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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-06-23 - AGENDA REPORTS - LOCAL ENERGY ASSISTANCE (2)AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approval: Item to be presented b :r Vince Berton CONSENT CALENDAR DATE: June 23, 1998 SUBJECT: LOCAL ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM DEPARTMENT: Planning and Building Services RECOMMENDED ACTION Adopt Resolution No. 98-91 authorizing the City's participation in the Local Energy Assistance Program. BACKGROUND The Local Government Commission, a nonprofit organization, has received public funding to assistant local agencies in determining how design changes can be made to increase the energy efficiency of both existing buildings and new developments. The program, knows as the Local Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), provides technical assistance to local agencies through a number of services. The Local Government Commission can assist a limited number of cities statewide and the City of Santa Clarita was one of the 19 cities chosen. Santa Clarita. has been chosen due to its relationship with the Local Government Commission in the past and the City's commitment to innovate development and sustainable communities. The services that LEAP can provide include reviewing a specific development project and recommending changes to the plans or review a specific plan or general plan and recommending policies to increase energy efficiency (please see attachment). Staff has identified two projects for the program: a review of the City's General Plan and a review of a future annexation and development project. The recommendations made by the Local Government Commission and their consultants are intended to be a list of options for the City to implement; however, the City is under no obligation to follow these recommendations if the City disagrees with them. FISCAL IMPACT The Local Government Commission provides these services for no charge; therefore, the only cost to the City will be the staff time to review the work produced by the Local Government Commission and their consultants. 111 `I 9 Y IIh, 1 ATTACHMENTS Overview of Potential Services Resolution No. 98-91 JJL:VPBslep s:\pbs\council\leap-rpt RESOLUTION NO. 98-91 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AUTHORIZING THE CITY S PARTICIPATION IN THE LOCAL ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WHEREAS, the City of Santa Clarita supports energy conservation planning because lower energy bills accomplish numerous desirable goals including: increased eligibility for home financing or renting, lower public facility operation costs for each taxpayer, and an improved local economy resulting from community reinvestment; WHEREAS, the City of Santa Clarita General Plan promotes energy efficient development through Housing Element Goal 8; Housing Element Program 8.a; Housing Element Policies 8.1 and 8.3; Open Space Element Goal 8; Open Space Element Policies 8.1, 8.4, and 8.5; Air Quality Element Goal 8; and Air Quality Element Policies 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, and 8.5; WHEREAS, the City of Santa Clarita, the level of government closest to the people, recognizes the Local Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), funded by the California Board of Energy Efficiency, as an effective opportunity to improve energy conservation awareness among the City's employees and citizens; WHEREAS, an objective of LEAP is to provide technical assistance to local government staff members and developers identifying alternative techniques leading to development of projects with improved energy efficiency; WHEREAS, the Local Government Commission and ADM Associates, Inc., creators of LEAP, are experts in community planning and applied energy technology, will be providing technical assistance to a select number of participant cities within the Southern California Edison Company's service area; and WHEREAS, the Local Government Commission and ADM Associates, Inc. have invited the City of Santa Clarita to become a LEAP participant city, at no cost to the City except for staff review time; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Santa Clarita hereby.authorizes the City staff to work with the LEAP consultants and endorses the Local Energy Assistance Program's endeavor to provide technical assistance by recommending options for improved energy efficiency including alternative development techniques, alternative building materials and/or alternative design standards. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 23" day of June, 1998. A�ii:�Tfi IP. ATTEST: CITY CLERK STATE OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES CITY OF SANTA CLARITA I, Sharon L. Dawson, CMC, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita at a regular meeting thereof, held on the 23rd day of June, 1998 by the following vote of Council: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: CITY CLERK s:pbs\council\reso9891 Local Energy Assistance Program Overview of Potential Services for Participating California Local Governments Analysis of Development Plans and Recommendations At the community's request, an analysis of the energy needs anticipated to result by building out a proposed specific plan or developing in accordance with a proposed tentative development map will be provided. The analysis will identify opportunities for energy efficiency improvements and the potential economic savings for the city, residents, and the developer associated with the various design alternatives. Examples of design issues to be addressed include: • construction requirements beyond Title 24 energy efficiency standards in return for density bonus, priority processing, or other, • attached units, • lot size and shape, • solar access and orientation - layout of streets, buildings and lots, • color of building and paving materials, • street lighting, • street widths, • shade trees and other climate -sensitive landscaping, • natural drainage systems, • potable water pumping requirements, • mix of land uses, and • other, based on community's needs and consultant's ability to quantify. Analysis of Public Works Development Standards and Recommendations At the community's request, an analysis of the energy needs anticipated to result by implementing the jurisdiction's approved engineering design standards will be provided. The analysis will include the preparation of alternative -standards to determine the potential energy and economic savings for the city, residents, business owners and/or developer. The public works alternatives will address one or more of the following design options: • . street trees within a parkway planting strip, • local, collector, and arterial street design standards, • drainage, • street lighting, and • other, based on community's need and consultant's ability to quantify. Local Energy Assistance Program Overview of Potential Services for Participating California Local Governments Guidelines for Ordinances At. the community's request, model ordinances for energy efficiency and efficiency improvements will be prepared. Examples of draft ordinances include: retrofit ordinance applying to buildings constructed prior to Title 24 enactment, ordinance requiring that new construction exceed Title 24 standards, and zoning/ development code amendments with standards or incentives for more energy efficient developments. Review of General Plans and Recommendations At the community's request, an analysis of the jurisdiction's adopted General Plan regarding overall energy efficiency will be conducted. Alternative General Plan amendments leading to a more energy efficient future community will be identified. Examples of General Plan amendments which may be recommended include: • adding an "Energy Element," • adding a "Solar Access Element," • providing landscape standards, • modifying the General Plan's "Land Use Element" future land use.map, • including a "Phased Development" section to the General Plan, • adding a "Community Goals" section to the General Plan, and • providing energy efficiency amendments to adopted specific plans. Municipal Facile Energy Efficiency Improvements At the community's request, municipal buildings will be evaluated for energy efficiency. This service includes one or more of the following: • performing baseline energy accounting of energy use by facility, • conducting "walk-throughs" with recommendations for improvements, • conducting detailed energy use evaluations of selected facilities, • training local government staff to perform energy audits, and • assisting local staff in obtaining funds for energy efficiency projects through self- financing and state, federal, and utility load programs.