Memo
City of Palo Alto Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
The highest-scoring actions identified in this chart include:
1.Mode Split to Active Transport
2.Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program
3.Sea Level Rise (SLR) Adaptation Plan
4.Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) through Land Use
These actions produce the largest positive impact based on the selected co-benefits. Overall, no actions produced a net negative score for co-benefits. In particular, no actions scored negatively for the Air Quality, Public Health, Public Safety, Regional Benefit, Resource Conservation, Lifecycle Emissions, and Productivity criteria. However, some actions received negative scores in the Equity and Cost of Living criteria. The actions that received the lowest negative scores for these criteria include:
1.Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Fee/Tax/Assessment
2.Natural Gas Disconnect in Residential Buildings by 2030
3.Ban Registration of Gas Vehicles
4.Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) Pricing
The ASAP tool also allows action co-benefits to be assessed individually in co-benefit pie charts. These charts provide a clear visual representation of the positive or negative impact of each action, and can be used to quickly compare the overall co-benefit evaluation results from one action to another Note that the ASAP tool allows users to weight certain criteria more heavily than others, which would result in variation in the pie chart wedge sizes; Palo Alto did not apply any co-benefit weighting in its analysis, so all co-benefits provide an equal share of the total evaluation score.
Appendix A on the following pages provides a color-coded summary table showing all rating results by action and evaluation criteria. Note: Some of the actions included in Appendix A may require further legal analysis or require legislative or regulatory change before they can be fully implemented. The final versions of the Key Actions are included in Section 5.
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City of Palo Alto S/CAP Action Evaluation Memo Appendix A - Action Ratings
Legend
Very Positive
Somewhat Positive
Neutral/Unrated
Somewhat Negative
Very Negative
Action
Air Quality
Public Health
Public Safety
Regional Benefit
Resource
Conservation
Lifecycle
Emissions
Cost of Living
Productivity
Equity
E-1: Community Engagement - Electrification
E-2: Electrification - Streamlined Permitting
E-3: All-Electric Utility Rate
E-4: Existing SFR Remodel Electrification
E-5: Existing MF Retrofit - Gas Wall Furnace to
Electric Heat Pump
E-6: SF Home Sale - Electrification Evaluation and
Education
E-7: SFR Home Sale Electrification
E-8: SFR Home Electrification
E-9: Natural Gas Disconnect in Residential
Buildings by 2030
E-10: Residential Electrification On-bill Financing
E-11: K-12 Electrifcation - Space and Water
Heating
E-12: Non-Residential Retrofit - Gas Packaged
Rooftop Units to Electric Heat Pumps
E-13: Non-Residential NC - All-Electric Mandate
E-14: Public Buildings - 80% Electrification
E-15: Existing Commercial >25,000 sq. ft. -
Carbon Emissions Intensity Target
E-16: Assess Opportunities - Distributed
Energy/Microgrids
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Legend
Very Positive
Somewhat Positive
Neutral/Unrated
Somewhat Negative
Very Negative
Action
Air Quality
Public Health
Public Safety
Regional Benefit
Resource
Conservation
Lifecycle
Emissions
Cost of Living
Productivity
Equity
E-17: Identify Funding - Electrification
Infrastructure Preparation
E-18: Identify Funding - Building Electrification
M-1: Mode Split to Active Transport
M-2: Reduce SOV use through Parking
Requirements
M-3: Implement CIP Transit Projects
M-4: Smart Traffic Signaling
M-5: TDM Programs
M-6: Reduce VMT through Land Use
M-6a: Trees Along Pathways/Bikeways
M-7: Private Transit GHG Reduction
M-8: Support Telecommuting Infrastructure
M-9: SOV Pricing
M-10: Eliminate Gasoline Vehicle Use
M-11: Advocacy of Transit Options
EV-1: Incentivize Private EV Charging Stations
EV-2: Charging Network Plan
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Legend
Very Positive
Somewhat Positive
Neutral/Unrated
Somewhat Negative
Very Negative
Action
Air Quality
Public Health
Public Safety
Regional Benefit
Resource
Conservation
Lifecycle
Emissions
Cost of Living
Productivity
Equity
EV-3: Electrify Municipal Fleet
EV-4: Community Outreach - EV Education
EV-5: Advocate for State EV Rebate Program to
Include Motorcycles/Bicycles
EV-6: Increase Light EV VMTs + Reduce ICE VMTs
EV-7: Plan to Encourage EV Adoption of Inbound
Vehicles
EV-8: Lower Electric Retail Rates for EV Charging
EV-9: Lobby State for Stricter Emission Standards
EV-10: MF Parking Spaces - 25% with EV
Charging
EV-11: Existing Commercial Parking - EV Charing
Requirements
EV-12: ICE Fee/Tax/Assessment
EV-13: Electrify Private Bus Fleets
EV-14: Ban Registration of Gas Vehicles
EV-15: Evaluate Funding for EVs
W-1: Education and Incentives - Water Efficiency
W-2: Water Reuse Project
W-3: Green Stormwater Infrastructure
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Legend
Very Positive
Somewhat Positive
Neutral/Unrated
Somewhat Negative
Very Negative
Action
Air Quality
Public Health
Public Safety
Regional Benefit
Resource
Conservation
Lifecycle
Emissions
Cost of Living
Productivity
Equity
W-4: Salt Removal Facility
W-5: One Water Portfolio
W-6: Baseline and KPIs for Reduction of
Impervious Surfaces
A-1: SLR Vulnerability Assessment
A-2: SLR Adaptation Plan
A-3: Review SAFER Recommendations
A-4: Discuss SLR Levee Alignment Alternatives
with Surrounding Community
A-5: Coordinate Regionally, Act Locally
NE-1: Tree Planting
NE-2: New Construction Plant Selection -
Biodiversity and Soil Health
NE-3: Urban Forest Master Plan + Parks Master
Plan
NE-4: WELO Requirements for Native and
Drought Tolerant Species
NE-5: Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan
NE-6: No Net Tree Canopy Loss
NE-7: Reduce Pesticides
NE-8: Enhance Pollinator Habitat in Parks
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Legend
Very Positive
Somewhat Positive
Neutral/Unrated
Somewhat Negative
Very Negative
Action
Air Quality
Public Health
Public Safety
Regional
Benefit
Resource
Conservati
on
Lifecycle
Emissions
Cost of Living
Productivity
Equity
NE-9: Baseline and KPIs for Tree Carbon Storage
ZW-1: Deconstruction and Construction
Materials Management Ordinance
ZW-2: Disposable Foodware Ordinance --
Eliminate Single-Use Cups and Containers
ZW-3: Commercial Food Generators -- Require
Food Waste Prevention and Recovery
ZW-4: Residential Food Waste Reduction
ZW-5: Incentivize Reusable Diapers
ZW-6: Champion a Circular Economy
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Attachment C
Resolution No. ____
Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Approving an Addendum to the Comprehensive Plan Environmental
Impact Report and Adopting the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan
R E C I T A L S
A. In April 2016, Council adopted a GHG emissions reduction goal of 80% reduction by the year 2030, relative to a 1990 baseline (the “80 x 30” goal).
B. In April 2021, Council directed the Mayor to form a Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (S/CAP) Ad Hoc Committee to guide the development, implementation, communication, and future community engagement of the S/CAP. The Ad Hoc Committee hosted a series of public engagement opportunities for the community to provide input on various components of the S/CAP Update.
C. As a result, Council wishes to adopt the S/CAP, which will serve as the roadmap for achieving the 80 x 30 goal.
D. Approval of the S/CAP would constitute a project under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970, together with related state implementation guidelines promulgated thereunder (CEQA).
E. The S/CAP is an activity proposed in the City of Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan 2030 (Comprehensive Plan 2030).
F. In November 2017, Council approved Resolution 9720 certifying adequacy of the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the City of Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan Update and adopting a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan in accordance with the CEQA.
G. The City, in compliance with CEQA, prepared an EIR Addendum to provide an assessment of the potential environmental consequences of adopting and implementing the proposed S/CAP. The environmental review process under CEQA commenced and was undertaken concurrently with the preparation and consideration of the S/CAP Update.
H. Council is the decision-making body for adoption of the proposed S/CAP.
The Council of the City of Palo Alto RESOLVES as follows:
SECTION 1. Council, in the exercise of its independent judgment as the decision-making body for the City of Palo Alto as Lead Agency, makes and adopts the following findings and certifications in compliance with the requirements of CEQA:
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1. Council has independently reviewed and considered the EIR Addendum.
2. None of the conditions described in CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 calling for the preparation of a Subsequent EIR or Supplemental EIR are present.
3. Council does hereby find and certify that the EIR Addendum has been prepared and completed in compliance with CEQA.
4. Council does hereby find and certify that the EIR Addendum reflects the City of Palo Alto’s independent judgment and analysis.
SECTION 2. Council hereby adopts the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan.
INTRODUCED AND PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTENTIONS:
ATTEST:
City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED:
Assistant City Attorney City Manager
Director of Public Works
Director of Administrative Services
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Draft S/CAP Three-Year Work Plan – Updated Q1 2023
DRAFT
City of Palo Alto Sustainability and Climate Action Plan Implementation Work Plan (2023 through 2025)
Table of Contents:
1. Executive Summary
2. 2023-2025 Climate Action Section Work Plan: Making Progress on the 80x30 Goal i. Climate Action 2023-2025 Priorities
ii. Summary Timeline, 2023-2025
iii. Climate Action 2023-2025 Work Plan
3. 2023-2025 Sustainability Section Work Plan: Creating a More Sustainable Natural Environment Appendix A: Detailed Implementation Timeline
Appendix B: How Climate Action Priorities were Prioritized Appendix C: Policy Guidelines for Electric Vehicle Strategic Plan Development Appendix D: Policy Guidelines for Reliability and Resiliency Strategic Plan Development Appendix E: Index of S/CAP Key Actions and the Work Plan Items that Implement them
1. Executive Summary
This work plan implements the City’s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (S/CAP). In November 2016 the Council adopted the S/CAP Framework, which has served as the road map for achieving Palo Alto’s sustainability goals. On October 3, 2022, the City accepted an updated set of Goals and Key Actions and is performing CEQA review with the goal of formally adopting the S/CAP in spring of 2023. This work plan implements this updated set of Goals and Key Actions.
The Goals and Key Actions are divided into eight areas, four of which are climate-focused and include actions to achieve the City’s “80x30”1 and carbon neutrality2 goals (Climate Action, Mobility, Electric Vehicles, and Buildings) and four of which are focused on actions that create a sustainable natural environment and adapting to a warming climate but do not contribute significantly to the 80x30 goal (Natural Environment, Zero Waste, Water, and Sea Level Rise).
Based on Council’s acceptance of the S/CAP Goals and Key Actions, staff and the Ad Hoc Subcommittee developed five Climate Action priorities for 2023 through 2025, which are listed in Section 2.i below:
It includes a variety of work items for achieving these priorities, including:
•Promoting electric vehicles (EVs) for residents, commuters, visitors, and other users (e.g. deliveries, rideshare) and regionally, including micromobility (e-bikes, e-scooters, and other small EVs). •Reducing vehicle miles traveled through citywide Mobility programs, including parking management, piloting on- demand transit, implementing the City’s Housing Element, and updating the Bicycle Plan •Launching an Advanced Heat Pump Water Heater Pilot Program and scaling it up 1 The 80x30 goal is to reduce Palo Alto greenhouse gas emissions 80% from 1990 levels by 2030 2 Carbon neutrality means that all GHG emissions emitted into the atmosphere are balanced in equal measure by GHGs that are removed from the atmosphere, either through carbon sinks or carbon capture and storage Item 14
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•Beginning a strategic upgrading of capacity in the residential areas of the electric grid and promoting whole home electrification in the upgraded areas
•Expanding access to EV charging in multi-family buildings (including affordable housing) and exploring ways to electrify those buildings as well
•Electrifying commercial rooftop packaged heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). •Partnering with major employers on emissions reduction plans, including commuter emissions •Electrifying City buildings and vehicles where feasible •Engaging City operations to support these goals
•Exploring additional emissions reduction opportunities by surveying multi-family and non-residential building equipment and exploring other ideas from the community (e.g. shuttles, shared vehicles) •Evaluating funding and resource needs of the above programs and identifying viable funding sources.
This work plan implements the S/CAP goals for a sustainable natural environment (including reducing waste, creating a sustainable and holistically managed water system, and a thriving urban canopy) by:
•Reducing water consumption while exploring ways to capture and store water, as well as to increase the availability and use of recycled water
•Developing and adopting a multi-year Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan •Minimizing wildland fire hazards through Plan implementation, zoning, and collaborating with Fire agencies •Increasing Palo Alto’s Tree Canopy and reducing pesticide use in parks and open space preserves •Supporting the Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Plan and incorporating GSI in municipal projects •Encouraging food waste reduction, prevention, and recovery and providing waste prevention technical assistance
•Eliminating single-use disposable containers and prioritizing domestic processing of recyclable materials Item 14
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2. 2023-2025 Climate Action Section Work Plan: Making Progress on the 80x30 Goal The Climate Action section of the S/CAP focuses on achieving the City’s 80x30 goal, and includes goals and key actions primarily focused on reducing emissions in transportation and buildings. The climate action sections of the S/CAP itself are divided into four topic areas (Climate Action, Mobility, EVs, and Energy), but this work plan is intended to prioritize and organize those key actions, so work plan items are organized according to five 2023-2025 Climate Action section priorities.
2.i 2023-2025 Climate Action Section Priorities
The following five priorities are intended to focus the City’s efforts on the highest potential and lowest cost emissions reduction actions and supporting efforts to enable the City’s programs in these areas to be as impactful as possible.
Appendix B outlines how the highest priority emissions reduction actions were chosen (single-family residential electrification, expanding EV charging access, commercial rooftop packaged HVAC, and Mobility). EV charging is a complex topic with a variety of different types of vehicle owner needs and potential electric grid impacts and benefits, and Appendix C outlines the guiding principles the City used for developing electric vehicle charging work items. These principles will also be reflected in any studies done on EVs or EV programs developed.
The 2023-2025 climate action section priorities are:
P1. Complete grid modernization plan and begin construction to increase reliability and transformer capacity for electrification
P2. Launch effective programs for emissions reductions with highest impact and lowest cost: single-family electrification, strategic promotion of EVs, commercial rooftop HVAC, and expanded transportation alternatives P3. Build community awareness and confidence in electrification through engagement, addressing concerns, and program results
P4. Identify an additional 9% in emissions reduction opportunities to achieve the 80x30 goal P5. By 2024 identify funding needed and potential funding sources for full scale implementation of highest impact emissions reductions
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2.ii 2023-2025 Climate Action Summary Timeline
The proposed timeline for the 2023-2025 Climate Action section work items (which are listed below in section 2.c) is outlined below. The proposed timeline is contingent on certification of environmental review and may be modified accordingly. A more detailed timeline for each work plan item is included in Appendix A.
Priority 2023 2024 2025
P1 (Modernize
grid)
•Grid modernization study
completion, hire contractor
•Reliability/Resiliency Strategic
Plan
•Begin a 5-7 year construction effort to increase reliability and transformer capacity
•Implement Reliability and Resiliency Strategic Plan
Design and launch programs:
•Full-scale HPWH program
•Pilot commercial HVAC
•Municipal electrification
•Downtown parking
management program
•On-demand transit pilot
•Single-family whole home
•Full-scale commercial HVAC
•Full-scale multi-family EV
charger program (tentative)
Studies to guide program launches:
P2 (Launch
programs)
•EV Strategic Plan
•Multi-family and income-
qualified EV work plan
•Bicycle Plan update
•Work plan for commuter and
visitor EV charging and EV
promotion
•Vision Zero program (tentative)
Design and launch additional
programs based on the 2024
studies (See P4 for other studies
that may result in new
programs) and the EV Strategic
Plan
Build awareness of the need for climate action and the City’s services and achievements. Drive community actions to achieve S/CAP goals. Build confidence in the City’s electric infrastructure. Report results from new and existing programs:
P3 (Build
awareness and
confidence)
•New program: HPWH pilot
•Existing programs:
•Existing Mobility programs
•Multi-family EV charger
•New programs: Full-scale HPWH
program, commercial HVAC pilot
•Continuation of existing programs
•New programs; Full-scale
HVAC, multi-family EV
charger
•Continuation of programs
•Evaluate new programs
based on studies
P4 (Additional
emissions
reductions)
•Seek ideas from community
members and other experts
•Monitor technologies and
medium term opportunities
•Multi-family and non-residential
electrification study
•Study highest potential community
ideas/technologies
P5 (Funding
needs and
sources)
•Evaluate implementation cost
for full scale high impact /
lower cost programs
•Preliminary evaluations of
potential funding sources
•Decisions on how to fund priority
electrification areas
•Develop financial and operational
plan for gas utility
•Implement follow up from
prior-year studies
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2.C Climate Action 2023-2025 Work Plan
The climate change topic areas of the S/CAP (Energy, EVs, Mobility, and Climate Change) are highly inter-related. Multiple key actions can affect the same community members in various ways. For example, a multi-family building owner might do a project that builds EV charging, bike storage, and electrifies some building equipment, which touches all three topic areas. Programs should be as simple as possible for the community. As a result, the work plan below is organized according to the type of activity and the part of the community served instead of being organized by the S/CAP topic areas. The key actions being implemented are listed next to each work plan item, and an index is provided in Appendix D to help readers map the Key Actions from the S/CAP to all implementing work plan items.
The work plan is organized according to the priorities above, as follows:
P1.Grid Modernization: Complete grid modernization plan and begin construction to increase reliability and transformer capacity for electrification P2.Launch Programs: Launch effective programs for emissions reductions with highest impact and lowest cost: single-family electrification, strategic promotion of EVs, commercial rooftop HVAC, and expanded transportation alternatives P2.1 Residential Emissions Reduction
P2.2 Non-Residential Emissions Reduction
P2.3 Citywide Mobility
P2.4 Municipal Electrification
P2.5 EV Strategic Plan
P3.Build Awareness and Confidence: Build community awareness and confidence in electrification through engagement, addressing concerns, and program results
P4.Additional Emissions Reductions: Identify an additional 9% in emissions reduction opportunities to achieve the 80x30 goal P5.Funding Needs and Sources: By 2024 identify funding needed and potential funding sources for full scale implementation of highest impact emissions reductions
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Draft S/CAP Three-Year Work Plan – Updated Q1 2023 Page 6 of 42 P1: Grid Modernization
Grid modernization is critical, particularly for residential electrification. The programs below will impact the electric grid, and there are also supporting grid- related efforts that could reduce barriers to electrification citywide, such as examining electric rate design, low wattage solutions, and fee structures for transformer upgrades. Electric grid reliability and resilience will be important to inspiring confidence in electrified homes and vehicles.
Work Item
Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
1.A Grid Modernization Study E8 Complete a grid modernization study covering scope, designs, high
level cost estimates, and estimated
implementation timelines for
electric system upgrades.
Recruitment
challenges.
Planning fully
funded.
Implementation
funding needs
under review.
