Table of Contents:
Climate Action Leadership Team (CALT)
Coastal Issues Committee
Forest Protection Committee (FPC)
Open Space Committee
Soils Committee
Sustainable Land Use Committee (SLU)
Transporation Committee
Water Committee
Wildlife Committee
Climate Action Leadership Team (CALT)
Time is running out in the fight against climate change. In our region, some of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions are fracked gas pipelines and gas use in buildings. In 2019, the Climate Action Leadership Team brought climate urgency to town, city, and county governments. Supported by Loma Prieta staff and local volunteers in dozens of cities, the CALT fought alongside other environmental groups to pass local ordinances that restrict the construction of fracked gas pipelines in new buildings.
These ordinances are called “Reach Codes” since they “reach” beyond the California state building code to require even stronger provisions. Reach Codes apply to new construction. Each jurisdiction is responsible for passing its own version of a reach code, meaning that the strength of each code can vary. Some codes provide incentives for developers to build all-electric, and other codes require that certain appliances be electric. The strongest form of a reach code is an “All-Electric” code, which requires new buildings to be all-electric, effectively banning gas. The CALT strongly took the position of fighting for all-electric reach codes.
Before 2019, no jurisdiction in the United States had restricted gas in new buildings. By the end of 2019, over 23 jurisdictions in California passed reach codes aimed at reducing gas use. 12 of those ordinances were in Loma Prieta Chapter territory. By March 2020, that number has climbed to 15 ordinances within Loma Prieta territory for an overall total of 27. Among the 15 ordinances we influenced were some of the strongest codes in the nation; Morgan Hill, Cupertino, Mountain View, and San Mateo County went all-electric and banned gas in new construction. San Jose, the 3rd largest city in California and the 10th largest in the nation, banned gas in new low-rise residential buildings and municipal buildings, and is looking to expand those requirements to other building types in 2020.
To pass these first-in-the-nation ordinances, CALT members and volunteers organized local community members and educated the public on reach codes. They met with city staff and local elected officials to influence the ordinance-writing process to make sure that each code was a strong as possible. Members wrote letters and delivered public comments, many of which encouraged climate champions on various city councils to make motions to strengthen these ordinances on the day of the vote. All of this was done in cooperation with a massive local climate movement, comprising of a variety of environmental organizations, youth advocacy groups, technical experts, and community members. Our local Community Choice Energy entities, Silicon Valley Clean Energy and Peninsula Clean Energy, were also very influential in helping these laws pass. A key moment in this fight was the Silicon Valley Youth Climate strike on September 20th in the streets of San Jose, where thousands of young people and allies called for immediate climate action.
CALT members also successfully fought for Climate Emergency Declarations in Santa Clara County, San Jose, San Mateo County, and the VTA Board. We are continuing to track and advocate for strong Climate Action Plans in various cities, and will continue to push for reach codes in cities and counties that have not yet adopted them. The fight continues against the fossil fuel industry, against climate change, and to protect our planet and future generations.
Coastal Issues Committee
Protected Habitat in San Mateo County
Coastal Issues Committee members fought to protect a stream full of willows in the unincorporated mid coast. Proponents of a development on that site hired 3 consultants to say that the land in question was not habitat, despite the fact that this was very clearly a riparian habitat, as observable by the naked eye. County Planning concurred with the consultants, and the Coastal Issues Committee partnered with Green Foothills and local members to hire a qualified biologist and appealed that decision to the California Coastal Commission under a process called a “dispute resolution”. The Commission unanimously decided that the land was habitat, saving it from potential destruction.
Opposed Development in Irresponsible Locations
In Half Moon Bay, 48 acres of beautiful open space are under the threat of development. Known as Surf Beach or Dunes Beach, this area is habitat for species such as monarch butterflies and western snowy plovers, and is a scenic destination along the Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail. The Coastal Issues Committee, Green Foothills and other environmental organizations have opposed development on this land since 2018, when the proposed development surfaced. The application submitted to the city consisted largely of a luxury hotel, conference center and an RV park. The proposal is in conflict with the current Half Moon Bay Local Coastal Program, which requires that the project protect the scenic qualities of the site, protect coastal resources, protect habitat areas, protect archeological sites, and protect prime agricultural lands. Over 4,500 residents have signed petitions against this project, and hundreds of residents have spoken out at City Council meetings. Over the past 3 decades, 3 different hotel proposals at Dunes beach have been defeated in the face of massive public opposition. The Coastal Issues Committee will continue to support the public will to oppose this development and protect the habitat of Dunes / Surf Beach.
