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Climate Action Forum refines priorities and presses for enforceable building electrification
Summary
Members of the Larkspur Climate Action Forum reviewed an updated list of top climate priorities and urged staff to translate them into measurable actions; some participants pressed for stronger, enforceable all-electric rules for new multifamily buildings and expressed concern about density-bonus waivers.
Forum members spent the final portion of the Feb. 11 meeting refining the forum's top climate-action priorities and discussing how to translate broad goals into council-ready, measurable actions.
David Muller summarized collaborative edits that incorporated countywide building-electrification road maps and e-mobility strategies. He said the exercise was intended to update five-year-old language and surface three or four concrete actions under each priority so the forum could present a concise package to the city council in April.
Several members emphasized measurement. "We need the next level down around what are the true actions that's going to be actions here," a participant said, urging the group to identify trailing indicators and metrics for impact.
A major policy exchange focused on local building electrification. JJ Andre urged the forum to push for enforceable all-electric requirements for new multifamily buildings, saying local ordinances should not be easily waived. "New multifamily buildings need to be all electric, period," he said. Other participants noted state building-code changes (2025 code) have shifted much of the regulatory landscape and that density-bonus provisions can allow developers to seek waivers of some local requirements.
Staff noted that while the city adopted the 2025 code and is pursuing complementary measures, some local reach-code elements and remodel triggers require additional studies and legal review. Forum members recommended the CAF finalize priorities, annotate each with specific actions and metrics, and circulate the refined list to members ahead of an April presentation to council.
Next steps: staff and volunteer leads will reformat the priority list into plain-English action items with recommended metrics and ownership, distribute the draft to CAF members for comment, and prepare a package for the April meeting and a council briefing.
