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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 15 - Adoption of the 2020 Climate Action Plan for Community RecovereyItem 15 �t�x ofi Council- d. Report ti ttjs o Department Name: Cost Center: For Agenda of: Placement: Estimated Time: FROM: Greg Hermann, Deputy City Manager Michael Codron, Community Development Director Prepared By: Chris Read, Sustainability Manager Robert Hill, Sustainability & Natural Resources Official Teresa McClish, Special Projects Manager Administration 1005 August 18, 2020 Public Hearing 60 Minutes SUBJECT: ADOPTION OF THE 2020 CLIMATE ACTION PLAN FOR COMMUNITY RECOVERY RECOMMENDATION As recommended by the Planning Commission and Active Transportation Committee, adopt a Resolution (Attachment A) to: 1. Adopt an Initial Study/Negative Declaration (Attachment B); and 2. Approve the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery (Attachments C-G) including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Thresholds and Guidance (Attachment G). REPORT -IN -BRIEF The Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery (2020 Climate Action Plan) is the 2020 update to San Luis Obispo's 2012 Climate Action Plan. The update is about addressing greenhouse gas emissions; it is also about supporting a more equitable and resilient community. Addressing climate change presents the City and community with an opportunity to use resources more effectively, improve community equity and well-being, and support an economy that is set to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and thrive in a rapidly changing 21st century. Many of the actions in the 2020 Climate Action Plan are geared towards supporting local jobs, enhancing access to downtown and other areas of commerce and recreation, improving indoor and outdoor air quality, and reducing utility bills for residents and building owners. As a result, the plan will play an integral role in the City's recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 and will help provide for a cleaner, healthier, and safer San Luis Obispo. The 2020 Climate Action Plan builds on the successes of the 2012 Climate Action Plan and includes the City Council's ambitious target to pursue a community -wide goal of carbon neutrality by 2035. The plan establishes a trajectory towards carbon neutrality through six decarbonization pillars each with a long-term goal and foundational actions to be initiated or completed by 2023. Packet Page 187 Item 15 The sector specific goals are as follows: 1. Carbon neutral government operations by 2030 2. 100 percent carbon free electricity by 2020 3. No net new building emissions from onsite energy use by 2020; 50 percent reduction in existing onsite building emissions (after accounting for MBCP) by 2030 4. Achieve General Plan mode split objective by 2030 and 40 percent of vehicle miles travelled by electric vehicles by 2030 5. 75 percent diversion of landfilled organic waste by 2025; 90 percent diversion by 2035 6. Increase carbon sequestration on the San Luis Obispo Greenbelt and Urban Forest through compost application -based carbon farming activities and tree planting; ongoing through 2035 At full implementation, the foundational actions in the 2020 Climate Action Plan will contribute substantial progress towards the carbon neutrality goal and achieve GHG reductions of 45 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 66 percent below 1990 levels by 2035. These reductions are consistent with California's goal of reducing GHG emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels (Senate Bill 32) by 2030 and are on a course to achieve California's carbon neutrality by 2045 goal (Executive Order B-55-18). The 2020 Climate Action Plan will be considered "qualified" as a plan for the reduction of greenhouse gases consistent with CEQA Guidelines and will be used for tiering and streamlining the analysis of GHG emissions in subsequent CEQA project evaluation. The GHG Thresholds and Guidance document provides methodological guidance, including qualitative analysis for streamlining purposes, and quantitative thresholds of significance for use by City planners, applicants, consultants, agencies, and members of the public in the preparation of GHG emissions analyses under CEQA for plans and projects located within the City of San Luis Obispo. The 2020 Climate Action Plan and the GHG Thresholds and Guidance document have been reviewed in accordance with CEQA, and an Initial Study/Negative Declaration has been prepared and is proposed for adoption (Attachment B). The Initial Study/Negative Declaration concludes that implementation of the 2020 Climate Action Plan and GHG thresholds of significance will result in no potentially significant impacts on the environment. It should be noted that even with achievement of the ambitious, but achievable, targets outlined in the 2020 Climate Action Plan, the City still expects an emissions gap that will need to be addressed to achieve carbon neutrality. As a result, the 2020 Climate Action Plan includes a mechanism to regularly be updated in alignment with every other Financial Plan. This allows for certainty in the update schedule, ensures that carbon neutrality work is directly tied to the City's financial decision making and prioritization process, and allows for constant integration of learning and best practices into the City's climate action program. To truly achieve deep decarbonization, the City will need to embrace uncertainty, engage in systemic change using the tools and actions that local governments are uniquely suited to carry out, and position itself to take full advantage of future innovations, technologies, funding, policies, and legislation that may be undertaken at the state and federal level. Packet Page 188 Item 15 DISCUSSION Background San Luis Obispo residents and businesses routinely rank climate change as an important issue. In 2019, thousands of people in San Luis Obispo contributed to the City's budget process that resulted in City Council adopting Climate Action as a Major City Goal for the second straight Financial Plan cycle. As community and Council prioritization of ambitious climate action continues, the update of the City's Climate Action Plan provides a platform for strategic prioritization of actions, as well as an opportunity to incorporate a wide range of community member's feedback and suggestions for a low carbon and thriving San Luis Obispo. In July 2012, the City Council adopted by resolution the City of San Luis Obispo's first Climate Action Plan with objectives and strategies to achieve the adopted GHG emissions reduction target of 15 percent below 2005 baseline levels by 2020.1 Although final data required for verification will not be available until after 2020, based on reasonable assumptions, staff expects that as of January 1, 2020, the City has successfully achieved this target. In 2018, City Council identified Climate Action as a Major City Goal and included updating the Climate Action Plan as a key work task for the second consecutive Financial Plan. In September of 2018, staff presented an update on the Climate Action Plan process to Council with a request for goal setting direction.2 At that meeting, Council directed staff to update the Climate Action Plan to articulate a pathway to carbon neutrality by 2035. In December of 2019, staff presented an update to Council with another request for goal setting direction. City staff worked closely with technical consultants, peer cities, stakeholders, and community members to create an approach to carbon neutrality. At full implementation, the proposed approach will leave an emissions gap that will need to be addressed to reach total carbon neutrality. With this in mind, Council directed staff to continue articulating a pathway to carbon neutrality by 2035 and to update the Climate Action Plan every four years to allow opportunity for new best practices and technologies to address this remaining emissions gap.3 In March 2020, the City declared a local emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic and approved a supplemental budget focused on economic recovery. In addition to presenting serious public health concerns, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted San Luis Obispo's local economy. ' Resolution 10388 (2012 Series) is available at : http://opengov. slocity.oriz/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=5991 &dbid=0&repo=CityClerk 2 The September 18, 2018 Council Agenda Report is available at: http://opengov.slocity.org/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=83887&dbid=0&repo=City Cam. The meeting minutes are available at: http://opengov.slocity.org/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=85817&dbid=0&repo=Ci , Clerk. 3 The December 3, 2019 Council Agenda Report is available at: http://opengov.slocity.org/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=100362&dbid=0&repo=Ci , Clerk. The meeting minutes are available at: http://opengov.slocity.org/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=103905&dbid=0&repo=Ci , Clerk. Packet Page 189 Item 15 Leading economists4 and governments ranging from individual cities5 to groups as large as the European Union6 believe that COVID-19 recovery focused on creating a low carbon economy can provide enduring economic benefit, address issues of health and equity, and enable communities to thrive in a rapidly changing world. In accordance, while the 2020 Climate Action Plan is about addressing greenhouse gas emissions, it is also about supporting a more equitable and resilient community. Addressing climate change presents the City and community with an opportunity to use resources more effectively, improve community equity and well- being, and support an economy that is set to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and thrive in a rapidly changing 21 st century. For example, many of the actions in the 2020 Climate Action Plan are geared towards supporting local jobs, enhancing access to downtown and other areas of commerce and recreation, improving air quality$, and reducing utility bills for residents and building owners. As a result, the plan will play an integral role in the City's recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 and will help provide for a cleaner, healthier, and safer San Luis Obispo. Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery The 2020 Climate Action Plan has two parts — Volume 1: Stories from 2035; and Volume 2: Technical Foundation and Work Program. Volume 1 is an innovative and engaging collection of short stories connecting readers to tangible outcomes and quality of life improvements as a result of the work included in Volume 2: Technical Foundation and Work Program. Volume 2 provides overarching policy direction and foundational actions to achieve a communitywide GHG emissions output of 196,180 MTCO2e per year by 2030 (consistent with California Senate Bill 32 target for 2030) and make progress towards the City's aspirational goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2035 (exceeding the California Executive Order B-55-18 target of carbon neutrality of 2045). While the plan is centered around reducing community greenhouse gas emissions, it also focuses on using resources more effectively, improving community equity and well-being, and developing an economy that is set to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and thrive in a rapidly changing 21 st century. 4 For example, see: Hepburn, C., O'Callaghan, B., Stern, N., Stiglitz, J., and Zenghelis, D. (2020), `Will COVID-19 fiscal recovery packages accelerate or retard progress on climate change?', Smith School Working Paper 20-02. Retrieved from: http s: //www. smithschool. ox. ac.uk/publications/wpapers/workingpgper2O-02.pdf 5 For example, over 30 mayors recently pledged to focusing COVID Recovery on health, equity, and sustainability. See: https://www.c40.org/press_releases/taskforce-principles 6 For example, see: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-eu-climate/eu- rg een- recove o-target-buildings-clean-power-hydrogen-draft-idUSKBN22W2TO and https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidrvetter/2020/04/13/use-lessons-of-covid-l9-to-build-a- rg een- recoverysay-eu-ministers/#68dd906a433 5 Pinner, D., Rogers, M., and Samandari, H. 2020. Addressing climate change in a post -pandemic world. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainabili /our- insights/addressingclimate-char ee�post-pandemic-world 8 For example, a Rocky Mountain Institute literature review report provides substantial evidence linking onsite natural gas combustion with poor indoor air quality and public health impacts. See: https:Hnni.org/insight/gas-stoves-pollution-health Packet Page 190 Item 15 The plan was developed with input from the San Luis Obispo community through outreach events and activities designed to empower residents, stakeholders, city staff, and decision - makers. Through the update process, the following lessons learned from local implementation and global best practices have guided the development of the 2020 Climate Action Plan: 1. Systems are responsible for the climate crisis. Transformative change to a low carbon, equitable, and sustainable community requires changes to the systems in which a community functions. 2. The climate crisis and social equity must be addressed together. Low greenhouse gas emissions, equity, and resilience are the organizing principles required for communities to thrive in the 21 st century. 3. Organizations are uniquely capable of certain actions. For structural change to occur, local governments should focus on their unique capabilities and responsibilities while partnering with and empowering other agencies and organizations to focus on their unique capabilities. 4. Leadership is needed and the world is watching. Our community's leadership is influencing how cities throughout the world are addressing their greenhouse gas emissions. Staff are active participants in a regional, statewide, national and international networks of cities; many of which are watching us closely to see what is possible. 