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San Mateo staff reports annual Climate Action Plan progress; highlights electrification, fleet and EV charging work
Summary
City staff summarized 2024–25 progress on the Climate Action Plan: adopted new‑construction reach code, advancing municipal fleet electrification projects with PG&E programs, expanding public EV charging and continuing rebate programs. Staff noted upcoming sea‑level rise adaptation work and Blue Sky priorities.
City of San Mateo staff presented the annual Climate Action Plan progress report to the Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on May 14, detailing recent policy and project milestones, and ongoing priorities for outreach and infrastructure.
Andrea Chow, the city’s sustainability analyst, told the commission that City Council adopted an energy performance reach code for new construction in January 2025 and that the California Energy Commission approved the code in April, enabling local enforcement for the 2022 code cycle. She said the city continues to align building electrification work with the Climate Action Plan.
Fleet electrification and EV charging
Chow described progress on municipal fleet electrification and charging infrastructure. The city’s fleet includes 15 electric units currently; staff are advancing three site projects:
- City Hall: PG&E Rule 29 program work is advancing and staff expect to install 12 level‑2 chargers to support city vehicles. - Corporation Yard: the PG&E EV Fleet program requires commitments to medium/heavy‑duty electric purchases and includes rebates; staff plan 12 level‑2 chargers at that site as part of the effort. - Police Department: the department has some electric units and staff are evaluating upgrades to faster charging in the garage.
Chow said the city owns two DC fast chargers and 68 level‑2 charging ports at municipal properties, and that publicly available charging in the community has grown — she cited 254 public charging ports in 2024 (plugshare/crowdsourced inventory) compared with lower counts in earlier years.
Rebates, pedestrian improvements and next steps
Chow noted a range of continuing rebate and incentive programs from Peninsula Clean Energy (heat pump water heater and HVAC rebates and a concierge installation program), Cal Water (water‑efficiency rebates and turf replacement), and city rebates for rain barrels and electric leaf blowers. She highlighted recent pedestrian‑safety improvements in downtown parking garages and funding for a Hillsdale High School pedestrian project.
Chow also reminded the commission of related City Council Blue Sky priorities for the coming year, including: evaluating a gas‑powered leaf blower ban, exploring EV charging access for multifamily residences (including right‑of‑way options), continued work on building decarbonization pathways, further fleet electrification, and development of a climate adaptation (sea‑level rise) plan. Chow said a consultant RFP for the sea‑level rise adaptation plan had recently closed and the city expects to move that work forward.
Commissioners asked about charger utilization patterns and multifamily charging barriers; staff replied that utilization varies by site, that some older municipal sites have heavy demand while larger new port installations sometimes see lower use, and that multifamily charging remains a complex challenge the city is prioritizing.
Ending
No formal action was taken. Commissioners recommended continued outreach, monitoring of rebates and incentives, and coordination with regional partners on multifamily charging and the electrification work already underway.
