Drafter
Clerk 01/20/2011
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A MOTION requesting the executive to apply for membership for King County in the Seattle 2030 District.
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WHEREAS, the Seattle 2030 District is comprised of public and private entities in downtown Seattle seeking to develop realistic, measureable and innovative strategies to assist district property owners, managers and tenants in meeting aggressive goals that reduce environmental impacts of facility construction and operations, and
WHEREAS, through collaboration among diverse stakeholders, leverage of existing and development of new incentives and financing mechanisms and development and communication of shared resources, the Seattle 2030 District seeks to prove the business case for: sustainability; reducing energy and water use; and reducing of carbon emissions from auto and freight, and
WHEREAS, the Seattle 2030 District now includes the following Seattle neighborhoods in its current and planned boundaries: South Lake Union; Uptown; Belltown; Denny Triangle; Downtown Retail Core; Capitol Hill; First Hill; Waterfront; West Edge; Pioneer Square; International District; and SoDo, and
WHEREAS, the Seattle 2030 District has established the following goals for existing buildings: a minimum-ten-percent reduction in energy use below the national average by 2015, with incremental targets reaching a fifty-percent reduction by 2030; a minimum ten percent reduction in water use below the national average by 2015, with incremental targets reaching a fifty-percent reduction by 2030; and a minimum ten-percent reduction in carbon emissions from auto and freight below the current downtown average by 2015 with incremental targets reaching a fifty-percent reduction by 2030, and
WHEREAS the Seattle 2030 District has established the following goals for new construction: a sixty-percent reduction in energy use below the national average beginning immediately with incremental targets, reaching a target of no net contribution of carbon emissions to the atmosphere by 2030; a fifty-percent reduction in water use below the national average beginning immediately; and an immediate fifty-percent reduction below the current average within the geographic boundaries of the Seattle 2030 District.
WHEREAS, King County owns or occupies many buildings within current and planned boundaries of the Seattle 2030 District, including downtown Seattle, First Hill and Pioneer Square, and
WHEREAS, King County has recognized for a long time that it can reduce operating costs and emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants by reducing its energy use and meeting more its energy needs with local renewable resources, and
WHEREAS, the goals of the Seattle 2030 District complement and help advance King County's goals for energy efficiency and collaboration as stated in the King County Energy Plan, and
WHEREAS, the 2010 King County Strategic Plan calls for the county to minimize the environmental footprint of county operations, and
WHEREAS, King County can benefit by sharing ideas with other building owners on how to reduce energy use;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. The King County council commends the property owners and managers, utilities, engineers and community stakeholders for their leadership in forming the Seattle 2030 District.
B. The King County council requests the executive to apply for membership for King County in the Seattle 2030 District as both a property owner and a community stakeholder. It is the understanding of the council that there are no membership dues for participation in the Seattle 2030 District and that participation will be revaluated if dues are required for membership.
C. The King County council requests the executive commit to share data with the Seattle 2030 District on energy use, climate emissions, and resource use for buildings owned by King County within the boundaries of the Seattle 2030 District.
D. The King County council requests that the executive coordinate and make available staff resources from the facilities management division and transit division and other county agencies, as appropriate and adopted budget allows, to participate in the
Seattle 2030 District to develop innovative strategies that reduce environmental impacts of facility construction and operation.