July 11th, 2023
Los Altos City Hall
1 N San Antonio Rd
Los Altos, CA 94022
RE: July 11th City Council Meeting Agenda Item 7: Adoption of Mechanical Equipment Ordinance
Dear Los Altos City Mayor Meadows and Councilmembers,
The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter has received emails from community members in Los Altos who are concerned that the proposed Mechanical Equipment Ordinance will make it more difficult and expensive for residents to install the electric appliances that are critical to Los Altos’ climate goals. Our Chapter shares these concerns. We ask that Council pull this item from the consent calendar and direct staff to re-evaluate the proposed 10-foot-from-property-line setback to consider potential impacts on Los Altos’ Climate Action Plan Goals, as well as the City’s readiness to comply with the upcoming Bay Area Air Quality Management District Regulation 9 Rule 4.
For many homes in Los Altos, the most cost-effective method for installing heating and cooling systems would be to install a heat pump unit in the side yard. However, a 10-foot setback could prevent such installations in many cases. This could also prevent the installation of window- mounted AC units and tankless water heaters in side yards that could not accommodate the setback requirement. Electrification retrofits could become more expensive or even impossible for many homeowners in Los Altos if this ordinance were to be adopted as written.
Such impediments would slow Los Altos’ progress on its highest priority Climate Actions as identified in the CAAP. CAAP Goal 2.3, “Reduce or Eliminate Methane Gas Use in Existing Buildings by Increasing Fuel Switching”, contains multiple Priority 1 actions, including the following two actions:
“Action 2.3 A: Accelerate residential HVAC replacements”.
“Action 2.3 B: Accelerate residential water heater replacements”.
Both of these Actions are Priority 1, which the CAAP identifies as the highest possible priority. Both Actions could also be impeded by the adoption of the ordinance as written.
In the “What Can I Do Now?” document within the CAAP, residents are advised to do the following:
- “Prepare to convert your home appliances from methane gas to electric powered.”
- “Change your home appliances from methane gas to electric power when planned or upon burnout. Incentives are available through BayRen and SVCE for heat pump water heaters for example.”
This ordinance could slow the highest priority actions of the CAAP and impede residents’ progress on City-recommended climate actions. In light of these impacts, we ask that the City Council direct staff to evaluate the impacts of this ordinance on CAAP goals, reconsider the 10- foot setback, and explore options that reduce noise pollution while protecting our climate goals.
Sincerely,
James Eggers
Senior Director
Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter
Dashiell Leeds
Conservation Coordinator
Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter