City staff presented highlights of La Mesa’s 2024 Climate Action Plan (CAP) annual report on July 22 and the City Council voted to form a two‑member ad hoc subcommittee to pursue grant programs through San Diego Community Power and other regional energy partnerships.

Hillary Ego, a CAP staff member, told the council the city adopted its first CAP in 2018 and approved an updated CAP in November 2024. The update aligned local targets with state goals, added co‑benefits language (equity and youth engagement), and expanded measures from five to six strategies including building energy efficiency, clean and renewable energy, and the urban natural environment. “The cap establishes new targets aligned with the state and now includes co benefits demonstrating how actions can also improve community members' lives,” Ego said.

The report listed recent CAP accomplishments and resources: a FY 2025–26 Public Works Environmental Services allocation of $935,000 for CAP implementation, $450,000 in grant awards received in 2024, nearly 40 megawatts of installed solar capacity in the community, a 95.1% community participation rate in San Diego Community Power, and per‑capita water use of 91.9 gallons per person per day. Staff also reported community outreach via more than 50 events in 2024–25 and organics recycling education launched at 10 La Mesa schools.

Council debate centered on priorities and spending. Council Member Tristan Lothian questioned CAP spending relative to other local needs and said, “We have spent millions of dollars and thousands of man hours on Climate Action Plan,” arguing budget priorities should reflect resident concerns. Vice Mayor Dillard and Council Member Casares defended pursuing grant funding and the proposed subcommittee as low‑cost steps to bring additional money into La Mesa programs and increase resident options for voluntary home upgrades.

The council then voted on a motion to create an ad hoc committee with Vice Mayor Dillard and Council Member Casares as the two members and to direct staff to pursue grant partnerships and applications, including an SDCP‑administered program whose application is due next March. The motion was moved by Mayor Rapistakis and passed 4–1 (Council Member Lothian voting no). The minutes record the vote as: Mayor Rapistakis — yes; Vice Mayor Dillard — yes; Council Member Casares — yes; Council Member Suzuki — yes; Council Member Lothian — no.

What the motion does and does not do: the subcommittee is intended to identify nonprofit partners and funding pathways for SDCP and related regional grants; it does not authorize mandatory changes to residents or immediate budget increases. City staff told the council they expected no direct city cost for forming the ad hoc subcommittee and noted most CAP activities are funded through existing budget allocations and grants.

Staff and council members emphasized next steps: identifying eligible nonprofit grant applicants, preparing applications for programs that fund climate literacy, green‑jobs training, home energy improvements and similar voluntary programs, and returning to council with any required approvals or budget actions.

No ordinance changes were tied to the vote; the action was limited to forming the subcommittee and directing staff to pursue grant applications.