CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting: June 21, 2022
Subject
Public Review Draft Climate Action Plan 2.0 Study Session
Recommended Action
Provide feedback to staff on the Public Review Draft Climate Action Plan 2.0
Discussion
On April 20, the City published the draft Climate Action Plan 2.0 (CAP 2.0) to the cupertino.org/climateaction engagement website. The CAP 2.0 presents a greenhouse gas reduction plan covering the years from plan adoption to 2030. The CAP 2.0 also presents a pathway to nearly reach the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2040. With full implementation of the Cupertino CAP 2.0 alongside State laws and programs, Cupertino communitywide GHG emissions would decline by approximately 38 percent per capita (or 36 percent in terms of absolute total emissions) between 2018 and 2030. The below chart summarizes the roadmap and greenhouse gas reductions proposed from each of the chapters in the public review draft plan.
The April 20 release of the public review draft documents also marked the beginning of a third and final round of public review. The public review draft CAP 2.0 document is the result of feedback from the public, community leaders, and City staff, with critical guidance from the Sustainability Commission and feedback from the City Council.
As part of the April 20 launch, the City produced a 3-minute video to highlight key features of the CAP 2.0 and posted a companion survey for organizing public feedback.
The project team has used various methods and channels to further engage the community with the CAP 2.0. A summary table of all public feedback events is included below:
Name of Workshop or Event Date Est. Number of
Contacts
Visioning City Council Study Session December 2020 NA*
Stakeholder Workshop #1 July 1, 2021 23
Sustainability Commission July 15 9
Public Virtual Workshop #1 July 29 54
Fall Festival September 11 158
Actions and measures
Stakeholder Workshop #2 September 30 7
Public Workshop #2 October 11 42
Tabling outside Cupertino Library October 13 30
Sustainability Commission votes to
recommend actions and measures
October 21 10
Tabling outside Senior Center November 9 15
Tabling outside Senior Center November 10 15
Tabling at Farmers Market November 13 120
Tabling at Main Street November 16 45
City Council Study Session November 16 NA*
Roadshow of draft CAP 2.0
Sustainability Commission Meeting April 21, 2022 10
Earth and Arbor Day Festival April 23, 2022 260
Cherry Blossom Festival April 30 66
Stakeholder Workshop #3 May 2 & 3 21
Tabling outside Senior Center May 4 50
Rotary Club Presentation May 9 10
De Anza College Climate and Zero
Waste Club Presentation
May 11 7
Tabling outside Cupertino Library May 13 37
Tabling at Mayor’s Cup Challenge May 14 23
Tabling at Farmers Market May 15 70
Sustainability Commission May 26 NA*
Chamber of Commerce Legislative
Action Committee
June 3 12
Total: 850+
*NA indicates a public or live-streamed meeting where the number of attendees is unknown.
The third CAP 2.0 survey was open from April 19 through May 17, 2022 and received 108 responses. Most respondents (82%) responded positively to the proposed changes in the CAP 2.0:
The survey included an open-ended question to collect additional feedback. Key themes from the open-ended feedback are:
- There is strong support for the transportation measures and actions. Of the 88 who are either “Happy” or “Very Happy” with the plan, 17 mention transportation, especially active transportation and public transit. Other themes include support for composting, reducing plastic use, adding trees and open space, and ensuring equity.
- Of the nine respondents who are “Unhappy” or “Very Unhappy” with the plan, five respondents wanted stronger language about transportation and/or greater expansion of active transportation infrastructure. Other themes include concerns about electrification and burdens on residents.
- Survey respondents feel that taking climate action is urgent, citing concern about the future and safety from climate hazards.
- Some respondents feel the CAP 2.0 is too vague while others feel it is too wordy or technical.
- In terms of implementation, some feel there is a good chance of success while a few have concerns about how the City would implement policy or lifestyle changes.
- Overall survey respondents are “Happy” (average 4.06 out of a score of 5) with the CAP draft, but Cupertino residents on average are “Neutral” to “Happy” (averaging a score of 3.87 out of a score of 5). Of residents who are unhappy with the plan, some feel that the CAP is not doing enough to ensure active transportation and others feel that the CAP is not a good use of City resources or that electrification could place an undue burden on renters.
See Attachment B for complete results from Survey #3. Detailed survey responses from all surveys are published at the project web site.
