AGENDA ITEM #12
TOWN OF FAIRFAX
STAFF REPORT
May 3, 2023
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Sean Youra, Climate Action Coordinator
Paul Whang, Climate Action Fellow
SUBJECT: Receive 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 February 1, 2023. 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)
Continued to implement the landscape equipment ordinance and promote the rebate program through the Town’s
Landscape Equipment webpage and newsletters. Staff has
continued to process and approve rebate applications.
R-6: Electrify
All
Landscape
Equipment
191
Applied for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) Charge! grant program, which provides funding for public and private EV charger installations. If awarded the grant, the funds would help cover the costs for the electrical and installation work for three single-port Level 2 chargers in the Town Hall parking lot for charging police and public works EVs. Staff is currently working on reserving rebates from TAM and MCE that will help cover the costs as well. Additionally, T-1: Zero
Emission
Vehicles
10,648
I-3: Identify
and Secure
Funding
Sources
N/A
2 staff is conducting research to develop a fleet electrification policy for the Town.
Continued to serve on the Community Resilience Center
(CRC) team for the Fairfax Library and participated in BayREN Resilient Libraries Network Pilot meetings. BayREN engineers conducted an energy audit of the Fairfax Library and will provide a final report that identifies energy efficiency opportunities and provides a high-level analysis of site solar PV generation and battery storage capability. The CRC team has discussed what services the library can provide during
emergencies and power outages.
R-4:
Renewable
Energy
Generation
and Storage
164
R-7:
Innovative
Technologies
N/A
Helped finalize the Marin Countywide EV Acceleration Strategy that has now been published on the MCEP website. 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 (including e-bikes) and transitioning municipal fleets to EVs.
T-1: Zero
Emission
Vehicles
10,648
Ordered three-stream waste receptacles for Town buildings.
The waste receptacles along Broadway and Sir Francis Drake Blvd. will be refurbished and new compost receptacles will be installed as well. The Town will receive reimbursement for these costs through the Zero Waste Reimbursement Program.
W-4:
Commercial
Organic
Waste
537
W-6: Waste
from Town
Operations
and Facilities
23 Staff and CAC members continued to work with
ReadySetReplace (RSR) to promote the Water Heating
Electrification Campaign Program to help residents in both Fairfax and San Anselmo get electric-ready and install heat pump water heaters (HPWH). RSR created a dedicated
webpage for the campaign and staff added information about the campaign to the Town’s new Green Building webpage.
Staff continues to promote the campaign in the Town
newsletter as well. Thus far, approximately 28 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
Solicited feedback from the community via a resilience survey 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. Over 70 responses were received and were analyzed by the Pavilion Resilience Hub project group. Staff is currently R-4:
Renewable
Energy
Generation
and Storage
164
3 putting together a project plan that will detail the Resilience Hub goals, potential features, tasks, and project timeline.
R-7:
Innovative
Technologies
N/A
O-2:
Community
Outreach
N/A
Completed grant reporting for the CalRecycle Beverage
Container Recycling Program and submitted a funding request for the FY 2022-23 program. These funds will be used to install a water bottle refill station in Peri Park.
W-1:
Residential
Organic
Waste and
Waste
Diversion
1,201
W-6: Waste
from Town
Operations
and Facilities
23 Developed a new Green Building webpage on the Town
website. The webpage includes information on the Town’s efforts to reduce emissions from buildings (e.g., adopting reach codes, swapping gas appliances for electric ones in Townowned buildings) and what residents can do to reduce their own household emissions.
R-4:
Renewable
Energy
Generation
and Storage
164
R-7:
Innovative
Technologies
N/A
E-4: Energy
Efficiency
Programs
1,369
O-1:
Community
Education
N/A
Joined the Marin Countywide Building Electrification Plan Steering Committee to develop a building electrification implementation plan in collaboration with community
stakeholders. The committee has so far conducted a
stakeholder mapping exercise and brainstormed policy and program ideas to include in the Building Electrification Plan.
R-1: Building
and
Appliance
Electrification
9,138
O-2:
Community
Outreach
N/A
Reviewed Fairfax’s original foodware ordinance and the
County’s model foodware ordinance to note any differences.
Conducted outreach to food vendors in the Town in preparation for the Council discussing the County’s model foodware
ordinance. The model foodware ordinance was subsequently adopted by the Council, which replaced the Town’s original ordinance. Staff is in the process of developing a new
foodware webpage that will include details about the ordinance and provide information to assist in compliance.
W-5:
Mandatory
Commercial
Waste
Elimination
and
Diversion
N/A
W-6: Waste
from Town
23 4
Operations
and Facilities
Researched SolarAPP+, an automated online permitting
platform for residential solar systems. Staff applied for the CalAPP grant program and was awarded the $40,000 grant
from the California Energy Commission that will be used to help implement SolarAPP+ with the Town’s existing permitting software (the deadline to implement SolarAPP+ is September 30, 2024 per SB 379).
R-4:
Renewable
Energy
Generation
and Storage
164
E-2:
Streamline
Permit
Process and
Provide
Technical
Assistance
N/A
I-3: Identify
and Secure
Funding
Sources
N/A
Organized and coordinated activities for Take Back Day on April 22. Staff created a new Take Back Day webpage on the Town website. Staff also promoted Take Back Day in the Town newsletters and posted flyers on the Town’s bulletin boards and at Fairfax businesses.
W-2: Trash,
Inorganic,
and
Packaging
Waste
N/A
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; 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; 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