integrated into the FDGs. This update will better highlight the County’s sustainable building requirements and create a new process for integrating sustainability features in the project scoping. This update will be brought to the Board at a later date.
Water Bottle Filling Stations [ISAP Action Item 2G]
In an effort to encourage Leon County employees to stay healthy by drinking more water while simultaneously reducing the number of plastic water bottles used, water bottle filling stations have been installed in various County buildings. There are currently 22 stations installed across County facilities, and they have collectively saved more than 440,000 plastic water bottles from being used. Despite the decrease in staff and citizens in County buildings due to COVID-19, the stations prevented more than 100,000 bottles from being used in the last year alone. Staff continues to identify new locations to install these filling stations in County facilities.
Fleet Efficiencies [ISAP Action Items 4A, 4E, 4I]
Fleet Management and Sustainability staff have continued to work together to implement new technologies and protocols to reach ISAP goals associated with advancing efficiencies in the County’s fleet. These initiatives support goals to reduce fuel consumption, procure electric vehicles, and employ strategies to support efficient driving behavior. The following highlights 4 of the year’s initiatives in fleet efficiencies:
Green Fleet Policy Update
In April 2012, Leon County passed the County’s first Green Fleet Policy with the purpose of creating a framework and procedure for ensuring the County operates the most sustainable, efficient fleet possible. Although the foundations of this policy remain solid, this item recommends making various updates to the policy (Attachment #1), highlights of which include:
The updates have been approved by the Green Fleet Team, which includes members from Fleet, DSEM, Sustainability, Public Works, OMB, and Risk Management. These updates are an important step in ensuring that the County’s sustainability goals are integrated into standard operations and procedure.
Solar Energy Production on Leon County Facilities [ISAP Action Item 1B]
Leon County’s inventory of solar PV arrays on County facilities continues to expand, with arrays currently at the Eastside Branch Library, Sustainable Demonstration Center, Office of Resource Stewardship, Transfer Station, and Northeast Branch Library. An array will be installed as part of the new Apalachee Regional Park cross country operations facility, completing construction in 2020. Collectively, the County’s solar arrays have produced a total of 745 MWhs (MegaWatt hours) of renewable energy, which is enough electricity to power 89 homes for one year, or the equivalent to taking 114 passenger vehicles off the road for a year.
Staff is partnering with engineering students at the FAMU/FSU College of Engineering to help craft an innovative design for a solar installation at a County facility or park. For future solar arrays, a yearly allocation of $50,000 by the Board was adopted alongside the adoption of the ISAP. Depending on the outcome of the engineering students’ project, the funds in FY2021 could be used to install their designed solar array. A solar array is planned for the Courthouse and is anticipated to be installed as the roof is scheduled to be replaced. Expansion of rooftop solar will continuously be evaluated, in addition to innovative pilots such as solar benches, solar-powered lighting fixtures at County parks, and “floating” solar arrays in detention or retention ponds.
In 2019, staff purchased a solar picnic table and portable solar standing table. Both units provide shaded areas to sit or stand, have solar powered outlets for charging devices, and are compatible with Wi-Fi hotspots. The solar picnic table will be placed at Anita L. Davis Preserve at Lake Henrietta Park this fall. While the standing table was originally intended for use at outdoor events, staff is considering additional opportunities to use it in the absence of events. Staff is also exploring the potential of adding Wi-Fi hotspots to the units and in other County parks to provide free internet connectivity to community members and park attendees to help address the digital divide.
SolSmart Gold Designation
In June 2020, Leon County was designated a SolSmart Gold Community. Bestowed by The Solar Foundation and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), the gold designation is the program's highest honor recognizing how local governments find innovative ways to make going solar faster, easier and more affordable. Leon County was only the third county in Florida to achieve the Gold designation. The designation recognizes Leon County's efforts to evaluate local permitting processes and certain planning and zoning procedures, as well as market development and finance.
The County achieved the designation by implementing various initiatives, highlights of which include:
The SolSmart Gold designation is a major indicator of Leon County’s commitment to making solar energy more accessible and leadership towards the expansion of renewable and sustainable energy sources throughout the community.
Staff has implemented and is continuing to develop various policies and programs to expand our reach and improve our services.
Best Practice Research
During the COVID-19 pandemic, traditional sustainability programming and events have been put on hold in order to ensure the safety of staff and Leon County citizens. Since March, staff has continued to focus on implementing the action items and initiatives set forth in the Integrated Sustainability Action Plan, and has used the time normally spent on programming and events to pivot and prepare for what is next for the County’s sustainability initiatives, policies, and programs. This planning has taken shape through researching best practice of other communities and outlining the potential for future, bold sustainability initiatives. This research covers a myriad of topics including equity, sustainable purchasing, sustainable building incentives, circular economy, and food waste diversion. This future planning helps ensure that the County’s sustainability efforts remain forward thinking and visionary and that Leon County will remain at the forefront of sustainability progress among peer local governments.
EV-Ready Ordinance [ISAP Action Item 4H]
Staff is in the beginning stages of researching and analyzing the potential for an EV-ready ordinance for community developments. An EV-ready ordinance is a law, which requires that private and/or public parking facilities be designed and built to accommodate electric vehicle infrastructure necessary to support electric vehicle charging. Typically, ordinances are structured to ensure minimum percentage of spaces include this infrastructure in each new parking facility. Several communities in Florida have implemented EV-ready ordinances as a method for ensuring that community charging capacity and availability does not fall behind the growing electric vehicle market. According to the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), Florida has the second largest number of passenger EVs on the road, and EV sales in Florida increased by 20% between 2018 and 2019 despite a nationwide decrease in sales of 12% in the same period. Staff plans to bring an update to the Board on a potential EV-ready ordinance in 2021.
Employee Engagement in Sustainability [ISAP Goal 15 and Action Items 5C and 5K]
The Office of Sustainability staff continues to engage employees in sustainability in an effort to integrate best practices into day-to-day work life. The following initiatives are examples of ways that staff is connecting with the greater Leon County team:
Single-Use Plastic Straw and Expanded Polystyrene Policy [ISAP Action Item 3C]
In 2019, the Board adopted a resolution encouraging businesses and individuals to eliminate the use of single-use plastic straws and other single-use plastics. Additionally, the Board adopted a policy that provides single-use plastic straws at County events upon request and bans the sale and distribution of expanded polystyrene in County operations and at County events. With the adoption of this policy, Leon County became the first county in Florida to regulate the use of single-use plastic straws on County property and in County operations, and the second county in Florida to adopt regulation on expanded polystyrene. Staff has developed and continues to share resources to all Leon County employees on integrating sustainable practices into events and office kitchens, including options for alternatives to single-use plastics. Staff is also actively working with community groups and businesses to find alternatives to single-use plastics.
Sustainable Business Recognition Program [ISAP Action Item 1P]
At the September 24, 2019 Board meeting, staff provided the Board with a list of strategies for the sustainability team to expand sustainable practices in the community, including ways to encourage citizens and businesses to reduce their use of single-use plastics. Staff is developing a Sustainable Business Recognition Program that will highlight businesses who have adopted sustainable practices into their operations, and the program will provide a framework for businesses to follow in an effort to amplify their sustainable practices. Staff has received input from various community groups and businesses and plans to launch the program in spring 2021. The program was originally intended to launch in 2020 but was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community Garden Program [ISAP Action Item 6C]
New gardens continue to be developed and awarded grants consistent with the County’s Community Garden Policy, adopted in 2012. With the help of Cooperative Extension, a site visit from a Cooperative Extension Agriculture Agent is required prior to all garden grant approvals to advise on proper sunlight, water, placement, and overall health of garden. Staff has also continued communication with existing gardens and garden organizers and received updates about the status of the gardens. In an effort to showcase the success of this program, gardens that have received funding from Leon County are featured as a part of the Green Map. In July, community garden grants were suspended for the remainder of the fiscal year due to FY 2020 budget cuts.
Since the last report, five grants have been awarded to support community gardens on non-County properties under the County Stakeholder Garden program:
Four gardens on this list are receiving a Leon County Garden Grant for the first time, and one is receiving a grant for the second. All four gardens receiving the grant for the first time were already in existence and had been established and maintained through other funding sources. When Leon County first passed the Community Garden Policy in 2012, there were far fewer community gardens in the County, and many organizations looking to establish new gardens - the landscape has since changed, with dozens of community gardens in place needing more continual support to sustain the garden.
As with all programs and initiatives of the Sustainability Office, staff has taken an iterative approach to the Community Garden Program, staying up-to-date with both shifting needs in the community as well as trends in other communities. Sustainability staff has continued to work with local stakeholders, primary organizers of community gardens, Cooperative Extension agents, and leaders of Sustainable Tallahassee’s Community Garden Network to identify opportunities to improve upon the Community Garden Program. With this input, along with research conducted of other innovative community garden programs in local governments around the country, staff has concluded that Leon County’s Community Garden Grant policy is still in-line with other policies seen in local governments across the country. After identifying opportunities to make updates to program process and protocol to stay ahead of the curve for changing trends and community needs, staff made all community garden applications available as online forms.
