Green Future
As a member of the AIA and a LEED AP, I am involved in the discussion on how our built environment impacts our future on a daily basis. As residents of Western Washington, we all understand the direct impacts to us during fire season. As a City and as a Community, we can directly impact the shape of our future.
The City of Kirkland can be a leader in creating a green future in several ways.
Benchmarking - As a first step, the City can benchmark how the City's operations, purchasing and policies impact carbon footprint. Additionally, the City can partner with the Community to understand the barriers to reducing this footprint.
Operational and Purchasing - The City can take immediate action to address current operations and purchasing decisions to focus them on green alternatives.
Sustainable Planning Policies - Through the zoning and planning process, the City can make long-term positive impacts on this issue through comprehensive zoning that creates true work, live, play communities. Transit oriented development, local neighborhood business, and interconnected transit are all considerations that should be explored during the comprehensive plan review. There is a direct conflict between the parks and tree program and the push to upzone in Kirkland. There's to be a comprehensive and deliberate discussion on how to balance the competing interests.
Interlocal Collaboration - Kirkland has the power to leverage our relationship with great neighboring cities to create regional solutions to transit.
The City of Kirkland can be a leader in creating a green future in several ways.
Benchmarking - As a first step, the City can benchmark how the City's operations, purchasing and policies impact carbon footprint. Additionally, the City can partner with the Community to understand the barriers to reducing this footprint.
Operational and Purchasing - The City can take immediate action to address current operations and purchasing decisions to focus them on green alternatives.
Sustainable Planning Policies - Through the zoning and planning process, the City can make long-term positive impacts on this issue through comprehensive zoning that creates true work, live, play communities. Transit oriented development, local neighborhood business, and interconnected transit are all considerations that should be explored during the comprehensive plan review. There is a direct conflict between the parks and tree program and the push to upzone in Kirkland. There's to be a comprehensive and deliberate discussion on how to balance the competing interests.
Interlocal Collaboration - Kirkland has the power to leverage our relationship with great neighboring cities to create regional solutions to transit.