Centered in equity and leading with race, all parts of our community lead, implement and benefit from Our Climate Future.

2024 Highlights:

• The CSU Center for Environmental Justice was selected to co-lead the new EPA Region 8 Technical Assistance Center. It helps community organizations, municipalities, and Tribal organizations find funding, partners, and other resources to solve environmental issues throughout Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montana.
• Larimer County’s Climate Smart Future Ready (CSFR) initiative works to broaden climate and sustainability action throughout the County and neighboring regions. During the first year of implementation, CSFR created an EV Charging Station Information Guide and an Energy Efficiency and Electrification Technical Assistance Navigators guide for businesses, as well as bringing over $16 million into our region to support CSFR priorities.

Plus - 

• The Youth Climate Action Event
• EcoFest 
• Community Leadership Grants
• Climate Equity Committee

We can all share and reuse so we don’t have to buy things we won’t regularly use and are able to recycle or compost the rest.

2024 Highlights:

• The City of Fort Collins began a contracted residential trash and recycling program, which provides weekly yard trimmings collection for thousands more Fort Collins households from April – November each year and shifted from every other week to weekly recycling collection.
• Wolverine Farm Publick House launched a project to pilot a citywide, reusable cup system for Fort Collins. Several other businesses across Fort Collins are also leading the way with shared reusable cups!
• FoCo Trash Mob (FCTM) spoke to hundreds of people and organizations throughout the year, educating our community about the negatives of single-use plastics. FCTM is also participating in a pilot project called CLImate COOLERS with University of Northern Colorado and advocating for legislation regarding single-use plastic water bottles in Fort Collins.

People, buildings, watersheds and ecosystems are prepared for the threats of climate change.

2024 Highlights:

• Several partners, including the City, began implementation of an EPA grant “Enhancing Monitoring of Air Toxics and Air Quality Education in Underserved Communities in Northern Colorado." The project includes air toxics monitoring at oil and gas operations, gas stations, and schools. An Air Quality Monitoring Advisory Committee guides monitoring and outreach to make information about air pollutants and health impacts more relevant and accessible.
• Staff began updating to Utilities’ Water Efficiency Plan, in 2024 focusing on extensive public engagement, evaluation of conservation strategies for equitable outcomes, and development of a new water modeling tool for efficiency and conservation strategies under current and future climate and population scenarios. 
• The Utilities team completed planning work for Phase 1 of One Water, the holistic management of drinking water, water reclamation, and stormwater utilities, in collaboration with other City departments. The result of Phase 1 is an assessment on the current state of water systems, plans and partnerships across the City organization.  

It is safe, easy, fast and affordable to get around without a car.

2024 Highlights:

• Transfort, Fort Collins’ public transportation provider, is keeping the service fare-free for all riders after pausing fares during COVID-19. 
• The City completed construction of raised separated bike lanes on Laporte Ave. between Sunset St. and Fishback Ave., as well as buffered bike lanes from Fishback Ave. to Wood St. This infrastructure will improve connectivity to nearby schools, businesses, downtown and CSU’s Foothills Campus. *
• Transfort received a $2.4 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to fund its Accessibility Enhancements Project, which will improve accessibility infrastructure and comfort of over 40 bus stops in Transfort’s service area.
• The City launched plans to add Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along West Elizabeth Street, which is a dense corridor of housing, restaurants and retail, especially for students in the community.

No matter where we live, we all can meet our basic daily needs without driving across town.

2024 Highlights:

• The US Department of Transportation awarded the City $1.7 million through the Safe Streets and Roads for All program to study Harmony Road, install a demonstration project on Lake Street, and review Fort Collins codes and standards to make sure they align with the Active Modes Plan and Vision Zero. 
• FC Moves launched several new initiatives in 2024 as part of the Shift Your Ride Plan including the Vanpool Subsidy Program, the creation of an online resource hub for sustainable transportation, and an extensive Transportation Demand Management outreach campaign. 
• The City kicked off “The Future of Commercial Corridors and Centers”, which focuses on Land Use Code updates for commercial and employment zone districts, corridors, and development standards. These topics are intended to help advance the City’s 15-Minute City goals, exploring how the Land Use Code can help create neighborhoods where residents can access essential services, jobs, and recreation within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. City Council will consider potential adoption of these code updates in Fall of 2025.

Everyone lives and works in healthy, energy and water efficient buildings which transition to become emissions free.

2024 Highlights:

• Fort Collins Utilities partnered with the community to develop detailed Building Performance Standards (BPS) policy recommendations. BPS are a targeted way to cut pollution, reduce energy consumption, and create a healthier and more resilient environment indoors and outdoors. City Council will consider adoption of BPS in 2025.
• The City’s Municipal Innovation Fund awarded grants to eight projects that help City operations lead by example, including an upgrade to theatrical lighting in the Lincoln Center’s Magnolia Theater to LEDs.
• City staff and community consultants partnered with Energy Outreach Colorado to pilot an expansion of energy efficiency upgrades to increase service to mobile homes that have historically been excluded from efficiency programming.
• The City of Fort Collins was awarded a Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation grant from the US Department of Energy. In collaboration with the New Buildings Institute, Florida Solar Energy Center, International Code Council and Colorado Energy Office, the City is working to establish building specific energy use and carbon reduction targets for the next three code cycles (2024, 2027 and 2030).

Everyone has stable, healthy housing they can afford.

2024 Highlights:

• City Council adopted Land Use Code updates in May of 2024, the first comprehensive update of the Land Use Code since 1997. In addition to many updates for usability and clarity, this set of updates included changes to help expand and recalibrate incentives for affordable housing.
• The City provided utility fee offset grants to three affordable housing projects that are going over and above code requirements to produce highly efficient, comfortable, and sustainable housing for low-wage workers. Sustainability features often add cost to build, and these three developments were able to include these and still offer homes at affordable prices. *
• To support affordable housing and landscape resiliency, the Water Conservation Department is piloting a grant program for nonprofit affordable housing providers. In 2024, one grant was awarded for $29,700 that helped complete the installation of 4 water-wise yards at Habitat for Humanity’s Harmony Cottages location. 
• Neighborhood Services and Environmental Services departments partnered to award $90,000 to 23 projects for mobile home and rental property upgrades to improve the health, safety, comfort and efficiency of homes in Fort Collins.

Everyone has access to healthy and affordable food, sourced or rescued from local and regional producers.

2024 Highlights:

• An AmeriCorps Fellow conducted foundational research to determine how the City organization can better support the community in achieving a more sustainable and equitable food system and made recommendations for the City’s next steps to support local food systems.
• The Northern Colorado Foodshed Project and their regional partners have been awarded grant funding from both the USDA and the City of Fort Collins to launch a program called the Veg Van. The Veg Van will be a ‘low to no-cost farmers market on wheels’ to address food insecurity in areas of need. 
• In November, Larimer County partnered with CSU Extension to host the Farm 2 Local Biz Event. Local producers and businesses were invited to come and learn about each other’s work, network and make connections to increase local food purchasing in Northern Colorado.

The community supports a healthy, innovative local economy with new opportunities for all people and businesses to thrive.

2024 Highlights:

• NOCOBiz Connect launched in early 2024 and is a free, bilingual program that provides tailored support to Northern Colorado businesses taking on small changes that lead to big savings while positively impacting their community and planet. Participating businesses report saving money, improving operational efficiency, strengthening community reputation, and tapping into new customers or markets. 
• In June 2024 Fort Collins Utilities introduced the Building Industry Scholarship to further educate and expand local industry workforce on energy efficiency, high performance building, and zero energy/zero carbon building. The initial $35,000 funded scholarships for 27 recipients. *
• Landscape professionals engaged in Utilities’ water conservation programs are eligible to be listed on the City’s Water-Wise Landscape and Irrigation Professionals web page and receive monthly updates on opportunities. The page is a resource for members of the community seeking out professionals well versed in water-wise landscape principles. 

Business, industry, institutions, and government collaborate to recirculate resources and eliminate waste.

2024 Highlights:

• The City fostered community collaboration on the adopted Circular Economy Workplan through the Economic Health Office’s 2024 Business Appreciation Celebration. Local circular businesses and leaders came together to explore how embracing these principles creates opportunities for innovation, strengthens our workforce, and ensures a thriving business community despite the challenges of climate change.
• Compost Queen, a local food scraps compost collection and processing business, expanded to open a new food scraps compost facility in north Fort Collins.
• The City’s Hoffman Mill Crushing Facility began composting yard trimmings generated from municipal operations, diverting these materials from the landfill.
• The City supported progress toward the State’s Producer Responsibility law implementation, including supporting the State legislature’s vote and serving on the advisory board. Producer Responsibility will bring producer-funded recycling service to all single- and multi-unit residences in 2026.

We all are stewards of healthy natural spaces and honor the deep and historical human connection to this land.

2024 Highlights:

• City Forestry staff have been working to develop the City’s first Urban Forest Strategic Plan, which will establish a 20-year vision for managing the urban canopy. City Council will consider adoption of this plan in January 2025. 
• The Poudre River Health Assessment project was launched by a team from Natural Areas and Utilities, in collaboration with the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed. The project team developed a sampling plan, hired a river sampling team, and drafted the 2025 engagement strategy. Results will be available in early 2026. *
• Oil and gas production within City limits ceased operation after the one remaining legacy operator was ordered to shut down due to repeated environmental violations. Oil & gas related land use code continues to prevent approval of any new applications for development within City limits, including the City’s Natural Areas and Parks.

Everyone in the community receives affordable and reliable 100% renewable electricity, including from local sources.

2024 Highlights:

• Utilities offered an increased “boost” incentive that helped people purchase solar, add battery storage to their project, or receive a new incentive to increase the size of their existing systems. During the special seven-month boost in 2024, customers almost doubled their community battery capacity!
• Fort Collins Utilities partnership on Virtual Power Plant (VPP) continues through our implementation of our Peak Partners program and collaboration with Platte River Power Authority on a holistic approach to developing and launching a regional distributed energy resources management system (DERMs).
• In 2024, much progress was made on the redesign and construction of the Riverside Community Solar array, to be repowered in early 2025. After an equipment failure in 2023, staff have worked with a vendor to extend the lifetime of the site with a more resilient design for the next 15+ years! *

Residents can afford and use electric cars, including shared electric cars, and conventional fleets are converted to electric

2024 Highlights:

• The City is updating the Electric Vehicle Readiness Roadmap with current information about electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, along with refreshed strategies to facilitate increased EV adoption and support equitable access to charging throughout the community. 
• The Smart Charging Program aligns residential EV changing with times the City’s primary electricity source is wind power. This program helps customers manage their energy usage, lower our community’s peak demand, and reduce our community's carbon emissions.
• As part of the City’s Transportation Electrification Plan, four more battery electric buses were added to Transfort’s fleet in 2024. 
• The City of Fort Collins received over $1 million from the Department of Transportation’s SMART Grants program to pilot software on existing vehicle charging stations to optimize and monitor charging and reduce demand, with the intention to improve electric vehicle fleet performance and battery health.

In addition to the more recent updates above, ongoing work continues to be of immense importance to our community goals. The City adopted its first Climate Action Plan in 1999, in response to advocacy in the community. Even before that, community members and organizations and the City have been committed to actions that promote sustainability. Here are a few examples of the ongoing efforts that support Our Climate Future!

• Colorado State University’s continued leadership on sustainability in facilities, transportation, and education, including:
  • Climate Adaptation Partnership 
  • Active Transportation (nearly half of CSU faculty, staff and students use active forms of transportation!) 
  • Sustainable Facilities Management 
  • Student Sustainability Center 
• Fort Collins Utilities’ services, incentives, and financing for homes and businesses, including:
  • Income-qualified assistance for Utilities customers
  • Epic Homes and Loans
  • Efficiency Works
  • Peak Partners Program
• Transfort’s transit services, including:
  • Door-to-door service for People with Disabilities
  • Bus Rapid Transit
  • Regional service to Loveland, Longmont, and Boulder
  • Late night service
• FC Moves’ bike and pedestrian infrastructure, programming, and education
• The Healthy Homes Program’s residential indoor air quality assessments and resources
• The Natural Areas Department's work on:
  • Nature in the City
  • Land restoration and conservation
  • Conservation agriculture (in partnership with Poudre Valley Community Farms)
• And many more!