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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-04-02 City Council (7)City .of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT:CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE CMR: 175:01 DATE:APRIL 2, 2001 SUBJECT: PROPOSED CITY SUSTAINABILITY POLICY RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Adopt the proposed City sustainability policy and 2. Direct staff to return with an implementation plan at such time as resources are available to devote to the development of such a plan. BACKGROUND On October 23, 2000, the City Council referred to the Policy and Services Committee the development of a City sustainability Policy. On November 14, 2000, the Committee discussed the Council assignment and adopted a motion directing staff to "come up with a vision statement, guiding principles and an implementation plan." On March 5, 2001, the Council held a study session, at which time staff presented a proposed definition of sustainability; information on current staff initiatives related to sustainability; and a proposed City sustainability policy. The materials for the study session are appended to this report (Attachment 1); as well as the input from the Council and members of the public who were asked to respond to the question, "What are key concepts you think should be in our definition of Sustainability?’’ (Attachment 2). DISCUSSION At the March 5 study session, in response to the direction of the Policy and Services Committee, staff proposed the following as the City sustainability policy: "It is the intent ofthe City of Palo Alto to be a sustainable community - one which meets its current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In adopting this policy, the City of Palo Alto accepts its responsibility through its programs and services to: ¯Ensure the city’s continued economic, social and environmental vitality CMR:175:01 Page 1 of 3 Protect the ~quolity of the air, water, land and other naturalresourEes ¯ Promote and support the conservation of native vegetation, fish, wildlife habitat and other ecosystems ¯Minimize human impacts on local and worldwide ecosystems." Although development, of an implementation plan is not proposed at this time, the staff Sustainability Committee will continue to pursue the projects discussed at the study session, which include: ¯Green building design ¯Development of a construction and demolition reuse and recycle ordinance ¯Purchasing policies ¯Integrated pest management plan ¯Comprehensive City energy and water conservation plan RESOURCE IMPACT As was discussed at the Council study session, the first priority for the City Manager in the proposed budget is to provide resources to fund the infrastructure backlog. No new services or programs are to be proposed for funding. Development of a plan to implement the sustainability policy would require resources that are currently not available. Staff efforts to support the policy will continue on the current basis, which is dependent on being able to accommodate additional assignments along with ongoing workload. POLICY IMPLICATIONS The staff recommendation represents a new policy for the City, but is in accord with prior policY recommendations in the City Comprehensive Plan and in the Council’s adoption of the Green Government Pledge. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The recommendations in this report do not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act. Therefore, environmental review is not rec uired. PREPARED BY: Assistant City Manager CMR: 175:01 Page 2 of 3 CITY MANAGER APPROVAL City Manager ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1 - Proposed City of Palo Alto Sustainability Policy Attachment 2 - What, are key concepts that you think should be in our definition of Sustainability? CMR:175:01 Page 3 of 3 6 Sus .tainability .Development Home : SDP The goal of our Sustainable Developmeht Plan (SDP) will be ¯ Pag( 1.of 1" WHAT’S NEW .to ensure the continued economic, social and. .... SUSTAINABILITY ....environmental.vitality of the City of Palo Alto as it moves BASICS- ..... towards, its vision of functioning as a sustainable SDP COIYIMI’I-i’EE community. -PRO3 ECTS & ...PROGRESS RELATED LINKS Contact the Environmental Protection Coordinator if yo.u have questions about the-Information on this site, Updated: January 2, 2001 copyright © 2000, city of Palo Alto, All rights reserved.. .