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Belmont staff present Climate Action and Adaptation Plan draft measures, stress electrification and EV goals
Summary
City staff and consultants reviewed Belmont's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan update, highlighting mitigation measures (building electrification, EV targets, transit and active transport goals), community outreach results, and next steps toward a draft plan to return in the fall.
City staff and consultants presented an update on Belmont’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAP) at the April 28 council meeting, outlining updated greenhouse gas inventories, legislative alignment and draft measures aimed at cutting emissions and improving resilience.
Karen Clark, a management analyst with the city, and consultant Olivia Mendoza walked the council through the plan’s structure, which pairs mitigation and adaptation across four systems: healthy and resilient buildings, mobility, electric vehicles and urban ecosystems. Mendoza said buildings and transportation account for roughly 90% of Belmont’s emissions and identified three high-impact building measures—cutting natural gas use in existing buildings by 18%, leveraging Peninsula Clean Energy’s carbon-free electricity, and targeting 90% all-electric new construction.
Mendoza highlighted mobility targets, including raising public transit mode share from 4.4% to 7% and increasing active-transportation share, and said an EV goal of roughly 32% passenger EV by 2030 would reduce an estimated 9,000 metric tons of CO2. Staff proposed city actions such as installing 200 publicly accessible EV chargers (Belmont currently has about 70) and phasing out small gas-powered city lawn equipment starting in 2027.
Outreach results presented showed strong interest in electrification and composting but identified cost and implementation assistance as key barriers. Mendoza said staff will refine measures after collecting council and public feedback, finish quantification and post the draft for public comment this summer with an anticipated return for adoption in the fall.
Council members generally praised the work, asked for clearer communication strategies to reach non-English speakers and suggested technical assistance and neighbor-to-neighbor outreach to help residents implement changes. Staff said CAP measures will be coordinated with other plans and funding opportunities.
