City of Sacramento
City Council - 5PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2024-00245 1/23/2024 Consent Item 1.
Quarterly Climate Update
File ID: 2024-00245
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Receive and file.
Contact: Jennifer Venema, Climate Action Lead, (916) 808-1859, [email protected], Office of Climate Action and Sustainability; Lucinda Willcox, Assistant Director, [email protected], Public Works Department
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1- Description/Analysis
2-Status of Climate Tasks
Additional Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: This report serves as an informational update to the City Council on the City’s climate action progress for late 2023. City staff have advanced the development of key policy documents, onboarded new staff, and successfully competed for additional state and federal investment from highly competitive grant programs. In total, staff received notice of over $11 million in climate-related grant award recommendations in the fourth quarter of 2023.
In 2024, City staff are advancing several foundational policy documents that will further strengthen the City’s long-term commitments to climate change and help operationalize the City’s efforts to prepare residents and neighborhoods for climate impacts. Upcoming policy milestones in 2024 include:
· 2040 General Plan and Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP): Recommended adoption of the revised draft, scheduled for City Council action on February 27, 2023. · Draft Urban Forest Plan and Parks Plan 2040: Public release anticipated in the first quarter of calendar year 2024.
· Existing Building Electrification Strategy: Recommended adoption of the revised draft in the
File ID: 2024-00245 1/23/2024 Consent Item 1.
spring, completing a priority early action item from the Climate Implementation Work Plan.
These documents build on years of planning and community engagement. Collectively, the plans will serve as a robust foundation for achieving the City’s commitment to carbon neutrality, as well as implementing an equitable approach to climate adaptation.
The Office of Climate Action & Sustainability also on-boarded two new team members to augment City efforts and build capacity for community engagement on climate issues. Staff include two limited- term positions: a Civic Spark Fellow, and an Arts Assistant with California Creative Corps funding secured and facilitated by the City’s Office of Arts and Culture.
A summary of additional climate accomplishments in late 2023 is available in Attachment 2, Status of Climate Tasks. The list in Attachment 2 includes the City’s priority, early action climate efforts that were established in the 2021 Climate Implementation Work Plan (Work Plan). Following adoption of the CAAP, staff will update the Work Plan to reflect the next phase of priorities, staff capacity, and available resources.
Policy Considerations: The City of Sacramento is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2045 (Resolution No. 2019-0433). The City’s Climate Emergency Declaration advances the City’s commitment to “maximum feasible efforts to implement emergency-speed carbon reduction actions towards eliminating emissions by 2030 as much as possible” (Resolution No. 2019-0465). The progress outlined in this report demonstrates the City’s ongoing commitment and progress towards these goals.
Economic Impacts: While this report has no direct economic impacts, the achievements summarized in this report illustrate the economic co-benefits and opportunities from the City’s climate initiatives. The City’s climate actions support ongoing competitiveness for state and federal funding.
By attaining limited grant funds that increasingly prioritize climate-oriented approaches, the City has secured significant state and federal investment that advance local sustainability goals while supporting the local creative sector, funding local nonprofits, and providing resources for vulnerable and low-income homeowners.
Environmental Considerations: This report does not constitute a “project” as defined by Sections 15061(b)(3) and 15378(b)(4) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Sustainability: As outlined in this report, City staff are advancing climate action as a priority. Staff have secured funding to improve active transportation, plan for climate impacts on transportation infrastructure and transit, mitigate flood risks, and invest in communities with community forestry and resiliency initiatives. The long-term planning efforts underway will ensure a continued commitment to enhancing Sacramento’s sustainability and resiliency in a changing climate.
File ID: 2024-00245 1/23/2024 Consent Item 1.
Commission/Committee Action: On November 29, 2023, City staff presented proposed revisions to the draft 2040 General Plan and CAAP to the Planning and Design Commission. Planning Commissioners indicated their support for proposed changes, including land use changes that will increase floor area ratios and support overall reductions in vehicle miles traveled.
