SR-510-002
EPWM:CP:DK F\EPWM\ADMIN\Staffrpt\11-9-99\Sustainable City Update.doc
Council Meeting: November 9, 1999 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation for City Council to Review the Sustainable City
Progress Report Update from the Santa Monica Task Force on the
Environment
Introduction
This report recommends that City Council review the Sustainable City Progress Report
Update from the Santa Monica Task Force on the Environment.
Background
Seven years ago, City Council formed a task force of local environmental professionals
to provide needed public input and technical expertise to the City?s myriad
environmental programs. The Task Force on the Environment was formed with the
understanding that decisions made by the City and all members of our community can
contribute to environmental consequences felt far beyond city boundaries. The primary
goal of the Task Force is to create an environmental vision for the City and to help
coordinate its wide array of programs with the goal of minimizing negative impacts on
local neighborhoods, the region, the state, the nation and the globe. Out of this effort,
the Task Force and the Department of Environmental and Public Works Management
began working on the sustainable city concept as a way to achieve the shared vision of
a more livable community.
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In September, 1994 Council adopted the Santa Monica Sustainable City Program. The
program was developed by the Task Force and City staff as a way to create the basis
for a more sustainable way of life - one that safeguards and enhances our resources,
prevents harm to the natural environment and human health, and sustains and benefits
the community and local economy - for the sake of current and future generations. The
adopted program is founded on eight guiding principles and presents a comprehensive
long-term environmental strategy for the community. It includes eighteen sustainability
indicators which allow for the measurement of the City?s progress toward becoming
sustainable. For each indicator a 1990 baseline was developed and a goal for the year
2000 was set.
The implementation plan for the Sustainable City Program calls for periodic assessment
of the program to determine its effectiveness. In December 1996, City staff and the
Task Force completed the first such assessment with the publication of the Sustainable
City Progress Report. The progress report provides the City Council and the general
public with an overview of current and planned sustainability efforts in Santa Monica as
well as an assessment of progress made by the City towards meeting the program
goals during the first two years of program implementation. This assessment process,
which included a careful review of the indicators and targets, identified numerous
accomplishments related to implementation of the program, but perhaps more
importantly identified significant obstacles that need to be overcome if Santa Monica is
to become a truly sustainable community. The process of systematically reviewing
indicator targets and identifying obstacles has enabled the City to make policy
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adjustments that have resulted in significant progress since the publication of the
December 1996 progress report. That progress, as well as ongoing and newly
identified obstacles, is detailed in the attached progress report update.
Discussion
The attached Sustainable City Progress Report Update is an update of the December
1996 progress report and assesses progress made by the City towards meeting the
program goals between December 1996 and September 1999, the fifth anniversary of
program adoption.
In general, implementation of the Sustainable City Program has greatly improved since
the publication of the December 1996 progress report. This has resulted in improved
awareness and participation in the program among City staff, residents and businesses;
incorporation of the goals and objectives of the Sustainable City Program into the City?s
General Plan; and collaboration with local organizations and agencies to broaden the
reach of the program throughout the community.
The Sustainable City Progress Report Update also documents the significant progress
the city has made toward meeting its adopted goals in the areas of Resource
Conservation, Transportation, Pollution Prevention and Public Health Protection, and
Community and Economic Development. Santa Monica has become a nationwide
leader with its sustainable programs and policies such as the purchase of 100%
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renewable energy, development of Sustainable Design and Construction Guidelines,
and its green purchasing and toxics-use reduction efforts.
However, while significant progress has been made as a result of the Sustainable City
Program, several obstacles remain which must be addressed if Santa Monica is to
achieve its goal of becoming a truly sustainable community. These obstacles are
summarized below:
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In spite of significant reductions in resource use and waste diversion achieved since
1990, resource use and waste generation have been on the rise in recent years,
likely due to impacts of the strengthening local economy. Since 1995, energy use,
water use and waste generation have been increasing, largely as a result of
increased construction in the commercial sector and larger daytime populations
resulting from higher occupancy rates in hotels and office buildings. Several
obstacles to achieving the goals of the Sustainable City Program cited in this report
are influenced by the growth of Santa Monica's economy. Although there have been
many benefits from the strong local economy, it is becoming apparent that there are
also environmental costs. Strong economic conditions have contributed to increased
consumption as well as increases in waste generation and pollution associated with
that consumption.
A sustainable community is one that prospers economically without harming the
natural environment or the human community. Santa Monica needs to assess the
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effect of local economic growth on the City's natural resources and quality of life,
focusing on the elements of the Sustainable City Program: 1) Resource
Conservation, 2) Transportation, 3) Pollution Prevention and Public Health Protection,
and 4) Community and Economic Development. This assessment should result in
programs that engage all sectors of Santa Monica's economy, including hotels and
tourism-oriented businesses, office buildings, health service facilities, retail
businesses, and high-tech/media companies, in developing constructive
recommendations and measurable goals that need to be reached to mitigate any
negative environmental and community impacts related to their activities. These
could include, but are not limited to, reducing water and energy use, mitigating traffic
and air quality impacts, and adopting green building measures from the City's
proposed Green Design and Construction Guidelines.
?
In spite of significant increases in development of new affordable housing units in the
city, the availability of affordable housing in Santa Monica is actually decreasing,
largely as a result of a statewide vacancy decontrol regulation that went into effect in
1995. City Rent Control staff projections indicate that 2359 units (representing 10%
of all units) affordable to very low and low income households (those earning
between 50% and 80% of the LA County median household income) will be lost
citywide by December 1999 following one year of full vacancy de-control. These are
in addition to over 4675 affordable units that were lost between October 1995 (when
vacancy increases began) and December 1998. This represents a total decrease in
affordable housing units of more than 20% and the losses appear to be escalating.
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The lack of affordable housing means that it is becoming increasingly more difficult
for people to live and work in Santa Monica. This situation may impact the ability of
local businesses, schools and organizations to attract employees and may contribute
to increased regional traffic and pollution impacts related to longer employee
commutes.
?
As noted previously in the December 1996 Sustainable City Progress Report, the
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, one of the city?s largest employers, has
not made a coordinated effort to address sustainability issues within its operations
and in the classroom. This is primarily due to current budget shortfalls as well as a
large number of existing and proposed programs competing for staffing and funding.
Implementation of a coordinated sustainability program within the district has the
potential of significantly reducing resource use, waste generation, and costs while
improving and safeguarding the health of employees and students, and educating the
next generation of Santa Monica?s leaders about the concepts of sustainability.
Budget/Financial Impacts
There are no budget impacts associated with the recommendation in this report.
Recommendation
This report recommends that City Council review the Sustainable City Progress Report
Update from the Santa Monica Task Force on the Environment.
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Attachment A: Sustainable City Progress Report Update
Prepared by: Craig Perkins, Director of Environmental and Public Works Management
Dean Kubani, Sustainable City Coordinator
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