Attachment 11: Approved Special Event Policy Guide Updates Resulting in an Amendment to Hermosa Beach Municipal Code Chapter 12.30, Special Events on Public Property and Section 12.30.030, Special Event Approval and Issuance Former Policy Approved Policy Update Discussion
The Impact Characteristic Matrix
previously considered the total
amount of event days requested
throughout the calendar year to
determine whether an event is an
Impact Level I, II, or III event.
Removal of this characteristic
from the Impact
Characteristic Matrix.
With the former policy, one-to-two-day events that take place numerous times throughout the year, such as the CBVA
Volleyball Tournaments and Beach Tennis Tournaments, were categorized as Impact Level III. However, these events are low impact. Allowing the former policy to remain would of further impacted the Peak Season Limits for Impact Level III events on the Beach, the Strand or Pier Plaza.
.
Impact Level III events and new
events to the City were subject to a
Public Hearing by both the
Commission and City Council.
Returning Impact Level III
events will not be subject to a
Public Hearing. New events
would still be subject to a
Public Hearing. Additionally,
any returning event to the
City requesting a significant
change to the event format
may be treated as a new
event and subject to a public
hearing at the discretion of
the Community Resources
Manager.
Public Hearings provide Public Notice in the Easy Reader (in the legal ad section), on the City website, and to members of the public who have subscribed to e-notifications through the City website. The Public Hearing requirement for new events is beneficial since the Public Notice serves as a tool to inform and invite the public to provide input on a new event in the City. 681
City of Hermosa Beach
Staff Report
City Hall
1315 Valley Drive
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0658
Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council Regular Meeting of October 25, 2022
APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL 2022 IMPACT LEVEL III
SPECIAL EVENTS: HERMOSA FOR THE HOLIDAYS (11/18-11/21)
AND LA GALAXY-WORLD CUP VIEWING PARTY (11/23-11/26)
(Community Resources Manager Lisa Nichols)
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends City Council:
1. Approve the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission’s recommendation to include two additional Impact Level III Special Events on the 2022 Special Events Calendar as proposed in the Staff Report; and
2. Approve staff’s recommendation for the City to serve as co-sponsor for the Hermosa for the Holidays, resulting in a fee-waiver of indirect costs.
Executive Summary:
The City of Hermosa Beach is a highly sought-after destination for special events. The Community Resources Department is tasked with overseeing these event requests and permits on public property. Impact Level III events, which are events with the largest impact to the City, require approval by City Council. New events to the City, require a Public Hearing by the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission (Commission) and City Council and City Council approval.
At its October 6, 2022 meeting, the Commission recommended City Council:
1. Approve the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission’s recommendation to include the following additional Impact Level III Special Events on the 2022 Special Events Calendar:
· Hermosa for the Holidays on Friday, November 18 through Monday, November 21, at various locations downtown and on the Beach, south of the Pier; and · LA Galaxy-World Cup Viewing Party on Wednesday, November 23 through Saturday, November 26 on Pier Plaza subject to the conditions imposed by the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission.
2. Approve staff recommendation for the City to serve as co-sponsor for the Hermosa for the City of Hermosa Beach Page 1 of 9 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™682
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Holidays, resulting in a fee-waiver of indirect costs.
Background:
The Special Events Policy Guide (Attachment 1) serves as a comprehensive document for event producers with information on the review and approval process, applicable fees, policies, and Hermosa Beach Municipal Code chapters and sections pertaining to special events. Special events are evaluated based on several factors and categorized as either Impact Level I, II or III using the Impact Characteristics Matrix in the Special Events Policy Guide. The matrix considers event characteristics to determine the Impact Level such as: the total estimated attendance; the event location; the day and season in which the event is proposed to take place; the total number of consecutive event days; and special requests such as reserved parking, amplified sound, etc. The Impact Level of the event is then used to determine the deadline for application submittal, and the level of review and approval required (City staff, Commission, and/or City Council) for the event.
Impact Level III events, which are events with the largest impact to the City, require approval by City Council. Impact Level II events require approval by the Commission and Impact Level I events are approved by staff.
Staff began accepting applications from all event producers interested in applying for 2022 event dates regardless of each event’s Impact Level on September 27, 2021. Event producers with Impact Level III event requests were required to submit a special event application by October 24, 2021 to be included within the first round of review and approval of Impact Level III events by the Commission and City Council in December. Staff continued to accept applications from event producers after the initial due dates that meet the processing timeframe and requirements based on the event’s Impact Level as outlined in the Special Events Policy Guide through Monday, October 2, 2022.
At its September 28, 2022 meeting, City Council approved Special Events Policy Guide updates.
Attachment 1 includes the approved updates. Two of the approved updates include the elimination of the requirement for returning Impact Level III events to be subject to a public hearing before the Commission and City Council and the addition that any new event will be subject to a public hearing before the Commission and City Council. The Hermosa for the Holidays is a returning Impact Level III event. The LA Galaxy-World Cup Viewing Party is a new event to the City since the event last took place in Hermosa Beach in 2014, prior to the implementation of the Special Events Policy Guide, in 2017. Therefore, it is required to follow the review and approval process of a new event to the City.
Since the recommended Special Event Policy Guide updates were not scheduled for City Council review and approval until September 28, 2022, to meet the public noticing requirements in place at the time of preparation of the Hermosa for the Holidays and LA Galaxy-World Cup Viewing Party, a Public Notice was issued demonstrating that both events would be considered for review and approval through a public hearing by both the Commission and City Council. Therefore, this item City of Hermosa Beach Page 2 of 9 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™683
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remains on this evening’s agenda as a Public Hearing to remain consistent with the Public Notice.
The additional Impact Level IlI event requests recommended for approval are included on the 2022 Special Events Calendar (Attachment 2).
Past Commission and City Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
September 20, 2021 Commission’s recommendation to City Council to approve Hermosa for the Holidays
October 12, 2021 City Council approval of Hermosa for the Holidays December 7, 2021 Commission’s r ecommendation to City Council to approve Impact Level III event requests
December 14, 2021 City Council approval of Impact Levell III event requests January 4, 2022 Commission’s recommendation to City Council to approve additional Impact Level III event requests
January 11, 2022 City Council approval of additional Impact Level III event requests
March 1, 2022 Commission’s recommendation to City Council to approve additional Impact Level III event requests
March 22, 2022 City Council approval of additional Impact Level III event requests
May 3, 2022 Commission’s recommendation to City Council to approve additional Impact Level III event requests
May 10, 2022 City Council approval of additional Impact Level III event requests
July 5, 2022 Commission’s recommendation to City Council to approve Special Events Policy Guide updates
September 6, 2022 Commission’s consideration of an additional Impact Level III event request. Event producer withdrew its application
September 28, 2022 City Council approval of the recommended Special Events Policy Guide updates
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Meeting Date Description
September 20, 2021 Commission’s recommendation to City Council to approve Hermosa for the Holidays
October 12, 2021 City Council approval of Hermosa for the Holidays December 7, 2021 Commission’s r ecommendation to City Council to approve Impact Level III event requests
December 14, 2021 City Council approval of Impact Levell III event requests January 4, 2022 Commission’s recommendation to City Council to approve additional Impact Level III event requests
January 11, 2022 City Council approval of additional Impact Level III event requests
March 1, 2022 Commission’s recommendation to City Council to approve additional Impact Level III event requests
March 22, 2022 City Council approval of additional Impact Level III event requests
May 3, 2022 Commission’s recommendation to City Council to approve additional Impact Level III event requests
May 10, 2022 City Council approval of additional Impact Level III event requests
July 5, 2022 Commission’s recommendation to City Council to approve Special Events Policy Guide updates
September 6, 2022 Commission’s consideration of an additional Impact Level III event request. Event producer withdrew its application
September 28, 2022 City Council approval of the recommended Special Events Policy Guide updates
October 6, 2022 Commission’s recommendation to City Council to approve additional Impact Level III event requests
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October 6, 2022 Commission’s recommendation to City Council to approve additional Impact Level III event requests
Discussion:
Staff received a total of two additional Impact Level IlI Special Event Applications. A brief summary of each event request is included below. Event overview sheets containing additional event details and a corresponding site plan for each event are included as attachments.
Hermosa for the Holidays
The Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau (Chamber) requests approval to hold Hermosa for the Holidays from Friday, November 18 through Sunday, November 20 with loadout on Monday, November 21. The event would take place at various locations throughout the Downtown area, including the beach south of the Pier. Event activities would include: a Santa’s Workshop for arts and crafts; a Storytime Tent; vendor booths; carnival rides; live music; and a Tree Lighting Ceremony. Additional event details are included in the Hermosa for the Holidays event overview sheet (Attachment 17).
Through the agreement between the City of Hermosa Beach and the Chamber to provide the Fiesta Hermosas, the Chamber is to fund and produce an annual holiday celebration and tree lighting event.
At its October 12, 2021 meeting, City Council approved the expansion of the 2021 holiday event from a one-day event to a three-day event, titled Hermosa for the Holidays, and for the City to serve as cosponsor for the event resulting in a waiver of $23,542 for two days of Pier Plaza Use Fees.
The recommendation for the City to co-sponsor the Hermosa for the Holidays event was due to the primary purpose of this contractual, community event being for public involvement, benefit and not for profit. If City Council approves Commission’s recommendation to approve the Hermosa for the Holidays event as proposed, staff recommends City Council approve the City to serve as co-sponsor for the Hermosa for the Holidays event again in 2022 resulting in a waiver of indirect costs. This recommendation is in line with the fee structure for the St. Patrick’s Day, Fiesta Hermosas, and New Year’s Eve Celebration events permitted through the agreement between the City of Hermosa Beach and the Chamber. The proposed fees to be waived, and estimated fees payable to the City for the Hermosa for the Holidays event, would be as listed in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Hermosa for the Holidays Estimated Event Fees
Indirect Costs (Proposed Fee Waivers)
Fee Cost Calculation Total
Category III $3,253
per event day
$3,253
x 3 event days
$9,579
Event
Co-Sponsor
$311 each To Be Determined (TBD) TBD
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Indirect Costs (Proposed Fee Waivers)
Fee Cost Calculation Total
Category III $3,253
per event day
$3,253
x 3 event days
$9,579
Event
Co-Sponsor
$311 each To Be Determined (TBD) TBD
Event Set-up $278
per set-up day
$278
x 1 set-up day
$278
Pier Plaza Use $12,312
per event day
$12,312
x 3 event days
$36,936
Proposed Fee Waiver Total: $45,793 (plus Event
Co-Sponsor fees
TBD)
Direct Costs (Payable to the City)
Fee Cost Calculation Total
Application $616 - $616
Amplified
Sound Permit
$181 - $181
Parking $1.25 per hour
(8am-8pm)
$1.50 per hour
(8pm-8am)
TBD TBD
Direct Costs Total: $797 (plus parking
fees TBD)
*Additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
LA Galaxy-World Cup Viewing Party
LA Galaxy requests to hold a World Cup Viewing Party on Friday, November 25 and Saturday, November 26 on Pier Plaza. Event load-in would take place Wednesday, November 23 with event equipment to remain in place through Thursday, November 24. The event would include a stage and screen on Pier Plaza to broadcast two World Cup games each event day. The event expects up to 2,000 attendees per day. The City would require the event producer to provide at least two security guards overnight to monitor the event equipment, and at least 10 security guards present during the City of Hermosa Beach Page 6 of 9 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™687
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guards overnight to monitor the event equipment, and at least 10 security guards present during the event times for crowd management. Additionally, the event load-in and load-out would be monitored by City staff. Additional event details are included in the LA Galaxy-World Cup Viewing Party event overview sheet (Attachment 18). Estimated permit fees payable to the City are included in Table 2 below.
Table 2: LA Galaxy-World Cup Viewing Party Estimated Permit Fees Fee Cost Calculation Total
Application
(Non-profit)
$924 - $924
Amplified
Sound Permit
$181 - $181
Event Set-up $278
per set-up day
$278
x 2 set-up days
$556
Parking $1.25 per hour
(8am-8pm)
$1.50 per hour
(8pm-8am)
TBD TBD
Pier Plaza Use $12,312 per
event day
$12,312
X 2 event days
$24,624
Estimated Permit Fees Total: $26,285 (plus
parking fees TBD)
*Additional
fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
At its regular meeting of October 6, 2022, Commission recommended for approval, the LA GalaxyWorld Cup Viewing Party under the following conditions:
· LA Galaxy would continue to work with the City to ensure that public safety requirements are met;
· LA Galaxy would continue to work with the City, with the assistance of the Chamber, on a marketing strategy to limit large-scale event noticing; City of Hermosa Beach Page 7 of 9 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™688
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· LA Galaxy ensure emergency access lanes are defined along Pier Plaza; and · Staff continue to update the Commission on the marketing strategy and public safety requirements.
This motion passed with a 4-1 vote.
The City’s Special Event Team, which consists of a representative from each City Department, including the Hermosa Beach Police Department, and Los Angeles County Fire Department, would continue to work with LA Galaxy to ensure the Commission’s concerns are addressed.
General Plan Consistency:
This report and associated recommendation have been evaluated for their consistency with the City’s General Plan. Relevant Policies are listed below:
Governance Element
Goal 5. Small beach town character is reflected throughout Hermosa Beach.
Policy:
• 5.7 Visitor and resident balance. Recognizing the desire and need to balance visitor-serving and local-serving uses as a key to preserving character and the economic vitality of the community.
Parks and Open Space Element
Goal 3. Community parks and facilities encourage social activity and interaction.
Policies:
• 3.1 Community-friendly events. Encourage, permit, and support community group, nonprofit, or business organized events on City property that support physical activity, beach culture, and family-friendly social interactions.
• 3.2 Social and cultural events. Design and program parks and open space to accommodate unique social and cultural events to foster connectedness and interaction. • 3.3 Commercial use of facilities. Regulate and enforce commercial use of City parks and open spaces to ensure activities do not impact general use and enjoyment.
Goal 7. The beach offers high quality recreational opportunities and amenities desired by the community.
Policies:
• 7.3 Recreational asset. Consider and treat the beach as a recreational asset and never as a commercial enterprise.
• 7.5 Designated recreational uses. Continually evaluate and explore devoting certain portions of the beach to different preferred recreational uses while providing access for all users and City of Hermosa Beach Page 8 of 9 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™689
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of the beach to different preferred recreational uses while providing access for all users and meeting the recreation needs of visitors and residents.
Fiscal Impact:
If approved, estimated event revenue would be approximately $27,082 and the fee waiver total would be approximately $45,793.
Attachments:
1. Special Events Policy Guide
2. 2022 Special Events Calendar
3. Link to September 20, 2021 Commission Staff Report
4. Link to October 12, 2021 City Council Staff Report
5. Link to December 7, 2021 Commission Staff Report
6. Link to December 14, 2021 City Council Staff Report
7. Link to January 4, 2022 Commission Staff Report
8. Link to January 11, 2022 City Council Staff Report
9. Link to March 1, 2022 Commission Staff Report
10.Link to March 22, 2022 City Council Staff Repot
11. Link to May 3, 2022 Commission Staff Report
12.Link to May 10, 2022 City Council Staff Report
13. Link to July 5, 2022 Commission Staff Report
14.Link to September 6, 2022 Commission Staff Report
15. Link to September 28, 2022 City Council Staff Report
16. Link to October 6, 2022 Commission Staff Report
17.Hermosa for the Holidays Event Overview Sheet
18.LA Galaxy - World Cup Viewing Party Event Overview Sheet Respectfully Submitted by: Lisa Nichols, Community Resources Manager Noted for Fiscal Impact: Viki Copeland, Finance Director Legal Review: Mike Jenkins, City Attorney
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager
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HERMOSA BEACH
SPECIAL EVENTS POLICY GUIDE
691
1 This policy guide has been developed to clarify and carry out the City’s mission statement related to special events that occur on outdoor public spaces within the community.
Cover Image: Hermosa Beach Murals Project - John Van Hamersveld Mission Statement
Hermosa Beach strives to offer a safe and enjoyable environment for special events to take place in a way that balances resident and visitor needs. Special events in Hermosa Beach are celebrated for being community-friendly, enhancing local beach culture, and offering a myriad of benefits to the local community. The City of Hermosa Beach* works collaboratively with event operators in an efficient and clear manner to process and carry out permits in compliance with this policy.
* “City of Hermosa Beach” collectively refers to City staff, Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission, City Manager, and City Council.
City Contact Information
The City of Hermosa Beach Department of Community Resources is available to assist and answer any questions related to the special events process:
Website: www.hermosabeach.gov
Phone: (310) 318-0280
Email: [email protected]
Address: 710 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
692
2 Table of Contents
General Information + Frequently Asked Questions.......................................................................................3 When is a special event permit required?
How do I apply for a special event permit?
Are private events allowed?
What is the “Nothing Weekend”?
How will this policy be enforced?
Where are special events allowed?
Use Classification + Impact Characteristics……………………………………………….…...…………………5 Impact Characteristics Matrix
Pass-Through Events
Pier Plaza Promotions
Approval Guidelines + Requirements……………………………………………………………………….…….6 Event Approval Findings
Application Submittal Deadlines and Approval Process
Peak Season Event Limits
Simultaneous Use of North and South Volleyball Courts
Pre/Post Event Meetings
Accessibility Plan
Site Plan, Equipment, and Signage
Amplified Sound
Food, Beverage, or Merchandise Sales
Professional Filming
Security
Insurance
Event Day Expectations
Applicable Fees…………………………………………………………………………………….……………10 Current Fee Schedule
Application Fees
Special event permit Fee
Additional Fees
Damage Deposit
Refund/Cancellation Policy
Compliance…...…………………………………………………………………………………………...……12 Environmental Requirements
Applicable Codes + Regulations
Fee Waivers…...…………………………………………………………………………….…………...………13 Funding Limits
Eligibility
Approval
Obligations
Disqualification
Long-term Agreements………………………………………………………………………………..…………14 Eligibility
Term Limits
Procedures
Obligations
693
3 General Information + Frequently Asked Questions
When is a special event permit required?
Any organized event, activity, celebration, or function involving the use of the beach at which one hundred or more persons are to be assembled, or use of outdoor city facilities, rights-of-way, or parkland at which twentyfive or more persons are to be assembled, requires a special event permit. Additionally, a special event permit shall be required for any commercial or non-profit group requesting use of any outdoor city facilities, rights-ofway, or parkland within the city.
How do I apply for a special event permit?
Applications for special events must be submitted using the online form on the City of Hermosa Beach website and questions may be directed toward the Department of Community Resources.
Are private events allowed?
All events located on the beach within the commercial zone, the Pier, or Pier Plaza must be open to spectators/general public free of charge. Participant entry fees are permissible.
What is the “Nothing Weekend”?
On at least one weekend during each summer season, the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission will recommend no special event permits be issued. This means that any application for a special event permit that coincides with the designated “Nothing Weekend” will be asked to change dates for the event to be considered.
How will this policy be enforced?
The special events policy will be strictly enforced by Community Resources Department, Code Enforcement Officers, and the Police Department. Events, either permitted or unpermitted, found to be violating City policy or failing to comply with any of the requirements of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code may be subject to penalties or fines. Special events, and any of its participants, vendors, or spectators, found to have caused damage or be in violation of any City policy or the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code may be subject to greater deposits, regulation, or restrictions when submitting special event applications in the future.
Where are special events allowed?
To ensure adequate space and resources are available, and to limit potential disturbances to the community, special events are limited to the following locations:
• South of Pier within the Commercial Zone; between 10th Street and the Pier; • North of the Pier within the Commercial Zone; between the Pier and 15th Street; • Designated Surf Zone
• The Strand
o Strand use is only permitted for events continuously moving with no obstruction to public access; • Pier Plaza;
• Within public right of way (please note that any event within the public right of way is subject to approval by the Chief of Police); and
• The following City parks:
o Valley Park, 2521 Valley Drive;
o Community Center, 710 Pier Avenue;
o Clark Field, 861 Valley Drive;
o Edith Rodaway Park: 350 Prospect Avenue; and
o The Greenbelt.
Special event applications for City parks not included above will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Special event permits will not be issued for South Park, 425 Valley Drive, or Noble Park, 1400 The Strand. 694
4 Commercial Zone
695
5 Use Classifications + Impact Characteristics
Special events are evaluated based on several factors and will be categorized as Impact Level I, II, or III based on the information provided in the special event application. Once the information is submitted and reviewed by the Community Resources Department, City staff will determine the Impact Level of the event using the Impact Characteristics Matrix.
The Impact Level of the event will be used to determine:
o applicable fees;
o deadline for the special event application submittal; o requirements for pre-event meeting(s) and post event walk through(s); and o level of review for approval (City staff, Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and/or City Council).
Impact Characteristics Matrix
If more than one option is applicable, the highest characteristic will be used to determine the impact level.
Characteristic Impact Level I Impact Level II Impact Level III Total Attendees and Spectators
Per Event Day
100-500 501 – 1,999 2,000 or More
Event Location(s) Park or Beach The Pier or Pier Plaza Streets, the Strand, or Public Right of Way
Use of Volleyball Courts and
Beach Tennis Courts
None • North
Volleyball
Courts; or
• Beach
Tennis Courts
• North and South
Volleyball Courts;
or
• North and South
Volleyball Courts
and Beach Tennis
Courts; or
• North Volleyball
Courts and Beach
Tennis Courts
Event Season(s) Winter Spring or Fall Summer –
Peak Season
(Memorial Day to
Labor Day)
Event Day(s) Monday - Thursday Friday, Saturday, or
Sunday
Holiday
Total Consecutive Event Days
(Including Set-up and Tear-down)
1-2 3-4 5 or More
(May not exceed 15)
Additional requests such as Film/Still
Photo Permit, Reserved Parking,
Fencing, Staging, Street Closures, or
Amplified Sound Permit
None 1-2 3 or more
Impact Level 5 or More
Applicable
=Impact Level I
2 or More
Applicable
= Impact Level II
2 or more Applicable =
Impact Level III
Pass-Through Events
A pass-through event is exactly what the name implies, the event participants pass through the City of Hermosa Beach and the event does not start or end in Hermosa Beach. A special event application is required to be submitted and pass-through events are required to follow the approval process required based on the Impact Level assigned to the event.
Pier Plaza Promotions
696
6 The Pier Plaza Promotion option is designed to provide companies or event sponsors a one-day promotional opportunity on Pier Plaza subject to the Pier Plaza Use fee. These events must be strictly commercial product or service promotions and not special events. Companies or sponsors who request approval for this use will be required to submit a special event application. Up to five Pier Plaza Promotions may be approved each calendar year.
Approval Guidelines + Requirements
Event Approval Findings
A special event permit may be issued upon finding that:
1. The applicant reimburses the City for all costs incurred by the City in connection with the event, including public safety, traffic control and monitoring.
2. The number of estimated attendees can be accommodated at the proposed location and surrounding area.
3. The applicant is capable and qualified to manage the event in a competent, professional manner in accordance with all conditions of approval.
4. Adequate provision has been made for satellite parking, shuttle transportation and traffic control (as requested and determined by City staff).
5. Adequate provision has been made for security, crowd control, ingress and egress, and clean-up (as requested and determined by City staff).
6. Adequate provision has been made for trash clean-up and pick-up (as requested and determined by City staff).
7. Adequate provision has been made for additional portable restroom facilities (as requested and determined by City Staff).
8. The total number of days required for the event shall not exceed sixteen consecutive days.
9. The applicant provides required insurance, deposits, bonding and indemnification of the City.
Application Submittal Deadlines and Approval Process
Special event applications must be submitted as follows:
• New events: If the new event is an Impact Level I or II, the application must be submitted at least ninety (90) days in advance of the event. If the new event is an Impact Level III, the application must be submitted no later than July 30 for the following calendar year. New events to Hermosa Beach will be subject to a Public Hearing by both the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and City Council.
• Returning Level III events: Must be submitted no later than July 30 for the following calendar year. Upon recommendation for approval by the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and approval by City Council, permits will be processed and issued by the Community Resources Manager.
• Returning Level II events: Must be submitted at least ninety (90) days in advance of the event. Upon Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission approval, the Community Resources Manager may process and issue permits. Should the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission recommend denial of a special event, that decision may be appealed to the City Council. • Returning Level I events: Must be submitted at least thirty (30) days in advance of the event. Level I events will be reviewed, and permits will be issued by the Community Resources Manager. Should the Community Resources Manager recommend denial of a special event, that decision may be appealed to City Council.
o Pier Plaza Promotions: Review and approval of Pier Plaza Promotion events will follow the same approval process as Level I events.
Any returning event to the City that is requesting a significant change to the event format including the location, total event days, or estimated attendance and spectator total may be subject to the application submittal deadlines and approval process outlined for new events at the discretion of the Community Resources Manager.
The Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and City Council will evaluate and recommend approval of Impact Level III events and a “Nothing Weekend” first, and then will consider approval of Impact Level II events. Then staff will consider approval of Impact Level I events. Events submitted earliest will be given priority for their preferred dates. 697
7 Review Timeline Application Period
Opens
Last Day to
Submit Application
Parks, Recreation and
Community Resources
Advisory Commission
Review
City Council Review
Impact Level I
October 15
(for following
calendar year)
30 days prior to event n/a n/a
Impact Level II
October 15
(for following
calendar year)
90 days prior to event Beginning in
December n/a
Impact Level III July 1
(for following
calendar year)
July 30
(for following
calendar year)
September Meeting October Meeting
At the discretion of the Community Resources Manager, special event applications may be submitted for consideration after the application submittal deadline has passed, provided:
• there are unforeseeable circumstances (memorial service, team victory celebration, need for minimal marketing/advertising)
• the event does not exceed Peak Season Event Limits
• the event can still meet all of the event approval findings The Community Resources Manager and the City’s Special Events Team will participate in the review and approval of special event applications submitted after the deadline has passed. The Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and City Council will receive an update on the status of events submitted after the deadlines.
Event organizers are expected to be present at the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and City Council meetings (if required) where their event is scheduled to be reviewed.
Peak Season Event Limits
To balance coastal access with beach events, the Beach, the Strand, and Pier Plaza will be limited to the following number of events during the peak summer season (Memorial Day to Labor Day – approximately 100 days over the summer):
o Maximum of 45 days used by Level III Events
o Maximum of 25 days used by Level I and II Events, and (on days not used by Level III Events) Events under a Long-Term Agreement will be categorized by their Impact Level o City Sponsored/Contracted Events will be categorized by their Impact Level The monthly number of event limits for off-peak season (Labor Day to Memorial Day) will be limited to a maximum of 15 days used by events per month. Additionally, only two events per any given day will be permitted in the City.
Simultaneous Use of North and South Volleyball Courts
One side of the North and South of Pier Volleyball courts will be required to remain open for general public use during special events occurring on weekends. An exception may be provided for events that occur at the same time as City-sponsored classes utilizing the North or South of Pier Volleyball Courts or at the discretion of the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and City Council.
Impact to Beach Tennis Courts
Any event requesting removal of the Beach Tennis Courts must provide one of the following:
• An event footprint that would allow for at least three of the permanent Beach Tennis Courts to remain for general public use; or
• Temporary Beach Tennis Courts available for general public use. o Temporary courts must remain at least 50 feet from the strand wall and shall not block beach access or hinder emergency access onto and from the beach by the Los Angeles County Lifeguards. If temporary courts are provided outside of the Commercial Zone, outside of the event footprint, it is the responsibility of the event producer to set-up and remove the courts daily as they are not permitted to remain overnight.
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8 o The City and Beach Tennis community would assist with providing the temporary poles and nets to the event producer and provide guidance for installation/removal.
Event Notifications
The Community Resources Department may require event producers to provide written notification to all residents and businesses within a 500-foot radius of the event site. The City shall provide the notice, which shall include the date and time of the event and the telephone number of the designated event representative.
Said written notice shall be provided to the surrounding residents and businesses by the event representative not less than 1 week prior to the event. Additionally, new event requests for locations outside of the Beach or downtown area, require event notifications to be posted at the event site leading up to the scheduled Public Hearing to provide the community additional notice of the proposed new event.
Pre/Post Event Meetings
Pre-event meetings and post-event walkthrough/evaluations with City staff and event producers may be required.
A “pre-event meeting” may be scheduled anytime between 3 months to several weeks prior to the actual event date as determined by City staff. The goal of this meeting is to provide information to all City Departments involved or impacted by the event. The Community Resources Department may require any event to have an “on-site meeting” prior to the event and a final site map must be presented at this time. City staff may require multiple meetings if the event details require further discussion or if additional information is requested. First-time events that expect to be recurring events may also be required to attend a “post-event meeting.” The Community Resources Department will invite representatives from other City Departments to these meetings, which are involved or affected by the event.
Permits may also specify a time for a “post-event walkthrough” where the applicant, event coordinator, or an authorized representative of the applicant is required to be present, as staff will walk through the site and assess the condition it was left in. Failure to participate in pre or post meeting events, may jeopardize your approved event or future events in Hermosa Beach.
Site Plan, Equipment, and Signage
A detailed map schematic must be submitted to move forward with the review and approval process that includes the proposed location of the event, including all temporary facilities, structures, signage, and /or equipment to be erected, ingress and egress, number and type of vehicles and whether existing structures and/or facilities are to be relocated or modified. Events requiring Building, Police, or Fire Department review, must include maps and plans that are drawn to scale.
All recreational activities and set-up of recreational equipment should remain at least 50 feet from the Strand wall. Special considerations may be made for permitted, and City approved recreational events or activities.
All event-related activities and set-up shall not block beach access or hinder emergency access onto and from the beach by the Los Angeles County Lifeguards.
All tents must remain at least 10 feet from the Strand wall.
A parking plan showing the number of public parking spaces to be occupied by the event organizers, the location of satellite parking lots to be used for attendee parking, arrangements for shuttle bus transportation, and plans for publicizing the availability of off-site public parking may be required.
Events that set up bleachers, stages higher than 2’ off the ground, fencing or other temporary structures will be subject to review and inspection prior to the start of the event. Accessibility compliance will be required for seating, bleachers or any stages higher than 2’ off the ground. Pedestrian access shall be maintained, and a layout plan may be required to ensure proper access and circulation.
Events including promotional signs/banners, a frame signs, and other signage items shall not be placed on City facilities or premises without prior written approval from the City and must include a temporary sign/banner permit and site plan.
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9 Accessibility Plan
It is the applicant’s responsibility to comply with all City, County, State and Federal disability access requirements applicable to the event, including the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). All indoor and outdoor sites, activities and programs must be accessible to persons with disabilities.
Amplified Sound
Amplified sound (Public Address system for announcements, etc.) is limited to the hours of 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM for up to a total of four hours in any day. Exceptions may be approved for special events, in conjunction with the special event approval process. Events must comply with the City Noise Ordinance HBMC 8.24 and speakers must be facing westward (towards the ocean) at all times. Event producers are required to obtain an Amplified Sound Permit if the event intends to use a loudspeaker or sound amplifying equipment for the purpose of giving instructions, directions, lectures, or transmitting music. Requests should be noted when submitting a special event application to the Community Resources Department to ensure proper coordination with the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police will consider the following in the issuance of amplified sound permits:
1. The volume and intensity of the noise, particularly as it is experienced within a residence or place of business;
2. Whether the noise is prolonged and continuous;
3. How the noise contrasts with the ambient noise level;
4. The proximity of the noise source to residential and commercial uses;
5. The time of day; and
6. The anticipated duration of the noise
Food, Beverage, or Merchandise Sales
In accordance with HBMC Section 12.20.300, the sale of food, non-alcoholic beverages, or branded merchandise from the event producer on the beach are allowed pursuant to a special event permit approved by the City Council. The sale of any other commodity, merchandise, wares, products, or service on the beach or the strand is not allowed.
Applicant is responsible for obtaining any applicable food or beverage permits. A Temporary Food Permit is required when selling, serving, giving away, or sampling food or consumable products, including water or other beverages, at a public event. Additionally, each food vendor at the event must also have a Temporary Food Permit. Different permits, policies and procedures depend on the classification and the number of days of the event. As part of the food handling requirements, applicants or event organizers are required to include public safety features in the event plans such as hand-washing sinks. The County of Los Angeles Department of Environmental Health issues food permits. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all vendors have current permits.
If the sale of alcohol is included in a special event application (requests for alcohol on the beach will not be approved), approval from the City Council is required and the applicant must request authorization from the State of California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC). A copy of the ABC License must be provided to the Community Resources Department prior to the issuance of a permit. City departments may place restrictions on the way in which alcohol is managed at a proposed event.
Professional Filming
A Film/Still Photo Permit is required for any event utilizing professional filming or still photo equipment or recording or photographing of activities resulting in commercial use. Information about professional filming permits can be obtained on the City of Hermosa Beach website.
Security
City staff or law enforcement may deem an activity warrants the presence of one or more Police Officers or security personnel and the cost of such services shall be borne by the applicant. Security personnel must be licensed, in uniform and are subject to approval by the City. Proof of obtaining the required security personnel must be provided to the Community Resources Manager at least two (2) weeks prior to the event.
Portable Restrooms + Hand Sanitizing/Sink Facilities
Events may be required to provide portable restrooms and hand-sanitizing/sink facilities. The cost of such services shall be borne by the applicant. The number of portable restrooms and hand-sanitizing/sink facilities required will be determined by City staff and factors such as the event location, total duration of the event, estimated attendance (participants and spectators), season the event takes place and whether food and 700
10 beverage will be served will be considered. City staff will designate the location for any portable restrooms and hand-sanitizing/sink facilities required at the event location.
Insurance
At least ten (10) days prior to the event, applicants will provide the City with a certificate of insurance providing liability insurance with the following requirements:
Applicant agrees to furnish the City of Hermosa Beach evidence of comprehensive general liability insurance in the form of a certificate naming "the City of Hermosa Beach, its officers, agents, volunteers, and employees as additional insureds." This exact verbiage is required. Applicant shall notify the City at least thirty (30) days prior to the termination, reduction, cancellation, suspension, modification, or expiration of the policy. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Applicant shall maintain insurance coverage meeting the standards outlined in this Section at all times during the term of the activity or activities for which Applicant submitted its application, as reflected in and permitted by this Agreement. All certificates are subject to approval of the City’s Risk Manager.
Coverage shall be at least as broad as Insurance Services Form CG 00 01 covering commercial general liability on an "occurrence" basis, including property damage, bodily injury, death, and personal and advertising injury with limits no less than two million dollars ($2,000,000) per occurrence. If a general aggregate limit applies, either the general aggregate limit shall apply separately to this Agreement, or the general aggregate limit shall be twice the required occurrence limit. The City reserves the right to request greater or lesser amounts of insurance coverage.
If the use includes athletic activities, Applicant shall provide evidence of that the commercial general liability insurance includes coverage for injuries to athletic participants and participant accident insurance.
If the Applicant maintains broader coverage and/or higher limits than the minimums shown above, the City requires and shall be entitled to the broader coverage and/or the higher limits maintained. Any available insurance proceeds in excess of the specified minimum limits of insurance and coverage shall be available to the City.
Event Day Expectations
In order to immediately address any issues or changes that may arise during the course of an event, producers are responsible for:
• Providing a cell phone number upon which City staff may contact the producer • Being available on-site or providing a designated contact at all times during the event. This includes agreement that producers (or their designated contact) will not actively participate in the event. • Maintaining copies of all applicable special event permits and any other permits issued by the City of Hermosa Beach on-site during the event.
Applicable Fees
All special events are subject to an application fee, special event category fees and additional fees established by resolution of the City Council and any additional costs incurred by the City on behalf of the event. Payment of special event fees is due upon receipt. The Community Resources Manager has the discretion to revoke a permit or place a hold on processing future event applications if all applicable fees are not paid in a timely manner.
Current Fee Schedule
Event Categories Fee
Category I
• Less than 500 people
Non-profit: $2 per registrant
and roster or participants
due to City
Commercial: 70/30
split of proceeds
and roster or participants
due to City
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11 Category II
• Impacts public areas for no longer than one (1) day including set-up/tear-down • Is conducted in the off-season (not between Memorial Day and Labor Day or on any holiday)
• Participant plus spectator crowd more than 500 but less than 3,000 • Has no television coverage (except news)
• A non-profit entity is the beneficiary of the net revenues (100%) • Does not meet any of the identifying criteria for a Category III or IV event $2,940 per event day
Category III
• Impacts public areas for more than one (1) day including set-up/tear-down • Participant plus Spectator crowd does not exceed 5,000 • Has no television coverage (except news)
• Has more than $3,000 and less than $50,000 in prize money • Does not meet any of the identifying criteria for a Category IV event $3,235 per event day
Category IV
• Meets Category III Criteria and has one or more of the following:
▪ Has network television coverage
▪ Estimated participant/spectator crowds exceed 5,000 people ▪ Prize money in excess of $50,000
▪ Charges admission to spectator
▪ Gross revenues in excess of $50,000
$5,882 per event day
Additional Fees Fees
Commercial Application Fee - non-refundable $924
Non-Profit Application Fee - non-refundable $616
Pass-Thru Application Fee - non-refundable $308
Amplified Sound Permit $181
Pier Plaza Use Fee $12,312 per event day
Event Co-Sponsor $311 each
Event Set-Up/Tear-Down $278 per location, per day
Community Resources Staff $369 per day
Parking Meter Space Fee $1.25 per hour (8am-8pm)
$1.50 per hour (8pm-8am)
Depending on event details additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Building Division, Police Department, Public Works Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Application Fees
Upon review of the special event application, City staff will follow up to the event contact to collect payment of the application fee, which will be due immediately to continue the review and approval process. This fee will not be applied to special event permit fees and is non-refundable.
Special Event Permit Fees
Events are subject to a daily permit fee based on the designated event category level.
Payment of applicable special event permit fees shall be due following event approval and must be submitted at least 10 days in advance of the scheduled event.
Additional Fees
The Community Resources Department will confirm the necessary permits during application review and will coordinate with applicants to secure permits and process fees from the appropriate City departments once the special event is approved by the appropriate review body. Additional fees may be required for:
• the use of Pier Plaza and reservation of City Facilities • installation of street banners or temporary signs
• reservation/use of public parking spaces
702
12 • use of amplified sound
• use of professional filming or still photography
• presence of police, fire, community resources, or paramedic staff on site before, during or after event • application for business license
Damage Deposit
Monetary deposits, bonds and other security may be necessary to guarantee performance of all required conditions, clean-up and repair of any City property or facilities damaged as a result of the event. Events may be required to submit a deposit to cover any potential damage to City facilities. All or a portion of the deposit may be refunded upon post event inspection or sign-off by Public Works, Chief of Police, or other applicable City staff. Events will be billed for the costs to repair or replace any City property damaged as a result of the event if the damage exceeds the deposit provided.
Refund/Cancellation Policy
Once a permit is approved and issued, the special event permit and additional impact fees may be refunded when written notice is given to the Community Resources Department at least two weeks prior to the event date and provided that no staff services are incurred. If rain is predicted and the decision is made to cancel within two weeks prior to the event, no monetary refund will be given but City staff will work with event producers to re-schedule events to another available date.
Compliance
Environmental Requirements
All events will be required to submit an environmental protection plan showing proposed compliance to reduce environmental impacts as part of the application form. Such measures may include, but shall not be limited to:
• Waste recycling and reduction
• Energy efficiency
• Protection of the marine environment
• Community education opportunities
• Monitoring and reporting compliance with the environmental protection plan Applicable Codes + Regulations
The City of Hermosa Beach Municipal Code governs the approval, review, and enforcement of special events.
The Special Event Policy rules and regulations must be strictly adhered to and all pertinent City Ordinances shall be enforced. The sections of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code relevant to special events include:
Title 8 – Health and Safety
8.24 Noise Control
8.64 Ban on Polystyrene Food Service Ware
Title 9 – Public Peace Morals and Welfare
9.28 Parties, Events and Gatherings on Private Property Title 10 – Vehicles and Traffic
10.28 Loading and Unloading
10.32 Stopping, Standing and Parking
Title 12 Street, Sidewalks and Public Places
12.20 Beach and Strand Regulations
12.24 Municipal Pier
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13 12.28 Parks, Playgrounds and Other Public Areas
12.30 Special Events on Public Property
Fee Waivers
To support qualifying organizations, the City provides special event fee waiver grant opportunities to assist in its success by relieving the financial burden associated with the cost of the City’s special event fees. The Special Event Fee Waiver Grant Policy is intended for those events required to complete the annual special event application filing, review, and approval process. Events and organizations that qualify for a long-term agreement or in a City Contract are not bound to the terms of this policy.
Funding Limits
The Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission (Commission) awards grant funding for qualified organizations that have received approval to hold their event in the City of Hermosa Beach. The annual award limit of the Special Event Fee Waiver Grant is approved by the City Council each fall for the upcoming calendar year. Grants will be awarded up to a maximum of $2,500 per event or a 50% reduction of indirect City special event fees, whichever is the lesser amount.
Awards may only be used toward indirect special event fees charged by the City; direct costs are not eligible for consideration of this grant and organizations are required to pay those in full. A fee worksheet is included in the Fee Waiver Grant Application that further outlines those fees eligible under this grant. The minimum amount of requested special event fee waiver grants must total at least $250. Fee waivers will not be considered for events taking place during the Peak Season between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible to apply for a Special Event Fee Waiver Grant, the special event must be a returning event to the City and have been successfully approved through its applicable approval process as outlined in the Special Event Policy Guide. New events to the City do not qualify for a fee waiver grant. Following approval of a special event, a completed Special Event Fee Waiver Grant Application is required to be submitted to the Community Resources Department at least 60 days prior to the event. Following a review to ensure the completeness of the application, the request will be included on an upcoming meeting of the Commission for its formal review and determination of grant award.
Fee waivers may be granted when the Commission determines that the event is of significant value to the community or to a significant portion of its residents. The organization producing the event must meet the following criteria:
1) An organization that is not delinquent on city permits or fees. 2) The organization and/or event can demonstrate:
a. A community benefit; or
b. A positive economic impact as a result of the event.
Applicants will be requested to demonstrate the following:
• A financial need or other economic justification to be considered for a Fee Waiver Grant; • A positive community benefit through the organization or its event by meeting at least two of the following criteria:
a. The organization and/or event serves, involves, and/or promotes Hermosa Beach, its residents, schools, and/or businesses;
b. The organization and/or event can demonstrate broad community support and sponsorship; c. The event appeals to a wide segment of community members; d. The organization and/or event enhances the quality of life to the Hermosa Beach community; offering recreational, cultural, social, and or and/or educational activities of interest to the community;
e. The organization can demonstrate a commitment to supporting the City’s active and healthy lifestyle as a result of the event; and/or
f. The organization/and or event addresses an unmet community need. • A positive economic impact as a result of the event by providing the following information:
704
14 a. If the event is consecutive days, data indicating the total number of participants that utilize overnight lodging in the City of Hermosa Beach; and
b. Data indicating the participants spending in Hermosa Beach during the duration of the event at any of the businesses in the City of Hermosa Beach.
Additionally, applicants must be able to fully fund their event should they not receive a fee waiver grant and may not be dependent on the fee waiver grant to determine their ability to hold the event.
Events specifically prohibited from receiving a fee waiver grant include those events that:
• Promote, advocate or advance a political message or belief. • Projects or organizations who have unsatisfactorily fulfilled its obligations from previous fee waiver grants.
Approval
The five (5) member Commission is tasked with reviewing and determining the level of Special Event Fee Waiver Grant award at one of their regular meetings held on the first Tuesday of each month beginning at 7:00pm.
Consideration will include careful review of:
• Special Event Fee Waiver Grant Application.
• Community Benefit Form
• Economic Impact Report
• Successful fulfillment of previously awarded grant obligations.
The Commission’s decision to deny grant funding for specific events is appealable by the City Council. The City Council will not consider additional fee waiver considerations in addition to the maximum award amounts allowable through the Special Event Fee Waiver Grant program.
Obligations
Organization receiving grant funding through the Special Event Fee Waiver Grant program will be required to complete the following:
• A formal presentation to the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission at one of its regular meetings no more than 60-days following the event. The presentation shall include discussion of:
o Number of attendees.
o Beneficiary of funds raised by the event (if applicable). o Overview of event budget and financial outlook.
o Overview of the community benefit and/or positive economic impact to the City of Hermosa Beach.
Disqualification
Failure to complete these requirements in accordance with this policy shall automatically disqualify the organization from submitting a future request to receive a Special Event Fee Waiver Grant for the remainder of the current calendar year plus one additional year.
If any information submitted as part of the Special Event Fee Waiver Grant is found to be fraudulent, event approvals already granted for the remainder of the calendar year will be automatically revoked. While the organization will be permitted to reapply for approval of event(s) in the following calendar year, it will no longer be eligible to apply for Special Event Fee Waiver Grants.
Long-term Agreements
The City of Hermosa Beach recognizes the value in hosting a variety of beloved community events that help create a balanced and enjoyable events calendar for its residents. To support and develop a long-term approach to the scheduling of events, eligible events can qualify for a long-term agreement (LTA) with the City.
Eligibility
In order for an organization to be eligible for consideration of a long-term agreement, the event(s) must meet at least three of the following:
705
15 □ The event(s) must qualify as an Impact Level II or III (per the Impact Worksheet), and at least one of the following:
o Have a combined estimated total of 5,000 people in attendance; or o The event must be at least two (2) consecutive days (including setup and teardown). □ Have held its event in Hermosa Beach for at least three consecutive years □ The event must be produced by an organization that serves, involves, and/or promotes Hermosa Beach’s coastal lifestyle, its residents, schools, and/or businesses; and □ The organization or event producer must be able to demonstrate how its programs (outside of those provided at the event) provide a positive impact to the City including enhancements to quality of life to the Hermosa Beach community; or the offering of recreational, cultural, social, and/or educational activities of interest to the community.
□ The event can demonstrate:
o A community benefit; or
o A positive economic impact as a result of the event.
Applicants will be requested to demonstrate a positive community benefit through the organization or its event by meeting at least two of the following criteria:
□ The organization and/or event serves, involves, and/or promotes Hermosa Beach, its residents, schools, and/or businesses;
□ The organization and/or event can demonstrate broad community support and sponsorship; □ The event appeals to a wide segment of community members; □ The organization and/or event enhances the quality of life to the Hermosa Beach community; offering recreational, cultural, social, and or and/or educational activities of interest to the community;
□ The organization can demonstrate a commitment to supporting the City’s active and healthy lifestyle as a result of the event; and/or
□ The organization/and or event addresses an unmet community need.
Applicants will be requested to demonstrate a positive economic impact as a result of the event by providing the following information:
• If the event is consecutive days, data indicating the total number of participants that utilize overnight lodging in the City of Hermosa Beach; and
• Data indicating the participants spending in Hermosa Beach during the duration of the event at any of the businesses in the City of Hermosa Beach.
Upon request of an organization whose event does not satisfy one or more of the above eligibility criteria, the City Council may at a regular Council meeting authorize such organization to apply for an LTA where its event provides a demonstrable or differentiated benefit to the community or a service that the City would otherwise be unable to provide.
Term Limits
LTA’s shall be for no less than two (2) years but shall not exceed a maximum of three (3) years unless otherwise determined by the City Council.
Procedures
The following steps are required to guide the development and implementation of an LTA:
1. Submittal of an LTA Application and corresponding letter to the Community Resources Department demonstrating how the organization meets the criteria.
2. Review and recommendation for City Council approval by the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission.
3. Review and approval by the City Council to begin LTA negotiations with staff.
4. LTA negotiations and development.
5. Presentation of the final LTA to the City Council for approval. 706
16 Obligations
Organizations whose event(s) are approved through an LTA are required to provide a formal presentation to the Commission at one of its regular monthly meetings no more than 60-days prior AND 60-days following its event(s). The pre-event presentation shall include a general event overview including anticipated number of attendees; an overview of the event footprint and individualized setup; and its anticipated impact(s) to the community, etc. The post-event presentation shall include a general overview including the actual number of attendees; actual impact(s) to the community; and any event struggles and successes, et 707
708
TENTATIVE
2022 SPECIAL EVENTS CALENDAR
City of Hermosa Beach
Community Resources Department
710 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 318-0280
[email protected]
709
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17
AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
18 19 20 21 22
SCVA BRQ
Winter Series
North Volleyball Courts
& Beach Tennis Courts
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
30 31
JANUARY 2022
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
710
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5
AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
6 7 8 9 10 11
CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
12 SCVA BRQ
Winter Series
North Volleyball Courts
& Beach Tennis Courts
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
28 FEBRUARY 2022
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
711
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5
HBLL Opening Day
Clark Field
(Impact Level II)
Beach Tennis Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
6 Beach Tennis Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
7 8 9 10 11 12
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Downtown
(Impact Level III)
13 AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
28 29 30 31
MARCH 2022
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
712
APRIL 2022
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
3 4 5 6 7 8
Beach Tennis Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
9 Beach Tennis Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
10 AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
11 12 13 14 15 16
CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
17 Easter Sunrise Mass
South of Pier
18 19 20 21 22
Surfer’s Walk of Fame
Kick-off Party
Community Theatre
(Impact Level II)
23 The Subaru Pacific
South Bay Series
South of Pier
Surfer’s Walk of Fame
(Impact Level III)
Spyder Surf Fest
Pier Plaza
(Impact Level III)
24 AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
25 26 27 28 29 30 State of the Art
Cypress Avenue &
6th Street
HVPTO’s Dolphin Dash
Strand - North of Pier, &
Schumacher Plaza
Sidewalk Sale
Various Locations
Downtown
HBLL Night at the Ballpark
Clark Field
(Impact Level II)
713
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
Sidewalk Sale
Various Locations
Downtown
2 3 4 5 6 Hearts of Hermosa
Community Center
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
7 Hearts of Hermosa
Community Center
(Impact Level III)
Pets in the Park
Valley Park
(Impact Level II)
Endless Summer
Classic Car Show
Pier Plaza
(Impact Level II)
8 Hearts of Hermosa
Community Center
(Load-out)
(Impact Level III)
AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
9 10 11 12 13 14 CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
15 CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
16 17 18 19 20 21 AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
22 23 24 25 26 27 Fine Arts Festival
Community Center Lawn
(Impact Level III)
Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
28 Fine Arts Festival
Community Center Lawn
(Impact Level III)
CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(Impact Level III)
29 Fine Arts Festival
Community Center Lawn
(Impact Level III)
CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(Impact Level III)
30 Fine Arts Festival
Community Center Lawn
(Impact Level III)
CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(Impact Level III)
31 MAY 2022
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
714
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3
Beach Tennis
Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
4 Beach Tennis
Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
South Bay Paddle
South of Pier
5 Beach Tennis
Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
HBLL Closing Day
Clark Field
(Impact Level II)
6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
DB Events
North Volleyball Courts
Asher’s Bash &
Rainbow Dash to Cure
Childhood Cancer
Greenbelt &
Valley Park
19 U19 World
Championship &
World University
Championship
Trials
North Volleyball Courts
(Load-in)
20 U19 World
Championship &
World University
Championship
Trials
North Volleyball Courts
21 U19 World
Championship & World
University
Championship
Trials
North Volleyball Courts
22 U19 World
Championship &
World University
Championship
Trials
North Volleyball Courts
23 U19 World
Championship &
World University
Championship
Trials
North Volleyball Courts
24 25
Nothing Weekend
26 Nothing Weekend
27 28 29
AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
30 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
JUNE 2022
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
715
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 AVP
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
2 AVP
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
3 AVP
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
4 AVP
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
5 AVP
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Impact Level III)
6 AVP
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Impact Level III)
7 AVP
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Impact Level III)
8 AVP
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Impact Level III)
9 AVP
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Impact Level III)
10 AVP
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Impact Level III)
11 AVP
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-out)
(Impact Level III)
12 AVP
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-out)
(Impact Level III)
13 AVP
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-out)
(Impact Level III)
Shakespeare by the Sea
Valley Park
(Impact Level I)
14 JVA/BVCA
National Championships
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
Shakespeare by the Sea
Valley Park
(Impact Level I)
15 JVA/BVCA
National Championships
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
16 JVA/BVCA
National Championships
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
17 JVA/BVCA
National Championships
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
18 JVA/BVCA
National Championships
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
19 JVA/BVCA
National Championships
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
20 AAU Junior National
Girls’ Championships
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
21 AAU Junior National
Girls’ Championships
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
22 AAU Junior National
Girls’ Championships
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
23 AAU Junior National
Girls’ Championships
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
24 AAU Junior National
Girls’ Championships
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
25 West Coast AAU
Junior Olympic Games
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
26 West Coast AAU
Junior Olympic Games
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
27 West Coast AAU
Junior Olympic Games
Volleyball Courts -
North & South of Pier
& Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-out)
28 29 30
Smackfest
South Volleyball Courts
31 JULY 2022
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
716
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3
International
Surf Festival
North &
South of Pier
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
4 International
Surf Festival
North &
South of Pier
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
5 International
Surf Festival
North & South of Pier
(Impact Level III)
6 International
Surf Festival
North & South of Pier
& North Volleyball Courts (CBVA)
(Impact Level III)
Sidewalk Sale
Various Locations
Downtown
7 International
Surf Festival
North & South of Pier
(Impact Level III)
Sidewalk Sale
Various Locations
Downtown
8 International
Surf Festival
North & South of Pier
(Load-out)
(Impact Level III)
Jersey Mike’s USLA
National Lifeguard &
Junior Lifeguard Championship
North of Pier, &
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
9 Jersey Mike’s USLA
National Lifeguard &
Junior Lifeguard
Championship
North of Pier &
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
10 Jersey Mike’s USLA
National Lifeguard &
Junior Lifeguard
Championship
North of Pier &
Beach Tennis Courts
11 Jersey Mike’s USLA
National Lifeguard &
Junior Lifeguard
Championship
North of Pier &
Beach Tennis Courts
12 Triathlon
Strand, Pier Plaza, South of
Pier, & North of Pier
(Load-in)
Jersey Mike’s USLA
National Lifeguard & Junior
Lifeguard Championship
North of Pier &
Beach Tennis Courts
13 Triathlon
Strand, Pier Plaza, South of Pier, &
North of Pier
(Load-in)
CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
Good World Peace Festival
South of Pier
Jersey Mike’s USLA National
Lifeguard & Junior Lifeguard
Championship
North of Pier &
Beach Tennis Courts
14 Triathlon
Strand, Pier Plaza, South
of Pier, & North of Pier
CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
Jersey Mike’s USLA
National Lifeguard &
Junior Lifeguard
Championship
North of Pier &
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-out)
15 16 17 18 19 20
Nothing Weekend
21 Nothing Weekend
22 23 24 25 26 Beach Tennis
Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
27 Beach Tennis
Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
Glow Ride for
Cystic Fibrosis
Strand - North of Pier
28 CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
29 30 31
AUGUST 2022
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
717
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
2 CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
(load-in)
Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
3 CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(Impact Level III)
4 CBVA
North Volleyball Courts
Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(Impact Level III)
5 CBVA
North Volleyball
Courts
(load-out)
Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(Impact Level III)
6 Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(Load-out)
(Impact Level III)
7 Movies at the Beach
South of Pier
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
8 Movies at the Beach
South of Pier
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
9 Movies at the Beach
South of Pier
(Load-in)
(Impact Level III)
10 Movies at the Beach
South of Pier
(Impact Level III)
11 Movies at the Beach
South of Pier
(Load-out)
(Impact Level III)
12 13 14 15 16
Beach Tennis Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
17 Coastal
Cleanup Day
Pier
(Impact Level I)
Beach Tennis Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
18 Beach Tennis Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
Hope Chapel Family Picnic
Valley Park
19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30
SEPTEMBER 2022
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
718
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
Walk to End Alzheimer’s
Strand - North of Pier &
Pier Plaza
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pumpkins in the Park
Edith Rodway Park
(Impact Level II)
AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
9 10 11 12 13
Community Movie Night:
Carrie
Community Theatre
14 15
Beach Tennis Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
16 Beach Tennis Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
17 18 19 20 21 22
Volley4Sound
North Volleyball Courts
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Beach Tennis Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
30 Beach Tennis Tournament
Beach Tennis Courts
Skechers Pier to Pier
Friendship Walk
Strand - North of Pier &
Pier Plaza
31 OCTOBER 2022
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
719
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5
Sandy Sauté
North of Pier
6 AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
7 8 9 10 11
Veterans Day
Wreath Laying Ceremony
& “Veterans Are Timeless” Campaign
Community Center
(Impact Level I)
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Hermosa for the
Holidays
Various Locations
Downtown &
South of Pier
19 AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
Hermosa for the
Holidays
Various Locations
Downtown &
South of Pier
20 Hermosa for the
Holidays
Various Locations
Downtown &
South of Pier
21 Hermosa for the
Holidays
Various Locations
Downtown &
South of Pier
22 23
LA Galaxy
World Cup
Viewing Party
Pier Plaza
(Load-in)
24 LA Galaxy
World Cup
Viewing Party
Pier Plaza
(Load-in)
25 LA Galaxy
World Cup
Viewing Party
Pier Plaza
26 LA Galaxy
World Cup
Viewing Party
Pier Plaza
27 28 29 30
NOVEMBER 2022
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
720
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3
Sand Snowman Contest
North of Pier
(Impact Level I)
SCVA BNQ
Championships
North Volleyball Courts
4 AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
5 6 7 8 9
Community Movie
Night: Santa Clause
Community Theatre
10 California Great Santa Stroll
Strand - North of Pier
& Pier Plaza
11 AAU Southern
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
12 13 14 15 16 17
18 Community
Menorah Lighting
Pier Plaza &
Greenwood Park
(Impact Level II)
19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
New Years Eve Celebration
Pier Plaza
(Impact Level TBD)
DECEMBER 2022
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
721
Off-Season Monthly Events
(Labor Day – Memorial Day) # of Special Event Days # of Days Available(out of 15) January 3 12
February 4 11
March 5 10
April 10 5
May (through May 29) 10 5
September (from September 6) 9 6
October 8 6
November 11 4
December 7 8
Peak Season (Memorial Day: May 30, 2022 – Labor Day: September 5, 2022) # of Special Event Days (Beach/Pier Plaza Events)
Level I & II Event Days
(not on Level III Event Days)
& City Sponsored/Contracted
(not on Level III, II or I Event Days)
(Maximum of 25)
Level III Event Days
(Maximum of 45) Total # of Event Days
(out of 70 total)
5 55 60
Peak Season Event Limits:
To balance coastal access with events, events on the Beach, Strand and Pier Plaza will be limited to the following number of events during the peak summer season (Memorial Day to Labor Day – approximately 100 days over the summer):
o Maximum of 45 days used by Level III Events
o Maximum of 25 days used by Level I and II Events, and City Sponsored/Contracted Events (on days not used by Level III Events) City Sponsored or City Contracted Events, and Long Term Agreement Events are categorized by their Impact Level 722
1 2022
City of Hermosa Beach
Special Event Permit Application Overview
Event Title: Hermosa for the Holidays
Impact Level: III
Proposed Event Dates: Friday, November 18 – Sunday, November 20 with load-out on Monday, November 21 Applicant Name: Jessica Accamando
Organization Name: Chamber of Commerce
Non-Profit: NO/YES
Event Time: Times vary per event area
Event Summary: A 3-day holiday weekend street festival with art, music, shopping, dining, a tree lighting ceremony, and other family friendly activities.
Returning Event: NO/YES
Event Location (Site Map Attached):
Manhattan Avenue (by Java Man): Santa’s Workshop, Storytime tent Sidewalks along Pier Avenue and Hermosa Avenue: vendor booths Pier Plaza: vendor booths, carnival rides, live music for Tree Lighting Ceremony Schumacher Plaza: Christmas tree
Beach south of the Pier: carnival ride
Estimated Number of Participants per Day: Up to 3,000 Friday-Saturday and up to 5,000 on Sunday Estimated Number of Spectators per Day: See above
Age of Participants: All Ages
Participant Fee: TBD – Tickets will be required for certain activities or rides, and for the activation in the Vista parking lot (private property)
Parking: Yes
Amplified Sound: Yes – PA System at various locations throughout the event footprint for announcements, DJ, acoustic live musicians, and background music
Generator(s): Yes, 20k Watt Quiet Generators for event activations Fenced Area(s): No
Stage(s), Structure(s) or Tent(s): Yes – 3 20’x20’ tents on Manhattan Avenue, pop-up tents along sidewalks and Pier Plaza, Christmas Tree on Schumacher Plaza, stage on Pier Plaza, carnival ride/inflatable on Pier Plaza and Beach south of the Pie. There will also be a large tent in the Vista parking lot (private property) Security: Yes – to assist with the flow of traffic, placing crowd control barriers as necessary, and monitoring of the crowd.
Volunteers will also be present to monitor outdoor activities are not preventing an obstruction to public access, to assist with vendors, and other event activations, and assist with clean-up.
Sponsor(s): No
723
2 Applicable Fees:
Application (Non-Profit) $616
Amplified Sound Permit $181
Parking TBD
Pier Plaza Use, Category III & Load-out Staff would recommend to City Council the City serve as co-sponsor of the event, as the City did in 2021. This would result in a fee waiver of indirect costs, including the Pier Plaza Use fee ($12,312 per day totaling $36,936), the Category III fee ($3,235 per day totaling $9,705) and the Load-out fee ($278 for one load-out day.)
*Additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Building Division, Public Works Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. 724
WORKSHOPS, CARNIVAL RIDES,
POP-UP MARKET SIDEWALKS OF PIER AVE.
DINING DECK DINING DECK DINING DECK
JAVAMAN
STAGE
SANTA’S WORKSHOP
FERRIS WHEEL
24'X50'
EURO JUMP
35'X35'
STAGE
TREE
SLIDE
20'X40'
TRAIN
DEPOT
BOUNCE
HOUSE
25'X25'
STAIRS
STAIRS
P4
P5
ACTIVITY VILLAGE
STREET CLOSURE
- Street closure on Manhattan Ave.
between Pier Ave. & end of Marlin
Equity driveway.
- Marked off area will not intrude
on residential area.
- Space will have (4) 15'X15' tents
with 1-2 side walls.
- November 19-20 10am – 4pm
LETTERS TO SANTA /
ACTIVATION
FIRE LANE
SIDEWALK SALE
SAT - STORYTIME TENT
SUN - ACTIVATION
PICS W/ SANTA
PLUS ACTIVATION OPTION
SUNDAY
ONLY
P7
P6
P2
P1
P3
P8
725
1 2022
City of Hermosa Beach
Special Event Permit Application Overview
Event Title: LA Galaxy – World Cup Viewing Party
Impact Level: III
Proposed Event Dates: Load-in: Wednesday, November 23 with set-up to remain through Thursday, November 24. Event: Friday, November 25 and Saturday, November 26
Applicant Name: Gabriel Osollo
Organization Name: Los Angeles Galaxy
Non-Profit: NO/YES
Event Time: Load-in: 8:00am-8:00pm on Wednesday, November 23 (Event equipment to remain on Pier Plaza Thursday, November 24) Event: 8:00am-1:00pm on Friday, November 25 and Saturday, November 26 Load-out: Following event through 8:00pm Event Summary: World Cup viewing party
Returning Event: NO/YES – This event was held in Hermosa Beach prior to the adoption of the Special Event Policy Guide, therefore it’s being treated as a new event to the City.
Event Location (Site Map Attached): Pier Plaza
Estimated Number of Participants per Day: 2,000
Estimated Number of Spectators per Day: -
Age of Participants: All Ages
Participant Fee: None
Parking: Yes
Amplified Sound: Yes
Generator(s): Yes (1)
Fenced Area(s): Yes (to secure event set-up overnight)
Stage(s), Structure(s) or Tent(s): Yes, (Pop-up tents, 30’x30 stage’ and screen, with size TBD) Security: Yes, the City requires at 2 security guards overnight, and at least 10 security guards during the event times (consisting of 2 event supervisors). Volunteers will be present to assist with crowd management and other event related tasks.
Sponsor(s): None
Applicable Fees:
Application Fee $924
Event Set-Up Fee (Per Day) $278 x 2 days = $556
Pier Plaza Use Fee (Per Day) $ $12,312 x 2 days = $24,624 Parking TBD
*Additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Building Division, Public Works Department, Police Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department 726
Stage
Activations
727
City of Hermosa Beach
Staff Report
City Hall
1315 Valley Drive
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0653
Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council Regular Meeting of October 25, 2022
APPROVAL OF 2023 RETURNING IMPACT LEVEL III SPECIAL EVENTS: STATE OF THE ART (3/18); JVA AND BVCA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (7/13-7/18); AAU JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (7/19-7/26); TRIATHLON (8/11-8/12); SKECHERS PIER TO PIER FRIENDSHIP WALK (10/29); CALIFORNIA GREAT SANTA STROLL (12/09); AND DESIGNATION OF TWO “NOTHING WEEKENDS” (6/24-6/25 AND 8/26-8/27)
(Community Resources Manager Lisa Nichols)
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends City Council:
1. Approve the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission’s recommendation to include six returning Impact Level III Special Events on the 2023 Special Event Calendar as proposed in the Staff Report; and
2. Approve the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission’s recommendation to include two “Nothing Weekends” as proposed in the Staff Report to the 2023 Special Event Calendar.
Executive Summary:
The City of Hermosa Beach is a highly sought-after destination for special events. The Community Resources Department is tasked with overseeing these event requests and permits on public property. Returning Impact Level III events, which are events with the largest impact to the City, require approval by City Council.
At its October 6, 2022 meeting, the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission (Commission) recommended City Council approval of:
1. Including the following returning Impact Level III Special Events on the 2023 Special Event Calendar:
· State of the Art on the corner of Cypress Avenue and 6th Street on Saturday, March 18; · JVA and BVCA National Championships on the Volleyball Courts north and south of the Pier with impact to the Beach Tennis Courts on Friday, July 14 through Tuesday, July 18 with load-in on Thursday, July 13;
· AAU Junior National Championships on the Volleyball courts north and south of the Pier City of Hermosa Beach Page 1 of 12 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™728
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0653
· AAU Junior National Championships on the Volleyball courts north and south of the Pier on Thursday, July 20 through Tuesday, July 25 with load-in on Wednesday, July 19 and load-out on Wednesday, July 26;
· Triathlon at various locations downtown on Sunday, August 13 with load-in on Friday, August 11 through Saturday, August 12;
· Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk on Schumacher Plaza and the Strand north of the Pier on Sunday, October 29; and
· California Great Santa Stroll on Pier Plaza and the Strand north of the Pier on Saturday, December 9.
2. Including the following “Nothing Weekends” to the 2023 Special Event Calendar:
· Saturday, June 24-Sunday, June 25; and
· Saturday, August 26-Sunday, August 27.
Background:
The Special Events Policy Guide (Attachment 1) serves as a comprehensive document for event producers with information on the review and approval process, applicable fees, policies, and Hermosa Beach Municipal Code chapters and sections pertaining to special events. Special events are evaluated based on several factors and categorized as either Impact Level I, II, or III using the Impact Characteristics Matrix in the Special Events Policy Guide. The matrix considers event characteristics to determine the Impact Level such as: the total estimated attendance; the event location; the day and season in which the event is requesting to take place; the total number of consecutive event days; and special requests such as reserved parking, amplified sound, etc. The Impact Level of the event is then used to determine the deadline for application submittal, and the level of review and approval required (City staff, Commission, and/or City Council) for the event.
Impact Level III events, which are events with the largest impact to the City, require approval by City Council. Impact Level II events require approval by the Commission and Impact Level I events are approved by staff.
Staff began accepting applications from all event producers interested in applying for 2023 event dates regardless of each event’s Impact Level on August 11, 2022. Event producers with Impact Level III event requests were required to submit a special event application by September 8, 2022.
The Impact Level III event requests received by the deadline are included on the 2023 Special Events Calendar (Attachment 2). Impact Level II and Impact Level I event requests are included for informational purposes only. Staff will return to the Commission at its December 6, 2022 regular meeting for formal review and consideration of Impact Level II events.
At its September 28, 2022 meeting, City Council approved Special Events Policy Guide updates.
Attachment 1 includes the approved updates. One of the adopted updates include the elimination of the requirement for returning Impact Level III events to be subject to a public hearing before the Commission and City Council. All 2023 Impact Level III event requests included on the 2023 Special City of Hermosa Beach Page 2 of 12 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™729
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0653
Commission and City Council. All 2023 Impact Level III event requests included on the 2023 Special Event Calendar (Attachment 2) are for returning events.
Since the recommended Special Event Policy Guide updates were not scheduled for City Council review and approval until September 28, 2022, to meet the public noticing requirements in place at the time of preparation of the returning Impact Level III events, a Public Notice was issued demonstrating that all events would be considered for review and approval through a public hearing by both the Commission and City Council. Therefore, the consideration of the returning Impact Level III events remains on this evening’s agenda as a Public Hearing to remain consistent with the Public Notice.
At its regular meeting of October 6, 2022, the Commission recommended City Council approval of:
1. Including the following returning Impact Level III Special Events on the 2023 Special Event Calendar:
· State of the Art on the corner of Cypress Avenue and 6th Street on Saturday, March 18; · JVA and BVCA National Championships on the Volleyball Courts north and south of the Pier with impact to the Beach Tennis Courts on Friday, July 14 through Tuesday, July 18 with load-in on Thursday, July 13;
· AAU Junior National Championships on the Volleyball courts north and south of the Pier on Thursday, July 20 through Tuesday, July 25 with load-in on Wednesday, July 19 and load-out on Wednesday, July 26;
· Triathlon at various locations downtown on Sunday, August 13 with load-in on Friday, August 11 through Saturday, August 12;
· Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk on Schumacher Plaza and the Strand north of the Pier on Sunday, October 29; and
· California Great Santa Stroll on Pier Plaza and the Strand north of the Pier on Saturday, December 9.
2. Including the following “Nothing Weekends” to the 2023 Special Event Calendar:
· Saturday, June 24-Sunday, June 25; and
· Saturday, August 26-Sunday, August 27.
Past Commission and City Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
July 5, 2022 Commission’s recommendation to City
Council to approve Special Events Policy
Guide updates
September 28, 2022 City Council approval of the
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Staff Report
REPORT 22-0653
Meeting Date Description
July 5, 2022 Commission’s recommendation to City
Council to approve Special Events Policy
Guide updates
September 28, 2022 City Council approval of the
recommended Special Events Policy
Guide updates
October 6, 2022 Commission’s recommendation to City
Council to approve the returning 2023
Impact Level III event requests and 2023
“Nothing Weekends”
Discussion:
Staff received a total of six returning Impact Level IlI Special Event Applications. A brief summary of each event request and the proposed “Nothing Weekends” is included below. Event overview sheets containing additional event details and a corresponding site plan for each event are included as attachments.
State of the Art
Indivisible Arts requests to hold the State of the Art fundraiser event on the corner of Cypress Avenue and 6th Street on Saturday, March 18. The event would consist of art viewing sections, interactive art activities, live music, local food vendors, and virtual and live auctions. Additional event details are included in the State of the Art event overview sheet (Attachment 6). Estimated permit fees payable to the City are included in Table 1 below.
Table 1: State of the Art Estimated Permit Fees
Fee Cost Calculation Total
Application
(Non-Profit)
$616 - $616
Amplified Sound
Permit
$181 - $181
Category I
(Non-Profit)
$2 per
participant
$2 per participant
x 500 estimated
participants
$1,000
Event $311 each To Be Determined (TBD) TBD
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Staff Report
REPORT 22-0653
Fee Cost Calculation Total
Application
(Non-Profit)
$616 - $616
Amplified Sound
Permit
$181 - $181
Category I
(Non-Profit)
$2 per
participant
$2 per participant
x 500 estimated
participants
$1,000
Event
Co-Sponsor
$311 each To Be Determined (TBD) TBD
Estimated Permit Fees Total: $1,797 (plus Event
Co-Sponsor fees
TBD)
*Additional
fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
JVA and BVCA National Championships
The Junior Volleyball Association (JVA) and Beach Volleyball Clubs of America (BVCA) requests to hold the JVA and BVCA National Championships on the Volleyball Courts north and south of the Pier on Friday, July 14 through Tuesday, July 18 with load-in on Thursday, July 13. The event would include juniors, ages 18 and under, from throughout the country, competing at the national level. The event would cause impact to the Beach Tennis Courts north of the Pier. The event producer would be required to leave at least three permanent Beach Tennis Courts in place or to set-up temporary Beach Tennis Courts for general public use. The City and beach tennis community would work with the event producer to meet this requirement. Additional event details are included in the JVA and BVCA National Championships event overview sheet (Attachment 7). Estimated permit fees payable to the City are included in Table 2 below.
Table 2: JVA and BVCA National Championships Estimated Permit Fees Fee Cost Calculation Total
Application
(Non-Profit)
$616 - $616
Amplified Sound
Permit
$181 - $181
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Staff Report
REPORT 22-0653
Fee Cost Calculation Total
Application
(Non-Profit)
$616 - $616
Amplified Sound
Permit
$181 - $181
Category III $3,235 per
event day
$3,235
x 5 event days
$16,175
Event
Co-Sponsor
$311 each To Be Determined (TBD) TBD
Event Set-up $278
per set-up day
$278
x 1 set-up day
$278
Parking $1.25 per hour
(8am-8pm)
$1.50 per hour
(8pm-8am)
TBD TBD
Estimated Permit Fees Total: $17,250 (plus Event
Co-Sponsor and
parking fees TBD)
*Additional
fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
AAU Junior National Championships
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and the Southern Pacific Volleyball Committee (SPVC) requests to hold the AAU Junior National Championships on the Volleyball courts north and south of the Pier on Thursday, July 20 through Tuesday, July 25 with load-in on Wednesday, July 19 and load-out on Wednesday, July 26. The event includes juniors, ages 18 and under, from throughout the country, competing at the national level. The event producer would be required to leave at least three permanent Beach Tennis Courts in place or to set-up temporary Beach Tennis Courts for general public use. The City and beach tennis community would work with the event producer to meet this requirement. Additional event details are included in the AAU Junior National Championships event overview sheet (Attachment 8). Estimated permit fees payable to the City are included in Table 3 below.
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Staff Report
REPORT 22-0653
Table 3: AAU Junior National Championships Estimated Permit Fees Fee Cost Calculation Total
Application
(Non-Profit)
$616 - $616
Amplified Sound
Permit
$181 - $181
Category III $3,235 per
event day
$3,235
x 6 event days
$19,410
Event
Co-Sponsor
$311 each To Be Determined (TBD) TBD
Event Set-up $278
per set-up day
$278
x 2 set-up days
$556
Parking $1.25 per hour
(8am-8pm)
$1.50 per hour
(8pm-8am)
TBD TBD
Estimated Permit Fees Total: $20,763 (plus Event
Co-Sponsor and
parking fees TBD)
*Additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Triathlon
MESP Inc. requests to hold the Triathlon at various locations downtown on Sunday, August 13 with load-in on Friday, August 11 through Saturday, August 12. The event would consist of a ¼ mile ocean swim, 10-mile bike ride, and three mile run for all ages. Additional event details are included in the Triathlon event overview sheet (Attachment 9). Estimated permit fees payable to the City are included in Table 4 below.
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Staff Report
REPORT 22-0653
Table 4: Triathlon Estimated Permit Fees
Fee Cost Calculation Total
Application
(Commercial)
$924 - $924
Amplified Sound
Permit
$181 - $181
Category III $3,235 per
event day
$3,235
x 1 event days
$3,235
Event
Co-Sponsor
$311 each To Be Determined (TBD) TBD
Event Set-up $278
per set-up day
$278
x 2 set-up days
$556
Parking $1.25 per hour
(8am-8pm)
$1.50 per hour
(8pm-8am)
TBD TBD
Pier Plaza Use $12,312 per
event day
$12,312
X 1 event day
$12,312
Estimated Permit Fees Total: $17,208 (plus Event
Co-Sponsor and
parking fees TBD)
*Additional
fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk
The Skechers Foundation requests to hold the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk on Schumacher Plaza and the Strand north of the Pier on Sunday, October 29. This event would be for City of Hermosa Beach Page 8 of 12 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™735
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0653
Schumacher Plaza and the Strand north of the Pier on Sunday, October 29. This event would be for all ages with a walk beginning at Manhattan Beach Pier to the Hermosa Beach Pier and ending back at the Manhattan Beach Pier. The event producer would provide security guards to assist with the flow of traffic, with extra attention to the location on the Strand where Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach meet. Additional event details are included in the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk event overview sheet (Attachment 10). Estimated permit fees payable to the City are included in Table 5 below.
Table 5: Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk Estimated Permit Fees Fee Cost Calculation Total
Application
(Non-profit)
$616 - $616
Category
IV
$5,882 per event
day
$5,882
x 1 event days
$5,882
Event
CoSponsor
$311 each To Be Determined (TBD) TBD
Parking $1.25 per hour
(8am-8pm)
$1.50 per hour
(8pm-8am)
TBD TBD
Estimated Permit Fees Total: $6,498 (plus Event
Co-Sponsor and
parking fees TBD)
*Additional
fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
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Staff Report
REPORT 22-0653
California Great Santa Stroll
Mychal’s Learning Place requests to hold the California Great Santa Stroll on Pier Plaza and the Strand north of the Pier on Saturday, December 9. This fundraising event would be for all ages with a fun run from the Hermosa Beach Pier to the Manhattan Beach Pier. Event participants would be encouraged to come dressed in Santa suits. Additional event details are included in the California Great Santa Stroll event overview sheet (Attachment 11). Estimated permit fees payable to the City are included in Table 6 below.
Table 6: California Great Santa Stroll Estimated Permit Fees Fee Cost Calculation Total
Application
(Non-profit)
$616 - $616
Amplified
Sound Permit
$181 - $181
Category II $2,940 per
event day
$2,940
x 1 event days
$2,940
Event
Co-Sponsor
$311 each To Be Determined (TBD) TBD
Parking $1.25 per hour
(8am-8pm)
$1.50 per hour
(8pm-8am)
TBD TBD
Pier Plaza Use $12,312 per
event day
$12,312
X 1 event day
$12,312
Estimated Permit Fees Total: $16,049 (plus Event
Co-Sponsor and
parking fees TBD)
*Additional
fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department, and the Los City of Hermosa Beach Page 10 of 12 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™737
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0653
Angeles County Fire Department.
“Nothing Weekends”
Consistent with the Special Events Policy Guide, the Special Events Subcommittee (Subcommittee) assists staff in making a recommendation for the inclusion of a “Nothing Weekend” in an effort to provide at least one weekend annually for the community where events are not taking place within the Peak Season. Similar to the Subcommittee, Commission and City Council actions during the development of the 2020, 2021, and 2022 calendar, the Commission is recommending two “Nothing Weekends” in 2023 on the following dates:
· Saturday, June 24-Sunday, June 25; and
· Saturday, August 26-Sunday, August 27.
General Plan Consistency:
This report and associated recommendation have been evaluated for their consistency with the City’s General Plan. Relevant Policies are listed below:
Governance Element
Goal 5. Small beach town character is reflected throughout Hermosa Beach.
Policy:
• 5.7 Visitor and resident balance. Recognizing the desire and need to balance visitor-serving and local-serving uses as a key to preserving character and the economic vitality of the community.
Parks and Open Space Element
Goal 3. Community parks and facilities encourage social activity and interaction.
Policies:
• 3.1 Community-friendly events. Encourage, permit, and support community group, nonprofit, or business organized events on City property that support physical activity, beach culture, and family-friendly social interactions.
• 3.2 Social and cultural events. Design and program parks and open space to accommodate unique social and cultural events to foster connectedness and interaction. • 3.3 Commercial use of facilities. Regulate and enforce commercial use of City parks and open spaces to ensure activities do not impact general use and enjoyment.
Goal 7. The beach offers high quality recreational opportunities and amenities desired by the City of Hermosa Beach Page 11 of 12 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™738
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0653
Goal 7. The beach offers high quality recreational opportunities and amenities desired by the community.
Policies:
• 7.3 Recreational asset. Consider and treat the beach as a recreational asset and never as a commercial enterprise.
• 7.5 Designated recreational uses. Continually evaluate and explore devoting certain portions of the beach to different preferred recreational uses while providing access for all users and meeting the recreation needs of visitors and residents.
Fiscal Impact:
If approved, estimated event revenue would be approximately $79,565.
Attachments:
1. Special Events Policy Guide
2. 2023 Special Events Calendar
3. Link to July 5, 2022 Commission Staff Report
4. Link to September 28, 2022 City Council Staff Report
5. Link to October 6, 2022 Commission Staff Report
6. State of the Art Event Overview Sheet
7. JVA and BVCA National Championships Event Overview Sheet
8. AAU Junior National Championships Event Overview Sheet
9. Triathlon Event Overview Sheet
10. Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk Event Overview Sheet
11. California Great Santa Stroll Event Overview Sheet
Respectfully Submitted by: Lisa Nichols, Community Resources Manager Noted for Fiscal Impact: Viki Copeland, Finance Director Legal Review: Mike Jenkins, City Attorney
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager
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HERMOSA BEACH
SPECIAL EVENTS POLICY GUIDE
740
1 This policy guide has been developed to clarify and carry out the City’s mission statement related to special events that occur on outdoor public spaces within the community.
Cover Image: Hermosa Beach Murals Project - John Van Hamersveld Mission Statement
Hermosa Beach strives to offer a safe and enjoyable environment for special events to take place in a way that balances resident and visitor needs. Special events in Hermosa Beach are celebrated for being community-friendly, enhancing local beach culture, and offering a myriad of benefits to the local community. The City of Hermosa Beach* works collaboratively with event operators in an efficient and clear manner to process and carry out permits in compliance with this policy.
* “City of Hermosa Beach” collectively refers to City staff, Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission, City Manager, and City Council.
City Contact Information
The City of Hermosa Beach Department of Community Resources is available to assist and answer any questions related to the special events process:
Website: www.hermosabeach.gov
Phone: (310) 318-0280
Email: [email protected]
Address: 710 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
741
2 Table of Contents
General Information + Frequently Asked Questions.......................................................................................3 When is a special event permit required?
How do I apply for a special event permit?
Are private events allowed?
What is the “Nothing Weekend”?
How will this policy be enforced?
Where are special events allowed?
Use Classification + Impact Characteristics……………………………………………….…...…………………5 Impact Characteristics Matrix
Pass-Through Events
Pier Plaza Promotions
Approval Guidelines + Requirements……………………………………………………………………….…….6 Event Approval Findings
Application Submittal Deadlines and Approval Process
Peak Season Event Limits
Simultaneous Use of North and South Volleyball Courts
Pre/Post Event Meetings
Accessibility Plan
Site Plan, Equipment, and Signage
Amplified Sound
Food, Beverage, or Merchandise Sales
Professional Filming
Security
Insurance
Event Day Expectations
Applicable Fees…………………………………………………………………………………….……………10 Current Fee Schedule
Application Fees
Special event permit Fee
Additional Fees
Damage Deposit
Refund/Cancellation Policy
Compliance…...…………………………………………………………………………………………...……12 Environmental Requirements
Applicable Codes + Regulations
Fee Waivers…...…………………………………………………………………………….…………...………13 Funding Limits
Eligibility
Approval
Obligations
Disqualification
Long-term Agreements………………………………………………………………………………..…………14 Eligibility
Term Limits
Procedures
Obligations
742
3 General Information + Frequently Asked Questions
When is a special event permit required?
Any organized event, activity, celebration, or function involving the use of the beach at which one hundred or more persons are to be assembled, or use of outdoor city facilities, rights-of-way, or parkland at which twentyfive or more persons are to be assembled, requires a special event permit. Additionally, a special event permit shall be required for any commercial or non-profit group requesting use of any outdoor city facilities, rights-ofway, or parkland within the city.
How do I apply for a special event permit?
Applications for special events must be submitted using the online form on the City of Hermosa Beach website and questions may be directed toward the Department of Community Resources.
Are private events allowed?
All events located on the beach within the commercial zone, the Pier, or Pier Plaza must be open to spectators/general public free of charge. Participant entry fees are permissible.
What is the “Nothing Weekend”?
On at least one weekend during each summer season, the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission will recommend no special event permits be issued. This means that any application for a special event permit that coincides with the designated “Nothing Weekend” will be asked to change dates for the event to be considered.
How will this policy be enforced?
The special events policy will be strictly enforced by Community Resources Department, Code Enforcement Officers, and the Police Department. Events, either permitted or unpermitted, found to be violating City policy or failing to comply with any of the requirements of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code may be subject to penalties or fines. Special events, and any of its participants, vendors, or spectators, found to have caused damage or be in violation of any City policy or the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code may be subject to greater deposits, regulation, or restrictions when submitting special event applications in the future.
Where are special events allowed?
To ensure adequate space and resources are available, and to limit potential disturbances to the community, special events are limited to the following locations:
• South of Pier within the Commercial Zone; between 10th Street and the Pier; • North of the Pier within the Commercial Zone; between the Pier and 15th Street; • Designated Surf Zone
• The Strand
o Strand use is only permitted for events continuously moving with no obstruction to public access; • Pier Plaza;
• Within public right of way (please note that any event within the public right of way is subject to approval by the Chief of Police); and
• The following City parks:
o Valley Park, 2521 Valley Drive;
o Community Center, 710 Pier Avenue;
o Clark Field, 861 Valley Drive;
o Edith Rodaway Park: 350 Prospect Avenue; and
o The Greenbelt.
Special event applications for City parks not included above will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Special event permits will not be issued for South Park, 425 Valley Drive, or Noble Park, 1400 The Strand. 743
4 Commercial Zone
744
5 Use Classifications + Impact Characteristics
Special events are evaluated based on several factors and will be categorized as Impact Level I, II, or III based on the information provided in the special event application. Once the information is submitted and reviewed by the Community Resources Department, City staff will determine the Impact Level of the event using the Impact Characteristics Matrix.
The Impact Level of the event will be used to determine:
o applicable fees;
o deadline for the special event application submittal; o requirements for pre-event meeting(s) and post event walk through(s); and o level of review for approval (City staff, Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and/or City Council).
Impact Characteristics Matrix
If more than one option is applicable, the highest characteristic will be used to determine the impact level.
Characteristic Impact Level I Impact Level II Impact Level III Total Attendees and Spectators
Per Event Day
100-500 501 – 1,999 2,000 or More
Event Location(s) Park or Beach The Pier or Pier Plaza Streets, the Strand, or Public Right of Way
Use of Volleyball Courts and
Beach Tennis Courts
None • North
Volleyball
Courts; or
• Beach
Tennis Courts
• North and South
Volleyball Courts;
or
• North and South
Volleyball Courts
and Beach Tennis
Courts; or
• North Volleyball
Courts and Beach
Tennis Courts
Event Season(s) Winter Spring or Fall Summer –
Peak Season
(Memorial Day to
Labor Day)
Event Day(s) Monday - Thursday Friday, Saturday, or
Sunday
Holiday
Total Consecutive Event Days
(Including Set-up and Tear-down)
1-2 3-4 5 or More
(May not exceed 15)
Additional requests such as Film/Still
Photo Permit, Reserved Parking,
Fencing, Staging, Street Closures, or
Amplified Sound Permit
None 1-2 3 or more
Impact Level 5 or More
Applicable
=Impact Level I
2 or More
Applicable
= Impact Level II
2 or more Applicable =
Impact Level III
Pass-Through Events
A pass-through event is exactly what the name implies, the event participants pass through the City of Hermosa Beach and the event does not start or end in Hermosa Beach. A special event application is required to be submitted and pass-through events are required to follow the approval process required based on the Impact Level assigned to the event.
Pier Plaza Promotions
745
6 The Pier Plaza Promotion option is designed to provide companies or event sponsors a one-day promotional opportunity on Pier Plaza subject to the Pier Plaza Use fee. These events must be strictly commercial product or service promotions and not special events. Companies or sponsors who request approval for this use will be required to submit a special event application. Up to five Pier Plaza Promotions may be approved each calendar year.
Approval Guidelines + Requirements
Event Approval Findings
A special event permit may be issued upon finding that:
1. The applicant reimburses the City for all costs incurred by the City in connection with the event, including public safety, traffic control and monitoring.
2. The number of estimated attendees can be accommodated at the proposed location and surrounding area.
3. The applicant is capable and qualified to manage the event in a competent, professional manner in accordance with all conditions of approval.
4. Adequate provision has been made for satellite parking, shuttle transportation and traffic control (as requested and determined by City staff).
5. Adequate provision has been made for security, crowd control, ingress and egress, and clean-up (as requested and determined by City staff).
6. Adequate provision has been made for trash clean-up and pick-up (as requested and determined by City staff).
7. Adequate provision has been made for additional portable restroom facilities (as requested and determined by City Staff).
8. The total number of days required for the event shall not exceed sixteen consecutive days.
9. The applicant provides required insurance, deposits, bonding and indemnification of the City.
Application Submittal Deadlines and Approval Process
Special event applications must be submitted as follows:
• New events: If the new event is an Impact Level I or II, the application must be submitted at least ninety (90) days in advance of the event. If the new event is an Impact Level III, the application must be submitted no later than July 30 for the following calendar year. New events to Hermosa Beach will be subject to a Public Hearing by both the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and City Council.
• Returning Level III events: Must be submitted no later than July 30 for the following calendar year. Upon recommendation for approval by the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and approval by City Council, permits will be processed and issued by the Community Resources Manager.
• Returning Level II events: Must be submitted at least ninety (90) days in advance of the event. Upon Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission approval, the Community Resources Manager may process and issue permits. Should the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission recommend denial of a special event, that decision may be appealed to the City Council. • Returning Level I events: Must be submitted at least thirty (30) days in advance of the event. Level I events will be reviewed, and permits will be issued by the Community Resources Manager. Should the Community Resources Manager recommend denial of a special event, that decision may be appealed to City Council.
o Pier Plaza Promotions: Review and approval of Pier Plaza Promotion events will follow the same approval process as Level I events.
Any returning event to the City that is requesting a significant change to the event format including the location, total event days, or estimated attendance and spectator total may be subject to the application submittal deadlines and approval process outlined for new events at the discretion of the Community Resources Manager.
The Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and City Council will evaluate and recommend approval of Impact Level III events and a “Nothing Weekend” first, and then will consider approval of Impact Level II events. Then staff will consider approval of Impact Level I events. Events submitted earliest will be given priority for their preferred dates. 746
7 Review Timeline Application Period
Opens
Last Day to
Submit Application
Parks, Recreation and
Community Resources
Advisory Commission
Review
City Council Review
Impact Level I
October 15
(for following
calendar year)
30 days prior to event n/a n/a
Impact Level II
October 15
(for following
calendar year)
90 days prior to event Beginning in
December n/a
Impact Level III July 1
(for following
calendar year)
July 30
(for following
calendar year)
September Meeting October Meeting
At the discretion of the Community Resources Manager, special event applications may be submitted for consideration after the application submittal deadline has passed, provided:
• there are unforeseeable circumstances (memorial service, team victory celebration, need for minimal marketing/advertising)
• the event does not exceed Peak Season Event Limits
• the event can still meet all of the event approval findings The Community Resources Manager and the City’s Special Events Team will participate in the review and approval of special event applications submitted after the deadline has passed. The Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and City Council will receive an update on the status of events submitted after the deadlines.
Event organizers are expected to be present at the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and City Council meetings (if required) where their event is scheduled to be reviewed.
Peak Season Event Limits
To balance coastal access with beach events, the Beach, the Strand, and Pier Plaza will be limited to the following number of events during the peak summer season (Memorial Day to Labor Day – approximately 100 days over the summer):
o Maximum of 45 days used by Level III Events
o Maximum of 25 days used by Level I and II Events, and (on days not used by Level III Events) Events under a Long-Term Agreement will be categorized by their Impact Level o City Sponsored/Contracted Events will be categorized by their Impact Level The monthly number of event limits for off-peak season (Labor Day to Memorial Day) will be limited to a maximum of 15 days used by events per month. Additionally, only two events per any given day will be permitted in the City.
Simultaneous Use of North and South Volleyball Courts
One side of the North and South of Pier Volleyball courts will be required to remain open for general public use during special events occurring on weekends. An exception may be provided for events that occur at the same time as City-sponsored classes utilizing the North or South of Pier Volleyball Courts or at the discretion of the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission and City Council.
Impact to Beach Tennis Courts
Any event requesting removal of the Beach Tennis Courts must provide one of the following:
• An event footprint that would allow for at least three of the permanent Beach Tennis Courts to remain for general public use; or
• Temporary Beach Tennis Courts available for general public use. o Temporary courts must remain at least 50 feet from the strand wall and shall not block beach access or hinder emergency access onto and from the beach by the Los Angeles County Lifeguards. If temporary courts are provided outside of the Commercial Zone, outside of the event footprint, it is the responsibility of the event producer to set-up and remove the courts daily as they are not permitted to remain overnight.
747
8 o The City and Beach Tennis community would assist with providing the temporary poles and nets to the event producer and provide guidance for installation/removal.
Event Notifications
The Community Resources Department may require event producers to provide written notification to all residents and businesses within a 500-foot radius of the event site. The City shall provide the notice, which shall include the date and time of the event and the telephone number of the designated event representative.
Said written notice shall be provided to the surrounding residents and businesses by the event representative not less than 1 week prior to the event. Additionally, new event requests for locations outside of the Beach or downtown area, require event notifications to be posted at the event site leading up to the scheduled Public Hearing to provide the community additional notice of the proposed new event.
Pre/Post Event Meetings
Pre-event meetings and post-event walkthrough/evaluations with City staff and event producers may be required.
A “pre-event meeting” may be scheduled anytime between 3 months to several weeks prior to the actual event date as determined by City staff. The goal of this meeting is to provide information to all City Departments involved or impacted by the event. The Community Resources Department may require any event to have an “on-site meeting” prior to the event and a final site map must be presented at this time. City staff may require multiple meetings if the event details require further discussion or if additional information is requested. First-time events that expect to be recurring events may also be required to attend a “post-event meeting.” The Community Resources Department will invite representatives from other City Departments to these meetings, which are involved or affected by the event.
Permits may also specify a time for a “post-event walkthrough” where the applicant, event coordinator, or an authorized representative of the applicant is required to be present, as staff will walk through the site and assess the condition it was left in. Failure to participate in pre or post meeting events, may jeopardize your approved event or future events in Hermosa Beach.
Site Plan, Equipment, and Signage
A detailed map schematic must be submitted to move forward with the review and approval process that includes the proposed location of the event, including all temporary facilities, structures, signage, and /or equipment to be erected, ingress and egress, number and type of vehicles and whether existing structures and/or facilities are to be relocated or modified. Events requiring Building, Police, or Fire Department review, must include maps and plans that are drawn to scale.
All recreational activities and set-up of recreational equipment should remain at least 50 feet from the Strand wall. Special considerations may be made for permitted, and City approved recreational events or activities.
All event-related activities and set-up shall not block beach access or hinder emergency access onto and from the beach by the Los Angeles County Lifeguards.
All tents must remain at least 10 feet from the Strand wall.
A parking plan showing the number of public parking spaces to be occupied by the event organizers, the location of satellite parking lots to be used for attendee parking, arrangements for shuttle bus transportation, and plans for publicizing the availability of off-site public parking may be required.
Events that set up bleachers, stages higher than 2’ off the ground, fencing or other temporary structures will be subject to review and inspection prior to the start of the event. Accessibility compliance will be required for seating, bleachers or any stages higher than 2’ off the ground. Pedestrian access shall be maintained, and a layout plan may be required to ensure proper access and circulation.
Events including promotional signs/banners, a frame signs, and other signage items shall not be placed on City facilities or premises without prior written approval from the City and must include a temporary sign/banner permit and site plan.
748
9 Accessibility Plan
It is the applicant’s responsibility to comply with all City, County, State and Federal disability access requirements applicable to the event, including the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). All indoor and outdoor sites, activities and programs must be accessible to persons with disabilities.
Amplified Sound
Amplified sound (Public Address system for announcements, etc.) is limited to the hours of 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM for up to a total of four hours in any day. Exceptions may be approved for special events, in conjunction with the special event approval process. Events must comply with the City Noise Ordinance HBMC 8.24 and speakers must be facing westward (towards the ocean) at all times. Event producers are required to obtain an Amplified Sound Permit if the event intends to use a loudspeaker or sound amplifying equipment for the purpose of giving instructions, directions, lectures, or transmitting music. Requests should be noted when submitting a special event application to the Community Resources Department to ensure proper coordination with the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police will consider the following in the issuance of amplified sound permits:
1. The volume and intensity of the noise, particularly as it is experienced within a residence or place of business;
2. Whether the noise is prolonged and continuous;
3. How the noise contrasts with the ambient noise level;
4. The proximity of the noise source to residential and commercial uses;
5. The time of day; and
6. The anticipated duration of the noise
Food, Beverage, or Merchandise Sales
In accordance with HBMC Section 12.20.300, the sale of food, non-alcoholic beverages, or branded merchandise from the event producer on the beach are allowed pursuant to a special event permit approved by the City Council. The sale of any other commodity, merchandise, wares, products, or service on the beach or the strand is not allowed.
Applicant is responsible for obtaining any applicable food or beverage permits. A Temporary Food Permit is required when selling, serving, giving away, or sampling food or consumable products, including water or other beverages, at a public event. Additionally, each food vendor at the event must also have a Temporary Food Permit. Different permits, policies and procedures depend on the classification and the number of days of the event. As part of the food handling requirements, applicants or event organizers are required to include public safety features in the event plans such as hand-washing sinks. The County of Los Angeles Department of Environmental Health issues food permits. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all vendors have current permits.
If the sale of alcohol is included in a special event application (requests for alcohol on the beach will not be approved), approval from the City Council is required and the applicant must request authorization from the State of California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC). A copy of the ABC License must be provided to the Community Resources Department prior to the issuance of a permit. City departments may place restrictions on the way in which alcohol is managed at a proposed event.
Professional Filming
A Film/Still Photo Permit is required for any event utilizing professional filming or still photo equipment or recording or photographing of activities resulting in commercial use. Information about professional filming permits can be obtained on the City of Hermosa Beach website.
Security
City staff or law enforcement may deem an activity warrants the presence of one or more Police Officers or security personnel and the cost of such services shall be borne by the applicant. Security personnel must be licensed, in uniform and are subject to approval by the City. Proof of obtaining the required security personnel must be provided to the Community Resources Manager at least two (2) weeks prior to the event.
Portable Restrooms + Hand Sanitizing/Sink Facilities
Events may be required to provide portable restrooms and hand-sanitizing/sink facilities. The cost of such services shall be borne by the applicant. The number of portable restrooms and hand-sanitizing/sink facilities required will be determined by City staff and factors such as the event location, total duration of the event, estimated attendance (participants and spectators), season the event takes place and whether food and 749
10 beverage will be served will be considered. City staff will designate the location for any portable restrooms and hand-sanitizing/sink facilities required at the event location.
Insurance
At least ten (10) days prior to the event, applicants will provide the City with a certificate of insurance providing liability insurance with the following requirements:
Applicant agrees to furnish the City of Hermosa Beach evidence of comprehensive general liability insurance in the form of a certificate naming "the City of Hermosa Beach, its officers, agents, volunteers, and employees as additional insureds." This exact verbiage is required. Applicant shall notify the City at least thirty (30) days prior to the termination, reduction, cancellation, suspension, modification, or expiration of the policy. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Applicant shall maintain insurance coverage meeting the standards outlined in this Section at all times during the term of the activity or activities for which Applicant submitted its application, as reflected in and permitted by this Agreement. All certificates are subject to approval of the City’s Risk Manager.
Coverage shall be at least as broad as Insurance Services Form CG 00 01 covering commercial general liability on an "occurrence" basis, including property damage, bodily injury, death, and personal and advertising injury with limits no less than two million dollars ($2,000,000) per occurrence. If a general aggregate limit applies, either the general aggregate limit shall apply separately to this Agreement, or the general aggregate limit shall be twice the required occurrence limit. The City reserves the right to request greater or lesser amounts of insurance coverage.
If the use includes athletic activities, Applicant shall provide evidence of that the commercial general liability insurance includes coverage for injuries to athletic participants and participant accident insurance.
If the Applicant maintains broader coverage and/or higher limits than the minimums shown above, the City requires and shall be entitled to the broader coverage and/or the higher limits maintained. Any available insurance proceeds in excess of the specified minimum limits of insurance and coverage shall be available to the City.
Event Day Expectations
In order to immediately address any issues or changes that may arise during the course of an event, producers are responsible for:
• Providing a cell phone number upon which City staff may contact the producer • Being available on-site or providing a designated contact at all times during the event. This includes agreement that producers (or their designated contact) will not actively participate in the event. • Maintaining copies of all applicable special event permits and any other permits issued by the City of Hermosa Beach on-site during the event.
Applicable Fees
All special events are subject to an application fee, special event category fees and additional fees established by resolution of the City Council and any additional costs incurred by the City on behalf of the event. Payment of special event fees is due upon receipt. The Community Resources Manager has the discretion to revoke a permit or place a hold on processing future event applications if all applicable fees are not paid in a timely manner.
Current Fee Schedule
Event Categories Fee
Category I
• Less than 500 people
Non-profit: $2 per registrant
and roster or participants
due to City
Commercial: 70/30
split of proceeds
and roster or participants
due to City
750
11 Category II
• Impacts public areas for no longer than one (1) day including set-up/tear-down • Is conducted in the off-season (not between Memorial Day and Labor Day or on any holiday)
• Participant plus spectator crowd more than 500 but less than 3,000 • Has no television coverage (except news)
• A non-profit entity is the beneficiary of the net revenues (100%) • Does not meet any of the identifying criteria for a Category III or IV event $2,940 per event day
Category III
• Impacts public areas for more than one (1) day including set-up/tear-down • Participant plus Spectator crowd does not exceed 5,000 • Has no television coverage (except news)
• Has more than $3,000 and less than $50,000 in prize money • Does not meet any of the identifying criteria for a Category IV event $3,235 per event day
Category IV
• Meets Category III Criteria and has one or more of the following:
▪ Has network television coverage
▪ Estimated participant/spectator crowds exceed 5,000 people ▪ Prize money in excess of $50,000
▪ Charges admission to spectator
▪ Gross revenues in excess of $50,000
$5,882 per event day
Additional Fees Fees
Commercial Application Fee - non-refundable $924
Non-Profit Application Fee - non-refundable $616
Pass-Thru Application Fee - non-refundable $308
Amplified Sound Permit $181
Pier Plaza Use Fee $12,312 per event day
Event Co-Sponsor $311 each
Event Set-Up/Tear-Down $278 per location, per day
Community Resources Staff $369 per day
Parking Meter Space Fee $1.25 per hour (8am-8pm)
$1.50 per hour (8pm-8am)
Depending on event details additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Building Division, Police Department, Public Works Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Application Fees
Upon review of the special event application, City staff will follow up to the event contact to collect payment of the application fee, which will be due immediately to continue the review and approval process. This fee will not be applied to special event permit fees and is non-refundable.
Special Event Permit Fees
Events are subject to a daily permit fee based on the designated event category level.
Payment of applicable special event permit fees shall be due following event approval and must be submitted at least 10 days in advance of the scheduled event.
Additional Fees
The Community Resources Department will confirm the necessary permits during application review and will coordinate with applicants to secure permits and process fees from the appropriate City departments once the special event is approved by the appropriate review body. Additional fees may be required for:
• the use of Pier Plaza and reservation of City Facilities • installation of street banners or temporary signs
• reservation/use of public parking spaces
751
12 • use of amplified sound
• use of professional filming or still photography
• presence of police, fire, community resources, or paramedic staff on site before, during or after event • application for business license
Damage Deposit
Monetary deposits, bonds and other security may be necessary to guarantee performance of all required conditions, clean-up and repair of any City property or facilities damaged as a result of the event. Events may be required to submit a deposit to cover any potential damage to City facilities. All or a portion of the deposit may be refunded upon post event inspection or sign-off by Public Works, Chief of Police, or other applicable City staff. Events will be billed for the costs to repair or replace any City property damaged as a result of the event if the damage exceeds the deposit provided.
Refund/Cancellation Policy
Once a permit is approved and issued, the special event permit and additional impact fees may be refunded when written notice is given to the Community Resources Department at least two weeks prior to the event date and provided that no staff services are incurred. If rain is predicted and the decision is made to cancel within two weeks prior to the event, no monetary refund will be given but City staff will work with event producers to re-schedule events to another available date.
Compliance
Environmental Requirements
All events will be required to submit an environmental protection plan showing proposed compliance to reduce environmental impacts as part of the application form. Such measures may include, but shall not be limited to:
• Waste recycling and reduction
• Energy efficiency
• Protection of the marine environment
• Community education opportunities
• Monitoring and reporting compliance with the environmental protection plan Applicable Codes + Regulations
The City of Hermosa Beach Municipal Code governs the approval, review, and enforcement of special events.
The Special Event Policy rules and regulations must be strictly adhered to and all pertinent City Ordinances shall be enforced. The sections of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code relevant to special events include:
Title 8 – Health and Safety
8.24 Noise Control
8.64 Ban on Polystyrene Food Service Ware
Title 9 – Public Peace Morals and Welfare
9.28 Parties, Events and Gatherings on Private Property Title 10 – Vehicles and Traffic
10.28 Loading and Unloading
10.32 Stopping, Standing and Parking
Title 12 Street, Sidewalks and Public Places
12.20 Beach and Strand Regulations
12.24 Municipal Pier
752
13 12.28 Parks, Playgrounds and Other Public Areas
12.30 Special Events on Public Property
Fee Waivers
To support qualifying organizations, the City provides special event fee waiver grant opportunities to assist in its success by relieving the financial burden associated with the cost of the City’s special event fees. The Special Event Fee Waiver Grant Policy is intended for those events required to complete the annual special event application filing, review, and approval process. Events and organizations that qualify for a long-term agreement or in a City Contract are not bound to the terms of this policy.
Funding Limits
The Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission (Commission) awards grant funding for qualified organizations that have received approval to hold their event in the City of Hermosa Beach. The annual award limit of the Special Event Fee Waiver Grant is approved by the City Council each fall for the upcoming calendar year. Grants will be awarded up to a maximum of $2,500 per event or a 50% reduction of indirect City special event fees, whichever is the lesser amount.
Awards may only be used toward indirect special event fees charged by the City; direct costs are not eligible for consideration of this grant and organizations are required to pay those in full. A fee worksheet is included in the Fee Waiver Grant Application that further outlines those fees eligible under this grant. The minimum amount of requested special event fee waiver grants must total at least $250. Fee waivers will not be considered for events taking place during the Peak Season between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible to apply for a Special Event Fee Waiver Grant, the special event must be a returning event to the City and have been successfully approved through its applicable approval process as outlined in the Special Event Policy Guide. New events to the City do not qualify for a fee waiver grant. Following approval of a special event, a completed Special Event Fee Waiver Grant Application is required to be submitted to the Community Resources Department at least 60 days prior to the event. Following a review to ensure the completeness of the application, the request will be included on an upcoming meeting of the Commission for its formal review and determination of grant award.
Fee waivers may be granted when the Commission determines that the event is of significant value to the community or to a significant portion of its residents. The organization producing the event must meet the following criteria:
1) An organization that is not delinquent on city permits or fees. 2) The organization and/or event can demonstrate:
a. A community benefit; or
b. A positive economic impact as a result of the event.
Applicants will be requested to demonstrate the following:
• A financial need or other economic justification to be considered for a Fee Waiver Grant; • A positive community benefit through the organization or its event by meeting at least two of the following criteria:
a. The organization and/or event serves, involves, and/or promotes Hermosa Beach, its residents, schools, and/or businesses;
b. The organization and/or event can demonstrate broad community support and sponsorship; c. The event appeals to a wide segment of community members; d. The organization and/or event enhances the quality of life to the Hermosa Beach community; offering recreational, cultural, social, and or and/or educational activities of interest to the community;
e. The organization can demonstrate a commitment to supporting the City’s active and healthy lifestyle as a result of the event; and/or
f. The organization/and or event addresses an unmet community need. • A positive economic impact as a result of the event by providing the following information:
753
14 a. If the event is consecutive days, data indicating the total number of participants that utilize overnight lodging in the City of Hermosa Beach; and
b. Data indicating the participants spending in Hermosa Beach during the duration of the event at any of the businesses in the City of Hermosa Beach.
Additionally, applicants must be able to fully fund their event should they not receive a fee waiver grant and may not be dependent on the fee waiver grant to determine their ability to hold the event.
Events specifically prohibited from receiving a fee waiver grant include those events that:
• Promote, advocate or advance a political message or belief. • Projects or organizations who have unsatisfactorily fulfilled its obligations from previous fee waiver grants.
Approval
The five (5) member Commission is tasked with reviewing and determining the level of Special Event Fee Waiver Grant award at one of their regular meetings held on the first Tuesday of each month beginning at 7:00pm.
Consideration will include careful review of:
• Special Event Fee Waiver Grant Application.
• Community Benefit Form
• Economic Impact Report
• Successful fulfillment of previously awarded grant obligations.
The Commission’s decision to deny grant funding for specific events is appealable by the City Council. The City Council will not consider additional fee waiver considerations in addition to the maximum award amounts allowable through the Special Event Fee Waiver Grant program.
Obligations
Organization receiving grant funding through the Special Event Fee Waiver Grant program will be required to complete the following:
• A formal presentation to the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission at one of its regular meetings no more than 60-days following the event. The presentation shall include discussion of:
o Number of attendees.
o Beneficiary of funds raised by the event (if applicable). o Overview of event budget and financial outlook.
o Overview of the community benefit and/or positive economic impact to the City of Hermosa Beach.
Disqualification
Failure to complete these requirements in accordance with this policy shall automatically disqualify the organization from submitting a future request to receive a Special Event Fee Waiver Grant for the remainder of the current calendar year plus one additional year.
If any information submitted as part of the Special Event Fee Waiver Grant is found to be fraudulent, event approvals already granted for the remainder of the calendar year will be automatically revoked. While the organization will be permitted to reapply for approval of event(s) in the following calendar year, it will no longer be eligible to apply for Special Event Fee Waiver Grants.
Long-term Agreements
The City of Hermosa Beach recognizes the value in hosting a variety of beloved community events that help create a balanced and enjoyable events calendar for its residents. To support and develop a long-term approach to the scheduling of events, eligible events can qualify for a long-term agreement (LTA) with the City.
Eligibility
In order for an organization to be eligible for consideration of a long-term agreement, the event(s) must meet at least three of the following:
754
15 □ The event(s) must qualify as an Impact Level II or III (per the Impact Worksheet), and at least one of the following:
o Have a combined estimated total of 5,000 people in attendance; or o The event must be at least two (2) consecutive days (including setup and teardown). □ Have held its event in Hermosa Beach for at least three consecutive years □ The event must be produced by an organization that serves, involves, and/or promotes Hermosa Beach’s coastal lifestyle, its residents, schools, and/or businesses; and □ The organization or event producer must be able to demonstrate how its programs (outside of those provided at the event) provide a positive impact to the City including enhancements to quality of life to the Hermosa Beach community; or the offering of recreational, cultural, social, and/or educational activities of interest to the community.
□ The event can demonstrate:
o A community benefit; or
o A positive economic impact as a result of the event.
Applicants will be requested to demonstrate a positive community benefit through the organization or its event by meeting at least two of the following criteria:
□ The organization and/or event serves, involves, and/or promotes Hermosa Beach, its residents, schools, and/or businesses;
□ The organization and/or event can demonstrate broad community support and sponsorship; □ The event appeals to a wide segment of community members; □ The organization and/or event enhances the quality of life to the Hermosa Beach community; offering recreational, cultural, social, and or and/or educational activities of interest to the community;
□ The organization can demonstrate a commitment to supporting the City’s active and healthy lifestyle as a result of the event; and/or
□ The organization/and or event addresses an unmet community need.
Applicants will be requested to demonstrate a positive economic impact as a result of the event by providing the following information:
• If the event is consecutive days, data indicating the total number of participants that utilize overnight lodging in the City of Hermosa Beach; and
• Data indicating the participants spending in Hermosa Beach during the duration of the event at any of the businesses in the City of Hermosa Beach.
Upon request of an organization whose event does not satisfy one or more of the above eligibility criteria, the City Council may at a regular Council meeting authorize such organization to apply for an LTA where its event provides a demonstrable or differentiated benefit to the community or a service that the City would otherwise be unable to provide.
Term Limits
LTA’s shall be for no less than two (2) years but shall not exceed a maximum of three (3) years unless otherwise determined by the City Council.
Procedures
The following steps are required to guide the development and implementation of an LTA:
1. Submittal of an LTA Application and corresponding letter to the Community Resources Department demonstrating how the organization meets the criteria.
2. Review and recommendation for City Council approval by the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission.
3. Review and approval by the City Council to begin LTA negotiations with staff.
4. LTA negotiations and development.
5. Presentation of the final LTA to the City Council for approval. 755
16 Obligations
Organizations whose event(s) are approved through an LTA are required to provide a formal presentation to the Commission at one of its regular monthly meetings no more than 60-days prior AND 60-days following its event(s). The pre-event presentation shall include a general event overview including anticipated number of attendees; an overview of the event footprint and individualized setup; and its anticipated impact(s) to the community, etc. The post-event presentation shall include a general overview including the actual number of attendees; actual impact(s) to the community; and any event struggles and successes, et 756
757
TENTATIVE
2023 SPECIAL EVENTS
CALENDAR
City of Hermosa Beach
Community Resources Department
710 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 318-0280
[email protected]
758
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16
AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
17 18 19 20
Best Day Foundation
Beach Day
South of Pier
Impact Level II
21 Best Day Foundation
Beach Day
South of Pier
Impact Level II
SCVA Winter Series
North Volleyball Courts
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
29 30 31
January 2023
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
759
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4
AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
SCVA Winter Series
North Volleyball Courts
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
27 28
February 2023
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
760
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
3 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
4 HBLL Opening Day
Clark Field
Impact Level II
Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
5 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
6 7 8 9 10 11 St. Patrick’s Day
Parade
Downtown
(TENTATIVE - PENDING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS)
Impact Level III
12 AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
13 14 15 16 17 18
State of the Art
Cypress Ave. & 6th St.
SCVA Spring
Championships Tournament
North Volleyball Courts
19 20 21 22 23 24 Hearts of Hermosa
Community Center
(load-in)
Impact Level III
25 Hearts of Hermosa
Community Center
Impact Level III
SoCal Beach Foundation
North Volleyball Courts
26 Hearts of Hermosa
Community Center
(load-out)
Impact Level III
27 28 29 30 31
March 2023
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
761
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 AAU Southern Pacific Grand Prix
Series
North Volleyball Courts
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
9 Easter Sunrise Mass
South of Pier
10 11 12 13 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
14 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
15 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
16 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
17 18 19 20 21 Surfers Walk of Fame
Kick-off Party
Community Theatre
impact Level II
22 Surfer’s Walk of Fame
Spyder Surf Fest
Pier Plaza
Impact Level III
Waterman's South Bay
Surf Series Contest
South of the Pier
23 AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
24 25 26 27 28 29 Night at the Ballpark
Clark Field
Impact Level II
Dolphin Dash
Strand (North of Pier) &
Schumacher Plaza
30 April 2023
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
762
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 Endless Summer
Classic Car Show
Schumacher Plaza &
Pier Plaza
Impact Level II
Pets in the Park
Valley Park
Impact Level II
7 AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
8 9 10 11 12 13
14 AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
15 16 17 18 19 20 Best Day Foundation
Beach Day
South of Pier
Impact Level II
AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
21 Best Day Foundation
Beach Day
South of Pier
Impact Level II
22 23 24 25 26 Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(Load-in)
(TENTATIVE - PENDING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS)
Impact Level III
27 Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(TENTATIVE - PENDING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS)
Impact Level III
28 Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(TENTATIVE - PENDING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS)
Impact Level III
29 Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(TENTATIVE - PENDING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS)
Impact Level III
30 31
May 2023
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
763
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
3 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
South Bay Paddle
South of Pier
4 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
Hermosa Beach
Little League Closing Day
Clark Field
Impact Level II
5 6 7 8 9 Fine Arts Festival
Community Center Lawn
(Load-in)
Impact Level III
10 Fine Arts Festival
Community Center Lawn
Impact Level III
SoCal Beach Foundation
North Pier Volleyball Courts
11 Fine Arts Festival
Community Center Lawn
Impact Level III
12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Nothing Weekend
25 Nothing Weekend
26 27 28 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts
(Load-in)
Impact Level III
29 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts
(Load-in)
Impact Level III
30 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts
(Load-in)
Impact Level III
June 2023
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
764
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
Impact Level III
2 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
Impact Level III
3 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
Impact Level III
4 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
Impact Level III
5 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
Impact Level III
6 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
Impact Level III
7 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
Impact Level III
8 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
Impact Level III
9 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
Impact Level III
10 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-out)
Impact Level III
11 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-out)
Impact Level III
12 AVP
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-out)
Impact Level III
Shakespeare by the Sea
Valley Park
Impact Level I
13 JVA & BVCA
National Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts
(Load-in)
Shakespeare by the Sea
Valley Park
Impact Level I
14 JVA & BVCA
National Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
15 JVA & BVCA
National Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
16 JVA & BVCA
National Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
17 JVA & BVCA
National Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
18 JVA & BVCA
National Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
19 AAU Junior National
Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
20 AAU Junior National
Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
21 AAU Junior National
Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
22 AAU Junior National
Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
23 AAU Junior National
Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
24 AAU Junior National
Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
25 AAU Junior National
Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
26 AAU Junior National
Championships
North & South
Volleyball Courts &
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-out)
27 28 29
SmackFest
South Volleyball Courts
30 31
July 2023
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
765
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 International
Surf Festival
North & South of Pier
(Load-in)
Impact Level III
3 International
Surf Festival
North & South of Pier
(Load-in)
Impact Level III
4 International
Surf Festival
North & South of Pier
Impact Level III
5 International
Surf Festival
North & South of Pier &
North Volleyball Courts (CBVA)
Impact Level III
6 International
Surf Festival
North & South of Pier
Impact Level III
7 International
Surf Festival
North & South of Pier
(Load-out)
Impact Level III
8 9 10 11 Triathlon
Downtown
(Load-in)
12 Triathlon
Downtown
(Load-in)
13 Triathlon
Downtown
14 15 16 17 18 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
19 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
20 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
21 22 23 24 25 26
Nothing Weekend
27 Nothing Weekend
28 29 30 31
August 2023
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
766
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(Load-in)
(TENTATIVE - PENDING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS)
Impact Level III
2 Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(TENTATIVE - PENDING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS)
Impact Level III
3 Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(TENTATIVE - PENDING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS)
Impact Level III
4 Fiesta Hermosa
Downtown
(TENTATIVE - PENDING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS)
Impact Level III
5 6 7 8 Movies at the Beach
South of Pier
(Load-in)
Impact Level III
9 Best Day Foundation
Beach Day
South of Pier
Impact Level II
Movies at the Beach
South of Pier
Impact Level III
10 Best Day Foundation
Beach Day
South of Pier
Impact Level II
11 12 13 14 15 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
16 Coastal
Cleanup Day
Schumacher Plaza,
North and South of Pier
Impact Level I
Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
17 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
18 19 20 21 22 Movies at the Beach
South of Pier
(Load-in)
Impact Level III
23 Movies at the Beach
South of Pier
Impact Level III
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
September 2023
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
767
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
Walk for Alzheimer’s
Strand (North of Pier) &
Pier Plaza
8 9 10 11 12 13 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
14 Pumpkins in the Park
Edith Rodway Park
Impact Level II
Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
15 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
(Load-in)
28 Beach Tennis
Tournaments
Beach Tennis Courts
29 Skechers Pier to Pier
Friendship Walk
Strand (North of Pier) &
Pier Plaza
30 31
October 2023
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
768
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4
5 AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
6 7 8 9 10 11 Veterans Day
Wreath Laying
Ceremony
Community Center
East Lawn
Impact Level II
12 13 14 15 16 17 Holidays in Hermosa
Downtown
(TENTATIVE - PENDING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS)
Impact Level III
18 Holidays in Hermosa
Downtown
(TENTATIVE - PENDING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS)
Impact Level III
AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
19 Holidays in Hermosa
Downtown
(TENTATIVE - PENDING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS)
Impact Level III
20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30
November 2023
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
769
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 Sand Snowman
Contest
North of Pier
Impact Level I
3 AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
4 5 6 7 8 9 California Great
Santa Stroll
Strand (North of Pier) &
Pier Plaza
10 Community
Chanukah Celebration
Pier Plaza &
Greenwood Park
Impact Level II
AAU Southern Pacific
Grand Prix Series
North Volleyball Courts
11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 New Years Eve
Celebration
Pier Plaza
(TENTATIVE - PENDING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS)
Impact Level III
December 2023
Impact Level I
Impact Level II
Impact Level III
Long Term Agreement
City Hosted or City Contracted Event
770
Off-Season Monthly Events
(Labor Day – Memorial Day) # of Special Event Days # of Days Available(out of 15) January 4 11
February 3 12
March 10 5
April 11 4
May (through May 28) 8 7
September (from September 5) 9 5
October 7 8
November 5 10
December 5 10
Peak Season (Memorial Day: May 29 2023– Labor Day: September 4, 2023) # of Special Event Days on the Beach/Strand/Pier Plaza Level I & II Event Days
(not on Level III Event Days)
& City Sponsored/Contracted
(not on Level III, II or I Event Days)
(Maximum of 25)
Level III Event Days
(Maximum of 45) Total # of Event Days
(out of 70 total)
7 43 50
Peak Season Event Limits:
To balance coastal access with events, events on the Beach, Strand and Pier Plaza will be limited to the following number of events during the peak summer season (Memorial Day to Labor Day – approximately 100 days over the summer):
o Maximum of 45 days used by Level III Events
o Maximum of 25 days used by Level I and II Events, and City Sponsored/Contracted Events (on days not used by Level III Events) City Sponsored or City Contracted Events, and Long Term Agreement Events are categorized by their Impact Level 771
1 2023
City of Hermosa Beach
Special Event Permit Application Overview
Event Title: State of the Art
Impact Level: III
Proposed Event Date(s): Saturday, March 18
Applicant Name: Rafael McMaster
Organization Name: Indivisible Arts
Non-Profit: NO/YES
Event Time: Load-in: 8:00am-7:00pm Event: 7:00-10:00pm Load-out: 10:00pm-Midnight Event Summary: Fundraiser for Indivisible Arts including art viewing section (both indoor and outdoor), interactive art activities, live music, local food vendors, and virtual and live auctions.
Returning Event: NO/YES
Event Location (Site Map Attached): Corner of Cypress Avenue and 6th Street Estimated Number of Participants per Day: 500
Estimated Number of Spectators per Day: -
Age of Participants: Adults, 18 and over
Participant Fee: $125 per adult
Parking: None
Amplified Sound: Yes, for live music or DJ
Generator(s): None
Fenced Area(s): Yes, around the event footprint
Stage(s), Structure(s) or Tent(s): Yes (Pop-up tents and a stage – size TBD) Security: Yes
Sponsor(s): Yes
Applicable Fees:
Application (Non-Profit) $616
Category I (Non-Profit) $2 per participant with roster
Amplified Sound $181
Co-Sponsor(s) TBD ($311 each)
*Additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. 772
STATE OF THE ART 2023
INDIVISIBLE ARTS - 618 CYPRESS AVE
FLOORPLAN
ADA ACCESSIBLE ENTRY POINT / EXIT
PORTA-POTTIE
HAMMITT
WALL
ADA ACCESSIBLE ENTRY POINT / EXIT STAFF / EMERGENCY / VEHICLE ENTRANCE
BIKE RACK
PALMILLA
GREY WHALE
VENDORS
ART GALLERY
HAMMITT WALL
HUMMER
VENDORS
STAGE
773
STATE OF THE ART 2023
INDIVISIBLE ARTS - 618 CYPRESS AVE
LANEY ARCHITECTURE
ADDITIONAL PARKING
774
ADDITIONAL PARKING
ELECTRIC VEHICLE ROUTE
STATE OF THE ART 2023
INDIVISIBLE ARTS - 618 CYPRESS AVE
775
1 2023
City of Hermosa Beach
Special Event Permit Application Overview
Event Title: JVA and BVCA National Championships
Impact Level: III
Proposed Event Date(s): Load in: Thursday, July 13 Event: Friday, July 14 – Tuesday, July 18 Applicant Name: Jeff Smith
Organization Name: Junior Volleyball Association (JVA) and Beach Volleyball Clubs of America (BVCA) Non-Profit: NO/YES
Event Time: Load in: TBD Event: TBD Load-Out: TBD
Event Summary: A national junior championship beach volleyball tournament Returning Event: NO/YES
Event Location (Site Map Attached): North and south volleyball courts with impact to the beach tennis courts (Event producer will be required to leave at least three permanent courts in place for general public use or to set-up temporary beach tennis courts for general public use)
Estimated Number of Participants per Day: Up to 500 per day and up to 1,100 participants throughout the course of the event
Estimated Number of Spectators per Day: Up to 400 per day Age of Participants: 18 and under
Participant Fee: $290 per team ($145 per participant)
Parking: Yes
Amplified Sound: Yes, for announcements and background music Generator(s): Yes (3)
Fenced Area(s): Yes, for lifeguard emergency lane (or will use cones) Stage(s), Structure(s) or Tent(s): Yes (Pop-up tents)
Security: Yes
Sponsor(s): Yes
Applicable Fees:
Application (Non-Profit) $616
Category III $3,235 x 5 event days = $16,175
Amplified Sound $181
Load-in $278
Parking TBD
Co-Sponsor(s) TBD ($311 each)
Additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. 776
777
778
779
1 2023
City of Hermosa Beach
Special Event Permit Application Overview
Event Title: AAU Junior National Championships
Impact Level: III
Proposed Event Dates: Load-in: Wednesday, July 19 Event: Thursday, July 20 – Tuesday, July 25 Load-out: Wednesday, July 26 Applicant Name: Gino Grajeda
Organization Name: Amateur Athletic Union of the United States, Inc. (AAU) and the Southern Pacific Volleyball Committee (SPVC) Non-Profit: NO/YES
Event Time: Load-in: TBD Event: TBD Load-out: TBD
Event Summary: Junior beach volleyball tournament with teams from throughout the country competing at a national level Returning Event: NO/YES
Event Location (Site Map Attached): North and south volleyball courts with impact to the Beach Tennis Courts (Event producer will be required to leave at least three permanent courts in place for general public use or to set-up temporary beach tennis courts for general public use)
Estimated Number of Participants per Day: Less than 180 per event day resulting in a maximum of 900 over the course of the event Estimated Number of Spectators per Day: 200 per event day resulting in a maximum of 1,000 over the course of the event Age of Participants: Youth (under 18 years of age)
Participant Fee: $100-$200 per team
Parking: Yes
Amplified Sound: Yes, for announcements and background music Generator(s): Yes (1)
Fenced Area(s): None
Stage(s), Structure(s) or Tent(s): Yes (Pop-up tents)
Security: Yes
Sponsor(s): Yes
Applicable Fees:
Application (Non-Profit) $616
Category III $3,235 x 6 event days = $19,410
Event Load-in/Load-out $278 x 2 days = $556
Amplified Sound $181
Co-Sponsor(s) TBD ($311 each)
Parking TBD
*Additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. 780
1 2023
City of Hermosa Beach
Special Event Permit Application Overview
Event Title: Triathlon
Impact Level: III
Proposed Event Dates: Load-in: Friday, August 11 – Saturday, August 12 Event: Sunday, August 13 Applicant Name: Michael Epstein
Organization Name: MESP Inc.
Non-Profit: NO/YES
Event Time: Load-in: Varies Event: 6:00-11:00am Load-out: 11:00am-4:00pm following event Event Summary: ¼ mile ocean swim, ten mile bike ride, three mile run Returning Event: NO/YES
Event Location (Site Map Attached): North and south of the Pier, the Strand, Schumacher Plaza, Pier Plaza, Pier Avenue, Ardmore Avenue
Estimated Number of Participants per Day: 1,000
Estimated Number of Spectators per Day: 500
Age of Participants: All Ages
Participant Fee: $100 – $130 per participant
Parking: Yes
Amplified Sound: Yes, for announcements
Generator(s): Yes
Fenced Area(s): Yes, on Pier Plaza for transition area
Stage(s), Structure(s) or Tent(s): Yes (Pop-up tents and s 12’ x 16' x 2’ stage) Security: None, Volunteers to assist with event logistics and course direction Sponsor(s): Yes
Applicable Fees:
Application (Commercial) $924
Category III $3,235
Pier Plaza Use Fee $12,312
Load-in $278 per load-in day x 2 = $556
Co-Sponsors TBD ($311 each)
Parking TBD
*Additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Building Division, Community Resources Department, Public Works Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department 781
782
783
1 2023
City of Hermosa Beach
Special Event Permit Application Overview
Event Title: Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk
Impact Level: III
Proposed Event Dates: Sunday, October 29
Applicant Name: Amy Trell
Organization Name: Skechers Foundation
Non-Profit: NO/YES
Event Time: Load-in: 7:00-9:00am Event: 9:00am-11:30am Load-out: 11:30am-1:00pm Event Summary: The Friendship Walk begins at the Manhattan Beach Pier to the Hermosa Pier and back Returning Event: NO/YES
Event Location (Site Map Attached): Schumacher Plaza, and the Strand north of Pier.
Estimated Number of Participants per Day: 6,000
Estimated Number of Spectators per Day: -
Age of Participants: All ages
Participant Fee: $30-35 per person
Parking: Yes
Amplified Sound: None
Generator(s): None
Fenced Area(s): None
Stage(s), Structure(s) or Tent(s): Yes (Pop-up tents)
Security: Yes, to assist with the flow of traffic and compliance amongst participants along the Strand Sponsor(s): Yes
Applicable Fees:
Application (Non-Profit) $616
Category IV $5,882
Co-Sponsor(s) TBD ($311 each)
Parking TBD
*Additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. 784
785
1 2023
City of Hermosa Beach
Special Event Permit Application Overview
Event Title: California Great Santa Stroll
Impact Level: III
Proposed Event Dates: Saturday, December 9
Applicant Name: Page Sacks
Organization Name: Mychal’s Learning Place
Non-Profit: NO/YES
Event Time: Load-in: 4:00-8:00am Event: 8:00am-12:00pm Load-out: 12:00-4:00pm Event Summary: The California Great Santa Stroll is a fun run from Hermosa Beach to Manhattan Beach and back to Pier Plaza. Participants will dress in their most festive Santa Suits and come together to support a beloved community organization, Mychal's Learning Place.
Returning Event: NO/YES
Event Location (Site Map Attached): The Strand north of the Pier and Pier Plaza Estimated Number of Participants per Day: 1,000
Estimated Number of Spectators per Day: 100
Age of Participants: All ages
Participant Fee: $45 per adult and $20 per child
Parking: Yes
Amplified Sound: Yes, for announcements and background music Generator(s): None
Fenced Area(s): None
Stage(s), Structure(s) or Tent(s): Yes (Pop-up tents and 2 stages for announcer and DJ – sizes TBD) Security: Volunteers will provide security and monitor event equipment and set-up Sponsor(s): Yes
Applicable Fees:
Application (Non-Profit) $616
Category II $2,940
Pier Plaza Use Fee $12,312
Amplified Sound $181
Co-Sponsor TBD ($311 each)
Parking TBD
*Additional fees may apply due to required staffing and/or services from the City of Hermosa Beach’s Community Resources Department, Public Works Department, Police Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. 786
= 8’ tables
main
stage
start
stage
merch
just food
for dogs
Kendra
scott
C&C
Check
in
bakery
kinecta
beyond meat
FORD
SANTA
787
food truck
parking
Parking
Lot B
13th Ct.
Beach Dr.
11th St.
Parking Lot A
788
City of Hermosa Beach
Staff Report
City Hall
1315 Valley Drive
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0678
Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council Regular Meeting of October 25, 2022
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING BY REFERENCE THE 2022 EDITION OF THE CALIFORNIA BUILDING STANDARDS CODE (CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 24), INCLUDING THE 2022 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE; THE 2022 CALIFORNIA RESIDENTIAL CODE; THE 2022 CALIFORNIA ELECTRICAL CODE; THE 2022 CALIFORNIA MECHANICAL CODE; THE 2022 CALIFORNIA PLUMBING CODE; THE 2022 ENERGY CODE; THE 2022 CALIFORNIA EXISTING BUILDING CODE; THE 2022 CALIFORNIA GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS CODE; THE 2021 INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE; MAKING AMENDMENTS TO SAID CODES; AND FINDING THE ACTION EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY ACT
(Community Development Director Jeannie Naughton)
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends City Council:
1. Consider waiving full reading and introduce by title only an Ordinance of the City of Hermosa Beach, California, adopting by reference the 2022 Edition of the California Building Standards Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24), including the 2022 California Building Code; the 2022 California Residential Code; the 2022 California Electrical Code; the 2022 California Mechanical Code; the 2022 California Plumbing Code; the 2022 Energy Code; the 2022 California Existing Building Code; the 2022 California Green Building Standards Code; the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code; making amendments to said Codes; and finding the action exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (Attachment 1); and
2. Set a public hearing to consider adoption of the ordinance on November 29, 2022.
Executive Summary:
The California Building Standards Commission (hereinafter the “Building Standards Commission”) is an independent commission within the State Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency responsible for reviewing, adopting, and publishing building standards for the State of California. The Building Standards Commission adopts a compilation of updated building regulations every three years. These Codes include the:
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Staff Report
REPORT 22-0678
· California Fire Code;
· California Building Code;
· California Residential Code;
· California Electrical Code;
· California Mechanical Code;
· California Plumbing Code;
· California Energy Code;
· California Existing Building Code;
· California Referenced Standards Code; and
· California Green Building Standards Code.
The 2022 Codes become effective on January 1, 2023 and apply to any project submitted for plan check thereafter. In order for the City of Hermosa Beach to maintain its local amendments to the aforementioned Codes, the City must adopt its amendments along with the Codes at the beginning of each three-year Code cycle.
Background:
The State of California Title 24 construction codes are typically updated and published on a threeyear cycle. The International Code Council publishes the base codes in 2021, titled the 2021 International Building Code, the 2021 International Residential Code, etc. Then the various California regulatory agencies such as: the State Fire Marshal’s office; the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD); the Division of the State Architect (DSA); and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) review and amend these base codes and republish them as the California Building Codes, Parts 1 through 12. The Building Standards Commission then publishes these triennial code updates, typically on July 1st, and State law mandates that these codes become effective throughout California 180 days after that publication date.
For this latest cycle, the publication date was July 1, 2022, meaning that the current cycle of State construction codes take effect on January 1, 2023. This is done in order to foster uniformity in fire prevention, life/safety, and construction standards statewide. Local jurisdictions are permitted to use that ensuing 180 days after publication to review and amend the California published codes based on local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions.
Analysis:
This proposed ordinance adopts selected parts of the 2022 Codes which staff recommends amending specifically: the 2022 California Building Code; 2022 California Residential Code; the 2022 California Electrical Code; the 2022 California Mechanical Code; the 2022 California Plumbing Code; the 2022 California Energy Code; and the 2022 California Existing Building Code. The 2021 International Property Maintenance Code is not adopted by the State in Title 24 but is recommended by staff for adoption as a companion code to the others, as it provides tools for dealing with City of Hermosa Beach Page 2 of 5 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™790
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0678
by staff for adoption as a companion code to the others, as it provides tools for dealing with dilapidated buildings and rental properties. The remaining parts of Title 24 will take effect on January 1, 2023 without any action on the part of the City, and we have not identified any need to amend these other parts locally.
Prior to adoption of an ordinance amending these Codes, City Council is required to hold a public hearing and make findings authorizing all local amendments based on climatic, geologic, and topographical conditions. Staff recommends Council set the public hearing for November 29, 2022 in order for the 2022 Editions of the California Building Standards Code, related Codes, and the local amendments to take effect on January 1, 2023.
The attached draft ordinance (Attachment 1) adopts the 2022 Editions of the California Building Standards Code and related Codes, as well as the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code with local amendments. The Codes to be adopted prescribe regulations governing site preparation and construction, alteration, moving, demolition, repair, maintenance, use, and occupancy of all buildings and structures within the City of Hermosa Beach and are designed to protect the health, safety, and welfare of individuals in the community. The City did not incorporate the International Property Maintenance Code in 2019 and it is not currently in the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code.
The 2021 International Property Maintenance Code is not adopted by the State in Title 24, but is a good companion code to the other suite of codes and provides tools for dealing with dilapidated buildings and rental properties.
Exhibit A to the draft ordinance provides the applicable administrative, topographical, climatic, and geologic findings supporting each of the proposed amendments and additions to the 2022 Codes proposed in the ordinance.
The attached redline (Attachment 2) shows the ordinance’s proposed changes to Title 15 (Buildings and Construction).
Fire Code
Nearly all of the City’s existing local amendments have been carried over to this code adoption. As of January 1, 2018, the City has been contracting for fire services with Los Angeles County. Pursuant to that contract, the City has agreed to adopt the County Fire Code, Title 32 of the Los Angeles County Code, which adopts the State Fire Code with local amendments. The County has not yet adopted the amended 2022 Edition of the California Fire Code, which is scheduled for some time after January 1, 2023. Therefore, the proposed ordinance adopts the State Fire Code with local amendments. When Los Angeles County adopts its Fire Code, staff will bring back an ordinance recommending its adoption by reference.
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REPORT 22-0678
Code Appendices
The Codes comprising the California Building Code include appendices of regulations for specific categories of structures and topics. Appendices are not mandatory provisions of the building standards applicable to local construction unless specifically referenced in a local adopting ordinance.
Public Notice
A notice of the public hearing was published in advance of this hearing for first reading. For second reading, notice of the November 29, 2002 public hearing would be published once a week for two consecutive weeks pursuant to Government Code sections 6066 and 50022.2. Due to the length of the ordinance, a summary of the ordinance would be published five days in advance of the second reading and 15 days after its adoption.
General Plan Consistency:
This report and associated recommendation have been evaluated for their consistency with the City’s General Plan. Relevant Policies are listed below:
Governance Element
Goal 7. Community sustainability and health are a priority in policy and decision-making.
Policy:
· 7.6 Livability principles. Amend or update policies that may run counter to livability, sustainability, and health principles.
Sustainability + Conservation Element
Goal 4. A leader in reducing energy consumption and renewable energy production.
Policy:
· 4.5 Sustainable building standards. Use sustainable building checklists to minimize or eliminate waste and maximize recycling in building design, demolition, and construction activities.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
Attachments:
1. Draft Ordinance
2. Redline of changes to HBMC Title 15 (Buildings and Construction) City of Hermosa Beach Page 4 of 5 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™792
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REPORT 22-0678
Respectfully Submitted by: Jeannie Naughton, Community Development Director Concur/Legal Review: Mike Jenkins, City Attorney
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager
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ORDINANCE NO. ___
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH,
CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING BY REFERENCE THE 2022 EDITION OF
THE CALIFORNIA BUILDING STANDARDS CODE (CALIFORNIA
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 24), INCLUDING THE 2022
CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE; THE 2022 CALIFORNIA
RESIDENTIAL CODE; THE 2022 CALIFORNIA ELECTRICAL
CODE; THE 2022 CALIFORNIA MECHANICAL CODE; THE 2022
CALIFORNIA PLUMBING CODE; THE 2022 ENERGY CODE; THE
2022 CALIFORNIA EXISTING BUILDING CODE; THE 2022
CALIFORNIA GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS CODE; THE 2021
INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE; MAKING
AMENDMENTS TO SAID CODES; AND FINDING THE ACTION
EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ACT
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. RECITALS.
1. In July 2022, the California Building Standards Commission adopted the 2022 Edition of the California Building Standards Code (“CBSC”), effective January 1, 2023 and codified in Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations (“CCR”).
2. The CBSC consists of building standards that regulate the erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, removal, demolition, conversion, occupancy, equipment, use, height, area, electrical systems, plumbing, mechanical systems, and maintenance of all buildings in the state and includes the California Building Code (CCR, Title 24, Part 2); the California Residential Code (CCR, Title 24, Part 2.5); the California Electrical Code (CCR, Title 24, Part 3); the California Mechanical Code (CCR, Title 24, Part 4); the California Plumbing Code (CCR, Title 24, Part 5); the California Energy Code (CCR, Title 24, Part 6); the California Existing Building Code (CCR, Title 24, Part 10); and the California Green Building Standards Code (CCR, Title 24, Part 11).
3. Pursuant to California Government Code Section 50022.2, the City of Hermosa Beach (“City”) may adopt the 2022 Edition of the CBSC by reference.
4. Pursuant to sections 17958.7 and 18941.5 of the California Health & Safety Code, the City may adopt local amendments to the CBSC determined by the City Council to be reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions.
5. The City desires to adopt the 2022 edition of the CBSC with local amendments to provide for the issuance of permits and the collection of fees, to provide adequate remedies for code violations, to establish administrative procedures consistent with City protocols, and to ensure that the state standards are reasonably tailored to local conditions. 794
6. Findings. Based on the foregoing, the City Council of the City of Hermosa Beach does hereby find that the proposed amendments to the 2022 Edition of the CBSC are reasonably necessary for reasons of local climatic, geologic, and topographic conditions as set forth in “Exhibit A” of this Ordinance.
SECTION 2. BUILDING CODE.
Chapter 15.04 of Title 15 of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:
“Chapter 15.04
Building Code
15.04.010 Adoption of building code.
15.04.020 Board of appeals.
15.04.030 Violations.
15.04.040 Fees.
15.04.050 Expiration of permits.
15.04.070 Protection of private property during construction.
15.04.080 Roof covering requirements.
15.04.100 Automatic sprinkler systems.
15.04.130 Assumption of risk for below-grade construction.
15.04.140 Pedestrian protection during construction.
15.04.010 Adoption of Building Code.
Except as hereinafter provided in this chapter, the California Building Code 2022 Edition (Part 2 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), including Appendices F, G, and J, is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. Said code shall comprise the building code of the City of Hermosa Beach. A copy of the building code shall be maintained in the office of the City Clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the City of Hermosa Beach. Whenever the term "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the Building/Code Enforcement Official or to the Director of Community Development of the city of Hermosa Beach, or his or her designee.”
15.04.020 Board of appeals.
Section 113 of Chapter 1 of the 2022 California Building Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
795
SECTION 113
BOARD OF APPEALS
A. General. In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Building Official relative to the application and interpretation of this Code, there shall be and is hereby created a Board of Appeals consisting of five (5) members who are qualified by experience and training to pass upon matters pertaining to building construction and who are not employees of the jurisdiction. The Building Official shall be an ex officio member of and shall act as secretary to said Board but shall have no vote upon any matter before the Board. The Board of Appeals shall be appointed by the City Council and shall hold office at its pleasure. The Board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant with a duplicate copy to the Building Official.
B. Limitations of authority. The jurisdiction of the Board of Appeals shall be limited to claims that this Code or the rules legally adopted hereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this Code do not fully apply or an equally good or better method of construction is proposed. The Board of Appeals shall have no authority to waive requirements of this Code.
C. Quorum for meetings. Three (3) members of said Board shall constitute a quorum. The Board shall elect one of its members to act as chairman.
Not less than three (3) days prior to a meeting of said Board, written notice shall be given to each member personally, or by registered mail, provided, however, that any meeting of said Board shall be legal for any purpose if the written consent of all members of said Board to such meeting is executed and filed in the records of such Board.
Such Board shall have the right, subject to such limits as the Council may prescribe by resolution, to employ at the cost and expense of said City such practicing architects, competent builders, attorneys and structural engineers as said Board in its discretion may deem reasonable and necessary to assist in its investigation and in making its findings and decisions.
15.04.030 Violations.
Section 114 of Chapter 1 of the 2022 California Building Code shall be amended to read as follows.
SECTION 114
VIOLATIONS
A. Unlawful acts. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, extend, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish, equip, use, occupy or maintain any building or structure or cause or permit the same to be done in violation of this Code.
796
B. Notice of violation. The building official is authorized to serve a notice of violation or order on the person responsible for the erection, construction, alteration, extension, repair, moving, removal, demolition or occupancy of a building or structure in violation of the provisions of this Code, or in violation of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this Code. Such order shall direct the discontinuance of the illegal action or condition and the abatement of the violation.
C. Prosecution of violation. If the notice of violation is not complied with promptly, the building official is authorized to request the legal counsel of the jurisdiction to institute the appropriate proceeding at law or in equity to restrain, correct or abate such violation, or to require the removal or termination of the unlawful occupancy of the building or structure in violation of the provisions of this Code or of the order or direction made pursuant thereto.
D. Violation penalties. Any person who violates a provision of this Code or fails to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who erects, constructs, alters or repairs a building or structure in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the building official, or of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this Code, shall be subject to penalties as prescribed by law.
E. Violation a misdemeanor. Any person violating any of the provisions of this Chapter or said Building Code shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable as set out in Section 1.04.020 of this Code.
15.04.040 Fees.
Section 109 of the 2022 California Building Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 109 FEES
A. General. Fees shall be assessed in accordance with the provisions of this Section.
B. Permit fees. The fee for each permit shall be as set forth in the latest resolution adopted by the City Council. The determination of value or valuation under any of the provisions of this Code shall be made by the Building Official. The value to be used in computing the building permit and building plan review fees shall be the total value of all construction work for which the permit is issued, as well as all finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, elevators, fire-extinguishing systems and other permanent equipment. Where work for which a permit is required by this Code is started or proceeded with prior to obtaining said permit, the fees above specified shall be quadrupled, but the payment of such quadrupled fee shall not relieve any persons from fully complying with the requirements of this Code in the execution of the work nor from any other penalties prescribed herein.
797
C. Plan review fees. When a plan or other data are required to be submitted by this Code, a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review. Said plan review fee shall be eighty (80) percent of the building permit fee.
The plan review fees specified in this Subsection are separate fees from the permit fees specified in Subsection 1.8.4.2 and are in addition to the permit fees.
Where plans are incomplete or changed or involve deferred submittals so as to require additional plan review, an additional plan review fee shall be charged at the rate indicated in the executive order.
D. Expiration of plan review. Applications for which no permit is issued within one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of application shall expire by limitation, and plans and other data submitted for review may thereafter be returned to the applicant or destroyed by the Building Official. The Building Official may extend the time for action by the applicant for a period not exceeding one hundred eighty (180) days upon request by the applicant showing that circumstances beyond the control of the applicant have prevented action from being taken. No application shall be extended more than once. In order to renew action on an application after expiration, the applicant shall resubmit plans and pay a new plan review fee.
E. Fee refunds.
1. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of any fee paid hereunder which was erroneously paid or collected.
2. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of not more than eighty (80) percent of the permit fee paid when no work has been done under a permit issued in accordance with this Code.
3. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of not more than eighty (80) percent of the plan review fee paid when an application for a permit for which a plan review fee has been paid is withdrawn or canceled before any plan reviewing is done.
The Building Official shall not authorize the refunding of any fee paid except upon written application filed by the original permittee not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the date of fee payment.
15.04.050 Expiration of permits.
Section 105.5 of Chapter 1 of the 2022 California Building Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 105.5
EXPIRATION OF PERMITS
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105.5 Expiration.
Every permit issued by the Building Official under the provisions of this Code shall expire and become null and void (1) if the building or work authorized by such permit is not commenced within 12 months after the permit was issued, unless the permittee has abandoned the work authorized by the permit, or (2) if the building or work authorized by such permit is not completed within two calendar years from the issuance date of the permit.
Exception:
For any project subject to a discretionary permit from the Planning Commission under Title 17 of the HBMC, the Planning Commission has authority, and City Council on appeal, to establish as a condition of approval the building permit expiration date by which construction shall be completed, based upon the size and complexity of the project. The time frame provided in the condition of approval for permitted construction activities shall be inclusive of all permits and phases of the project (i.e. demolition, excavation, building construction, site improvements, and approved final inspection for all permits issued for the project).
A. Where work has not commenced within 12 months from the issuance date of a permit, a renewed permit valid for two years may be obtained upon payment of a renewal fee equal to ten percent of the original permit fee provided that (1) no changes have been made or will be required in the original plans and specifications for such work and (2) the renewed permit is issued within two years of the original permit issuance date.
B. Where work has commenced and is subsequently suspended or abandoned for a period exceeding 12 months, a renewed permit valid until the original expiration date may be obtained upon payment of a renewal fee equal to ten percent of the original permit fee provided that (1) no changes have been made or will be required in the original plans and specifications for such work and (2) the renewed permit is issued within two years of the original permit issuance date.
C. The Building Official, or the Planning Commission in the case of discretionary permits, may grant a maximum of two (2) extensions for a period not exceeding six calendar months each upon written request by the permittee showing that circumstances beyond the control of the permittee have prevented completion of the project. A fee of ten percent of the original permit fee shall be assessed for such renewal.
D. Any permittee holding an active permit and seeking an exception pursuant to subsection (C) may apply in writing for an extension of the time within which work under that permit may be continued when, for good and satisfactory reasons, he or she is unable to continue work within the time required by this Section due to circumstances beyond the control of the permittee.
E. Any permittee seeking to extend a permit pursuant to the above may present evidence to City staff that clearly demonstrates that the uncompleted work is less than ten percent of the project. At its sole discretion, should the City determine that less than ten percent 799
of the project is left to be completed, the renewal fee or the new permit fee may be reduced to an amount equivalent to the corresponding lower percentage.
F. Any application for a renewed permit or a permit extension shall be reviewed under the Building Codes and Ordinances in effect at the time of the original permit.
G. If the owner or applicant fails to complete the project within the time required, the Building Official is authorized to initiate a nuisance abatement action pursuant to Chapter
8.28 of this Code or undertake any other remedy permitted by law.
15.04.070 Protection of private property during construction.
Section 3307 of the 2022 California Building Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 3307
PROTECTION OF ADJOINING AND NEARBY PROPERTY AND PERSONS 3307.1 Adjoining and nearby public and private property and persons making lawful use of such property shall be protected from damage during construction, remodeling and demolition work. Protection must be provided for footings, foundations, party walls, chimneys, skylights and roofs. Provisions shall be made to control water runoff and erosion during construction or demolition activities. At the outset of construction activities or at the otherwise earliest time it is feasible in the opinion of the Building Official, a protective screen shall be erected to the satisfaction of the Building Official between the construction site and immediately adjoining properties, unless the Building Official determines that erection of a screen is not feasible or would serve no practical purpose. 3307.2 The Building Official shall have the authority to stop the construction work at any time that in his or her opinion said construction work has caused, is causing, or is about to cause, damage to adjacent or nearby properties. Said work shall not recommence until the time that the necessary corrections have been made so that no further damage will occur to the affected property (unless the Building Official determines that the damage will be corrected as provided in Section 3307.3) and written approval is obtained from the Building Official that said work can recommence.
3307.3 If construction work causes damage to adjacent or nearby properties, the Building Division shall withhold inspections of said work and stop work until (i) the damage to the affected property is repaired (or repair work has commenced and is continued to be performed with due diligence until completed), or (ii) the affected property owner is compensated the cost of repair, or (iii) a documented agreement satisfactory to the Building Official is executed to assure repair of the damage at a more appropriate phase of the construction. If there is a bona fide dispute between the owner of the damaged property and the party alleged to have caused said damage as to the cause of the damage, the method or scope of repair or the cost of the repair, work may resume and inspections provided only if the party performing the construction work posts a bond with the City in an amount that the Building Official reasonably determines is sufficient to pay the cost of repair. Where there 800
exists a bona fide dispute, the issues in contention are a civil matter beyond the authority of the City to resolve.
3307.4 The bond called for in Section 3307.3 shall be approved as to form by the City Attorney and held by the City until the dispute is resolved between the parties or by a court of competent jurisdiction. In the event that the aggrieved party does not submit proof to the City that an action has in fact been filed within one (1) year after the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy, then the City shall, unless good cause is shown, release the bond. The City shall provide thirty (30) days’ written notice to the aggrieved party of its intent to release the bond. 3307.5 Prior to the commencement of any demolition of exterior walls or roofs, excavation that requires shoring, sandblasting or other exterior construction activities that require a building permit, the owner or contractor shall provide written notice to the property owners and occupants located within one hundred (100) feet of the construction site that construction will occur, along with a copy of this Section 3307. Said notice shall be provided to the affected property owners and occupants at least five (5) days prior to any construction taking place. The notice shall contain the following information:
1. Address where construction will occur;
2. Date(s) and approximate times construction will occur;
3. Name, address, telephone number and state license number of contractor;
4. Name, address and telephone number of the owner of the property on which construction is to occur.
If the owner or the contractor fails to provide the required notice, the Building Official shall have the authority to stop the work until the notice is provided, in addition to any other remedies provided by this Code.
3307.6 Prior to approval of temporary shoring a geotechnical report shall be provided certifying that the temporary shoring has been installed according to the shoring plan and specifying the time period for the integrity of the temporary shoring.
15.04.080 Roof covering requirements.
Sections 1504 and 1505 of the 2022 California Building Code are hereby amended by adding Section 1504.10 and amending Section 1505.1.2 as follows, respectively:
SECTION 1504.10
1504.10 Roof deck surfaces. Only such sections of a roof which have been approved by the Building Official to be used as deck space may be covered with materials designed to be "walking" or "decking" materials. All other portions of the roof shall be covered with traditional roofing materials such as rolled, gravel, built-up, or composition roofing.
SECTION 1505.1.2
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1505.1.2 Class A roofs required. The roof covering on any structure regulated by this Code shall be a fire-retardant roof covering that is at least Class A. Any new addition or reroofing of structures may match existing roof coverings if not exceeding 50% of the roof area of the entire structure, provided that no more than 50% of existing roof covering is replaced in any 60-month period.
The roof-covering assembly includes the roof deck, underlayment, interlayment, insulation and covering which is assigned a roof-covering classification.
15.04.100 Automatic sprinkler systems.
Section 903.2 of the 2022 California Building Code is hereby amended to amend section 903.2, and add section 903.2.13 to read as follows:
SECTION 903.2
903.2 Where required. Approved automatic sprinkler systems in new buildings and structures shall be provided in the locations described in Sections 903.2.1 through 903.2.21.
SECTION 903.2.13
903.2.13 Expansion of existing buildings. An automatic sprinkler system is required in any existing building subject to alteration or expansion if (1) the expansion exceeds 50 percent of the existing gross floor area; or (2) the cost of remodeling, expansion or improvement exceeds 50 percent of the value of the existing structure as determined by the Building Official.
a. The size or valuation of an existing building shall be deemed to exceed fifty (50) percent if:
1. The expansion exceeds fifty (50) percent of the existing gross floor area; or
2. The cost of remodeling, expansion, or improvement exceeds fifty (50) percent of the value of the existing structure as determined by the building official.
15.04.130 Assumption of risk for below-grade construction.
Appendix G of the 2022 California Building Code is hereby amended by adding thereto a new Section G104.11 to read as follows:
G104.11 Waiver required for below grade construction. The building official shall require execution of a waiver before issuing a permit for construction of buildings or structures of any occupancy any portion of which is below street grade and/or does not meet the elevation requirements of Appendix G.
15.04.140 Pedestrian protection during construction.
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Section 3306 of the 2022 California Building Code is hereby amended by adding thereto a new Section 3306.10 to read as follows:
3306.10 Fencing and Pedestrian Protection. Fencing and pedestrian protection shall be required at all building and demolition sites as follows:
1. Prior to issuance of a demolition or building permit, a pre-demolition site inspection shall be performed verifying sewer cap and temporary toilet location and the capping of electrical, water and gas service to the property.
2. Prior to commencement of work, all new construction or demolition sites shall install minimum 6-foot high protective chain link fencing with slats or screening incorporated, or wood fencing consistent with Section 3306 of the California Building Code, and Table 3306.1 regardless of distance to the property line. Protective wood canopies shall be installed prior to commencement of work pursuant to the requirements of Section 3306 and Table 3306.1 of the CBC.
3. If scaffolding is used on any construction site, the exterior face of the scaffolding shall be covered with mesh screen, tarps or other material sufficient to mitigate dust and debris migration from the site.
4. A Pedestrian Protection Plan shall be approved identifying all areas of required pedestrian protection for the property, prior to the issuance of demolition or building permits.
The Plan shall indicate all areas of pedestrian protection or indicate why such protection is not required (e.g., exempt due to distance of construction to property line). The Pedestrian Protection Plan shall be prepared by a licensed contractor, engineer or owner-builder and indicate the proposed protection system to be installed and the method of installation. When conditions make installation of a pedestrian canopy impractical (e.g., a narrow street or alley) an alternative method may be shown on the plan such as pedestrian diversion through use of flag persons and barriers.
5. Any work encroaching into the public right-of-way or involving pedestrian diversion shall require Public Works Department approval of permits and pedestrian protection.
6. In addition to the remedies provided in the Building Code, violations of this Section shall result in revocation or suspension of a building permit pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Code.
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SECTION 3. RESIDENTIAL CODE. Chapter 15.06 of Title 15 of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:
“Chapter 15.06
Residential Code
15.06.010 Adoption of California Residential Code.
15.06.020 Board of appeals.
15.06.030 Violations.
15.06.040 Fees.
15.06.045 Work exempt from permit.
15.06.050 Expiration of permits.
15.06.010 Adoption of California Residential Code
Except as hereinafter provided in this chapter, the California Residential Code, 2022 Edition (Part 2.5 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), including Appendices Q, R, S, and T, is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. Said code shall comprise the residential code of the City of Hermosa Beach. A copy of the residential code shall be maintained in the office of the City Clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the City of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the Building/Code Enforcement Official, or the Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach, or his or her designee.
15.06.020 Board of appeals.
Section R112 of Chapter 1 of the 2022 California Residential Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION R112
BOARD OF APPEALS
A. General. In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Building Official relative to the application and interpretation of this Code, there shall be and is hereby created a Board of Appeals consisting of five (5) members who are qualified by experience and training to pass upon matters pertaining to building construction and who are not employees of the jurisdiction. The Building Official shall be an ex officio member of and shall act as secretary to said Board but shall have no vote upon any matter before the Board. The Board of Appeals shall be appointed by the City Council and shall hold office at its pleasure. The Board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant with a duplicate copy to the Building Official.
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B. Limitations of authority. The jurisdiction of the Board of Appeals shall be limited to claims that this Code or the rules legally adopted hereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this Code do not fully apply or an equally good or better method of construction is proposed. The Board of Appeals shall have no authority to waive requirements of this Code.
C. Quorum for meetings. Three (3) members of said Board shall constitute a quorum. The Board shall elect one of its members to act as chairman.
Not less than three (3) days prior to a meeting of said Board, written notice shall be given to each member personally, or by registered mail, provided, however, that any meeting of said Board shall be legal for any purpose if the written consent of all members of said Board to such meeting is executed and filed in the records of such Board.
Such Board shall have the right, subject to such limits as the Council may prescribe by resolution, to employ at the cost and expense of said City such practicing architects, competent builders, attorneys and structural engineers as said Board in its discretion may deem reasonable and necessary to assist in its investigation and in making its findings and decisions.
15.06.030 Violations.
Section R113 of Chapter 1 of said code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION R113
VIOLATIONS
R113.1 Unlawful acts. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, extend, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish, equip, use, occupy or maintain any building or structure or cause or permit the same to be done in violation of this Code.
R113.2 Notice of violation. The building official is authorized to serve a notice of violation or order on the person responsible for the erection, construction, alteration, extension, repair, moving, removal, demolition or occupancy of a building or structure in violation of the provisions of this Code, or in violation of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this Code. Such order shall direct the discontinuance of the illegal action or condition and the abatement of the violation.
R113.3 Prosecution of violation. If the notice of violation is not complied with promptly, the building official is authorized to request the legal counsel of the jurisdiction to institute the appropriate proceeding at law or in equity to restrain, correct or abate such violation, or to require the removal or termination of the unlawful occupancy of the building or structure in violation of the provisions of this Code or of the order or direction made pursuant thereto.
R113.4 Violation penalties. Any person who violates a provision of this Code or fails to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who erects, constructs, alters or repairs a 805
building or structure in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the building official, or of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this Code, shall be subject to penalties as prescribed by law.
R113.5 Violation a misdemeanor. Any person violating any of the provisions of this Chapter or said Building Code shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable as set out in Section 1.04.020 of this Code.
15.06.040 Fees.
Section R108 of said residential code is hereby amended to read as follows:
R108A General. Fees shall be assessed in accordance with the provisions of this Section.
R108B Permit fees. The fee for each permit shall be as set forth in the latest resolution adopted by the City Council. The determination of value or valuation under any of the provisions of this Code shall be made by the Building Official. The value to be used in computing the building permit and building plan review fees shall be the total value of all construction work for which the permit is issued, as well as all finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, elevators, fire-extinguishing systems and other permanent equipment. Where work for which a permit is required by this Code is started or proceeded with prior to obtaining said permit, the fees above specified shall be quadrupled, but the payment of such quadrupled fee shall not relieve any persons from fully complying with the requirements of this Code in the execution of the work nor from any other penalties prescribed herein.
R108C Plan review fees. When a plan or other data are required to be submitted by this Code, a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review. Said plan review fee shall be eighty (80) percent of the building permit fee.
The plan review fees specified in this Subsection are separate fees from the permit fees specified in R108B and are in addition to the permit fees.
Where plans are incomplete or changed or involve deferred submittals so as to require additional plan review, an additional plan review fee shall be charged at the rate indicated in the executive order.
R108D Expiration of plan review. Applications for which no permit is issued within one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of application shall expire by limitation, and plans and other data submitted for review may thereafter be returned to the applicant or destroyed by the Building Official. The Building Official may extend the time for action by the applicant for a period not exceeding one hundred eighty (180) days upon request by the applicant showing that circumstances beyond the control of the applicant have prevented action from being taken. No application shall be extended more than once. In order to renew action on an application after expiration, the applicant shall resubmit plans and pay a new plan review fee.
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R108E Fee refunds.
1. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of any fee paid hereunder which was erroneously paid or collected.
2. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of not more than eighty (80) percent of the permit fee paid when no work has been done under a permit issued in accordance with this Code.
3. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of not more than eighty (80) percent of the plan review fee paid when an application for a permit for which a plan review fee has been paid is withdrawn or canceled before any plan reviewing is done.
The Building Official shall not authorize the refunding of any fee paid except upon written application filed by the original permittee not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the date of fee payment.
15.06.045 Work exempt from permit.
Section R105.2, of the 2022 California Residential Code is hereby amended by adding the following subparagraph to “Building (1)”:
1.1 Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a permit is required to construct the following:
A. A free-standing shed. Storage area is limited to a six (6) foot ceiling height, one (1) two-gang 110v outlet and one (1) bare light bulb fixture for every 500 square feet, and no plumbing or heating/cooling devices are permitted.
B. A storage room. "Storage room" means an attached room, with or without a separate entrance, for the storage of goods customarily associated with the use.
Such room shall not contain any plumbing or natural gas outlets, but may contain one (1) overhead or wall mounted light and one (1) two-gang 110v outlet for every 500 square feet. Such room shall not be used as an office, den, rumpus rooms, or for any habitation of any kind.
C. A utility room. "Utility room" means an attached or detached structure or space designed and used solely for one or more systems and appliances to support the functioning of the dwelling unit, such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, water filtration, laundry, or utility or laundry sink. Plumbing fixtures shall be limited to those to support the functioning of the dwelling unit, such as gas connections to heating appliances or dryers, water heater or washing machine supply.
15.06.050 Expiration of permits.
Section R105.5 of the 2022 California Residential Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
807
R105.5 Expiration.
Every permit issued by the Building Official under the provisions of this Code shall expire and become null and void (1) if the building or work authorized by such permit is not commenced within 12 months after the permit was issued, unless the permittee has abandoned the work authorized by the permit, or (2) if the building or work authorized by such permit is not completed within two calendar years from the issuance date of the permit. Before such work can be recommenced, a new permit or a renewed permit as specified below shall be first obtained. No permit shall be renewed more than once.
A. Where work has not commenced within 12 months from the issuance date of a permit, a renewed permit valid for two years may be obtained upon payment of a renewal fee equal to ten percent of the original permit fee provided that (1) no changes have been made or will be required in the original plans and specifications for such work and (2) the renewed permit is issued within two years of the original permit issuance date.
B. Where work has commenced and is subsequently suspended or abandoned for a period exceeding 12 months , a renewed permit valid until the original expiration date may be obtained upon payment of a renewal fee equal to ten percent of the original permit fee provided that (1) No changes have been made or will be required in the original plans and specifications for such work and (2) the renewed permit is issued within two years of the original permit issuance date, provided, however, that a renewed permit may be issued despite the passage of two years if construction has progressed and has been approved to the point where only a final inspection is required.
C. Where a project is not commenced or completed on the two year anniversary of the permit issuance date a new permit is required. The applicant shall pay a fee for the new permit based on the valuation of the uncompleted work required for a plan check and a new permit and plans will be reviewed under the Codes and Ordinances in effect at the time the new applications are submitted.
D. Any permittee holding an active permit may apply in writing for an extension of the time within which work under that permit may be continued when, for good and satisfactory reasons, he or she is unable to continue work within the time required by this Section due to circumstances beyond the control of the permittee. The Building Official may extend the time for action by the permittee for a period not exceeding six calendar months. No permit shall be extended more than twice.
E. If the owner or applicant fails to complete the project within the time required, the Building Official is authorized to obtain the demolition and removal of incomplete work on the property.
SECTION 4. MECHANICAL CODE. Chapter 15.12 of Title 15 of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:
“Chapter 15.12
Mechanical Code
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15.12.010 Adoption of mechanical code.
15.12.020 Board of appeals.
15.12.030 Mechanical permit fees.
15.12.040 Violations.
15.12.010 Adoption of Mechanical Code.
Except as hereinafter provided in this chapter, the California Mechanical Code, 2022 Edition (Part 4 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth herein in full. Said code shall comprise the mechanical code of the City of Hermosa Beach. A copy of the mechanical code shall be maintained in the office of the City Clerk and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the City of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the Building/Code Enforcement Official or the Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach, or his or her designee.
15.12.020 Board of appeals.
Section 107.0 of Chapter 1 of the 2022 California Mechanical Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 107.0
General. In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Building Official relative to the application and interpretation of this Code, there shall be and is hereby created a Board of Appeals consisting of members who are qualified by experience and training to pass upon matters pertaining to mechanical design, construction and maintenance and public health aspects of mechanical systems and who are not employees of the jurisdiction. Said Board shall be the same Board of Appeals specified in Section 1.8.8 of the Building Code as amended by Section 15.04.020 of this Code.
The Building Official shall be an ex officio member and shall act as secretary to said Board but shall have no vote upon any matter before the Board. The Board of Appeals shall be appointed by the City Council and shall hold office at its pleasure. The Board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant, with a duplicate copy to the Building Official.
Limitations of authority. The jurisdiction of the Board of Appeals shall be limited to claims that this Code or the rules legally adopted thereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this Code do not fully apply or an equally good or better method of construction is proposed. The Board of Appeals shall have no authority to waive requirements of this Code.
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Quorum for meetings. Three (3) members of said Board shall constitute a quorum. The Board shall elect one of its members to act as chairman.
Not less than three (3) days prior to a meeting of said Board, written notice shall be given to each member personally, or by registered mail, provided, however, that any meeting of said Board shall be legal for any purpose if the written consent of all members of said Board to such meeting is executed and filed in the records of such Board.
Such Board shall have the right, subject to such limits as the City Council may prescribe by resolution, to employ at the cost and expense of the City, such practicing architects, competent builders, attorneys and structural engineers as said Board in its discretion may deem reasonable and necessary to assist in its investigation and in making its findings and decisions.
15.12.030 Mechanical permit fees.
Section 104.5 of the 2022 California Mechanical Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 104.5
A. Permit fees. The fee for each permit shall be as set forth in the latest resolution adopted by the City Council.
B. Plan review fees. When a plan or other data are required to be submitted pursuant to Section, a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review. Said plan review fee shall be equal to eighty (80) per cent of the mechanical permit fee.
15.12.040 Violations.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter or the current adopted mechanical code shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable as set forth in Section 1.04.020.”
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SECTION 5. PLUMBING CODE. Chapter 15.16 of Title 15 of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code are hereby amended to read as follows:
“Chapter 15.16
Plumbing Code
15.16.010 Adoption of plumbing code.
15.16.020 Plumbing permit fees.
15.16.030 Board of appeals.
15.16.050 Reserved.
15.16.060 Drainage piping.
15.16.070 Retrofitting existing commercial kitchens with grease recovery systems.
15.16.080 Maintenance and annual inspection of grease recovery systems in commercial kitchens.
15.16.090 Violations.
15.16.010 Adoption of plumbing code.
Except as hereinafter provided in this chapter, the California Plumbing Code, 2022 Edition (Part 5 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations) including Appendices A, D, H, and I, is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth herein in full. Said code shall comprise the plumbing code of the City of Hermosa Beach. A copy of the plumbing code shall be maintained in the office of the City Clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the City of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term "administrative authority" or "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the Building/Code Enforcement Official or the Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach or his or her designee.
15.16.020 Plumbing permit fees.
Section 104.5 of Chapter 1 of the 2022 California Plumbing Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 104.5
A. Permit fees. The fee for each permit shall be as set forth in the latest resolution adopted by the City Council.
B. Plan review fees. When a plan or other data are required to be submitted pursuant to this Code, a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review. Said plan review fee shall be equal to eighty (80) percent of the mechanical permit fee.
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15.16.030 Board of appeals.
Section 107.0 of Chapter 1 of the 2022 California Plumbing Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 107.0
BOARD OF APPEALS
A. General. In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Building Official relative to the application and interpretations of this Code, there shall be and is hereby created a Board of Appeals consisting of members who are qualified by experience and training to pass upon matters pertaining to plumbing design, construction and maintenance and public health aspects of plumbing systems and who are not employees of the jurisdiction. Said Board shall be the same Board of Appeals specified in Section 1.8.8 of the Building Code as amended by Section 15.04.020 of this Code.
The Building Official shall be an ex officio member and shall act as secretary to said Board but shall have no vote upon any matter before the Board. The Board of Appeals shall be appointed by the governing body and shall hold office at its pleasure. The Board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant, with a duplicate copy to the Building Official.
B. Limitations of authority. The jurisdiction of the Board of Appeals shall be limited to claims that this Code or the rules legally adopted thereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this Code do not fully apply or an equally good or better method of construction is proposed. The Board of Appeals shall have no authority to waive requirements of this Code.
C. Quorum for meetings. Three (3) members of said Board shall constitute a quorum. The Board shall elect one of its members to act as chairman.
Not less than three (3) days prior to a meeting of said Board, written notice shall be given to each member personally, or by registered mail, provided, however, that any meeting of said Board shall be legal for any purpose if the written consent of all members of said Board to such meeting is executed and filed in the records of such Board.
Such Board shall have the right, subject to such limits as the City Council may prescribe by resolution, to employ at the cost and expense of the City, such practicing architects, competent builders, attorneys and structural engineers as said Board in its discretion may deem reasonable and necessary to assist in its investigation and in making its findings and decisions.
15.16.060. Drainage piping.
Section 701.2(2)(a) of the 2022 California Plumbing Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
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701.2(2)(a)
ABS and PVC installations are limited to no more than two stories of areas of residential accommodation, provided that the installations meet the following requirements:
1. The installation shall be enclosed in one-hour fire rated assemblies. Such assembly shall either be comprised of heavy lumber (4x minimum), or fire resistant drywall.
2. Where the installation passes through either a story or a fire rated assembly, a penetration firestop system shall be installed at such penetration, in accordance with section 302.4.1.2 of the 2022 California Residential Code.
15.16.070 Retrofitting existing commercial kitchens with grease recovery systems.
Section 1014.1.1.1 is hereby added to Chapter 10 of the 2022 California Plumbing Code to read as follows:
1014.1.1.1 For the purposes of Section 1014.1.3, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
Affected establishment means all commercial and institutional food preparation and food service facilities which discharge wastewater or materials containing fat, oil or grease, whether emulsified or not, or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between 0 and 65 degrees Celsius (32-150 degrees F) at an access in nearest proximity to the point of discharge into the wastewater treatment system, generally including but not limited to restaurants, bakeries, assisted living facilities, convalescent homes, butcher shops, cafes, delicatessens, ice cream parlors, hotels, and grocery stores.
Whenever an affected establishment, as defined above, changes use, or applies for a building, plumbing, electric, mechanical or any other permit issued by the City, that establishment may be required to submit a grease recovery analysis showing existing grease control devices. (Said analysis to consist of complete plumbing and mechanical schematics for the establishment.) Upon review of the analysis by the City or its agent(s), the establishment shall be required to upgrade or improve on its grease recovery system as deemed appropriate by the review. Said upgrades and improvements may include but are not limited to; in-ground interception tanks, improved roof top grease venting systems and absorbent padding and interior fry grease recovery systems.
Grease shall mean grease, or fatty or oily substances and other insoluble waste that turns or may turn viscous or solidifies with a change in temperature or other conditions.
Grease removal system means any system that meets the requirements of this Code and functions to remove grease from drain water prior to its entry into the public sewer system.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.16.010, Section 1014.1.1.2 is hereby added to Chapter 10 of said Plumbing Code to read as follows:
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104.1.1.2 The retrofit installation of an approved grease recovery system shall be required for all affected establishments. The affected establishment shall have the option to install any of the required grease recovery systems separately or in combination as prescribed in Chapter 10. Plans or specifications prepared by a licensed professional engineer or a licensed plumbing contractor, where required, and the manufacturer’s installation and maintenance instructions shall be submitted to the Community Development Department (CDD) for approval prior to installation. Any approvals and permits required for work in the public right-of-way shall be obtained from the Public Works Department.
15.16.080 Maintenance and annual inspection of grease recovery systems in commercial kitchens.
Section 1014.1.4 is hereby added to Chapter 10 of the 2022 California Plumbing Code to read as follows:
1014.1.4
Maintenance and monitoring. It is the responsibility of the owner or operator of every establishment required to have a grease removal system to maintain the system in a sanitary, safe, and efficient operating condition so as to prevent grease from flowing into the sewer system. A grease removal system shall not be considered properly maintained if for any reason it is not in good working condition or if sediment and/or grease accumulations total more than 25 percent of the operative fluid capacity. It is the owner or operator’s responsibility to provide for removal of the accumulated grease and other waste contained in the system. Grease removed from such a system shall not be disposed of in the sanitary or the storm sewer.
Inspection. All owners/operators of establishments with grease recovery systems shall keep maintenance records and haulers manifests and shall allow City inspection of grease removal systems from time to time during normal business hours. Grease removal systems shall be readily accessible for inspection as per Section 203.0. All applicable records shall be available to the Building Official or his or her representative upon request. An annual inspection fee in an amount set forth in the City’s Master Schedule of Service Charges and Fees shall be paid by the owner/operator at the time of business license renewal.
15.16.090 Violations.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter or the current adopted plumbing code shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable as set forth in Section 1.04.020.”
SECTION 6. EXISTING BUILDING CODE. Chapter 15.28 of Title 15 of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:
“Chapter 15.28
Existing Buildings
15.28.010 Adoption of existing building code.
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15.28.010 Adoption of existing building code.
Except as hereinafter provided, the California Existing Building Code, 2022 Edition (Part 10 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations) is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this Chapter in full. Said Code shall comprise the Existing Building Code of the City of Hermosa Beach. A copy of said Code shall be maintained in the office of the City Clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the Code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the City of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach or his or her designee.” SECTION 7. ELECTRICAL CODE. Chapter 15.32 of Title 15 of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
“Chapter 15.32
Electrical Code
15.32.010 Adoption of electrical code.
15.32.020 Fees.
15.32.030 Underground service conductors - Installation.
15.32.040 Temporary installations.
15.32.010 Adoption of electrical code.
Except as provided in this chapter and elsewhere in this title, the California Electrical Code, 2022 Edition (Part 3 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations (including no Appendices) is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. Said code shall comprise the electrical code of the City of Hermosa Beach. A copy of the electrical code shall be maintained in the office of the City Clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the City of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the Building/Code Enforcement Official or to the Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach, or his or her designee.”
15.32.020 Fees.
Section 89.108.4.2 of the 2022 California Electrical Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
815
89.108.4.2 The fee for each permit shall be as set forth in the latest resolution adopted by the City Council. When a plan or other data are required to be submitted pursuant to this Code, a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review. Said plan review fee shall be equal to eighty (80) percent of the mechanical permit fee.
For purposes of determining fees only, the following definitions shall apply:
A. New general use branch circuits.
1. The fees prescribed apply to new branch circuit wiring and the lighting fixtures, switches, receptacles, appliances or other utilization equipment permitted to be supplied by these branch circuits.
2. For the purposes of this Subsection, each ungrounded conductor of a multi-wire branch circuit supplying one appliance may be counted as one circuit.
3. For the purposes of this Subsection, three-phase lighting branch circuits are counted as two (2) branch circuits.
B. Adding outlets (to existing branch circuits) or temporary lights and yard lighting.
1. Each outlet added to an existing branch circuit shall be counted as one unit and each lighting fixture connected thereto shall be counted as an additional unit except as modified in the following provisions of this Subsection.
2. An outlet shall mean a point or place on a fixed-wiring installation from which electric current is controlled, or is supplied to a lamp, lighting fixture, fan, clock, heater, range, motor, or other electrical. appliance or equipment.
3. An outlet box for two (2) or more switches or receptacles shall be considered as one unit.
C. Motors, transformers, heating appliances and miscellaneous equipment or appliances.
1. The fees prescribed cover the inspection of the supply branch circuit and the utilization equipment supplied therefrom and the control equipment therefor.
2. Except where supplied by branch circuits rated over fifty (50) amperes, the fees required apply only to non-dwelling occupancies. The fee for each motor, transformer, heating appliance, welder, rectifier, x-ray machine, storage battery system, infrared industrial heating appliance, cooking or baking equipment, studio effects lighting, and other miscellaneous equipment or appliances shall be given in the rating table of the resolution order.
3. Where fixed equipment is supplied by flexible cords to facilitate servicing or replacement, those fees shall also apply to each receptacle outlet installed for the supply of portable equipment rated larger than three (3) H.P., K.W., or K.V.A. 816
4. For any equipment or appliance containing more than one motor, or other current consuming utilization components in addition to the motor or motors, the combined electrical ratings converted to K.V.A. of all shall be used to determine the fee. For the purpose of this subsection, one H.P. or one K.W. is equivalent to one K.V.A. The total ampere ratings of all receptacles installed on a factory fabricated wireway assembly for studio effects lighting may be used in computing the fees therefor.
5. The fees for a change of location or replacement of equipment on the same premises shall be the same as that for a new installation. However, no fees shall be required for moving any temporary construction motor from one place to another on the same site during the time of actual construction work after a permit has once been obtained for such motor and the fees required therefor have been paid.
D. Required fire warning, communications and emergency control systems.
For the purposes of this Subsection, devices shall include all signaling equipment, stations, power equipment such as damper actuators or door holding device, and communication jacks or outlets.
E. Service and switchboard sections.
1. Fees shall be required for the installation, reinstallation, replacement or alteration of each service and each switchboard section.
2. For the purpose of this Subsection, a switchboard section means any portion of complete switchboard, distribution board, or motor control center which is prevented by the structural framework from being separated into smaller units.
3. The fees for services shall be determined from the ampacity of the set of service entrance conductors or the total ampere rating of the service equipment.
4. No fee need be paid for switchboard section which incorporates service equipment for which service fees were paid.
15.32.030 Underground service conductors – Installation.
Section 230.30 of the 2022 California Electrical Code is hereby amended to add the following paragraphs:
(C) Underground service laterals required for new construction.
All new buildings and structures in the City shall provide underground electrical and communications service laterals on the premises to be served as hereinafter required. This provision shall not apply to utility lines that do not provide service in the area being developed. (D) Underground utilities for new buildings.
All electrical, telephone, community antenna television system (CATV), and similar service wires or cables which provide direct service to new buildings and structures shall be installed underground in compliance with all applicable building and electrical codes, safety 817
regulations and orders, and the rules of the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California.
(E) Underground utilities for existing buildings.
Existing overhead wires and/or new utility service shall be placed underground when one or more new dwelling units are created in an existing building and one or both of the following apply:
1. The expansion exceeds fifty (50) percent of the existing gross floor area; or
2. The cost of remodeling, expansion or improvement exceeds fifty (50) percent of the value of the existing structure as determined by the building official.
Exception: Undergrounding shall not be required if Southern California Edison deems in writing that such underground installation is infeasible based upon its service requirements or to the unavailability of necessary easements.
(F) Responsibility for compliance.
The developer and owner are jointly and severally responsible for complying with the requirements of this chapter and shall make the necessary arrangements with the utility companies for the installation of such facilities.
(G) Existing underground areas.
On streets where electrical and communications lines have been placed underground or where no overhead lines presently exist on or before July 1, 1977, said lines shall remain permanently underground and no additional electric or communications service facilities shall be added on said streets unless they are placed underground.
15.32.040 Temporary installations.
Section 590.3(A) of the 2022 California Electrical Code is hereby amended to add the following subparagraph:
(1) Temporary power pole required on construction sites.
All construction sites for which temporary power must be supplied because there is no electrical service shall provide a temporary power pole prior to issuance of a building permit.
Said power pole shall remain installed until the project has received final approval and electrical service has commenced. Generators are prohibited as a substitute for a temporary power pole.”
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SECTION 8. GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS ADOPTION. Chapter 15.48 of Title 15 of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:
“Chapter 15.48
Green Building Standards
15.48.010 Adoption of CALGreen code.
15.48.010 Adoption of CALGreen code.
Except as provided in this chapter and elsewhere in this title, the California Green Building Standards Code (referred to herein as "CALGreen"), 2022 Edition (Part 11 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations) is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. A copy of the CALGreen code shall be maintained in the office of the City Clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the City of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the Building/Code Enforcement Official or Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach or his or her designee.”
SECTION 9. ENERGY CODE ADOPTION. Chapter 15.52 of Title 15 of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:
“Chapter 15.52
Energy Code
15.52.010 Adoption of energy code.
15.52.010 Adoption of energy code.
Except as provided in this chapter and elsewhere in this title, the California Energy Code, 2022 Edition (Part 6 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), including all appendices, is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. Said code shall comprise the energy code of the City of Hermosa Beach.
A copy of the energy code shall be maintained in the office of the City Clerk and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the City of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach or his or her designee.” 819
SECTION 10. INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE ADOPTION.
Chapter 15.56 of Title 15 of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code is hereby added to read as follows:
“Chapter 15.56
Property Maintenance Code
15.56.010 Adoption of International Property Maintenance Code.
15.56.010 Adoption of International Property Maintenance Code.
The International Property Maintenance Code, 2021 Edition, is hereby adopted by reference in its entirety by the City, as amended herein, except that for purposes of citation, said code shall be renumbered by adding “15.56” before the sections of the International Property Maintenance Code.”
Section 12. Filing. The City Clerk shall file a certified copy of this Ordinance with the California Building Standards Commission pursuant to section 17958.7 of the California Health and Safety Code.
Section 13. CEQA. The City Council finds that the adoption of the California Buildings Standards Code and local amendments thereof is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) under CEQA Guideline section 15061(b)(3) (the common sense exemption). The action is largely administrative in nature and designed to improve and not degrade environmental quality such that there is no possibility that adopting this Ordinance would adversely affect the environment in any manner that could be significant.
Section 14. Severability. If any provision of this Ordinance is declared to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, it shall not affect any remaining provision hereof. The City Council of the City of Hermosa Beach hereby declares that it would have adopted this Ordinance despite any partial invalidity of its provisions.
Section 15. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect on January 1, 2023, consistent with section 18941.5 of the California Health and Safety Code, which is to be no less than thirty (30) days after its final passage and adoption, consistent with California Government Code section 36937.
Section 16. Certification. The City Clerk is directed to certify the passage and adoption of this Ordinance; cause it to be entered into the City’s book of original ordinances; make a note of the passage and adoption in the records of this meeting; and, within fifteen (15) days after the passage and adoption of this Ordinance, cause it to be published or posted in accordance with California law.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 29th day of November, 2022.
VOTE: AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
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____________________________________
MAYOR of the City of Hermosa Beach,
California
ATTEST:
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
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Exhibit A
Findings to Support Local Amendments to the
2022 Edition of the California Building Standards Code and Related Codes Pursuant to California Health & Safety Code sections 17958.5, 17958.7, and 18941.5, this Exhibit A to Ordinance No. ___ of the City of Hermosa Beach sets forth the City Council’s express findings and determinations justifying the City’s local amendments to the 2022 Edition of the California Building Standards Code as reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geologic, and/or topographic conditions.
Chapter 15.04 Amendments to California Building Code (CBC) Municipal Code
Section
CBC Section
Added or
Amended
Substance of Amendment
(full text in Ordinance No. ____)
Justification
(see key
below)
Sec. 15.04.020 113 Adds local procedures for the
Building Board of Appeals
A
Sec. 15.04.030 114 Adds local procedures for
prosecuting code violations
A
Sec. 15.04.040 109 Creates fees for permits and
plan review
A
Sec. 15.04.050 105.5 Provides for the expiration of permits consistent with state law (AB 2913)
A
Sec. 15.04.070 3307 Adds processes for protecting
adjoining property during construction,
including requirements for posting a
bond to cover damage claims and
notice requirements
B (ii)
Sec. 15.04.080 1504 Adds §1504.10, “Roof deck surfaces.” Prohibits use "walking" or "decking"
materials as roof coverings unless
approved by Building Official.
B (ii)
1505 Adds § 1505.1.2, “Class A roofs
required.” Requires Class A fire
rated roof coverings on all structures
regulated by the Code.
B (ii)
822
65270.00001\40786161.2
Sec. 15.04.100 903.2 Amends § 903.2 to require automatic sprinkler systems in locations described
in Sections 903.2.1 through 903.2.21
B (ii)
Adds § 903.2.13 to require sprinklers
when existing buildings are subject to
alteration or expansion as specified.
B (ii)
Sec. 15.04.130 Appx. G Adds § G104.11 to require waiver of liability claims against City from
owners constructing occupancies
below specified elevation
requirements
A
Sec. 15.04.140 3306 Adds § 3306.10 detailing
requirements for fencing during
construction to increase protections
for pedestrians
B (ii)
Sec. 15.04.010 Appx. F Adopts by reference Appx. F standards for rodent-proofing buildings
B (ii)
Sec. 15.04.010 Appx. G Adopts by reference Appx. G
standards for flood-resistant
construction
B (iii)
Sec. 15.04.010 Appx. J Adopts by reference Appx. J standards for grading
Adopted by
HCD; A
Chapter 15.06 Amendments to California Residential Code (CRC) Municipal Code
Section
CRC Section
Added or
Amended
Substance of Amendment
(full text in Ordinance No. ____)
Justification
(see key
below)
Sec 15.06.020 R112 Adds local procedures for the Board of Appeals
A
Sec 15.06.030 R113 Adds local procedures for
prosecuting code violations
A
Sec 15.06.040 R108 Creates fees and process for fee refunds A 823
65270.00001\40786161.2
Sec 15.06.045 R105.2 Provides that a permit is required to construct a shed, storage room, and
a utility room
B (ii)
Sec 15.06.050 R105.5 Provides for the expiration of permits consistent with state law (AB 2913)
A
Sec 15.06.010 Appx. Q Adopts by reference Appx. Q standards for Tiny Houses
B (ii)
Sec 15.06.010 Appx. R Adopts by reference Appx. R standards for light straw-clay construction
B (ii)
Sec 15.06.010 Appx. S Adopts by reference Appx. S standards for strawbale construction
Adopted
by HCD,
A, B (ii)
Sec 15.06.010 Appx. T Adopts by reference Appx. T
standards for Solar- Ready
Provisions for Detached One-and
Two-Family Dwellings and
Townhouses
B (ii)
Chapter 15.12 Amendments to California Mechanical Code (CMC) Municipal Code
Section
CMC Section
Added or
Amended
Substance of Amendment
(full text in Ordinance No. ____)
Justification
(see key
below)
Sec. 15.12.020 107.0 Establishes and sets local
procedures for the Board of
Appeals
A
Sec. 15.12.030 104.5 Creates fees for permits and
plan review
A
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65270.00001\40786161.2
Chapter 15.16 Amendments to California Plumbing Code (CPC) Municipal Code
Section
CPC Section
Added or
Amended
Substance of Amendment
(full text in Ordinance No. ____)
Justification
(see key
below)
Sec. 15.16.020 104.5 Creates fees for permits and
plan review
A
Sec. 15.16.030 107.0 Establishes and sets local
procedures for the Board of
Appeals
A
Sec 15.16.050 419.0 Requires the installation of garbage disposals in all new and remodeled
residential buildings.
B (iv)
Sec. 15.16.060 701.2(2)(a) Allows plastic vents and drains in up to three stories of residential units
B(i)
Sec. 15.16.070 1014.1.1.1 Requires the installation of grease recovery systems in all commercial
and institutional food facilities
B (iv)
Sec. 15.16.080 1014.1.4 Requires the maintenance of grease recovery systems in commercial
kitchens and the keeping of
maintenance records
B (iv)
Sec. 15.16.010 Appx. A Adopts by reference Appx. A
Recommended Rules for Sizing the
Water Supply System
Adopted by
HCD, A
Sec. 15.16.010 Appx. D Adopts by reference Appx. D Sizing Storm Water Drainage Systems
Adopted by
HCD, A
Sec. 15.16.010 Appx. H Adopts by reference Appx. H
standards for Private Sewage
Disposal Systems
Adopted by
HCD, A
Sec. 15.16.010 Appx. I Adopts by reference Appx. I regarding installation of PEX Tubing Systems
Adopted by
HCD, A
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65270.00001\40786161.2
Chapter 15.32 Amendments to California Electrical Code (CEC) Municipal Code CEC Section Substance of Amendment Justification Section Added or
Amended (full text in Ordinance No. ____)
(see key
below)
Sec. 15.32.020 89.108.4.2 Establishes permit fees A
Sec.
15.32.030
230.30 Adds subparagraphs (C), (D), (E)
requiring undergrounding of service
laterals for new construction and of
utilities for new and existing buildings
B
(ii)
Adds subparagraph (F) to impose joint
and several liability on developer and
property owner for compliance.
A
Adds subparagraph (G) to impose
moratorium on overhead utility
lines in specified areas
B
(ii)
Sec. 15.32.040 590.3(A) Adds subparagraph (A)(1) to provide that generators are prohibited as a
substitute for temporary power poles
at construction sites
B
(ii)
826
65270.00001\40786161.2
Justifications KEY:
A – This is an administrative amendment, which does not modify a building standard as defined in California Health & Safety Code section 18909. The amendment establishes administrative procedures for the effective enforcement of the building standards in the City of Hermosa Beach.
B – This amendment is reasonably necessary because of the following local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions:
i. Local soil and air conditions (salt laden sand and sea mist) tend to be highly corrosive, thereby diminishing the integrity of metal components such as cast iron pipes and vents in a shorter time span than in other areas. ii. The City of Hermosa Beach is one of the most densely populated cities in southern California. Homes and other buildings are often six feet or less from one another making fire spread more likely, and enhancing the likelihood of rodents to migrate from one to another. Further, the overhead clutter of utility lines reduces the aesthetic quality of the City.
iii. Hermosa Beach is located directly adjacent to the Pacific Ocean and is subject to storm surge, tsunami impact and high ground water near the coast. iv. Hermosa Beach has an aging sewer system, portions of which are more than eighty years old. This amendment assists in reducing blockage of the system. 827
Chapter 15.04
Chapter 15.04 Uniform Building Code
15.04.010 Adoption of building code.
15.04.020 Board of appeals.
15.04.030 Violations.
15.04.040 Fees.
15.04.050 Expiration of permits.
15.04.070 Protection of private property during construction.
15.04.080 Roof covering requirements.
15.04.100 Automatic sprinkler systems.
15.04.130 Assumption of risk for below-grade construction.
15.04.140 Pedestrian protection during construction.
15.04.010 Adoption of Building Code.
Except as hereinafter provided in this chapter, the California Building Code 20192022 Edition (Part 2 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), including Appendices F, G, and J, is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. Said code shall comprise the building code of the cityCity of Hermosa Beach. A copy of the building code shall be maintained in the office of the city clerkCity Clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the cityCity of Hermosa Beach. Whenever the term "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the building/code enforcement official or to the director of community developmentBuilding/Code Enforcement Official or to the Director of Community Development of the city of Hermosa Beach, or his or her designee.”
15.04.2015.04.020 Board of appeals.
Section 113 of Chapter 1 of the 20192022 California Building Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 113
BOARD OF APPEALS
A. General. In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Building Official relative to the application and interpretation of this Code, there shall be and is hereby created a Board of Appeals consisting of five (5) members who are qualified by experience and training to pass upon matters pertaining to building construction and who are not employees of the jurisdiction. The Building Official shall be an ex officio member of and shall act as secretary to said Board but shall have no vote upon any matter before the Board. The Board of Appeals shall be appointed by the 828
City Council and shall hold office at its pleasure. The Board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant with a duplicate copy to the Building Official.
B. Limitations of authority. The jurisdiction of the Board of Appeals shall be limited to claims that this Code or the rules legally adopted hereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this Code do not fully apply or an equally good or better method of construction is proposed. The Board of Appeals shall have no authority to waive requirements of this Code.
C. Quorum for meetings. Three (3) members of said Board shall constitute a quorum. The Board shall elect one of its members to act as chairman.
Not less than three (3) days prior to a meeting of said Board, written notice shall be given to each member personally, or by registered mail, provided, however, that any meeting of said Board shall be legal for any purpose if the written consent of all members of said Board to such meeting is executed and filed in the records of such Board.
Such Board shall have the right, subject to such limits as the Council may prescribe by resolution, to employ at the cost and expense of said City such practicing architects, competent builders, attorneys and structural engineers as said Board in its discretion may deem reasonable and necessary to assist in its investigation and in making its findings and decisions.
15.04.030 Violations.
Section 114 of Chapter 1 of the 20192022 California Building Code shall be amended to read as follows:.
SECTION 114
VIOLATIONS
A. Unlawful acts. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, extend, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish, equip, use, occupy or maintain any building or structure or cause or permit the same to be done in violation of this Code.
B. Notice of violation. The building official is authorized to serve a notice of violation or order on the person responsible for the erection, construction, alteration, extension, repair, moving, removal, demolition or occupancy of a building or structure in violation of the provisions of this Code, or in violation of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this Code. Such order shall direct the discontinuance of the illegal action or condition and the abatement of the violation.
C. Prosecution of violation. If the notice of violation is not complied with promptly, the building official is authorized to request the legal counsel of the jurisdiction to institute the appropriate proceeding at law or in equity to restrain, correct or abate such 829
violation, or to require the removal or termination of the unlawful occupancy of the building or structure in violation of the provisions of this Code or of the order or direction made pursuant thereto.
D. Violation penalties. Any person who violates a provision of this Code or fails to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who erects, constructs, alters or repairs a building or structure in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the building official, or of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this Code, shall be subject to penalties as prescribed by law.
E. Violation a misdemeanor. Any person violating any of the provisions of this Chapter or said Building Code shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable as set out in Section 1.04.020 of this Code.
15.04.040 Fees.
Section 109 of the 20192022 California Building Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 109 FEES
A. General. Fees shall be assessed in accordance with the provisions of this Section.
B. Permit fees. The fee for each permit shall be as set forth in the latest resolution adopted by the City Council. The determination of value or valuation under any of the provisions of this Code shall be made by the Building Official. The value to be used in computing the building permit and building plan review fees shall be the total value of all construction work for which the permit is issued, as well as all finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, elevators, fire-extinguishing systems and other permanent equipment. Where work for which a permit is required by this Code is started or proceeded with prior to obtaining said permit, the fees above specified shall be quadrupled, but the payment of such quadrupled fee shall not relieve any persons from fully complying with the requirements of this Code in the execution of the work nor from any other penalties prescribed herein.
C. Plan review fees. When a plan or other data are required to be submitted by this Code, a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review. Said plan review fee shall be eighty (80) percent of the building permit fee.
The plan review fees specified in this Subsection are separate fees from the permit fees specified in Subsection 1.8.4.2 and are in addition to the permit fees.
Where plans are incomplete or changed or involve deferred submittals so as to require additional plan review, an additional plan review fee shall be charged at the rate indicated in the executive order.
830
D. Expiration of plan review. Applications for which no permit is issued within one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of application shall expire by limitation, and plans and other data submitted for review may thereafter be returned to the applicant or destroyed by the Building Official. The Building Official may extend the time for action by the applicant for a period not exceeding one hundred eighty (180) days upon request by the applicant showing that circumstances beyond the control of the applicant have prevented action from being taken. No application shall be extended more than once. In order to renew action on an application after expiration, the applicant shall resubmit plans and pay a new plan review fee.
E. Fee refunds.
1. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of any fee paid hereunder which was erroneously paid or collected.
2. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of not more than eighty (80) percent of the permit fee paid when no work has been done under a permit issued in accordance with this Code.
3. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of not more than eighty (80) percent of the plan review fee paid when an application for a permit for which a plan review fee has been paid is withdrawn or canceled before any plan reviewing is done.
The Building Official shall not authorize the refunding of any fee paid except upon written application filed by the original permittee not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the date of fee payment.
15.04.5015.04.050 Expiration of permits.
Section 105.5 of Chapter 1 of the 20192022 California Building Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 105.5
EXPIRATION OF PERMITS
105.5 Expiration.
Every permit issued by the Building Official under the provisions of this Code shall expire and become null and void (1) if the building or work authorized by such permit is not commenced within 12 months after the permit was issued, unless the permittee has abandoned the work authorized by the permit, or (2) if the building or work authorized by such permit is not completed within two calendar years from the issuance date of the permit.
Exception:
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For any project subject to a discretionary permit from the Planning Commission under Title 17 of the HBMC, the Planning Commission has authority, and City Council on appeal, to establish as a condition of approval the building permit expiration date by which construction shall be completed, based upon the size and complexity of the project. The time frame provided in the condition of approval for permitted construction activities shall be inclusive of all permits and phases of the project (i.e. demolition, excavation, building construction, site improvements, and approved final inspection for all permits issued for the project).
A. Where work has not commenced within 12 months from the issuance date of a permit, a renewed permit valid for two years may be obtained upon payment of a renewal fee equal to ten percent of the original permit fee provided that (1) no changes have been made or will be required in the original plans and specifications for such work and (2) the renewed permit is issued within two years of the original permit issuance date.
B. Where work has commenced and is subsequently suspended or abandoned for a period exceeding 12 months, a renewed permit valid until the original expiration date may be obtained upon payment of a renewal fee equal to ten percent of the original permit fee provided that (1) no changes have been made or will be required in the original plans and specifications for such work and (2) the renewed permit is issued within two years of the original permit issuance date.
C. The Building Official, or the Planning Commission in the case of discretionary permits, may grant a maximum of two (2) extensions for a period not exceeding six calendar months each upon written request by the permittee showing that circumstances beyond the control of the permittee have prevented completion of the project. A fee of ten percent of the original permit fee shall be assessed for such renewal.
D. Any permittee holding an active permit and seeking an exception pursuant to subsection (C) may apply in writing for an extension of the time within which work under that permit may be continued when, for good and satisfactory reasons, he or she is unable to continue work within the time required by this Section due to circumstances beyond the control of the permittee.
E. Any permittee seeking to extend a permit pursuant to the above may present evidence to City staff that clearly demonstrates that the uncompleted work is less than ten percent of the project. At its sole discretion, should the City determine that less than ten percent of the project is left to be completed, the renewal fee or the new permit fee may be reduced to an amount equivalent to the corresponding lower percentage.
F. Any application for a renewed permit or a permit extension shall be reviewed under the Building Codes and Ordinances in effect at the time of the original permit.
G. If the owner or applicant fails to complete the project within the time required, the Building Official is authorized to initiate a nuisance abatement action pursuant to Chapter 8.28 of this Code or undertake any other remedy permitted by law. 832
15.04.7015.04.070 Protection of private property during construction.
Section 3307 of the 20192022 California Building Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 3307
PROTECTION OF ADJOINING AND NEARBY PROPERTY AND PERSONS 3307.1 Adjoining and nearby public and private property and persons making lawful use of such property shall be protected from damage during construction, remodeling and demolition work. Protection must be provided for footings, foundations, party walls, chimneys, skylights and roofs. Provisions shall be made to control water runoff and erosion during construction or demolition activities. At the outset of construction activities or at the otherwise earliest time it is feasible in the opinion of the Building Official, a protective screen shall be erected to the satisfaction of the Building Official between the construction site and immediately adjoining properties, unless the Building Official determines that erection of a screen is not feasible or would serve no practical purpose.
3307.2 The Building Official shall have the authority to stop the construction work at any time that in his or her opinion said construction work has caused, is causing, or is about to cause, damage to adjacent or nearby properties. Said work shall not recommence until the time that the necessary corrections have been made so that no further damage will occur to the affected property (unless the Building Official determines that the damage will be corrected as provided in Section 3307.3) and written approval is obtained from the Building Official that said work can recommence.
3307.3 If construction work causes damage to adjacent or nearby properties, the Building Division shall withhold inspections of said work and stop work until (i) the damage to the affected property is repaired (or repair work has commenced and is continued to be performed with due diligence until completed), or (ii) the affected property owner is compensated the cost of repair, or (iii) a documented agreement satisfactory to the Building Official is executed to assure repair of the damage at a more appropriate phase of the construction. If there is a bona fide dispute between the owner of the damaged property and the party alleged to have caused said damage as to the cause of the damage, the method or scope of repair or the cost of the repair, work may resume and inspections provided only if the party performing the construction work posts a bond with the City in an amount that the Building Official reasonably determines is sufficient to pay the cost of repair. Where there exists a bona fide dispute, the issues in contention are a civil matter beyond the authority of the City to resolve.
3307.4 The bond called for in Section 3307.3 shall be approved as to form by the City Attorney and held by the City until the dispute is resolved between the parties or by a court of competent jurisdiction. In the event that the aggrieved party does not submit proof to the City that an action has in fact been filed within one (1) year after the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy, then the City shall, unless good cause is shown, release the bond. 833
The City shall provide thirty (30) days’ written notice to the aggrieved party of its intent to release the bond.
3307.5 Prior to the commencement of any demolition of exterior walls or roofs, excavation that requires shoring, sandblasting or other exterior construction activities that require a building permit, the owner or contractor shall provide written notice to the property owners and occupants located within one hundred (100) feet of the construction site that construction will occur, along with a copy of this Section 3307. Said notice shall be provided to the affected property owners and occupants at least five (5) days prior to any construction taking place. The notice shall contain the following information:
1. Address where construction will occur;
2. Date(s) and approximate times construction will occur;
3. Name, address, telephone number and state license number of contractor;
4. Name, address and telephone number of the owner of the property on which construction is to occur.
If the owner or the contractor fails to provide the required notice, the Building Official shall have the authority to stop the work until the notice is provided, in addition to any other remedies provided by this Code.
3307.6 Prior to approval of temporary shoring a geotechnical report shall be provided certifying that the temporary shoring has been installed according to the shoring plan and specifying the time period for the integrity of the temporary shoring.
15.04.8015.04.080 Roof covering requirements.
Sections 1504 and 1505 of the 20192022 California Building Code are hereby amended by adding Section 1504.91504.10 and amending Section 15051505.1.2 as follows, respectively:
SECTION 15041504.10
1504.91504.10 Roof deck surfaces. Only such sections of a roof which have been approved by the Building Official to be used as deck space may be covered with materials designed to be "walking" or "decking" materials. All other portions of the roof shall be covered with traditional roofing materials such as rolled, gravel, built-up, or composition roofing.
SECTION 15051505.1.2
1505.1.31505.1.2 Class A roofs required. The roof covering on any structure regulated by this Code shall be a fire-retardant roof covering that is at least Class A. Any new addition or reroofing of structures may match existing roof coverings if not exceeding 834
50% of the roof area of the entire structure, provided that no more than 50% of existing roof covering is replaced in any 60-month period.
The roof-covering assembly includes the roof deck, underlayment, interlayment, insulation and covering which is assigned a roof-covering classification.
15.04.100 Automatic sprinkler systems.
Section 903903.2 of the 20192022 California Building Code is hereby amended to add Section 903.2.13 and to amend Sectionsection 903.2, and add section 903.2.13 to read as follows:
SECTION 903903.2
903.2 Where required. Approved automatic sprinkler systems in new buildings and structures shall be provided in the locations described in Sections 903.2.1 through 903.2.13903.2.21.
SECTION 903.2.13
903.2.13 Expansion of existing buildings. An automatic sprinkler system is required in any existing building subject to alteration or expansion if (1) the expansion exceeds 50 percent of the existing gross floor area; or (2) the cost of remodeling, expansion or improvement exceeds 50 percent of the value of the existing structure as determined by the Building Official.
a. a. The size or valuation of an existing building shall be deemed to exceed fifty (50) percent if:
1. 1. The expansion exceeds fifty (50) percent of the existing gross floor area; or
2. 2. The cost of remodeling, expansion, or improvement exceeds fifty (50) percent of the value of the existing structure as determined by the building official.
15.04.130 Assumption of risk for below-grade construction.
Appendix G of the 20192022 California Building Code is hereby amended by adding thereto a new Section G104.6G104.11 to read as follows:
G104.6G104.11 Waiver required for below grade construction. The building official shall require execution of a waiver before issuing a permit for construction of buildings or structures of any occupancy any portion of which is below street grade and/or does not meet the elevation requirements of Appendix G.
15.04.140 Pedestrian protection during construction.
Section 3306 of the 20192022 California Building Code is hereby amended by adding thereto a new Section 3306.10 to read as follows:
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3306.10 Fencing and Pedestrian Protection. Fencing and pedestrian protection shall be required at all building and demolition sites as follows:
1. Prior to issuance of a demolition or building permit, a pre-demolition site inspection shall be performed verifying sewer cap and temporary toilet location and the capping of electrical, water and gas service to the property.
2. Prior to commencement of work, all new construction or demolition sites shall install minimum 6-foot high protective chain link fencing with slats or screening incorporated, or wood fencing consistent with Section 3306 of the California Building Code, and Table 3306.1 regardless of distance to the property line. Protective wood canopies shall be installed prior to commencement of work pursuant to the requirements of Section 3306 and Table 3306.1 of the CBC.
3. If scaffolding is used on any construction site, the exterior face of the scaffolding shall be covered with mesh screen, tarps or other material sufficient to mitigate dust and debris migration from the site.
4. A Pedestrian Protection Plan shall be approved identifying all areas of required pedestrian protection for the property, prior to the issuance of demolition or building permits. The Plan shall indicate all areas of pedestrian protection or indicate why such protection is not required (e.g., exempt due to distance of construction to property line). The Pedestrian Protection Plan shall be prepared by a licensed contractor, engineer or owner-builder and indicate the proposed protection system to be installed and the method of installation. When conditions make installation of a pedestrian canopy impractical (e.g., a narrow street or alley) an alternative method may be shown on the plan such as pedestrian diversion through use of flag persons and barriers.
5. Any work encroaching into the public right-of-way or involving pedestrian diversion shall require Public Works Department approval of permits and pedestrian protection.
6. In addition to the remedies provided in the Building Code, violations of this Section shall result in revocation or suspension of a building permit pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Code.
Chapter 15.06
Residential Building Code
15.06.010 Adoption of California Residential Building Code.
15.06.020 Board of appeals.
15.06.030 Violations.
15.06.040 Fees.
15.06.045 Work exempt from permit.
15.06.050 Expiration of permits.
15.06.010 Adoption of California Residential Building Code. 836
Except as hereinafter provided in this chapter, the California Residential Code, 20192022 Edition (Part 2.5 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), including Appendices Q, R, S, and T, is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. Said code shall comprise the residential code of the cityCity of Hermosa Beach. A copy of the residential code shall be maintained in the office of the city clerkCity Clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the cityCity of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the building/code enforcement official, or the director of community development of the cityBuilding/Code Enforcement Official, or the Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach, or his or her designee.
15.06.2015.06.020 Board of appeals.
Section R112 of Chapter 1 of the 20192022 California Residential Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION R112
BOARD OF APPEALS
A. General. In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Building Official relative to the application and interpretation of this Code, there shall be and is hereby created a Board of Appeals consisting of five (5) members who are qualified by experience and training to pass upon matters pertaining to building construction and who are not employees of the jurisdiction. The Building Official shall be an ex officio member of and shall act as secretary to said Board but shall have no vote upon any matter before the Board. The Board of Appeals shall be appointed by the City Council and shall hold office at its pleasure. The Board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant with a duplicate copy to the Building Official.
B. Limitations of authority. The jurisdiction of the Board of Appeals shall be limited to claims that this Code or the rules legally adopted hereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this Code do not fully apply or an equally good or better method of construction is proposed. The Board of Appeals shall have no authority to waive requirements of this Code.
C. Quorum for meetings. Three (3) members of said Board shall constitute a quorum. The Board shall elect one of its members to act as chairman.
Not less than three (3) days prior to a meeting of said Board, written notice shall be given to each member personally, or by registered mail, provided, however, that any 837
meeting of said Board shall be legal for any purpose if the written consent of all members of said Board to such meeting is executed and filed in the records of such Board.
Such Board shall have the right, subject to such limits as the Council may prescribe by resolution, to employ at the cost and expense of said City such practicing architects, competent builders, attorneys and structural engineers as said Board in its discretion may deem reasonable and necessary to assist in its investigation and in making its findings and decisions.
15.06.030 Violations.
Section R113 of Chapter 1 of said code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION R113
VIOLATIONS
R113.1 Unlawful acts. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, extend, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish, equip, use, occupy or maintain any building or structure or cause or permit the same to be done in violation of this Code.
R113.2 Notice of violation. The building official is authorized to serve a notice of violation or order on the person responsible for the erection, construction, alteration, extension, repair, moving, removal, demolition or occupancy of a building or structure in violation of the provisions of this Code, or in violation of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this Code. Such order shall direct the discontinuance of the illegal action or condition and the abatement of the violation.
R113.3 Prosecution of violation. If the notice of violation is not complied with promptly, the building official is authorized to request the legal counsel of the jurisdiction to institute the appropriate proceeding at law or in equity to restrain, correct or abate such violation, or to require the removal or termination of the unlawful occupancy of the building or structure in violation of the provisions of this Code or of the order or direction made pursuant thereto.
R113.4 Violation penalties. Any person who violates a provision of this Code or fails to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who erects, constructs, alters or repairs a building or structure in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the building official, or of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this Code, shall be subject to penalties as prescribed by law.
R113.5 Violation a misdemeanor. Any person violating any of the provisions of this Chapter or said Building Code shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable as set out in Section 1.04.020 of this Code.
15.06.040 Fees.
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Section R108 of said residential building code is hereby amended to read as follows:
R108A General. Fees shall be assessed in accordance with the provisions of this Section.
R108B Permit fees. The fee for each permit shall be as set forth in the latest resolution adopted by the City Council. The determination of value or valuation under any of the provisions of this Code shall be made by the Building Official. The value to be used in computing the building permit and building plan review fees shall be the total value of all construction work for which the permit is issued, as well as all finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, elevators, fire-extinguishing systems and other permanent equipment. Where work for which a permit is required by this Code is started or proceeded with prior to obtaining said permit, the fees above specified shall be quadrupled, but the payment of such quadrupled fee shall not relieve any persons from fully complying with the requirements of this Code in the execution of the work nor from any other penalties prescribed herein.
R108C Plan review fees. When a plan or other data are required to be submitted by this Code, a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review. Said plan review fee shall be eighty (80) percent of the building permit fee.
The plan review fees specified in this Subsection are separate fees from the permit fees specified in R108B and are in addition to the permit fees.
Where plans are incomplete or changed or involve deferred submittals so as to require additional plan review, an additional plan review fee shall be charged at the rate indicated in the executive order.
R108D Expiration of plan review. Applications for which no permit is issued within one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of application shall expire by limitation, and plans and other data submitted for review may thereafter be returned to the applicant or destroyed by the Building Official. The Building Official may extend the time for action by the applicant for a period not exceeding one hundred eighty (180) days upon request by the applicant showing that circumstances beyond the control of the applicant have prevented action from being taken. No application shall be extended more than once. In order to renew action on an application after expiration, the applicant shall resubmit plans and pay a new plan review fee.
R108E Fee refunds.
1. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of any fee paid hereunder which was erroneously paid or collected.
2. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of not more than eighty (80) percent of the permit fee paid when no work has been done under a permit issued in accordance with this Code.
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3. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of not more than eighty (80) percent of the plan review fee paid when an application for a permit for which a plan review fee has been paid is withdrawn or canceled before any plan reviewing is done.
The Building Official shall not authorize the refunding of any fee paid except upon written application filed by the original permittee not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the date of fee payment.
15.06.045 Work exempt from permit.
Section R105.2, of the 20192022 California Residential Code is hereby amended by adding the following subparagraph to “Building (1)”:
1.1 Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a permit is required to construct the following:
A. A. A free-standing shed. Storage area is limited to a six (6) foot ceiling height, one (1) two-gang 110v outlet and one (1) bare light bulb fixture for every 500 square feet, and no plumbing or heating/cooling devices are permitted.
B. B. A storage room. "Storage room" means an attached room, with or without a separate entrance, for the storage of goods customarily associated with the use. Such room shall not contain any plumbing or natural gas outlets, but may contain one (1) overhead or wall mounted light and one (1) two-gang 110v outlet for every 500 square feet. Such room shall not be used as an office, den, rumpus rooms, or for any habitation of any kind.
C. C. A utility room. "Utility room" means an attached or detached structure or space designed and used solely for one or more systems and appliances to support the functioning of the dwelling unit, such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, water filtration, laundry, or utility or laundry sink. Plumbing fixtures shall be limited to those to support the functioning of the dwelling unit, such as gas connections to heating appliances or dryers, water heater or washing machine supply.
15.06.050 Expiration of permits.
Section R105.5 of the 20192022 California Residential Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
R105.5 Expiration.
Every permit issued by the Building Official under the provisions of this Code shall expire and become null and void (1) if the building or work authorized by such permit is not commenced within 12 months after the permit was issued, unless the permittee has abandoned the work authorized by the permit, or (2) if the building or work authorized by such permit is not completed within two calendar years from the issuance date of the 840
permit. Before such work can be recommenced, a new permit or a renewed permit as specified below shall be first obtained. No permit shall be renewed more than once.
A. Where work has not commenced within 12 months from the issuance date of a permit, a renewed permit valid for two years may be obtained upon payment of a renewal fee equal to ten percent of the original permit fee provided that (1) no changes have been made or will be required in the original plans and specifications for such work and (2) the renewed permit is issued within two years of the original permit issuance date.
B. Where work has commenced and is subsequently suspended or abandoned for a period exceeding 12 months , a renewed permit valid until the original expiration date may be obtained upon payment of a renewal fee equal to ten percent of the original permit fee provided that (1) No changes have been made or will be required in the original plans and specifications for such work and (2) the renewed permit is issued within two years of the original permit issuance date, provided, however, that a renewed permit may be issued despite the passage of two years if construction has progressed and has been approved to the point where only a final inspection is required.
C. Where a project is not commenced or completed on the two year anniversary of the permit issuance date a new permit is required. The applicant shall pay a fee for the new permit based on the valuation of the uncompleted work required for a plan check and a new permit and plans will be reviewed under the Codes and Ordinances in effect at the time the new applications are submitted.
D. Any permittee holding an active permit may apply in writing for an extension of the time within which work under that permit may be continued when, for good and satisfactory reasons, he or she is unable to continue work within the time required by this Section due to circumstances beyond the control of the permittee. The Building Official may extend the time for action by the permittee for a period not exceeding six calendar months. No permit shall be extended more than twice.
E. If the owner or applicant fails to complete the project within the time required, the Building Official is authorized to obtain the demolition and removal of incomplete work on the property.
Chapter 15.08 Housing Code
15.08.010 Adoption of uniform housing code.
15.08.020 Housing advisory and appeals board.
15.08.030 Violations.
15.08.040 Removal of housing advisory appeals board members prior to expiration of term.
15.08.10 Adoption of uniform housing code.
Except as provided in this Chapter 15.08 and elsewhere in this Title 15, that certain Code designated as the "Uniform Housing Code, 1997 Edition," published by the International Conference of Building Officials, one copy of which is on file in the office of the City Clerk for 841
public record and inspection, is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this Chapter as though set forth in this Chapter in full, subject, however, to the amendments, additions and deletions set forth in this Chapter, and said Code shall be known as the Housing Code of this City.
Whenever the term "jurisdiction" appears in said Code it shall mean and refer to the City of Hermosa Beach. Whenever the term "Building Official" appears in said Code, it shall mean and refer to the Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach or his or her designee.
15.08.20 Housing advisory and appeals board.
SECTION 203.1
In order to provide for the final interpretation and application of the provisions of this Code, including requirements governing alterations, additions and repair of structures intended for human habitation and buildings and structures accessory thereto, and in order to hear appeals from the local application of any rule or regulation adopted by the State Housing and Community Development Commission there is hereby established a Housing Advisory and Appeals Board.
Said Board shall be the same Board of Appeals as specified in Section 108.8 of the Building Code as amended by Section 15.04.020 of this Code.
Appeals to the Board shall be processed in accordance with the provisions contained in Section 1201 of said Code.
Copies of said section shall be made freely accessible to the public by the Building Official.
If the Board determines after a hearing that because of local conditions or factors, it is not reasonable for a rule or regulation of the State Housing and Community Development Commission to be applied in the City of Hermosa Beach, the rule or regulation shall have no application within this City and a copy of the determination of said Board, together with a report of the local conditions upon which the determination is based, shall be filed with the State Department of Housing and Community Development.
15.08.30 Violations.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.08.010, Section 204 of the Housing Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 204
Any person violating any of the provisions of this Chapter or said Housing Code shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable as set forth in Section 1.04.010 through Chapter
1.10 of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code.
15.08.040 Removal of housing advisory appeals board members prior to expiration of term.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.08.010, Section 205 of the Housing Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 205
Any member of the Board may be removed prior to the expiration of his or her term by the affirmative vote of four (4) of the five (5) Councilmembers, provided however that no member of the Board may be so removed during the first ninety (90) days following any municipal election at which a member of the City Council is elected.
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Chapter 15.12 Mechanical Code
15.12.010 Adoption of mechanical code.
15.12.020 Board of appeals.
15.12.030 Mechanical permit fees.
15.12.040 Violations.
15.12.010 Adoption of Mechanical Code.
Except as hereinafter provided in this chapter, the California Mechanical Code, 2019 2022 Edition (Part 4 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth herein in full. Said code shall comprise the mechanical code of the cityCity of Hermosa Beach. A copy of the mechanical code shall be maintained in the office of the city clerkCity Clerk and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the cityCity of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the building/code enforcement official or the director of community development of the cityBuilding/Code Enforcement Official or the Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach, or his or her designee.
15.12.020 Board of appeals.
Section 107.0 of Chapter 1 of the 20192022 California Mechanical Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 107.0
General. In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Building Official relative to the application and interpretation of this Code, there shall be and is hereby created a Board of Appeals consisting of members who are qualified by experience and training to pass upon matters pertaining to mechanical design, construction and maintenance and public health aspects of mechanical systems and who are not employees of the jurisdiction. Said Board shall be the same Board of Appeals specified in Section 1.8.8 of the Building Code as amended by Section 15.04.020 of this Code.
The Building Official shall be an ex officio member and shall act as secretary to said Board but shall have no vote upon any matter before the Board. The Board of Appeals shall be appointed by the City Council and shall hold office at its pleasure. The Board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant, with a duplicate copy to the Building Official. 843
Limitations of authority. The jurisdiction of the Board of Appeals shall be limited to claims that this Code or the rules legally adopted thereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this Code do not fully apply or an equally good or better method of construction is proposed. The Board of Appeals shall have no authority to waive requirements of this Code.
Quorum for meetings. Three (3) members of said Board shall constitute a quorum.
The Board shall elect one of its members to act as chairman.
Not less than three (3) days prior to a meeting of said Board, written notice shall be given to each member personally, or by registered mail, provided, however, that any meeting of said Board shall be legal for any purpose if the written consent of all members of said Board to such meeting is executed and filed in the records of such Board.
Such Board shall have the right, subject to such limits as the City Council may prescribe by resolution, to employ at the cost and expense of the City, such practicing architects, competent builders, attorneys and structural engineers as said Board in its discretion may deem reasonable and necessary to assist in its investigation and in making its findings and decisions.
15.12.030 Mechanical permit fees.
Section 104.5 of the 20192022 California Mechanical Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 104.5
A. Permit fees. The fee for each permit shall be as set forth in the latest resolution adopted by the City Council.
B. Plan review fees. When a plan or other data are required to be submitted pursuant to Section, a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review. Said plan review fee shall be equal to eighty (80) per cent of the mechanical permit fee.
15.12.040 Violations.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter or the current adopted mechanical code shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable as set forth in Section 1.04.020.
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Chapter 15.16 Plumbing Code
15.16.010 Adoption of plumbing code.
15.16.020 Plumbing permit fees.
15.16.030 Board of appeals.
15.16.050 Installation of garbage grindersReserved.
15.16.060 Drainage piping.
15.16.070 Retrofitting existing commercial kitchens with grease recovery systems.
15.16.080 Maintenance and annual inspection of grease recovery systems in commercial kitchens.
15.16.090 Violations.
15.16.010 Adoption of plumbing code.
Except as hereinafter provided in this chapter, the California Plumbing Code, 20192022 Edition (Part 5 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), including Appendices A, D, H, and I, is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth herein in full. Said code shall comprise the plumbing code of the cityCity of Hermosa Beach. A copy of the plumbing code shall be maintained in the office of the city clerkCity Clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the cityCity of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term "administrative authority" or "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the building/code enforcement official or the director of community development of the cityBuilding/Code Enforcement Official or the Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach or his or her designee.
15.16.020 Plumbing permit fees.
Section 104.5 of Chapter 1 of the 20192022 California Plumbing Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 104.5
A. Permit fees. The fee for each permit shall be as set forth in the latest resolution adopted by the City Council.
B. Plan review fees. When a plan or other data are required to be submitted pursuant to this Code, a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review. Said plan review fee shall be equal to eighty (80) percent of the mechanical permit fee.
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15.16.030 Board of appeals.
Section 107 is hereby added to the 2019107.0 of Chapter 1 of the 2022 California Plumbing Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 107107.0
BOARD OF APPEALS
A. General. In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Building Official relative to the application and interpretations of this Code, there shall be and is hereby created a Board of Appeals consisting of members who are qualified by experience and training to pass upon matters pertaining to plumbing design, construction and maintenance and public health aspects of plumbing systems and who are not employees of the jurisdiction. Said Board shall be the same Board of Appeals specified in Section 1.8.8 of the Building Code as amended by Section 15.04.020 of this Code.
The Building Official shall be an ex officio member and shall act as secretary to said Board but shall have no vote upon any matter before the Board. The Board of Appeals shall be appointed by the governing body and shall hold office at its pleasure. The Board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant, with a duplicate copy to the Building Official.
B. Limitations of authority. The jurisdiction of the Board of Appeals shall be limited to claims that this Code or the rules legally adopted thereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this Code do not fully apply or an equally good or better method of construction is proposed. The Board of Appeals shall have no authority to waive requirements of this Code.
C. Quorum for meetings. Three (3) members of said Board shall constitute a quorum. The Board shall elect one of its members to act as chairman.
Not less than three (3) days prior to a meeting of said Board, written notice shall be given to each member personally, or by registered mail, provided, however, that any meeting of said Board shall be legal for any purpose if the written consent of all members of said Board to such meeting is executed and filed in the records of such Board.
Such Board shall have the right, subject to such limits as the City Council may prescribe by resolution, to employ at the cost and expense of the City, such practicing architects, competent builders, attorneys and structural engineers as said Board in its discretion may deem reasonable and necessary to assist in its investigation and in making its findings and decisions.
15.16.050 installation of garbage grinders.
Section 419 of the 2019 California Plumbing Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 419
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419 Installation of garbage grinders. In new buildings and all buildings remodeled or altered which are designed, equipped and used for residential purposes or for the storing or sheltering of food or foodstuffs for human consumption, including fruits, vegetables and meats, which are to be sold at retail at stores, clubs, hotels, restaurants, schools or other food establishments or at wholesale, or which are prepared at food manufacturing or processing plants, including slaughterhouses, and all buildings where foods for human consumption are prepared, sold, handled, stored or served in any manner whatsoever, shall be equipped with an approved type of garbage grinder, properly connected to the kitchen sink or sewer drain, which grinder and connections shall be of sufficient size to grind all garbage and food processing wastes produced in such building, and shall be suitably located so as to discharge such ground material by flushing it with water through the drain pipes into the sewer; provided, however, that if in operating any business as hereinabove described, packaged or canned goods are not opened on the premises, a garbage grinder for such canned or packaged food shall not be required; provided further that in all new buildings designed, constructed or used for single or multiple family use and buildings remodeled or altered for single or multiple use, an approved garage grinder shall be properly connected to the kitchen sink or sewer drain of each residential unit of such building. Each kitchen sink drain opening shall be so located and of sufficient size to accommodate a garbage grinder for the disposal of kitchen wastes.
If no changes in kitchen plumbing drainage are made in single or multiple family dwellings in the process of remodeling or alterations, a garbage disposal will not be required.
15.16.060. Drainage piping.
Section 701.2(2)(a) of the 20192022 California Plumbing Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
701.2(2)(a)
ABS and PVC installations are limited to no more than threetwo stories of areas of residential accommodation, provided that the installations meet the following requirements:
1. 1. The installation shall be enclosed in one-hour fire rated assemblies. Such assembly shall either be comprised of heavy lumber (4x minimum), or fire resistant drywall.
2. 2. Where the installation passes through either a story or a fire rated assembly, a penetration firestop system shall be installed at such penetration, in accordance with section 302.4.1.2 of the 20192022 California Residential Code.
15.16.070 Retrofitting existing commercial kitchens with grease recovery systems.
Section 1014.1.1.1 is hereby added to Chapter 10 of the 20192022 California Plumbing Code to read as follows:
1014.1.1.1 For the purposes of Section 1014.1.3, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
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Affected establishment means all commercial and institutional food preparation and food service facilities which discharge wastewater or materials containing fat, oil or grease, whether emulsified or not, or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between 0 and 65 degrees Celsius (32-150 degrees F) at an access in nearest proximity to the point of discharge into the wastewater treatment system, generally including but not limited to restaurants, bakeries, assisted living facilities, convalescent homes, butcher shops, cafes, delicatessens, ice cream parlors, hotels, and grocery stores.
Whenever an affected establishment, as defined above, changes use, or applies for a building, plumbing, electric, mechanical or any other permit issued by the City, that establishment may be required to submit a grease recovery analysis showing existing grease control devices. (Said analysis to consist of complete plumbing and mechanical schematics for the establishment.) Upon review of the analysis by the City or its agent(s), the establishment shall be required to upgrade or improve on its grease recovery system as deemed appropriate by the review. Said upgrades and improvements may include but are not limited to; in-ground interception tanks, improved roof top grease venting systems and absorbent padding and interior fry grease recovery systems.
Grease shall mean grease, or fatty or oily substances and other insoluble waste that turns or may turn viscous or solidifies with a change in temperature or other conditions.
Grease removal system means any system that meets the requirements of this Code and functions to remove grease from drain water prior to its entry into the public sewer system.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.16.010, Section 1014.1.1.2 is hereby added to Chapter 10 of said Plumbing Code to read as follows:
1014.1.1.2104.1.1.2 The retrofit installation of an approved grease recovery system shall be required for all affected establishments. The affected establishment shall have the option to install any of the required grease recovery systems separately or in combination as prescribed in Chapter 10. Plans or specifications prepared by a licensed professional engineer or a licensed plumbing contractor, where required, and the manufacturer’s installation and maintenance instructions shall be submitted to the Community Development Department (CDD) for approval prior to installation. Any approvals and permits required for work in the public right-of-way shall be obtained from the Public Works Department.
15.16.080 Maintenance and annual inspection of grease recovery systems in commercial kitchens.
Section 1014.1.4 is hereby added to Chapter 10 of the 20192022 California Plumbing Code to read as follows:
1014.1.4
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Maintenance and monitoring. It is the responsibility of the owner or operator of every establishment required to have a grease removal system to maintain the system in a sanitary, safe, and efficient operating condition so as to prevent grease from flowing into the sewer system. A grease removal system shall not be considered properly maintained if for any reason it is not in good working condition or if sediment and/or grease accumulations total more than 25 percent of the operative fluid capacity. It is the owner or operator’s responsibility to provide for removal of the accumulated grease and other waste contained in the system. Grease removed from such a system shall not be disposed of in the sanitary or the storm sewer.
Inspection. All owners/operators of establishments with grease recovery systems shall keep maintenance records and haulers manifests and shall allow City inspection of grease removal systems from time to time during normal business hours. Grease removal systems shall be readily accessible for inspection as per Section 203.0. All applicable records shall be available to the Building Official or his or her representative upon request.
An annual inspection fee in an amount set forth in the City’s Master Schedule of Service Charges and Fees shall be paid by the owner/operator at the time of business license renewal.
15.16.090 Violations.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter or the current adopted plumbing code shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable as set forth in Section 1.04.020.
Chapter 15.20 Fire Prevention Code
15.28.010 Adoption of Existing Building Code.
15.20.020 Automatic sprinkler systems.
15.20.030 Fire protection improvement fee.
15.020.010 Adoption of fire code.
Except as provided in this chapter and elsewhere in this title, the California Fire Code, 2019 Edition (Part 9 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. Said code shall comprise the fire code of the city of Hermosa Beach. A copy of the fire code shall be maintained in the office of the city clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Permits as required by provisions within this code may be issued for an identified period of time, subject, however, to the right of the fire chief or his or her designee to revoke said permit for misuse or violation of the terms of the permit.
15.20.020 Automatic sprinkler systems.
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Section 903 of the 2019 California Fire Code is hereby amended to add Section 903.2.13 and to amend Section 903.2 to read as follows:
SECTION 903
903.2 Where required. Approved automatic sprinkler systems in new buildings and structures shall be provided in the locations described in Sections 903.2.1 through 903.2.13. 903.2.13 Expansion of existing buildings. An automatic sprinkler system is required in any existing building subject to alteration or expansion if (1) the expansion exceeds 50 percent of the existing gross floor area; or (2) the cost of remodeling, expansion or improvement exceeds 50 percent of the value of the existing structure as determined by the Building Official.
a. The size or valuation of an existing building shall be deemed to exceed fifty (50) percent if:
1. The expansion exceeds fifty (50) percent of the existing gross floor area; or
2. The cost of remodeling, expansion, or improvement exceeds fifty (50) percent of the value of the existing structure as determined by the building official.
15.20.030 Fire protection improvement fee.
Section 113 of the Fire Code is hereby amended to add the following section:
Section 113HB: The purpose of the fire protection improvement fee is to mitigate the fire protection impacts caused by new development in the city by financing fire protection improvements in direct relation to the development’s fair share of the construction costs of these improvements.
A. Fire Protection Improvement Fee. The fire protection improvement fee established by Ordinance No. 88-932 shall continue in effect at the rates set forth in subsection (C) of this section. The fee shall be paid prior to issuance of a building permit for any new structure or expansion of an existing structure as described in subsection (C) of this section in the city.
B. Fee Account. The revenues raised by payment of the fire protection improvement fee shall be placed in a separate and special fund and such revenues, along with any interest earnings on that fund, shall be used solely to pay for the improvements and apparatus described in subsection (D) of this section.
C. Amount of Fee.
1. Residential: nine cents ($0.09) per square foot of net floor area.
2. Nonresidential: eleven and one-half cents ($0.115) per square foot of net floor area.
The calculation of floor area shall include the floor area of all structures including the main structure and any accessory structures, including, but not limited to garages, structural decks, and balconies, and shall be measured from the outside of the walls or perimeter of said structures. For new projects, the net floor area shall be calculated as the total floor area of the new structure minus any floor area of any existing legally permitted structures demolished as part of the new project. For existing structures that add floor area, the fee shall be applied to the net increase in floor area.
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D. Use of Fee. The fee shall be solely used to pay for:
1. Fire hydrants; riser connections from main to hydrant; necessary valves and attachments; repairs to public improvements necessitated by installation of hydrants, riser connections, valves and attachments; fire stations, training facilities, administrative offices, communications centers, and maintenance centers; and firefighting equipment, vehicles, apparatus, and appliances;
2. Reimbursement to the city for the development’s fair share of those capital improvements already constructed by the city; and
3. Reimbursement to developers who have constructed public facilities where those facilities were beyond that needed to mitigate the impact of the developers’ project.
Chapter 15.24 Abatement of Dangerous Buildings
15.24.010 Adoption of uniform code for the abatement of dangerous buildings.
15.24.020 Purpose and scope.
15.24.030 Section 202 amended – Abatement of dangerous buildings
15.24.040 Board of appeals.
15.24.050 Dangerous buildings.
15.24.010 Adoption of uniform code for the abatement of dangerous buildings.
That certain Code designated as the "Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, 1997 Edition," published by the International Conference of Building Officials, one copy of which is on file in the office of the City Clerk for public record and inspection, is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this Chapter as though set forth in this Chapter in full, subject, however, to the amendments, additions and deletions set forth in this Chapter, and said Code shall be known as the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings Code of this City.
15.24.020 Purpose and scope.
102.2.1 The scope of this Code shall include the content of the City of Hermosa Beach Ordinance Number 94-1114 as though set forth in this Section in full.
15.24.030 Section 202 amended-Abatement of dangerous buildings.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.24.010, Section 202 of said Abatement of Dangerous Buildings Code is amended to read as follows:
Section 202 - Abatement of dangerous buildings
All buildings or portions thereof which are determined by after inspection by the Building Official to be dangerous as defined in this Code shall be abated by repair, rehabilitation, demolition or removal in accordance with the procedure specified in Section 401 of this Code or in Section 8.28 of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code.
15.24.040 Board of appeals.
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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.24.010, Section 205 of said Abatement of Dangerous Buildings Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 205.
205.1 General. In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Building Official relative to the application and interpretation of this Code, there shall be and is hereby created a Board of Appeals consisting of members who are qualified by experience and training to pass upon matters pertaining to building construction and who are not employees of the jurisdiction. Said board shall be the same Board of Appeals specified in Section 1.8.8 of the Building Code as amended by Section 15.04.020 of this Code.
The Building Official shall be an ex officio member and shall act as secretary to said board but shall have no vote upon any matter before the board. The board of appeals shall be appointed by the City Council and shall hold office at its pleasure. The board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant, with a duplicate copy to the Building Official.
Appeals to the board shall be processed in accordance with the provisions contained in Section 1201 of this Code. Copies of all rules or regulations adopted by the board shall be delivered to the Building Official, who shall make them freely accessible to the public. 205.2 Limitations of authority. The jurisdiction of the board of appeals shall be limited to claims that this Code or the rules legally adopted thereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this Code do not fully apply or an equally good or better method of construction is proposed. The Board of Appeals shall have no authority to waive requirements of this Code.
15.24.050 Dangerous buildings.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.24.010, Sections 302 (19) and 401.1.1 of the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings Code are hereby amended to read as follows:
302 (19) Whenever any building has at least one (1) unreinforced masonry bearing wall and is in existence without being retrofit after the date shown on Table A1-G of this Code. 401.1.1 When the Building Official has determined that any building described in Section 302 (19) of this Code has not been abated as of the date shown in Table A1-G the Building Official shall commence proceedings to cause repair, vacation or demolition of the building.
Chapter 15.28 Existing Buildings
15.28.010 Adoption of existing building code.
15.28.010 Adoption of existing building code.
Except as hereinafter provided, the California Existing Building Code, 2019 2022 Edition (Part 10 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. Said code shall comprise the existing building code of the city of Hermosa Beach. A copy of said code shall be maintained in the office of the city clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force
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Whenever the termword "jurisdiction" appears in said Codecode, it shall mean and refer to the City of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term “Building Official"building official" appears in said Codecode, it shall mean and refer to the Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach or his or her designee.
Chapter 15.32 Electrical Code
15.32.010 Adoption of electrical code.
15.32.020 Fees.
15.32.030 Underground service conductions - Installation.
15.32.040 Temporary installations.
15.32.010 Adoption of electrical code.
Except as provided in this chapter and elsewhere in this title, the California Electrical Code, 20192022 Edition (Part 3 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations (including no appendicesAppendices) is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. Said code shall comprise the electrical code of the cityCity of Hermosa Beach. A copy of the electrical code shall be maintained in the office of the city clerkCity Clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the cityCity of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the building/code enforcement official or to the director of community development of the cityBuilding/Code Enforcement Official or to the Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach, or his or her designee.”
15.32.020 Fees.
Section 89.108.489.108.4.2 of the 20192022 California Electrical Code is hereby amended to add the following subsectionread as follows:
89.108.4.2 The fee for each permit shall be as set forth in the latest resolution adopted by the City Council. When a plan or other data are required to be submitted pursuant to this Code, a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review. Said plan review fee shall be equal to eighty (80) percent of the mechanical permit fee.
For purposes of determining fees only, the following definitions shall apply:
A. New general use branch circuits.
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1. The fees prescribed apply to new branch circuit wiring and the lighting fixtures, switches, receptacles, appliances or other utilization equipment permitted to be supplied by these branch circuits.
2. For the purposes of this Subsection, each ungrounded conductor of a multiwiremulti-wire branch circuit supplying one appliance may be counted as one circuit.
3. For the purposes of this Subsection, three-phase lighting branch circuits are counted as two (2) branch circuits.
B. Adding outlets (to existing branch circuits) or temporary lights and yard lighting.
1. Each outlet added to an existing branch circuit shall be counted as one unit and each lighting fixture connected thereto shall be counted as an additional unit except as modified in the following provisions of this Subsection.
2. An outlet shall mean a point or place on a fixed-wiring installation from which electric current is controlled, or is supplied to a lamp, lighting fixture, fan, clock, heater, range, motor, or other electrical. appliance or equipment.
3. An outlet box for two (2) or more switches or receptacles shall be considered as one unit.
C. Motors, transformers, heating appliances and miscellaneous equipment or appliances.
1. The fees prescribed cover the inspection of the supply branch circuit and the utilization equipment supplied therefrom and the control equipment therefor.
2. Except where supplied by branch circuits rated over fifty (50) amperes, the fees required apply only to non dwellingnon-dwelling occupancies. The fee for each motor, transformer, heating appliance, welder, rectifier, x-ray machine, storage battery system, infrared industrial heating appliance, cooking or baking equipment, studio effects lighting, and other miscellaneous equipment or appliances shall be given in the rating table of the resolution order.
3. Where fixed equipment is supplied by flexible cords to facilitate servicing or replacement, those fees shall also apply to each receptacle outlet installed for the supply of portable equipment rated larger than three (3) H.P., K.W., or K.V.A.
4. For any equipment or appliance containing more than one motor, or other current consuming utilization components in addition to the motor or motors, the combined electrical ratings converted to K.V.A. of all shall be used to determine the fee. For the purpose of this subsection, one H.P. or one K.W. is equivalent to one K.V.A. The total ampere ratings of all receptacles installed on a factory fabricated wireway assembly for studio effects lighting may be used in computing the fees therefor. 854
5. The fees for a change of location or replacement of equipment on the same premises shall be the same as that for a new installation. However, no fees shall be required for moving any temporary construction motor from one place to another on the same site during the time of actual construction work after a permit has once been obtained for such motor and the fees required therefor have been paid.
D. Required fire warning, communications and emergency control systems.
For the purposes of this Subsection, devices shall include all signaling equipment, stations, power equipment such as damper actuators or door holding device, and communication jacks or outlets.
E. Service and switchboard sections.
1. Fees shall be required for the installation, reinstallation, replacement or alteration of each service and each switchboard section.
2. For the purpose of this Subsection, a switchboard section means any portion of complete switchboard, distribution board, or motor control center which is prevented by the structural framework from being separated into smaller units.
3. The fees for services shall be determined from the ampacity of the set of service entrance conductors or the total ampere rating of the service equipment.
4. No fee need be paid for switchboard section which incorporates service equipment for which service fees were paid.
15.32.030 Underground service conductors-installation.
Section 230.30 of the 20192022 California Electrical Code is hereby amended to add the following paragraphs:
(C) Underground service laterals required for new construction.
All new buildings and structures in the City shall provide underground electrical and communications service laterals on the premises to be served as hereinafter required.
This provision shall not apply to utility lines that do not provide service in the area being developed.
(D) Underground utilities for new buildings.
All electrical, telephone, community antenna television system (CATV), and similar service wires or cables which provide direct service to new buildings and structures shall be installed underground in compliance with all applicable building and electrical codes, safety regulations and orders, and the rules of the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California.
(E)
Underground utilities for existing buildings.
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Existing overhead wires and/or new utility service shall be placed underground when one or more new dwelling units are created in an existing building and one or both of the following apply:
1. The expansion exceeds fifty (50) percent of the existing gross floor area; or
2. The cost of remodeling, expansion or improvement exceeds fifty (50) percent of the value of the existing structure as determined by the building official.
Exception: Undergrounding shall not be required if Southern California Edison deems in writing that such underground installation is infeasible based upon its service requirements or to the unavailability of necessary easements. (F) Responsibility for compliance.
The developer and owner are jointly and severally responsible for complying with the requirements of this chapter and shall make the necessary arrangements with the utility companies for the installation of such facilities.
(G) Existing underground areas.
On streets where electrical and communications lines have been placed underground or where no overhead lines presently exist on or before July 1, 1977, said lines shall remain permanently underground and no additional electric or communications service facilities shall be added on said streets unless they are placed underground.
15.32.040 Temporary installations.
Section 590.3(A) of the 20192022 California Electrical Code is hereby amended to add the following subparagraph:
(1) Temporary power pole required on construction sites.
All construction sites for which temporary power must be supplied because there is no electrical service shall provide a temporary power pole prior to issuance of a building permit. Said power pole shall remain installed until the project has received final approval and electrical service has commenced. Generators are prohibited as a substitute for a temporary power pole.
Chapter 15.36
Seismic Strengthening of Buildings Having Unreinforced Masonry Bearing Walls.
15.36.010 Purpose of provisions.
15.36.020 Scope - exceptions.
15.36.030 Definitions.
15.36.040 Rating classifications.
15.36.050 Compliance requirements.
15.36.060 Administration.
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15.36.010 Purpose of provisions.
The purpose of this chapter is to promote public safety and welfare by reducing the risk of death or injury that may result from the effects of earthquakes on existing unreinforced masonry bearing wall buildings.
The provisions of this chapter are intended as minimum standards for structural seismic resistance. The provisions are established primarily to reduce the risk of life, loss or injury. Compliance with these provisions will not necessarily prevent loss of life or injury, or prevent earthquake damage to rehabilitated buildings.
15.36.020 Scope-exeptions.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all existing buildings having at least one unreinforced masonry bearing wall. Unreinforced masonry bearing wall buildings constructed of hollow concrete blocks or hollow clay tiles that do not exceed two stories in height may be strengthened using these provisions. Bonding of hollow concrete block or hollow clay tile walls shall be verified to the satisfaction of the building official.
It shall be shown by testing that the tile or block units are of bearing type and the capacity of the wall in bearing and shear based on net area in contact through bed joints is not less than those allowed for solid brick.
When a permit for reroofing of any building regulated by this ordinance is applied for, the requirements for parapet bracing and tension wall anchors between the roof and all exterior walls shall be complied with.
Exceptions: This chapter shall not apply to:
A. Detached one- or two-family dwellings and detached apartment houses containing less than five dwelling units and used solely for residential purposes; or B. Essential or hazardous facilities as defined in Table 16-K of the building code. Such structures shall comply with the building code.
15.36.030 Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, the applicable definitions in the building code shall apply. In addition, the following definitions shall apply:
High risk building means any building, other than an essential or hazardous facility, having an occupant load of three hundred (300) occupants or more as determined by Section 1002 of the building code.
Exceptions: A high risk building shall not include the following:
Any building having exterior walls braced with masonry crosswalls or woodframe crosswalls spaced less than forty (40) feet apart in each story. Crosswalls shall be full-story height with a minimum length of one and one-half times the story height;
Any building used for its intended purpose, as determined by the building official, for less than twenty (20) hours per week.
Low risk building means any building, other than an essential or hazardous facility, having an occupant load as determined by Section 1002 of the building code of less than twenty-five (25) occupants.
Medium risk building means any building, not classified as a high risk building or an essential or hazardous facility, having an occupant load as determined by Section 1002 of the building code of twentyfive (25) occupants or more, including buildings of greater than three hundred (300) occupants used less than twenty (20) hours per week.
15.36.040 Rating classifications.
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The rating classifications identified in Table 7-V-1 are established and each building within the scope of this chapter shall be placed in one such rating classification by the building official. The total occupant load of the entire building as determined by Section 1002 of the building code shall be used to determine the rating classification.
Exception: For purposes of this chapter, portions of buildings constructed to act independently when resisting seismic forces may be placed in separate rating classifications.
15.36.050 Compliance requirements.
A. The owner of each building within the scope of this chapter shall, upon service of an order and within the time limits set forth in this chapter, cause a structural analysis to be made of the building by an engineer or architect licensed by the state to practice as such. If the building does not comply with earthquake standards specified in this chapter, the owner shall cause it to be structurally altered to conform to such standards or shall cause the building to be demolished.
B. The owner of a building within the scope of this chapter shall comply with the requirements set forth above by submitting to the building official for review:
1. Within two hundred seventy (270) days after service of the order, a structural analysis, which is subject to approval by the building official and which shall demonstrate that the building meets the minimum requirements of this chapter;
2. Within two hundred seventy (270) days after service of the order, the structural analysis and plans for structural alterations of the building to comply with this chapter;
3. Within one hundred eighty (180) days after service of the order, plans for the installation of wall anchors in accordance with the requirements of this chapter; or Within two hundred seventy (270) days after service of the order, plans for the demolition of the building.
C. After plans are submitted and approved by the building official, the owner shall obtain a building permit, then commence and complete the required construction or demolition within the time limits set forth in Table 7-V-2.
D. Owners electing to comply with subsection B(3) of this section are also required to comply with subsection B(2) or (4) of this section; provided, however, that the two hundred seventy (270) day period provided for in subsection B(2) or (4) shall commence from the date on which plans are submitted pursuant to subsection B(3) of this section and the time limit to complete structural alterations or building demolition shall be extended in accordance with Table 7-V-2.
15.36.060 Administration.
A. Order–Service.
1. The building official shall, in accordance with the priorities set forth in Table 7-V-1, issue an order as provided in this section to the owner of each building within the scope of this chapter.
2. Prior to the service of an order, a bulletin may be issued to the owner as shown upon the last equalized assessment roll or to the person in apparent charge or control of a building considered by the building official to be within the scope of this chapter. The bulletin may contain information the building official deems appropriate. The bulletin may be issued by mail or in person.
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B. Order–Priority of Service. Priorities for the service of the order for buildings within the scope of this chapter shall be in accordance with the rating classification as shown on Table 7-V-1. Within each separate rating classification, the priority of the order shall normally be based upon the occupant load of the building. The owners of the buildings housing the largest occupant loads shall be served first. The building official may, upon receipt of a written request from the owner, order such owner to bring his building into compliance with this chapter prior to the date for otherwise required under this chapter.
C. Order–Contents. The order shall be in writing and shall be served either personally or by certified or registered mail upon the owner as shown on the last equalized assessment roll and upon the person, if any, in apparent charge to control of the building. The order shall specify that the building has been determined by the building official to be within the scope of this chapter and, therefore, is required to meet the minimum seismic standards of this chapter. The order shall specify the rating classification of the building and shall be accompanied by a copy of Section 15.36.050, which sets forth the owner’s alternatives and time limits for compliance.
D. Appeal from Order. The owner of the building may appeal the building official’s initial determination that the building is within the scope of this chapter to the board of appeals, established by Section 105 of the building code. Such appeal shall be filed with the board within sixty (60) days from the service date of the order described in subsection C of this section. Any such appeal shall be given a written decision by the board within ninety (90) days, with the grounds thereof stated clearly and concisely. Appeals or requests for modifications from any other determinations, orders or actions by the building official pursuant to this chapter shall be made in accordance with the procedures established in Sections 104 and 105 of the building code.
E. Recordation. At the time that the building official serves the aforementioned order, the building official shall also file with the office of the county recorder a certificate stating that the subject building is within the scope of this chapter and is a potentially earthquake hazardous building.
The certificate shall also state that the owner thereof has been ordered to structurally analyze the building and to structurally alter or demolish it where compliance with this chapter has not been demonstrated.
If the building is either demolished, found not to be within the scope of this chapter, or is structurally capable of resisting minimum seismic forces required by this chapter as a result of structural alterations or an analysis, the building official shall file with the office of the county recorder a form terminating the status of the subject building as being classified within the scope of this chapter.
F. Enforcement. If the owner or person in charge or control of the subject building fails to comply with any order issued by the building official pursuant to this chapter within any of the time limits set forth in Section 15.36.050, the building official shall verify that the record owner of this building has been properly served. If the order has been served on the record owner, then the building official shall order that the entire building be vacated and that the building remain vacated until such order has been complied with. If compliance with such order has not been accomplished within ninety (90) days after the date the building has been ordered vacated or such additional time as may have been granted by the board of appeals, the building official may order its demolition in accordance with the provisions of Section 102 of the building code.
Table 7-V-1 Rating Classification
Type of Building Classification Occupant Load
Essential or Hazardous Facility I n/a
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Table 7-V-1 Rating Classification
Type of Building Classification Occupant Load
High Risk Building II >300
Medium Risk-A III-A 100 to 300
Medium Risk-B III-B 50 to 99
Medium Risk-C III-C 25 to 49
Low Risk Building IV <25
Table 7-V-2 Schedule of Seismic Strengthening of Unreinforced Masonry Buildings 1Building Risk Classification 1Occupant load
2 Install parapet
bracing and wall
anchors at roof
3 Complete
strengthening after
parapet bracing
4,5 Complete
strengthening without
parapet bracing being
done first
II >300 July 1, 1995 Jan. 1, 1998 Jan. 1, 1996
III-A 100 to 300 Jan 1, 1996 Jan 1, 1999 Jan 1, 1997
III-B 50 to 99 Jan 1, 1996 Jan 1, 2000 Jan 1, 1998
III-C 25 to 49 Jan 1, 1996 Jan 1, 2001 Jan 1, 1999
IV <25 Jan 1, 1996 Jan 1, 2002 Jan 1, 2000
1. Building risk classifications are based on the building occupant load as determined by the Uniform Building Code.
2. Parapet bracing includes bracing the parapets on all walls of the building and installing tension anchors from the walls to the roof on all walls. See special requirements of work required when a reroofing permit is applied for.
3. Complete strengthening includes the remainder of the strengthening work as required by this chapter. Parapets and wall anchor installation were completed in an earlier phase.
4. Complete strengthening includes all strengthening required by this chapter, including parapet bracing and wall anchors.
5. All buildings regulated by this chapter, undergoing a change of occupancy, may be strengthened in accordance with those provisions.
Chapter 15.40
Electric Vehicle Charging Systems; Streamlined Permitting.
15.40.010 Purpose.
15.40.020 Definitions.
15.40.030 Electrical Vehicle Charging Station Requirements.
15.40.040 Expedited Permitting Process.
15.40.050 Permit Application Process.
15.40.060 Permit Review; Timing.
15.40.010 – Purpose.
The purpose of this section is to create an expedited and streamlined electric vehicle charging station permitting process that complies with Government Code sections 65850.7 and 65850.71 to achieve the timely and cost-effective installation of electric vehicle 860
charging stations. Pursuant to Government Code section 65850.7 and notwithstanding any other provision of this code pertaining to conditional or accessory uses, only an electrical permit shall be required for an electric vehicle charging station.
15.40.020 – Definitions.
A. “A feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact” includes, but is not limited to, any cost-effective method, condition, or mitigation imposed by the City on another similarly situated application in a prior successful application for a permit.
B. “Building Official” means the chief building official of the City or his or her designee.
C. “Electric vehicle charging station” or “charging station” means any level of electric vehicle supply equipment station that is designed and built in compliance with Article 625 of the California Electrical Code, and any subsequent amendments thereto, and delivers electricity from a source outside an electric vehicle into a plug-in electric vehicle.
D. “Specific, adverse impact” means a significant, quantifiable, direct, and unavoidable impact, based on objective, identified, and written public health or safety standards, policies, or conditions as they existed on the date the application was deemed complete.
E. “Electronic submittal” means the utilization of one or more of the following:
a. Email
b. The Internet
c. Facsimile
15.40.030 – Electrical Vehicle Charging Station Requirements.
A. The electric vehicle charging station shall meet the applicable safety and performance standards established by the California Electrical Code, the Society of Automotive Engineers, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, and accredited testing laboratories such as Underwriters Laboratories, and rules of the Public Utilities Commission and the local electric utility company regarding safety and reliability.
B. Installation of electric vehicle charging stations and associated wiring, bonding, disconnecting means and overcurrent protective devices shall meet the requirements of Article 625 and all applicable provisions of the California Electrical Code.
C. Installation of electric vehicle charging stations shall be incorporated into the load calculations of all new or existing electrical services and shall meet the requirements of the California Electrical Code. Electric vehicle charging equipment shall be considered a continuous load.
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D. Anchorage of either floor-mounted or wall-mounted electric vehicle charging stations shall meet the requirements of the California Building or Residential Code as applicable per occupancy, and the provisions of the manufacturer’s installation instructions. Mounting of charging stations shall not adversely affect building elements.
15.40.040 – Expedited Permitting Process.
Consistent with Government Code section 65850.7, the Building Official shall implement an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations and adopt a checklist of all requirements with which electric vehicle charging stations shall comply with in order to be eligible for expedited review. The expedited, streamlined permitting process and checklist may refer to the recommendations contained in the most current version of the “Plug-In Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Permitting Checklist” of the “Zero-Emission Vehicles in California: Community Readiness Guidebook” as published by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. The City’s adopted checklist shall be published on the City’s website.
15.40.050 – Permit Application Process.
A. Prior to submitting an application for processing, the applicant shall verify that the installation of an electric vehicle charging station will not have specific, adverse impact to public health and safety and building occupants. Verification by the applicant includes, but is not limited to: electrical system capacity and loads; electrical system wiring, bonding and overcurrent protection; building infrastructure affected by charging station equipment and associated conduits; and areas of charging station equipment and vehicle parking.
B. A permit application that satisfies the information requirements in the City’s adopted checklist shall be deemed complete and be promptly processed. A completed application does not authorize an applicant to energize or utilize the electric vehicle charging station until approval and all necessary permits are granted by the City.
C. If the Building Official determines that the permit application is incomplete, he or she shall issue a written correction notice to the applicant, detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information required to be eligible for expedited permit issuance.
D. The Building Official shall allow for electronic submittal of permit applications covered by this chapter and associated supporting documentations. In accepting such permit applications, the Building Official shall also accept electronic signatures on all forms, applications, and other documentation in lieu of a wet signature by any applicant.
15.40.060 – Permit Review
A. The Building Official shall review all electric vehicle charging station applications. Notwithstanding the expedited permit processing set forth in this chapter, the 862
Building Official retains authority at all times to identify and address higher priority lifesafety situations.
B. If the Building Official makes a finding based on substantial evidence that the electric vehicle charging station could have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety, the City may require the applicant to apply for a conditional use permit.
The Building Official’s decision may be appealed by the applicant to the Planning Commission.
C. An application for a conditional use permit to install an electric vehicle charging station shall not be denied unless the Planning Commission makes written findings based upon substantial evidence in the record that the proposed installation would have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety, and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact. The findings shall include the basis for the rejection of potential feasible alternatives. If denied, the Planning Commission’s decision may be appealed by the applicant to the City Council pursuant to the procedures set for in Section 17.62.010.
D. In the technical review of a charging station application, the Building Official shall not condition the approval of any electric vehicle charging station permit on the approval of such a system by an association, as that term is defined by Civil Code Section 4080.
E. Upon confirmation by the Building Official that the permit application and supporting documents meet the requirements of the City adopted checklist, and is consistent with all applicable laws and health and safety standards, the Building Official shall, consistent with Government Code Section 65850.7, as may be amended, approve the application and issue all necessary permits.
F. An application to install an electric vehicle charging station submitted to the building official of the City shall be deemed complete if, after the applicable time period has elapsed, both of the following are true:
a. The Building Official has not deemed the application complete, consistent with the checklist created by the City pursuant to Government Code section 65850.7(g).
b. The Building Official has not issued a written correction notice detailing all deficiencies in the application and identifying any additional information explicitly necessary for the Building Official to complete a review limited to whether the electric vehicle charging station meets all health and safety requirements of local, state, and federal law, consistent with subdivisions (b) and (g) of Government Code section 65850.7.
G. For purposes of paragraph (F), “applicable time period” means either of the following:
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a. Five business days after submission of the application to the City if the application is for at least 1, but not more than 25 electric vehicle charging stations at a single site.
b. Ten business days after submission of the application to the City if the application is for more than 25 electric vehicle charging stations at a single site.
H. An application to install an electric vehicle charging station shall be deemed approved if the applicable time period described in paragraph (G) has elapsed and all of the following are true:
a. The Building Official has not administratively approved the application pursuant to Government Code section 65850.7(b). b. The Building Official has not made a finding, based on substantial evidence, that the electric vehicle charging station could have a specific adverse impact upon the public health or safety or required the applicant to apply for a use permit pursuant to Government Code section 65850.7(b).
c. The Building Official has not denied the use permit pursuant to Government Code section 65850.7(c).
d. An appeal has not been made to the Planning Commission pursuant to Government Code section 65850.7(d).
I. For purposes of paragraph (H), “applicable time period means” either of the following:
a. Twenty business days after the application was deemed complete, if the application is for at least 1, but not more than 25 electric vehicle charging stations at a single site.
b. Forty business days after the application was deemed complete, if the application is for more than 25 electric vehicle charging stations at a single site.
J. If an electric vehicle charging station and any associated equipment interfere with, reduce, eliminate, or in any way impact the required parking spaces for existing uses, the City shall reduce the number of required parking spaces for existing uses by the amount necessary to accommodate the electric vehicle charging station and any associated equipment.
Chapter 15.44
Report of Residential Building Records.
15.44.010 Intent.
15.44.020 Definitions.
15.44.030 Report required.
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15.44.040 Application – contents of report-review of records.
15.44.050 Delivery of report to buyer or transferee.
15.44.060 Physical examination of property.
15.44.070 Exceptions.
15.44.080 Form – time limit for delivery of report.
15.44.090 Nonliability of city.
15.44.100 Violation – penalty.
15.44.010 Intent.
Pursuant to Article 6.5 (commencing with Section 38780 ), Chapter 10, Part 2, Division 3, Title 4, of the Government Code of the state of California, it is the intent of the City Council to assure that the grantee of a residential building within the city is furnished a report of matters of city record pertaining to the authorized use, occupancy and zoning classification of real property prior to sale or exchange. It is the further intent to assist in the protection of the buyer of residential properties against undisclosed restrictions on the use of the property.
15.44.020 Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms are defined as follows:
Owner means any person, copartnership, association, corporation or fiduciary having legal or equitable title or any interest in any real property.
Residential building shall mean any improved real property designed, used or permitted to be used for dwelling purposes, situated in the City of Hermosa Beach, and shall include the building or structure located on said improved real property.
Agreement of sale means any agreement or written instrument which provides that any ownership or interest in title to any real property is to be transferred from one owner to another owner.
15.44.030 Report required.
At the time of entering into an agreement of sale or exchange of any residential building, the owner or his authorized representative shall obtain from the city a report of the residential building record showing the regularly authorized use, occupancy and zoning classification of such property. Said report shall be valid for a period not to exceed six months from date of issue.
15.44.040 Application-contents of report-review of records.
Upon application of the owner, or his authorized agent, and the payment to the city of a fee prescribed, plus the established fee for copies of the city code if requested by the applicant, the pertinent city records shall be reviewed, and an on-site inspection made of the property and the improvements thereon (including an interior inspection of the premises with the permission of the property owner) and a report of residential building records shall be delivered to the applicant which may contain the following information insofar as it is available:
A. The street address or other appropriate description of subject property; B. The use permitted as indicated and established by permits of record; C. A statement of the zoning classification applicable to the property in question; D. A statement of the variances and use permits of record, if any, granted to that property, together with the conditions and restrictions of such permits; 865
E. A statement as to whether there exists, or appears to exist, any illegality or permitted nonconformity in the structures on the property or the uses made thereof; F. Should the present use of the property and the use authorized by Zoning Ordinances in effect at the time of inspection disclose an apparent violation of the Zoning Ordinance, and the use which constitutes the apparent violation was not constructed pursuant to a building permit as noted in the records of the Community Development Department, such finding shall be noted on the report of residential building records.
Errors or omissions in said report shall not bind or stop the city from enforcing any and all building and zoning codes against the seller, buyer and any subsequent owner. Said report does not guarantee the structural stability of any existing building nor does it relieve the owner, his agent, architect or builder from designing and building a structurally stable building meeting the requirements of adopted building, plumbing and electrical codes.
15.44.050 Delivery of report to buyers or transferee.
The report of residential building record shall be delivered by the owner, or the authorized designated representative of the owner, to the buyer or transferee of the residential building prior to the consummation of the sale or exchange. The buyer or transferee shall execute a receipt therefor as furnished by the city, and said receipt shall be delivered to the building division, as evidence of compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
15.44.060 Physical examination of property.
Upon the verified request of the seller, a physical examination of the subject property shall be made by the Building Division, and a report thereon delivered to said seller. The report of residential building records shall include the following language: "Unless otherwise indicated in this report the inspection of the premises has not included an inspection of the interior of the premises. The permission of the owner of the property is required for the city inspector to make an inspection of the interior premises. You have the right to require, as a condition of the purchase of the property, that the owner request an inspection by a city inspector of the interior of the premises. This report cannot offer maximum protection without an inspection of the interior of the premises. For further information concerning the nature of this report you should read and review Chapter 15.44 of the City Code of the Hermosa Beach.
15.44.070 Exceptions.
A. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the first sale of a residential building located in a subdivision the final map for which has been approved and recorded in accordance with the Subdivision Map Act not more than two (2) years prior to the first sale.
B. Residential report of building records shall not be required when exchange of real property is between immediate members of a family.
C. Condominiums shall be required to have one residential report of building records per structure which is valid for one year. Interior inspections of condominiums may be requested and a prescribed fee will be charged for each unit inspected.
D. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the first sale of a residential property sold within ninety (90) days after final approval is given.
15.44.080 Form-time limit for delivery of report.
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A. The Director of Community Development shall prepare standardized forms for the report of residential building records. Said report shall be delivered to the owner, or his authorized agent, by registered mail, within forty (40) calendar days of receipt of the application and fees.
B. Should the city fail to deliver, or to attempt to deliver, said report within the aforementioned forty (40) days, the sale, if consummated, shall not be deemed in violation of this chapter.
15.44.090 Nonliability of city.
‘The issuance of the residential building record report is not a representation by the City of Hermosa Beach that the subject property or its present use is or is not in compliance with the law.
Neither the enactment of this chapter nor the preparation of and delivery of any report required hereunder shall impose a liability upon the city for any errors or omissions contained in said report, nor shall the city bear any liability not otherwise imposed by law.
15.44.100 Violation-penalty.
A. Anyone in violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable as provided by the provisions of Chapter
1.10 of the Municipal Code of the City of Hermosa Beach.
B. No sale or exchange of residential property shall be invalidated solely because of the failure of any person to comply with any provisions of this chapter unless such failure is an act of omission which would be a valid ground for rescission of such sale or exchange in the absence of this chapter.
Chapter 15.48 Green Building Standards
15.48.010 Adoption of CALGreen code.
15.48.010 Adoption of CALGreen code.
Except as provided in this chapter and elsewhere in this title, the California Green Building Standards Code (referred to herein as "CALGreen code"), 20192022 Edition (Part 11 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. A copy of the CALGreen code shall be maintained in the office of the city clerkCity Clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the cityCity of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the building/code enforcement official or director of community development of the cityBuilding/Code Enforcement Official or Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach or his or her designee.
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Chapter 15.52
Energy Code
15.52.010 Adoption of energy code.
15.52.010 Adoption of energy code.
Except as provided in this chapter and elsewhere in this title, the California Energy Code, 20192022 Edition (Part 6 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), including all appendices, is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. Said code shall comprise the energy code of the cityCity of Hermosa Beach. A copy of the energy code shall be maintained in the office of the city clerkCity Clerk and shall be made available for public inspection while the code is in force.
Whenever the word "jurisdiction" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the cityCity of Hermosa Beach.
Whenever the term "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the director of community development of the cityDirector of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach or his or her designee.”
Chapter 15.56
Property Maintenance Code
15.56.010 Adoption of International Property Maintenance Code.
15.56.010 Adoption of International Property Maintenance Code.
The International Property Maintenance Code, 2021 Edition, is hereby adopted by reference in its entirety by the City, as amended herein, except that for purposes of citation, said code shall be renumbered by adding “15.56” before the sections of the International Property Maintenance Code.
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City of Hermosa Beach
Staff Report
City Hall
1315 Valley Drive
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0655
Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council Regular Meeting of October 25, 2022
CONSIDERATION OF THE DEFAULT RENEWABLE ENERGY
LEVEL FOR THE CLEAN POWER ALLIANCE AND
IMPLEMTENTATION OF A COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATION PROGRAM (Environmental Programs Manager Doug Krauss)
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends City Council consider a recommendation by Mayor Pro Tem Jackson to reconsider the default renewable energy level set by the jurisdiction as it joins the Clean Power Alliance of Southern California.
Executive Summary:
The City has a long history of addressing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, both to achieve sustainability and to lower City operational costs. PLAN Hermosa identifies the goal of reducing emissions from both municipal and communitywide operations and suggests community choice aggregation as a key strategy to help achieve these goals.
At its September 27, 2022 meeting, City Council approved a joint powers agreement to join the Clean Power Alliance of Southern California (CPA) and selected a default renewable energy level of 100 percent (Green Power). At its October 11, 2022 meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Jackson requested, and Mayor Detoy supported, staff return to its next regular meeting with an item to revisit and reconsider the default energy level.
Background:
In 2006, the City of Hermosa Beach endorsed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement (the “Cool Cities Program”), committing itself to aligning with the greenhouse gas emissions reductions spelled out in the Kyoto Protocol. This heralded a series of actions by the City Council to address GHG emissions reduction. These actions included development of a Sustainability Plan in 2011, and both a Carbon Neutral Scoping Plan and a Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan (Attachment 1) in 2015.
PLAN Hermosa, completed in 2017, serves as the City’s General Plan, as well as its Climate Action Plan (CAP). This plan incorporates many of these strategies and details a course of action the City City of Hermosa Beach Page 1 of 7 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™869
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should take to achieve its emission-reduction goals.
The State has set goals for reducing GHG emissions through AB 32 and Executive Order S-3-05 for local governments to achieve a 15 percent reduction below 2005 levels by 2020. PLAN Hermosa outlined the following City goals:
1. A Community emissions reduction target of at least 66 percent reduction below 2005 levels by 2040; and
2. A Municipal emissions reduction target that meets or exceeds 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.
Municipal emissions result from City-owned facilities and operations, while community emissions result from all the privately-owned facilities and activities in the City including residential and commercial. The City has greater control over municipal emissions, while community emissions represent a much greater amount of emissions from a more complex mix of sources. PLAN Hermosa also requires the City evaluate its progress at five-year intervals and take corrective action as needed to stay on track to meet its municipal emissions reduction goals. Inventories of municipal and community emissions were performed in 2015 by the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) comparing the years 2005 and 2012 (Attachment 2). These inventories show the following progress toward the City’s goals:
· The community of Hermosa Beach decreased emissions 7.7 percent from 2005 to 2012, from 137,160 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) to 126,611 MTCO2e; · Under the Adjusted Business-as-Usual (BAU) forecast, community emissions will be 111,690 MTCO2e in 2020 and 94,162 MTCO2e in 2035. These emissions levels are 19 percent lower in 2020 than 2005 and 31 percent lower than 2005 by 2035; and · Municipal emissions have decreased 9 percent from 2005 to 2012, from 1,501 MTCO2e to 1,372 MTCO2e.
Since then, the City has implemented many additional emissions reductions measures. These measures include:
· Installation of additional electric vehicle chargers for both the public and for City fleet. The City now maintains 34 chargers citywide, 28 of which are for public use; · Installation of a 99 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic system on the Community Center. The installation cost the City approximately $200,000, but has saved the City approximately $70,000 in electricity costs to date while reducing energy use by more than half; · Retrofit of over 900 streetlights from low-pressure sodium vapor bulbs to LED technology, reducing energy consumption by approximately 360,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) over the last City of Hermosa Beach Page 2 of 7 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™870
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reducing energy consumption by approximately 360,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) over the last three years; and
· The City revised its Clean Fleet policy in 2017 to align with the City’s municipal carbon neutral plan and commit to a progressive transition to zero and low-emissions vehicles and equipment.
Despite this progress, the City must do more to ensure achievement of the emissions reduction goals adopted in PLAN Hermosa. At its November 6, 2021 retreat, City Council focused on the topic of City emissions reductions goals and strategies. At that meeting, there was an extensive discussion of community choice aggregation (CCA) including a presentation from the Clean Power Alliance (CPA).
As described in the Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan and in PLAN Hermosa, CCA is one of the most impactful options the City has in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Below is a discussion of CCA, the options available to the City, and recommended next steps.
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA)
CCA was made possible in California in 2002 with the passing of AB117 (Migden). CCA provides public agencies, such as the City, the opportunity to procure their own energy for their customers-the residents and businesses in their jurisdiction. CCA can purchase power and sell it to its customers, utilizing the infrastructure (poles and wires) of the existing Investor-owned Utility (IOU). In Hermosa Beach, the IOU is Southern California Edison (SCE). This would result in customer bills that include both the IOU’s delivery costs and the CCA’s energy (“generation”) costs. The IOU would continue to provide customer billing with a description of the CCA’s charges included.
One of the biggest benefits a CCA offers is the ability to control the energy portfolio. This has been used most commonly to increase the percentage of renewable energy in the portfolio compared to that currently offered by the IOUs. Another important feature of a CCA is that once a public agency chooses to form or join a CCA, every customer within the agency’s jurisdiction is automatically enrolled into the program. The agency sets a default initial renewable energy level for both its municipal accounts and all other community accounts. Customers then have the option of opting out of the CCA entirely and going back to their original IOU for energy. Customers also have the option of changing their individual renewable energy level or remaining at the original default level set by the jurisdiction. The public agency also has the option of changing its citywide default renewable energy level if necessary.
Hermosa Beach was one of the first cities in the South Bay to seriously consider the CCA model. As early as 2014, with its work on a Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan, the City identified CCA as a viable strategy for reducing the City’s overall carbon emissions. At the time, the only established CCA in Southern California was Lancaster Choice Energy which was also the first to be formed as a standalone CCA. Most CCAs in California are formed as Joint Power Authorities (JPA) between multiple public agencies. A number of CCAs have been operating successfully in Northern California since 2010 including California’s first CCA, Marin Clean Energy. CCAs now serve about one-third of City of Hermosa Beach Page 3 of 7 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™871
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since 2010 including California’s first CCA, Marin Clean Energy. CCAs now serve about one-third of California’s electricity demand.
Since these early considerations of a CCA, the City has hosted study sessions on the topic and staff has produced reports concerning the topic of CCA. In June 2016, a draft technical feasibility study was completed and presented to City Council at a special study session. Following a discussion of the results, City Council directed staff to continue pursuing establishment of a City of Hermosa Beach CCA-Hermosa Beach Choice Energy (HBCE). Council also requested information on the timing and costs associated with the Los Angeles County CCA Program.
Much of the discussion at the time centered on potential risk to the City of forming its own CCA and associated costs. Amidst this discussion, in September 2016, Council approved an Ordinance and associated Implementation Plan and Statement of Intent allowing the formation of a Hermosa Beach CCA. Though it was made clear by Council that this was not a commitment to form a CCA, the Implementation Plan was filed with the California Public Utilities Commission to allow the City the option to proceed with the process.
Ultimately, the City decided against forming or joining a CCA at the time. In 2017, Los Angeles County spearheaded the creation of a new JPA, Los Angeles Community Choice Energy, which was subsequently renamed Clean Power Alliance (CPA). CPA now has 32 member agencies across Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, including neighboring Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Hawthorne, and Carson.
Clean Power Alliance’s combination of low risk, with cooperative local control, has made it a popular option among local agencies in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Clean Power Alliance is now the State’s largest CCA and is currently accepting new members.
In terms of default renewable energy levels, the City of Manhattan Beach started out at Clean Power (50 percent clean energy) in 2019 and changed its default energy level in 2021 to 100 percent Green Power. The City of Redondo Beach also started at Clean Power in 2019 and is in the process of changing its default level to 100 percent Green on October 1, 2022. Regardless of the default chosen, individual customers always have the option to choose a different CPA rate, or opt out of the program altogether, and pay SCE for both generation and delivery costs.
The Clean Power Alliance Board conducts an annual rate setting process, usually in June, for rates effective starting July 1. From 2018 through 2020, Clean Power Alliance’s rates were 1-2 percent less expensive than SCE’s for Lean Power, at parity with SCE for Clean Power, and 7-9 percent more expensive for 100 percent Green Power. In 2021, the Lean Power and Clean Power rates became more expensive than SCE due to an increase in the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) (commonly referred to as the “exit fee”) and market conditions that forced CPA to purchase system power at historically high prices. The 100 percent Green Power rate remained around the nine percent premium as falling prices for renewable energy offset the rise in system power prices.
Effective July 1, 2022, the CPA Board of Directors adopted rates that returned rate comparisons to City of Hermosa Beach Page 4 of 7 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™872
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Effective July 1, 2022, the CPA Board of Directors adopted rates that returned rate comparisons to levels similar to the 2018-2020 period for Lean and Clean and reduced the premium for 100 percent Green to 3 percent for most customers (Attachment 3). Low-income customers in 100 percent (Green Power) default communities receive 100 percent renewable energy at no extra charge.
Joining Clean Power Alliance is the most efficient and impactful strategy for further reducing the City’s overall GHG emissions. Based on the City’s most recent emissions inventories, community energy use (residential and commercial) contributes approximately 40 percent of the City’s overall GHG emissions. By switching to 100 percent renewable sources for energy (for comparison, currently SCE’s default service uses approximately 36 percent renewable energy), the City could reduce its GHG emissions instantly by roughly 40 percent. This would help the City move significantly towards meeting both its municipal and community emissions goals simultaneously.
In Spring 2022, the City subscribed to SCE’s 100 percent renewable option for its municipal accounts. This eliminated virtually all GHG emissions associated with energy consumption at City facilities. This option has increased the City’s annual energy bill by approximately $11,000. This SCE option is no longer available to other SCE customers in Hermosa Beach, as SCE has suspended new enrollments in their Green Rates.
The City also continues to explore other energy efficiency and emissions reductions strategies.
These strategies include: more efficient HVAC systems; lighting retrofits; and more significant green construction practices during remodels and new builds of facilities. The City is currently working to incorporate electric appliances, solar panels, and battery storage in the upgrades planned for the Clark Building. As a member agency, Hermosa Beach may be able to partner with Clean Power Alliance on these, and other initiatives, leveraging Clean Power Alliance’s technical expertise, industry relationships, and collective purchasing power.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
November 18, 2014 Hosted Study Session and approved Feasibility Study to Explore formation of a CCA
February 24, 2015 Accepted Carbon Neutral Municipal Plan August 22, 2017 Adopted Plan Hermosa
November 6, 2021 Hosted Council Retreat to discuss emissions reductions strategies and directed staff to return to Council with CCA options and recommendations
January 25, 2022 Approved funding a feasibility study with CPA and transitioned City facilities to SCE’s 100 Green Rates
September 27, 2022 Introduced on first reading an ordinance approving Joint Powers Agreement with Clean Power Alliance and chose a
default enrollment power level of 100 percent renewable energy (Green Power).
October 112022 Waived full second reading and adopted by title an Ordinance City of Hermosa Beach Page 5 of 7 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™873
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August 22, 2017 Adopted Plan Hermosa
November 6, 2021 Hosted Council Retreat to discuss emissions reductions strategies and directed staff to return to Council with CCA options and recommendations
January 25, 2022 Approved funding a feasibility study with CPA and transitioned City facilities to SCE’s 100 Green Rates
September 27, 2022 Introduced on first reading an ordinance approving Joint Powers Agreement with Clean Power Alliance and chose a
default enrollment power level of 100 percent renewable energy (Green Power).
October 11, 2022 Waived full second reading and adopted by title an Ordinance approving the Joint Powers Agreement to join Clean Power Alliance
Discussion:
At its September 27, 2022 meeting, the City Council introduced on first reading an ordinance approving Joint Powers Agreement with Clean Power Alliance (Attachment 4). At this meeting, Council also agreed to set the default renewable energy rate at 100 percent (Green Power).
PLAN Hermosa identified the importance of CCA and renewable energy in achieving emissions reduction goals. Setting a default of 100 percent renewable energy would be a major step towards this goal. Though originally joining at lower renewable energy rates, the City’s neighboring agencies of Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach have each since defaulted customers to the 100 percent renewable “Green” rate level. This default rate level results in monthly energy costs to most customers that are approximately 3 to 4 percent higher than the current default energy rates offered by SCE. Should they wish to do so, customers may opt out of the default level and chose another level or opt out of the program altogether. CPA commits to providing competitive rates and strives to offer an available rate that is less expensive than SCE.
At the October 11, 2022 City Council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Raymond Jackson recommended Council reconsider this default renewable rate. Staff recommends Council consider Mayor Pro Tem Jackson’s recommendation but maintain the previously approved default rate of 100 percent renewable energy. Choosing the 100 percent renewable energy level will help the City achieve its emissions reductions goals as mentioned above. Additionally, the ability to change individual renewable energy levels (or opt out altogether) allows customers to customize their own rates should cost or other factors be a concern including a renewable energy rate level (40% Lean Power) that is actually lower than current SCE rates.
General Plan Consistency:
This report and associated recommendations have been evaluated for their consistency with the City’s General Plan. Relevant Policies are listed below:
Sustainability and Conservation Element
Goal 1. Hermosa Beach is a low-carbon municipal organization, reducing greenhouse gases at a rate that meets or exceeds 80% below 2005 levels by 2030.
Policy:
· Low-carbon municipality. Demonstrate environmental leadership and reduce greenhouse City of Hermosa Beach Page 6 of 7 Printed on 10/21/2022 powered by Legistar™874
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0655
· Low-carbon municipality. Demonstrate environmental leadership and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from municipal facilities and operations by at least 80% below 2005 levels by 2030.
Goal 2. Hermosa Beach is a low-carbon community meeting State greenhouse gas reduction goals by 2040
Policy:
· 2.1 State targets and goals. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions at a rate that meets longterm State targets and goals to reduce emissions by at least 66% below 2005 levels by 2040.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no cost to the City for joining the JPA. However, if the City were to remove itself from the JPA, it would be obligated to compensate the JPA for energy supplies reserved for Hermosa Beach customers. Though this amount is not able to be calculated at this time, it would be a significant and prohibitive amount.
Joining CPA will result in a change in annual Utility User Tax (UUT) revenue due to the change in overall energy rates paid by customers citywide. This change is estimated to range from a 1 percent decrease to a 3 percent increase in energy related UUT revenue depending on the City’s default rate selection.
Attachments:
1. Hermosa Beach Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan 2015
2. GHG Inventory and EECAP 2015
3. Rate Comparison
4. Ordinance
5. Link to November 18, 2014 Study Session
6. Link to February 24, 2015 City Council Staff Report
7. Link to August 22, 2017 City Council Staff Report
8. Link to November 6, 2021 Study Session
9. Link to January 25, 2022 City Council Staff Report
10.Link to September 28, 2022 City Council Staff Report
11.Link to October 11, 2022 City Council Staff Report
Respectfully Submitted by: Doug Krauss, Environmental Programs Manager Noted for Fiscal Impact: Viki Copeland, Finance Director Legal Review: Mike Jenkins, City Attorney
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager
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Hermosa Beach
Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan
Prepared for the City of Hermosa Beach
and the Southern California Association of Governments
January 2015
kaizenergy Prepared by Juan Matute • em: [email protected] • ph: LOCLIMATE-1 (562-546-2831)
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Disclaimer
The following disclaimer is provided as a condition of the contract terms under which this plan was produced:
“This is a project for the City of Hermosa Beach with funding provided by the Southern California Association of Governments' (SCAG) Sustainability Program Grants. The Sustainability Program assists Southern California cities and other organizations in evaluating planning options and stimulating development consistent with the region's Sustainable Communities Strategy. Sustainability Program Grants support visioning efforts, infill analyses, economic and policy analyses, and marketing and communication programs.
The preparation of this report has been financed in part through grant(s) from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FT A) through the U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT) in accordance with the provisions under the Metropolitan Planning Program as set forth in Section 104(t) of Title 23 of the U.S. Code.
The contents of this report reflect the views of the author who is responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of SCAG, DOT or the State of California. This report does not constitute a standard, specification or regulation. SCAG shall not be responsible for the City's future use or adaptation of the report.
The contents of this report reflect the views of the author who is responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of SCAG or DOT. This report does not constitute a standard, specification or regulation.”
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Hermosa Beach’s Climate Action Baseline...................................................................................1 Defining Hermosa Beach’s Climate Commitment.........................................................................6 Electricity.....................................................................................................................................29 Municipal Fleet............................................................................................................................45 Employee Commutes..................................................................................................................57 Other Emissions..........................................................................................................................66 Use of Greenhouse Gas Offsets.................................................................................................69 Performance Monitoring, Costs, Transparency, and Outreach...................................................87 878
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Hermosa Beach Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan
Hermosa Beach’s Climate Action Baseline
Municipal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
A recent draft update to Hermosa Beach’s greenhouse emissions inventory for municipal operations indicates that streetlights and traffic signals, vehicle fleet, and building and other electricity make up Hermosa Beach’s top three municipal emissions sources. The City’s municipal operations inventory is being updated as part of the Energy Efficiency Climate Action Plan process. The 2005 inventory is compared to the draft 2012 inventory below.
Top Municipal Operations Emissions Sources in Hermosa Beach (2005 to 2012) Emissions Source/Activity (Scope) 2005 MT CO2e
(% of total)
2012 MT CO2e
(% of total)
% Change in MT
CO2e (2007-2012)
Streetlights and Traffic Signal
Electricity (2)
405 (27%) 359 (26.2%) -11.4%
Employee Commute (3) 348 (23.2%) 218 (15.9%) -37.4%
Building & Other Facility Electricity
(2)
301 (20%) 305 (22.2%) 1.3%
Vehicle Fleet (1) 227 (15.1%) 328 (23.9%) 44%
Solid Waste - Contract Services (3) 215 (14.3%) 162 (11.8%) -24.7% Total 1,501 1,372 -8.6%
Source: EECAP Final Inventory, Forecasting, and Target-Setting Report. Note: Some 2005 figures in EECAP Draft inventory are inconsistent with 2005 & 2007 Inventories.
City of Hermosa Beach Actions toward Carbon Neutrality
Like many communities in California, the City of Hermosa Beach has developed a number of plans and strategies to address climate change and reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. The latest effort, an Energy Efficiency Climate Action Plan (EECAP), has provided the City of Hermosa Beach with a foundation in development of a comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CAP) by understanding community and municipal energy use, identifying local level 879
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strategies resulting in long term energy efficiency, developing implementation plans, and establishing progress reports.
In pursuit of carbon neutrality, the City of Hermosa Beach has taken progressive steps in the planning, collaborating, and goal-setting for GHG reductions. Since setting the goal of carbon neutrality, the City Council has developed or is working on community discussions, strategic plans, and updates to the General Plan in keeping with its new sustainability targets. They have contracted outside vendors to inventory municipal GHG emissions so City operations and building may become the beacon of carbon reductions for the entire community. As a result of this inventory, the City has begun specific financial and technical assessments of its energy procurement. It has also begun exploring options to reduce energy use, including park and street lighting, and minimize GHG emissions by City operations. In doing so, the City set green purchasing and fleet policy goals to allow considerations for their target reductions and initiated a preliminary review of their employee rideshare program.
The keystone of Hermosa Beach’s existing climate action planning activities is the Hermosa Beach Sustainability Plan prepared by its Green Task Force and accepted by the City Council in 2011. This prior plan is estimated to support a 25% reduction in emissions below 2005 levels by 2020.
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Existing Plans, Measures, and Documents Related to Climate Action Title Description
Assessing Options to
Deliver Carbon
Neutral Electricity to
the City of Hermosa
Beach
A report assessing options to deliver carbon neutral electricity to the City. It focuses on Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) and SCE's version of a Green Tariff Shared Renewables (GTSR) program as solutions.
Assessment and
Planning Report for
an Energy Efficiency
Climate Action Plan
(Draft)
Describes actions that the City, the SBCCOG, and region have already taken toward the goals of reduced energy use and GHG emissions, and outlines the process for planning and
implementing new measures to continue to work toward those goals. (Prepared by SBCCOG in consultation with city)
Beacon Award
Program
Resolution to participate in recognition program “Beacon Award:
Local Leadership toward Solving Climate Change Leader
Partnership Program” run by the Institute for Local Governments.
Carbon Neutral Issue
Paper: City Council
Staff Report
The document summarizes issues and actions taken toward carbon reduction for municipal operations. (January 3, 2014) Carbon Neutral Road
Map for Municipal
Facilities &
Operations
Definitions, actions and target date for carbon neutrality.
Summary of accomplishments, 2005 baseline, Sustainability Plan Targets. (SCAG Grant).
Carbon Neutral
Scoping Plan
Provides analysis of emissions conditions by sector and identifies scenarios and options for GHG reduction to achieve carbon neutrality (GHG emissions model).
City Council Strategic
Plan
The plan sets City Council goals and action plans (5-year/current year), such as a road map to carbon neutrality.
Clean Fleet Policy
and Action Plan and
Update
City Council adopted the policy, targets, and a plan to green the City fleet.
Community Dialogue:
Decision-Making
Tool, Quality of Life,
Fiscal/Financial
A summary of the community character and what people value about the City. Provides a comparison of the City's financial/fiscal condition as compared to other peer communities. City Council incorporated Decision Making Tool into its Strategic Plan, 2014. 881
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Title Description
Employee Commute
Survey and
Reduction Strategies
(Draft): 2013
Employee Commute
Survey.
Summary identifies strategies for the Employer Commuter Program to support the City's carbon neutrality goal.
Enterprise Energy
Management
Information System
A program designed to track electricity, natural gas, and water data in real time.
Energy Savings at a
Glance Quarterly
Report
Reports created by GSE Solutions for the SBCCOG. The reports summarize total annual energy use for all municipal facilities and energy-savings projects completed, in progress, and
planned/identified and quantify opportunities for reducing operating costs.
Energy Study Report This report, by GSE Solutions, assesses the City’s options for energy efficiency retrofits and makes recommendations to pursue the most cost-effective options through on-bill financing.
Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Inventory:
Community-wide and
Municipal
Community and municipal GHG inventories per Local
Government Operations Protocol and International Local
Government GHG Emissions Analysis Protocol. The baseline year is 2005, interim year is 2007, and 1990 is the historic level.
Municipal HighEfficiency Product
Procurement Policy
Allows energy efficiency to be a consideration in purchasing.
Solar Project
Proposal
Conceptual proposal by PSOMASFMG for 2 solar sites (total system size of 176 kW-DC) with a net purchase price of $740,843 and annual O&M of $4,893 in year 1. Sites include solar energy systems mounted on carports at City Hall and Community Center.
Strategy and Steps to
Accelerate Energy
Reduction and Cost
Savings
Report includes recommendations to implement energy reduction projects for City building, park lighting, and street lighting through CIP funds and on-bill financing agreement with SCE and adoption of a Municipal High Efficiency Product Procurement Policy.
Sustainability Plan A plan of actions to reduce GHG emissions City-wide by 15% from 2005 by 2020.
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In-Progress Plans, Measures, and Documents Related to Climate Action Title Description
Energy Element:
Climate Action Plan
The South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) is developing the EECAP, which is the electricity section of the City’s Climate Action Plan. The Energy Element will provide the foundation and framework to develop a comprehensive CAP and put the city on a measurable path toward energy and GHG emissions reductions. This report will describe actions already taken towards reducing energy use and GHG emissions. It will also provide an energy and emissions inventory, forecasts, and targets, potential measures for energy efficiency and GHG reduction, and the proposed processes for public participation, environmental review, and ongoing monitoring processes.
General Plan Update
Integrating the
Coastal Land Use
Plan Focused on
Sustainability and a
Low Carbon Future
A General Plan Update will be focused on sustainability and carbon reduction targets adopted by the City prior to or through the process.
Municipal Carbon
Neutral Plan
This plan helps the City navigate its pathway to Carbon Neutrality and ancillary benefits.
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Hermosa Beach Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan
Defining Hermosa Beach’s Climate Commitment
Determining the City’s Municipal Climate Action Goal
The Elements of a Climate Action Goal
Local governments have various options in defining their climate commitment. The time frame, magnitude, boundary, and control options are detailed in the table below. Goals with larger magnitude reductions and future years that are nearer are seen as more aggressive. For instance, an 80% reduction in emissions by 2030 is viewed as far more aggressive than an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050 or a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030.
Choices for Climate Action Goals
Goal Element Goal Choices
Time Frame Choose both:
● Base Year - typically in the past
● Future Year - the year by which the entity commits to meeting its climate commitment
Magnitude Choose an absolute or percentage reduction, relative to the base year Applicable
Boundary
Choose one depending on the type of goal:
● Organizational boundary (for entities)
● Geographic boundaries (for communities)
Control over
Emissions
Determine which emissions are within and outside of control:
● Direct & indirect emissions (scopes 1 through 3, for entities) ● Activities & sources (communities)
Note: Communities and entities will typically use a greenhouse gas accounting protocol to aid in identifying applicable boundaries and control over emissions.
Most goals follow the following format: an X% reduction in boundary-wide greenhouse gas emissions versus Base Year levels by the future year. For example, California’s greenhouse gas reduction goal is to achieve 1990 levels in statewide emissions by 2020. This is a 0% reduction in all statewide emissions (adjusting for electricity imports) versus 1990 levels by 2020.
The most common local climate commitment is the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement.
Mayors from the 1,060 cities that have signed onto the agreement indicated their City’s 884
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commitment to “strive to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocol targets for reducing global warming pollution by taking actions in our own operations and communities.” Kyoto targets were 7% below 1990 levels by 2012. Former Hermosa Beach Mayor Sam Edgerton III signed onto this agreement.
In commissioning this Carbon Neutral Plan for Municipal Operations, Hermosa Beach wishes to explore the feasibility of a 100% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions. While this determines the magnitude, the City has yet to determine the future year, boundary, and control over emissions. The base year becomes important if Hermosa Beach seeks to go beyond carbon neutrality by offsetting additional emissions to become “climate positive” or “carbon negative”.
Defining the “Carbon Neutral” goal for Municipal Operations In pursuing carbon neutral municipal operations, Hermosa Beach is striving for a 100% reduction in emissions from local government operations. The key remaining decisions are:
● Determining the future year by which Hermosa Beach plans to achieve carbon neutrality. ● Deciding which local government emissions are subject to the goal. ● Deciding whether to set a goal for “gross” emissions in addition to net emissions. Gross emissions are subtotals before any use of offsets.
In determining the future year, Hermosa Beach must balance its desire to be a state, national, or international climate action leader with a desire to make pursuit of carbon neutrality as costeffective as possible.
Prior work on greenhouse gas accounting for local governments and prior actions by the California Air Resources Board (ARB) have largely determined which emissions should be subject to Hermosa Beach’s goal. An understanding of these accounting procedures and consideration of the boundary and control decisions made by other cities are useful in determining which emissions the City should seek to neutralize.
Accounting Standards for Local Government Operations
The California Air Resources Board recommends that municipalities that seek to inventory their entity’s emissions use the Local Government Operations Protocol, which it helped develop.
The Local Government Operations Protocol provides specific guidance for accounting and reporting Greenhouse Gas Emissions throughout North America, with additional guidance for California. The Local Government Operations Protocol is based on the North America-specific General Reporting Protocol, published by The Climate Registry. Forty-one US States have declared The Climate Registry’s General Reporting Protocol as their preferred greenhouse gas emissions accounting and reporting guidance. The General Reporting Protocol is based on the 885
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worldwide Corporate Standard, jointly published by the World Business Council on Sustainable Development and the World Resources Institute.
All three documents are used for entity-based greenhouse gas emissions accounting and reporting. Entity-based accounting differs from geographic-based accounting and reporting, which is used to account for and report emissions from the community, a state, or a nation. The U.S. Community Protocol for Accounting and Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories are two commonly-accepted guidance documents for geographic-based accounting.
Both entity-based and geographic-based accounting and reporting guidance require an inventory to include gross emissions totals before adjusting for any offsets. Offsets and the inventory’s gross emissions after adjusting for offsets are included as an informational item.
Looking at requirements for state agencies may shed light on what accounting procedures local governments would need to use should the state one day mandate greenhouse gas reductions from local government operations. California Law requires state agencies that are members of the Climate Action Team to estimate their greenhouse gas emissions from their operations. An Executive Order (B-18-12) requires all other state agencies to prepare an annual inventory. The guidance to state agencies dictates that inventories should be conducted using protocols established by The Climate Registry, which includes the Local Government Operations Protocol.
The following cities in Los Angeles County are members of The Climate Registry: Lomita, Long Beach, Santa Monica, and Vernon. Only Vernon has reported a third-party verified GHG inventory to The Climate Registry. Los Angeles County is also a member of The Climate Registry. The 2005 and 2007 municipal inventories and current draft of the City of Hermosa Beach GHG Inventory, Forecasting, Target-Setting Report for an Energy Efficiency Climate Action Plan also uses the Local Government Operations Protocol. ➤
➣
➢
Because the Local Government Operations Protocol is currently recommended and is the most likely candidate if municipal accounting and reporting were ever made compulsory, Hermosa Beach should use this protocol to determine which local government operations emissions are subject to its carbon neutrality goal.
Defining Organizational Boundaries for the Local Government Organization Each of the three entity-based reporting standards discussed earlier allows entities the option of reporting emissions using operational control or financial control. 886
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● Operational Control: Occurs when an entity wholly owns the operation, facility, or source, or when it has the full authority to introduce and implement operational and health, safety, and environmental policies (including both GHG- and non-GHG-related policies). ● Financial Control: Occurs when a local government wholly owns an operation, facility, or source, or is a majority partner in a joint venture. A local government may own an asset (e.g. a transit bus), but not maintain operational control (e.g. transit operations and maintenance are contracted out).
Because of the unique nature of local governments, the Local Government Operations Protocol “strongly encourages local governments to utilize operational control when defining their organizational boundary.” In addition, the Local Government Operations Protocol makes several reporting recommendations for jointly-controlled operations, sources, or facilities.
Organizational Boundaries for Local Governments
Structure Reporting Recommendation in Local Government Operations Protocol
Joint Powers Authority
(JPA)
A JPA is considered a distinct entity; a local government should not report emissions from a JPA of which it is a member.
Special Districts Special Districts are considered distinct entities; however, a local government may optionally report as scope 3 those emissions which are attributable to the local government (e.g. emissions at a special district operated landfill attributable to the municipal government’s waste)
Community Choice
Aggregation
Community Choice Aggregation is a distinct entity when
implemented through a Joint Powers Authority; a local government should not report emissions from community electricity used through a CCA. The local government should report emissions from municipal electricity procured via a CCA.
➤
➣
➢
Hermosa Beach should use operational control to define its organization for purposes of GHG emissions accounting and reporting. Scope 3 emissions from special districts can be incorporated on a case-by-case basis, as determined by the relevancy of emissions to municipal operations.
Determining Appropriate Emissions within the Municipal Operations Boundary To become carbon neutral, Hermosa Beach would have to reduce or offset emissions from all sectors, activities, and sources for which it reports emissions. The Local Government Operations Protocol suggests that municipalities report scope 1 and 2 emissions over which they have operational control from the following 11 sectors:
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Hermosa Beach’s Climate Commitment: Page 10
Local Government Operations Protocol Sectors and Reporting Recommendations for Hermosa Beach
Sector Operational Control in Hermosa Beach Recommendation Buildings and other
facilities
✔ Operational control over City-owned
buildings.
Report these
emissions.
Streetlights and
traffic signals
✔ Operational control over City-owned
streetlights.
✘ Limited or no operational control of
streetlights provided by Southern
California Edison.
Report these
emissions, including
emissions from
SCE-owned street
lighting.
Water delivery
facilities
✘ No operational control:
○ Water is imported, recycled, treated,
and supplied by West Basin
Municipal Water District.
○ Water is delivered by California Water
Service Company (Rancho
Dominguez/Hermosa-Redondo).
Consider reporting
emissions from
water distribution.
Port facilities ✘ No port facilities. Do not report.
Airport facilities ✘ No airport facilities. Do not report.
Vehicle fleet ✔ Owned municipal vehicle fleet Report these emissions
Transit fleet ✘ No operational control.
Hermosa Beach is served by Beach Cities
Transit (controlled by Redondo Beach,
operated by Transportation Concepts), the
Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority Lines 130 & 232,
(operated by MV Transportation), Los
Angeles Department of Transportation
Commuter Express Route 438 (operated
by MV Transportation).
Consider these
emissions as an
informational item.
Power generation
facilities
✘ Service provided by Southern California
Edison.
Emissions reported
in other sectors as
scope 2.
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Sector Operational Control in Hermosa Beach Recommendation Solid waste facilities ✔ Operational control via contracting.
Athens Services provides haulage and
sorting, landfills are owned by a third
party.
Report communitywide collection and
haulage emissions.
Report landfill
emissions from
waste generated by
municipal
operations.
Wastewater facilities ✘ Services provided by the Southern California Sanitation Control District /
South Bay Cities District.
Consider these
emissions as an
informational item.
Other process &
fugitive emissions
These are cross-sectoral emissions. Report fugitive
emissions of
common high-GWP
gases (refrigerants
and fire suppression
systems) over which
the City has
operational control
Other special districts of which Hermosa
Beach is a part
These sectors are not included in the Local
Government Operations Protocol
Flood Control Los Angeles Flood Control District Do not report.
Vector Control Los Angeles County West Vector & VectorBorne Control District Do not report.
Community Health
District
Beach Cities Health District - preventative
healthcare for the residents of Hermosa,
Manhattan, and Redondo Beach.
Do not report.
Emissions from transit and wastewater are not currently included in Hermosa Beach’s greenhouse gas inventory. We recommend they are included as an informational item because these services are provided in Hermosa Beach, but by other local government entities.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Scopes & Biogenic Emissions
Entity-based accounting guidance also classifies emissions into three scopes depending on the operational control possessed over the emissions. Hermosa Beach should report and neutralize all scope 1 and scope 2 emissions, and certain scope 3 emissions. 889
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Emissions Scopes and Local Government Protocol Reporting Requirements Emissions Scope Reporting Recommendation for Selected Sectors 1 - Direct Emissions Include per Local Government Operations Protocol 2 - Indirect Emissions from
Imported Energy, Steam, &
Cooling
Include per Local Government Operations Protocol
3 - Other Indirect Emissions Optional per Local Government Operations Protocol Hermosa Beach should include emissions from:
● waste generated by government operations, but
disposed of outside its organizational boundary;
● emissions from employee commuting; and
● emissions from employee business travel (not
currently included in the City’s municipal
inventories).
Hermosa Beach should consider including:
● upstream life-cycle emissions from goods and
services consumed by Hermosa’s municipal
government.
Anthropogenic versus Biogenic Emissions
Anthropogenic sources represent new greenhouse gas emissions, above and beyond the atmospheric carbon balance that existed before industrialization and use of fossil fuels. Much of the carbon emitted is new atmospheric carbon, formerly trapped underground.
Biogenic or non-anthropogenic sources are considered part of the carbon cycle or result from emissions not caused by humans. Because of this difference, greenhouse gas reporting guidelines differentiate between biogenic and anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gas emissions, reducing gross or net inventory figures by biogenic emissions totals. Biogenic CO2 emissions from the combustion of biomass should be quantified and reported as an informational item rather than as part of scope 1 emissions.
Climate Action Goals by Other Cities
This section examines the context for Hermosa Beach’s climate commitment by looking at aggressive local government goals for both the community and municipal operations. In general, cities have set and pursued aggressive climate action goals because of internal pressure to take action to mitigate climate change and provide an example to others rather than to capitalize on any economic benefits that may accrue to climate action leaders. 890
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Hermosa Beach seeks a reputation as a prominent local climate action leader. While the City’s position in California gives it clear guidance on choosing the minimum set of emissions which it should neutralize, Hermosa Beach should look to other cities’ goals and use of offsets in order to position itself as a climate action leader. When Hermosa Beach adopts and publicizes a goal, it will be compared first and foremost to current and future goals by other cities in California, followed by cities elsewhere in the U.S. Less weight will likely be placed on comparing goals set by Hermosa with those of major world cities.
Cities in California
Davis: Carbon Neutral Community by 2050
In 2008, the City of Davis adopted, by resolution, GHG targets for community and municipal operations that put the City on a path toward carbon neutrality by 2050, with average reductions of 2.6% per year between 2015 and 2040. Davis plans to use offsets to neutralize emissions it cannot reduce on its own.
Davis uses the Local Government Operations Protocol to account and report municipal emissions and the U.S. Community Protocol for Accounting and Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions for community emissions. Within its inventory, Davis includes its vehicle fleet, special equipment, refrigerant leakage, natural gas and facility emissions, electricity (buildings, streetlights, traffic lights, and water & wastewater conveyance), as well as direct emissions from treating and processing water and wastewater. In 2010, Davis adopted its Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, which details the City’s past and future climate actions.
The City of Davis reported verified emissions to The Climate Registry for calendar years 2009 and 2010.
Berkeley: Reductions by Popular Demand
In 2006, the voters of the City of Berkeley adopted a GHG reduction target of 80% below 2000 levels by 2050. 82.3% of voters favored Measure G. The Office of Energy and Sustainable Development within the Department of Planning & Development regularly tracks community and municipal progress. Berkeley does not have a carbon neutrality goal.
Palo Alto: Carbon Neutral Electricity
The City of Palo Alto Utilities Electricity Supply Portfolio Carbon Neutral Plan outlines a strategy to secure long-term contracts for renewable energy, with use of RPS-eligible unbundled RECs and greenhouse gas offsets in the interim (2013-2016). In 2007, the Palo Alto City Council adopted a goal to reduce municipal and community GHG emissions 15% below 2005 levels by 2020.
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Lancaster: “Solar Capital of the World”
The City of Lancaster’s goal is to become the Solar Capital of the World. In 2011, the City formed the Lancaster Power Authority to install solar photovoltaic arrays at local schools and to partner with private clean energy companies. On March 26, 2013, the City adopted an ordinance that required new single family homes to provide solar-generated power. In 2014, the City started Lancaster Choice Energy, a pending community choice aggregator.
The City does not have a climate action plan. In 2010, it passed a resolution asking the state to suspend AB 32.
San Francisco: A Cautionary Tale on Ephemeral Climate Goals In his January 2008 inaugural address, Mayor Gavin Newsom pledged to make the City completely carbon neutral by 2020:
“The most important step we can take is make this city completely carbon neutral, and that is exactly what we’re going to do.... Today I want to pledge to make this City -- and this, by the way this is not one of those fanciful pledges that never gets done, you can't measure, and nothing ever happens, and we come and go, and no one holds us to account. Let us pledge today -- with a specific plan that will follow -- to make San Francisco and City government carbon neutral by 2020. I think that's a fair, reasonable, as well as an audacious goal.”
The resulting plan, released later that year, contained a goal to reduce community emissions to 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2012 through implementation of reduction strategies and the use of offsets. The plan mentioned neutrality, but did not express a future year to make the goal concrete. In 2008, the City adopted an ordinance to reduce community-wide emissions 25% below 1990 levels by 2017 and 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
San Francisco failed to meet its 2012 goal for reductions in municipal greenhouse gas emissions.
Sacramento: Acting Through the General Plan
Sacramento incorporated its 2012 Climate Action Plan into its 2035 General Plan Update in 2014. The City did this to strengthen the plan’s objectives by including them as general plan policies and implementation measures. The 2014 Draft includes a general plan policy to reduce community-wide emissions 83% below 2005 levels by 2050.
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), which provides electric service to the City and surrounding areas, maintains an offset program and offers opt-in 50% and 100% renewable options through its Greenergy product.
Neither the City nor the utility have a carbon neutral goal. 892
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Santa Barbara: Concerned about the Cost of Carbon Neutrality Santa Barbara considered a municipal carbon neutral goal in 2008 through 2009, but ultimately decided against setting aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets. According to an agenda from their March 10, 2009 meeting, “The [Finance] Committee is in favor of having City goals in this regard, but has requested additional financial information. Once the Committee receives the additional information, the Committee will review the options and return to the full Council in the near future.” No evidence in the council record suggests that the council ever reconsidered a carbon neutral goal. In Santa Barbara’s 2012 Climate Action Plan, the City adopted the standard AB 32 target of reducing community emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
Cities Elsewhere in the United States
Seattle, Washington: A Gross Emissions Reduction Goal
In 2005, municipal utility Seattle City Light became the first carbon neutral electric utility, aided by the fact that 90% of the utility’s portfolio comes from hydroelectric resources. Seattle City Light offsets the balance of emissions using offsets registered with the Climate Action Reserve and other third-party organizations.
In May 2011, the City released Getting to Zero: A Pathway to Carbon Neutral Seattle. In October 2011, the City Council adopted a resolution to set a goal of 87% gross reduction in community emissions by 2050, with the balance neutralized by offsets. The City does not have a separate target for municipal operations. In 2013, the City adopted the Seattle Climate Action Plan, which relies on a combination of pricing, transportation electrification, and integrated transportation and land use planning to move the city towards its long-term goal.
Seattle’s approach to climate action and long-term goal highlight both the urgency of the effort, but also the deliberate process in deciding to decarbonize a local economy. The City made its carbon neutral community commitment 10 years after its first notable climate action, a LEED building incentive program, and five years after its first Climate Action Plan. Control over the electric utility -- and the revenues it provides -- will undoubtedly aid the City in its pursuit.
Austin, Texas: Carbon Neutral Community by 2050; Municipality by 2020 In 2007, Austin adopted, by resolution, a goal of carbon neutral municipal operations by 2020.
The resolution included an interim goal to power all City facilities with renewable energy by 2012 (achieved), implement an ordinance to mandate zero net-energy capable1new homes by 2015, and create an interdepartmental climate action team to address emissions from the community, and a unified approach to obtain offsets for municipal and community emissions.
1 Austin defines a net-zero energy capable” homes as a home that is energy efficient enough would produce as much energy as it uses if it were to have a reasonably-sized solar system on the roof 893
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In 2014, Austin adopted a resolution to pursue community carbon neutrality by 2050, which reiterated the City’s 2020 goal for a carbon neutral municipality.
Austin’s City Council has control over its electric utility, Austin Energy, which gives the City substantial leeway to fund and implement climate action programs. The City has its own offsets program, which prioritizes local sources of offsets. Offsets are funded by voluntary contributions from various large events in Austin, including Austin City Limits.
Boulder County and City, Colorado
Boulder County has a goal of carbon neutral municipal operations by 2020. The County plans to use offsets to achieve this goal. The County’s stated goal in its 2012 Environmental Sustainability Plan is to “Achieve carbon neutrality and become more resilient to the potential effects of climate change.” The County adopted this goal before the County and other parts of Colorado experienced a once-in-a-century flood in September 2013, which were seen as a potential symptom of climate change.
The City of Boulder’s years of consideration provide an example of a thoughtful, deliberative approach to making long-term climate commitments. The City discussed three climate commitment goals in a council study session on July 30, 2013, following four shorter study sessions in 2013. They are summarized below:
● Realizing that aggressive climate action efforts must span City departments, Boulder has an integrated approach at the top level of administration and policy-making (city manager and general plan level). Boulder also found it important to develop a short-term goal in addition to its long term goal, as this would solidify early actions rather than approaching “analysis paralysis” in determining the ordering of actions towards the longterm goal. As a key part of its efforts to build climate change information into decisionmaking, Boulder strives to create a more robust and dynamic data management and performance system for monitoring progress.
● Key points of the climate commitment are:
○ Seven Core Principles: be strategic, yet opportunistic; take calculated risks; avoid analysis paralysis; partner with other agencies, nonprofits, and businesses; demonstrate ethical leadership; focus on system change; and harness the economic benefits of climate leadership.
○ Six Pillars of Action: “ramp up renewables”, “better buildings” (efficiency and resilience), “travel wise” (sustainable transportation), “waste not” (materials & resource recovery), and “every drop” (conserve water)
○ Five Elements: goal setting, defining targets, strategy development, monitoring and reporting, and community & partner engagement.
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Three Goals
The City of Boulder explored 3 community-wide goals for carbon neutrality, from least to most aggressive:
1. An 80% reduction in emissions by 2050 (ultimately selected)
2. Carbon neutral by 2050
3. Carbon neutral by 2030 (determined to be too aggressive) Staff ultimately decided to recommend the Council consider the first two goals, as the third option would require immediate, drastic reductions (25% per year). The Council ultimately decided on Option 1: an 80% reduction in community-wide emissions by 2020.
While some council members sought the stronger goal, the Council ultimately decided that they would revisit the goal in a few years. A comment from Councilmember Macon Cowles captured the sentiment of the majority: “I don’t look at this as an endpoint but as an aggressive goal...that we can revisit again in a couple of years... With this goal (option one), I think that we can do this. But the times are uncertain....Let’s make sure we can do this and that we do this.” (3:42:03 in video).
City of Boulder’s financial resources for climate action In 2006, Boulder’s voters passed a Climate Action Plan tax as a surcharge on electric utility bills. Voters extended the measure in 2012. Boulder is served by an investor-owned utility, Xcel Energy. The tax, similar to California’s Utility Users Tax, provides the City with an opportunity to collect revenues based on electricity usage. Per-kWh rates are $0.0049 for residential, $0.0009 for commercial, and $0.0003 for industrial customers. The tax generates around $1.8 million per year and funds personnel, energy audits, rebates and incentives, and public education programs.
Next Steps
The July 30th council discussion provided direction for staff, but did not formalize the City’s climate commitment. As of September 2014, Boulder has not yet adopted a target via resolution or ordinance.
The City of Boulder and Hermosa Beach are both working with the Brendle Group on climate action strategy. The Brendle Group conducted much of the background research for the City’s climate commitment study.
South Miami, Florida
In 2009, the City adopted a resolution and work plan committing to carbon neutrality by 2030.
The resolution applies only to municipal operations.
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Cambridge, Maryland
Cambridge has a “getting to zero” task force scoping options to become a “net zero community.” This term is not defined, but the task force is focused on reducing carbon emissions from building operations.
Cities Outside of the United States
British Columbia, Canada
British Columbia is globally unique due to its low-per capita emissions, pervasive local government climate commitments, and high price of carbon. The province has high utilization of emissions-free energy, since BC Hydro gets more than 90% of its power from hydroelectricity and other clean energy sources. Many British Columbia Municipalities have signed on to the British Columbia Climate Action Charter and have made a commitment to carbon neutral operations by 2012. British Columbia’s revenue-neutral carbon tax reached its full phase-in value of $30 per metric ton during 2012.
In measuring municipal carbon neutrality goals, British Columbia considers core services, whether provided directly or contracted. It also considers fuel and energy used for vehicles, facilities, machinery, and equipment (whether or not they are owned or leased). Excluded are non-core services such as airports, janitorial services, staff commuting and travel, and construction emissions. Offsets are used to neutralize gross greenhouse gas emissions. Their use - and controversy - are covered in the discussion of offsets later in this chapter.
Aarhus, Denmark
Aarhus is the central city of a region of about 1,250,000 people. In 2008, the City Council adopted a goal for the community to be CO2-neutral by 2030. The implementation plan does not include a discussion of offsets.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen has a comprehensive plan to achieve community carbon neutrality by 2025. The City plans to implement aggressive energy efficiency measures, and will offset any remaining emissions via surplus renewable energy generation.
Malmö, Sweden
Across the Sound from Copenhagen, Malmö is a city with a population of about 300,000. In 2009, the City set a community-wide goal to be “climate neutral” by 2020 (by using offsets) and run on 100% renewable energy by 2030. The City plans to reduce gross emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2020.
Melbourne, Australia
In 2002, the City adopted a goal of carbon neutral municipal operations by 2020. In 2013, Melbourne verified its carbon neutral municipal operations status through an independent audit.
The City used offsets to achieve this goal: investments in an Indonesian clean energy plant. 896
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The City hopes that its central business district and surrounding areas will be carbon neutral by 2020.
Climate Commitments by Entities Other Than Local
Governments
As carbon neutral commitments are relatively uncommon among local governments, climate commitments from other entities -- specifically universities, but also corporations -- are relevant to Hermosa Beach’s decision-making. More similarities exist between local government and universities than with corporations. Similarities between local governments and higher educational institutions include: close ties between an individual’s identity and the institution and place, 24-hour communities with residential life, and the role of competing missions and priorities in considering climate commitments and action.
Colleges and Universities
The American College and University President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) is a national climate commitment registry and information-sharing network designed to enhance the credibility and success of college and university climate goals. As many colleges and universities are on the leading edge of climate action, the ACUPCC effort is the most mature climate commitment effort in the U.S. The effort’s commitment requirements and support structure can provide an example for municipalities.
Signatories agree to: (1) complete an emissions inventory; (2) set a target date and interim milestones to become climate neutral; (3) immediately implement short-term actions to reduce GHGs; (4) integrate sustainability into the curriculum; and (5) submit the action plan, inventory, and progress reports to the network.
ACUPCC provides membership-based guidance and technical support, much as ICLEI provides for local governments. Annual dues vary from $750 to $4,000 for a basic membership based on the institution’s size.
As of September 2014, ACUPCC has 684 signatories, 73 of which are in California. 897
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Southern California Signatories of the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment:
Anaheim University
Antioch Los Angeles
CSU Pomona
CSU Fullerton
CSU Long Beach
CSU Northridge
Chaffey College
Claremont McKenna College
East Los Angeles College
Harvey Mudd College
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles Harbor College
Los Angeles Mission College
Los Angeles Pierce College
Los Angeles Southwest College
Los Angeles Trade-Technical
College
Los Angeles Valley College
Loyola Marymount University
Pasadena City College
Pitzer College
Pomona College
Santa Monica College
UC Irvine
UC Los Angeles
UC Riverside
University of La Verne
University of Redlands
West Los Angeles College
West Valley College
Defining Carbon Neutrality for Colleges and Universities The ACUPCC defines carbon neutrality as “having no net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, to be achieved by eliminating net GHG emissions, or by minimizing GHG emissions as much as possible, and using carbon offsets or other measures to mitigate the remaining emissions.” At a minimum, institutions must report scope 1 (direct) emissions produced through campus activities; scope 2 (indirect-energy) emissions from purchased energy; and scope 3 (indirect) emissions from student, faculty, & staff commuting and institution-funded air travel. ACUPCC recommends (but does not require) that universities evaluate upstream (scope 3) emissions in purchased goods and services.
ACUPCC requires use of an accounting method consistent with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol of the World Business Council on Sustainable Development and World Resources Institute.
Both The Climate Registry’s General Reporting Protocol and its derivative for municipalities, the Local Government Operation Protocol, are consistent.
The ACUPCC has provided a commonly-accepted standard for college and university climate commitments. Because carbon neutral commitments are relatively rare for U.S. local governments, no equivalent commonly-accepted standard exists. This signals a leadership opportunity for Hermosa Beach and other cities considering carbon neutrality goals in the coming years.
Future Year for College and University Climate Commitments The most common horizon year for college and university carbon neutrality goals is 2050. A few universities have set - and achieved - neutrality goals with horizon years prior to 2014. A discussion of their efforts and use of offsets follows in this chapter. 898
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A Closer Look at University of California’s Climate Commitment The University of California hopes to be the first research university system to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025. Although the goal has been discussed publicly by the Regents and President Janet Napolitano, it has not been formally adopted as a UC Policy. Existing climate goals are measured against emissions scopes 1, 2, and select scope 3 (student, staff, and faculty commutes and university-funded air travel). In 2011, the Regents discussed a carbon neutrality commitment, stating that while reductions in gross emissions were preferred, offsets would be required. In order to keep funds within the UC system, the Regents discussed developing a UC offset fund.
Corporate Climate Goals
In 2014, Ceres, a non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable investment and business, released a report of corporate greenhouse gas goals for Fortune 500 companies using information from the CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project). A total of 53 Fortune 100 companies reported target data to the CDP.
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Notable Climate Goals of Fortune 500 Companies
Fortune 500 Company (rank) Sector Gross Emissions Goal (before offsets) Walmart Stores (1) Retail 30% reduction in GHG-intensity per square foot from 2010 levels by 2020.
General Electric (8) Industrials /
Financials
25% reduction in scope 1 & 2 emissions from
2004 levels by 2015.
JP Morgan Chase (18) Financials 40% reduction in scope 1 & 2 emissions from 2005 levels by 2020.
Wells Fargo & Company (25) Financials 35% reduction in scope 1, 2, & 3 emissions from 2008 levels by 2020.
Microsoft (35) Information
Technology
Carbon neutral by 2013. Uses an internal
carbon fee to allocate resources.
Goldman Sachs (68) Financials Carbon neutral for offices and data centers by 2020.
Nike (126) Apparel Carbon neutral facilities by 2015.
Excelon (129) Utility eliminate 17.5 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020
Kohls (148) Retail Carbon neutrality goal, 2009 through 2015.
Mattel (395)
based in South Bay
Consumer Reduce emissions per unit of revenue 50% from
2008 levels by 2020.
Many companies have backed off carbon neutrality claims that they made in the mid 2000s.
Yahoo, Nike, Pepsi, and Dell are examples. Dell achieved carbon neutral status in 2008, but backed off after a Wall Street Journal article criticized their lack of transparency and exception of supply-chain emissions.
The shoeware and apparel company Timberland set a goal in 2005 to be carbon neutral by 2010. By 2010, they had reduced 38% of emissions and offset the remaining 62%. Timberland continues to report annual emissions, though it estimates that 96% of life-cycle emissions associated with its products are outside of corporate control. The company continues to have a goal of a 50% reduction in 2006 levels by 2015. VF Corporation bought Timberland in 2011.
The change in ownership highlights that decision-maker priorities can change over time.
Defining Climate Goals for Hermosa Beach
The validity of climate action and renewable energy claims is complicated by California’s Capand-Trade and Renewable Portfolio Standard programs. The climate action and renewable 900
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energy goals presented in this section are not mutually exclusive: the concurrent pursuit of multiple goals is possible, and some goals are inclusive within others. It’s possible for the City to pursue multiple goals, and achieve some goals along the way towards others.
Summary of Possible Goals for Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Goal What it means for municipal
operations
What it means for the
community
Zero Emissions Zero gross scope 1, 2, and select
scope 3 emissions attributable to
municipal operations, before
accounting for offsets and RECs.
Zero gross greenhouse gas
emissions from emissionsgenerating activities or emissions sources attributable to the
community, before accounting for
offsets and RECs.
Carbon Neutral A zero balance of net emissions on
a municipal greenhouse gas
inventory after accounting for offsets
and RECs.
A zero balance of net emissions
on a municipal greenhouse gas
inventory after accounting for
offsets and RECs.
Carbon Negative A real, additional, and verifiable
reduction in California (and global)
greenhouse gas emissions
equivalent to some base year
emissions (e.g. Hermosa Beach’s
2005 or 2012 municipal inventory).
A real, additional, and verifiable
reduction in California (and global)
greenhouse gas emissions
equivalent to a community
baseline.
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Possible Goals for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions
Zero Emissions
Zero Emissions means zero gross emissions, even before accounting for adjustments that appear as informational items on a greenhouse gas inventory, such as use of offsets and Renewable Energy Certificates. Zero Emissions is the strictest definition of carbon neutrality and the most difficult to achieve. Because Hermosa Beach is in California (which has a capand-trade program), achieving Zero Emissions would not lead to real, verifiable reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions (see Carbon Negative section).
Zero Emissions requires 100% participation of:
● Facilities and fleet that exclusively operate on zero-emissions electricity or renewable biofuels that emit non-anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Zero emissions renewable electricity could be produced on-site or off-site. ● Employees that either walk, bike, or take electric or biofuel-powered vehicles for commutes.
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● Contracted service providers that exclusively use electricity or biofuels, either biodiesel or renewable natural gas.
● Use of landfills and wastewater treatment facilities that employee state-of-the-art greenhouse gas mitigation techniques.
Carbon Neutral
Carbon Neutral status results when a greenhouse gas inventory has a net zero balance after subtracting informational items such as offsets and Renewable Energy Certificates from gross emissions. Carbon Neutral status is possible with less than 100% participation of the activities outlined under Zero Emissions, plus the retirement of greenhouse gas allowances and, in certain cases, Renewable Energy Certificates.
Hermosa Beach can achieve Carbon Neutral status by retiring California-eligible greenhouse gas emissions allowances in an amount equal to its gross emissions inventory. Hermosa Beach can retire qualified renewable energy used for municipal operations through the California Air Resources Board’s Voluntary Renewable Energy Program. Hermosa Beach can also purchase and retire California-eligible offsets through direct participation in California’s carbon market or through services offered by carbon balancing firms.
Hermosa Beach can also purchase and retire greenhouse gas allowances that are not California-eligible. While non-California allowance retirement can also lead to a reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions, it will not reduce emissions in California and therefore would not meet potential future guidance from the California Air Resources Board. If the City chooses to pursue this route, Hermosa Beach should seek out high-quality offsets that are measurable, real, additional, and verifiable: typically those that are admissible to mandatory greenhouse gas reduction programs with high offset performance standards. In some cases, voluntary allowances may meet this high performance standard, such as those certified by the Climate Action Reserve, Gold Standard, and Verified Carbon Standard.
Carbon Negative
A new term to describe municipal climate action goals is needed for cities subject to a cap-andtrade program. The absolute cap on emissions in such a program means that emissions reductions attributable to activities in Hermosa Beach would be replaced by equivalent emissions from other sources outside of Hermosa Beach, but within the jurisdiction of the capand-trade program. Therefore, the overall level of greenhouse gas emissions in California (and globally) remains the same regardless of Hermosa Beach’s actions. Cap-and-trade programs allow for guaranteed reductions in program-wide greenhouse gas emissions, but negate emissions reductions from individual entity or community action. 903
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Carbon Negative status means that Hermosa Beach achieves a real, additional, and verifiable reduction (or “dent”) in California and global greenhouse gas emissions. If Hermosa Beach were not located within a cap-and-trade program, achieving Zero Emissions or Carbon Neutral status would lead to a real, additional, measurable, and verifiable reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the City’s business-as-usual baseline.
Hermosa Beach and other entities and communities can achieve Carbon Negative status by retiring greenhouse gas emissions allowances. The retirement of any amount of allowances greater than the City’s gross greenhouse gas emissions inventory allows the City to make Carbon Negative claims. However, as the City’s gross emissions decrease, the “dent” will decrease over time. Thus, the business-as-usual baseline is recommended for offset purchase and retirement targets, as this approximates the “dent” Hermosa Beach would make in global greenhouse gas emissions if it pursued aggressive climate action outside of California’s capand-trade program.
Summary of Possible Goals for Use of Renewable Energy
Goal What it means for municipal
operations
What it means for the
community
Powered by
Renewable
Energy
The municipality can validly claim
that operations are powered by
renewable energy, using Green-e
RECs to support the claim.
The community can validly claim
that it is powered by renewable
energy.
Powered by
California
Renewable
Energy
The municipal can validly claim that
operations are powered by
renewable energy delivered to
California, using direct purchases,
on-site generation, and Californiaeligible RECs to support the claim.
The community can validly claim
that operations are powered by
renewable energy delivered to
California, using direct purchases,
on-site generation, and Californiaeligible RECs to support the claim.
Powered by Renewable Energy
Using Renewable Energy Certificates certified under the Green-e program, Hermosa Beach can make claims that municipal operations are powered by renewable energy. Renewable Energy Certificates represent the environmental attributes of renewable power, and their monetary value has aided in financing additional renewable energy generation in the United States. While valid under commonly-accepted energy accounting principles, such claims may be challenged because there is no credibility that the renewable energy was delivered to California. For instance, the certificate could represent renewable energy generated at a wind farm in West Texas or North Dakota with no connection to the Southern California electricity grid. 904
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Whether Hermosa Beach can take credit for an associated reduction in greenhouse gas emissions depends on a number of factors.
Under the Local Government Operations Protocol, Hermosa Beach can take emissions credit (as an informational item) for net greenhouse gas reductions in scope 2 (electricity) emissions only if the certificates come from electricity generation not delivered to California. This is somewhat counterintuitive and is due to California’s cap-and-trade program. Full details are covered in the Section on Electricity. Because California-eligible RECs are desirable for compliance with California’s mandatory Renewable Portfolio Standard, less-expensive, voluntary Green-e RECs available for purchase are not California-eligible. Within California, greenhouse gas claims made from use of non-California RECs may ultimately be seen as weak and considered the result of an accounting maneuver.
There is not yet a commonly-accepted standard for the adjusting community-wide emissions inventories for the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates. This scenario could be applicable under a Community Choice Aggregation program.
Powered by California Renewable Energy
California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard requires 33% of statewide electricity consumption to come from qualified renewable energy sources by 2020. Because of this mandate, generation from qualified sources is at a price premium compared to non-qualified sources. Because of California’s cap-and-trade program, Hermosa Beach must take the extra step of retiring allowances through the California Air Resources Board’s Voluntary Renewable Energy Program in order to claim emissions-related benefits.
Despite being more expensive and requiring an extra step to claim greenhouse gas benefits, California Renewable Energy is likely to be perceived as the gold standard for renewable energy claims in California.
Hermosa Beach could purchase California Renewable Energy from Southern California Edison’s Green Rate Option, from a future Community Choice Aggregation program, possibly from direct access provider (through a lottery), or from on-site generation.
A Community Choice Aggregation program could offer, and Southern California Edison’s Green Rate Option will offer, California Renewable Energy.
Recommendation for Hermosa Beach
To be seen as a leader in municipal climate action, Hermosa Beach would need to commit to neutralizing emissions from municipal operations within the next 10 years. While a goal of 2025 905
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would still help Hermosa Beach be seen as a leader, the City should match goals set by the City of Austin and County of Boulder and commit to a 2020 goal. Committing to the same goal as other leading local governments would unambiguously establish Hermosa Beach as a climate action leader.
While many British Columbia municipalities have already achieved carbon neutral status for 2010, many have backed off the use of offsets to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions.
Hermosa Beach has an opportunity to be achieve “first-to” status for municipal operations in the United States by committing to neutralize as early as 2015.
Hermosa Beach can seek the more aggressive goals of “Carbon Negative” status and “Powered by 100% California Renewable Energy”. However, this level of climate commitment from the City is currently unnecessary for the City to be seen as a national leader. The City should re-evaluate its climate and renewable energy goals in the future if it finds itself undifferentiated in a growing pool of cities with simple “Carbon Neutral” goals, which are currently rare.
➤
➣
➢
Hermosa Beach should set a goal to become Carbon Neutral for municipal operations by the end of 2020.
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Hermosa Beach Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan
Electricity
Introduction
Municipal electricity use accounts for 43.4% of total scope 1, 2, & selected scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions reported in the City’s 2007 operations inventory.
This section of the Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan focuses on the procurement of emissions-free renewable electricity in order to make carbon neutrality claims and implement Program E5 of the City’s Sustainability Plan: Municipal Renewable Energy Generating. Efficiency efforts remain important, nonetheless, and the City should continue to pursue actions outlined in the Energy Study Report and the Energy Efficiency Climate Action Plan.
The Hermosa Beach Carbon Neutral Electricity Procurement Plan explored on-site zero emissions generation, Southern California Edison’s Green Rate Option, and Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) for community electricity. In this section, we also discuss a Power Purchase Agreement, a municipal lease, Direct Access programs, and the use of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) as options. We recommend a combination of on-site generating, RECs, and pursuit of a CCA for achieving the City’s carbon neutral goals.
On-site Electricity Generation
Production Incentives for Owned Generation
California Solar Initiative
The California Solar Initiative began in 2007 to provide additional incentives for solar generation in California. When the program began in 2007, non-residential entities were eligible for a $2.40/watt incentive for installation and a $0.39/kWh incentive for energy production. The program utilizes a tiered schedule where incentives decline as more solar projects are installed.
In Southern California Edison territory, the California Solar Initiative incentive for non-residential customers, including local governments, is currently $0.20 per watt of installed capacity (step 10 is the final step for the incentive). As of July 2014, approximately 72 MW of installed capacity remains available in the program. Go Solar California maintains up-to-date information on the status of the program. The incentive for residential customers in Southern California Edison Territory has been exhausted.
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The Local Government Renewable Energy Self-Generation Bill Credit Transfer The Local Government Renewable Energy Self-Generation Bill Credit Transfer allows local governments with on-site energy generation to transfer excess bill credits between accounts.
This would allow Hermosa Beach to generate excess solar power at one facility and transfer any credit to other accounts. According to CPUC Guidance, the program applies only to local government-owned systems and would not apply to a power purchase agreement.
Southern California Edison does not require transfer of the Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) produced by the generating facility, which would transfer the renewable benefits of the energy to another party. Hermosa Beach could retain these RECs to claim use of renewable energy and associated emissions benefits (if allowances are voluntarily retired) if it has no other agreement to transfer the RECs to another party.
Southern California Edison can offer up to 124.6 MW total under their bill credit transfer program. As of June 16, 2014 107.72 MW remains available. SCE charges a $500 set up fee and $30 monthly billing fee per generating account.
Other Options for Procurement of On-Site Generation
Entering into a Power Purchase Agreement or lease agreement can spread the costs of solar installation over several years, reducing the need for upfront payments. Unlike local governments, private owners of solar generating equipment can also utilize investment tax credits to reduce system cost.
Power Purchase Agreement
Under a Power Purchase Agreement, a third party owns and installs the equipment needed to generate on-site solar power, and Hermosa Beach signs a contract to purchase all power delivered by the unit at a pre-specified price per MWh. A Power Purchase Agreement can be a compelling option to pay for solar over time, and the City can negotiate the option to purchase the equipment at a substantially reduced rate at the end of the contract term.
The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory has published a Power Purchase Agreement Checklist for Local Government. In addition, a presentation from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources outlines the pros and cons. Among the cons are that the City would receive two electricity bills and that transaction costs for establishing the agreement may be high. Another con is that because the system would be privately owned, the city cannot participate in the Self-Generating BIll Credit Transfer, which would have allowed the city to overproduce at one site and use that energy at a site with a higher demand.
Solar Lease
A third party owns and installs the equipment needed to generate on-site solar electricity, and Hermosa Beach signs a contract to lease this equipment at a pre-specified price. Some 908
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agreements have an option to purchase the equipment at a substantially reduced rate at the end of the lease term. One option unique to local governments is the California Lease Finance Program (CaLease). However, this program has a $500,000 minimum financing amount.
Another option is the Southern California Regional Energy Center Public Agency Master Lease, which offers a minimum loan of $250,000, but allows multiple projects to be bundled under a single loan.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Credit for On-site Renewable Electricity Generating
California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires utilities to procure a specified quantity of renewable electricity. The current mandate requires 33% of energy to come from renewable sources by 2020. While the use of renewable energy helps the state meet its greenhouse gas cap, additional generation or use of renewable, all else held equal, does not reduce the cap.
Any reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that come from meeting or exceeding the RPS requirement will lower an electricity utility’s compliance obligation - the allowances they must surrender each year to comply with the cap. Excess procurement will not affect the overall greenhouse gas emissions cap for California, but rather free up additional space under the cap for other sources to emit greenhouse gasses. In effect, greenhouse gas reductions that come from exceeding RPS or implementing greenhouse gas reduction measures would decrease the cost of a compliance unit. The notable exception is presented below.
Because of California’s Cap-and-Trade program, the greenhouse gas reduction benefits of renewable energy are separate from other environmental properties. As such, The National Green-e standard has special procedures for creating RECs from voluntary renewable energy generated in California. Voluntary renewable energy is electricity that is procured in excess of an entity’s compliance obligation under the State’s Renewable Portfolio Standard. This includes electricity rooftop solar projects on Hermosa Beach municipal facilities, whether owned by the City or procured through a lease or Power Purchase Agreement. Southern California Edison would not obtain RPS credit for voluntary renewable energy generated within its service territory.
California’s Voluntary Renewable Electricity Program allows for retirement of greenhouse gas allowances for renewable energy. Each year from 2015 to 2020, up to 0.25% of allowances under California’s Cap-and-Trade program will be retired through the program. Allowances are retired on a first-come, first-served basis. Hermosa Beach cannot own and sell credits produced under the Voluntary Renewable Electricity Program.
Claiming Emissions Reductions
Under The Climate Registry’s rule, retiring allowances is not necessary for Hermosa Beach to claim greenhouse gas reductions for on-site renewable energy generation. However, Hermosa 909
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Beach’s participation in the program is necessary for it to claim that its use of renewable energy reduced greenhouse gas emissions in California.
If allowances remain in the Voluntary Renewable Energy Reserve Account after the California Air Resources Board serves all greenhouse gas allowance retirement requests, then these allowances may be auctioned. This has two implications for producing real, additional reductions to greenhouse gas emissions in California:
1. If the Reserve Account is undersubscribed, meaning that there are fewer requests for retirements than allowances available in the account, then Hermosa Beach’s participation produces real, additional reductions in statewide greenhouse gas emissions. This is because the City’s participation in VREP prevents another entity from purchasing the allowance via auction. Hermosa Beach could then claim zero-emissions electricity under the ARB’s rules.
2. If the Reserve Account would be exhausted regardless of Hermosa Beach’s participation, then Hermosa Beach’s successful retirement of allowances does allow Hermosa Beach to take credit for zero-emissions electricity under the ARB’s rules, but does not produce real, additional reductions in statewide greenhouse gas emissions.
Retiring allowances, though not required for Hermosa Beach to claim carbon neutrality under The Climate Registry rules, makes the City’s neutrality claim more robust. The City must enact and sustain greenhouse gas reduction activities that allow it to retire allowances in order to make valid Carbon Negative or Climate Positive claims.
Qualified Renewable Energy Sources
Section 95841.1 of the California Cap-and-Trade Regulation identifies general requirements to retire greenhouse gas allowances under the program:
1. The generator must be new and not have served load prior to July 1, 2005.
2. The generator of the renewable energy or RECs must be certified as RPS-eligible by the California Energy Commission or meet the design and installation programs of the Guidelines for California’s Solar Electric Incentive Programs in place at the time the system received an approved utility incentive claim. The California Energy Commission maintains a list of generators that meet RPS-eligibility requirements.
3. Voluntary renewable electricity must be directly delivered to California (PCC-1 and PCC2).
4. The REC must be generated in the same year that Hermosa Beach requests the retirement of greenhouse gas allowances through the ARB. For example, 2014 vintage RECs can only be retired as 2014 vintage greenhouse gas allowances.
5. The REC must be tracked by and retired with the Western Region Renewable Generation Information System (WREGIS) before submitting an application to the ARB for allowance retirement.
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6. The ARB determines the greenhouse gas reduction that comes from a given unit of power consumption.
How to Apply
The annual application deadline for requesting the retirement of a REC(s) is July 1 of the year after the unit of renewable energy was generated. July 1, 2014 was the first deadline for parties to request retirement of allowances. As of September 2014, the California Air Resources Board reports zero retirements from the program’s account.
If Hermosa Beach generates on-site renewable energy in the future, it can apply to the program.
In order to reduce the City’s application burden, one application for multiple systems with nameplate capacities of 200 kW or less may be aggregated and submitted together.
Criteria for Siting Solar Photovoltaic Systems
Generating zero-emissions renewable electricity at locations recognizable as city facilities is an attractive option to demonstrate the city’s climate actions while reducing gross greenhouse gas emissions. The following criteria will help the City determine appropriate locations for on-site solar photovoltaic systems:
● If rooftop-mounted, the building and roof have the structural integrity to support a solar photovoltaic system.
● The host facility won’t undergo significant changes that affect the roof and photovoltaic system during the financing contract, or, if purchased, the assumed 30-year life of the solar system.
● The host facility is part of an electricity service account that has sufficient usage to size a cost-effective solar photovoltaic system. In general, larger systems have a lower cost per watt-hour of electricity, since fixed costs are defrayed over additional units of electricity. Also, in certain financing scenarios the energy must be used on-site as a bill transfer credit is not allowed under a municipal lease arrangement or power purchase agreement.
● Ideally, the solar photovoltaic system would be visible from publicly-accessible areas, allowing the photovoltaic panels to be a visible part of the city’s public education and outreach efforts.
Southern California Edison’s Green Rate Option
The Green Rate, a high-renewables content energy subscription program, will be available to ratepayers within SCE’s territory beginning January 2015. This program enables customers to participate in off-site renewable energy generation through SCE by subscribing to 50% or 100% renewable resource content for a determined price premium. We estimate the Green Rate Charge to be a 6.77 cent/kWh premium over the City’s estimated average generating charge of
7.53 cents/kWh. With a subscription to this new program, the City of Hermosa Beach could 911
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meet their entire energy load with one hundred percent renewable energy; however this method will be far more costly than other alternatives. Also under SB 43, the founding legislation for this program, SCE is only required to offer the Green Rate until January 1, 2019. No provisions are currently established to continue the program beyond this deadline.
According to a report compiled by GSE Solutions, the City’s average annual energy usage is 1,717,582 kWh. Detailed, itemized bills provided by the City covered 1,339,598 kWh of usage, and we used the rates on those bills to estimate the annual premium for the Green Rate option.
The table below shows a comparison of the current annual total paid by the City for electricity with a standard renewables content and the projected annual price should Hermosa Beach subscribe to 100% renewable energy on the Green Rate.
Green Rate vs. Annual Total
Annual
Electricity
Use (kWh)
Estimated
Annual Green
Rate Premium
Current
Annual
Charge
Total Projected
Annual
Charges
GSE Solutions
Report
1,717,582 $116,318.09 $300,961.00 $417,279.09
Provided SCE Bills 1,339,598 $90,720.26 $264,672.61 $355,392.87
Direct Access Program
Direct Access is an electricity procurement option in California that allows certain customers to purchase their electricity directly from Electric Service Providers. Electric Service Providers are able to offer a greater variety of retail options to electricity customers, offering more competitive pricing or greater renewable energy attributes than is offered by SCE’s bundled product. Direct Access first became an option in California in 1998, but was suspended in September 2001.
Electricity customers with existing Direct Access contracts could continue. Through 2010, 7,764 GWh of annual customer load remained with the Direct Access program.
Direct Access is an extremely limited option for Hermosa Beach. New direct access connections are offered only via an annual lottery, so there is little certainty that Hermosa Beach would be able to choose this option.
Furthermore, Hermosa Beach’s annual electricity demand may be insufficient to obtain a competitive rate quote from an Electric Service Provider. Additionally, as many Electric Service Providers use unbundled RECs to offer green power, there would be no greenhouse gas reductions benefit over separately purchasing and retiring RECs. Hermosa Beach’s annual electricity demand in 2010 was under 2 GWh. Even a municipality with over ten times the 912
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annual electricity demand (Santa Monica) found it could not obtain competitive rates from prospective Electric Service Providers for Direct Access service. The staff report at the time alleged that the City did not receive a competitive rate because the City’s 28.95 GWh in annual demand was “too small to offer significant price discounts or flexible terms over a long-term contract.”
In 2009, SB 695 re-opened Direct Access to new non-residential customers in 2010. Four phase-in periods were offered via first-come, first-served applications to allocate an additional 3,946 GWh in annual load for new Direct Access customers. In each period, there was more demand for the Direct Access than there was load available, and many potential customers were turned away. Southern California Edison’s overall Direct Access program cap is 11,710 GWh per year, about 13.5% of the utility’s 2012 load of 86,558 GWh.
Direct Access Lottery
A post phase-in enrollment process allows aspiring new direct access customers to join an annual waitlist. Waitlist applications are accepted during an annual phase-in enrollment period, the second full week of June, and new Direct Access customers are assigned via a lottery if and when existing direct access customers end their contract.
If the City wished to participate in the Direct Access lottery, it would first choose an approved Electric Service Provider.
Before the second week in June, Hermosa Beach’s selected Electric Service Provider would complete and submit a Customer Information Service Request (CISR) form to obtain the City’s energy usage and billing histories from Southern California Edison. The form requires the signature of the Hermosa Beach City Manager or another person authorized to bind the City to a financial contract. Southern California Edison must receive and approve the CISR in advance of the June enrollment period.
During the second week of June, Hermosa Beach would submit a Six-Month Advance Notice Form to switch service from Southern California Edison to its chosen Electric Service Provider.
Southern California Edison would then assign Hermosa Beach’s application a random waitlist number.
Each month, Southern California Edison will review available Direct Access and randomly select numbers from the waitlist and notify Hermosa Beach if load is available. If selected, Hermosa Beach would be allowed to switch to its preselected Electric Service Provider beginning January 1 of the following calendar year. The chosen Electric Service Provider must submit a Direct Access Service Request form in order to complete the transition. Each waitlist is for one calendar year. Hermosa Beach would need to submit a new application each June if it wished to remain on the waitlist.
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Customers subscribing to a Direct Access program may be automatically enrolled in a Community Choice Aggregation program, unless they opt out.
The state maintains a list of registered Electric Service Providers, 21 of whom have agreements with Southern California Edison. Two providers are notable for Hermosa Beach’s Carbon Neutrality efforts.
1. Three Phases Renewables is a Manhattan Beach-based company that focuses on 100% renewable energy.
2. The City of Santa Monica has a Direct Access contract with Commerce Energy to provide 100% of municipal energy demand with 100% renewable power. However, due to a lapse in service, Commerce only supplies 59% of the City’s energy demand.
Community Choice Aggregation
AB 117, passed in 2002, established the legislative precedent for forming a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA). This bill enables California cities, groups of cities, or counties to supply electricity to customers within their jurisdiction. Establishment of a CCA allows the community to specifically allocate resources for electricity procurement, while the Investor Owned Utility (IOU) retains ownership of all transmission and delivery systems. Once a city or community forms a CCA, they gain autonomy over their energy sources, and are thus free to pursue specific initiatives like carbon neutral electrical generation. Community Choice Aggregators comply with California’s RPS, but they can procure renewable energy above and beyond this requirement.
The City of Hermosa Beach could utilize this procurement method in one of three ways to reach their overall goal of Carbon Neutrality. First, the City may launch its own effort to form a CCA as a single city. This method could prove cost-intensive as none of the fees or surcharges associated with the formation of this entity would be shared. Second, the City could pursue a partnership with surrounding cities, communities, or counties with similar, progressive climate goals and establish a CCA in which startup costs would be split. Finally, the City of Hermosa Beach may opt to join an already emerging or pre-existing CCA.
CCAs have garnered significant success in California since the formation and growth of Marin Clean Energy (MCE) beginning May 2010. Sonoma Clean Power soon followed this success and will provide service by the end of the 2014 calendar year. These successes in the North Bay have given rise to other efforts to form CCAs in California. Listed below is a synopsis of actions taken by California communities toward CCA formation. 914
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Lancaster Choice Energy
Lancaster Choice Energy plans to be the next operational CCA in California. This entity plans to begin accepting Municipal enrollment in May 2015, Commercial/Industrial enrollment in November 2015, and Residential enrollment in November 2016. Lancaster Choice Energy has reached agreement with SCE as an approved Community Choice Aggregator Service and has already received accreditation on their Service Provider Application.
San Diego Energy District
The San Diego Energy District is in its beginning stages to become a CCA serving the City and County of San Diego. A Technical Feasibility Study has recently been authorized for the region.
Clean Power S.F.
Clean Power S.F. is planned to serve residential electricity customers in the City of San Francisco. Thus far, the efforts in the area to form this service have reached just short of residential service, which was expected at the end of 2013 and is currently accepting preenrollment.
East Bay Community Choice Energy
The County of Alameda has endeavored to create a CCA serving its residential electricity load excluding the City of Alameda. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted to launch a feasibility study in June 2014.
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Summary of Current CCA Planning & Pre-operational Efforts in California CCA Current Stage
Lancaster
Choice Energy
Preoperational:
Community Choice Aggregator Service Agreement with Southern California Edison has been approved and Service Provider Application has been approved.
Service Begins:
● Municipal enrollment May 2015
● Commercial/Industrial enrollment in November 2015
● Residential enrollment by November 2016
San Francisco Preoperational (delayed):
Implementation Plan certified by CPUC and registered as a CCA. For residential customers only.
Was expected for late-2013. Pre-enrollment is open.
East Bay
Community
Choice Energy
Feasibility:
After an initial study, Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted to launch a Feasibility Study in June 2014.
San Diego
Energy District
Feasibility:
Technical Feasibility Study authorized by City of San Diego.
Contra Costa
County
Under Consideration:
Public information presentations underway
Hermosa Beach Under Consideration:
The City Council adopted a resolution to join with other cities for a feasibility study.
Humboldt
County & Arcata
Under Consideration:
Student-authored feasibility study released 2011 & 2013 from UC Davis.
San Luis Obispo
County
Under Consideration:
The County’s EnergyWise Plan suggests evaluation of a CCA.
Santa Barbara Under Consideration:
County’s emissions reduction strategy includes ‘evaluate CAA formation’ in Staff Report for Climate Action Plan, August 2014.
Yolo County,
City of Davis
Under Consideration:
Yolo Climate Action Plan requires the County to determine ‘feasibility of CCA Issue’ brought up on City Council Agenda in August 2012. 916
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Renewable Energy Certificates
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) can be part of a long-term or transitional strategy to incorporate renewable energy into Hermosa Beach’s electricity mix. Because California both requires utilities to procure a certain amount of renewable energy and caps greenhouse gas emissions, the rules surrounding the use of RECs for Carbon Neutrality claims is somewhat complicated. RECs do not directly translate into greenhouse gas offsets because the replacement power is not fully accounted for. However, special rules apply to convert California RECs into offsets, and commonly-accepted greenhouse gas accounting rules allow Hermosa Beach to use certain RECs to reduce gross emissions.
Accounting for Renewable Energy Purchases in the Emissions Inventory The multi-partner, sector-specific Local Government Operations Protocol and The Climate Registry’s General Reporting Protocol provide greenhouse gas accounting and reporting guidance for cities.
Section 6.2.4 of the Local Government Operations Protocol outlines guidance for green power and renewable energy certificate purchases. In summary, the guidance suggests that local governments report “green power” or REC purchases as supplemental information in their inventory report; the purchases should not be deducted from scope 2 emissions. The reasoning behind this recommendation is that deducting this electricity use would result in double counting of the greenhouse gas benefit from renewable energy because the renewable energy is already accounted for in the electricity emissions factor. In the 2010 update, the partners that publish the protocol wrote:
“The partner organizations will continue to monitor and track the evolution of green power programs and the REC market. We hope that a broadly used, credible tracking, and retirement processes will soon be in place and that we will be able to provide better guidance to account for the GHG reductions associated with these purchases in future versions of this Protocol.”
It is Kaizenergy’s opinion that a 2013 update to the Climate Registry’s General Reporting Protocol provides the guidance needed for local governments to adjust scope 2 electricity consumption and emissions for REC purchases. The Local Government Operations Protocol provides sector-specific guidance for implementation of the General Reporting Protocol.
The 2013 update also provides for the use of program-specific utility emissions factors for entities that subscribe to a utility’s green power program, such as Southern California Edison’s Green Rate Option.
The 2013 update to the General Reporting Protocol also provides a method to adjust for the ownership and retirement of unbundled RECs that meet the Green-e standard. This includes 917
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RECs from solar electric, such as concentrated solar thermal, wind, geothermal, certified lowimpact or EcoLogo hydropower, pipeline or irrigation canal turbine hydropower, and biomass (non-chemically treated woody waste, agricultural crops or waste).
Adjusting Hermosa Beach’s emissions inventory for REC purchases is simple: the City follows the same methodology as in its 2005 and 2007 municipal emissions inventories, adjusting for the emissions factor of renewable energy. Emissions are calculated by multiplying the quantity, in Megawatt-hours, of qualified, current-year RECs retired on Hermosa Beach’s behalf by the emissions factor of the renewable energy source. Some renewable energy generation projects create anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, such as additional organic material decomposition behind a hydroelectric dam. Greenhouse gas emissions from any electricity purchases not covered by retiring RECs will be calculated as usual: Megawatt-hours times the emissions factor of the source (e.g. Southern California Edison’s utility-specific emissions factor).
Nationally, the use of RECs for greenhouse gas accounting is subject to a number of rules:
● The REC must be separate from offsets. For example, offsets produced by a livestock project that captures and combusts biogenic methane must not include the carbon offsets produced by the renewable energy generation.
● RECs must be of near-similar vintage to the inventory year they will be used to offset electricity purchases. REC accounting standards allow some leeway: RECs can be produced up to six months before or three months after the period covered by the inventory (typically a calendar year).
● To ensure that RECs lead to the creation of new renewable energy generation, they must come from facilities that began operations fewer than 15 years before the inventory year.
The California policy environment creates two additional requirements for RECs:
● RECs must include all renewable and environmental attributes associated with the production of renewable energy. In California, this means that the greenhouse gas benefits of renewable energy production must be retired through the Air Resources Board’s Voluntary Renewable Electricity Program
● RECs must be surplus to regulatory requirements. That is, they must be produced above and beyond what’s needed to comply with California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard.
According to The Climate Registry, RECs bearing the Green-e Energy and EcoLogo tags will meet the national and California requirements. RECs from energy not delivered to California do not require allowance retirement in order to be Green-e eligible.
Green-e Renewable Energy Certificates Requirements for California’s Cap and Trade System Green-e standards require the full greenhouse gas reduction benefits be included with the REC.
This creates special procedures for renewable energy delivered to areas where greenhouse gas 918
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emissions are capped, such as California. Green-e standards require RECs created by energy generated in or delivered to California (PCC 1 and PCC2) to have their associated greenhouse gas benefit retired through allowances, procured either through the Voluntary Renewable Energy Program or purchased through other means.
California Renewable Energy Certificates
California Law defines RECs as "a certificate of proof, issued through the accounting system established by the Energy Commission… that one unit of electricity was generated and delivered by an eligible renewable energy resource.” This includes “all renewable and environmental attributes associated with the production of electricity from the eligible renewable energy resource, except for an emissions reduction credit issued pursuant to [California’s Capand-Trade Program] and any credits or payments associated with the reduction of solid waste and treatment benefits created by the utilization of biomass or biogas fuels.” In the table below, each renewable energy classification is presented with procurement options and whether Hermosa Beach could make valid Carbon Neutrality claims under the Air Resources Board (ARB) accounting regulations or The Climate Registry’s (TCR) accounting guidance.
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Categories of California Renewable Energy
Renewable
Energy
Classification
Description Cost
Premium
($/MWh
over grid
power)
Procurement
Options
Carbon
Neutrality
Claims*
PCC 1 Renewable electricity
generated in or near
California, with arrangements
to deliver the power to
California.
$10-$30 DA, CCA ARB, TCR
(with
allowance
retirement)
PCC 2 Renewable electricity
generated outside of
California, bundled with
environmental attributes, but
without arrangements to
deliver the power to California.
$5-$25 DA, CCA ?, TCR
(with
allowance
retirement)
PCC 3 The unbundled (separate from
electricity) environmental
attributes of renewable energy
generated outside of
California.
$1-$10 REC, DA, CCA TCR (if
Green-e
certified)
Green-e
Renewable
Energy
Certificate
The unbundled environmental
attributes of renewable
energy, generated outside of
California.
$1-$5 REC, CCA TCR
California
Green-e REC
A Green-e REC from a
qualifying PCC 1 or 2 facility
with retired CA-eligible CO2
allowance.
$5-$30 REC, CCA ARB, TCR
*for zero-emissions renewable generation. Not all renewable generation is zero non-biogenic emissions (e.g. biomass processes that require electricity). Cost estimates are for 2013 from Table 6 of Palo Alto’s Electricity Supply Portfolio Carbon Neutral Plan.
Marin Clean Energy use of Renewable Energy Certificates Many CCA Programs, utility green power purchase programs, and Direct Access providers make use of RECs in order to offer “green” power. Marin Clean Energy uses a mix of California RPS energy and Green-e RECs for its product. According to their 2013 Integrated Resources Plan:
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“MEA is largely resourced for the next several years, having contracted for most of its projected needs for bundled renewable energy through 2017, non-renewable energy through 2017 and capacity through 2015. However, MEA has a short term need for bundled renewable energy in 2014 (PCC1) and a longer term need beginning in 2017 (PCC1 and PCC2). MEA also has a need for capacity purchases to meet resource adequacy obligations beginning in 2015.
...
The majority of MEA’s voluntary renewable energy purchases (those in excess of RPSeligible purchases) are under contract through the end of 2013. MEA has a need for renewable energy certificates in 2014 and beyond to support RPS compliance (PCC3) and voluntary renewable energy targets (Green-e). MEA also has a need for carbon neutral energy in 2014 and beyond to support voluntary GHG emissions targets.
In 2013, MCE offered 60% renewable or zero emissions energy. Twenty-seven percent of its total load came from RPS-eligible generation. The balance is met with Green-e certified REC purchases.”
The graphic below highlights Marin Clean Energy’s plan to use bundled and bundled RECs in order to offer its renewable energy programs.
Marin Clean Energy Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy, 2013 to 2022 921
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Recommendations
First and foremost, the City should continue and expand upon existing energy efficiency programs. As the GSE Solutions report indicates, the City has opportunities to improve building energy efficiency by 40% or more. The City should pursue Projects 1 and 2, and the bundle of hot water and HVAC projects identified in the GSE Solutions report. After committing to Carbon Neutrality, the City should include the cost to neutralize emissions from electricity (approximately 0.3 cents additional per kWh) when evaluating whether to pursue electricity efficiency and retrofit projects.
To take a highly-visible climate action step, Hermosa Beach should take steps to install solar photovoltaic systems on municipal property. The City should continue to explore the options of a Power Purchase Agreement and Solar Lease. The City should also request the retirement of greenhouse gas emissions allowances through the state’s Voluntary Renewable Electricity Program in order to claim unambiguous emissions reductions.
RECs are a commonly-accepted element of a green or carbon neutral portfolio, and should be an element of Hermosa Beach’s municipal Carbon Neutrality efforts. Some entities employ RECs as a short term strategy while they wait for new generating projects to be built. Hermosa Beach can retire Green-e RECs to make greenhouse gas reduction claims under The Climate Registry’s General Reporting Protocol.
Over the long term, Hermosa Beach should establish a CCA program and become one of program’s first customers. This would allow for a unified approach to community and municipal greenhouse gas emissions reductions, with community members participating in the same program as the municipality. A CCA program can offer a 100% renewable, emissions-free energy option for the municipality, households, and firms. According to Southern California Edison rate schedule OBF-2, on-bill financing programs for energy efficiency retrofits will continue to be available under a CCA program.
Even with on-site solar generation and a CCA program, Hermosa Beach will likely continue to purchase streetlight services from Southern California Edison, particularly for streetlights on wood poles. The City can shift these accounts to Edison’s Green Rate option, or purchase Green-e RECs equal the amount of electricity used by SCE-owned streetlights. 922
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Hermosa Beach Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan
Municipal Fleet
Introduction
The Clean Fleet Policy and Action Plan, created in 2013, specifies a long-term goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for the municipal fleet and alternative fuel used by 100% of contracted city service vehicles. The Plan also sets an interim goal to determine the feasibility of 50% emissions reduction for the City fleet and 20% emissions reduction for contractor service vehicles. These goals demonstrate the City’s strong commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of its municipal operations.
The City’s policies to “maximize the use of alternative fuel and low emission vehicles used to supply city services,” “reduce vehicle emissions through efficient fleet management and operations,” and “facilitate infrastructure to support alternative fuel vehicles” are in line with current best practices for California Local Governments, as identified by the Institute for Local Government and the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI).
Currently, the municipal fleet is comprised of CNG, diesel, gasoline, and propane fueled vehicles. According to Energy Efficiency Climate Action Plan checklist, the City utilizes vehicles with fuel ranges from 11-44 mpg gasoline, 9-12 mpg diesel, 13-30 mpg CNG, and 30 mpg propane, all of which have varying emissions intensities. Though over 20% of the vehicle fleet is comprised of alternative fuel vehicles, making Hermosa Beach ahead of, or in line with many neighboring cities (Manhattan Beach has 13%, for instance), it is behind some area cities. For example, Santa Monica’s non-emergency fleet is comprised of 81% alternative fuel vehicles.
Some national cities also have more aggressive goals. Indianapolis, for instance, is the first city in the U.S. to pledge to convert its entire municipal non-police fleet to electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles by 2025.
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Hermosa Beach’s City Fleet by Fuel Type
Fuel Type Number of
Vehicles (In Use)
Models
CNG 6 Camry, Interceptor, F-150, F-250
Diesel 8 Leader, Spartan, Fire Truck, Equipment
Gasoline 57 Tahoe, Escape hybrid, Crown Victoria, Durango, F150, F-250, F-350, F-450, Interceptor, Wrangler, Explorer, Utility truck, Impala, Taurus,
Propane 1 Interceptor
Source: Hermosa Beach Energy Efficiency and Climate Action Plan Checklist Related Sustainability Plan Goals
The City’s Sustainability Plan details three goals for the City’s fleet:
● T10: Adopt a clean fuel/ultra low emission vehicle buying policy for all City vehicles and devise a long-term plan for replacement, identifying several options for low emissions vehicles that includes a cost-benefit analysis for all fleet vehicle types. ● T11: Evaluate CNG filling station for municipal vehicles. ● T12: Provide EV charging stations for City vehicles.
Recommendations for Light-Duty Vehicle Fleet
Hermosa Beach’s 2013 City Fleet Policy and Master Plan is aligned with current regional best practices and policies. The City can continue to pursue their goal of Carbon Neutral municipal operations by continuing to adopt the most current trends in green fleet procurement and management. As the technology, performance, cost, financing options, and availability of alternative fuel vehicles are quickly evolving, the fleet policy should be responsive to these trends. The City of Hermosa Beach should review and revise the policy on a regular basis to ensure the City is acquiring the lowest emission vehicles that meet its needs. These recommendations are meant to provide guidance for future fleet procurement and management decisions. The recommendations are based upon the successful practices of other government agencies and best practices identified by respected resources.
To remain consistent with the City Fleet Policy’s guideline, which states, “Review available green vehicle options including: electric vehicles, hybrids, CNGs, hydrogen, biodiesels, and any other emission reducing vehicles,” the City of Hermosa Beach should continue to consider the latest and lowest-emissions alternative fuel technology when replacing fleet vehicles. Zeroemissions vehicles are now becoming staples of alternative fueled vehicle fleets, in addition to 924
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conventional hybrid and natural gas vehicles. These zero-emissions vehicles have environmental and operating advantages over other alternative fuel vehicles. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, fuel-cell electric vehicles, and battery-electric vehicles are now available in most vehicle classes. To keep up with the fast-changing California market for alternative fuel vehicles through comparison of price, performance, and environmental qualities of specific vehicles, Hermosa Beach should consult the California Air Resource Board’s Drive Clean Buying Guide and the guidance provided in Zero-Emission Vehicles in California: Community Readiness Guidebook created by the State of California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.
California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard
The Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is a California regulation adopted by the Air Resources Board (ARB) that requires petroleum suppliers to reduce the life-cycle carbon intensity of transportation fuels sold in the state. The regulation provides additional opportunities for Hermosa Beach to reduce gross greenhouse gas emissions and additionally neutralize net emissions from the transportation sector.
The regulation establishes a declining schedule for the average adjusted carbon intensity, in grams of CO2/MegaJoule (g/MJ), of fuel sold in the state. In 2014, the required adjusted carbon intensity is 94.41 g/MJ. To reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of gasoline sold in California 10% by 2020, the average adjusted carbon intensity of fuels sold must decrease to 86.27 g/MJ.
Producers, refiners, blenders, and distributors of transportation fuels must acquire and surrender LCFS credits, denominated in metric tonnes of CO2-equivalent, to demonstrate compliance with the regulation.
Hermosa Beach does not generate LCFS credits when using electricity or natural gas as vehicle fuels, as these credits are retained by the respective utilities. However, Hermosa Beach’s use of low-carbon fuels reduces the City’s gross greenhouse gas emissions.
Adjusted carbon intensity values compensate for differences in the energy economy of a vehicle. According to the ARB, an electric-powered vehicle travels 3.0 times further on a unit of energy than a gasoline-powered vehicle.
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Adjusted Carbon Intensity of California Vehicle Fuels
Fuel Type Adjusted Carbon Intensity
(grams CO2e/MJ
California Gasoline (CARBOB) 95.86
California Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG) 95.85
Midwestern Corn Ethanol 99.40
California Low-CI Ethanol 80.70
California-Sourced Compressed Natural Gas 75.22
California-Sourced Landfill Gas 12.51
Cellulosic Ethanol 20.40
Electricity (California average electricity mix) 41.37
Electricity (California marginal electricity mix) 34.90 Electricity (Zero Emissions Generating) 0.00
Hydrogen 33.09
Source: ARB Low Carbon Fuel Standard Staff Report Volume 1 Table IV-1 Electricity, landfill gas, and hydrogen are attractive options for reducing life-cycle emissions from transportation. Electricity is an especially attractive option, as the carbon intensity is a function of the mix of sources used to produce the electricity. For zero-emissions renewable energy, the carbon intensity value is zero.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center, electric vehicle infrastructure is most prevalent near Hermosa Beach, with 3 stations and 7 chargers, including 2 DC fast chargers, listed within the city. Three compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations are available in Torrance and near the Los Angeles Airport. Two of Southern California’s 9 hydrogen stations are located in the South Bay. Three biodiesel (B20+) and ethanol (E85) facilities are located in the Harbor Gateway corridor.
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Alternative Fueling Stations near Hermosa Beach
Source: U.S. Department of Energy
Hermosa Beach should continue to prioritize plug-in electric vehicle purchases where they are practical. The convenience and future expansion potential of electric vehicle supply infrastructure and the low carbon intensity of electricity for vehicles makes plug-in electric vehicles an ideal choice for reducing gross emissions. Hermosa Beach should invest $50,000 in electric vehicle service equipment (chargers) and an additional $250,000 to accelerate its Clean Fleet Policy and Master Plan.
Public Safety Vehicles
As identified in the City’s Clean Fleet Policy, some fleets, particularly public safety, have limited or no alternative fuel options that meet their requirements. Where electric, natural gas, or hydrogen-fueled vehicles are not practical, Hermosa Beach could look to acquire Flex-Fuel vehicles, which can run on fuel blends of up to 85% ethanol (“E85”). 927
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Ethanol has been criticized due to its high energy requirement to refine blends from certain feedstocks, and the indirect greenhouse gas emissions that result from additional land required to farm fuel crops. The California Low Carbon Fuel Standard takes a life-cycle perspective on environmental impacts in order to mitigate potential upstream environmental degradation due to use of ethanols and other fuels.
American automobile manufacturers offer a number of E85-capable Police Pursuit Vehicles, including the Chevrolet Impala, Dodge Charger, and Ford Police Interceptor Utility. The Hermosa Beach City Council recently authorized the purchase of four police vehicles. The 2014 Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicle offers both a standard E85-capable 3.7-L V6 model and an upgraded 3.5-L V6 EcoBoost model that Hermosa Beach selected. The EcoBoost model offers higher performance, but is not E85-capable. The three 2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid vehicles the City authorized offer improved fuel economy but are not E85 capable.
Cellulosic Ethanol has a carbon intensity of 20.40, but is not widely available for use in California. The more commonly available California Low-CI Ethanol has a carbon intensity of
80.70. As of September 2014, 220 flex-fuel capable models are available in the U.S. for general use.
Alternatively, the City could look to purchase and retire greenhouse gas emissions credits produced under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard. Transportation-specific offset options and procedures are discussed later in this section.
Financing Options and Considerations
As consistent with the City Fleet Policy guideline stating “Research available grants, dealer incentives, and organization incentives” within the City’s purchasing, maintenance and environmental considerations, the City of Hermosa Beach should continue to consider all available financing options when purchasing or leasing (or considering the purchase or lease of) an alternative fuel vehicle. A review of best practices identified the following financing options for consideration:
● Municipal Lease Financing: Although local governments do not benefit from tax credits offered for the purchase of zero emission vehicles, many lenders offer municipal lease financing options. Municipal lease financing programs allow municipalities to capture a portion of the $7,500 tax credit that they would not capture in a direct purchase. The Nissan Municipal Lease Financing program and the Ford Municipal Financing program are two examples in which auto dealers provide financing options to local government agencies. Riverside County; the City of Loveland, Colorado; the City of Houston, Texas; and the City of Olympia, Washington have all utilized municipal lease financing programs to acquire electric vehicles for their municipal fleet. 928
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● State Procurement Contracts: Local governments are eligible to purchase vehicles using the California Department of General Services’ (DGS) state procurement contracts. Although many local government agencies prefer procuring fleet vehicles from local dealers, using the negotiated prices for alternative fuel vehicles listed with the state procurement contracts can serve as a baseline price for comparison purposes. ● Consider Total Cost of Ownership: The City should consider how capital and operating expenditures are allocated when making fleet procurement decisions. Since fuel costs will be lower in alternative fuel vehicles, the City may find that future operating savings justify higher initial procurement costs for alternative fuel vehicles. ● Include Co-Benefits in Cost Analysis: Hermosa Beach should explicitly assess other co-benefits and values that arise from the use of alternative vehicles, such as environmental health and the marketing of low emission vehicles to the community when comparing costs of alternative fuel vehicles to those of conventional vehicles.
Potential Partnerships and Resources
Instead of managing its municipal fleet internally, the City of Hermosa Beach could utilize local fleet management service companies to determine the best way to green their municipal fleet while maintaining fleet quality and cost-effectiveness. ● Vision Fleet Capital: Vision Fleet Capital strives to implement clean vehicles within fleets, cutting total cost of ownership, reliance on foreign oil, and enhancing service levels. Vision Fleet Capital also helps finance and manage fleets by offering low-cost financing, strategic operational advice, telematics tools, and asset management. Based locally in Venice Beach, California, Vision Fleet Capital could be a potential partner for Hermosa Beach to help the City electrify their vehicle fleet in the most cost-effective manner.
Fleet Management Regulations
The City Fleet Policy states that the City aims to “Reduce vehicle emissions through efficient fleet management and operations.” Best practices for efficient fleet management from the Institute for Local Government can assist Hermosa Beach in implementing this policy:
● Use Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and integrated software to control fleet vehicles, reduce misuse and increase efficiency through trip planning and location information. ● Provide fuel saving tips to drivers of fleet vehicles. These can include prohibiting idling, rapid acceleration, etc.
● Install battery systems for vehicles with onboard equipment to reduce truck idling when equipment is in use.
● Use technology options, such as requests via mobile device, for field personnel to prevent unnecessary trips back to the office.
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Carsharing
Instead of replacing old or under-utilized vehicles, the City of Hermosa Beach can also consider using carsharing to meet its fleet needs. Carsharing is a model of car rental where people rent cars by the hour or fraction of an hour. Local governments throughout the U.S. have used carsharing to lower fleet costs, reduce carbon emissions, and support sustainable transportation in their communities. Municipalities that have utilized car sharing to supplement their fleet include Berkeley, San Francisco, Austin, New York City, Seattle, and Washington DC. Local governmental support for carsharing services usually involves either the direct contracting of service and/or provision of parking spaces. These municipalities experienced many benefits using carsharing within their operations, including lower fleet replacement, maintenance, fuel, insurance and staffing costs; newer, cleaner, and lower emission vehicles; more efficient vehicle allocation; increased vehicle access for employees; more available parking; and better data on vehicle use and mileage. As each municipality’s program varied in scope, the following provides more detail on the experiences of a few municipalities who have utilized carsharing. ● The City of Berkeley: The first city to replace municipal fleet vehicles with carsharing, Berkeley has had considerable success reducing vehicle emissions, costs, and inefficient fleet use through an innovative partnership with City Carshare, the San Francisco Bay Area’s carsharing service. Berkeley’s partnership with City Carshare not only uses carsharing to replace municipal fleet vehicles, but also includes carsharing in the planning and development process and supports carsharing for citizens and businesses. Berkeley also contracted City Carshare to develop specialized vehicle reservation software that dedicates vehicles for City employee use during normal work hours, and allows any member of City Carshare to use the vehicles on evenings or weekends. In the first year of the program, 4-5 carshare vehicles replaced 10-15 fleet vehicles. The use of carsharing has resulted in an annual financial savings of about $8,000 per year, most of which results from not having to use the City’s vehicle replacement funds to replace fleet vehicles. These savings do not include air quality, parking, or public health benefits.
● The City and County of San Francisco: As the City and County of San Francisco retires its older vehicles, City Carshare’s fleet provides vehicles for City employee use so the City does not have to purchase new fleet vehicles. This partnership reduces San Francisco’s vehicle fleet size, lowers purchase and maintenance costs, and reduces carbon emissions.
● Washington DC: In 2008, Washington DC replaced 360 vehicles with a shared fleet of 71 passenger vehicles operated by Zipcar technology through the “FastFleet” program.
FastFleet is Zipcar’s fleet management model that helps fleet managers right-size current fleets, enables self-service reservations and keyless access, develops analytics on driver and vehicle history, leverages software and support services, and transitions fleets to energy-efficient hybrid and electric vehicles where sensible. In Washington DC, employees use an intuitive web-based reservation system, phone, or mobile device to select and reserve vehicles and a wallet size access card to unlock the reserved car. 930
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FastFleet varies from Zipcar’s conventional carsharing model in that it does not supply the vehicles. Instead, the City’s existing vehicles are equipped with FastFleet’s invehicle technology. After the first year of the pilot program, Washington DC projected a savings of greater than $6 million over five years.
● The City of Portland: Flexcar (now Zipcar) partnered with the City of Portland to provide fleet management services. In the pilot, Flexcar managed 12 out of 25 motor pool vehicles. Employees signed up for Flexar individually, and then each department was charged for vehicle use. This partnership saved Portland approximately 25% in the motor pool’s annual operating, maintenance, and fuel costs. After the pilot, Portland contracted all 25 motor pool vehicles to Flexcar, and Flexcar’s tracking technology helped Portland identify underutilized cars.
● The City of Austin: The City of Austin, Texas entered a revenue-neutral barter agreement with the carsharing organization Car2Go. Municipal employees could use vehicles for free during a six-month pilot phase, allowing Car2Go to gather consumer testing data and receive dedicated parking spaces avoiding parking fees. This partnership was innovative in that the City did not directly subsidize Car2Go, but the parking benefits were valued at about $85,000. After the successful pilot, Austin extended the partnership and numerous Texas state agencies have signed up for the Car2Go program.
Potential Carsharing Partnerships for Hermosa Beach
A few different organizations that offer carsharing services in L.A. County may serve as potential partners for Hermosa Beach. Each carsharing service listed below has experience working with a municipality and varies in its fleet composition, services offered, and other program components.
● Car2Go: In June 2014, Car2Go launched its pay-by-the-minute carsharing service in several South Bay Cities of LA County, including Hermosa Beach. Car2Go members use a smartphone application to find a vehicle, drive it, and then are able to park it in any public parking space identified as 2-hour parking or longer. This model differs from conventional round-trip services such as those provided by Zipcar. Hermosa Beach could contact Car2Go about the possibility of extending carsharing services for municipal fleet use, similar to Car2Go’s arrangement with the City of Austin, Texas. ● Zipcar: Now owned by Avis and operating in over 20 cities across North America, Zipcar is the world’s largest carsharing service and is an alternative to traditional car rental and ownership. Members use a Zipcard to unlock their car, pay a $6 per month membership fee and a driving rate of $8-10 per hour. Zipcar is a round-trip service, meaning members must return vehicles to the same parking space from which they obtained it.
Beginning in 2009, the City of Los Angeles partnered with Zipcar to dedicate 40 onstreet parking spots near USC and UCLA campuses to Zipcar. Washington DC partnered with Zipcar to utilize Zipcar’s FastFleet program to help them more efficiently 931
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manage their municipal fleet. Hermosa Beach could partner with Zipcar either through the provision of parking spaces or by using Zipcar’s FastFleet as a tool to manage Hermosa Beach’s municipal fleet.
Recommendations for Other Vehicles
To achieve Carbon Neutrality for municipal operations, the City of Hermosa Beach must consider ambitious and innovative strategies. A review of the programs implemented by other municipalities identified the following strategies for consideration for Hermosa Beach:
Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs)
Hermosa Beach should also consider utilizing Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) within its vehicle fleet. Falling under the U.S. classification for low-speed vehicles, NEVs are battery electric vehicles have a maximum speed of 25 mph and are legally limited to roads with speed limits of 45 mph or less. Although NEVs are not included in vehicle sales forecasts and passenger fleet projects, these short-range, low-speed vehicles designed for local use could become a key component of the electric vehicle mix, especially in mature suburban areas like the South Bay that will likely not attract transit investments in the near future.
Beginning in 2004, the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) began to research a land use and transportation strategy that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and gasoline use without focusing on transit investments or increased residential density. This led to the adoption of the Sustainable South Bay Strategy (SSBS) in 2010, which proposes that cities create compact destinations in neighborhood centers to encourage walking, cycling, and the use of NEVs for travel between these centers. As part of this strategy, the SBCCOG launched a NEV Demonstration Project which loaned a fleet of NEVs to South Bay households for an 18-month period.
This project was highly successful, finding that of those who participated, NEV mode share averaged 46% of the roundtrips. The average round-trip travel distance ranged from 2-5 miles.
Due to Hermosa Beach’s compact size, NEVs could also be an effective component of travel for municipal employees, whose average work trip or personal errand is likely only a few miles.
Global Electric Motorcars (GEMs), a type of Neighborhood Electric Vehicle by Polaris, are small vehicles which serve as an alternative to golf carts. GEMs have served municipal fleets as utility, parking and security, and even landscaping and construction vehicles. Municipalities who have employed NEVs within their fleet include the City of Palm Springs, the City of Cypress, and the City of Santa Monica.
