MEETING DATE:
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020
SUBJECT:
Title
RESOLUTION NO. 2020-8820 - ESTABLISHING A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION WORKING GROUP
Body
Recommendation
Recommendation
CONSIDER forming a Climate Action Plan Implementation Working Group.
Body
Board or Commission Action
Not Applicable
Relevant Council Strategic Theme
Good Governance
Relevant Department Goal
Not Applicable
Executive Summary
The City is in the process of updating its Climate Action Plan as required by state law. It is anticipated that the plan will be submitted to City Council for adoption in the next several months. At the August 11, 2020 City Council Meeting, Councilmember Jenkins asked during Council Commentary that the staff look into the idea of establishing a Climate Action Plan implementation working group that would assist the City in implementing the various measures that will be part of the updated Climate Action Plan.
Discussion
Per the Council discussion on August 11, 2020, staff has developed a purpose, goals, and a draft structure for a Climate Action Plan Implementation Working Group. The description of the potential working group is as follows:
Purpose of the Climate Action Plan Implementation Working Group
The purpose of the Climate Action Plan Implementation Working Group (Working Group) would be to assist and provide recommendations to the City Council, Planning Commission, the Budget Review Committee, other City commissions as needed, and City Staff with the development of plans, strategies, and actions to implement the updated and adopted Climate Action Plan (CAP). The Climate Action Plan Working Group would not be authorized to make any final decisions, commit the City to a specific direction or commit any City funding. The focus will be on establishing tools and potential funding sources to facilitate the implementation actions already identified in the adopted CAP.
Primary Goal of the Climate Action Plan Implementation Working Group
The primary goal of Climate Action Plan Implementation Working Group is to minimize negative budget impacts to the City, minimize basic City service level reductions as a result of CAP implementation, avoid, if possible, an increase in cost to residents, businesses, and the City itself for electrical power usage, all while reducing the city’s output of greenhouse gases to levels consistent with the CAP and applicable State regulations and guidelines.
Structure of the Climate Action Plan Implementation Working Group
• The Working Group will consist of five City residents, preferably with at least 2 members having had experience in the power, electricity, and/or renewable energy fields. Membership on the working group will be uncompensated. Any member or potential member must disclose at the time of application or of altered circumstances whether they are an employee, an owner or partner in a business or other professional position that operates in the energy reduction, energy efficiency or renewable energy industry so as to avoid any potential conflicts of interests with City strategies or actions, or the appearance of impropriety.
• The Working Group will work directly with staff assigned by the City Manager to oversee the City’s effort on CAP implementation.
• The Working Group will select from within its membership a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson at its initial meeting. That Chairperson and Vice Chairperson will serve until the first meeting of the subsequent calendar year. At the first meeting of each calendar year, the Working Group will select a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson to serve for that calendar year.
• As a committee formed by the City Council, the Working Group’s meeting and interactions will be subject to all applicable Open Meeting laws, including the Brown Act.
• The Working Group will select a regular meeting date at its initial meeting, which date does not conflict with other City commissions or committees and is generally workable for City Staff.
• Typically the Working Group will meet quarterly, or more or less frequently as needed, and the members of the Working Group will actively assist City Staff as needed in identifying funding sources such as grants or very low interest loans that the City can utilize to fund CAP implementation.
• The Working Group will serve as “ambassadors” to the public in terms of promoting both knowledge and understanding of the benefits of reducing greenhouse gases as well as encouraging the public to explore options available to them to reduce their energy use and emissions.
• The Working Group will work with the Budget Review Committee to understand the impacts that CAP implementation may have on other areas of the City’s budget, and the positive and/or negative results that may occur.
• The Working Group will work with City Staff to develop an annual report to the City Council on progress toward CAP implementation consistent with the reporting requirements imposed on the City by State regulation.
• The City Council has the option and ability to disband the Working Group at its discretion, and the members of the Working Group serve at the pleasure of the City Council.
Environmental Review
The proposed Climate Action Plan Implementation Working Group and its activities will, by definition, discuss and evaluate plans, strategies, and techniques, and make recommendations for consideration and action by others, and would not have the potential to cause either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment; therefore, its formation would not constitute a “project” as defined by Public Resources Section 21065, and is exempt from CEQA or other environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3). The proposed formation of the Climate Action Plan Implementation Working Group is to assist with effectuation of a goal identified in the 2012 General Plan update, and is consistent with the certified Final Environmental Impact Report for that effort (State Clearing House Number 2011071028).
Fiscal Impact
There should be minimal fiscal impact in terms of direct costs, although there will be costs associated with staff time required to serve the Working Group. That amount of time will likely vary as the CAP is implemented, and should tend to reduce over the term of the CAP as identified measures are implemented.
Attachment(s)
Resolution
Prepared by: Jack Griffin, City Manager
Approved by: Jack Griffin, City Manager