DATE: April 1, 2024
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Stefan Chatwin, City Manager
Marlene Subhashini, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Sofia Mangalam, Community Development Director
Vanessa Brannon, Senior Management Analyst
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
SUBJECT: INFORMATIONAL REPORT ON FOSTER CITY DRAFT CLIMATE
ACTION PLAN UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council: (1) receive and accept an informational report on the City’s draft Climate Action Plan (CAP) Update; (2) by Minute Order, provide direction on any modifications to the goals and strategies recommended in the draft CAP Update; and (3) accept the draft CAP Update framework, including reduction targets, goals, and strategies and find acceptance of draft CAP Update framework exempt from CEQA.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Foster City’s Climate Action Plan is part of the General Plan’s Land Use and Circulation Element. The CAP is a comprehensive framework aiming to address and mitigate the impacts of climate change locally, reflecting the city's commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable development. The City’s first CAP was adopted in 2016 and needs updating to reflect new state legislation, changing priorities, and updated/new environmental sustainability and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction policies.
Foster City’s Draft CAP Update framework sets forth a paramount objective of slashing carbon emissions by nearly 50% below 2005 levels by 2030, marking a pivotal step toward the overarching aim of an 85% reduction by 2045.
Through this informational report, staff is presenting the draft CAP Update framework and requesting feedback on any modifications to the goals and strategies included in the draft CAP Update. Subsequently, staff will complete the necessary review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) prior to adoption of the CAP, develop an implementation plan, and return to the City Council at a future hearing date for approval of the associated CEQA document and adoption of the CAP.
BACKGROUND
As part of a comprehensive General Plan Update, the City Council adopted Foster City's first CAP in 2016 ( link here), establishing GHG reduction targets and identifying strategies to mitigate climate change caused by GHG emissions. The CAP set reduction targets for GHG emissions of 15% by 2020, 20% by 2025, and 80% by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. The 2016 CAP also identified 42 reduction measures related to energy use, transportation, land use, solid waste, water, and education, which served as a roadmap for reducing emissions.
California State Law does not require local agencies to have climate action plans, but various state laws incentivize their use. Of California’s 482 cities, approximately 200 have CAPs, and of the 58 counties, almost two dozen have CAPs.
While part of the City’s General Plan, the CAP also falls under the City’s Sustainable Foster City initiative, first developed in 2008. Sustainable Foster City aims to safeguard and enhance Foster City's economic and natural resources, ensuring a better quality of life for all its residents. It is grounded in sustainability principles and focuses on three main areas: caring for the environment and natural resources (Environmental Sustainability), promoting fairness and well-being among community members (Social Equity and Engagement), and boosting the community's economic health (Economic Development).
A previous effort to update the City’s CAP was put on hiatus during the height of the pandemic as the City refocused on other priorities. On June 21, 2021, the City Council approved a contract with Integrated Design 360 (ID 360) to complete an assessment of the 2016 CAP and create a 2019 GHG Emissions Inventory. Before conducting the Inventory, 2017 was the most recent data year available to the City. The 2019 Inventory was completed in January 2022.
On May 2, 2022, the City Council approved the creation of a permanent Citizens Sustainability Advisory Committee (CSAC), comprised of ten members – five Foster City Resident member seats, two Foster City resident youth member seats, two in-City business member seats (one of the City’s major employers and one of which should be from one of the City’s small businesses), and one in-City non-profit member seat. All member seats are voting members. CSAC members help support the City Council, City staff, and outside consultants in the climate action planning process and implementation of sustainability programs and initiatives. In addition to supporting both consultants and staff in developing new and upcoming plans, CSAC also advises the City Council to help plan and promote new sustainability programs
On August 15, 2022, the City Council approved a contract with Cascadia Consultants for community engagement services to support the CAP Update efforts, which City staff would develop in-house.
ANALYSIS
Climate Action Planning and Community Engagement
In the Fall of 2022, the climate action planning project team, comprised of City Staff, consultants, and CSAC Members, began the long process of updating the City’s CAP.
Engaging with the community was pivotal in updating the CAP, which, from the outset, guided its objectives, priorities, and actions. Over the period of a year, the project team dedicated to Foster City's CAP Update actively sought insights into the community's priorities and concerns through extensive outreach.
In September 2022, the initiative kicked off with the formulation of a Community Engagement Plan. This plan laid out the goals, target audiences, demographic insights of Foster City, and a strategic approach for effective communication and engagement with the city's diverse communities.