The Coastal Issues Committee is currently opposed to a development project in Moss Beach. These proposed housing units would be built in an area that is not walkable, not bikeable, and has difficult access to infrequent transit. The development would essentially require that residents own their own cars, which would increase greenhouse gas emissions and exclude people who cannot afford to own or maintain a vehicle. The Committee is not opposed to the project concept itself, but rather its problematic location. There are several alternate sites that the Committee would support. The fate of this project has yet to be decided.
Continued to Support the Community
Throughout their advocacy efforts, Coastal Issues Committee members have worked hard to support the community. Committee volunteers helped residents oppose potentially destructive development, as in the case of the aforementioned Dunes Beach luxury hotel proposal. The Committee has also worked with the Half Moon Bay City council in support of several potential affordable housing projects, and is pleased with the Council’s efforts to find the necessary partners to make those projects happen. Coastal Issues Committee members also engaged with Latino organizations to help find new jobs for workers when a large nursery called Bay City Flower shut down. Members are also working with Latino organizations and other environmental groups to support their effort to establish a cooperative farming operation.
Engaged in Half Moon Bay Local Coastal Program Update Process
The Half Moon Bay Local Coastal Program is current in the process of being updated. This approximately 600-page document is critical to the protection of local ecosystems. This document sets the requirements for all land use planning in the area. Some of what’s at stake are critical definitions, such as what constitutes “open space” and “wetlands”. Coastal Committee members have in turn been engaged with the Half Moon Bay City Council, who have been receptive of our concerns. The Coastal Committee continues to track the update process and advocate for the strongest environmental protections possible.
Forest Protection Committee (FPC)
In 2019, the Forest Protection Committee focused on wildfire resiliency planning. On September 15th, along with the San Carlos Belmont Group, the FPC hosted the Peninsula Wildfire Safety Summit at the College of San Mateo. The summit brought in many experts including frontline local firefighters, meteorologists, and vegetation management experts who spoke to an audience of over 100 people.
Climate change has exacerbated wildfires, extending their range and deadliness. 95 percent of fires are caused by humans. Antiquated power lines and equipment have been the root cause of the majority of the most disastrous wildfires. Where and how we build our homes is responsible for spreading fires once they begin. Experts noted that during the Camp fire, there were trees with green at the top that remained even in completely burned out neighborhoods. Flying embers generated from burnt houses were often responsible for spreading the fire, and the strong winds that carried these embers made fuel breaks (areas with reduced vegetation) less effective.
Solutions proposed at the summit included ceasing construction near wildlands such as the Santa Cruz Mountains and retrofitting homes already in those locations. These retrofits, known as “home hardening”, would utilize building materials and design techniques that help fire-proof the home. It was also noted that PG&E should upgrade its electrical infrastructure, potentially by undergrounding their power lines or insulating their bare ware distribution lines. Another solution was to bring power generation sources closer to homes, also known as “distributed power.” This would reduce the length of power lines needed and reduce susceptibility to power shut offs.
To learn more about the Peninsula Wildfire Safety Summit you can read this article written by youth columnist Tina Zeng.
The Forest Protection Committee engaged in a variety of public processes to track ongoing wildfire resiliency efforts and to propose solutions. FPC members met with elected officials such as State Assemblymember Ash Kalra, State Senator Jerry Hill, and Assemblymember Kevin Mullin’s staffer Kevin Fong. FPC members attended 8 San Mateo Firesafe Council meetings, 3 Midpeninsula meetings about fuel reduction, and 3 CPUC meetings regarding Utility Wildfire Mitigation Plans.
Wildfires remain a grave threat to California’s forests and our community, and the Forest Protection Committee will continue their efforts in 2020 to preserve our forest habitats for future generations.
