HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Item - 2021-10-185.1
erCOUNCIL REPORT
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Subject: Study Session on Sustainability and Climate Action Plan
Meeting Date: March 16, 2021 Staff Member: Jenny Slepian, Sustainability and
Management Analyst
Department: CMO
Action Required Advisory Board/Commission Recommendation
Motion Approval
Public Hearing Denial
Ordinance None Forwarded
Resolution X Not Applicable
Information Only Comments: The Sustainability Advisory Board has
X Council Direction provided a memo with their recommendations on
Consent Agenda where to focus work in 2021.
Staff Recommendation: None
Recommended Language for Motion: None
Project/ Issue Relates To:
X Council Goals/Priorities Adopted Master Plan(s) Not Applicable
ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL
2021 City Council Goal to "Combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and
strengthening the community's resilience to climate impact" through implementing the
Sustainability and Climate Action Plan.
BACKGROUND
In 2017, the City Council had a goal to "support the creation of a climate change action plan
based on advice from the Sustainability Advisory Board, consistent with Council policy
direction." Throughout 2017-18, a core committee of Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) and
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Lake Oswego Sustainability Network members worked together to complete a six-page climate
action plan with appendices. The plan was reviewed by the City Council at a February 27, 2018
study session. Resolution 18-15 approved the climate action plan "to be incorporated into a
revised Sustainability and Climate Action Plan for Lake Oswego" was passed by the City Council
on April 3, 2018.
Following further staff review, consultant input, and edits, the Sustainability and Climate Action
Plan (SCAP) was adopted by the City Council on May 5, 2020 through Resolution 19-55.
DISCUSSION
Since adoption of the SCAP, staff reviewed its goals to assess what could be accomplished
within the first two years. A list of priorities was shared with the Executive Team for their input
and with SAB to help formulate their workplan as it relates to implementing the SCAP. The first
implementation items were chosen based on the following criteria:
The timeframe assigned to them in the SCAP
Contribution to a reduction in community greenhouse gas emissions
Supportive of work or programs already in progress at the City
Staff resources available, including time and budget
SAB availability to support the work and/or advise Council and Staff on them
Once those priorities were selected, they were edited to include feedback from Staff and SAB.
They have each been expanded upon here, and the original matrix for them is included as
Attachment 2.
While implementing the SCAP, the emissions reductions targets should be at the forefront of
where the City devotes its resources. The targets adopted by the City Council are as follows:
By 2035, Lake Oswego's buildings will have no net emissions from electricity use.
By 2045, Lake Oswego's buildings will have no net emissions from onsite combustion of fuels.
By 2050, Lake Oswego will reach carbon neutrality through reducing or offsetting our carbon
emissions from buildings, transportation, and manufacturing and disposal of products within
the City
Transportation Goals
The selected transportation actions focus on electrifying the City fleet, supporting additional
infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs), and improving employee access to public
transportation and bike facilities. The City's excellent working relationship with PGE will assist
the City in meeting both fleet electrification and infrastructure goals. The City of Lake Oswego
provided testimony in support of PGE to the Oregon Public Utilities Commission for their
Transportation Line Extension Allowance proposal, which would result in financial assistance
from PGE for businesses and residents wanting to install charging stations. In their memo,
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included as Attachment 1, SAB recommends several short- and long-term steps to advancing
adoption of EVs in Lake Oswego, and these are supported by staff.
Highest Priority for Council Consideration:
EV 1: Where an electric (EV) version of the vehicle is available, the City must consider this option
when purchasing a new vehicle. A life cycle analysis,feasibility and financial study must be
undertaken, and gasoline powered vehicle only selected if it is shown through all analyses to be
the best available choice.
EV2: Install EV charging stations for City owned vehicles at majority of City facilities and parks
In Progress:
EV3: Work with developers and large landowners to educate them on the benefits of providing
EV charging stations at multifamily housing developments and new parking garages
TR6: Continue to provide Universal Tri-Met(HOP) Passes to employees
BK3: Provide improved bike facilities for City staff and visitors to City Hall(showers, safe bike
storage rooms)
Lowest Priority:
TR7: City to develop employee ride-sharing forum to reduce single car occupancy commute rate
Of the listed actions, converting to an electric fleet where feasible, will provide the greatest
reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. With so many electric options on the market now, and
many more specialty vehicles like trucks and vans soon to come, there are few barriers to
converting the City fleet to electric. Facilities staff has done an excellent job of installing and
maintaining charging stations, not only at City facilities but also along A Avenue. Continuing to
add to charging infrastructure at City facilities is a goal we are already prepared to undertake.
Actions EV3, TR6, and BK3 are in progress or complete and do not require Council direction at
this time. TR7 can be completed when the complexities of the City Hall move are finished.
Energy Efficiency
Improving efficiency of existing building stock is not only one of the easiest ways to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions from energy use but also one of the most popular, as residents and
businesses alike enjoy the benefits of reduced energy bills. Though not included as a priority, it
is anticipated that in 2021 the City Council will receive more information from PGE about a
Community Green Tariff program, which would allow residents to purchase energy from a PGE-
owned renewable power facility. This would reduce community-wide Scope 2 (emissions from
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energy purchased) greenhouse gas emission reductions significantly, allowing the City to meet
the 2035 emissions reduction goal.
Highest Priority for Council Consideration:
S01: Work with businesses, LOSD, Community Groups, and businesses to meet the City's 1
Megawatt solar goal(Resolution 16-28) by 2021
In Progress:
EN1: Hold Home Energy Rating System Workshop for City Staff
Lowest Priority:
EC2: Educate community members on energy savings
Dedicating staff time and resources to completing SO1 should be one of the highest priorities
for 2021, given its timeline and inclusion in an existing resolution. This would require some
desktop analysis of current installed solar capacity in the City, and potentially a partnership
with solar installers to incentivize more arrays.
Action EN1 could be rewritten. After meeting with the City of Milwaukie, a home energy scoring
program could be implemented quite easily and managed with intern or part-time help. EC2
can be managed by SAB, working with community organizations.
Natural Resources
Only one natural resources item was selected to focus on for this year, and Planning and
Engineering will complete it by the end of the year.
In Progress:
NR2: Update Urban Forestry Report in 2021
Planning Director Scot Siegel provided an update on the progress of this item. Engineering has
contracted with Parametrix, who prepared the 2014 analysis to update the canopy analysis. The
data is required for the City's reporting under Clean Water Act requirements (Total Maximum
Daily Load). It will also be used to evaluate changes in citywide canopy cover over time and to
establish benchmarks based on regional data. This task is expected to be complete in May 2021,
with a first draft of the State of the Urban Forest Report estimated by December 2021.
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Reduce Exposure to Toxins
Given public attention to the issues around gas-powered lawn equipment, this action was
selected for Council attention, and progress is being made. The recent Council approval of
landscaping contracts for Parks and Public Works requiring the use of electric equipment where
possible demonstrates to concerned citizens that the City is taking action on this goal. In 2019,
SAB prepared a white paper discussing a number of voluntary strategies for reducing the use of
this equipment in Lake Oswego. The City is making progress on this action, and proposed
statewide legislation along with other City programs will lead to reductions in gas-powered
lawn equipment in Lake Oswego through other means outside of local regulation.
In Progress:
T03: Investigate strategies to reduce exposure to emissions from gas powered lawn equipment
and diesel construction equipment
The Oregon Legislature is currently considering HB 3023, which would prohibit the sale of two-
stroke gas-powered leaf blowers in counties with over 400,000 people. Staff will keep an eye on
the progress of this bill. We currently have four sustainability interns who are designing a
voluntary Residential Sustainability Certification program, which is similar to Clackamas
County's Leaders in Sustainability program. As part of this program, residents can receive
certification points for switching to electric equipment and encouraging their contracted
landscaping company to use electric equipment, creating more market demand.This type of
voluntary, citizen drive program could help to progress this goal quickly.
Reduce Waste
The City is always working towards reducing waste through our operations and usage of our
facilities. One item that was carried over from our Sustainability Plan for City Operations 2014
was a move to paperless agenda packets.
In Progress/Complete:
WR2: Move to all paperless agenda packets for City Council and Boards and Commissions
meetings
At this stage, all of our Boards and Commissions and City Council are paperless. To comply with
Public Meetings Laws, paper agendas are posted in 3 locations for public review and these are
later recycled. In part due to COVID, Board and Commission members have all become adept at
working with paperless agenda packets. Staff recommends marking this item as complete.
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City Employee Health and Engagement
These actions have been included in this year's goals for two main reasons. The move into a
new City Hall is an excellent time to start educating staff on new habits as they grow
accustomed to a new facility. Additionally, the first year of implementation of the Sustainability
and Climate Action Plan is the ideal time to make sure that all staff are familiar with the plan
and how it fits into each of their positions.
Low Priority:
EE1: Deliver employee sustainability training to employees
EE2: Hold department trainings on Sustainability and Climate Action Plan to ensure it is
integrated into daily decision making
To work in tangent with these actions, SAB has suggested that the Council Report process be
adapted to include a short section asking staff to check off whether the proposal they are
bringing to the City Council is supported by the goals of, is not applicable to, or not supported
by the SCAP. This would help to prepare staff for any discussion that may arise during
deliberation of their agenda item. Suggested implementation steps for this recommendation
are included in Attachment 1.
Public Education
Residential Sustainability Certification Program
While not included as a specific goal, the Residential Sustainability Certification Program will
help to meet the majority of the community-based goals in the plan. Currently, interns are
working on designing the program and developing a pilot for small-scale rollout in mid-April.
After the pilot, they will work with SAB and other community organizations on communication,
outreach, and participation.
The purpose of the program is to encourage residents to make their homes more
environmentally friendly by meeting identified criteria, such as installing low-flow shower heads
or conducting an at-home waste audit. The program will function much like Clackamas County's
Leaders in Sustainability" program for businesses. As residents meet more of the criteria, they
qualify for higher levels of certification.
After certification, participants will have the option of being placed into a "pod" who will meet
regularly to discuss their sustainability accomplishments and goals, provide support, and
improve accountability. Ultimately, the goal of the program is to encourage residents to take
the sustainability of their homes into their own hands and give them the resources and support
to do so. The program will also provide a blueprint for other cities and communities that want
to establish similar programs.
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Adapt to Climate Change
The final section of the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan details goals for adapting to the
impacts of climate change in Lake Oswego. This section was developed through the help of
consultants, and provided general guidelines around disasters, as well as more specific
recommendations for wildfire smoke, which they deemed to be one of the most likely impacts
of climate change Lake Oswego will experience in coming decades. However, as the recent ice
storm demonstrated, there is much potential in Lake Oswego to protect our infrastructure,
homes, and City-owned assets before the disaster hits. An important distinction between a
climate adaptation plan and an emergency response plan is that emergency response plans
typically layout the first 48 hours of critical response, while a climate adaptation plan takes a
longer-term view to protect wider systems from being disrupted by a climate event in the first
place.
Each of these actions has been given a Highest Priority rating simply because this entire section
of the plan requires much closer review and a potential re-write. As was experienced last
September, the Wildfire Smoke actions alone show that what is currently in the plan is
inadequate.
Highest Priority for Council Consideration:
GA1: Update Disaster Management policies and procedures in preparation for more frequent
extreme weather events
GA2:Assess where new rules, policies, or programs are needed in advance of more frequent
extreme weather events
GA3: Prepare community systems for long term climate and energy challenges including fuel
shortages, summer drought, increased storm intensity,flooding, and declining air quality
WS1: Work to identify populations that are particularly sensitive to poor air quality and
particulate matter from wildfire smoke.
WS2: Develop Education and Outreach materials about the hazards of wildfire smoke and
determine communication channels
WS3: Determine City response actions to wildfire smoke
Current SAB members bring with them a wealth of experience related to climate adaptation
and public health that gives them the knowledge base to start laying out a process for revision
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of this plan. Jenny Slepian has also been collecting FEMA certifications throughout 2020 to
bring a more trained eye to climate adaptation goals.
However, revision of this section of the plan must involve City and County experts, as well as
those trained in the specific climate adaptation needs of the Willamette Valley. Initial steps can
involve a climate planning workshop, or a guided process to help the SCAP integrate with the
Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan more completely. The memo provided by SAB includes further
specific recommendations for preparing buildings, critical infrastructure, and neighborhoods for
the specific impacts of climate change. Continuing to partner with PGE on climate adaptation as
they pursue more grid resiliency programs in municipalities should be a crucial part of this plan.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council should direct staff and SAB to work jointly on prioritizing the following actions in
order to meet the City Council goal to "Combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas
emissions and strengthening the community's resilience to climate impact" through
implementing the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan:
1. Electric Vehicle Fleet Upgrades and Infrastructure Improvements
a. EV 1: Where an electric (EV) version of the vehicle is available, the City must
consider this option when purchasing a new vehicle. A life cycle analysis,
feasibility and financial study must be undertaken, and gasoline powered vehicle
only selected if it is shown through all analyses to be the best available choice.
b. EV2: Install EV charging stations for City owned vehicles at majority of City
facilities and parks
2. Encourage progress towards meeting the goals of Resolution 16-28: Solar Installation
Goal
a. S01: Work with businesses, LOSD, Community Groups, and businesses to meet
the City's 1 Megawatt solar goal(Resolution 16-28) by 2021
3. Revision of the Adapt to Climate Change section of the plan, incorporating Actions GA1-
3, and WS1-3
4. Continue development of a Residential Sustainability Certification Program
5. Incorporate analysis of the Goals and Actions of the Sustainability and Climate Action
Plan in Council reports
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ATTACHMENTS
1. Memo from the Sustainability Advisory Board
2. Sustainability and Climate Action Plan Priorities
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ATTACHMENT 1
otip` a MEMORANDUM
f nl
001
pREGp`/
TO:Mayor Joe Buck
Members of the City Council
FROM: Members of the Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB)
SUBJECT:March 2021 Council Study Session on Climate Action Planning
DATE: March 2, 2021
The Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) has been asked by the City to share recommendations
for prioritizing implementation actions from the City's Sustainability and Climate Action Plan
S/CAP), which was formally adopted by City Council under Resolution 19-54, on May 5, 2020.
