Agenda packet — Atherton City Council, June 21, 2023 (part 3 of 4)

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Item No. 13
Town of Atherton
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT – REGULAR AGENDA
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

GEORGE RODERICKS, CITY MANAGER
FROM: ANTHONY SUBER, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER/ CITY CLERK
DATE: JUNE 21, 2023
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF AND APPOINTMENTS TO VARIOUS
TOWN COMMITTEES AND PLANNING COMMISSION; AND

CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE COMMITTEE

RESOLUTION TO MODIFY THE MAKE-UP OF VARIOUS

COMMITTEES

RECOMMENDATION

1. Review the applicants for the Town Committees and Planning Commission and make appointments to fill vacant positions.
• Appoint one (1) applicant to the Audit and Finance Committee to fill 4-Year terms expiring on June 30, 2027;
• Appoint three (3) applicants to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee to fill a mid-term vacancy expiring on June 30, 2026, and two (2) 4-Year terms expiring on June 30, 2027; • Appoint three (3) applicants to the Environmental Programs Committee. Two (2) applicants to fill 4-Year terms expiring on June 30, 2027; and one to fill a mid-term vacancy expiring on June 30, 2025;
• Appoint two (2) applicants to the Parks and Recreation Committee. Two applicants to the regular seat for a 4-Year term expiring on June 30, 2027, and one applicant to the Foundation seat for a 2-Year term expiring on June 30, 2025; • Appoint two (2) applicants to the Planning Commission to fill 4-Year terms expiring on June 30, 2027;
• Appoint two (2) applicants to the Rail Committee to fill 4-Year terms expiring on June 30, 2027;
• Appoint two (3) applicants to the Transportation Committee to fill a 4-Year term expiring on June 30, 2027, a mid-term vacancy expiring June 30, 2024, and a mid-term vacancy expiring on June 30, 2026.

2. Consider modifications to the Transportation, Bicycle and Pedestrian and Rail Committees.

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Committee & Commission Appointment
JUNE 21, 2023

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BACKGROUND
A recruitment was conducted for the following vacancies:

1. Audit/Finance Committee (1 Vacancy)

2. Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (3 Vacancies)

3. Environmental Programs Committee (3 Vacancies)

4. Park and Recreation Committee (3 Vacancies, 2 Regular seats, and 1 Foundation seat)

5. Planning Commission (2 Vacancies)

6. Rail Committee (2 Vacancies)

7. Transportation Committee (3 Vacancies)
The Town has been advertising for known and pending vacancies since early 2023. All committee members eligible for reapplication were contacted. Mid-term vacancy recruitments have been ongoing with reoccurring weekly messages in Atherton Online and announcements at noticed Town meetings. Staff advertised vacancies across social media platforms, print, and digital news outlets, Marsh Road banners, and hosted information tables at Town events.

Audit and Finance Committee (1)
The Audit and Finance Committee has one (1) vacancy to fill a 4-Year term expiring on June 30, 2027. There is one (1) applicant for the Committee for consideration. • Walter Sleeth, Incumbent
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (3)
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee has three (3) vacancies. One seat has been vacant for an entire year and the other two appointments are to fill 4-Year terms expiring on June 30, 2027.

There are two (2) applicants for the Committee for consideration. • Jerome Leugers, Incumbent
• Raymond Juballa, Incumbent
When making any appointment, the Council will need to select the respective term for each candidate.

Environmental Programs Committee (3)
The Environmental Programs Committee (EPC) has three (3) vacancies. One vacancy results from Council Member Hollands' open seat for a term expiring on June 30, 2025. The other two vacancies are to fill 4-Year terms expiring on June 30, 2027. There is one (1) applicant for the Committee for consideration.
• Greg Loew, Incumbent

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Committee & Commission Appointment
JUNE 21, 2023

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Parks and Recreation Committee (3)
The Parks and Recreation Committee has three (3) vacancies. Two vacancies are regular 4-Year seats expiring June 30, 2027, and the other is a Foundation appointment for a 2-Year term expiring on June 30, 2025. There are two (2) applicants for the Committee for consideration for the regular seats.
• Alex Keh, Incumbent
• Julianna Robertson, Incumbent
There is one (1) recommendation and applicant for the Foundation appointment. • Walter Robinson, Incumbent
Planning Commission (2)
The Planning Commission has two (2) vacancies for 4-Year terms expiring on June 30, 2027.

There are two (2) applicants for the Commission for consideration. • Paul Tonelli
• Thom Bryant
Rail Committee (2)
The Rail Committee has two (2) vacancies to fill 4-Year terms expiring June 30, 2027. There is one (1) applicant for the Committee for consideration.
• Alex Keh, Incumbent
Transportation Committee (3)
The Transportation Committee has three (3) vacancies. One for a 4-Year term expiring June 30, 2027. One for a mid-term vacancy expiring June 30, 2024, and the other for a mid-term vacancy expiring June 30, 2026. There is one (1) applicant for the Committee for consideration. The incumbent did not reapply.
• Jerome Leugers
There are a total of 17 vacancies across all Committees and Commissions. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, Environmental Programs Committee, Planning Commission, Rail Committee, and Transportation Committee each have fewer applicants than vacant seats. Council will need to assign specific terms to candidates appointed for committees with terms that have different expiration dates.

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Committee & Commission Appointment
JUNE 21, 2023

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Appointment Process
It is recommended that the Council consider appointments to the longest term first for each vacancy where possible. The Council should announce the term for which an appointment is being considered and then vote for the particular appointment for that term. The City Clerk shall assist with voting sheets and voting shall continue until an applicant is selected for the particular term.

Rail Committee
The Rail Committee was last updated with Resolution No. 20-26 by reducing its membership down to seven (7) members. The Rail Policy was also updated to reflect the status of High-Speed Rail, Caltrain Electrification, and the permanent closure of the Atherton Rail Station. This decision was made with fall off through attrition and challenges in getting new applicants.

Members of the Council have asked to discuss membership and continuation of the Rail Committee. The item this evening allows for discussion and action by the Council to amend the Committee Resolution if desired.

Transportation, Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Committees In September 2021 the City Council considered a merger of the BPAC and Transportation Committee. Council opted to keep both committees operating separately and encouraged biannual joint meetings. Prior to that discussion, the only change was to stagger appointment terms in Resolution No. 19-07. Due to the overlapping focus of the Committees Council considered the merger. The current membership of the Committees is as follows:

Due to continuing quorum issues, staff recommends again that the Council consider merging the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee with the Transportation Committee. Maximum committee size is recommended at seven (7) members. With the current membership of six (6) we have a quorum to meet if the merger is approved.

Attachment 3 is the redline of the Committee Resolution with the recommended changes.

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Committee & Commission Appointment
JUNE 21, 2023

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If the Council wants to achieve the merger immediately the attached Resolution language has been modified as follows:

The Transportation, Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Committee makes recommendations to the City Council on issues related to transportation, traffic, roadway, pedestrian and bicycle safety. This Committee shall satisfy the requirements of the Metropolitan Transportation Committee as the Town’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Membership should be composed of both bicyclists and pedestrians.

Acting in an advisory capacity, the Committee shall have the following powers and duties:
a. Upon request, make recommendations to the City Council in all matters pertaining to transportation, traffic, and roadway safety within the Town. b. As needed, assist staff in the identification and review of traffic and roadway safety enhancements.
c. As needed, assist staff in the review of regional project impacts on local traffic and transportation corridors.
d. As needed, assist staff in the review of traffic safety enforcement measures. e. As needed, assist staff in the review of Neighborhood Traffic Management Program requests. f. Work with staff in providing recommendations on issues related to the Town’s bicycle and pedestrian network and Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. g. Make recommendations to the City Council on the selection of bicycle and pedestrian projects to be submitted for state and federal funding opportunities. h. Work with staff to promote bicycling and walking as safe and healthy alternative modes of transportation, including safe routes to schools.
i. Assist Town staff in the planning, operations and maintenance of bicycle and pedestrian facilities in Town.

Role of Liaisons and Staff
Each committee currently meets every other month. The Police Department is assigned overall responsibility for the Transportation Committee and the Public Works Department is assigned to the BPAC. However, both Departments provide support to both Committees. Merging the Committees will improve staff liaison efforts and result in less time and resources in committee support function (agendas, minutes, etc.).

Councilmember Holland is the primary liaison for the BPAC with Mayor Widmer as the alternate.

Mayor Widmer is the primary liaison for Transportation with Councilmember Lewis as the alternate. Upon merger, the Council liaison role would need to be merged as well.

FISCAL IMPACT
None.

GOAL ALIGNMENT
This Report and its contents are in alignment with the following Council Policy Goals: Page 309 of 473 Committee & Commission Appointment
JUNE 21, 2023

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• Goal Area E – Strengthen Community Engagement and Transparency

POLICY FOCUS
The Council is not obligated to appoint any of the candidates to any of the positions and may choose to extend the candidate recruitment process as it deems necessary. The Council reserves complete discretion in appointments.

Town Commissions and Committees represent a key component of civic engagement within the community. The participation of the members is a vital part of the Town’s public engagement and review process. These groups have the ability to gather public input on an issue and provide feedback and recommendations to the City Council for consideration.

When evaluating applicants for Commissions and Committees, the City Council should consider the role of each committee, the amount of oversight needed, cost effectiveness, efficiency in decision-making, and the desire of the City Council for direct policy involvement on particular issues.

Staff will continue recruitment for Committees with ongoing vacancies.

PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notification was achieved by posting the agenda, with this agenda item being listed, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting in print and electronically. Information about the project is also disseminated via the Town’s electronic News Flash and Atherton Online. There are approximately 1,400 subscribers to the Town’s electronic News Flash publications. Subscribers include residents as well as stakeholders –to include, but be not limited to, media outlets, school districts, Menlo Park Fire Protection District, service provides (water, power, and sewer), and regional elected officials.

COMMISSION/COMMITTEE FEEDBACK/REFERRAL
This item has not been before a Town Committee or Commission.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Committee Applicants

2. Commission and Committee Roster

3. Resolution No. 23-XX – Transportation and BPAC Merged

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From: [email protected]
To: Theresa DellaSanta; Francesca Reyes
Subject: Online Form Submittal: Application for Town Committee/Commission Date: Friday, April 5, 2019 11:01:54 AM
If you are having problems viewing this HTML email, click to view a Text version.

Application for Town Committee/Commission
Name*
Address*
Phone Number*
Email Address*
Commission/Committee of Interest*
Education
List your civic affiliations and community activities,
including service on other commissions and
committees?*
Describe your understanding of the responsibilities
of the commission or committee that you are
applying for and how your personal, community or
professional experience relate to these
responsibilities?*
Describe why you want to serve on this
commission and what you hope to accomplish as a
member?*
Additional Information you would like to add?*
* indicates required fields.

View any uploaded files by signing in and then proceeding to the link below:
http://www.ci.atherton.ca.us/Admin/FormHistory.aspx?SID=971 The following form was submitted via your website: Application for Town Committee/Commission Name: Jerome Leugers
Address:

Phone Number:

Email Address:

Commission/Committee of Interest: Bicycle/Pedestrian
Education: BSBA Accounting
MS Taxation
List your civic affiliations and community activities, including service on other commissions and committees?:

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Current Board Member Alto Velo Bicycle Club
Past Board Member Lindenwood Homes Assoc.

Describe your understanding of the responsibilities of the commission or committee that you are applying for and how your personal, community or professional experience relate to these responsibilities?: I am a retired commercial airline pilot which has given me a keen understanding of safety issues. I have been riding in this area (5-7000 miles/year) for 30 years
Describe why you want to serve on this commission and what you hope to accomplish as a member?: Make Atherton safer for cyclists and pedestrians through infrastructure and education.

Additional Information you would like to add?: -
Additional Information:

Form submitted on: 4/5/2019 11:01:46 AM
Submitted from IP
Referrer Page: No Referrer - Direct Link
Form Address: http://www.ci.atherton.ca.us/Forms.aspx?FID=90

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From: [email protected]
To: Anthony Suber; Francesca Reyes
Subject: Online Form Submittal: Application for Town Committee/Commission Date: Thursday, June 15, 2023 4:27:30 PM
[The e-mail below is from an external source. Please do not open attachments or click links from an unknown or suspicious origin.]
Application for Town Committee/Commission
Name Raymond Juballa
Address
Phone Number
Email Address r
Commission/Committee
of Interest
Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee
Education Menlo College, Atherton, CA (2023)
- B.S. in Business Management: Entrepreneurship & Innovation - Minor in Political Science
College of San Mateo, CA (2020)
- A.S. in Computer Aided Drafting
List your civic
affiliations and
community activities,
including service on
other commissions and
committees?
Board of Directors for San Mateo County Event Center (2021 - Present)
Finance Committee for San Mateo County Event Center (2021 - Present)
Student Body President for Menlo College (2022 - 2023)
Member of Bike and Pedestrian Committee for Town of Atherton (2023 - Present)
Candidate for M.S. at Menlo College (pending WASC approval) (est. January 2024)
Candidate for Innovation Center Manager at Menlo College (est.

August 2023)
Describe your
understanding of the
responsibilities of the
commission or
committee that you are
applying for and how
your personal,
community or
professional experience
This committee is expected to make recommendations about bicycle and pedestrian paths that will improve the quality of life in Atherton. These recommendations will be brought before the Atherton Council to be voted on. Additionally, it is the committee’s duty to offer the potential for healthy living through the use of physical exercise (e.g. bicycling and walking).

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relate to these
responsibilities?
Describe why you want
to serve on this
commission and what
you hope to accomplish
as a member?
While attending Menlo College, I have had the opportunity to learn about Atherton and gain a passion that enables me to engage in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee and serve while continuing to learn of the happenings in the town of Atherton and continue to pursue my interest in public policy and politics in general. I look to not only continue to represent the voice of the students in Atherton, but also be able to help provide a safe environment and healthy opportunities for all the members of our community. I believe to also provide a voice for underrepresented individuals in Atherton. As a member of Menlo College as well as that of the disabled community, I can bring these perspectives and more to this committee.

Additional Information
you would like to add?
I am from a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic adoptive family from San Mateo County, have lived overseas, and studied both Spanish and Chinese in immersion programs. I have also
become disabled and mobility challenged within the past 4 years. With these life experiences, I can offer empathy and representation for multiple groups, including the generally overlooked or unrepresented.

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From: [email protected]
To: Anthony Suber; Francesca Reyes
Subject: Online Form Submittal: Application for Town Committee/Commission Date: Thursday, June 3, 2021 9:09:42 PM
[The e-mail below is from an external source. Please do not open attachments or click links from an unknown or suspicious origin.]
If you are having problems viewing this HTML email, click to view a Text version.

View any uploaded files by signing in and then proceeding to the link below:
http://www.ci.atherton.ca.us/Admin/FormHistory.aspx?SID=1315 The following form was submitted via your website: Application for Town Committee/Commission Name: Gregory Loew
Address:

Phone Number: 6
Email Address:

Commission/Committee of Interest: Environmental Planning Commissioon

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Education: Stanford University PhD in Electrical Engineering, 1958 I am an Emeritus Professor at SLAC and Stanford, spent 50 years of my career as a physicist building the lab's accelerators and experimental equipment. I was Deputy Director of SLAC from 2001 to 2005.

List your civic affiliations and community activities, including service on other commissions and committees?: I belong to several Democratic organizations and work on their Climate Change task forces.

I am currently Alternate member to Congresswoman Anna Eshoo on the San Mateo County Democratic Central Committee.

I think the special nature of our town has a lot to offer in this regard.

Describe why you want to serve on this commission and what you hope to accomplish as a member?: I believe I have the engineering and scientific training to contribute to our town' s Environmental Planning Commission. I have lived in Atherton since 1969..

Additional Information you would like to add?: In 2019 I published a book on "The Human Condition: Reality, Science and History" that illustrates some of my general credentials.

Additional Information:

Form submitted on: 6/3/2021 9:09:37 PM
Submitted from IP Address:

Referrer Page: No Referrer - Direct Link
Form Address: http://www.ci.atherton.ca.us/Forms.aspx?FID=90

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From: [email protected]
To: Anthony Suber; Francesca Reyes
Subject: Online Form Submittal: Application for Town Committee/Commission Date: Friday, June 7, 2019 4:02:19 PM
If you are having problems viewing this HTML email, click to view a Text version.

View any uploaded files by signing in and then proceeding to the link below:
http://www.ci.atherton.ca.us/Admin/FormHistory.aspx?SID=1026 The following form was submitted via your website: Application for Town Committee/Commission Name: Alex Keh
Address:

Phone
Email Address:

Commission/Committee of Interest: Park and Recreation Committee Education: BSE from Duke University
List your civic affiliations and community activities, including service on other commissions and committees?:

Atherton Rail Committee member since 2016, Yes on Atherton Measure A Campaign co-chair (2017)

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Describe your understanding of the responsibilities of the commission or committee that you are applying for and how your personal, community or professional experience relate to these responsibilities?: This committee advises the town council on park and recreation-related affairs in Atherton. My family is a frequent user of Holbrook-Palmer Park and love it. I am excited to see the transformation of Reading Park as Atherton develops the civic center and library area.

Describe why you want to serve on this commission and what you hope to accomplish as a member?: Reading Park improvements have been deferred for a long time as they were tied to the larger civic center project. Now that construction has begun, I'm excited to see the area transform into more of a park and less of an asphalt ocean. On the committee, I hope to help keep HPP a gem for our town and bring Reading Park up to a similar level.

Additional Information you would like to add?: Thank you for your consideration.

Additional Information:

Form submitted on: 6/7/2019 4:02:10 PM
Submitted from IP Address:

Referrer Page: http://www.ci.atherton.ca.us/138/Committees-Commissions Form Address: http://www.ci.atherton.ca.us/Forms.aspx?FID=90

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From: [email protected]
To: Anthony Suber; Francesca Reyes
Subject: Online Form Submittal: Application for Town Committee/Commission Date: Friday, June 7, 2019 5:03:14 PM
If you are having problems viewing this HTML email, click to view a Text version.

View any uploaded files by signing in and then proceeding to the link below:
http://www.ci.atherton.ca.us/Admin/FormHistory.aspx?SID=1027 The following form was submitted via your website: Application for Town Committee/Commission Name: Julianna Robertson
Address:

Phone Number:

Email
Commission/Committee of Interest: Parks and Recreation
Education: Bachelor of Business Administration;
Marketing major
Advertising minor in Journalism school
Stanford Continuing Education

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Center for Creative Leadership
Kellogg Servant Leadership Program
List your civic affiliations and community activities, including service on other commissions and committees?: I moved to Atherton in 2018, plan to make it my home, and want to contribute to the community in a meaningful way. My recent community experience includes serving on my HOA's Board of Directors in Reston, VA and as an officer in the Reston Runner's Club, and I have been an active member for decades in the American Marketing Association. I have been a volunteer branding consultant for Civity.org in Palo Alto (a nonprofit working to bridge divides in communities) and have been approached to work on a re-branding effort for BART.

Describe your understanding of the responsibilities of the commission or committee that you are applying for and how your personal, community or professional experience relate to these responsibilities?: As a multi-sport athlete I appreciate the value that quality recreational activities and facilities represents to a city's social fabric and health of its citizens. The Committee's advisory function on these matters is exciting and relevant to me. I would bring to the table a career long history of involvement and dedication to every community in which I have lived and worked, including Manhattan, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Miami, Austin and Dallas (the Bay Area was my 7th corporate move). I have worked in strategic marketing for Fortune 100 companies as well as startups, and my career has been focused on understanding the consumer and what drives decision making and customer satisfaction with expertise in 'Kids and Family' marketing. I believe these skills would contribute to the goals and responsibilities of the Atherton Parks and Recreation Committee.

Describe why you want to serve on this commission and what you hope to accomplish as a member?: I care deeply about my community and know how important our public spaces are to its residents. I would like to contribute to the cities efforts to optimize the recreational services provided to its citizens to strengthen the sense of community and the overall level of satisfaction people feel about living in Atherton.

Additional Information you would like to add?: Diversity of thinking is a critical component of any organization which is often achieved by welcoming new voices with a fresh approach. So although I have not served on a Parks and Rec Committee, I would hope I could make significant contributions by combining an ability to work collaboratively in a group, having an open mind, my love of sports and community service, and deep experience in providing excellence in consumer experiences.

Additional Information:

Form submitted on: 6/7/2019 5:03:00 PM
Submitted from IP Address:

Referrer Page: No Referrer - Direct Link
Form Address: http://www.ci.atherton.ca.us/Forms.aspx?FID=90

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From: [email protected]
To: Anthony Suber; Francesca Reyes
Subject: Online Form Submittal: Application for Town Committee/Commission Date: Thursday, May 13, 2021 10:01:21 PM
[The e-mail below is from an external source. Please do not open attachments or click links from an unknown or suspicious origin.]
If you are having problems viewing this HTML email, click to view a Text version.

View any uploaded files by signing in and then proceeding to the link below:
http://www.ci.atherton.ca.us/Admin/FormHistory.aspx?SID=1296 The following form was submitted via your website: Application for Town Committee/Commission Name: Walter Robinson
Address:

Phone Number:

Email Address:

Commission/Committee of Interest: Park and Recreation Committee

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Education: University of Washington BA
University of Chicago Law School JD
List your civic affiliations and community activities, including service on other commissions and committees?:

Menlo Atherton High School Foundation for the Future Board Member Holbrook-Palmer Park Foundation Board Member and Officer Supporter of Atherton Library, Atherton Police and Atherton Civic Interest League Describe your understanding of the responsibilities of the commission or committee that you are applying for and how your personal, community or professional experience relate to these responsibilities?: I believe Park and Rec advises the Town Council on all matters relating to Holbrook-Palmer Park and to coordinate with other groups dealing with the planning, use and improvements in the Park (and presumably any other recreational spaces such as may exist in connection with the new Town Center). I am aware of the work of the Committee with respect to the Park Master Plan, the budget and financial review of the Park's operations, the maintenance of the Park and planning of community programs at the Park.

For many years I have served as a director and officer of the Park Foundation. In that role I have been privy to many issues concerning the Park since the Foundation's function has been to organize, fund and sponsor activities to enhance the use of the Park by Atherton residents.

In my role with the Foundation I have have been informed about the activities of Park and Rec Committee, both in reports on various projects at the Park and in dealing with coordination of the Foundation's activities that impact the areas of responsibility of the Committee. The actions of the Committee are regularly reported to the Foundation Board. Over the years I have discussed with others on the Board various proposals that have been considered by the Committee, some adopted and others not, to enhance or modify the Park, including several of the issues currently pending before the Committee. I believe my background will assist me in performing my duties as one of the Foundation's representatives on the Committee.

Describe why you want to serve on this commission and what you hope to accomplish as a member?: As described, I have been involved for many years with the Foundation as it has been involved with improving the Park and the experience of Atherton residents there. I believe service on the Committee will continue that effort.

In addition I have lived in Atherton for over 45 years and hope work on the Committee will contribute in some small part to maintaining the benefits of the Town for all of us.

Additional Information you would like to add?: I would happy to respond to any questions.

Additional Information:

Form submitted on: 5/13/2021 10:01:15 PM
Submitted from
Referrer Page: No Referrer - Direct Link
Form Address: http://www.ci.atherton.ca.us/Forms.aspx?FID=90

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From: [email protected]
To: Anthony Suber; Francesca Reyes
Subject: Online Form Submittal: Application for Town Committee/Commission Date: Friday, May 19, 2023 3:47:24 PM
[The e-mail below is from an external source. Please do not open attachments or click links from an unknown or suspicious origin.]
Application for Town Committee/Commission
Name Thom Bryant
Address
Phone Number
Commission/Committee
of Interest
Planning Commission
Education BS Architecture, Cal Poly SLO
MBA, Santa Clara
List your civic
affiliations and
community activities,
including service on
other commissions and
committees?
Served on the Silicon Valley Leadership group for 5+ years focused on expanding housing
Describe your
understanding of the
responsibilities of the
commission or
committee that you are
applying for and how
your personal,
community or
professional experience
relate to these
responsibilities?
Make decisions congruent with State and Town regulations.

Implement Town Council policies. Advise the Council on
planning issues.

Describe why you want
to serve on this
commission and what
you hope to accomplish
as a member?
Help with the new Housing element and attempt to build support for it.

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Additional Information
you would like to add?
Appeared before Santa Clara Co., Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and Mt View planning commissions on multiple occasions. Worked closely with the Sunnyvale Planning staff creating the Moffett Park specific plan.

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1 Judi Herren
From: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2016 11:00 AM
To: Theresa DellaSanta; Judi Herren
Subject: Online Form Submittal: Application for Town Committee/Commission If you are having problems viewing this HTML email, click to view a Text version.

Application for Town Committee/Commission
Name*

Commission/Committee of Interest* Rail
Education BSE, Duke University
List your civic affiliations and community activities,
including service on other commissions and
committees?*
None. I am relatively new to the Atherton community.

Describe your understanding of the responsibilities of
the commission or committee that you are applying
for and how your personal, community or
professional experience relate to these
responsibilities?*
Responsibilities include researching rail corridor issues and HSR, advising the town council and staff on rail related impacts, and working with other groups and municipalities on common rail positions. My educational background is in engineering and I have a strong personal interest in public policy.

Describe why you want to serve on this commission
and what you hope to accomplish as a member?*
I live near the rail corridor. I would like to improve rail service for Athertonians, while minimizing or eliminating the negative effects of HSR, noise, vibration, and poor aesthetics. Specifically, I would like to help in the quiet zone efforts, stopping HSR, and bringing back weekday train service.

Additional Information you would like to add?* Thank you for your consideration.

* indicates required fields.

View any uploaded files by signing in and then proceeding to the link below:
http://ca-atherton.civicplus.com/Admin/FormHistory.aspx?SID=431 The following form was submitted via your website: Application for Town Committee/Commission Name: Alex Keh
Address:

Phone
Email
Commission/Committee of Interest: Rail
Education: BSE, Duke University

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2 List your civic affiliations and community activities, including service on other commissions and committees?:

None. I am relatively new to the Atherton community.

Describe your understanding of the responsibilities of the commission or committee that you are applying for and how your personal, community or professional experience relate to these responsibilities?: Responsibilities include researching rail corridor issues and HSR, advising the town council and staff on rail related impacts, and working with other groups and municipalities on common rail positions. My educational background is in engineering and I have a strong personal interest in public policy.

Describe why you want to serve on this commission and what you hope to accomplish as a member?: I live near the rail corridor. I would like to improve rail service for Athertonians, while minimizing or eliminating the negative effects of HSR, noise, vibration, and poor aesthetics. Specifically, I would like to help in the quiet zone efforts, stopping HSR, and bringing back weekday train service.

Additional Information you would like to add?: Thank you for your consideration.

