AMENDMENT TO THE SAN JOSÉ MUNICIPAL
CODE TO ESTABLISH A CLIMATE ADVISORY
COMMISSION (ITEM 6.2)
Presented by
Kerrie Romanow, Director – Environmental Services Department Lori Mitchell, Director – Community Energy Department
Julie Benabente, Deputy Director – Environmental Services Department Zach Struyk, Deputy Director – Community Energy Department Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve health, environment, and economy.
City Council Meeting
May 2, 2023
1 BACKGROUND
• Climate Smart San José (2018) and Pathway to
Carbon Neutrality by 2030 (2022) set and
accelerated efforts in three focus areas:
transportation, buildings, and power source
• City Council approved the formation of San José
Clean Energy and its Clean Energy Community
Advisory Commission (CECAC) in 2017
• The CECAC provides guidance on SJCE’s services,
planning, and programs.
2 COUNCIL DIRECTION
June 2022: Return with a recommendation on
establishing a climate commission.
Direction also:
• Provided key provisions to include around the
commission’s scope of responsibility and
composition
• Directed merging with CECAC and
allowing CECAC members to serve
out remainder of their terms
3 BACKGROUND ON CECAC
4 Current CECAC Composition:
• 9 seats (8 currently occupied)
• 5 members’ terms expire at the end of 2025
• 3 expire at the end of 2023
• Members can include:
• 6 members of the public with:
• Expertise in community outreach, policy advocacy,
and clean energy programs
• Representation from Industry, Labor, Education,
Non-Profits, Environmental Associations, and
Advocacy Organizations.
• 3 members of the public
• Ideally live and/or work in San José, but can
consider others with expertise
General support for the City to
establish a Climate Advisory
Commission.
Feedback:
• Suggested allowing only San José
residents to sit on the commission
• Suggested increasing the total
seats from 9 to 11
• Suggested allowing
subcommittees for discussion of
other topics, such as climate
resiliency and adaptation
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT OVERVIEW
5 1 Presentation at CECAC
2 Public Webinars
Invitees included:
• Local non-profits and community-based
organizations
• Business associations
• Environmental & technical organizations
• Neighborhood associations
• General public
Outreach tactics:
• Councilmember email
• E-mail blasts: 1,400
• Social media posts
• Print/digital flyer (Project
Hope/PRNS/Libraries)
PROPOSED COMPOSITION
6 Category No. of
Seat(s)
Special Requirements
Community
Representatives
5 Community representatives (limit 1 per City Council district) Youth Representative 1 Youth representative (14-21 years of age) Special Eligibility
Representatives
3 Technical experts with experience inclean energy, power planning, transportation, finance, climate science, planning and building, or environmental law
1 Representative from a climate, environmental advocacy, or community-based organization
1 Representative from labor, business, and/or educational institution
11 Total Proposed Seats
The Environmental Services Department will lead this
new commission.
To bring topics and respond to the Climate Advisory
Commission’s inquiries effectively, the Climate
Advisory Commission will be co-led by the following
departments:
• Community Energy,
• Environmental Services,
• Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement, and
• Transportation
INTERDEPARTMENTAL INVOLVEMENT
7 PROPOSED SCOPE
8 • Focused oversight on the Climate Smart Plan, with a focus on the Pathway to Carbon Neutrality by 2030,
and climate adaptation efforts to:
• Provide feedback on staff recommendations to the
City Council and the Transportation and
Environment Committee
• Serve as a community voice in matters related to
San Jose’s Climate Smart and climate adaptation
initiatives
• Advise on San José Clean Energy’s services and
product offerings, Integrated Resource Plan, and
programs
RECOMMENDATION
9 Approve an Ordinance of the City of San
Jose Amending Part 21 of Chapter 2.08 of
Title 2 of the San José Municipal Code to
Establish the Climate Advisory Commission
and merge it with the Clean Energy
Community Advisory Commission effective
January 1, 2024.
NEXT STEPS
10 If approved, staff anticipates the following next steps:
o July – October 2023: Open Climate Advisory
Commission applications
o December 2023: City Council approval of new Climate
Advisory Commission members
o January 2024: New Climate Advisory Commission
launches and CECAC is dissolved and new
commission starts to meet.
Questions