[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6639172,"mediaKeyId","5023719-adda75a29caee85764489df2af09ab65","parentId",5023719,"title","Staff reports: YCAB progress, guidance on 120‑volt heat‑pump water heaters and low‑carbon concrete rules; committee approves 2025 meeting schedule","audioSeconds",279,"startMs",151000,"endMs",430000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5023719-adda75a29caee85764489df2af09ab65&start=151&end=430","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5023719-adda75a29caee85764489df2af09ab65/thumbnail_151000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6639172/Palo-Alto/Santa-Clara-County/California/Staff-reports-YCAB-progress-guidance-on-120volt-heatpump-water-heaters-and-lowcarbon-concrete-rules-committee-approves-2025-meeting-schedule","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6639172-09ac0dad26b44ed306a4d90754655288/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440198&Signature=JwetiIoV~Ju84tA~PlAslOsxpvlJPdjHGM3dRtbhdW20VyE6Rzoj5a28n7IAmn~waroiHfVcaIwkNO6J6LyVMbXZQXm~-hxl989rm-9NvRMgSMGkAeBjb6zA6bXuLJfocBWhnNI9jNj9xDyBGjiv4~CL7V8XNqUp4CuNtKH8k9E2Gk0H6C7M6rPFrTpIqkpwQkBQhj-Q81qAFZnSYk6MwraWBSJyPqluE8cjIfZ1-7Mmn3q7rrk-q2NcJsntq5W7YVFlRPASuTIXURZo6Td4XSGcOjjUV5Q2EVe2SLcwSwEFIdTgxRpoic7TTc2yiuAryD7Rf2N3oy78DXNMkARnYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Palo Alto","date","2025-06-14T11:03:30Z","article","City staff provided standing updates at the Climate Action and Sustainability Committee meeting on June 13, 2025, including a year‑end summary for the Youth Climate Advisory Board (YCAB), operational guidance on 120‑volt plug‑in heat‑pump water heaters in city programs, and an overview of Palo Alto’s low‑carbon concrete reach code. The committee also approved its regular meeting schedule for the rest of 2025.

Youth Climate Advisory Board

Brad Eggleston, director of public works, said YCAB celebrated its first school year of activity and several subcommittees will continue projects over the summer. He said a progress report from YCAB is planned for City Council in August and staff will select new YCAB members by the end of the month. \"There are currently 11 [members]; we can have a maximum of 15,\" Eggleston said during the meeting.

120‑volt heat‑pump water heater guidance

Staff described program experience and recommended best practices for 120‑volt plug‑in heat‑pump water heaters deployed through city programs. Staff relayed program guidance used in Palo Alto: recommend upsizing units relative to prior gas water‑heater sizing; limit recommended use to moderately sized homes and small families; place units in conditioned spaces (avoid outdoor installation where low temperatures impair operation); set tank temperatures to 140 degrees Fahrenheit and use mixing valves so units can run longer with smaller apparent hot‑water delivery.

Low‑carbon concrete reach code

Staff summarized the city’s low‑carbon concrete requirements, which the presentation identified as Palo Alto Municipal Code §16.14.0.24. The requirements apply to tier‑1 and tier‑2 residential and nonresidential projects, with two compliance pathways: a cement‑content limit pathway and an embodied‑carbon limits pathway that requires certified lower‑emission materials. Staff said most affected projects since the rule took effect on 2023‑01‑01 have used the cement‑limit pathway.

Committee schedule vote

The committee considered and approved the remaining monthly meeting dates for 2025, with two meetings scheduled in September to accommodate workload. A member moved to accept the staff recommendation and the committee recorded yes votes from Council member Lee, Chair Vinger and Council member Burt; the motion carried.

Ending

Committee members thanked staff for the updates and flagged follow‑up requests: staff will provide additional data on household sizes or reported adequacy for customers who have 120‑volt heat‑pump water heaters and will look into whether the low‑carbon concrete program has produced estimates of embodied‑carbon reductions to date.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Climate Action and Sustainability Committee Meeting - June 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Public works staff reported on the youth climate advisory board, guidance and limits for 120‑volt heat‑pump water heaters in city programs, and Palo Alto’s low‑carbon concrete reach code; the committee also voted to approve its remaining 2025 meeting dates.","taxTitle","Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California","taxId",3867,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6639178,"Committee recommends Palo Alto adopt eMobility strategic roadmap with redlines to emphasize last‑mile, multifamily and transit charging",838,4162000,5000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5023719-adda75a29caee85764489df2af09ab65&start=4162&end=5000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5023719-adda75a29caee85764489df2af09ab65/thumbnail_4162000.jpg","/articles/6639178/Palo-Alto/Santa-Clara-County/California/Committee-recommends-Palo-Alto-adopt-eMobility-strategic-roadmap-with-redlines-to-emphasize-lastmile-multifamily-and-transit-charging","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6639178-5ecc8b2ccd5074e259eae960852773bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440198&Signature=cQSStORlauopDvOGD9Vc0w5VcQ6z6SE-myBm1DWUj3pM4vUvTfk0c28hPpZzsvhibTcUkseQal6AM1He4~1tpwOToVQezZjBcLho7uLphfwLy90CZkjKqRS4ntPeFlPLMepPgEFdmecYBaWGd~6z-e5t3kvfWllL55zau0vPJgTtzZ6Coh71sUaW7hn8KRH3AF0DpLkRSFHsIpgwJjz3bByf8OX56Ekg2yZ0qpsbYdwhqjub6-33m6L4zkpY7zl31mqi3x9NYU6yqwMEqbR7tmIdw1gtpDiQ9Mp4ZqTeJTIi27yXl8qcjes0hxr8E5PrKsAewY-k9HSWQw6xl9TXHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Climate Action and Sustainability Committee voted to recommend that City Council accept a new eMobility strategic roadmap that expands traditional electric‑vehicle planning to a broader set of electric modes — including e‑bikes, scooters, shared micro‑mobility and discussions of heavy‑duty and transit charging — and that the committee’s redline suggestions be incorporated.

Staff presentation and purpose

Brad Eggleston, director of public works, and Jonathan Abenschein, assistant director for climate action, presented the roadmap. Eggleston said the document evolved from an EV strategic plan into an \"eMobility\" roadmap to reflect a wider set of modes. Jonathan described the roadmap as a guide intended to align multiple work plans across city teams rather than a separate, stand‑alone work plan.

The document sets five strategy areas: promoting eMobility and behavior change; expanding on‑site and public charging infrastructure; shared and workplace charging models; integration with active transportation and transit; and grid‑friendly charging and load management.

Redlines and committee feedback

Committee members and working‑group members suggested edits to make short‑term behavioral interventions more explicit (for example, last‑mile e‑bike and scooter programs tied to employee and resident commute programs) and to clarify that cost‑effective charger deployment includes avoiding expensive transformer or panel upgrades. Staff walked through redline language added to strategy sections to reflect those suggestions.

Ria (chief transportation official, newly onboarded) told the committee that \"e mobility bikes are included in the bicycle pedestrian transportation plan\" and noted safety concerns such as the weight and speed of some e‑bikes are being considered in safety planning.

Public comment

A member of the public, David C., urged stronger, ongoing promotion of bicycle and micro‑mobility use at city events and cited the importance of bike parking and secure charging infrastructure. Committee members agreed that promotional campaigns and secure bike storage are actionable near‑term items that align with the roadmap.

Vote and next steps

Committee members moved and seconded a recommendation that the council accept the roadmap as revised with the redline language discussed at the meeting. The motion passed on a roll call; the committee called the question and the clerk recorded yes votes from the roll (motion carries).

Staff said that, if recommended to council, they will pursue council adoption in August and then align the city’s 2026–27 sustainability work plan with the roadmap. Staff also said they intend to pursue pilots (for example, multifamily charging programs and micro‑mobility pilots) and to refine business models for public and workplace charging to avoid underutilization and to target charging where it supports mode shift and grid‑friendly charging patterns.

Ending

Committee members asked staff to incorporate the redline edits discussed at the meeting (explicit last‑mile/behavioral language, mention of transit centers and airport/aviation infrastructure where relevant, and clearer language on charger cost‑efficiency and load management) before the item moves to council.
","The Climate Action and Sustainability Committee voted to recommend the City Council accept an expanded eMobility strategic roadmap that broadens the plan beyond cars to cover e‑bikes, scooters, shared vehicles and integration with transit and grid planning.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6639182,"Palo Alto staff outline scope for gas-utility transition study, model multiple electrification scenarios",2999,1211000,4210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5023719-adda75a29caee85764489df2af09ab65&start=1211&end=4210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5023719-adda75a29caee85764489df2af09ab65/thumbnail_1211000.jpg","/articles/6639182/Palo-Alto/Santa-Clara-County/California/Palo-Alto-staff-outline-scope-for-gas-utility-transition-study-model-multiple-electrification-scenarios","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6639182-096475bcb4b86d8bdfd5d649e79ab731/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440198&Signature=hPzpv-4~XByetXkwizIFZRBfP1zaQRkj-yN~P5DTMIDRsz~Rx08KnReLqTk5gdpwjCL73qMZwXffCoz9KVut9tHB2T7Ux93Jni8vnGtys4p4YNK61~5uALRfXzWxEZ26WHZM0i2NhLPoGX5aFXqA~KksOxxupyjmKYx-eg8feoUMndHn1Im-82Qciim8yJdUnYvRzJyOJPvGUz~hjjL0kO5FHosoNjvgLu4xGBbsrU2BViRJCbKfMOs~S7T8jv10XV8WEUjE1T50FXmEr9IAGVz~d901rCqYqjkYfl50a477jnCINidN71jqkZKUeBxPkrS6QRp-AiRed7uW3QyjKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Palo Alto staff presented the scope of a study intended to estimate how high levels of electrification — driven by local, state and regional policy — could affect the city’s gas utility physically, financially and for safety, and asked the Climate Action and Sustainability Committee for feedback on assumptions and modeling approaches.

