adaptokc adapting for a healthy future Adopted by the Planning Commission <date> | <signature> Janis Powers, Chair Received by the City Council <date> | <signature> David Holt, Mayor Planning Department | 420 W Main, Ste. 900 | Oklahoma City Melody Martin, Oklahoma Gas & Electric, Co. Alicia Meadows, Oklahoma City-County Health Janis Powers, Ward 2, Chair (name), (representing) Department Nate Clair, Ward 1 John Agnitch, the Homeless Alliance Rick Padgett, Waste Management Mary Coffey, Ward 3 Leon Ashford, Oklahoma Department of Christine Patton, OKC Urban Ag Coalition Mike Privett, Ward 4 Environmental Quality David Pettyjohn, Preservation OK Matt Hinkle, Ward 5 Mark Bays, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Eric Pollard, Association of Central Oklahoma Asa Highsmith, Ward 6 Food, & Forestry Governments Camal Pennington, Ward 7 Blaine Bolding, Oklahoma City-County Health Fenton Rood, Oklahoma Department of Scott Cravens, Ward 8 Department Environmental Quality Rusty LaForge, At-Large Matthew Burch, Urban Agrarian Jim Roth, Phillips Murrah P.C. Mary Jane Coffman, American Red Cross John Semtner, ADG James Cooper, COTPA John Sharp, Association of Central Oklahoma Craig Freeman, City Manager Jamie Csizmadia, OLTHIA Prairie & Garden Governments Aubrey McDermid, Assistant City Manager Brian Dougherty, Oklahoma City Community Rick Smith, National Weather Service Geoff Butler, Planning Director Foundation Lisa Synar, OKC Beautiful T.O. Bowman, Sustainability Manager Michael Douglas, Oklahoma Gas & Electric, Co. James Tittle, American Red Cross Ryan Baker, Associate Planner Bill Elliot, Oklahoma Bicycle Society Josh Trope, Oklahoma City-County Health Jeff Everett, Oklahoma Gas & Electric, Co. Department Jeri Fleming, Oklahoma Conservation Commission Dr. Jason Vogel, Oklahoma State University Mike Grady, YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City Shannon Welch, Oklahoma City-County Health Development Services Teri Green, Oklahoma Natural Gas Department Finance Crystal Griffis, Allied Waste/Republic Services Beth Wilhelm, Oklahoma Water Resources Board Fire Jason Hukill, USGBC OK Hallie Williams, OSU-OKC Farmers Market General Services Melissa Hunt, AIA Central Oklahoma Parks & Recreation Angela Jones, YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City Planning Dr. Mike Langston, US Geological Survey, South Police David Holt, Mayor Central Climate Science Center Public Information & Marketing James Greiner, Ward 1 Tom Lazarski, Oklahoma Gas & Electric, Co. Public Transportation and Parking (EMBARK) James Cooper, Ward 2 Heather Lerch, Oklahoma Department of Public Works Larry McAtee, Ward 3 Environmental Quality Utilities Todd Lindley, National Weather Service Todd Stone, Ward 4 Dr. Heather McCarthy, University of Oklahoma David Greenwell, Ward 5 Kylah McNabb, Office of Secretary of Energy and JoBeth Hamon, Ward 6 the Environment Nikki Nice, Ward 7 Brian McQuown, Oklahoma Gas & Electric, Co. Mark K. Stonecipher, Ward 8 Shimeka Mack, Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management Lynn Malley, Oklahoma Recycling Association Kim Marshal, Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management Nancy O’Brien, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality - Less than a century ago, the longest environmental Three principles are at the core of adaptokc: Some of the significant risks facing Oklahoma City disaster in the history of the United States left include: ► Position Oklahoma City to lead by example as indelible scars on Oklahoma. The Dust Bowl was a a steward of public resources. We must ► Increase in temperature marked by drier, hotter decade-long convergence of economic, ecological, demonstrate approaches to natural resources and summers and social factors: a disproportionately large conservation to effectively manage risk. While agricultural economy; technological advances like ► Increase in the cost of and demand for electricity some concepts may seem new, many have been mechanized plowing and harvesting; misguided proven over time in our peer cities. We can serve ► Increase of inundating rainfall events and public policy related to westward expansion; severe the public good by demonstrating practical and associated flooding drought, extreme heat, and ceaseless wind; mass efficient ways to meet needs that will reduce long- migration; bank failures and business closures; ► Increase in the operating and maintenance costs term operations and maintenance costs. starvation and poverty; topsoil erosion and poor land of infrastructure and assets management practices; and water scarcity. ► Adapt our infrastructure, services, and ► Increase in cultural, linguistic, and age-related communities to Oklahoma City’s changing Millions of acres of farmland were rendered virtually challenges to public service delivery