Title
Resolution No. 2021-002 Recommending that the City Council Adopt the 2021 Climate Action Plan and an Addendum to the 2035 General Plan Update Final Environmental Impact Report
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WHEREAS, in April 2016 world leaders from 175 countries recognized the threat of climate change and the urgent need to combat it by signing the Paris Agreement, agreeing to keep warming “well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and to “pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C”; and
WHEREAS, global warming has increased the earth’s temperature by approximately 1°C, and has also resulted in increased and intensifying wildfires, floods, rising seas, diseases, droughts and extreme weather; and
WHEREAS, the United States of America has disproportionately contributed to the climate and ecological crises and thus bears significant responsibility to rapidly solve these crises; and
WHEREAS, a recent state-wide report, Rising Seas in California, projects a conservative estimate of between 1 and 3.4 feet of sea level rise in the San Francisco Bay by the year 2100; and
WHEREAS, the range of projections in the report includes the possibility of up to 10 feet of sea level rise in the San Francisco Bay by 2100, a scenario consistent with rapid Antarctic ice sheet mass loss that would be catastrophic to San Leandro and virtually every other coastal community; and
WHEREAS, restoring a safe and stable climate requires immediate action to reach zero greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors to rapidly and safely drawdown or remove all the excess carbon from the atmosphere, and to implement measures to protect all people and species from the consequences of abrupt climate change; and
WHEREAS, frontline communities, which have historically borne the brunt of the extractive fossil-fuel economy, must actively participate in the planning and implementation of this mobilization effort at all levels of government and that they benefit first from the transition to a renewable energy economy; and
WHEREAS, the term “Just Transition” represents an aspirational goal of shifting to an economy that is ecologically sustainable, equitable and just for all its members; and
WHEREAS, just transition initiatives also seek to shift the economy away from prioritizing only highway construction to also expanding public transit, from incinerators and landfills to zero waste, from industrial food systems to sustainable food production, from car-dependent sprawl and unbridled growth to smart urban development without displacement, and from over-development to habitat and ecosystem restoration; and
WHEREAS, core to a just transition is equity, self-determination, culture, tradition, democracy, and the idea that people around the world have a fundamental human right to access clean, healthy and adequate air, water, land, food, education, and shelter; and
WHEREAS, San Leandro is dedicated to being a sustainable, livable city that is proactively working to address the threats of human-induced climate change by reducing pollutants, conserving precious resources, and strengthening our community’s resilience to a changing climate and rising sea levels; and
WHEREAS, in 2009, the San Leandro City Council approved and adopted the City of San Leandro Climate Action Plan: A Vision for a Sustainable San Leandro to guide the City of San Leandro towards a sustainable future that reduces greenhouse gas emissions from current levels, while promoting economic prosperity for present and future generations.
WHEREAS, in 2014, the City selected PlaceWorks to serve as lead consultant to update the 2035 General Plan, in which the 2009 Climate Action Plan (CAP) was incorporated and evaluated the 2009 CAP as a component of the Environmental Impact Report for the General Plan Update and included direction for updating the 2009 CAP; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), the City of San Leandro City Council: certified a Final Environmental Impact Report for the 2035 General Plan Update; made findings relating to significant impacts, mitigation measures and alternatives, and adopted a Statement of Overriding Considerations; and adopted a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program; and
WHEREAS, in December 2019, the San Leandro City Council declared a climate emergency and has continued its commitment to adopt, honor, and uphold the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement by intensifying efforts to meet the city’s current climate goals, push for new action to meet that agreement's 1.5 °C target, and therefore began a process to update and expand its local CAP with a goal of meeting or exceeding the City Council's previously-adopted greenhouse gas emission reduction targets
WHEREAS, the City has conducted an extensive community outreach process to ensure broad public participation for development of the CAP, including over 150 small group and 1:1 meetings, including parent associations, labor alliances, faith groups, elementary and high school students, service clubs, indigenous leaders, climate and biking organizations, disability advocates, businesses, developers, school districts, and regional agencies; and
WHEREAS, the two public workshops were conducted in both Spanish and Chinese, and the in-person workshop provided childcare and food for greater access and participation; and
WHEREAS, public input was further solicited through two online surveys, including on Consider.It, where participants could vote and comment on the draft CAP strategies; and
WHEREAS, the input received through the public engagement process, including feedback from the public, Planning Commission, and Council, was incorporated into the plan; and
WHEREAS, the City prepared a public review draft, which was publicly released on May 12, 2021, based on public input, staff and consultant review and research, and City Council direction, among other considerations. The draft CAP is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit A; and
WHEREAS, the Draft CAP includes an updated 2017 GHG emissions inventory, projected GHG emissions forecasted to 2050, a climate vulnerability assessment, GHG reduction strategies, climate adaptation strategies, and an implementation work plan; and
WHEREAS, the GHG reduction and climate adaptation strategies are broken down into sectors related to energy, waste management, resiliency, resource management, equity and just transition, land use, transportation, health, and infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the Draft CAP incorporates the Council’s 2030 and 2050 GHG emission targets of 40% and 80% reduction respectively over the baseline year; and
WHEREAS, the draft CAP is consistent with the policies, goals and vision set out in the General Plan; and
WHEREAS, the draft CAP incorporates all necessary components to comply with current state mandates around climate change; and
WHEREAS, the City prepared an Addendum to the General Plan 2035 Update Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”) dated May 2021 for the draft CAP, attached as Exhibit B and incorporated herein by reference. The CAP Addendum to the General Plan Update EIR has been prepared to identify the potential environmental impacts for approving the draft CAP; and
WHEREAS, an Addendum is appropriate pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15164 because only some minor changes and additions to the General Plan Update EIR are necessary and no conditions calling for preparation of a subsequent or supplemental EIR have occurred; and
WHEREAS, the Addendum was prepared in full compliance with CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines; and
WHEREAS, on June 3, 2021, the Planning Commission reviewed the staff report and the EIR Addendum (including comments and responses) at a duly noticed public hearing on the Draft CAP, at which time all interested parties had the opportunity to be heard; and
NOW, THEREFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF SAN LEANDRO RESOLVES THAT: The above recitals are true and correct and made a part of this resolution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: The Planning Commission hereby recommends that the City Council adopt the 2021 Climate Action Plan, as shown in attached Exhibit A based on the following findings and considering the staff report and the whole of the record related to the Project;
1. The proposed CAP establishes appropriate goals, policies, and programs to address climate change, energy, waste management, resiliency, land use, transportation, infrastructure.
2. The proposed CAP will not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, or welfare of the City.
3. The proposed CAP is internally consistent and is consistent with the City’s General Plan.
4. The proposed CAP conforms with the relevant and applicable provisions of the California Government Code for climate action plans in that it systematically implements the General Plan for the CAP, and adequately addresses all of the statutorily required components and content.
5. The EIR Addendum, attached as Exhibit B and incorporated herein by reference, has been prepared and completed in compliance with the requirements of CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines, the Planning Commission has reviewed and considered the General Plan Update EIR and the Addendum, as a whole, and the Addendum reflects the independent judgment and analysis of the City, as the lead agency and is supported by substantial evidence in the record.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 3rd day of June, 2021 by the following vote: