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<\/a>\u201cWe\u2019re taking it seriously,\u201d said Councilmember Kristine Alessio, who is also on the city\u2019s CAP subcommittee. \u201c[The new CAP] is not just going to be in name only \u2014 that was the major complaint with the original one.\u201d<\/p>\n
David Harris, public policy team vice chair for local environmental advocacy group SanDiego350, agrees that the city is taking the climate plan more seriously now and the new draft plan shows it listened to the public at workshops held to gather citizen input for the CAP. Specifically, he pointed to four new measures that were added to the plan: a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) component; a zero net energy construction component; a solid waste reduction component; and an urban forestry program.<\/p>\n
\u2018We\u2019re really happy to see the CCA program included in this new draft going out to 2035,\u201d Harris said. CCA programs are where a city or a group of cities purchase clean energy direct from suppliers, rather than just relying on whatever power is supplied by local utilities such as SDG&E. This allows cities to choose how much green energy it will consume. La Mesa\u2019s plan is to have a target of a 75 percent renewable energy portfolio by 2035 \u2014\u00a0a target Harris thinks is too low.<\/p>\n
\u201cClimate Action campaign and SanDiego350 are really pushing to have a goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2035,\u201d he said. \u201cThe city of San Diego adopted that goal and we think every city should consider it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another criticism Harris had of the draft plan is that the language for implementing a CCA in La Mesa was \u201cpretty light,\u201d even though much of the GHG reductions from 2020 to 2035 relied on one.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would have liked to see more information provided in the Climate Action Plan on CCA,\u201d he said. \u201cReally just to work with other cities on a feasibility study.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another program added to the CAP is the adoption of zero net energy (ZNE) construction standards for new residential construction starting in 2020 and new commercial construction starting in 2030. ZNE buildings consume only as much energy as can be generated with an onsite renewable energy system, such as solar panels.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is something that can be done at the local level with new construction and even with redevelopment to require that certain energy standards be met to zero net energy,\u201d Harris said. \u201cWe know the technology is out there to do it. It\u2019s just how much it will add to the cost of development and will that discourage development in La Mesa. I\u2019m sure that\u2019s a concern.\u201d<\/p>\n The CAP\u2019s solid waste strategy will mostly be carried out in conjunction with EDCO. The goal is to divert 75 percent or more of all waste from the landfills to recycling and composting.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a very doable thing,\u201d Harris said. \u201cOverall EDCO has a reputation of working well with cities. I would be optimistic about their ability to work toward that goal.\u201d<\/p>\n The other new program added to the CAP is an urban forestry program that would expand the city\u2019s tree canopy by promoting planting of trees in both new and existing neighborhoods, parks and business areas.<\/p>\n One of the more hot-button issues in the CAP is the transportation and land-use strategy section which, among other items like investing in electric vehicle charging stations and updating the city\u2019s fleet with energy-efficient vehicles, calls for building higher density, mixed-use developments along the trolley line.<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly, transit will be more successful if we can build up housing and retail businesses along our trolley corridor,\u201d Harris said. \u201cThe potential is definitely there and it is going to take some political will to move forward on that.\u201d<\/p>\n That could prove to be one of the hardest parts in implementing the CAP considering La Mesa\u2019s historic reluctance to building high-density projects.<\/p>\n Getting the city\u2019s residents and businesses on board and implementing the CAP will also take education and outreach \u2014 a determination reached by a cost benefit analysis \u2014\u00a0and that will involve hiring more staff.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s really important because this is not just the city government of La Mesa becoming more efficient, this is about the businesses and residents and institutions working together to become more energy efficient to reduce greenhouse gasses. They realize that this will take a concerted effort and involve the public,\u201d Harris said.<\/p>\n The next step is for the public to comment on the plan during the 45-day public review period starting Aug. 3. On Oct. 4, the CAP goes before the Planning Commission for review before sending a recommendation to the city council for its vote to be held sometime in November or December \u2014 the goal is to have a plan finalized by the end of the year.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019re further along than a majority of cities,\u201d said Councilmember Bill Baber, who also serves on the CAP subcommittee. There isn\u2019t a long precedent for how to do these. It\u2019s tough to be at the cutting edge of it, but our staff is doing its best. Are we going to stumble? Yes, but we are going to reach our goal and I think that\u2019s good for La Mesa.\u201d<\/p>\n For more information on the La Mesa CAP, visit bit.ly\/2v0yEAP<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/a>