AGENDA
ENERGY / GREEN ISSUES STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING
Goleta City Hall
130 Cremona Drive, Suite B
Goleta, California
Thursday, September 28, 2023
10:00 – 11:30 AM
Conference Room # 1
Kyle Richards, Mayor Pro Tempore
Luz Reyes-Martín, Councilmember
Robert Nisbet, City Manager
Peter Imhof, Planning and Environmental Review Director Dana Murray, Sustainability Manager
Angeline Foshay, Sustainability Analyst
Hanna Olsen, CivicSpark Climate Fellow
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AGENDA
I. Public Comment (5 minutes)
II. Electric Vehicle Reach Code (45 minutes)
a. Recommendation Request
III. Updates on Existing Programs & Policies (40 minutes) Note: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need assistance to participate in this meeting, (including assisted listening devices), please contact Deborah Lopez, City Clerk, at (805) 961-7505 at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. Notification helps to ensure that reasonable arrangements can be made to provide accessibility to the meeting.
9/22/2023 Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Packet Page 2 of 14 DATE: September 28, 2023
TO: Energy and Green Issues Standing Committee
FROM: Peter Imhof, Planning and Environmental Review Director CONTACT: Dana Murray, Sustainability Manager
Angeline Foshay, Sustainability Analyst
Hanna Olsen, CivicSpark Climate Fellow
SUBJECT: Background Information for the September 28, 2023 Energy / Green Issues Standing Committee Meeting (please see attached agenda) ITEM I: PUBLIC COMMENT
ITEM II: ELECTRIC VEHICLE REACH CODE
The purpose of this item is to seek a recommendation from the Energy / Green Issues Standing Committee on the development of an Electric Vehicle (EV) Reach Code, which would require amendments to Part 11, Title 24 of the California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen) and minor revisions to Section G of Chapter 17.38.110 of the Goleta Municipal Code (GMC) to expand and simplify the EV charging requirements for new construction.
Background:
Investing in the development and installation of EV charging infrastructure is identified in the City’s budget priorities and Strategic Plan as a means of supporting environmental vitality and the City’s transition to a clean energy future. Additionally, ‘Electrical Vehicle Readiness Planning’ is a top priority in the City’s adopted Planning & Environmental Review Department’s Annual Work Program for FY 22/23. The City Council additionally adopted an Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permit Streamlining Ordinance in April 2020.
In September 2020, Governor Newsom issued an executive order requiring sales of all new passenger vehicles to be zero-emission by 2035 and additional measures to eliminate harmful emissions from the transportation sector. The executive order directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB), California Energy Commission (CEC), California Public Utilities Commission, other State agencies, and local agencies to 9/22/2023 Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Packet Page 3 of 14 accelerate deployment of affordable fueling and charging options for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in ways that serve all communities, and specifically low-income and disadvantaged communities.
Transportation accounts for just over half of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Santa Barbara County. One of the key strategies to reduce emissions and meet the ambitious climate goals of the State is encouraging the use of EVs and expanding EV charging infrastructure. The most common barrier to switching to an EV, especially for residents of multi-family buildings, is the lack of access to reliable charging at the home or workplace. Requiring EV charging infrastructure in new buildings is a significant way to support the transition to EVs and is significantly less expensive than future retrofits to add EV charging.
California has a goal to install 250,000 EV chargers to support 1.5 million ZEVs by 2025 and infrastructure to support 5 million ZEVs by 2030. By 2030, to meet future EV demand along the Central Coast, it is estimated that an additional 25,481 public Level 2 EV charging stations will be required, as well as an additional 1,223 public Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) charging stations. 12,418 of those chargers would be needed within Santa Barbara County according to the Santa Barbara County Association of Government’s (SBCAG) Central Coast Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy (Draft, April 2023). CEC’s estimated projection of the number of public Level 2 EV charging stations needed to support the interim 2025 ZEV goal is 972 chargers in Santa Barbara County.
The total number of EV charging stations according to Plugshare.com in the County as of August 1, 2023 is 507, leaving an EV charging station gap of 465 to meet CEC’s 2025 ZEV projection over the next few years.
To meet the growing need for access to EV chargers, local jurisdictions often adopt “Reach Codes” to increase the number of EV charging spaces required in new development, particularly related to multifamily buildings. A Reach Code is a local building energy code that “reaches” beyond the state minimum requirements for energy use in building design and construction, creating opportunities for local governments to lead beyond state requirements. Reach Codes help encourage development of energy efficient and increasingly electrified, sustainable buildings as well as support EV adoption through EV charging standards. The 2022 California Building Standards Code (CBSC) includes increased EV charging requirements compared to previous code cycles, but it does not go far enough to significantly improve access to EV charging given the pace of transition needed to meet state goals and meaningfully address the climate crisis. Most of the buildings built in or after 2023 will continue to exist in 2035, and these EVs will need a place to charge.