Additional Information:

Form submitted on: 3/27/2016 11:00:04 AM
Submitted from IP Address:

Referrer Page: No Referrer - Direct Link
Form Address: http://ca-atherton.civicplus.com/Forms.aspx?FID=90

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Audit and Finance Committee
Name Appointment Expiration
Walter Sleeth 6/2020 6/2023
Kate Scolnick 6/2020 6/2024
Devika Patil 6/2021 6/2025
Ann Yvonne Walker 6/2021 6/2025
Thomas Hill 1/2022 6/2026
Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee
Name Appointment Expiration
Raymond Juballa 1/2023 6/30/2023
Jerome Leugers 6/2019 6/30/2023
David Jones 6/2020 6/30/2024
Steve Baloff 6/2021 6/30/2025
VACANT 6/30/2026
Environmental Programs Committee
Name Appointment Expiration
VACANT 6/30/2023
Gregory Loew 6/2021 6/30/2023
Amy Farrell 6/2022 6/30/2024
VACANT 6/30/2025
Kenneth Frederick 6/2022 6/30/2026
Park and Recreation Committee
Name Appointment Expiration
Alex Keh 6/2019 6/30/2023
Julianna Robertson 6/2019 6/30/2023
Noah Eisner 6/2022 6/30/2024
Robert Roeser 10/2022 6/30/2026
Patricia Kubal 7/2022 6/30/2026
Frank Merrill 6/2022 6/30/2024
Walter Robinson 6/2021 6/30/2023
Planning Commission
Name Appointment Expiration
Randy Lamb 6/2019 6/30/2023
Perry Narancic 6/2019 6/30/2023
Nancy Lerner 6/2020 6/30/2024
Bob Polito 3/2023 6/30/2025
Eric Lane 6/2022 6/30/2026
Rail Committee
Name Appointment Expiration
VACANT 6/30/2023
Alex Keh 6/2019 6/30/2023
Jim Janz 6/2020 6/30/2024
Jack Ringham 6/2020 6/30/2024
Jim Massey 6/2021 6/30/2025
Greg Conlon 6/2021 6/30/2025
John Maulbetsch 6/2019 6/30/2026
Transportation Committee
Name Appointment Expiration
Christine David 6/30/2023
VACANT 6/30/2024
Tom Owen 6/2020 6/30/2024
Joseph Davis 6/2021 6/30/2025
VACANT 6/30/2026
Commissions & Committees Roster 2022-23

FOUNDATION APPOINTMENT

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Attachment 3
Resolution No. 23-XX Page 1 of 12 June 21, 2023
RESOLUTION 23-XX
AMENDS RESOLUTION 22-24
A Resolution of the City Council of the Town of Atherton Establishing and Governing Town Committees
Amended May 16, 2018
Amended May 15, 2019
Amended October 26, 2020
Amended September 15, 2021
Amended January 19, 2022
Amended October 19, 2022
The City Council of the Town of Atherton hereby resolves as follows:

Section 1. Establishment of Committees
The following committees are established for the Town of Atherton:

1. Audit/Finance Committee

2. Environmental Programs Committee

3. Park and Recreation Committee

4. Rail Committee

5. Transportation Committee

6. Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Section 2. Committee Principles and Rules of Procedure
Principles: All committees shall follow the City Council Rules of Procedure, the Atherton Municipal Code, the Political Reform Act, and the provisions of the California Open Public Meeting Law (Brown Act). These resources may be found on the Town’s website and/or via the City Clerk’s Office. All members shall attend an education and training session hosted by the City Attorney and City Clerk upon appointment.

The responsibility and accountability for all work necessary to efficiently and cost effectively carry out the advisory functions of each committee shall rest exclusively with the Chairman or Council Member assigned to the committee.

A Town Department is assigned to each Committee. Each Department Manager is responsible for providing the necessary staff (in the most cost-effective manner) to prepare for and attend committee meetings. This includes but is not limited to meeting with the Committee Chair and City Council Liaison in advance of each meeting to create an agenda; prepare the agenda packet; take and prepare minutes; and conduct follow up from meetings.

Committee Agenda Preparation: In general practice, the staff liaison to each committee shall meet with the Committee Chair and the City Council Liaison in advance of each upcoming meeting to review the meeting agenda. Regular agenda items, such as approval of meeting minutes, followPage 337 of 473 Attachment 3
Resolution No. 23-XX Page 2 of 12 June 21, 2023
up staff reports, and general information reports shall be added to the agenda as needed. Other items shall be added through one of the methods described below.

One of the following methods may be used for placing an item on a Committee agenda:

1. Council: A majority vote of the Council may direct staff to add an item to a Committee agenda.

2. City Manager: The City Manager may receive requests for agenda items from the public, staff, a committee member or a Council Member. The City Manager will review the request with the Committee Chair and City Council liaison. The City Manager shall have sole discretion to refer the request to the City Council at the next available meeting, or schedule the item for the Committee agenda.

3. Staff and Committees: There may be a need for routine agenda items which may arise out of committee meeting discussions; are requested and agreed on by a majority of the Committee as part of Future Agenda Items; or items created from staff follow up of previous Committee and/or staff meetings. These items may be added to a future agenda following an agenda preparation meeting between the Committee Chair, Council Member liaison and staff liaison.

4. Colleagues’ Memorandum: If at least two committee members prepare a colleagues' memo, the staff liaison shall place the item on the Committee’s agenda under a Future Agenda Items Section. A colleague's memo is a written request, no more than two pages in length, presenting an item to be added to a future agenda. Upon review of the colleagues’ memo, the Committee shall not discuss the merits of the item itself; but shall solely discuss whether to add the item to a future agenda for discussion. Upon majority vote of the Committee, the item shall be added to the next agenda or a specific designated Agenda.

Committee Procedures for placing items on Council agenda:

1. Committee Action: Any formal recommendation to Council taken by a Committee shall be placed on a City Council agenda within the next two regular meetings.

The City Clerk has overall responsibility for posting committee agendas.

Advocate: Collectively, committees are encouraged to advocate positions to the City Council on matters under the purview of their committee. Otherwise, no committee or any of its members shall represent itself or themselves as speaking on behalf of the Town, City Council, and/or committee without prior approval of the City Council. Individual members are not authorized to make public statements or comments on matters within the purview of their committee outside of the normal committee process. It could be perceived as using the member’s position to indicate some special knowledge or understanding of the matter, or to confuse members of the public with respect to whether the comments are being made to improperly influence an agency decision.

Committee members should refrain from using their title when addressing other boards, commissions, committees, or the City Council to avoid creating an appearance of special status to the public. Statements of previously approved City Council policy may be made without additional City Council approval. When there is a question, a committee member shall consult the City Attorney for advice. Members of committees may attend meetings of other committees and

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Attachment 3
Resolution No. 23-XX Page 3 of 12 June 21, 2023
the City Council; however, members shall not present opinions of their own committee at such meeting unless the position is previously approved by their committee. A quorum of a committee may attend such a meeting, but they may not discuss among themselves Town business, nor comment or discuss the matter under consideration unless authorized to do so by the committee to avoid a possible Brown Act violation.

Educational Materials: Committees may provide approved educational materials to the public regarding the functions and actions of the committee, but shall not engage in advocating to the public any particular position which is contrary to City Council policy. Any educational materials sent to the public shall be approved by the City Manager, and shall follow the Town’s procurement process. It shall be the City Manager’s discretion on whether or not the educational materials need Council approval beforehand.

Meetings: The Committee shall establish a regular meeting schedule on an annual basis in July.

The Department assigned to the committee shall update the website to reflect the meeting schedule.

Changes in the dates or time of meetings from the established schedule may be made by majority vote of the committee.

Minutes: Staff shall prepare action minutes for all committees. Action minutes shall be presented to the City Clerk within 7 days following the meeting or as soon as feasible if there is a reason not to produce them within that timeframe. Finalized minutes should be sent electronically to the City Clerk for posting, after the Committee has approved them. The City Clerk will share appropriate information received from the minutes with the City Manager and City Council.

Reports: If desired by the City Council, an annual report shall be created and approved by the Committee and provided to the City Manager, City Clerk and City Council of committee activities for the preceding year.

Special Meetings: The Chair or a majority of the Committee may call a special meeting at any time in accordance with the Brown Act.

Website: Any website created for a Committee by the Town shall be incorporated into the Town’s website. If created, websites shall be developed in accordance with the “advocate” section of this resolution.

Section 3: Appointment of Voting Members to Committees
Appointment: Members other than City Council Members shall be appointed following recruitment process set forth by the City Clerk and approved by the City Council. With the exception of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee as described, all appointed members shall be registered voters in the Town. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the City Council, or until the expiration of their terms set out below. The terms of the Members were staggered pursuant to Resolution No. 19-07 with subsequent terms of appointment reverting to the standard 4-year term. Vacancies in any committee arising from any reason, including expiration of term, shall be filled by temporary appointment of the City Council, or by annual recruitment. The Committee Chairperson or staff assigned shall notify the City Clerk of resignations and vacancies.

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Attachment 3
Resolution No. 23-XX Page 4 of 12 June 21, 2023
Each Committee which cannot fill at least 50% of its seats shall be postponed until the Town can recruit at least a quorum (50%+1). During that time, the City Council shall continually recruit qualified individuals and town staff shall continue to advertise periodically.

Term expiration dates shall end on June 30. Appointed committee members shall serve no more than two full consecutive terms on the committee to which they are appointed. A member may be reappointed to the committee following a minimum two (2) year hiatus. However, if a seat is vacant and no one applies, City Council may grant an exemption.

City Council representatives and any alternates on committees are selected by the Mayor and approved by the City Council to serve a one (1) year term. Appointed City Council Members and City Council Member Alternates shall serve as liaisons to Committees; but shall not serve as voting members to Committees. Alternates participate on committees in the absence of the appointed Council Members. For each Committee, unless otherwise directed by the City Council, one City Council member shall be appointed as a primary liaison and one as an alternate. Members shall coordinate attendance to ensure appropriate representation.

Members who intend to be absent from a meeting shall alert the chairperson and/or staff person assigned. The Chairperson shall state during the meeting, under roll call whether the member is excused (notification was given) or absent (no notification was given). Unexcused absences of members, other than City Council Members, from two or more consecutively scheduled meetings shall result in the automatic vacation of the member’s office. The staff person assigned to the Committee shall work with the Chairperson to alert the City Clerk of consecutive absences. The City Clerk shall alert the City Manager who shall decide how to inform City Council. City Council has the authority to override this rule based on the information received.

Chairperson and Staff: Each committee shall have a Chairperson. The Committee shall select its Chair on an annual basis in July. Council Members shall not serve as Chair or Vice Chair of Committees. The Department assigned to the committee shall have the authority to appoint staff member(s) to serve Town committees. Any requests by a committee for staff work, information, or assistance from Town staff shall be made to the City Manager.

Section 4: Funding for Committees
Committees do not have authorization to expend Town resources. In the event funding for a committee activity is desired, a budget shall be prepared and presented to the City Council for review and approval as part of the Town’s regular budget process. The committee shall follow the guidelines set forth by the purchasing policy approved by City Council through Ordinance 595 and any expenditure policies developed and approved by the City Council. No Committee member shall use his or her own personal credit card. For items under $150 a committee member may request a cash advance and then come back to the Town with itemized receipts. For items over $150, a committee member shall complete a check request from the Town or have the Town purchase the goods/services.

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Attachment 3
Resolution No. 23-XX Page 5 of 12 June 21, 2023
Section 5: Committee Composition, Powers and Duties

1. Audit/Finance Committee
The Audit/Finance Committee makes recommendations to the City Council on issues related to the Town’s audit and finances. The Committee typically meets every other month. Acting in an advisory capacity, the Audit/Finance Committee shall have the following powers and duties:
a. Make recommendations to the City Council in all matters pertaining to Town finances; b. Discuss and consult with the City Manager on any matter pertaining to the budget, capital spending plan and the long-range financial plan for the Town; c. Upon request, make recommendations to the City Council in all matters pertaining to the Town’s annual audit;
d. Assist staff, as needed, in the provision of oversight to the annual audit process; and, assist in the presentation of the annual audit to the City Council with recommendations as to acceptance;
e. Upon request, advise the City Council regarding appointment of outside auditors to complete the annual audit;
f. Assist staff as needed in the review of the proposed audit scope prior to commencement of annual audit.

The Committee consists of two (2) City Council liaisons, typically the Mayor and Vice Mayor, and five (5) appointed resident members Resident appointed members shall serve a term of four (4) years. The Committee meets in the Council Chambers or the Town Administrative Conference Room.

The Finance Department is assigned overall responsibility of the Audit/Finance Committee.

Resolution 19-07 established staggered terms with subsequent terms of appointment reverting to the standard 4-year term.

2. Environmental Programs Committee
The Environmental Programs Committee provides the City Council with recommendations, outreach programs, and education on environmental issues facing the Town’s natural and built environment. The Environmental Programs Committee typically meets every other month. Acting in an advisory capacity, the Environmental Programs Committee shall have the following powers and duties:
a. Upon request, make recommendations (programmatic and legislative) to the City Council on all matters pertaining to the Town’s natural and built environment and the Town’s regional role and responsibilities as one of the communities on the San Francisco Bay Peninsula.

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Attachment 3
Resolution No. 23-XX Page 6 of 12 June 21, 2023
b. Pursuant to established City Council programs and policy, assist staff in the creation of pro-active community engagement programs for residents, commercial and public enterprises active within the Town’s jurisdiction.

The Environmental Programs Committee consists of five (5) appointed resident members and one (1) City Council Member liaison. Resident appointed members shall serve a term of four (4) years. The Committee meets in the Council Chambers or the Town Administrative Conference Room.

The City Manager’s Department is assigned overall responsibility of the Environmental Programs Committee.

Resolution 19-07 established staggered terms with subsequent terms of appointment reverting to the standard 4-year term.

3. Park and Recreation Committee
The Park and Recreation Committee makes recommendations to the City Council on issues related to Holbrook Palmer Park and any active or passive recreational space within the Town. The Committee typically meets monthly. Acting in an advisory capacity, the Park and Recreation Committee shall have the following powers and duties:
a. Upon request, make recommendations to the City Council in all matters pertaining to the Town’s active and passive parks and public recreation services; b. Work with staff, as needed, to assist other governmental agencies and public and private groups in the advancement of park and recreation planning and programming; c. Work with staff to develop and maintain a Master Plan for active and passive recreational spaces within the Town; and, annually, in the month of April, present a report to the City Council;
d. Work with staff to review the annual budget for the Town’s park and recreation programs and services during the budget process and make recommendations with respect thereto to the City Council.
e. Assist staff with a review of fees and services within the Park and make recommendations with respect thereto to the City Council. f. Upon request, study and make recommendations on the acquisition and development of recreation areas, activities and facilities such as playgrounds, buildings, parks, open space and other centers of recreation;
g. Assist staff in the planning of recreation programs for the community.

The Park and Recreation Committee consists of seven (7) appointed resident members and one (1) City Council Member liaison. Of the appointed members, two members shall be representatives of the Holbrook-Palmer Park Foundation. Each of the foregoing representatives shall serve a term of two (2) years. When a vacancy arises, the City Clerk will contact each organization to request a new representative. If the organization submits more than two candidates, the City Council shall select the candidate to serve as the representative.

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Attachment 3
Resolution No. 23-XX Page 7 of 12 June 21, 2023
Remaining resident appointed members serve a term of four (4) years. The Park and Recreation Committee meets in Holbrook-Palmer Park.

The Public Works Department is assigned overall responsibility of the Park and Recreation Committee.

Resolution 19-07 established staggered terms with subsequent terms of appointment reverting to the standard 4-year term.

4. Rail Committee
The Atherton Rail Committee makes recommendations to the City Council on issues related to the Town’s Rail Corridor, High Speed Rail, and Caltrain consistent with the City Council’s adopted Rail Related Policy Issues, attached hereto as Exhibit A. The Committee typically meets once per quarter. Acting in an advisory capacity, the Rail Committee shall have the following powers and duties:
a. Advise the City Council on all matters pertaining to High Speed Rail (HSR), the Rail Corridor and Caltrain, consistent with the City Council adopted Rail Related Policy Issues.
b. Assist staff in the research of specific impacts that HSR and other rail infrastructure and services may have on the Rail Corridor and the Town. c. Rail Committee members are authorized to act as spokespersons to articulate and advocate the Town’s Rail Related Policy Issues as they pertain to Rail Committee matters to legislatures, HSR and Caltrain board of directors, regional organizations, press and other interested parties.

The Rail Committee consists of seven (7) appointed resident members and one (1) City Council Member liaison. Resident appointed members shall serve a term of four (4) years.

The Committee meets in the Council Chambers or the Town Administrative Conference Room.

The Public Works Department is assigned overall responsibility of the Rail Committee.

Resolution 19-07 established staggered terms with subsequent terms of appointment reverting to the standard 4-year term.

5. Transportation, Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Committee The Transportation, Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Committee makes recommendations to the City Council on issues related to transportation, traffic, and roadway safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety. This committee shall satisfy the requirements of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission as the Town’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Membership should be composed of both bicyclists and pedestrians. The Committee typically meets every other month once per quarter. The Committee consists

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Attachment 3
Resolution No. 23-XX Page 8 of 12 June 21, 2023
of seven (7) appointed members and one (1) City Council Member liaison. Committee appointed members shall serve terms of four-year (4) years. Acting in an advisory capacity, the Transportation Committee shall have the following powers and duties:
a. Upon request, make recommendations to the City Council in all matters pertaining to transportation, traffic, and roadway safety within the Town. b. As needed, assist staff in the identification and review of traffic and roadway safety enhancements.
c. As needed, assist staff in the review of regional project impacts on local traffic and transportation corridors.
d. As needed, assist staff in the review of traffic safety enforcement measures. e. As needed, assist staff in the review of Neighborhood Traffic Management Program requests.
f. Work with staff in providing recommendations on issues related to the Town’s bicyle and pedestrian network and Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. g. Make recommendations to the City Council on the selection of bicycle and pedestrian projects to be submitted for state and federal funding opportunities. h. Work with staff to promote bicycling and walking as safe and healthy alternative modes of transportation, including safe routes to schools. e.i. Assist Town staff in the planning, operations and maintenance of bicycle and pedestrian facilities in Town.

The Transportation Committee consists of five (5) appointed resident members and one (1) City Council Members liaison. Resident appointed members shall serve a term of four (4) years. The Chair of the Transportation Committee also serves as a non-voting liaison to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. The Chair shall select another member as his or her alternate. The Committee meets in the Council Chambers or the Town Administrative Conference Room.

The Police Department shall have overall responsibility of the Transportation Committee.

The Chief of Police will coordinate with the Public Works Department when Public Works staff are needed for the meeting.

Resolution 19-07 established staggered terms with subsequent terms of appointment reverting to the standard 4-year term.

6. Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee makes recommendations to the City Council on issues related to the Town’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and bicycle and pedestrian network. The Committee typically meets as needed. Acting in an advisory capacity, the BPAC shall have the following powers and duties:
a. Work with staff in providing recommendations on issues related to the Town’s bicycle and pedestrian network and Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.

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Attachment 3
Resolution No. 23-XX Page 9 of 12 June 21, 2023
b. Make recommendations to the City Council on the selection of bicycle and pedestrian projects to be submitted for state and federal funding opportunities. c. Work with staff to promote bicycling and walking as safe and healthy alternative modes of transportation.
d. Assist Town staff in the planning, operations and maintenance of bicycle and pedestrian facilities in Town.

The BPAC consists of at least five (5) appointed members plus two non-voting liaisons, one (1) Transportation Committee Member and one (1) City Council Member. At least three (3) appointed members of the Committee must meet the requirements of the Metropolitan Transportation Committee and live or work in the Town of Atherton. Other members of the BPAC must be residents of the Town. Members shall be composed of both active bicyclists and pedestrians. The Chair and Vice Chair of the Committee shall be residents of the Town. BPAC appointed members shall serve terms of four (4) years.

The makeup of the Committee members is encouraged as follows:
 At least one member should represent schools.
 At least one member should represent an established bicycle and/or pedestrian related organization or coalition.
 At least one member should have knowledge and interest in Countywide pedestrian and bicycle facility planning and operations.

The Committee meets in the Council Chambers or the Town Administrative Conference Room.

The Public Works Department is assigned overall responsibility of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

Resolution 19-07 established staggered terms with subsequent terms of appointment reverting to the standard 4-year term.

Section 6: Advice
Appointed members of committees are encouraged to seek advice from Town staff when they are uncertain of the foregoing rules.

This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon adoption. All previous resolutions governing Town committees and commissions including Resolution No. 15-10 and Resolution No. 19-07 are hereby superseded and rescinded.

I hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly passed and adopted by the City Council of the Town of Atherton at a regular meeting thereof held on the 19th day of January, 2022, by the following vote.

AYES: 5 COUNCIL MEMBERS: Polito, Hawkins-Manuelian, Lewis, Widmer, DeGolia

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Attachment 3
Resolution No. 23-XX Page 10 of 12 June 21, 2023
NOES: 0 COUNCIL MEMBERS:

ABSENT: 0 COUNCIL MEMBERS:

ABSTAIN: 0 COUNCIL MEMBERS:
_________________________________
Rick DeGolia, Mayor
Town of Atherton
ATTEST:
____________________________
Anthony Suber, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
___________________________
Mona Ebrahimi, City Attorney

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Attachment 3
Resolution No. 23-XX Page 11 of 12 June 21, 2023

EXHIBIT A

RAIL POLICY ISSUES

ADOPTED BY THE TOWN OF ATHERTON
A. HIGH-SPEED RAIL (HSR)
Legislative
In 2008, the Town voters decided against Prop 1A which authorized the HSR project. At that time, Town Resolutions, passed unanimously by the Council, opposed the HSR project, including the Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Business Plan and use of the rail corridor by HSR.

The Town remains opposed to the HSR project and supports legislative initiatives to prevent the implementation of the HSR project, in its current form, through the Town. If the HSR project moves forward, the Town fully expects that the project will minimize and fully mitigate environmental impacts to the Town.

Litigation
The Town may take the position to use legal means, as deemed appropriate by the City Council, to delay, hinder or halt the implementation of Prop 1A which Atherton residents and the City Council voted to oppose.

Lobbying
The Town has engaged a lobbyist, in conjunction with other communities, to represent the Town’s interests on HSR matters.

The Council encourages members of the Town’s Rail Committee to advocate on behalf of the Town with respect to HSR in manners consistent with the above HSR Rail Policy.

B. RAIL CORRIDOR AND CALTRAIN
The Town was one of the earliest train stops on the rail corridor between San Francisco and San Jose.

Families, and later commuters, used the Atherton station for rail service to and from ‘the City’ for over 100 years. Lloyden Park was developed for residents desiring easy access to public transportation provided by the train.

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Attachment 3
Resolution No. 23-XX Page 12 of 12 June 21, 2023
In years past, Caltrain provided the Atherton Station with weekday and weekend rail service until it declared its first “fiscal emergency” citing the need to reduce costs, including station stops. As a result, the number of weekday rail stops at the Atherton Station were reduced to zero while weekend service is still provided.

Atherton is the only city on the Caltrain line that receives no weekday train service. Atherton residents have been using nearby stations in Redwood City and Menlo Park for weekday commute services and for express service on the weekends. Atherton understands that Caltrain is an integral part of the transportation system in the peninsula and still serves as an important alterative to automotive travel in and through the Town.

Further Caltrain’s fiscal health is important to maintain rail as a viable transit option.

The Atherton Station building serves as an important historical and cultural resource to the Town and should be preserved.

Town Priorities Regarding Caltrain Line and Corridor
The Town recognizes that successful implementation of the Town’s rail corridor priorities with Caltrain require a partnership with Caltrain. To that end, the Town will endeavor to work with Caltrain to address the following priorities for the Atherton Station and Rail Corridor:
 Modernization of the rail system must minimize and fully mitigate any environmental impact to the Town.
 Safety improvements along the rail corridor through the Town, including safety fencing and screening along the corridor, and the installation of four-quadrant gates at the Watkins Avenue rail crossing.
 Conversion of the Atherton Station building to a public amenity and civic space integrated with the Atherton Town Center, including the installation of safety fencing, removal of the center boarding platform and associated access points.
 Installation of an active transportation route to the Menlo Park Caltrain Station.  The Town seeks to perfect the Quiet Zone within the Town through the addition of four quadrant gates at the Watkins Avenue crossing, closure of the Atherton Station and repurposing of the Atherton Station building. These measures require the support and partnership of Caltrain.

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Item No. 14
Town of Atherton
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT – REGULAR AGENDA
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

GEORGE RODERICKS, CITY MANAGER
FROM: ROBERT OVADIA, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
DATE: JUNE 21, 2023
SUBJECT: KNOX PLAYSCHOOL LEASE AMENDMENT TO EXTEND THE

LEASE AND ADJUSTMENT TO THE CURRENT LEASE RATE

RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Council consider an amendment to the current lease with Knox Playschools, Inc., extending the lease and consideration of an adjustment to the payable rent amount for the September 1, 2023, through August 31, 2024, term, with two one-year renewal options.

BACKGROUND
Knox Playschools Incorporated operates a playschool in Holbrook-Palmer Park in facilities leased from the Town. The current lease was initially executed in 2001 and has been amended ten (10) times, most recently in July 2022. Amendment No. 10, approved by the City Council in July 2022, extended the lease to the Knox Playschool by one year with a reduced rent based on enrollment.

The lease term is coming to an end, expiring on August 30, 2023.

Knox Playschools continues operations with enrollment reduced from pre-pandemic levels.

Enrollment for the 2022-2023 academic year averaged 45 Students per month, and enrollment for the current summer session is approximately 28 students per month. Knox has advised that while COVID restrictions have eased, enrollment at Playschool continues to be a challenge due to a variety of factors including changes in California’s education system where public schools are required to offer free transitional kindergarten (TK) to the state’s 4 year olds.

Enrollment for the coming academic year is low, estimated at 30 ‘full time’ (Mon-Fri) children and about 8 ‘part time’ (Mon and Wed morning 9-12) children. The Playschool is taking steps to increase future enrollment but results will likely be gradual. While they have typically relied on word of mouth and family referrals, they are launching a new, updated website and social media campaign, and have also made some additions to their program offerings to attract more families.

Knox Playschools appreciates the support previously provided by the Council and is requesting

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Knox Playschool Lease
JUNE 21, 2023

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similar consideration, continuing the linkage between the rental rates to enrollment, as were approved in the most recent lease amendments.

ANALYSIS
The current lease provides for payable rent to be based on school enrollment as follows:
• $100 per student per month during the academic year (September 1, 2022 through May 31, 2023)
• $134 per student per month during the summer term (June 1, 2023 through August 30, 2023)
As enrollment will be limited, Knox Playschools is requesting minor adjustments to lease rate for the proposed lease extension as follows:
• $125 per student per month during the academic year (September 1, 2023 through May 31, 2024) – an increase of $25/month per student
• $125 per student per month during the summer term (June 1, 2024 through August 30, 2024) – a decrease of $9/month per student
**Estimated revenue during the academic year (September 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024): 38 children for school year = $4,750/month
**Estimated revenue during the summer camp months (July 1, 2023 through August 31, 2023):
30 children for summer = $3,750/month
The proposed rent structure simplifies the rate to a fixed rate per student per month through the lease year and would be a net increase over the 2022-23 lease period, inclusive of accounting for the lower projected enrollment numbers.

Without an adjustment in the payable rent from the pre-pandemic level, Knox Playschools may elect not to continue to lease the facilities at the park. Knox Playschools is also asking to maintain termination cause approved in the most recent amendment, which allows for termination with a 30-day notice.

FISCAL IMPACT
Current enrollment estimates are 38 students per month during the upcoming academic year, and approximately 30 students per month during the following summer term. The payable rent for the current lease year has been approximately $4,500 per month during the academic year and is projected at $3,750 per month during the summer term. The proposed rent for the lease extension, with the lower enrollment numbers, would be approximately $4,750 per month during the academic year and $3,750 per month during the summer term, a net increase of approximately $2,250 for the year. If enrollment were to be closer to the current lease year, there would be a greater increase in lease revenue. If no reduction from the pre-pandemic rate is approved, the Playschool may elect not to continue operations.

GOAL ALIGNMENT

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Knox Playschool Lease
JUNE 21, 2023

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This Report and its contents are in alignment with the following Council Policy Goals:
• Goal Area A – Maintain Fiscal Responsibility
• Goal Area B – Preserve Small Town Character and Quality of Life • Goal Area E – Strengthen Community Engagement and Transparency

POLICY FOCUS
Knox Playschool has been an asset to the Town and a rent reduction would assist in the viability of this small local business. Susan has rented the Playschool for 25 years and the rent adjustment would allow Susan to continue to rent the facilities in the park and continue to serve the local community.

PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notification was achieved by posting the agenda, with this agenda item being listed, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting in print and electronically. Information about the project is also disseminated via the Town’s electronic News Flash and Atherton Online. There are approximately 1,200 subscribers to the Town’s electronic News Flash publications. Subscribers include residents as well as stakeholders –to include, but be not limited to, media outlets, school districts, Menlo Park Fire Protection District, service provides (water, power, and sewer), and regional elected officials.

COMMISSION/COMMITTEE FEEDBACK/REFERRAL
This item has not been before a Town Committee or Commission

ATTACHMENTS

1. Knox Playschools Request Letter

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May 25, 2023
To the Atherton Town Council:

Playschool is about to complete our 25th year here in Holbrook-Palmer Park and we are grateful to the Town of Atherton for allowing us to be a part of the community for all these years. We very much look forward to attending the centennial celebration in September, providing a booth, and participating with our teachers and families.

Thank you to the Council for reducing our rent during covid and permitting the 30-day ‘out’ clause. Playschool likely would have closed permanently without those amendments to our lease during the past few years.

While covid restrictions have eased, enrollment at Playschool continues to be a challenge. We speculate that our reduced numbers are due to a variety of factors: the birth rate since 2020 is down, young families are moving out of the area for a myriad of reasons, and California is now requiring that public schools offer free transitional kindergarten (TK) to the state’s 4 year olds.

Playschool is taking steps to increase future enrollment but results will likely be gradual. While we have always relied on word of mouth for family referrals, we are currently launching a new, updated website and social media campaign. We have also made some additions to our program offerings to attract more families.

Since September 2020, our core class (and only attendance option) has been Mon-Fri, 8:30-2:00 pm for preschoolers (2-5 year olds). Starting this September, we are adding extended care from 2:00-5:00 pm, Mon-Thurs, to make it an almost full time program for preschoolers. We are also adding a Mon / Wed 9:00 am – 12:00 noon class for those families who want a part time program.

Given all this, I would like to request another 1 year lease term (September 2023 through August 2024) with two 1 year options to renew. Since enrollment (and thus, revenue) are down, I am asking to continue some accommodations for the upcoming one-year term. Page 352 of 473

1. I propose the payable rent to increase from $100 to $125 per student per month during the school year, and for consistency’s sake, to change it from $134 to $125 for the summer, too.
**Estimated revenue during the academic year (September 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024): 40 children for school year = $5000/month **Estimated revenue during the summer camp months (July 1, 2023 through August 31, 2023) 30 children for summer = $3750/month Even at our reduced enrollment numbers, this would result in more yearly rent revenue for the Town in 2023-24 (est. $55k) than in 2022-23 (est. $46k).

2. While I don’t think we would close mid-year, and I have no intention of exercising it, I would also very much appreciate continuation of the clause which allows 30 days’ notice for termination.

Thank you very much for your consideration of my requests.

Susan Knox
Knox Playschools, Inc.

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Item No. 15
Town of Atherton
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT – REGULAR AGENDA
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

GEORGE RODERICKS, CITY MANAGER
FROM: ROBERT OVADIA, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
DATE: JUNE 21, 2023
SUBJECT: PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND DIRECTION REGARDING THE

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF THE WATKINS AVENUE

PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS

RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Council review the conceptual design options for the Watkins Avenue Pedestrian Improvements project and provide feedback and direction to staff.

BACKGROUND
The Fiscal Year 2022-23 Capital Improvement Program budget included $100,000 for the design and implementation of pedestrian improvements along Watkins Avenue from Middlefield Road to the Watkins Avenue rail crossing. The primary concerns were related to walkability and issues related to biking along the existing curb separating the pedestrian walkway from the roadway, which is marked as a Class III (shared use) bikeway. The existing walkway varies in its elevation to the existing roadway, where in some portions are lower than the existing curb/dike and other areas where the walkway is elevated to the height of the existing curb. The curb/dike is not uniform and includes a short segment of concrete curb, closest to the rail crossing, with a majority made of asphalt with an inconsistent slope.

Additionally, the Fiscal Year 2022-23 Capital Improvement Program Budget included $200,000 for fencing improvements along Watkins Avenue.

A Task Order was issued to Willdan Engineering to develop conceptual design alternatives and estimates for walkway and fencing improvements along Watkins Avenue.

ANALYSIS
Willdan Engineering evaluated various options and prepared conceptual layouts for various options including:

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Watkins Avenue Walkway
JUNE 21, 2023

Page 2 of 3 ends

4 9
7 1. Replacement of the existing walkway with a standard concrete sidewalk and curb, where the walkway would be elevated from the adjacent roadway where feasible.

2. Raising the elevation of the walkway where feasible/appropriate by filling with asphalt and making the curb face more uniform in appearance, sealing and repainting.

3. Protecting and fix the existing asphalt dike and install flexible bollards atop the dike.

4. Removing the asphalt dike and replace it with segmented hardscape medians.

All options included the replacement of the existing chain link fence with a metal fence matching the design being implemented with the Holbrook-Palmer Park Access and Circulation project.

Upon initial review, staff felt that the replacement of the walkway with a concrete curb and sidewalk (option 1) offered little benefit over the elevated asphalt walkway (option 2), at a substantially higher cost, and thus removed the option from further consideration. Options 2-4 were presented to the Town’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee for review and feedback at their March 28, 2023 meeting. The key discussion points and considerations were as follows:

1. Walkway elevation - Though the elevation of the walkway varies, there are constraints in localized areas that fix the elevation. These include the following:
a. Walkway at or below roadway level from rail crossing to McCormick Lane i. Walkway elevation must match grade at the pedestrian bridge entry to Holbrook-Palmer Park
ii. Walkway grade should match roadway grade at McCormick Lane for accessibility reasons. Access ramp is required for the crossing and elevating the walkway would require depressing with the access ramp. b. Walkway at roadway grade at Burns Avenue
i. Similar to McCormick Lane, the walkway should be at the roadway grade to facilitate accessibility at the crossing
c. Walkway at entry/exit drives
i. Will tie into the curb raps to be constructed with the Holbrook-Palmer Park Access and Circulation Project

2. Usage of the walkway by cyclists
a. Roadway is listed as a class III (shared use) bike route, wherein through cyclists should be riding along Watkins Avenue
b. Walkway area is too narrow to accommodate both bikes and pedestrians – there is insufficient room to accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists between the roadway and the channel. Cyclists should walk bikes on the walkway between Dinkelspiel Station Lane and the pedestrian bridge entry to the park, or use the entry drive.

3. Curbs/dikes
a. The curbs and dike are a beneficial separator between pedestrians and motorists and should be retained
b. The asphalt curb/dike is inconsistent in shape and appearance and may be more effective if uniform
After review and discussion the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee recommended the following:

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Watkins Avenue Walkway
JUNE 21, 2023

Page 3 of 3 ends

4 9
7 • The walkway configuration be generally the same as it is now with areas below the level of the curb/dike.
• Walkway cracks and other issues in the walkway be spot repaired. • Widen the walkway where possible towards the channel when removing/replacing the fence. It is noted that there may be utilities in the area. • Trim/reshape the dike, seal and repaint white for visibility.

Though discussion also included the potential for signing/marking the pathway to discourage bike use and the potential for cutting an opening in the curb at the pedestrian bridge. These changes were not recommended.

FISCAL IMPACT
None at this time.

GOAL ALIGNMENT
This Report and its contents are in alignment with the following Council Policy Goals:
• Goal Area A – Maintain Fiscal Responsibility
• Goal Area B – Preserve Small Town Character and Quality of Life • Goal Area D – Manage Circulation and Improve Safety

POLICY FOCUS
Council policy focus should be on providing design direction in improving the pedestrian facility along Watkins Avenue.

PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notification was achieved by posting the agenda, with this agenda item being listed, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting in print and electronically. Information about the project is also disseminated via the Town’s electronic News Flash and Atherton Online. There are approximately 1,200 subscribers to the Town’s electronic News Flash publications. Subscribers include residents as well as stakeholders –to include, but be not limited to, media outlets, school districts, Menlo Park Fire Protection District, service provides (water, power, and sewer), and regional elected officials.

COMMISSION/COMMITTEE FEEDBACK/REFERRAL
Bicycle/Pedestrian Committee (meets as needed)

ATTACHMENTS

1. Watkins Avenue Pedestrian Improvements Concept Plan and Estimate

2. Watkins Avenue Walkway – Existing Condition Photos

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Page 357 of 473 ends

Town of Atherton Watkins Pedestrian Improvements Engineering Cost Estimates Option 1: Raised AC Walkway with Reshaped Curb Item DescriptionCost Optio n 1b Quan tity Uni tUnit Price
12 Optio n 1a $
1 2
3 4
5 7
Reshape, Seal, Paint Existing AC Dike Remove Existing Chainlink Fence 2" Compacted Fill from Fence to Channel Construct 6" AC Construct Curb Ramp Install Truncated Domes and Landing210 0 210 0
52 270 3
LFLF $
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
25,2 0021,0 005,2 00 43,2 0019,5 002,4 00$
$
$
$
$
$
25,2 0021,0 005,2 00 43,2 0019,5 002,4 00
10 100
160
6,5 001,2 00225
$
$
$
$
$
$

CYTNEAEALF
2 8a Furnish and Install Decorative Tubular Steel Fence 8b Furnish and Install Chainlink Fence with Black Coating210 0 210 0
472, LF 90 500 $
$
$
$
189, 000 305, 500 61,1 00
Estimated Construction Total Estimated Design/CM Costs (20%) Estimated Total$ $
$
589, 000
117, 800 706, 800
366, 600
Option 2: Flexible Bollards Item DescriptionCost Optio n 2c Quan tity Uni tUnit Price
10 Optio n 2a Optio n 2b Option 2d 1 Remove Existing Option 2e Chainlink Fence 210 0 270 210 0
4027523
878787
LFTNLF$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$ 21,0 00 $ 21,0 00 $ 21,0 00 $21,0 00 $
$
21,0 0043,2 00
2e Construct 6" AC 3ab Remove Existing AC Dike 4ab Construct AC Dike 5cde Construct AC Dike to Join Existing and Repair Existing Dike160 3 $
$
6,3 00 10,0 00$
$
6,3 00 10,0 00
TNTNCYEAEAEAEAEALF250
250
100
6,5 00200
100
60 1,2 00225
90 $
$
6,7 505,2 00$
$
6,7 505,2 00$
$
$
$
6,7 505,2 00 19,5 0017,4 00
6 2" Compacted Fill from Fence to Channel$
$
5,2 00 $
$
5,2 00
8,7 00
7e Construct Curb Ramp 8ae Furnish and Install R-8323 Flexible Bollards Shown on Exhibit 8b Furnish and Install K71 Flexible Traffic Posts 8cd Furnish and Install Flexible Delineator Posts 17,4 00 $
$
$
5,2 202,4 00$
$
5,2 202,4 00
9 Install Truncated Domes and Landing2 $
$
2,4 00 472, 500$
$
2,4 00 472, 500$ 2,4 10abc Furnish and Install 00 Decorative Tubular Steel Fence 10de Furnish and Install Chainlink Fence with Black Coating 210 0
210 0
472, LF 500 $ 189,000 $ 189,000 513,070 $ 229,570 $ 304,450 102,614 45,914 60,890 615,684 $ 275,484 $ 365,340 Estimated Construction Total Estimated Design/CM Costs (20%) Estimated Total$ $
$
534, 800 106, 960 641, 760$
$
$
526, 100 105, 220 631, 320$
$
$
$ $
Option 3: Median with Hardscape
Item Description
Cost Optio n 3b
Quan tity Uni tUnit Price Optio n 3a Optio 1 n 3c
2 Remove Existing AC Dike and AC Walkway Remove Existing Chainlink Fence945 0 945 0
270 52 210 0
105 0
210 0
210 0
3 SFLFTNCYLF$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
8 $
$
75,6 0094,5 00$
$
75,6 0094,5 00$
$
$
$
$
$
$
75,6 0094,5 0043,2 005,2 00 147, 000 73,5 0052,5 00
10 160
100
707025
3c Construct 6" AC 4
5 6
2" Compacted Fill from Fence to Channel Construct 6" PCC Street Side Curb Construct 6" PCC Median Curb (Adjacent to Walkway)$ $
$
$
5,2 00 147, 000 73,5 0052,5 00$
$
$
5,2 00 147, 000 73,5 00
LF 7ac Construct River Rock on Median Shown on Exhibit 7b Construct Stamped Concrete on Median 8c Construct Curb Ramp

SFSFEAEALF
15 $ 31,5 6,5 00 001,2 00225
$
$
$
$
$
19,5 002,4 00 472, 500
985, 900 197, 180
9 Install Truncated Domes and Landing2 $
$
$
$
2,4 00 472, 500
923, 200 184, 640
$
$
$
$
2,4 00 472, 500
902, 200 180, 440
10 Furnish and Install Decorative Tubular Steel Fence210 Estimated 0 Construction Total Estimated Design/CM Costs (20%)
Estimate d Total $ 1,107,840 $ 1,082,640 $
Opti 1,183,080
ons
Optio
n a706, 800 641, 760
Optio n b366, 600 631, 320Optio
n c
615, 684
Optio n d
275, 484
Optio
n e
$ 365,34 0
Option 1: Raised AC Walkway with Reshaped Curb Option 2: Flexible Bollards$ $
$
$ $ $
Option 3: Median with Hardscape$ 1,107,840 $ 1,082,640 $ 1,183,080

Page 358 of 473 ends

Watkins Avenue Walkway - Exis�ng Condi�on Photos
Watkins Avenue walkway at rail crossing Watkins Avenue walkway at pedestrian bridge Watkins Avenue walkway at pedestrian bridge Watkins Avenue walkway at McCormick Lane Watkins Avenue walkway at McCormick Lane Watkins Avenue walkway at entry drive Watkins Avenue walkway at exit drive Watkins Avenue walkway at Burns Avenue Watkins Avenue walkway at Middlefield Road

Page 359 of 473 ends

Item No. 15
Town of Atherton
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT – REGULAR AGENDA
TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT:

HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

RACHAEL LONDER, MANAGEMENT ANALYST II
JUNE 21, 2023

RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Council Provide Direction on or Adopt the 2023 Climate Action Plan Update.

BACKGROUND
In 2016, Atherton adopted its first-ever Climate Action Plan (CAP) setting a target to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from energy and water, transportation, and waste by 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and 49 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. The 2016 Plan includes 25 actions to take to support the town in reaching the targets aligned with the State’s requirements established by AB 32 (Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006) and SB 32 (California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2016) which respectively aimed to reduce the State’s GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. In 2017, the Council prioritized 16 of the 25 CAP actions acknowledging that the CAP would need to be updated to reach the 2030 targets.

On November 3, 2021, during the City Council’s Study Session, staff shared a five-year update on the Climate Action Plan highlighting actions that helped the Town reduce emissions by

20.4 percent exceeding its first target of a 15 percent reduction by 2020. Staff recommended updating the Climate Action Plan to refine and add measures that would support the Town in achieving the second target of a 49 percent reduction below 2005 levels by 2030 and to align with the State’s updated goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045 (Executive Order B-55-18). With direction from Council, staff began working with the County of San Mateo’s Office of Sustainability in 2022 to quantify the Town’s progress towards GHG reduction targets and to update the GHG targets for 2030 and 2045 to stay consistent with state regulations.

ANALYSIS
The 2023 Climate Action Plan Update is structured to provide an overview of climate change and its impact on Atherton, legislation associated with a CAP, Atherton’s current emission trends, and
PROVIDE DIRECTION ON OR ADOPT THE 2023 CLIMATE ACTION

PLAN UPDATE

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JUNE 21, 2023

Page 2 of 3 ends

specific program and policy strategies. The 2023 CAP (Attachment 1) is informed by the most recent climate change science, the Town’s 2019 GHG inventory, and an evaluation of the priorities in the 2016 CAP. The 2019 GHG inventory shows that the Town of Atherton has reduced GHG emissions 28.8% below the 2005 baseline exceeding the first goal set by the 2016 CAP. The community’s emissions are roughly 7.7 MTCO2e per-capita. Adopting the 2023 CAP Update provides a pathway for meeting the Town’s 2030 goal and establishes a longer range GHG emission reduction targets. The goals that the 2023 CAP Update aims to achieve are as follows:
• 2030: Reduce emissions to 49 percent below 2005 baseline or 4.9 MTCO2e per-capita • 2045: Reduce emissions to 100 percent below 2005 baseline or 0 MTCO2e per-capita The 2023 CAP Update includes emerging issues and best practices to capture a comprehensive and innovative suite of GHG reduction measures. The CAP aims to achieve 13 objectives by taking 61 strategies, including both priority strategies from the 2016 Plan and new strategies that reflect new technologies, updated state targets, and community centered approaches. The strategies address each of the following sectors:
• Building Energy: Utilizing technological advances to support building electrification, renewable energy, and energy storage in the community and in Town operations. • Transportation: Shifting to electric powered vehicles and zero-emission off-road equipment and increased community adoption of public transit, walking, and biking. • Waste and Materials Management: Eliminating single-use plastics, developing a curbside organics collection program and compost to eliminate organic waste, and promote reducing, reusing and recycling.
• Carbon Sequestration and Water Use: Sequestering carbon through tree planting and compost application.

Implementing the strategies in the CAP will take the effort of all Town employees and the community. The CAP outlines implementation strategies for putting the strategies into action, including the role of the Environmental Programs Committee which will continue to serve in a policy advisory and community engagement capacity.

The Plan presented today may be further revised based on feedback from the Council or may be adopted. Adopting the CAP includes authorizing submittal of a CEQA Notice of Exemption to the State's Office of Planning and Research (Attachment 3) which was also filed for the 2016 CAP.

FISCAL IMPACT
Implementation of the 2023 CAP will have a budgetary impact on the Town that is uncertain at this time. A portion of the implementation will be covered by the Sustainability Program operating budget within the City Manager's Office. Specific funding needs for each recommended action will be determined as part of the implementation process and will be requested as part of the approval process for each proposed action.

GOAL ALIGNMENT
This Report and its contents are in alignment with the following Council Policy Goals:
• Goal Area F – Be Forward-Thinking, Well-Managed, and Well-Planned

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JUNE 21, 2023

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• Goal Area E – Strengthen Community Engagement and Transparency

POLICY FOCUS
The 2016 Climate Action Plan set a policy precedent for aligning with the State’s emissions reductions requirements. In 2016, the Council acknowledged that an update would be needed after the 2020 goals were achieved to meet the State mandated 49% reduction by 2030. This 2023 update provides a clear policy pathway to achieve the 2030 goals and further aligns with the State’s Executive Order B-55-18 which aims to achieve carbon neutrality across all jurisdictions in California. Adoption of the 2023 Climate Action Plan establishes a new policy framework to reduce emissions to create a carbon neutral future for Atherton thus future policies will be presented to Council as a part of the Climate Action Plan’s implementation.

PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notification was achieved by posting the agenda, with this agenda item being listed, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting in print and electronically. Information about the project is also disseminated via the Town’s electronic News Flash and Atherton Online. There are approximately 1,200 subscribers to the Town’s electronic News Flash publications. Subscribers include residents as well as stakeholders –to include, but be not limited to, media outlets, school districts, Menlo Park Fire Protection District, service provides (water, power, and sewer), and regional elected officials.

COMMISSION/COMMITTEE FEEDBACK/REFERRAL
Environmental Programs Committee (meets every other month)

ATTACHMENTS

1. 2023 Climate Action Plan Update: Pathway to Carbon Neutrality

2. Technical Appendix: Supplementary Findings and 2019 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory

3. CEQA Notice of Exemption

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Resolution No. 2023 – 06 Page 1 of 2 May 17, 2023
RESOLUTION NO. 23-XX

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF ATHERTON
ADOPTING THE 2023 CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE
WHEREAS, climate change is already affecting the Town of Atherton, and impacts such as more frequent heat waves, power outages, flooding, wildfire, and unhealthy air quality are felt most acutely by our communities most vulnerable members including children, and older adults; and
WHEREAS, in October 2016, the City Council adopted its first Climate Action Plan to mitigate climate change to limit these impacts; and
WHEREAS, the 2016 Climate Action established a greenhouse (GHG) emissions reduction goal that was consistent with California State Assembly Bill 32, passed in 2018, to achieve 1990 GHG emissions levels by 2020, which the Town reached and exceed three years exceeded two years early through the establishment of Peninsula Clean Energy and implementation of other climate actions; and
WHEREAS, additional state climate legislation has been passed since the first Climate Action Plan was adopted including California State Senate Bill 32 (2016) which establishes a statewide goal to reduce GHG emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030, and Executive Order 55-18, issued in 2018, which calls for carbon neutrality by 2045; and WHEREAS, adopting the 2023 Climate Action Plan Update will further align the Town with achieving statewide goals by establishing emission reduction targets of 45% below 1990 levels by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2045 by making investments in building energy, transportation, waste reduction, and natural areas; and WHEREAS, meeting the Climate Action Plan’s goals will bring numerous communitywide benefits including, but not limited to improved public health, resilience to power shutoffs, reduced energy and transportation costs, increased community cohesion, and maintaining a vibrant park; and
WHEREAS, the Environmental Programs Committee reviewed and informed the strategies in the Climate Action Plan during their meeting on May 18; and WHEREAS, the 2023 Climate Action Plan Update would become a guiding document to inform sustainability programs and policies in order to achieve 2030 and 2045 emission reduction goals; and
WHEREAS, the Town Staff will continue to update annual greenhouse gas emission inventories to track progress and will provide an annual update to the City Council on progress; and

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Resolution No. 2023 – 06 Page 2 of 2 May 17, 2023
WHEREAS, the Town has found the Climate Action Plan is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines 15262 (Planning and Feasibility Studies), 15061(b)(3) (No Possibility of Significant Effect), 15306 (Information Collection), 15307 (Protection of Natural Resources) and 15308 (Protection of the Environment); and
WHEREAS, a Notice of Exemption has been prepared pursuant to Section 15062 of CEQA. The Town will file the Notice of Exemption with the County Clerk following the adoption of the CAP pursuant to Section 15062 of CEQA.

NOW THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Town of Atherton hereby adopts the 2023 Climate Action Plan Update to become the current guiding framework for sustainability programs and policies further implemented by staff at the City Council
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a meeting of the City Council of the Town of Atherton held on the 21 day of June by the following vote:

AYES: Council members:

NOES: Council members:

ABSTAIN: Council members:

ABSENT: Council members:
________________________
Bill Widmer, MAYOR
Town of Atherton
ATTEST:
____________________________
Anthony Suber, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
____________________________
Mona Ebrahimi, City Attorney

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Page 365 of 473 ends

Acknowledgments
Atherton City Council
Bill Widmer, Mayor
Diana Hawkins-Manuelian, Vice Mayor
Rick DeGolia, Council Member
Elizabeth Lewis, Council Member
Stacy Miles Holland, Council Member
Environmental Programs Committee
Amy Farrell, Chair
Kenneth Frederick, Committee Member
Gregory Loew, Committee Member
Atherton City Manager
George Rodericks
Project Lead
Rachael Londer, Management Analyst II
Douglas Kim, Sustainability Coordinator (former)
Atherton City Staff
Anthony Suber, Deputy City Manager/City Clerk
Robert Ovadia, Public Works Director
Robert Barron III, Finance Director
Michael Greenlee, Building Official
Steve McCulley, Chief of Police
Special thanks to the San Mateo County Office of
Sustainability and their RICAPS program for our emissions inventory and quantification of our strategies!
p. 1
p. 5
p. 3
p. 20
About the Plan
Highlights and the Plan
At A Glance
How are we going to get
there?
What are we trying to
achieve?
Where will we start?

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Strategies
Objectives
Looking Ahead

Page 366 of 473 ends

Highlights of climate strategies taken since the first CAP was adopted in 2016 13% of Atherton's vehicles are electric or
hybrid electric according to 2021 DMV data
and 39 homeowners pulled a permit to
install a charger at home.

Improving 6 miles of bike lanes in Town with
grant funded projects underway doubling the
number of miles for bike trips. Bike racks
installed at Town Center in both public and
employee areas.

Constructed an all-electric Town
Center with planned solar panel
installation that will save the Town
an estimated $800,000 over 20 years.

Reducing noise and promoting clean
air through a gas-powered leaf blower
ban - effective July 1, 2024.

Established organic waste program
with GreenWaste Recovery to
decrease Atherton's waste
emissions by 26%. Adopted an
ordinance to substantially reduce
the use of disposable food ware at
schools and clubs.
148 homes have received concierge
energy saving service through Home
Energy Analytics saving residents an
average of 11% of their gas and
electricity use or a total of $2,000
annually. 11 homes have accessed
rebates for whole house upgrades.

Installed 2 EV chargers and are
pursuing the installation of 8 more
at Holbrook Palmer Park for a total
of 20 charging ports.

Bike Infrastructure
Renewable Electricity
Zero-Emissions Vehicles
Building Electrification
Landscaping Equipment
Electric Vehicle Chargers
Waste Diversion Rates
These successes among others led to the Town to exceed it's goal of a 15% reduction from 2005 levels by 2020. The Town's 19% reduction is the equivalent of taking 4,374 gasoline-powered vehicles off the road for a year! Residential Energy Efficiency
Through the strong leadership of the Atherton City Council, the 2023 update to the Town of Atherton's Climate Action Plan (CAP) outlines priority strategies to achieve a 49% emissions reduction by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality in the Atherton community and government operations by 2045. Carbon neutrality means reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in Atherton by 100% from the 2005 baseline, which was the first year the Town completed a GHG emissions inventory. By reaching this goal, the Town of Atherton will demonstrate leadership in climate action, create a more sustainable and resilient community for all residents, and reflect the rate of action needed to mitigate the harmful impacts of climate change that the Town is already experiencing. These impacts include rising temperatures, heatwaves, hazardous air quality from wildfires, extreme storms, and flooding.

