Agenda Item #15.2
For Council Meeting of: November 18, 2025
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JENNIFER BURKE, DIRECTOR, SANTA ROSA WATER
DAN HENNESSEY, DIRECTOR, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS SUBJECT: FLEET ELECTRIFICATION MASTER PLAN
AGENDA ACTION: MOTION
RECOMMENDATION
The Board of Public Utilities, Santa Rosa Water, and the Transportation and Public Works Department recommend that the Council, by motion, review and accept the Final Draft Fleet Electrification Master Plan. This item has no impact on current fiscal year budget.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation (ACF) was adopted by the California Air Resources Board and became effective October 1, 2023. The ACF requires state and local government agencies to reduce fleet emissions by replacing their medium- and heavy-duty internal combustion engines with Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) by 2040. The Final Draft Fleet Electrification Master Plan (Master Plan) provides a roadmap for Santa Rosa to successfully meet state regulatory requirements and achieve sustainability goals in existing city plans. Fleet electrification is an attainable technical goal, though the electric vehicle (EV) market will need to mature over time to provide options for existing vehicle types. The transition will also be costly and requires strategic planning and continued evaluation of long-term fleet priorities to achieve compliance. This Master Plan serves as a guideline and is meant to be adapted over time as the EV market develops, to help the City make cost-effective purchases and fine future opportunities for outside funding and incentives. The Board of Public Utilities, Santa Rosa Water, and Transportation and Public Works Department staff are requesting that the Council receive a briefing on the Master Plan, provide feedback, and accept the Master Plan.
GOAL
This item relates to Council Goal #2 - Invest in the Development and Maintenance of the City's Infrastructure and is specific to long-term compliance with state regulations as it relates to a substantial portion of the City’s operational vehicle fleet.
BACKGROUND/PRIOR COUNCIL REVIEW
Not applicable.
ANALYSIS
Transportation emissions comprise the largest share of total Green House Gas (GHG) emissions in Sonoma County. A primary goals established in the City’s recently adopted GHG reduction Strategy as part of the 2050 General Plan include facilitating the transition to ZEVs in our community. Federal and State regulations regarding EV fleets have rapidly evolved and will continue to evolve in the coming years. For instance, in September 2025, the California Air Resources Board adopted amendments to the ACF that allowed additional flexibility for expanded exemptions for public utilities like Santa Rosa Water and delayed certain deadlines for 100% EV purchases by three years.
In 2025, the City owns 383 light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles (excluding first-responder and transit vehicles). Water Department vehicles comprise about 45% of the total, with the remainder funded by the City’s General Fund and other special funds. Many existing medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in the operational fleet have no EV equivalent in the market today, making conversion to EV currently infeasible.
The anticipated cost and effort for compliance with the ACF for all local government fleets is going to be substantial. Santa Rosa developed this Master Plan, with the assistance of outside grant funding, to better understand the pathway and costs for achieving compliance. This Master Plan provides a path for how the City to meet state mandates for EV fleet conversion. Though operational expenses with an EV fleet are expected to decrease due to decreased maintenance and fuel costs, the high cost of the EV charging infrastructure, along with the expected higher upfront cost of EVs compared to fossil fuel vehicles, ultimately suggests a cumulative $38 million increase in cost by 2040 for the City to transition to an all EV fleet. This Master Plan is meant to be adapted over time as the EV market develops and, to help the City make cost-effective purchases and identify future opportunities for outside funding and incentives.
FISCAL IMPACT
The acceptance of this plan does not commit the City to any future project(s) or future costs, therefore, there is no direct fiscal impact from the recommended action. However, the vehicle replacement plan is partially funded by the General Fund and directing staff to follow the recommendations of the Master Plan to increase EV purchases, based on market prices today, is likely to increase annual replacement costs moving forward.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, the recommended action is not a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not have a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. In the alternative, the recommended action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the recommended action may have a significant effect on the environment.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
On July 25, 2023, the Climate Action Subcommittee reviewed and provided feedback on the proposed scope and timelines for a proposed Fleet Electrification Master Plan.
On September 4, 2024, the Climate Action Subcommittee received a staff update on the development of the Master Plan and discussed the initial approach and analysis of the fleet and city facilities.
On April 2, 2025, the Climate Action Subcommittee received a briefing on the Master Plan’s preliminary findings and provided feedback and direction to staff on the technical assumptions in the plan.
On November 6, 2025, the Board of Public Utilities reviewed the draft Master Plan and its findings and recommended that the City Council accept the final draft Master Plan.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Final Draft Fleet Electrification Master Plan with Appendices
PRESENTER(S)
Peter Martin, Deputy Director Water Resources, Santa Rosa Water Madison Machado, Sustainability Representative, Santa Rosa Water
FLEET ELECTRIFICATION MASTER PLAN
PAGE 3 OF 3