The Manteca Planning Commission on Oct. 16 recommended the City Council adopt the 2025 Climate Action Plan (CAP) update and its associated tiered Initial Study/Negative Declaration (SCH 2025071350), but the commission amended a fleet electrification measure to exclude public-safety vehicles from the City’s near-term zero‑emission purchase target.

Why it matters: The CAP update establishes the city’s greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory baseline (2020), models emissions under business-as-usual and state-regulation scenarios, and lists reduction measures intended to meet California’s near-term targets and move toward statewide carbon neutrality goals. The planning commission’s amendment narrows one municipal-fleet action to address public-safety concerns raised during the hearing.

Plan overview and findings: Associate Planner Tobin Barnum and consultant Rod Stinson (Rainey Planning and Management) presented the CAP update and the associated CEQA analysis. Barnum told the commission the city’s baseline year for the inventory is 2020 and that modeling included three projections: business-as-usual, implementation of state measures, and implementation of the CAP’s reduction measures. The presentation and staff report state the CAP would allow future projects to use the plan as a “qualified” GHG reduction strategy for CEQA streamlining when applicants show consistency with the CAP.

Consultant Rod Stinson explained the CAP’s structure and measures, noting the largest source of citywide emissions is mobile sources (vehicle trips) followed by energy use. The plan identifies municipal- and community-scale measures—examples include electrifying portions of the city fleet, increasing charging infrastructure and alternative fuel access, improving building energy performance, retrofits for existing homes, expanding active transportation, and tree canopy and land-use strategies.

Key contested item: municipal fleet electrification. One CAP action, TR‑5.4, as presented, requires that 60% of new vehicles purchased by the City be zero‑emission vehicles by 2030 and that all new City vehicles be zero‑emission by 2040. Multiple commissioners expressed concern about applying the measure to public-safety apparatus (police and fire) without explicit life-safety exceptions; commissioners raised grid-resiliency questions and the long lead times for specialized emergency vehicles.

Public comment and staff response: Leonard Smith, a member of the public and the CAP advisory process, spoke during public comment with suggestions—he urged faster integration of electric vehicle (EV) charging at gas stations, earlier shifts to electric lawn equipment, and limits on drive-through lanes. Staff and the consultant responded that several of Smith’s suggestions are included or noted for the next CAP update and that TR‑6 in the plan specifically encourages support for electric vehicle charging and alternative fueling at existing gas stations. Staff said late comments were received after the public-review window and that the comments would be memorialized for the next five-year update.

Implementation, updates and outreach: The CAP document includes a checklist developers must complete to demonstrate how their projects meet applicable CAP measures; staff said the checklist is a living implementation tool that will be updated as measures and technologies evolve. The plan requires a regular update cycle (every five years) so the city can incorporate technological advances and revised state mandates. Staff described outreach measures used during the public review: a transit-center event, an online survey in English, Spanish and Punjabi, social media posts, distributed materials in community locations, Chamber of Commerce distribution and notifications via the State Clearinghouse.

Commission action: Vice Chair Coleman moved—then seconded—to recommend City Council adopt the tiered Initial Study/Negative Declaration (SCH 2025071350) and the 2025 CAP update as amended to exclude all city fleet vehicles classified under “public safety” from the TR‑5.4 zero‑emission purchase requirement. The motion passed on voice vote; the chair announced the motion carries.

Clarifying details from the hearing:
- Baseline year: 2020 (inventory and modeling base). (staff/consultant)
- CEQA/State Clearinghouse number for the CAP IS/ND: SCH 2025071350. (staff)
- Fleet measure: TR‑5.4 (as written) requires 60% of new city vehicle purchases be zero‑emission by 2030 and all new purchases by 2040; the commission amendment excludes public-safety vehicles from that requirement. (presentation/commission motion)
- Qualified CAP and CEQA streamlining: staff stated that qualifying projects that show CAP consistency may streamline GHG analysis for future CEQA reviews. (staff/consultant)
- Public outreach: transit center event, three-language online survey (English/Spanish/Punjabi), Chamber and school-district outreach; the public review period ran through the state clearinghouse process. (staff)

Commissioner concerns and staff notes: Commissioners commended staff and the CAP advisory committee for extensive work but cautioned about implementation “teeth.” Commissioners asked how the checklist will be enforced, whether public-safety apparatus are included in fleet targets and how city-level infrastructure (charging, grid resiliency, water/waste upgrades) will be funded. Staff and the consultant said the checklist becomes part of the application process; applicants must document consistency or explain why measures are not applicable with supporting evidence. Staff also noted some measures will require grant funding or staged implementation and that the five-year update cycle provides regular opportunities to revise measures based on feasibility and new technologies.

Ending: The Planning Commission forwarded its recommendation and the amended CAP to the City Council. Staff said responses to public comments, the final version of the CAP, and the checklist will be included in the council packet for final action; the CAP will be revisited on the five-year schedule required by the plan.