Rationale for Recommendation: These quarterly updates to the City Council help to establish transparency and accountability for the City’s climate action progress. The intent of these reports is to further strengthen the City’s sustainability commitments.
Financial Considerations: One-time funding in the Climate Action Initiatives Program (I15240100) is supporting several near-term climate action priorities. This funding is also providing a portion of local cost share for competitive grants.
The City’s implementation of climate-oriented activities helps to ensure the City’s continued competitiveness for state and federal dollars, where climate is increasingly prioritized for highly competitive grant programs. Utilizing staff dedicated to sustainability issues as well as on-call consultant support, City staff were able to submit numerous grant applications in 2023. In total, climate-related grant award recommendations announced in late 2023 exceed $11 million.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
Background: Securing external funding to implement the City’s climate work remains a critical task.
Recent awards will improve the City’s flood resilience, advance adaptation planning, accelerate community tree plantings, and increase neighborhood resilience. Staff have successfully partnered to secure funding from an array of state and federal partners, to take advantage of limited term augmentations for new and existing grant programs. Note that staff are working to finalize agreements for these funds, to initiate implementation in 2024.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, climate-related grant award recommendations announced for the City exceed $11 million. Recommended awards include:
· $1.5 million from the Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program for vision zero planning for Howe Avenue, complete streets planning for Norwood Avenue, and a transportation infrastructure adaptation plan in partnership with SacRT. · Over $7.7 million from the Caltrans Transportation Commission Local Transportation Climate Adaptation Program to improve 24 floodgates around the city to protect climate vulnerable communities, including over 300,000 people and 240 critical facilities. · $1 million from the USDA Urban & Community Forestry Grant Program to expand the urban forest and support community engagement and stewardship.
File ID: 2024-00245 1/23/2024 Consent Item 1.
· $1 million from the US EPA Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program for neighborhood resiliency, community engagement, water conservation, tree plantings, and school greenings.
Status of Critical Climate Action Tasks
December 2023
1 2022 - 2023 T asks
This table summarizes priority tasks for the Office of Climate Action and Sustainability (OCAS), and other department leads. Staff presented this list to the City Council in early 2022 as an update to the 2021 Climate Implementation Work Plan. The table below includes minor modifications to the original version presented in 2022 for accuracy, to reflect changes since that time.
Legend:
Ongoing Initiated
Ongoing; active work
underway Delayed or postponed
Complete
Tasks & Status
Task Department or
Office Leads
and Support0F
1 Status
Internal & administrative tasks
1 Expand team capacity with intern support
and/or on-call assistance OCAS - Lead Role
Two limited-term staff
onboarded through
CivicSpark and Creative
Corps; Program Specialist
recruitment in process
2 Continue convening the Green Team
monthly with participation by key
departments
OCAS - Lead Role
Support: All
Ongoing
3 Establish and launch the internal Climate
Action Task Force, with an initial audit of
each department’s performance
OCAS - Lead Role
Support: All
Launched in late 2023
1 Department and Office abbreviations:
CDD: Community Development Department
DOU: Department of Utilities
DPW: Department of Public Works
HR: Human Resources
IT: Information Technology
OCAS: Office of Climate Action and Sustainability
OEM: Office of Emergency Management
OIED: Office of Innovation and Economic Development
YPCE: Department of Youth, Parks, and Community Enrichment Status of Critical Climate Action Tasks
December 2023
2 Task Department or
Office Leads
and Support0F
1 Status
4 Create an internal climate leadership,
learning, and collaboration cohort OCAS - Lead Role
Development of staff
sustainability training
underway, for
implementation in 2024
5 Develop and administer the Sustainability
Performance Monitoring Tool OCAS - Lead Role
Ongoing
6 Prepare a GIS resource hub for climate,
sustainability, and equity-related data
OCAS - Lead Role
Support: IT, ODE
Complete, with ongoing
refinement with GIS
Team
7 Embed sustainability and racial equity
decision-making into City processes
OCAS & ODE -
Leads
Engagement initiated with
Budget Office and Office
of Diversity and Equity
8 Create new guidance for the
“Sustainability” section of City staff reports OCAS - Lead Role Coordination initiated - to
be completed in
conjunction with other
forthcoming resources
9 Establish tools and processes to track City
fiscal activity from a climate perspective
OCAS - Support
Lead: Budget
Postponed
10 Create an internal Nexus City webpage with
resources and information
OCAS - Lead Role
Support: IT
Complete
11 Continue public quarterly reports on
climate action progress
OCAS - Lead Role
Support: Varies
Ongoing
12 Coordinate City efforts for climate-related
state and federal funding, and align efforts
to seek and apply for external funds
OCAS - Lead Role
CMO
Ongoing; over $11 million
in grant award
recommendations
announced in late 2023
for climate-related needs
such as tree plantings,
active transportation,
adaptation needs for
transportation
infrastructure and transit,
and flood gate resilience.
