HomeMy WebLinkAboutClimate Action Subcommittee Report 11 December 2024 1
Meeting Report:
Standing Subcommittee
on Climate Action
PRESENTED FOR COMMISSION MEETING DATE: 21 January
2025
SUBMITTED BY: Roy Clark, Chair
SUBCOMMITTEE NAME: Standing Subcommittee on Climate Action DATE SUBMITTED: 31 December 2024
SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS: Roy Clark (P), Kathy Cohn (P),
Bernard Rottner (P), Prema Walker (N), P = Present, N = Not Present
NEXT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING: 8 January
2025
SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING DATE: 11 December 2024
Subcommittee Goal: Develop and recommend policies and plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the City of
Palm Springs by 40% from 1990 levels by 2030. (Reference: Palm Springs Climate Action Roadmap, dated 28 October
2021) and develop and recommend policies and plans to assist Palm Springs residents adapt to ongoing climate change.
Summary of meeting
Staff Report
• Written report was distributed by Sustainability Specialist Wheeler.
• Minor updates on the bike map are being completed: updated logo, addition of QR codes, new routes, one picture
changed.
• There may be a third round of outreach sessions for the road reconfiguration projects on South Palm Canyon and
Racquet Club east of Palm Canyon to provide final recommendations. Racquet Club west of Palm Canyon (Little
Tuscany) has different issues and characteristics and requires a special meeting.
• The biggest challenge in City fleet electrification is sizing and sequencing of the electrical capacity upgrade. The
location of chargers is to be determined. There is Federal money available for solar-powered chargers.
Old Business
• Energy-efficient upgrade ordinance
• Ordinance currently under review by the Tribal Planning organization.
• Presentation on the ordinance to Palm Springs City Council likely delayed to February; this presentation to
Council should be information-only with opportunity to ask questions; first reading would be one or two
months later.
• There was discussion about what individuals or groups, such as the DCE advisory group and architects,
could be advocates for the ordinance.
• Warehouse/Fulfillment Center proposed for North Indian Canyon and 19th Avenue
• Public hearing held at Planning Commission meeting December 4; a lot of public comment; public
comment given by Chair Clark, emphasizing GHG reduction goals and need for Planning and
Sustainability to work together in assessing impacts of projects.
New Business
• Chick-Fil-A proposed in the Springs Shopping Center (added to subcommittee agenda).
• Public hearing to be held at Planning Commission meeting December 11; public comment planned by
Vice-Chair Rottner, emphasizing GHG reduction goals and need for assessment of vehicle emission and
traffic impacts.
• Discussed vehicle idling (following request to discuss motor vehicle use in City events at November Commission
meeting)
2
• Presentation on idling from Specialist Wheeler in January subcommittee meeting, based on his previous
work
• Discussed Earth month/semester milestones and activities
• Tree and energy ordinance presentations to Council (February and March), annual report on Sustainability,
GHG inventory results, media campaign, shredding events (January and April), community clean-up
(January).
Recommendations/Requests to Subcommittee
Continue to prioritize presentations to the subcommittee on organizations and on-going activities, internal and external to
the City
Airport expansion (Ref: Jan 25, 2024, City Council Meeting) (Airport General Manager)
Convention Center
Bicycle routes (Sustainability Specialist Wheeler and Engineering)
City fleet electrification (Director McCloy)
Sustainable transportation planning and EV charging
Parks Master Plan
New, as of March 13, 2024:
Energy-efficient construction, include LEED
Training to do energy audits, such as interface with the College of the Desert
Sustainability education program
Vehicle maintenance program with the College of the Desert
New as of May 8:
Commissioner Walker requested that the Office Sustainability look into potential community change grants under
the Inflation Reduction Act
Request To Commission Read this report and tell Subcommittee what you would like discussed
in more detail in Commission meeting
Request To Office of Sustainability Expand outreach and education to City Council, City staff, and other
commissions; meeting notices and written messaging; integrate
sustainability with other organizations
Support new activities:
Perform GHG inventory, 2020 update and new 2022 (CVAG and
PlaceWorks)
Identify the number of houses in the City with solar panels
Identify the number of electric vehicles registered in the City by
recent year
Survey how EV drivers in the City charge their vehicles
Investigate EV rideshare programs to serve disadvantaged areas
and Navigation Center
Potential Fiscal Impact/Request Unknown
Could be a lot of money required in the long term to implement
strategic activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions