Sustainable
City Plan
2022
Transportation
Arts and Culture
Community Education
and Civic Participation
Economic Development
Environmental
and Public Health
Housing
Quality of Life
Resource Conservation
Open Space
DRAFT
and Land Use
2 Introduction
The City of Santa Monica’s Sustainable City Plan (SCP)
was originally adopted on September 20, 1994. The early adoption of this comprehensive framework helped to guide decision-makers to enhance our resources, prevent harm
to the natural environment and human health, and benefit the social and economic well-being of the community for the sake of current and future generations. The SCP was designed to help us as a community begin to think, plan and act more sustainably. By evaluating the long-term
impacts of our decisions, we can think about the future when as we make decisions about the present. With the
early adoption of the SCP and Santa Monica’s leadership in sustainability, Santa Monica has paved the way for
cities to implement similar programs and plans and Santa Monica is now recognized worldwide as a role model for
sustainability.
Over the years, the City has adopted supplemental
strategic plans to guide the City in meeting our key
sustainability goals:
Since the SCP inception over a quarter century ago,
the City has been successful in reaching targets and
developing programs and policies to meet the remaining
targets. While the City continues making strides to provide a sustainable and resilient community for all, there is still much work to be done. Now more than ever, it is important to understand that our local impact plays a much larger role in the global effort towards sustainability. We can all do our part to create a more sustainable and resilient community and continue thriving for current and future
generations.
Sustainable Water Master Plan (2018) > Water Self-Sufficiency by 2023 Zero Waste Strategic Plan update (2019) > Zero Waste by 2030 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (2019) > Carbon Neutrality by 2050 DRAFT
4 History
SCP Performance Dashboard
Sustainable City
Plan adopted
The Task Force on
the Environment
and Sustainable
City Program staff
developed first
Sustainable City Plan
Performance
Dashboard
Sustainable City
Plan reporting
conducted on an
online performance
dashboard
SCP updated
The last SCP update
adopted with
modifications and a
Sustainable Rights
guiding principle.
Sustainable Rights
Ordinance
Ordinance adopted
to protect the
rights of nature
and codified the
Sustainable City
Plan.
The City recognizes the importance
of measuring performance of the
Sustainable City Plan. This document
outlines the different indicators the
City is measuring. The City developed
an online performance dashboard
to showcase the performance of the
indicators in the Sustainable City Plan.
These indicators are updated biennially.
This tool is intended to provide useful
information to City Council, City staff,
and community members on progress
being made toward meeting goals and
targets of the Plan, and will provide
a basis for decision-making about
policies and actions that influence the
City’s ability to meet the goals and
targets.
data.sustainablesm.org
1994
2013
2014
2016
DRAFT
5 Sustainable City Plan
Structure
Goal areas
The Santa Monica
Sustainable City
Plan is organized
into nine Goal
Areas:
⚫ Resource Conservation
⚫ Environmental and Public Health
⚫ Transportation
⚫ Sustainable Local Economy
⚫ Open Space and Land Use
⚫ Housing
⚫ Community Education
and Civic Participation
⚫ Quality of Life
⚫ Arts and Culture
Within each Goal Area
are specific goals
which comprise the
core of the community
vision and represent
what Santa Monica
must achieve in order
become a sustainable
city.
For each goal area specific indicators
have been developed to measure
progress toward meeting the goals.
Indicators are tools that help to
determine the condition of a system,
or the impact of a program, policy,
or action. When tracked over time
indicators tell us if we are moving
toward sustainability and provide
us with useful information to assist
with decision-making. Two types
of indicators are tracked as part
of the Sustainable City Plan: 1)
System level indicators measure
the state, condition, or pressures
on a community-wide basis for
each respective goal area. 2)
Program level indicators measure
the performance or effectiveness of
specific programs, policies or actions
taken by the city government or other
stakeholders in the community.
Specific Targets have been created
for many of the indicators. The
targets represent aggressive yet
achievable milestones for the
community. Unless otherwise noted,
the targets are for the year 2030.
For some indicators no specific
numerical targets have been
assigned. This was done where
development of a numerical target
was determined to be not feasible
or where limits on data type and
availability made it difficult to set
a numerical target. In many of
these cases a trend direction was
substituted for a numerical target.
Goals Indicators Targets
DRAFT
6 Guiding Principles
The Santa Monica Sustainable City Plan is founded on twelve Guiding Principles that provide the basis from which effective and sustainable decisions can be made. These Guiding Principles have been revised and updated from the versions initially adopted in 1994. 1 3
2 4
The Concept of Sustainability
Guides City Policy
Santa Monica is committed to meeting its
existing needs without compromising the ability
of future generations to meet their own needs.
The long-term impacts of policy choices will be
considered to ensure a sustainable legacy.
Environmental Quality, Economic
Health and Social Equity are
Mutually Dependent
Sustainability requires that our collective
decisions as a city allow our economy and
community members to continue to thrive
without destroying the natural environment
upon which we all depend. A healthy
environment is integral to the city’s long-term
economic and societal interests. In achieving
a healthy environment, we must ensure that
inequitable burdens are not placed on any
one geographic or socioeconomic sector
of the population and that the benefits of a
sustainable community are accessible to all
members of the community.
Protection, Preservation,
and Restoration of the Natural
Environment is a High Priority
of the City
Santa Monica is committed to protecting,
preserving, and restoring the natural
environment. City decision-making will
be guided by a mandate to maximize
environmental benefits and reduce or eliminate
negative environmental impacts. The City
will lead by example and encourage other
community stakeholders to make a similar
commitment to the environment.
All Decisions Have Implications to
the Long-term Sustainability of
Santa Monica
The City will ensure that each of its policy
decisions and programs are interconnected
through the common bond of sustainability
as expressed in these guiding principles. The
policy and decision-making processes of the
City will reflect our sustainability objectives. The
City will lead by example and encourage other
community stakeholders to use sustainability
DRAFT
principles to guide their decisions and actions.
7 7 8
The City is Committed to
Procurement Decisions which
Minimize Negative Environmental
and Social Impacts
The procurement of products and services
by the City, and Santa Monica residents,
businesses and institutions results in
environmental, social and economic impacts
both in this country and in other areas of the
world. The City will develop and abide by an
environmentally and socially responsible
procurement policy that emphasizes longterm values and will become a model for other public as well as private organizations. The
City will advocate for and assist other local
agencies, businesses and residents in adopting
sustainable purchasing practices.
Those Sustainability Issues Most
Important to the Community Will be
Addressed First, and the Most CostEffective Programs and Policies Will be Selected
The financial and human resources which are
available to the City are limited. The City and
the community will reevaluate its priorities and
its programs and policies annually to ensure
that the best possible investments in the future
are being made. The evaluation of a program’s
cost-effectiveness will be based on a complete
analysis of the associated costs and benefits,
including environmental and social costs and
benefits.
5 6 Community Awareness,
Responsibility, Participation and
Education are Key Elements of a
Sustainable Community
All community members, including individual
citizens, community-based groups, businesses,
schools, and other institutions must be
aware of their impacts on the environmental,
economic and social health of Santa Monica,
must take responsibility for reducing or
eliminating those impacts, and must take an
active part in community efforts to address
sustainability concerns. The City will therefore
be a leader in the creation and sponsorship of
education opportunities to support community
awareness, responsibility and participation in
cooperation with schools, colleges and other
organizations in the community.
Santa Monica Recognizes The
Connection with the Regional,
National, and Global Community
Local environmental, economic and social
issues cannot be separated from their
broader context. This relationship between
local issues and regional, national and global
issues will be recognized and acted upon in
the City’s programs and policies. The City’s
programs and policies should therefore be
developed as models that can be emulated
by other communities. The City will also act
as a strong advocate for the development
and implementation of model programs and
innovative approaches by regional, state and
federal government that embody the goals of
sustainability.
DRAFT
8 9
10 Cross-sector Partnerships Are
Necessary to Achieve Sustainable
Goals
Threats to the long-term sustainability of Santa
Monica are multi-sector in their causes and
require multi-sector solutions. Partnerships
among the City government, businesses,
residents and all community stakeholders are
necessary to achieve a sustainable community.
The Precautionary Principle
Provides a Complimentary
Framework to Help Guide City
Decision-Makers in the Pursuit of
Sustainability
Where threats of serious or irreversible damage
to people or nature exist, lack of full scientific
certainty about cause and effect shall not
be viewed as sufficient reason for the City to
not adopt mitigating measures to prevent the
degradation of the environment or protect the
health of its citizens. Public participation and
an open and transparent decision-making
process are critical to finding and selecting
alternatives.
11 Santa Monica is Committed to
Sustainable Rights for its Residents,
Natural Communities and
Ecosystems
The Sustainability Bill of Rights codifies the
commitments made in the Sustainable City
Plan and asserts the fundamental rights of all
Santa Monica residents regarding sustainability.
It establishes the rights of natural communities
and ecosystems to exist and flourish in Santa
Monica and asserts the rights of residents
to enforce those rights on behalf of the
environment.
12 Santa Monica is Committed to
Equity and Inclusion
Advancing equity and social diversity to
improve the wellbeing of people who live,
work, and do business in Santa Monica by
cultivating an inclusive and fair environment
where all people in Santa Monica, in particular
disenfranchised communities of color, thrive
in the areas of health, economic vitality, and
connectedness.
DRAFT
9 Resource
Conservation
Goals
1. Significantly decrease overall community
consumption, specifically the consumption of nonlocal, non-renewable, non-recyclable and nonrecycled materials, water, and energy and fuels.
2. The City should take a leadership role in encouraging sustainable procurement, extended producer
responsibility and should model innovative strategies
to become a zero waste city.
3. Within renewable limits, encourage the use of local, non-polluting, renewable and recycled resources
(water, energy, and material resources).
60%
reduction in GHG
emissions below 1990
levels (2020)
Santa Monica’s water
51.3%
supply sourced locally
FY 2021/22
94%
customers receive
100% renewable energy
through Clean Power
Alliance (2022)
Indicators 2030 Target
Materials Recovery
Total tonnage generation Do not exceed year 2000 levels Daily pounds per capita Reduce to 1.1 lbs/person/day
Diversion percentage Achieve 95% diversion rate
Water Use
Total citywide use (Per Capita) 20% Citywide reduction from 2013 baseline Total residential use (Per Capita) 20% Residential reduction from 2013 baseline Percent local vs. imported Increase to 99% local
Energy Use
Total municipal use Reduce use 10% (baseline 2020)
Total citywide use Reduce use 10% (baseline 2020)
Renewable Energy Use
Total use from clean distributed
generation in Santa Monica
(Community)
Annual increase above 7.5 MW
DRAFT
10 Indicators 2030 Target
Total use from clean distributed
generation in Santa Monica
(Municipal)
Annual increase above 490 kW
Percent of CPA customers with
100% renewable energy Maintain above 94%
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Community emissions (%) Reduce 80% below 1990 levels by 2030 Community emissions (mteco2) Reduce below 277,328 MTCO2e Emissions per capita Reduce below 1.9 MTCO2e per capita Municipal Emissions(mteco2) Annual decrease
Green Construction
Percent of municipal buildings
achieving LEED Gold or higher Increase to 100%
Total emissions from Building Sector Establish baseline/downward trend DRAFT
11 Environmental
and Public Health
Goals
1. Protect and enhance environmental health and
public health by minimizing and where possible
eliminating:
a. The use of hazardous or toxic materials by
residents, businesses and city operations;
b. The levels of pollutants entering the air, soil and
water; and
c. The risks that environmental problems pose to
human and ecological health.