Dec ‘22: Complete study
Dec ’23: Complete
design, bring contractor
on board
Early 2024: Begin
construction
Consultant hired, study in
progress, nearing release
of initial draft study
1.B Reliability and Resiliency
Strategic Plan
E8 Develop Reliability and Resiliency
strategic plan based on principles
in Appendix D
Fully staffed,
funding needs
under evaluation
Dec 2023 Not started
1.C Reliability and Resiliency
Strategic Plan Implementation
E8 Implement Reliability and
Resiliency Strategic Plan
Staffing and
funding needs to
be evaluated
To be evaluated as part
of 1.B
Policy guidelines for plan
development to Council
December 5, 2022
1.D Evaluate Utility Rates and Fees E6 Evaluate utility rate designs and fee structures in the context of
future electrification, implement
any needed changes
Fully funded Mar 2023 Cost of service evaluation
in progress
P2.1: Residential Emissions
The long-term goal in residential areas is full electrification of vehicles and buildings, but some electrification of some types of buildings is easier and less costly than others. Single-family homes tend to be easier and less costly to electrify than multi-family buildings. It is easier to install EV charger access as well. Grid Item 14
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Draft S/CAP Three-Year Work Plan – Updated Q1 2023 Page 7 of 42 capacity is an important consideration that drives the work plan in residential areas. The plan below prioritizes individual heat pump water heating electrification (which is primarily in single-family homes, but also some multi-family) and EV charger access in multi-family homes. Individual heat pump water heaters have low grid impact compared to other electrification measures and can be installed citywide while grid modernization gets underway. In modernized neighborhoods electrification of space heating and other equipment and appliances can be promoted.
The work plan for multi-family residential emissions reduction prioritizes EV charger access in multi-family homes. EV chargers are relatively easy to install without City assistance in single-family homes, but the City’s multi-family EV program will help multi-family building owners and condo associations install EV chargers so residents can access the savings and emissions reductions from EVs. This work plan includes development of a strategy to scale successful existing multi-family EV charging pilot programs to all multi-family buildings in Palo Alto. Multi-family building electrification requires more study to develop cost- effective strategies, since early studies and pilots have found multi-family building electrification to be very expensive. But more pilots in affordable housing projects, where grants and other funding might be available, would help the City get experience and develop strategies. All programs will be developed with equity in mind, considering how to serve low-income residents and renters.
Work Item
Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
All Residential
2.1 A Promote EV Adoption EV1, EV4 Offer Workshops and Events to raise awareness of EVs, including
electric micromobility options and
incentives. Work item subject to
change based on EV Strategic Plan
(see 2.5A).
Fully staffed and
funded, staffing
issues may
impact this in the
short term
Ongoing In 2022 conduct 33 EV
related workshops and
expos. Contracting in
progress to offer more
awareness raising
opportunites in 2023.
2.1 B Emissions Reduction Advisory
Services
C1 Provide single points of contact for
online and phone advice for
residents to reduce building and
transportation emissions.
Fully staffed and
funded
Dec ‘23: Phone advising
Timeline for launch of
online services under
evaluation
RFP responses evaluated
and contract negotiations
are in progress
2.1 C Evaluate small electric
vehicles (e.g. e-bike) program
potential
EV4 Evaluate alternatives for providing
residential small electric vehicle
programs or pilots. Work item
subject to change based on EV
Strategic Plan (see 2.5A).
Fully staffed and
funded, though
staffing issues
may impact this
in the short term
Complete evaluation by
December 2023
RFP being written
Single-family Residential
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Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
2.1 D Heat Pump Water Heater
Electrification Pilot Program
E1, E5 Launch a pilot heat pump water
heater electrification pilot to
achieve 1000 gas water heater
replacements by the end of 2023
Partly staffed and
funded – sales/
marketing needs
being evaluated
Launch late 2022 / early
2023, aim to achieve
goal by Dec 2023
Council approved program
on October 3, staff
implementing the plan
2.1 E Full-Scale Heat Pump Water
Heater Electrification
Program
E1, E5 As pilot program nears its goals,
transition to a full-scale program
with the goal of electrifying all
water heaters in Palo Alto
Fully staffed for
design, staffing /
funding needs to
be determined
Based on pilot program
progress, tentatively
late 2023
Some preliminary analysis
completed, otherwise not
started.
2.1 F Electrification data collection
program
E1 Do home evaluations to collect
data and help people plan for
equipment or whole home
electrification
Fully staffed,
funding needs
under evaluation
Program up and running
by December 2023
Contract negotiations in
progress
2.1 G Pilot Programs for
Modernized Neighborhoods
E1, E5 Identify and launch electrification
programs for neighborhoods with
increased electric capacity such as
whole home or heat pump space
heating pilot programs
Fully staffed,
funding needs
under evaluation
Program design and
approvals by Dec 2024
Not started
2.1 H Single-family Electrification
Rebates
E1 Establish rebates for all appliances
and equipment in single-family
homes
Fully staffed and
funded
Launch rebates by
spring of 2024
Some analysis done, but
moving slowly due to
conflicting priorities
Multi-family Residential
2.1 I Affordable Housing EV
Charging and Electrification
Pilot
E5, EV5,
EV7
Design a pilot electrification and EV
project in an affordable housing
multi-family building to test
potential scalable approaches.
Work item subject to change based
on EV Strategic Plan (see 2.5A).
Fully staffed,
funding needs
under evaluation
Complete pilot design
by December 2023
Partner identified, grant
secured for EV charging,
contract negotiations in
progress for electrification
pilot management, some
analysis completed.
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Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
2.1 J Multi-Family EV Charger
Program
EV5,
EV6,
EV7
Establish rebates and EV charging
technical assistance , with the goal
of expanding charger access to
10% (1,100 units) of multifamily
households. Work item subject to
change based on EV Strategic Plan
(see 2.5A).
Fully staffed and
funded
Aiming for 1,100 units
by December 2025
100+ multifamily
properties actively
proceeding in programs to
install EV chargers
2.1 K Multi-family and Affordable
Housing Electrification and
EV Charger Access Strategy
Development
C8, EV6,
EV7,
EV8
Evaluate potential scalable
strategies for multi-family and
affordable housing EV charger and
electrification programs, including
the role of publicly-owned EV
charging, such as in rights-of-way.
Work item subject to change based
on EV Strategic Plan (see 2.5A).
Fully staffed and
funded for
evaluation,
implementation
needs TBD
Complete evaluation by
December 2023
Evaluating responses to
RFP issued for multi-family
electrification services,
analyses of potential
program designs / funding
sources in progress.
P2.2: Non-Residential Emissions
City staff has less experience and knowledge with electrification of non-residential building equipment than with electrification of other types of building equipment. In section 6 of this work plan there are several studies planned that could help staff develop building electrification strategies for the non-residential sector. In the meantime, rooftop packaged heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units are potentially cost-effective to electrify. This work plan includes running a small initial pilot while simultaneously designing a potential advanced pilot and evaluating the potential for mandated electrification for end of life replacements. These rooftop HVAC programs and/or mandates can reduce emissions in major facilities as well (see Section 5) In addition, staff plans to partner with major facility owners in Palo Alto to help them achieve their sustainability goals. Ideally these partnerships would include both building electrification, promotion of alternative transportation and EVs for commuters, and expanded EV charger access. A successful partnership with at least one major employer could provide an example that could lead to future employer partnerships, while a partnership with the schools could be an educational opportunity that leads to more awareness of electrification among residents.
Staff estimates about a third of transportation emissions come from drivers entering Palo Alto to visit or do business. The City is limited in its ability to affect these emissions, but partnering regionally to promote alternative transportation modes and personal and fleet EVs should help.
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Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
2.2 A Rooftop Packaged Heating,
Ventilation, and Air
Conditioning (HVAC) Pilot
E2, C8,
E7
Continue HVAC pilot with the goal
of completing 4-5 installations
Fully funded December 2023 Program launched,
recruiting participants
2.2 B Rooftop Packaged HVAC
Advanced Pilot Design
E2, C8,
E7
Develop proposal for an advanced
pilot program and/or mandate
Fully funded Proposal to Council for
approval by Dec 2023,
implementation 2024
Not started
2.2 C Major Employer Partnerships C2, E2,
E3, EV3,
other
Develop custom sustainability
partnership with at least one major
employer, electrification pilots
with City facilities, and support
PAUSD electrification efforts. Work
item subject to change based on
EV Strategic Plan (see 2.5A).
Fully funded for
design, not
implementation
Complete goals listed in
“Description” column by
December 2023
Started discussions with
various employers and
PAUSD
2.2 D Commuter Transportation and
EV Charging Strategy
C8, EV1,
EV3,
EV8
Develop a strategy to promote EV
adoption (including small EVs like
e-bikes/e-scooters) and alternative
transportation to commuters.
Evaluate workplace charger
programs and/or mandates,
including role of publicly owned
business district EV charging. Work
item subject to change based on
EV Strategic Plan (see 2.5A).
Fully staffed,
consultant
funding needs
being evaluated.
Implementation
needs TBD.
Complete plan by end of
December 2024,
implementation
timeline TBD
Not started
2.2 E Regional and State
Partnerships
EV2,
EV10
Identify promising regional
partnerships and State programs
for potential City participation.
Work item subject to change based
on EV Strategic Plan (see 2.5A).
Under evaluation Ongoing Not started
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Road transportation represents the largest percentage of Palo Alto’s existing carbon footprint – and a congestion headache. Reducing vehicle miles traveled is an important element in reducing these emissions. Reductions are achieved through a comprehensive citywide effort to increase access to alternative modes and awareness of the benefits complemented by programs for specific groups within the community. Land use is an important lever for affecting vehicle miles traveled. The City already has a variety of transportation programs and is addressing land use via its Comprehensive Plan process (including the Housing Element) and subsequent implementation. The work plan below acknowledges those efforts and aims to modestly expand them as staff time and funding permit.
Work Item
Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
2.3 A Transportation and Land Use
Policies and Programs
M1 Continue to implement existing
transportation policies and
programs to reduce VMT
Fully funded Ongoing Continuing to work on
Council Transportation
priorities including grade
separation, street closures
2.3 B Housing Element Adoption M7, M9 Update the Housing Element for 2023-2031.
Fully funded January 2023 Reviewing comments from
the California Housing &
Community Development
Department, planning on
bringing updated draft to
PTC and Council in May.
2.3 C Housing Element
Implementation
M7, M9 Implement the 2023-2031 Housing
Element, which is projected to
reduce VMT
Funding via
grants and
annual City
budget process
2031 Not started – awaiting
Housing Element adoption
2.3 D Micro-mobility evaluations M2 Evaluate opportunities to pilot bike/scooter share and
neighborhood mobility hub pilots
to provide last-mile connections
Proceed as staff
time is available
No target, proceed as
time is available
Some design work and
research completed, staff
aims to develop potential
funding and/or staffing
proposals as time permits.
2.3 E On-demand transit pilot M2 Launch on-demand transit pilot to provide last-mile connections for
100% of the city for a limited time
Fully funded for
two years
Launch by Mar 2023 Reviewing proposals for
on-demand transit provider
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Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
2.3 F Update Bicycle Plan M3 Update the 2012 Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan
Fully funded Dec 2024 Initiated update of the Plan
2.3 G Vision Zero Program M3 Program to reduce roadway severe injuries and fatalities to zero
Awarded grant
funding for
planning
To be determined Awarded Federal Safe
Streets for All grant to fund
a safety action plan.
Implementation will require
additional staffing and
funding
2.3 H Evaluate expansion of
employer transportation
demand management (TDM)
M4 Evaluate possible alternatives to
expand TDM ordinance
requirements and/or voluntary
TDM services (e.g. expanding the
Transportation Management
Association)
Proceed as staff
time is available
No target, proceed as
time is available
Some design work and staff
research has been done,
staff exploring ways to fund
and staff a study of options
as time permits.
2.3 I Proposals for Managing
Downtown Parking Availability
M5 Develop proposals for pricing
strategies to manage parking
supply and availability
Fully funded Ongoing Proposals to be shared with
Council
2.3 J Implement Efficient
Downtown Parking
Management
M5 Implement proposals for pricing
strategies to manage parking
supply and availability
Funding and
staffing to be
determined
To be determined RFP for management
services in development
2.3 K Traffic Signal Improvements &
Transit Signal Priority
M8 Maintain and modernize current
traffic signals and central
management systems. Use
technology to improve traffic
operations and safety. Work with
transit providers on transit signal
priority where feasible.
Mostly funded,
long-term
funding needs
being evaluated
Ongoing Long-term system plan in
development. Supporting
transit signal priority
project for Dumbarton
Express. Implementing
Automated Traffic Signal
Performance Measures to
improve signal timing.
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A priority for the Council in development of the S/CAP was that we lead by doing. Electrification of City facilities and the vehicle fleet is a critical part of that. In addition, if increased publicly-owned EV charging becomes a part of multi-family and/or business district EV charger strategies (see P2.1K and P2.2D), a detailed plan for maintenance and operation will be needed.
Work Item
Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
2.4 A Facility Electrification
Assessment Plan
E4 Complete an assessment of
electrification opportunities at City
facilities
Fully funded Under evaluation Assessment of all City
facilities is underway
2.4 B Facility Electrification
Assessment Implementation
E4 Implement recommendations from
the Facility Electrification
Assessment Plan where feasible
Under evaluation Under evaluation Will begin after 2.4 A is complete
2.4 C Electrify Equipment at City
Facilities during Routine
Replacement
E4 Evaluate the feasibility of
electrification when doing end of
life equipment replacements
Under evaluation Under evaluation On-going. The mechanical equipment at MSC-B is at
the end of its service life
and we are currently
looking into electric
replacement solutions
2.4 D Electrify City Vehicle Fleet EV9 Convert all Palo Alto municipal vehicles to EVs when feasible and
when the replacement is
operationally acceptable. Evaluate
leasing as a bridging strategy.
Evaluated with
each
replacement
On-going There are two units
identified in FY23 for
potential EV replacements,
pending manufacturer
availability and cost
2.4 E Build City Fleet and Employee
Charging Infrastructure
EV9,
EV3
Expand charging at City facilities to
support an electrified fleet and
employee EV adoption
Under evaluation Under evaluation We are currently testing a low cost EV charger
solution that could be
used for future employee
charging locations
2.4 F Publicly-owned charger
strategic plan
EV8 Evaluate potential publicly-owned
EV charger strategies. Work item
subject to change based on EV
Strategic Plan (see 2.5A).
Staffing and
funding needs
under evaluation
Residential plan – by
Dec ‘23 (see P2.1 K)
Business district plan –
by Dec ‘24 (see P2.2 F)
Not started
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Several work plan items relate to electric vehicle promotion and programs to improve access to charging. Coordinating staff effort across a variety of efforts focused on many different parts of the community requires some level of coordination. This strategic plan will guide development of other work items.
Work Item
Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
2.5 A Electric Vehicle Strategic Plan
Development
EV1
thru
EV10
Develop a strategic plan based on
principles in Appendix C to guide
coordination of various work
items, including 2.1 A, C, I, J, and K,
2.2 C, D, and E, and 2.4 F. Align
with Reliability and Resiliency
Strategic Plan (1B and 1C)
Fully funded Under evaluation Policy guidelines for plan development to Council
December 5, 2022
P3: Build Awareness and Confidence
To achieve high participation in electrification programs and other emissions reduction efforts and continuing support for S/CAP climate action programs requires building community awareness and confidence through engagement, addressing concerns, and achieving program results.
Work Item
Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
3.1 A Build awareness of the need
for climate action and the
benefits the City and its
utility can receive and
provide
N/A Achieve widespread awareness of
the need for and benefits of
climate action and the City’s
services and achievements,
including low electric rates. Use
partnerships and volunteers to
help deliver the message.
Fully staffed,
partially funded
Ongoing Sustainability hub and
various other engagement
efforts implemented.
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Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
3.1 B Drive community actions to
achieve S/CAP goals
N/A Run effective marketing and
outreach that drives community
action on S/CAP goals
Under evaluation Ongoing Marketing plan in
development
3.1 C S/CAP Survey Program N/A Continuing surveys of community sentiment and engagement to
guide decision making and track
certain key performance indicators
Under evaluation Under evaluation –
requires coordination
with other City surveys
Exploring a partnership
with Stanford to develop a
survey to collect baseline
data
3.1 D S/CAP Reporting N/A Ongoing reporting of S/CAP results, including key performance
indicators
Under evaluation Ongoing Annual reporting provided
in Earth Day report, to be
expanded to cover all
S/CAP KPIs
3.1 E Build confidence in the City’s
electric infrastructure
N/A Communicate actions the City is
taking to improve electric reliability
and grid capacity, to help residents
and businesses build resiliency,
and successes in these areas
Under evaluation Under evaluation –
requires coordination
with other City surveys
Not started
4. Additional Emissions Reductions
A variety of planning efforts are needed to achieve 80x30. Emissions reductions identified to date only achieve 71% from 1990 levels, so the City must identify additional reductions to achieve its 80x30 goals. The multi-family and commercial building sectors have the smallest contribution to the emissions reductions identified to-date, so this will be an area of focus where staff is likely to find the most additional emissions reductions. Note that carbon dioxide removal technologies are not included in this effort, these are part of a separate future study on the City’s carbon neutrality goal.
Work Item
Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
4.A Multi-family and Commercial
End Use Study
C3, E9 Do end use study of commercial
and multi-family buildings to
identify potential building
electrification measures
Fully staffed,
consultant
funding needs
being evaluated
December 2024 Writing consultant RFP
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Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
4.B Idea generation and additional
research
C3,
M10
Consult community members and
experts (including Stanford) and
research new technologies to
identify other potential
approaches to reducing emissions
in Palo Alto
Staffing and
funding needs to
be evaluated
December 2024 Not started
4.C Additional Emissions Reduction
Project Prioritization
C3 Prioritize the most cost-effective
approaches to achieving the
additional emissions reduction
needed to achieve 80x30 in
establishment of next three-year
work plan
Staffing and
funding needs to
be evaluated
December 2025 Not started
5. Funding Needs and Funding Sources
A high-level assessment of resource needs and funding sources will be done by fall of 2023 to allow for Council discussions on potential funding sources in late 2023 and early 2024. The needs of low- and middle-income residents will be assessed as part of this effort. Full-scale implementation of high potential programs will cause significant reductions in gas utility sales, necessitating careful planning to manage contracting revenues and operational needs.
Work Item
Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
5.A Resource Needs Assessment C4 Complete study of staffing and other resources needed for
programs and operations to
implement all 80x30 activities
Fully staffed,
consultant
funding needs
being evaluated
Dec 2023 Writing consultant RFP
5.B Funding Alternatives C5, M5 Complete study of funding alternatives for 80x30, taking into
account Federal policy such as the
Inflation Reduction Act.
Fully staffed,
consultant
funding needs
being evaluated
Dec 2023 Writing consultant RFP
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Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion Date Status (Apr 2023)
5.C Affordability Study C6, E5 Identify vulnerable populations who may need help electrifying
and subsidy needed
Fully staffed and
funded
Dec 2023 Consultant beginning work
5.D Gas Utility Financial and
Operating Plan
N/A Develop a financial and operating
plan for declining gas utility sales
that maintains safety and solvency
while providing affordable gas
service to remaining gas users
Staffing and
funding needs to
be evaluated
Dec 2024 Not started
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3. 2023-2025 Sustainability Section Work Plan: Creating a More Sustainable Natural Environment In Palo Alto, we have a Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (S/CAP) because we include sustainability areas that don’t necessarily have a direct impact on greenhouse gas reductions, but have critically important sustainability, public health and safety, regional, resource conservation, and equity benefits that contribute to overall climate action. The Sustainability area Key Actions were prioritized based on the co-benefits analysis conducted by AECOM.
Work Item
Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion
Date Status (Apr 2023)
8.A Maximize Water Conservation and
Efficiency
W1 Maximize cost-effective water
conservation and efficiency through
incentives, outreach/education, and
other programs
Fully funded On-going This is an on-going effort
8.B Design and build a salt removal
facility for the Regional Water
Quality Control Plant
W2 Facility that will remove salt from the
recycled water produced at the RWQCP
resulting in an enhanced product
Negotiating with
Valley Water
and the City of
Mountain View
Bring to
Council for
approval by
2023
Design is 90% complete.
Council has not approved
construction of the facility
8.C Develop a “One Water” Portfolio
for Palo Alto
W3 Develop a “One Water” Portfolio that
includes stormwater, recycled water,
on-site reuse, conservation, and
groundwater
Fully funded August 2023 Study underway by staff
and consultant
8.D Develop a tool for dynamic water
planning in the future
W4 Excel-based tool for water planning Fully funded August 2023 Included as deliverable under One Water
consulting contract
8.E Complete the Sea Level Rise
Vulnerability Assessment
S1 Complete a Sea Level Rise Vulnerability
Assessment to identify risks and hazards
to the Palo Alto Baylands, City
infrastructure, and residential and
business property, considering high tide,
100-year coastal storm event scenarios
and rising shallow groundwater impacts
Fully funded Fall 2022 Completed in Fall 2022
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Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion
Date Status (Apr 2023)
8.F Develop a Sea Level Rise
Adaptation Plan
S2 Develop a Sea Level Rise Adaptation
Plan with goals to 1) Preserve and
Expand Habitat, and 2) Protect City and
Community Assets, and Private Property
Partially funded
to develop the
plan, and
funding needed
for plan and
implementation
2024 Preparing a contract
amendment AECOM so
that we can move to the
second phase of the
project, which is to
develop a Sea Level Rise
Adaptation Plan over the
coming months with the
goal of bringing a plan to
Council in 2024
8.G Begin design process for a levee
projects
S3 Determine levee alignment and begin
design process for a levee project that
protects the Palo Alto community from
sea level rise, and incorporates other
related priorities including habitat
restoration, recreation, transportation,
City facilities, and community properties
Funded by US
Army Corps of
Engineers (50%
Fed) and Valley
Water / CA
Coastal
Commission
(50% Non-Fed)
*PA staff is
participating in
the analysis
2024 Levee alignment will be
determined by 2024
8.H Identify Protection Strategies from
Significant Flood Events at Newell
Road Bridge
S4 Complete Newell Road Bridge
improvements
Funded by
Caltrans / local
sponsor
(SFCJPA)
2024 Preparing construction
documents and initiating
right-of-way aquisition
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Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion
Date Status (Apr 2023)
8.I Identify Protection Strategies from
Significant Flood Events at Pope
Chaucer Bridge and Creek
S4 Complete Pope Chaucer Bridge and
Creek widening improvements
Applied for
grants and
secured partial
funding through
SFCJPA / partner
agencies
contributions
2025-2026 Analysing existing
conditions within Creek to
verify structural integrity
8.J Identify Protection Strategies from
Significant Flood Events
S4 Working with San Francisquito Creek
Joint Powers Authority (SFCJPA) partner
agencies to identify strategies to protect
the community from flows that exceed
the 70-year + storm event
Part of SFCJPA
operating
budget – Palo
Alto contributes
1/5 of operating
budget
On-going This is an on-going
coordination effort
with Stanford (the entity
not the University)
8.K Implement Foothills Fire
Management Plan
S5 Implement the Foothills Fire
Management Plan to balance
conservation of natural resources with
reduction of fire hazards especially in
open space areas
Partially funded On-going This is an on-going effort
8.L Minimize Fire Hazards Through
Zoning
S6 Minimize fire hazards by maintaining
low density zoning in wildland fire
hazard areas and enforcing building
codes for fire resistant construction
Staff available On-going This is an on-going effort
8.M Collaborate on Reducing Wildfire
Hazards
S7 Coordinate with other Fire agencies
through the Santa Clara County Fire
Chiefs Association and CalFire
Staff available On-going This is an on-going effort
8.N Implement CAL FIRE Public
Education Programs
S8 Implement CAL FIRE recommended
programs in educating and involving the
local community to diminish potential
loss caused by wildfire and identify
prevention measures to reduce those
risks
Fully Funded On-going This is an on-going effort
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Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion
Date Status (Apr 2023)
8.O Increase Palo Alto’s Tree Canopy
and establish a baseline and Key
Performance Indicator for carbon
storage of tree canopy
N1
N5
Develop programs to plant trees to
increase tree canopy – that will be
integrated with traditional tree planting
programs and Green Stormwater
Infrastructure programs – and provide
carbon sequestration, improve water
quality, capture stormwater when
feasible, and reduce the urban heat
island effect
Partially funded,
Staff available
as time permits
Establish
baseline by
2024
New canopy cover GIS
tool recently launched,
which will help establish a
baseline
8.P Ensure No Net Tree Canopy Loss
for all Projects
N2 Ensure no net tree canopy loss for all
Projects
Staff available On-going This is an on-going effort
to implement the updated
Tree Ordinance (effective
July 21, 2022)
8.Q Reduce Pesticide Use in Parks and
Open Space Preserves
N3 Continue to review the use of pesticides
in all parks and open space preserves to
identify opportunities to further reduce
and eliminate the use of pesticides
Staff available
as time permits
On-going This is an on-going effort
8.R Coordinate Implementation of City
Natural Environment-Related
Plans
N7 Coordinate implementation of the
Urban Forest Master Plan, Parks Master
Plan, Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Plan and other citywide planning efforts
through interdepartmental collaboration
Staff available
as time permits
On-going This is an on-going effort
8.S Support the Green Stormwater
Infrastructure (GSI) Plan and
incorporate GSI in Municipal
Projects
N10
N11
Establish policies and ordinance changes
as needed to support the Green
Stormwater Infrastructure Plan as
required due to Municipal Regional
Stormwater Permit
Staff available
as time permits;
Partially funded
through GSI
On-going This is an on-going effort
to achieve a 10% increase
in land area that uses
green stormwater
infrastructure to treat
urban water runoff
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Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion
Date Status (Apr 2023)
8.T Encourage Food Waste Prevention
and Require Food Recovery from
Commercial Food Generators
ZW1 Encourage food waste prevention and
require edible food recovery for human
consumption from commercial food
generators
Staff and County
funded program
staff available;
Funded for FY
2023, may need
funding for FY
2024
On-going Began 1/1/2022 per
SB1383 requirements
8.U Promote Residential Food Waste
Reduction
ZW2 Create a new campaign to promote
residential food waste reduction
Existing
outreach
funding
Launch by July
2023
Campaign strategy in
development, for launch
by July 2023
8.V Champion Waste Prevention,
Reduction, Reusables, and the
Sharing Economy
ZW3 Promote adoption of a “Zero Waste
lifestyle”, stimulate value of reuse,
repair
Existing
outreach
funding for
initial
promotion of a
“Zero Waste
lifestyle”; may
need future
funding for
stimulating
reuse, repair
On-going This is an on-going effort
8.W Provide Waste Prevention
Technical Assistance to the
Commercial Sector
ZW4 Develop an outreach tool and technical
assistance to the commercial sector
Existing
outreach
funding
Launch in 2023 Outreach tool and
technical assistance in
development, for launch
in 2023
8.X Prioritize Domestic Processing of
Recyclable Materials
ZW5 Prioritize domestic processing of
recyclable materials
Request for
additional
$500,000
On-going Domestic processing for
Mixed Paper and Mixed
Rigid Plastics began April
2022. Went to Council in
November 2022 to
request additional funding
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Key
Action Description
Resource
Availability
Target
Completion
Date Status (Apr 2023)
8.Y Eliminate Single-Use Disposable
Containers
ZW6 Eliminate single-use disposable
containers by expanding the Disposable
Foodware Ordinance
Funded for
Ordinance
Requirement,
need additional
funding for
infrastructure
and
implementation
of future
requirements
Launch in 2024 Strategy and timeline in
development, for launch
in 2024
8.Z Expand the Deconstruction and
Construction Materials
Management Ordinance
ZW7 Expand the Deconstruction and
Construction Materials Management
Ordinance
Additional staff
and funding
needed
Launch by
January 2026
Expand types of covered
projects or increase
diversion requirements,
collaborate with other
Departments; consider
including in next Reach
Code Cycle to be
implemented in January
2026
8.aa Implement Reach Code standard
for Low Carbon Construction
Materials
ZW8 Implement Reach Code standard for low
carbon construction materials
Additional staff
and funding
needed
Launch January
1, 2023
Reach Code approved by
Council in October 2022.
Went into effect January
1, 2023.
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2023 2024 2025
Jan/
Feb
Mar
/Apr
May/
June
July/
Aug
Sep
/Oct
Nov
/Dec
Jan/
Feb
Mar
/Apr
May/
June
July/
Aug
Sep
/Oct
Nov
/Dec
Jan/
Feb
Mar
/Apr
May/
June
July/
Aug
Sep
/Oct
Nov
/Dec
Finalize
S/CAP and
2021 GHG
Inventory
Complete 2022 GHG Inventory Complete 2023 GHG Inventory Start Work Plan Update Staff and Consultant Work
Finalize
CEQA
Documents
S/CAP Implementation S/CAP Implementation S/CAP Implementation P1.A Grid
Modernization
Study
Complete study, design, and bring
contractor on board Construction to increase capacity
P1.B Reliability
and Resiliency
Strategic Plan
Development
Develop strategic plan Priority 1.
Grid
Moderniz
ation P1.C Reliability
and Resiliency
Strategic Plan
Implementation
Implementation based on timelines in Reliability and Resiliency Strategic Plan P2.1 A Promote
EV Adoption Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing
P2.1 B Emissions
Reduction
Advisory
Services
Get phone advisory services up and
running
Determine work plan for online services,
begin implementation
All ResidentialP2.1 C Small
electric vehicles
(e.g. e-bike)
program
Complete evaluation
Program implementation? To be
determined depending on results of
program evaluation and staffing and
funding analysis.
Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (S/CAP) and Climate Change - Protection and Adaptation Climate Change (Buildings, Mobility, EVs)
Priority 2: Launch Programs
2.1 Residential Emissions Reduction
ProgramsSingle
-
Famil
y
Resid
ential
P2.1 D Heat
Pump Water
Heater
Work to achieve program goals
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Pilot Program
P2.1 E Full-Scale
Heat Pump
Water Heater
Electrification
Program
Do program
evaluation,
assuming
advanced pilot
program goals are
on track to be met.
Transition to full scale program Ongoing program operation P2.1 F
Electrification
data collection
program
Get program up and running by December
2023 Ongoing data collection Ongoing data collection
P2.1 G Pilot
Programs for
Modernized
Neighborhoods
Program design and approvals Assuming grid modernization has made enough progress, launch program(s)
P2.1 H Single-
family
Electrification
Rebates
Cost-effectiveness studies to determine
rebate amounts, software configuration,
launch preparation
Rebate
launch
P2.1 I Affordable
Housing EV
Charging and
Electrification
Pilot
Complete pilot design, hire consultant Implement pilot project P2.1 J Multi-
Family EV
Charger
Program
Ongoing program activity with the goal of
providing EV charging in buildings
representing 10% of multi-family units in
Palo Alto by 2025
Complete evaluation of potentially
scalable strategies for multi-family and
affordable housing EV charging and/or
building electrification, including
evaluating the role of publicly-owned EV
charging+L20:U20
Ongoing program activity with the goal of
providing EV charging in buildings
representing 10% of multi-family units in
Palo Alto by 2025
Multi-Family Residential
P2.1 K Multi-
Family and
Affordable
Housing EV
Charger Access
Strategy
Complete evaluation of potentially
scalable strategies for multi-family and
affordable housing EV charging and/or
building electrification, including
evaluating the role of publicly-owned EV
charging
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Packaged
Heating,
Ventilation, and
Air Conditioning
(HVAC) Pilot
Achieve installations at four to five sites
through existing rooftop HVAC pilot
program
P2.2 B Rooftop
Packaged HVAC
Advanced Pilot
Design
Develop proposal for an advanced pilot
program and/or mandate and present to
Council
Launch program and/or mandate if
approved
Ongoing program management, if
program is approved
P2.2 C Major
Employer
Partnerships
Develop custom emissions reduction and
sustainability partnership with at least
one major employer. Develop
electrification pilots with City facilities and
PAUSD
Develop additional employer partnerships Develop additional employer partnerships P2.2 D
Commuter
Transportation
& EV Charging
Strategy
Complete evaluation and develop
recommendations for future programs
Implement any adopted commute or EV
charging programs
2.2. Non-
Resid
entia
l
Emis
sions
Redu
ction
Progr
ams
P2.2 E Regional
and State
Partnerships
Develop work plan and identify promising
partnerships
Continued participation in chosen
partnerships, exploration of new
partnerships
Continued participation in chosen
partnerships, exploration of new
partnerships
P2.3 A
Transportation
and Land Use
Policies and
Programs
Continue ongoing transportation programs, traffic management, and partnerships and land use regulatory activity P2.3 B Housing
Element
Adoption
Adopt plan
P2.3 C Housing
Element
Implementation
Implementation of Housing Element programs as outlined in Housing Element and as funded via grants and annual budget requests
2.3 City
wide
Mobi
lity
P2.3 D Micro-
mobility
evaluations
Evaluate opportunities to pilot bike/scooter share and neighborhood mobility hub pilots to provide last-mile connections as staff time becomes available
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demand transit
pilot
Launch
Pilot Pilot program in operation
P2.3 F Update
Bicycle Plan Hire consultant, kick off study Study completion and plan adoption Plan implementation P2.3 G Vision
Zero Program Timeline to be determined, depends on staffing and funding availability P2.3 H Evaluate
expansion of
employer
transportation
demand
management
(TDM)
Evaluate possible alternatives to expand TDM ordinance requirements and/or voluntary TDM services (e.g. expanding the Transportation Management Association) as staff time becomes available P2.3 I Proposals
for Managing
Downtown
Parking
Availability
Bring
proposals to
Council
P2.3 J
Implement
Efficient
Downtown
Parking
Management
Hire parking
management
consultant
Ongoing program management
P2.3 K Traffic
Signal
Improvements
& Transit Signal
Priority
Maintain and modernize current traffic signals and central management systems. Use technology to improve traffic operations and safety. Work with transit providers on transit signal priority where feasible.
P2.4 A Facility
Electrification
Assessment Plan
Finalizing Facility
Electrification Assessment
Plan
2.4 City
Facili
ties
and
Fleet
P2.4 B Facility
Electrification On-going On-going
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Implementation
P2.4 C Electrify
Equipment at
City Facilities
during Routine
Replacement
On-going On-going On-going
P2.4 D Electrify
City Vehicle
Fleet
On-going On-going On-going
P2.4 E Build City
Fleet and
Employee
Charging
Infrastructure
Building City Fleet Infrastructure is on-
going, assessing Employee Charging
Infrastructure
On-going On-going
P2.4 F Publicly-
owned charger
strategic plan
Explore Public Charging Pilot Develop publicly-owned charger strategic plan
2.5 EV
Strat
egic
Plan
P2.5A Electric
Vehicle Strategic
Plan
Development
Develop EV Strategic Plan to coordinate
efforts on various EV work items
P3.1 A Build
awareness of
the need for
climate action
Ongoing engagement, including Sustainability Newsletter, Climate Action Blog, Social Media, Sustainability Hub, Electrification Portal, Website Updates, Utility Bill Inserts, Workshops, webinars, and departmental collaboration P3.1 B Drive
community
actions to
achieve S/CAP
goals
On-going marketing On-going Marketing On-going Marketing Priority 3:
Build
Confidenc
e and
Awarenes
s
P3.1 C S/CAP
Survey Program Develop Surveys Conduct Surveys Conduct Surveys Item 14
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Reporting
Earth Day
Report
CDP
Rep
ort
Earth Day
Report
CDP
Rep
ort
Earth Day
Report
CDP
Rep
ort
P3.1 E Build
confidence in
the City’s
electric
infrastructure
Ongoing engagement, including Sustainability Newsletter, Climate Action Blog, Social Media, Sustainability Hub, Electrification Portal, Website Updates, Utility Bill Inserts, Workshops, webinars, and departmental collaboration P4 A Multi-
family and
Commercial End
Use Study
Complete RFP for consultant to do end
use survey.
Complete multi-family and non-
residential end use survey to identify
promising emissions reduction
opportunities, develop recommendations
based on survey
P4 B Idea
generation and
additional
research
Seek ideas for emissions reductions from
community, experts.
Monitor emerging technologies.
Study those ideas and technologies with
highest potential
Priority 4.
Studies
and
Analysis
P4 C Additional
Emissions
Reduction
Project
Prioritization
Evaluate new programs based on findings
of studies
P5 A Resource
Needs
Assessment
Summarize resource needs for a selection
of pilots, advanced pilots,
full-scale programs + commercial end-use
research program
P5 B. Funding
Alternatives
Study funding options available to fund
programs evaluated in work item 4.B for
most promising electrification programs,
present findings to Council.
Continuing Council discussions of
potential funding options
Implement any follow-up actions from
prior year studies
P5 C.
Affordability
Study
Complete affordability study to inform
funding needs and program design
Priority 5.
