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Regular-Community Services   # 52.
Board of Supervisors
Meeting Date:
12/03/2024
Brief Title
Consider Adoption of Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
From:
Leslie Lindbo, Director, Department of Community Services
Staff Contact:
Kristen Wraithwall, Sustainability Manager, Department of Community Services, x8047
Supervisorial District Impact:
Countywide

Subject

Consider adoption of the 2030 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP). (No general fund impact) (Lindbo/Wraithwall) (Est. Time: 10 min)

Recommended Action

Adopt the 2030 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), which outlines the strategic framework for achieving the goals outlined in the 2020 Climate Emergency Resolution No. 20-114.

Strategic Plan Goal(s)

Thriving Residents
Safe Communities
Sustainable Environment
Flourishing Agriculture
Robust Economy
In Support of All Goals (Internal Departments Only)

Reason for Recommended Action/Background

A. HISTORY
On September 29, 2020, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors passed Resolution No. 20-114, titled "A Resolution Declaring a Climate Crisis Requiring Urgent and Inclusive Mobilization in Yolo County." This resolution set forth the ambitious goal—one of the most aggressive in the nation—of achieving a countywide carbon-negative (climate-positive) footprint by 2030 and urged the investment of countywide resources to initiate a just transition to an inclusive, equitable, sustainable, and resilient local economy while also supporting and advocating for regional, national, and international efforts necessary to reverse the climate, social justice, and economic crises. The resolution directed the County to create a working advisory body, the Yolo County Climate Action Commission ("Commission"), to develop and propose a new Climate Action and Adaptation Plan ("CAAP") designed to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions in Yolo County and achieve the County's ambitious climate goals. 
 
Following an extensive process to develop a CAAP Scope of Work and a suite of Early Action project priorities, the Commission officially began CAAP development in January 2023. Over the past two years, an extensive community engagement process—which included community tabling events, a series of bilingual public workshops, dozens of presentations to local community groups and advisory boards, and the analysis of more than 1,000 survey responses—has informed the development of a comprehensive CAAP document that outlines a Strategy, Measure, Action Framework to meet the goals outlined in Resolution No. 20-114. 

Adoption of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) constitutes approval of a Strategy, Measure, Action framework only. Adoption of the CAAP does not obligate funding. All budgets provided in the CAAP are for planning purposes only. The Yolo County Green Team will meet to identify implementation priorities to be incorporated into departmental budget requests and grant applications on an annual basis.
 
B. SUMMARY OF WORK TO DATE
To date, the CAAP development process has consisted of the following:  
  1. Initial Planning Phase (September 2020 – December 2022): 
    • September 2020: Board adopts Resolution No. 20-114 Declaring a Climate Crisis. 
    • September 2021: Commission begins meeting. 
    • September 2021 – January 2022: Yolo County staff and the Commission sought applications from the public for Early Action projects.  
    • April 2022: Commission recommends priority Early Action Projects to Board of Supervisors.  
    • November 2022:  
      • The Board of Supervisors approves consultant contract for the development of the CAAP. 
      • Natural and Working Land and Equity and Engagement Technical Advisory Committees are formed. 
  2. Active Development Phase (January 2023 – May 2024): 
    • January 2023: County officially launches CAAP development process. 
    • April 2023: County begins hosting public education and outreach events to solicit input on CAAP strategies and priorities. 
    • June 2023: County hosts the first round of CAAP Workshops (1 in-person, 2 virtual workshops) to solicit input on key climate impacts facing Yolo County community members. 
    • November 2023 – January 2024: County hosts second round of CAAP Workshops (9 in-person, 2 virtual, 1 hybrid in-person/remote workshop) focused on soliciting hyper-local feedback on specific CAAP strategies, measures, and actions. 
    • April 9, 2024: Board of Supervisors receives update on Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) Strategy, Measure, Action Framework and CAAP Adoption Timeline.
  3. Public Review Phase (June – October 2024): 
    • June 7 – July 10, 2024:  
      • Draft CAAP Public Comment Period 
      • County hosts third round of CAAP Workshop (3 in-person, 3 virtual workshops) 
    • July - November 2024: Integration of public feedback into final CAAP.  
 
B.1. CAAP Advisory Bodies
Yolo County Green Team
Yolo County's climate net-negative goal is one of the most ambitious of any jurisdiction in the nation and meeting it will require interdepartmental partnership and collaboration. For this reason, the Sustainability Division, in partnership with the County Administrators Office, launched a CAAP Steering Committee (known as the "Green Team"), an internal review team that ground-truths and provides input on the strategies and actions included in the CAAP. The Green Team—which includes representatives from the County Administrators Office, Department of Agriculture, Department of Community Services, Department of Financial Services, Department of General Services, the Health and Human Services Agency, and Office of Emergency Services—was tasked with reviewing and providing input on the strategies, measures, and actions considered for the CAAP and discussing creative funding strategies to support this interdepartmental effort. 

Natural and Working Lands Technical Advisory Committee (NWL TAC) 
Given the importance of carbon sequestration and natural climate strategies to meeting the County's net-negative goal, the County established a Natural and Working Lands Technical Advisory Committee, which was facilitated by the Yolo County Resource Conservation District (RCD). The NWL TAC focused on two primary goals: 1) engaging the agricultural community in the unincorporated area in Yolo County's climate action work related to natural and working lands; 2) providing input into CAAP development related to efforts to both sequester carbon on natural and working lands and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural operations. The NWL TAC was comprised of staff from the RCD, the County's Department of Agriculture, and the Yolo County Farm Bureau; liaisons from the Climate Action Commission and the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation; and farmer and rancher representatives. 

Equity and Engagement Technical Advisory Committee (E&E TAC) 
To ensure equity and just transition principles are centered in the CAAP development process, the County established the Equity and Engagement Technical Advisory Committee. The E&E TAC focused on three primary goals: 1) engaging the community in the unincorporated area of Yolo County in the CAAP development and implementation process; 2) providing input into CAAP development related to Yolo County's goal to establish a just transition; 3) providing input into CAAP development regarding ongoing community engagement during implementation of the plan. The Sustainability Division conducted an extensive public recruitment process to recruit volunteers to join the E&E TAC. The E&E TAC has been comprised of community representatives from all 5 County Districts, liaisons from the Yolo Youth Commission and Climate Action Commission, and liaisons from each of the 5 CAAP Community Outreach Partners (described below).  

Community Outreach Partners 
To ensure that the CAAP development process both builds and maintains relationships with the Yolo County community, the Sustainability Division recruited 5 community-based organizations (CBOs) to serve as paid outreach partners for the CAAP. These partners supported CAAP development by engaging the communities they serve in CAAP development and implementation, providing input on outreach activities and communications strategies that will promote and support community engagement, and interacting with the communities they serve to generate input on strategies, policies, and programs that will support a Just Transition to a net negative and sustainable Yolo County. Following a solicitation process, the Sustainability Division entered into contracts with five (5) Community Outreach Partners: 
  1. Center for Land-Based Learning 
  2. Cool Davis 
  3. Davis Odd Fellows 
  4. De Colores Resource Center 
  5. Yolo County Food Bank 
These partnerships have proved invaluable for expanding the reach of County engagement efforts, connecting with historically underrepresented communities, and increasing the number and frequency of local-level engagement events. 
 
B.2. Public Engagement Efforts 
In line with the Board's direction that the CAAP center equity, the Sustainability Division worked with the Commission, NWL TAC, E&E TAC, and the Community Outreach Partners to develop a comprehensive public engagement effort that spanned the County's five districts. Throughout the CAAP development process, the Sustainability Division, Commission, and partners have conducted: 
  • 37 Community Tabling Events (ie. pop-up events, tabling at festivals, in partnership with County library branches, etc.) 
  • 24 Presentations at Community Meetings (ie. school boards, Citizens Advisory Committees, Chambers of Commerce, etc.) 
  • 21 Community Workshops across three workshop series, including bi-lingual and Spanish-only workshop options.  
  • 82 Public Engagement Events Total 
B.3. CAAP Public Input Survey 
To collect public input on the community needs, concerns, and priorities for inclusion in the CAAP, staff developed paper and electronic surveys for distribution at in-person meetings and events and through extensive online channels. The County distributed both a general climate survey for use by the general population, and a Working Lands Survey that was distributed specifically to farmers and ranchers both electronically and via a paper mailer in partnership with the Yolo Resource Conservation District and the Yolo County Farm Bureau. In total, the Sustainability Division received more than 1,000 completed surveys reflecting the climate impacts communities are experiencing, priorities for future program development, and self-reported willingness to adopt practices that reduce individual (or in the case of the Working Lands Survey, a farm or ranch's) carbon footprint. 

