City hosts first sustainability and Adaption Plan open house

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - The City of Grand Junction held its first open house Thursday night on its Sustainability and Adaptation Plan that is currently in development. The city says this plan is intended to identify the wants and needs in the community when it comes to sustainability and guide both city officials and residents towards positive change.

In 2020 the City of Grand Junction adopted a comprehensive plan for the future. Throughout the process, it became clear sustainability and adaptation was important to residents. Prompting the city’s first ever Sustainability and Adaptation Plan.

“We’ve spent the last several months working with focus groups, community groups, really trying to understand what the key issues are here for our community,” said Tamra Allen, the Community Development Director for the City of Grand Junction.

Five themes emerged: Climate resilience, waste management, energy stewardship, water conservation, and built environment. Folks were encouraged to walk station to station, listening to what and how things are currently operating in each category. As well as the available alternatives or opportunities that could be implemented.

“We’re asking those that attend to really either reinforce or let us know if we’ve missed something, first and foremost, and then to actually help us identify what types of things the city should be doing? What should we be looking at, collectively, here as a community,” said Allen. The city highlighted the bicycle and pedestrian programs, water conservation, and recycling programs.

As for what’s next, the city will inventory the feedback from tonight’s open house and begin drafting a plan. They will then create goals and strategies that will start leading to more sustainable change.

“Ultimately, it’s a plan that we will take to our city council and ask them to adopt and endorse in that fashion,” said Allen.

Allen says they hope to see that come to play over the next five months. Possibly late Spring or early Summer 2024. If you missed Thursday’s event, no worries. Allen says more open houses will be hosted in the future along with other opportunities to weigh in on the plan.

The city says they have a page on the city’s website, where people can find documentation related to this plan and will allow you to submit comments directly on the site.

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