HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/18/2018 Item 13, Cooper
Christian, Kevin
From:Allan Cooper <saveourdowntownslo@gmail.com>
Sent:Sunday, September
To:E-mail Council Website; Codron, Michael; Fowler, Xzandrea; Hill, Robert; Read, Chris
Subject:CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE STATUS REPORT, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
INVENTORY UPDATE AND DIRECTION ON GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION TARGETS
Dear Michael, Xzandria, Robert and Chris -
Would you kindly forward the letter below to the City Council as it pertains to the Council's September 18, 2018 review
of Public Hearing Item #13? Thank you!
- Allan
To: San Luis Obispo City Council, Michael Codron, Xzandrea Fowler, Robert Hill and Chris Read
Re: Public Hearing Item #13: Climate Action Plan Update Status Report, Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Inventory Update and
Direction on Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets
From: Allan Cooper, San Luis Obispo
Date: September 16, 2018
Mayor Harmon and Council Members -
Climate change means more variability in the climate. Climate variability means higher temperatures, prolonged droughts
and more intense storms (a.k.a., atmospheric rivers) resulting in flash floods along our riparian corridors (including our
Downtown District). The reduction in our urban tree canopy combined with taller and denser urban development can
increase air temperatures, reduce ozone uptake, water retention and carbon sequestration. Increased temperatures, drought
and the introduction of urban activities into our surrounding wild lands can increase the incidence and spread of wildfires.
Increase in population, commuter trips and wildfires can result in more bad air days, more water pollution and water
shortages. Increase in urban activities and wildfires poses a threat to plant life, aquatic life as well as avian and ground-
dwelling wildlife. Stripping away vegetation can alter drainage patterns, increase runoff, pollute our ground water and
pollute the air with particulate matter. Increasing the particulate content in the air can cause asthma attacks, acute
bronchitis, respiratory infections and spread diseases such as Valley fever. If we are to slow down climate change, time is
running out.
Therefore, San Luis Obispo should follow the examples set by the cities of Davis, Santa Monica, Los Angeles and San
Francisco by setting a goal to become carbon neutral by 2050. San Luis Obispo should move the target date earlier than
was identified in the Paris Agreement (80 percent below 1990 by 2050) and increase the reduction requirement. You, our
City Council, should not delay action on formally establishing the GHG target beyond SB32. You should make a
resolution pertaining to this target reduction this year.
Staff has identified for you five ways to achieve deep GHG reduction targets. However, I am recommending below that
you go much further in addressing these reduction targets, further than has been suggested in your Climate Action Plan.
Resource Efficiency and Conservation:
Expand incentive programs for projects that exceed Title 24 energy efficiency standards.
Mandate low impact development strategies for cool roofs and cool paving (for example requiring real shade trees
in parking lots, banning black asphalt roads and parking lots, restricting the use of low-albedo (low light
reflectivity) surfaces on building facades, etc.).
In addition to a water rebate program, the City should encourage conservation measures by bringing back a water
demand offset program that would subsidize the installation of recycled water, grey water and/or rainwater
harvesting systems.
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The City’s newly adopted Water Shortage Contingency Plan should make these water demand offsets mandatory
long before we are down to a 3 year water supply.
Permit the use of dry toilets where applicable.
SLO should introduce more retention basins, bio-swales and vegetative ground cover into its flood plains.
SLO should insure that its open spaces do not become urbanized by virtue of installing more trailheads, trails and
bike paths.
Mandate daylighting (i.e., using daylight to illuminate interiors) in all, particularly one-story, commercial
buildings.
Remove from the Zoning Regulations update the 30% shared parking reduction as this will have unintended
consequences. Many under parked housing and commercial projects will actually generate more CO2 emissions
in the near future by virtue of the fact that those residents, out-of-town employees and customers with a car and
nowhere to park will generate more trips by searching in vain for on-street parking.
Provide more funding to the SLO Regional Transit Authority (SLORTA) enabling them to provide additional
routes and reduced fares.
Apply a one percent per year annual limit to SLO’s rate of job growth (as opposed to growth in commercial
square footage) in order to improve the City’s current jobs-housing balance and in order to reduce VMT from
commuting.
Lower current targets for population growth and cap Cal Poly and Cuesta College enrollment growth.
All new residential subdivisions should be laid out to maximize each lot’s capability to capture natural site energy
flows (sun, wind, etc.). This makes passive energy captive and makes sustainable NZE buildings possible.
Carbon Free Electricity:
You will be making the decision on September 18, 2018 to introduce an ordinance authorizing the implementation
of a community choice aggregation program. You should proceed one step further by mandating that all new
developments tied into a community choice aggregation program will disallow consumers the ability to exercise
the choice to use carbon based electricity.
Deny natural gas hook-ups to all new developments.
Electrification:
Incorporate into our update to the Zoning Regulations (which you will be approving on September 18, 2018)
mandatory use of photovoltaic installations where practicable in all new developments. Requiring them during the
design review process may be too discretionary. If SLO is to take a leadership role with regards to climate change,
why are we waiting for the State to mandate the installation of photovoltaic panels?
Carbon Sequestration:
SLO should preserve and enhance its existing tree canopy by empowering the Tree Committee to exercise
purview over unnecessary tree removals proposed for new developments.
Offer incentives for tree plantings wherever possible.
Even though there is merit in continuing to restore native vegetation in place of areas invaded with non-native
vegetation, it should be noted that some non-native vegetation is adapting better to climate change than native
vegetation.
Because of the important role trees play in carbon sequestration, tree preservation and maintenance should be
given the same priority as restoration plantings. However, when trees must be removed every effort should be
made to recycle the usable wood to a local mill for conversion into furniture or lumber product.
Reduced Solid Waste:
Ban the use of non-biodegradable disposable containers and straws throughout the City and/or require that these
products be 100% recyclable.
Thank you!
Allan Cooper, Secretary - Save Our Downtown, San Luis Obispo, CA
Website: www.SaveOurDowntownSLO.com
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