COUNCIL SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING—WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2024
PLAZA CONFERENCE AND VIDEO CONFERENCE ROOM—500 CASTRO STREET 7:00 P.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair Hicks.
2. ROLL CALL
Present: Committee members Margaret Abe -Koga, Patricia Showalter, and Chair Alison Hicks.
Absent: None.
3. MINUTES APPROVAL
Motion—M/S Showalter/Abe-Koga—Carried 3-0—To approve the m inutes of the April 16, 2024 meeting.
4. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
The following member of the public spoke:
Bruce Karney shared that he recently attended a Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) Executive Committee meeting where he learned that SVCE’s carbon emissions will be higher in 2024 and 2025 than in previous years. He shared that he advocated at that meeting for SVCE to be willing to spend more to acquire 100% carbon -free resources and to consider the social cost of carbon. He also requested that the City of Mountain View’s representative oppose this change to the SVCE Board.
Council Sustainability Committee Minutes
May 29, 2024
5. NEW BUSINESS
5.1 BUILDING REACH CODE UPDATES
Staff presented the building reach codes update.
Speaking from the floor:
• Brian Schmidt, representing Menlo Spark, recommended adopting both energy performance and zero NOx approaches.
• Hala Alshahwany asked the City to consider supplementing the monetary incentives offered by SVCE and explore what approaches are being taken by other cities.
• Robert Mayo (virtual) recommended adopting the prewiring requirements, the zero NOx approach, and the energy performance approach; exploring the use of an ordinance instead of the building code; and offering building code incentives for all-electric renovations.
• Gehendra (virtual) asked if any risk assessments had been taken for Phase 1 and Phase 2.
• Mary Dateo (virtual) recommended pursuing the most aggressive approach possible, enhancing customer education during the building permit process, including space required for electric appliances with prewiring requirements, and ensuring that prewiring requirements do not require customers to install costly, oversized electric panels.
The Committee discussed the item.
Motion—M/S Showalter/Abe-Koga—Carried 3-0—To approve a recommenda- tion to the City Council to direct staff to further electrification readiness beyond the State Building Code minimums by: expanding prewiring requirements, preparing energy performance requirements , and providing education, resources, and incentives for electrification.
6. COMMITTEE/STAFF COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, COMMITTEE REPORTS
Committee member Showalter shared that , in June, she will be attending the National League of Cities (NLC) Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee Summer Leadership Meeting to preview the projects and policies the NLC will be supporting.
Council Sustainability Committee Minutes
May 29, 2024
7. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:18 p.m.
These Minutes are hereby submitted for
approval by Lauren Anderson , Recording
Secretary.
Approved on September 4, 2024.
LA/6/MGR
624-05-29-24mn