HomeMy WebLinkAboutClimate Action Subcommittee Report 9 April 2025 1
Meeting Report:
Standing Subcommittee
on Climate Action
SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING DATE: 9 April 2025 SUBMITTED BY: Roy Clark, Chair
SUBCOMMITTEE NAME: Standing Subcommittee on Climate Action DATE SUBMITTED: 16 April 2025
SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS: Roy Clark (P), Kathy Cohn (P),
Bernard Rottner (P), P = Present, N = Not Present
NEXT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING: 14 May
2025
PRESENTED FOR COMMISSION MEETING DATE: 22 April 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
There were no public comments.
Staff Report (Specialist Wheeler/Director McCloy)
• Preparations are being made for Earth Month events.
• There will be proclamations on April 23 for Earth Day, Arbor Day, and Monarch Butterfly habitat.
• There will be a festival on April 26 for Earth Day and Arbor Day at Victoria Park.
• A meeting was held with the Zoning Code Team and consultants. Zones will be consolidated; the number of
residential and commercial zones will decrease.
• Plans for turf conversation on San Rafael near Sunrise are in work.
Old Business
• Energy Efficient Upgrade Ordinance
• Streamlining the ordinance is in progress; Former Commissioner David Freedman is providing support.
• Definition of what types of projects qualify will be improved.
• The CA Assembly approved AB 306 in an emergency vote to speed up rebuilding after the wildfires. The
bill freezes building code updates for two cycles (ten years) and bans reach codes. This would have a
negative effect on our Energy Efficient Upgrade Ordinance. The Sustainability Commission may be asked
to submit a letter opposing the bill.
• Tree Ordinance
• The Legal department is making final changes. A draft is expected by the end of April. A tree species list
will be included.
• Heat and Shade Study (CalTrans)
• Staff continue to work on an RFP for potential consultants to address the following, at a minimum: shade
equity analysis, hot spots, community engagement, field data collection, and recommendations.
• Staff is awaiting the contract agreement.
2
• Safe Streets Study (US Department of Transportation)
• Plans for the project are moving forward. There will be sixty months to complete it.
• Some sensitive language has been removed from the agreement.
• Greenhouse Gas Reduction
• Staff continue work on validating data from CVAG. DCE data is being used to validate the energy use
trend since 2018.
Recommendations/Requests to Subcommittee (not updated)
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