Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ev Charging topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City staff outline EV‑charging strategy; site assessments and grant pursuit next
Summary
Public works and economic development staff presented a two‑step strategy to expand EV charging across Benicia—identifying candidate locations, pursuing grants through partners like MCE and vendor partnerships, completing feasibility assessments by early spring, and engaging private property owners.
Public Works Director Danielle Bonham and Economic Development Manager Colette Shough presented a two‑step EV charging strategy intended to position Benicia for grants and vendor partnerships to expand publicly accessible charging.
Bonham said the city currently has "8 publicly accessible ChargePoint stations" and that staff have issued about 65 building permits for residential chargers since 2021. The recommended next steps are to complete location assessments (site feasibility and grid capacity), pursue grant and rebate opportunities (state, federal, vendor partners and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District), and prepare site‑specific cost and rebate estimates from partners like MCE to support installations.
Colette Shough said staff will map candidate public and private locations and evaluate them for visitation patterns, parking logistics and electrical needs; she said outreach to private property owners and multifamily housing will be part of the strategy. Councilmembers suggested pursuing permitting incentives, fee waivers for residential and commercial installations, and prioritizing partnerships with private operators that can install and operate chargers while the city retains a revenue share. Staff said they have contacted PG&E on electrical needs and expect to return with assessments and more detailed proposals during upcoming goal‑setting discussions.
