Climate Change and the Santa Rosa City Council

From: Kevin Conway <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, May 20, 2019 at 12:19 AM
Subject: All Electric Ready - AER Ordinance - Call to Action
To: Climate Activist Network <[email protected]>

Hello Climate Activists,The effort to pass an All Electric Ready (AER) ordinance in Santa Rosa is not on any council agenda until the end of October. However, at least 4 council members are interested in seeing the date advanced much sooner.

[ An "All Electric Ready" ordinance "would require that new homes be equipped to operate without natural gas" - see more info here - Barry :waccosun:]

For this to happen, a good turnout is needed for two important upcoming meetings. The first is the Council meeting on May 28th. At that meeting it is expected that City Manager Sean McGlynn and Asst. City Manager David Guhin will update the council on the 'work calendar' that was presented to them at their last meeting.

One of the 4 issues that was requested to be advanced was the AER - All Electric Ready - ordinance. We need as many people as possible to either attend the meeting or write to the council members voicing support for moving this issue up to the earliest possible date. If this issue is not specifically itemized on the agenda, please express your comments during the Public Comments portion of the agenda. Too many people will miss out on the opportunity to have an all electric home now if presenting a draft ordinance is put off until October.

The second meeting will be held on June 11th at 2 pm in the Council Chambers. This meeting is the first meeting of the newly formed Subcommittee on Climate. The three council members on the subcommittee are Mayor Schwedhelm, Julie Combs, and Chris Rogers. If a vote to advance the discussion of a draft AER ordinance is not accomplished at the meeting on May 28th, this meeting will be another excellent opportunity to make the case. Julie Combs and Chris Rogers both asked that the date for receiving a draft AER ordinance be moved up. If they get strong input from the public for this to happen, it could well be accomplished at that subcommittee meeting.

These two meetings will represent the last big push to get this ordinance passed quickly. Please consider attending one or both of the meetings or writing to the council members urging them to advance the issue of passing an AER ordinance. All SR City Councilmembers may be emailed by using [email protected]

Thank you all, Kevin Conway