CC SR 20190716 04 - Green Building and Environmental ProgramsRANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 07/16/2019
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA DESCRIPTION:
Consideration and possible action to receive a report on the City’s green building and
environmental programs and practices
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Receive and file a report on the City’s green building and environmental
programs and practices available to the public
(2) Initiate code amendment proceedings to Chapter 17.83 (Green Building
Construction) of Title 17 (Zoning) of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code to
update the green building standards and processing requirements
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Octavio Silva, Senior Planner
REVIEWED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, Director of Community Development
APPROVED BY: Doug Willmore, City Manager
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes is committed to conserving, protecting and enhancing
the City’s environment, natural resources and beauty for the benefit and enjoyment of
its residents, visitors and business community. The City’s various departments
collaboratively work together to make this commitment a reality in providing a broad
range of services, programs and practices that include, but are not limited to,
encouraging energy and water conservation, promoting recycling and facilitating green
improvements for homes and businesses, as well as City-owned facilities and
properties.
The City’s environmental awareness and implementation efforts reinforce the goals and
policies established in the City’s General Plan including those identified in the Land Use
and Housing Elements, as well as the Conservation and Open Space Element.
Furthermore, the 2017 City Council-adopted Emissions Reduction Action Plan (ERAP)
includes a comprehensive set of strategies (i.e. electric vehicle charging stations, solar
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panels, etc.) to achieve a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the City and
the South Bay region as a whole.
For its efforts, the City in recent years has been the recipient of numerous awards and
commendations from the environmental industry including the Institute for Local
Government’s 2018 Beacon Spotlight Award for community GHG reductions, municipal
energy savings and sustainability best practices, and a gold level designation from the
Solar Foundation’s Solsmart program for the City’s efficient and streamlined permitting
process for residents and business owners to go solar.
As green building technology evolves, it is important that the City continually assess its
existing programs to ensure that the information provided is current and relevant, as
well as easily accessible to the community. This report provides an overview of the
environmental and green building programs and practices currently available to the
public, as well as identifies certain sections of the City’s Municipal Code that warrant
updating to reflect current green building standards and incentives.
Go Green RPV Homepage
In multiple sections of the City’s website, the following information related to
environmental programs, resources and practices is available to the public:
renewable energy improvements
green building financing
permit streamlining and rebate incentives
regional efforts
public education
Over the past few months, Staff has taken the multiple sections of the website with the
above information and consolidated the information into one comprehensive homepage
on the City’s website, titled “Go Green RPV”, to be more user-friendly. The Go Green
RPV homepage on the City’s website has been designed to serve as a one-stop
resource center for residents, visitors and business owners seeking information on the
City’s environmental programs. To view the City’s Go Green RPV homepage, click on
the link below.
https://www.rpvca.gov/1220/Go-Green-RPV
Please note that the City’s website is undergoing an update, which is tentatively
scheduled to go live after July 16th. The Go Green RPV homepage link listed above will
be available until the City’s updated website goes live. Once the updated website goes
live, the Go Green RPV homepage will be found under the Community Development
Department’s section of the City’s website. Screen shots of the current Go Green RPV
homepage have been provided below for reference purposes.
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The City has also created a new listserv group that the public can subscribe to on the
City’s website to receive e-notifications about the City’s environmental programs and
educational opportunities in the area.
Climate Adaptation Planning
The State of California has acknowledged that regional agencies, such as the South
Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG), play an important role in protecting
communities from the impacts of climate change. As a member of the SBCCOG, the
City is participating in a regional effort to prepare a Climate Adaptation Plan for the
South Bay area. The plan will include a vulnerability assessment that provides
information on how climate change may impact the South Bay and adaptation strategies
that policymakers can implement to help the region be better prepared for its potential
impacts, and to lay the foundation for SBCCOG member cities to adopt their own
climate adaptation plan. Staff anticipates presenting a City-specific plan to the City
Council in December 2019 for its consideration.
Green Building Construction Program
Building green is an opportunity to use resources efficiently while creating buildings that
minimize impacts on the natural environment. Established in 2008, the City’s voluntary
Green Building Construction Program provides development incentives for qualifying
projects, such as the construction of new “green” residences. Pursuant to Section
17.83.020 (Incentives for Participation in Voluntary Green Building Program) of the
City’s Municipal Code, program incentives include expedited application and structural
plan check reviews, as well as a 50% rebate on all paid planning applications, plan
check and building permit fees (rebate is not applicable for consultant reviews).
Since being codified in 2008, Chapter 17.83 (Green Building Construction) of the
Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code (RPVMC) has not been updated. To ensure that
the City’s Green Building Program reflects current trends and technology in the green
building industry, Staff recommends that the City Council initiate code amendment
proceedings to amend Chapter 17.83 (Green Building Construction) of the RPVMC.
Proposed amendments would include, but not be limited to, the establishment of
sustainable design standards that reflect the unique physical characteristics of the City,
as well as state requirements toward zero net energy.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations
Consistent with the Council-adopted ERAP, the City is exploring installing EV charging
stations at certain City-owned facilities. To that end, the City Council recently approved
parking lot improvements at Hesse Park and directed Staff to include EV charging
stations in the construction plans. In response, the City is currently preparing a
feasibility study associated with the installation of EV charging facilities at Hesse Park
that will include utility rates, site capacity and deployment options. Staff anticipates the
feasibility study to be completed by August 2019.
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To further support EV charging throughout the City, Staff recommends that the City
Council initiate code amendment proceedings to amend Chapter 17.83 (Green Building
Construction) of the RPVMC in order to adopt EV charging regulations for residential,
commercial and institutional uses. Proposed EV charging regulations would include, but
not be limited to, the design and placement of charging facilities, parking restrictions for
non-electric vehicles, and sign requirements.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available
for the City Council’s consideration:
1. Identify specific Code criteria within Section 17.83 (Green Building
Construction) of Title 17 that should or should not be amended
2. Direct Staff to take no action at this time
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