We are excited to be supporting the Council's work of building a vibrant and resilient city—now
and into the future. We look forward to continuing this partnership and are pleased to present
our ideas for consideration at the upcoming Council Study Session on Climate Action Planning,
scheduled for March 16, at 3:00pm.
In preparation for the Council Study Session, the SAB has prepared this memo to outline poten-
tial benefits, impacts, and challenges of implementation of the recommended climate actions,
both short term and long term. To that end, this memo identifies (1) specific focus areas from
the S/CAP for consideration as priority areas of implementation, and (2) key questions to con-
sider for each focus area, including:
What action can be accomplished in the near term?
What actions will require a more work and investment, and should be included in near-
term planning stages?
What are possible concerns or sensitive topics that may have mixed support, or dispro-
portionate impact on members of our community?
We have selected our recommended priorities in alignment with the recent goal-setting work
completed earlier this year (see SAB 2021 Goals Memo attached), as well as from the challeng-
ing experiences of the past year including COVID-19, wildfires, ice storms, power outages and
disruptions in water service.
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Our recommended priorities and related considerations include the following:
1) Improve Resiliency and Enhance Climate Adaptation:
As we reflect on 2020, and all the challenges that we have endured and overcome as a commu-
nity, the SAB feels strongly that we need to strengthen our community and City policies toward
the goal of improved resiliency and robust climate adaptation strategies. While we remain in
the grips of the coronavirus pandemic, we have already overcome significant obstacles relating
to the conditions created by the summer wildfires and winter ice storms. The incredible re-
sponse of City staff and community members to come together is inspiring. We want to build
on all of the great work and lessons learned from these recent events to strengthen our infra-
structure, policies, and response plans to minimize the impact and disruption of catastrophic
events in the future.
Several priority areas for improving resiliency and climate adaptation include preparing for im-
pacts from:
Wildfires
Ice storms
Extreme temperatures
Heavy Rains/ Floods
Earthquakes
Windstorms
Droughts
Airborne pathogens
Impacts from a shifting climate.
Short-term Actions:
Several actions for the short-term relate to leveraging existing Emergency Response Planning
and incorporating climate-related adaptation and resilience.
As there were no Emergency Preparedness fairs this past year due to COVID, consider
hosting a virtual session, and including steps to prepare for wildfires, ice storms, and ex-
treme temperatures, among other emergency events.
Prepare informational materials to support citizens in preparing for potential disaster
scenarios, such as "tightening" residential spaces to deal with extreme temperatures or
hazardous air quality. This will also benefit residents in non-emergency times by im-
proving energy efficiency.
Encourage and facilitate pre-planning during non-emergency times to identify people
who will need extra help in an emergency—climate-related or otherwise. Some Neigh-
borhood Associations have begun the process of mapping their neighborhoods, using
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resources like Map Your Neighborhood guidelines.'Additionally, PrepLO (preplo.org)
has created teams of Neighborhood Associations to help prepare for disasters.
Identify for the public the communications networks available through the City (e.g. re-
verse 911, ClackCo Public Alerts Notification System, etc.). Work to get citizens signed
up for these communication networks in advance of emergencies, using multiple chan-
nels to reach people with different backgrounds, interests, and needs. Some citizens
who are at high risk may not be familiar with using technology, so traditional methods
should also be used (e.g. HelloLO, LO Review, LO Monthly Magazine, the LO Parks and
Recreation Activity Guide, a sign-up slot on voter ballots, and information placement
through school bulletins).
Coordinate with LOSD and City Departments to use schools and public facilities as essen-
tial facilities or "safe zones" in a variety of emergency/disaster scenarios, such as cool-
ing shelters in the summer, heating centers in the winter, safe air shelter during periods
of hazardous air quality, seismically sound shelters in an earthquake, places to charge up
devices or access power and Wi-Fi hotspots during extended power outages, etc. These
safe zones" should be equipped with N95 masks for periods of hazardous air, Wi-Fi
hotspots in the event of a power outage, and a source of clean water. This would allow
for a streamlined, one-stop location for people to seek shelter and/or obtain critical sup-
plies.
