HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESO 9044Resolution No. 9044
Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Authorizing the
Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) to Accept an
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Residential Building
Retrofit Program Grant A ward on Behalf of the City 0 f Palo Alto
and to Enter Into All Necessary and Related Contracts, Agreements
and Amendments
WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto ("City") recognizes that it is in the interest of the
local, regional, state, and federal agencies to stimulate the economy; create and retain jobs;
reduce fossil fuel emissions; and reduce total energy usage and improve energy efficiency; and
WHEREAS, the City has committed to an ongoing, coordinated effort to reduce the
emissions that cause global warming, improve air quality, reduce waste, cut energy use and save
money. The City is committed to reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 5%
below its 2005 baseline by 2012 and 15% below the 2005 baseline by 2020; and
WHEREAS, State Energy Program (SEP) funds are available through the California
Energy Commission's SEP Funding Opportunities for grants to eligible local govemments for
cost-ef(ective energy efficiency projects; and
. WHEREAS, the SEP allows for public agencies or non-profit entities to apply for
funds on behalf of eligible local governments; and
WHEREAS, the City is eligible for SEP funding under the California Energy
Commission's SEP Program; and
WHEREAS, the City has collaborated with the Association of Bay Area
Governments (ABAG) to submit a regional application to implement the energy efficiency
projects described in Exhibit A for the purpose of qualifying for SEP funds from the California
Energy Commission; and
:WHEREAS, the City has considered the application of the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) to the approval of the energy efficiency projects described in Exhibit A;
and
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto does hereby RESOLVE,
as follows:
SECTION 1. That in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), the City finds that the Council's authorization for ABAG to accept a American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act Retrofit Bay Area Program grant is not a "project", because it is
not an activity which may cause either a direct physical change in the environment or a
reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Santa Clara County will be
the lead agency for energy efficiency projects it undertakes. If implemented by the City of Palo
I
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Alto, the energy efficiency projects described in Exhibit A will be categorically exempt from
CEQA pursuant to California Code of Regulations, Title 14, sections 15301 (repairs and minor
alterations to existing facilities), 15302 (replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and
facilities), 15306 (information collection), 15308 (actions to protect the environment), 15309
(inspections), and 15322 (training programs) because the projects would develop standards for
resource conserving and energy saving retrofits of existing structures in conformance with
existing building codes; train homeowners, contractors and other building professionals;
encourage participation in the green retrofit program; provide rebates for tested and certified
retrofit projects; and monitor and evaluate environmental performance of projects.
SECTION 2. The City authorizes ABAG to accept the grant award, on its behalf,
from the California Energy Commission's SEP Funding related to the Retrofit Bay Area
Program.
SECTION 3. The City recognizes the County of Santa Clara as the lead local
implementer for the projects described in Exhibit A for all of the local governments in Santa
Clara County.
SECTION 4. ABAG, as fiscal agent, will disburse the grant funds to Santa Clara
County to implement and carry out the projects described in Exhibit A.
SECTION 5. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption. The
City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the
Secretary of California Communities.
INTRODUCED AND PASSED: March IS, 2010
AYES: BURT, ESPINOSA, HOLMAN, PRICE, SCHARFF, SCHMID, SHEPHERD, YEH
NOES:
ABSENT: KLEIN
ABSTENTIONS:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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APPROVED:
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Di~ities
EXHIBIT A
Retrofit Bay Area.
Comprehensive Residential Building RetrofitProgram
Summary of grant proposal submitted by ABAG to the California Energy Commission on
December 21, 2009
Description of Proposed Program
The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) is collaborating with eight Bay Area
counties to establish a comprehensive residential single-family and multifamily building retrofit
program that leverages regional cooperation and funding while enabling autonomy at the local.
level. The proposed ABAG program aligns with local, regional and national goals of promoting
economic vitality through an increase in green jobs, reducing U.S. oil dependency through
increases in energy efficiency and deployment of renewable energy technologies, arid reducing
greenhouse gas emissions.
On behalfof Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and
Sonoma CoUnties, ABAG submitted a proposal to the California Energy Commission's State
Energy Program (SEP) to receive $10.8 milIion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA) grant funds administered by the U.S. Department of Energy. This grant program,
known informally as SEP 2 to distinguish it from three other elements of California's SEP
program, ~uns from February 11,2010 to March 31, 2012. The ARRAISEP 2 grant funds will be
used by ABAG program participants to carry out local and Bay Area-wide consumer outreach
and education campaigns and workforce development activities that will accelerate demand for
home energy retrofits and expand the regional building industry's capacity to delivery high-
quality, cost·effective retrofit services.
To achieve these goals, Retrofit Bay Area has identified a set of three core program objectives:
1. Provide Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing to address the high upfront
cost of retrofits, which enables homeowners to finance energy efficiency retrofits and
renewable energy improvements through assessments paid via their property taxes.
2. Demonstrate more effective marketing and outreach methods to inform and motivate
property owner participation.
3. Streamline participant, contractor, and administration processes to reduce the high
transaction costs and build a quality "green" workforce.
The ABAG program thereby will complement existing and planned local retrofit activities.
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Program Participants and Roles
Participant Role
Association of Bay Area. Governments Fiscal agent and contract administrator
Alameda County (StopWaste.Org) and Regional tasks and local retrofit program
Sonoma County (Sonoma County implementation
Transportation Authority)
. . Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Local retrofit program implementation
Mateo, Santa Clara and Solano Counties
Bevilacqua Knight, Inc., Build It Green and Regional and local implementation assistanee,
California Building Performance Contractors quality assurance and reporting
Association
Santa Clam County's Role
Santa Clara County (County or SCC) has represented the interests of the County and its cities in
working with ABAG to develop a regional energy program and is working with the cities to
develop a countywide element that will become the SCC Residential Retrofit Program
(SCCRRPj. Once grant funding is received, SCC's portion is more than $1,950,000 for the
SCCRRP to implement local efforts to promote energy audits and retrofits for the residential
sector in all the cities and unincorporated areas of the County.
SCC is providing a grant process for nonprofits, businesses, housing agencies, utilities and
consulting firms to provide energy audits to the residential community. The SCCRRP will
consist of a suite of environmental programs and 1nformation, including PACE financing options
that will be uniformly packaged, marketed and presented to County constituents. The energy
audits are expected to stimulate interest in comprehensive home retrofits such as added
insulation, weatherization, heating, ventilation and alr conditioning (BV AC) upgrades, and
energy efficient appliances, resulting in significant reductions in energy· and water consumption.
The nearly $2 million that will be available for the SCCRRP will fund two County staff positions
and various programs. ABAG is seeking to facilitate 17,000 retrofits in the Bay Area during the
grant cycle, with an average of20% energy reduction. Based on the County having 26% of the
population of the eight participating counties, the SCCRRP will aim for 4,359 retrofits. It is .
projected that this work will result in 446 new jobs, $1.7 million saved in energy costs for
homeowners, 100 billion reduction of BTU, and $43.8 million spent in the County.
The SCCRRP will not change the permitting or building inspection processes within the County,
and will seek to inform and educate residents on steps that they can take to reduce their energy
consumption and water usage. Residents who participate in the program and have energy audits
performed on their homes will be encouraged to implement the steps recommended by the
energy audit and upgrade their home to be more energy efficient and to consume less water.
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