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Home My WebLink AboutCEQA GHG ChecklistPage 1 CEQA 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 communitywide 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 communitywide 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 CAP will be updated every four years with annual reviews of progress on implementation of specific CAP foundational actions. The City Office of Sustainability is updating the City’s progress towards GHG reductions in 2019 to align with the next major CAP 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 adopted plan or mitigation program under specified circumstances. In order for the 2020 SLO CAP to be considered a qualified GHG reduction strategy and provide for CEQA streamlining of GHG analysis for future development the CAP it must identify those measures that are applicable to new development. The 2020 SLO CAP 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 Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) GHG Emissions Compliance Checklist (referred to herein as the CEQA GHG Checklist). This CEQA GHG Checklist identifies applicable regulations, applicability, requirements, and monitoring and reporting required by regulations. The purpose of the CEQA 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 CEQA. This CEQA GHG Checklist contains measures that are required to be implemented on a project- by-project basis to ensure that the specified emissions targets identified in the CAP are achieved. Implementation of these measures would ensure that new development is consistent with CAP assumptions for relevant CAP strategies toward achieving the identified GHG reduction targets. Projects or plans that are consistent with the CAP as determined through the use of this CEQA GHG Checklist may rely on the CAP Initial Study-Negative Declaration GHG emissions analysis Page 2 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 SLO 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 with 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 CAP and other applicable sustainability-focused requirements specific to a proposed project or plan. However, it may be necessary to supplement the completed CEQA GHG Checklist 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. COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST TABLE LAND USE CONSISTENCY Regulation Requirements Project/Plan Compliance Explanation General Plan 1a. Does the project include a land use element and/or zoning designation amendment? If “No”, proceed to Section II – CAP Measures Consistency. If “Yes”, proceed to question 1b. Yes No N/A General Plan 1b. Does the land use element and/or zoning designation amendment result in an equivalent or less GHG-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 less GHG-intensive project when compared to the existing designations, proceed to Step 2 of the checklist. Yes No N/A 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 GHG Checklist to the extent feasible. CAP FOUNDATIONAL ACTIONS CONSISTENCY 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 thr ough 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 No N/A 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 N/A 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, unless 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 (N/A), explain why this action is not relevant. Clean Energy Choice Program for New Buildings Municipal Code Section 15.04.110 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 City’s Energy Reach code? Yes No N/A Pillar 4: Connected Community Regulation Requirements Project/Plan Compliance Explanation Municipal Code Chapter 17.72 5. Does the Project/Plan comply with requirements in the City’s Municipal Code with no exceptions, including bicycle parking, bikeway design, and EV charging stations? Yes No N/A Multimodal Transportation Impact Study Guidelines 6a. Is the estimated Project/Plan-generated Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) within the City’s adopted thresholds, as confirmed by the City’s Transportation Division? Yes No N/A Multimodal Transportation Impact Study Guidelines 6b. If “No”, does the Project/Plan include VMT mitigation strategies and/or a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan approved by the City’s Transportation Division? Please explain. TDM components may include, but are not limited to: Telecommuting Car Sharing Yes No N/A 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 Plan 7. Does the Project/Plan demonstrate consistency with the City’s Bicycle Transportation Plan1? Yes No N/A Pillar 5: Circular Economy Regulation Requirements Project/Plan Compliance Explanation Development Standards for Solid Waste Services 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. Yes No N/A Pillar 6: Natural Solutions 1 The City is set to adopt an Active Transportation Plan (ATP) in October of 2020 which will effectively update and replace the current Bicycle Transportation Plan. Upon adoption, the ATP will become the new regulation with which compliance is required for the purposes of this checklist. Regulation Requirements Project/Plan Compliance Explanation Municipal Code Chapter 12.24 9. Does the Project/Plan comply with Municipal Code requirements for trees? Yes No N/A