Funding
Needs
and
Funding
Sources
P5 D. Gas Utility
Financial and
Operating Plan
Develop financial and operating plan for
contracting gas utility
Implement any follow-up actions from
prior year studies
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8.A Maximize
Water
Conservation
and Efficiency
Maximize cost-effective water conservation and efficiency through incentives, outreach/education, and other programs
8.B Design and
build a salt
removal facility
for the Regional
Water Quality
Control Plant
Design is 90% complete. Bring to Council
for approval of construction of the facility
8.C Develop a
“One Water”
Portfolio for
Palo Alto
Study underway by staff
and consultant
Implementation of a “One Water” Portfolio that includes stormwater, recycled water, on-site reuse, conservation, and groundwater
Water
8.D Develop a
tool for dynamic
water planning
in the future
Included as deliverable
under One Water
consulting contract
8.E Complete
the Sea Level
Rise
Vulnerability
Assessment
Com
plet
ed
8.F Develop a
Sea Level Rise
Adaptation Plan
Develop a Sea Level Rise (SLR)
Adaptation Plan
CEQA Review of Sea Level
Rise Adaptation Plan
Bring SLR
Adaptation
Plan to
Council for
Approval
Implement Sea Level Rise
Adaptation Plan
8.G Begin design
process for a
levee projects
Determine levee alignment for a levee project that protects the Palo Alto community from sea level rise, and incorporates other related priorities including habitat restoration, recreation, transportation, City facilities, and community properties Begin design process
Sustainability
Climate
Adaptatio
n and Sea
Level Rise
8.H Identify
Protection
Strategies from
Significant Flood
Events at Newell
Road Bridge
Preparing construction documents and
initiating right-of-way acquisition
Construction of Newell Road Bridge
improvements
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8.I Identify
Protection
Strategies from
Significant Flood
Events at Pope
Chaucer Bridge
and Creek
Analyzing existing conditions within Creek
to verify structural integrity Prepare construction documents Construction of Pope Chaucer Bridge and Creek widening improvement
8.J Identify
Protection
Strategies from
Significant Flood
Events
On-going work with San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority (SFCJPA) partner agencies to identify strategies to protect the community from flows that exceed the 70-year + storm event
8.K Implement
Foothills Fire
Management
Plan
On-going implementation of the Foothills Fire Management Plan to balance conservation of natural resources with reduction of fire hazards especially in open space areas
8.L Minimize
Fire Hazards
Through Zoning
Ongoing work to minimize fire hazards by maintaining low density zoning in wildland fire hazard areas and enforcing building codes for fire resistant construction
8.M Collaborate
on Reducing
Wildfire Hazards
On-going coordination with other Fire agencies through the Santa Clara County Fire Chiefs Association and CalFire
8.N Implement
CAL FIRE Public
Education
Programs
On-going implementation of CAL FIRE recommended programs in educating and involving the local community to diminish potential loss caused by wildfire and identify prevention measures to reduce those risks
8.O Increase
Palo Alto’s Tree
Canopy and
establish a
baseline and Key
Performance
Indicator for
carbon storage
of tree canopy
Develop programs to plant trees to
increase tree canopy – that will be
integrated with traditional tree planting
programs and Green Stormwater
Infrastructure programs – and provide
carbon sequestration, improve water
quality, capture stormwater when
feasible, and reduce the urban heat island
effect
Establish baseline and Key Performance
Indicator for carbon storage of tree
canopy; implement programs to increase
tree canopy
On-going implementation of programs to
increase tree canopyNatural
Environm
ent
8.P Ensure No
Net Tree Canopy On-going effort to implement the updated Tree Ordinance (effective July 21, 2022) Item 14
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8.Q Reduce
Pesticide Use in
Parks and Open
Space Preserves
On-going effort to review the use of pesticides in all parks and open space preserves to identify opportunities to further reduce and eliminate the use of pesticides
8.R Coordinate
Implementation
of City Natural
Environment-
Related Plans
On-going effort to coordinate implementation of the Urban Forest Master Plan, Parks Master Plan, Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan and other citywide planning efforts through interdepartmental collaboration
8.S Support the
Green
Stormwater
Infrastructure
(GSI) Plan and
incorporate GSI
in Municipal
Projects
On-going effort to achieve a 10% increase in land area that uses green stormwater infrastructure to treat urban water runoff
8.T Encourage
Food Waste
Prevention and
Require Food
Recovery from
Commercial
Food Generators
On-going effort to encourage food waste prevention and require edible food recovery for human consumption from commercial food generators. Began 1/1/2022 per SB1383 requirements. May need funding for FY 2024
8.U Promote
Residential Food
Waste
Reduction
Campaign strategy in
development Implement campaign to promote residential food waste reductionZero Waste
8.V Champion
Waste
Prevention,
Reduction,
Reusables, and
the Sharing
Economy
On-going effort to promote adoption of a
“Zero Waste lifestyle” and stimulate value
of reuse, repair.
On-going effort to promote adoption of a “Zero Waste lifestyle” and stimulate value of reuse, repair. May need funding for stimulating reuse, repair outreach Item 14
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8.W Provide
Waste
Prevention
Technical
Assistance to
the Commercial
Sector
Develop an outreach tool and technical
assistance to the commercial sector Implement outreach tool and technical assistance to the commercial sector
8.X Prioritize
Domestic
Processing of
Recyclable
Materials
On-going effort to prioritize domestic processing of recyclable materials. Domestic processing for Mixed Paper and Mixed Rigid Plastics began April 2022.
8.Y Eliminate
Single-Use
Disposable
Containers
Developing strategy and timeline to eliminate single-use disposable containers by expanding the Disposable Foodware Ordinance
Implement the expanded Disposable
Foodware Ordinance
8.Z Expand the
Deconstruction
and
Construction
Materials
Management
Ordinance
Determine the most effective way of
expanding the Deconstruction and
Construction Materials Management
Ordinance
Expand types of covered projects or increase diversion requirements, collaborate with other Departments; consider including in next Reach Code Cycle to be implemented in January 2026
8.aa Implement
Reach Code
standard for
Low Carbon
Construction
Materials
Implement Reach Code standard for low carbon construction materials (pending Council approval in October 2022)
S/CAP Implementation
Resources, Updates,
Outreach, and Webinars
S/CAP Implementation Resources,
Updates, Outreach, and Webinars
S/CAP Implementation Resources,
Updates, Outreach, and Webinars
COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT
Cross-promotional efforts
with external partners and
COPA departments (e.g.
Library)
Cross-promotional efforts with external
partners and
COPA departments (e.g. Library)
Cross-promotional efforts with external
partners and
COPA departments (e.g. Library)
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COUNCIL AND
COMMISSION
MEETINGS
Council
certification
of CEQA and
adoption of
S/CAP,
acceptance
of Three-
Year
Workplan,
Council
Meeting on
Earth Day
Report
Council Study Session on S/CAP
Progress Report
Council
Approval of
Sea Level
Rise
Adaptation
Plan
Council Study Session on S/CAP
Progress Report
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Appendix B: How Climate Actions were Prioritized
The chart below gives an overview of how various emissions reduction activities were prioritized based on various factors. Activities were divided up into four priority tiers:
A. Prioritize for immediate action
B. Prioritize in areas where grid modernization has been completed C. Requires additional study or stakeholder engagement to determine priority D. Prioritize only if resources are available
A fuller blue bubble denotes a program that ranks more favorably when considering S/CAP implementation efforts. For example, a program with a full blue bubble in the “Total emissions reduction potential” column has more emissions reduction potential than one with a partially filled bubble. See next page for more detail.
Activity
Cost effective
(per metric
ton basis)
Total emissions
reduction
potential
Minimizes
Electric Utility
Impacts
Policy leverage
– City ability to
impact
Funding
Source
Availability
Priority
Tier
Mobility – Bicycling /
Alternative Modes C
Visitor EV adoption D
New buildings/ADU A
Single-Family
Water Heating A
Space Heating (w/ A/C) B
Space Heating (w/o A/C) B
Other Building Equipment B
Electric Vehicles A
Multi-Family
Building retrofits (1) C
Electric Vehicles A
Non-Residential
Rooftop HVAC A
Other building equipment (2) C
Fleet Electrification D
Commuter EVs
Small/Med Business (1) B
Major Facilities (1) B
1. Tentative ranking based on some preliminary ideas that need more exploration, which will take staff time
2. Tentative conclusion based on initial impact analysis, needs more study Insights:
•Mobility and EVs are the most cost-effective actions and the City has significant policy leverage in the Mobility area. •The City has less policy leverage to drive EV adoption, but there are a few areas where it has potential policy leverage, such as increasing EV charger access.
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•Electrification of single-family building equipment is worth prioritizing under most criteria. Heat pump water heaters can be promoted citywide. Other equipment should be promoted primarily in neighborhoods with upgraded utility infrastructure.
•Commercial building rooftop packaged HVAC units are worth prioritizing and may have fewer electric utility impacts than other electrification measures.
•More study is needed to identify other viable building electrification actions in the commercial sector. •More study is also needed on multi-family building electrification.
How to Ratings were Determined:
- Rating, high (filled bubble) to low (empty bubble)
Cost effective (MT
CO2-e)3
Total emissions
reduction
potential**
Minimizes Electric
Utility Impacts
Policy leverage –
City ability to
impact
Funding Source
Availability*
Deep cost savings >25,000 MT/yr
No permit review,
does not impact
utilities
City policy has high
impact
Resources / staffing
available in existing
budget, no added
funds needed
Modest cost savings 15,000 – 25,000
MT/yr
Permit review, but
rare utility upgrades
Dedicated funding
source under City
control, sufficient
for pilot programs
Break even 10,000 – 15,000
MT/yr
Permit review,
causes some utility
upgrades
Lower cost
($0/MT -$200/MT)
5,000 – 10,000
MT/yr
Frequent utility
impacts, must
develop programs
to limit impact.
No dedicated
funding source for
S/CAP pilots, grants
may be available
High cost
(>$200/MT) Minimal potential
Utility upgrades
often needed,
cannot be avoided
Little or no ability to
impact
No dedicated
funding source for
S/CAP pilots
* It may not be possible to use the same funding source to achieve all goals using the same funding source. For example, Low Carbon Fuel Standard revenue might be available to fund residential EV programs or workplace charging programs, but not both.
** This represents the full potential contribution of this type of activity to achieving the 80x30 goals, not just the emissions reductions associated with the 2022-2024 work plan. 3 Metric tons (MT) of carbon-dioxide equivalent (CO2-e), a common measure of greenhouse gas emissions quantity.
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Key Actions by Cost per Metric Ton of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent Reduced4
4 Cost per metric ton shown as a range from a low-cost scenario to a high-cost scenario Item 14
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5 Metric tons (MT) of carbon-dioxide equivalent (CO2-e), a common measure of greenhouse gas emissions quantity.
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Appendix C: Policy Guidelines for Electric Vehicle Strategic Plan Development Work item 2.5A calls for the development of an electric vehicles strategic plan, which would guide implementation of several work items. The strategic plan would also relate to a reliability and resiliency strategic plan to be developed in parallel.
Objectives
1. Promote residential, workplace, and visitor electric vehicle adoption
2. Lower the cost and carbon emissions of EV charging as much as possible
3. Decrease the impact of electric vehicle charging on the local electric distribution system
4. Explore how electric vehicles could contribute to the efficient and reliable operation of the statewide and local electric system
5. Explore the use of electric vehicles for increased home resiliency
6. Evaluate the reliability and resiliency needs of an electrified transportation system and the City’s role in fulfilling those needs
Concepts to explore adding to Strategic Plan
•Scalable programs to provide charging for multi-family and income-qualified households •Scalable programs to provide workplace and visitor charging •The role of publicly-owned charging in providing multi-family, income-qualified, workplace, and visitor charging •How much high-speed charging is needed in Palo Alto and where it should be located •Business models to make commuter and visitor mid-day low-cost, low-carbon charging more attractive than overnight home charging
•New technologies such as vehicle to load, vehicle to home, and vehicle to grid and their roles in providing home resiliency and improving the efficiency and reliability of the statewide and local electric systems •Lower wattage chargers and charging behaviors
•Time of day pricing and other ways to encourage off-peak and mid-day charging •The role of smaller electric vehicles such as e-bikes and e-scooters in transportation emissions reduction •The role of regional partnerships in driving electric vehicle adoption for commuters and visitors Item 14
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Appendix D: Policy Guidelines for Reliability and Resiliency Strategic Plan Development Work item 1B calls for the development of a reliability and resiliency strategic plan, which would guide implementation of reliability and resiliency work items. This would be coordinated with development of an electric vehicle strategic plan.
Objectives
1. Maintain and improve electric system reliability
2. Improve utility outage communication
3. Prepare the electric system for increased penetration of solar, batteries, electric vehicles and chargers, electrified building equipment, and similar new technologies
4. Optimize the use of local grid capacity in a cost-effective way
5. Promote technologies and behaviors that contribute to the efficient and reliable operation of the statewide and local electric system
Concepts to explore adding to Strategic Plan
•Addressing utility workforce issues
•Replacing aging infrastructure as part of a grid modernization plan •Installing additional switching and other solutions to improve reliability and recovery from outages as part of a grid modernization effort
•Improving utility outage management system and communications protocols •Technologies like vehicle to load or vehicle to home for home resiliency •Equity in resiliency – how to provide resiliency to income-qualified residents •Neighborhood-level resiliency solutions such as microgrids and local utility-scale battery storage •Community emergency center resiliency
•Mobile battery strategies, such as large electric vehicles that could double as emergency resiliency solutions •Promoting low-wattage electrification solutions to reduce grid impacts of vehicle and building electrification •Time of day pricing and other ways to encourage shifting electric use to times of day with lower emissions, lower utility cost, and lower local grid impact
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Appendix E: Index of Key Actions and the Work Items that Implement them Draft S/CAP Three-Year Work Plan – Updated Fall 2022 Page 41 of 42 Key Action Title
Work
Item(s)
C1. Provide Building and
Transportation Emissions
Consultations for Residents
P2.1B
C2. Develop Major Employer Custom
Emissions Reduction Plans
P2.2C
C3. Study Additional Key Actions
Needed for 80 x 30
P4.A,
P4.B,
P4.C
C4. Study Staffing and Budgetary
Needs
P5.B
C5. Study Funding Alternatives P5.C
C6. Conduct an Electrification
Affordability Study
P5.D
C7. Study Carbon Neutrality Options
C8. Accelerate GHG reductions
through Mandates or Price Signals
P2.1K,
P2.2A,
P2.2B,
P2.2D
E1. Reduce GHG emissions in Single-
Family Appliances and Equipment
P2.1D,
P2.1E,
P2.1F,
P2.1G,
P2.1H
E2. Reduce GHG emissions in Non-
Residential Equipment
P2.2A,
P2.2B,
P2.2C
E3. Reduce Gas Use in Major Facilities P2.2C
E4. Reduce Natural Gas Use at City
facilities
P2.4A,
P2.4B,
P2.4C
E5. Support Income-Qualified
Residents and Vulnerable
Businesses with Electrification
P5.D,
P2.1D,
P2.1I
E6. Develop Electric Rate Options P1.D
Key Action Title
Work
Item(s)
E7. Use Codes and Ordinances to
Facilitate Electrification
P2.2A,
P2.2B
E8. Electric Grid Modernization Plan P1.A,
P1.B,
P1.C
E9. Additional Electrification
Opportunities in Commercial and
Multi-Family Buildings
P4.B
EV1. Raise Awareness of Alternative
Transportation Modes,
Micromobility, and EVs.
P2.1A,
P2.2D
EV2. Collaborate to Promote EV
Adoption Regionally
P2.2E
EV3. Promote EV Adoption and
Alternative Commutes for
Commuters
P2.2C,
P2.2D
EV4. Facilitate the Adoption of EVs, E-
bikes and other Light EVs.
P2.1A,
P2.1C,
P2.2D
EV5. Promote Alternative
Transportation Modes and
Infrastructure To Support Adoption
P2.1I,
P2.1J
EV6. Expand EV Charging Access for
Multi-Family Residents
P2.1J,
P2.1K
P2.4F
EV7. Improve EV Charging Access for
Income-Qualified residents
P2.1I,
P2.1J,
P2.1K
P2.4F
EV8. Ensure EV Charging Capacity
Supports EV Growth
P2.1K,
P2.2D,
P2.4C
P2.4F
Key Action Title
Work
Item(s)
EV9. Electrify Municipal Vehicle Fleet P2.4D,
P2.4E
EV10. Support Policy to Electrify Fleet
Vehicles
P2.2E
M1. Increase Active Transportation
and Transit for Local Work Trips
P2.3A
M2. Expand Availability of Transit and
Shared Mobility Services
P2.3D,
P2.3E
M3. Implement the Bicycle and
Pedestrian Transportation Plan
P2.3F,
P2.3G
M4. Improve Transportation Demand
Management for Employees and
Residents
P2.3H
M5. Implement Smart Parking
Infrastructure in Public Garages
and Parking Fees in Business
Districts
P5.C,
P2.3I,
P2.3J
M6. Study Land Use and
Transportation
M7. Continue to Implement the City’s
Housing Element
P2.3B,
P2.3C
M8. Improve Transit and Traffic Flow P2.3K
M9. Create Housing Density and Land
Use Mix that Supports Transit and
Non-SOV Transportation
P2.3B,
P2.3C
M10. Encourage Reductions in GHGs
and VMT
P4.A,
P4.C
W1. Maximize Water Conservation
and Efficiency
8.A
W2. Build a Salt Removal Facility 8.B
W3. Implement One Water Portfolio
Projects
8.C
W4. Develop a Dynamic Water
Planning Tool
8.D
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Draft S/CAP Three-Year Work Plan – Updated Q1 2023 Page 42 of 42 Key Action Title
Work
Item(s)
S1. Complete a Sea Level Rise
Vulnerability Assessment
8.E
S2. Implement a Sea Level Rise
Adaptation Plan
8.F
S3. Begin Design Process for a Levee
Project
8.G
S4. Identify Protection Strategies from
Significant Flood Events
8.H, 8.I,
8.J
S5. Implement the Foothills Fire
Management Plan
8.K
S6. Minimize Fire Hazards Through
Zoning
8.L
S7. Collaborate on Reducing Wildfire
Hazards
8.M
S8. Implement CAL FIRE Public
Education Programs
8.N
N1. Increase Palo Alto's Tree Canopy 8.O
N2. Ensure No Net Tree Canopy Loss
for all Projects
8.P
N3. Reduce Pesticide Use in Parks and
Open Space Preserves
8.Q
N4. Enhance Pollinator Habitat
N5. Establish a Carbon Storage of Tree
Canopy Baseline and KPI
8.O
N6. Maximize Biodiversity and Soil
Health
N7. Coordinate Implementation of
City Natural Environment-Related
Plans
8.R
N8. Expand Water Efficient Landscape
Ordinance (WELO) Requirements
N9. Phase out Gas-Powered Lawn and
Garden Equipment
Key Action Title
Work
Item(s)
N10. Support the Green Stormwater
Infrastructure Plan
8.S
N11. Incorporate Green Stormwater
Infrastructure in Municipal Projects
8.S
ZW1. Encourage Food Waste
Prevention and Require Food
Recovery from Commercial Food
Generators
8.T
ZW2. Promote Residential Food Waste
Reduction
8.U
ZW3. Champion Waste Prevention,
Reduction, Reusables, and the
Sharing Economy
8.V
ZW4. Provide Waste Prevention
Technical Assistance to the
Commercial Sector
8.W
ZW5. Prioritize Domestic Processing of
Recyclable Materials
8.X
ZW6. Eliminate Single-Use Disposable
Containers
8.Y
ZW7. Expand the Deconstruction and
Construction Materials
Management Ordinance
8.Z
ZW8. Implement Reach Code standard
for Low Carbon Construction
Materials
8.aa
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Attachment E: Palo Alto’s 2021 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
1.a. Overview of Methodology for Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cities represent the single greatest opportunity for tackling climate change, as they are responsible for 75 percent of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, with transportation and buildings among the largest contributors1. The first step for cities to realize their potential is to identify and measure the sources of their emissions. Best practices for identifying these sources and quantifying emissions is to utilize a standardized GHG inventory.
There are two types of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions inventories:
1.Generation-based GHG inventory – This measurement method helps a community understand its level of emissions based on community energy use. It includes 1) direct consumption of energy, 2) consumption of energy via the electrical grid, and 3) emissions from the treatment/decomposition of waste. This is the industry-accepted methodology for quantifying community GHG emissions, with emissions reported by emission source category2.
2.Consumption-based GHG inventory – This measurement method helps a community understand its level of emissions based on consumption. It offers an alternative, more holistic, approach for quantifying emissions within a community, quantifying consumption of goods and services (including food, clothing, electronic equipment, etc.) by residents of a city, with emissions reported by consumption category.
Staff did not complete a consumption based GHG inventory as there is no State guidance yet, though staff believes this inventory type is valuable. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has been tasked with developing an implementation framework and accounting to track consumption-based emissions over time.3 In particular, this framework needs to address how to account for the embodied emissions in the food, goods, and services the community purchases not covered by generation-based GHG inventories.
In 2014, World Resources Institute, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI)4 partnered to create a global standard protocol for generation-based GHG inventories. The official GHG Protocol standard for Cities5 provides a 1 See UN Environment Programme, ”Cities and Climate Change,” https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/resource- efficiency/what-we-do/cities/cities-and-climate-change
2 There are two reporting frameworks commonly used by cities: the U.S. Community Protocol and the Global Protocol for Communities (GPC). Palo Alto uses the GPC framework. 3 Executive Department State of California. (2019). Executive Order B-55-18 to Achieve Carbon Neutrality. https://www.ca.gov/archive/gov39/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/9.10.18-Executive-Order.pdf. 4 Formerly the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, renamed in 2003 to ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.