Atherton's CAP generates a pathway to make deep reductions in direct emissions generated from sources such as natural gas in buildings and petroleum in transportation. Using a variety of carbon sequestration strategies, remaining emissions can be captured and stored in landscapes and green areas throughout the Town. Establishing a bold carbon neutrality goal will not only bring economic, environmental, and societal benefits to the Atherton community but will also improve the efficiency of the Town's operations and enhance the quality of service provided to Town residents. The CAP supports the Town’s efforts to manage its own GHG emissions and is a call-to-action to residents, community institutions and schools, and businesses to take an active role in the transition to a low-carbon future and clean economy.

Formed Peninsula Clean Energy with all
other jurisdictions in San Mateo County to
provide 100% clean energy to residents.
283 homeowners installed solar.
2023 CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE:

PATHWAY TO CARBON NEUTRALITY
1

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Focus Areas
Building off of the Town's first CAP (2016), this 2023 update includes prioritized strategies for the Town to take in four focus areas including energy and water, transportation, solid waste, and carbon sequestration & water conservation. You'll find new strategies across each focus area alongside the priority strategies identified in 2016. Additionally, for the first year, this plan establishes a pathway to remove carbon in the atmosphere through carbon sequestration and begins to build a framework for including the climate impact of goods consumed in Town.

Prioritized Climate Strategies
Town staff evaluated and selected CAP strategies based on GHG emission reduction potential, return on investment, feasibility, and priority from the Town's 2016 CAP. The strategies included in this report are critical to reducing the Town’s carbon footprint and are intended to guide future sustainability program planning. Each focus area has goals, objectives, and supporting strategies. The goals state the quantitative targets for emissions reductions, the objectives provide measurable steps for achieving goals, and the strategies include concrete tasks needed to achieve the objectives that can be both taken by the Town and the community. The strategies in the tables below are listed in order of priority to implement. The CAP strategies will be implemented in a phased approach, depending on feasibility, funding, and available technology, over the next 22 years.

The effort of all Town residents and employees is needed to achieve carbon neutrality.

Pathway to Carbon Neutrality
Figure 1 shows a pie chart of the Town's GHG emissions. Figure 2 demonstrates the potential percent decrease in emissions produced by each key objective by 2045 in order to reach carbon neutrality.

26.6% of emissions
reductions will come
from increasing walking,
biking, riding the bus,
and EV adoption
through Town
2023 PLAN AT A GLANCE
2 Figure 1. Atherton Community Emissions by Sector, 2019 Figure 2. Key objectives to reach carbon neutrality, or a reduction of 47,201 metric tons of C02e by 2045.

52.9% of emissions
reductions will come
from electrifying all new
residential buildings
starting in 2022 and
electrifying 78% of
existing homes by 2045

20.4% of emissions
reductions will come
from achieving
organics diversion &
compost
procurement through
SB 1383
Remaining amounts of carbon
can be sequestered through
tree planting. 200 trees
planted will capture and store

0.4% of the Town's emissions.

Residential
46%

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T1
T2
T3
E1
E2
E3
Objective
Objective
Electrify existing buildings
Electrify new construction
Decarbonize passenger and
commercial vehicles and off
road equipment
Promote use of clean energy
Implement the Projects in the
Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan
Promote biking, walking, rolling,
and taking transit through and
in Town
2030 Goal
2030 Goal
Reduce PCE opt-out rates to 3%
Increase active transportation mode
share from 2% to 4%
Increase passenger adoption from 7.36%
to 50%, increase commercial from 9.71%
to 25% by 2030
100% of new construction is all-electric
26% of existing buildings are electrified
Decrease vehicle miles travelled (VMT) by

0.42%
2045 Goal
2045 Goal
Decrease VMT by 1%
Increase both to 100%
Maintain a 3% or less opt out rate
78% of existing buildings are electric
Increase active transportation mode share
to 7%
Maintain 100% of new construction as allelectric
3 Climate Action
Plan Objectives
The Climate Action Plan is structured around four focus areas: 1) Energy; 2) Transportation; 3) Solid Waste and Materials Management; and 4) Carbon Sequestration and Water Use. Each focus area has high-level objectives, and listed under each objective there are a variety of strategies that are critical in achieving the success of the quantified greenhouse gas emissions calculated with each objective. Included are a mix of strategies that will catalyze structural change, promote education, align funding, be feasible, support partnerships, and promote equity and inclusion. Review all of the Climate Action Plan's Objectives below.

Energy
Transportation
What are we trying to achieve?

Page 369 of 473 ends

C1
C2
C3
C4
W1
W2
W3
Objective
Objective
Reduce embodied carbon in
building materials
Conserve water both in
landscaping and in buildings
Increase the community's tree
canopy
Eliminate single use plastics
Promote waste diversion
through home composting,
reducing, reusing, and recycling
Explore carbon sequestration
opportunities in the community
Implement SB 1383
requirements to divert organic
waste, reduce inorganic waste,
and procure compost.
2030 Goal
2030 Goal
Plant 650 trees
Reduce all waste by 35%
Quantify and pursue opportunities
Achieve a 20% net reduction of GHG
emissions of building materials
Reduce community-wide landfilled
organics 75% by 2025 and maintain,
apply 600 tons of compost to land areas
throughout the community
Achieve zero plastic waste in municipal
operations
Gallons used is less than State guidelines
per capita
2045 Goal
2045 Goal
Plant 1,500 trees
Achieve zero plastic waste in the
community
Reduce all waste by 90% by 2040
Maintain or increase 40% reduction
(should be met by 2035 per AB 2446)
Gallons used is less than State guidelines
per capita
Reduce all community-wide landfilled
waste by 90%, apply 659 tons of compost
to land areas throughout the community
Carbon loads that can not be zeroed will be
offset by an array of carbon sequestration
approaches
4 Climate Action
Plan Objectives
Solid Waste
Carbon Sequestration and Water Use
What are we trying to achieve?

Page 370 of 473 ends

5 Climate Action Plan Strategies
ENERGY

SOLID WASTE

CONSUMPTION

CARBON & WATER
page 19
pages 6-8
pages 13-16
pages 17-18

TRANSPORTATION
pages 9-12

Page 371 of 473 ends

E1
E2
E3
E1.1
E1.2
E1.3
New
New
Refined
EC1 from
2016 CAP
Objective
Electrify existing buildings
Electrify new construction
Promote use of clean energy
Encourage building all-electric
2030 Goal
Update code to remove all existing
exemptions by building type
Provide incentives and compliance pathways
for new construction to be electric
Maintain a 3% or less opt out rate
100% of new construction is all-electric
26% of existing buildings are electrified
2045 Goal
Maintain a 3% or less opt out rate
78% of existing buildings are electric
Conduct an educational campaign to promote the
benefits and versatility of electrification using case
studies, guides, and resources from Countywide
programs.

Explore electric-preferred or electric required reach
codes, increased permitting fees for natural gas
infrastructure and equipment, increased
requirements through CEQA, and compliance based
on emissions per project.

Rather than providing carve outs for certain gas use
cases in the code, allow building permit applicants
to apply for an electrification waiver on a case-bycase basis.

Maintain 100% of new construction as allelectric
Priority Update Strategy Description
6 Buildings are the single largest contributor to GHG emissions in the Town, accounting for 65% of all emissions. These emissions stem primarily from the burning of methane (natural) gas and leakages in the gas infrastructure. Transitioning away from burning gas in buildings requires all-electric new construction and electric replacements for existing equipment at the end of its useful life.

Below are the climate objectives and strategies designed to reduce emissions from new and existing buildings. The tables indicate whether these are new measures or priority measures first identified in 2016.

OBJECTIVE 1: ELECTRIFY NEW CONSTRUCTION
ENERGY

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7 OBJECTIVE 2: ELECTRIFY EXISTING BUILDINGS
E2.1
E2.2
E2.3
E2.4
Priority
New
Update
New
Refined
EC2 from
2016 CAP
Refined
EC4 from
2016 CAP
Strategy
Maintain an online clearinghouse of
resources on electrification
Improve building permit compliance
with electric building requirements
Create policies to advance the adoption
of electric appliances and systems in
existing buildings
Provide financial incentives, technical
support, and education to support the
transition from gas to electric
appliances including air source heat
pumps, heat pump water heaters,
electric dryers, and electric stoves
Description
Develop and implement a comprehensive permitting
compliance program to enforce the ordinance through
routine training of staff, dedicating staff time to building inspections, charging fees for noncompliance, providing easy to understand compliance checklists online and
with permit applications, and facilitating permitting
online. Provide easy pathways for complying with
voluntary CALGreen Tiers.

Explore electrification ordinances requiring:

Replacement of HVAC systems, hot water heaters,
stovetops, and other appliances be all-electric at
time of replacement, upon major renovation, and at
time of sale for residential buildings.

All buildings be electric-ready at the time of retrofit.

All air conditioning units to be replaced with heat
pumps at time of burn out.

Solar and battery storage installations, if feasible.

Regularly communicate with PCE and PG&E about
electrification opportunities and technologies. Provide detailed information on the Town's website including
descriptions of the health and environmental benefits of electrification, links to PCE and PG&E resources on
electrification, up-to-date lists of local contractors that perform electric retrofits, and information about the
most cost-competitive residential electrification
technologies currently available.

Work with PCE and PG&E, regional climate programs like
RICAPS, and local installers to create an Electrification Support Hub to provide technical and financial support to residents, organizations, and businesses needing to
replace gas appliances upon burnout. Promote incentives provided by PCE, PG&E, and other entities (like federal funding through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)) to
assist with all-electric appliance replacements and the upgrade of electric panels to accommodate all-electric
technologies including solar PV, battery storage, and
electric vehicle chargers.

ENERGY

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8 OBJECTIVE 3: PROMOTE USE OF CLEAN ENERGY
OBJECTIVE 2: ELECTRIFY EXISTING BUILDINGS (CONTINUED)
E2.5
E2.6
E2.7
E2.8
E2.9
E3.1
E3.2
Priority
Priority
New
Refined
EC6 from
2016
CAP
Update
Update
New
New
New
New
Refined
EM3 &
EM4 from
2016 CAP
Strategy
Strategy
Decarbonize Town facilities
Decommission natural gas lines
Maintain Town-wide participation in
Peninsula Clean Energy
Establish partnerships with building
professionals
Partner will schools for electrification,
battery, solar, and electric vehicle
charging projects
Raise community awareness of Peninsula
Clean Energy
Improve process at the building counter
for major retrofits to go all-electric
Description
Description
Identify ways that the Town can support local public and private schools in electrifying existing facilities, installing photovoltaic solar systems, battery storage, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Work with PG&E to identify opportunities for natural gas infrastructure pruning to reduce the chance of stranded assets (functional natural gas infrastructure with ongoing maintenance costs that has become obsolete due to
electrification) and identify funding for the abandonment and removal of the infrastructure.

Work with the local contractors, realtors, homeowners
associations, and labor unions to develop a comprehensive building code and compliance training program, including hosting workforce development trainings discussing the
benefits and technical requirements of electrification.

Electrify facilities at Holbrook Palmer Park, install solar and storage where feasible, and maintain use of electric
equipment across all Town facilities. Consider battery
storage installation to replace or supplement diesel
generators for emergency power. Leverage ABAG's
Renewable Natural Gas Program for remaining gas loads.

Work with PCE to conduct an annual analysis of non-PCE
usage rates in the Town to understand why residents and businesses opt out of PCE or use direct access electricity.

Require all major retrofits to complete an electrification and efficiency checklist, clarifying the electrification and efficiency process requirements for homeowners and
developers.

Collaborate with PCE and community-based organizations to conduct educational outreach to maintain the reduced optout rate levels.

ENERGY

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9 TRANSPORTATION
T1
T2
Objective
Decarbonize passenger and
commercial vehicles and off
road equipment
Promote biking, walking, rolling,
and taking transit through and
in Town
2030 Goal
Increase from passenger adoption from

7.36% to 50%, increase commercial from

9.71% to 25% by 2030
Decrease vehicle miles travelled (VMT) by

0.42%. Increase active transportation
mode share from 2% to 4%.
2045 Goal
Increase both to 100%
Decrease VMT by 1%. Increase active
transportation mode share to 7%.

Transportation emissions stem from the use of gasoline in vehicles through and in Town and the Town's vehicle fleet. Transitioning away from gasoline in transportation will require forward-thinking initiatives to envision mobility in and around Atherton that does not rely on gas vehicles, behavior change, and the adoption of zero-emissions vehicles in the Town's fleet of vehicles. Presented below are the climate objectives and strategies that are designed to reduce emissions transportation.

OBJECTIVE 1: DECARBONIZE PASSENGER AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLES AND OFF ROAD EQUIPMENT T1.1
T1.2
T1.3
T1.4
Priority Update
New
New
New
TRM1
from
2016 CAP
Strategy
Promote EV charger installations
Decarbonize the Town's vehicle fleet
Coordinate regionally on decarbonizing
delivery trucks
Decarbonize fleets headquartered in Town
Description
Increase requirements for new construction projects to
install a minimum number of EV chargers based on Tier 2 CalGreen requirements. Provide information on incentive programs to install chargers, including upgrades of panel and circuits (where needed).

Conduct an investigation of commercial vehicle fleets in the Town and identify employers and institutions to participate in available federal and local incentive programs.

Collaborate with San Mateo County jurisdictions to establish a regional licensing fee for commercial delivery vehicles operating on fossil fuels to provide funding for new active transportation and EV charging infrastructure.

Prioritize purchase of electric vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles where it meets operational requirements of the Police Department. Encourage staff to drive minimally and efficiently, where feasible and need dependent. Adopt a City Council ordinance for full fleet electrification by 2030.

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T1.5
T1.6
T1.7
T1.8
Priority
New
New
New
New
Update Strategy
Explore opportunities for biofuels in
community and Town equipment
Plan for decarbonization of commercial
(including schools) vehicle and off road
equipment fleets
Provide incentives to decarbonize off-road
equipment
Ban local operation of fossil fuel powered
small off road equipment that the State is
banning the new sale of.

Description
Children testing out electric rides captured by Leo Leung, ProBonoPhoto.org Partner with BAAQMD to expand rebate and incentive
programs for upgrading off-road equipment and switching to biofuels.

Conduct an investigation of school and commercial vehicle and off-road equipment fleets in the Town and identify
fleets with the highest decarbonization potential for
targeted outreach and incentives.

Partner with BAAQMD to expand rebate and incentive
programs available to residents to electrify off-road
equipment. Educate residents on the availability of rebate and incentive programs and coordinate with local businesses using off-road equipment to conduct outreach on available rebate and incentive programs.

Develop and adopt an ordinance and enforcement program
that aligns with or exceeds AB-1346 to ban local operation of gasoline and diesel-powered off-road equipment.

Electric Vehicle Charging at Town Center
10 TRANSPORTATION
OBJECTIVE 1: DECARBONIZE PASSENGER AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLES AND OFF ROAD

EQUIPMENT (CONTINUED)

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T2.1
T2.2
T2.3
T2.4
Priority
New
Update
TRC1
from
2016 CAP
Refined
TRM3
from
2016 CAP
Refined
TRM2
from
2016 CAP
Bike parking at Town Hall complete with
tire fill-up and fix-it station
Support clean commutes for Town
employees
Improve infrastructure for biking and
walking through Town
Participate and promote a program to
help reduce single occupant vehicle
commutes
Create zero carbon ways to participate in
Town meetings and events
Description
Implement the Town's Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan including expanding the bikeway network by 10.5 miles.

Commit staff time to apply for and manage grants.

Partner with Commute.org Trip Reduction Programs to
provide Town employees and community members a suite
of resources for sustainable commuting including rideshare programs, shuttles, route planning, and incentives.

Offer bike parking and incentives for those who bike, walk, or carpool to Town meetings and events. Continue to offer remote participation options for all public meetings.

Where feasible, establish alternative work schedules and telecommuting to reduce employee commute. Continue to
support housing options to enable Town employees to live or stay near Town Center during their work week. Establish a program to incentivize carpooling, vanpooling, biking,
walking, and taking transit to work.

Test riding bikes and e-bikes at the
Love Our Earth Festival on April 22, 2023
11 TRANSPORTATION
OBJECTIVE 2: PROMOTE TRIP REDUCTIONS, BIKING, WALKING, ROLLING, AND TAKING

TRANSIT THROUGH AND IN TOWN

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12 T2.5
T2.6
T2.7
T2.8
T2.9
Priority
New
New
New
New
Update
TRC2
from
2016 CAP
Strategy
Improve access to public transit
Coordinate with regional partners and
neighboring jurisdictions on regional
active transportation planning and
infrastructure projects.

Create safer routes for students to get to
school
Manage Atherton's employers' commute
emissions
Increase bike safety skills and awareness
in the community
Description
Remove cross-jurisdictional barriers to regional active transportation planning and infrastructure projects.

Reference micromobility C/CAG Plans, coordinate with
community based organizations like Silicon Valley Bike
Vision, and continue to monitor funding opportunities for active transportation from the San Mateo County
Transportation Authority.

Collaborate with C/CAG and the SMCOE to implement and
promote the Safe Route to Schools program by identifying funding avenues to invest in bike and pedestrian
infrastructure around the Town's schools and hosting Town events and outreach to increase volunteer participation.

Require all employers to develop a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan and require large employers (more than 25 employees) to include money-based incentives for employees to bike, walk, carpool, or take the bus to work.

Partner with regional agencies such as SAMTrans to conduct a study to determine transit priority corridors and determine best potential locations for local and regional public transit expansion. Explore programs to provide free transit rides to youth and residents living on low and fixed incomes and last mile options, shuttles, and car share programs.

Partner with schools, youth sports leagues, and community groups such as Silicon Valley Bike Coalition to teach
residents bicycle and pedestrian safety and educate them on the safe route availability and the health and environmental benefits of walking and bicycling.

TRANSPORTATION
OBJECTIVE 2: PROMOTE TRIP REDUCTIONS, BIKING, WALKING, ROLLING, AND TAKING TRANSIT

THROUGH AND IN TOWN (CONTINUED)

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13 SOLID WASTE
Waste produced by households, schools, and other organizations in Atherton is sent to a landfill that decomposes and produces methane, which is a GHG that is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Presented below are the climate objectives and strategies that are designed to prevent materials from entering the landfill through source reduction and waste diversion actions such as reducing, reusing, composting, and recycling.

W1
W2
W3
Objective
Eliminate single use plastics
Promote waste diversion
through home composting,
reducing, reusing, and recycling
Implement SB 1383
requirements to divert organic
waste, reduce inorganic waste,
and procure compost.
2030 Goal
Reduce all waste by 35%
Reduce community-wide landfilled
organics 75% by 2025 and maintain,
apply 600 tons of compost to land areas
throughout the community
Achieve zero plastic waste in municipal
operations
2045 Goal
Achieve zero plastic waste in the
community
Reduce all waste by 90% by 2040
Reduce all community-wide landfilled
waste by 90%, apply 659 tons of compost
to land areas throughout the community
W1.2
W1.3
W.1.1
Priority
New
Update
Refined
WC3
from
2016 CAP
Refined
WC1
from
2016 CAP
Strategy
Form SB 1383 Partnerships
Conduct Waste Characterization Studies
Require residential and commercial
organic waste collection through updated
waste hauler contracts
Description
Establish partnerships with institutions and businesses who are major generators of food waste, track major updates and metrics for success annually.

Conduct waste characterization studies every 4-5 years to inform programs and policies. Leverage study to understand the waste stream and create a plan to increase diversion and reduce contamination. Conduct outreach based on specific opportunities and needs identified through study.

Update franchise agreement with waste hauler to include curbside organics pickup for both food waste and yard waste (potentially already completed because of regulation
requirements), and continue to renew contract.

OBJECTIVE 1: IMPLEMENT SB 1383 REQUIREMENTS TO DIVERT ORGANIC WASTE, REDUCE INORGANIC

WASTE, AND PROCURE COMPOST

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W1.4
W1.5
W1.6
W1.7
Priority
New
New
New
Update
Refined
WM1
from
2016 CAP
Strategy
Seek funding for education and
implementation
Track metrics from waste haulers
Create Sustainable Vendor Policy for
Public Events
Partner with institutions to implement
education campaigns
Description
Atherton Library Maker Space can be a hub for fixit clinics, compost workshops, and more to get hands on to reduce waste.

Photo credit: Bruce Damonte
Dedicate staff time to monitoring CalRecycle sources of funding for SB1383 implementation, including the SB1383 Local Assistance Grant Program and take advantage of
funding for organics diversion programs.

Work with hauler to determine data necessary to meet zero waste goals and establish protocol for regular collection and reporting of associated metrics.

Partner with libraries and other existing facilities to market campaigns about waste reductions, reuse and repair.

Encourage recycling at major public events (including at schools) of cardboard, paper, containers, and food/organics.

Ensure provision of proper refuse containers and compliance with the Disposable Food Service Ware Ordinance.

GreenWaste, the Town's waste hauler,
engaging with residents.

Photo credit: Veronika Hsu
14 12
12 SOLID WASTE & MATERIAL MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVE 1: IMPLEMENT SB 1383 REQUIREMENTS TO DIVERT ORGANIC WASTE, REDUCE INORGANIC

WASTE, AND PROCURE COMPOST (CONTINUED)

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W1.8
W1.9
W1.10
W1.11
W1.12
W1.13
Priority
New
New
New
New
New
Update
New
Strategy
Continue to research soil carbon
sequestration through partnerships
Explore and optimize best carbon
sequestration potentials for compost
application
Fulfill SB 1383 Compost Procurement
Requirement
Catalyze County-Wide Strategy to Match
Compost Supply to Demand
Build Partnerships with Stakeholders who
Need Compost
Explore the potential for carbon credits for
compost application
Description
Conduct ongoing outreach to procurers of compost to
monitor soil carbon sequestration, partnering with local organizations and academic institutions
Conduct study in collaboration with local organizations to determine highest carbon sequestration potential for
compost application in urban and peri-urban areas.

Require City agencies to procure and apply compost
generated from municipal organic waste to the exterior of suitable facilities as part of their operations.

Explore partnerships with accredited carbon credit verifiers and technology providers who can quantify and monetize
compost application credits.

Collaborate with San Mateo County Resource Conservation Program Compost Broker Program to comply with SB1383
compost procurement requirements; particularly remaining volume after strategies W-2.1 and W-2.2 have been
accomplished
Dedicate staff time to building partnerships with local growers and community green spaces to distribute compost and procure at scale, allowing for reduced procurement
costs.

Meeting SB 1383 targets
through a Countywide
Compost Broker Program.

Left: Compost application
at Blue House Farms in San
Mateo County.

Right: Truck seen here is
applying compost in
Tunitas Creek late 2022.
7 15

SOLID WASTE & MATERIAL MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVE 1: IMPLEMENT SB 1383 REQUIREMENTS TO DIVERT ORGANIC WASTE, REDUCE INORGANIC

WASTE, AND PROCURE COMPOST (CONTINUED)

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W3.1
W3.2
W3.3
W3.4
W3.5
W2.1
W2.2
W2.3
Priority
Priority
New
New
New
New
New
Update
Update
New
WM3
from
2016 CAP
Refined
WM1 and
WM2
from
2016 CAP
Strategy
Strategy
Expand home composting
Establish zero waste policy in
governmental operations
Leverage partnerships for food and
agriculture education
Strengthen community composting
Increase bans on problem materials
Provide local Atherton opportunities for
reducing waste
Collaborate with Institutions that Procure
Large Volumes of Plastic
Adopt a Environmentally Preferred
Purchasing Policy for Town Procurement
Description
Description
Partner with local schools, CBOs, and Food Corps Service Members to create local community compost hubs.

Add language to municipal procurement policy to choose
non-plastic alternatives whenever possible.

Increase recycling of all materials by offering two
community recycling and/or donation events annually and promoting County Environmental Health's Household
Hazardous Waste Program.

Explore bulk buying of home composting bins like
EarthMachines to support home composting, conducting a
multilingual education and outreach campaign to promote home composting. Track distribution of home composting
equipment and monitor usage over time.

Dedicate staff time to coordinating network of community compost sites, setting a local diversion target. Community compost sites can serve as education hubs for communityscale composting.

Require that Town procurement of goods and services
promote waste reduction and sustainability. Include
requirements for plant-based catering, recycled paper, and compost. Provide guidelines for public events. Require
vendors and Town Business Operators to follow the pol7icy.

Ban items without means of recycling or recycling markets, such as sale of polystyrene, produce bags, plastic packaging, straws and other foodware, plastics #4-7, mixed materials.

Work with institutions, especially Atherton schools to create model procurement policies to phase out single use plastics. 16 SOLID WASTE & MATERIAL MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVE 2: ELIMINATE SINGLE USE PLASTICS
OBJECTIVE 3: PROMOTE WASTE DIVERSION THROUGH HOME COMPOSTING, REDUCING, REUSING,

AND RECYCLING

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C1.1
C1.2
C1.3
Priority
New
Update
New
New
Strategy
Track data on tree health
Maintain urban tree canopy
Increase carbon sequestration through
tree planting
Description
Survey and collect data on existing trees, including tree maintenance and replacement
Develop and implement an Urban Forestry Master Plan by
2025.

Dedicate staff time and resources to maintaining urban tree canopy (pruning, replacement, and preservation) based on data collected in CS-1.2.

The percent of carbon sequestration needed to offset emissions may vary based on Atherton's progress towards achieving carbon neutrality. If Town achieves the emission reduction strategies outlined in this plan, then there will remain less than a percent of emissions. If Atherton does not successfully implement all emissions reduction strategies, the percentage needed for carbon sequestration will be higher. Presented below are the climate objectives and strategies designed to sequester carbon and remove it from the atmosphere.

CARBON

SEQUESTRATION &

WATER USE
OBJECTIVE 1: INCREASE THE COMMUNITY'S TREE CANOPY
17 C1
C2
C3
C4
Objective
Reduce embodied carbon in
building materials
Conserve water both in
landscaping and in buildings
Increase the community's tree
canopy
Explore carbon sequestration
opportunities in the community
2030 Goal
Plant 650 trees
Quantify and pursue opportunities
Achieve a 20% net reduction of GHG
emissions of building materials
Gallons used is less than State guidelines
per capita
2045 Goal
Plant 1,500 trees
Maintain or increase 40% reduction
(should be met by 2035 per AB 2446)
Gallons used is less than State guidelines
per capita
Carbon loads that can not be zeroed will be
offset by an array of carbon sequestration
approaches

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CARBON SEQUESTRATION AND WATER USE
OBJECTIVE 3: REDUCE EMBODIED CARBON IN BUILDING MATERIALS OBJECTIVE 4: CONSERVE WATER IN BOTH LANDSCAPING AND IN BUILDINGS OBJECTIVE 2: EXPLORE CARBON SEQUESTRATION OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMMUNITY C2.1
C2.2
C3.1
C3.2
C4.1
C4.2
Priority
Priority
Priority
New
New
New
New
Update
Update
Update
WTRC1
and
WTRC3
from
2016 CAP
WTRC2
from
2016 CAP
Strategy
Strategy
Strategy
Adopt water conservation ordinance
Identify carbon farming opportunities
Identify emergent carbon sequestration
opportunities
Study Embodied Carbon in Building Stock
Promote water conservation incentives
and inspire behavior change
Explore emergent embodied carbon pilot
projects
Description
Description
Description
Conduct a carbon sequestration feasibility study by 2030 to identify urban and natural working lands opportunities and emergent technology for carbon sequestration within the community.