Food Programming with the Libraries
The COVID-19 pandemic has had drastic impacts on the Leon County community. According to Second Harvest, food insecurity is an issue that affects one in four Leon County citizens, and COVID-19 has created an additional strain on many community members. In an effort to focus on current community needs, the Library and Sustainability teams are in the beginning stages of creating collaborative food programming, and as a start, have been meeting with and getting input from multiple community members and organizations that work in the food insecurity space. The intent behind the programming is to leverage existing partnerships and efforts, identify gaps in which County programming could be most useful and impactful, and build programming alongside community members. Programming recommendations would be brought to the Board for consideration as part of the Essential Libraries Initiative update to be presented during the annual budget process.
Adopt-A-Tree
Through the County’s Adopt-A-Tree program, citizens can to choose between three different varieties of native trees to “adopt” and have planted in their yard. This program provides an opportunity for citizens to choose a tree that is best suited for their yard and landscape, which can result in higher success rates for planted trees and in some cases, improved resiliency. This upcoming year’s options are sweetbay magnolia, swamp white oak, and red buckeye. Citizens will also receive helpful information on how to take care of their adopted tree. This year, citizens will have an opportunity to have their tree delivered to their home and left to be planted at their own convenience. Since 2012, 1,899 trees have been planted through the Adopt-A-Tree program, and staff is aiming to increase the capacity in coming years to accelerate growth.
Arbor Day
Per the adopted Bold Goal to plant 15,000 trees by 2021, Sustainability, Parks and Recreation, and Public Works staff is exploring ways to amplify the annual Arbor Day planting and celebration. The City and County switch off hosting Arbor Day events, and Leon County hosted the 2020 Arbor Day celebration at Martha Wellman Park on January 25, 2020. This event provided another great opportunity to showcase the County’s tree planting efforts, engage multiple community organizations and members, and educate volunteers on the importance of planting native trees to support a sustainable ecosystem. Staff and volunteers planted nearly 500 trees and native plants, etc. The 2021 Arbor Day will be hosted by the City of Tallahassee.
The Office of Sustainability staff fully recognizes and values the importance of community partnerships and involvement in sustainability efforts throughout Leon County.
Outreach Efforts [ISAP Action Items 1P, 4K, 7F]
Engaging citizens in sustainability and helping drive sustainable action in the community are two important initiatives in the Office of Sustainability. This effort is accomplished by attending community meetings, writing articles for local publication, and posting on social media.
Annual Agreement with Sustainable Tallahassee [ISAP 7A]
For several years, Leon County has had an annual funding agreement with Sustainable Tallahassee. The agreements have focused on various project deliverables, with FY19 and FY20’s agreements focused on administering the Capital Area Sustainability Compact. At the November 17, 2020 meeting, staff brought an agenda item to the Board regarding changes to the agreement with Sustainable Tallahassee. Sustainable Tallahassee wrote a letter to the County stating that they no longer had the organizational capacity to serve as the Compact administrator. Staff recommended and the Board approved that funding for the Compact Administrator role be shifted to Apalachee Regional Planning Council, per the Compact Steering Committee’s vote, and that remaining funds be allocated to Sustainable Tallahassee in a one time allotment to help the organization as they continue to implement their new strategic plan. Staff will continue to find opportunities to collaborate with Sustainable Tallahassee and seek their key input and feedback on the County’s sustainability initiatives. An update on the Compact is included later in this agenda item.
Litter Reduction and Beautification Initiatives [ISAP Goal 18 and Action Items 7C, 7D]
In the 2016 Budget Workshop, as recommended by staff, the Board relocated funds from Keep Tallahassee-Leon County Beautiful to the Office of Sustainability for various litter reduction and beautification initiatives. Sustainability staff has partnered with several organizations over the past year to leverage the impact and breadth of the funds. This has resulted in multiple successful events and community engagement initiatives. This year, efforts were limited due to COVID-19, and staff hopes to revamp efforts and events in 2021.
Sustainable Community Summit [ISAP Action Item 7F]
Since 2008, Leon County has hosted Sustainable Community Summits every two years to engage and educate the community in sustainability topics. The summit has varied over the years, covering areas such as climate action, sustainable food systems, outdoor recreation, and alternative transportation. The most recent 2019 Summit broke the conventional mold for a summit and was hosted outside for the first time. Citizens engaged on a wide variety of topics that correlated to the County’s focus areas in the Integrated Sustainability Action Plan. The Summits continue to draw hundreds of attendees every year, and staff has made an effort to offer new activities and topics to ensure that the event remains engaging and informative.
