HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 2009-227RESOLUTION NO.2009-227
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
CHULA VISTA (1) ACCEPTING THE 12-MONTH PROGRESS
REPORT ON CLIMATE PROTECTION MEASURES
IMPLEMENTATION, AND (2) DIRECTING STAFF TO
RETURN WITHIN 180 DAYS WITH ANOTHER
IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE
WHEREAS, the City has participated in the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change, ICLEI Cities for Climate Protection Campaign and the Conference of Mayor's
Climate Protection Agreement; and
WHEREAS, through this involvement and the Chula Vista Carbon Dioxide Reduction
Plan, the City has committed itself to reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 20% below
1990; and
WHEREAS, the City's 2005 GHG emissions inventory indicated that annual citywide
GHG levels had increased by 35% since 1990 due primarily to residential growth; and
WHEREAS, the City did make significant progress in reducing annual per capita
emissions by 17% and municipal operation emissions by 18% mainly due to energy-efficient
traffic signal retrofits; and
WHEREAS, as a result, the City Counci] directed staff to convene a Climate Change
Working Group (CCWG) to develop recommendations to add to the City's existing Carbon
Dioxide Reduction Plan and its portfolio of programs which would further reduce the
community's greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, the CCWG -comprised of residential, business and community-group
representatives -evaluated over 90 climate protection measures and chose seven measures to
ultimately recommend to City Council; and
WHEREAS, on April 1, 2008, City Council adopted the CCWG's seven
recommendations and directed staff to execute the recommendations based on more detailed
implementation plans that included input from a broader range of stakeholders, identified
potential funding mechanisms and established timelines, budgets, and evaluation criteria; and
WHEREAS, after formally approving the measures' implementation plans on July 10,
2008, City Council authorized staff to implement the plans and pursue additional funding sources
to ensure their full and long-term implementation; and
WHEREAS, the seven new measures plus the City's original Carbon Dioxide Reduction
Plan constitute Chula Vista's comprehensive Climate Action Plan; and
Resolution No. 2009-227
Page 2
WHEREAS, the new measures focus on lowering energy and water consumption,
installing renewable energy systems, promoting alternative fuel vehicle use and designing
pedestrian and transit-friendly communities; and
WHEREAS, staff continues partial implementation of most measures based on existing
funding levels and has secured some additional external funds to launch new program
components and to invest in new capital improvement projects; and
WHEREAS, while these additional funds will allow broader implementation of the seven
climate protection measures, funding levels aze still a limiting factor to the measures' full
implementation; and
WHEREAS, staff continues to pursue the Council-approved financing strategy outlined
in the original plans; and
WHEREAS, through the Federal Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant
(EECBG) program, the City will be receiving almost $2 million to reduce energy consumption
and stimulate the local economy 1; and
WHEREAS, the funding will allow the City to move forward with a number of projects
that advance the City's Climate Action Plan by installing a new biodiesel fuel tank at the Public
Works Corp Yazd and converting 128 diesel-fueled fleet vehicles to the alternative fuel source
(Measure #1-City Fleet Clean Vehicle Replacements), expanding on-site municipal solaz systems
up to 1 megawatts in size (Measure #5-Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Conversions)
and provide direct incentives and loans to homeowners interested in energy (Measure #5) and
water efficiency (Measure #7-Turf Removal & Landscape Water Efficiency) retrofits; and
WHEREAS, the City's application is currently being reviewed by the Department of
Energy and funds should be received by October 2009; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the EECBG, staff has applied for other competitive grant
funds including Ca1FIRE's "Innovative Urban Greening" grant program ($53,000) (Measure #7)
and the EPA's "Climate Showcase Communities" grant program ($471,000) (Measures #5 and
#7); and
WHEREAS, if awarded, both grants would further expand climate protection measures
implementation and contribute to citywide carbon reductions. Staff will also continue to pursue
additional state, federal and private grant opportunities at the local and regional level as they
become available; and
WHEREAS, the City has been allocated $4.6 million (3-year total) through San Diego
Gas & Electric's Local Government Partnership program as part of their 2009-2011 Energy
Efficiency Program Portfolio (EEPP); and
Resolution No. 2009-227
Page 3
WHEREAS, Local Government Partnerships are designed to empower cities to develop
energy efficiency programs and services at their facilities and within the community. Because the
