Photo Credit: David Roberts Climate Action Task Force Final Report 11/02 |7 P/20 a19 g e City of Bellingham Climate Action Task Force Report – December 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1: Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 4 Chapter 2: City Council Resolution .......................................................................................................... 7 Chapter 3: Bellingham Context ............................................................................................................. 11 Chapter 4: Buildings ............................................................................................................................. 13 BUILDINGS SECTION 1: ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES ............................................................................. 16 Measure B1: Efficiency Requirements for Owner-Occupied Residences................................................. 16 Measure B2: Rental Efficiency Requirements .......................................................................................... 19 Measure B3: Commercial Efficiency Requirements ................................................................................. 22 BUILDINGS SECTION 2: BUILDING ELECTRIFICATION ................................................................................... 26 Measure B4: Electrify Existing Buildings .................................................................................................. 26 Measure B5: Electrify New Buildings ....................................................................................................... 26 BUILDINGS SECTION 3: RENEWABLE ENERGY .............................................................................................. 32 Measure B6: Provide on-site or participate in the production of renewable energy .............................. 32 BUILDINGS SECTION 4: FINANCE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE .................................................................. 38 Measure B7: Provide technical assistance and design services to support energy upgrades ................. 38 Measure B8: Create a Bellingham Clean Energy Fund ............................................................................. 39 Measure B9: Identify and promote other financing sources and mechanisms ....................................... 40 Chapter 5: Transportation .................................................................................................................... 43 SECTION 1: TRANSITION TO USING ELECTRICITY AS A FUEL FOR MOST TRANSPORTATION ....................... 46 Measure T1: Ban the operation of internal combustion engine (ICE) passenger vehicles within the Bellingham City limits by 2035 ................................................................................................................. 47 Measure T2: Encourage a statewide ban on the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2030—in concert with a coalition of other local governments in Washington State .............................. 49 Measure T3: Impose a moratorium on the approval of applications for new gas station uses .............. 50 Measure T4: Ordinance mandating that all local public transportation vehicles, both publicly and privately owned, in operation in the City of Bellingham be fully electric by 2035 .................................. 51 Measure T5: Electric Vehicle and E-Bike Group Buy Program ................................................................. 52 Measure T6: Enhance requirements for New Construction to Include Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment/Conduit in Parking Areas ....................................................................................................... 54 Measure T7: Provide Incentives for adding EV charging stations to Existing Multifamily Complex Parking Areas ............................................................................................................................................ 54 Measure T8: TNC Electrification Program and TNC Charging Stations .................................................... 55 SECTION 2: RECOMMIT TO THE CITY’S MODE SHIFT GOALS AND REIMAGINE HOW TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS ........................................................................................................................................................... 56 Measure T9: Fast-Track the Update of the Bike Master Plan with a Focus on Completing the Network by 2030 ..................................................................................................................................................... 57 1 | P a g e City of Bellingham Climate Action Task Force Report – December 2019 Measure T10: Prioritize Physical Bike Lane Separation ........................................................................... 57 Measure T11: More Funding for Education and Encouragement Programs Related to Active Transportation .......................................................................................................................................... 59 Measure T12: School Crossing Guard Program ........................................................................................ 59 SECTION 3: REFORM PARKING POLICIES ...................................................................................................... 61 Measure T13: Change Parking Minimums to Parking Maximums for New Development ...................... 61 Measure T14: Ordinance Requiring Unbundled Parking in all Rental Housing ........................................ 62 Measure T15: Residential Overnight Parking Permits.............................................................................. 62 Measure T16: Increase the Cost of Hourly Metered Parking and Increase Parking Ticket Fees.............. 63 Measure T17: City Employee Parking Fee ................................................................................................ 64 Measure T18: Free Parking for Electric Vehicles ...................................................................................... 64 SECTION 4: IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................. 65 Measure T19: Fundraising Effort .............................................................................................................. 65 Measure T20: Extend the Transportation Benefit District (TBD) and Dedicate a Portion of Future Funds to Implement the Approved Measures .................................................................................................... 65 Measure T21: Whatcom County Greenhouse Gas Reduction Hub .......................................................... 65 Chapter 6: Land Use ............................................................................................................................. 66 Measure L1: Maximize Urban Village (UV) Zones .................................................................................... 68 Measure L2: Increase Density in Transition/Residential Multi-Family (a.k.a. Missing Middle) Zones..... 69 Measure L3: Pilot “Pavement-to-Plazas” and “Living Streets” ................................................................ 71 Chapter 7: Energy Supply ...................................................................................................................... 73 SECTION 1: RENEWABLE ENERGY ................................................................................................................. 77 Measure E1: City and PSE Evaluate Community-Wide Green Direct ....................................................... 77 Measure E2: When Available, COB Subscribes to Green Direct Phase 3 with PSE .................................. 77 Measure E3: City Supports PSE Green Power Program for Residents and Businesses ............................ 78 Measure E4: City Assesses Community Solar Alongside Other Public Organizations - (e.g. School District and Port of Bellingham) ............................................................................................................................ 79 Measure E5: City Provides Community with Outreach and Education on the Benefits of Solar Installations .............................................................................................................................................. 79 Measure E6: Explore City-Owned Renewable Energy Generation for Municipal and Community Use .. 80 SECTION 2: EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES ....................................................................................................... 81 Measure E7: City Evaluates Future Energy Projects that Could Include Microgrids, Distributed Energy Resources (DER), and Demand Response (DR) ........................................................................................ 81 Measure E8: COB Supports PSE Adding Battery Storage as a Peaking Resource ..................................... 82 Measure E9: Evaluate Mount Baker/Tri-Cities Area Geothermal Potential............................................. 84 SECTION 3: POLICY INITIATIVES .................................................................................................................... 84 2 | P a g e City of Bellingham Climate Action Task Force Report – December 2019 Measure E10: City Revises Building Code Requirements for Rooftop Solar Installations on Commercial and Residential Buildings ........................................................................................................................