Open Space Committee
Victory in the Protection of Coyote Valley
In November 2019, the San Jose City Council voted unanimously to purchase 937 acres in north Coyote Valley for permanent protection. Coyote Valley is an essential flood plain, habitat, and wildlife corridor. This was a major conservation victory for the Sierra Club and our allies that was decades in the making. Volunteers organized events, wrote letters, collected signatures, met with officials and staff, and gave public comments in this prolonged struggle to protect one of the most important open spaces in our region. This fight also involved multiple ballot initiatives (including Measure T, which secured funding for the purchase), a lawsuit (filed by the Loma Prieta Chapter and the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society) against a proposed development, and a successful state law (AB 948) which declared Coyote Valley an area of statewide significance for conservation. Open Space Committee Chair and Dave Poeschel wrote an article describing the struggle to protect Coyote Valley in detail. While the protection of land in Coyote Valley this November may be the local conservation victory of a generation, there is still work to do; while much of the development pressure has been thwarted by the conservation purchase, there are still thousands of acres held privately with various zoning restrictions (mostly agriculture). Open Space Committee members are exploring options with a San Jose General Plan Update Task Force and Councilmembers to provide a habitat and climate resilience overlay or re-designation and new vision language in the General Plan for the entire Coyote Valley. The protection of open space requires constant vigilance, and the Open Space Committee will continue on in this decades long fight to protect our local ecosystems.
Soils Committee
The mission of the Soils Committee is to protect and regenerate soil health through education, advocacy, and political action in order to increase soil carbon sequestration and reduce atmospheric CO2 levels.
This year, the soils committee along with the Loma Prieta Chapter’s Guadalupe Regional Group and other environmental organizations, co-sponsored an event called “Create a Livable Climate Through Healthy Soils” at the West Valley Library. The event educated the public on healthy soils practices and the benefits they provide to our ecosystems, such as protecting water systems, growing healthy food, and supporting other plant and animal species. The event also connected people to local environmental efforts, such as the protection of Coyote Valley.
The Soils Committee also engages with the community through an active facebook page, where they post information on current events, soil health and best practices for regenerative farming and ranching. The committee also maintains links to useful resources on the Loma Prieta Chapter Website for anyone interested in soils. Topics include a glossary of agricultural terms and links to books, videos, articles and peer-reviewed studies.
Sustainable Land Use Committee (SLU)
The mission of Sustainable Land Use Committee (SLU) is to promote land use strategies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, avoid sprawl, increase transit use, add more affordable housing, and create amenities that people will enjoy. Neighborhoods should be safely walkable and bikeable, with homes, jobs, and key destinations near mass transit. Within their guidelines are benefits to local ecology such as the use of native plants, pollinator corridors, green stormwater infrastructure, habitat restoration, and bird-safe design.
SLU environmental advocates and architects meet regularly to create guidelines and provide analysis on proposed projects. They use their guidelines to review development plans, scoring them qualitative and quantitatively, and recommending whether projects should be approved, rejected, or modified. Beginning in 2018, SLU revised their Guidelines for Downtown and Station Area Plans to emphasize ecology, and were approved by the Loma Prieta Chapter Conservation Committee in 2019. SLU also updated their Guidelines for Residential, Commercial, and Mixed-Use Transit Oriented Development to emphasize increasing affordable housing unit requirements to at least 20%.
A positive example of a project was in South San Francisco. SLU supported a project proposal on Mission Street with many positive qualities. The project will be 8 stories, have 800 all-electric units with multi-family housing, and will be located near Caltrain. SLU still had recommendations for the developer and City Council, suggesting un-bundled parking, which separates the cost to rent a parking space from the cost to rent an apartment.
Another positive example is the proposed mixed-use high-density development around the Millbrae multi-modal train station with links to Caltrain, BART, buses and the airport. The first portion, an all-electric housing project, broke ground last year and heralds the success of advocating for sustainable land use at a transit node.
The number one pollutant to the Bay is tire dust and brake liner. This debris from cars settles on the roads and parking lots, and when it rains the particles wash into creeks and then down into the bay. Industrial storm water is also a significant source of bay pollution. To reduce this pollution in a holistic way, SLU has developed a Green Corridors plan for cities. Green Corridors is a guide for master planning in the urban natural environment.
