HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2605-6337CITY OF PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
Special Meeting
Monday, September 14, 2026
Council Chambers & Hybrid
5:30 PM
Agenda Item
B.Information Report on Sustainability and Climate Action Plan Implementation, Calendar
Year 2026 Quarters 1-2; CEQA Status - Not a Project
City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: INFORMATION REPORTS
Lead Department: Public Works
Meeting Date: September 14, 2026
Report #:2605-6337
TITLE
Information Report on Sustainability and Climate Action Plan Implementation, Calendar Year
2026 Quarters 1-2; CEQA Status - Not a Project
RECOMMENDATION
No City Council action is required. This is an update on Sustainability and Climate Action Plan
(S/CAP) Implementation Progress in quarters one and two of calendar year 2026. It is provided
to give the City Council and public an overview of S/CAP workplan items status since adopted
by the City Council in June of 2023.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City is implementing the S/CAP to help meet its sustainability goals, including reducing
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels and achieving carbon neutrality
by 2030. Since the S/CAP was adopted in June 2023, staff has provided implementation updates
covering progress from Q3 2023 through Q4 2025. This update covers progress during Q1 and
Q2 2026. Highlights of Q1 and Q2 2026 progress include:
Climate Action
140 households signed up for phase two of the advanced home electrification program
in only four months since its launch in February 2026.
Concluded the commercial heat pump heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)
pilot project. By the end of the pilot, 20 customers had applied and 13 had entered the
permitting process.
Conducted extensive stakeholder engagement for the San Antonio Road Area Plan,
including two Community Advisory Group meetings, one community workshop, and one
community survey. These processes informed the land use and mobility alternatives and
the core scenario that the City Council reviewed in Q2.
Sustainability
Installed 400 foundation piles and installed connection pipelines for the Local Advanced
Water Purification System project at the Regional Water Quality Control Plant.
Completed eucalyptus tree removal in the previously designated project area in
Foothills Nature Preserve at minimal cost to the City due to an innovative partnership
with West Valley College Park Management students.
Increased focus on the connection between waste reduction and diversion and GHG
emissions reduction in solid waste outreach and education campaigns.
BACKGROUND
In April 2016, the City Council adopted the goal of reducing GHG emissions 80 percent below
1990 levels by 2030,1 and in October 2022 the City Council adopted the ambitious goal of
achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.2 Staff, with community and City Council input, referred to
the 2016 S/CAP Framework and 2018-2020 Sustainability Implementation Plan to create a
comprehensive S/CAP and Three-Year S/CAP workplan. In June 2023, the City Council adopted
the 2022 Sustainability and Climate Action Plan, certified the Comprehensive Plan
Environmental Impact Report Addendum: Update to the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan,
and accepted the 2023-2025 S/CAP Workplan.3 The S/CAP is an ambitious plan to reduce the
City and community’s GHG emissions, while also guiding how Palo Alto uses land and natural
resources in ways that ensure quality of life for future generations. The S/CAP aligns with
several goals of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan Implementation Plan. All previous S/CAP
Implementation progress reports can be found in the S/CAP Program Reports section of the
Sustainability Actions and Accomplishments page of the City website.4
The City Council accepted the 2026-2027 S/CAP Workplan on March 2, 2026.5 In the most
recent years, annual City Council Priorities have included a priority relating to sustainability and
climate action. For 2026, the City’s sustainability and climate action focus is instead
incorporated into the City Council Values. On April 13, 2026, the City Council approved adding
“Climate Leadership and Environmental Stewardship. Lead with urgency on climate action and
adaptation, sustainability, and environmental protection for current and future generations” to
the City Council Values.6,7
1 City Council, April 18, 2016; Agenda Item #10; SR #6754,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=79086&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
2 City Council, October 3, 2022; Agenda Item #9; SR #14720,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=82036&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
3 City Council, June 5, 2023; Agenda Item #14; SR #2303- 1133,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=81648&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
4 Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (S/CAP) Progress Reports; https://www.paloalto.gov/City-
Hall/Sustainability/Emissions-Reduction-Goals-and-Progress/Sustainability-Actions-and-Accomplishments
5 City Council, March 2, 2026; Agenda Item #9; SR #2602-5985,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=86664&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
6 City Council, April 13, 2026; Agenda Item #9; SR #2604-6202,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=87351&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
7 City Council, March 9, 2026; Agenda Item #11; SR #2602-6021,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=86679&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
ANALYSIS
The City is committed to a sustainable future. The City owns, operates, and maintains a full-
service utilities portfolio that provides electric, natural gas, fiber, water, refuse, and wastewater
services to residents and businesses in Palo Alto. Palo Alto’s continued leadership in advancing
sustainability goals has succeeded mainly because of the continued collaboration of community
stakeholders, City departments, and the leadership of the City Council.
The S/CAP Goals and Key Actions are divided into eight areas, four of which are climate-focused
and include actions to achieve the City’s 80 x 30 and carbon neutrality by 2030 goals (Climate
Action, Energy, Electric Vehicles, and Mobility) and four of which are focused on actions that
create a sustainable natural environment and adapting to a warming climate (Water, Climate
Adaptation and Sea Level Rise, Natural Environment, and Zero Waste). The Work Plan is
similarly divided between climate-focused and sustainability-focused priorities.
Climate Action
Climate action S/CAP areas include Energy, Electric Vehicles (EVs), and Mobility.
Energy and EVs: Single-Family
CA1. Continue Advanced Home Electrification Pilot Program
The City launched the second phase of the whole home electrification program. The first phase,
launched in January 2025, offered new rebates and a contractor directory through the Rebate
Hub, an online home electrification assessment tool, free phone consultation with an
electrification expert, and financing through the state’s GoGreen program. As of May 31, 2026,
the City had processed rebates for 204 heat pump HVAC projects, 78 heat pump water heaters,
33 electric panel upgrades, and 33 gas meter removal incentives. Additionally, 207 customers
have completed the online home electrification assessment.
The City launched phase two in February 2026 and offers an online hub to consider home
upgrades with lasting community benefits. This second phase includes fixed prices for full
service installations of heat pumps, induction stoves, and other home electrification measures.
So far, over 140 households have signed up for these services, with 75 home assessments
completed, 14 contracts signed for home electrification, and 3 project installations completed.
CA2. Develop a Residential Electrification as a Service or Similar Financing Pilot for City Council
Approval
The S/CAP Funding Study, presented at a December 13, 2025 workshop of the City Council’s
Climate Action and Sustainability Committee (CASC),15 found that more cost-efficient
alternatives to up-front incentives were needed to expand programs to serve a greater share of
the community, and that financing programs or “electrification as a service” programs inspired
by existing “efficiency as a service” programs could serve that role. Efficiency as a service is a
service where some or all of the up-front costs of an efficiency measure are funded by a service
15 Climate Action and Sustainability Committee, December 13, 2025; Agenda Item #A; SR #2507-5025,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=84040&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
provider and repaid out of bill savings.17 The City is currently researching analogous financing
programs at other agencies, designing the best way to integrate financing pilots with existing
incentive programs, speaking with interested stakeholders, and studying how to administer
these programs with the intent of launching a pilot by Q4 2026 or Q1 2027.
CA3. Enhance Data Tracking for Home Electrification
CA4. Launch Enhanced Multifamily EV Charging Infrastructure Program
18 staff is conducting research and vetting potential
modifications to the EV charging infrastructure program. Program design concepts under
consideration include options for multifamily-serving publicly accessible EV charging hubs and
curbside charging deployments, considerations for charging-as-a-service (CaaS) on-bill financing
pathways (see CA5 below), technical assistance to support load analysis for multifamily
properties considering onsite EV charging and building electrification measures, lower-power
and load-managed EV charging equipment options, multifamily property owner and tenant
education and engagement activities, and income-qualified direct-to-customer incentives. With
regard to curbside charging, in Q1 2026 the City was accepted into the Los Angeles Cleantech
Incubator (LACI) City Climate Innovation Challenge to support development of a curbside
charging pilot project. Staff intends to bring a preliminary plan for program design to CASC for
feedback in the second half of 2026.
CA5. Develop a Charging-as-a-Service or Similar Financing Pilot for City Council Approval
17 For a full definition of “efficiency as a service” see https://www.energy.gov/cmei/buildings/efficiency-service —
note that “electrification as a service” programs would not necessarily need to include provider ownership as
described on this page. “Inclusive utility investments” are another type of program an “electrification as a service”
program could draw on for design features while not necessarily incorporating every feature:
https://www.epa.gov/statelocalenergy/inclusive-utility-investments-tariffed-bill-programs
18 City Council, November 17, 2025; Agenda Item #3; SR #2508-5087;
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=83873&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
As noted in CA2, the S/CAP Funding Study found a need for cost-efficient alternatives to up-
front incentives to be able to expand programs to serve more community members, such as
financing or CaaS. The City is currently researching analogous financing programs at other
agencies, designing the best way to integrate financing pilots with existing incentive programs,
speaking with interested stakeholders, and studying how to administer these programs with the
intent of launching a pilot by Q4 2026.
CA6. Continue Affordable Multifamily Building Electrification Incentive Program
CA7. Launch Multi-Family Electrification Technical Assistance
CA8. Launch Advanced Heat Pump HVAC Program
installation and received program rebates; seven of the initial 20 applicants have dropped out
of the pilot. Preliminary findings from the pilot indicate that heat pump HVAC project quotes
are about 7% higher than gas HVAC project quotes; however, heat pump HVAC costs can
escalate significantly for complex projects, with two heat pump HVAC projects that far
exceeded the gas HVAC replacement costs. Through the pilot, the City learned about permitting
challenges including missing project documentation and in some cases, additional acoustic and
structural analyses to comply with the City’s Planning ordinance and safety requirements.
CA9. Develop a Commercial Electrification as a Service pilot or Similar Financing Pilot for City
Council Approval
CA10. Launch Workplace EV Charging Pilot
CA11. Launch Pilot Program for Electrification of Centralized Water Heaters and Boilers
CA12. Establish One or More Partnerships with Large Commercial Facility Owners
In June 2026, the City Council approved a professional service agreement with a third-party
consultant to provide electrification technical assistance to commercial customers.21 This
technical assistance resource will help identify viable project opportunities and support grant
recipients throughout the project lifecycle. The City aims to launch the grant program by Q4
2026 or Q1 2027.
CA13. Develop S/CAP Funding and Financing Strategies for City Council Consideration
22
23 To complete that additional
analysis, the City Council initiated an S/CAP Funding Study to complete that analysis in the
2023–2025 Work Plan. The City retained a consultant team to complete an S/CAP Funding
Model, a study of the S/CAP goal to reduce emissions by 80% from 1990 levels by 2030, and
several complementary studies (an EV Charger Needs Assessment, studies of electrification
opportunities in multifamily and non-residential buildings, and a Funding Source Survey).24
These studies identified electrification opportunities to achieve a full 80% reduction in
emissions and provided input data and a model to evaluate different electrification rollout
scenarios and their financial implications. The studies also surfaced the need for program and
financing models other than up-front incentives to reduce the cost to the City of community-
wide electrification. This work gave staff the tools, data, and expertise to model actionable
long-term strategies for community-wide electrification for City Council consideration. Staff
received feedback on six potential strategies to model during a joint meeting of CASC and the
Utilities Advisory Commission (UAC) on June 12, 2026.25 Staff intends to model these strategies
21 City Council, June 1, 2026; Agenda Item #8; SR #2605-6354,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=887036&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
22 City Council, March 2, 2026; Agenda Item #9; SR #2602-5985,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=86664&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
23 Palo Alto Action Impact Memo, AECOM, June 7, 2021, https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/2/sustaina
bility/reports/aecom-palo-alto-action-impact-memo_final_rev-210607.pdf
24 City Council, January 16, 2024; Agenda Item #4; SR #2308-1939,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=82633&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
25 Climate Action and Sustainability Committee and Utilities Advisory Commission Joint Special Meeting, June 12,
2026; Agenda Item #1; SR #2605-6419,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=887114&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
in Q3 and Q4 2026 with the goal of taking the results back to both bodies in December 2026 or
Q1 2027 for development of recommendations for City Council consideration.
CA14. Develop Potential Regulatory Measures to Drive Climate Action
31 The City is evaluating which measures could have the
greatest impact and is doing preliminary research work on various alternatives. Feedback from
the June 12, 2026 joint UAC and CASC meeting (as discussed above in CA13) will also inform
work on this item, and this work item will be coordinated with CA13, S/CAP Funding and
Financing strategies, with the intent that local regulatory measures complement regional
regulations and are coordinated and aligned with programs for cost-efficiency.
CA15. Develop Carbon Neutrality Strategies for City Council Consideration
CA16. Develop Potential Strategies for Cost-Based Pricing of Non-Electric Decarbonization and
Inefficient Electrification
CA17. Reduce Permitting, Interconnection, and Other Barriers to Adoption of Vehicle and
Building Electrification and Flexible Energy Technologies for Reliability and Resiliency
31 Sustainability Committee, April 17, 2026; Agenda Item #1; SR #2602-5956,
report.33 Both Utilities Engineering and Planning and Development Services are working on
streamlining efforts related to these resources and to electrification, and this effort will
summarize these efforts and identify any additional opportunities.
CA18. Develop Public Charging Siting and Business Models
A collaboration with the LACI 2026 City Climate Innovation Challenge cohort to pilot on-
street charging in Palo Alto and other cities to develop best practices and reduce barriers to
this approach to expanding EV charger access for multi-family buildings. The program
includes partnerships with companies working in this space, technical assistance and
partnership, and potentially funding.
Development of mobility hubs, starting with public agency parking lots via development of a
Public Agency EV Charging Hub grant program and partnership with PAUSD on obtaining a
grant to facilitate publicly available charging at school sites near multi-family buildings.
CASC reviewed the program design guidelines in June. The guidelines will be brought to the
City Council for approval in August.
CA19. Continue Grid Modernization
34,35 In the update, staff discussed the current approach to
grid modernization for scope and cost-efficiency. The approach involves focusing on areas of
4kV to eliminate legacy infrastructure, improve reliability, and expand capacity to prepare for
electrification (which involves about 2900 homes). In other areas of the residential sector, staff
is upgrading the distribution as customers initiate work related to electrification (building and
transportation electrification) while encouraging efficient electrification (e.g. shared EV
charging) to minimize expected peak demands of electrification. This approach will reduce the
overall cost of the grid-modernization effort and construct capacity expansions at the same
time residential loads appear. The grid modernization project will also have an initial focus on
upgrading substations and the sub-transmission system to improve reliability and expand
33 City Council, March 2, 2026; Agenda Item #10, SR #2508-5090,
34 Utilities Advisory Commission, January 7, 2026; Agenda Item #3; SR #2512-5638,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=85181&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
35 Climate Action and Sustainability Committee, March 6, 2026; Agenda Item #2; SR #2507-5030,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=86701&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
capacity to accommodate increased loads as needed. Utilities staff developed a detailed CIP,
with specific projects and timelines, that was approved by the City Council on June 15, 2026.39
CA20. Develop Gas Transition Management Strategies
In the fall of 2025 staff presented preliminary results from the Gas Transition Study to UAC and
CASC while noting that the results were based on incomplete data sets.40, 41 The preliminary
findings showed that if electrification proceeds mostly randomly, as is likely without targeted
programs or interventions, few gas lines become candidates for abandonment until a large
majority of the homes have electrified. As noted above in CA3, staff is working on improving the
model’s data sources by merging various data sets to support an enhanced data tracking
system. These data sets, once merged, can support the Gas Transition Study among other
activities. The data set merger and updating of a physical baseline gas system model is
anticipated to be complete in Q3 2026. Once completed, staff will begin running simulations of
the updated physical gas model to identify any insights on where gas infrastructure can be
eliminated and assess any customer class and rate impacts. Staff intends to return to UAC and
CASC in early 2027 with results from the updated model.
Mobility
CA21. Achieve Benchmarks for Bicycle and Pedestrian Capital Improvement Projects
The City will begin procurement for a transportation planning firm to finalize the South Palo
Alto Bikeways Demonstration Project street design when a project manager is recruited to fill a
recent vacancy.
The South Palo Alto Bike/Ped Connectivity Project seeks to create a bicycle and pedestrian
pathway across the Caltrain corridor above or below the tracks that will improve bicycle and
pedestrian connectivity in south Palo Alto (south of Oregon Expressway) in support of the
mobility and sustainability goals of the City. On December 1, 2025, the City Council reviewed
eight shortlisted alternatives for the South Palo Alto Bike/Ped Connectivity Project and, based
on recommendations from the Rail Committee and Staff, selected Alternative A (a crossing at El
Dorado Avenue) as the preferred alternative, eliminating all other options from further
consideration.42 Two variants of Alternative A were advanced: A1 (signalized crossing of Alma
Street at El Dorado Avenue) and A2 (tunnel under both Alma Street and the Caltrain tracks).
The City Council passed a motion to focus evaluations on Alternatives A1 and A2, with a
preference for A2. Additional community engagement activities are planned for mid-2026 to
39 City Council, June 15, 206; Agenda Item C; SR #2601-5837,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=887172&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
40 Utilities Advisory Commission, October 1, 2025; Agenda Item #2; SR #2502-4137,
41 Climate Action and Sustainability Committee, October 17, 2025; Agenda Item #2; SR #2507-5022,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=83904&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
42 City Council, December 1, 2025; Agenda Item #18; SR #2507-4950,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=84110&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
support the decision-making process and incorporate public feedback on the alternatives in the
vicinity of El Dorado Avenue.
CA22. Implement Micromobility Feasibility Study Recommendations
47
CA23. Continue Traffic Signal Operations and Multimodal Improvements
CA24. Continue Implementing the Housing Element / Land Use Planning and Policy
48 Implementation activities in Q1 and Q2 2026 included progress on
affordable housing, housing density, the Downtown Housing Plan, and the San Antonio Road
Area Plans. This progress is aligned with S/CAP goals to reduce vehicle miles traveled and to
adapt to the impacts of climate change.
47 City Council, March 2, 2020; Agenda Item #5; SR #11075,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=80712&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
48 City of Palo Alto 2023-2031 Housing Element, 2024; https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/planning-
amp-development-services/housing-element/housing-element_2023_2031/palo-alto-housing-element.pdf
Development Review application on May 7, 2026,51 and the project is anticipated to be heard
by City Council for a decision in October 2026.
52 City Council consideration of a draft ordinance is anticipated to
occur by Q4 2026, which would include recommended zoning incentives and updated
development standards to support micro-units and senior housing units.
53 the City Council adopted two
temporary ordinances, one to set residential densities near Cal Train stations and the other to
exempt historic properties from SB 79 standards. Additionally, the City Council directed staff to
resume and complete work on the Downtown Housing Plan.
54 Following these efforts, the City Council held an April 6, 2026,55 study session to
review draft land use and mobility alternatives. On June 8, 2026,56 City Council reviewed a core
scenario—including building heights, residential and commercial floor area, outdoor space,
ground-floor retail, and near-term mobility improvements—that will then be analyzed in a
detailed transportation analysis. This in turn will allow the City Council and the community to
51 Architectural Review Board, May 7, 2026; Agenda Item #2; SR 2601-5872,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=87998&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto&cr=1
52 Planning & Transportation Commission, April 8, 2026; Agenda Item # 2; SR 2602-5972,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=87210&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
53 City Council, June 1, 2026; Agenda Item # 17; SR #2605-6397,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=887027&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
54 San Antonio Road Area Plan Project Webpage, https://www.paloalto.gov/Departments/Planning-Development-
Services/Housing-Policies-Projects/San-Antonio-Road-Area-Plan
55 City Council, April 6, 2026; Agenda Item # 3; SR #2603-6127;
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=87034&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
56 City Council, June 8, 2026; Agenda Item # 15; SR #2603-6116,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=887027&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
understand traffic implications for the Plan before committing to a land use direction. Staff will
return to City Council in Q4 2026 with a recommended land use and transportation plan
framework, supported by this analysis, for a decision on the preferred alternative to carry into
the administrative draft of the Area Plan and environmental review.
CA25. Update City’s Traffic Calming Policy and Process
CA26. Develop and Begin Implementing a City Facility Electrification Plan
19
CA27. Electrify City Vehicle Fleet when Feasible
serving Palo Alto to a total of seven. New electric chargers for these heavy-duty vehicles were
also added to the yard that GreenWaste uses on the former Los Altos Treatment Plant location
on San Antonio Road in Palo Alto.
CA28. Explore the Electric Capacity Needs of the Palo Alto Airport for Electric Aviation
Sustainability
S1. Implement Water Efficiency and Conservation Measures
S2. Improve Recycled Water Quality through Salt Removal
quality
by blending reverse osmosis permeate with current recycled water produced to ultimately
reduce the salt content and encourage expanded use of recycled water for non-potable uses
such as irrigation.
S3. Identify and Implement Water Distribution System Adaptation Measures
Adaptation: Sea Level Rise
S4. Finalize Partnership Agreement with Santa Clara County on SB272 Regional Shoreline
Adaptation Plan Requirements to Develop a Regional Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation
Plan
63, which initiated new statewide requirements for local sea
level rise adaptation planning. On September 30, 2025, Santa Clara County Office of
Sustainability was awarded a $2.6 million Ocean Protection Council grant to develop a multi-
jurisdictional “subregional” sea level rise vulnerability assessment and adaptation plan for RSAP
project partners which include Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, San Jose, Milpitas and
Santa Clara. The grant partnership will complement Palo Alto’s sea level rise planning work to
date, provide a project funding strategy and cost of inaction, CEQA determination, a list of
potential projects, and ensure that social equity considerations have been properly vetted. The
County is currently finalizing the grant agreement with the Ocean Protection Council and aims
to begin work before the end of 2026.
S5. Update the City's Sea Level Rise Adaptation Policy to Include Sea Level Rise Planning
Decision-Making Points in the City
S6. Complete Construction and Begin Monitoring the Palo Alto Horizontal Levee Pilot Project
S7. Continue Partnership with Valley Water on Sea Level Rise / Shoreline Levee Improvement
Efforts
63 San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission; https://www.bcdc.ca.gov/regional-shoreline-
adaptation-plan-bpa-1-24/
monitor opportunities to re-open the USACE study to align or start in advance of this time
horizon.
S8. Implement the Foothills Fire Management Plan
65
S9. Increase Tree Canopy in South Palo Alto
65 City Council, November 3, 2025; Agenda Item #2; SR #2510-5338,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=83775&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
The City will publish the new Tree and Landscape Technical Manual by the end of calendar year
202667. The primary focus is on preserving and growing urban canopy during development.
Included in the new manual are an updated Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance
process, revised tree replacement calculations that account for canopy size of the replacement
tree(s) and updated in-lieu fee for when planting trees on site is not feasible.
