DATE:
March 26, 2024
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
Community Development
TITLE: 2023 Annual Progress Report:
2030 General Plan
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the 2023 General Plan Annual Progress Report and direct staff to submit the report to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (Attachment 1 to the Council Report).
BACKGROUND
General Plan Annual Progress Report
In 2012, the City Council adopted the 2030 General Plan and the related General Plan Action Plan.
The 2030 General Plan Action Plan is a list of action items that carry out the General Plan’s goals and policies. These action items include programs, plans, studies, ordinance updates, and other measures.
Government Code Section 65400 requires cities to prepare an Annual Progress Report (APR) on General Plan implementation. The report must be reviewed and accepted by the City Council and California Office of Planning Research (OPR) on an annual basis.
Environmental Planning Commission
The 2023 General Plan Annual Progress report was presented to the Environmental Planning
Commission (EPC) for review on February 21, 2024 . T he EPC unanimously recommended that the City Council consider the 2023 Annual Progress report of the General Plan. The EPC directed staff to provide additional details for Council review, explaining the rationale behind categorizing 13 items as “discontinued.” It should be noted that this is the first-year items were identified in the report as discontinued.
In accordance with the EPC direction, staff reexamined the discontinued items in collaboration with other City departments, seeking comprehensive insights into the reasons for identifying them as discontinued. Subsequent to these discussions, one item, specifically Measure E -1.4:
2023 Annual Progress Report: 2030 General Plan
March 26, 2024
Residential Energy Star Appliances C, has been reclassified as “complete,” while three other items (see Table 1) have been recategorized from “discontinued” to “not started.”
The remaining nine items are integral to other ongoing initiatives, where the defined objectives of these specific items will be realized through alternative efforts. Therefore, they have been recategorized as “ ongoing.” For instance, Measure E -2.1: Residential Solar Water Heaters A through D , is presently being addressed through the City ’s initiatives in advancing building electrification. This initiative encompasses the installation of electric heat pump water heaters and the promotion of Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) heat pump water heater incentives. The reorientation of focus for the majority of items previously labeled as discontinued has effectively fulfilled the objectives of these measures through the advocacy of contemporary technologies and incentives.
Table 1: Recategorized Action Items
Action Items EPC Report
Category
Reclassified
Category
Measure E-1.4: Residential Energy Star Appliances C: Develop an outreach campaign to encourage developers to install Energy Star-rated major appliances in new residential units.
Discontinued Complete
Measure E-1.4: Residential Energy Star Appliances A:
Leverage the Energy Upgrade California platform to promote Energy Star appliances and electronics.
Discontinued Not Started
Measure E-1.4: Residential Energy Star Appliances B:
Collaborate with PG&E, Valley Water, and nonprofit
organizations to promote existing financial incentive programs to encourage voluntary replacement of inefficient appliances with new Energy Star appliances.
Discontinued Not Started
Measure E-1.5: Smart Grid C: Update the Green Building Code to require smart grid energy management and compatible
heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and lighting in new construction.
Discontinued Not Started
Measure E-1.5: Smart Grid A: Partner with PG&E and other community businesses to develop a community smart grid
integration plan.
Discontinued Ongoing
efforts
Measure E-1.5: Smart Grid B: Develop an outreach program that informs property owners and businesses about smart grid and smart appliance technologies.
Discontinued Ongoing
efforts
2023 Annual Progress Report: 2030 General Plan
March 26, 2024
Action Items EPC Report
Category
Reclassified
Category
Measure E-2.1: Residential Solar Water Heaters A: Develop a resident outreach program to provide information on the benefits of solar water heating (SWH) installation on
residential buildings.
Discontinued Ongoing
efforts
Measure E-2.1: Residential Solar Water Heaters B:
Collaborate with PG&E to offer low-interest loans for
homeowners with swimming pools to switch to SWH systems.
Discontinued Ongoing
efforts
Measure E-2.1: Residential Solar Water Heaters C:
Collaborate with PG&E and other agencies to provide
information about funding sources and financial incentives to support installation and maintenance of SWHs, including the California Solar Initiative Thermal Program.
Discontinued Ongoing
efforts
Measure E-2.1: Residential Solar Water Heaters D: Remove regulatory barriers to SWH system installation.
Discontinued Ongoing
efforts
Measure E-2.2: Nonresidential Solar Water Heaters A: Create an outreach program that promotes SWH systems and
provides information for business owners about the California Solar Initiative Thermal Program and related federal
incentives.
Discontinued Ongoing
efforts
Measure E-2.2: Nonresidential Solar Water Heaters B:
Remove regulatory barriers to SWH system installation.
Discontinued Ongoing
efforts
Measure E-2.3: Residential Solar Photovoltaic Systems A:
Develop outreach and technical assistance programs to
encourage the private installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.
Discontinued Ongoing
efforts
With these changes, there are no actions classified as “discontinued,” and staff feels the recategorization to completed, not started, and ongoing is a more accurate representation of the City’s progress on these actions.
The EPC also commented that there are several outstanding items identified in Exhibit A of Attachment 1 that have not started and may no longer be in line with City priorities. The EPC recommended Council contemplate , as part of future reviews , the status of unstarted items, considering their alignment with current City priorities, as part of future reviews.
2023 Annual Progress Report: 2030 General Plan
March 26, 2024
ANALYSIS
The draft Annual Progress Report (Attachment 1) includes four tables of General Plan action items for Council’s review: Table 1 includes items that have not started, are currently in progress, or were completed during 2023 (Exhibit A to Attachment 1); Table 2 includes items that were completed prior to 2023 (Exhibit B to Attachment 1); and Table 3 includes items that are achieved through day-to-day operations, practices, and policies (Exhibit C to Attachment 1).
