City of Seattle - Media Advisory

MediaAdvisory

City of Seattle

SeattleCityCouncil

Councilmember Mike O’Brien

Contact:

JoshFogt, Councilmember O’Brien’s office,206-684-8800

LauraLockard, Council Communications,206-684-8159

EVENT DATES:

March 19 and 20, 2012

6:30 to 8 p.m.

Input needed on Seattle City Light’s 2013-2018 Strategic Plan

Public encouraged to attend meetings in South and North Seattle

Seattle – City Council Member Mike O'Brien, Chair of the Energy & Environment Committee, and the City Light Review Panel are seeking public input to help set the course for the future of Seattle City Light. Since early 2010, the utility has been developing a six-year strategic plan with guidance and input from the Review Panel.

“City Light has been around for more than 100 years and today faces some monumental decisions about how we prepare for the next 100 years. As a customer-owned utility, we need to hear from the public to help guide our decisions about energy efficiency, renewable energy, needed infrastructure investments, new technology, and most importantly for many of our customers, rates,” said Councilmember O’Brien. “These two public meetings in South and North Seattle are important for helping us gather some of this feedback and I encourage everyone to attend.”

Who:     Councilmember Mike O’Brien, City Light Review Panel and Seattle

residents

What:    Public hearings to gain customer input into City Light’s proposed 2013-2018 strategic plan

When & Where:  

March 19: 6:30 – 8 p.m. in South Seattle
New Holly Gathering Hall
7054 32^nd Avenue South, Seattle, 98108 (map)

March 20: 6:30 – 8 p.m. in North Seattle

                          Northgate Community Center

              10510 5^th Avenue Northeast, Seattle, 98125 (map)

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council’s website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

# # #

Laura Lockard

Communications Director

Seattle City Council

206-684-8159 (office)

206-650-6692 (cell)

laura.lockard@seattle.gov

www.seattle.gov/council

City of Seattle - Green Building EVOLUTION

Seattle’s Green Building EVOLUTION

The City Green Building team takes an exciting new step in 2012. Beginning in January, part of the “green team” will join forces with the Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE). Staff focused on policy development will become part of OSE, and those focused on green codes and permitting will stay with the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), as part of the Operations Division. As this next step unfolds, both DPD and OSE will continue to develop and implement innovative approaches to building sustainable neighborhoods. 

City Green Building’s mission -- making green building standard practice -- has held fast over ten plus years. The City of Seattle’s legacy as a national leader has fostered local adoption of green building practices, moving beyond the early adopters to the mainstream market. “Seattle’s green building growth has been exponential.  Given the current level of green building expertise and innovation in the private market and in regional organizations we need to continue to evolve our vision and approach,” said Sandra Mallory, Program Manager for City Green Building. “If we are to achieve a climate neutral Seattle, then our green building policies and initiatives need to fit within a broader context.” 

 The evolution of the green building program naturally led to greater coordination with the Office of Sustainability and Environment, the City’s primary office for urban sustainability policy development. “Over the past years, the green team and OSE have worked closely together on numerous initiatives, including co-leading the Green Building Task Force which in turn led to programs like Community Power Works, Energy Benchmarking and Priority Green permitting. Consolidating our efforts will better align work in overlapping areas and allow the City to expand our work on environmental priorities,” said Jill Simmons, Director of OSE.

Within DPD the green team has worked to support both typical and advanced green building projects through education, incentives and program development. “DPD has been a long-standing advocate for green building from within City government. We have invested in our staff – teaching green building strategies so that our reviewers are ready to help applicants when they come in,” said Diane Sugimura, the Director of the Department of Planning and Development. “We remain committed to removing barriers to green building and encouraging innovative sustainability practices.”

In 2012 DPD will remain focused on growing green permitting, on supporting the Living Building Challenge pilot and on evaluating the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) for potential adoption in Seattle. Planning staff will work closely with OSE to implement land use policies that advance green building.  Green building staff in OSE will be working on implementing the Sustainable Building and Sites policy, development of a city Resource Conservation Plan, and providing ongoing management and support of the energy benchmarking program and the 2030 District.

For more information about these efforts, please visit the following websites.  

Office of Sustainability and Environment:  www.seattle.gov/environment

Seattle Green Building:  www.seattle.gov/greenbuilding

Priority Green:  www.seattle.gov/dpd/prioritygreen

For more information:

Rebecca Baker

Rebecca.baker@seattle.gov

206-615-1171