City of Sunrise, FL
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A Sustainable City is one that builds economic, environmental, and social prosperity while ensuring it has essential resources for future generations.
The City of Sunrise has developed a Sustainability Action Plan - the Sunrise SAP. The Sunrise SAP provides guiding principles and recommendations to proactively increase resiliency and improve the sustainability of the City across its departments and within the community.
The Sunrise SAP was approved for implementation by City Commission on April 23, 2019.
Sunrise SAP Resolution (Res. No. 19063)
Celebrating Sustainability Milestones
This April marks the inaugural year for the implementation of the Sunrise Sustainability Action Plan. We can also acknowledge and be proud of the sustainability milestones that have marked our journey as we continue to expand our sustainability efforts in the City:
| Year | Description |
| 1974 | Sunrise Gas Division started its natural gas service as a municipal utility. It is now the sixth largest municipal gas system in Florida, serving nearly 10,000 homes and businesses. Natural Gas burns cleaner and more efficiently than gasoline, oil or coal, and is produced in the US. |
| 1988 | Sunrise achieved the Tree City USA certification. Sunrise continues to meet the annual requirements. |
| 1989 | Sunrise began its recycling program with a centralized drop off location for residents and piloted a curbside pickup program. |
| 2008 | Sunrise purchased its first hybrid vehicle for City Fleet (a Honda Civic hybrid). |
| 2009 | Sunrise held its first Earth Day Festival which becomes an annual event. In conjunction with Earth Day, Sunrise celebrates Arbor Day by planting a tree. Sunrise received an Energy Efficiency Community Block Grant to purchase and distribute compact fluorescent bulbs to residents. The first LEED Certified Building in Sunrise was the Republic Services Headquarters (LEED Silver). |
| 2010 | Sunrise kicked off establishing and planning for a water reuse system. |
| 2011 | Sunrise Sustainability Advisory Board was established. Sunrise was one of the first communities in Broward to provide residents with recycling carts for curbside collection and offer residents the opportunity to earn rewards for recycling through the Recyclebank program. In the recycling cart program’s first five months, our residents increased recycling by approximately 68%! |
| 2012 | Sunrise joined the Broward Water Partnership to offer rebates and free water-saving devices through the ConservationPays Program. The City entered into a contract with Hypower Electric to convert parking lot lights to LED at Fire Stations, Civic Center, Nob Hill Soccer Club, and Sunrise Athletic Complex. |
| 2013 | Sunrise became a municipal partner in support of Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact and signed the Mayor’s Climate Action Pledge. |
| 2014 | Sunrise hired its first Sustainability Officer. Sunrise committed to implementing the Broward Complete Streets Guidelines to create safer, and healthier streets that encourage walking, bicycling, and transit, for residents. The City started the Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Recycling Collection Program for residents. The Southwest Reuse Treatment Plant that can supply up to 1 million gallons per day of reuse water was completed ($6 million investment). Sunrise installed two City entry signs lit with solar light fixtures. |
| 2015 | Sunrise launched the Good and Green Program to engage, connect, and inspire the community on sustainability. Sunrise adopted its Bicycle & Pedestrian Greenways & Trails Master Plan. Oak Hammock and Cypress Preserve Parks opened as passive recreation parks made possible by through the Broward County Land Stewardship Program grant. Solar Lights were installed in the parking lots of both passive parks. Sunrise passed a resolution opposing the oil drill permit application for oil drilling rights in the Everglades, and supporting legislation providing for a statewide ban on oil drilling and exploration in Florida. |
| 2016 | Sunrise registered with the National Wildlife Federation, and launched the Be A Butterfly Hero Program in the City. Property Assessed Clean Energy Program (Broward PACE) began offering financing to Sunrise property owners for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and hurricane protection measures. |
| 2017 | Sunrise joined the Keep Broward Beautiful interlocal agreement to offer the Adopt-A-Street Program that encourages local businesses, neighbors and organizations to coordinate street cleanups. Sunrise approved Residential Landscape Beautification Program Plant It Forward ($40,000 annual budget) to increase tree canopy. American Express opens regional headquarters in Sunrise; a 400,000 square foot building built to LEED certified standards. |
