City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council consider authorizing the Mayor, on behalf of the
City, to sign the US Conference of Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement.
BACKGROUND
At the City Council meeting of May 14, 2007, Councilmember Silbiger requested the City
Council’s consensus to agendize a discussion of signing on to the U.S. Conference of
Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Consensus was provided, therefore this item is
presented to the City Council this evening.
DISCUSSION:
The Kyoto Protocol (Attachment 1) to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change is an amendment to the international treaty on climate change,
assigning mandatory emission limitations for the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions to the signatory nations. The treaty was negotiated in Kyoto, Japan in
December 1997, opened for signature on March 16, 1998, and closed on March 15,
1999. The agreement came into force on February 16, 2005 following ratification by
Russia on November 18, 2004.
Many cities like Culver City already have local policies and programs in place to
reduce global warming pollution, but the U.S. Conference of Mayors believes that
more action is needed at the local, state, and federal levels to meet the challenge.
To this end, the U.S. Conference of Mayors Conference unanimously endorsed the
U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement (Attachment 2), an
initiative launched by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.
Meeting Date: 08/20/07 Item Number: A-3
AGENDA ITEM: Discussion Regarding Mayor’s Signature on the U.S. Conference
of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement Signature Page.
Contact Person/Dept.: Shelly Wolfberg Phone Number: (310) 253-6008
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: Master Notification List (08/15/07)
Department Approval:
Martin R. Cole (08/15/07)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Iker) (08/14/07)
City Controller Approval:
Marlee Chang (08/15/07)
City Manager Approval:
Jerry B. Fulwood (08/15/07) City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
As of mid July 2007, there were 600 U.S. mayors who had signed on to the
Agreement. There is an opportunity for the City of Culver City to become a signatory
on the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Under the Agreement,
participating cities pledge to take following three actions:
1. Urge their state governments, and the federal government, to enact policies and
programs to meet or beat the greenhouse gas emission reduction target
suggested for the United States in the Kyoto Protocol -- 7% reduction from 1990
levels by 2012; and
2. Urge the U.S. Congress to 1) pass the bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction
legislation, which would establish a national emission trading system and 2) set
clear timetables and emissions limits; and
3. Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities,
through actions ranging from anti-sprawl land-use policies to urban forest
restoration projects to public information campaigns.
On September 27, 2006, AB 32 was approved by the Governor and filed by the
Secretary of State. AB 32 added Division 25.5, commencing with Section 38500 to
the Health and Safety Code, relating to air pollution (Attachment 3). Section 38530
states: “On or before January 1, 2008, the state board (California Air Resources
Board) shall adopt regulations to require the reporting and verification of statewide
greenhouse gas emissions and to monitor and enforce compliance with this
program.” The City of Culver City will keep abreast of any mandates to comply with
the statewide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through State Air Quality
Resource Board and/or South Coast Air Quality Management District
implementation measures.
Current and/or Ongoing City Efforts related to Climate Protection and Resource
Conservation
City departments have been active in implementing various environmental
programs, ranging from recycling efforts, the compressed natural gas vehicle fleet,
and the emerging green building standards. In addition, the City’s Purchasing
Officer serves as chairperson and is actively participating in a U.S.
Communities/Green program to offer public agencies direct access to “green”
products and services. The Sustainable Design Assessment Team project and the
City’s research into implementing a “live/work” housing model into Culver City are
other examples of the City’s efforts in this area. Further, the City retains state and
federal advocacy firms that can advance the City’s position regarding greenhouse
gas reduction legislation, policies and programs.
City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
Integration of Agreement’s Goals with Existing City Policies
During the City Council’s consideration of providing authorization to the Mayor to
become a signatory to the Climate Protection Agreement, the City Council should
keep in mind that environmental policy, while an important component of the City’s
overall “culture,” would need to be integrated and balanced with other important
policy items such as (but not limited to): housing needs (especially low and
moderate income housing), jobs/housing balance, and business retention and
attraction. While there may not be a direct fiscal impact to the City and/or
community for signing on to the Agreement, implementing the goals embodied in the
Agreement may require changing various existing City laws which would have a
fiscal impact (both positive and negative).
Other Westside City Actions
The cities of Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and West Hollywood have
signed on to the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
In speaking with staff affiliated with the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement,
there are no mandated costs as a result of signing onto the agreement. Therefore,
recommendations presented in this report do not have any additional budget impacts
for FY 2007-08 as funding for existing programs has already been included in the
Adopted Budget.
Implementation of any future efforts that address the goals of the U.S. Conference of
Mayors plan may have budgetary and financial impacts. It is difficult to assess the
entirety of those impacts at this time; however, when individual programs, projects
and policies related to actions taken on the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection
Agreement are advanced, Council will be presented with a full assessment of budget
and financial impacts of those activities as part of the approval process.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change-
United Nations, 1998.
2. U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement (As endorsed by the 73
rd
Annual U.S.
Conference of Mayors meeting, Chicago, 2005).
3. Health and Safety Code: Sections 38500-38599. City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1. Discuss the Issue of authorizing the Mayor, on behalf of the City, to sign the
U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement Signature Page;
and/or
2. Provide other direction as deemed appropriate.