AGENDA ITEM #7
TOWN OF FAIRFAX
STAFF REPORT
February 1, 2023
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Sean Youra, Climate Action Coordinator
Paul Whang, Climate Action Fellow
SUBJECT: Climate Action Update
__________________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Review the Climate Action Update report.
BACKGROUND
The quarterly Climate Action Update report details progress made by staff in implementing the Town’s Climate Action Plan (CAP).
DISCUSSION
This report details progress made in implementing the CAP since the last report provided to Council on October 6, 2022. The table below details actions taken by staff during the past quarter to implement the CAP and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The applicable measures from the CAP along with the estimated GHG emissions reduction that would result from achieving the targets for each of the applicable measures are provided for reference for each action taken.
Action CAP
Measure
Estimated
GHG
Emissions
Reduction
in 2030 (in
MTCO2e)
Worked extensively with Fairfax Lumber & Hardware staff on launching the landscape equipment rebate program for
residents and landscapers to purchase electric landscape equipment. Public Works staff purchased electric landscape equipment to ensure compliance with the ordinance. Staff has also promoted the new California Air Resources Board (CARB) funding available for small landscaping businesses to
purchase electric landscape equipment in the Town newsletter and website.
R-6: Electrify
All
Landscape
Equipment
191
Continued to work with DC Electric on getting EV chargers installed for public works and police department use. Staff has determined that electrical panel upgrades at the public works T-1: Zero
Emission
Vehicles
10,648
2 building are not needed to provide sufficient electrical capacity for the chargers. Staff is currently evaluating the type of chargers to install and how many may be needed.
The Fairfax Library was selected as one of the libraries to participate in BayREN’s Resilient Libraries Network Pilot program. Staff is serving on the Community Resilience Center (CRC) team and attending the quarterly BayREN meetings.
The main deliverable will be an energy audit report from BayREN that includes energy efficiency opportunities and a high-level analysis of site solar PV generation and battery storage capability. BayREN will also help pilot participants identify and secure funding to develop a resilience center.
R-4:
Renewable
Energy
Generation
and Storage
164
R-7:
Innovative
Technologies
N/A
I-3: Identify
and Secure
Funding
Sources
N/A
Incorporated feedback received from community-based
organizations, climate action committees, and other
stakeholders into the Marin Countywide EV Acceleration
Strategy and finalized it for public release. The EV
Acceleration Strategy will help Marin communities reduce GHG emissions, lower vehicle operating and fuel costs, and improve air quality by encouraging the use of EVs and transitioning municipal fleets to EVs.
T-1: Zero
Emission
Vehicles
10,648
O-2:
Community
Outreach
N/A
Public Works staff installed landfill, recycling, and compost waste receptacles with signage for public use outside of Fairfax food businesses.
W-4:
Commercial
Organic
Waste
537
Continued to participate in Green Building Steering Committee meetings led by the County’s Sustainability team to develop model green building reach codes. Staff solicited feedback on the reach codes from the Climate Action Committee and the community. Staff made recommendations to the Town Council on adopting these reach codes, which were officially adopted at the December 7 Council meeting along with the 2022
California Building Standards Code. The adopted reach codes were submitted to the California Energy Commission (CEC) for approval and filed with the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) as well.
E-1:
Ordinances
for
Construction
of EnergyEfficient
Buildings
17 O-2:
Community
Outreach
N/A
3 Continued to investigate opportunities to increase
compost/mulch usage to meet the Town’s required SB 1383 procurement target. Staff met with San Rafael and Novato sustainability staff to discuss a potential compost/mulch rebate program similar to what other agencies such as StopWaste are developing. The Town will also be participating in a study that will identify compost/mulch application potential on public and private lands through a contract with PlaceWorks that will be administered by Zero Waste Marin.
S-1: Urban
Forests and
Ecosystems
18 S-2: Habitat
Restoration
and Soil
Regeneration
N/A
Staff and CAC members continued to work with
ReadySetReplace (RSR) to develop a Water Heating
Electrification Campaign Program to help residents in both Fairfax and San Anselmo get electric-ready and install heat pump water heaters (HPWH). Staff have been working on the outreach strategy for the campaign including promotion in the Town newsletter and development of a green building
webpage that will discuss the campaign. Thus far,
approximately 20 residents from Fairfax have expressed
interest in the program and are going through the process of receiving free assessments from local contractors of their current water heaters to determine when they should be
replaced with a HPWH and ensure they are electric-ready to install such appliances. Several residents have also pledged to not make their next water heater a gas water heater.
R-1: Building
and
Appliance
Electrification
9,138
E-4: Energy
Efficiency
Programs
1,369
Set up a working group consisting of one councilmember, one CAC member, and staff to work on the Pavilion Resilience Hub project. The CAC developed a community resilience survey that staff has translated into Spanish to better understand the community’s perceived risks and vulnerabilities to natural hazards (e.g., floods, wildfires) and what features of a resilience hub they would find most valuable.
R-4:
Renewable
Energy
Generation
and Storage
164
R-7:
Innovative
Technologies
N/A
O-2:
Community
Outreach
N/A
Promoted events such as the Marin Green Home Tour,
Resilient Neighborhoods climate action workshops, and Ride and Drive Clean E-bike discount campaign in the Town’s
newsletter and social media.
O-1:
Community
Education
N/A
O-2:
Community
Outreach
N/A
4 Generated EV charger usage reports for all charging stations in the Town to determine how often they are being used and at what times during the week. Staff will be monitoring the stations to ensure they are working properly, which will help avoid significant downtime. Since the stations were first installed, they have helped avoid approximately 109 MTCO2e of emissions compared to driving a gas-powered vehicle. Staff will continue to generate these usage reports that can also help inform whether more charging stations are needed to meet demand.
T-1: Zero
Emission
Vehicles
10,648
Started conducting research to develop a fleet electrification policy for the Town.
T-1: Zero
Emission
Vehicles
10,648
Utilizing Recyclist to maintain SB 1383-related records and developing a recordkeeping process for staff to ensure
continued compliance with SB 1383.
W-1:
Residential
Organic
Waste and
Waste
Diversion
1,201
W-4:
Commercial
Organic
Waste
537
In addition, staff is continuing to:
• Serve as a staff liaison to the CAC, provide updates on CAP implementation during the CAC monthly meetings, and provide feedback on CAC proposed initiatives. • Identify new climate action funding opportunities and manage existing grant funds (Applicable to CAP Measure O-5: Funding Strategies, and Measure I-3: Identify and Secure Funding Sources).
• Educate community members about climate action-related incentives, programs, events, and regulations through the Town’s newsletter, social media, and website (Applicable to CAP Measure O-1: Community Education, and Measure O-2: Community Outreach).
• Coordinate with MCEP members to discuss and develop plans, policies, programs, and strategies that can assist in CAP implementation across all Marin jurisdictions. • Monitor CAP implementation progress and prioritize projects to meet the CAP goals. • Stay abreast of new climate-related state and federal regulations, technological innovations, and opportunities to further the Town’s climate action efforts.
FISCAL IMPACT
None
ATTACHMENTS
None