| 2018 | Sunrise completed construction of the Sawgrass Reuse Treatment Plant that can provide up to 2 million gallons per day of reuse water ($15 million investment). Sunrise achieved Bike Friendly Community certification. Sunrise committed investment to the C-51 Reservoir Project in support of the regional water storage project for resilience of water supply ($23 million for allocation of 5 million gallons of water per day). Sunrise completed a Greenhouse Gas Inventory baseline report. |
| 2019 | Sunrise Sustainability Action Plan was approved setting a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Target for City Operations. Installation began for pipelines to distribute reuse water to the community ($42 million investment). Sunrise achieved National Wildlife Federation’s Community Wildlife Habitat™ designation. Sunrise started offering a Free Recycled Paint Program to homeowners to paint the exterior of their homes. Sunrise Utilities budgeted wastewater infiltration and inflow improvements ($1 million annual investment) to evaluate and improve sanitary sewer system. Sunrise became a member of the American Flood Coalition. Sunrise established the Good and Green Events Policy for City-hosted special events and festivals, and launched the Pass Up Plastics pledge campaign. |
| 2020 | Sunrise rolled out its first Electric Vehicle (EV) and EV Charging Station for City Fleet. City's first Bee Rescue project took place at the Utilities Administrative Center. Sunrise Sportsplex was selected for a Broward Emerald Award. Partnered with NatureScape Irrigation Services and began offering the Residential Irrigation Program. |
| 2021 | Sunrise Phase One of our LED Streetlighting Retrofit project in partnership with Florida Power & Light (FPL) upgraded 626 streetlights with energy saving LED fixtures (Phase Two was started). City representatives participated in the C-51 Reservoir Project official groundbreaking ceremony. Sunrise launched the Good and Green educational video series. |
| 2022 | Sunrise worked with a local artist to install a mural adjacent to the Sunrise Sportsplex Butterfly Garden. Sunrise completed the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact's Climate Assessment Tool (C-CAT). The City partnered with Keep Broward Beautiful to start a Fishing Line Recycling initiative in City parks. Sunrise received a Broward Emerald Award for Sawgrass Sanctuary. |
| 2023 | Sunrise Commission endorsed the Southeast Florida Climate Action pledge renewing commitment to advance implementation of the Regional Climate Action Plan 3.0. The City initiated a Tree Inventory Pilot plotting and evaluating over 1,400 trees in the City's right-of-way. Sunrise was recognized as a "Clean Community" by Keep Florida Beautiful. The City was awarded over $18 million in Resilient Florida grants. Sunrise received a Broward Emerald Award for the Senior Center. |
About the Sunrise SAP
The Sunrise SAP includes a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory baseline, sets municipal GHG emission reduction targets, and recommends measures to enhance sustainability within municipal operations and our community. Accomplishing the goals and recommendations of the SAP will require cooperation and teamwork of our City Departments in concurrence with the residents and businesses that make up our Sunrise Community. Over the past year and a half, the City has embarked on the development of a comprehensive SAP to guide our sustainable growth, enhance our resiliency, and support our continued economic and social vibrancy.
The SAP has been prepared with extensive input from residents, businesses, City staff, and subject matter experts. The SAP provides goals and recommendations aimed toward reducing the impacts of our built environment of government operations, homes, and businesses. These goals and recommendations shall drive decisions about our selection, installation, and operation utilizing best practices with infrastructure, transportation, water, food, energy, and climate; as well as benefiting our social, cultural, health, and economic vibrancy.
The SAP establishes 18 goals and 94 recommendations for implementation over the next five years, broken down into three SAP Focus Areas:
- Resource Management with goals and recommended actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by promoting renewable energy, increasing efficiency, and use of alternative fuels.
- Vulnerability with goals and recommended actions to analyze, educate, and prepare our community to be more resilient to future conditions.
- Sustainability with goals and recommended actions for protecting our natural resources.
The SAP sets mid-range (7% reduction by 2030) and long-range (37% reduction by 2060) greenhouse gas reduction targets, reinforcing the goals and objectives of the Mayors' Climate Action Pledge, Resilient Communities Initiative, and the U.S. Conference of Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement.