HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/7/2026 Item 8a, Adventist Health
Lynch,Lauren <lynchl@ah.org>
Sent:Tuesday, April
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Written comments re. 4.7.2026 item (8a)
Attachments:City Council Letter 4.7.2026.pdf
Hello,
Attached please find a letter from Ryan Ashlock,Network President for Adventist Health, submitted as
written comments for item numnber (8a), Community Clinate Action Plan Progress Report, for the April 7,
2026 City Council meeting.
Thank you,
Lauren
Lauren Lynch | Execu?ve Assistant to:
Ryan Ashlock, Network President
Teddy Combis, Network Finance Execu?ve
Jason Krupp, MD, Network Medical Officer
Adven?st Health Sierra Vista| 1010 Murray Ave. | San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
805-546-7696 | lynchl@ah.org | Adven?stHealth.org
\[ADVENTISTHEALTH:INTERNAL\]
1
Adventist Health Sierra Vista
1010 Murray Ave.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
805-546-7600
AdventistHealth.org
April 7, 2026
To: San Luis Obispo City Council, emailcouncil@slocity.org
Re: April 7, 2026 City Council Meeting, item number (8a)
Dear Members of the San Luis Obispo City Council,
On behalf of Adventist Health, thank you for the opportunity to provide written comments on
the City of San Luis Obispo’s Climate Action Plan Update. As a nonprofit, faith-based
healthcare system serving the Central Coast, we strongly support the City’s efforts to address
climate change in a way that also strengthens public health, economic vitality, and
community resiliency.
Adventist Health joined the Central Coast community in 2024 and now serves San Luis Obispo
County through Adventist Health Sierra Vista, Adventist Health Twin Cities, two imaging
centers, and an extensive network of primary and specialty care clinics as pa rt of the
Adventist Health Physicians Network. Together, these facilities provide essential healthcare
services including 24/7 emergency care, the county-designated trauma center, and the only
Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in San Luis Obisp o County. Our teams deliver
care across more than 93,000 annual clinic visits, 55,000 emergency department visits, and
1,500 births each year, underscoring the scale of our responsibility to this community.
As a healthcare provider, we see firsthand how environmental conditions affect health
outcomes. Extreme heat, wildfire smoke, air quality degradation, and infrastructure
disruptions place significant strain on emergency services and disproportionately affe ct
vulnerable populations. Thoughtful, integrated climate planning is therefore essential not
only to reducing emissions, but also to protecting human health and ensuring continuity of
critical services.
We encourage the City to more tightly integrate its Climate Action Plan with the Housing
Element and the Land Use and Circulation Element. Climate and housing policy cannot be
treated as separate efforts. Where people live and how far they must travel to reach work,
healthcare, and essential services directly affect greenhouse gas emissions. A cohesive
approach that aligns climate goals with land use and housing decisions will be far more
effective in reducing vehicle miles traveled and improving overall sustainability.
Transportation emissions remain the largest barrier to achieving climate goals, and this
challenge is strongly linked to the availability of workforce housing near employment centers.
As a major employer supporting nearly 800 medical staff members across two acute care
hospitals and multiple outpatient sites, Adventist Health sees the daily reality of long
commutes for healthcare workers whose schedules often include nights, weekends, and
emergency response. Expanding housing opportunities near jobs is one of the most impactful
strategies available to reduce transportation emissions while also supporting workforce
retention and community wellbeing.
As the City continues to grow, we encourage tracking progress using per-capita or
per-service-population emissions metrics, not totals alone. This better reflects real progress
while accommodating housing and economic growth, particularly important for service-rich
communities like San Luis Obispo.
Electrification goals must be matched with sufficient local clean energy supply and grid
resilience, especially for critical facilities like hospitals that operate continuously and during
emergencies.
Finally, we believe that a coordinated approach to climate, housing, land use, and energy
presents a powerful economic opportunity. As noted in the report, sustained local leadership
attracts outside funding and innovation. A coordinated approach can strengthen the local
economy, improve livability, and position San Luis Obispo as a model for sustainable growth.
Adventist Health supports continued alignment of climate action with housing,
transportation, and energy planning to protect public health and ensure a resilient future for
San Luis Obispo.
Thank you for your leadership and consideration.
Respectfully,
Ryan Ashlock
Network President
Adventist Health