The Community Engagement Plan aimed to achieve several key objectives:
•Ensure the plan reflects the unique perspectives, priorities, and values of Foster City's diverse communities.
•Educate, empower, and motivate residents and businesses to foster a collective understanding of climate change and encourage proactive measures. •Establish a clear and actionable framework for community-led initiatives within the CAP Update.
•Enhance collaboration and strengthen partnerships between the City, its residents, and other stakeholders to align on common goals.
To accomplish these goals, the project team planned various community interactions and activities, set timelines, defined key messages, designed a style guide and visuals, updated the project website, and produced additional materials to boost community participation.
The engagement process unfolded in three (3) stages:
Phase One—Raising Awareness: Initial efforts aimed at making the community aware of the CAP Update initiative, inviting input on their visions and concerns, and informing them about ongoing sustainability projects.
Phase Two—Developing Goals and Planning: This stage was crucial for deepening community engagement, establishing or reinforcing stakeholder connections, and discussing the CAP Update’s fundamental components with the community.
Following this, in November 2022, the team drafted the CAP Update, marking a significant milestone in the project.
Phase Three—Refining and Implementing the Plan: The current focus is refining the draft based on city staff and community feedback. This phase also includes beginning the groundwork for implementing the plan's strategies.
The Draft Climate Action Plan Update
Foster City has made significant progress in its climate goals, reducing emissions by 59,810 metric tons of CO2 equivalents (mtCO2e) from 2005 to 2019, a 22.5% decrease from 2005 levels. To meet the ambitious CAP goal of a 50% reduction by 2030, Foster City needs to cut an additional 130,226 mtCO2e by the end of this decade. This effort is crucial for limiting carbon emissions and addressing the growing challenges of climate change.
The draft CAP comprises of six (6) sections, including the following:
Section 1: Introduction
Section 2: What is Climate Change?
Section 3: Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
Section 4: Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Targets
Section 5: Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Section 6: Conclusion
The draft CAP Update includes information about why the City is updating its original plan, climate hazards in Foster City, the methodology used to create the 2019 GHG Inventory, forecasting models for years 2030 to 2045, and finally, strategies to reduce GHG emissions. Many of the strategies in the CAP Update are expansions or updates to existing ones found in the original 2016 plan.
To create actionable goals and targets, the City utilized its 2019 GHG Emissions Inventory to understand what sectors contributed the highest GHG emissions in Foster City. Based on the 2019 Inventory, the Transportation sector is the highest source of GHG, contributing 57% of overall emissions. The second highest source is non- residential building use (electricity, natural gas, and other fuel sources), with 28% of emissions (see Figure 1, CAP, p.14). However, all energy usage in the City’s built environment (residential and commercial electricity and natural gas use) was 42% of overall emissions. An in-depth analysis is included in the draft CAP Update.
Figure 1: Foster City 2019 Community GHG Emissions (MTCO2e) by Sector To meet the 2030 50% reduction goal, this draft CAP Update provides a roadmap to reduce emissions and promote climate action in four (4) sectors:
(1) energy and water usage
(2) transportation and land use
(3) waste and consumption
(4) climate resilience and leadership
These efforts aim to prepare Foster City for the future by mitigating climate-related risks and ensuring a sustainable environment for its residents.
A complete list of the target measures and their associated sectors, goals, and GHG impacts is included in the chart below:
TARGET MEASURE SECTOR GOAL GHG IMPACT
Reduce energy emissions by 50%
by 2030 compared to 2005
Energy and Water Reduce emissions from the energy
sector
0 MTCO2e
Increase residential and
commercial solar installations
Energy and Water Decarbonize existing residential
and commercial buildings
-1,485
MTCO2e
Decarbonize 10% of existing
commercial and 20% of existing
residential buildings by 2030
Energy and Water Decarbonize existing residential
and commercial buildings
-29,308
MTCO2e
Continue to provide carbon-free
electricity options to the
community and maintain
Peninsula Clean Energy opt-out
rates of less than 3%
Energy and Water Decarbonize existing residential
and commercial buildings
-6,280
MTCO2e
Reduce water consumption by
5% by 2030 and 15% by 2045
Energy and Water Reduce water consumption 0
MTCO2e
Reduce vehicle miles traveled in
the City
Transportation
and Land Use
Reduce vehicle miles traveled in
the City
0 MTCO2e
Increase the share of ZEV
passenger vehicles to 30%
Transportation
and Land Use
Decarbonize Transportation -26,542
MTCO2e
Encourage bicycling and micro-
mobility as an alternative to
vehicular travel
Transportation
and Land Use
Increase walkability and bike-ability -1,714
MTCO2e
Significantly reduce organic
waste in landfills.
Waste and
Consumption
Increase diversion of materials
from landfills
0 MTCO2e
Collaborate with community
stakeholders to create Local
Climate Action Programs that
empower individuals to make
behavioral changes
Climate
Resiliency and
Leadership
Educate and support the whole
community to live sustainably
0 MTCO2e
Develop adaptation strategies to
assist the Foster City community
with the effects of climate change
Climate
Resiliency and
Leadership
Prepare for and adapt to a rising
sea level and climate change
0 MTCO2e
TOTAL DRAFT CAP UPDATE GHG EMISSIONS REDUCTION 65,329
MTCO2e
In transportation, the plan advocates for a shift to low-carbon modes by promoting electric vehicles (EVs), enhancing public transit, and supporting active transportation options like biking and walking. It emphasizes the transition to renewable energy and electrification in residential and commercial sectors, encouraging the adoption of solar power and electric appliances while aiming for energy efficiency in buildings. Waste reduction and water conservation measures are also central, including the promotion of composting, sustainable purchasing, and efficient water use appliances.
Further, the plan outlines specific strategies for climate resilience and leadership, urging the integration of climate adaptation into city planning and operations. It envisions a collaborative approach, involving local stakeholders in developing localized climate solutions and advocating for broader policy and systemic changes at the state and federal levels.
The draft CAP Update also stresses community engagement and education as pivotal elements, calling on all residents and businesses to actively participate in climate action planning initiatives and embrace sustainable practices. To ensure the CAP's effective implementation, the City will collaborate with civic and business leaders to maintain momentum and accountability. Annual progress reports, an online dashboard to track emissions and goals, and a five-year CAP update will be integral to monitoring and adjusting strategies accordingly.
The draft CAP Update uses the RICAPS Climate Action Plan template (RICAPS, or Regionally Integrated Climate Action Planning Suite, is a collaborative effort among all 20 cities in the county and the county itself for climate action planning, an approach that helps ensure regional consistency in policies and methodologies). Using the RICAPS template, our current draft CAP Update aims to provide a framework for reducing GHG emissions in line with state goals and local needs.
Policy Direction
Staff would like to seek direction from the City Council on any modifications to the goals and strategies recommended in the draft CAP update.
Next Steps
Following guidance from the City Council, the team will undertake the necessary CEQA review. This will involve an Initial Study to determine any potential adverse environmental impacts of the proposed strategies or policies within the CAP related to GHG emissions.
The Initial Study will determine whether the CAP requires the preparation of (a) a Draft Negative Declaration, (b) a Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration, or (c) an Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
The CEQA process should take approximately three (3) to six (6) months to complete, which may vary depending on the level of necessary review. The cost to complete an initial study and the associated CEQA documents is approximately $25,000 to $40,000, and funding is available in the Construction and Demolition fund for Climate Action Plan (129-0932-431-42-51) for CEQA compliance.
Concurrently, efforts will commence on the CAP Implementation Plan in collaboration with city staff and subsequently with CSAC.
ANTICIPATED TIMELINE OF NEXT STEPS FOR CEQA
April 2024 – Initiate Initial Study for CEQA
May 2024 – Preparation of CEQA Document
June 2024 – Preparation of Checklist for Future Developments and Public Review Period
July 2024 – Public Hearing for the CEQA document, then certification and CAP adoption
ANTICIPATED TIMELINE OF NEXT STEPS FOR CAP ADOPTION
April 2024 – Update draft CAP based on feedback and initiate Draft Implementation Plan
May 2024 – Preparation of Draft Implementation Plan with Staff and CSAC July 2024 – Completed Implementation Plan document included with CAP adoption Components of the CAP Implementation Plan will be integrated into a wider Sustainable Foster City Plan, which will highlight community engagement best practices to advance sustainability in Foster City. Implementation of the Climate Action Plan Update begins upon the City Council's adoption of the CAP.
CEQA
The acceptance of the CAP framework is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as that action is exempt pursuant to 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines (common sense exemption) and 15306 (Class 6) of the CEQA Guidelines as this information is being gathered as part of a study leading to an action which a public agency has not yet adopted. As indicated above, City staff will undertake further CEQA analysis prior to adoption of the CAP.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no cost associated with this report.
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
Sustainability
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Foster City Draft Climate Action Plan Update