The 2021 Sustainable Community Summit will likely look different that past Summits. With the health and safety of event attendees in mind, staff is looking to modify the summit format to ensure that it can be held safely, while also continuing to reach new audiences and engage citizens in new ways. Possibilities include hosting a virtual summit, a series of socially distanced in-person events or activities, or a hybrid of the two. Staff is surveying citizens and key stakeholders through a variety of avenues to better understand the interests of the community and the comfort level with various types of events. The Sustainability team will build the event based on this feedback and will likely host the event in the late spring. Regardless of the format, the summit will still immerse attendees in different topic areas of sustainability through engaging activities with community partners.
Capital Area Sustainability Compact [ISAP Action Item 7A]
In fall of 2017, staff approached leadership of Sustainable Tallahassee on a collaborative idea to further drive sustainability in the community. The idea evolved into the Capital Area Sustainability Compact, with the hope that the largest local organizations in the community would join on and work together to tackle sustainability challenges and identify shared opportunities. This summer, eight founding organizations officially signed onto the Compact: Leon County Schools, Florida State University, Capital Regional Medical Center, Florida A&M University, the City of Tallahassee, Tallahassee Community College, Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, and Leon County Government. By signing on, the organizations are committing to work together and to developing a joint strategy to minimize the community footprint, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and drive sustainable action in the Capital Area. In addition, each member organization has committed to creating a sustainability action plan for their organization within two years of signing the Compact.
Sustainable Tallahassee played an instrumental role in helping create the Compact and was the Compact’s first Administrator to aid with facilitation and administrative duties. As reported to the Board at the November 17 meeting, Sustainable Tallahassee indicated that the group no longer had the capacity to serve in the Compact Administrator role. After thoughtful research and consideration of alternative administrative routes, the Compact Steering Committee voted to move forward with the Apalachee Regional Planning Council (ARPC) as the new Compact Administrator. The County, per the Board’s approval, is still primarily funding this role, although it is anticipated that eventually all Compact members will financially support the role.
The Apalachee Regional Planning Council is an organization with a collaborative mission, a robust team, and an ever-growing interest in the resilience and sustainability space. In addition, the ARPC has access to various networks and potential grant funding that could be beneficial to the Compact as the collaborative evolves and grows. Furthermore, the East-Central, Northeast, & Tampa Bay Collaboratives, which are similar in many ways to the Capital Area Sustainability Compact yet focus more on resilience, are all housed in their region’s RPC. The ARPC is naturally networked with these RPCs and could learn from their efforts in this type of role.
Four committees and groups have been created for Compact members and member organization staff. The Steering Committee is comprised of one representative from each member organization and sets the priorities and objectives for the Compact. Additionally, there are three working groups each comprised of relevant staff from each member organization. The working groups are focused on Energy, Transportation, and Waste, and continue to define areas of collaboration among Compact organizations. Due to COVID-19, the Compact has been meeting virtually since March, and has continued to make progress on several key areas:
Staff continues to engage with other Compact members on identifying new ways to work together, address shared issues, and explore shared opportunities to drive sustainability progress forward in the county. In the year ahead, the Compact will have new momentum under ARPC, allowing the collaborative to continue to grow and progress.
Conclusion
The Office of Sustainability continues to explore opportunities to positively impact our community by means of conserving resources, expanding community partnerships and citizen engagement, and developing impactful policies and programs for the benefit of the citizens in Leon County. With the adoption of the County’s Integrated Sustainability Action Plan, staff has a clear plan of action to continue progress and mark success in the County’s sustainability efforts. In addition to the ISAP, the Sustainability team continues to explore what is next for Leon County by tracking nationwide best practices in sustainability and analyzing future opportunities. Staff continues to stay up-to-date on the sustainability trends around North America by continuing to be actively involved in the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, the Southeast Sustainability Directors Network, and the Florida Sustainability Directors Network, all networks of local government sustainability staff that engage monthly to share best practices, seek advice on particular initiatives, and collaborate on projects. These networks have ensured that staff remains forward thinking about Leon County’s program. Looking forward to the coming year, the Office of Sustainability is excited to embark on new community-facing efforts such as the Sustainable Business Recognition Program, the 2021 Sustainable Community Summit, and the single-use plastic reduction campaign, among other projects.
Options #1 and #2