Create visual aids to community members for emergency situations similar to the way
that coastal communities have clear signage for tsunami evacuation routes and safe
zones. Examples include:
o Posting signage on designated emergency evacuation routes, earthquake/
smoke safe zones, and public Wi-Fi hotspots.
o Offering optional signage for homes that currently store evacuation kits for com-
munity use.
o Offering residents signage, much like we have 'No Solicitation' signs, to desig-
nate people with medical needs or to indicate a request for assistance, such as
lifting garage doors manually so a mobility-challenged or senior resident can use
their car during a power outage. For example, the Map Your Neighborhood bro-
chure has a sign that can be placed in windows facing the street that say "Help"
or "OK." This action could be implemented through partnering with Neighbor-
hood Associations.
1 httos://mil.wa.gov/map-vour-neighborhood
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Begin planning for a changing climate. Examples include adjusting what trees are rec-
ommended for planting based on what will survive in current and future weather condi-
tions and adjusting design parameters for heating and cooling to account for current
and future weather patterns.
Long Term Actions:
In the longer term, the City should be planning for "hardening" its infrastructure to withstand
more frequent and more severe weather events and natural disasters:
Power lines. Evaluate undergrounding power lines and cable/internet services to mini-
mize impacts from ice and trees, while remaining resilient to earthquake impacts. Con-
sider the total lifetime cost of ownership—beyond just the capital cost to install and the
ongoing cost to maintain—to ensure an accounting for likely disaster recovery costs of
increasingly frequent extreme weather events.
Large-scale batteries. Provide back-up power for emergency use through large-scale
batteries combined with solar arrays. Back-up power will also help with charging EVs
during an emergency.
Ventilation. Partition HVAC in building designs to enable improved safety response to
airborne pathogens.
Water (both access and availability). Evaluate options for back-up power (e.g. solar
panels, storage batteries, etc.) in the event of a full or partial grid failure to power
pumps and related critical water systems. In normal times, the unused solar could be
sold back into the grid for revenue or shunted to other City facilities to lower PGE costs.
Additionally, evaluate options for alternate water supply sources and demand reduction
strategies that may enhance the resiliency of water availability.
Build-in redundancies for critical infrastructure. In the recent ice storm, the City acti-
vated our emergency water intertie with the City of Tigard at the Waluga Reservoir site,
ensuring that our community did not go without water and that our emergency re-
sponders had ample storage for responding to fires'. This type of resilient planning
should be implemented across all critical infrastructure.
2 httos://twitter.com/LakeOswegolnfo/status/1364009621904527360?s=20
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2) Assess and Articulate the Sustainability Impact of City Policies and Initiatives:
Sustainability and climate impacts are becoming increasingly severe and costly. Improving the
City's sustainability and resiliency—and reducing our GHG emissions that are contributing to
climate change—will contribute positively to the City's fiscal position3 4 and overall quality-of-
life for our community.
We propose that the City include an assessment of sustainability and climate impacts into its
decision-making process, similar to the way that fiscal impact is clearly assessed and articulated
as part of policy making processes. A "Sustainability and Climate Impact" assessment could be
included alongside the "Fiscal Impact" information provided for every policy proposal and
Council report. This would allow decision makers—both in the City and the public—to make
fully informed decisions in support of or against proposed policy changes and City actions. A
similar approach could be applied to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) impacts.
Too often the environmental and social impacts of policies remain externalities that are not ac-
counted for in each decision. The impacts are felt by all—and ultimately paid for through in-
creased healthcare costs, disaster clean-up costs, increased bond rates, etc.—but the costs are
not directly attributed to the actions and policies that created the impacts.
Short Term Actions:
Identify areas where the "Sustainability and Climate Impacts" assessment would be pre-
sented, such as in voter pamphlets outlining policy options with details on Fiscal Impact
and Sustainability and Climate Impacts.
Long Term Actions:
Determine the evaluation criteria for assessing the "Sustainability and Climate Impacts."
Require that assessments of"Fiscal Impacts" account for costs beyond traditional capital
and operating costs, but also to account for the embedded costs of externalities, such as
increased healthcare costs, disaster recovery costs, and credit rating impacts associated
with all new policies.
3 City credit ratings may soon account for effectiveness of climate action strategies.
httns://www.bloom berg.com/news/articles/2019-10-15/city-bonds-may-be-hit-bv-climate-change-moody-s-can-now-see-
how)
According to Michael Wertz,a Moody's vice president,"Cities are increasingly adopting plans that detail specific projects de-
signed to strengthen infrastructure and minimize economic disruption from natural disasters and long-term climate change.