5 The GPC is the official protocol specified by the Global Covenant of Mayors and defines what emissions must be reported and how.
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robust framework for accounting and reporting city-wide GHG emissions for a generation-based inventory. The GPC Protocol is the official protocol specified by the Global Covenant of Mayors and defines what emissions must be reported and how. In addition, this inventory draws on methods from the U.S. Community Protocol6, which provides more detailed methodology specific to the U.S. AECOM utilized the GPC Protocol when developing our 2021 GHG inventory.
It seeks to:
•Help cities develop a comprehensive and robust GHG inventory to support climate action planning
•Help cities establish a base year emissions inventory, set reduction targets, and track their performance
•Ensure consistent and transparent measurement and reporting of GHG emissions between cities, following internationally recognized GHG accounting and reporting principles
•Enable city inventories to be aggregated at subnational and national levels •Demonstrate the important role that cities play in tackling climate change, and facilitate insight through benchmarking – and aggregation – of comparable data Palo Alto’s first generation-based inventory was completed for 2005 and then extrapolated for 1990 (the baseline year). Beginning in 2010, new community GHG inventories were completed annually, enabling Palo Alto to track progress over time.
The 2021 Palo Alto GHG inventory, completed by AECOM, uses the approach and methods provided by the GPC. Inventory calculations were performed using the ClearPath7 tool, a software platform designed for creating generation-based GHG inventories. The City’s GHG inventory conforms to the GPC Basic protocol for a generation-based inventory.
The GPC Basic protocol describes three emissions scopes for community emissions:
•Scope 1: GHG emissions from sources located within the city boundary, such as stationary fuel consumption.
•Scope 2: GHG emissions occurring because of the use of grid-supplied electricity, heat, steam, and/or cooling within the city boundary
•Scope 3: All other GHG emissions that occur outside the city boundary as a result of activities taking place within the city boundary
This inventory follows the city-inducted framework in the GPC protocol, which totals GHG emissions attributable to activities taking place within the geographic boundary of the city8.
Under the Basic reporting level as defined by the GPC protocol, the inventory requirements 6 U.S. Community Protocol; https://icleiusa.org/us-community-protocol/ 7 ClearPath tool; https://icleiusa.org/clearpath/
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cover scope 1 and scope 2 emissions from stationary energy and transportation, as well as all emissions resulting from waste generating within the city boundary.
1.b. Palo Alto’s 2021 GHG Emissions
In 2021, Palo Alto emitted an estimated 359,312 metric tons (MT) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) from the residential, commercial, industrial, transportation, waste, water, and municipal sectors.9 In comparison to the 1990 base year emissions (which were about 780,000 metric tons), that is a 53.9 percent decrease in total community emissions, despite a population increase of 19.5 percent during that same time period. This equates to 5.4 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MT CO2e) per Palo Alto resident in 2021 compared to 14 MT CO2e per Palo Alto resident in 1990. The California Air Resources Board’s 2017 Scoping Plan Update recommends a goal for local governments of 6 MT C02e per capita by 2030.
Of that 53.9 percent reduction to-date, 44.2 percent came from achieving carbon neutrality for the City’s electricity portfolio, 28.6 percent from declines in transportation emissions, 13.9 percent from reduction in natural gas (methane10) consumption, 11.5 percent from declines in solid waste emissions, and 1.7 percent from declines in wastewater-related emissions. In comparison to 2020, that is a 6.7 percent decrease in total community emissions.
For the emissions sources in 2021, 51.7 percent are from on-road transportation, 37.8 percent are from natural gas (methane) use, and the remainder are from other sources. A comparison of 1990, 2019, 2020, and 2021 GHG emissions is shown in 9 Carbon dioxide equivalent is a unit of measure that normalizes the varying climate warming potencies of all six GHG emissions, which are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). For example, one metric ton of nitrous oxide is 210 metric tons of CO2e.
10 Methane, which is the primary component of natural gas, is a very potent greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential that is 25 times higher than CO2 over a 100-year period.
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Figure 1: 1990 vs 2021 GHG Emissions by Sector
and Table 1. The full comparison between the inventories can be found in Attachment B 1990 vs. 2021 Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector and Subsector. Additional existing emissions sources that were missing from the 1990 GHG inventory were included in the 2021 GHG inventory to comply with the GPC Basic protocol (Airport Emissions, Off-road Vehicles, Caltrain Commuter Rail, Composting, and Palo Alto Landfill Gas Flaring).
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Figure 1: 1990 vs 2021 GHG Emissions by Sector
Table 1: 1990 vs 2021 GHG Emissions by Sector
Sector 1990 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
2019 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
2020 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
2021 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
Percent
Change in
2021
from 1990
On-Road Transportation 331,840 293,413 217,279 185,925 -44.0% Additional Transportation Sources 21,668 21,244 25,478 n/a Natural Gas (Methane) Use 194,000 153,509 134,365 135,697 -30.1% Natural Gas (Methane) Fugitive
Emissions
4,718 5,009 4,384 4,427 -6.2%
Wastewater-Related Emissions 8,504 2,197 1,388 1,262 -85.2% Solid Waste 55,057 6,531 6,660 6,522 -88.2%
Brown Power Supply (Electricity) 186,000 - 100%
Total GHG Emissions (MT CO2e) 780,119 482,237 385,320 359,312 -53.9% As shown in Figure 2, the two largest categories of emissions are transportation and mobile sources (including on-road transportation, airport emissions, off-road vehicles, and Caltrain commuter rail) and natural gas (methane) use (including residential, commercial, and industrial).
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Figure 2: 2021 GHG Emissions by Sector
Transportation and mobile sources include emissions from private, commercial, and fleet vehicles driven within the City’s geographical boundaries, as well as the emissions from public transit vehicles and the City-owned fleet. Off-road vehicles include airport ground support, construction and mining, industrial, light commercial, portable equipment, and transportation refrigeration.
Natural gas (methane) use includes emissions that result from natural gas (methane) consumption in both private and public sector buildings and facilities, and residential, commercial, and industrial sources. Fugitive emissions related to natural gas (methane) consumption are calculated separately and are discussed in Section 1.d. The City’s electricity supply has been carbon neutral since 2013, when Council approved a Carbon Neutral Electric Resource Plan, committing Palo Alto to pursuing only carbon-neutral electric resources and effectively eliminating all GHG emissions from the City's electric portfolio.
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1.c. Transportation and Mobile Sources
In 2021, transportation and mobile sources accounted for 58.8 percent of total GHG emissions in Palo Alto, a 11.4 percent decrease from 2020. As shown in Table 2, transportation and mobile sources consist of:
•On-Road Transportation – This includes all daily vehicular trips made entirely within the Palo Alto city limits, one-half of daily vehicular trips with an origin within Palo Alto city limits and a destination outside of Palo Alto city limits (this assumes that Palo Alto shares half the responsibility for trips traveling from other jurisdictions), and one-half of daily vehicular trips with an origin outside Palo Alto city limits and a destination within Palo Alto city limits (this assumes that Palo Alto shares the responsibility of trips traveling to other jurisdictions). Vehicular trips through Palo Alto are not included because Palo Alto cannot solely implement policies that influence the trip-making behavior. Rather, through trips are assigned to other jurisdictions that can influence either the origin or destination side of the trip-making behavior. •Airport Emissions – This includes emissions from take-offs and landings from trips that start and end at Palo Alto Airport. This includes emergency services helicopters, sightseeing helicopters, and training flights. Flights that take-off from Palo Alto Airport but land elsewhere, and flights that land in Palo Alto Airport but take-off from elsewhere are not included per GPC Basic Protocol.
•Off-road Vehicles - This includes airport ground support (based on take-offs and landings), construction and mining, industrial (based on employment data), light commercial (based on employment data), portable equipment (e.g. back-pack leaf blower, based on service population), and transportation refrigeration units (based on service population).
•Caltrain Commuter Rail – This includes emissions from Caltrain travel within Palo Alto.
Table 2: 2021 Transportation and Mobile Sources
Subsector 2019 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
2020 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
2021 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
Percent of
Total 2021
Emissions (%)
On-Road Transportation 293,413 217,279 185,925 51.7%
Airport Emissions 2,192 1,664 2,641 0.7%
Off-road Vehicles 14,634 15,029 18,961 5.3%
Caltrain Commuter Rail 4,842 4,552 3,876 1.1%
Total Transportation &
Mobile Sources
315,081 238,523 211,403 58.8%
Estimating vehicles miles traveled (VMT) is a complicated process and is one of the few emissions sources that the City does not estimate annually. Forecasts of on-road transportation emissions are typically based on outputs from a travel forecasting model, other accounting-type method (sketch models), or Big Data (vehicle navigation data from built-in GPS and location- based services data from cell phones). Previously, Fehr & Peers provided VMT estimates for 2019, 2030, and 2040, with AECOM using the VMT estimates for 2019 to estimate the VMT for Item 14
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2020. The VTA model used to calculate Palo Alto’s 2019 annual VMT is only updated every few years and has not yet been updated to better reflect changes in VMT due to the pandemic. For 2021, AECOM used the VMT estimates from the Google Environmental Insights Explorer.
The Google Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE) uses aggregated data to derive local data, including distance driven by mode, then applies regional assumptions from the Climate Action for Urban Sustainability (CURB) tool — an internationally recognized third-party data source — to estimate the mix of vehicle and fuel types. This reflects actual trips from geospatial data based on continuous observation. Total distance traveled for all trips is aggregated and modeled to the entire city using aggregated location information from Google Location History and other sources. Google EIE is now GPC compliant, which is why staff opted to use the Google EIE data instead of the VTA model, which has not been updated since before the pandemic. In addition, ICLEI recommends cities use Google EIE data to estimate VMT.
On-road transportation accounts for approximately 51.7 percent of Palo Alto’s total emissions, a 14.4 percent decrease from 2020. Because the 2021 GHG inventory uses Google EIE to calculate VMT and not the VTA model, it is possible that the emissions reductions in on-road transportation were because of the change in methodology and not from actual reductions in VMT. Using the VTA model, Fehr and Peers estimated VMT to be 729,969,567 total annual miles in 2020 compared to 518,286,844 total annual miles in 2021 using Google EIE. In addition, Google EIE does not use speed bin analysis 11, whereas Fehr and Peers did.
However, moving forward, future GHG inventories will continue to use Google EIE to calculate VMT, so the 2022 GHG inventory will be a better comparison.
Off-road transportation accounts for approximately 5.3 percent of Palo Alto’s total emissions, a
26.2 percent increase from 2020, mainly from transportation refrigeration units and light commercial (outdoor power equipment such as compressors and generators). Off-road transportation emissions were not calculated in 1990. It is important to note that most of the off-road transportation emissions are based on models at the County level that were not adjusted to reflect any pandemic-induced activity changes and do not reflect Palo Alto-specific variation.
Caltrain commuter rail emissions account for approximately 1.1 percent of Palo Alto’s total emissions, a 14.9 percent decrease from 2020. Caltrain electrification is a key component of the Caltrain Modernization program12, with Caltrain scheduled to be electrified by the end of 2023 or early 2024. Once the Caltrain Modernization program is complete, most of the Caltrain commuter rail emissions will be eliminated.
11 GHG emissions are commonly calculated using forecasts of VMT that are grouped according to the average speed of the traveling vehicles, which is called speed bin analysis. Slower-moving vehicles generate more pollutants, while travel speeds between 40-50 miles per hour (mph) tend to represent the most fuel-efficient operating conditions for internal combustion engines.
12 Caltrain Modernization Program; https://calmod.org/
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Airport emissions account for approximately 0.7% of Palo Alto’s total emissions, a 58.7% increase from 2020. Intracity flights fuel use is estimated by the City and not reflective of actual fuel consumption.
1.d Natural Gas (Methane) Use
In 2021, natural gas (methane) emissions accounted for 37.8 percent of total 2021 GHG emissions in Palo Alto, a 1 percent increase from 2020 and a 30.1 percent decrease from 1990.
As shown in Table 3, Palo Alto’s total natural gas (methane) consumption in 2021 was 25,518,320 therms. Residential energy accounts for 18.9 percent of total emissions, commercial energy accounts for 15.5 percent of total emissions, and industrial energy accounts for 3.4 percent of total emissions. The pandemic drastically affected natural gas (methane) consumption. The temporary shelter-in place order, as well as changes in how and where people worked, resulted in major changes in the commercial and industrial sectors, with fewer people staying in hotels, going to restaurants, and going to retail establishments in 2020. In 2021, as the commercial and industrial sectors began to rebound, natural gas (methane) use increased 4 percent in the commercial sector and 1.8 percent in the industrial sector. Natural gas (methane) use decreased 1.5% in the residential sector.
City Council unanimously approved Palo Alto’s Carbon Neutral Natural Gas Plan on December 5, 2016. The Natural Gas Plan, implemented on July 1, 2017, achieves carbon neutrality for the gas supply portfolio by 1) purchasing high-quality carbon offsets equivalent to our City and community natural gas (methane) emissions; 2) pursuing efficiency strategies to reduce natural gas (methane) use, and 3) seeking opportunities to fund local offsets that finance actual emissions reductions in Palo Alto and the surrounding region. As a bridging strategy, carbon offsets are being purchased in an amount equal to the GHG emissions caused by natural gas (methane) use within the City. However, offsets are not included in this GHG inventory.
Table 3: 2021 Natural Gas (Methane) Use
Subsector 2019
Consumption
(Therms)
2020
Consumption
(Therms)
2021
Consumption
(Therms)
Percent of Total
2021 Emissions
(%)
Residential Energy 13,565,360 12,952,262 12,756,160 18.9% Industrial Energy 2,707,034 2,253,641 2,294,119 3.4%
Commercial Energy 12,954,768 10,061,842 10,468,041 15.5% Total Natural Gas
(Methane) Use
28,867,162 25,267,739 25,518,320 37.8%
Natural Gas (Methane) Fugitive Emissions
Natural gas is mainly methane (CH4), some of which escapes during the drilling, extraction, and transportation processes. Such releases are known as fugitive emissions. The primary sources of these emissions may include equipment leaks, evaporation losses, venting, flaring and accidental releases. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas – approximately 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 100-year timescale.
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In 2021, natural gas (methane) fugitive emissions accounted for 1.2 percent of total GHG emissions in Palo Alto, an increase of 1 percent from 2019 and a decrease of 6.2 percent from 1990. Per the GPC, fugitive emissions from natural gas (methane) are based on overall community consumption and a leakage rate of 0.03 percent.
As mentioned in Section 1.a., the GPC Basic methodology includes GHG emissions attributable to activities taking place within the geographic boundary of the city. As such, the 2021 GHG inventory does not include a category of emissions that are called “upstream emissions,” which includes emissions from extraction of natural gas (methane) and its transportation across the western United States through California to Palo Alto. Leaks during gas extraction and transportation can be very significant, so the actual impacts of natural gas (methane) use can be much more significant than is represented in a formal greenhouse gas inventory.
1.e. Solid Waste
In 2021, Palo Alto's solid waste diversion rate was 84 percent, far exceeding the 50 percent mandate for local jurisdictions. “Diversion” includes all waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and composting activities that “divert” materials from landfills. The City uses the diversion rate to measure progress on waste reduction and resource conservation goals. As shown in Figure 3:
Annual Diversion Rate Percentage, the diversion rate of 84 percent is an improvement from the 62 percent rate in 2007 but has remained relatively flat the last few years. As part of the 2016 S/CAP Framework, Council adopted a goal of 95 percent diversion of materials from landfills by 203013.
Figure 3: Annual Diversion Rate Percentage
13 Sustainability and Climate Action Plan Framework, November 2016; https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/64814 Item 14
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Solid waste emissions accounted for 1.8 percent of total 2021 GHG emissions in Palo Alto, a 2 percent increase from 2020 and an 88.2 percent decrease from 1990. As shown in Table 4, the 1990 inventory included Palo Alto Landfill Gas Fugitive emissions, whereas the 2021 inventory did not, and the 2021 inventory included composting emissions at the ZeroWaste Energy Development Company’s (ZWED) Dry Fermentation Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Facility in San Jose, CA, composting emissions at the Synagro El Nido Central Valley Composting (CVC) facility in Dos Palos, as well as Palo Alto Landfill Gas Flaring Emissions. The increase in solid waste emissions from 2020 is due largely to the increase in emissions from the closed landfills within the community.
In 2021, emissions from the closed landfills located within the community accounted for 1.4 percent of total waste emissions.
Table 4: 1990 vs 2021 Solid Waste Emissions by Subsector Subsector 1990 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
2019 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
2020 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
2021 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
Percent of
Total 2021
Emissions
(%)
Composting Not included 731 1,623 1,256 0.3%
Palo Alto Landfill
Gas Flaring
Not included 281 316 237 0.1%
Palo Alto Landfill
Gas Fugitive
24,325 n/a14 n/a n/a n/a
14 Not included because the landfill was closed
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Landfill Waste 30,732 5,519 4,721 5,029 1.4%
Total 55,057 6,531 6,660 6,522 1.8%
Waste emissions result from organic material decomposing in the anaerobic conditions present in a landfill and releasing methane (CH4) – a greenhouse gas much more potent than CO2.
Organic materials (e.g., paper, plant debris, food waste, etc.) generate methane within the anaerobic environment of a landfill while non-organic materials (e.g., metal, glass, etc.) do not.
In 2016, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) to reduce GHG emissions from a variety of short-lived climate pollutants, including methane from organic materials disposed in landfills. SB 1383 is the largest and most prescriptive waste management legislation in California since the California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939). SB 1383 sets several statewide goals, including:
•Reduce statewide disposal of organic waste by 50% by January 1, 2020 and 75% by 2025.
•Recover at least 20% of the currently disposed edible food for human consumption by 2025.
1.f. Wastewater Treatment
As shown in Table 5, in 2021 the City of Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant (RWQCP) wastewater-related emissions accounted for 0.4 percent of total 2021 GHG emissions in Palo Alto – a 9.1 percent decrease from 2020 and an 85.2 percent decrease from 1990.
RWQCP GHG emissions originate from electricity, natural gas (methane), and landfill gas usage required to treat the wastewater, as well as GHGs that are emitted from the wastewater itself either during treatment or after (effluent). The nitrogen within wastewater is subject to transformation to nitrous oxide at varying stages in the treatment process as well as after it’s been discharged to a receiving water (effluent). These emissions are included in the RWQCP totals. The RWQCP operations achieved significant GHG reductions in 2019 when the facility’s sewage sludge incinerators were replaced with the more environmentally-friendly Sludge Dewatering and Truck Loadout Facility. Previously, the RWQCP incinerators were the City’s largest facility-related GHG source. The updated biosolids treatment process has and will continue to reduce climate-warming GHG emissions by approximately 15,000 MT of CO2e per year when compared to the emissions from incineration. This approximates the carbon dioxide emissions of 3,000 passenger cars. The dewatered sludge is used as agricultural soil supplements.