5. Climate action is a path forward for enduring community recovery. Approaching climate action with a focus on public health and economic development allows local governments to strategically tackle two concurrent crises: climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Volume 1: Stories from 2035 Volume 1 of the 2020 Climate Action Plan includes six short stories told from various perspectives capturing moments of daily life in San Luis Obispo in 2035 (Attachment C). These stories, compiled from the nearly 90 short stories submitted by community members, show what is possible if the City implements the bold actions included in the plan. It is designed and written with the intent of being a highly digestible, accessible, and inspirational summary document to be released widely to the public that creatively highlights positive potential community outcomes associated with each of the plan's foundational actions. For example, Morning with the Kids (Figure 1) shares a brief glimpse into the life of a mother spending a weekend morning with her children. The story notes, "Even though the electric buses (2) have been around for a few years, I am still not used to how quiet they are." — highlighting "electric buses" and linking it to Connected Community action 4.1. In Volume 1 of the 2020 Climate Action Plan, readers are able to see themselves in a vision of a carbon neutral San Luis Obispo 15 years from now, and understand how the foundational actions included in the plan will make the city a more enjoyable, safer, more equitable place to live, work, and play. Volume 1 creatively highlights each of the 27 actions outlined in Volume 2 and directs readers to where they can find more information. Packet Page 191 Item 15 Volume 2: Technical Foundation and Work Program Volume 2 outlines a strategic roadmap to carbon neutrality including the technical foundation supporting the roadmap and the work program to implement it (Attachment D). This document provides details on 27 foundational actions to be initiated or implemented in the next three years and the modeled emissions reductions that are expected to result if those actions are successfully implemented. The actions are organized into six pillars, each of which includes long-term emissions reductions goals for 2030 and 2035. The pillars and goals are: • Pillar 1: Lead by Example — Carbon neutral government operations by 2030; Municipal Action Plan by July 2021 • Pillar 2: Clean Energy Systems —100 percent carbon free electricity by 2020 • Pillar 3: Green Buildings — No net new building emissions from onsite energy use by 2020; 50 percent reduction in existing onsite building emissions (after accounting for MBCP) by 2030 • Pillar 4: Connected Community — Achieve General Plan mode split objective by 2030; 40 percent of vehicle miles travelled by electric vehicles by 2030 • Pillar 5: Circular Economy — 75 percent diversion of landfilled organic waste by 2025; 90 percent diversion by 2035 • Pillar 6: Natural Solutions — Increase carbon sequestration on the San Luis Obispo Greenbelt and Urban Forest through compost application -based carbon farming activities and tree planting; ongoing through 2035 Packet Page 192 Item 15 Volume 2 also provides details on GHG reduction estimates, funding and financing options, equity considerations, economic development considerations, case studies, and tracking mechanisms for each action. Taken together, the six pillars and their actions are expected to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 45 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 66 percent below 1990 levels by 2035, with a remaining emissions gap of 111,030 MTCO2e (Figure 2). Figure 2. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions by Pillar (Annual MTCO2e in 2035) 400,000 -7 350,0001 -102,410 State Law and Programs Clean Energy Systems -39.010 ---' (Monterey Bay Community Power) 250,000 0 U H 200,000 C c Q 150,000 256,290 100,000 SUN 0 2035 Emissions Forecast Total Emissions Avoided Emissions 0 Emissions Reductions 1 -7,050 111,030 Green Connected Circular Natural 2035 Buildings Community Economy Solutions Emissions Remaining The total emissions reductions that can be achieved across the six pillars show the massive potential for the City to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions, while recovering from the economic impacts of COVID 19 and creating a healthier, cleaner, and more connected community. The 2020 Climate Action Plan acknowledges that additional actions beyond those identified in the plan will be necessary to achieve carbon neutrality and, therefore, provides a mechanism for regular updates to the Climate Action Plan connected to the biennial financial plan cycle to ensure budget resources are applied as necessary to close the gap and accomplish the target. Three appendices are included in the 2020 Climate Action Plan. Appendix A, Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Forecast, provides the methods and data used to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions inventories and forecasts used in the plan (included in this Council Agenda Report as Attachment E). Appendix B, Reduction Measure Quantification, provides the methods and data used to estimate the greenhouse gas emissions reductions expected to occur as the result of plan implementation (included in this Council Agenda Report as Attachment F). Packet Page 193 Item 15 Appendix C provides CEQA GHG Thresholds and Guidance, as described below and included in this Council Agenda Report as Attachment G. CEQA GHG Thresholds and Guidance To support progress toward the City's long-term carbon neutrality goal, plans and projects within the City that undergo CEQA review will need to demonstrate consistency with targets in the 2020 Climate Action Plan. In 2007, SB 97 acknowledged that climate change is an environmental issue that requires analysis in CEQA documents, and in 2010, the California Natural Resources Agency adopted amendments to the State CEQA Guidelines for the feasible mitigation of GHG emissions or the effects of GHG emissions. The adopted guidelines give lead agencies the discretion to set quantitative or qualitative thresholds for the assessment and mitigation of GHGs and climate change impacts. Specifically, Section 15183.5(b)(1)A-F of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations was amended to state that a qualified GHG Reduction Plan, or a Climate Action Plan, may be used for tiering and streamlining the analysis of GHG emissions in subsequent CEQA project evaluation, provided that the GHG Reduction Plan or Climate Action Plan does the following: • Quantifies GHG emissions both existing and projected over a specific period of time, resulting from activities within a defined geographical area • Establishes a level, based on substantial evidence, below which the contribution to greenhouse gas emissions from activities covered by the plan would not be cumulatively considerable • Identifies and analyzes the GHG emissions resulting from specific actions or categories of actions anticipated within the geographic area • Specifies measures or a group of measures, including performance standards, that substantial evidence demonstrates, if implemented on a project -by -project basis, would collectively achieve the specified emissions level • Establishes a mechanism to monitor the plan's progress toward achieving the level and to require amendment if the plan is not achieving specified levels • Be adopted in a public process following environmental review. The City's CEQA GHG Thresholds and Guidance document has been prepared to provide methodological guidance and quantitative thresholds of significance for use in CEQA review of development projects (Attachment G). Within the document, a Consistency Checklist (Checklist) has been prepared as permitted by CEQA Guidelines Section 15183.5 to facilitate a streamlined review process for proposed discretionary development projects that trigger environmental review. Projects that demonstrate consistency with the Checklist allow the City to remain on track to achieve GHG reductions goals, and therefore qualify for a reduced level of GHG emissions analysis than would otherwise be required by CEQA. The Checklist is an administrative document that may be separately updated by the City to include new GHG reduction measures or to comply with later amendments to the 2020 Climate Action Plan. Packet Page 194 Item 15 Projects that cannot show consistency with the Checklist will be required to prepare a separate more detailed project -level GHG emissions analysis as part of their CEQA document. For this purpose, quantitative efficiency thresholds have been developed for use in evaluating whether a plan's or project's GHG emissions would result in a potentially significant environmental impact under CEQA for plans or projects with pre-2030 buildout or initial operation years. These CEQA GHG emissions thresholds would be applied to plans or projects that cannot tier from the environmental analysis for the City's 2020 Climate Action Plan due to one of the following circumstances, which are illustrated in Figure 3: • The plan or project would not be consistent with the 2014 General Plan land use and zoning designations for the project site and would result in greater GHG emissions than existing on -site development; or • The plan or project would not be consistent with the CEQA GHG Emissions Analysis Compliance Checklist. Figure 3. Determining CEQA GHG Emissions Analysis Methodology !s the project consistent Is the prase equal or le with �454 General Plan GHG-intensive than land use and zoning existing an -site designations?NO .development? YES YES Caaject tier from tfi�e City's C,AI' per CEQA NO Guidelines Section 5$3.5 6NO y illustrating Compliance with the YES C€ClA GHG Emissions Analysis Compliance Cheek l i st 7 Else CECW GhIG Em[ssions Analysis Complete Analysis Quantitative Thresholds Packet Page 195 Item 15 Administrative Actions In addition to foundational actions aimed at reducing community greenhouse gas emissions, the 2020 Climate Action Plan also includes a series of administrative actions: 1. Implement Climate Action Plan with an Equity Lens. The City commits to implementing the Climate Action Plan with an equity lens. Staff will continue to learn best practices and evolve and grow over time. As an initial commitment, every action implemented in the CAP that requires an internal project plan will also include an assessment of equity that includes a detailed description of how the project will incorporate: a. Representational equity — a focus on having diverse voices guide the project's definition and implementation. b. Distributional equity — a focus on the costs and benefits of a project and how they are distributed to different demographics in the community. c. Generational equity - a focus on the costs and benefits of a project and how they are distributed to different demographics over time. d. Structural equity — a focus on how the project creates systems that reinforce representational, distributional, and generational equity after the project has been implemented. 2. Monitor and Report Plan Implementation. Using the "Tracking Progress" metrics and the work program provided in Volume 2, the City will develop a greenhouse gas emissions inventory update in every odd year and will develop a monitoring and reporting protocol and provide an update to City Council on progress every other year starting in the Summer of 2022. Consistent with Administrative Action 1, the City will also identify an approach to evaluate and report equity metrics related to Climate Action Plan implementation. 3. Regularly Update the Climate Action Plan. The City will update the Climate Action Plan for adoption in the Fall prior to every other Financial Plan. This allows for certainty in the update schedule, ensures that carbon neutrality work is directly tied to the City's financial decision making and prioritization process, and allows for constant integration of learning and best practices into the City's climate action program. The update schedule is included as Figure 4. 4. Ensure Transparency by Reporting Greenhouse Gas and Climate Action Information to Public Disclosure Programs. Several state, national, and international disclosure platforms exist with the purpose of providing transparency and access to sustainability related information. The City will review available programs, such as the Carbon Disclosure Program and SEEC Clear Path, and report on the platforms that have no or minimal costs to participate in. 5. Develop Mitigation Program for New Development to Illustrate Consistency with the Climate Action Plan The City will coordinate with the San Luis Obispo Air Pollution Control District, 3C-REN, and regional resource conservation districts to identify and evaluate possible local and regional offset mitigation projects for new development to use to illustrate consistency with this Climate Action Plan. Packet Page 196 Item 15 Figure 4. Climate Action Plan Update Schedule Foundational Actions On the Horizon Ideas for the Future 2019-2021 2021-2023 2023-2025 2025-2027 2027-2029 2029-2031 2031-2033 2013-2035 2035-2037 Financial Plan Public Engagement Public input, community engagement, and local capacity building are essential components of the 2020 Climate Action Plan. City staff identified, created, and expanded numerous opportunities for meaningful community input in developing a path towards carbon neutrality in San Luis Obispo. The events and activities were designed to empower a variety of residents, stakeholders, City staff, and decision -makers through the creation and adoption of the 2020 Climate Action Plan, including those who are typically not engaged and traditionally under- represented in planning processes. The public engagement strategy for the 2020 Climate Action Plan consists of a combination of online, formal focus group, informal pop-up, and internal and external presentation activities to maximize opportunities for feedback and ensure that input reflects the diverse interests of the wider San Luis Obispo community. 