Diamond Valley Sustainability Plan — 2025 Edition

Diamond Valley Sustainability Plan — 2025 Edition

Building a Resilient, Low-Impact Community for the Future

The 2025 Sustainability Plan brings together the key priorities, data, and practical steps needed to build a resilient, low-impact future in Diamond Valley. It is written in clear, practical language so residents, council, businesses, and community groups can see the pathway toward long-term sustainability — and how each sector contributes to it.

This Plan is a living document. As new information, partners, and projects come forward, updates will be added to ensure it continues to reflect the best available knowledge for our community.

Download the Plan

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📄 Full Sustainability Plan (PDF)

Public-friendly version for reading and sharing.

📝 Editablhttps://www.sustainablelife.biz/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DIAMOND-VALLEY-SUSTAINABILITY-PLAN-—-2025-EDITION-DW.odte Version (ODT)

For collaborators, partners, schools, and organizations.

📎 Appendhttps://www.sustainablelife.biz/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DV_SustainabilityPlan_2025_Appendices.pdfices & Technical Notes

Hydrology data, circular economy worksheets, project trackers, and other supporting material.

Executive Summary

Diamond Valley sits at a pivotal moment. We face increasing pressure on our water supply, higher costs of living, ongoing energy challenges, and the reality of a growing town with aging infrastructure. At the same time, local residents, volunteers, makers, businesses, and community groups are stepping forward with meaningful solutions — from rainwater harvesting and xeriscaping to repair cafés, circular economy projects, energy education, and local micro-manufacturing.

The 2025 Sustainability Plan provides a unified direction for these efforts. It outlines practical actions and policy pathways across water stewardship, energy resilience, building efficiency, air quality, circular economy development, biodiversity, and community wellbeing. It brings together local data, past planning work, and emerging opportunities, including partnerships with schools, regional organizations, and grassroots initiatives.

The Plan supports council and administration by offering a consistent lens for decision-making, budgeting, and long-term planning. It also empowers residents with concrete steps they can take at home, helping build a culture of resilience from the ground up.

Our strength as a community will come from collaboration, transparency, and shared purpose. This Plan is meant to evolve as we learn, and as new challenges and opportunities appear. Together, we can build a thriving, sustainable Diamond Valley for generations to come.

What This Plan Covers

The 2025 edition includes seven key focus areas:

  1. Water Stewardship
    Conservation, rainwater harvesting, watershed health, xeriscaping, and long-term water security.
  2. Energy Efficiency & Renewable Pathways
    Home-level actions, municipal standards (LEED Silver), solar potential, and long-term resilience.
  3. Circular Economy & Local Micro-Manufacturing
    Repair Café, reuse streams, resource loops, community entrepreneurship, and reducing waste costs.
  4. Air Quality & Health
    Partnerships with CRAZ, monitoring opportunities, home air-quality actions, and wildfire smoke resilience.
  5. Local Food Systems
    Urban agriculture, soil health, school partnerships, and community-scale food security.
  6. Land Use & Built Environment
    Low-impact development, green infrastructure, biodiversity improvements, and sustainable site design.
  7. Community Wellbeing & Education
    Workshops, youth engagement, volunteer empowerment, and community resilience programs.

How This Plan Will Be Updated

The Sustainability Plan is designed as a living document. Updates will be issued:

  • Annually each spring, summarizing progress and new opportunities;
  • As required when new projects, studies, or partnerships justify a revision;
  • When major data changes occur, such as updated water licensing, watershed studies, or municipal infrastructure changes.

Each update will be clearly marked in the version log below so council, partners, and residents can easily see what has changed.

Version Log

  • v2025.1 — Initial Release
    Launch of the 2025 Sustainability Plan. Full integration of water stewardship, circular economy, LEED building guidance, and energy education. Includes all appendices and supporting data available at release.
  • v2026.1 — Annual Update
    (To be completed with future changes.)
  • v2026.2 — Water Addendum Update
    (To be completed with future changes.)

About the Plan

This Plan draws on:

  • Local watershed research and hydrological context;
  • Circular economy projects underway in Diamond Valley;
  • Community-led initiatives such as Rain Totes, Repair Café, Makerspace, Lawn Buy-Back, and youth engagement;
  • Regional expertise from organizations such as CRAZ, BRBC, and local Water Coalitions;
  • Best practices in sustainable community development;
  • Public feedback from workshops, conversations, and local engagement.

It supports both grassroots action and municipal decision-making, making it a useful foundation for inclusion in the Town’s Strategic Plan.

How You Can Use This Plan

For Council and Administration

  • Reference when reviewing new developments and infrastructure projects;
  • Integrate into long-term budgeting and capital planning;
  • Support grant applications and partnerships;
  • Guide policy improvements and standards (for example, building to LEED Silver).

For Residents

  • Begin with simple, practical home actions that fit your situation;
  • Connect to local projects, workshops, and community events;
  • Use the Plan for learning, teaching, and advocacy.

For Schools and Youth Programs

  • Incorporate hands-on sustainability learning into curriculum and projects;
  • Connect students to local initiatives and mentors;
  • Support entrepreneurial and green-job pathways for youth.

For Partners and Organizations

  • Align projects with community sustainability priorities;
  • Identify opportunities for collaboration and shared resources;
  • Strengthen regional resilience efforts and storytelling.

Have Feedback or Ideas?

The Sustainability Plan grows stronger when the community helps shape it. If you have comments, suggestions, or would like to collaborate, please get in touch.

Contact:
Dusty Williams — Sustainable Life
info@sustainablelife.biz