Table 5: 1990 vs 2021 Wastewater-Related Emissions by Subsector Subsector 1990 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
2019 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
2020 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
2021 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
Percent of
Total 2021
Emissions
(%)
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Attachment E - 2021 GHG
Inventory
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Wastewater
Biosolid
Treatment15
n/a 812 0 0 0%
Wastewater
Treatment and
Effluent
8,504 1,385 1,388 1,262 0.4%
Total 8,504 2,197 1,388 1,262 0.4%
Figure 4: RWQCP Historical Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions 15 Includes biosolid composting, anaerobic digestion, and incineration Item 14
Attachment E - 2021 GHG
Inventory
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Attachment F: 1990 vs. 2021 Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector and Subsector Sector and Subsector 1990 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)1
2019 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
2020 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
2021 GHG
emissions
(MT CO2e)
Percent Change
in 2021 from
1990 (%)
Percent of
Total 2021
Emissions (%)
Total Transportation & Mobile Sources 331,840 315,081 238,523 211,403 -36.3% 58.8% -On-Road Transportation 331,840 293,413 217,279 185,925 -44.0% 51.7% -Airport Emissions Not Included 2,192 1,664 2,641 n/a 0.7% -Off-road Vehicles Not Included 14,634 15,029 18,961 n/a 5.3% -Caltrain Commuter Rail Not Included 4,842 4,552 3,876 n/a 1.1% Total Natural Gas (Methane) Use 194,000 153,509 134,365 135,697 -30.1% 37.8% -Commercial Energy Not calculated 66,987 53,515 55,676 n/a 15.5% -Industrial Energy Not calculated 14,373 11,961 12,176 n/a 3.4% -Residential Energy Not calculated 72,149 68,889 67,846 n/a 18.9% Natural Gas (Methane) Fugitive
Emissions
4,718 5,009 4,384 4,427 -6.2% 1.2%
Total Wastewater-Related Emissions 8,504 2,197 3,355 1,262 -85.2% 0.4% -Wastewater Biosolid Treatment 2 n/a 812 0 0 n/a 0%
-Wastewater Treatment and Effluent 8,504 1,385 1,388 1,262 -85.2% 0.4% Total Solid Waste 55,057 6,531 6,660 6,522 -88.2% 1.8%
-Composting Not Included 731 1,623 1,256 n/a 0.3%
-Palo Alto Landfill Gas Flaring 3 Not Included 281 316 237 n/a 0.1% -Palo Alto Landfill Gas Fugitive 24,325 n/a4 n/a n/a n/a n/a -Landfill Waste 30,732 5,519 4,721 5,029 -83.6% 1.4%
Brown Power Supply (Electricity) 186,000 n/a n/a n/a -100.0% n/a Total GHG Emissions (MT CO2e) 780,119 482,237 385,320 359,312 -53.9% 100% 1 Source: 2016 S/CAP Framework and 2016 Earth Day Report 2 Includes biosolid composting, anaerobic digestion, and incineration 3 2016 Earth Day Report labeled these emissions as biogenic 4 Not included because the landfill was closed
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Attachment F - 1990 vs 2021 GHG
Emissions by Sector and Subsector
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CITY COUNCIL
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: INFORMATION REPORTS
Lead Department: Administrative Services
Meeting Date: June 5, 2023
Report #:2303-1164
TITLE
Fiscal Year 2023 Third Quarter Financial Status Report
RECOMMENDATION
This report transmits information regarding the City of Palo Alto’s Fiscal Year 2023 Third Quarter Financial Status Report.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this report is to provide the Finance Committee with information on the financial status of the City’s General Fund and Enterprise Funds as of the end of the 3 rd Quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 (July 1, 2022 through March 31, 2023). Actuals are preliminary or unaudited balances.
The General Fund FY 2023 Adjusted Operating budget was approved with a $224.3 million estimate for revenue sources (excluding Operating Transfers-in). Of this, $150.1 million has been collected to date, 66.9% of the budget estimate. Major tax revenues are $139.3 million, which is higher than FY 2022 Adjusted Budget levels by $28.0 million or 25.2%, from the approximately $111.3 million budgeted. General Fund expenditures for the 3 rd quarter are 11.8% higher than prior year and are tracking at 56.3% of the Adjusted Budget. The General Fund Third Quarter Financial Report (Attachment A) contains a line-by-line report of major General Fund revenues by source and expenditures by department for 3 rd Quarter Year-to-Date (YTD) as of March 31, 2023, and the comparison between the FY 2023 Adopted Budget and Adjusted Budget. The Adjusted Budget column includes prior year commitments that were carried forward into FY 2023 and the City Council approved amendments to the FY 2023 Adopted Budget YTD. The changes in Adjusted Budget - Revenue and Sources (excluding Operating Transfers-in) is a $9.2 million upward adjustment, a 4.3% increase over the FY 2023 Adopted Budget. Expenses (excluding Operating Transfers-out) were also adjusted from $222.0 million to $259.1 million, a 16.7% increase over the FY 2023 Adopted Budget. The adjusted budget includes $14.5 million in budget amendments authorized by Council (detailed in Attachment A). Actual revenues and Item 15
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expenditures (including encumbrances) are tracking at 66.9% and 63.2%, respectively, with the adjusted budget.
The balancing strategy for the FY 2024 Proposed Budget used revised major tax revenue projections for FY 2023 using data available after March 31, 2023. This report serves as a financial status and does not include budgetary adjustments for major tax revenues; budgetary transactions necessary to align FY 2023 activity with the FY 2024 balancing strategy will be brought forward during year-end close. In the discussion of the various major tax revenue categories below, staff indicates generally how each category is trending compared to the adjusted budget from the FY 2023 Mid-Year Review. In addition, the Budget Stabilization Reserve (BSR) discussion in this report has been updated to align with FY 2023 year-end projection in the FY 2024 Proposed Budget.
All Enterprise Funds ended with a positive change in positive Net Position for the 3rd quarter of FY2023.
ANALYSIS
General Fund
Revenue Highlights for FY 2023 3rd Quarter Year to Date (YTD) The actual revenues totaled $150.1 million which is 10.3% higher than the same period of the prior year. All the major taxes except documentary transfer taxes were higher compared to the same period of the prior year. This recovery trend continued from FY 2022; however, the economic outlook remains uncertain with national, state, and local economic indicators in transition. Revenue is tracking at 66.9% of adjusted budget but it is not indicative of the annual expected receipts in FY2023, mainly due to timing of sales tax, property tax and transient occupancy tax received over the fiscal year.
The following is a table that highlights the City’s major revenue sources for the 3rd Quarter YTD, compared to the same period of the prior year. Revenue for each period is expressed as a percentage of the Adjusted/Final Budget.
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Table 1
% change FY 2023 % FY 2022 %
Property Tax 8.8% $60,270 61.6% $53,228 64.1%Sales Tax 15.5% 34,080 62.5% 28,184 65.4%Charges for Services 23.7% 30,624 83.8% 24,932 83.2%Transient Occupancy Tax 86.9% 22,199 66.5% 8,428 93.7%Utility User Tax 18.6% 15,579 85.1% 14,370 77.8%Permits and Licenses -0.3% 9,828 48.9% 8,273 58.3%Documentary Transfer Tax -63.5% 7,217 44.5% 7,137123.3%All Other Revenue Sources -0.3% 44,506 67.4% 42,424 70.9% Total Revenue 10.3% $224,303 66.9% $186,976 72.8%
General Fund RevenueFY 2023 3rd Quarter (000's)3rd Quarter Actuals Adjusted BudgetFY 2023 FY 2022 $37,126 $34,13621,291 18,43225,678 20,75514,756 7,89513,254 11,174 $150,108$136,097
4,804 4,8203,214 8,80229,985 30,083
Property Tax
At the close of the third quarter, property tax revenue receipt was $37.1 million, 61.6% of the adjusted budget, and an increase of 8.8% over the same period in the prior year, due to higher assessed values mainly driven by change in ownership. Property tax is received from the County of Santa Clara during second, third, and fourth quarters of the calendar year. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the 10 years has been approximately 8.4%. The FY 2023 secured property tax assessed value growth rate and unsecured property tax assessed values (AV) growth rates are 6.4 % and - 6.5%, respectively, with a combined rate of 5.8%.
At FY 2023 mid-year property tax budget was revised upward by $0.5 million to $60.3 million.
The County of Santa Clara’s Finance Agency and Office of the Assessor, the entities responsible for managing the property tax billing, collection, and processing changes (e.g., sales, assessment appeal, etc.) forecasts indicate the upward revised FY 2023 forecast of $60.3 million will be met or exceeded.
FY 2022 actual property tax revenue was $59.4 million which included $6.6 million for Education Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) distributions from the County of Santa Clara. Of this $6.6 million receipt, $1.7 million has been set aside for the at-risk amount due to the lawsuit filed in November 2021 by the California School Boards of Association and its Education Legal Alliance against the Controller of the State of California for over the calculation methodology of the Excess ERAF. The County estimates that 20% to 25% of excess ERAF in FY 2022, FY 2023, and beyond are at risk due to this litigation. The FY 2022 disputed amount that has been received has been reserved and the FY 2023 adopted budget excludes this amount ($1.5 million). Though Excess ERAF receipt has steadily grown over the last nine years, excess ERAF is not considered a permanent local revenue source.
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Sales Tax
As of the third quarter, sales tax revenue has seen an increase of $2.9 million or 15.5%, from the same period last year due to combination of continued pandemic recovery and inflation. Due to the timing of the California Department Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) sales tax collection and distribution, third quarter sales tax represents seven months of sales tax activity and does not represent sales tax activity for the full three quarters of the fiscal year. Actual performance for this fiscal year will not be known until August/September.
At FY 2023 mid-year, this revenue was revised upward by $1.5 million to $34.1 million or 4.6% based on inflation, performance to date, recent consumer trends, and the projected outlook by City’s sale’s tax consultant. Staff expect that the actuals for the year will be higher than the $34.1 million adjusted budget.
Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT)
TOT revenues reached $14.8 million the end of the third quarter, an increase of 86.9% over the prior year. The current receipts indicate that TOT continues to have significant growth from the unprecedented lows seen during the pandemic. The third quarter results represent 7.5 months of TOT receipts due to the one-month timing delay in receipts. At FY 2023 mid-year, the budget was revised upward by $4.0 million to $22.2 million, or 22.0%. Of this amount, $12.5 million is anticipated to fund General Fund Expenses, while $9.7 million will be transferred to the Capital Improvement Fund to cover costs associated with the remaining 2014 Council Infrastructure Plan capital projects and associated debt service costs. With continued resiliency and growth in travel and tourism it is expected that actuals will be even higher than adjusted budget. As of this writing, receipts as of February 2023 or 8 months of the fiscal year were 88.6% higher, average occupancy was 67.7%, an increase of 18.4%, and average daily room rate was $257, an increase of 41.45%, all from the same period last year. If the current trend continues, receipts are likely to exceed the adjusted budget.
Utility User Tax (UUT)
The UUT is levied on electric, gas, and water consumption, as well as on telephone usage. As of the third quarter, UUT revenues were $2.1 million or 18.6%, higher than the same period last year. UUT on electric, water, and gas services increased by 27.8% while telephone services decreased by 0.6%. This revenue is showing a combination of pandemic recovery as workers return to the office and commodity prices increase. The purchase commodity price for electricity, gas, and water is increasing the cost to provide utility services due to unprecedented gas and electric prices, higher transmission, operating and maintenance costs, plus inflation. The higher utility costs result in higher UUT revenue. As a result, the outlook is actuals for the year will be substantially higher than the $15.6 million budget.
Documentary Transfer Tax
Cash receipts total $3.2 million, or 44.5% of the FY 2023 Adjusted Budget and $5.6 million lower than prior year receipts for the same period. The number of transactions is 43% lower compared to the prior year’s third quarter. This revenue source is volatile since it is highly dependent on Item 15
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sales volume and the mix of commercial and residential sales. The prior year had a record receipt due to nine large commercial sales that occurred in FY 2022. Though the housing market continues to intensify as homes are selling faster, the number of homes available for sale continues to tighten. It is expected this revenue will be below budget by year-end based on current trends. Staff continues to monitor these receipts closely due to significant fluctuations that can occur anytime depending on the real estate sales activity.
Charges for Services
This revenue category consists of charges to Stanford for fire services and paramedic services, fees related to the City’s golf course, arts and science classes, plan check fees, and payments to the City for issuance of Building and Fire Permits. The first three quarters of FY 2023 are up by $4.9 million, or 23.7% compared to the same period last year mainly due to the following:
Charges to Stanford for fire services increased $1.3 million due to higher reimbursement level consistent with the negotiated fire agreement.
Plan Check Fee increased by $2.8 million mainly driven by higher commercial permit activity.
Program and classes increased by $0.9 million due to higher demand for several programs such as ceramic classes and tennis programs.
Junior Museum & Zoo (JMZ) increased $0.4 million; this FY 2023 represented the first full year of operations since it opened in October 2021.
The increases mentioned above were partially offset by the decrease in golf revenues $0.3 million, or 9.0%, which can be attributed to the several weeks of heavy rains and winter storms.
Expenditures Highlights for FY 2023 3rd Quarter Year to Date (YTD) Table 2 highlights General Fund expenses by department for FY 2023 third quarter, compared to the same period of the prior year. Each quarter’s expenses are expressed as a percentage of the Adjusted Budget for each year.
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Table 2
Total expenditures through the first three quarters of the fiscal year were 56.3% of the adjusted budget and represent a $15.3 million, or 11.8 %, increase over last year. The increase is mainly due to salaries and benefit costs and allocated charges. Allocated charges were higher in the current year primarily due to the vehicle equipment maintenance service and replacement charges and Information Technology support and replacement.
Through the end of the third quarter, 56.3% of adjusted budget was expended, which is slightly lower than the percent expended through the 3 rd quarter in FY 2022, 60.9%. The variance is mainly due to All Other Departments which only expended 24.6% of the adjusted budget. Non- Departmental is in this category and only expended 7.9%, because there is a large unspent reserve of $17.5 million for settlement of claims related to Green v. City of Palo Alto (Santa Clara Superior Court, Case No. 1-16-CV-300760). In addition, a $14.0 million for budget uncertainty reserve was established to offset anticipated shortfalls in FY 2024 and FY 2025. Excluding both these reserves, the percentage of total expenditure to adjusted budget is 64.1%.
As a service-driven organization, the largest expenses are salaries and benefits. Salary and Benefit costs through these nine months reflect approximately 74% of the adjusted budget, compared to an average expected of 75%. Total General Fund salary and benefits expenditures through March 2023 are approximately $110.0 million, compared to $97.8 million in the same period in the prior year. The increase in salaries and benefits is mainly due to the following:
$4.3 million in regular salaries because of positions added and hired in FY2023, general, merit and market adjustments.
$4.0 million in City’s pension contribution.
$0.9 million in medical, dental and vision expenses
Expenditures FY 2023 FY 2022 % change FY 2023 % FY 2022 % Police 36,276$ 31,975$ 13.5% 48,332$ 75.1% 44,346$ 72.1%Fire 31,024 28,147 10.2% 43,092 72.0% 37,731 74.6%Community Services 20,699 19,370 6.9% 35,528 58.3% 32,958 58.8%Public Works 14,184 12,010 18.1% 23,078 61.5% 20,000 60.1%Planning and Development Services 14,534 12,438 16.9% 26,879 54.1% 21,554 57.7%Library 6,711 6,218 7.9% 10,321 65.0% 9,145 68.0%Administrative Services 7,214 6,561 10.0% 9,992 72.2% 9,614 68.2%All Other Departments 15,241 13,816 10.3% 61,881 24.6% 39,100 35.3% Total Expenditures 145,883$ 130,535$ 11.8% 259,103$ 56.3% 214,448$ 60.9% General Fund ExpendituresFY 2023 3rd Quarter(000's)
3rd Quarter Actuals Adjusted Budget
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$1.1 million pension contribution to Section 115 irrevocable Pension Trust which is based on approximate lower discount rate of 5.8%.
Temporary salaries, overtime, paid leave, and workers compensation are also trending higher due to increase in salary rates, vacancies across departments, and increases in workers compensation cases.
Police and Fire The total actual expenses for the Police and Fire Departments comprised approximately 46.1% of total General Fund expenditures for the third quarter, which is consistent with prior year trends. The following table highlights Police and Fire salaries and overtime for the third quarter. Net overtime cost analysis for the Police and Fire Departments can be found in Attachment B.
Table 3
Police overtime is 36.3% higher than FY 2022 and represents 202.7% of the adjusted budget due to backfilling vacancies, benefited leave or industrial injuries, training is higher than usual due to the volume of new hires and responding to storm-related calls for services in Palo Alto and as mutual aid to the community of Pajaro, Monterey County- to be reimbursed subsequently. As of this writing, the Department has a total of 11.0% of positions vacant: eight positions are police officers, one business analyst, one community service officer, three in records and two dispatchers. Another 4% of staff are unavailable to work due to benefited leave or industrial injury and 9% of filled positions have new staff in training (in-house or at the police academy).
Although overtime is tracking higher, overall, the Department is trending within the budget for total salary and benefits and anticipates doing so through the remainder of FY 2023. The Department’s net overtime cost is $0.7 million after deducting the reimbursements and salary savings due to vacancies. Analysis is included in Attachment B.
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Fire overtime is 20.6% lower than FY 2022 and 75% of the adjusted budget. Overtime is generated when there are firefighter positions vacant, employees go on leave or call in sick, as well as when entry level firefighters are completing the academy. These situations create shift positions that must be backfilled with overtime. The Department had more shift positions to backfill in FY 2022 mainly due to the timing of hiring and trainings in Fire Academy resulting to a decrease of overtime in FY 2023. In midyear of FY 2023, $1.7M was moved from salary savings into overtime to account for these vacancies and staffing of Fire Station 8. Training typically takes 18 weeks before firefighters can fill positions on engines and ambulances. Overall, the Department is trending within budget for all salary and benefit categories and anticipates doing so through the remainder of FY 2023. The Department’s net overtime cost is $1.6 million after deducting the reimbursements and salary savings due to vacancies. Analysis is included in Attachment B.
General Fund Budget Stabilization Reserve (BSR) Balance As a result of budget amendment actions taken in FY 2023, including the FY 2023 Midyear Budget Report1 the Budget Stabilization Reserve (BSR) was $49.2 million at the end of Q3, which is above the City Council recommended 18.5% level of $45.6 million by $3.6 million. The balancing strategy for the FY 2024 Proposed Budget used revised major tax revenue projections for FY 2023 using data available after March 31, 2023. These projections included an additional $3.6 million in major tax revenue, increasing the FY 2023 year-end BCR estimate to $52.9 million. This report serves as a financial status and does not include budgetary adjustments for major tax revenues; budgetary transactions necessary to align FY 2023 activity with the FY 2024 balancing strategy will be brought forward during year-end close. This funding above the 18.5% level has been recommended to be used as part of the FY 2024 Proposed Budget Process to maintain General Fund BSR at 20% of the FY 2024 budgeted expenses.
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Enterprise Funds
The following is a summary of changes in net position for each of the Enterprise Funds for the nine months ended March 31, 2023, including a comparison of results from the same period last year.
Table 4: Enterprise Funds Change in Net Position
IncreaseFY 2023 FY 2022 (Decrease) % ChangeWater 2,192$ 4,834$ (2,642)$ -54.7%Electric 677 (7,155) 7,832 109.5%Fiber Optic 1,206 1,035 171 16.5%Gas 5,341 1,703 3,638 213.6%Wastewater collection 775 86 689 801.2%Wastewater treatment 4,408 2,260 2,148 95.0%Refuse 3,532 4,866 (1,334) -27.4%Storm Drainage 1,821 2,411 (590) -24.5%Airport 541 2,759 (2,218) -80.4%Total Change in Net Position 20,493$ 12,799$ 7,694$ 60.1% 3rd Quarter YTD Actuals
Water Fund decreased $2.6 million, or 54.7%, from the prior year due to overall decrease in revenues and an increase in operating costs. Revenue decreased despite of 8.9 rate increase effective July 1, 2022 due to, up until recent weather events, a voluntary water use reduction caused by drought conditions. The increase in operating costs is primarily from commodity purchases, salaries and benefits and vehicle replacement allocation. San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) commodity rate increased from $4.10 to $4.75, a 15.9% increase due to drought conditions.