EEPP has yet to be formally approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, SDG&E is
providing $91,968 in monthly "bridge funding" to the City until the new funding is approved;
and
WHEREAS, the 2009-201 I Chula Vista/SDG&E Partnership, expected to be &nalized by
January 2010, will provide support for staff time (salazies and benefits for 6 full-time and 7 part-
time staff members) and program costs for Measures #3 (Business Assessments), #4 (Green
Building Standard) and #5 through December 2011; and
WHEREAS, staff is currently involved in negotiations with San Diego Gas & Electric
over Chula Vista's energy franchise fee; and
WHEREAS, currently, the City charges a fee of 1.25% and 2.00% on citywide electricity
and natural gas sales; and
WHEREAS, under the financial strategy, the City would increase the franchise fee to
fund carbon-saving improvement projects in the community and at municipal facilities, but the
new rate would still be under or compazable to other local jurisdiction's energy franchise fees;
and
WHEREAS, the new energy franchise fee is expected to be presented to Council for
consideration in January 2010, and if approved, would create a new, long-term revenue source
for the implementation of all seven climate protection measures; and
WHEREAS, a Local Fee Authority, which would be created through new State
legislation, would enable jurisdictions to place a local surcharge on utility bills (such as energy,
water or sewer) to fund local cazbon reduction programs and services; and
WHEREAS, in coordination with local State representatives, staff plans to help drafr the
specific bill language and garner political support from other municipalities and state officials
over the next 6 months; and
WHEREAS, similaz to franchise fees, the Local Fee Authority would create a new, long-
term revenue source for the implementation of all seven climate protection measures; and
WHEREAS, staff expects to help finalize bill language as part of the State Legislature's
2010 session; and
WHEREAS, the additional building permit review and inspection time associated with
implementing a Green Building Standard (Measure #4) would be funded through revised
development fee schedules; and
WHEREAS, the new fee, part of the City's broader Master Fee Study, will be finalized
and presented to City Council for consideration in December 2009; and
Resolution No. 2009-227
Page 4
WHEREAS, the Council-approved financial strategy outlined the use of municipal bonds
to support measures implementation; and
WHEREAS, a municipal bond would be utilized to finance two cazbon-saving project
types -public purpose projects (such as energy-efficient streetlight retrofits and alternative fuel
vehicle fleet purchases) and community retrofit projects (such as energy and water efficiency
upgrades in homes and businesses); and
WHEREAS, regazdless of project type, the municipal bond's debt service would be offset
by the resulting energy or fuel cost savings and repaid by beneficiazies of those savings; and
WHEREAS, last yeaz, the Internal Revenue Service also expanded two tax credit bond
programs, Certified Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) and Qualified Energy Conservation
Bonds (QECBs), to specifically help local governments implement carbon reduction projects by
offering low interest financing options; and
WHEREAS, staff plans to finalize a public bond package for City Council consideration
over the next 6 months in anticipation of a June 2010 public vote; and
WHEREAS, City staff will continue to aggressively pursue the funding strategy which
was outlined in the Council-approved implementation plans and updated through this 12-month
progress report; and
WHEREAS, staff will formally return to City Council within at least 180 days to provide
further clarity on the climate measures' overall implementation and status on their financing.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the City Council of the City of Chula Vista
does hereby:
Accept the 12-month Progress Report on Climate Protection Measures
Implementation.
2. Direct staff to return within 180 days with another implementation update.
Presented by
~~~~~~ ~~
shaeL
Director of Conservation and
Environmental Services
Approved as to form by
j ~ ~~
~~
Bart C. Mies d
City Atto y
Resolution No. 2009-227
Page 5
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Chula Vista,
California, this 15th day of September 2009 by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers: Bensoussan, Castaneda, Ramirez, and Cox
NAYS: Councilmembers: None
ABSENT: Councilmembers: McCann
~~~'
Cheryl Cox, Iayor
ATTEST:
dt-(/n~.~ . ,~ o~~;,~
Donna R. Noms; CMC, City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO
CITY OF CHULA VISTA
I, Donna R Norris, City Clerk of Chula Vista, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing
Resolution No. 2009-227 was duly passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council at a
regular meeting of the Chula Vista City Council held on the 15th day of September 2009.
Executed this 15th day of September 2009.
~ ~~
Donna R. Norris, CMC, City Clerk