City Manager’s Office- Sustainability Division
DATE: December 1, 2025
TO: Council Sustainability Committee
FROM: Rebecca Lucky, Sustainability Manager
VIA: Danielle Lee, Chief Sustainability and Resiliency Officer
SUBJECT: Local Actions Under Consideration for the Decarbonization Roadmap
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Council Sustainability Committee (CSC) review the updated l ocal actions for consideration in the five-year decarbonization roadmap.
BACKGROUND
On November 6, 2025
, the CS C reviewed progress on analyzing potential decarbonization goal years of 2035, 2040, and 2045. This included assessing the emissions reduction potential of five local initiatives. After this preliminary analysis, the committee approved six additional actions for modeling: five from the staff report and one proposed by the CSC concerning marshland sequestration potential.
The CSC also directed staff to prioritize the development of a five-year roadmap with the goal of achieving decarbonization by 2045. Furthermore, the committee provided feedback on additional considerations for the roadmap and identified new actions to include in it.
Staff committed to returning to the CSC in December to present an updated draft list of actions under consideration for inclusion in the roadmap that incorporates the committee's feedback.
ANALYSIS
The roadmap will be an actionable five-year plan that identifies high-priority next steps to move the City towards achieving its 2045 decarbonization goal. Given the rate of change in technology solutions, economic outlook, partnership opportunities, and regional, state and federal legislation, an emphasis on the next five years in achieving a longer-term decarbonization goal is recommended.
During the November meeting, the CSC identified the following actions and approaches , and directed staff to evaluate the potential for their inclusion in the roadmap:
Decarbonization Goal Analysis
December 1, 2025
1. Focus on substantial actions to reduce emissions rather than prioritizing the attainment of a specific goal year.
2. Review and update the plan regularly every 3 to 5 years or as the regional, state, and federal policy landscape significantly changes.
3. Identify the most effective local actions to pursue in collaboration with Silicon Valley Clean Energy and other partners.
4. Determine which actions will lead to cost savings.
5. Emphasize community engagement and outreach to educate the public about transportation and building decarbonization opportunities. Partner with local community groups to reach broader audiences.
6. Consider the impact of a time-of-sale measure on housing costs and staff capacity to implement and enforce regulations. Evaluate potential regional partnerships to facilitate this action.
7. Collaborate to enhance shuttle services or explore the use of autonomous vehicles, including those from Waymo and Uber, such as minibuses.
8. Conduct outreach and education for contractors regarding building electrification.
9. Streamline permits for building improvements aimed at reducing emissions.
10. Integrate decarbonization actions into other City policies and programs, including earthquake retrofitting and preparedness.
The first five points raised by the CSC will be considered guiding principles in the development of the roadmap. Attachment 1 contains the updated draft action list being considered for inclusion in the roadmap.
Next Steps
Staff is seeking confirmation from the CSC that this revised list represents feedback shared at the November 6
th 2025 CSC meeting.
The project team will continue to develop the draft five-year decarbonization roadmap and solicit feedback from the CSC, City departments, and members of the public over the next three months.
The draft roadmap will be shared with the CSC in 2026 before being brought to the City Council for approval.
Attachments: 1. Preliminary List for Five-Year Decarbonization Roadmap
Attachment 1: Preliminary List for Five-Year Decarbonization Roadmap 3 Updated Preliminary List for Five-Year Decarbonization Roadmap **CSC feedback and new additions are presented in bold italics**
Transportation
Action Description Continue to
implement or expand
Explore in the
next five years
Explore adopting a
Transportation
Demand Management
(TDM) Ordinance
Adopt a Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
ordinance aligned with the City Council’s 2023–2025 strategic priority. The ordinance should establish clear trip reduction targets and offer a flexible range of strategies to reduce single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips across the city, while encouraging the use of multimodal transportation options.
X
Implement the
Employer
Transportation
Demand Management
(TDM) Requirements
Maintain enforcement of Transportation Demand
Management (TDM) requirements for all major employers in Mountain View (50+ employees) according to the Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program rules.
X
Expand and Electrify
Mountain View’s
Shuttle Service
Expand shuttle service coverage, frequency, and hours to meet community needs and priorities, and explore options to keep the service free. Explore the integration of autonomous vehicles, particularly minibuses, into transportation systems.
Electrify all City-owned and -operated transit services by 2030 and collaborate with the Mountain View Transportation
Management Association to promote the switch to electric for Mountain View’s community shuttle services.
X
Expand Multifamily
Electric Vehicle (EV)
Charging Infrastructure
Expand access to EV charging in existing multifamily
properties by exploring policies and programs, such as
incentives or requirements, to increase on-site or nearby charging availability.
X
Attachment 4: Preliminary List for Five-Year Decarbonization Roadmap
4 Transportation
Action Description Continue to
implement or expand
Explore in the
next five years
Outreach, marketing,
and education to
encourage the
adoption of electric
vehicles.
Partner with Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) and other local organizations or groups to provide education, outreach, and technical assistance to encourage residents to purchase an EV.