More than 44 jurisdictions in California have adopted EV Reach Codes. These cities have increased EV infrastructure requirements in their Building Codes to help provide critical charging infrastructure for housing and workplaces. EV Reach Codes help jurisdictions meet the growing gap in EV charging demand and availability. Adopting a Reach Code component that addresses EV charging infrastructure will help Goleta further electrify our transportation sector, which accounts for over 55% of the City’s emissions. With bold EV 9/22/2023 Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Packet Page 4 of 14 adoption and infrastructure goals set by the state, Goleta can further support the transportation electrification transition by increasing the minimum requirements for EV infrastructure in new construction.
As of August 2023, there are more than 80 privately-owned public chargers currently within Goleta and the City is actively expanding the public charging network, but the City will not be able to support the level of EV charging infrastructure needed without significant increases in EV chargers in multi-family residential and non-residential projects. During the development of Goleta’s New Zoning Ordinance (NZO), adopted in April 2020, EV charging requirements were added to Title 17 to support transportation electrification in residential, office and lodging designated zones. These requirements have helped Goleta secure better EV charging infrastructure in multi-family developments, but stronger regulations can support further EV adoption. To help achieve GHG emission reductions and EV goals, and in acknowledgement of the existing gaps in local EV charging infrastructure, staff introduced research and background on this issue at the October 12, 2022 Energy / Green Issues Standing Committee. The Committee recommended that staff research different avenues of incorporating EV charger requirements into a City Reach Code. An “EV Charger Reach Code” would involve the City passing an amendment to CALGreen to require new projects increase the number of EV charging spaces, helping to ensure that EV drivers have a spot to plug in, particularly in new multifamily buildings.
Existing EV Requirements
There are three levels of EV charging, categorized by the amount of power that they provide to vehicles:
1. Level 1 Charging: 120-Volt household outlet; Charging Speed: 3 to 5 Miles Per Hour; Locations: Home, Workplace & Public
2. Level 2 Charging: 208-Volt to 240-Volt; Charging Speed: 12 to 80 Miles Per Hour; Locations: Home, Workplace & Public
3. Level 3 Charging: 400-Volt to 900-Volt (DC Fast Charge & Supercharging); Charging Speed: 3 to 20 Miles Per Minute; Locations: Public There are three distinct EV infrastructure readiness descriptions referred to in the Building Code:
1. EV Capable Space: a parking space that has an installed electrical panel capacity with a dedicated branch circuit and a continuous raceway/conduit from the panel to the future EV parking spot.
2. Level 2 EV Ready Space: a parking space that has installed electrical panel capacity, raceway/conduit and wiring to terminate in a junction box or 240-volt charging outlet such that Electrical Vehicle Charging Equipment (EVSE) can be directly plugged into it without additional work.
3. Electric Vehicle Charging Station (EVSE): a parking space that includes an installed and operable Level 2 EV charging station.
9/22/2023 Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Packet Page 5 of 14 The City of Goleta currently houses its EV charging requirements in both the Zoning Code and the 2022 adopted Building Code. Section G of Chapter 17.38.110 Parking Area Design and Development Standards of the GMC states:
In parking facilities containing 20 or more spaces serving residential, office, and lodging uses, at least 10 percent of parking spaces must be Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations.
1. Signage. Each EV charging must be clearly marked with a sign reading “Electric Vehicle Charging Station.”
2. Public Use. EV charging stations may be equipped with card readers, controls, connector devices, and other equipment as necessary to enable use by the general public.
Additionally, there are EV parking requirements in the base 2022 CBSC, which the City adopted in November 2022. The 2022 baseline CBSC requirements for new construction EV infrastructures are as follows:
• For new construction of one and two-family homes and townhomes with garages: requires that all spaces must be EV-capable and have service or subpanel capacity for future EV chargers.
• For 3+ multi-family dwellings, hotels, and motels:
o New Construction: 10% of parking spaces must be EV capable; 25% must be EV Ready with low power Level 2 receptacles; 5% of parking spaces in buildings with 20+ units require Level 2 EVSE.
o Existing Buildings: 10% of new added parking spaces must be EV capable; 10% of altered spaces must be EV capable.