The study, presented by Jonathan Abenschein, assistant director for climate action, will model a range of electrification scenarios and examine the costs of decommissioning parts of the gas network, how remaining fixed costs might be allocated among fewer customers, and where parts of the system could be safely retired. \"This study does not is not, a statement of what our goals are or what we think the future is necessarily going to bring. It's a study of several different scenarios,\" Abenschein told the committee.

Why it matters: Palo Alto’s gas utility serves homes and businesses that use gas for space and water heating; replacing those uses with electric alternatives would reduce gas sales and change the utility’s revenue base. Staff told the committee they need data to identify safety and operational risks, estimate decommissioning costs, and craft transition strategies that are equitable and keep the system safe.

Key elements of the scoping

- Scenarios and modeling: Staff said the study will model incremental scenarios representing roughly 20%, 40% and 80% declines in gas sales, primarily driven by residential and commercial electrification of space and water heating, which staff said represent 70%–90% of local gas use. The study will exclude — for the purposes of initial scenarios — medical and industrial uses because staff said those uses are more difficult to model; those loads are expected to remain on the system longer.

- Disconnection likelihoods: The study will simulate not only how usage declines but also the likelihood that a customer who has electrified appliances will disconnect gas service altogether. Abenschein said the team will vary that likelihood (low, medium, high) and run multiple simulations to show probable outcomes.

- Physical versus financial impacts: Staff emphasized a distinction between physical retirement of infrastructure (e.g., digging up and abandoning service lines for safety) and financial impacts (the spread of remaining fixed costs across fewer customers). Abenschein noted that leaving abandoned lines in place raises safety risks from accidental digs, so costs to excavate and permanently retire lines are a central part of the analysis.

- Block‑level versus service‑by‑service retirements: The study will evaluate \"bookend\" strategies such as coordinated, block‑level retirements (more efficient excavation) versus disorderly, service‑by‑service retirements (potentially much higher per‑customer abandonment costs). Staff said the model will examine a range of orderly and disorderly patterns and their effects on rates and system costs.

Committee questions and public comment

Committee members pressed for clarity about how multifamily buildings will be modeled, whether the study will produce repeatable tools the city can own, whether the model can show how reductions map to greenhouse‑gas outcomes, and whether staff will analyze pilot programs to encourage coordinated retirements. Abenschein replied the study will create a gas financial model and physical simulations intended to be repeatable for future scenarios.

Public commenters urged the city to scrutinize assumptions about industrial and medical customers and to consider established technologies. Steven Rosenblum, who identified himself as affiliated with a statewide coalition, told the committee that \"there are plenty of ways of replacing natural gas as a heat source using either electric heaters or heat pumps.\" Tom Caput, a former Palo Alto utilities employee, urged the city to consider allocating the cost of eventual decommissioning earlier in rates so customers receive a price signal now.

Next steps and timeline

Staff said they expect to move quickly: preliminary results by the fall, presentation to the Utilities Advisory Commission and the committee this year, and a final report that could inform 2026–27 policy work and, potentially, be published for other cities. Abenschein said staff will follow up with the Utilities Advisory Commission and incorporate working‑group feedback about behavioral and pilot program options to be evaluated after the core study is finished.

Ending

Committee members broadly endorsed the approach and asked staff to include comparisons of orderly and disorderly retirement patterns, multifamily vs. single‑family dynamics, and example pilot options for coordinated block retirements in the final analysis. Staff confirmed they will bring back the draft results and that the study is intended to inform later policy choices rather than prescribe them.
","City staff presented a scoping plan for a study to model physical, financial and safety impacts of large-scale electrification on Palo Alto’s gas system and sought committee feedback on scenarios and next steps.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Staff reports: YCAB progress, guidance on 120‑volt heat‑pump water heaters and low‑carbon concrete rules; committee approves 2025 meeting schedule

Committee recommends Palo Alto adopt eMobility strategic roadmap with redlines to emphasize last‑mile, multifamily and transit charging

Palo Alto staff outline scope for gas-utility transition study, model multiple electrification scenarios