DEPARTMENT: Office of Sustainability
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Douglas R. Melnick, AICP, ISSP-SA, CNU-A
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: All
SUBJECT:
SA Climate Ready, Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
SUMMARY:
An ordinance adopting the SA Climate Ready, Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The SA Tomorrow Sustainability Plan is one of three growth-related plans of the City of San Antonio's SA Tomorrow Plan, adopted by City Council August 11, 2016. The Sustainability Plan addresses how the City’s expected population growth will be balanced with our social, economic, and environmental resources. The Sustainability Plan articulates the City’s Sustainability strategy and serves as a roadmap to make our community and municipal operations more sustainable and provides a foundation for climate action as it includes a Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Climate Vulnerability Assessment, and Climate Trends Analysis.
On June 22, 2017, City Council passed a resolution in support of the Paris Climate Agreement, and the Mayor’s National Climate Action Agenda, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and explore the potential benefits and costs of adopting policies and programs that promote the long-term goal of greenhouse gas emissions reduction while maximizing economic and social co-benefits of such action.
On June 27, 2017, CPS Energy committed to providing $500,000.00 to the University of Texas at San Antonio to work with the City of San Antonio on the development of a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
On November 30, 2017, City Council approved an Interagency Partnership Agreement (IPA) between the City of San Antonio, CPS Energy, and the University of Texas at San Antonio for the development of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. The IPA outlines agency roles and expectations, as well as the scope of work, deliverables and timeline.
In January 2019, the first DRAFT of the SA Climate Ready Plan was released for public review. In the intervening months, the plan has been revised to reflect stakeholder input. The updated DRAFT preserves the majority of content in the original draft. Sections were streamlined and rearranged for better flow, context and readability. Some images were replaced to better reflect the San Antonio community, and greenhouse gas reduction goals by sector are now listed for 2030 and 2040. Final, professionally-facilitated meetings were held with the SA Climate Ready Technical Working Groups and Steering Committee on August 12 and 14, 2019 to review the updated DRAFT. On August 22, 2019, City Council was briefed on the updated DRAFT which was also released for public comment.
After refining concerns around strategy costs, technological feasibility, target timelines and affordability, the updated DRAFT has been endorsed through resolutions of support by the boards of directors of CPS Energy, SAWS, SARA, VIA and the West San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. On September 11, 2019 the Planning Commission voted in support of the plan, and on September 20, 2109 the Community Health & Equity Committee voted to move the Plan to the full Council for consideration.
As of September 23, 2019, 6,557 surveys were completed and 98 unique organizations were engaged through the CAAP planning process. Staff also engaged over 11,400 constituents at 368 events in all Council Districts. City Council was briefed about the final draft of the plan on October 2, 2019.
ISSUE:
As part of the implementation of the SA Tomorrow Sustainability Plan and City Council’s Paris Climate Agreement resolution, the Office of Sustainability coordinated with CPS Energy and the University of Texas at San Antonio to develop the SA Climate Ready, Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council may choose not to support the adoption of the SA Climate Ready, Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance adopts the SA Climate Ready, Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. There is no fiscal impact.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council support the adoption of the SA Climate Ready, Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.