Explore pilot projects with companies working on embodied carbon materials including cross laminated timber, carbon capture cement, and others, publicizing pilot projects
Collaborate with the San Mateo Resource Conservation
District to identify carbon farming opportunities and other carbon sequestration opportunities within the community.

Adopt, implement, and enforce the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency's (BAWSCA) Model Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance.

Make concerted effort to promote and expand the
distribution of rebates for water efficient appliances and fixtures, rain barrels, irrigation system, and drought resistant landscapes to both residents and landscape professionals.

Educate on conservation mandates and encourage voluntary water conservation measures.

Dedicate staff time to data collection of embodied carbon in existing building stock, and future highest value
opportunities for carbon sequestration in new construction.

Monitor the State's progress on AB 2446.
18

Page 384 of 473 ends

UNDERSTANDING OUR

CONSUMPTION
19 Sector
However, there are gaps in generation-based inventories. Consumption of goods and services (including food, clothing, electronics, and air travel) are not measured at the Town level. The County of San Mateo is beginning to track emissions from countywide consumption and has developed consumption-based objectives to achieve a carbon-neutral community. Consumption-based objectives included in this plan serve as an introduction to a new, holistic way of quantifying emissions. Our methods of tracking progress and taking action on these consumptionbased objectives will evolve. They are presented below as a way to paint the whole picture of the Town's climate impact, inspire individual behavior change, and serve as a foundation for future work to address how our consumption of goods and services impacts the climate.

In this CAP, the Town's generation-based GHG inventory informs the proposed climate strategies. This measurement method includes 1) direct consumption of energy by residents, businesses, and government operations 2) consumption of energy via the electrical grid, and 3) emissions from the treatment/decomposition of waste. This is the industry-accepted methodology for quantifying community GHG emissions, with emissions reported by the emission source category.

Table: The 2023 CAP builds on the 2016 CAP to
achieve carbon neutrality from the generation-based
activities as defined in the orange table to the left.

Consumption that is not included in the generationbased inventory is not yet measured, but is being addressed in our planning efforts for the first time.

Examples of consumption are included in the third
column of the table.

Consumption-based Objectives
Food
Purchased
Goods
Purchased
Goods
Transportation
Objective
Decrease unnecessary air travel
Reduce the emissions intensity of food
consumed
Shift consumer spending from discretionary
goods to local recreational activities
Reduce the emissions intensity of consumer
goods
Ideas to Inspire Action
Buy good manufactured locally or produced in a carbon neutral facility.

Rather than gifting material goods, consider purchasing a County Parks Pass or tickets to a local show.

Eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and less meat and dairy produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions and less energy, land, and water. Shop at local farmers' markets.

Airplanes burn large amounts of fossil fuels, producing significant greenhouse gas emissions. Meet virtually, take a train, or skip that long-distance trip altogether. Taking one less long-haul return flight can reduce emissions by up to almost 2 tons of CO2e.

Page 385 of 473 ends

20 LOOKING AHEAD TO IMPLEMENTATION
Offer compost at Holbrook Palmer Park year round for
residents to pick up and apply to their landscapes. Find opportunities for contractors to access pile or other SB 1383 compliant materials for larger remodels and new
construction projects.

Finalize a Municipal Building Portfolio study to understand the timeline and cost for replacing and/or early retirement of natural gas equipment and develop an electrification plan for the buildings at Holbrook Palmer Park.

The Atherton Police will move to purchase electric vehicles.

Three patrol vehicles are already hybrids, four will be transitioning to electric when ready for replacement, and the remaining pursuit-rated fleet will be evaluated per the California Air Resources Board rule starting in 2024, we will need to have 50% of our vehicle purchases be electric and 100% by 2027.

Establish pathways for Atherton residents to access
regional technical assistance, rebates, and financing
programs including those offered by Home Energy
Analytics, Peninsula Clean Energy, and BayREN. Create a one-stop-shop experience for residents where they are able to get concierge and customizable support on their home electrification journey. Leverage model policies from
Peninsula Clean Energy and BayREN to encourage
electrification.

The CAP provides an overarching, strategic framework for the Town of Atherton to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2045. It is critical that the Town's Climate Action Plan remains a living document, to be updated and adapted as new technology becomes available, as policies progress, and to reassess the carbon neutrality goal for opportunities to accelerate progress. Strategies within this report will be implemented in a phased approach and it will take the efforts of all Town employees, the Environmental Programs Committee, and community members to be successful. The implementation strategy includes further analysis of critical projects, establishing project timelines, and estimating associated cost. Town staff will start implementation with the following efforts:

Expand Compost Giveaway Program
Hone in on opportunities with Town operations
Pursue Funding and Assistance
Continue to seek climate action planning funding and technical assistance from regional, state, federal, and philanthropic sources to support developing new community programs, upgrading infrastructure and equipment, and calculating annual GHG emissions inventories.

Deepen Partnerships with local energy programs
Create an inviting, data-driven climate action hub
custom for Atherton community members
Publish climate action plan data as an interactive
dashboard connecting the community's goals with tangible strategies that they can take. Curate programs, resources, and educational materials in one space that allows
residents to find exactly what they need to support their sustainability journey.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix Error! No text of specified style in document.
1

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 2 Table of Contents
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 3 Building on a Foundation ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Vision for a Better Future ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Benefits of Climate Action .......................................................................................................................................... 6 Highlights of this CAP or What’s New in This CAP..................................................................................................10 The Role of Equity....................................................................................................................................................10 How the CAP Came Together..................................................................................................................................11

3. Impacts of Climate Change...............................................................................................................................13 Climate Science 101 ................................................................................................................................................14 What’s Already Being Experienced..........................................................................................................................15 Future Projections ....................................................................................................................................................15 Impacts in San Mateo County and Atherton ............................................................................................................16 Financial Impact of Climate Change ........................................................................................................................25 The Goal...................................................................................................................................................................27 Carbon Neutrality .....................................................................................................................................................27

5. Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission....................................................................................................................28 Generation-based GHG Inventory ...........................................................................................................................30 Carbon Sequestration ..............................................................................................................................................36 Consumption-based GHG Inventory........................................................................................................................37 Future Emissions .....................................................................................................................................................38 Reductions from State- and County-Level Actions ..................................................................................................40 Atherton’s Contribution to the Goal..........................................................................................................................40 Getting It Done: Managing the Strategy...................................................................................................................43 Better Together ........................................................................................................................................................43 Workforce Development...........................................................................................................................................46 Timeline....................................................................................................................................................................48 Implementation Budget ............................................................................................................................................48 Monitoring and Improvement ...................................................................................................................................49

8. Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................................51

9. Supplementary Findings ...................................................................................................................................53 A. Glossary of Abbreviations....................................................................................................................................54 B. Climate Change ...................................................................................................................................................55 C. Policy ...................................................................................................................................................................63 D. Best Practices for Community Collaboration and Sustainability Planning ..........................................................67 E. Partners ...............................................................................................................................................................71 F. Summary of Funding Sources .............................................................................................................................76 G. Adaptation Planning for Climate Impacts ............................................................................................................78

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix Executive Summary
3 Executive Summary
Cities and Towns are on the front lines when it comes to climate change. This includes embracing clean technologies and voluntarily decarbonizing our communities. Atherton’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) establishes the goal of reducing carbon emissions at least 49 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, an interim step toward the ultimate goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.

Atherton has already made significant progress in its climate action efforts. Between 2005 and 2019, Atherton reduced its emissions by 19,654 metric tons (MT) of carbon dioxide equivalents (mtCO2e), a reduction of 27 percent below 2005 levels. In order to achieve at least a 49 percent reduction by 2030, Atherton would need to reduce total emissions by about 36,366 mtCO2e, significantly increasing the scale and speed of reductions. This “bending of the carbon curve” is essential to meeting the goal of carbon neutrality before 2045 and averting worsened climate change impacts.

To meet this goal, this CAP provides a roadmap to reduce emissions in four sectors: 1) energy, 2) transportation and land use, 3) solid waste, 4) and carbon sequestration and water conservation. The CAP identifies key actions or strategies that need to be accomplished within the next decade to stay on pace with achieving our goals.

This CAP also focuses on our municipal operations as well as issues and activities in the community, including how residents and institutions can contribute to Atherton’s emission reduction goals. It provides an ambitious, community-focused platform to advance policies that enhance quality of life and wellbeing, embrace smart city innovation and improve social equity. We engaged experts and community leaders to plan the best path forward for Atherton, and we hope you will join us on this journey.

Even if all emissions were eliminated today, we would still see climate change impacts in the future, including sea-level rise, hotter temperatures, and increased fire risk. Atherton understands the importance of laying out a framework for enhancing Atherton’s resilience to these impacts. This CAP describes the process Atherton will embark on to develop a climate change resiliency plan moving forward.

The community’s investment to support the CAP will be many times greater than Atherton’s own costs. Atherton will need to support residents’ and institutions’ efforts to find funding and motivation to decarbonize their buildings, vehicles, and lifestyles. At the same time, Atherton should discourage carbon-emitting activities through feebased systems or carbon taxes to shift community investment away from fossil fuels to clean technologies.

To ensure full implementation of the CAP, an interdepartmental team of Town staff, in collaboration with the Environmental Programs Committee, must be assembled to maintain momentum and ensure accountability. Staff will continue to provide annual progress reports, including greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, and will prepare an update to the CAP on a regular basis.

This CAP provides a pathway to accelerate our historical success. It is also a call to action to residents, community institutions to take an active part in our transition to a low-carbon future and clean economy. In this process, we will foster a vibrant economy, increase our resiliency, and support Atherton’s vision for a livable and sustainable community for all generations to come.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 4 Why a Climate Action Plan?
1 INTRODUCTION

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 5 The Town of Atherton is pleased to present an update to our 2016 Climate Action Plan (CAP). This document serves as a companion to the update providing technical information on climate science, Atherton’s emissions, and strategic planning. Our Town cannot solve the climate crisis alone. This Technical Appendix documents how Atherton plans to collaborate with our partners in county, state, and federal government, along with community organizations and local businesses, to create new programs, services, and policies that will support our community in taking actions that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Building on a Foundation
Since the adoption of the inaugural CAP in 2016, the Town has committed to the process of implementing its 25 policies that address the range of GHG sources in our jurisdiction. This included a January 2017 prioritization process was recommended by the Town’s Environmental Programs Committee and approved by the City Council.

This focus staff on 16 priority measures designed to help us reach 78.4 percent of targeted GHG reductions by 2020 and 81.8 percent by 2030.

Since then, the Town has implemented a number of the CAP’s measures, including a shift to clean, renewable energy sources through Peninsula Clean Energy. After bringing on a Sustainability Coordinator in 2021 to help the process of implementing and monitoring progress, the Town prepared a November 2021 Status Report, which confirmed that the Town’s 2020 GHG reduction target had been met and set the stage for the 2023 CAP update.

As we make the next collective push toward a decarbonized future, the Town has more information and experience that can be used to refine the CAP and ensure that we help California reach a net zero environment within 22 years.

Adopted 2016
CAP
Prioritized
CAP
Measures
(2017)
Commitment
to Peninsula
Clean Energy
(2018)
Hired
Sustainability
Coordinator
(2021)
CAP Status
Report (2021)
CAP Update
(2023)
Carbon
Neutrality
(2045)

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 6 Vision for a Better Future
In 2045, our vision is to have a carbon neutral community.

All of our energy comes from renewable sources and is
reliable. Residents and institutions have converted
combustion sources to electrified power, helping
decarbonize our community. Mobility options are zero
carbon, shared and active, and congestion and air pollution are greatly reduced. Nearly all of our waste is reused, repurposed, or recycled. All community members have
reliable access to affordable, clean water.

We have created a culture of awareness and action. We
utilize smart city technology and principles to advance efficiency in our energy, water, waste, and transportation systems and infrastructure.

Environmental, economic, and social needs are considered and are in balance. Our prosperous economy and quality of life have benefited from this transformation. We are now connected, equitable, and resilient.

Benefits of Climate Action
Beyond the direct benefit of a more stable climate, many climate actions generate additional benefits, such as the ones listed below.

Public Health
Actions to mitigate climate change can improve air quality and physical and mental health, as well as access to healthy food.

Research suggests that living within 50 to 200 meters of major roadways can trigger asthma symptoms among adults and children and contribute to the development of asthma in children.1 Consequently, actions aimed at cutting gasoline consumption, reducing traffic congestion, taking vehicles off the road, and transitioning to an allelectric town vehicle fleet can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, chronic and acute respiratory illnesses, cancer, and preterm births for those located near busy roads.

Actions that encourage active modes of transportation can reduce obesity and the risk of non-communicable diseases, improve mental health, and diminish the cost of public health services. Green infrastructure projects have been shown to increase recreational opportunities and physical fitness exercises such as dog walking or jogging.2
Denser, transit-oriented neighborhoods increase local access to essential services and nutritious food sources.

Increased intake of more climate-friendly foods, such as whole grains and vegetables, can reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Adaptation actions that mitigate urban heat island effects, such as planting shade trees, lessen potential health risks to sensitive populations.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 7 Health benefits from climate action bring tangible healthcare savings as well. The cost of reducing CO2 emissions is less than the medical costs of treating the health effects of climate change.3 Enhanced Resilience
Actions that address climate change can also bolster resilience to other hazards.

A microgrid resiliency project at the Miller Community Center in Seattle is an early example of what are expected to be many upcoming projects that leverage solar and battery storage to provide relief during emergencies. The local energy utility (Seattle City Light) is partnering with the Seattle Parks and Recreation to install a battery energy storage system, solar panels, and microgrid controls. When the project is complete in mid-2020, the microgrid will generate power and provide backup power storage for the community center when the grid is down, such as unplanned power outages and emergency events.4
Climate actions also can enhance community cohesion – the networks of formal and informal relationships among neighbors that foster a mutually supporting community.
• One study showed a direct link between increased vegetation and use of outdoor spaces for social activity.5 • Another study found that even small amounts of greenery increased the safety of urban areas.6 • A survey of residents in many different types of neighborhoods found that the more that neighborhoods were walkable and neighbors knew each other, the more likely neighborhood residents were to participate politically, trust others, and be socially engaged.7
Reduced Traffic Congestion
Climate actions can reduce traffic congestion.

Cities such as New York, Stockholm, and London have implemented congestion pricing—charging tolls to travel in designated urban areas during peak travel times to reduce the volume of traffic. Locally, the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority are completing the San Mateo 101 Express Lanes Project—22 miles of express lanes on U.S.101 from the San Mateo County/Santa Clara County line to I-380 in South San Francisco. Slated to be complete in 2023, the project is designed to reduce traffic congestion and encourage carpooling and transit use on U.S. 101 in San Mateo County.8 Locally, we have secured grants that will help us advance bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure on El Camino Real and Selby Lane.

Equity and Inclusion
Climate actions can foster a more equitable and inclusive community.

Town-driven climate action approaches have the potential to increase equity and inclusion in both the planning process as well as in long-term outcomes. To realize this promise, planners need to begin by considering how to integrate equity and inclusion from the very beginning of determining the CAP planning process. This should include partnering with socially vulnerable communities.

In Buffalo, N.Y., People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH) used a Community Congress model to meaningfully engage residents in local planning efforts. This advanced their vision, priorities, and solutions. The

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 8 collective work of multiple partners resulted in development of a Green Development Zone that features green infrastructure, local food systems, affordable housing, and energy-efficient buildings.9 In San Mateo County, Peninsula Clean Energy partnered with Peninsula Family Service to offer incentives to enable low-income residents to purchase used electric vehicles with low mileage through the DriveForward10 program. Electric vehicles save owners money on fueling and maintenance costs and reduce GHG emissions.

The program is helping to increase EV ownership across the socioeconomic spectrum in San Mateo County.

Economic Stability and Growth
Climate actions can boost the local economy through local projects, programs, and jobs.

Investments in the construction, manufacturing, clean technology, green infrastructure, and civil engineering sectors not only provide businesses with opportunities for growth. They also create skilled, well-paying “green” jobs for the community. For example, many jobs in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sector are in installation, maintenance, and construction—making them inherently local and influential to the local economy.

Cities can partner with workforce development organizations, business incubators, B-corporations, and green businesses to build a diverse workforce pipeline for these fields.

Studies have shown that energy efficiency investments create more jobs than those in fossil fuel industries—the estimate is approximately eight jobs per $1 million invested, compared to approximately three jobs per $1 million invested in fossil fuel industries.11 Investments in climate actions can also save Atherton money. A study by the University of California Transportation Center estimated that maintenance of electric vehicles (EVs) would cost only 50 percent to 75 percent of the average maintenance cost of a conventional vehicle.12 The sectors most likely to benefit from climate actions and policies are those related to household spending, such as housing, wholesale, and retail. Manufacturers of energy efficiency equipment and appliances and renewable energy generation equipment also benefit.13
Carbon Sequestration
Many actions that address climate vulnerability and risk also reverse emissions of GHGs into the atmosphere.

Shade trees absorb, or sequester, carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Studies show that a young tree sapling can sequester anywhere from 1.0 to 1.3 pounds of carbon each year, while a 50-year-old tree can sequester over 100 pounds annually.14 Restoration of wetlands can both sequester carbon and be implemented in a way that may protect shoreline communities and habitats from sea-level rise and storm surge. Healthy soils on farmland also play an important role in absorbing carbon.

Actions to sequester carbon in trees, soils, and vegetation can minimize stormwater runoff and increase biodiversity of plants and animals. Biodiversity is critical to the health of the Town’s Holbrook Palmer Park and other open spaces. Natural area conservation protects natural resources and environmental features that sequester carbon, reduce stormwater runoff, promote infiltration, prevent soil erosion, and increase ecosystem biodiversity.

Municipalities with urban forests should consider end-of-life practices for trees to ensure the carbon embedded in the tree is maintained after a tree is cut down.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 9 2 CAP OVERVIEW

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 10 CAP Overview
Highlights of this CAP or What’s New in This CAP
Since our first climate action plan (CAP) was adopted in 2016, much has changed related to climate protection.

Consequently, this CAP includes the following updates and additions:
• Incorporates new global, state, and local policies and climate targets, including carbon neutrality. • Documents climate change impacts here in San Mateo County and previews what we need to plan for. • Documents our community partners and how we plan to work together to achieve our goals. • Addresses emissions from what we buy and consume in addition to emissions we generate here. • Provides more ways individuals and institutions can get involved. • Focuses on equity, or how to make sure everyone benefits, especially the most vulnerable members of our community.

The Role of Equity
We cannot address climate change without also addressing equity.

Commonly, climate change disproportionately threatens those who are the least responsible for generating pollution, the most vulnerable to its impacts, and the least able to adapt. This is true globally, and it is also true in Atherton. Many climate change impacts, such as health impacts, will disproportionately affect socially vulnerable populations (see sidebar for the definition of “social vulnerability.”) That’s why the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors emphasized the need to take health, socio-economic, and racial equity into account in policymaking and climate solutions at all levels in their 2019 climate emergency declaration.15
According to Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), an international organization of local and regional governments, climate equity ensures that all people have the opportunity to benefit equally from climate solutions, while not taking on an unequal burden of climate impacts.16 Since greenhouse gas contribution typically increases with income17 – this CAP asks those more responsible for contributing GHG emissions to do more to reduce those emissions. Simultaneously, the CAP outlines ways to assist low-income community members in accessing carbon-free energy and technologies.

When all community members have the same ability to plan for and shape their futures, the result is a healthier and more resilient community.

However, achieving this vision requires hard work and intention. As Atherton implements the programs and policies that result from this CAP, we will continue to seek support and feedback from a diverse group of community stakeholders. Moving forward, Atherton will evaluate programs and policies using key performance metrics that encourage equitable engagement and impact. “The poorest half of the
global population are
responsible for only
around 10% of global
emissions yet live
overwhelmingly in the
countries most vulnerable
to climate change – while
the richest 10% of people
in the world are
responsible for around
50% of global emissions.”
—OXFAM International

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 11 What is “Social Vulnerability”?
This term refers to populations with greater vulnerability to climate impacts because of their social inequities, physical characteristics, or baseline conditions. These include, but aren’t limited to:
• Children and the elderly
• People with limited English proficiency
• Low-income communities
• Communities of color
• LGBTI and/or gender non-conforming community
members
• Undocumented immigrants
• Women
• Community members who practice a minority
religion
• Community members with limited education or
literacy
• Residents with unstable economic or housing
situations
• People with disabilities or physical and mental health conditions
• Outdoor workers and others whose workplace
conditions expose them to disproportionate risk,
including people in the informal workforce
• People whose housing conditions expose them to
disproportionate risk
• People who are disproportionately exposed to pollution and toxic hazards or natural hazards
• Community members without access to the internet or
phone service
• Transit-dependent populations
• Community members who face multiple areas of
vulnerability or intersectional vulnerability
How the CAP Came Together
This climate action plan (CAP) was developed in partnership with the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) and the County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability through the San Mateo County Energy Watch program and its Regionally Integrated Climate Action Planning Suite (RICAPS) initiative. RICAPS is co-funded by C/CAG and PG&E.

RICAPS assists member jurisdictions and other interested local governments to develop climate action plans that are consistent with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines, including both the CEQA Guidelines Amendments effective December 28, 2018, and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)’s CEQA Air Quality Guidelines (updated April 2022). RICAPS tools include a Menu of Measures, forecasting tool, climate action plan template, and technical assistance from DNV GL, an environmental consultant. By combining resources, RICAPS promotes high-quality climate action plans that can be used to meet regulatory requirements and support planning efforts to reduce GHG emissions (ore information about these partners is found in Supplementary Findings E)
The template and Atherton’s climate strategy is based on the ICLEI ─ Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) 5-Milestone process.18 To ensure equity when developing the CAP, Atherton used the Equitable, Community-Driven Climate Preparedness Planning framework from the Urban Sustainability Directors Network as well as resources in Supplementary Findings D: “Best Practices for Community Collaboration and Sustainability Planning” as a guide.19

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 12 The diagram below shows the steps Atherton has taken so far to develop this CAP update (Steps 1 through 4).

Steps 5 and 6 will follow once the CAP is adopted (see details in Chapter 6: Implementation, Monitoring & Implementation section).

STEP 1
DATA

COLLECTION
• Collect data to gauge progress on the 2016 Climate Action Plan.

STEP 2

PROGRAM

EVALUATION
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to evaluate the efficacy of local, regional, and State programs needed to meet 2030 goals and beyond.

STEP 3

VISIONING
• Collaborate with community to determine the vision for the plan’s development. Including an understanding of unintended consequences of actions and potential impacts on equity in the alternatives analysis (i.e., creation of new inequities, or worsening, improvement, or neutral impacts on existing inequities).

STEP 4

PLAN UPDATE
• Refine and prioritize strategies to benefit communities and populations impacted by climate change and mitigate potential negative impacts. Amplify opportunities for enhancing co-benefits across sectors.

STEP 5

PLAN & PROJECT

IMPLEMENTATION
• Partner with community during implementation to reduce the risk of creating new inequities or worsening existing ones. Prioritize actions that focus on communities and populations with the greatest climate risk and geared towards addressing the contributing causes of increased climate risk. Improve data collection protocols to ensure progress can be measured.

STEP 6

MONITORING
& REVIEW
• Monitor and review plan implementation to ensure that actions are implemented as planned and with the desired outcomes. Engage community in monitoring to help maintain accountability through the Environmental Programs Committee. Update strategies in collaboration with the community based on information gathered regarding implementation, outcomes, and feedback from stakeholders. Share data and information regarding ongoing monitoring of the plan’s implementation and outcomes with the community.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 13

3. Impacts of Climate Change
3 IMPACTS OF

CLIMATE CHANGE

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 14 Impacts of Climate Change on Atherton
Climate Science 101
Climate change presents one of the most significant challenges of our time. As levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increase in the atmosphere, the Earth’s climate system is being destabilized. GHG emissions are invisible, and include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and three man-made gasses:
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).

As more greenhouse gasses are trapped inside the Earth’s atmosphere, more of the sun’s energy is trapped as heat, which means temperatures keep getting hotter. In fact, the world has already become nearly 1°F warmer since 1880, and we’re seeing extreme consequences because of it, including more intense storms, greater wildfire risk, and rising sea levels.

Although we’re already seeing impacts of climate change, there’s a range of how relatively mild or devastating the future impacts might be, depending on how aggressively we take action to address it (see Chapter 3: Impacts of Climate Change, Future Projections section). Scientists have laid out four pathways, or scenarios, based on future levels of GHG emissions. The pathways range from the very optimistic to the highly pessimistic. The strategies laid out in this CAP are in alignment with the most optimistic pathway. For more information about the four pathways, see Supplementary Findings B.4.

The Earth Has a Fever
Atmospheric scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe has a simple way to explain the impact of rising global temperatures: “When we say the planet is warming by one or two or three degrees Celsius, often we think, ‘Well, that's nothing.’ But if our body’s temperature goes up one and a half to three or even four degrees Fahrenheit, we are running a fever. We go to the doctor. If it was three or four degrees, we go to the hospital. And that's what's happening to our planet. It is running a fever. And that fever is affecting us.”
—Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, Professor and Director,
Climate Science Center, Texas Tech University

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 15 What’s Already Being Experienced
Climate change has already affected and will continue to affect San Mateo County and Atherton.

Climate change will have many different effects on society and on the natural world. Plant and animal species are adapting to changing environments by migrating to new areas. As species move, they bring diseases with them to farms and human populations. Some species become extinct due to either human-caused climate change or to human activities such as habitat destruction or toxic pollution.

The region’s annual maximum temperature increased 1.7°f from 1950-2005.

Coastal fog, which is critical to the region’s climate and ecosystems, is less frequent than ever before.

Sea level has risen over 8 inches in the last century.

The forceful 2015-2016 El Niño weather pattern, which was one of the three largest in history, resulted in unprecedented outer coast beach erosion due to winter wave energy that was more than 50% greater than a typical winter.

The 2012-2016 statewide drought led to the most drastic moisture shortages in the last 1,200 years, resulting in a 1-in-500-year low in Sierra snowpack. This drastically reduced snowpack resulted in $2.1 billion in economic losses, 21,000 jobs lost statewide in agricultural and recreational sectors, and a continuing exhaustion of groundwater sources.

Future Projections
Even if considerable efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are conducted, San Mateo County will likely see substantial temperature increases by 2050. By 2100, temperature rise will be dependent on the emissions scenario. (For more information about the four emissions scenarios, see Supplementary Findings B.4.) Precipitation in San Mateo County will continue to vary each year. The differences between wet and dry years are projected to become more extreme and damaging in the coming decades. If no action is taken to combat climate change, the Sierra snowpack, a critical source of water for the State, will decrease by an average of 64 percent by the end of the century.20
As temperature continues to increase, it is anticipated to cause longer and more intense California droughts, posing major problems for government operations, water supplies, ecosystems, agriculture, and recreation.