1. Outreach Events • City Council Meetings, including the 2018 and 2019 Study Sessions where Council directed staff to pursue carbon neutrality by 2035 • Climate Solution Speaker Series, hosted in partnership with the SLO Climate Coalition • Community Workshops and Open Houses, including the 2019 Open House which showcased the proposed approach to carbon neutrality and invited attendees to provide feedback on foundational actions • Community Meetings, including the Business Roundtable Meeting and the Community Collaboration for Climate Action Meeting • Tabling Events, including pop -ups at Farmers Markets and at various storefront locations to collect short stories for Volume 1 of the 2020 Climate Action Plan • Online Outreach, ranging from Open City Hall forums to social media posts The outreach process engaged over 1,000 community members and dozens of community organizations and businesses. Chapter 2 of Volume 2 provides additional detail about community outreach process, including outreach objectives and individual event descriptions. Staff will continue to conduct community engagement throughout the implementation phase of the plan with a focus on expanding participation to non-traditional stakeholders. Packet Page 197 Item 15 Public Review Draft The Public Review Draft of The City of San Luis Obispo Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery was released on June 22, 2020 and available for public review through July 22, 2020. An Open City Hall survey was released in tandem with the public review draft to collect community feedback on the document. The survey prompted participants to review the documents and attachments of the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery. A notice of the survey was sent to all those who are on the City's email list at the time it published. The introduction of the survey encouraged participants to provide feedback whether they had time or interest in reviewing all of the attached documents or just a select Volume. The activity had 30 participants. In total, including Open City Hall responses, letters, and emails, staff received 43 comments covering 87 topics. Comments were archived by topic area, and longer comments were broken down into multiple comment rows based on individual topic. Public comments and responses to them are included in Attachment I. CONCURRENCE On July 8, 2020, the Planning Commission unanimously recommended adoption of the Negative Declaration and approval of the Action Plan, titled Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery, including the CEQA GHG Thresholds and Guidance as consistent with the General Plan (Attachment H). Included in the Commissions review was consistency of the proposed 2020 Climate Action Plan with the City's General Plan. The Commission had three specific suggestions for the 2020 Climate Action plan — all of which have been incorporated in the plan as described in Attachment I. On July 16, 2020, the Active Transportation Committee (ATC) reviewed the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery and support the adoption of the plan. The ATC had several suggestions for the plan as outlined an Attachment I. The City also received comment letters from the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments and San Luis Obispo Air Pollution Control Districts supporting the City's 2020 Climate Action Plan. Public Works, Utilities, and Community Development have contributed to and concur with this report. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW An Initial Study was prepared Pursuant to CEQA, (EID 0275-2020) by Rincon Consultants to evaluate the potential significant effects of implementing the Climate Action Plan and CEQA GHG Thresholds Guidance (Attachment B). The Initial Study identifies several areas where "Less Than Significant" impacts have the potential to occur and concludes that implementation of the Climate Action Plan and GHG thresholds of significance would not result in potentially significant impacts on the environment. A Negative Declaration is therefore recommended for adoption in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15063 (b)(2) "The lead agency shall prepare a Negative Declaration is there is no substantial evidence that a project or any or its aspects may cause a significant effect on the environment". A thirty (30) day public comment period opened on June 22, 2020 and closed on July 22, 2020. A Notice of Completion and Notice of Intent to Adopt were filed with the County -Clerk Recorder and with the State Clearinghouse. Packet Page 198 Item 15 FISCAL IMPACT Budgeted: Yes Budget Year: 2019-20 Funding Identified: Yes Fiscal Analysis: Funding Sources Current FY Cost Annualized On -going Cost Total Project Cost General Fund N/A State Federal Fees Other: Total $0 $0 $0 No funds are requested at this time. The work program for the 2020 Climate Action Plan update is included in Table 4.1 in Volume 2 and includes each foundational action with associated schedule estimates and identified actions that are included in the FY 2019-2021 Financial Plan. Some foundational actions within the 2020 Climate action plan, that are consistent with the economic recovery meta goal will begin implementation in Fiscal Year 2021 and will be completed with existing and budgeted staff resources from Administration, Community Development, Public Works and Utilities, as well as the CivicSpark program through the Local Government Commission, grant resources through S132 funding, and partnership resources including Monterey Bay Community Power (MBCP), PG&E, SoCal Gas and 3C-REN. Some foundational actions that are budgeted as part of the 2109-21 Climate Action Major City Goal work plan, but not prioritized as part of the Economic Recovery Meta Goal, have been deferred and will be delayed at least one year from what was originally proposed in the December 2019 City Council Study Session. This includes work program tasks such as the adoption of the municipal carbon neutrality plan, carbon farm plan and pilot program, and urban forest master plan. These deferral dates and related quantification assumptions are incorporated into the 2020 Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery. Additional impacts on staff s time related to their role as Disaster Service Workers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic will also constrain implementation. Costs for implementing foundational actions in FY 2021-2023 will be developed for the 2021-23 Financial Plan and will include capacity and funding from staff resources, grants, and community partnerships. ALTERNATIVES 1. Council could request more information, suggest substantial changes, or otherwise request that the 2020 Climate Action Plan be presented for adoption at a later date. 2. Council could take no action and direct staff to pursue other initiatives. Packet Page 199 Item 15 Attachments: a - Draft Resolution b - COUNCIL READING FILE - CEQA Initial Study / Negative Declaration c - COUNCIL READING FILE - Climate Action Plan - Volume 1 d - COUNCIL READING FILE - Climate Action Plan - Volume 2 e - COUNCIL READING FILE - CAP Appendix A - GHG Inventory and Forecast f - COUNCIL READING FILE - CAP Appendix B - Reduction Measure Quantification g - COUNCIL READING FILE - CAP Appendix C - CEQA GHG Thresholds, Guidance, and Checklist h - Planning Commission Resolution i - Response to Public Review Comments Packet Page 200 Item 15 RESOLUTION NO. (2020 SERIES) A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN FOR COMMUNITY RECOVERY AND ASSOCIATED CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION THRESHOLDS AND GUIDANCE INCLUDING A NEGATIVE DECLARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (EID 0275-2020) WHEREAS, greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere as the result of human activity is the primary cause of the global climate crisis; and WHEREAS, in California alone, the initial impacts of climate change have resulted in unprecedented disasters with tremendous human, economic, and environmental costs; and WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that global emissions need to be reduced by 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, and 100 percent by 2050 to prevent global catastrophe; and WHEREAS, the State of California enacted Senate Bill (SB) 32 to require greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and Governor Brown issued Executive Order B-55-18 establishing a statewide target of carbon neutrality by 2045; and WHEREAS, City of San Luis Obispo residents and businesses have repeatedly identified climate action as a top community priority; and WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo City Council has directed staff to evaluate strategies and options to achieve community -wide carbon neutrality by 2035; and WHEREAS, the COVID-19 Pandemic has created a public health and economic disasters; and WHEREAS, a low carbon, sustainability-oriented approach to economic development is widely believed to be a path forward for resiliency and community recovery; and WHEREAS, low greenhouse gas emissions, resilience and equity are required for communities to thrive in the 21st century; and WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo City Council first adopted a Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2012; and I:14 Packet Page 201 Item 15 Resolution No. (2020 Series) Page 2 WHEREAS, the City has adopted a Major City Goal in response to the climate crises to continue to update and implement the Climate Action Plan for carbon neutrality, including preservation and enhancement of our open space and urban forest and planning for resilience; and WHEREAS, a 2020 update to the Climate Action Plan has been prepared and titled, Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery, that establishes a community -wide goal of carbon neutrality by 2035, adopts sector specific goals, and provides foundational actions to establish a trajectory towards achieving those goals; and WHEREAS, lead agencies may analyze and mitigate the significant effects of GHG emissions at a programmatic level, such as in a general plan, a long range development plan, or a separate plan to reduce GHG emissions as authorized in State CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15000 et seq.), section 15183.5(a); and WHEREAS, public agencies may choose to analyze and mitigate significant GHG emissions in a plan for the reduction of GHG emissions and such a plan may be used in a cumulative impacts analysis (State CEQA Guidelines, §15183(b)); and WHEREAS, section 15183(b)(1) of the State CEQA Guidelines states that a plan for the reduction of GHG should: a) Quantify GHG emissions, both existing and projected over a specified time period, resulting from activities within a specified area; b) Establish a level, based on substantial evidence, below which the contribution to greenhouse gas emissions from activities covered by the plan would not be cumulatively considerable; c) Identify and analyze the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from specific actions or categories of actions anticipated within the geographic area; d) Specify measures or a group of measures, including performance standards, that substantial evidence demonstrates, if implemented on a project -by -project basis, would collectively achieve the specified emissions level; e) Establish a mechanism to monitor the plan's progress toward achieving the level and to require amendment if the plan is not achieving specified levels; f) Be adopted in a public process following environmental review; and WHEREAS, the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery is a Qualified GHG Emissions Reduction Plan to reduce GHG emissions withing its jurisdictional boundary to meet and exceed state targets consistent with CEQA Guidelines Section 15183.5 for year 2030, and includes a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Thresholds and Guidance; and WHEREAS, the CEQA GHG Emissions Threshold and Guidance includes a GHG Checklist that provides that plans and projects that are consistent with the demographic forecasts and land use assumptions used in the Climate Action Plan can utilize the checklist to demonstrate consistency with the Climate Action Plan's GHG emissions reduction strategy, and if consistent, can tier from the existing programmatic environmental review contained in the adopted IS -ND for the Climate Action Plan; and I:14 Packet Page 202 Item 15 Resolution No. (2020 Series) Page 3 WHEREAS, the GHG Checklist is an administrative document that may be separately updated by the City to include new GHG reduction measures or to comply with later amendments to the 2020 Climate Action Plan; and WHEREAS, the potential environmental impact of the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery and CEQA GHG Emissions Thresholds and Guidance has been evaluated in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to an initial environmental study (EID 0275- 2020) and an Initial Study/Negative Declaration of environmental impact has been prepared and circulated for public review and comment period from June 22, 2020 to July 22, 2020; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission, at the hearing on July 8, 2020, considered the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery, including the GHG Emissions Thresholds and Guidance and proposed Initial Study/Negative Declaration and it's consistency with the General Plan, and recommend approval; and WHEREAS, the Active Transportation Committee, at the meeting on July 16, 2020, reviewed the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery and unanimously recommended approval of the plan. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows: SECTION 1. Recitals. The recitals set forth above are hereby adopted as the findings of the City in adopting the policies herein. SECTION 2. Environmental Review. The City Council has determined that the adoption of the proposed 2020 update to the City's Climate Action Plan titled, Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery, including the CEQA GHG Thresholds and Guidance document will not create a substantial environmental effect as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") and hereby adopts the Negative Declaration and directs staff to prepare and file a Notice of Determination with the County Clerk within five working days of the execution of this Resolution and approval of the Project and with the Office of Planning and Research. SECTION 3. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Targets. The City Council adopts carbon neutrality by 2035 or sooner as its community greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. The City Council also adopts the following sector specific goals: 1. Carbon neutral government operations by 2030 2. 