My proposed amendments to the Climate Action Plan
April 30th, 2009 by Jesse | No Comments | Filed in AnnouncementsAt the last City Council meeting on April 21st, the City Council considered the 3rd draft of the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP). Because of a very long agenda, the Council did not start discussing the CAP until close to midnight. While there was a move to push the Council to approve the Plan that night, I objected because most Councilmembers were tired and because there was not enough time to discuss the Plan and to propose any improvements.
While I have a few concerns about some language in the Plan, I overall think it is a good document with exciting ideas about how Berkeley can combat climate change locally. But I think the Plan can be strengthened.
Ultimately, the Council did not approve the Plan on April 21st and the Plan will be on the City Council’s agenda for this Tuesday night, May 5th.
After reviewing the Plan and considering comments from the public, I am proposing some amendments to the Plan which are listed below. I think these amendments will overall improve the Plan and facilitate its goals.
PLEASE let me know your thoughts on these changes or propose any other changes.
Feel free to post on this blog and I will consider and include changes that people suggest. I will also update you on what happens at Tuesday’s meeting.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Jesse
ACTION CALENDAR
May 5, 2009
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Councilmember Jesse Arreguín
Subject: Proposed Amendments to the Climate Action Plan
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt the amendments proposed below to the Climate Action Plan.
BACKGROUND:
After reviewing the Plan and comments made by members of the public, I am proposing the following changes to the Climate Action Plan. These changes attempt to strengthen the plan or clarify language that is currently in the Climate Action Plan. I believe these ideas are important enough to be included in the document that undergoes environmental review.
Note: Additions are in bold and in italics
Language proposed to be deleted is in strikethrough
1. Recognizing that scientific knowledge about global warming has advanced since
the adoption of Measure G, the Plan should include the following policy to explore strengthening the standards in the next few years.
Explore increasing greenhouse gas emissions reduction standards beyond 33% below 2000 levels by the year 2020.
2. Amend the first implementing action on Page 24 to read:
Conduct a “land use scenario study” in order to help visualize, quantify, and compare the
Impacts on VMT (and the associated GHG and local air pollutant emissions) of various land
use scenarios. The study should not only analyze green house gas implications but also
impacts on solar access, views and usable open space of the various scenarios.
3. Amend the third implementing action on page 25 to read:
Partner with UC Berkeley to assess and address unmet housing demand of UC employees and students.
4. Amend the second implementing action at the top of page 26 to read:
Encourage the adaptive reuse and intensification of historic buildings in proximity to transit, when feasible and appropriate.
5. Add a new policy on page 26 which would read:
Explore the development of a Tree Preservation Ordinance which would establish stronger standards for the preservation and replacement of trees in the public right of way.
6. Add a new policy on page 26 which would read:
Establish policies to discourage the removal of usable open space in lots unless such open space is being elsewhere provided on site or the property owner agrees to pay an Open Space In Lieu Fee which would fund the maintenance and creation of new public open space.
7. Amend the first implementing action under Goal 3 on page 29 to read:
Work closely with UC Berkeley, the City’s largest employer, to design policies and programs that encourage and support alternatives to driving while at the same time maintaining ample access to retail, commuter and visitor destinations.
Encourage UC Berkeley to reduce its plans to build new parking, and to also change its parking pricing policies and increase investment in alternatives to driving such as a universal Eco Pass also called for in this Plan.
8. Add a two new policies on Page 29 to read:
Encourage UC Berkeley to require that transportation alternatives be provided for employees for new campus and off-campus projects.
Encourage UC Berkeley to implement a transportation impact fee on new off-campus projects, to mitigate the transportation impacts associated with new development. Fee revenue should go towards funding alternative transportation programs.
8. Add a new policy on Page X to read:
Encourage the Berkeley Unified School District to provide bicycle parking for students at Berkeley High School and at local middle schools.
9. Amend the first implementing action on page 48 to read:
Establish and continually ratchet up minimum energy standards for residential and non-
residential buildings that exceed the current Title 24 energy code for various building types
specific to Berkeley’s climate zone.
10. Amend the first two implementing actions on page 55 to read:
• Work with the Rent Board to streamline existing opportunities for landlords to pass through the cost of high quality energy and water efficiency measures to tenants when the measures result in a reduction in tenant energy and water bills.
Work with the Rent Board to explore ways in which the cost of high quality energy and water
efficiency measures can be paid for by both property owners and tenants. Such an analysis
should consider the impacts that rent increases may have on tenants.
• Develop and implement an outreach strategy to encourage landlords to take advantage of opportunities to pass through the cost of energy saving measures to tenants.
11. Delete the first implementing action at the bottom of page 58 to read:
Develop model lease provisions that would encourage landlords and tenants to share the liability and benefit of energy saving measures.
12. Amend the implementing action on page 62 to read:
Continue to consider CCE and to monitor the efforts of other jurisdictions and PG&E’s ability to comply with their renewable energy requirements.
13. On Page 77 add a policy which would read:
Encourage material recovery and reuse and explore the feasibility of integrating sufficient space for material recovery enterprise at a new Zero Waste Facility.
14. Add a policy to the Waste Reduction and Recycling Chapter which would read:
Expand the number of recycling bins in the public right of way and explore the feasibility of implementing composting in recycling bins in the public right of way.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Unknown
CONTACT PERSON:
Jesse Arreguín, Councilmember, District 4 981-7140