Electric Fund increased $7.8 million, or 109.5%, due to 5% rate increase effective July 1, 2022 and an increase to the Electric Hydro Rate Adjuster effective January 1, 2023. On December 19, 20222 the Palo Alto City Council approved an increase to the Electric Hydro Rate Adjuster (E-HRA), increasing the current Electric Hydro Rate from $0.013/kWh to $0.048/kWh effective on January 1, 2023. Activation of the E-HRA surcharge creates a temporary rate increase which is approximately a 20% or $17.15 monthly increase for a median electric residential customer. The rate increases were implemented to offset increasing market commodity prices and transmission costs. In addition, the Electric Operations Reserves were at the minimum guideline level at the end of FY2022 and is forecasted to drop below minimum in FY2023, as costs were outpacing 2 CMR 14874 City Council Meeting, December 19, 2022,
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revenues. In FY2021 and FY2022, the utility did not raise rates to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on residents and businesses resulting in minimum reserve levels.
Gas Fund increased $3.6 million, or 213.6% from the same period prior year due to increase in revenue from customer sales partially offset by higher commodity purchases. The customer sales increased by $25.8 million primarily due to the unprecedented spike in natural gas market price during January 2023 along with the 4% rate increase effective July 1, 2022. The commodity costs are pass-through in nature and offsets extraordinarily high gas prices due to weather, gas production, as well as national and international trade and demand. In addition, revenues are below costs as the utility kept rate increases low during the pandemic while operations and construction costs continue to rise. The extreme gas prices in FY 2023 and unexpected expenses in FY 2022 lowered the gas utility’s reserves below minimum guideline.
Wastewater Collection Fund increased $0.7 million, or 801.2%, from prior year due to increase in residential and commercial sales because of 3% rate increase effective July 1, 2022.
Wastewater Treatment Fund increased $2.1 million, or 95.0% from prior year due to the timing of the fourth quarter billing which occurred in Q3 for FY 2023 compared to Q4 in FY 2022 and increase in operating expenses. The largest increase in operating expenses were the salaries and benefits as a result of new hires and overtime for both routine and emergency coverage and interdepartmental utility charges. During FY 2023, Wastewater Treatment received $8.8 million reimbursements from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) for certain project expenses of the Primary Sedimentation Tank and Secondary Treatment Process. These reimbursements are recorded as a liability as the City is expected to repay the loans following the completion of each project.
Refuse Fund decreased $1.3 million, or 27.4%, from prior year due to timing of the February Greenwaste payment amounting to $1.1 million which occurred in March 2023 compared to April 2022 in FY 2022 and an increase in Greenwaste quarterly extra service compensation.
Storm Drain Fund decreased $0.6 million, or 24.5% from prior year due to increase in operating and maintenance expenses specifically salaries and benefits.
Airport Fund decreased $2.2 million or 80.4% due to higher federal grants received from Federal Aviation Administration in prior year.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
There are no financial impacts recommended in this report. Staff will return to Council as part of the review of the FY 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report with year-end budget adjustments to recommend any adjustments needed to align budgets with actuals.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
This report has been coordinated between the Treasury Division, Accounting Division, and the Office of Management and Budget in the Administrative Services Department, as well as with City departments.
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ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This activity is not a project under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as defined in CEQA Guidelines, section 15378, because it has no potential for resulting in either a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: FY 2023 Third Quarter Financial Report
Attachment B: FY 2023 Q3 Public Safety Overtime Analysis APPROVED BY:
Kiely Nose, Assistant City Manager
Lead Staff: Rocelyn Fernando, Finance Manager; Paul Harper, Budget Manager Item 15
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5/19/202310:36 AM
CITY OF PALO ALTO
GENERAL FUND THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT
FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2023
(in thousands)
BUDGET ACTUALS (as of 3/31/2023)
Adopted Adjusted Pre % of Adj
Categories Budget Budget Encumbr Encumbr Actual Budget* Revenues & Other Sources
Sales Tax 32,580 34,080 - - 21,291 62.5% Property Tax 59,770 60,270 - - 37,126 61.6% Transient Occupancy Tax 18,199 22,199 - - 14,756 66.5% Documentary Transfer Tax 7,217 7,217 - - 3,214 44.5% Utility Users Tax 15,579 15,579 - - 13,254 85.1% Motor Vehicle Tax, Penalties & Fines 1,784 1,784 - - 397 22.2% Charges for Services 30,786 30,624 - - 25,678 83.8% Permits & Licenses 9,249 9,828 - - 4,804 48.9% Return on Investment 1,066 1,066 - - 1,347 126.4% Rental Income 15,499 15,499 - - 10,692 69.0% From Other Agencies 9,179 11,493 - - 6,687 58.2% Charges To Other Funds 13,690 13,690 - - 10,331 75.5% Other Revenues 548 973 - - 531 54.6% Total Revenues 215,146 224,303 - - 150,108 66.9% Operating Transfers-In 22,532 21,954 - - 16,466 75.0% Encumbrances and Reappropriation 159 25,661 - - - 0.0% Contribution from Development Services Reserves 399 399 - - - 0.0% Total Sources of Funds 238,236 272,317 - - 166,573 67.6% Expenditures & Other Uses
City Attorney 4,234 5,168 - 833 3,099 76.1% City Auditor 979 1,174 450 292 145 75.4% City Clerk 1,429 1,525 15 191 886 71.6% City Council 436 501 8 30 304 68.0% City Manager 4,094 4,331 90 125 3,022 74.7% Administrative Services 9,745 9,992 46 216 7,214 74.8% Community Services 32,866 35,528 344 3,750 20,699 69.8% Fire 40,981 43,092 170 571 31,024 73.7% Human Resources 4,742 4,872 93 251 2,640 61.3% Library 10,211 10,321 186 408 6,711 70.8% Office of Emergency Services 1,342 1,505 120 290 703 74.0% Office of Transporation 1,718 4,095 0 2,065 1,377 84.1% Planning and Development Services 22,615 26,879 221 2,878 14,534 65.6% Police 47,401 48,332 131 449 36,276 76.3% Public Works 20,104 23,078 0 3,286 14,184 75.7% Non-Departmental 19,088 38,710 85 151 3,064 8.5% Total Expenditures 221,986 259,103 1,957 15,787 145,883 63.2% Operating Transfers-Out 4,962 12,431 - - 7,472 60.1% Transfer to Infrastructure 20,400 24,400 - - 18,300 75.0% Total Use of Funds 247,348 295,934 1,957 15,787 171,655 64.0% Net Change to BSR (9,112) (23,618) (5,081)
Budget Amendments in the General Fund Authorized by Council thru 3/31/2023 Action to support Downtown Streets Team (06/20/2022) CMR#14526 (167) Action to support Fire Department FireMed Program &
equity hiring initiatives (10/24/2022) CMR#14728 (100)
Mid-year budget amendments (2/13/2023) staff report#
2212-0515 (11,686)
Action to support parklet program (3/13/23) staff report# 2301-0888 (85)
Approval of residential winter Gas and Electric Rebate
Program (3/27/23)
staff report#
2303-1209 (2,468)
Total Budget Amendments Authorized by Council (14,506)
BSR Balance 63,723 49,217
BSR % of Adopted Total Use of Funds 25.8% 19.9%
ATTACHMENT A
Item 15
Attachment A - FY2023
Third Quarter Financial
Report
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Attachment B
Q1-Q4 Q3
2021 2022 2023
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Overtime Expense
Adopted Budget (A) $944,186 $944,186 $972,512
Modified Budget (B) 944,186 1,244,186 972,512 Net Overtime Cost - see below 366,045 781,344 676,740 Variance to Budget 578,141 462,842 295,772 Overtime Net Cost
Actual Expense $1,431,959 $2,319,043 $2,155,061
Less Reimbursements
California OES/FEMA (Strike Teams) - - - Stanford Communications 64,906 107,684 94,996 Utilities Communications Reimbursement 33,191 56,004 48,664 Local Agencies (C) 2,412 5,456 3,811 Police Service Fees 467,167 120,411 93,938 Total Reimbursements 567,676 289,556 241,409 Less Department Vacancies (A) 498,238 1,248,143 1,236,912 Net Overtime Cost $366,045 $781,344 $676,740
Department Vacancies (number of days) 1,494 3,903 3,996 Workers' Compensation Cases 14 11 14 Department Disabilities (number of days) 1,007 1,221 607
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Overtime Expense
Adopted Budget (D) $1,931,121 $1,931,121 $2,124,054
Modified Budget (E) 2,971,460 2,703,621 3,801,054 Net Overtime Cost - see below 1,792,228 4,073,011 1,552,685 Variance to Budget 1,026,424 (1,369,390) 2,248,369 Overtime Net Cost
Actual Expense $2,840,968 $4,684,796 $2,847,867
Less Reimbursements
California OES/FEMA (Strike Teams) 887,531 - - Total Reimbursements 887,531 - - Less Department Vacancies (D) 161,208 611,784 1,295,182 Net Overtime Cost $1,792,228 $4,073,011 $1,552,685
Department Vacancies (number of days) 1,942 1,717 3,575 Workers' Compensation Cases 14 35 19 Department Disabilities (number of days) 387 947 452 NOTES:
(A) The FY 2023 Police Department budget was increased by 4.0 Police Officers, 1.0 Business Analyst, and 2.0 Public Safety Dispatcher. (B) Police Department adopted budget has not been adjusted in FY 2023. (C) Includes Animal Control Services contract with Los Altos and Los Altos Hills. (D) The FY 2023 Fire Department budget was increased by 1.0 Deputy Chief, 0.20 40-Hour Captain, 3.0 Fire Fighter Trainee, and 0.05 Fire Marshal
Public Safety Departments
Overtime Analysis for Fiscal Years 2021 through 2023
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Q3 Public Safety Overtime
Analysis
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Attachment B
(E) Fire Department adopted budget actions at mid-year: $177,000 County Fire Station 8 overtime reimbursement and $1.5M salary savings transfer to overtime salaries.
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Q3 Public Safety Overtime
Analysis
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City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: INFORMATION REPORTS
Lead Department: City Manager
Meeting Date: June 5, 2023
Report #:2305-1532
TITLE
Independent Police Auditor's (IPA) Report of Review of Investigations Between July and December 2022 and Police Department Use of Force Report for July - December 2022
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council receive this information report including the most recent report from the City’s Independent Police Auditor at OIR Group.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Since 2006, Palo Alto has utilized an Independent Police Auditor (IPA) to conduct secondary review of certain investigations of uniformed Police Department personnel and provide related services. Since the inception of the independent police auditing program, the City has contracted with the Office of Independent Review (OIR Group), to provide these services. The following report transmits the Independent Police Auditor Report on Investigations Completed as of December 31, 2022.
For reference, the prior IPA report was published on September 27, 2022 as an Informational Item, see Item 11 (starts on packet page 162). The Police Department’s website lists all past Independent Police Auditor Reports, here. Attachment A contains the IPA report for investigations completed between July 2022 and December 2022. Per Council direction, the Police Department also shares use of force information through a report provided alongside each IPA report. This report is included here as Attachment B.
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Police Department's Response to IPA Recommendations
On March 14, 2022, the City Council directed the Police Department to provide written responses to future IPA recommendations1. The first report of Police Department responses to the IPA report after the March City Council action was June 20, 20222. The Police Department responses to the current IPA report are included here as Attachment C.
Process to File a Complaint to the IPA
The public can find more information about filing a complaint through the link here:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/Departments/Police/Accountability/Employee-Complaint Complaints may also be directed to the Independent Police Auditor as follows:
Contact: Mr. Mike Gennaco
Phone: (323) 412-0334
Email: [email protected]
Or mail to: OIR Group
1443 E. Washington Blvd., #234
Pasadena, CA 91104
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Independent Police Auditor's (IPA) Report of Review of Investigations Between July and December 2022
Attachment B: Police Department Use of Force Report for July - December 2022 Attachment C: Police Department Responses to IPA Report APPROVED BY:
Ed Shikada, City Manager
1 Minutes: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/agendas-minutes-reports/agendas-minutes/city- council-agendas-minutes/2022/20220314/20220314amccs.pdf 2 PDF Page 827 for Item 33 Information Report: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/agendas- minutes-reports/agendas-minutes/city-council-agendas-minutes/2022/20220620/20220620pccsm-amended-final- final.pdf
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1 INDEPENDENT POLICE AUDITORS’ REPORT
Review of Investigations Completed as of January 1, 2023
Presented to the Honorable City Council
City of Palo Alto
March 2023
Prepared by: Michael Gennaco and Stephen Connolly
Independent Police Auditors for
the City of Palo Alto
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2 Introduction
Below is the latest installment of a report process that dates back more than fifteen years.
As the Independent Police Auditor (“IPA”) for the City of Palo Alto, OIR Group1 is entrusted with the responsibility of providing outside scrutiny of the Palo Alto Police Department ("PAPD") across certain key areas of its operations. These include the handling of civilian complaints and other allegations of officer misconduct, and the review of significant use of force used by officers.
Our "inventory" for this latest six-month review cycle (with cases completed as of December 31, 2022) is small. The Report covers only two misconduct allegations from the public, one internally generated investigation into the alleged mishandling of an incident in the field2, and one use of force that met the IPA review criteria (because the subject, who had minor injuries, was treated at the hospital). As we note, except for the internally generated complaint in which some of the allegations were found to have violated policy, the officers' conduct was found to be consistent with policy in each instance. In our review, which focuses more on the strength of the investigative and review process than the “bottom line” outcome, we found much to commend, especially the thoroughness and thoughtfulness of the administrative review processes that resulted.
At the same time, this Report also has a new feature: a brief discussion of three reported instances in which PAPD officers pointed firearms in the context of enforcement activity. (None resulted in a discharge of the weapon.) PAPD has begun tracking these events in keeping with a burgeoning trend throughout the state to categorize pointed weapons as an exercise of police authority that warrants documentation and review, and we were asked expressly by Council to include such events as part of our semi-annual process.
We describe the circumstances for each of the incidents at issue, and offer recommendations about how the Department can further standardize its new internal review protocol in ways that are not unduly burdensome.
1 OIR Group is a team of police practices experts that has worked in the field of civilian oversight of law enforcement since 2001. Led by Michael Gennaco, a nationally recognized leader in the field, OIR Group performs a range of services in jurisdictions throughout California and in several other states. More information about its projects, including a number of public reports, is available at oirgroup.com.
2 This is the first completed case involving internal allegations within the police department since those types of investigations became expressly included as part of our expanded scope of work.
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3 PAPD's leadership continues to facilitate our access to the information required for our work as auditors. Just as importantly, it engages with us in an effort to understand our perspective, and it is open to suggestions that are intended to enhance the effectiveness of the processes we review. We appreciate this dynamic, and we are gratified by our continued opportunity to serve in this important role for Palo Alto.
External Complaint Investigations
Case 1: Third-Party Complaint about Officer Aggression during Detention of Misdemeanor Suspect
Factual Overview:
Palo Alto dispatch received a call from a manager who claimed that an adult male had walked out on a $140 bill after dining at her restaurant. She described the man and stayed on the phone as she followed him on foot onto a street that was blocked to vehicles and included a number of shops and outdoor dining options. It was during daylight hours, and several members of the public were in the area.
Two of these people were a mother and her young adult son, who were having a meal outside and were passed, first by the man, and then by a single Palo Alto police officer who was responding to the call. The officer yelled for the man to stop and had his hand atop his holster as he ran closer to the subject. The man did stop and turned toward the officer, who directed him to turn and face the wall. He refused, saying he had done nothing wrong. The officer then told him to sit on the curb while he attempted to sort out the situation with the restaurant manager, who had caught up to them. Again, the man failed to comply, claiming he had left money at his table. He did, however, eventually agree to wait while a backup officer arrived, and he was calm during the thirty-minute detention that ensued – much of which was spent trying to determine the man's identity.
The mother and son watched the situation unfold and were immediately concerned about different aspects of the officer's actions. Especially troubling to the son was the idea that the officer had run up with his hand on his weapon – a response that seemed to them to be both unduly aggressive and needlessly endangering to bystanders. They expressed concerns to both the backup officer (who passed them on the way to the encounter and then again as he returned to his vehicle to do a computer check on the subject) and later to a supervisor who came to the scene.
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4 Meanwhile, the restaurant manager also expressed unhappiness with the initial officer's treatment of the man. She said that she had only been seeking a "mediation" when she called the police (using a non-emergency number) and found the officer's tone and commands to be excessive. She accordingly demurred from pressing charges for any alleged offense at the restaurant; additionally, the mother and son witnesses ultimately paid the bill that was in dispute.
The supervisor spoke to the two bystanders for several minutes. He heard their concerns, and also took time to explain the uncertainty officers experience at the outset of any encounter. He cited the fact that an officer from a nearby jurisdiction had recently been shot and wounded in the context of a routine traffic stop. He also explained the complaint procedure options available to them.
The mother ultimately did submit a complaint form that reiterated their concerns: that the officer had been too aggressive for the context, that it had been demeaning for him to order the man to get on the ground, and that the officers had overreacted to a minor problem.
PAPD Investigation and Outcome
This case was handled as a "Supervisory Inquiry Investigation" and was initially reviewed by the supervisor who participated in the service call and had spoken with the two concerned citizens in the field. Based on the body-worn camera recordings, the sergeant was able to determine that no violation of policy had occurred. The first officer to arrive had indeed been elevated in his initial attempts to get the man's attention and gain compliance. But he adapted quickly upon getting an initial sense of the subject, and did not force the issue in spite of the man's initial recalcitrance. His brief gesture of having his hand near his weapon was judged to be a reasonable exercise of discretion as he assessed the situation. And he actually instructed the man to "have a seat" on the curb for safety reasons – as opposed to ordering him to "get on the ground." Each of these elements led the supervisor to believe that no further action was necessary.
A lieutenant then evaluated the initial memorandum. He concurred with the findings that no policies had been violated by the officer or his backup. However, he also identified five separate ways that the incident could have been handled differently/better by the three Department members who were involved.
These "training points" were later discussed with the relevant officers. They included the importance of being mindful of surroundings and avoiding unnecessary behaviors which might alarm bystanders. The lieutenant also reminded the supervisor to limit speculation and explanation when addressing a potential complaint in the field, and to ensure that responsiveness to a complainant not come at the expense of appropriate monitoring of the underlying call for service. Finally, the lieutenant noted that the time-consuming Item 16
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5 inquiry into the man's identity was actually peripheral to resolving the call, and that prolonging a contentious call for service should be avoided where possible.
IPA Review and Analysis
We concur with the finding that no violations of policy occurred. While the mother and son were very reasonable,3 and while their concerns were understandable, our impression was that the officers were controlled and professional in navigating the situation with the subject.
Though the original officer had indeed been slightly elevated at the outset of the contact, his demeanor was far from egregious; on the contrary, we were struck by how quickly he pivoted to a calm, accommodating exchange with a contentious person. And, though he did have his hand on his holster at the outset of the encounter (and rested it near there at times during the detention), the officer never withdrew the gun or treated the subject in a threatening manner. While the complainants were correct about the man's unarmed status and the relatively benign nature of the crime at issue, the officer's low-level precautions were a reaction to initial uncertainty that dissipated quickly.
We were also impressed with the lieutenant's careful scrutiny of the incident, as well as his constructive suggestions for improving future performance. Treating a complaint as a learning opportunity is one hallmark of an effective administrative review process. The points that emerged here seemed insightful and worth sharing. And the extra effort to translate observations into actual interventions (in the form of a follow-up discussion with involved personnel) was also commendable.
3 Notably, the two were careful at the scene to acknowledge counterarguments as they politely expressed their concerns, and the written complaint included a paragraph of appreciation for the supervisor's willingness to engage with their perspective and share his own.
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6 Case 2: Complaint about Failure to Investigate and Other Mistreatment
Factual Overview:
This case involved two separate calls for service that occurred within several hours of each other, and involved the complainant during his time at a local hospital.4 The first call involved a report by the complainant that he had been the victim of a sexual assault, with the perpetrator being a police officer from a neighboring jurisdiction. Two PAPD officers went to the hospital to meet with the reporting party and to gather forensic evidence of the alleged crime; he declined to give a detailed statement because of a stated dislike/distrust of the police.
Several hours later, the complainant was discharged from the hospital after different conflicts with staff. The process became contentious, and hospital security was needed to escort him from the premises. This led to a physical struggle in which the complainant allegedly bit a security guard. PAPD responded to the scene, arrested the person for battery, and ultimately cited and released him in the field. They left him, seated in a hospital wheelchair, at the bus stop where the hospital staff had first brought him.
Several weeks later, the Department received the first of multiple complaints about these encounters. (The complainant's mother, who lives out of state, also wrote on his behalf.) The core of them was twofold: that the Department had failed to take appropriate action regarding his assault allegation, and that the officers had been rude and unresponsive to his various needs when they arrived to address his forcible removal by hospital staff.
PAPD Investigation and Outcome
This case was handled as a Supervisory Inquiry Investigation. Because some of the involved officers had been supervisors, it was a lieutenant that conducted the review. He was able to rely on body-worn camera videos, other documentation, and his own conversations with the complainant. The lieutenant determined that the officers had acted professionally and in keeping with their duties, and that no further action was required.
With regard to the complainant's allegations of assault by a police officer (and subsequent alleged failures of due diligence), the PAPD members who spoke with him handled the
4 There was some ambiguity (and conflict within official records) as to the gender of the involved party, but he apparently self-identified as male.
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7 intake of his case in an appropriate manner. They spoke with hospital staff, attempted to get a useful statement from the complainant, collected physical evidence, and turned the case over to the agency in the jurisdiction where the alleged crime had occurred. What happened after that was not controlled by, or the responsibility of, the handling officers or PAPD.5
Body-worn camera evidence also refuted the allegations that PAPD officers had mistreated him after he was removed from the hospital by security personnel. The complainant claimed that PAPD officers had failed to help him when he was "tossed" from his wheelchair by security. External evidence showed that this was not accurate.
Recordings showed the on-scene officers making repeated offers to assist, and ultimately lifting the complainant back into the chair.6 Similarly, the officers took down his version of the confrontation with security and took other steps in an effort to assist him – all in contravention of the different claims that had been made against PAPD personnel.
IPA Review and Analysis
We concurred with the Department's findings in this case. While leaving the man at the bus stop at the end of the encounter raised initial concerns in light of his compromised circumstances, the reality was that officers had made appropriate attempts to engage and provide support. (As the lieutenant noted, one supervisor on scene went to some trouble to retrieve a missing folder of paperwork from the hospital at the complainant's request when their investigation was concluded.) And overall, in both of the encounters that the complaint(s) encompassed, the PAPD officers came across as being patient and solicitous with a person who was in emotional turmoil.
5 Per the Department's memo about this complaint review, the neighboring jurisdiction confirmed that it was pursuing the investigation in conjunction with the District Attorney's Office.
6 The complainant claimed to be paralyzed and unable to move his legs, a contention that was disputed by the hospital staff that treated him.
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8 Internal Complaint Investigations
Case 1: Complaint by Employee Regarding Handling of an Investigation
Factual Overview
A PAPD employee complained about the way that an incident was handled by supervisors. The case stemmed from a confrontation between two civilians. The employee complained that supervisors did not support a robust investigation of the incident and presentation of the matter to the District Attorney. The employee further complained that one supervisor had not been factual in an internal email relating to instructions for the handling of the incident.
Appropriately, PAPD made the decision to have the issues handled by an outside investigator, since it involved allegations by a PAPD employee against supervisory PAPD personnel. In addition to the concerns raised by the employee, the investigator was also asked to investigate concerns that the Administration had regarding the conduct of the complaining employee relating to the incident. There was a concern that the employee had failed to follow instructions on the handling of the case and had used derogatory language when referring to supervisory employees.
The investigation was extremely thorough and detailed. It found no wrongdoing relating to the supervision of the incident and did not find any basis for a false statement finding against the supervisor. It did, however, find that the complaining employee had improperly failed to follow instruction and had used derogatory language in referencing supervisors. The investigation thoroughly framed and reached a disposition as to the allegations and counter allegations.
IPA Review and Analysis
The investigative memo did a creditable job of parsing out and addressing the charges and counter charges that were presented. We have no reason to disagree with the outcome reached.
We did note one investigative challenge faced by the outside investigator. Apparently, the complaining employee and another employee had used personal emails and text messages from personal cell phones to communicate about this case, including the possible sharing of draft police reports and strategies on how to prepare the eventual report. When the investigator asked the complainant for copies of these records, the complainant’s attorney declined to produce them. As a result, valuable work-related information was inaccessible to the investigator.
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9 In another context, the California Supreme Court has determined that work-related information by a government employee, even if conveyed over personal email accounts, is subject to a California Public Records Act request. City of San Jose v. Superior Court, 2 Cal. 5th 608 (2017). Yet here, the employee was able to successfully forestall access to this work-related information by refusing to simply produce the information. Moreover, in the policing context, work related emails may need to be reviewed in order to meet the Department’s discovery and Brady obligations.
We have been advised that even though sworn employees are issued cell phones for work-related business, a number of employees and supervisors continue to use their personal phones for work. Yet current policy prohibits their use for work-related purposes except in “exigent circumstances”. And current policy also advises employees that using personal cell phones subjects employees to a disclosure requirement for such information, even if it is lodged on their personal phone. 702.5 PERSONALLY OWNED PCD
[…]
(e) The device should not be used for work-related purposes except in exigent circumstances (e.g., unavailability of radio communications). (f) Employees are advised and cautioned that the use of a personally owned PCD either on-duty or after duty hours for business-related purposes may subject the employee and the employee's PCD records to civil or criminal discovery or disclosure under applicable public records laws or a lawful order.
The Department should enforce current policy. Moreover, the Department should advise internal investigators that if it is learned that information potentially relevant to the investigation is lodged on a personal cell phone, that they should order the employee to surrender the information. If there is a refusal to do so, the employee should be subject to further disciplinary charges for insubordination.
RECOMMENDATION 1
PAPD should enforce its current policy prohibiting employees from using personal email accounts or cell phones to conduct police business except in exigent circumstances.
Recommendation 2
PAPD should advise internal investigators that employees who have lodged information potentially relevant on a personal cell phone should be ordered to surrender such information or be subject to potential future charges for insubordination.
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10 Use of Force Case:
This case involved officers' efforts to take a young man into custody as he experienced the apparent effects of drug use and was acting erratically in public. His agitation led officers to detain him, and some resistance ensued as the subject became intermittently frantic about his condition and the police presence. In light of the subject's highly agitated state, officers sought the assistance of emergency medical personnel, who ultimately transported him to the hospital.
The PAPD involvement began when p olice received an early morning call for service in a residential neighborhood regarding a young male who had jumped over a fence on to the report party's property and was screaming. (He was accompanied by another young male who seemed calmer.) Another person in the vicinity called separately to report a young man running in the middle of the street with no shirt. Officers quickly spotted the subject and engaged with him; in fact, he quickly approached the driver's side door of an arriving patrol car as the officer emerged, to the point where the officer shoved him backward to create space. He was speaking incoherently and not responding to officer instructions, and they quickly decided to detain him in handcuffs; this process was challenging in light of his heavy perspiration and lack of cooperation. Multiple officers were eventually able to get him to the ground using bodily force (but no weapons or strikes). They had renewed difficulty in trying to get him into the backseat of a car; another officer put a restraint device around his ankles as they awaited the paramedic response.
When the medical personnel arrived, they administered a sedative after assessing the subject's condition. He was then transported to the hospital, and released there from police custody based on the determination that the subject was under the influence of psychedelic drugs.7
PAPD Review:
The case went through the Department's supervisory review process, which utilizes a detailed template to ensure that relevant evidence is gathered and that compliance with policy is thoroughly evaluated. Here, the assigned supervisor showed due diligence in moving through the relevant investigative steps. These included review of body -worn camera recordings and reports, and follow -up interviews with the subject (whom the supervisor spoke with by phone after he had recovered from his experience) as well as a third-party witness.
7 Officers eventually made contact at the scene with the original companion of the subject, who confirmed the officers' assessment that they had consumed drugs earlier in the evening.
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11 Though the subject did receive several abrasions in the course of the encounter, he was quick to assure the supervisor that the injuries were minor and that he expected them to heal completely. He expressed appreciation for the officers' interventions during the incident.
The reviewing supervisor determined that the force, which was limited to physical restraints and grappling on the parts of different officers, was justified by the circumstances and consistent with policy.
IAPD Review and Analysis:
We reviewed body -worn camera and reports from this incident, and we concur with the Department's findings. The limited, controlled force was appropriate to the subject's erratic behavior and resistance.
We did notice that two supervisors were among the several officers who responded to the scene and went "hands -on" at one or more points in the encounter. As we have noted before, our sense is that the ideal function for supervisors entails monitoring t he situation and providing direction as needed while refraining from being directly engaged. 8 Our last report addressed this issue and included a related recommendation:
"As needed, PAPD should reinforce to supervisory staff the principle that, barring exigent circumstances, supervisors should refrain from direct physical engagement with subjects, so as to maintain their ability to manage the operation as a whole." PAPD, for its part, concurred with the concept while noting that officer and subject safety must remain the priority, and that circumstances may occasionally dictate a need for more active involvement. They supplemented this point with another relevant observation: that staffing and resource limitations have necessarily made supervisory participation in direct enforcement activity more commonplace in recent months.
8 It is true t hat one of the supervisors did assert a leadership ro le, which arguably "freed up" the other to provide more direct assistance. Still, there also appeared to be an able cadre of line-level officers to handle the actual grappling with the subject.
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12 We respect these arguments while reiterating that supervisors should prioritize a strategic detachment where possible so as to maximize the "added value" of their rank and presence in the field.
"Pointed Firearm" Incidents
PAPD reported three instances in which the Department's officers pointed firearms at a subject. The circumstances varied, but each of these events was found to be consistent with policy and training.
The context for the deployments was as follows:
• A "real time" suspect in auto burglaries was observed by an officer who attempted to conduct a traffic stop of his vehicle. The subject drove away and was pursued by multiple officers; he eventually collided with a police car in a parking lot before being surrounded. Two officers reported pointing their guns as they gave initial commands to the subject and he emerged from the car. His hands were r aised, and he eventually went to the ground as ordered. Officers handcuffed him without further incident.
• Multiple officers responded to reports of a man allegedly brandishing a gun at another driver in the context of a possible "road rage" encounter. Of ficers located the subject as he was exiting his vehicle. When he did not comply with their initial commands to stop, one of the officers pointed his firearm as he gave additional direction. He reported that he was concerned by the combination of the sub ject's lack of cooperation and the report of a gun. Officers eventually took the subject to the ground and handcuffed him; the "gun" at issue turned out to be a black power drill.
• PAPD SWAT personnel assisted a neighboring agency in the service of a search warrant for a murder suspect, and members pointed their firearms in keeping with their respective assignments during that operation.
For this, the first time our process encompasses this category of incident, we offer a few observations. For starters, the heightened accountability expectations that are reflected in this protocol are commendable for PAPD and the City. It is consistent with a larger shift in which traditional deference to law enforcement autonomy is being replaced by a greater degree of transparency and a heightened public interest in police practices. And certain exercises of authority, which once were not even considered reportable, are now subject to new levels of scrutiny.
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13 As a substantive matter, we reviewed the reports conne cted to these incidents and found the respective use of firearms, and the Department's endorsement of them, to be reasonable in light of the known circumstances. We were also struck by the very small number of events that were reported in the entirety of last year. Assuming that officers are in fact meeting new reporting requirements with appropriate rigor, this reflects a restraint that seems notable in and of itself.
At the same time, it seems as if the Department's protocol is still finding its way to some extent. Most obviously, there were initial (and apparently inadvertent) time lags in providing us with information about the earliest of the incidents – and a fourth incident (which is still in process) was belatedly discovered months after its actual occurrence. We have no reason to believe that these minor lapses in process are anything other than the "growing pains" of new procedures, and are confident they have been rectified for the future.
The evolution of the process has a substantive component as well. T he incidents were reviewed by supervisors (and reports were approved) in keeping with regular practice. But while a "bottom line" conclusion was forwarded to us along with the relevant documentation, there was not a formal standalone assessment of the tactic that was memorialized in a supervisory memo – unlike, for example, PAPD's standard use of force reviews.
This raises the question as to what level of formality and thoroughness makes the most sense for the review of a tactic that is usually of very brief duration, has limited impact, and occurs in the context of a larger police response that is itself subject to standard review. As always, there is a t ension between the optimally robust and the realistically attainable.
Department leadership has expressed to us its hesitations about over -committing supervisor time and energy in this specific context.
We are sympathetic to this and recognize the ways that a lesser standard could potentially suffice for this particular category of accountability. Still, there seems to be room for a "happy medium" of sorts, particularly in light of the low volume of incidents involved. We think, for example, that a simple template would be both beneficial and minimally labor - intensive. It could, for example, capture the supervisor's specific review efforts, include at least a brief analysis in support of any findings, and identif y collateral actions items where relevant (such as positioning, or waiting for backup, or communication concerns).
We know the Department is considering its options a s it adjusts to this new aspect of its responsibilities, and we welcome further dialogue on the topic.
RECOMMENDATION 3
PAPD should develop an efficient, formalized structure for supervisors to review and opine regarding instances in which officers point their firearms at subjects in the context of enforcement activity.
Item 16
Attachment A -
Independent Police
Auditor's (IPA) Report of
Review of Investigations
Between July and
December 2022
Item 16: Staff Report
Pg.
15 Packet Pg. 403 of 406
1 | Page
DATE: MAY 10, 2023
TO: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CHIEF ANDREW BINDER
SUBJECT: USE OF FORCE REPORT SUPPLEMENT TO IPA REPORT DATED MARCH 2023
This memorandum responds to the City Council’s November 2020 direction to provide use of force summary data (which encompasses all use of force incidents in which a “Supervisor’s Report on Use of Force” has been completed by the Police Department) as an attachment to each Independent Police Auditor (IPA) report. Most commonly, a “Supervisor’s Report on Use of Force” is completed after an officer uses some form of force that results in a visible or apparent physical injury to a subject or the subject complains of pain or alleges they were injured. Policy Manual §300 (“Use of Force”) requires that all uses of force by Police Department members “be documented promptly, completely, and accurately in an appropriate report.”
1 The policy also requires that a “Supervisor’s Report on Use of Force” be completed by the supervisor, and that report is routed for approval through the chain of command up to and including the Police Chief.
Consistent with the IPA’s expanded scope of administrative review established by the City Council in November 2020, the Department forwards the following types of use of force cases to the IPA for review and recommendations: all cases where a subject’s injuries necessitate any treatment beyond minor medical treatment in the field, and all cases where an officer uses a baton, chemical agent, TASER, less- lethal projectile, canine, or firearm. The IPA’s scope of administrative review was further expanded in July 2021 to include cases when a firearm is pointed at a subject.
For the first time in this memorandum, the Department is choosing to release the race of the recipient(s) of any force used.
This summary covers the period of July 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022.
Use of Force Cases
From July 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022, the Police Department responded to more than 19,000 calls for service and effected more than 600 arrests. During that time, there was one case where force requiring a “Supervisor’s Report on Use of Force” was used. The IPA’s review of that case appears in the current IPA report before you, and they concurred with the Department’s findings that the use of force was justified by the circumstances and consistent with policy.
The race of the subject upon whom force was used was white.
1 The Palo Alto Police Department Policy Manual is updated quarterly and posted online at https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/Departments/Police/Public-Information-Portal/Police-Policy-Manual.
Item 16
Attachment B - Police
Department Use of Force
Report for July -
December 2022
Item 16: Staff Report
Pg.
16 Packet Pg. 404 of 406
2 | Page
Firearm Pointed at Person Cases
From July 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022, officers pointed a firearm at a person on two occasions.
These two cases were each identified in early 2023 during follow-up investigation stemming from routine internal auditing procedures. That audit also identified another qualifying case from the first half of 2022. As noted in the IPA’s report before you, our protocol in identifying and investigating these cases remains new and the inadvertent time lags in reporting are not expected to continue as a result of new procedures recently put into place (which contributed to identifying these three older cases).
These three cases are being sent to the IPA for their review in the near future, and we expect them to be included in the next IPA report
The IPA’s review of the three “pointed firearm” cases that appear in the current IPA report before you stem from incidents that occurred during the first half of 2022. The IPA concurred with the Department’s findings that the pointing of the firearms were justified by the circumstances and consistent with policy.
The race of the subjects at whom a firearm was pointed in the three cases that appear in the current IPA report before you were Hispanic, white, and Pacific Islander (respectively).
July – December 2022 Use of Force Summary
Type of Force Number of Cases Status of IPA Review
Physical Strength 1 Reviewed in current report
Chemical Agent 0
TASER 0
Baton 0
Less-Lethal Projectile 0
Canine 0
Firearm 0
Firearm Pointed at Person 2 Being sent to IPA in the near future for inclusion in their next report
Item 16
Attachment B - Police
Department Use of Force
Report for July -
December 2022
Item 16: Staff Report
Pg.
17 Packet Pg. 405 of 406
1 | Page
DATE: MAY 10, 2023
TO: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CHIEF ANDREW BINDER
SUBJECT: POLICE DEPT RESPONSE TO MARCH 2023 IPA REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
RECOMMENDATION 1: PAPD should enforce its current policy prohibiting employees from using personal email accounts or cell phones to conduct police business except in exigent circumstances.
The Department agrees with this recommendation and will reinforce to all current employees the policy prohibiting employees from using personal email accounts and personal cell phones to conduct police business except in exigent circumstances. In addition, this training will be added to the mandatory in- house training curriculum for new sworn employees.
RECOMMENDATION 2: PAPD should advise internal investigators that employees who have lodged information potentially relevant on a personal cell phone should be ordered to surrender such information or be subject to potential discipline for insubordination.
The Department agrees with this recommendation and will proactively advise investigators to order employees who have lodged information potentially relevant on a personal cell phone to surrender such information or the employee will be subject to potential discipline for insubordination.
RECOMMENDATION 3: PAPD should develop an efficient, formalized structure for supervisors to review and opine regarding instances in which officers point their firearms at subjects in the context of enforcement activity.
The Department agrees with this recommendation and has developed a standardized template and instructions for supervisors to review and opine regarding instances in which officers point their firearms at subjects in the context of enforcement activity.
Item 16
Attachment C - Police
Department Responses to
IPA Report
Item 16: Staff Report
Pg.
18 Packet Pg. 406 of 406