HomeMy WebLinkAboutClimate Action Subcommittee Adgenda 14 May Packet
SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
Standing Subcommittee on Climate Action
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA
www.palmspringsca.gov www.yoursustainablecity.com
May 14, 2024 City Hall, 3200 E Tahquitz Canyon Way and Via Teleconference 1:00 pm
Development Services Conference Room
AGENDA
To view/listen/participate in the meeting live, please contact Christian Wheeler at
christian.wheeler@palmspringsca.gov or the following telephone number (760-323-8236) to register for the
Zoom meeting. There will be an email with Zoom credentials sent after registration is complete to access
the meeting and offer public comment.
Any person who wishes to provide public testimony for an item on the agenda is requested to file a
speaker card before the Public Testimony portion of the meeting. You may submit your public comment to
the Subcommittee electronically. Material may be emailed to christian.wheeler@palmspringsca.gov.
Transmittal prior to the start of the meeting will help ensure that your correspondence is fully considered.
Any correspondence received during or after the meeting will be distributed to the Subcommittee and
retained for the official record.
Staff representatives: Lindsey-Paige McCloy, Director of Sustainability; Christian Wheeler, Sustainability
Specialist; Benito Villa, Senior Program Coordinator; Office of Sustainability
City of Palm Springs Vision Statement: Palm Springs aspires to be a unique world-class desert community, where residents and visitors enjoy our high
quality of life and a relaxing experience. We desire to balance our cultural and historical resources with responsible, susta inable economic growth and
enhance our natural desert beauty. We are committed to providing responsive, friendly, and efficient customer service in an environment that fosters unity
among all our citizens.
Please MUTE OR TURN OFF all audible electronic devices for the duration of this meeting. Thank you!
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA
PUBLIC COMMENTS: This time is for members of the public to address the Subcommittee on agenda items
and items of general interest within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Subcommittee. The Subcommittee values
your comments but it cannot take action on items not listed on the posted Agenda. Three (3) minutes are allowed
for each speaker.
SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS
Roy Clark, Chair Kathy Cohn
Bernard Rottner
Sustainability Commission Standing Subcommittee on Climate Change
May 14, 2025, 1:00 PM - Page 2
PRESENTATION (0 min)
None
CHAIR’S COMMENTS (5 min)
Chair Clark
STAFF REPORT (10 min)
Staff
A. OLD BUSINESS (30 min)
1. April 9 meeting report – Chair Clark
2. Energy-Efficient Upgrade Ordinance – Staff
3. Tree Ordinance -- Sustainability Specialist Wheeler
4. Heat and Shade Study – Sustainability Specialist Wheeler
5. Greenhouse Gas Reduction – Director McCloy
B. NEW BUSINESS (0 min)
None
C. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS (5 min)
D. ADJOURNMENT - The meeting of the Standing Subcommittee on Climate Action will adjourn to the next
meeting on June 11, 2025, at 1:00 pm, unless otherwise noted.
It is the intention of the City of Palm Springs to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in all respects. If, as an attendee or a participant at
this meeting, you need special assistance beyond what is normally provided, the City will attempt to accommodate you in every reasonable manner.
Please contact the Office of the City Clerk at (760) 323-8204 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting to inform us of your needs and to determine if
accommodation is feasible.
Pursuant to G.C. Section 54957.5(b)(2) the designated office for inspection of records in connection with the meeting is the Office of Sustainability, Ci ty
Hall, 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262. Agenda and staff reports are available on the City’s website www.palmspringsca.gov. If you
would like additional information on any item appearing on this agenda, please contact the Office of Sustainability at 760-323-8248.
AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING: I, Lindsey-Paige McCloy, Director, Office of Sustainability of the City of Palm Springs,
California, certify this Agenda was posted at or before 6:00 PM on Thursday, May 8, 2025 as required by established
policies and procedures.
Lindsey-Paige McCloy, Director, Office of Sustainability
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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.
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• 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