100 percent carbon free electricity by 2020 3. No net new building emissions from onsite energy use by 2020; 50 percent reduction in existing onsite building emissions (after accounting for MBCP) by 2030 4. Achieve General Plan mode split objective by 2030; 40 percent of vehicle miles travelled by electric vehicles by 2030 5. 75 percent diversion of landfilled organic waste by 2025; 90 percent diversion by 2035 6. Increase carbon sequestration on the San Luis Obispo Greenbelt and Urban Forest through compost application -based carbon farming activities and tree planting; ongoing through 2035 I:14 Packet Page 203 Item 15 Resolution No. (2020 Series) Page 4 SECTION 4. Qualified GHG Reduction Plan. The City Council finds after due deliberation that the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery will effectively serve as the City's "qualified" greenhouse gas emissions reduction plan and be used for CEQA streamlining purposes consistent with CEQA Guidelines Section 15183.5(b)(1). SECTION 5. 2020 Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery. The City Council hereby approves the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery including Volume 1, Volume 2, Technical Appendices, and the California Environmental Quality Act Greenhouse Gas Emissions Thresholds and Guidance document. Upon motion of Council Member , seconded by Council Member , and on the following roll call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: The foregoing resolution was adopted this day of Mayor Heidi Harmon ATTEST: Teresa Purrington City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: J. Christine Dietrick City Attorney 2020. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of San Luis Obispo, California, on Teresa Purrington City Clerk I:14 Packet Page 204 Item 15 RESOLUTION NO. PC-1014-2020 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO RECOMMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN FOR COMMUNITY RECOVERY AND ASSOCIATED CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION THRESHOLDS AND GUIDANCE INCLUDING A NEGATIVE DECLARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW WHEREAS, greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere as the result of human activity is the primary cause of the global climate crisis; and WHEREAS, in California alone, the initial impacts of climate change have resulted in unprecedented disasters with tremendous human, economic, and environmental costs; and WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that global emissions need to be reduced by 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, and 100 percent by 2050 to prevent global catastrophe; and WHEREAS, the State of California enacted Senate Bill (SB) 32 to require greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and Governor Brown issued Executive Order B-55-18 establishing a statewide target of carbon neutrality by 2045; and WHEREAS, City of San Luis Obispo residents and businesses have repeatedly identified climate action as a top community priority; and WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo City Council has directed staff to evaluate strategies and options to achieve community -wide carbon neutrality by 2035; and WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo City Council first adopted a Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2012; and WHEREAS, the City has adopted a Major City Goal in response to the climate crises to continue to update and implement the Climate Action Plan for carbon neutrality, including preservation and enhancement of our open space and urban forest and planning for resilience; and WHEREAS, a 2020 update to the Climate Action Plan has been prepared and titled, Community Action Plan for Community Recovery, that establishes a community -wide goal of carbon neutrality by 2035, adopts sector specific goals, and provides foundational actions to establish a trajectory towards achieving those goals; and WHEREAS, the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery will be a Qualified GHG Emissions Reduction Plan consistent with CEQA Guidelines Section 15183.5 for year 2030, and includes a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Thresholds and Guidance; and Packet Page 205 Item 15 Resolution No. PC- 1014-20 Citywide, EID-0275-2020 Page 2 WHEREAS, the potential environmental impact of the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery and CEQA GHG Emissions Thresholds and Guidance have been evaluated in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to an initial environmental study (EID 0275-2020) and an Initial Study/Negative Declaration of environmental impact has been prepared and circulated for public review; and WHEREAS, the CEQA GHG Emissions Threshold and Guidance includes a GHG Checklist that provides that plans and projects that are consistent with the demographic forecasts and land use assumptions used in the Climate Action Plan can utilize the checklist to demonstrate consistency with the Climate Action Plan's GHG emissions reduction strategy, and if consistent, can tier from the existing programmatic environmental review contained in the adopted IS -ND for the Climate Action Plan; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of San Luis Obispo conducted a public hearing via teleconference, per the Governor's Executive Order N-29-20 issued on March 17, 2020, relating to the convening of public meetings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, on July 8, 2020, to consider the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery, including the GHG Emissions Thresholds and Guidance and proposed Initial Study/Negative Declaration; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Planning Commission of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows: SECTION 1. Findings. Based upon all the evidence, the Planning Commission recommends that the City Council make the following finding: 1. The proposed 2020 update to the City's Climate Action Plan titled, Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery, including the CEQA GHG Thresholds and Guidance is consistent with the General Plan. It is specifically consistent with and helps implement the following policies and programs: a. Circulation Element Policies 2.1.3 related to Work -based Trip Reduction; 3.1.1; Transit Development; 3.2.3 Commuter Bus Service; 4.1.1 Bicycle Use; 4.1.3 Continuous Network; 6.1.1-6.1.6 Sustainable (Multi -modal) Transportation; and 13.2.1 Parking Management Plan including parking reduction strategies; and b. Land Use Element Goal 10 to support statewide and regional efforts to create more sustainable communities, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and develop transportation systems that support all modes of circulation and Goal 11 to encourage energy efficiency principles and practices in the City's built environment; Conservation and Development of Residential Neighborhoods Policy 2.9 (reduced Automobile Dependence Downtown); Downtown Policies 4.2 and 4.2.1 (Downtown Residential and Existing and New Dwellings); Sustainability, Policies 9.4 for the maintenance and implementation of the Climate Action Plan to reduce community and municipal GHG emissions consistent with State laws and objectives, and 9.6-9.9 ( Natural Areas and Green Space, Sustainable Building Design, Sustainable Infrastructure and to Renew the Urban Forest); Programs 9.10-9.16 (Urban Forest, Climate Action Plan, Building Code Update, Incentive Program, LEED Certifiable, Renewable Energy Financing, and Renewable Energy Choice); and Packet Page 206 Item 15 Resolution No. PC-1014-20 Citywide, EID-0275-2020 Page 3 Healthy Communities Policies 10.2 Local Food Systems, 10.4 Encouraging Walkability, and 10.5 Healthy Environment; and c. Housing Element Goal 9 Sustainable Housing, Site and Neighborhood Design - Encourage housing that is resource -conserving, healthful, economical to live in, environmentally benign, and recyclable when demolished, including Policy 9.6 relating to sustainable home upgrades, Program 9.7 on education of energy conservation issues, and 9.10 Implement the Climate Action Plan; d. Conservation and Open Space Element Policy 2.2.1 Atmospheric Change, Goal 4.2 Sustainable Energy Use to increase use of sustainable energy sources such as solar, wind and thermal energy, and reduce reliance on non -sustainable energy sources to the extent possible with available technology and resources, Policies 4.3.1-4.3.7 relating to sustainable energy and energy efficiency practices, 4.4.1. Pedestrian- and bicycle -friendly design, 4.4.2. Alternative transportation, and Programs 4.6.1-4.6.18 in support of energy sustainability; and e. Water and Wastewater Element Program A.3.3.3 to monitor long term impacts from Climate Change. SECTION 2. Environmental Review. The Planning Commission recommends that the City Council determine that the adoption of the proposed 2020 update to the City's Climate Action Plan titled, Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery, including the CEQA GHG Thresholds and Guidance document will not create a substantial environmental effect as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") and recommends adoption of the associated Initial Study/Negative Declaration. SECTION 3. Recommendation. The Planning Commission does hereby recommend the City Council adopt the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery as consistent with the General Plan, including the California Environmental Quality Act Greenhouse Gas Emissions Thresholds and Guidance document as included in Climate Action Plan Attachment A.. Upon motion of Commissioner Hopkins, seconded by Vice -Chair Jorgensen, and on the following roll call vote: AYES: Commissioners Hopkins, Kahn, Quincey, Shoresman, Wulkan, Vice -Chair Jorgensen and Chair Dandekar NOES: None ABSENT: None The foregoing resolution was adopted this Bch day of July, 2020. r Tyler Corey, S ary Planning Co fission Packet Page 207 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. 1 CEQA SLOCOG staff saw constant alignment between the Climate Comment received. Action Plan and the 2019 RTP/SCS. Staff supports Connected Community 1.2 and suggests the City coordinate closely with other information -based services 2 CEQA such as 511/Rideshare and 21 United Way to ensure traveler The City looks forward to coordinating with information -based information is not siloed into a single app environment, but can services as suggested. be integrated with other systems to increase discoverability through existing trip planning tools. No menu of mitigation measures is included in the City's CEQA GHG Thresholds Guidance Document. For plans and projects Along with incorporating the CAP foundational actions to the that are not able to demonstrate consistency with the City's maximum extent feasible, how else should a project mitigate 2020 Climate Action Plan, a quantitative analysis will be 3 CEQA their impact if they are inconsistent with the CAP? Meaning is required and evaluated using the numeric thresholds there any where else in the proposed document where established in the City's CEQA GHG Thresholds Guidance mitigation measures are stated that projects can do? Document. Project specific mitigation may be applied to the project as necessary to reduce GHG emissions to achieve consistency with the threshold guidance. On pg. A-14, text should be added to show how 80 percent of This level of detail will be evaluated when the City conducts this 4 CEQA community VMT translates to GHG emissions 2018 inventory update, which will be completed in a collaborative partnership with MBCP and SLOACPD. The 2018 inventory will be initiated this Fall through support 5 CEQA Will emissions be rerun using latest EMFAC model? from MBCP and SLOAPCD. The inventories will be updated at this time with EMFAC2017. Caltrans supports local development that is consistent with State planning priorities to promote equity, strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and promote public health 6 CEQA and safety. Projects that support smart growth principles which Comment received. include improvements to pedestrian bicycle, and transit infrastructure are supported by Caltrans and are consistent with our mission, vision, and goals. Effective July 2020, Caltrans will replace vehicle level of service (LOS) with vehicle miles traveled (VMT) as the primary On June 16, 2020 the City adopted a resolutions to replace metric for identifying transportation impacts from local Level of Service (LOS) with Vehicle Miles Traveled ( VMT) as 7 CEQA development. Employing VMT as the metric of transportation the City's performance measure for CEQA analysis of impact Statewide will help to promote GHG emission transportation impacts and approve revisions to the City's reductions consistent with SB 375 and can be achieved Multimodal Transportation Impact Study Guidelines. through influencing on -the -ground development. August 18, 2020 Page 1 Packet Page 208 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. 