- Webslte comments to Webmaster http ://ch-as d-in~ranet/s dp/default .htm 2/27/01 Sustaifiability Development Page 1 of 2 Home : .SDP : Basics. WHAT’S NEW SUSTAINABILI~-Y BASICS SDP COMMIq-FEE PROJECTS & PROGRESS RELATED LINKS HOME Background Indicators Technical Reports Green Buildinq SUSTAINABILITY BASICS Sustainability: To meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This .section will be used to describe the generally accepted concepts of Sustainability and more specifically, the concepts that we believe will be particularly important for Palo Alto. Look further down this page for information on related activities in other areas. The following is the current Draft Policy statement we are developing to present to Council in the Study session scheduled for February 12, 200:1. If adopted, it will become the for the development of a Sustainable Development Plan for the City of Palo Alto. ENAS TNS ISO 14000 "It is the intent of the City of Palo Alto to be a sustainable community - one which meets its’ current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In adopting this policy, Palo Alto accepts its responsibility to: ¯Ensure the continued economic, social and environmental vitality of the City of Palo Alto ¯Protect the quality of the air, water, land and other natural resources ¯ Promote and support the conservation of native vegetation, fish, wildlife habitat and other ecosystems ¯Minimize human impacts on local and worldwide ecosystems." Who’s Doing What, Near and Far! There are numerous sustainability efforts in process locally, across the state, nationally and internationally. Here’s just a few that we know about: Cal EPA/Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group Regional EMS Cal EPA and SVMG are working together on a Silicon Valley regional EMS (environmental management system)-a ¯ sustainability plan along the lines we discussed at our two meetings. They are underway developing their impact measures and have a project timeline and goals. State-wide Sustainability Plan CAL EPA is in the very beginning stages of launching a state- wide EMS.plan similar to the goals of the Silicon Valley effort. http ://ch-asd-intranet!sdp/basics.html 2/27/01 S~tainability Development Bay A’rea Sustainability Alliance (ABAG and various NGOs) ABAG (Association of Bay Area Governments) in-coordination with various NGOs (Non Government Organizations) was planning, to approach local elected officials to begin educating them about the concept of Sustalnability and Sustainability Plans. BAA+PCCF sustainablility Project BAA (Bay Area Action) and PCCF (Peninsula onservation. center Foundation) are meeting to discuss projects these grouPs could undertake. They are gathering interested folks to form a steering committee. Cur.rent ideas include:developing’a centralized website on sustainability Issue~, success stories, how-to information, and linkage to other organizations at the forefront of the sus~ainability movement. The project will r emphasize.cooperation between local governments, businesses and.grassroots organizations and an action plan for turning- ¯ good ideas into publicpolicy. Other projects may Include: training focusing on communications, publicity, fundraising and lobbying and sponsoring citizen initiatives City of Santa Monica, California The City of Santa Honlca established a Sustainability Program in 1996 and have published two status reports since then. Check out their program under Related Links. , City of Portland, Oregon The City of Portland established a Sustainability Program in 1996 as well. They are currently expanding their program and adding staff. Check out their program under Related Links. City of San Diego, California The City_of San Diego has developed a SusLainability Program andtheir Water Pollution Control Plant now has ISO 14001 Certification (Learn more about ISO 14001 Certification via the link in this section). They are presently working Lo transition all their garbage trucks fropm diesel Lo natural gas.. Page 2 of 2- ¯ Updated: January 2, 2001 Copyright © 2000, CRy of Palo Alto, All rights reserved. WebslLe comments to Webmaster http://ch-asd-intranet/sdp/basic~.html 2/27/01 S~tainability Devc!~::~:~ .....~t Page 1 of 1 Home :SDP : What’s New .. WHAT’S NEW WHAT’S. N EW This is a brand new sectionof the City’s ]ntranet devoted to SUSTAINABILITY providing you information about a concept that we believe will BASICS affect us more and more until it literally influences how each of SDP COMIVlITrEE us lives and works, individually, as an organization, as a community. Browse through this website to learn the basics, to see what we’re doing, and if you’re so inclined, to participate.PROJECTS & . PROGRESS RELATED LINKS HOME, l Date II . The Latest Update I Dec 22, 2000 II Intranet site launched I January 26. 