The Corte Madera Climate Action Committee reviewed a draft 2025 work plan that keeps ongoing strategies—EV acceleration, building electrification, community outreach and tree programs—while adding items tied to state code updates and new state law.

Staff reported progress on several high-profile items. Phoebe, the town staff presenter, said the town had selected Blink Charging to provide its first public electric vehicle chargers, targeted for Town Hall and the Pixley parking lot; underground wiring work is complete and the stations are awaiting delivery. She said the Town Council on Dec. 3 adopted user fees for the new chargers.

On municipal fleet electrification, staff said the town secured technical assistance from MCE (Marin Clean Energy) to develop a fleet electrification plan, with work expected to start in late spring. Phoebe also said staff is working to comply with the California Air Resources Board’s Advanced Clean Fleets regulation, which they summarized as including reporting requirements and a purchasing requirement for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to be zero-emission at a specified share each calendar year.

The committee reviewed earlier accomplishments: the town’s green building ordinance was adopted in July (the EV provisions took effect in August, and energy-saving requirements for single-family renovations of 750 square feet or greater went into effect in October after California Energy Commission approval). Staff reported implementing automated residential solar permitting in September using Symbium software to comply with SB 379.

Committee members also discussed longer-term and emerging items on the draft work plan: developing reach codes for the 2025 state building code cycle (changes effective January 2026), expanding permit discounts and streamlining for electrification projects, and an environmentally preferable purchasing policy (not yet started). The draft also adds a code cleanup item to resolve conflicts between the town’s single-use carryout bag ordinance and recently passed SB 1053.

Tree policy drew extended debate. Committee members raised concerns about fire risk, proximity to power lines and maintenance burdens; others said updating the town’s recommended street-tree list (the existing list dates to 1966) is appropriate and that coordination with the fire department and public works is needed. Staff said the current scope is to reassess the recommended street-tree list and coordinate review with fire and public works before taking recommendations to council. Members agreed to keep the item on the work plan but asked staff to include a caveat to consider fire risk, water consumption and outage risk.

On outreach and engagement, the committee prioritized continuing the heat pump water heater outreach, proposing additional events on heat pump space heating and reinforcement of rebate messages. Staff noted an offer from Drive Clean to organize a standalone EV show in Corte Madera for $10,000; members questioned the cost and suggested leveraging existing events such as the Lions Club car show and the 4th of July table rather than paying for a separate show. Staff also flagged a Repair Fair planned for Feb. 8, organized by Reuse Alliance and 0 Waste Marin, and suggested student ambassadors and local volunteers could help run it.

Several members asked staff to produce a concise scorecard showing progress on existing work-plan items. Staff indicated the draft 2025 items will be incorporated into the town’s overall staff work plan for council review in January and adoption in February, and that items and priorities can change during the year.