8 Circular Economy Isn't the key equity consideration here that rate increases for Revised language for Circular Economy 1.1 to include equity solid waste service will adversely affect lower income people? considerations due to potential rate increases. The plan for the green waste bin requirement is still in 9 Circular Economy Add specifics on enforcement of green waste bin requirement. development. When released, it will include specifics on enforcement. To promote a circular economy, could subsidy for restaurants This CAP is focused on green waste diversion. The City plans 10 Circular Economy buying local produce be implemented? to explore other policies and programs to support and incentivize supply chain localization in future CAP updates. The City should put a sticker or signage on each trash can to The Utilities Department is currently developing a waste stream 11 Circular Economy help promote the goals of reducing misplaced waste. education program. This comment will be passed on to the Utilities Department. I would like to propose more action that will make SLO a true leader and inspiration for the rest of the Central Coast on stopping the use of single -use disposable plastics that are This CAP focuses on diversion of green waste. The City plans sourced from fossil fuels. SLO City website does not show that to explore policies and programs to divert single -use plastics 12 Circular Economy we have a Zero Waste Plan, and neither does the CAP. SLO and highlight previously adopted waste diversion measures in is already implementing major plastic waste savings measures future CAP updates. that should be noted, including: 1) City Polystyrene Ordinance, 2) Beverage Straws Upon Request, and the 3) Single -Use Bottles/Cups Regulation. This CAP focuses on foundational actions that support green 13 Circular Economy The City should develop a Zero Waste Mandate like the City waste diversion. The City could explore a Zero Waste Mandate of Mountain View. along with other ordinances and programs that further support the diversion of green waste in future CAP updates. This CAP focuses on foundational actions that support green recommend SLO create its own Single -Use food ware and waste diversion. The City could explore a Single -Use food ware 14 Circular Economy Litter Reduction Ordinance, like the City of Berkeley, Malibu, and Litter Reduction Ordinance along with other ordinances and Manhattan Beach. and programs that further support the diversion of green waste in future CAP updates. August 18, 2020 Page 2 Packet Page 209 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. This CAP focuses on foundational actions that support green 15 Circular Economy Solid Waste Plan should include installation of recycling waste diversion. The City could explore programs and policies containers within all urban parks. to enhance citywide recycling in future CAP updates. This comment will be passed onto the Utilities Department. 16 Circular Economy The effort to reduce organic landfill waste is great and Comment received. composting is sorely needed in our community. 17 Circular Economy The idea of citywide composting is good. Comment received. This CAP is focused on green waste diversion. The City plans 18 Circular Economy If solid waste emissions are a concern, update the poultry to explore other policies and programs that reduce greenhouse ordinance. gas emissions from the solid waste sector in future CAP updates. This CAP focuses on green waste diversion. The Utilities Department is responsible for facilitating the residential and City should address limited processing power at our current commercial recycling program in San Luis Obispo in 19 Circular Economy recycling facility. partnership with the Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA). IWMA is a joint government entity that oversees and manages recycling in San Luis Obispo county. This comment will be passed along to the Utilities Department and IWMA. August 18, 2020 Page 3 Packet Page 210 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. The foundational actions in the Climate Action Plan are Concerns that these actions won't impact global climate intended to be an investment in a local and regional economy change and will come at a cost to residents. Natural Solutions that create high quality jobs and directly address issues of 20 Circular Economy actions and edible food recovery are some of the only things equity and environmental justice. Foundational actions in the with true local benefits. Natural Solutions and Circular Economy pillar, along with all other pillars, were developed to achieve deep emissions reduction with maximum local benefit. Should step up on waste stream education, consider As mentioned in the Circular Economy pillar, the City's Utilities 21 Circular Economy partnering with this local Instagram account: department is currently developing a waste stream education https://www.instagram.com/canirecyclethis_slo/. program. The City will explore opportunities to connect and collaborate with community partners on climate education. It is disappointing to see that the plan does not have goals to This plan is focused on reducing green waste in the landfill that 22 Circular Economy decrease single use plastic and increase recycling of plastics generates methane emissions, however the recycling of other than the two Circular Economy actions. Hopefully plastics is also important. This could be an area of focus in the measures will be stricter in the future. next climate action plan. The City is currently working with MBCP staff to develop a 23 Clean Energy Systems City shouldn't just fall back on MBCP for clean energy, but pathway for the organization to have not just carbon free, but explore local renewable generation and storage options. one hundred percent renewable electricity (with a focus on regional projects) by 2030. Existing SoCalGas programs focused on reducing residential and building emissions provide opportunities to partner with the City to pursue and enhance emissions reductions from the The City looks forward to collaborating with SoCalGas on the 24 Clean Energy Systems gas systems, including enhancing energy efficiency offerings, aforementioned projects to support emissions reductions on the exploring opportunities for hydrogen technologies, and existing natural gas grid. partnering with Cal Poly and other schools to educate and support renewable energy programs and projects. 25 Clean Energy Systems Joining Monterey Bay Community power is a win -win for the Comment received. City and residents. August 18, 2020 Page Packet Page 21 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. When electric and low -carbon transit is rolled out, City should The City plans to work with organizations such as the Climate 26 Community Engagement invest resources and time in education campaigns to show Coalition to develop and complete educational campaigns for community members that it's safe, reliable, and normal to use. Climate Action Plan implementation. Continued climate education is built into several implementation actions including the building retrofit program, waste stream 27 Community Engagement Emphasized the need for continued public education on education program, update to City standards for solid waste and climate action even after the update is adopted the carbon farming study and pilot project. Additionally, the recently initiated climate vulnerability assessment will provide substantial opportunities for community climate education. The creation of the 2020 Climate Action Plan was driven by strong community support for climate action, and community engagement was an integral part of the development process. The plan was informed by over 1,000 community members and 28 Community Engagement City government could care less what citizens think. dozens of organizations and businesses. The City strongly values community input, and community members are invited to contact Sustainability Manager Chris Read at cread@slocity.org to share any questions, comments or concerns. This ambitious plan will require a lot of community meetings to Community engagement has been a critical throughout the 29 Community Engagement "sell" it; hope that the community sees the opportunities. development of the plan, and the City intends to continue Thinking outside of the box for solutions is critical. hosting events and conducting online and in -person outreach through the implementation process and beyond. August 18, 2020 Page 5 Packet Page 212 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. Transportation emissions projections are uncertain given the rapid expected changes in the transportation sector over the next decade. This uncertainty is even more pronounced in the COVID present and post-COVID world. The quantification provided is one path that shows substantial evidence that the GHG reduction targets can be achieved. As you point out, there are other paths to achieving the targets. To get to the specifics of your question, ridership has rapidly grown as SLO Transit Is a tripling of the percentage of transit trips over the next 10 has developed agreements with local and regional institutions 30 Connected Community years realistic in a post-Covid-19 environment? (e.g., Cal Poly). The suite of actions in the CAP (Connected 1.1, 1.2, 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4) focused on simplifying access to Transit, simplifying ways that new development can support transit headways and system expansion, and continuing improvements to the transit system are expected to continue these ridership and related mode share increases. The way we deal with the uncertainty mentioned above is, Administrative Action 1 and Administrative Action 2, which provide for monitoring and reporting protocols and regular CAP updates. We will continue to learn and update assumptions accordingly. August 18, 2020 Page 6 Packet Page 213 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. VMT is the ideal metric and is the one we use in our quantitative analysis (Attachment B). We are constrained currently to mode split by trips since that is the standing General Plan policy metric and is what has traditionally been collected by Public Tracking and Reporting Mode Split Metrics. It seems like Works. That said, the City maintains a transportation demand translating the number of trips into VMT is critical, as there is a model that generates VMT and we were able to work with our 31 Connected Community big difference between a bicycle trip length of a few blocks and consultants for the CAP to generate a reasonable estimate for a few miles. Do we have a good way to estimate VMT, not just VMT based on trip types. Of note, we excluded all trips that number of trips? began or ended outside of the community from any calculations that involved our mode split objectives to ensure we aren't applying local trip reductions to regional trips. Connected 1.1 addresses these issues and will hopefully lead to greater clarity and certainty moving forward. Several steps were taken to preclude double counting. First, VMT related to achieving mode split objectives were removed Implementing this goal results in one of the largest GHG from the EV calculations. Second, reductions for each analysis reductions in the Climate Action Plan at nearly 35,000 year (2025, 2030, and 2035) focusing on fuel efficiency and the MTCO2e. Isn't some or most of this reduction already carbon content were applied to the remaining on -road VMT. It accounted for in the BAU forecast? I just want to be assured is this final subset of VMT/GHG that was then used to calculate 32 Connected Community that we are not double counting GHG reductions. Besides, is it emissions from the additional EV adoption. Based on the realistic to assume that City policies can actually influence literature cited in the CAP, we believe that a rapid transition to whether people choose to own electric vehicles and how much EV is likely to occur and that the City can support this transition they drive? through existing policy related to requirements for EV chargers in certain types of development, continuing to make EV charging visible in public lots, and working with Monterey Bay Community Power on incentives and supportive rate structures. August 18, 2020 Page 7 Packet Page 214 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. In Volume 1, pg. 16, "Each us route stops at the main terminal downtown every fifteen minutes". Case studies from other U.S. The City continues to work on improving service and transit 33 Connected Community and international cities shows that 5-10 minute service and low headways to make ridership accessible, reliable, and attractive fares are required to increase transit use to significant levels. to community members. The language has been updated to be When riders don't have to consult a schedule, yet still have more representative of intended transit headways in 2035. confidence in service, ridership increases. As the grid shifts to renewables, the question of additional load from electric vehicles is about grid/circuit capacity as much as a greenhouse gas emissions. Utility rate structures are 34 Connected Community Expressed the challenge posed by EV charging at non -peak continuing to shift to produce market incentives to charge off - times and the need to address this problem. peak. Additionally, as technologies emerge that allow vehicle batteries to discharge into the house or onto the grids, electric vehicles will likely actually service as a grid resource rather than a grid constraint. Expressed the need to consider prioritizing disadvantaged The prioritization of disadvantaged communities will occur in 35 Connected Community populations for Micromobility services. the implementation of all CAP actions. See new Administrative Action 1. Requested to consider the full impacts of Vehicle Miles Supporting equitable and convenient low carbon alternative Traveled (VMT) vs mode share. For example, if someone mobility and more venues for low or no -cost travel is also 36 Connected Community bikes to work a short distance 5 days a week, and then drives significant to community recovery. For information about what their car 30 miles on a single trip on the weekend, they undo the City is doing to protect transit riders see all of the bike trip GHG savings. https://www.slocity.org/government/department- directory/public-works/slo-transit. Initial research informs the adoption curves and estimates Will the number of charging stations be enough to meet the provided in the plan. This high level assessment will be 37 Connected Community GHG reduction goal? improved upon through implementation of Connected 6.1, which will provide a deeper look at number and types of chargers needed, among other things. August 18, 2020 Page 8 Packet Page 215 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. Expressed concern about striking the right balance between Physical infrastructure is critically important for safely achieving 38 Connected Community technology apps (i.e. Mobility as a service) vs the need for the mode split objectives. The digital infrastructure could be an more active transportation infrastructure improvements that important tool for providing more equitable access to alternative provide more comfortable routes for people to bike and walk. mobility options including micromobility and transit. For trips that begin and end in the City, the focus is heavily on transit and active transportation. Interesting work is currently being completed to assess using the exiting rail corridor for Expressed a concern for the high emphasis on electric travel and to enhance regional transit. However, regional trips, 39 Connected Community vehicles. which make up the majority of the city's transportation emissions, will be very hard to transition