KayCee Downey, Planner II, No Phone Number Available
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 11:05 a.m.
How is Spokane impacted by changing weather conditions? And, perhaps more relevant to our day-to-day lives, how can we address those impacts to create a more resilient community?
The answers to these two questions are available in two memos as part of the City of Spokane’s Climate Planning efforts to help the community understand the value of this work.
In compliance with House Bill (HB) 1181, which was passed by the 2023 Washington State Legislature and added climate and resiliency considerations to comprehensive planning, City staff and a team of consultants reviewed existing climate data and policies. These memos help provide a foundation for future work towards supporting a more resilient Spokane. For a detailed discussion about the memos and their content, watch the January 9, 2025 Climate Resilience and Sustainability Board workshop.
Extreme weather events and a changing climate affect everyone, regardless of age, background, or income. However, those impacts are not felt evenly. Following legislative requirements and guidelines, the Spokane Climate Impacts and Climate Justice memo identifies climate trends affecting the City of Spokane and the vulnerable populations and overburdened communities that are impacted first and worst.
The key findings of the memo highlight trends directly affecting the City of Spokane community today and projected into the future:
When looking at these climate trends, key vulnerable populations were identified that may be more impacted by the climate due to income, ability, employment, geographic location, and systemic disparities. Our neighbors most at risk include low-income residents and those experiencing poverty, houseless residents, youth and older populations, residents with disabilities or chronic health conditions, outdoor workers, and residents living in areas exposed to more environmental harms, who are most often communities of color.
In addition to understanding climate trends and impacted community members, it is important to understand current policies. The Spokane Climate Policy Audit analyzes and summarizes existing climate-related plans, policies, and regulations to lay a strong planning foundations to the new climate and resiliency legislative requirements. The audit identifies policies and codes to keep, amend, add, consolidate, or incorporate into the City’s Comprehensive Plan. By understanding the policies that are already in place, priority areas can be identified as focus areas for the development, or amendment, of policies in later phases of the Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update process.
These memos will guide the upcoming Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (anticipated summer 2025) and will provide valuable information to update climate and resiliency policies in the Comprehensive Plan.
In the meantime, be on the lookout for future Climate Planning engagement opportunities and provide feedback on the Engage Spokane community space.
Have questions for the Climate Planning team? Contact us at climateplanning@spokanecity.org.
Learn more about the Plan Spokane 2046 Periodic Update to the Comprehensive Plan.
The City of Spokane Climate Planning project is funded by a state grant. The WA Department of Commerce climate planning grant is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available on their website.