Studies suggest that even with significant emissions reductions, it is inevitable that there will be at least 6 feet of sea-level rise over the next several centuries due to the delayed effects of climate change.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 16 Impacts in San Mateo County and Atherton
Following are some of the key climate impacts that San Mateo County and Atherton have already seen and will likely see in the future.

Rising Temperatures
The Bay Area’s average annual maximum temperature increased by 1.7°F (0.95°C) from 1950 to 2005. Even with significant efforts to mitigate climate change, the Bay Area will likely see annual mean warming of approximately 3.3°F by mid-century and as much as 4.4°F under the highemissions scenario. By the end of the century, temperatures could rise by

4.2°F to 7.2°F.22
Extreme heat events occur when air temperatures reach or exceed 100°F.

Across San Mateo County, air temperatures are expected to increase by an average of 5°F between 1995 and 2070 due to climate change. In the baseline year of 1995, approximately nine percent of the people in vulnerable communities in the county were at risk from the impacts of more than two high heat days per year. By 2030, nearly three times as many people will be at risk. By 2070, four times as many will be at risk. The greatest increases in the number of high heat days from 1995 to 2070 are projected to occur in Atherton, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Menlo Park, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City.

The Climate Ready SMC Web Visualization Tool is an interactive website designed to provide an enhanced understanding of how a changing climate will impact our community (https://www.smcsustainability.org/climateready). The maps below demonstrate how the tool can be used to identify how projected high heat events in 2030 and 2070 could impact areas in Atherton. [Provide examples here.]
Impacts
on people
Climate change could have broad impacts to communities and people – hitting those most vulnerable first and worst. High levels of socioeconomic inequity in the bay area create large differences in the ability of individuals to prepare for and recover from heat waves, floods, and wildfires.

Direct effects include a broad spectrum of heat-related diseases, ranging from heat exhaustion to heat stroke to death, and injuries and fatalities that result from severe weather. Indirect effects of climate change on human health arise from the connection of climate and weather conditions with health responses. Examples include air pollution, pollen and allergens, decreases in water quality and more extensive harmful algal blooms, and changes in supply of water and food.

Impact of Heat on People
In a heat wave, the most dangerous
places can be the ones where people
spend the most time: inside houses and
apartments. In poorly insulated
buildings, heat can build up and not
even dissipate at night. In 2018, a KQED
investigation found that bay area homes
without air conditioning were as much as
15 to 20 degrees hotter inside than
outside overnight.21
These risks are compounded for lowincome communities. A September 2017 Bay Area heat wave overwhelmed the
protective and social infrastructure in
San Francisco, resulting in 6 deaths and
38 hospitalizations. Members of socially
vulnerable communities may not be able
to afford to cool their work or living
spaces or may be forced to choose
between air conditioning and paying for
basic necessities (e.g., food and rent).

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 17 Figure 1: Number of High Heat Days in Atherton for 2070 Only 10 percent of homes in the Bay Area currently have air conditioning.23 Warming trends across San Mateo County are expected to cause more people to install and use air conditioning, resulting in an increase in GHG emissions. The largest increase in summer energy demand is expected in coastal cities as air conditioning adoption grows.

The amount and location of new air conditioning needed can be predicted through a metric called “cooling degree days” (CDD). This value quantifies how much the air temperature exceeds 65°F on a single day or period of days.

As the temperature rises above 65°F outside, occupants inside get increasingly uncomfortable and will typically turn on air conditioning if it is available, so a larger CDD indicates a higher likelihood of increased energy consumption to cool homes and businesses.

In some San Mateo County communities, CDDs are projected to double or triple between present day and 2070.

It is projected that the southeast, central-east, and coastal areas of the county will be impacted most dramatically, with the greatest percentage increases expected to occur in Pacifica, Daly City, and Brisbane Quarry. By 2070, the number of CDDs in Daly City will have nearly increased to the number of CDDs in North Fair Oaks in the baseline year of 1995.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 18 Figure 2. Average Cooling Degree Days (CDD) by Jurisdiction Figure 3. Average Cooling Degree Days (CDD) in [Community], Year 2070 The map above illustrates the projected average number of CDDs in San Mateo County in 2070.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 19 Sea-Level Rise
The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the top hotspots for sea-level rise in the nation. Average sea level in the Bay Area has risen 8 inches in the past 100 years, based on the San Francisco tide gauge.25 In 2018, the County of San Mateo finalized a Sea-Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment26 for the County in coordination with cities, agencies, businesses, community groups, and others. Sea-level rise impacts include flooding, increased wave action, rising groundwater tables and saltwater intrusion, increased erosion (i.e., landward shoreline retreat) and changes in sediment supply.

The economic value of San Mateo County property at risk from sea-level rise exceeds that of any other county in the Bay Area. The assessed value of parcels in the study area exposed to near-term (present-day) flooding exceeds $1 billion, and the assessed value of parcels exposed to erosion and flooding in the long term (50 to 100 years) totals roughly $39.1 billion.

In addition, the built and natural infrastructure meant to protect people and properties from flooding could be lost or severely affected, including more than 7,000 acres of wetlands (over 80 percent of all wetlands assessed) and as much as 24 miles of floodwalls and levees.

When population projections are taken into account, San Mateo County is one of six counties with more than 100,000 people in the nation (and the only one on the West Coast) that will be affected by three feet of sea-level rise.

Figure 4: Projected Sea-Level Rise (3.3 feet and 1 percent Annual Chance Storm) and Erosion
Impact of Sea-Level Rise and
Flooding on People
Sea-level rise will have consequences
for public health because health facilities
will be affected and access to
emergency medical services could be
impaired. Flood events can lead to
physical injury, illness, or disease (e.g.,
vector-borne diseases such as west Nile
virus), and they can also cause loss of
income and disruption of employment.

Flooding will impact people who rely on
public transportation. Of the 1,979 bus
stops in the county, 252 bus stops are
currently located within the 1 percent
flood zone. In 2030, 1,536 of the bus
stops located within the county
boundaries would be within the 1
percent flood zone, which is a 500
percent increase from present
conditions. In 2070, 1,592 of the bus
stops located within county boundaries
would be within the 1 percent flood zone,
which is an increase of about 4 percent
from 2030.24

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 20 (4.5 feet and 1 percent Annual Chance Storm) - San Mateo County Shoreline27 The model projects that a flood with a one percent chance of occurring will affect a slightly greater area in 2070 than in 2030. The impacts of flooding will worsen over time and have substantial impacts on public transit infrastructure and therefore, the communities that rely on it.

In addition to directly affecting properties, sea-level rise can also have a substantial impact on mobility due to delays in travel times and risks to transportation infrastructure such as electrical transfer stations and EV charging areas. El Niño events have the potential to exacerbate the effects of sea-level rise by increasing water levels by as much as one foot above normal, and, on average create 30 percent larger winter wave energy.

In 2018 the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) released updated Sea-Level Rise Guidance, which uses “probabilistic-based”a projections and lays out an approach for developing adaptation strategies. The OPC recommends using the projections included in Figure 5, below. Low-risk projections should be used for short-lived infrastructure that is readily adaptable, such as trails. Medium-risk projections should be used for less adaptive, more vulnerable projects such as housing developments. Extreme risk projections should be used for larger and more complex infrastructure projects such as roads, wastewater treatment plants, and hazardous waste sites. a
Probabilistic-based projections “associate a likelihood of occurrence (or probability) with sea-level rise heights and rates and are directly tied to a range of emissions scenarios.”18

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 21 Figure 5: San Francisco 2018 Probabilistic Sea-Level Rise Projections28 In 2019 the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors adopted a Sea-Level Rise Policy for County-Owned Assets, requiring all new and existing facilities to consider and plan for sea-level rise impacts. Sea-level rise impacts include higher permanent and flood water levels, erosion, and rising groundwater levels.

Increased Fire Risk
Fire risk reflects accumulation of wood or fuels in a forest combined with changes in the length and frequency of the fire season due to warmer climate, changing precipitation, lower humidity, higher winds, and soil drying from droughts. Fire suppression in the area has increased as fuel reserves have built up in unmanaged forests and woodlands. While wildfires in San Mateo County have not historically been extensive, recent models of wildfire risk and climate change show hotspots in the middle of the county.

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency, intensity, and duration of wildfire events impacting San Mateo County. Wildfires can claim lives, destroy property, force mass evacuations, and expose large populations to unhealthy levels of smoke for days to weeks at a time.

Between 1995 and 2030, the model projects an increased risk of wildfire in San Mateo County from nine to 13.4 percent. In addition, by 2070, the projected burn area nearly doubles to 25 percent. Simulations of large wildfires using statistical models developed for the Fourth California State Climate Assessment29 show that the probability of a large fire—which burns more than 1,000 acres – in San Mateo County increases rapidly with a warming climate, with an eight-fold increase in the probability of a large wildfire by 2070. By 2070, the chance that large wildfires or those over 1,000 acres will occur increases to 4 percent per year.

Figure 6 shows the areas that are most at risk of wildfire in the future.

The “average percent burned area” is the percentage of a designated area that is projected to burn over two 30-year periods centered around 2030 and 2070.

Impact of Wildfires and Poor Air
Quality on People
Most Californians are not aware of
recent statistics that suggest that
California is home to the worst air quality
in the nation, with over 90 percent of
Californians breathing unhealthy air.

According to the California air resources
board, unhealthy levels of ozone (smog)
and particulate matter annually
contribute to 19,000 premature deaths
and 9,400 hospital admissions for
respiratory and cardiovascular disease.

Wildfires exacerbate the air quality
problems, causing temporary large
increases in outdoor airborne particles,
and substantial increases in gaseous air
pollutants such as carbon monoxide.

Socially vulnerable residents may be
more affected by wildfires if they have
existing health issues, less access to
social services and internet, and fewer
economic resources to respond.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 22 Figure 6: Average Percent Burned Area in Atherton for 2070 Increased Frequency and Intensity of Storms
The Bay Area’s largest winter storms will likely become more intense, and potentially more damaging, in the coming decades.

Flooding is a substantial threat in San Mateo County and is expected to increase as a result of climate change. According to flood modeling that integrates the impacts of sea-level rise and inland flooding throughout the County, a flood with a one percent chance of occurring in 2030 would increase to a two percent chance of occurring under 2070 climate conditions. The higher probability of extreme flooding means that creeks and municipal storm sewers are more likely to be overwhelmed, potentially resulting in damage to infrastructure and even loss of life. The largest individual storms are becoming more intense with climate change. In addition, more frequent “whiplash” events that swing from extremely dry to extremely wet conditions in California could become the new normal. These will heighten the need to expand and fortify the Town’s storm water infrastructure, especially along the major arterial of El Camino Real.

Decreased Availability and Quality of Water
The 2012-2016 California drought led to the most severe moisture deficits in the last 1,200 years and a 1-in-500-year low in Sierra snowpack. The record low snowpack resulted in $2.1 billion in economic losses and exacerbated an ongoing trend of ground water overdraft.30 While the total amount of precipitation in the Bay Area is not projected to change significantly (models project an additional 2 to 5 inches), the amount and timing of water available as drinking water may change. Under a high emissions scenario, average Sierra Nevada snowpack is projected to decline by nearly 20 percent in the next two to three decades, 30 percent to 60 percent in mid-century and by over 80 percent in late century.31 Rising bay water and groundwater levels will also increase salinity intrusion and subsurface flooding

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 23 inland. Climate change will require improved storm water management in the Bay Area as extreme storm events increase in size and frequency.

Decreased Fog
Coastal fog, critical to the Bay Area climate, has decreased as much as 33 percent in some areas over the past 60 years.32 Across the state of California, fog is expected to decline by an additional 12-20 percent by 2070.33 In addition to being affected by changes in local and global atmospheric patterns due to climate change, fog is reduced in urban areas due to urban land use and pollution.

Warmer nighttime temperatures, as a result of impervious surfaces and the urban heat island effect, can reduce fog, highlighting the importance of land use policies and urban tree canopies in maintaining fog cover, and thus lowering temperatures. Our plants and wildlife in San Mateo County depend on fog and redwood forests obtain as much as a third of their water from fog.

Increased Impact on Energy Systems
The Bay Area electrical grid is vulnerable to power outages during wind and wildfire events such as Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) – planned power outages to prevent occurrences of electrical equipment starting wildfires.34 Many of our natural gas pipelines are located along waterways and will be impacted by flooding from sea-level rise and extreme storm events. California’s transportation fuel sector, which distributes oil from refineries to end users, will be increasingly exposed to extreme weather events such as flooding and wildfire.

As severe weather has increased the instability of the electrical grid, Atherton residents have turned to energy alternatives, including installation of photovoltaic solar panels and battery backup systems that provide energy at the hyperlocal level. These infrastructure improvements both add clean, renewable energy capacity to the electrical grid while providing backup when the grid is strained or out.

Over the past four years, over nine percent of Atherton residents and institutions have installed photovoltaic solar systems, with over 350 backup battery panels that are clear indicators of a shift to an electrified economy through a decentralizing of the power grid’s sources.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 24 0 20
40 60
80 100
120
2019 2020 2021 2022
Shifting to Electric Power
Car Charger Locations Photovoltaic Locations Number of Backup Batteries

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 25 Financial Impact of Climate Change
As climate-related natural disasters become more frequent and intense, costs for disaster response and relief are anticipated to increase. With flooding, storms, droughts, wildfires, and other climate-related natural disasters becoming more common, flood insurance and flood prevention costs will grow.35 Climate change is anticipated to impact public buildings, storm water infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, community services, and land-use planning and development. Climate damage to homes and businesses could negatively impact the economy and reduce Atherton’s income from property and sales taxes, not to mention damage the quality of life for all community members.

If Atherton allocates resources and invests in climate-protecting strategies now, it will be insurance against some of the costliest effects of a hotter planet in the future.

Working with the San Mateo County Health System
The San Mateo County Health System, in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control, serves a number of functions to reduce health risks related to climate change. These include informing cities about the risk to public health from climate change, creating tools that support decision-making and capacity building related to mitigating adverse health outcomes from climate change, and serving as a credible leader in planning for the public health impacts of climate change. Atherton intends to work with the San Mateo County Health System to mitigate public health dangers and maintain or improve long-term health by encouraging residents and workers to be part of the solution.

Research shows that individuals who live in mixed-use and walkable communities have a 35 percent lower risk of obesity.36 Another study estimates that the walking associated with transit use saves an individual $5,500 over the course of their life by reducing obesity-related medical costs.37 Atherton and the San Mateo County Health System will support programs that promote more walkable and bikeable cities, which not only promote healthier lifestyles, but also decrease reliance on vehicles that contribute to climate change.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 26 4 GOALS AND

TARGETS

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 27 Goals and Targets
The Goal
To put California on the path to a low-carbon future, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved the Climate Change Scoping Plan in 2008. The plan directed the State to reach 1990 emissions levels by 2020.

Municipal governments were asked to reduce their emissions by at least 15 percent by 2020 compared with current levels (2008 levels or earlier). This prompted many cities to adopt community-wide emissions reduction targets of at least 15 percent below 2005 levels. CARB adopted an update in December 2022 that calls for cutting carbon emissions 48 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and reducing oil use by 94 percent from 2022 levels by 2045.

In 2015, Governor Brown issued Executive Order B-30-15 to set the 2030 emissions target (40 percent less than 1990 levels by 2030). It was codified by California Senate Bill 32 (SB 32). CARB followed up with an updated California’s 2017 Climate Change Scoping Plan.38 In response, Atherton is joining other municipalities in adopting community-wide emissions reduction targets of at least 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.

In September 2018, Governor Brown issued California Executive Order B-55-18, setting the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045 at the latest, and maintaining net negative net emissions from that point forward. The following year, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors committed to achieving carbon neutrality well before 2045.39 With this CAP, Atherton commits to working with the County and other local governments in San Mateo County to reach the goal of carbon neutrality by 2045. In September 2022, the Governor signed AB 1279, which creates a legally binding goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.

Carbon Neutrality
The basic definition of carbon neutrality is taking action to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to zero – and then “offsetting” an equivalent amount of any remaining emissions. This carbon neutrality target is based on the Paris Agreement which calls for preventing average global temperature from rising more than 2°C (3.6°F) above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to keep warming below 1.5°C (2.7°F). According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), holding temperature rise below 1.5°C will mean global emissions of CO2 will need to decline 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. U.S. cities that have adopted aggressive targets of reducing emissions by 80 to 100 percent by 2050 or sooner include Boulder, Minneapolis, New York City, Portland, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. Palo Alto’s goal is an 80 percent reduction by 2030, and Menlo Park has committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2030.

Governor Brown’s 2018 executive order called on CARB to develop an implementation framework and accounting to track progress over time.40 In particular, this framework needs to address how to account for the embodied emissions in the food, goods, and services we purchase that aren’t covered by generation based GHG inventories (See Chapter 5: Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventories for more information). While Atherton will await State guidance on how to account for these emissions reductions, we will work to reduce consumption-based emissions in the meantime (See Chapter 6: Strategies & Actions, Food and Consumption section for specific strategies).

Meanwhile, AB 1279 created a legally binding goal that California achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. It also requires the State to reduce GHG emissions by 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2045.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 28

5. Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission
5 GREENHOUSE GAS
(GHG) EMISSIONS

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 29 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
Inventories
In this CAP, we used two types of GHG emissions inventories to inform the proposed climate action strategies:

1. Generation-based GHG inventory – This measurement method helps us understand the level of emissions based on energy use. It includes 1) direct consumption of energy by XXX, 2) consumption of energy via the electrical grid, and 3) emissions from the treatment/decomposition of waste. This is the industry-accepted methodology for quantifying community GHG emissions, with emissions reported by emission source category.

2. Consumption-based GHG inventory – This measurement method helps us understand the level of emissions based on consumption. It offers an alternative, more holistic, approach for quantifying emissions within a community, quantifying consumption of goods and services (including food, clothing, electronic equipment, etc.) by residents of a city, with emissions reported by consumption category.

This CAP discusses using both of these inventory methods, which are reviewed in the following sections.

Figure 7: Overlap Between Generation-based and Consumption-based GHG Inventories41

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 30 Generation-based GHG Inventory
Atherton’s first generation-based inventory was completed for 2005 (the baseline year). Beginning in 2010, new community GHG inventories are completed annually, enabling Atherton to track progress over time.

In 2019, Atherton emitted an estimated 53,078 metric tons (MT) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) from the residential, commercial, industrial, transportation, waste, and municipal sectors.b In comparison to the base year of 2005, that is a 27 percent decrease in total community emissions.

As shown in Figure 8 and Table 1, the two largest categories of emissions are transportation (including highway travel, local travel, and off-road equipment) and building energy use (including residential and commercial/industrial).

The residential and commercial/industrial sectors represent emissions that result from electricity generation and the burning of natural gas used in both private and public sector buildings and facilities. The transportation sector includes emissions from the burning of gasoline and diesel in private, commercial, and fleet vehicles driven within the City’s geographical boundaries, as well as the emissions from public transit vehicles and the City-owned fleet.

Off-road equipment includes lawn, garden, construction, industrial, and commercial equipment. Figure 8 shows the proportion of Atherton’s total GHG emissions from all major sources for 2019. b Carbon dioxide equivalent is a unit of measure that normalizes the varying climate warming potencies of all six GHG emissions, which are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). For example, one metric ton of methane is equivalent to 21 metric tons of CO2e. One metric ton of nitrous oxide is 210 metric tons of CO2e.

FIGURE 8: COMMUNITY EMISSIONS BY SECTOR: 2019

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 31 Table 1: 2005 vs. 2019 Community Emissions by Sector
Sector 2005 GHG Emissions
(MT CO2e)
2019 GHG Emissions
(MT CO2e)
Percent Change in Emissions
(%)
Residential 31,608 24,324 -23%
Commercial/Industrial 6,247 4,670 -25%
Transportation – Local Roads 24,256 14,367 -41%
Transportation – State
Highways 6,569 5,434 -17%
Transportation – Off-road
Equipment 2,057 2,012 -2%
Generated Waste 1,923 1.417 -26%
Other 72 854
TOTAL 72,732 53,078 -27%
As shown in Table 1, Atherton’s GHG emissions have declined over time—27 percent since 2005. Major contributors of this decline include a 41 percent reduction in emissions from the transportation sector (local roads) and the residential sector. This 27 percent reduction is a good start, but Atherton will have to greatly increase its emission reduction rate in order to achieve at least 50 percent by 2030 and carbon neutrality well before 2045 goals.

Emissions are described by category below.

Electricity and Natural Gas Emissions
In 2019, electricity and natural gas emissions accounted for 55 percent of total GHG emissions in Atherton.

Atherton’s total stationary energy consumption (electricity and natural gas consumed by residential, commercial, and industrial buildings) was 67,762,369 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity and 4,556,691 therms of natural gas, including municipal operations and direct access electricity customers. Direct access is when an end-use customer buys electricity on the wholesale electricity market, rather than from Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) or Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE).

Of the total 28,994 MT CO2e emitted due to energy use in buildings, natural gas accounts for a greater portion (94 percent) of total emissions than electricity (6 percent).

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 32 Figure 9: Building GHG Emissions by Sector and Fuel Type

The emissions per kWh of electricity generated (the emission factor) can vary considerably from year to year and can depend on the provider of electricity (e.g., PCE, PG&E, and direct access providers). For example, in 2017, PG&E’s emission factor was 210 lbs CO2/MWh, PCE’s ECOplus (50 percent renewable) emission factor was 142 lbs CO2/MWh, and PCE’s ECO100 (100 percent renewable) emission factor was 0 lbs CO2/MWh.

Over time, emissions associated with each kilowatt hour of electricity generation in California have continued to decline as the grid relies less on fossil fuel power generation sources, including coal and natural gas, and more on renewable power generation sources, including solar, wind, and hydropower.

In Atherton, natural gas accounted for 40 percent of building emissions in 2019, while electricity accounted for nine percent of building emissions. By 2019, energy emissions in Atherton had decreased 23 percent from 2005 levels.

Figure 10: Atherton 2010-2017 Building Emissions by Fuel Type 0 5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Emissions (MT CO2e)
Electricity Natural Gas

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 33 With the launch of Peninsula Clean Energy, which has a stated target of all electricity sales being 100 percent GHG-free by 2021, and the State’s requirement through Senate Bill 100 (SB 100) that utilities procure 100 percent of electricity through renewable resources by 2045, the percent of building emissions associated with electricity will only continue to decline.

The State of California remains a leader in implementing policies aimed at reducing water consumption. Assembly Bill 1668 (AB 1668) and Senate Bill 606 (SB 606), adopted in 2018, require urban water providers to establish a target for water use by 2022 and threatens fines for agencies failing to meet their goals beginning in 2027.

Standards will be based on an allowance of 55 gallons per person per day for indoor water use, a to-bedetermined amount of residential outdoor use, and a standard for water loss due to leak rates in water system pipes.

Connection Between Energy and Water Use
Energy and water use are linked. Energy is needed to transport and to treat water, treat wastewater, and heat domestic hot water in homes and businesses across California. Approximately 20 percent of California’s electricity and approximately 30 percent of natural gas used by homes and businesses across the state is dedicated to pumping, treating, and heating water. Figure 14 indicates the 10 percent of energy used to transport and treat water; energy used to heat water is distributed among the various customers.

Figure 11: Energy (Electricity and Natural Gas) Used by the Water Sector in California42

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 34 Transportation Emissions
In 2019, transportation emissions from burning gasoline and diesel accounted for 42 percent of total GHG emissions in Atherton. Gas and diesel-powered vehicles traveling on local roads accounted for 64 percent of transportation emissions; those traveling on state highways within city limits accounted for 24 percent; and gasoline and diesel emissions from off-road equipment, such as lawn, garden, and construction equipment, accounted for 12 percent.

Figure 11: On-road Transportation Emissions by Road Type As of 2019, electric vehicles made up 7.8 percent of total new car sales in California.43 There were 566,902 battery electric vehicles on the road as of that year – 1.06% of the total vehicles on the road in California.44 Efficiency of gasoline and diesel vehicles, in terms of miles per gallon (MPG), continues to increase. For model year 2017, the average fuel economy of new vehicles sold in the United States reached 24.9 MPG – a record high.45 However, addressing the third component, reducing VMT, is considerably more difficult than the previous two. Californians have driven more and more miles per year over the past five decades. Figure 16 demonstrates the growth in VMT within Atherton between 2005 and 2017. Figure 17 shows gasoline sales for cities in San Mateo County. (Data was accessed from https://www.coltura.org/gasoline-sales-volumes.Only cities with complete data are shown. Because of incomplete data for 2014, that year was eliminated from the graph.) We plan to monitor if efforts to reduce miles driven in gasoline vehicles results in a reduction of gasoline sales over time.

Figure 12: Atherton 2005-2017 Total VMT and Vehicle Efficiency

0.00 0.10

0.20 0.30

0.40 0.50
145
150
155
160
165
170
175
180
2005 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
MT CO2e/1,000 VMT
Million VMT/Year
MT CO2e/1,000 VMT Total VMT

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 35 Figure 13: San Mateo County 2009 – 2019 Gasoline Sales
Solid Waste Emissions
In 2019, waste sector emissions accounted for three percent of total GHG emissions in Atherton. 1,417 tons of solid waste were sent to landfills.

Waste emissions result from organic material decomposing in the anaerobic conditions present in a landfill and releasing methane (CH4) – a GHG 28 times more potent than CO2. Organic materials (e.g., paper, plant debris, food waste) generate methane within the anaerobic environment of a landfill while non-organic materials (e.g., metal, glass, etc.) do not. Table 2 shows the approximate breakdown of the materials Atherton sent to landfills in 2019. Materials that do not release GHGs as they decompose are included in the “Non-organic Material” category.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 36 Table 2: Estimated Waste Composition46
Waste Type Waste Share
Non-organic Material 60.5%
Organic Material 39.5%
Corrugated Containers 6.4%
Newspaper 0.7%
Office Paper 0.4%
Mazagines/Third Class Mail 0.4%
Food Scraps 13.9%
Grass 1.2%
Leaves 1.2%
Branches 4.6%
Lumber/Wood/Pallets 10.8%

Carbon Sequestration
Our forests and oceans are natural carbon sinks, each
absorbing 25 percent47 of the carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere.c The process of capturing and storing this atmospheric carbon is known as carbon sequestration, and it is a strategy that – when combined with other efforts – can help combat climate change. A nonprofit organization called Project Drawdown specifically recommends 25 solutions based on
using carbon sinks to reduce the impacts of climate change.48 It’s not yet clear what role carbon sequestration will have in Atherton’s climate action strategy, but it’s something Atherton will evaluate and support moving forward in order to reduce any emissions that remain after implementing the 61 strategies included in the 2023 update.

