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Council receives Climate Action Plan 2030 progress report, approves Sustainability & Resiliency Committee bylaws and highlights $15M regional EV charging grant
Summary
City staff reported progress on the Climate Action Plan 2030, noted transport remains the largest emissions source, and the council approved bylaws to create a new Sustainability & Resiliency Committee to replace the mayor’s task force. Staff also announced the city led a regional application that secured a $15 million FHWA grant for EV charging.
City sustainability staff presented the annual progress update on the Climate Action Plan 2030 and the City Council approved bylaws establishing a Sustainability & Resiliency Committee to oversee implementation and community engagement on climate and resilience initiatives.
Sustainability and Resiliency Officer Tiffany Weisbeth summarized the city’s progress and identified transportation as the largest single source of the city’s greenhouse‑gas emissions. She said the city’s 2019‑to‑2022 inventory showed a small net increase in emissions and noted the causes — including a rise in transportation emissions and a decline in city population — require further analysis. The next emissions inventory (planned for 2025) will provide updated data to assess policy impacts.
Key progress and new resources - Grant success: Staff announced the city led a regional Federal Highway Administration application that secured a $15 million grant to expand EV charging across the Monterey Bay region. The project includes charging infrastructure and workforce development elements. - Building and energy: The council previously adopted reach codes for new construction in 2023 and an additions/alterations energy reach code and a gas leaf‑blower ban in 2024; staff highlighted ongoing work on building decarbonization pilots and a proposed low‑carbon concrete ordinance. - Fleet and charging: Public Works has advanced fleet electrification, installed DC fast chargers and multiple Level‑2 chargers at the Corporation Yard, and staff said the city meets its first Clean Fleet compliance milestone for 2025. - Programs and pilot efforts: Noted initiatives include an EVs‑for‑Everyone outreach and rebate navigation program, Go Santa Cruz transit incentives for downtown employees and a library induction‑cooktop loan program (80 loaners used in 2024).
Committee and bylaws Staff proposed bylaw revisions for a new Sustainability & Resiliency Committee to replace the Mayor’s Climate Action Task Force. Changes clarified the appointment process (use the city’s standard commission application and selection process), adjusted how commission representatives are replaced, and set majority vote thresholds for committee decisions. Council accepted the revised bylaws and directed staff to finalize the committee structure. Officials said the committee will help develop the city’s next three‑year implementation work plan and support continued grant pursuits.
Council discussion Council members praised the staff’s work and highlighted the importance of transportation‑focused solutions such as transit‑oriented development, expanded public charging and incentives to reduce vehicle miles traveled. Questions from council members covered methodology for emissions inventories, metrics for transportation emissions and the performance and security of bicycle‑share programs. Staff said they use state datasets plus utility data to calculate emissions and that they will report further in 2025.
Next steps Staff said they will produce a new 3‑year implementation work plan in 2025, consider a municipal decarbonization road map, evaluate the need for an energy manager in the budget process and return bylaws for the new Sustainability & Resiliency Committee for finalization and appointments.