X
Outreach, education,
and incentives to
promote the use of
electric bikes and
scooters.
Consider marketing and offering incentives if there are no regional or state programs to encourage the purchase or use of electric bikes or scooters. A pilot program was previously implemented to provide vouchers to residents, prioritizing low-income households to help them buy electric bikes,
which was highly successful.
X
Explore developing a
network of mobility
hubs and micro-
mobility opportunities
Develop a network of high-visibility mobility hubs in key locations such as Downtown Transit Center, North Bayshore, major employers, or large residential developments that could combine bike, scooter, and car-sharing resources, EV charging stations, shuttle access, and wayfinding.
X
Explore accelerated
implementation of the
Active Transportation
Plan
Support and accelerate the development of Mountain View’s bicycle and pedestrian network by completing all near-term priority projects outlined in the Active Transportation Plan by 2035, including education on utilizing Mountain View’s
biking infrastructure.
X
Continue to implement
Mixed-Use Zoning and
Transit-Oriented
Development
Support mixed-use zoning and transit-oriented development by implementing previously adopted and ongoing precise
plans and zoning updates. X
Attachment 4: Preliminary List for Five-Year Decarbonization Roadmap
5 Transportation
Action Description Continue to
implement or expand
Explore in the
next five years
Continue to implement
Parking Management
strategies
Continue to require developments to adhere to city policies that have eliminated parking requirements for affordable housing and residential projects within various Precise Plan areas. Enforce state law AB 2097, which prohibits jurisdictions from imposing minimum parking requirements for new
development within half a mile of major transit stops.
Continue to seek further opportunities to reform parking policies, as appropriate.
X
Explore Zero Emission
Delivery Services
Programs
Explore potential pilot programs to reduce emissions from delivery services. Pilot programs could focus on encouraging delivery services by drone, bicycle, or other low-emission modes.
X
Attachment 4: Preliminary List for Five-Year Decarbonization Roadmap
6 Buildings/Natural Gas
Action Description Continue to
implement or expand
Explore in the
next five years
Implement previously
adopted Reach Codes
Implement reach codes that promote further electrification or energy upgrades in existing building renovations or appliance replacements, including converting air conditioners (AC) to heat pumps and ensuring electric readiness.
X
Explore Time-of-Sale
Requirements
Consider establishing a regional partnership to adopt and implement time-of-sale requirements similar to Berkeley’s Building Emissions Savings Ordinance. This policy may require the home seller, the buyer, or both to contribute to an escrow fund (e.g., $5,000) to support energy projects selected by the buyer for implementation within three years of purchase.
X
Outreach, marketing,
and education to
promote building
electrification
Continue developing marketing campaigns and offering
incentives to promote building electrification and engage local community groups to assist in educating the
community. Ensure education includes contractors.
X
Encourage
participation in
carbon-free electricity.
Collaborate with SVCE to encourage both commercial and
residential customers to sign up for GreenPrime through targeted rebates and incentive programs.
X
Adopt a goal for the
End of Natural Gas
Flow
Adopt a goal to end natural gas flow in Mountain View by 2045, in alignment with the City Council’s 2023–2025 strategic priority.
X
Evaluate electrical grid
capacity
Assess current electrical grid capacity to determine if existing infrastructure (generation, transmission, distribution, substations, transformers, interconnections) can support increased loads from electrification.
X
Explore adopting
Building Performance
Standards
Explore Building Performance Standards as a policy tool for reducing emissions from existing buildings. X
Enhance building
permit streamlining
Streamline permits for building improvements aimed at
reducing emissions. X
Attachment 4: Preliminary List for Five-Year Decarbonization Roadmap
7 Ecosystem Sequestration
Action Description Continue to
implement or expand
Explore in the
next five years
Enhance the urban
forest
Follow tree planting guidelines from the Biodiversity and Urban Forest Plan to enhance emissions sequestration by urban trees.
X
Implement natural
areas conservation
and restoration
Implement conservation and restoration actions from the City of Mountain View’s Biodiversity and Urban Forest Plan to enhance natural areas' ability to sequester emissions.
X
Buildings/Natural Gas
Action Description Continue to
implement or expand
Explore in the
next five years
Explore integrating
emission reduction
actions into other city
policies and programs
Integrate emission reduction actions into other City policies and programs, including earthquake retrofitting and
preparedness.
X
Waste
Action Description Continue to
implement or expand
Explore in the
next five years
Implement the City’s
Zero Waste Plan
Implement the City’s 2019 Zero Waste Plan to reach the goal of diverting 90% of waste from landfills by 2030. X
Attachment 4: Preliminary List for Five-Year Decarbonization Roadmap
8 Cross-cutting initiatives
Action Description Continue to
implement or expand
Explore in the
next five years
Use advocacy and
legislation to promote
local emissions
reductions
Support and influence legislation at all levels of government that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
X
Continue to
collaborate and
partner with local and
regional organizations
and governments.
Collaborate regionally on decarbonization policies and
programs.
X
Explore financing and
funding options
Explore financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships, and funding streams that support decarbonization goals. X