In January of 2007 the Vision Action Network of Washington County, OR, organized a Sustainability Summit, hosted by the Washington County government. The summit was addressed by County Commissioner Tom Brian, Alan Durning of Sightline Seattle, and Ed Jahn of Oregon Field Guide.

Community Experts from a wide range of disciplines attended the summit. Their responsibility was, through break-out sessions on a variety of topics, to generate priority actions for that topic. The goal was to identify shared priorities, and identify a shared vision and community agenda for sustainability in Washington County.

* Note: Four of the seven break-out sessions included a recommendation that Washington County should have a Sustainability organization to coordinate local sustainability efforts. In response, VAN and its local government partners have commissioned a feasibility study. The study is designed to analyze the area's need for a sustainability organization, determine what services such an organization could provide, identify best practices of similar functional government offices around the country, and review various organizational and funding options.

Here are the results of the summit's breakout sessions:

Agriculture/Food

• Education Campaign to schools, neighborhoods, businesses and consumers on nutrition, buying, cooking, and composting

• Increase the number of school and community gardens, and farm to school programs
• Create a Food Policy Council to address economic and government incentives and action
• Establish a food cooperate to oversee implementation of actions

Forestry

• Legislate meaningful change in forestland protection (in cooperation with the Oregon Conservation Strategy and Community Forestry Initiative)

• County act to minimize effects of Ballot Measure 37 on forests
• School (HS/college) curriculum on sustainable renewable forests -- meld, expand existing prorams.
• Prioritize forest lands in Washington County so as to maintain viable social/economic/environmental forest benefits.
• Explore/exploit funding sources to develop community strategies re: stakeholder collaboration
• Series of naturally sponsored community forums/discussions on forests
• Strategies/incentives/marketing tools to sustain/support small woodland ownership -- family help
• More emphasis on non-timber forest products/values -- water, wildlife, recreation
• Bus connections to forest lands, e.g., Stubb Steward State Park
• Forest education center at Stubb Steward State Park
• Use Stubb Steward State Park opening celebration as a forest education opportunity

Green Building/Development

• Establish an Office of Sustainability with a level of visibility to ensure citizens, developers, public officials and elected officials can come together to support green building

• Elected officials accountable to set an example by ensuring green public structures
• Well organized public education system
• Incentives for: Corporate, Public, Smaller-Housing
• Code development to contain new materials and processes (expedited permitting for green building)

Green Spaces

• Connect green space issues to economic and health benefits

• Multi-Media marketing campaign. Develop outreach strategy.
• Create community involvement partnerships on green spaces issues and projects with government, corporate, broad segment of community.
• Provide economic incentives. Dedicated funding for local operations, maintenance, capital.
• Develop equitable taxing, fees and charges between all parts of county for green spaces.
• Green Spaces master plan for Washington County.

Land Stewardship

• Fix measure 37

• Education
• Sustainability Office
• Plug into Oregon Business Plan
• Incentives: Federal, State
• Establish County sustainability goals
• Demonstration projects
• Annual summit
• Keep functional habitat
• Information Resource Center
• Develop BMPs

Transportation

• Better transit amenities (e.g. bus stops)

• Improved use of existing transportation options: arterials, North/South connections, busses, bike/pedestrian, smaller connecting streets, build up not out, non-vehicular routes, consistent street names on a grid
• Expanded use of technology: intelligent transportation systems (ITS), shop on the internet
• Economic/Development strategy
• Education/behavior management (drive less/save more, carpool)
• Incentives. Example: If employers receive tax break, include conditions that provide employee incentives (bus passes, carpool, bike, etc).
• Understand link between land use and transportation: Including policy makers, staff, publc

Water Quality / Quantity

• Establish incentive programs for consumers -- region wide

• Engage and inform key stakeholders (CPO's & citizens) on challenges/actions.
• Develop goals for quality/quantity
• Measure/performance targets
• Educate at multiple levels (e.g. sustainability of the resources, own the problem)
• How to live in a watershed sustainably

Comments on this summit, the above priorities, and a sustainability organization can be directed to the Vision Action Network of Washington County.