Status of Critical Climate Action Tasks
December 2023
3 Task Department or
Office Leads
and Support0F
1 Status
13 Support updates to the City’s Sustainability
Procurement Policy and Telecommuting
Policy
OCAS - Support
Lead: CMO,
Finance, HR
Revised Telecommuting
Policy finalized and
released in October 2023
Partnership, outreach, capacity-building and other
collaboration
14 Establish a climate equity outreach pilot
that advances CAAP implementation, and
increase community outreach
OCAS - Lead Role
Delayed: staff re-
evaluating options to
release a revised RFP for a
program administrator
15 Launch a climate ambassadors program
OCAS – Lead Role
OIED
In process: recruitment
underway for a Climate
Ambassadors cohort in
OCAS as part of the
CaliforniansForAll
program, with a spring
2024 launch
16 Distribute an Office newsletter monthly
OCAS - Lead Role
PIO
Ongoing
17 Continued engagement and collaboration
with the Sacramento EJCGC and other
local environmental justice groups
OCAS - Lead Role
Ongoing
18 Continued engagement and support for
integration of climate and sustainability into
City youth programs
OCAS - Support
Lead - YPCE
Ongoing
19 Continued convening of a regional working
group for city and county staff on climate
action
OCAS - Lead Role
Support: CDD
Ongoing
20 Facilitate a standing open networking and
collaboration meeting with climate-focused
stakeholders
OCAS - Lead Role
Not yet initiated
Status of Critical Climate Action Tasks
December 2023
4 Task Department or
Office Leads
and Support0F
1 Status
21 Participate in and facilitate collaboration
with external agencies, partners, and
stakeholders for successful grant
applications to secure state and federal
climate investments
All
Support: CMO,
DPW, DOU,
YPCE, CDD,
OIED
Ongoing, including
implementation of an
Electrification
Memorandum of
Understanding with
SMUD, the County of
Sacramento, and Elk
Grove
Strategic project actions – OCAS Oversight,
Support, or Management
22 Support completion of the CAAP for
Council adoption, including identification
of carbon reductions and funding options
for Council direction
OCAS - Support
Lead: CDD
Support: DPW, all
Ongoing; proposed
revisions to 2040 General
Plan and Climate Action
& Adaptation Plan
(CAAP) presented to the
Planning and Design
Commission on
11/29/23, for City
Council adoption in early
2024
23 Seek grant funding to prepare a climate
resilience infrastructure and program
strategy, with shovel-ready project list for
adaptation funding needs
OCAS - Support
CDD, DOU,
DPW, OEM,
YPCE
Ongoing; staff finalizing
agreements for grant
awards announced in late
2023 for over $11 million
in climate-related project
awards to the City
24 Facilitate City efforts to seek state grant
funding for community center retrofits and
resilience improvements
OCAS – Support
DPW, OEMS,
YPCE, SMUD
Ongoing; staff finalizing
subaward agreements with
CalOES for Pannell
Community Center for
resiliency improvements
25 Support development of a shovel-ready list
of energy efficiency and resiliency project
list for City facilities and implementation
OCAS - Support
Lead: DPW
Ongoing; retrofits
underway, including active
work at 300 Richards
26 Support expansion of the City’s zero-
emission fleet and charging infrastructure
OCAS - Support
Lead: DPW
Ongoing; SMUD eFuel
analysis of fleet
electrification
opportunities currently
underway
Status of Critical Climate Action Tasks
December 2023
5 Task Department or
Office Leads
and Support0F
1 Status
27 Support preparation for implementation of
the New Building Electrification
Ordinance, including participation in the
Infeasibility Waiver Technical Panel, and re-
adoption of the Ordinance with Infeasibility
Guidelines, to go into effect 1/1/2023
OCAS: Support
Lead: CDD
Complete – revisiting next
steps in light of US 9th
Circuit Court of Appeals
decision related to the
City of Berkeley ordinance
28 Guide and support preparation of the
Existing Building Electrification Strategy
and related stakeholder engagement for
Council action in 2023
OCAS: Support
Lead: CDD
Ongoing; public review
extended through January
2024, with anticipated
recommendation to City
Council in spring 2024
29 Manage City’s execution of a memorandum
of understanding with SMUD and
Sacramento County on building
electrification, and facilitate the City’s
participation in related efforts and pilots
OCAS – Lead
Support: CDD,
DPW
Ongoing
30 Support critical transportation initiatives,
including completion of the Transportation
Priorities Plan (TPP), the Active Streets
Plan, and identification of funding strategies
for transportation
OCAS – Support
Lead: DPW
Ongoing; “Streets for
People” Sacramento
Active Transportation
Plan underway
31 Support implementation of the Electric
Vehicle Implementation Blueprint
OCAS – Support
Lead: DPW
Ongoing; electric vehicle
infrastructure design and
permitting underway
32 Support completion of the technical study
for on-site water reuse and dual plumbing,
including preparation of a dual-plumbing
ordinance
OCAS – Support
Lead: DOU
CDD – Support
Ongoing; Phase 2 internal
kickoff with consultant
team convened in
November 2023 for the
On-Site Non-Potable
Water Reuse Phase 2
study
33 Support the launch of a new community
tree-planting initiative with partners
OCAS – Support
Lead: DPW
Timing to be confirmed,
based on recommended
$1 million grant award
recommendation and
scope of work to be
finalized for the USDA
Forest Service Urban and
Community Forestry
program
Status of Critical Climate Action Tasks
December 2023
6 Task Department or
Office Leads
and Support0F
1 Status
34 Support expansion of shared use recreation
spaces and completion of the Parks Master
Plan (Parks Plan 2040)
OCAS – Support
Lead: YPCE
Ongoing; early 2024 plan
release
35 Support for the City’s clean and green
workforce and economic development
initiatives, and including completion of
regional green jobs analysis and opportunity
mapping
OCAS and OIED,
Leads
Ongoing; preparing to
launch a Climate
Ambassadors program
with CaliforniansForAll
youth and young adults
36 Support City participation in food access
and resiliency planning, including
completion of the US EPA Local
Food/Local Places action plan, ongoing
coordination of City staff, and food-
anchored hub development
OCAS - Support
Mayor’s Office,
OIED, YPCE,
CDD, DPW
US EPA Action Plan
complete. Ongoing: food
justice NOFA award
recipients announced in
December 2022
37 Support climate resiliency partnerships and
identification of pilots OEMS
Ongoing; implementation
of Home Energy Equity
Pilot underway in
Stockton Boulevard area
for completion by 2024
38 Manage the City’s partnership with the
Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality
Management District for air quality
monitoring, and support related community
outreach and education
OCAS - City Lead
Lead implementer:
Air District
Ongoing; approximately
200 air sensors deployed,
report preparation
underway for the mobile
community air monitoring
task, and school
curriculum development
underway with the
Sacramento Academic and
Vocational Academy.