Commissioners give detailed feedback on Sammamish sustainability guide: fewer words, bolder calls to action and more community images

Sammamish City’s Sustainability Commission spent extensive time on the draft 2025 sustainability guide, offering precise editorial and design guidance intended to make the guide more actionable and easier for residents to scan.

Commissioners urged staff and the graphic designer to front-load each section with one high-impact call to action (for example, electrifying major appliances or considering solar), include a short commissioner blurb and action photo, and keep checklists short and readable. They recommended consolidating multiple QR codes into single links for topics such as public transportation and providing supplemental “how-to” content online for residents who want more detail.

Design and accessibility were repeated themes: the group recommended using more community photos (events, students, local installations), rethinking the prominence and color of the ‘benefits’ boxes so they stand out less as text blocks, and ensuring media shared by student Ambassadors meets ADA requirements or is presented in accessible alternatives. Staff warned that Instagram-style reels and short videos may not be ADA-compliant in their native form and said they will work with Ambassadors to develop accessible versions or alternative formats staff can link to rather than repost.

On process, staff set the first formal review deadline for June 17 and said they will compile feedback into a second draft for the commission’s July meeting, with a final comment window ending July 15. Commissioners volunteered to provide commissioner-specific short blurbs tied to sections they care about, and staff will provide a mock layout for the next meeting.

Commissioners also suggested supplemental content pages that spotlight student impact projects, volunteer opportunities, and practical how-tos (e.g., community-van use or local recycling dos and don’ts), and recommended making the content useful for both residents ready to act immediately and those who need a multi-year planning horizon.