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Reducing the city's footprint Thursday Sep 21, 2017 at 5:39 PM Sep 21, 2017 at 5:39 PM By Julie Akins for the Mail Tribune Ashland City Council approved an ordinance Tuesday inspired by the Climate Energy and Action Plan developed by a citizens committee over an 18-month period. The plan was initiated as a way for the city to deal with climate change locally. After numerous public hearings and council discussion, the council had already voted to hire a CEAP administrator, but the unanimous passage of the CEAP ordinance Tuesday was the capping action of the council on the plan to date. Councilor Rich Rosenthal said he was pleased with the amount of rigor and participation. “In two years time I think we made great progress,” he said. “It needs to be followed up by action," Councilor Greg Lemhouse cautioned. "Make sure you stay on it, otherwise it doesn’t mean much,” he said, directing his remarks to a large audience that turned out for the vote, especially young people who came in support of the ordinance. “I hope this gives the young people in our community hope," Councilor Stefani Seffinger said. "I really thank all of you. I love to be able to talk to the younger people in our community about this.” The ordinance calls for the following: 1) To reduce Ashland’s contribution to global carbon pollution by reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with city, residential, commercial and industrial activities, with a goal to: • Reduce community greenhouse gas emissions by 8 percent on average annually through 2050; and • Attain carbon neutrality in city operations by 2030 • Reduce fossil fuel consumption by 50 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050. 2) Prepare the city’s communities, systems and resources to be more resilient to climate change impacts. The ordinance, which advocates noted is more binding than a resolution, states that the 8 percent is a “relatively new method for setting emission reduction targets,” according to city staff. Despite admonitions from the mayor not to clap or shout out, the crowd broke into applause at the vote. Councilors also unanimously passed a resolution calling for the county to change the name of Dead Indian Memorial Road to something more appropriate which honors Native Americans’ contributions to the area. The letter requests commissioners consider renaming it at their meeting Oct. 11. It’s a county road outside city limits, so the city cannot change it, but can request that the county consider it. Dave Pine, radio host at KSKQ radio testified before councilors. “I’ve been working on it for a year. I’ve gotten to realize it’s important. It’s important to a large group of people not very well represented in our history.” —Email Ashland freelance writer Julie Akins at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/@julieakins.