The County shall update the County’s GHG emissions inventory at least every five years.
Climate Action Plan
COS-BB Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Strategy Amendments
The County may amend the GHG Strategy to ensure that the County is on track to achieve its 2030 target and making substantial progress towards achieving its longer-term, post-2030 goals.
COS-CC Climate Emergency Council
The County shall establish a Climate Emergency Council (CEC) by a resolution of the Board of Supervisors to advise the Board of Supervisors on climate action planning and implementation of the Climate Action Plan (CAP) goals, policies, and programs. The County agency or department responsible for implementation of this program shall draft, administer, and maintain the CEC bylaws. Initial establishment of the CEC and its bylaws shall include the following terms, duties, and membership composition:
- Term of each member is two years. At the conclusion of a term, a CEC member may be re-appointed or re-selected, as applicable, for a consecutive term by the appointing authority.
- Duties of the CEC members include attendance at duly called meetings; review, in advance, of all written material provided in preparation for CEC meetings; serve and participate on committees and/or sub-committees; and contribute to the CEC’s advisory recommendations to the Board of Supervisors;
- The officers of the CEC shall be Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson.
- Officers shall be elected annually at regular meeting each year by CEC members. Nomination shall be made from the floor. Election shall be by simple majority.
- Officers shall serve a one-year term. An officer may be re-elected, but no individual shall serve more than three full consecutive terms in the same office. No member shall hold more than one office at a time.
- The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the CEC, sign all correspondence, reports, and other materials produced by the CEC, and perform any and all other duties prescribed by the CEC from time to time. The Chairperson may serve as an ex-officio member of all committees.
- The Vice-Chairperson shall represent the Chairperson and/or substitute in performance of the Chairperson during their absence.
- Membership of the CEC shall be comprised of the following:
- One person representing each Supervisorial District who has demonstrated interest in and knowledge of climate action planning shall be nominated by each of the five members of the Board of Supervisors, and confirmed by a majority of the Board of Supervisors resulting in a total of five Supervisorial District representatives;
- One resident from each of the designated disadvantaged communities identified in the 2040 General Plan who has demonstrated an understanding of their community’s needs as well as an interest in and knowledge of climate action planning shall be appointed by a majority of the Board of Supervisors; and
- Two additional at-large members who have demonstrated special interest, competence, experience, or knowledge in climate action planning shall be selected by a majority of the CEC members.
- Each member is entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the CEC.
COS-DD Budget and Staffing Plan for CAP Implementation
The CEO shall, within six months from the adoption of the General Plan Update and Climate Action Plan, present to the Board of Supervisors a proposed budget and staffing plan (including qualified technical consultants) to implement the Climate Action Plan, and shall update the budget and staffing plan each year.
COS-O Assessment of Land Near Electrical Transmission and Distribution Lines
The County shall conduct a study and prepare a publicly available assessment of suitable undeveloped lands near electrical transmission and distribution lines that serve as priority areas for the development of utility-scale solar energy generation and storage projects. If suitable locations are identified, the County shall establish a new zone, if necessary, called a Renewable Energy Priority Zone, for these sites in the County’s Coastal and Non-Coastal Zoning Ordinances.
COS-P Study to Demonstrate Energy and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Savings
The County shall conduct a study that demonstrates the energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) savings of the options identified in Implementation Program COS-R using modeled building prototypes. To satisfy state regulatory requirements for Energy Reach Code adoption, the study shall also demonstrate long-term cost savings of the options through a life-cycle cost analysis that considers the initial costs of efficiency improvements offset by utility bill cost savings and other relevant factors.