The Green Corridors plan begins by identifying areas that lack parks and proposing new parks in those locations. Landscaped pedestrian walkways and bikeways with tree cover should then be added connecting parks, creeks, and the bay. Native plants should be incorporated into pedestrian walkways and bikeways, creating “green streets” to reduce stormwater runoff and pollution. In addition to reducing pollution, this native landscaping will also provide habitat for birds and create corridors for pollinators to travel.
SLU members are currently working with the City of Mountain View to implement Green Corridors planning. Members have also presented to the San Carlos City Council and the San Carlos Transportation and Circulation Commission, as well as individual San Mateo City Councilmembers and to the San Mateo Parks and Recreation Commission. As a result of their efforts, SLU members accepted an invitation to help organize the Green Streets for Sustainable Communities Symposium on March 12th, which has now been postponed due to COVID-19.
You can find the list of SLU Guidelines and Resources on their webpage. Their plans include:
- Guidelines for Downtown and Station Area Plans (Useful for Specific Plans)
- Guidelines for Residential, Commercial, and Mixed-Use Transit Oriented Development
- Recommendations for Housing Affordability, Reducing Parking Cost & Congestion
- Transportation Demand Management
- Urban Habitat Design Guidelines
- Green Corridor Guidelines
Transportation Committee
The Transportation Committee seeks to promote the most cost-effective, equitable, least polluting, and least sprawl-inducing transportation system possible. Since transportation is the number one source of emissions in the South Bay, reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMTs) is key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is best accomplished through providing alternatives to single-person automotive transport, which include bicycle, pedestrian, and mass transit.
To these ends, Transportation Committee members often work alongside other Conservation Committees to provide policy recommendations. Members have worked with the Sustainable Land Use committee on both their updated Transit Oriented Development (TOD) guidelines, Revised Guidelines for Station Area Plans, and also their Green Corridors plan, which promotes bicycle, pedestrian, and pollinator corridors in cities. (see the Sustainable Land Use Committee Section for more information on these plans). Transportation Committee members also worked alongside members of the Climate Action Leadership Team in proposing model code language that would reduce parking requirements for buildings within a quarter mile of public transit.
Highway expansion is unfortunately not a valid solution to our regional traffic problems. Previous road expansions have proven unsuccessful at curbing traffic congestion. The Transportation Committee recognizes that the best way to reduce traffic is to reduce the number of vehicles on the road, something best accomplished by expanding public transit systems. Public transit is also a crucial transportation option for low income people, making the expansion of those services a key social justice issue.
Committee members have advocated for the VTA Board to reallocate Measure B funds originally dedicated to road expansion to be put instead into expanding bus services. Members have written letters to the VTA board and given public comments at VTA Board meetings. This VTA reallocation effort is an ongoing effort with many allies, including youth groups such as the San Jose Youth Climate Action Team. Committee members will continue to advocate on this issue as the reallocation item works its way through the VTA Board.
Water Committee
Brought Public Attention to a Secret Negotiation
The Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) had been negotiating in secret to purchase a 5,272 acre ranch in Merced County for the purposes of creating an underground water reserve. Water Committee chair Katja Irvin called out the SCVWD for the lack of public discussion on such a large project. This story eventually reached the San Jose Mercury News, who quoted Katja:
“I’m concerned that the water district, which is a public agency, is doing backroom deals related to water supply that have not been discussed with the public and don’t appear to fit in with anything else that they have said in the past they plan to do. A groundwater banking project “might make sense, but there’s been no daylight. Nobody knows anything. This isn’t early steps. When you are going into purchase negotiations you are pretty far down the road.”
After a healthy dose of sunlight, the SCVWD eventually backed off of the purchase.
Participated in Critical Planning Processes
The Water Committee actively participates in the public process of large-scale plans that will impact the health of our water.
Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) Water Supply Master Plan 2040
Water Committee members got involved in this planning process as early as 2017, and met with staff in order to have more of an impact on the plan. Ultimately, the SCVWD responded to 20 individual comments written by the Water Committee, which you can read here:
https://www.valleywater.org/your-water/water-supply-planning/water-supply-master-plan
https://www.valleywater.org/sites/default/files/Response%20to%20Comments%20Received.pdf
Google Diridon Station Area Plan
The Water Committee worked with members of the Wildlife Committee, the Open Space Committee, and the Sustainable Land Use Committee to provide input on this plan. The site of the plan includes confluence of the Guadalupe River and Los Gatos Creek, two very important riparian corridors. Water Committee members commented in favor of the protection and restoration of the river.