Update on General Plan Implementation Progress
Since last year’s 2022 General Plan action item update, 11 items have been completed or have had significant parts completed:
• Five actions related to Village Centers, including LUD 3.2.1, LUD 3.2.2, LUD 3.2.4, LUD 6.1.1, and LUD 6.1.2, have been completed, though other parts of the actions remain in process .
See Table 1 for more information.
On January 24, 2023, the City Council adopted zoning and Precise Plan amendments to allow mixed-use village centers consistent with General Plan policy direction and land use designations.
• INC 9.1.1: Telecommunications Implementation Plan. Develop a telecommunications implementation plan for the placement of utilities, aerial installations, and utility replacement/upgrades in limited street rights-of-way.
Since 2014, the adopted Precise Plans (North Bayshore, El Camino, San Antonio, and East Whisman) have identified standards for developments to provide utility easements behind the public right-of-way to accommodate various utilities in areas which are limited in space on streets or sidewalks. These standards are applied to all subdivisions in the City.
Additionally, staff implemented a new micro-trenching standards detail in December 2022 for fiber telecommunication lines installed at a shallow depth and narrow width to minimize impacts to the public right-of-way and other utilities.
• Measure E-1.4: Residential Energy Star Appliances C. Develop an outreach campaign to encourage developers to install Energy Star-rated major appliances in new residential units.
Federal and state standards for appliance efficiency have increased over time, ensuring most new appliances in today’s market are energy -efficient by default. To reduce natural gas use, the City has shifted its focus to promote building electrification, including the installation of highly efficient electric appliances. The City continues to conduct outreach to encourage participation in programs offered by SVCE and Bay Area Regional Energy 2023 Annual Progress Report: 2030 General Plan
March 26, 2024
Network (BayREN) that offer incentives and technical assistance for installation of energy - efficient and electric appliances.
• Measure E -2.3: Residential Solar Photovoltaic Systems B. Provide information about rebates and low-interest financing programs for residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on the City’s website.
The City publishes information regarding incentives and rebates for a variety of home upgrades, including solar PV systems, on the City website.
• Measure E -2.4: Nonresidential Solar Photovoltaic Systems A. Analyze potential regulatory, structural, and market barriers to installing PV systems on nonresidential buildings and parking lots.
The City adopted the 2022 Energy Reach Code to support the installation of solar photovoltaic systems.
• Measure E-2.4: Nonresidential Photovoltaic Systems B. Develop outreach and technical assistance programs to encourage the installation of nonresidential solar PV systems.
The City publishes information regarding incentives and rebates for various nonresidential upgrades on the City website. This includes solar PV , technical assistance, and outreach programs from other organizations, such as SVCE and BayREN.
• Measure E-5.1: Solar Photovoltaic Systems on Municipal Buildings A. Conduct a solar power suitability analysis to determine the potential of install ing PV systems on other municipal facilities.
A solar feasibility analysis was completed in 2018 . City staff is tracking the Inflation Reduction Act and other possible funding options to identify cost- effective ways to install solar PV on municipal buildings. Staff has submitted interconnection applications to PG&E for future installation of solar PV on City buildings.
In addition to the completed items, there are ongoing efforts by staff to help implement action items. Some of the key efforts under this category include:
• Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Ordinance: Staff has refined Transportation Demand Management (TDM) conditions for development projects. As part of these efforts, staff is also developing performance reporting requirements for the existing TDM conditions. The Public Works Department continues to work with a consultant to develop a Citywide TDM Ordinance that will improve consistency, which includes refining the reporting requirements after the adoption of Citywide TDM requirements. The completion 2023 Annual Progress Report: 2030 General Plan
March 26, 2024
of the TDM Ordinance will allow staff to implement action items related to parking Citywide. The anticipated implementation timing is two years.
• Precise Plans and R3 Zoning : The Downtown Precise Plan Comprehensive Update and Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan started in late 2023. The Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan is intended to implement General Plan Change Area policies, as well as Actions LUD 23.1.1 (Moffett Boulevard Street Design Standards ) and LUD 23.8.1 ( Moffett Boulevard Parking Study). The City also has ongoing efforts to update the R3 zoning development standards.
As part of those efforts, staff is reviewing and updating standards related to parking/TDM, neighborhood transitions, mix of uses, transit -oriented development, and other actions in the Action Plan. The anticipated implementation timing for the Precise Plans and R3 Zoning District is one to three years.
The attached report also includes information about recently approved and under-review major development projects.
Next Steps
Staff will submit the General Plan Annual Progress Report to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research by April 1, 2024 and will continue to implement action items identified in the General Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no fiscal impacts associated with Council’s acceptance of the 2023 General Plan Annual Progress Report.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Direct staff to modify the 2030 General Plan Annual Progress Report.
2. Provide other direction.
PUBLIC NOTICING
The City Council agenda is advertised on Channel 26, and the agenda and this Council report appear on the City’s website.
2023 Annual Progress Report: 2030 General Plan
March 26, 2024
Prepared by:
Vinson Kwan
Assistant Planner
Reviewed by:
Diana Pancholi
Principal Planner
Approved by:
Dawn S. Cameron
Acting Assistant City Manager/
Community Development Director
Audrey Seymour Ramberg
Assistant City Manager
VK/6/CAM
871-03-26-24CR
Attachment: 1. 2023 Annual Progress Report: 2030 General Plan