2. Ensure that no one geographic or socioeconomic
group in the city is being unfairly impacted by
environmental pollution.
3. Increase consumption of fresh, locally produced,
organic produce to promote public health and
to minimize resource consumption and negative
environmental impacts.
10,000
pounds of produce
donated from community
gardens FY 2021/22
$22.1m
Santa Monica Farmers
Market gross sales in
FY 2021/22
Indicators 2030 Target
Santa Monica Bay
Wet weather warnings Downward trend
Dry weather warnings Zero warnings
Air Quality
Number of days exceeding Federal air quality
standards Zero days ambient air quality standards exceeded Air Quality Index Maintain below 50 AQI
Purple Air Report Maintain below 50 AQI
Days Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Zero days unhealthy for sensitive group Residential Household Hazardous Waste
Total volume collected Downward trend
Percent of households participating Upward trend
Number of participants Upward trend
DRAFT
12 Indicators 2030 Target
Climate Risks
Percent of residents living in Urban Heat Island (severe) Establish baseline/No annual increase Percent of residents living in Flood Hazardous Zones Establish baseline/No annual increase Percent of residents living in Very High Fire Hazard
Severity Zones Establish baseline/No annual increase
Public Health
Percent of residents with current asthma Establish baseline/No annual increase Percent of residents with cancer Establish baseline/No annual increase Percent of residents with heart disease Establish baseline/No annual increase Percent of residents who experienced low birth weight Establish baseline/No annual increase Farmers Market
Total Farmers Market sales Annual increase above $22 million Number of CalFresh participants Establish baseline/Annual increase Number of Organic vendors Annual increase
Percent of local vendors Establish baseline/Annual increase Community Garden
Number of people participating Annual increase above 750 Total square feet of community gardens Annual increase above 1,200 sq. ft.
Pounds of food generated by City-owned plots Annual increase above 10,000 pounds DRAFT
13 Transportation
Goals
1. Create a multi-modal transportation system that
minimizes and, where possible, eliminates pollution
and motor vehicle congestion while ensuring safe
mobility and access for all without compromising our
ability to protect public health and safety.
2. Facilitate a reduction in automobile dependency in
favor of affordable alternative, sustainable modes of
travel.
154
public electric vehicle
chargers citywide
FY 2021/22
59%
of fleet vehicles are
alternative fuel vehicles
FY 2021/22
Indicators 2030 Target
Modal Split
Percent of trips by type
An upward trend in the use of sustainable
(bus, bike, pedestrian, rail) modes of
transportation - Drive alone max: 60%, Bike +
Walk + Transit minimum: 25%, Bike + Walk: 15%
Average vehicle ridership (AVR) of Santa Monica businesses with more than 50 employees Two
Pedestrian travel volumes Annual increase
Bike traffic volumes Annual increase
Vehicles Miles Traveled
Total vehicle miles traveled Downward trend
Total emissions from VMT Downward trend
VMT per capita Downward trend
Percent of emission from VMT Downward trend
Pedestrian Facilities
Complete sidewalks Annual increase
Public/private pathways Annual increase
Crosswalk enhancements Annual increase
Signal Timing enhancements Annual increase
Bike Facilities
Percent of bike network completed 100%
DRAFT
14 Indicators 2030 Target
Total miles of bike lanes and paths installed or upgraded Annual increase Total Bikeshare usage Annual increase
Number of bikes parked by bike valet Annual increase
Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Total vehicles registered in Santa Monica 10% reduction Percent of total vehicles categorized as ZEV/PZEV Annual percentage increase Total public EV Chargers 500 chargers
Percent of the city fleet vehicles using alternative fuels 80% of fleet Transit Ridership
Annual ridership on Santa Monica Big Blue Bus (BBB) Annual increase Percent of riders on reduced or free pass programs (such as Go Pass and LIFE) 10% or more
Percent of customers using cash fares Less than 10%
Percent of rides shared on MODE Establish baseline/Annual increase Transit Operations
Percent of BBB fleet that is zero emissions 100% by 2030 Number of directional bus-only lane miles Annual increase Average Weekday Bus Miles per hour Annual increase
Number of miles driven by zero emission buses Annual increase Travel Volumes
Peak Hour Trips No net new PM trips
Street Safety (Number of collisions)
Vehicle-Vehicle Downward trend
Vehicle-Pedestrian Downward trend
Vehicle-Bicyclist Downward trend
Bicyclist-Pedestrian Downward trend
Bicyclist-Bicyclist Downward trend
DRAFT
15 Sustainable
Local Economy
Goals
1. Nurture a diverse, stable, local economy that
supports basic needs of all segments of the
community.
