[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6462707,"mediaKeyId","5796952-ba74b38cc2b581984eccd9ecdd997025","parentId",5796952,"title","Committee backs design guidelines for multifamily EV charging; staff aims to pilot financing model","audioSeconds",1039,"startMs",5737000,"endMs",6776000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5796952-ba74b38cc2b581984eccd9ecdd997025&start=5737&end=6776","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5796952-ba74b38cc2b581984eccd9ecdd997025/thumbnail_5737000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6462707/Palo-Alto/Santa-Clara-County/California/Committee-backs-design-guidelines-for-multifamily-EV-charging-staff-aims-to-pilot-financing-model","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462707-38165a8e772464f3786743ac2b50da70/orig.mp4?Expires=1775898711&Signature=SYT~LGQiCg8WZLcn8~IZajaBFot-T0hPNRofhhDAMCf4aCrDRZtdcokTgPfFNPSHiXkc8XPFMW1Dmdf8mFCbhlHcslCgX5kEgNdK~hLso78UWs9x30e0fLE6f3pBnHGzBEECyVX47vodvoQHZ5uyRULyc34mRjaJ66ytqIUmV4k6F697ffJZXsCbcLeraVebnJX1Ql3yFOqtXfbQ3ZRG3-h7EyROa7d7D2HYg1ZZ9Xfw0pOaMy21teErdOUmDs7yjvuZpAFQFOmD2rf3w3xbypRZ04416WtliAW6hTe8o-Hkymv8UivJnShTob7xi9PllZi5jS5jWe~PLWXpQf82WQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Palo Alto","date","2025-09-15T14:52:24Z","article","The Palo Alto Climate Action & Sustainability Committee voted 3‑0 Sept. 19 to recommend that City Council adopt new design guidelines for a successor multifamily electric vehicle (EV) charging program. Staff described the guidelines as a shift from per‑charger rebates toward scalable financing models, managed charging and site‑appropriate installations to expand access across the city’s multifamily housing stock.

Rachel DeFranco, utilities program services manager, summarized the limits of the city’s current EV rebate program (EV‑1) and the rationale for new guidance. Since 2017, the program has installed charging at 26 multifamily properties with a total of 325 chargers serving 1,324 residential units, DeFranco said; Palo Alto has roughly 11,000 multifamily units citywide. DeFranco said the city has spent about $1.5 million in incentives under the current program and that, if the existing incentive model were scaled to reach all ~577 multifamily properties of three or more units, it could cost an estimated $25–34 million.

To scale with limited incentive funds, staff proposed a “charging as a service” approach that pairs city support with commercial financing and possible on‑bill repayment so capital can be repaid by beneficiaries (drivers and property owners) over time. Staff flagged an exception for affordable housing: projects serving low‑income residents would remain eligible for direct subsidy rather than full repayment.

DeFranco and staff said the successor program will emphasize several design elements: flexibility to allow separate EV meters or use of existing house meters when appropriate; managed‑charging systems to avoid expensive transformer upgrades; prewiring and “make‑ready” infrastructure where feasible; preapproved equipment packages to streamline permitting; and pilots for curbside charging or EV hubs to serve properties where on‑site options are impractical. Staff also described existing permitting checklists and outreach pilots and noted that utilities engineering will treat verified managed‑load systems as a factor in transformer sizing to reduce mandatory upgrades.

Committee members and staff discussed pilot timing, permitting changes and funding. Jonathan (staff modeler) said the FY26 budget includes $3.1 million in Low‑Carbon Fuel Standard funds to support program roll‑out; staff described that budget as sufficient to pilot financing approaches and continue the existing pipeline of pending incentive applications while the city transitions toward the successor model. DeFranco said some pending projects will continue under the current rebate program, others may opt into the new financing model, and staff aims to phase the transition to avoid an abrupt cutoff.

On technical and regulatory issues, staff reported strong contractor feedback that managed charging and the ability to use residential‑style panels for certain EV circuits can reduce costs. Staff also noted an existing city requirement for an emergency power shutoff on EV installations and said they are reviewing whether and how to simplify implementation. Staff said they are coordinating with PG&E, reviewing curbside pilots in San Francisco and Alameda, and exploring partnerships with financing providers such as Go Green Financing for on‑bill or interest‑buydown structures.

Public comment for the item was not received. The committee approved the staff recommendation to forward the design guidelines to City Council for adoption; roll call recorded: “Council member Luke? Yes. Chair Vanke? Yes. Council member Burke? Yes. Motion carries 3‑0.”

Ending: Staff will pursue pilots (charging‑as‑a‑service, curbside hubs, managed‑charging deployments), refine permitting checklists and report back to council with implementation details and performance metrics as pilots proceed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Climate Action and Sustainability Committee Meeting - September 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Palo Alto Climate Action & Sustainability Committee voted 3‑0 Sept. 19 to recommend that City Council adopt new design guidelines for a successor multifamily EV charging program that emphasizes managed charging and financing models.","taxTitle","Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California","taxId",3867,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6462712,"Palo Alto committee receives One Water plan; UAC urged council to reject acceptance",5019,672000,5691000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5796952-ba74b38cc2b581984eccd9ecdd997025&start=672&end=5691","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5796952-ba74b38cc2b581984eccd9ecdd997025/thumbnail_672000.jpg","/articles/6462712/Palo-Alto/Santa-Clara-County/California/Palo-Alto-committee-receives-One-Water-plan-UAC-urged-council-to-reject-acceptance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462712-46f480fb41a3c4d1da41f04cdec778bc/orig.mp4?Expires=1775898711&Signature=bq~F9skDstLX2KrrwjmeMdY-BICLOF13VVYd7b9~h800NOYE-f93LVxIbKcYHTTdmbKYXtKfGOyWDsYHtosePRVRN7cyEiS65vkr676k90LFaz656cyXl5mI3ne04oR7Ew-C3e5BcIcWGkCx8U~GvG~RPoVbIsz9RCpJJdxRJW4Sy46e9HOb5R7hZcqz0eKtxGuttQGkdMo3H2d6VjMP8WMp9dlV5csYZofYDFkcSAWlGuHXPFNSlsJROGCekqNIvOl~wvV9GhjMDc2vz62t6PQ4zySidfnN32BCex7r5MpDuebgcde3Eag9gnHBS3S4XSwWPbQ9KF8fQNxMTKJ4Tg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Palo Alto staff presented a 20‑year One Water planning study and an accompanying Excel‑based scenario tool intended to help the City evaluate water supply and conservation options through 2045. The Climate Action & Sustainability Committee voted to receive the study and an attached letter from the Utility Advisory Commission (UAC) and to forward the materials to City Council as an information item.

Carla Daley, assistant director of utilities, described the One Water plan as a planning framework rather than a detailed feasibility study: “The study is not a detailed feasibility analysis,” Daley said, adding that the tool is “very easy to change” so staff can rerun scenarios as regional assumptions shift.

The plan brings previously separate pieces of water planning together — conservation programs, groundwater readiness, regional partnership options, and larger alternatives such as desalination or direct potable reuse — and evaluates portfolios using four criteria: reliability, cost, ease of implementation and environmental benefits. Daley said all portfolios included stepped‑up conservation measures and that a 20‑year study horizon (2025–2045) and an accompanying “bookend” approach were used to test high‑stress scenarios.

Public commenters and the UAC urged more scrutiny of the study’s underlying drought assumptions. Peter D., who identified himself as policy director for the Tuolumne River Trust, said the plan rests on a “fatal flaw” — reliance on a 50% rationing scenario the city received from its wholesale supplier, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. “That's an arbitrary manufactured political number,” he said, arguing the SFPUC’s design drought assumptions are unusually severe and that the city should demand alternative scenarios and probability information from the SFPUC.

David W., a member of the public who identified his background in finance in comments, said he admires Daley's work but recommended the committee reject the One Water plan to signal the need for probability‑based scenario data from SFPUC. Chris Tooker, a Utility Advisory Commission member speaking in a personal capacity, said the UAC unanimously recommended the council vote against accepting the report; he characterized the study’s methodology as “potentially misleading” and said the lack of alternative drought and demand scenarios from SFPUC undermines the tool’s foundation.

Staff and committee members discussed differences between “receive” and “accept.” Brad Eggleston, public works director, said staff deliberately proposed the committee “receive” the product — meaning the committee would not be endorsing the work product but would acknowledge its existence and the substantial work that went into it. Daley said staff expect the tool and its weights to be updated as new demand forecasts and regional planning information become available.

Committee members and staff noted several near‑term events that could change the tool’s inputs: an expected SFPUC update in 2027 on alternative water supplies; BAWSCA’s regional Strategy 2050 effort; and Valley Water’s option on roughly half the effluent from the regional water quality control plant that runs through 2032. Daley said some regional projects previously under study have been paused and that any Palo Alto project that would rely on regional effluent reuse would likely need to be handled at a regional scale.

The committee voted 3–0 to receive the One Water staff report and the UAC letter and forward them to City Council as an information item with no council action requested. Roll call on the motion recorded council members voting yes: “Council member Burt? Yes. Chair Rinker? Yes. Council member Lue? Yes. Motion carries 3‑0.”

Ending: Staff said the tool is intended to be revisited as demand forecasts and regional supply analyses evolve; several committee members asked staff to ensure the UAC’s critiques are considered before staff relies on the tool for any later recommendations to City Council.","City staff presented a 20‑year One Water planning tool for Palo Alto (2025–2045). The Utility Advisory Commission warned the methodology is potentially misleading and urged council to vote against acceptance; the committee voted 3–0 to receive the report and the UAC letter and forward them to council as information.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6462716,"Palo Alto begins construction on horizontal levee pilot to reuse treated wastewater",92,491000,583000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5796952-ba74b38cc2b581984eccd9ecdd997025&start=491&end=583","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5796952-ba74b38cc2b581984eccd9ecdd997025/thumbnail_491000.jpg","/articles/6462716/Palo-Alto/Santa-Clara-County/California/Palo-Alto-begins-construction-on-horizontal-levee-pilot-to-reuse-treated-wastewater","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462716-3a59ba61e382648507449a35b5ed017f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775898711&Signature=j7BrViy308mC0F0rlrM4JhbmAIwT72AUev7NdyR6r7gwC27wWAvSGgbPo2bV1kCQHlPKd5bVWfNUsJlxDG5ZZtHLboeDGsLIFfhL6Rh5P6cK2go~2X5pnCZHR2OtQzHIlHFSXXZUmVjY9E14LUK4~zEGx9R7m2j4Fgc~56LB2oXkBdC4daJGmkI0hXIPNgAMhc~w3w~UvsguWFg6l2r1YHneM~OKywbpFhEW88U0ooRJN2Jr2CyCO153g5Fj7Sw3XQSzbzO1oWh5fV8SXTmj18n7N7lY4DT~XzSw6fiTxNpcjeqCqmy0iEsjksC1mEUyy1hQ3j1AEQxPBgNEcA1WeQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Palo Alto officials announced construction has begun on a horizontal levee pilot adjacent to the regional water quality control plant that will beneficially reuse treated wastewater for irrigation and add habitat and sea‑level rise adaptation features.

Public Works Director Brad Eggleston told the Climate Action & Sustainability Committee on Sept. 19 that the project started construction last week and is about 500 feet long. “After almost six years of effort by city staff and the San Francisco SRE partnership, we're very excited to announce that the Palo Alto horizontal levee pilot project ... began construction last week,” Eggleston said.

City staff said the design integrates treated effluent reuse for irrigation as part of a nature‑based levee. The project aims to provide three main benefits: added treatment of wastewater, habitat enhancement, and a measure of adaptation to sea‑level rise for the treatment plant site. A slide shown to the committee identified the levee location along Treatment Plant Road and illustrated early construction activity.

Staff estimated the work should take only a few months, with completion expected in early 2026. Eggleston directed interested residents to the city website for more information (www.paloalto.gov). The committee did not take a vote on the announcement.

The announcement followed general committee business and preceded two substantive action items on the agenda. Committee members thanked staff for the milestone; one member said they had seen construction activity firsthand while walking near the plant over the prior weekend.

The city described the project as the first nature‑based horizontal levee in the San Francisco Bay that will incorporate treated wastewater reuse for irrigation as part of the levee design. Staff characterized the pilot as an early, site‑specific test that could inform future regional or plant‑scale nature‑based shoreline adaptations.

Ending: The committee received the update without formal action; staff said the city will post additional project materials and updates online as the pilot proceeds and will return to the committee if follow‑up items or permitting details require committee attention.","City staff and the public works director announced construction has begun on a 500-foot horizontal levee adjacent to the regional water quality control plant; project expected to finish in early 2026 and will reuse treated wastewater for irrigation while providing habitat and sea-level resilience.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee backs design guidelines for multifamily EV charging; staff aims to pilot financing model

Palo Alto committee receives One Water plan; UAC urged council to reject acceptance

Palo Alto begins construction on horizontal levee pilot to reuse treated wastewater