climate. We are already experiencing the effects of useless and nearly half a million Americans were climate change and, even in the most optimistic To address these risks, adaptokc proposes to: displaced. But a proportionate response came as scenarios, our climate will continue to change well across the country people were enlisted in a ► Reduce electricity costs with increased efficiency into the future. Our “new normal” will be anything peacetime war against environmental degradation, and renewable energy use but. To ensure our resilience, we need to plan and mounting hundreds of public works projects design for instability. ► Mitigate heat through development requirements including drainage, erosion control, fire, disaster and more natural urban environments response, development and construction of ► Identify how to use technological innovations infrastructure from rural fire roads to urban parks, to our advantage. Emerging technologies can ► Reduce emissions that threaten our health and and a “shelter belt” of nearly 220 million trees help us streamline processes and respond economy planted to reduce the landscape-scouring winds. proactively to the needs of our residents. From ► Protect and conserve our water resources renewable energy to driverless vehicles, we have It is both these hardships and the resolve to meet opportunities to chart new territory that can yield ► Enhance our equitable approach to disaster them that shaped Oklahoma City’s first sustainability social, economic, and environmental dividends for recovery and response plan, adaptokc. For present day Oklahoma City, all Oklahoma City residents. now the country’s 27th most populous city, the ► Strengthen our infrastructure against extreme Oklahoma of the 1930s echoes as a stark reminder of adaptokc investigates four critical areas: how we weather and increasing costs the inseparability of our livelihoods, our generate and consume electricity; how vulnerable our environment, and ourselves. adaptokc recognizes infrastructure and natural resources are to a changing our need - and ability - to leverage scarce resources, climate; how our transportation choices impact the create new partnerships, and use new tools and air we breathe; and how our waste affects us all long technologies to meet our needs and deliver a more after it has been discarded. equitable community not just for today’s residents but for generations to come. The purpose of adaptokc is to strengthen our community in the face of economic, environmental, and social challenges. By identifying our risks as well as our opportunities, we can adapt to the complex and cascading threats to our livelihoods and well- being. - chapter one introduction & process 2 | adaptokc sustainability plan | 3 improve while also allowing for planning and have developed sustainability or adaptation plans but, adaptokc preparation before crises. Second, in nature, when including those that intend to adopt such plans organisms that adapt, that respond to external by the end of 2019, that number jumps to 82%. stimuli, do more than just sustain - they flourish. These plans are seen as “credit positive” as they The first of its kind for Oklahoma City, adaptokc is Third, the complexity and rate of challenges we indicate “how a city manages infrastructure a policy document that identifies how we can encounter as a community will only grow and it is vulnerabilities, current and future capital costs, strengthen our community in the face of economic, our responsibility to not just meet those challenges, mitigation of potential economic impacts and risk of environmental, and social challenges. Through this but ensure a city where all residents can thrive. That population loss.” Moody’s notes that while the plan’s research and analysis, our policymakers, means efficient and effective public services, an federal government has “traditionally provided businesses, residents, and institutions can work environment rich with clean air and water, livable strong support for cities contending with the costs of together to face volatility and change with practical wages, unmatched quality of life, fully-funded and natural disasters,” should those funds wane it will solutions. maintained infrastructure, and a community of equity result in greater state and/or municipal debt to In 2015, Oklahoma City adopted its first fully-new and opportunity. finance recovery and adaptation. comprehensive plan since 1977, planokc. As a new One of the most serious threats confronting us is But our changing climate is not the only challenge to vision for policy, infrastructure, and planning, it is climate change. Characterized by changes in which we must adapt. Exponential changes in within planokc where the seeds of a community-wide temperature and precipitation, climate change is a technology, labor, law and