Hermosa Beach should purchase two neighborhood electric vehicles for municipal fleet use and later determine whether these vehicles are a suitable replacement for other fleet needs. 932
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Bicycle Fleet
The Institute for Local Government’s Sustainability Best Practices Framework recommends establishing a pool of shared bicycles to allow employees to borrow a bicycle for use during the workday. Providing bikes to employees reduces vehicle trips made during the day for business and personal errands, therefore reducing emissions. Municipalities all over California have adopted employee bike share programs, including Long Beach, Santa Monica, Cupertino, San Jose, and San Francisco. Municipal bike fleet programs typically provide bicycles, secure bicycle storage, and showers and lockers. They usually require employees to complete a bicycle safety training program to participate. Traveling by bike especially makes sense in the City of Hermosa Beach due to its compact size.
Although most cities provide regular bicycles, Hermosa Beach can also consider adding electric bicycles to its fleet program. Electric bicycles make it easier to travel on hilly terrain but still emit zero tailpipe emissions. An electric bike can achieve over 2,000 mpg-equivalent, making them a highly energy and cost-efficient option for Hermosa Beach. Hermosa Beach could be one of the very first cities to utilize electric bikes within their bike fleet. Purchasing regular or electricassist bicycles also provides Hermosa Beach with an opportunity to support local businesses.
See the following for a list of several local bike shops:
● Hermosa Cyclery, Inc: Located on the Strand at 20 13th Street in Hermosa Beach, Hermosa Cyclery specializes in strand cruisers that are easy to ride around the city and is regarded as a trusted bicycle service center.
● The Old Bike Shop: Located at 430 Pier Ave. in Hermosa Beach, the Old Bike Shop is an owner-operated bike shop that specializes in custom-built high end bikes. ● Beach Cities Cycle: This bike shop is located at 219 Pacific Coast Hwy in Hermosa Beach.
● Motion Bicycle Establishment: Motion Bicycle Establishment sells, rents, services, and repairs all types of bikes and is located at 914 Aviation Blvd in Hermosa Beach. ● Electric Bikes LA: Located at 433 Main Street in El Segundo, Electric Bikes LA is the first bicycle store in the region dedicated to the sale and repair of electric and folding bikes.
Offsetting Emissions from Vehicles
Implementation of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is leading to the availability of low greenhouse gas transportation fuels in California. However, costs to transport these fuels from their production location to Hermosa Beach can be high. Additionally, many vehicles are not designed to use low-carbon fuels.
The LCFS credits generated under the program are tradable. LCFS credits trade for $24 to $85 per credit, which, like allowances and offsets, are denominated in units of metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e). Compared with the $11.50 cost of California allowances, 933
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LCFS credits are an expensive means of offsetting emissions. However, in the future their use could allow for sector-specific neutrality claims. Instead of offsetting transportation emissions with forest or livestock projects, retiring LCFS credits will allow Hermosa Beach to claim that it is subsidizing low carbon fuels consumed by others on Hermosa Beach’s behalf.
Whether entities without compliance obligations like Hermosa Beach can acquire and voluntary retire LCFS credits for climate action goals has not been tested as of this writing. Additionally, no greenhouse gas accounting method currently exists to adjust fuel purchases for LCFS credits.
If a commonly accepted method to account for LCFS credit emerges, one specific LCFS credit opportunity may aid the City’s climate action outreach and education campaign. Digester gas is not currently a common transportation fuel, but the Climate Trust believes LCFS could change that. Many livestock farms in California are looking to capture methane in order to generate ARB offset credits. If the biogas is then consumed as transportation fuel in California, LCFS credits can be generated above and beyond these offsets, which are for avoided methane emissions. If Hermosa Beach decides to establish a direct relationship with a livestock project for purposes of acquiring greenhouse gas offsets, the City may be able to negotiate receiving any LCFS credits produced by the project.
The Low Carbon Fuel Standard is not to be confused with Federal renewable fuel regulations, which are based on the quantity of renewable stocks blended into transportation fuel, not the resulting change in greenhouse gas emissions. Federal regulations require fuel suppliers to blend renewable fuels into gasoline and diesel. In a manner similar to the Renewable Portfolio Standard, each refiner or importer of fuel must meet a Renewable Volume Obligation by surrendering a series of Renewable Identification Numbers to the U.S. EPA. The Renewable Identification Numbers can be separated and traded. When renewable fuel with a Renewable Identification Number is produced in or imported to California, that fuel may also generate LCFS credits for California’s program, which is a separate regulation. 934
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Hermosa Beach Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan
Employee Commutes
Introduction
The City’s Sustainability Plan calls for a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from employee commutes relative to 2005 levels by 2020, which were 348 metric tonnes of CO2- equivalent2. The 2012 draft inventory shows 218 metric tonnes, a 37.4% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions versus 2005. However, it is important to note that the number of fulltime equivalent City employees decreased 33.8% during this period.
In pursuit of attaining the greenhouse gas reduction goal for employee commutes, the City’s Sustainability Plan recommends revising Hermosa Beach’s existing rideshare program to better incentivize employees to substitute more environmentally conscious alternatives to single occupant vehicle (SOV) trips for commuting. Launched in 1990 to comply with the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Regulation XV, the City’s existing rideshare program provides employees who use alternative transportation modes 3 out of 4 days per week with $30 per month. Despite the incentive in place, the program had no participants as of July 2013. Just 11% of employees biked, walked, used transit, or a combination of these modes at least once a week. An employee commute survey conducted in 2013 on 108 out of 142 employees found that about 31% of employees were interested in participating in a rideshare program, and 50% of employees would be influenced by tax savings or other monetary incentives.
Using data gathered from the 2013 City of Hermosa Beach Employee Commute Survey, information regarding other cities’ employee commute reduction programs, and best practices in transportation demand management, Kaizenergy has outlined a strategy and plan the City of Hermosa Beach could use to overhaul its employee commute reduction program thus increasing participation and reducing resultant municipal carbon emissions.
Hermosa’s Employee Commute Reduction Challenge
Traditional commuter rideshare programs rely on matching employees with similar schedules, origins, and destinations. Creating successful carpool or vanpool matches is mostly a numbers game. Successful traditional rideshare matches rely on a large pool of people who are eligible
2 The Energy Efficiency & Climate Action Plan Draft Inventory, Forecasting and Target-Setting Report shows employee commutes at 348 metric tonnes in 2005. However, the City’s previous inventory reports employee commutes at 399 metric tonnes for 2005. The more recent document is presented to show change over time.
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to match, a subset of whom are interested in ridesharing. Strategies to match more carpools or vanpools include increasing the size of the pool of potential ride-sharers and/or improving and increasing incentives to motivate more people to share rides.
The City of Hermosa Beach’s current employee commute reduction challenges are twofold.
First, Hermosa Beach is a relatively small employer, with only 142 employees across multiple sites. This limits the potential for rideshare matching. Second, the City’s 2013 Employee Commute Survey indicated that, due to the structure of existing incentives, their effectiveness is limited.
As seen below, many potential carpool matches live in or near the City. While matching employees who live nearby into carpools will reduce vehicle trips and the need for on-site car parking, these consolidated short-distance trips will not cause substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from employee commutes. However, successful matches could provide an example of the program’s benefits for other employees who live farther away.
Hermosa Beach could also incentivize employees who live nearby to commute using neighborhood electric vehicles or electric-assist bicycles if these vehicles are added to the City’s fleet.
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Map of Zip Codes with 2 or more employees
Legend: Number of employees per zip code:
1 to 3 4 to 5 6 to 9 10 to 20
Top Zip Codes
Zip Code Place Number of
Employees
Distance from
Hermosa Beach
(miles)
90278 North Redondo Beach 20 2.0
90277 South Redondo Beach 14 2.3
90254 Hermosa Beach 9 0
90260 Lawndale 6 4.7
90275 Rancho Palos Verdes 6 13.3
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Heatmap of All Employees Responding to 2013 Commute Survey Best Practices in Local Government Commute Trip Reduction Programs
To reduce their municipal carbon footprint and to comply with regional regulatory agency trip reduction requirements, many municipalities have begun implementing employee commute reduction programs. Reviewing best practices in local government transportation demand management programs as well as the practices of neighboring cities and other successful local programs can help Hermosa Beach identify most effective methods to decarbonize its employee commutes.
Statewide Best Practices
The Institute for Local Government identifies several best practices for municipalities developing programs to reduce employee commutes via SOV. These best practices focus on using effective incentives and acquiring the necessary infrastructure to encourage employees to bike, walk, take public transit, or carpool to work. Hermosa Beach’s existing program is in line with the incentive best practices identified by Institute for Local Governments, but the City could enhance the attractiveness of these incentives and ensure the City provides the necessary 938
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infrastructure for employees to feel comfortable walking or biking to work. The best practices described by the Institute for Local Government are summarized below3:
Create an Incentive Program
The Institute for Local Government states that a municipality should “offer agency employees incentives to use alternatives to single-occupant commuting.” Incentives could include parking cash-out, flexible schedules, public transit incentives, bike share and rideshare services and subsidies, transit subsidies, and telecommuting. Rideshare programs should incorporate a “Guaranteed Ride Home” program and utilize smartphone technology.
Provide Infrastructure
As mentioned in the employee fleet recommendations, the Institute for Local Government suggests municipalities “establish a ‘bike barn’ to enable agency employees to borrow a bicycle to use for local meetings.” The bikes purchased for the bike barn could also be rented to employees for commute purposes. The Institute for Local Government also suggests municipalities “construct bicycle stations for employees that include bicycle storage, showers, and bicycle repair space” and provide locker and shower facilities for employees who bike or walk to work.
Review of Other Programs in Nearby Cities
The City of Hermosa Beach and neighboring South Bay cities face a unique set of challenges in motivating employees to cut SOV commutes: they are already mature, built-out suburbs without the robust public transit service found elsewhere in L.A. County. Nonetheless, we found that adjacent cities have ascertained more effective commuter incentive programs. The following discussion describes employee commute reduction strategies employed in the South Bay cities that neighbor Hermosa Beach as well as the successful approach taken by the City of Santa Monica, a municipality recognized statewide for its environmental leadership.
Manhattan Beach
The City of Manhattan Beach offers an incentive of $60 per month to employees who carpool, bike, walk, take public transit, or use a combination of these modes to get to work. The City currently has about 12 employees who participate (6 carpool, 2 bike, 2 walk, 1 public transit, and 1 combination of modes). The program costs the City about $8,500 per year. Information about the program is posted on the City’s employee “intranet” with all necessary instructions and forms. The City does not currently have a bike fleet or share program. In Manhattan Beach, only one staff member administers the program.
3 http://www.ca-ilg.org/sustainability-best-practice-area/efficient-transportation#agency-employeeprograms 939
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Redondo Beach
The City of Redondo Beach launched its “Employee Rideshare Program” in 2008. Employees who carpool, walk, bike, use public transit, vanpool, or drive alternative fuel vehicles earn incentive points on a daily basis that can be traded in for Sears gift certificates. Redondo Beach offers guaranteed return trip services, ride matching services, free CNG fueling, and an annual prize drawing for all employees who participate.
Torrance
The City of Torrance launched its “Catch a Ride” program to comply with the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (SCAQMD) rule 2202. Rule 2202 requires employers with 250 or more employees to reduce mobile source emissions generated from employee commutes. In the Catch a Ride program, employees who carpool, walk, bike, use public transit, or vanpool earn points on a daily basis that can be traded in for time off, gas vouchers, gift cards, and discounts on public transit. Program participants are eligible for emergency rides home, preferential parking, free car washes, and ride matching services.
Santa Monica
The City of Santa Monica reduced emissions from employee commutes through its Rideshare Club. The Rideshare Club consists of three sub-categories, the Commute Club, the Transit Club, and the Vanpool Subsidy Club. The Commute Club provides incentive points to employees who bike, carpool, drive an electric scooter, walk, ride the bus, and more.
Participants can drive as part of their commute or mix these options. A carpool consists of two or more people (they do not need to be coworkers at the City, but children without driver’s licenses do not count) who ride together at least 51% of round trip travel. Employees earn incentive points for each day they rideshare, and they exchange these points quarterly for a bonus on their paychecks. Commute Club participants must earn a minimum of 4 incentive points per month and a maximum of 40 points per month. Transit Club provides riders of mass transit fare reimbursement for travel costs to and from work. Mass transit includes bus, light rail, and train. To qualify, employees must use transit for at least 15 roundtrips per month. They are provided up to $84 for bus and $100 for rail. The Vanpool Subsidy Club provides employees who participate in a vanpool with up to $100 per month. To provide alternative mode commuters with mobility options at work, the City allows staff to borrow a bike from its “Bikes At Work” fleet to run errands, exercise, or attend meetings.
Recommendations
To reduce gross greenhouse gas emissions attributed to employee commutes, the City of Hermosa Beach should revise its Employee Commute Reduction Program (ECRP) to better incentivize employees to adopt alternative modes of commute and to generate lasting program participation. This section provides a brief description of the strategies the City could employ. 940
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1. Appoint an Employee Transportation Coordinator
The City should institutionalize its commuter program by designating a staff member to serve as the citywide Employee Transportation Coordinator (ETC). This staff person’s work plan would include launching a revamped program and tracking the success of the program through annual surveys. Typically, ETCs are staff members in human resources, but Hermosa Beach might find it is more successful in recruiting staff who are already involved in promoting other sustainability-related initiatives. At an employer of Hermosa Beach’s size, the ETC role would not be a full-time position. This person would also serve as the go-to peer to answer questions, administer incentives, and disseminate informational materials to educate and inform fellow staff members about their options. Finally, this role would include investigating resources the City could access from Metro’s Commute Services, in order to further strengthen the program.
2. Form Partnerships
In concert with the newly-appointed ETC, Hermosa Beach should form partnerships with nearby employers to increase the likelihood of a carpool or vanpool match. The options are limited, but they include:
● The Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce’s 300 members, who represent firms that employ many private sector workers in Hermosa Beach. ● The Hermosa Beach City School District. School District offices are a short walk from Hermosa Beach City Hall, on the campus of Hermosa Valley School.
However, as 55% of commute survey respondents work a 4/10 schedule, from 7AM to 6PM Monday through Thursday, and school district employees may have different work schedules than City employees.
Hermosa Beach could also promote online ride matching through services already provided by Metro (www.ridematch.info). Unfortunately, no existing vanpool routes terminate in Hermosa Beach; many terminate in El Segundo.
3. Restructure Incentives
A common theme among successful local employee commute reduction programs is the provision of incentives to participants. These programs typically provide a monetary incentive to employees who participate a certain number of times per month, or employees earn incentive points on a daily basis that can be traded in for monetary incentives or other prizes. Of the 64 employees who answered the question, “What is the minimum monthly cash reward that would entice you to carpool, bike, walk, or take public transit to and from work at least 50% of the time?” in the 2013 Employee Commute Survey, 42% answered $30-50, and 37.5% answered greater than $50. Based on these results and the programs of neighboring cities, here are some future considerations:
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● Create a tiered incentive system: Although as of July 2013 no employees were participating in the City’s rideshare program, about 11% were biking, carpooling, walking or taking transit to work at least one day a week. This gap in participation could reflect the program’s stringent requirement, enforcing 3 days participation each week to qualify for incentives. To encourage more employee participation, the City could create a tiered incentive system in which participants utilizing the program more receive a larger incentive. For instance, employees who participate 5 days per month receive $20, and those who participate 10 days per month receive $50.
● Create a “points based” incentive system: Like the Cities of Redondo Beach, Torrance, and Santa Monica, Hermosa Beach could create a system based upon incentive points that are earned on a daily basis. This system also encourages employees to participate who are not ready for the existing program’s stringent requirement of 3 days per week. At the end of the month or the quarter, employees can trade in their incentive points for cash or prizes. ● Incorporate alternative fuel vehicle commuters: Some municipalities, like Manhattan Beach, offer incentives to employees who commute in 100% alternative fuel vehicles (100% electric, CNG, LNG, hydrogen fuel cell).
Hermosa Beach could even look to subsidize alternative fuel vehicle purchases and leases as a component of planned compensation increases. If the employee saves money on vehicle operation costs, the alternative fuel vehicle incentive could put additional money in the employee’s pocket above and beyond the City’s contribution.
The City of Hermosa Beach may also consider providing direct subsidies or a pre-tax set-aside for workers who use transit and vanpool.
● Direct subsidies: Employers can provide up to $230 per month tax-free to employees who use transit or vanpools. The employer therefore pays the benefit and receives equivalent deduction from business income taxes. The employer pays directly for vanpool expenses or purchases transit passes for employees. ● Set aside pre-tax dollars: Employees are allowed to set aside up to $230 per month of their pretax income to pay for transit or vanpools. Employees save on payroll and income taxes since it is not reported as a taxable salary. The amount set aside is a benefit and therefore reduces employer payroll costs. ● Partially subsidize costs: The employer subsidizes a portion of vanpool or transit costs in addition to salary, and allows employees to pay the rest.
Finally, if it is eligible to do so, Hermosa Beach should submit a Rideshare Service Agreement with Metro’s Commute Services division in order to make its employees eligible for Metro Rewards. Metro Rewards is an incentive program available at no cost 942
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to participating employers. In 2014, the Metro Rewards program provided workers who commuted using an environmentally-friendly mode with a coupon discount book to purveyors of goods and services throughout Los Angeles County worth $1,000 in immediate savings. The eligibility threshold is much lower: Employees must rideshare at least 8 work days a month during three consecutive months.
4. Add Bike Accommodations
To support bicycle commuting and the use of bicycles for mid-day trips, the City of Hermosa Beach should investigate:
● Ensuring there is adequate and safe bicycle parking at all work sites. ● Including building showers and lockers with bicycle commuters in facility renovation plans.
● Launching a bike barn at City Hall and the City Yard to allow for use of shared bicycles, including electric-assist bicycles.
● Initiating a Take Home Bike Program, which allows nearby employees to take home bicycles or neighborhood electric vehicles for use in commutes.
5. Determine a Telecommuting Policy
Instituting a telecommuting policy could help the City significantly lower vehicle emissions attributed to employee commuting, especially if initiated as an option for longdistance commuters. This would be both effective in reducing emissions and attractive to employees with significant commutes. Thirty-four percent of employees surveyed expressed interest in this option in the 2013 Employee Commute Survey. These employees indicated their ability to use such a policy 3 to 4 times a month; however 46% stated their work would not be compatible with telecommuting, and 17% were not interested. Several cities had success. A few strategies the City of Hermosa Beach should include when determining a telecommuting policy are listed below:
● Establish an eligibility list of suitable job categories, employment status, and prior performance ratings for telecommuting.
● Create a performance agreement for those employees eligible to telecommute, specifying a minimum for office-based hours, accessibility during regular work hours, methods of communication with supervisor, and necessary requirements for alternative worksites including computer specification and special equipment, desk size and configuration.
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Hermosa Beach Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan
Other Emissions
Natural Gas
Hermosa Beach uses natural gas for both building energy and some vehicles in the City’s fleet.
Increasing the energy efficiency of the City’s natural gas vehicles and equipment is key to gross emissions reductions. However, even with efficiency improvements, the 2013 Hermosa Beach Carbon Neutral Scoping Plan found that gross reductions in natural gas emissions are limited by the fuel’s inherent greenhouse gas intensity. This is in contrast to gross greenhouse gas emissions from electricity, which can be eliminated through use of renewable generation.
Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have generated interest in low-carbon sources of natural gas. The section on the City’s vehicle fleet details an option for transferable credits when renewable natural gas is used as a transportation fuel. Biogas Transfer Credits may be a future option for other uses of natural gas.
Biogas Transfer Credits
Biogas Transfer Credits are a concept to separate the renewable qualities and emissions benefits from physical biogas, in a manner similar to RECs and LCFS credits. Biogas (or biomethane) is natural gas that is produced from the breakdown of organic material in the absence of oxygen. Biogas can be produced through anaerobic digestion at facilities that handle green waste, manure, municipal solid waste, and sewage. Biogas must typically be cleaned in order to improved quality, but can then be compressed into Biogas CNG or liquefied into Biogas LNG. Biogas combustion is considered a biogenic source of greenhouse gas emissions, and is not included in gross emissions totals in greenhouse gas inventories.
Historically, most biogas used for energy in California has been combusted on-site or nearby a landfill, dairy, or sewage treatment plant. A new law may bring new opportunities for pipeline biogas use in California. In 2014, the California Public Utilities Commission adopted regulations to implement AB 1900 (2012) enabling biogas injections into natural gas pipelines. The implementing regulations pertain to safety requirements and recordkeeping for biogas injections, including a facility’s annual biomethane production rate. The law does not establish Biogas Transfer Credits in California, but future laws or regulations could do so.
If Biogas Transfer Credits (or conceptually similar units with a different name) become available in the U.S. or California, Hermosa Beach could look to acquire credits to offset its natural gas consumption. For Hermosa Beach to take credit in its inventory, greenhouse gas accounting guidance would need to incorporate a method to adjust for the credits. 944
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Contract Vehicles
Hermosa Beach contracts its street cleaning, landscaping, and refuse & recycling services. The City has already included stipulations that some of these contractors use cleaner, natural gas vehicles. The City’s street cleaning provider and refuse/recycling service use natural gas vehicles.
The City’s Clean Fleet Policy and Action Plan establishes several goals for contracted vehicles:
● Interim:
○ Determine feasibility of 50% emissions reduction for City fleet and 20% emissions reduction for contractor service vehicles (implemented with new contracts, or with amendments when feasible).
● Long-term:
○ Net zero greenhouse gas emissions for City fleet.
○ Alternative fuel used for 100% of contracted City service vehicles. This is a lesser goal in that it is not a net carbon neutral goal.
In the future, Hermosa Beach can specify contract terms that require the service provider to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions from the services they perform on behalf of Hermosa Beach. Alternatively Hermosa Beach could require that the contracted service provider disclose the volume and carbon intensity of fuels and amount of electricity used to service the contract, and Hermosa Beach can then take additional steps to offset those emissions.
Solid Waste
The City’s 2007 inventory reported 167 metric tonnes from waste in landfills. Hermosa Beach does not have operational or financial control over a landfill. However, emissions from waste sent to landfills are considered to be Scope 3 emissions under the Air Resources Board’s Local Government Operations Protocol. The City should include these emissions within its offset program.
The City’s 2007 inventory reported 85 metric tonnes from all contract service vehicles. Because Hermosa Beach can exercise operational control over its waste service provider, compressed natural gas combustion emissions from Athens Services’ collection of waste and transfer to landfills would be considered Scope 3 transportation emissions from contracted services.
Hermosa Beach’s current contract with Athens Services ends in 2021. Before Hermosa Beach considers a new waste hauling contract, it can include Athens Services’ GHG emissions in the city’s annual purchases of GHG emissions offsets. Hermosa Beach can also seek to include contract terms that Athens offset their emissions, if the City amends the contract before 2021. 945
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Water
According to the 2007 Municipal Inventory, Hermosa Beach has operational control over limited sprinkler and irrigation systems and lift stations. These emissions, derived from electricity, may be addressed through electricity procurement strategies. Hermosa Beach may wish to consider upstream emissions related to water treatment and distribution. In the 2013 Hermosa Beach Carbon Neutral Scoping Plan, West Basin Water District’s emissions factors for imported and recycled water were found to be 0.00414 and 0.00388 kgCO2e/gallon, respectively. Hermosa Beach could elect to track and offset upstream emissions from water use, but it is not necessary for the City to claim carbon neutral status under the Local Government Operations Protocol. 946
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Hermosa Beach Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan
Use of Greenhouse Gas Offsets
The Role of Offsets in Climate Commitments
Greenhouse gas offsets, typically denominated in metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e), represent avoided greenhouse gas emissions produced from a monetary investment in a specific project. Offset projects range from those that capture and destroy methane and other potent greenhouse gases to those that sequester emissions in soil, plants, and trees.
All aggressive (80% reduction or more) entity and community climate commitments referenced in this document either explicitly permit offsets or are silent on their use in achieving their goal.
Some commitments include separate goals for gross reductions - those achieved without the use of offsets - in addition to a goal for net emissions.
Commitments from organizations that plan to use offsets differ in the types of offsets that they will use. Some local governments and entities prefer to use offsets that are in some way connected to the city or entity. For instance, Austin Texas has its own boutique offset program, and the University of California plans to develop its own as well. Others have prescribed standards for the types of offsets they will pursue. Offsets range in quality: the ability to demonstrate that the offset is real, measurable, verifiable, additional, and permanent. Offsets of lower quality and those that are not connected to a particular sector or geography are typically cheaper. Various registries and protocols have been established to guarantee offset quality.
Defining Offsets
Real The offset has produced an actual reduction in GHG emissions, rather than shifting emissions to some other source.
Measurable The offset can be quantified, typically in metric tonnes of CO2-equivalent.
Verifiable An outside auditor can determine the existence of a single offset unit, which is then tracked using an offset registry.
Additional The offset was produced as a result of its value. The offset would not have occurred in the absence of an offset payment.
Permanent The offset cannot be reversed. If there is risk of reversal (e.g. the risk that forestry carbon stocks will be destroyed by wildfire), the offset protocol typically requires some portion of offsets be set aside. 947
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Cities and Offsets
Guidance on the Use of Offsets
Accounting guidance for local governments doesn’t allow cities to replace gross emissions with offsets. Instead, local governments report their use of offsets – and resulting net emissions – as an informational item.
Local Government Operations Protocol (section 13.1.2.5) “Carbon offsets retired/generated and sold.
Local governments should account for and report all carbon offsets which they purchase and retire. These offsets may not be deducted from Scope 1 or Scope 2 emissions due to the fact that a complete accounting framework which accurately and credibly tracks the ownership and retirement of these credits has not yet been established.
Local governments should also report any offsets that they both generate and sell as part of a climate mitigation project.”
U.S. Community Protocol for Accounting and Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions “The ICLEI community protocol requires the community to report gross GHG emissions without the impact of carbon offset projects, stocks, sinks, sequestration projects, purchases of carbon credits, or renewable energy certificates. The community may optionally, and separately, report the emissions reductions associated with any of the above activities.”
City Standards for Offset Quality
Few cities have specified the level of quality, types of projects, and project locations that they expect from offsets used to meet climate commitments.
British Columbia does have requirements for offsets used to meet that province’s goal for carbon neutral municipalities for 2012 and beyond. Offsets must be generated in British Columbia and meet the requirements set by the Pacific Carbon Trust, a boutique offset program established as a joint venture of the provincial government and a League of Cities equivalent.
Many local governments achieved carbon neutral municipal operations in 2012 or earlier, but the entire province is now readjusting its Carbon Neutral pursuits as a result of an offset scandal. The local offset registry, the Pacific Carbon Trust, has been absorbed by the provincial government after a scandal caused attempts to repeal the requirement that local governments neutralize their emissions. Local government were purchasing offsets at a cost of more than double the amount of their wholesale cost, and some of the offsets the Trust purchased and sold to local governments were ineligible under the provincial rules. 948
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British Columbia’s experience highlights the potential trade-off of establishing a new, boutique offset program. Establishing the Trust allowed British Columbia greater control over the locations and types of offset projects that would be funded. However, costs of the boutique offset program may be higher than under an established, multisectoral offset program, and as with any new entity, oversight is important to ensure that actions are within the public interest.
One alternative to establishing a boutique offset program is to invest in a narrow range of projects offered by an existing offset registry. Hermosa Beach could, for example, seek out forestry projects in the Western United States.
Municipal Utilities
Several municipal utilities make use of both offsets and renewable energy certificates (RECs) in order to make climate-related claims. Palo Alto Utilities uses RECs that are eligible under California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard. The Sacramento Municipal Utilities District invests in its own projects as well as RECs eligible in California. Outside of California, Austin Energy makes direct contracts with wind generators. Seattle Power & Light uses offsets from the Climate Action Reserve and other third-party organizations.
Universities and Colleges
The few colleges that have already achieved carbon neutral status have chosen to be transparent about their use of offsets and the projects in which they invest. As educational institutions, these entities can incorporate a discussion of climate commitments and the use of offsets within their curriculum. That offsets are required to meet Carbon Neutrality commitments can highlight the vast challenge in decarbonizing organizations and places.
The College of the Atlantic in Maine claims to be the first Carbon Neutral educational institution.
It chose to use offsets from specific projects from two carbon project developers: the Carbon Fund and the Climate Trust. These developers invested in a traffic signal optimization project in Portland, OR and a truck stop electrification project in Oregon and Washington. These two projects are verified to the Oregon Standard, an offset standard created by the state legislature.
Colby College, also in Maine, first invested on-campus: in a biomass project and energy retrofits. For the remaining emissions, Colby purchased and retired carbon offsets from three projects: two landfills in Maine and Connecticut and one farm in Michigan. The offsets are registered with the Climate Action Reserve and meet the Reserve’s verification requirements.
However, the offsets are not eligible for conversion to California Compliance Offsets because they were not verified to the more stringent California standard.
Green Mountain College, another Carbon Neutral educational institution, invested in a farm methane project in Vermont.
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Corporations
Microsoft is one of the few companies which details its use of offsets. Microsoft looks to use offsets that are credible, verifiable, and additional. Through the Gold Standard and Verified Carbon Standard offset registries, Microsoft has invested in reforestation in Kenya, home fuel switching in Mongolia, wind farms in China, and alternatives to deforestation in Brazil.
Consumers
TerraPass is a consumer service that retires offsets from the Verified Carbon Standard and Climate Action Reserve on behalf of consumers. One project registered on the Climate Action Reserve, the Arcata Community Forest, expanded an existing forest to protect adjacent land from logging.
Offset Programs Available to Hermosa Beach
Both California Compliance Offsets and voluntary offsets are available to Hermosa Beach.
California Compliance Offsets
California Compliance Offsets are admissible to the state’s Cap-and-Trade program. They are issued by the Air Resources Board. In certain cases, California Compliance Offsets can be converted from offsets generated by the Climate Action Reserve, Verified Carbon Standard, and American Carbon Registry.
California Cap-and-Trade
California’s Climate Change Scoping Plan outlines the state’s strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, as required by AB 32 (2006). The Scoping Plan relies heavily on a cap on greenhouse gas emissions that come from electricity, natural gas, transportation fuels, and certain other industries like cement production. Entities in these sectors must acquire and surrender an amount of emissions allowances equivalent to their greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from other sectors, like agriculture and landfills, are uncapped and will likely remain uncapped due to monitoring and verification challenges in enforcing compliance. Emissions reductions projects from uncapped sectors can produce compliance offsets.
California Greenhouse Gas Allowances
The California Air Resources Board issues both California Greenhouse Gas Allowances and ARB Offset Credits, which together serve as compliance instruments for sources subject to state’s Cap-and-Trade program. Up to 8% of the total compliance obligations for a year can be met using ARB Offset Credits. The Air Resources Board issues ARB Offset Credits for projects that meet certain criteria contained in an approved offset protocol. Registry Offsets from projects meeting the same criteria but registered with the American Carbon Registry, Climate Action Reserve, or Verified Carbon Standard can be converted to ARB Offset Credits. 950
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California Greenhouse Gas Allowances and ARB Offset Credits are both denominated in metric tonnes of CO2-equivalent, and are identical aside from the ARB Offset Credits being limited to 8% of the overall compliance obligation. Hermosa Beach can acquire and retire either California Greenhouse Gas Allowances or ARB Offset Credits to offset its greenhouse gas emissions within California’s Cap-and-Trade program.
Allowances are available in vintages corresponding to the three established compliance periods, 2013-14, 2015-17, and 2018-20. When retiring allowances to offset the City’s emissions from municipal operations, the City should retire offsets of the same vintage as the year to be offset.
For example, if the City wishes to offset its 2015 emissions, it should retire 2017 vintage offsets.
Acquiring California Allowances to Offset Hermosa Beach’s Emissions Hermosa Beach is not a covered entity and does not have a compliance obligation under California’s Cap-and-Trade Program. Hermosa Beach does indirectly participate in California’s Cap-and-Trade system. Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas, and transportation fuels distributors who sell products and services to Hermosa Beach and their contractors do have a compliance obligation, and these entities must surrender allowances to the Air Resources Board for each compliance period.
Hermosa Beach has several options to retire California Greenhouse Gas Emissions Allowances.
The City can register on the California Air Resources Board’s Compliance Instrument Tracking System Service (CITSS) to purchase allowances at auction and transfer compliance instruments to the Retirement Account. The City can register as a Voluntary Associated Entity pursuant to California Code of Regulations Section 95814. Under this scenario, the City could acquire allowances:
● Directly from the Air Resources Board at quarterly auctions. The City must register as an auction participant after establishing a CITSS Account and submitting a bid guarantee prior to each auction.
● From a third party via an exchange. The Intercontinental Exchange and CME Group offer futures contracts for California Carbon Allowances (CCA). Futures contracts provide for delivery of a tangible or intangible asset at a future date. For instance, between now and December 24, 2015, Hermosa Beach could purchase and retire 2017 Vintage California Carbon Allowances to be delivered to Hermosa Beach’s CITSS account at the end of December 2015.
● From a third party via an over-the-counter transaction. The third party must maintain a CITSS Account and the transaction must be registered on CITSS to guarantee legitimacy.
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Hermosa Beach can also work with a registered Voluntarily Associated Entity to purchase and retire offsets on behalf of the City. A Voluntarily Associated Entity would conduct transactions on Hermosa Beach’s behalf. Several brokers hold CITSS accounts and provide carbon offsetting (or “balancing”) services on behalf of third parties, like Hermosa Beach. These include:
● 3Degrees - offers Carbon Balancing Services
● Element Markets - developer and supplier of GHG credits, including California ● Evolution Markets - Kyoto, EU-ETS, RGGI, & California Hermosa Beach should expect to pay a slight price premium or service fee when working with an exchange or Voluntary Associated Entity to purchase and retire allowances. For instance, contracts for 2014 allowances delivered at the end of September 2014 traded for $12.00 on the Intercontinental Exchange, while allowances from the August 2014 Air Resources Board auction settled at $11.50.
Retiring California Allowances to Offset Hermosa Beach’s Emissions Retiring California Compliance Instruments is simple. Hermosa Beach, a broker, or a third party can access CITSS and process a transfer from the General Account to the Retirement Account.
Instruments transferred to a compliance account will result in real offsets to Hermosa Beach’s emissions.
Analysis of California Allowance Prices
California allowances are of the highest quality, as they are used for compliance in a legallybinding Cap-and-Trade program. As such, California allowances are more expensive than offsets for voluntary programs.
The California Air Resources Board has sold allowances at auction since the fall of 2012.
Allowance prices peaked at $14.00 in May of 2013. The settlement price at 2014 auctions (as of August) has concentrated between $11.48 and $11.50.
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California Air Resources Board Allowance Auction Prices In the 2010 Economic Analysis, the Air Resources Board projected a 7% annual price increase from 2012 through 2020, which is roughly what a company could earn on invested capital. The reasoning behind that is because entities with a compliance obligation can hold onto allowances for a future compliance period, and allowances are subject to a rate of return similar to what allowance holders can achieve from asset classes of a similar risk. If allowance holders expected allowances to appreciate at a higher rate (say 10%), they would buy and bank allowances in pursuit of an extraordinary profit opportunity. This would bid up the price of allowances to a price level where the extraordinary profit opportunity vanishes (back to 7%).
The 2010 Economic Analysis projected an allowance price of $25 per metric tonne in 2020. At a 7% annual price increase, expected 2014 values would be $16.66 per tonne, $5.16 higher than the latest auction. Because of this price discrepancy, an updated analysis is needed to forecast allowance prices through 2020. The analysis below projects a 5.8% (low-case), 7% (mid-case), or 11% (high case) annual increase in allowance prices after 2014. 953
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Projected California Air Resources Board Allowance Prices Cost
Projection
Annual %
Increase 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Low 5.8% $11.50 $12.17 $12.87 $13.62 $14.41 $15.24 $16.13 Middle 7.0% $11.50 $12.31 $13.17 $14.09 $15.07 $16.13 $17.26 High 11.0% $11.50 $12.77 $14.17 $15.73 $17.46 $19.38 $21.51 Analysis by Kaizenergy
The California State Legislature must amend state law for the state’s Cap-and-Trade program to continue beyond 2020. Two factors point towards continuation of the Cap-and-Trade program.
First, the legislature and public’s support for addressing climate change through carbon pricing remains strong. Second, allowing the program to end would mean a significant loss of revenue from allowance sales. With future Cap-and-Trade auction revenues already committed to the California High Speed Rail project, abandoning carbon pricing would leave the project partiallyfinished or in search of another multi-billion dollar source of funds.
Voluntary Offset Registries
Voluntary greenhouse gas emissions offsets have been available for two decades. Most climate commitments have used voluntary offsets to validate emissions reductions claims.
Outside of California, Quebec, and a handful of other places subject to Cap-and-Trade programs, voluntary offsets are the standard instruments of making carbon claims.
Voluntary offsets are available at a fraction of the price of compliance offsets. A 2013 study of voluntary offsets found an average price of $4.90 per metric tonne of CO2-equivalent, 42% of the California ARB allowance price.
A system of registries and independent verifiers are responsible for assuring the quality of voluntary offsets. Registries determine policy related to offset production through protocols, work with the offset project developer to verify the project, issue offset units based on the metric tonnes of reductions produced, and track the transfer offset units between parties. Some projects on these registries can also be certified to produce California Compliance Offsets, if the projects meet certain protocol and verification requirements 954
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Voluntary Offset Registries
Offset Registry Share of
Global
Market
Convertible
to ARB
Offsets?
Notes
Verified Carbon Standard 47% Some
projects
70 U.S.-based projects (of 1,200+).
VCS has the most methodologies of
any offset registry.
The Gold Standard 15% No Focuses on offsets produced outside of the United States, primarily in
developing countries.
Climate Action Reserve 5% Some
projects
California-based organization (Los
Angeles) focused on offsets produced
in the U.S. (360 projects), Mexico (8
projects), and Canada. 51 projects are
in California.
American Carbon Registry 1% Some 95 U.S.-based projects (of 105). Staff trained on ARB protocols.
Market shares based on 2013 data in Forest Trends State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets 2014 Voluntary Offset Project Types
Offset projects must adhere to an approved protocol or methodology. While the California Air Resources Board has approved protocols for five project types, the various voluntary registries have approved dozens of protocols and methodologies.
The table below presents the range of offset projects, which are classified by their Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gas emissions sector.
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Types of Offset Projects, by Emissions Sector
Sectoral Scope Registries with
approved
method/protocol
Types of projects
1 - Energy Generation ACR, VCS, TGS Cogeneration facilities, fuel use in cooking stoves
2 - Energy Distribution ACR Recycling of transformer oil 3 - Energy Demand ACR, VCS Building weatherization, campus energy efficiency
4 - Manufacturing
Industries
None None yet
5 - Chemical Industries VCS Chemical production processes 6 - Construction None yet
7 - Transport ACR, VCS Vehicle fuel switching, truck stop electrification
8 - Mining/Mineral
Production
ARB, CAR Coal mine methane
9 - Metal Production None None
10 - Fugitive Emissions
from Fuels
None None
11 - Fugitive Emissions
from Gases
CAR, VCS Destruction of ozone depleting
substances, leak detection
12 - Solvents Use None None
13 - Waste Handling and
Disposal
CAR, VCS Landfill methane capture, organic waste
composting
14 - Agriculture, Forestry,
Land Use
ACR, ARB, CAR,
VCS, TGS
Rice cultivation, forestry, urban forest,
prevention of deforestation, fertilizer
management, soil management,
15 - Livestock and
Manure Management
ARB, CAR Manure management, grazing
management
ACR = American Carbon Registry, ARB = California Air Resources Board, CAR = Climate Action Reserve, TGS = The Gold Standard, VCS = Verified Carbon Standard, 956
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Recommendations on Use of Offsets
Offsets are an important part of an aggressive climate commitment, as demonstrated by other cities, corporations, and colleges that have claimed or plan to achieve Carbon Neutrality status.
Offsets put a price signal on carbon emissions. By purchasing offsets, Hermosa Beach acknowledges the real environmental cost of greenhouse gases emissions from municipal operations. Offsets also signal that the City is looking for other ways to reduce its emissions as any investments to reduce gross emissions will, in turn, reduce future offset expenditures. As such, the sustained use of offsets can be seen as a commitment device for achieving gross emissions reductions: the City cannot simply ignore the cost of its gross greenhouse gas emissions. As a climate commitment device, offset retirements are not limited to a certain percentage of a City’s emissions ㅡ the City pledges to neutralize gross emissions at any level.
However, offsets are not a free pass to emit; they are only effectively utilized as part of a larger climate action strategy. Hermosa Beach stakeholders may have a negative perception of the City’s use of offsets, especially if they feel the City’s efforts to reduce gross emissions are inadequate. Use of offsets alone will not accomplish the City’s other objectives or lead to the desired co-benefits from the City’s climate action efforts.
Transparency is exceedingly important in climate action, especially when offsets are used.
Hermosa Beach should establish a performance monitoring program that includes regular reporting of the City’s climate action efforts, along with publishing greenhouse gas emissions inventories. Offsets utilized within a public education and outreach campaign that focuses on the City’s efforts to reduce its gross greenhouse gas emissions from municipal operations.
The offsets should tell a story that people can connect to when understanding the City’s climate actions and considering their own.
The experience of existing cities and entities, particularly the three educational institutions, highlights the possibility to connect offsets with a community as part of a public education program about a city’s climate action efforts. By investing in certain projects – projects whose stories resonate with residents – Hermosa Beach can communicate the climate action challenges that it is seeking while connecting the community with specific projects they can also invest in to offset their own emissions.
While a wide range of offset project types exist, Hermosa Beach may find some more suitable than others if the City wishes to include its own offset retirements as part of a public education and outreach program. The public may feel more of a connection with offsets generated within the United States, especially those from projects in California. 957
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Should Hermosa Beach Use Compliance or Voluntary Offsets? Hermosa Beach must decide whether to use the cheaper voluntary emissions offsets or the more expensive California Compliance Offsets. The annual price of offsets to cover the City’s 2007 municipal inventory in all cost projection scenarios is less than 0.1% of the City’s general fund budget.
Range of Annual Costs to Offset 1,552 Metric Tonnes of CO2-e Scenario Offset Price per Metric Tonne Annual Cost to
Offset 1,552 MT
ARB - Current $11.50 (August 2014 auction price) $17,848 ARB - Future High $21.51 (high-case projection for 2020) $33,383 Voluntary - Current $5.00 $7,760
Voluntary - Future High $7.50 $11,640
Under this range of prices, the City will find that many of its opportunities to reduce gross greenhouse gas emissions are not cost competitive with offsets or allowances. For example, for $99.84, the City could retire the more expensive ARB-eligible allowances (at $11.50/metric tonne) to offset the tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions of a 2002 Ford Expedition traveling 60 miles round trip, 4 days per week, 48 weeks per year. The annual cost of ARB-eligible offsets to neutralize for a Prius traveling 15 miles per day is approximately $7.74. Incidentally, the Expedition driver would save $2,051.30 per year in fuel costs (at $4.00/gallon) by switching to a Prius. This example illustrates both how inexpensive greenhouse gas emissions are, even within California’s Cap-and-Trade system, and also the need for strategic climate action policies that are well-integrated within the City’s existing municipal operations. It also illustrates that use of offsets can be the most cost-effective option to achieve a given level of reductions.
The price of allowances will increase in the future as California’s cap on emissions decreases and early actions are exhausted, but even a seven-fold increase in allowance price would only yield a $60 per-month incentive for the Ford Expedition driver to switch to a carpool. The City has found this level of incentive too low for many employees. 958
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Advantages and Disadvantages of ARB and Voluntary Offsets Advantages Disadvantages
Voluntary ● Are 50% cheaper than California
Compliance Offsets.
● Offers a greater variety of projects.
● Most projects are located
outside of California.
● Voluntary offsets can be
perceived to be lower quality
than compliance offsets.
California
Compliance
● California offsets are perceived as
the highest quality offsets.
● There exists a strong connection
between Hermosa Beach and
statewide actions: these offsets can
help the City explain statewide
actions including cap and trade
program.
● Their use creates additional
emissions reductions within
California; effectively reducing the
cap.
● Their use shows Hermosa Beach is
willing to put a higher price on
greenhouse gas emissions.
● California offsets are more
expensive; and these
additional expenditures could
be used to reduce gross
emissions.
● It may be more difficult for
consumers to acquire and
retire offsets if households
and businesses within
Hermosa Beach want to
invest in the same offset
project as the City.
➤
➣
➢
Hermosa Beach should primarily rely on California Compliance Offsets to validate its emissions claims. Although California Offsets are slightly more expensive, their higher perceived quality and the connection they provide to statewide climate actions will make Hermosa Beach’s climate commitment more robust.
Selecting Among ARB-Approved California Compliance Offsets Up to 10% of allowances in California’s Cap-and-Trade system can come from offsets. While, purchasing and retiring California Emissions Allowances has the same effect on emissions as purchasing and retiring California Compliance Offsets, Emissions Allowances have a number of limitations that make them less ideal for Hermosa Beach. For instance, it is difficult to explain within a public education campaign, that, as a result of Hermosa Beach’s offset purchases, a petroleum refinery or a natural gas power plant had to pay a slightly higher price to comply with California’s greenhouse gas regulations. Emissions allowances are intangible, and the only distinguishing characteristic is their ARB-assigned serial number.
Offsets have a story: a project location, emissions removal process, and organization associated with their production. As of September 2014, Hermosa Beach can choose from 959
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projects among the five ARB-approved offset protocols. Offsets from each type of project are functionally equivalent in mitigating climate change as they are denominated in metric tonnes of CO2-equivalent. However, each individual project can tell a different story. In choosing among project types, Hermosa Beach should consider how stakeholders can relate to the project’s location, the type of project, and the organization that produces the offset and receives payment. In addition, attractive photographs of the project itself would aid in any public education and outreach efforts the city conducts.
U.S. Forest Projects
The link between trees and carbon dioxide emissions is well-established in middle school biology classes. Trees are tangible, beautiful, and provide a range of ecosystem services besides converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. Projects certified under the U.S. Forest Protocol provide for the preservation of large, contiguous forest lands in the United States, including some locations in California. These forests will provide for attractive photographs, and the sites could even be visited by Hermosa Beach stakeholders. The offsets are produced by non-profit conservation organizations or private landowners.
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U.S. Forest Project
Harvego Bear River Preserve Project / Photo by Placer Land Trust Urban Forest Offsets
Urban forests, including street trees, parks, and wildlands within city limits, are highly soughtafter amenities that provide shade, mitigate the urban heat island effect, and give character to streets and parks. Under current Air Resources Board guidance, planned tree planting and maintenance activities within the urban forest and qualify for offsets. Few projects have used this approach thus far, but a possible protocol update could expand the volume of offsets that come from urban forest projects.
The Climate Action Reserve approved two Urban Forest protocols in June 2014. The Urban Forest Management Protocol offers a programmatic approach to the updated Urban Tree Planting protocol. The California Air Resources Board previously adopted the Climate Action Reserve’s Urban Forest Protocol and will need to adopt the Urban Forest Management protocol for the programmatic approach to create California Compliance Offsets. The Reserve hopes that these new protocols facilitate implementation of more urban forest projects. 961
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Municipalities and counties can aggregate projects within an urban area boundary, as established by the U.S. Census Bureau. Projects must be a minimum of 50 acres. Projects are issued credits that are for renewable 25-year periods. Projects are subject to monitoring, reporting, and verification for 100 years to ensure permanent removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Carbon offsets are generated annually based on the difference in standing live carbon stocks in trees that results from an urban forest management plan (versus the area’s baseline).
The City of Santa Monica’s Urban Forest Protocol Project was the first submitted to the Climate Action Reserve. The 1,000 new trees planted under the City’s Urban Forest Master Plan are estimated to produce 5,000 metric tonnes in CO2 reductions over 100 years, or an average of roughly 50 metric tons per year. The fact that this is roughly 4% of Hermosa Beach’s emissions from municipal operations illustrates the sheer number of trees needed to offset emissions. To date, the Santa Monica project hasn’t produced any offsets.
Boulder estimates that its urban forest of approximately 330,000 trees sequesters 2,000 tons of CO2 annually.
Because the annual amount of emissions sequestered from an urban forest in a 1.4 square mile city would be low relative to the municipality’s emissions from operations, Hermosa Beach may wish to express interest in participating in any potential future South Bay Cities Council of Governments-wide or county-wide urban forest management protocol effort. A larger effort could be more efficient for cities that wish to participate.
Livestock Projects
The ARB’s livestock projects involve biogas control systems to manage manure on cattle and pig farms. Manure is processed into biogas in a digester, then typically combusted to produce electricity and heat. Livestock projects provide a connection to the familiar topics of farms and food, though this could be perceived as negative as many of the livestock projects are sited at concentrated animal feeding operations. Offsets are typically produced by companies that specialize in biogas control systems and complying with the offset protocols. 962
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Livestock Project
New Hope Dairy Livestock Biogas Digester Project in Galt, CA / Photo American Biogas Council Ozone Depleting Substances
Some substances which deplete the ozone layer also have a high global warming potential, as measured in carbon dioxide equivalent. Ozone depleting substances that also have a high global warming potential are used as refrigerants, solvents, and fire suppressants. Destroying these substances provides both ozone protection and greenhouse gas reduction.
Chemical companies typically produce greenhouse gas offsets from the destruction of ozone depleting substances, and photos of the project locations appear to be a chemical plant.
Mine Methane Capture
In a mine methane project, methane is combusted and used to make energy.
The ARB recently approved the Mine Methane Capture Protocol. The Climate Action Reserve has existing projects registered in Alabama, Colorado, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Coal mine methane projects may be challenging to explain in a public education and outreach campaign that highlights Hermosa Beach’s actions and use of offsets. The projects may evoke a negative association with dirty coal mining and burning coal in power plants, both environmentally harmful activities. In addition, payments to the mining companies or energy/environmental service companies that produce the offsets are unlikely to be viewed as positively compared with payments to forest conservation non-profits. 963
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Photos of projects depend on mine location; the project in Colorado is on a scenic mountainside.
Mine Methane Capture Project
Vessels Coal Gas project in Colorado / photo by Vessels Coal Gas ➤
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Hermosa Beach should prioritize U.S. Forest and Urban Forest offset projects, but may consider other projects within an offset portfolio. Other important considerations are whether Hermosa Beach stakeholders can invest in the same project as the City and how the specific project would fit within the City’s outreach and education efforts. 964
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Hermosa Beach Municipal Carbon Neutral Plan
Performance Monitoring, Costs, Transparency, and Outreach Performance Monitoring
In committing to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions from municipal operations, the City of Hermosa Beach is assuming responsibility for its own emissions. It will track and neutralize its contributions to global emissions. Thus, greenhouse gas emissions are now seen as a liability to the City, and the City should take steps to continuously account for emissions with processes similar to how the City accounts for cash, indebtedness, and other assets and liabilities. After the City sets a greenhouse gas reduction target for local government operations, Hermosa Beach should conduct an annual greenhouse gas emissions inventory within 9 months of the close of each calendar year. Meeting this timeline necessitates that the City implement systems to track the following at a minimum of a calendar-year resolution:
● Amount (kWh) of electricity used for each service account, by year. If electric vehicle chargers used exclusively for municipal operations are submetered, this electricity may be broken out into vehicle fleet.
● Volume of gasoline, diesel, natural gas, and other fuels loaded into City-owned vehicles and equipment.
● Volume of gasoline, diesel, natural gas, and other fuels attributable to Hermosa Beach from contracted waste, landscaping, and street sweeping services. ● Miles traveled by vehicle type for employee commutes and business travel. ● City pairs and number of City passengers for any business travel flights taken. ● Weight and composition of waste generated by the City’s municipal operations. ● Recharge volume of high-global warming potential gases into vehicle or facility air conditioning units, fire extinguishers, or other equipment.
Performance Monitoring Tools
Much of this data can be tracked in ICLEI’s Master Data Workbook4, an Excel spreadsheetbased tool that can be compiled by multiple individuals or shared on a networked hard drive.
Two web-based tools will assist Hermosa Beach in tracking activity data and conducting an annual emissions inventory. These are described below.
4 ICLEI’s Master Data Workbook is recommended for Hermosa Beach’s purposes over The Climate Registry’s Local Government Operations Protocol Activity Data Entry Workbook, developed by Juan Matute in 2009
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ClearPath Tool for Online Greenhouse Gas Performance Monitoring ClearPath is a web-based tool that allows local governments to perform community-scale and government operations GHG inventories in the cloud. Multiple users can collaborate to enter data from different departments, and the data can be exported in the common .csv format for sharing outside of the web-based tool. ClearPath includes modules for forecasting business-asusual emissions changes (adjusting for state-level actions like renewable electricity and fuel economy standards) and forecasting the effectiveness of various emissions mitigation strategies.
ClearPath offers two tracks: a Government Track and a Community-Scale Track. Using the Government Track, a user can create an inventory following the guidelines of the Local Government Operations Protocol. Using ClearPath, a local government can translate its activity data, like fuel or electricity use, into greenhouse gas emissions by using emissions factors.
ClearPath contains default emission factors, including some that are California-specific. Users can also add their own emissions factors, for instance a utility-specific value for kg CO2e from electricity. ClearPath allows users to compare between inventory years, tracking progress over time. An inventory module user guide contains additional information about ClearPath’s features.
With data tracking, emissions calculation, and forecasting in the same web-based tool, Hermosa Beach can close the loop between climate target setting, performance monitoring, and iterative policymaking.
Hermosa Beach has access to ICLEI ClearPath as an ICLEI member and a California Local Government through the Statewide Energy Efficiency Collaborative California (SEEC). SEEC is a collaboration between investor-owned gas and electric utilities, ICLEI, the Institute for Local Government, and the Local Government Commission. The SEEC program website offers live and recorded training materials on ClearPath and other resources.