Cities'increasing focus on climate risks is a credit positive,particularly as climate change is forecast to increase the frequency
and severity of extreme weather events."
https://www.moodvs.com/research/Moodvs-Largest-US-cities-take-proactive-steps-to-mitigate-credit--PBM 1158519)
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3) Advance Adoption of Electric Vehicles:
As Electric Vehicles (EVs) continue to grow in popularity and as technology continues to im-
prove, there will be increasingly more options for EVs in terms of size and functionality. This
market shift will enable more types of City vehicles to be replaced with EVs over time. While
the market will drive some of the transition away from internal combustion, the SAB would like
the City to actively seek to transition all City-owned vehicles to EVs as soon as feasible. Addi-
tionally, the City should evaluate and create infrastructure that encourages and supports com-
munity members that transition to EVs.
Short Term Actions:
Implement a mandatory evaluation of all replacement vehicles, requiring a rationale as
to why EVs would not work for the designated purpose before an internal combustion
vehicle can be purchased as a replacement.This evaluation would include which EVs
were considered and the reasons why they were excluded, as well as an assessment of
the total cost of ownership (i.e. including the cost to operate and maintain the vehicle,
not just purchase price).
Implement guidance or policy that requires the same EV evaluation by all private con-
cerns supplying services to the City. For example, if the LO emergency response assets
are converted to EV, then City suppliers, such as AMR ambulances, should be required
to convert also. The City's recent landscaping contract renewal requiring all-electric
landscaping equipment is an excellent example of how the policy could be structured.
Evaluate options for how the City can best support community transition to EV (e.g.
public charging stations, preferred parking, infrastructure investments for EV charging at
multi-family housing, etc.).
Long Term Actions:
Design and build alternative charging capabilities (Solar, Batteries, Emergency Genera-
tors) to act as back-up charging of standard fleet vehicles in the event of power outage.
These alternatives would need to be capable of charging the fleet for 1-2 weeks.
Plan for significant resiliency of any critical service EV vehicle that would be needed in
natural events like fires, earthquakes, ice storms, ensuring that there is an established
recharging system that can operate off-grid for extended periods of time with sufficient
capacity to meet peak needs of essential vehicles. For example, provide chargers, with
battery storage at all fire stations, police stations, maintenance yards, etc. The last thing
any community would tolerate is its emergency responses grinding to a halt because the
vehicles cannot be charged. As an intermediate step, consider plug-in hybrids for essen-
tial services if that provides greater resiliency.
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Eventually, implement a moratorium on non-hybrid, internal combustion vehicles for
replacement of City fleet vehicles once the market has proved out the technology for
each functional vehicle type and sufficient back-up power has been acquired.
4) Residential Sustainability Certification Program
This January, the City's Community Sustainability Interns started work on a project called the
Residential Sustainability Certification Program. While it is currently in development, the end
goal is the creation of a certification program through which residents are encouraged to make
their homes more environmentally friendly by meeting certain criteria, like installing low-flow
shower heads or conducting an at-home waste audit. The program will function much like
Clackamas County's "Leaders in Sustainability" program for businesses. As residents meet more
and more of the criteria,they qualify for higher levels of certification.
In addition to the changes implemented through the certification track, once certified, resi-
dents will have the option of being placed into a "pod" of participants who will meet regularly
to discuss their sustainability accomplishments and goals. This will allow more experienced par-
ticipants to help less experienced ones, and it will also provide a source of community account-
ability for those who are trying to form sustainable habits. Ultimately, the goal of the program
is to encourage residents to take the sustainability of their homes into their own hands and give
them the resources and support to do so. The program will also provide a blueprint for other
cities and communities that want to establish similar programs.
Short Term Actions:
To support and engage Lake Oswego residents in improving the sustainability and resiliency of
their homes, consider creating and offering the following resources broadly in the community:
Informational materials on strategies and incentives for saving resources (e.g. low-flow
showerheads, shower timers, moisture meters for lawns/gardens, LED lights, Energy
Trust incentives for energy efficient appliances, insulation, smart thermostats etc.).
Specific guidance for landlords and residents of multi-family communities on how they
can make sustainable changes to their homes, recognizing that some actions must be
implemented by building owners and others can be implemented by the tenants. This
guidance could be structured for optional use on the multi-family community's website
or in new tenant welcome packages to help generate interest in participation.
Regularly scheduled Community 'Repair Fairs,' as were provided in 2019.5
s https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/librarv/repair-fair
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5) Monitor and Advocate for State Legislation affecting sustainability and climate-related
considerations.
