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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClimate Action Subcommittee Report 8 January 2025 DRAFT v1 (1) 1 Meeting Report: Standing Subcommittee on Climate Action SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING DATE: 8 January 2024 SUBMITTED BY: Roy Clark, Chair SUBCOMMITTEE NAME: Standing Subcommittee on Climate Action DATE SUBMITTED: 14 January 2025 SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS: Roy Clark (P), Kathy Cohn (N), Bernard Rottner (P), P = Present, N = Not Present NEXT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING: 12 February 2025 PRESENTED FOR COMMISSION MEETING DATE: 21 January 2025 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 Commissioner Walker submitted her resignation from the subcommittee. There were no public comments. Staff Report • Sustainability Specialist Wheeler provided a verbal report. • A shredding event will be held Saturday, January 11, 8:00 to noon, in the Convention Center parking lot. The vendor won’t be able to pick up e-waste. • A neighborhood clean-up will be held Saturday, January 25, from 8:00 to 1:00, at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center. • Sustainability staff will meet with CVAG staff re: GHG inventory in one or two weeks. • The grant agreement for Safe Streets has been sent to the Department of Transportation, A July 1 start is expected. • The funding for the CalTrans Heat and Shade study is coming. Old Business • Chick-Fil-A proposed in the Springs Shopping Center • Public hearing to be held at Planning Commission meeting December 11; Vice-Chair Rottner made public comments at Planning Commission meeting December 11 emphasizing GHG reduction goals and need for assessment of vehicle emission and traffic impacts. • The comments were taken positively by the Commission. • The Planning Commission pointed out that the proposal wasn’t compliant with requirements for trees This may provide an opportunity for sustainability input re: trees, with possible input from Code Compliance. 2 • Sustainability Specialist Wheeler gave a presentation vehicle idling and idling reduction. • This came from a request at the November Commission meeting to discuss motor vehicle use in City events. • Driver’s typically idle their vehicles while waiting at traffic lights, in drive-thrus, while waiting to pick up passengers, and in extreme weather conditons. • There is an impact on the environment and on people’s health, and there are costs from higher fuel use. • Guidelines for reducing idling (“mythbusters”) were provided. • Idling can be reduced by changing driver practices and because of vehicle technological advances. • Some cities have anti-idling laws and idle-free zones. • The subcommittee members agreed to have Specialist Wheeler repeat the presentation at the February Commission meeting. • It was suggested that information in the presentation should be publicized during Earth Month. New Business • Moratorium on Drive-Throughs • Chair Clark stated that there would a discussion about a potential ban on new drive-throughs at businesses at the January 9 City Council meeting. • The moratorium would be in place until the zoning code update, which is in progress, is completed in 2026. • The zoning code update could provide new criteria for evaluating drive-through locations. Commissioner Comments • A potential change in time for this subcommittee meeting, from evening to afternoon, was discussed. • A decision will be made at the February 12 meeting. • The February 12 meeting will be at 2:00 pm. 3 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