2. Businesses, organizations and local government
agencies within Santa Monica continue to increase
the efficiency of their use of resources through the
adoption of sustainable business practices.
234
total Sustainable Quality
Award recipients
(2022)
Indicators 2030 Target
Income Diversity
Total wages Annual increase
Percent of total economic activity/output by business sector (expressed as a percent of total wages)
No single sector shall be greater than 25% of
total economic activity/output; and the top
three sectors shall not be greater than 50%
of total economic activity/output
Percent of Santa Monica households earning less than $35,000/ year No target
Percent of Santa Monica households earning more than
$100,000/year No target
Jobs / Housing Balance
Ratio of the number of jobs in Santa Monica to the amount of housing Ratio should approach 1
Percent of Santa Monica employees who reside in Santa Monica No target Cost of Living
Median household income in relation to cost of living No target Median household income in relation to living wage standard 90% of median household incomes meet or exceed the living wage standard
Quality Job Creation
Percent of new jobs created in Santa Monica that pay greater than or equal to the cost of living Upward trend
409
Green Business Program
total participants
FY 2021/22
DRAFT
16 Indicators 2030 Target
Economic Health
Number of businesses No net loss
Number of new businesses Annual increase
Number of employees No net loss
Unemployment Rate Downward trend
Low Carbon Economy
GHG emissions/Gross Domestic Product No target
Local Employment of City Staff
Percent of city employees who live in SM No target
Sustainable Business Community
Number of Certified Green Businesses Annual Increase
Number of Business Greening Program participants Annual increase Number of Buy Local business participants 10% annual increase Number of Sustainable Quality Awards Annual increase
DRAFT
17 Open Space
and Land Use
Goals
1. Develop and maintain a sufficient open space system
so that it is diverse in uses and opportunities and
includes natural function/wildlife habitat as well
as passive and active recreation with an equitable
distribution of parks, trees and pathways throughout
the community.
2. Implement land use and transportation planning
and policies to create compact, mixed-use projects,
forming urban villages designed to maximize
affordable housing and encourage walking, bicycling
and the use of existing and future public transit
systems.
3. Residents recognize that they share the local
ecosystem with other living things that warrant
respect and responsible stewardship.
178
Net tree gain
FY 2021/2022
375
acres of public open
space in Santa Monica
2021
Indicators 2030 Target
Open Space
Number of acres of public open space by type (including beaches, parks, public gathering places, gardens, and other public lands utilized as open space)
Upward trend
Percent of households living within 1/4 mile of open space 100% Urban Forest
Number of trees per neighborhood Upward trend
Net tree gain (public trees) 50% more trees annually than removed (includes public/private construction)
Percent of tree canopy coverage by neighborhood Upward trend DRAFT
18 DRAFT
19 Housing
Goal
Achieve and maintain a mix of
affordable, livable and green housing
types throughout the city for people of
all socioeconomic/cultural/household
groups (including seniors, families,
singles, and disabled).
