Sustainability Updates at City Council

2018-2019 Sustainability Plan Annual Report

The Sustainability Plan Annual Report is our way to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year and show Lakewood's progress towards the community's adopted goals, targets and strategies, which were adopted in 2015. The report includes stories, pictures, infographics, and data that demonstrate how far Lakewood has come and how much farther we still need to go.

You can download the full report online, which includes the following highlights and so much more.

Lakewood adopted an Enhanced Development Menu, a zoning tool that requires new, large developments to select from a menu of sustainable development items, such as energy and water efficiency, renewable energy procurement and on-site food production.

Students from Dunstan Middle School helped write an award-winning Kids' Sustainability Plan

All eight Lakewood Sustainable Neighborhoods re-certified as "Outstanding Sustainable Neighborhoods".

Communitywide greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 12%, largely due to increasing renewable energy on the electric grid.

Join us at Monday's City Council meeting on July 15 at 7 p.m. to learn more about sustainability efforts this past year, or watch online.

2019 Analysis of Residential Waste Collection Improvement Options

Earlier this year, Council directed staff to gather Lakewood-specific details on three residential waste collection improvement options—Enhanced Licensing, Contracted System, and Preferred Hauler System. The 2019 Analysis of Residential Waste Collection Improvement Options report analyzes the three policy options to better understand the potential benefits and impacts of each on:

Household costs

Household services

Customer service and hauler accountability

Neighborhood impacts: noise, safety, and neighborhood aesthetics

Environmental impacts: waste diversion, air quality, and GHG emissions

Household choice among haulers

Business and market competition

City administrative and operating costs

Based on these analyses, staff found that the most effective option for achieving the widest range of community goals is the Contracted System with multiple districts and new licensing requirements for all haulers in the city in order to set a fair citywide standard for services. Efficiency gains realized through this option enable the community to access new services, significantly reduce neighborhood impacts and provide an economic incentive to reduce household waste and overall costs. Through the Contracted System, Lakewood can realize the benefits associated with organized collection and with market competition.

You can read the full report online for the full analysis. We also invite you to join us at Monday's City Council meeting on July 15 at 7 p.m. as we present the report's findings to City Council or watch online.

Municipal Renewable Solar Strategy

In response to City Council's request, on July 15, we will be presenting Lakewood's renewable energy strategy for its municipal operations. This update includes the city’s previous actions, existing portfolio, and ongoing strategic planning efforts and procurement options. This strategy begins by focusing on achieving 100% renewable electricity for municipal operations through rooftop solar on some of our facilities as well as off-site generation options.

The city’s adopted Sustainability Plan target to achieve 45% of municipal energy from renewable sources by 2025 is inclusive of all energy sources in Lakewood, including electricity, heating fuels and transportation fuels. Procuring 100% of the City of Lakewood’s electricity needs from renewable sources would result in 35% renewable energy overall for all municipal uses. You can learn more about this approach by reading the July 15 City Council Packet or tuning into Monday's City Council meeting at 7 p.m.

2018-2019 Sustainability Plan Annual Report

2019 Analysis of Residential Waste Collection Improvement Options

Municipal Renewable Solar Strategy

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