To date, the City has achieved the following results from outreach activities:
- 2,500 visits to the project website. Of these visits, o 277 are engaged with the project
o 720 are informed about the project
o 1,500 are aware of the project
- 150 views of the CAP 2.0 video
- 327 survey responses
- 379 downloads of the project documents
Environmental Review Committee Input
The Cupertino General Plan Chapter Six: Environmental Resources and Sustainability Element contains the fundamental goals, policies, and strategies that address greenhouse gas mitigation actions taken by the City. Strategy ES -1.1.1: Climate Action Plan (CAP) directs the City to “[a]dopt, implement, and maintain a Climate Action Plan to attain greenhouse gas emission targets consistent with state law and regional requirements.” The strategy goes on to specify that “this qualified greenhouse gas emissions reducti on plan, by BAAQMD’s definition, will allow for future project CEQA streamlining.” Strategy ES-1.1.3: Climate Adaptation and Resiliency also directs the City to conduct a climate vulnerability assessment and set preparedness goals. Both strategies are bein g implemented with the FY 2021- 2022 City Work Program item to update the Climate Action Plan.
The creation of a “qualified” Climate Action Plan has specific guidelines from the State of California Office of Planning and Research (OPR), and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). The CAP presents an option for the City to streamline one portion of the environmental review of future projects. A qualified CAP allows for streamlining of a greenhouse gas (GHG) review, only one of the twenty envi ronmental factors that are considered in CEQA. According to the BAAQMD, if a project is consistent with a CAP, then it can be presumed that the project will not have significant GHG impacts. This approach is consistent with State CEQA Guidelines, Section 15183.5:
Lead agencies may analyze and mitigate the significant impacts of GHG emissions at a programmatic level, such as…a plan to reduce GHG emissions. Later project -specific environmental documents may tier from and/or incorporate by reference that exis ting programmatic review. Project -specific environmental documents may rely on an [Environmental Impact Report] containing a programmatic analysis of GHG emissions.
In order to be considered a qualified CAP as directed by the Cupertino General Plan, the CAP document itself must undergo CEQA environmental review.
The City project team created a draft Initial Study and Negative Declaration as the proposed method to complete the required CEQA environmental review. This approach was brought to the Environmental Review Committee on May 19, 2022. After a discussion, the Environmental Review Committee recommended that the City proceed with preparing a Negative Declaration for the CAP 2.0.
Sustainability Commission Input
At a May 26 special meeting, the Commission discussed the draft CAP 2.0 and received a presentation on the public engagement results. After a discussion, the Commission voted to recommend the CAP 2.0 be moved forward to the City Council for adoption.
The Commission also recommended two changes to the content of the CAP 2.0:
• The addition of language directing the City to coordinate with local K-12 school districts to encourage student common transportation around school pick-up and drop-off
• The addition of an action to encourage local businesses to label vegetarian and vegan foods and for restaurants to offer vegan and vegetarian options
The City Council can direct staff to include these changes in the CAP 2.0 before bringing the plan back for adoption.
Next Steps
- The CAP 2.0 CEQA environmental review documents will be published on June 8, beginning a 30-day public comment period required for environmental review - City Council discusses the CAP 2.0 in a study session, scheduled for June 21 - Final CAP 2.0 presented to City Council for adoption, pending direction at the June 21 study session
Sustainability Impact
The update to the City’s Climate Action Plan outlines goals, measures and actions that will guide the City’s approach to greenhouse gas reduction and climate adaptation activities until another update to the CAP is initiated by Council. Preparation of an Initial Study, Negative Declaration, and associated CEQ A streamlining tools will further incorporate the principles of sustainability into Cupertino’s planning, infrastructure, and development process as required by the Cupertino General Plan Policy ES-1.1
Fiscal Impact
Adopting the Climate Action Plan 2.0 will not by itself have any fiscal impact. Each of the actions proposed in the draft CAP 2.0 will be moved forward with a detailed study, public engagement process, and budget requests as needed. These actions will be implemented over time within the existing work planning and budget process and considered alongside all other City priorities. Each of the actions listed in the CAP 2.0 contains a budgetary range of cost values.
_____________________________________
Prepared by:
Andre Duurvoort, Sustainability Division Manager
Gilee Corral, Climate and Utilities Analyst
Reviewed by: Katy Nomura, Deputy City Manager
Approved for Submission by: Jim Throop, City Manager
Attachments:
A – Public Review Draft Climate Action Plan 2.0
B – Summary Responses from Survey #3
C – Summary from Stakeholder Workshop #3
D – Additional Written Communications Received