City Council Enacts Climate Action Plan

Encinitas City Council members voted unanimously in favor of a Climate Action Plan presented on Wednesday night. This is the first climate-focused plan to be adopted in Encinitas. The implementation comes less than a month after the council shelved an , stating it was too broad.

The multifaceted resolution covered an array of topics, including building efficiency and solar power, but greenhouse gas emission reduction was the resolution’s overarching theme. This goal in accordance with AB32, California’s Global Warming Solutions Act. The act, passed in 2006, requires that California adopt greenhouse gas reductions at the beginning of this year. By 2020, the goal of AB32 is to reduce emissions down to 1990 levels.

Much of the plan involves making goals for newer developments, which will have emission and waste standards and will promote the use of eco-friendly fixtures, such as solar panels. These goals are not set in stone, however.

Diane Langager, a senior planner for Encinitas, called the plan a “living document.” She stressed that it is a starting point and will be subject to change when needed. The plan has included input from Encinitas residents through city workshops, and Langager said it supports the citywide needs while also adhering to state mandates.

After the presentation, Councilwoman Maggie Houlihan said she was concerned with the parking aspect of the plan. The Climate Action Plan suggested parking maximums for new businesses, which Houlihan said she believed would drive potential consumers away.

Mayor James Bond made similar sentiments, stating the plan would be hard to follow. “These are all great ideas, but going forward with them, people have to understand that all of these will induce some degree of discomfort,” he said.

Despite having a few concerns, the council discussed the benefit of the plan as a living document and agreed that changes could be made as needed. 

Kathleen Lees, an Encinitas resident, was pleased that the community is striving to do a better job when it comes to environmental issues. “As we update our general plan, this is a perfect opportunity to do more than the minimum that is required,” she said.

Council members also heard an update about the plan for the Encinitas exits on Interstate 5. For the past 10 years, the city has attempted to make changes for various exit roads in Encinitas, but the project has had many highs and lows throughout its development.

After years of making sure the plans were adequate, city planners discovered some bridges needed to be seismically retrofitted, further delaying construction. However, they city may now ask for federal funding to update the exits—and it will cost the city significantly less than before.

Encinitas residents have waited 10 years for the exits, but they will have to wait a while longer until the project is complete. The engineering committee estimated the earliest start date for construction is 2013.