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Sustainability Attach 1°Viii °F _ TOWN OF LOS GATOS tr PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT ` °s`c "asps Meeting Date: September 26, 2012 PREPARED BY: Jennifer Savage, AICP, Associate Planner jsavage@losgatosca.gov APPLICATION: Sustainability Plan LOCATION: Town -Wide APPLICANT: Town of Los Gatos CONTACT: Jennifer Savage, Associate Planner APPLICATION ITEM NO: 4 SUMMARY: Consider adoption "of a Sustainability Plan to serve as the Town's Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction Plan and satisfy 2020 General Plan Action ENV -13.1. No significant environmental impacts have been identified as a result of this project and an Addendum to the 2020 General Plan EIR is recommended. RECOMMENDATION: Forward a recommendation to the Town Council for adoption of the Sustainability Plan and the EIR Addendum. CEQA: No significant environmental impacts have been identified as a result of this project and an Addendum to the 2020 General Plan EIR was prepared. ACTION: Forward a recommendation to the Town Council for adoption of the Sustainability Plan and the EIR Addendum. EXHIBITS: 1 -4. Previously received with the August 8, 2012, Planning Commission Staff Report 5. Appendix E of the Sustainability Plan (nine pages) BACKGROUND: This matter came before the Planning Commission on August 8 and 22, 2012. The matter was continued to September 26, 2012, to allow the Commission additional time to review the plan and to allow the consultant to attend the meeting. ATTAcmE,V..r 1 Planning Commission Staff Report - Page 2 Sustainability Plan September 26, 2012 DISCUSSIOti: A. Pumose In September 2010, the Town Council adopted the 2020 General Plan. Action ENV -13.1 directs the Town to adopt a GHG Emissions Reduction Plan within 24 months of adoption of the 2020 General Plan. The action also requires that a GHG Emissions Reduction Plan be in place prior to the adoption of any specific plan. The Town has developed a Sustainability Plan that identifies how the community can reduce GHG emissions. The Plan identifies a GHG target, strategies, and specific measures for both municipal operations and the larger community. The Plan positions the Town to increase energy efficiency and conservation. The Plan also helps address recent changes to the State and Federal regulatory enviromnent, pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32), Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008 (SB 375), and other related legislation. The Sustainability Plan would serve as the Town's GHG Emissions Reduction Plan and satisfy 2020 General Plan Action ENV -13.1. B. Plan Contents On June 8, 2011, the Town authorized the execution of an agreement with The Planning Center I DC &E to prepare the Sustainability Plan, The Sustainability Plan (Exhibit 3, received under separate cover) contains six chapters an Introduction, the existing GHG Emissions Inventory, the 2020 Business as Usual and Adjusted GHG Emissions Inventory, a GHG Emissions Reductions Target, GHG Emissions Reduction Measures, and the Implementation and Monitoring Plan. The Introduction provides background information on the effects of GHGs, Los Gatos's existing efforts, and public outreach and participation. The summary of existing GHG emissions by sectors of transportation, residential and non - residential energy use, solid waste disposal, water and wastewater, and other sources is included in Chapter 2. The summary of projected GHG emissions by sectors of transportation, residential and non- residential energy use, solid waste disposal, water and wastewater, and other sources is included in Chapter 3 for business as usual and adjusted conditions. The GHG Emissions Reduction Target chapter (Chapter 4) discusses the reduction target set for the Town including the reason for the target and the amount of GHG emission reductions the Town must accomplish. The measures the Town will use to meet the target are contained in the GHG Emissions Reduction Measures chapter (Chapter 5). In the final chapter (Chapter 6), the plan discusses an implementation schedule based on two time periods (2012 to 2015 and 2015 to 2020), cost effectiveness of the measures, and Planning Commission Staff Report - Page 3 Sustainability Plan September 26, 2012 methods to monitor implementation of the measures. Appendix E summarizes the information in Chapters 5 and 6, and staff has included the table (Exhibit 5). C. Review Process On December 5, 2011, the Town Council reviewed a list of preliminary Sustainability Plan measures during a Study Session. The video and minutes are available on the Town's website. Staff and the consultants used the feedback to refine the preliminary list of Sustainability Plan measures. On January 3 and 24, 2012, the Town published a' /z -page advertisement in the Los Gatos Weekly Newspaper announcing the January 30, 2012, Sustainability Plan Community Workshop. On January 25, 2012, staff routed a memorandum with a list of preliminary Sustainability Plan measures and the Existing GHG Inventory to the Planning Commission and Sustainability Committee. Staff researched membership changes for the Sustainability Committee and included new members from the Youth, Parks, and Transportation and Parking Commissions. The memo noted the public comment period would end on February 8, 2012. The Town held the Community Workshop on January 30, 2012, at the Adult Recreation Center. Approximately 30 members of the public attended. The consultant presented background information for the Sustainability Plan including the purpose. The workshop included a period of time for the attendees to review the measures on large boards located at "stations" staffed by staff or a consultant. The attendees could make verbal comments recorded on large pads of paper or submit written comments. The Town received several public comments within the public comment