Indicators 2030 Target
New Housing
Percent produced at affordable rate Annual increase
Percent produced at Market Rate No target
All Housing
Percent of all housing at affordable rate Annual increase Percent of all housing at Market Rate No target
Homelessness
Number of homeless individuals No target
Number of homeless individuals served by shelters No target Cost of Living
Percent of tenants rent-burdened Downward trend
Median household income in relation to cost of living No target Production of Green Housing
Percent of new and substantially-rehabilitated housing that achieves LEED certification at LEED Silver or higher
DRAFT
Upward trend
20 DRAFT
21 Community
Education
and Civic
Participation
Goals
1. Community members of all ages
participate actively and effectively
in civic affairs and community
improvement efforts.
2. Community members of all ages
understand the basic principles of
sustainability and use them to guide
their decisions and actions - both
personal and collective.
2,126
individuals attended a
community sustainability
event in FY 2021-22
79%
registered voters in Santa
Monica voted in 2020
General Election
Indicators 2030 Target
Civic Participation
Percent of registered Santa Monica voters who voted Increase to 68% in off year elections Demographics of Boards and Commission members No target Percent of Santa Monica residents that are represented by an active neighborhood organization Upward trend
Youth Education
Grade 3 students proficient in language arts At least 85% SMMUSD student graduation rate At least 91%
SMMUSD student suspension rate Not to exceed 4.4%
Percent of SMMUSD students who attend school daily At least 87% Percent of SMMUSD students who feel safe at school At least 67% Percent of SMMUSD students that complete college
admission requirements At least 77%
Percent of children who are Kindergarten ready At least 70% Sustainable Community Involvement
Number of students who participate in sustainability
program Upward trend
Number of individuals who participate in community
sustainability programs Upward trend
DRAFT
22 Quality of Life
Goals
1. Community members are able to meet their basic
needs and are empowered to enhance the quality of
their lives;
2. There is access among community members to
housing, health services, education, economic
opportunity, and cultural and recreational resources;
and
3. There is respect for and appreciation of the value
added to the community by differences among its
members in race, religion, gender, age, economic
status, sexual orientation, disabilities, immigration
status and other special needs.
72%
residents live within
10-minute walk of open
space (2017)
64%
residents live within 1/2 of
a grocery store or market
(2021)
Indicators 2030 Target
Public Safety
Crime rate per capita (property, violent) Downward trend Emergency Respone Times No net increase
Number of incidents (homocide, rape, robbery, assault) Downward trend Economic Charateristics
Percent of residents living in poverty Downward trend
Demographics of Poverty Rate Establish baseline/No target Demographics of Unemployment Establish baseline/No target Demographics of Median Income Establish baseline/No target Educational Attainment
Demographics of High School Diploma Establish baseline/No target Demographics of Graduation Rate Establish baseline/No target Demographics of Bachelor Degree Establish baseline/No target Linguistic Isolation
Percent of households that are limited English-speaking households Establish baseline/No target DRAFT
23 Indicators Target
Digital Access
Percent of households without internet access Establish baseline/No target Access to Goods and Service
Percent of residents living within 1/2 mile of grocery store or market 100% Percent of residents living within 1/2 mile of open space 100% DRAFT
24 Arts and Culture
Goals
1. Retain and nurture Santa Monica’s arts community
and resources.
2. Increase cultural participation and provide greater
access to a diversity of cultural programs for all ages.
3. Enhance the long-term sustainability of the Santa
Monica creative sector.
1,983
individuals employed in
the creative sector
(2020)
703
creative-sector
businesses in Santa
Monica (2020)
Indicators 2030 Target
Presence of artists
Presence of artists No net loss
Creative Sector Activity
People employed in the creative sector Annual increase
Number of businesses No net loss
Revenue produced No net loss
Presence of Opportunities for Cultural Participation
Number of non-profit cultural organizations Annual increase Number of retail arts venues Annual increase
Support for the Arts
Financial support for city arts grants Annual increase
Attendance and Participation
Participation at city or city-funded cultural
events Annual increase
Participation at non city-funded cultural
events
DRAFT
Annual increase
For more information please visit santamonica.gov
DRAFT