S10. Reduce Pesticide Use in Parks and Open Space
S11. Construct a Green Stormwater Infrastructure Project at a City of Palo Alto Park
68 The 10% design of the
project was completed in June. Public outreach is planned for later in 2026. Completion of the
design is expected in summer 2027.
S12. Increase Green Stormwater Infrastructure on City of Palo Alto Property and/or Right-of-
Way
S13. Quantify Land Area that Uses Green Stormwater Infrastructure to Treat Urban Water
Runoff
S14. Champion Waste Prevention, Reduction, Reusables, and the Sharing Economy
67 Palo Alto Municipal Code Title 8; https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0-0-0-
65799
68 City Council, March 2, 2026; Agenda Item #7; SR #2510-5363,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=86685&page=64&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto&searchid
=ec9d156c-d38d-4eed-8c20-ec23c874df14
outreach channels including utility bill inserts and announcements, advertisements in local
newspapers, multiple newsletters, and content distributed through the various City social
media platforms and at special events in the community. Additionally, the City has added
specific Zero Waste outreach messages and focused campaigns to the digital monitors at the
City’s libraries and continuously provides technical assistance to residents and businesses.
S15. Eliminate Single-Use Disposable Containers and Reduce Disposable Foodware
S16. Promote Food Waste Reduction
C1. Build Awareness about Sustainability and Climate Action and City Programs Available
to the Community
C2. Drive Community Actions to Achieve S/CAP Goals
C3. S/CAP Data Collection and Annual Reporting
Build Awareness & Drive Community Action
In 2026, enhanced communications and marketing efforts are planned connecting residents to
resources, building awareness of the City's sustainability and climate action goals and
programs, and celebrating key milestones. Key messages will continue to focus on reducing
emissions through home upgrades, switching to electric to support cleaner air and community
health benefits, ease of City's programs saving time and money, and the importance of taking
local action to advance community goals. A key focus is increasing digital communication
engagement through a new weekly social media series designed to build awareness, “Small
Habits, Big Impact,” finalizing a campaign focused on the City’s progress towards reducing
emissions by 80%, launching a community toolkit with messages to share with neighbors, and
new messaging to engage and build awareness of ways to take action. New website resources
launched in Q1 as enhancements to programs were implemented to support increased
community engagement with new program elements.
In addition to existing advertising through Google, Facebook, and Instagram, the City began
using Nextdoor ads to reach residents in a variety of ways. This is in addition to sending mailers
to residents, digital newsletters and email updates, and distributing utility bill inserts and flyers
to City facilities and events.
The City incorporated messaging into its awareness outreach about cleaner indoor air quality,
community health, and other health aspects focusing on the benefits of switching to electric
appliances over gas. Additional work is underway and to be completed this fall to expand on
City online resources sharing health risks associated with gas use.
Staff hosted the Earth Day Festival with over 400 engaged attendees, and other engagement
such as continuing to partner with Silicon Valley 350 and home electrification outreach, Home
Electrification Webinar and launching a library induction cooktop loaner kit.
S/CAP Data Collection & Annual Reporting
Staff is reporting regular updates to CASC on progress building awareness, driving community
action, and data and analytics. At the April meeting, staff provided an annual update on work
planned for 2026, a look back at 2025 analytics, which is being used as the benchmark work to
date.71
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
Current and future initiatives will be managed and funded across various departments and
funds. No new funding is needed at this time, and the implementation of this 2026-2027 S/CAP
Work Plan is subject to the standard budget appropriation process. Some items in other work
plans are also relevant to the S/CAP Work Plan. The Utilities Strategic Plan, for example,
71 Climate Action and Sustainability Committee, April 17, 2026; Agenda Item #2; SR #2604-6205,
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=87361&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
includes workforce development and advanced metering infrastructure work items that are
directly relevant to S/CAP. Some of these may involve future budget requests as well.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
ATTACHMENTS
APPROVED BY:
Attachment A: 2026-2027 S/CAP Work Plan Status
= Completed = In Progress = Delayed / On Hold = Ongoing
Item
No.
Work Plan Item Status
CA1 Continue Advanced Home Electrification Pilot Program
CA2 Develop a Residential Electrification as a Service of Similar Financing Pilot for Council Approval
CA3 Enhance Data Tracking for Home Electrification
CA4 Launch Enhanced Multifamily EV Charging Infrastructure Program
CA5 Develop a Charging-as-a-Service (CaaS) or Similar Financing Pilot for Council Approval
CA6 Continue Affordable Multifamily Building Electrification Incentive Program
CA7 Launch Multi-Family Electrification Technical Assistance
CA8 Launch Advanced Heat Pump HVAC Program
CA9 Develop a Commercial Electrification as a Service pilot or Similar Financing Pilot for Council Approval
CA10 Launch Workplace EV Charging Pilot
CA11 Launch Pilot Program for Electrification of Centralized Water Heaters and Boilers
CA12 Establish One or More Partnerships with Large Commercial Facility Owners
CA13 Develop S/CAP Funding and Financing Strategies for City Council Consideration
CA14 Develop Potential Regulatory Measures to Drive Climate Action
CA15 Develop Carbon Neutrality Strategies for City Council Consideration
CA16 Develop Potential Strategies for Cost-Based Pricing of Non-Electric Decarbonization and Inefficient Electrification
CA17 Reduce Permitting, Interconnection, and Other Barriers to Adoption of Vehicle and Building Electrification and
Flexible Energy Technologies for Reliability and Resiliency
CA18 Develop Public Charging Siting and Business Models
CA19 Continue Grid Modernization
CA20 Develop Gas Transition Management Strategies
CA21 Achieve Benchmarks for Bicycle and Pedestrian Capital Improvement Projects
CA22 Implement Micromobility Feasibility Study Recommendations
CA23 Continue Traffic Signal Operations and Multimodal Improvements
CA24 Continue Implementing the Housing Element / Land Use Planning and Policy
CA25 Update City’s Traffic Calming Policy and Process
CA26 Develop and Begin Implementing a City Facility Electrification Plan
CA27 Electrify City Vehicle Fleet when Feasible
CA28 Explore the Electric Capacity Needs of the Palo Alto Airport for Electric Aviation
S1 Implement Water Efficiency and Conservation Measures
S2 Improve Recycled Water Quality through Salt Removal
S3 Identify and Implement Water Distribution System Adaptation Measures
S4 Finalize Partnership Agreement with Santa Clara County on SB272 Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan
Requirements to Develop a Regional Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan
S5 Update the City's Sea Level Rise Adaptation Policy to Include Sea Level Rise Planning Decision-Making Points in
the City
S6 Complete Construction and Begin Monitoring the Palo Alto Horizontal Levee Pilot Project (PAHLPP)
S7 Continue Partnership with Valley Water on Sea Level Rise / Shoreline Levee Improvement Efforts
S8 Implement the Foothills Fire Management Plan
S9 Increase Tree Canopy in South Palo Alto
S10 Reduce Pesticide Use in Parks and Open Space
S11 Construct a Green Stormwater Infrastructure Project at a City of Palo Alto Park
S12 Increase Green Stormwater Infrastructure on City of Palo Alto Property and/or Right-of-Way
S13 Quantify Land Area that Uses Green Stormwater Infrastructure to Treat Urban Water Runoff
S14 Champion Waste Prevention, Reduction, Reusables, and the Sharing Economy
S15 Eliminate Single-Use Disposable Containers and Reduce Disposable Foodware
S16 Promote Food Waste Reduction
C1 Build Awareness about Sustainability and Climate Action and City Programs Available to the Community
C2 Drive Community Actions to Achieve S/CAP Goals
C3 S/CAP Data Collection and Annual Reporting