period that ended on February 8, 2012. Comments were received by members of the public who attended and did not attend the workshop. The Town also received comments from one member of the Sustainability Committee from the Youth Commission. Staff and the consultant further refined the measures based on this input. Then, the consultant quantified emissions reductions based on the refined list of measures. Based on Council Feedback and Community Input, the following changes were made to the preliminary measures; ® Clarified several measures that don't relate to single- family homes; ® Increased focus on students and school - related driving; ® Added measure for traffic calming to decrease cut - through traffic; m Added measure for transit access improvements; Plaiuzing Commission Staff Report - Page 4 Sustainability Plan September 26, 2012 ® Deleted intensification along Santa Cruz Avenue and Main Street to focus on Los Gatos Boulevard only; m Deleted shuttle system to transportation nodes in Santa Clara County; 9 Deleted training existing Town staff person as Transportation Demand Management Coordinator; o Deleted survey of workers who commute to Los Gatos; ® Deleted reference to adding bike parking by removing vehicle parking spaces; ® Clarified preferred parking for non - residential development only; ® Deleted suggestions of variable message signs showing available parking spaces; Added measures supporting voluntary efforts, including bike sharing, car sharing, and anti - idling outreach; ® Revised safe routes to school measure to address speed enforcement around schools; * Added measure for electric vehicle charging stations; ® Added measure for student transit outreach; ® Deleted measure for Town to provide information, training, and technical assistance for green building; Revised alternative energy development plan measure to further reduce permitting fees for alternative energy development; Deleted then added leaf blower ordinance measure; o Added measure to encourage solar energy systems at schools; ® Revised energy star appliance measure to requirement in new development only; © Deleted the energy efficiency challenge measure; Revised measure to promote energy conservation to include the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors; to encourage, not require, energy audits at time of sale ; and to pursue grants; ® Added measure for quality insulation installation; Added measure to provide list of energy audit funding sources; Added measure for energy conservation through design outreach; o Deleted measure encouraging training for irrigation designers; © Deleted measure implementing public education regarding water conservation; Deleted measure promoting use of reclaimed water; e Added measure for a rainwater collection policy; Deleted reference to potential community garden sites in existing parks; o Added measure for Farmer's Market expansion; and ® Added measure for wildland fire prevention. On May 22, 2012, the Town published a 1/2 -page advertisement in the Los Gatos Weekly Newspaper announcing the Sustainability Plan Community Open House and Town Council Study Session. On June 4, 2012, the Town held the Community Open House in Planning Commission Staff Report - Page 5 Sustainability Plan September 26, 2012 the Town Council Chambers Lobby. Approximately 10 members of the public attended. Staff and the consultant presented the parts of the Sustainability Plan process that were completed. The refined measures, emission reduction quantifications, cost effectiveness, and implementation schedule were displayed on large boards for review and discussion. Staff and the consultant answered questions and recorded comments. On June 4, 2012, immediately after the Community Open House, the Town Council held the second Study Session and reviewed the refined list of measures, emission reduction quantifications, cost effectiveness, and implementation schedule. This information was presented as Appendix E of the Sustainability Plan (a refined version of Appendix E is included as Exhibit 5). The Town Council's discussion included whether the proposed measures were compatible with Town goals and financially feasible within the proposed implementation schedule. The video and minutes are available on the Town's website. Based on Council Feedback, the following changes were made to the refined list of measures: • Deleted measure developing and implementing Pedestrian Master Plan; • Revised measure for traffic calming to focus on least expensive methods and changed implementation period to 2015 -2020; • Deleted measure to intensify land uses in retail, employment, and transit areas; • Revised language in trip reduction measure from require to encourage; • Deleted measure to reduce parking requirements and establish parking maximums; • Deleted measure to unbundle cost of parking; • Deleted measure for energy conservation program; and • Deleted measure encouraging expansion of Farmer's Market to North Forty area. D. Applicability Town staff, residents, developers, and applicants will all be responsible for implementing the Sustainability Plan. Town staff will, among other tasks, work with the community to establish new policies and with developers to ensure projects comply with the plan's measures. Project Applicability Projects submitted after the plan's adoption would be subject to the measures contained in the plan. Approved and pending projects would not be required to comply with the Sustainability Plan measures. Specifically, pending Planned Developments and pending Specific Plans would not be required to comply with the plan. The Architecture and Site Planning Commission Staff Report - Page 6 Sustainability Plan September 26, 2012 applications tied to the approved and pending Planned Developments and pending Specific Plans would be required to comply. It should be noted that some measures require further action, such as adopting a policy, before a project would be subject to a particular measure. For example, the plan directs the Town to develop and adopt a Green Building Ordinance. A new project could not be subject to this measure until the Green Building Ordinance is adopted. California Environmental Quality Act (CE OA) Analysis for Projects New and pending projects may, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, tier off the Sustainability Plan to complete the project's GHG analysis required by CEQA, if the Sustainability Plan is a `qualified' plan. The requirements for the Town's Sustainability Plan to be a qualified plan, as defined by CEQA Section 15183.5, are discussed in the Addendum to the 2020 General Plan EIR (Exhibit 4, received under separate cover). The requirements include adoption of the plan tluough a public process following envirorunental review. Although pending projects would not be required to comply with the Sustainability Plan, a pending project must comply with the plan to tier off of it. For example, a new office park development would be able to reference the Sustainability Plan in their environmental review document. The reference would analyze whether the project meets all the applicable Sustainability Plan measures and, if the project does, an individual GHG analysis for the project would not be required. E. Relation to other Town Documents General Plan The EIR Addendum (Exhibit 4, received under separate cover) finds that the Sustainability Plan is consistent with the 2020 General Plan. The Sustainability Plan will serve as the Town's Greenhouse Gas Emissions reduction plan, which the General Plan directs the Town to adopt. More comprehensively, the Sustainability Plan includes measures to reduce resource consumption and increase energy efficiency, which build on the 2020 General Plan's sustainability focus. Pending North 40 Specific Plan CEQA requires that a project's enviroiunental review address potential impacts related to GHG Emissions. If the Sustainability Plan is adopted, the pending North 40 Specific Plan may tier off the Sustainability Plan for the GHG emission portion of their environmental review. Planning Commission Staff Report - Page 7 Sustainability Plan September 26, 2012 F. Priorities The plan includes an implementation schedule that specifies the anticipated time- period that the measures will be executed. The schedule prioritizes measures by placing them in the earlier 2012 to 2015 time period. At the second Town Council Study Session, the Council recommended changes in the implementation schedule for some measures. For example, given the potential financial resources to dissuade Highway 17 cut - through traffic, the implementation schedule for measure TR -ld was changed from the first time period (2012 -2015) to the second time period (2015- 2020). CEQA DETERMINATION: No significant environmental impacts have been identified as a result of this project and an Addendum to the 2020 General Plan EIR was prepared (Exhibit 4, received under separate cover). The Addendum serves to meet environmental review requirements for the Sustainability Plan. The Sustainability Plan, directed by the Town of Los Gatos 2020 General Plan, is a project under CEQA. However, the adoption and implementation of the Sustainability Plan would not result in new potentially significant impacts beyond those identified in the 2020 General Plan EIR that was certified by the Town Council. Therefore, pursuant to CEQA, an Addendum to the EIR was prepared. The Planning Commission will need to make a recommendation to the Town Council regarding the Addendum. The deciding body should determine that: (1) a Final EIR for the Los Gatos General Plan 2020 was certified and adopted by Town Council on September 20, 2010; and, (2) based on the analysis in Appendix G Checklist in the Addendum, adoption and implementation of the Sustainability Plan would not create any new or significant environmental impacts studied in the Los Gatos General Plan 2020 EIR; and, (3) since the time that Council certified the FEIR in 2010, some changes or additions are necessary, but none of the conditions described in Section 15162 requiring preparation of a subsequent EIR have occurred. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Public comments were received through the public review process, including those received as part of the Planning Commission hearing process, and are available at the Community Development Department for review. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: A. Conclusion The Town Council held two thorough study sessions for the Sustainability Plan. Specifically, the Council completed a comprehensive review of the Sustainability Plan Planning Commission Staff Report - Page 8 Sustainability Plan September 26, 2012 measures before and after public input. The changes recommended by the Council during those study sessions have been incorporated into the Sustainability Plan. The Sustainability Plan (Exhibit 3, received under separate cover) would serve as the Town's GHG Emissions Reduction Plan and satisfy 2020 General Plan Action ENV - 13.1. (Due to the length of the Appendices, they are not included as an exhibit but are available on the Town's website.) Staff anticipates the plan to be scheduled for adoption by the Town Council in October 2012 which will enable the Town to meet the requirement to adopt a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction Plan within 25 months of adoption of the 2020 General Plan. B. Recommendation Forward a recommendation to the Town Council for adoption of the Sustainability Plan and the EIR Addendum. P pared by;U Approved by: 4� J Jennifer L. Savage, ICP Todd Capurso Associate Planner Acting Director of Community Development TC;JS:ct CC: The Planning Center DC &E, 1625 Shattuck Avenue, Suite 300, Berkeley, CA 94709 NI ADEV \PC REPORTS\ 2012\ SustainabilityPlan .9.26.2012.docx