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Planning commission endorses state Green Building Code baseline, urges more shade trees at gas stations
Summary
At a study session staff reviewed EV‑ready requirements and a CVAG greening palette; commissioners voted to stick with the California Green Building Code minimums but urged staff and Council to require larger shade trees and consider code or guideline changes to increase tree sizes where feasible.
Staff presented landscaping guidance and EV‑charging requirements tied to the California Green Building Code and regional greening guidance. Gustavo Gomez said the presentation drew on the CVAG Urban Greening Guide and EPA research and explained the 2025 Green Building Code table that triggers EV‑capable parking thresholds (the City Council is scheduled to adopt the 2025 code with an effective date of 2026‑01‑01).
Commissioners focused on two practical issues: shade and durability. Several commissioners said the selected native, water‑efficient species in the sample palette did not provide sufficient canopy for heat mitigation and parking shade; staff replied that planters and site constraints often limit tree size and that the commonly installed stock is a 24‑inch box but that the city could recommend larger stock or amend design guidelines where site conditions allow.
On EV charging, staff stressed the difference between 'EV‑ready' infrastructure (prewired/preplumbed stalls required by the green code) and actually installed chargers, and noted that Imperial Irrigation District (IID) approval is frequently needed for electrical connections in some parts of the city; commissioners asked staff to report back on how many previously required EV‑ready stalls are actually operational chargers.
The commission moved and approved a motion to continue following the California Green Building Code minimums while urging the addition of shade trees where appropriate. Staff will forward the commission's landscaping and EV guidance to City Council for consideration; the commission did not adopt a local code amendment at the meeting but discussed options to change the greening guide or propose a code amendment to require larger tree stock where feasible.
Next steps: staff will include the commission's recommendations in the packet to City Council and may research the number of installed chargers versus EV‑ready stalls at existing gas stations if commissioners request it.