2001 IIChlorine Free Paper Purchasing Announcement II Feb 12, 2001. I Author Alan AtKisson to speak Feb 27-28 Feedback on the website is highly encouraged! Contact the Environmental ProtectionCoordinator to give us your comments. Updated: February 12, 2001 Copyright © 2000, City of Palo Alto, All rights reserved. Website comments to Webmaster http://ch-asd-i ,~! ,-aneVsdp/whatsnew.html 2/27101 Sustainability Development ,Pag~ l’of 1" Home : SDP : Projects / Progress PROJECTS .& PROGRESS WHAT’S NEW This section lists current and Completed projects, their status SUSTAINABILITY and appropriate contact names/email addresses. Status reportsBASICScan be viewed (when available) by clicking on the name Of the SDP COMMI’I-FEE project. PRO3 ECTS & PROGRESS.. RELATED LINKS HOME Current or Planned Projects Green Building Construction and Demolition Ordinance " : IPurchaslng Policy Private Green Buildings Pesticide Management Plan 1 SDP Committee Contact ’ IIElizabeth Ames .Carolynn Bisset Ar~hette Puskarich IIHoward Edwards ¯llAmy French -. II]ulie Weiss En__q~Lqy & Water Management Plan City Facilities .f°rJ,T°mII Auzenne SDP Budget Proposal [ntermodal .Transit .Center Bicycle/Pedestrian Undercrossing IPilot Hazmat Inspection Program Completed or Ongoing Projects .Contact Palo Alto.Bikestation Palo Alto Shuttle .and Special Events Shuttles Downtown Travel Demand Management Program SDP Intranet Web site Development Chlorine Free 100% Recycled Paper IIEmily Harrison II. oe Kott II]oe Kott II.Dan Firth I1 SDP Committee II. oe Kott. I1-1Oe KOtt ]l. oo Kott II.Dan Firth II.~ulie Weiss Updated: January 26, 2001Copyright © 2000, ClLy of Palo Alto, All rights reserved. Webslte comments to Webmaster http:/!ch-asd-intranet/sdp/pandp.html 2/27/01 Susta~ability Development Page 1 of 1 Home : SDP :Committee : Members WHAT’S NEW SUSTAINABILITY BASICS SDP COMMII-FEE PRO]]ECTS & PROGRESS RELATED LINKS HOME SDP COMM[TFEE MEMBERS Committee Members Schedules & Minutes Committee History CHRs You can contact ti~e members listed on this page either by phone or e-mail.’ Member/E-mail Elizabeth Ames Susan Arpan Tom Auzenne Randy Baldschun Greg Betts Carolyn Bisset Phil Bobel Dave Brees Charlotte Carlson Linda Clerkson Paul Dias Howard Edwards Dan Firth Emily Harrison Wendy Hediger Lynne ]]ohnson Amanda ]]ones Tom Kabat Joe Kott Annette Puskarich Karen Smith Kent Steffens Julie Weiss Dept PW/Engineering City Manager ¯Utilities Utilities CSD/Recreation Planning PW/Environmental CSD/Rec & Golf Human Resources Utilities CSD/Parks ASD/Purchasing Fire City Manager PW/Operations Police Transportation Utilities Transportat!on PW/Operations PW/Facilities PW/Engineering PW/Environmental Extension 2502 2533 2268 2266 617-3112 2165 2285 2510 2125 2656 496-5916 2319 2347 2533 5912 2215 2568 2659 2578 496-5911 6973 2270 494-7629 Updated: February 13, 2001 Copyright © 2000, City of Palo Alto, All rights reserved. Website comments to Webmaster S~tainability Development Home : SDP : Links wHAT’s N EW SUSTAINABILITY BASICS SDP COMMITTEE . PROJECTS & PROGRESS RELATED LINKS HOME This is a partial list of.web sites providing sustainable development related information. No endorsement of these web sites or of the providers of these sites is intended, nor is absence from this list intended to discredit web sites not on the list, Note that these are external web Sites; they are not part of the City of Palo Alto’s Web site. If you click on any of thesesites you will leave the Palo Alto website. To return you will need to use your"back’ button on your browser. Or you can add this Sustainability web site to your list of favorites (bookm.~rks)by selecting home link on the left and then.select ’Add to Favorites’ or ’Add Bookmark’ from your browser’s menu bar. ¯ Page" 1 ’of 2" ABAG Green Business IAustin Texas Green Builder IProqram IBay Area.Action Building for Environm.ental and :conom|c Sustainability " " Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development Energy Star Product Purchasing! Calculators _=nvir0Link Library I Resources for Environmental Design Index (REDI.). ." IIRocky Mountain Institute IlSanFrancisco City 1Sustainability Program santa Monica Green IIBuil’dings .Guidelines IlSanta.Monica California ISustainability Program Silicon Valley Envir0n~nental Partnership Simon & Assoc- Environmental Building Consultants Florida Sustainable Communities Center Green Building Professionals Search International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives LEEDTM Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design " IMulti-State Working Group on IEnvironmental Mqnt ,Systems . PG&E Pacific Energy Center Resource Renewal. Institute ISustainable America IISustainable Building ISourcebook IISustainable Communities INetwork ~ Ilsustainable San Mateo ICounty IISustainable Sources Online IBullel~in Board . liThe Performance Institute IuSEPA - software for !Environmental Awar;ness . http://ch-asd-intranet!sdp/links..html 2/27101 Sustainabi~: .