Commented on San Luis Low Point Improvement Program (SLOIP)
Water committee chair Katja Irvin has been involved in tracking the SLOIP since 2016, when the project was first proposed. This project would expand the Pacheco Reservoir to be 25 times its original size. This could result in the inundation of large amounts of rare Western Sycamore forest and riparian habitat, negatively impacting the wildlife and plants.
The project would increase reliance on the Delta, a critically vulnerable ecosystem. Such reliance runs contrary to the Delta Reform Act Chapter 2 which states: “The policy of the State of California is to reduce reliance on the Delta in meeting California’s future water supply needs through a statewide strategy of investing in improved regional supplies, conservation, and water use efficiency. Each region that depends on water from the Delta watershed shall improve its regional self-reliance for water […]”.
Katja has expressed her concerns publicly in a San Jose Mercury News Article, stating of the SLOIP: “It’s a lot of money. It could be spent more efficiently and in ways that are less damaging to the environment.” The Water Committee has also submitted comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). Committee members will continue to track the environmental review process and will advocate for the smart management of water resources and the protection of the Delta ecosystem.
Wildlife Committee
The Wildlife Committee advocates for the defense of vulnerable habitats and species. Habitats such as riparian corridors are under the threat of encroaching development. Major creek arteries are often surrounded by development and in need of restoration. There are few remaining wildlife corridors in our region that connect major mountain ranges to each other, such as between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range. Habitat fragmentation and disruption to wildlife movement has led to genetic inbreeding among mountain lions and is a barrier to the reproduction of other species that depend on these corridors. Bird species are in decline locally, nationally, and globally. The number one cause of bird mortality is habitat reduction. Other major causes of mortality are collisions with glass and outdoor cats.
The Wildlife Committee provides ecological expertise to the other Conservation Sub Committees, often co-signing letters with the Water Committee and Open Space Committee. The Wildlife Committee also provided input on SLU’s development guidelines.
One example of this joint effort was the coordinated response to a proposed “iconic” development on the confluence of the Guadalupe River and the Los Gatos Creek. The development, sited for Arena Green, was initially intended to emulate the San Jose electric light tower, which was constructed in 1881 in downtown San Jose. This historical light tower proved to be extremely disturbing both for residents and wildlife, as artificial light at night disrupts the circadian rhythms of living beings and has been proven fatal for birds. So many birds were killed by the tower that police officers would routinely collect the dead birds and sell them to restaurants.
The Wildlife Committee led a joint effort with the Water and Open Space Committees to intervene. They spoke with the project proponents, provided criticisms during public stakeholder meetings, and delivered public comments and letters at San Jose City Council meetings. The results were mixed. The project proponents eventually backed off of the idea of a light tower, instead deciding to host an ideas competition. Water Committee Chair Katja Irvin was given a seat on the jury which would review the potential projects in this competition. However, San Jose City Council did not relocate the project away from Arena Green, as was requested by our Committees. The ideas competition is still underway, and the Wildlife Committee will vigilantly track this development and continue to advocate for the protection of the Guadalupe River and Los Gatos Creek.
Wildlife, Water, and Open Space Committee members also collaborated on comments on the Stanford General Use Permit (GUP). Their comments emphasized that school development boundaries (known as the academic growth boundary) should not be expanded further into open space, given that Stanford already has enough room to expand within its boundary for a full century. They asked that ancient oaks, some as old as the school itself, be protected. They also asked for bird-safe design and light pollution mitigation techniques to be mandated in future building designs.
When a proposal was floated by the Midpeninsula Open Space district to shoot mountain lions as a method of protecting livestock, the Wildlife Committee attended public meetings to speak out against the shooting of this already vulnerable population. Many members of the public also resisted this lethal response, and Midpen responded by quickly dropping the proposal.
The Wildlife Committee continues to track ongoing development proposals, and will stand up for our ecosystems and wildlife against the forces that would threaten their existence.