There are several processes that can capture and store carbon:
• Biological Sequestration: The process of planting trees and other vegetation in forests, grasslands, and rangelands. Reforestation is one of the cheapest sequestration processes and helps support biodiversity. In our cities, encouraging residents, businesses, and parks to maintain or plant new trees can help to pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
• Biochar: This process involves the burning of organic materials to create biochar, a compound that can hold carbon for long periods, rather than releasing it into the atmosphere as it degrades. Research shows that biochar will not break down for at least 100 years and possibly up to 1,000 years.49 This type of carbon sequestration may be a solution for landfill and wastewater treatment applications. c A healthy ocean has what is known as positive and negative “flux;” the former when CO2 from the ocean is released into the atmosphere, and the latter when CO2 is absorbed. Today, in large part due to human activity, the oceans absorb more CO2 than they release. It is projected that by 2100, the oceans will be a CO2 sink. The increase of CO2 from fossil fuels is significantly impacting the acidity of the ocean, ultimately affecting not only the sea life, but also the air we breathe.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 37 • Biogas: A methane and carbon dioxide gas produced from anaerobic digestion of agriculture waste products, landfills, and wastewater systems. Biogas can be used for heating, electricity, or transportation fuel; it is currently widely used in wastewater treatment plants in California. • Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): CCS is a three-part process that involves capturing carbon dioxide, transporting the carbon dioxide, and storing it underground typically through geologic sequestration. • Geologic Sequestration: Carbon is captured and injected into underground rock formations for long-term or permanent storage.
• Technological Sequestration: Scientists are working to develop new and innovative ways to capture carbon. Some technologies are looking at capturing carbon directly from the air. Other potential technologies include repurposing carbon for use in other technologies. • Trees End of Life Sequestration: A portion of the carbon dioxide trapped in trees during growth is released after they are cut down during the decomposition process. In order to avoid releasing this carbon dioxide, carbon can be stored for longer timeframes by locking carbon into wood products, such as lumber or furniture, or creating biochar. When urban trees fall down or are purposefully removed, residents and local municipalities should consider these end-of-life use cases to prevent the carbon dioxide from being reemitted into the atmosphere.

Consumption-based GHG Inventory
In 2015, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) partnered with the Cool Climate Network at UC Berkeley to develop a consumption-based inventory of GHG emissions for cities and counties across the entire Bay Area. The inventory was developed through an economic model that estimates per-household consumption of goods and services based on economic indicators, such as household income. The consumption-based method results in about 35 percent higher emissions than a traditional generation-based approach for the region, largely due to higher emissions embedded in goods consumed within but produced outside of the county.50 Figure 12 shows the consumption-based inventory for households in San Mateo County.

Figure 14: Consumption-based Inventory for Households in San Mateo County, 201551

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 38 Because of a lack of data and the complexity and cost of the accounting required, consumption-based inventories are extremely difficult to accurately complete. Consequently, it isn’t realistic to develop this type of lifecycle emissions accounting at regular intervals, as with standard GHG inventories. Even so, Atherton recognizes the importance of including measures and strategies to reduce consumption-based emissions in this CAP.

Considering the impact of consumption-based emissions helps Atherton prioritize buying local and supporting community businesses and jobs.

In some cases, cities may be able to collect consumption-based data, which can be useful for tracking programmatic outcomes. For instance, transportation consumption data in the form of gasoline sales volumes is available at the city and zip code level from the California Energy Commission, and compiled and posted at https://www.coltura.org/gasoline-sales-volumes. However, this data is estimated to be underreported by around 12% a year, because not all gas stations report.

In the future, there may be the opportunity and need to quantify GHG emissions associated with the goods and products procured by the community and its residents at more regular intervals. More information on this regional consumption-based inventory effort can be found online at: https://www.baaqmd.gov/about-air-quality/researchand-data/emission-inventory/consumption-based-ghg-emissions-inventory Future Emissions
Atherton developed a forecast of future emissions (Figure 13) to understand what reduction measures are needed to meet the 2030 and 2045 goals. The forecast starts from a projected 2020 base year community inventory for Atherton.

The forecast illustrates the following:
• “Business-as-usual” (BAU) emissions – This projection represents the emissions expected if 2020 patterns of travel, energy and water consumption, and waste generation/disposal were continued throughout time. This projection factors in the expected rate of county population and job growth (0.88 percent/year). The 0.88 percent growth rate is used a baseline in all BAU projections between 2016 and 2050, stemming from the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Plan Bay Area 2040 Final Preferred Scenario and Investment Strategy. This growth rate is an average of the projected population growth (0.7 percent per year) and the expected job growth (1.07 percent per year) to occur across San Mateo County. This projection is considered in the absence of any measures, policies, or actions that would reduce emissions over time, including state legislation and/or any other policies or procedures accepted after 2016. Under the BAU scenario, Atherton emissions are projected to increase by 4 percent in 2030 (2,244 MTCO2e) and 15 percent in 2050 (8,587 MTCO2e), relative to 2020. • Emission reduction from State measures and policy – This projection incorporates the same factors as the BAU, but also includes key State policies such as clean car standards, renewable portfolio standard, zero net energy building, and organics recycling.
• Emissions reduction from PCE measures and programs. This projection includes the effect of Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE) operating in San Mateo County. Switching from PG&E to PCE in 2017 gave Atherton a 96 reduction in GHG emissions by providing a cleaner fuel mix for energy generation than the State provided. By 2045, the Renewable Portfolio Standard will have closed that gap by forcing all electricity providers to offer a similarly clean mix of energy. Emissions are projected to decrease 22 percent (31,272 MTCO2e) by 2030 and remain relatively constant through 2050. • Emissions reduction from Atherton CAP reduction measures – This is the reduction necessary to reach the 2030 goal. In this CAP, Atherton is committing to take the actions need to meet this target. Those actions are described in the 2023 Climate Action Plan Update. Emissions are projected to decrease 50 percent (37,093 MTCO2e) by 2030.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 39 Figure 15. Atherton GHG Reduction Target (50%] Below 2005 Levels by 2030)

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 40 Reductions from State- and County-Level Actions
In addition to the actions outlined here, regulations aimed at reducing GHG emissions at the state and regional levels will also contribute to emissions reductions in Atherton. For example, the California Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) mandates that 100 percent of the electricity sold by the State’s investor-owned utilities be generated from renewable resources by 2045, with an interim target of 60 percent by 2030. The impact of statelevel actions on reducing local emissions is significant and is shown in relation to Atherton’s emissions baseline, business-as-usual forecast, and reduction target in Figure 13.

A summary of the expected emission reductions from state and county programs is provided in Supplementary Findings C.3.

Table 4: Total Emission Reductions from State of California and San Mateo County Policies and Programs State Initiative Sector % Emissions reduction from
applicable sector in 2030
2030 reduction in Atherton’s
emissions
(MT CO2e)
Advanced Clean Cars Program On-road
Transportation 11.9% 1,603
Low Carbon Fuel Standards Off-road
Transportation 20% 128
Caltrain Electrification Trains 89.1% 495
Renewable Portfolio Standard Electricity (Energy) 60% 2,754 100% Zero Net Energy New Residential 2020 Residential Energy 1.3% 731 50% Zero Net Energy Existing Commercial 2030 Commercial Energy 0.3% 197 Organic Waste Diversion SB 1383 Disposed Waste 2.1% 1,258 Total Emissions Reductions in Atherton from Statewide and Countywide Initiatives: 7,166 MTCO2e

Atherton’s Contribution to the Goal
Atherton is committing to at least a 49 percent reduction in emissions below 2005 levels by 2030. Through this commitment, Atherton will be doing its part in helping California achieve the statewide target of a 49 percent reduction below 2005 levels by 2030 and will place Atherton on the path to achieving the statewide target of carbon neutrality well before 2045.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 41 7 IMPLEMENTATION

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 42 Implementation
The preceding chapters describe the principal sources of Atherton’s GHG emissions and related goals and actions for achieving the community’s targets of reducing emissions at least 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. This section outlines the main components of the process for putting this CAP into action and identifies specific actions from earlier sections that are recommended for implementation.

Although significant GHG reduction policies and initiatives are already in place, the actions proposed in this CAP, by necessity, far surpass the scale of existing efforts. Implementing the CAP and ensuring that it results in real GHG emissions reductions will require increased coordination across sectors and institutionalized climate protection efforts across the community.

There are many measures and programs that Atherton may implement to reduce GHG emissions. A cost-benefit analysis and prioritization methodology is presented below to assist the City in developing a phased implementation plan.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 43 Getting It Done: Managing the Strategy
Support will be needed to direct the implementation of the CAP measures. This section details how the city has organized itself to put this CAP into action.
• Hire a Sustainability Coordinator – The City has hired a Management Analyst with primary responsibility for implementation of this CAP and its sustainability programs. • Established an Environmental Programs Committee (EPC) – A volunteer committee of citizens meets regularly to discuss issues relating to environmental planning, sustainability, and the implementation of the CAP.

Better Together
Climate change is an issue that crosses geographic and sector boundaries. Atherton recognizes the value of collaborating with other public agencies, businesses, and community-based organizations to accelerate climate action. Everyone has a part to play and Atherton cannot do it alone. Atherton plans to coordinate efforts with the sectors listed below. More potential partners are listed in Supplementary Findings E.

Public Agencies
Atherton leverages existing climate protection programs funded by public agencies such as the State of California, Peninsula Clean Energy, City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County, Association of Bay Area Governments, County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability, South Bayside Waste Management Authority (RethinkWaste), and Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN), among others. Collaboration with these organizations helps Atherton increase the sustainability of our own operations, as well as supports community efforts to improve energy efficiency, install renewable energy technologies, facilitate transit/biking/walking initiatives, and take other actions. A more extensive list of public agencies can be found in Supplementary Findings E.1.

Nonprofits
Atherton plans to work through existing networks of community-based and faith-based organizations that serve diverse cultural communities. Some organizations may not have the economic capacity to participate and may need to have their participation expenses defrayed. Many nonprofits already provide programming that is in alignment with the goals in this CAP. In addition, these collaborations will help Atherton engage community members who ordinarily aren’t aware of climate action efforts. (See next section.) Some community members may not be able to afford childcare or other expenses to participate and may not have a car to drive to meeting locations not accessible by public transportation. A list of local nonprofits is in Supplementary Findings E.2.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 44 Communities of Concern
Communities of color and low-income populations have been underrepresented in policy-making and often are not consulted about programs and services intended to benefit them, frequently resulting in ineffective programs. A variety of factors, such as lack of trusted relationships with government, language barriers, and lack of inclusion in planning and policy-development processes have all served as barriers to involvement.

Leadership and membership of mainstream environmental organizations have also tended to be white and well off, despite evidence that environmental concerns, including climate change, are broadly held by people of color and low-income populations.52
It’s important for Atherton to invest in long-term, reciprocal relationships with socially vulnerable communities. Atherton understands the need to consider how individuals who have not had access to educational opportunities or who do not speak English can participate in the conversation. Atherton is committed to listening and responding to diverse concerns and assisting community partners in participatory planning processes.

In implementing this CAP, the City plans to foster relationships and deepen involvement with communities of color and low-income populations regarding the challenges of and solutions to climate change.

Engagement strategies will take into account existing barriers and attempt to mitigate them. Ensuring that education and outreach are culturally and linguistically appropriate, as well as taking into account diverse educational attainment will be critical for success. This includes involvement of the North Fair Oaks Community and the Adelante Selby Immersion School community in the development of bicycle and pedestrian improvements for El Camino Real and Selby Lane, respectively.

Atherton and the County will seek to support community needs and priorities by working with community-based organizations to engage these traditionally under-represented and under-served populations and businesses. In addition, Atherton will look for opportunities to support diverse community organizations to implement actions outlined in this CAP, including grants such as the one that enabled community-based organizations in Half Moon Bay to engage socially vulnerable communities in participating in planning processes (see box).

Private Sector
For Atherton to succeed in achieving its CAP goals, we need support from the private sector. Markets need to shift. The goods and services available to our community should support our efforts to build a sustainable, resilient economy that doesn’t threaten the stability of the climate.

Atherton’s ongoing engagement in programs to decrease energy use and shift from natural gas to electricity use provided by private company, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, is crucial to our efforts to decarbonize our energy system and transportation system.

Some businesses already put resource conservation at the core of their business models. Several businesses are Certified B Corporations, which are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. More than 30 businesses in San Mateo County are certified as Green Businesses through the California Green Business Program. A complete list of these businesses is available at https://greenbusinessca.org/find-green-business/.

Starting by Partnering with
Community Organizations
The City of Half Moon Bay initiated their
Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
(CAAP) process by establishing
partnerships with three organizations
working with socially vulnerable
communities – youth, seniors, the Latino
community, and unhoused residents
who had previously been underserved in
planning processes. This effort
generated innovative and tailored
outreach strategies, strengthened
relationships between the organizations
and the City, generated a set of key
priorities, and provided valuable insights
that are being incorporated into the
City’s CAAP process.
https://climatereadysmc.org/pilotprojects

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 45 In addition, Atherton intends to partner with the County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability to help small and medium-sized businesses learn about programs and incentives that will help them save money while also being good environmental stewards.

In addition, San Mateo County is home to many multi-national corporations with global supply chains, and employees that live in Atherton. Moving forward, Atherton will look for opportunities to help residents, employees, and business leaders understand how they can bring climate action principles to their workplaces. (See “Four Levels of Action” box in Chapter 7: Implementation, Multi-Section and Regional Collaboration section.) Internal Departments
Atherton’s collaborative mindset extends to our internal management. Departments and teams across the City are responsible for leading and implementing the strategies outlined in this CAP, including Building, Public Works, Planning, Police Department, and the City’s Manager’s Office.

External Communication
Atherton plans to widely distribute information on programs and funding opportunities for residents and local businesses. This may include participating in a countywide or regional online engagement platform such as Climate Solutions Net or Sustainable Future, if possible. EACH city to summarize the plan for ongoing communication and education of residents and businesses; media strategy; meetings; social marketing.

Specific actions that community members are encouraged to take today are included in boxes throughout Chapter 6: Strategies and Actions, Strategies to Get Us There section. Funding opportunities are listed in Supplementary Findings F.

Atherton will also look for opportunities to partner with organizations listed in this CAP to bring workshops and trainings to the community. Overall, the goal is to increase community awareness about climate change to influence everyday consumer behavior and purchasing decisions. Atherton’s messaging can encourage community members to take action not just at home, but also at work, and with community organizations of which they’re members. (See “Four Levels of Action” box in Chapter 7: Implementation, Multi-Section and Regional Collaboration section.)
Multi-sector and Regional Collaboration
To ensure full implementation of the CAP and accelerate climate action efforts, an interdepartmental team of City staff, in collaboration with civic leaders from the public, nonprofit, and private sectors, must be assembled to ensure sustainability and accountability. In addition, Atherton will aim to participate in countywide and/or regional convenings that bring the three sectors together to identify shared goals and collaboration opportunities.

Two areas in particular are good candidates for regional collaboration:

1. Electrification of buildings

2. Electrification of transportation
In addition, multi-sector collaborations could address the need for financial products that enable more community members and businesses to upgrade their homes, businesses, and transportation.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 46 Four Levels of Action
Strategic change expert Will Grant explains that there are four levels of action related to social change:

Grant asserts that the environmental movement’s message has been focused on Level 1 and Level 4: “Change individual actions or sign this petition, lobby this person. But I think our greatest impact is actually at Levels 2 and 3, and especially Level

3. Level 3 is institutions and groups where I’m still known as a person…where I can get in touch with a person who’s in charge within about a week and get a meeting.”
Grant gives the example of getting a local school to install solar panels. “I can figure out the economics of the project. I can organize and create a coalition to get it done. The conversation I generate at the school – with the principal, the students, the PTA – is a big piece of the change. It’s as useful as the change itself. If I change a local institution or something that I’m involved in, I’m not just impacting my life, I’m impacting the lives of hundreds or maybe thousands of people. When the solar panels go up, other schools in the neighborhood wonder ‘Why don’t we have solar panels?’ Then other institutions can take the model for that change.”53
Workforce Development
To meet our climate action goals, the workforce
needs to be ready to implement projects that will
result in less energy consumption, fewer vehicle miles
traveled, less solid waste, and reduced municipal
emissions. It’s estimated that an increase of 64,000 to 100,000 local workers will be required to electrify
California’s building stock.54
Training workers to deliver the services required by
this CAP is a critical step in the process.

Organizations like BayREN and PG&E have already
been training local contractors, designers, and
architects in energy efficiency for over a decade
through contractor trainings and specific workforce
development programs. Local plumbing and electrical unions also provide extensive trainings for their members.

Grid Alternatives has been offering training programs for solar installations in California and the rest of the United States by utilizing grant funds to install solar panels on low-income housing, and training workers on site in a style similar to the Habitat for Humanity model. Rising Sun Center for Opportunity runs Climate Careers, a summer youth employment and residential water and energy efficiency program in the Bay Area. It provides youth with opportunities for training and meaningful employment in the clean economy, educates about eco-literacy issues such as climate change, and offers continued professional development opportunities after employment.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 47 Since 2019, Peninsula Clean Energy has started to offer similar programs to supplement BayREN and PG&E’s existing work, and all three organizations have expanded to include contractor trainings on building electrification and EV charging station deployment. Since building electrification projects require contractors skilled in both plumbing and electricity trades, Atherton will collaborate with the County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability to provide opportunities for these contractors to connect with each other and potentially form implementation teams.

Supporting these workforce development programs and ensuring they help develop the expertise of our local workforce, will be critical to ensuring we meet our climate goals, and will help community members gain employment in the growing green jobs sector.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 48 Timeline
The following timeline lists the major milestones in the CAP implementation process. Progress and updates to this schedule should be submitted to the City Council and the public as part of an annual Plan Implementation Report.

Table 7. Climate Action Plan Implementation
Milestone Target Date
GHG Inventory Completed 04/2014
GHG Reduction Target Established 06/2016
Council Review 10/2016
CAP Adoption 11/2016
Sustainability Coordinator Begins Implementation 08/2021 1st Annual CAP Implementation Report 11/2021
2nd GHG Inventory Completed 10/2022
1st CAP Update 06/2023
2021 and 2022 GHG Inventories Completed Fall 2023
Implementation Budget
Staff has evaluated the resource impacts across City departments and identified resources needed to implement this CAP over the coming years.

Some of the actions will be absorbed and integrated into existing departmental operating or projects budgets.

Resources allocated to implementing the CAP will be refined and finalized as part of the annual process for budget development and approval by the City Council.

The City’s strategy to finance implementation of current and future actions will evolve over time. Strategies the City may consider could include:
• Leveraging partnerships and collaborative projects, particularly through Peninsula Clean Energy and Office of Sustainability programs
• Developing a differential utility use tax (UUT) to incentivize electrification • Charging carbon impact fees for development projects
• Implementing user fees for selected activities and services • Implementing paid parking in selected locations
• Adding transportation impact fees to requirements for new construction projects

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 49 Monitoring and Improvement
Atherton envisions that the core strategies will remain constant as we move forward. As we live in an age and place of abundant technological innovation, more advanced technologies and creative innovations may be integrated into the CAP in the future.

To ensure that the emissions targets described in this CAP are met, ongoing monitoring is necessary. If it’s determined that CAP efforts are falling short of the goals, the City will add additional voluntary and mandatory measures to the CAP. This process is necessary for this CAP to maintain its status as a “GHG Reduction Strategy” and for related projects to be automatically approved under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Generation-based inventories provide a consistent way to track progress over time. But these inventories have two shortfalls:

1. Annual GHG generation-based inventories lag about two years behind. For instance, the 2018 inventory will be available in late 2020. This makes it difficult to get immediate feedback on changes to programs and policies.

2. Generation-based inventories don’t tell the whole story. Our goal is to achieve at least 50 percent reduction of GHG emissions by 2030 on the way to carbon neutrality well before 2045. It will be difficult to meet the carbon neutrality goal without calculating and tracking emissions from the consumption of goods and services in addition to generation of emissions.

Atherton’s monitoring and ongoing improvement program addresses these shortfalls:
• Atherton will establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for each action listed in Chapter 6:

Strategies and Actions, Strategies to Get Us There section, including actions to reduce consumption-based emissions. Progress on KPIs will be posted on the City’s website and updated quarterly, at minimum. • Through the RICAPS program, Atherton will consider participating in a countywide goal for KPIs agreed to by all cities in the county. Those KPIs will be posted and tracked on the County’s website. Examples of common KPIs are number of solar installations, number of EV charging stations installed, number of homes retrofitted, number of EVs purchased, number of heat pump water heaters and/or space heaters installed, etc.
• The City will issue an Annual Climate Action Update Report to update the City Council, residents, and other interested stakeholders on progress made implementing the CAP actions. The ACAPIR will detail lessons learned and make recommendations for changes to the implementation strategy or the CAP itself. Following the release of the update report, a 30-day public comment period will be open to allow for community input on the implementation of the CAP.
• The City will track the emissions, resource savings, equity and inclusion impact, and any other effects of each implemented action, as well as estimate costs to government, residents, and businesses. This will include enhancements to the databases that would help track progress on the variety of measures in the CAP, including those managed by other agencies or organizations. See “Measuring Success” section of Supplementary Findings D for details about how to track progress on equity and inclusion impact. Each action will be summarized in the ACAPIR and made available for public review. • Every year, Atherton will review the newest community GHG inventory provided by the County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability through the San Mateo County Energy Watch program. Every five years, Atherton will conduct a municipal GHG generation-based inventory to track progress on reducing the Town’s own emissions.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 50 • This CAP may need to be updated based on the results of the GHG inventories. Atherton may modify and/or add new actions to ensure that the Town is on track to meet its GHG reduction goals. • In partnership with the County Office of Sustainability, Atherton will explore a collaboration with a research institution to include questions about climate protection behaviors in an annual countywide survey of community members. Responses from the survey could be used to track progress on community actions related to consumption-based emissions.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix Implementation
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51 ▪ 8. Conclusion
8 CONCLUSION

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix Conclusion
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document.
52 Conclusion
The challenge of preparing for and mitigating the effects of climate change is unprecedented in its scale and potential disruption to our way of living. Recent climate disasters have given us a preview of what could become the “new abnormal.” This includes severe weather that impacts inland jursidictions like Atherton.

We must act now. Climate change waits for no one. However, in the face of daunting headlines, we remain hopeful and resolved, and know what we need to do to move forward. We have the solutions to reduce emissions, increase efficiency, promote economic vitality, and improve our quality of life.

This CAP provides an overarching, strategic framework for Atherton to achieve the goal of reducing GHG emissions by at least 50 percent by 2030, on the way to carbon neutrality by 2045. While developing and publishing this CAP is an important step, it’s even more critical that this CAP remain a living document, to be updated as technology and policies progress.

This CAP not only supports the Town’s efforts to manage its own GHG emissions, it’s a call-to-action to residents and community institutions to take an active part in our transition to a low-carbon future and clean economy. In this process, Atherton will foster a vibrant economy, increase its resiliency, and support a collective vision for a livable and sustainable community for generations to come.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 53

9. Appendix
9 SUPPLEMENTARY

FINDINGS

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 54

SUPPLEMENTARY FINDINGS
A. Glossary of Abbreviations
AB 32 Assembly Bill 32, The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 BAAQMD Bay Area Air Quality Management District
CARB California Air Resources Board
CAP Climate action plan
CEC California Energy Commission
CEQA California Environmental Quality Act
CO2 Carbon dioxide
CO2e Carbon dioxide equivalent
CPUC California Public Utilities Commission
EV Electric vehicle
GHG Greenhouse gas
ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
KPI Key performance indicator
kWh kilowatt hour
MT Metric ton
MMT Million metric tons
PCE Peninsula Clean Energy
PG&E Pacific Gas and Electric Company
RPS Renewable portfolio standard
TOD Transit-oriented development
U.S. EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency
VMT Vehicle miles traveled
WRI World Resources Institute

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 55 B. Climate Change
B.1 Global Goal to Limit Warming to 1.5°C
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the leading international scientific body on climate change, released a report55 in mid-2018 shifting the threshold at which significant and potentially irreversible climate change impacts occur from 2°C to 1.5°C of average global temperature increase above pre-industrial levels. The IPCC report promotes immediate actions to meet the 1.5°C threshold to prevent or slow these impacts. Many of the impacts of warming up to and beyond 1.5°C, and some potential impacts of mitigation actions required to limit warming to 1.5°C, fall disproportionately on low income and socially vulnerable people.

Substantial changes in regional climate occur between 1.5°C and 2°C of global average temperature increase.

For example, the number of people exposed to severe heat waves triples. Keeping temperatures at 1.5°C as compared to a 2°C warming would result in global reductions in risk, including:
• Sea level rise: Decreasing global rate of rise by approximately 3.9 inches • Heat waves: Decreasing the number of people being frequently exposed by 420 million worldwide • Heavy precipitation and drought: Reducing intensity and frequency worldwide • Drinking water: Lowering the number of people without access to drinking water by 50 percent Limiting warming to 1.5°C will require changes by 2050, including:
• Eliminating GHG emissions in our cities
• Deep reductions in global emissions of non-CO2 climate pollutants, particularly methane • Reducing oil use by 32-74 percent
• Reducing natural gas use by 13-60 percent
• Leveraging renewables to supply 36-97 percent of energy • Making buildings and transportation energy efficient
• Implementing adaptation options, including coastal defense and hardening, efficient irrigation, green infrastructure, and disaster risk management
B.2 State and Local Goals and Targets
California has some of the most aggressive climate action goals in the United States. The State has set a goal of emissions reductions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 (or 49 percent below 2005 levels). To achieve this, California has created the following strategies:
• Increase renewable electricity production to 50 percent • Reduce petroleum use by 50 percent in vehicles
• Double energy efficiency savings at existing buildings • Reduce GHG emissions from natural and working lands
• Reduce short-lived climate pollutants such as black carbon, methane, tropospheric ozone, and fluorinated gases
• Make California more resilient to climate change in accordance with California’s 2018 Safeguarding California Plan

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 56 B.3 Trends in National and State Emissions
National Emissions
According to the U.S. EPA, gross total U.S. GHG emissions in 2017 were 6,456.7 million metric tons (MMT) of CO2 equivalent (CO2e), representing a 12 percent decrease below 2005 levels.56 Emissions have also decreased

4.5 percent since 2014, largely driven by transitioning power plants from using coal to natural gas, as well as warmer winter conditions. CO2, the largest component of man-made GHGs, made up 81.6 percent of total U.S.

GHG emissions in 2017, followed by methane at 10.2 percent, nitrous oxide at 5.6 percent, and fluorinated gases at 2.6 percent.

Figure 18: Gross U.S. GHG Emissions by Gas: 1990-201857 In 2018, the industrial sector contributed the largest share of GHG emissions (29.1 percent), followed by transportation (27.9 percent), commercial (16.2 percent), residential (15.6 percent), and agriculture (10.5 percent).

Land use and forestry offset 11 percent of total gross emissions. Of the five main sectors, transportation has seen the largest increase in emissions since 1990 (22 percent increase), while industrial emissions have seen the largest decrease (15.5 percent decrease).

Figure 19: U.S. GHG Emissions by Economic Sector58

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 57 California Emissions
Similar to the national trend, total GHG emissions in California have decreased in recent years. According to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), total California GHG emissions in 2017 were 424 million metric tons (MMT) of CO2e, representing a 2 percent decrease below 1990 levels and a 13 percent decrease below 2005 levels.59
Figure 19: California GHG Emissions by Sector: 2000-20178 California has seen an overall decrease in carbon intensity of electricity generation, driven by a large increase in zero-GHG and renewable energy resources due in part to California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)60 and Cap-and-Trade Program.61 In 2017, the transportation sector contributed the largest share of GHG emissions (41 percent), followed by industrial (24 percent), in-state electricity (9 percent), agriculture and forestry (8 percent), residential (7 percent), imported electricity (6 percent), and commercial (5 percent).

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 58 Figure 20: California 2017 GHG Emissions by Sector8
B.4 Four Scenarios Show What Climate Change Will Do To The Earth, From Pretty Bad To Disaster
The following is a reprint of an article that was published in Fast Company on August 26, 2014.62 Despite the drops in emissions resulting from the downturn in economic activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, greenhouse gases are expected to continue to rise over the next decade,63 64 keeping us on course for the highest emissions pathway. Scientists are currently developing new emissions trajectories based on nine scenarios that will be used in the upcoming IPCC report.

Four Scenarios Show What Climate Change Will Do To The Earth, From Pretty Bad To Disaster
Climate change is going to do a lot of damage. How bad that damage will be is still under debate.

The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report left no doubt about the future of the world if we don’t slow the rate at which we release heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere. In a word, it’s going to get bad.

But exactly how bad is still an open question, and a lot depends not only on how we react, but how quickly. The rate at which humans cut down on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions–if we do choose to cut them–will have a large bearing on how the world turns out by 2100, the forecasts reveal.

This graphic from the World Resources Institute gives a sense of the dynamics at play. It presents four “emissions pathways,” ranging from the very optimistic to the highly pessimistic.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 59

WE ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
The first “Low Emissions” scenario is for a 66% drop in greenhouse emissions by 2050 compared to 2010 levels.

It’s what we might call a soft landing, because under those conditions scientists believe we’ll be relatively safe.

The world would have warmed only by 2 degrees C over pre-industrial levels (the level set by various international agreements). Still, almost of the quarter of the world would suffer depleted groundwater supplies by 2080, and many more people will face extreme flooding, the WRI says. So, life wouldn’t be peachy.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 60 WE KEEP DOING WHAT WE’RE DOING
The “Medium Emissions” scenario sees increases in emissions until 2040 and the world exceeding its “carbon budget”–the level at which it should stay within the 2 degrees limit–by 2056. By 2100, the planet has warmed by

2.9 degrees, and economic productivity has fallen by 20%. By the 2080s, six times as many people are experiencing catastrophic flooding as the 1980s.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 61

WE REV THE ENGINES
The “High Emissions” scenario doesn’t see emissions peaking until 2080, while global temperatures jump 3.7 degrees C by 2100. The carbon budget is exhausted in 2057. The impact on agricultural production is so heinous that adaption is no longer viable, the WRI predicts.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 62

WE DESTROY THE PLANET
As if that’s not bad enough, there’s one last “Highest Emissions” scenario (they should have called it the Doomsday Scenario, really). It sees the carbon budget obliterated in 2045 and global temperatures increasing a whopping 4.8 degrees by century’s end. Many animals have become extinct and farming in some places, like southern Brazil, has become impossible.

But won’t we adapt to the new conditions, you might ask? Well, maybe. The scenarios here assume flat technology development, not the leaps forward in innovation that we can hope for. We could have droughtresistant crops and new ways of recycling and desalinating water, for instance, that could make these predictions less forceful.

The easier course, though, is to cut emissions. To have a fighting chance of coping with climate disorder, we have to cut greenhouse gases quickly, not just wait until it’s convenient.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ben Schiller is a New York staff writer for Fast Company. Previously, he edited a European management magazine and was a reporter in San Francisco, Prague, and Brussels.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 63 C. Policy
C.1 Global Policy
United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #13: Climate Action The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing – in a global partnership. Goal #13 is “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.”65 C.2 State Policy and Regulatory Context
The State of California has been a leader in developing and implementing policies and regulations to directly address the risk of severe climate change. Below we summarize the key statewide legislation aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapt to climate impacts. There are many supporting pieces of legislation and other related initiatives that are sector specific.

Assembly Bill 32 (AB 32), California Global Solutions Act, 2006 In September 2006, the California legislature passed Assembly Bill 32 (AB 32), which set the goal of reducing GHG emissions back to 1990 levels by 2020. AB 32 finds and declares that “global warming poses a serious threat to economic well-being, public health, natural resources and the environment of California.” The legislation granted authority to the Air Resources Board to establish multiple mechanisms (regulatory, reporting, voluntary, and market) to achieve quantifiable reductions in GHG emissions to meet the statewide goal.

Senate Bill 97, CEQA Guidelines for Addressing GHG Emissions, 2007 In August of 2007, Senate Bill (SB) 97 was signed into law, expressly recognizing the need to analyze GHG emissions as a part of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process. SB 97 required the Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to develop, and the California Natural Resources Agency to adopt, amendments to CEQA Guidelines addressing the analysis and mitigation of GHG emissions. Those amendments became effective in March of 2010. Proposed projects that must comply with CEQA regulations include General Plans, Specific Plans and specific types of development projects.

Senate Bill 350, Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act, 2015 In October of 2015, Senate Bill 350 (SB 350) was signed into law, establishing new clean energy, clean air and greenhouse gas reduction goals for 2030 and beyond. SB 350 codified Governor Jerry Brown’s aggressive clean energy goals and established California’s 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target of 40 percent below 1990 levels.

To achieve this goal, SB 350 increases California’s renewable electricity procurement goal from 33 percent by 2020 (legislation originally enacted in 2002) to 50 percent by 2030. Renewable resources include wind, solar, geothermal, wave, and small hydroelectric power. In addition, SB 350 requires the state to double statewide energy efficiency savings in electricity and natural gas end uses by 2030.

Senate Bill 100, The 100% Clean Energy Act, 2018
In September of 2018, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 100 (SB 100), requiring the State’s load serving entities (including energy utilities and community choice energy programs) to achieve 50 percent renewable resources target by December 31, 2026, to achieve a 60 percent target by December 31, 2030 and supply 100

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 64 percent of retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers and 100 percent of electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2045. At the same time, Governor Brown also signed Executive Order B-55-18, requiring California to achieve carbon neutrality as soon as possible, and no later than 2045, and to maintain negative emissions thereafter.

Senate Bill 1477, Low Emissions Buildings and Sources of Heat Energy, 2018 In September 2018, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 1477 (SB 1477), that requires the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to oversee two new low-carbon heating programs, investigate potential pilot programs to build all-electric, zero-carbon buildings in areas damaged by wildfires, coordinate with the California Energy Commission on updates to the State’s building (Title 24) and appliance (Title 20) energy efficiency standards, and establish a building decarbonization policy framework. The bill authorizes $200 million over four years to be invested in programs to advance low-carbon space and water heating technologies in both new and existing buildings. Funding for the programs is slated to come from natural gas utility carbon allowance proceeds from California’s cap-and-trade program.

Bay Area Air Quality Management District CEQA Guidelines The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) encourages local governments to adopt a GHG Reduction Strategy that is consistent with AB 32 goals. The GHG Reduction Strategy may streamline environmental review of community development projects. According to the BAAQMD, if a project is consistent with a GHG Reduction Strategy, then it can be presumed that the project will not have significant GHG impacts.

This approach is consistent with the following State CEQA Guidelines, Section 15183.5.a:
“Lead agencies may analyze and mitigate the significant impacts of greenhouse gas emissions at a programmatic level, such as…a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Later project-specific environmental documents may tier from and/or incorporate by reference that existing programmatic review. Project-specific environmental documents may rely on an [Environmental Impact Report] containing a programmatic analysis of greenhouse gas emissions.” This CAP provides a foundation for future development efforts in the community. It is expected that environmental documents for future development projects will identify and incorporate all applicable voluntary and mandatory actions from CAP for projects undergoing CEQA review.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 65 C.3 State-Level Programs
The Town isn’t expected to make all the reductions on its own. The following programs help cities meet their climate goals.

California Advanced Clean Cars Program
In 2012, CARB adopted a set of regulations to control emissions from passenger vehicles, collectively called Advanced Clean Cars. The program was developed in coordination with the U.S. EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and combines the control of smog-causing pollutants and GHG emissions into a single coordinated package of regulations. ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/advanced-clean-carsprogram California Low Carbon Fuel Standard Program
The Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is designed to encourage the use of low-carbon fuels, encourage the production of those fuels, and therefore, reduce GHG emissions. Currently, the LCFS calls for a 20 percent decline in the carbon intensity of diesel fuels below 2010 levels by 2030. ww3.arb.ca.gov/fuels/lcfs/lcfs.htm Caltrain Electrification
Caltrain Electrification is a key component of Caltrain Modernization Program (CalMod). The current project will electrify the corridor from San Francisco to San Jose, including all track in San Mateo County, and will replace 75 percent of Caltrain’s diesel service with electric. The project will lower GHG emissions, improve regional air quality, and reduce noise. https://calmod.org
California Renewable Portfolio Standard
The Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), originally established in 2002, required 20 percent of electricity retail sales to be served by renewable sources by 2017. The program was accelerated in 2015 with SB 350, which mandated a 50 percent RPS by 2030. SB 100, enacted in 2018, accelerated the program further, establishing renewable energy targets of 50 percent by 2026, 60 percent by 2030, and 100 percent by 2045. www.cpuc.ca.gov/rps
California Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan
Published in 2008 and updated in 2011, the California Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan outlines goals and strategies for key market sectors (i.e., commercial, residential, industrial, and agricultural) and crosscutting initiatives (e.g., heating, ventilation and air conditioning, codes and standards, research, and technology). While the Plan has not been updated since 2011, it is still referenced in numerous State documents and reports. The Plan embraces four specific programmatic goals, known as the Big Bold Energy Efficiency Strategies. These goals are:
• All new residential construction in California will be zero net energy by 2020. • All new commercial construction in California will be zero net energy by 2030. • The Heating, Venting and Air Conditioning (HVAC) industry will be re-shaped to deliver maximum performance HVAC systems.
• All eligible low-income customers will have an opportunity to participate in the LIEE program and will be provided all cost- effective energy efficiency measures in their residences by 2020.

More information on California’s zero net energy goals can be found online at: www.cpuc.ca.gov/ZNE

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 66 Organic/Food Waste Diversion
In 2016, Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) established methane emissions reduction targets in a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants in various sectors of California’s economy. SB 1383 establishes target to achieve at least a 50 percent reduction in the level of statewide disposal of organic waste from 2014 levels by 2020 and a 75 percent reduction by 2025. The law grants CalRecycle the regulatory authority required to achieve the organic waste disposal reduction targets. More information about SB 1383 can be found online at:
https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/climate/slcp
C.4 Local Policy
In September 2019, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution declaring a climate emergency in San Mateo County to highlight the increasingly urgent need for action to address the climate crisis.

The County of San Mateo joined over 1,000 national, international, and local jurisdictions with similar declarations.

The resolution calls for the County to create climate action plans (CAPs) for its government operations and unincorporated community that will achieve carbon neutrality in advance of the State of California’s 2045 goal, and coordinate with the cities and other local partners in addressing the climate crisis.66

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 67 D. Best Practices for Community Collaboration and
Sustainability Planning
Community engagement is an invaluable resource to climate action planning, building the social cohesion and resilience needed to adapt and mitigate to climate change impacts. San Mateo County Health Policy and Planning (HPP) supports meaningful, transparent, and inclusive public participation of residents that are most impacted by the decisions at stake in planning and policy processes. Community is central to the process to:
• Learn about the issues we are trying to address
• Share power and resources
• Build community ownership of the issues
• Do “with” versus doing “for”
• Honor community residents’ knowledge and experience
• Inform solutions, implementation, and evaluation
• Meet the community where they are
The most effective plans are those that create a transparent process and collaborate with community from the beginning, thus providing residents with the opportunity to create ownership of and interest in the plans and issues at hand. There is a spectrum of community engagement processes with increasing levels of public influence on decision-making processes, beginning with informing the public of decisions and issues on one end of the spectrum and collaborating and empowering community members to co-design and decide for themselves at the other end.67
Some California cities have engaged in effective public collaboration and empowerment practices in their planning process by sharing their decision-making power. The table below highlights jurisdictions with model planning practices that went beyond informing the public and collaborated with and empowered the public. Building strong sustainability planning comes down to building strong narratives internally and externally, while establishing transformative collaboration processes.68, 69
D.1 Health Policy and Planning Recommended Best Practices for Community Engagement
The following recommendations incorporate best practices for inclusive and intentional engagement, transparency and clear communication, community empowerment, and program measurement.

Inclusive & Intentional Engagement
• Work through existing networks of community-based and faith-based organizations that serve and organize in diverse cultural communities to identify community leaders to work with. • Host a “meet and greet” with community organizations and advocacy groups to build connections across sectors and develop partnerships.
• Engage community members with humility and by meeting people where they are: do not expect all community members to engage at the same level, acknowledge the many forms of community member knowledge, and use accessible and non-technical language (not planning jargon). • Attend community meetings and cultural events as a participant. Listen to what issues are discussed and how they are talked about. Be sensitive to and aware of potential power dynamics due to race, ethnicity, citizenship, class, or gender differences.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 68 • Develop awareness of the racial and economic disparities in the area and why those disparities exist; seek insights from experienced community leaders and organizations. • Seek out relationships with leaders from non-English speaking communities. Work with them to identify barriers to engagement and ways to bridge the divide to work with their communities. Translate materials and provide interpretation at community meetings.
• Build incentives for engagement for each strategy that reduce barriers to participate. • Hold meetings at times, such as on evenings and weekends, and places that are convenient and accessible to the public, including low-income residents; whenever possible, provide childcare, meals, and transit passes. Meeting locations should be well served by public transit that runs at night and on weekends. • Establish an Equity Working Group as a way of creating an effective forum for bringing together the best thinking on equity issues through ongoing dialogue. At the same time, ensure that the recommendations of equity stakeholders do not live in a silo but are brought to other key decision-makers and advisory groups throughout the process. Ensure equity representation on technical advisory committees.70 Transparency
• Structure your engagement and planning process to include substantive representation by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and/or organizations that represent low-income communities in various decision-making capacities.
• Communicate all key decision points in the planning or policy process.71 • Demonstrate how public input will be considered by describing how public input from outreach strategies will be used in the development, evaluation, and selection of the plan alternatives at each key decision point.
• Establish regular communication mechanisms and communicate early and often to gauge progress, gain feedback on the process, share information, and gain new ideas for cultivating connections and maintaining relevance to community concerns.
• Use diverse communication techniques such as social media, pictures, video, and art to help people absorb information visually.72
Empowerment: Sharing Power & Capacity
• Empower community members to take an active role in neighborhood revitalization from the start of a process. This means:
o Creating a participatory process for developing a shared vision for community change. o Engaging residents in documenting not only the disparities and conditions that merit change but also community assets to preserve and build from.73,74,75 • Share governance and decision-making by, for example, setting aside resources to be shaped and decided on by community members. Resources can include: grants for community engagement, land acquisition funds, the hiring of consultants, project selection, or participatory budgeting. • Structure the planning process so community organizations and leaders can: 1) Shape agendas and issues, 2) organize and lead convenings, and 3) identify concrete and measurable benchmarks for success, as well as the parties who will be responsible for both procedural (community engagement) and substantive (program/policy) outcomes.
• Establish a system of neighborhood-level resident representation to empower/engage local neighborhoods in their own revitalization process.76

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 69 • Build capacity within disadvantaged/vulnerable/historically underserved communities to empower them to co-lead, navigate and participate in planning and policy processes. This can be achieved by:
o Contracting with local, community-based organizations in low-income communities and communities of color to conduct engagement processes.
o Partnering with and funding equity-focused community-based organizations to train participating residents from low-income communities and communities of color in the content and skills they will need to exercise informed leaderships.77,78
• Promote Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) principles in data collection and mapping of neighborhood existing conditions.79
Measuring Success
Community planning for sustainability requires establishing measurable standards for diligent implementation.

Defined assessment standards such as the Envision Rating System or STAR Community Rating System enhance the success, progress, and opportunities for any plan.

The current CAP acknowledges the value of continuously updating the implementation matrix and the monitoring tool: both are critical for implementation and transparency. Including more holistic measures like those used by the STAR Community Rating and Envision Rating may enhance the CAP’s current evaluation metrics. Measure review should also include both quantitative and qualitative performance measures.

D.2 Health Policy and Planning Recommended Best Practices for Measure Review
• Identify SMART (Specific, Measurable, Agreed Upon, Realistic, Time-Bound) goals to accurately track and measure goals and deliverables.
o Effectively communicate and share information with county/municipal agencies and stakeholders. • Use tools (e.g., checklists, health impact assessments, etc.) to evaluate and identify challenges and potential solutions.
o Identify implementation priority areas based on equitable vulnerability practices/assessments. o Routinely conduct pre/post evaluations.
• Practice accountability (in the form of regular progress reports and meetings with interested stakeholders), consulting with experts and community.
o Produce annual progress reports and ensure reports are accessible to communities. o Clearly identify and communicate action plan methodologies, performance measures, timelines, and leads.
o Assess changes and updates on a yearly basis, both for the plan and the relevant areas. • Measure benefits and impacts in low-income and other vulnerable communities. o Ensure that updates and investments benefit existing and future residents. o Include displacement risk of existing residents in measure criteria. o Prioritize implementation of goals and actions in areas that are most affected.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 70 Additional Resources
• Your Community Toolbox for Leading in a Changing Climate: Step-by-step guide to collaborate across sectors and provide climate change education and engagement (Climate Education Partners) • Sustainability Best Practices Framework: Options for local action in 10 sustainability areas (Institute for Local Government)
• Planning for Equity Policy Guide: Guidelines to remove policy barriers to equity (American Planning Association)
• Assessing Sustainability: A Guide for Local Governments: Best practices for sustainability implementation (American Planning Association)
• Office of Planning and Research Clearinghouse: Tools and database, case studies, climate stories, equity resources, and more sustainability best practices (Governor’s Office of Planning and Research) • International Association for Public Participation: Resources for public participation and engagement at all levels (i.e., government, institution, individual, etc.) Table X: Community Engagement Model Practices in suburban, urban, and rural jurisdictions80,81,82 Jurisdiction (type) Leading Stakeholders Outcome Model Practice City of Napa
(urban/rural)
City staff, Task force, and
Community residents Sustainability Plan Interviews with community leaders East Palo Alto
(urban)
City Council, City staff,
Community stakeholders
Health and Equity
Element
Policies for civic engagement and
inclusivity in decision-making
process
Jurupa Valley
(suburban)
Consultants, Community-based
organizations, and City staff
Environmental Justice
Element
Meetings in affected
neighborhoods
Los Angeles
(urban)
City council, City staff, and
Citywide coalition
Clean Up Green Up
Ordinance Community data ground-truthing
National City
(suburban)
City council, City staff, and
Community-based
organizations
Environmental Justice
Element Meetings with decision-makers
Oakland
(urban)
Planning Bureau and
12 Community-based
organizations
EO Neighborhood
Initiative Year-long community engagement
Richmond
(urban)
Advisory Committee
and City staff
Community Health &
Wellness Element
Council-appointed committee of
resident leaders

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 71 E. Partners
In addition to the partners listed here, the newly launched Bay Area Climate Action Mapping Project (https://www.bayareaclimateactionmap.org/) lists additional organizations actively working on climate action.

E.1 Public Sector
Organization Description
Bay Area Regional Energy
Network (BayREN)
Led by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), BayREN provides regionalscale energy efficiency programs, services, and resources for single-family and multifamily homes, and small and medium-size businesses. BayREN supports cities in developing reach codes, and local building departments in complying with the Energy Code through trainings, events, and compliance tools. A water bill savings program is launching in 2020. In San Mateo County, the program is administered by the County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability. www.bayren.org
City/County Association of
Governments of San Mateo
County (C/CAG)
C/CAG is a council of governments consisting of the County of San Mateo and its 20 cities and towns. The organization deals with topics such as transportation, air quality, stormwater runoff, hazardous waste, solid waste and recycling, land use near airports, abandoned vehicle abatement, and issues that affect general quality of life. C/CAG supports several sustainability initiatives including:

San Mateo County Energy Watch. A local government partnership between PG&E and C/CAG to promote energy efficiency in municipal and non-profit buildings. It is managed and staffed by the County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability. https://smcenergywatch.org/
Congestion Management Agency. C/CAG serves as the Congestion Management Agency for San Mateo County to identify strategies to respond to future transportation needs, develop procedures to alleviate and control congestion, and promote countywide solutions. https://ccag.ca.gov/programs/transportation-programs/congestionmanagement/ Sustainable Communities Strategy/Regional Transportation Plan. C/CAG is collaborating with local governments and regional agencies to develop a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) in compliance with the requirements of SB 375. The SCS will facilitate more focused development in priority development areas near public transit stations. The aim of the San Mateo County SCS is to better integrate land use with public transportation in order to reduce GHG emissions. The San Mateo Countywide Transportation Plan was adopted by the C/CAG Board of Directors in February 2017.

The Plan can be found online at: https://ccag.ca.gov/programs/countywidetransportation-plan/ San Mateo County Energy and Water Strategy 2025. This Plan provides a comprehensive roadmap for addressing challenges in the energy and water sectors in San Mateo County through 2025. It was developed by the County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability and the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) with extensive input from expert local stakeholders from other public agencies, community-based organizations, and the private sector.

San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program (SMCWPPP). The program is a partnership of C/CAG, each incorporated city and town in the County, and the County of San Mateo, which share a common National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The goal of the collaboration is to reduce the pollution carried by stormwater into local creeks, the San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. Permittees developed Green Infrastructure Plans to prompt specific reductions in mercury and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) from entering the Bay via stormwater by 2040.

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 72 County of San Mateo Office
of Sustainability
The Office of Sustainability (OOS) strives to improve the sustainability of the County’s operations and the greater community by administering programs and developing policies in the areas of renewable energy and energy efficiency, water conservation, alternative transportation, affordable housing, waste reduction, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. OOS also leads the following regional collaborations:

Climate Ready SMC. Brings together leaders from across sectors and jurisdictions to foster collaboration and collectively find solutions to make San Mateo County climate ready. The Collaborative is facilitated by the County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability. The Collaborative seeks to help leaders from non-profit and communitybased organizations local government, businesses, and other key partners. https://www.smcsustainability.org/climate-ready
Home for All Initiative. Builds on the work and momentum of the Closing the Jobs/Housing Gap Task Force. Led by Supervisors Don Horsley and Warren Slocum, the Home for All Initiative is working to inspire community action and promote closure of the County’s 16:1 jobs/housing gap. The Initiative’s members include representatives from all sectors of the community and are focused on creating a future where everyone in San Mateo County has an affordable home. https://homeforallsmc.org/ Regionally Integrated Climate Action Planning Suite (RICAPS). A set of tools and a collaboration of all 20 incorporated cities and the County in climate action planning and implementation. https://smcenergywatch.org/local-governments/ Flood and Sea-Level Rise
Resiliency District
The Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District is a coordinated, cross-jurisdictional collaborative to face impending coastal erosion, sea-level rise, and flooding threats as we look toward 2100. Comprised of the 20 incorporated cities, City/County Association of Governments, and the County of San Mateo, the purpose of this entity is to create a unified voice, to cost-effectively implement resilient infrastructure to face these challenges. The District initiates new countywide efforts to address sea-level rise, flooding, coastal erosion, and large-scale stormwater infrastructure improvements through integrated regional planning, project implementation and long-term maintenance. https://resilientsanmateo.org
ICLEI - Local Governments
for Sustainability ICLEI is an international organization of local and regional governments that have made a commitment to sustainable development. They provide guides and frameworks that support climate action. https://icleiusa.org/
Local Government
Commission (LGC) LGC works to build livable communities and local leadership by connecting leaders via innovative programs and network opportunities, advancing policies through participation at the local and state level, and implementing solutions as a technical assistance provider and advisor to local jurisdictions. https://www.lgc.org/ Peninsula Clean Energy
Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE) was launched collaboratively by the County of San Mateo and all 20 of its cities and towns in 2016 to help the environment through cleaner energy, while helping customers save money through lower rates. PCE currently offers two electricity options to all residents, businesses, and municipalities in San Mateo County. Customers are automatically enrolled in the ECOplus rate that consists of 50 percent renewable and 95 percent greenhouse gas-free energy and can “opt up” to the ECO100 rate that consists of 100 percent renewable energy that is Green-e certified.

PCE has a stated goal of sourcing 100 percent of electricity from California Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) eligible renewable energy by 2025. PCE is also supporting programs that reduce GHG emissions and deliver benefits to San Mateo County communities. www.peninsulacleanenergy.com

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Town of Atherton 2023 Climate Action Plan’s Technical Appendix 73 RethinkWaste
Also known as the South Bayside Waste Management Authority (SBWMA), RethinkWaste is a joint powers authority formed by 12 local government jurisdictions:

Town of Atherton, City of Belmont, City of Burlingame, City of East Palo Alto, City of Foster City, Town of Hillsborough, City of Menlo Park, City of Redwood City, City of San Carlos, City of San Mateo, the County of San Mateo and the West Bay Sanitary District.

SBWMA owns and manages the Shoreway Environmental Center in San Carlos, California, which receives all the recyclables, green waste, and garbage collected from the Member Agencies. https://rethinkwaste.org/
San Mateo County Public
Health, Policy and Planning
(HPP)
This County department protects the health of everyone who lives, works, learns, and plays in San Mateo County by preventing the spread of communicable diseases, delivering targeted health care services, providing public health laboratory testing, and building communities that make it easy to stay healthy. HPP is happy to partner with local governments working on climate action planning processes. https://www.smchealth.org/division-public-health-policy-and-planning San Mateo County Transit
District (SamTrans) SamTrans provides public transit and transportation programs in San Mateo County:

SamTrans bus service, including Redi-Wheels & RediCoast paratransit service, Caltrain commuter rail, and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority. https://www.samtrans.com/
San Mateo County’s
Transportation Demand
Management Agency
(Commute.org)
This public agency aims to reduce the number of drive-alone vehicles traveling to, from, or through San Mateo County. Its goal is to help residents and commuters find alternatives to driving alone that are less stressful, less costly, and better for the environment. The agency provides information and commute planning assistance to employees, offers employer programs, and supports city transportation demand management partnerships. https://commute.org/
E.2 Non-Profit Organizations
Organization Description
Acterra
Acterra builds alliances between community residents, local government programs, and community-based organizations in low-income areas in San Mateo County to create resilience against the coming impacts of climate change. https://www.acterra.org/
Building Decarbonization
Coalition
The Building Decarbonization Coalition unites building industry stakeholders with energy providers, environmental organizations, and local governments to help electrify California's homes and workspaces with clean energy.

Through research, policy development, and consumer inspiration, the BDC is pursuing fast, fair action to accelerate the development of zero-emission homes and buildings that will help California cut one of its largest sources of climate pollution, while creating safe, healthy, and affordable communities. www.buildingdecarb.org/

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Atherton City CouncilJune 21, 2023

Atherton City Council
June 21, 2023