to alternative modes in meaningful ways in the next 10 - 15 years. For these reasons, the plan focuses on electric vehicle adoption for these kinds of trips. City should create network of bike routes to allow high school students to ride to school. One example would be to install a This level of detail is best suited for the City's in -process Active protected bike route on Orcutt Rd and Johnson Ave to the Transportation Plan. Please provide additional suggestions for 40 Connected Community school. A 2-way bike lane could be located on the westbound side of Johnson Ave by eliminating the car parking spaces on specific bicycle routes to the Active Transportation Committee that side. A good bike route network could reduce parents or to the Active Transportation Manager Adam Fukushima at driving their kids to and from the high school, thereby reducing afukushima@slocity.org. traffic and air pollution. This CAP is focused on promoting active and low or no -carbon City should discuss what it is doing about inter -community transportation for trips taken within the City of San Luis Obispo 41 Connected Community transit to cut down on commutes for workers who live out of and procuring necessary electric vehicle infrastructure. The City plans to explore policies, programs, and partnerships to town. promote affordable low and no -carbon regional transit opportunities in future CAP updates. The 2020 Climate Action Plan includes the completion and 42 Connected Community Making the community safe for bikes will help with implementation of the Active Transportation Plan, which will transportation goals. improve active transportation safety and accessibility in the City. August 18, 2020 Page 9 Packet Page 216 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. The Connected Community pillar in the 2020 Climate Action 43 Connected Community Increasing bikeability of SLO should be top priority. Plan includes actions to increase the bikeability of San Luis Obispo. City should put safer bike routes around Cal Poly along These comments will be passed on to the project manager of 44 Connected Community Foothill and Chorro. It is unsafe to ride, especially along the in -process Active Transportation Plan. Foothill as you approach Casa and California. "Mobility as a Service" touches on facilitating access to transit and bike sharing services, but doesn't mention the potential for 45 Connected Community EV car sharing. Programs such as BlueLA are making it possible for people of all income levels to travel in a ZEV. This comment will be passed on to the Active Transportation Considering a large portion of the population don't ride bikes Division in Public Works. and transit can rarely ever cover that "last mile", a public EV sharing program would fill an important niche in SLO. Ride sharing services are here to stay and are popular, but 46 Connected Community there are no mandates for them to operate carbon -free. LA is This comment will be passed on to the Transportation Division considering mandating this as well as the state; SLO should in Public Works. consider it and not wait for the state to act. The Active Transportation Plan should be implemented immediately as suggested, but it is not as aggressive as it could be. The City needs to prioritize the creation of an entire network of streets closed to through motor vehicle traffic so bikes and pedestrians can move freely. Quick build strategies are great in the short term, but limited protected lanes will This comment will be passed on to the Active Transportation 47 Connected Community likely be congested with pedestrians, dog walkers, children on Division in Public Works. training wheels, etc. which is problematic for commuter cyclists and e-bikes. The ATP will get more people on bikes and walking, but the CAP needs to get working people out of cars and onto bikes for their commutes and errands. The difference is the target population and types of infrastructure needed. August 18, 2020 Page 10 Packet Page 217 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. The micro -mobility program should include a fleet of bicycle 48 Connected Community taxis to accommodate those who are not likely to ride This comment will be passed on to the Active Transportation themselves. The City should consider supporting/partnering Division in Public Works. with the SLO pedicab service. The foundational actions are intended to be an investment in a 49 General All of these actions will come at a great expense to the public. local and regional economy that create high quality jobs and directly address issues of equity and environmental justice. This Climate Action Plan is one step of many that the City is taking to create a more sustainable, resilient, and thriving community. In January, 2020, the City hosted a Community It's time to expect more from business and demand that they Collaboration for Climate Action meeting where business 50 General catch up to everything that has been demanded from owners and community organization leaders were invited to individuals. meet and collaborate on taking climate action within their organizations. The City plans to continue facilitating similar spaces to support local businesses in taking responsibility for climate action as well. 51 General I am glad you're thinking about all these aspects and including Thank you. We aim for equity considerations to be included in equity. every step of decision making in San Luis Obispo. More significantly address upfront costs associated with green The building retrofit program will be focused on providing 52 Green Buildings building improvements what the City is doing to help residents. incentives and low cost financing, among other strategies, to support retrofits. City should explain more clearly how all electric buildings Using standard contemporary electric appliances and state 53 Green Buildings impact utility bills and how CECP will impact homebuyer required solar panels, all -electric building utility bills are choice/affordability. expected to be cost comparable relative to mixed fuel buildings. August 18, 2020 Page 11 Packet Page 218 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. Allowing for residents to have the choice between gas and The Clean Energy Choice Program for New Buildings allows for 54 Green Buildings electric is important, and ensuring new buildings are made developers to choose between fuels when building new with green features is good. residential and commercial projects, and provides support and incentives for those who choose to go all -electric City should not allow post tension slab construction as it This comment will be passed on to the Community 55 Green Buildings cannot be modified down the line to turn single family Development Department. structures into multiple units. As a part of the Building Retrofit Program that is intended to be Greening buildings will not do anything to make already- developed and implemented in 2021, the City will explore ways 56 Green Buildings expensive neighborhoods more affordable. to leverage existing financing and incentive programs to connect home and building owners with the right tools to install retrofits at the lowest possible cost. City needs to focus on converting existing housing into non- This comment will be passed on to the Community 57 Green Buildings traditional dwelling units and eliminating occupancy caps in Development Department. certain areas. Has the PD considered electric vehicles? They are often left 58 Lead By Example idling, and switching to electric vehicles could be a huge The City will be developing a clean fleet policy for City vehicles emissions reduction measure. The same idea applies to in Fall 2020. electric fire trucks. August 18, 2020 Page 12 Packet Page 219 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. Provide further explanation on city fleet electrification (when it Municipal action will be detailed further in the municipal climate 59 Lead By Example will happen, etc.) and perhaps provide examples of actions in plan. Currently, the City is pursuing fleet charging at numerous the municipal CAP. locations and is expected to develop a clean fleet purchasing policy in the Fall of 2020. Would compost application on the Johnson Ranch, "City "use The action focused on carbon sequestration is a study/pilot 60 Natural Solutions Farm," and 100 additional acres up" all the compost project and would be focused on answering these types of produced from the city s residential and commercial organic questions. waste? If not, would there be a market for the excess? Although the project needs to be developed, it is envisioned that 61 Natural Solutions Will there be enough water to maintain 10,000 trees? Will climate tolerate, native species would be planted in natural recycled water be used? areas. These trees would require watering on transplant, but would not require irrigation once mature. Before any tree removal project is approved by the City, the project proponent must submit a written plan to replace the This comment will be passed on to the project manager when 62 Natural Solutions removed trees (either at the same location or elsewhere) and the Urban Forest Master a Plan is initiated. restore the affected area with new plantings or development as appropriate. Tree planting is good but our ordinances for cutting down This CAP focuses on the planting and maintenance of new 63 Natural Solutions existing trees for development should be stricter. trees. The City plans to explore policies and ordinances for existing trees and tree removal in future CAP updates. City should create an "adopt a tree" program to support tree This comment will be passed on to the project manager 64 Natural Solutions planting, promote shade with a green canopy, and enhance responsible for implementing Natural Solutions Action 2.1. stormwater management services. City should explore more open space acquisition, specifically around San Luis Mountain. The City is actively engaged in expanding the City's open 65 Natural Solutions spaces and greenbelt corridor, specifically with the most recent acquisition of the Miossi property, and looks forward to further acquisition as funding and property availability allows. August 18, 2020 Page 13 Packet Page 220 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. Through the Climate Action Plan and related social media and web content, the City aims to make complicated technical 66 Other Topics Jargon should be clearly defined and avoided, if possible, "mode information accessible. Volume 1: Stories from 2035 is specifically in Volume I for things like split". intentionally designed to provide a short and engaging overview of the plan's pillars and foundational actions for community members. City should explain how it is staying up to date with latest City staff has an ongoing commitment to learning best practices 67 Other Topics climate science and emerging trends/technologies/best for planning and implementation. Of note, the City will be practices throughout the implementation process. conducting a climate education series as part of its recently initiated climate vulnerability assessment. Plan should highlight not that it is a stand-alone, one-off plan, As identified in Administrative Action 2, the plan will be regularly 68 Other Topics but that it informs and changes existing City policies, updated. We'll be sure to highlight this in our presentations to documents, and thought processes moving forward. the community and City Council. Equity focus is vital, but the foundational actions within the Equity will continue to be a major focus through implementation. 69 Other Topics plan intended to create equity won't effectively work if the low- The City will look to organizations such as the Climate Coalition income or other communities don't hear about them or read to assist with communication and outreach to residents and the plan. Communications will be an important component. organiations throughout the community Volume 1, pg. 10, "a stack of papers are handed to me for a The language has been updated to be more representative of 70 Other Topics signature" should be updated to reflect changing times and the business operations in 2035. likelihood of paperless offices. The proposed 2020 Climate Action Plan supports public health improvements that increases community resilience and reduces community risk to this pandemic and to future public health threats, including supporting job creation with clean Address how certain actions pertaining to transit and flexible buildings, increasing active transportation safety and 71 Other Topics zoning both reduce GHG emissions, promote public health, accessibility, and reducing combustion of fossil fuels to improve and make sense for a community that is experiencing changes outdoor and indoor air quality. Supporting equitable and due to COVID-19. convenient low carbon alternative mobility and more venues for low or no -cost travel is also significant to community recovery. For information about what the City is doing to protect transit riders see https://www.slocity.org/government/department- directo / ublic-works/slo-transit. Include regulatory State engagement as a component of the The CAP includes direction to advocate to MBCP and the state 72 Other Topics CAP to promote successful implementation. in multiple actions and the City s current Legislative Action Platform provides support for state and regional advocacy. August 18, 2020 Page 14 Packet Page 221 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. Maker clearer the connection between the CAP and housing, 73 Other Topics economic recovery; elaborate on funding and financing The CAP has been updated to better illustrate the connections. sources. The plan will support community recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic through outcomes including job What about this plan is "community recovery"? Is now the best creation, reducing public health risks, and lowing utility bills. The 74 Other Topics time for this? This plan seems out of touch with what's literature cited in Volume 2 makes it clear that a low -carbon happening in the community. recovery can provide enduring economic benefit as well as a variety of public health and equity benefits. Please visit Chapter 1 of Volume 2 to learn more. City government should take care of city issues, and climate Climate change threatens the health and safety of all City 75 Other Topics change is not a city issue. Spending tax dollars on this residents. Adequately preparing San Luis Obispo to be resilient problem is a misuse of money. to climate change impacts is essential for the wellbeing of the community. CAP should better address the lack of housing and resources for the homeless in order to create a truly safe and equitable This comment will be passed on to the Community 76 Other Topics community. Otherwise, it shows community members that Development Department. social equity does not include the poorest, most vulnerable residents. The plan will support community recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic through outcomes including job Tone of CAP given pandemic is disjointed and connection creation, reducing public health risks, and lowing utility bills. The 77 Other Topics between goals/actions and COVID-19 recovery is literature cited in Volume 2 makes it clear that a low -carbon unclear/unconvincing. recovery can provide enduring economic benefit as well as a variety of public health and equity benefits. Please visit Chapter 1 of Volume 2 to learn more. The plan will support community recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic through outcomes including job This plan is out of touch, how about focusing on getting jobs creation, reducing public health risks, and lowing utility bills. The 78 Other Topics back? literature cited in Volume 2 makes it clear that a low -carbon recovery can provide enduring economic benefit as well as a variety of public health and equity benefits. Please visit Chapter 1 of Volume 2 to learn more. August 18, 2020 Page 15 Packet Page 222 Item 15 ATTACHMENT F — TABLE OF PUBLIC REVIEW COMMENTS Topic.. The plan will support community recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic through outcomes including job The word "Recovery" in the title is misleading and political in risks, and ility bills. The reducingpublin lVthat crealiterature t 79 Other Topics its intent. Volulme 2lth aing makes it clear low-ca bon recovery can provide enduring economic benefit as well as a variety of public health and equity benefits. Please visit Chapter 1 of Volume 2 to learn more. Many goals lack costly and necessary infrastructure and The 27 actions presented in the Climate Action Plan are 80 Other Topics enforcement mechanisms. identified as foundational first steps. Further actions will be considered in future climate action plan updates. The City does not have authority over public institutions of higher education, and both Cal Poly and Cuesta College do not 81 Other Topics City should push Cal Poly and Cuesta to create more housing fall within the jurisdiction of the City. However, the City for students to free up off -campus housing. continually supports the enhanced availability of affordable housing and will explore ongoing opportunities to collaborate with these institutions. It's disappointing to see that the City won't be able to achieve The Climate Action Plan includes a mechanism to be updated 82 Other Topics the carbon neutrality goal by 2035 on its current trajectory. in concurrence with every other Financial Plan to address the More aggressive actions are needed. remaining emissions gap. Many case studies mentioned in the CAP reference cities that Many of the actions in the plan were inspired by leading 83 Other Topics do not have as ambitious climate goals as SLO. The plan European cities. However, the USA and California regulatory should reference some of the European cities that have very environment is substantially different. Therefore, the City aggressive Climate Action Plans. attempted to present the most relevant case studies. The Plan demonstrates how SLO can be a model for 84 Other Topics emissions reduction while creating jobs and improving quality No response. of life. This is a total waste of time. The energy wasted on this could The foundational actions are intended to be an investment in a 85 Other Topics be used to do something that actually makes a difference and local and regional economy that create high quality jobs and helps the community instead of promoting a political agenda. directly address issues of equity and environmental justice. 86 Other Topics A lot of great ideas presented; city vehicles and city buildings The Lead by Example pillar is focused on City vehicles and should be top priority. buildings. The scale of the plan won't make an impact when other The foundational actions are intended to be an investment in a 87 Other Topics countries are far worse emitters, and one day there will be a local and regional economy that create high quality jobs and means for removing greenhouse gasses from our atmosphere directly address issues of equity and environmental justice. that is invented. August 18, 2020 Page 16 Packet Page 223 Item 15 Packet Page 224 \IS • G~ C Y O� ti CII`Y OF Sfln Luls OBISPO LttIS �4 [kctfon PI iity Recc Recommendation As recommended by the Planning Commission and Active Transportation Committee, adopt the Draft Resolution (Attachment A) to: 1. Adopt an Initial Study/Negative Declaration (Attachment B); and 2. Approve the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery (Attachments C-G) including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Thresholds and Guidance (Attachment G). 2 Overview ■ Background ■ Climate Action Plan Process and Content ■ "Qualified" Climate Action Plan and Environmental Review ■ Public Review Comments and Themes ■ Implementation and Next Steps Background ■ Atmospheric GHG concentrations have reached a level that assures substantial and unavoidable impacts for the foreseeable future. ■ California leads the world with ambitious climate legislation and programs. ■ Climate change is an important local issue. Background ■ 2012 Climate Action Plan ■ 2017-19 and 2019-21 Major City Goal ■ September 2018: Council direction to update the CAP with a pathway to carbon neutrality by 2035 ■ December 2019: Council direction to continue articulating a pathway to carbon neutrality by 2035 ■ March 2020: COVID-19 Emergency Proclamation 5 Recent Accomplishments (partial list) ■ Central Coast Community Energy / Monterey Bay Community Power ■ Clean Energy Choice Program for New Buildings ■ Conserved over 500 acres of open space since 2016 ■ Water Treatment Plant energy efficiency retrofit ■ Electric Vehicle Chargers (public and fleet) ■ Single -use container and straw ordinance; additional polystyrene rules ■ Updated the Water and Wastewater Element of the General Plan to include climate change impacts to water supply projections ■ Incorporating sustainability into everything we do: ■ Zoning Code — Tiny Homes, EV Chargers, etc. ■ Electric bus purchases ■ Open SLO —Active Transportation G SYSTEMS ARE for the climate crisis RESPONSIBLE Akhk� ORGANIZATIONS ARE UNIQUELY CAPABLE i i i i of certain actions CLIMATE ACTION IS A PATH FORWARD for enduring community recovery GY'C Y Off, CITY OF SHn Luls OBISI'O Lars o� h Climate Action Plan Process Step 5 � Step 1 Monitor/Evaluate Inventory Progress Emissions Community . • Stakeholder Input and Step 4 Engagement Step 2 Implement Action Establish Emissions Plan Reduction Target Step 3 Develop Action ,f Plan Public Engagement ■ A Community Driven Process ■ Dozens of outreach events and activities Workshops & Open Houses Community Meetings Farmers Market Booths Pop-up Tabling Social Media Open City Hall ■ Engaged over 1,000 community members 7 I I- VIt" mm 41A in TOMORROWS Friday, ]an. 3 O• 9 -11 am rcs, imate Action Plan hort Story Writing Office Hours Emissions Reduction Target 40P Ir - u kJEThursday, =October M20 CLIIi:ATE ACTIQN PLAN ' SHARE YOUR STORY -- what do you think life in San Lull, Obispo will look like in 2135? •' 1.•WW-510Cily.Oldi5�9L�InaeIllY �� GAT Y O.h CITY OF SHIZ LUIS OBISPO Lars o� MAKE YOM VOICE HEAW CLIMATE ACTION PLAN �ft =MEMO 203S In San Luis Obispo cc=mq Greenhouse Gas Emissions Invento Residential Energy 39,410 MTCO2e* Transportation Non -Residential Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Targets (Annual MTCO2e) 300,000 100,000 0 386.630 2005 Baseline Emissions 339,290 2016 Emissions 3287640 AB32 — 1990 levels (15% below baseline) by 2020 197,180 182.300 so 0 SB 32 — 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 City of San Luis Obispo - 2030 Target Carbon Neutral by 2035 CITY OF SAN LEAS OBISPO i -.✓_ 4 3'' y �s 4 VOLUME 1 Stories from 2035 Public Review Draft Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery slacity.orgidimaleactionplan GAT Y O n CITY 4F SqI1 LUIS OBISPO LEI so .rS 0 a Busy Afterr Passing through the door at 1.g PM sharp, the off. ce is ❑uslung this Monday afttmoon. I barely have the chance In dock the bike (1) 1 used for hutch and set my tag down at my desk tefore a slack of papers are handed) fa me for a segnatxire. On the updated contract with developer whose latest project m winge two hundred aw-emcutc (3) new rasiden units to San Luis Obispo. I sign my nary an the line next to CEO. As the head of company that designs and manutacture residential charging devices for electric our operations have expanded in a way havd never imager. d. Uwrling an eleni along with demand for our produtt—cdr grows each quarter as the City expands infrastructure (2)_ As tolras of our prOCIL wheeled bads to the wading dock to sta delrvenes. I weave through the workspa warehouse the team acquired in 2022 a to cwnplelety retrofit {5) a year later. I pl box off the top of the stack as d moves I my hands over the textured cardboard - along with a few other local manufactun onmmittad to using all recycled packagii Lack when we turned the community tlY (6}. Admiring the bustling workspace, I r that my business and se- many others er expanding green local economy. 10 1 CLIMATE ACTION PLAN FOR C€ CITY 6F SAN CUTS 8Qi6VO .s OLUMI i Technical Foundation and Work Program GAT Y O n CITY 4F SqR LUIS OBISPO LQIS o4 Public ReYiawDFaft Climate Action Plan for Gommunify Recovery ao�r� G The Six Pillars 1. Lead by Example: Carbon neutral government operations by 2030 2. Clean Energy Systems: 100 percent carbon free electricity by 2020 3. Green Buildings: No net new building emissions from onsite energy use by 2020; 50 percent reduction in existing onsite building emissions by 2030 1 nt141tp,Amhn ���� _ The Six Pillars 4. Connected Community: Achieve the General Plan mode split objective by 2030; 40 percent of vehicle miles travelled by electric vehicles by 2030 5. Circular Economy: 75 percent diversion of landfilled organic waste by 2025; 90 percent by 2035 6. Natural Solutions: Increase carbon sequestration within the San Luis Obispo Greenbelt and Urban Forest; ongoing through 2035 Reductions by Pillar 400,000 350,0001 -102,410 State Law and Programs 300,000 Clean Energy Systems -39,010 (Monterey Bay Community Power) O250,000 U 200,000 C C Q 150,000 256,290 100,000 Total Emissions Avoided Emissions Emissions Reductions 11 -7,050 111,030 no 0 2035 Green Connected Circular Natural 2035 Emissions Buildings Community Economy Solutions Emissions Forecast Remaining Administrative Actions 1. Implement Climate Action Plan with an equity Lens Representational equity Distributional equity Generational equity Structural equity 2. Monitor and report implementation 3. Regularly update the Climate Action Plan concurrent with every other Financial Plan 4. Report GHG and climate action information to public disclosure programs 5. Develop mitigation program CEQA GHG Emissions Thresholds and Guidance ■ "Qualified" Climate Action Plan may be used for tiering and streamlining GHG emissions analyses in future CEQA project evaluations ■ Section 15183.5(b)(1)A-F of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations ■ 2020 Climate Action Plan Consistency Checklist ■ Consistent with General Plan land use and zoning and would not result in greater GHG emissions; and ■ Consistent with the CAP measures ■ Quantitative GHG emissions thresholds applied to plans or projects not consistent with the checklist Consistency Checklist Pillar 1: Lead by Example The foundational actions of this pillar pertain exclusively to municipal operations of the City of San Luis Obispo. In order to display consistency with the Climate Action Plan for the purposes of CEQA, applicants must complete the questions for pillars two through six. Pillar 2: Clean Energy Systems Regulation Requirements Project/Plan Compliance Explanation Climate Action Plan Volume II, Energy 1.1 2. Does the Project/Plan include an operational commitment to participate in Monterey Bay Community Power? Yes ❑ NoD NIA❑ Pillar 3: Green Buildings Regulation Requirements Project/Plan Compliance Explanation Clean Energy Choice Program for New Buildings Municipal Code Section 15.04.110 3. Does the Project/Plan exclusively include "All - electric buildings"? For the purpose of this checklist, the following definitions and exemptions apply: All -electric building. A new building that has no natural gas plumbing installed within the building and that uses electricity as the source of energy for all space heating, water heating, cooking appliances, and clothes drying appliances. An All -Electric Building may be plumbed for the use of natural gas as fuel for appliances in a commercial kitchen. Yes❑ No❑ NIA❑ �fi Y Is the project consistent with 2014 Is the project equal or less GHG General Plan land use and zoning intensive than existing on -site designations? development? Can the project tier from the City's CAP by illustrating compliance with the CEQA GHG Emissions Analysis Compliance Checklist? Use CEQA GHG Emissions Analysis Complete Analysis Quantitative Thresholds Gv C Y Off, CITY OF S.IIII DELIS OBISPO W7 24 L�1 04 Environmental Review ■ Initial Study/Negative Declaration concludes that implementation of the 2020 Climate Action Plan and GHG thresholds of significance would not result in potentially significant impacts on the environment Draft Initial5ludy-Negaliive Declaration pw—dra 6t,or�..��,ob� OHI"ofw m.wo 990 Palm 54—t San Wls Obispo. CahlwMa 93a01 prcymed by Rln[en CanWnMs, 4!e M30 M-t"strc Soil.0 San Luis Obispo, Caid—a 9341 Lune 24 2020 rRINCON CUNSLILTANTS, INC. lm...aK.l k.miwlhwxr.� Wwen V-25 Public Review Draft ■ Review period concurrent with CEQA review (June 227 2020 - July 22, 2020) ■ Open City Hall and email responses ■ 43 comments, covering -90 topics ;hare your feedback on the Public Review Draft: Climate Action Plan for :ommunity Recovery! la Pul&cR—wOran o[MClunaleFCllnn Flan Iv (anmmamtyht—y wren Plan) can hadmrn etl at ,.ilvpNliinalu[ed n.�pplan rnaoral an Ficpa595 a 9aalW... an aaaLty 6v 10$5." S -"cdic"". aatl 27 I jWah9 Iacaaas h, rap ace 9�a6nhap5a gas am,..a'. imprara mmunlI eQudy an, w.0l ark supW lmal econ— recovery ham the COVID lB pencemlc The lcll m pIlnks p-de the senor goate aM no Public Review — Comments and Themes ■ COVID19 & economic recovery ■ Equity considerations ■ Adaptation and resilience ■ More can be done ■ Collaboration opportunities Implementation and Next Steps ■ CAP adoption is culmination of a long process, but it is just the beginning of the work ■ Immediate implementation actions: ■ Municipal plan, lead by example ■ Building retrofit support ■ Student research, design studios, and grant funding Recommendation As recommended by the Planning Commission and Active Transportation Committee, adopt the Draft Resolution (Attachment A) to: 1. Adopt an Initial Study/Negative Declaration (Attachment B); and 2. Approve the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery (Attachments C-G) including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Thresholds and Guidance (Attachment G). 29 \IS 0 • GAT Y OA CITY OF SHII DELIS OBISPO LQI S O City of San Luis Obispo Locally Applicable Plan- or Project -Specific CEQA GHG Emissions Thresholds GHG Emissions Forecast 5,440 5,750 11,190 (MT of COze per year)' Demographic MetriC2 GHG Efficiency Threshold (MT of COZe per year) MT = metric tons; CO2e = carbon dioxide equivalents 15ee Table 5. 7,817 residents 0.7 per resident 8,738 employees 0.7 per employee Z Demographic estimates are for new plans or projects only and were calculated using the forecasts in Table 6. 12,186 service persons 0.9 per service person Source: Table 7, Appendix C, Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery Appendix B CEQA Emissions Analysis Compliance Checklist CEC A GHG EMISSIONS ANALYSIS COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST CLIMATE ACTION PLAN CONSISTENCY CHECKLIST FOR New Development The City of San Luis Obispo has prepared a Climate Action Plan (CAP) that establishes 2030 greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) targets and a comm u n i tywi de goal of carbon neutrality by 2035 and provides foundational actions to establish a trajectory towards achieving that goal. The CAP includes specific actions to achieve the short-term comm u n itywide emissions reduction targets of 45 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 66 percent below 1990 levels by 2035. This is consistent with California's goal of reducing GHG emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels (Senate Bill 32) by 2030 and provides substantial progress towards achieving the state's long- term GHG reduction goal of carbon neutrality (Executive Order B-55-18). The City Council, City staff, and community will continue to develop an approach to the long-term aspirational goal of carbon neutrality. Over the years, new City programs have been implemented while others have evolved. Plans from a range of departments have been executed and updated. Per the 2020 SLO CAP, the GAP will be updated every four years with annual reviews of progress on implementation of specific GAP foundational actions. The City Office of Sustainability is updating the City's progress towards GHG reductions in 2019 to align with the next major GAP Update milestone year. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183.5, a lead agency may determine that a project's incremental contribution to a cumulative effect is not cumulatively considerable if the project complies with the requirements in a previously adapted plan or mitigation program under specified circumstances. In order for the 2020 SLO GAP to be considered a qualified GHG reduction strategy and provide for GEQA streamlining of GHG analysis for future development the CAP it must identify those measures that are applicable to new development. The 2020 SLO GAP includes measures that are applicable to existing developments, municipal government operations, as well as voluntary and mandatory measures to be applied to new development for public and private projects. Mandatory GHG reduction programs that are applicable to new development are summarized in the following California E nvi re n menta I Quality Act (GEQA) GHG Emissions Compliance Checklist (referred to herein as the CE{flA GHG Checklist), This GEQA GHG Checklist identifies applicable regulations, applicability, requirements, and monitoring and reporting required by regulations. The purpose of the GEQA GHG Checklist is to assist with determining project consistency with the CAP and other applicable sustainability-focused regulations and provide a streamlined review process for proposed new development projects that are subject to discretionary review and trigger environmental review pursuant to the CECA. for the respective project- and cumulative -level GHG emissions impacts analysis. Projects that are identified as not consistent with the CAP through the use of this CEQA GHG Checklist must prepare a project -specific analysis of GHG emissions, including quantification of existing and projected GHG emissions compared to the SLC CEQA GHG Threshold(s) and incorporation of the CAP foundational actions in this CEQA GHG Checklist to the extent feasible, Cumulative GHG emissions associated with construction from a land use development project are generally orders of magnitude lower than the operational emissions from a project, because construction emissions are generally short in duration compared to the project's overall lifetime, and thus can be assessed qualitatively as part of related CEQA GHG emissions analysis. However, some projects may have long construction periods or entail large quantities of cut and fill that could result in construction -related GHG emissions that may be considered significant. Thus, the City retains the discretion on a project -by -project basis to consider whether a project's construction -related GHG emissions could be cumulatively considerable and require more detailed quantitative CEQA GHG emissions analysis and respective mitigation. This CEQA GHG Checklist may be periodically updated to incorporate new GHG reduction techniques, to comply vuith later amendments to the CAP, or to reflect changes in other sustainability-focused local, State, or federal laws, regulations, ordinances, and programs_ At a minimum, this CEQA GHG Checklist will be updated every four years consistent with CAP update timing. APPLICATION SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS The CEQA GHG Checklist is required to accompany the City's Environmental Determination Application Checklist for all projects and plans subject to CEQA review, whether supported by private or government (local of State) funding, proposed within the City limits. The CEQA GHG Checklist is designed to assist the applicant in identifying the minimum GAP and other applicable sustainability -focus ed requirements specific to a proposed project or plan. However, it may be necessary to supplement the completed CEQA GHG Gheckiist with supporting materials, calculations, or certifications to demonstrate compliance with CAP and other applicable sustainability -focused requirements. If not already committed to clearly as part of the CEQA project description, in the CEQA GHG Checklist will be included in the respective project or plan conditions of approval. GENERAL PROJECT INFORMATION Contact Information Project or Plan Name: Address: Applicant Name and Co.: Contact Phone: Contact Email: Was a consultant retained to complete this checklist? Yes[] No❑ If Yes, complete the following: Consultant Name: Company Name: Contact Phone: Contact Email: Project Information What is the size of the project site or plan area (acres)? Gross: Net: Identify all applicable proposed land uses: ❑ Residential (indicate # of single-family dwelling units): ❑ Residential (indicate # of multi -family dwelling units): ❑ Commercial (indicate total square footage, gross and net): ❑ Industrial (indicate total square footage, gross and net): ❑ Agricultural (indicate total acreage, gross and net): ❑ Other (describe): Project description. This description should be consistent with the project description that will be used for the CEQA document. The description may be attached to the GHG Checklist if there are space constraints. OBISPO COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST TABLE Regulation CONSISTENCYLAND USE Requirements ProjectJP[ain Compliance Explanation General Plan Ia. Does the project include a land use element andlor zoning designation amendment? If "No", proceed to Section II ^ CAP Measures Consistency. If "Yes", proceed to question Ib. YesC No❑ N/A❑ General Phan Ib. Dees the land use element and/or zoning designation amendment result in an equivalent or less H-intensive project when compared to the existing designations? If "Yes", attach to this checklist the estimated project emissions under both existing and proposed designation(s) for comparison, Compare the maximum°❑ buildout of the existing designation and the maximum buildout of the proposed designation. If the proposed project is determined to result in an equivalent or lass GHG-intensive project when compared to the existing designations, proceed to Step of the checklist. YesC N/A❑ ON If "No' the applicant must prepare a project - specific analysis of GHG emissions, including quantification of existing and projected GHG emissions compared to the SLO CEQA GHG Threshold(s) and incorporation of the CAP foundational actions in this CEQA CHC Checklist to the extent feasible. F FOUNDATIONAL ACTIONS Pillar 1: Lead by Example The foundational actions of this pillar pertain exclusively to municipal operations of the City of San Luis Obispo_ In order to display consistency with the Climate Action Plan for the purposes of CEQA, applicants must complete the questions for pillars two through six_ Pillar 2: Clean Energy Systems Regulation Requirements ProjecVlan ompliiance Explanation Climate Action 2. Does the Project/Plan include an operational commitment to participate in Monterey Bay Community Power? lies❑ No❑ NtA❑ Plan Volume II, Energy 1.1 Plllar 3: Green Buildings Regulation, Requirem*nts ProjectlPlan Compliance Explanation Clean Energy Choice Program for New Buildings Municipal Cade Section 15.04.110 3. Does the Project)Plan exclusively include "All - electric buildings"? For the purpose of this checklist, the following definitions and exemptions apply: All -electric building. A new building that has no natural gas plumbing installed within the building and that uses electricity as the source of energy for all space heating, water heating, cooking appliances, and clothes drying appliances_ An All -Electric Building may be plumbed for the use of natural gas as fuel for appliances in a commercial kitchen. yes❑ NoD N/A❑ OW Specific exemptions to the requirements for all - electric buildings include: • Commercial kitchens • The extension of natural gas infrastructure into an industrial building for the purpose of supporting manufacturing processes (i.e_ not including space conditioning). * Accessory Dwelling Units that are attached to an existing single-family home. Essential Service Buildings including, but not limited to, public facilities, hospitals, medical centers and emergency operations centers_ • Temporary buildings. • Gas line connections used exclusively for emergency generators. • Any buildings or building components exempt from the California Energy Code. • Residential subdivisions in process of permitting or constructing initial public improvements for any phase of a final map recorded prior to January 1, 2020, u nless compliance is required by an existing Development Agreement. If the proposed project falls into an above exemption category, what measures are applicants taking to reduce onside fossil fuel consumption to the maximum extent feasible? If not applicable (NIA), explain why this action is not relevant. Clean Energy Choice Program for New Buildings Municipal Code Section 1 .04.110 4. If the Project/Plan includes a new mixed -fuel building or buildings (plumbed for the use of natural gas as fuel for space heating, water heating, cooking or clothes drying appliances) does that building/those buildings meet or exceed the ity's Energy Reach code? Yes❑ ❑ NSA❑ Pillar 4: Connected Community Regulation Requirem9nts ProjecVPlan Compliance Explanation Municipal Code Chapter 17.72 5. Does the Project) PIan comply with requirements in the ity's Municipal Code with, no exceptions, including bicycle parking, bikeway design, and Elf charging stations? esC No❑ ���❑ Nlultimodal Transportation Impact Studer Guidelines 6a. Is the estimated ProjectiPlan-generated Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) within the ity's adopted thresholds, as confirmed by the ity's Transportation Division? Yes❑ No❑ NSA❑ Nlultimodal Transportation Impact Study Guidelines 6b. If "No", does the ProjecVPlan include VMT mitigation strategies and/or a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan approved by the ity's Transportation Division? Please explain. TDIVI components may include, but are not limited to: • Telecommuting • Car Sharing Yes❑ No❑ NSA❑ • Shuttle Service • Carpools • Vanpools * Bicycle Parking Facilities • Participate in Rideshare's Back n Forth Club • Transit Subsidies • Off -Site Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure Improvements Bicycle Transportation 7. Does the Project)Plan demonstrate consistency with the City's Bicycle Transportation Plan'? YesC No❑ NSA ❑ Plan Pillar 6: Circular Economy Regulation Requirements ProjectlPlan omplianc* Explanation Development Standards for Solid 8. Will the Project/Plan subscribe all units and/or buildings to organic waste pick up and provide the appropriate on -site enclosures consistent with the provisions of the City of San Luis Obispo Development Standards for Solid Waste Services' please provide a letter from San Luis Garbage company verifying that the project complies with their standards and requirements for organic waste pick UP. YesC No❑ N A❑ Waste Services Pillar 6: Natural Solutions Regulation Requirements ProjectlPlan Compliance Explanation Municipal Gode 8, Does the Project/Plan comply with Municipal Code requirements for trees' Yes ❑ No❑ N A❑ Chap er 12.24