• For nonresidential new construction:
• Source: California Energy Codes & Standards, 2022 CalGreen Electric Vehicle Requirements Fact Sheet
9/22/2023 Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Packet Page 6 of 14 As both codes stand, the baseline 2022 CBSC CALGreen requires more advanced EV installation and is in conflict with the Goleta Zoning Code requirements. As the CBSC is updated every three years and continuously advances in its EV charging requirements to meet state goals, staff recommends moving all EV Reach Code and charging requirements under the Part 11, Title 24 of the Building Code and removing requirements from Title 17 Zoning of the GMC. This adjustment would ensure that there are not conflicting requirements for planning project applicants. As the CBSC periodically adjusts to support more EVSE installation, staff could revisit and adjust EV charging requirements by adopting subsequent Reach Codes during the three-year CBSC adoption cycle.
Discussion:
There are several options and approaches that the City could take to adopt a more advanced EV Reach Code for new construction. In evaluating Part 11, Title 24 of the California Green Building Standards Code, known as CALGreen, there are Voluntary Tier 1 and Tier 2 provisions that support a more advanced approach to EV charging requirements. Adopting the 3CALGreen’s voluntary provisions as mandatory is the most common EV Reach Code approach in jurisdictions across California. Tier 1 and Tier 2 EV Reach Code provisions for residential, multi-family hotel and motel construction are as follows:
9/22/2023 Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Packet Page 7 of 14 Source: California Energy Codes & Standards, 2022 CalGreen Electric Vehicle Requirements Fact Sheet
Tier 1 Voluntary Provisions for nonresidential construction are as follows:
Tier 2 Voluntary Provisions for nonresidential construction are as follows:
9/22/2023 Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Packet Page 8 of 14 Adopting a Reach Code that makes all CALGreen EV-related Voluntary Tier 1 Provisions mandatory would closely mirror our current approach for residential, multi-family, hotel and office spaces, and expand requirements to all nonresidential builds.
Alternatively, should the Committee and Council seek to further expand upon the current provisions in the GMC and 2022 CBSC, adopting Voluntary Tier 2 Provisions as mandatory would increase the number of EV-capable and EVSE spaces for new development. Considerations to weigh for the expansion of the EVSE requirements would be increased costs for project applicants in the City for required electrical work and charging equipment, increased availability of Level 2 EV chargers, improved air quality with reduced combustion vehicles, increased market preparedness, and reduced community GHG emissions.
Best Practices from other Jurisdictions
EV Reach Code components adopted by other CA jurisdictions, predominantly in the Bay Area, go further than the CALGreen options to support further proliferation of EVSE and EV readiness. These policies are supported by local Community Choice Energy (CCE) programs and reach beyond the CALGreen mandatory and voluntary measures to ensure further availability of both Level 2 and Level 1 charging, with a particular emphasis on newly constructed multifamily housing and workplace charging. Many Bay Area EV Reach Codes are distinct from CALGreen Tier 1 & 2 voluntary measures in that they focus more on expanding coverage by supporting both L1 and L2 charging. Here are some examples of EV Reach Codes:
Single-Family Home Requirements:
Model ordinances have 2 EV spaces total - 1 Level 2 EV Ready circuit and 1 Level 1 EV Ready circuit. This expands upon the minimum 2022 CBSC requirement of one Level 2 EV Capable for one parking space per dwelling unit.
Multifamily Home Requirements
9/22/2023 Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Packet Page 9 of 14 There are two commonly adopted options for multifamily: low power and high power. The 2022 CALGreen requirements base their requirements off the percent of parking spaces available. The model Reach Codes base their requirements off the percent of dwelling units with parking spaces. The low-power option requires that new multifamily dwellings provide 40% Level 2 EVCS and 60% L1 EV Ready. The high-power option requires that new multifamily dwellings provide 15% Level 2 EVCS, and 85% L2 EV Ready. Automatic load management systems are encouraged with both of these options to balance usage and power distribution. Both the high power and low power Reach Codes supported by CCEs would provide 100% of multifamily dwellings with designated parking spaces with some type of EVSE access. This would significantly expand upon the 2022 CALGreen requirements and the GMC.
Choosing between these two policies is a matter of evaluating additional costs that these policies might incur, though both options are cost comparable with the high power option costing marginally more, and the required EVSE often comprises somewhere from 0.3 -
0.5% of a project’s total cost, according to analysis conducted by Peninsula Clean Energy.
Nonresidential Requirements
Nonresidential requirements under these model codes are often broken out into two categores: offices, in acknowledgement of the importance of workplace charging, and other nonresidential. The model ordinances include requirements that newly constructed offices provide 20% Level 2 EVCS and 30% Level 2 EV Capable spaces. All other nonresidential require 10% Level 2 EVCS and 10% Level 2 EV Capable spaces.
The City of Burlingame’s EV Reach Code is among the strongest in California, requiring EV-Ready parking for all single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses. The City’s EV Reach Code also requires 40% of multifamily units to have parking spaces with EVCS.
Burlingame’s policy is strong but not unique among California cities. It is based off the model ordinance developed by the Bay Area Reach Code group, compromising of Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE), Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), East Bay Community Energy (EBCE), and several Bay Area governments. The Cities of Campbell, 9/22/2023 Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Packet Page 10 of 14 Los Gatos, Morgan Hill, Redwood City, San Carlos, and Saratoga have the same policy for multifamily EV parking requirements, and similar policies for nonresidential.
If Goleta were to adopt a similar EV Reach Code policy, it would be among the strongest EV policies south of the Bay Area, and the strongest on the Central Coast. This policy would increase EVCS and EV readiness onsite for all new construction and contribute to achieving the EV goals Goleta and the state have set.
Each of the above policy options include the intention of reducing a jurisdiction’s GHG emissions by encouraging EV adoption and striving for a more energy resilient future. The model EV Reach Codes are aligned with Goleta’s goals, and will help bridge the EV infrastructure gap facing Santa Barbara County.
Next Steps
Staff seeks guidance from the Committee on the following alternatives and questions:
EV Reach Code options for new construction:
• Option 1: Adopt CALGreen Tier 1 voluntary EV measures as mandatory, matching our current measures for EV parking standards.
• Option 2: Adopt CALGreen Tier 2 voluntary EV measures as mandatory, expanding upon our current EV parking standards.
• Option 3: Develop and adopt an EV Reach Code based on model codes suggested by 3CE and jurisdictions supported by Peninsula Clean Energy, Silicon Valley Clean Energy, and East Bay Community Energy. This would include requirements for new single-family residential, multifamily, and non-residential.
The single-family requirement would include two EV spaces total - one Level 2 EV Ready circuit and one Level 1 EV Ready circuit.
o 3A: Multifamily high-power option: 15% Level 2 EVCS, and 85% L2 EV Ready.
o 3B: Multifamily low-power option: 40% Level 2 EVCS and 60% L1 EV Ready
9/22/2023 Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Packet Page 11 of 14 • Does the committee support converting our current EV parking standards in Title 17 Zoning to an EV Reach Code by amending CALGreen?
• Are there any exemptions or particular clauses that the City would like to customize?
After evaluating these questions and options for an EV Reach Code, next steps would be for staff to work with partnering agencies and 3CE to develop a draft EV Reach Code; meet with essential internal staff including advanced planning, current planning, and the building team; and to proceed to City Council with recommendations and a proposed EV Reach Code ordinance amending CALGreen. Additionally, adjustments to Title 17 Zoning would need to be made to simplify the GMC and navigating EV requirements for project applicants. Those adjustments can be made during the annual updates to Title 17 or packaged as a part of this process.
ITEM III: UPDATES ON EXISTING PROGRAMS & POLICIES
• BUILDING ELECTRIFICATION UPDATE
To reach the required emissions targets set by the state, the decarbonization of the building sector is essential. The primary method for the decarbonization of buildings is electrification, as renewable portfolio standards reduce the emissions content of our electricity. Efforts to further progress building electrification continue across California despite legal challenges following the Ninth Circuit Court decision to overturn the City of Berkeley’s natural gas ban for new construction. The City of Goleta introduced an allelectric new construction ordinance on April 18, 2023, which was unanimously passed on first reading, but is on hold for second reading. Given the news from the Ninth Circuit, the City decided the pause further action and hold the ordinance until the legal landscape clarifies. While the City of Berkeley filed for an en banc hearing in June following the decision, the settling of this case and further evaluation could take years to conclude.
Many jurisdictions with previously developed or adopted all-electric Reach Codes are evaluating alternative options to pursue electrification and decarbonize their new and existing building stock. There are some policy options that Goleta can explore to support electrification while waiting for future developments in the California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley case. Some options include:
• Develop an electric-preferred Reach Code policy that allows newly constructed, highly efficient, mixed fuels buildings but heavily encourages all-electric. This option is being explored by multiple jurisdictions in the state in the wake of the Berkeley decision as an alternative to the legally challenged all-electric policies. • Eliminate barriers to existing building electrification by reducing or removing permit fees and streamlining the process for electric heat pump or induction cooktops and stove conversions.
9/22/2023 Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Packet Page 12 of 14 Staff are evaluating these options and monitoring local government best practices as they develop across the state for electric-preferred and existing building electrification policies.
Additionally, there are some proposed bills in the state legislature that could support local government efforts to electrify. One measure, SB48, would regulate energy efficiency and carbon emissions for commercial buildings larger than 50,000 square feet. Also introduced was AB 593, which would require the California Energy Commission to adopt a strategy, with milestones, to reduce emissions of GHGs for the building sector consistent with the targets and strategies identified in the most recent CARB Scoping Plan. This would create a plan for the state to decarbonize the building sector, and ultimately support building electrification.
• PLASTIC FREE GOLETA UPDATE
Setting a new model for pollution reduction policies on the Central Coast, the Goleta City Council took policy action to reduce single-use plastics, polystyrene, and balloons from polluting our environment in September 2022. Following community input and informed by coastal and neighborhood cleanup data, the City’s policy requires reusable foodware for on-premises dining, prohibits the distribution of disposable single-use plastic cutlery and straws, prohibits the sale and distribution of polystyrene foodware products, and includes a ban on the sale of mylar balloons. These regulations are intended to protect our environment and marine habitats, as well as the health of our community. Goleta's plastic reduction policy is among the most comprehensive in the U.S., making Goleta a leader in waste reduction.
The City’s comprehensive plastic pollution reduction policy went into effect on June 1, 2023. Leading up to implementation, and throughout the summer, staff has been working with the community to help the public and local businesses comply with the policy. In the spring, over 200 local businesses were mailed letters explaining the policy and notifying owners of the upcoming effective date, in addition to being provided with Plastic Free Goleta guide books. Plastic Free Goleta guidebooks are available online and in City Hall in both English and Spanish. The City also placed a color ad in the Santa Barbara Independent to reach a wider audience, and has developed a comprehensive webpage with more information including an FAQ sheet.
The City has provided information to the public and disseminated over 1,500 reusable Goleta utensil sets at community events, such as the State of the City, Lead Goleta, Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival, Café y Comunidad, Plastic Free July Expo, Dam Dinner and the upcoming Lemon Festival. In addition to answering emails and phone calls from the public, Sustainability staff have visited over 30 local businesses in person to help guide owners and managers to compliance, and met with both the Santa Barbara and Goleta School Districts. To reach a larger audience, staff also developed a virtual public “Lunch ‘N Learn” workshop in August and filmed an informational video with the Community Relations team, both of which were shared on social media and on the City’s website. In October, Sustainability staff will be leading a panel and providing a presentation on Plastic Free Goleta at the Central Coast Sustainability Summit at UCSB. For more information, 9/22/2023 Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Packet Page 13 of 14 please visit www.cityofgoleta.org/PlasticFreeGoleta or contact [email protected].
• POWERED UP GOLETA UPDATE
After entering into a public-private partnership in June 2023 following City Council’s affirmation of support in May 2023, the City of Goleta is partnering with Electriq Power to provide home solar and battery storage systems to Goleta residents at no upfront cost.
Goleta is committed to improving access to and the proliferation of renewable technologies within the community to advance energy resilience and reduce climate impacts. The City’s partnership with Electriq Power for PoweredUp Goleta supports equitable access to renewable, affordable and resilient energy, and further advances the City’s strategic energy and climate goals. Through the program’s City-vetted Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), called the PoweredUp Network, all Goleta homeowners, regardless of means, will have access to a turnkey, distributed home energy solution that includes smart battery storage. By signing up with the PoweredUp Network, residents can protect themselves and their homes from rising utility rates while creating a more resilient local grid infrastructure, furthering the City of Goleta’s renewable energy goals.
As part of the partnership, the City is collaborating on outreach and communications with Electriq Power. A new website, www.poweredupnetwork.com, launched in early August, features a dedicated page for the City of Goleta. Homeowners can learn more and signup for the PoweredUp Goleta Program via the website. The City’s PoweredUp Goleta webpage also provides information to the community with links to the full website. Over the coming month, direct mail, social media marketing, and Google Web advertising campaigns will focus on educating homeowners about the benefits of a zero upfront cost home solar and backup battery systems.
Goleta residents have shown interest in the program, and this has translated into 121 responses, with two complete installs and another 10 installations in process. PoweredUp Goleta will have an informational booth at the Lemon Festival and information will also be available at the City’s booth. Being able to connect one-on-one with Goleta residents further informs our community members on the sustainability and resiliency tools available to them through this partnership. To learn more, the public can register to attend a virtual “Lunch ‘N Learn” about PoweredUp Goleta on October 11th at noon https://bit.ly/PoweredGoleta.
9/22/2023 Energy & Green Issues Standing Committee Packet Page 14 of 14