As the City continues to monitor and track legislation at the State level, the City, SAB, and citi-
zens can advocate for smart, sustainable solutions at the State level. Additionally, by staying
ahead of legislation, the City will be well positioned to respond to forthcoming requirements in
a proactive and informed manner.
For example, two high-visibility policies currently being considered at the State level include:
HB 2001:
The City is actively evaluating the best ways to incorporate HB2001 into its policies. The SAB
wanted to highlight several sustainability related topics associated with HB2001 to inform this
planning process.
Tree Protection. As density increases, larger building footprints on smaller lots lead to
an increase in tree removal. The trees are such an important part of the character and
quality of life of Lake Oswego. The trees provide many ecosystem services as well, in-
cluding stormwater management, carbon sequestration, shade in the summer, privacy,
air quality, noise mitigation, etc. It is critical that the City includes protections for our
incredible tree canopy as part of its response to HB2001.
Walkability. Another potential impact from HB2001 is increased traffic, which can af-
fect the walkability of our neighborhoods. As the City continues its efforts to create Safe
Routes to Schools and improved connectivity of sidewalks and pathways, it will be im-
portant to consider and address impacts from HB2001.
Deconstruction vs. demolition. As HB2001 creates opportunity for greater density, it is
likely that older houses will make way for larger multi-family units. When houses are
demolished there is a significant amount of still-useful material that is routed to the
landfill. Creating incentives to deconstruct older houses (i.e. to take apart and reuse
still-useful housing materials), the City can minimize the environmental impact of this
trend.
Gas Powered Landscape Equipment (GPLE):
The SAB would like to applaud the City for its commitment to sustainability through its recent
landscaping contract renewal which requires use of all-electric landscaping equipment. This
move aligns with the SAB goal of promoting cleaner air quality and will benefit the health of all
people, wildlife, and natural resources that would have been exposed to toxic air emissions
503.635.0291 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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Page 9
from gas-powered landscaping equipment. This decision also positions the City to be well pre-
pared for forthcoming State legislation that will move the state toward electrical landscape
equipment.
We look forward to working with City Council at the forthcoming Study Session to identify and
evaluate climate action planning priorities.
Respectfully,
Stephanie Glazer, Co-Chair
Kathleen Wiens, Co-Chair
Buzz Chandler
Jay Hamachek
Susan Mead
Mark Puhlman
Matt Schaeffer
Paul Soper
Benjamin Connor, Youth
Kelsey Yutan, Youth
Attachments:
SAB 2021 Goals Memorandum
503.635.0291 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
www.ci.oswego.or.us
tio ‘p` MEMORANDUM
tio
oREGo
TO:Mayor Joe Buck
Members of the City Council
FROM: Members of the Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB)
SUBJECT: SAB 2021 Goals
DATE: December 16, 2020
The Sustainability Advisory Board's priority for 2021 is targeted implementation. We recognize
the incredible efforts on the part of the City and our community to adapt to life during a year
with a global pandemic, record-breaking wildfires, and deep economic and social challenges
within our community. There has been a necessary shift in priorities to address these
immediate needs. We also recognize the importance of focusing our recovery efforts and any
new actions and investments on sustainable solutions. It is with this in mind, that we have
focused our goals on several key actions that will have significant impact on the well-being of
our community.
The Sustainability Advisory Board's primary objective is to promote a sustainable economic and
ecological quality-of-life in our community. To this end, the Sustainability Advisory Board shall:
Advise and assist the City Council in efforts to make City operations more sustainable.
The Sustainability Advisory Board is guided by the Sustainable City Principles embodied
in the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan for Lake Oswego.
Promote plans and policies that enhance the sustainability of the City as a whole.
Educate and engage the public in efforts to make the community of Lake Oswego,
including residents, businesses, and institutions, more sustainable.
For 2021, the SAB will focus our efforts on the following 3 goals and our ongoing advisory and
outreach functions.
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2021 SAB Goals:
Goal 1: Advance Climate Action Planning: Continue work on the Sustainability and Climate
Action Plan by making updates, revisions, and providing annual progress report.
Review Climate Adaptation section with a focus on resilience, particularly goals around
wildfire smoke. Assist with the development of preparation strategies and response
plans in the event of wildfires.
Provide annual progress report to City Council.
Focus on achieving solar goal, as set in Resolution 16-28, and repeated in SCAP.
Goal 2: Promote Cleaner Air: Evaluate options for limiting use of Gas-Powered Landscape
Equipment (GPLE) in Lake Oswego.
Prepare for City Council study session to identify and recommend various options for
reducing city, commercial, and private use of gas-powered landscape equipment (GPLE).
Develop outreach materials for homeowners on green landscaping.
Goal 3: Advocate for Electric Vehicle adoption in Lake Oswego
Continue partnering with the Lake Oswego Sustainability Network (LOSN) and Portland
General Electric (PGE) on electric vehicle infrastructure investments at multifamily
housing developments.
Assist the City in transitioning the city fleet to electric vehicles by providing
informational resources and reporting on purchasing in annual progress report.
2021 Advisory and Outreach Role:
Though SAB does not to intend to bring new topics to the City Council in the following areas, we
will continue to act in an advisory role for the following projects and areas of community
concern.
Provide educational pieces covering topics from the SCAP, including: GPLE, EVs, green
landscaping, recycling, deconstruction, and Home Health Kits & Home Energy Efficiency
Kits.
Assist SAB Youth members in their roles on the high school green teams and empower
the Youth members to act as liaison between SAB and LOSD.
Update and review SAB website to offer more information to residents about energy
efficiency programs, climate action updates, and waste reduction.
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Page 3
Support Metro initiatives on recycling education and outreach, with a focus on
multifamily housing developments.
Continue to review information and policy around green building in Lake Oswego,
through reviewing the demolition tax, City building projects, and advocating for the
expanded use of high-performance building principles.
Partner with City Boards and Commissions, Homeowners Associations and
Neighborhood Associations on sustainability topics, including: green landscaping,
demolition and remodeling, and options for improving walkability/bikeability.
We look forward to working with City Council in 2021.
Respectfully,
Stephanie Glazer, Co-Chair
Kathleen Wiens, Co-Chair
Buzz Chandler
Jay Hamachek
Susan Mead
Mark Puhlman
Matt Schaeffer
Paul Soper
Benjamin Connor, Youth
Kelsey Yutan, Youth
503.635.0291 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
www.ci.oswego.or.us
ATTACHMENT 2
2021 Sustainability and Climate Action Plan Priorities
Transportation Actions:
What Why Who
EV 1-3: Goals EV 1 and 2 have been identified Facilities
EV Fleet Purchasing (1) by the incoming Mayor as priorities.Public Works
Charging at City facilities (2) The City has already started installing All Department Heads
Multifamily EV charging (3) charging stations at new City facilities. SAB
EV 3 is already underway with PGE and City Council
a committee of SAB, LOSN, and
Planning Commission members
TR6: Universal Transit Passes Already available for City Hall and HR
Library employees and could be Sustainability
expanded to more job sites.
TR7: Employee Ride Sharing Moving into a new building is a good IT
Forum time to start some new transportation Sustainability
habits and meet trip reduction goals
before our next Employee Commute
Options Survey
BK3: Bike facilities at new City Should be able to mark as complete Redevelopment
Hall when the new City Hall opens Facilities
Energy Efficiency:
What Why Who
S01: Meet City's 1MW solar Resolution 16-28 set 2021 as a target. Sustainability
installation goal by 2021 This would require measuring installed SAB
Resolution 16-28). solar capacity community wide.
EN1: Home Energy Rating This action had a 1 year timeline, Planning& Building
Workshop for City Staff however it is dependent on ODOE or
USDOE continuing to run online
workshops.
EC2: Educate community SAB has included this as one of their SAB
members on energy savings at 2021 outreach goals
home
Protect Natural Resources:
What Why Who
NR2: Update Urban Forestry The deadline in the plan for this action Planning
Report in 2021 is 2021, based on info provided by
Planning.
Reduce Exposure to Toxins:
What Why Who
TR3: Reduce exposure to air SAB has prepared a white paper and Sustainability
pollution by reducing use of Gas several survey options and are SAB
Powered Landscape Equipment investigating options on how to City Council
proceed with this item. Parks
Reduce Waste:
What Why Who
WR2: Paperless agenda packets This has been a goal since the 2007 City Recorder
for Boards and Commissions Sustainability Plan.Technology has Staff Liaisons
improved enough to make this possible.
City Employee Health and Engagement:
What Why Who
EE1-3: Moving into a new building is a great Sustainability
Employee sustainability time to put new practices into place Department Heads
training and ensure we meet waste reduction
Department trainings on and energy efficiency goals
sustainability plan
Online sharing forum
Adapt to Climate Change:
What Why Who
WS1-4:Actions around Wildfire Based on this past summer's Sustainability
Smoke response experience,we need to review whether SAB
these actions are workable or should be LOFD
incorporated into climate change Communications
response mechanisms in other City
plans. SAB would like to rework this
section t be more focused on public
health and has included this as one of
their 2021 Goals.