TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Michael Codron, Interim Community Development Director
Britny Coker-Moen, Environmental Programs Administrator
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of a Resolution Adopting a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) (No Budget Impact) (Interim Community Development Director Codron.)
(Estimated Time: 1 Hr. 30 Mins.)
ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 25-0034
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 25-0034, adopting a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), which will provide a set of recommended programs and initiatives to reduce the City’s energy consumption and carbon footprint in accordance with the State’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. Any program implementation will be brought back to City Council for approval.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
A core mission of the City is to ensure a healthy, sustainable, and resilient community. This has been established with the City’s rich history of environmental leadership and with advancements over the past 15 years. The City has tackled numerous environmental issues that range from plastic pollution to urban sustainability. Now, the City faces a range of challenges related to climate change impacts that include, but are not limited to, more extreme heat events, sea level rise, flooding, worsening air quality, and drought.
Environmental Science Associates (ESA) and staff have prepared a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), which establishes specific goals to continue setting a precedent for best practices in sustainability and to better prepare the City for the impacts of climate change. The CAAP is intended to serve as a guiding policy document to provide direction to City Council on future decisions and projects to help the City reach its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions goals in alignment with State and regional goals.
This report includes an overview of the proposed CAAP, which sets GHG emissions reductions targets for the years 2030 and 2045. The CAAP takes a commonsense approach to reducing GHG emissions in the City, with policies and cost-effective programs that the City itself, as well as its residents and businesses, can implement to reduce GHG emissions associated with energy consumption, transportation, water use, and solid and organic waste.
The CAAP has two major objectives: to reduce the City’s community-wide GHG emissions and to increase the resilience of the community to the anticipated impacts of climate change. The CAAP outlines goals, strategies, and actions for reducing emissions and for increasing community resilience to climate change. It is designed to ensure that the City does its part to contribute to Statewide goals and emissions targets.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
In 2005, Executive Order S-3-05 was issued proclaiming that the State of California is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including sea level rise and exacerbation of existing air quality problems. Executive Order S-3-05 established a statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target of 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
In 2008, the City established an Environmental Task Force to tackle priority environmental issues identified by the City Council. At the time, developing a Climate Action Plan was a priority area. A Climate Action Plan was developed for the City by the South Bay Cities Council of Governments and was adopted by the City Council on April 20, 2010.
On September 8, 2016, Senate Bill (SB) 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act, was signed into law which requires California to reduce statewide GHG emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. To achieve this reduction, the California Air Resources Board and the State Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation recommended that local governments develop community-wide targets that are consistent with those statewide.
On January 31, 2018, the City Council approved an Environmental Work Plan at a dedicated Environmental Study Session. Among the approved Environmental Work Plan priorities, the City committed to creating a Climate Resiliency Program to conduct an analysis of the City’s vulnerabilities to climate change and sea level rise, and City Council directed staff to develop a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP). The proposed CAAP sets a 2030 community-wide GHG target for the City and outlines the strategies and actions that the City can take to reduce GHG emissions and meet the state’s mandated GHG emissions reductions targets.
On February 18, 2020, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 20-0021 to award Environmental Science Associates (ESA) with a contract to provide project management, scientific analysis, and plans for the City’s Climate Resiliency Program. The work scope included the creation of the CAAP, sea level rise analyses, and an amendment to the City’s Local Coastal Program - Land Use Plan. In addition, ESA conducted a series of community meetings (two virtual workshops and one virtual focus group) in 2021 to present the City’s Climate Resiliency Program objectives and gather input from the community specific to the CAAP.
On September 16, 2022, Assembly Bill (AB) 1279, the California Climate Crisis Act, was signed into law which expands upon the GHG reduction targets set in Executive Order S-3-05 and requires California to achieve net-zero GHG emissions as soon as possible, but no later than 2045, as well as statewide reduction in GHG emissions of 85 percent compared to 1990 levels.
On January 23, 2025, the Parking and Public Improvements Commission expressed general support for the initiatives outlined in the CAAP and unanimously voted to recommend that the City Council approve the CAAP.
On February 26, 2025, staff presented the CAAP to the Planning Commission for their input and recommendation. The Planning Commission voted to forward the CAAP to the City Council for approval with an executive summary addressing the following items:
A. Prioritization of projects
B. Summary of what projects have been implemented, what is ongoing, and what is outstanding, as well as what has and has not been budgeted
C. Comparison of where projects/programs meet vs. exceed state mandates
D. Cost estimates for projects/programs if available
E. Establishment of task force or other body to conduct community outreach on an ongoing basis.
The requested summary has been included in this report as Attachment 3. Cost estimates are not included in the summary as the CAAP is intended to be a guiding document for future projects and programs and thus all future projects and programs will include cost analyses as required.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Manhattan Beach, like other communities in California, is likely to face serious economic, social, and environmental challenges related to climate change impacts that include more extreme heat events, sea level rise, flooding, worsening air quality, and drought. Climate change is described as a significant and lasting change in the planet’s weather patterns over a long period of time. Global climate models show that the warming of the climate system is primarily caused by human-generated GHG emissions; land use changes, burning of fossil fuels, and agricultural practices have all contributed to an increase in atmospheric concentrations of GHGs. As a result, current atmospheric concentrations of GHG emissions now far exceed the average of the past several thousand years. In Southern California, the top eight warmest years on record have all occurred since 2012. The City is already experiencing higher average minimum temperatures, and periods of extreme heat are expected to become longer and more intense over the next century (CalAdapt 2025, <https://cal-adapt.org/tools/local-climate-change-snapshot>.)
Although State and regional policies and programs are being implemented to reduce GHG emissions, local action is also needed to ensure that statewide targets are met. In recognizing the risk that climate change poses to the City’s residents, business owners, and visitors, the City is joining an increasing number of California local governments committed to addressing climate change at the local level. Through implementing the CAAP, the City intends to comply with the state’s GHG targets and to better prepare for rising temperatures, extended droughts, wildfire seasons, and sea level rise.
CAAP
The CAAP represents a strategic and forward-looking approach for the City to address the dual challenges of climate change mitigation and adaptation and represents an opportunity for the City to proactively shape a sustainable, resilient future. It serves as a means to guide the City's climate-related decisions and investments over the coming decades and positions the City as a leader in sustainability, committed to reducing emissions, enhancing resilience, and improving the quality of life for all residents. As a comprehensive plan outlining a path to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2045 from both the City’s operations and the community at-large, the CAAP aligns the City’s goals with State and regional climate goals. In essence, the CAAP represents the second phase of the City’s Climate Resiliency Program, called Climate Ready Manhattan Beach. The first phase of the City’s Climate Resiliency Program included completing the City’s Sea Level Rise Risk, Hazards, and Vulnerability Assessment in May, 2021; the Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan in September, 2021; and associated policy updates to the City’s Local Coastal Program Coastal Hazards Chapter, which was certified by the California Coastal Commission in 2024.
The GHG reduction targets and strategies in the CAAP aim to achieve a 40 percent reduction by 2030 and an 85 percent reduction by 2045, compared to 1990 levels. This is a step forward from the City’s original CAP, adopted in 2010, which established an initial target to reduce GHG emissions by 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. The new targets reflect the City’s revised goals in response to advancements in climate science and updated State policies, such as SB 32 and AB 1279.
To meet these targets, the CAAP outlines a broad array of strategies focused on clean energy, green building practices, zero-emission vehicles, sustainable transportation, water conservation, waste reduction, and nature-based solutions. The CAAP also includes measures to enhance community resilience against climate-related risks such as extreme heat, sea-level rise, and severe weather events.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
The CAAP includes a comprehensive analysis of the City’s GHG emissions inventory spanning from 1990 to 2021. The inventory provides an understanding of where GHG emissions are originating from and informs development of effective strategies and actions to reduce emissions. The inventory indicates that the primary sources of emissions in the City are on-road transportation (accounting for more than 50 percent of emissions), residential and non-residential electricity use, and residential and non-residential natural gas use. The inventory also notes that achieving the City’s 2030 and 2045 targets requires a collective effort from local reduction measures in addition to state GHG reduction programs.
Staff considered many potential GHG-reduction strategies and actions in developing the CAAP. Best-suited measures were chosen primarily based on community input, their ability to reduce GHG emissions, and cost-benefit analyses. Additionally, consideration was given to implementation feasibility and funding availability as new economic opportunities are emerging with state and regional agencies directing investment, policy, and planning towards reducing GHG emissions.
The GHG reduction measures in the CAAP address energy consumption and generation, transportation, land use, solid waste disposal, and water use. For each GHG reduction measure, there are performance goals, strategies, and specific actions to reduce emissions. In addition, guidance for implementation, monitoring, and future updates is provided.
Hazards of Concern
When asked about potential climate change hazards of most concern, local residents identified drought, impacts to air and water quality, an increase in extreme storms, and sea level rise. In addition, residents were concerned about impacts to infrastructure, property values, public health, and quality of life. These concerns are consistent with the science of climate change, which indicates that over the next several decades the City can expect higher temperatures, worsening air quality, more extreme droughts and storms, and rising sea levels. The CAAP further discusses these five hazards of concern as summarized below:
1. Extreme Heat: Increases in the number and intensity of extreme heat events are likely to result in public health impacts including heat related illnesses, worsening of cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, worsening existing mental health conditions, stress, aggression, and fatigue. Extreme heat can also lead to secondary climate hazards, contributing to suitable conditions for wildfires to occur and adding to strain on water resources during drought periods.
2. Air Pollution: Due to the City’s proximity to highly congested freeways and industrial land uses such as the Chevron refinery and the Los Angeles International Airport, as well as increasing occurrences of wildfires in the Los Angeles region, the City already experiences high levels of air pollution which would be exacerbated by worsening air quality.
3. Sea Level Rise: The combined impacts of sea level rise and extreme rainfall could increase coastal and inland flooding of roads, residences, and evacuation routes, which in turn can impact emergency operations and response times.
4. Extreme Storms and Stormwater Flooding: An increase in extreme storms and precipitation can result in flooding of streets, roads, and low-lying areas of the City; flooding can impact important roadways and evacuation routes, which in turn can impact emergency evacuation routes and emergency response times.
5. Drought: Increases in the frequency and severity of drought are likely to impact water resources available for open spaces and parks, resulting in dry soils, dry vegetation, and loss of some species that are not drought tolerant. Drought could result in loss of urban tree canopy and overall damage to local parks.
Strategies and Actions to Reduce Emissions
There are seven categories within the CAAP that detail specific strategies to achieve GHG reduction targets, consistent with state goals and mandates, as outlined below and in further detail in Attachment 3.
Clean Energy Systems (E)
• E1: Procure Zero-Carbon Electricity: Procure renewable energy and maintain at least 95% community-wide participation in CPA’s 100% Green Power tier and 100% participation for municipal facilities.
• E2: Increase Local Solar Energy Generation: Increase the community’s total solar PV system capacity.
• E3: Develop Energy Storage/Microgrids: Increase community electricity storage capacity and begin implementation of a microgrid project for a critical City facility.
Green Buildings (B)
• B1: Improve Efficiency of Existing Buildings: Reduce the energy intensity of existing residential, commercial, and municipal buildings.
• B2: Net-Zero Buildings: Increase the use of electric appliances while improving energy efficiency and reducing natural gas use.
Zero-Emission Vehicles (V)
• V1: Expand EV Charging Infrastructure: Increase the amount of publicly accessible EV charging stations.
• V2: Transition City Fleet (and Transit) to EVs: Achieve 50% electric-powered or zero emissions municipal fleet and equipment.
Smart Mobility (M)
• M1: Expand Infrastructure for Pedestrians, Bikes, and Micro-Mobility Solutions: Increase Class I bike path and Class II bike lane miles.
• M2: Improve Transit Effectiveness and Accessibility: Increase local transit ridership and provide transit stop amenities to all bus stop locations.
• M3: Support Mixed-Use Development: Adopt mixed-use development standards into the City’s Local Coastal Program.
• M4: Embrace Mobility as a Service: Expand travel options that don’t require personal vehicle ownership.
Water Conservation and Reuse (W)
• W1: Increase Water Conservation: Reduce community per capita water use by 10%.
• W2: Decrease Carbon Intensity of Delivered Water: Increase the utilization of recycled water or graywater.
Waste Reduction and Recycling (R)
• R1: Increase Recycling and Organic Waste Diversion: Reduce community-wide and municipal organic waste disposal.
Nature-Based Solutions (N)
• N1: Increase Local Carbon Sequestration: Increase the City’s tree canopy cover using native and drought-resistant species.
See Attachment 3 for an overview of each strategy and its goals, implementation timelines, funding status and opportunities, and how they compare to State and County goals.
Many of the neighboring South Bay cities’ Climate Action Plans were developed by the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) in 2010, as was Manhattan Beach’s first Climate Action Plan. Since 2010, there have been advancements in State and regional goals that have surpassed the goals established in the SBCCOG Climate Action Plans. The City’s intent in the development of the proposed CAAP is to expand on and further enhance the broader goals established in the SBCCOG Climate Action Plans in alignment with updated State and regional goals. As a result, the strategies set forth in the City’s CAAP are generally more ambitious, with farther-reaching measurable objectives, such as doubling the community’s total solar photovoltaic system capacity compared to the SBCCOG Climate Action Plans' broader goals of encouraging and supporting the use of renewable energy systems. Similarly, the City’s CAAP sets a measurable goal to reduce the energy intensity of residential and commercial buildings by 15 percent, whereas the SBCCOG Climate Action Plans set goals to increase energy efficiency without setting a measurable objective. Overall, the CAAP strikes a thoughtful balance for realistic and ambitious goals, addressing local priorities, while demonstrating continued leadership in climate action.
Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategies
The CAAP emphasizes the need to build community resilience to withstand and recover from climate-related impacts. The CAAP outlines adaptation strategies to address these impacts as summarized below:
1. Community Preparedness: Strengthen emergency response systems and community awareness through the creation of community networks and education programs, as well as collaboration with community-based organizations, local emergency responders, and local health departments.
2. Extreme Heat Mitigation: Implement measures to protect public health during extreme heat events, mitigate urban heat island effects, and ensure community infrastructure is resilient to extreme heat events.
3. Air Pollution: Improve air quality through the expansion of green infrastructure and encourage the electrification of buildings and vehicles.
4. Sea-Level Rise and Stormwater Flooding: Protect critical infrastructure and coastal areas from rising sea levels, increase the permeability of hardscape surfaces, and incorporate the impacts of flooding into capital improvement projects.
5. Extreme Drought and Water Management: Enhance water conservation and ensure reliable water supplies during drought conditions, use scarce water resources more efficiently, and increase potable water reuse and recycling.
Equity Considerations
The CAAP includes targeted actions to support vulnerable populations that may experience heightened risk and increased sensitivity to climate change with less capacity and fewer resources to cope with, adapt to, or recover from climate impacts. The CAAP ensures that climate action benefits are distributed equitably with measures prioritizing investments in vulnerable neighborhoods, improving public health outcomes, and enhancing access to sustainable transportation options.
Vulnerable populations in Manhattan Beach include those that are disproportionately impacted by social, environmental, and health conditions, such as children, seniors over 65, low-income households, outdoor workers, unemployed/underemployed, and others.
• Seniors over 65: Older adults may be less mobile and may have more trouble evacuating in the event of flooding or another climate event. Within the City as a whole, 17 percent of people are at least 65 years old. In particular, 19-20 percent of people are 65 years old or older in the neighborhood south of Manhattan Beach Blvd and west of Sepulveda Blvd and the neighborhood east of Sepulveda Blvd and north of Manhattan Beach Blvd.
• Unemployed/Underemployed: Unemployed or under employed individuals may be more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change as they may have less access to financial and other resources, which may make adaptation to climate change more difficult. Within the City, 74 percent of people aged 20-64 are employed. South of Manhattan Beach Blvd and west of Sepulveda Blvd, only 68 percent of people in this age group are employed.
• Housing Burden: High housing costs and housing instability reduce a household’s access to financial resources and may make a household more likely to be uninsured, all of which makes adaptation and recovery from coastal hazards more difficult. Within the City of Manhattan Beach, 22 percent of the population, including homeowners and renters, experience severe housing cost burden. For low-income renters, 15 percent of the population citywide spend more than 50 percent of their income on housing costs.
Implementation and Monitoring Framework
The CAAP includes a robust framework to effectively implement the strategies by outlining an implementation schedule categorized into short-term, mid-term, and long-term milestones; departmental responsibilities to ensure accountability; funding sources and partnerships identifying potential funding opportunities; and monitoring/reporting activities to track progress.
City staff will annually present updates to the City Manager and the City Council that summarize CAAP implementation progress. The report will evaluate the successes and challenges in meeting the performance objectives and summarize progress toward the City’s GHG reduction targets. City staff will provide the status of implementation (e.g., initiated, ongoing, completed), assess the effectiveness of the strategies and programs included in the CAAP against the established performance objectives, and recommend adjustments to programs or measures as needed.
An update of the City’s GHG inventory and comprehensive revision of the CAAP should occur at least every four years to monitor progress of GHG reductions against the City’s targets.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution 25-0034, adopting the Climate Action (CAAP) and Adaptation Plan and determining that the adoption of the CAAP is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15308 of the CEQA Guidelines (14 [California Code of Regulations] CCR §§15000 et seq.)
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The CAAP development process involved extensive community engagement, including public workshops, stakeholder meetings, and surveys in 2021, as detailed in the CAAP. A notice regarding this meeting was sent out to all interested parties and published in The Beach Reporter on March 6, 2025. Additionally, this item is identified on the City Council meeting agenda for March 18, 2025, which has been posted in accordance with applicable law.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the project is exempt from further review pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that approval of the CAAP may have a significant negative effect on the environment. The CAAP, while advisory, is intended to guide future actions to reduce GHG emissions and does not have the potential to adversely impact the environment.
Further, as separate and independent basis, approval of the CAAP qualifies for a Class 8 categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment) of the State CEQA Guidelines. Specifically, the CAAP is a policy document that provides guidance on actions that could be taken to assist the City in achieving its GHG reduction targets, although it does not commit the City to any specific action(s). Any future project which would assist the City in meeting its GHG reduction targets, whether identified in the CAAP or not, would be subject to review pursuant to CEQA at the time the project is considered. Additionally, the CAAP is not intended to be a document that would allow for a streamlined CEQA review of development projects. Thus, no further environmental review is necessary at this time.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 25-0034
2. Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP)
3. CAAP Strategies Summary
4. PowerPoint Presentation