~evelopment Pag~ 1’ of 1" Home : SDP : Committee : CMRS WHAT’5 NEW SUSTAINABILITY BASICS SDP COMMITTEE PROJECTS & PROGRESS RELATED LINKS HOME Committee Members Schedules & Minutes Committee History CMRs CITY MAi: :IAGER REPORTS The following City Manager Reports relate to Sustainability or the formation of the Sustainable Development Plan Committee. Attachments to the original CMR may not be included. To view them you may need to obtain.a hard copy version from the City Manager’s Office. ¯ Note: When you click on one of the CMRs listed here, they will open in Word. In order to return to this page, use the ’Back’ button on your browser menu bar. CMR 284-99 132-00 316-00 Title Green Business Program and the Green Government Pledge Strategic Environmental Management Plan Green Building/Sustainable Development Plan 416-00 Council Consideration of a Sustainability Policy Updated: January 2, 2001 Copyright © 2000, City of Palo Alto, All rights reserved. Website comments to Webmaster http://ch-asd-intranet/sdp/cmrs.html 2/27/01 "Sust~ability Development ¯ ~Ca!. EPA’s new Green Building 12001 Environmental IISustalnabllity Index (ESI) Page 2 of 2 Updated: February 12, 201~1. Copyright © 2000, City of Palo Alto, All rights reserved. Webslte commer)ts to Webmaster http ://ch-asd-intranet/sdp/links.html 2/27/01 ~ Sus~a~nabilit7 Developmel::Page 1 of 2 Home : SDP: Committee Green Government Pledge WHAT’S NEW SUSTAINABILITY BASICS SDP COMMII-FEE "We believe a healthy environment depends on a healthy. economy. We are actively working to show our environmental. responsibility to our community through leading by example and committing to the following objectives: PROJECTS & PROGRESS RELATED LINKS HOME Committee Members Schedules & Minutes Committee History CMRs Green Government Pledge ¯To work with business and coordinate with local, state and federal regulators to achieve the objectives of the Green Business Program. ¯To agree to a common set of Green Business Program environmental standards for the business community. ¯To provide business with technical assistance and guidance to achieve these environmental standards. ¯To support the conservation of energy, water, materials and other natural resources. ¯To work with business to educate and inform the public regarding the Green Business Program." By agreeing to participate in the Green Business Program (see CMR 284:99) and to be consistent with expectations for participating business in the Program, the City also agreed to commit to the Green Government Pledge. The pledge sets expectations for participating governments to strive to enhance the government/business interface and lead by example through improving government’s own environmental performance. Palo Alto has an enviable record of environmentally, related improvement efforts including award winning and innovfitive Source Control and Non Point Source Control Programs, Recycling Programs, Employee Commuting Incentive Programs, and public and business educational programs, to name a few. Specifically for Palo Alto, the Green Government Pledge means that the City agrees to continue to work cooperatively with the other inspection, pollution prevention, and resource conservation agencies involved in the program; and that the City agrees to continue to work in a cooperative, educative manner with businesses. Updated: February 27, 2001 http://ch-asd-intranet/sdp/greengovpledge.html 2/27/01 ATTACHMENT 2 What are key concepts that you think should be in our definition of Sustainabili~y ? ¯open space preservations ¯mass transportation infrastructure ¯plan tied into regional planning ¯linkage between jobs & housing ¯significant affordable housing ¯conservation emphasized ABOVE recycling ¯pedestrians & bikes are important too ¯admit that PA is far from sustainable ¯sustainability must contain the financial resources to make it happen ¯adopt higher density, infill development policies ¯multi-use facilities (housing built above retail and social service buildings) ¯environment ¯resource usage ¯metrics + measurement reporting - env. quality En~cironmental, Economic, & Social Sustainability, meeting our needs, while enabling the needs of the future to be met as well. Restoring ecological damage and losses of the past. Preserving open space, creating nature corridors to connect otherwise isolated natural lands, restore creeks and riparian habitats. Education and public outreach to engage community. Car free housing and developments centered around transit hubs. 24 hour/7 day~ .frequent, well connected bus & rail system. Promote permacultural practices on city, public, business, & residential properties. Ban all pesticides, encourage soil & plant health, diversity. Promote self-sufficiency, like onsite water recovery, composting, solar & wind power. Promote native plants in public and private landscapes. Promote urban agriculture, community gardens, local organic food production. Network with other cities around state, country, & world who are becoming sustainable. Palo Alto should be an example for other cities,’an incubator for good ideas & projects. S NVlGR~LINDAksustain ability comments.doc 1 of 4 What are key concepts that you think should be in our definition of Sustainability ? ¯Use of renewable resources ¯Reduce environmental impact ¯TRADITIONAL DEFINITION: generations’ needs. ¯Natural step principals Meet today without compromising future Sustainability must include consideration of the natural would, not just the human world. Humanity cannot be sustainable (or survive) if the natural world is not. Sustainable development usually assumes growth. Consider new development within the carrying capacity of the city/region, i.e., new development without physical growth. ¯Protect environment & biodiversity ¯Minimize human impacts on local & worldwide ecosystems ¯Achieve a stable, diverse, equitable economy ¯Economic + social diversity + equity ¯Change + development that leverages resources in a way that has the least impact on the environment ¯respect for all life and the resources that sustain it ¯reverse bad decisions to a "level" that is identified as a better baseline level ¯Provide enough flexibility that personal style and differences in life style are respected and protected ¯Eco-efficiency (doing more with less) ¯Include equity, egonomy and ecology. ¯Include all life and recognition of interdependence of the global living system. S:’dVlGRkLINDAksustainability comments.doc 2 of 4 What are key concepts that you think should be in our definition of Sustainability ? For environmental sustainability: ¯ A baseline assessment of how ever~ department is doing in using, wasting, + polluting as little as possible. ¯A stated goal of continuous improvement in all three areas ¯Specific, measurable annual goals ¯Success evaluated in performance reviews ¯Incentives fornew ideas ¯An annual report to the community ¯Sustainability = ensuring the well-being of all life on the planet in perpetuity. ¯Our scope should be global, not merely local. ¯What is the impact of Palo Alto, what can Palo Alto do to achieve sustainability, at the global level. ¯Our suslxiinability strategy should be model-based, i.e., create and continually improve a model that will yield estimates of the consequences of our actions. ¯Sustainability, to work, must not depend on any change of human nature, i.e., must create paths that people will follow conveniently, comfortable, and unconsciously. ¯Success depends on competent governance processes Proactive efforts to make our neighborhoods more liveable - more walkable, more bikeable. This means slowing cars down through traffic calming - not continuing to invest in the conventional traffic management techniques that don’t work. Don’t emasculate the Residential Arterial Traffic Calming Program & the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program. Fund them like you really mean all those pretty words in the Comp. Plan! ¯Improved public Safety, particularly by reducing hazardous waste, chemical usage, . etc. ¯Reduce dependence on fossil fuels ¯Reduce or reuse development by-products Please do not be preachy :- the 3 "E"s are fine S:~vlGR~LINDAksustainability comments.doc 3 of 4 What are key concepts that you think should be in our definition of Sustainability ? ¯financially-sound ¯measurable ¯community ¯Environmental resources protection ¯Social equity ¯Economy that supports #1 + #2 More than human needs have to be considered. All life exists within a natural system of interrelated, interdependent relationships. Future growth must be determined by growth of community and enhanced liveability not growth of size and "more". ,No new: ¯Houses ¯Office space ¯Energy consumption ¯People S :~lGRkLINDA~sustainability comments.doe 4 of 4