B.4. Farmworker Testimonials 
One of the CAAP Community Outreach Partners, the De Colores Resource Center, conducted outreach to farmworkers in Yolo County to gather testimonials capturing their lived experiences resulting from climate change, and identifying resources farmworkers believe would be most helpful to address physical and mental health impacts. Farmworkers were presented with 2 prompts: 
  • How have you been affected by climate events (extreme heat, droughts, wildfires, excessive rain etc.) whether that be at home or at work? 
  • What types of resources would have been helpful to you during those situations? 
Conversations occurred individually, in groups, or during a Farmworker Health Retreat where De Colores facilitated a Climate Stress Workshop. Collectively, De Colores developed a series of narratives representing the voices of 80 farmworkers. 
 
C. CAAP STRATEGY, MEASURE, ACTION FRAMEWORK
The CAAP Strategy, Measure, Action Framework is described in detail in Chapter 6 of the Final CAAP (Att.A) as well as in the CAAP Appendix E. Strategies, Measures, and Actions Supporting Information (Att.F). An overview of the framework is provided below. 

C.1. Strategies
Based on input from the Commission, Green Team, and the public, the CAAP outlines 10 key strategies for achieving emissions reduction and climate adaptation goals: 
  1. Decarbonize Transportation 
  2. Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled 
  3. Decarbonize Energy and Buildings and Increase Energy Efficiency 
  4. Optimize Water Use 
  5. Minimize Waste 
  6. Reduce Offroad Equipment Emissions 
  7. Support Climate-Smart Agriculture 
  8. Sequester and Store Carbon in Natural and Working Lands 
  9. Reduce Carbon Footprint of Consumption and Production 
  10. Build Resilient Infrastructure and Healthy Communities 
C.2. Measures
Each of the ten (10) strategies above is further organized by relevant measures to achieve the given strategy objective. In total, there are 40 Measures included in the CAAP. Measures are focused on the sector-, or sub-sector–specific objectives that are achieved through individual implementing actions, described below. For each measure, co-benefits are noted along with the estimated GHG reduction or sequestration potential for the following milestones: 2027, 2030, and 2045. Various performance objectives and/or tracking metrics are identified for each measure to assess the success of implementation. Due to the number of individual actions being included in the CAAP, GHG emissions reductions are measured at the “Measure” level (hence the name), as opposed to the more granular "action" level.  

C.3. Actions 
Below each measure are individual actions, which are specific policies, programs, or tools to be implemented. The actions—of which there are 183 in total—include activities that can be documented and used in monitoring progress toward the implementation of the Measures and Strategies. Each action includes a responsible implementer and performance standards that are designed to assist with tracking by the implementing department. 

C.4. Phasing 
Implementation of the CAAP is organized into three main phases as outlined below. 
  • Phase 1: 2024-2027 (78 total actions) 
  • Phase 2: 2027-2030 (73 total actions) 
  • Phase 3: 2030-2045 (32 total actions) 
C.5. Phasing Criteria 
Measures and actions are phased based on a variety of criteria that assess suitability for achieving overall climate action, adaptation, equity, and Just Transition goals. Together with a defined scoring mechanism, the phasing scheme provides an intentional roadmap for CAAP implementation. Below are nine criteria identified as important considerations for phasing. Each action has been scored across the 9 criteria on a scale of 1 to 3 (with higher scores corresponding with earlier phasing). The definition of each category and the relative scoring weight of each category is included below. 

While all 40 measures in the plan are important, it is simply not possible to address all in Phase 1. County staff need temporal direction to focus our efforts and enable us to tackle actions systematically. It is important to note that the weighting is based on the ambitious and accelerated emission reduction and adaptation goals for 2030. For this reason, Criteria 1: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Potential/Adaptation Value and Criteria 2: Foundational/Unlocking actions received the highest relative weighting.
  1. Greenhouse Gas Reduction Potential/Adaptation Value: The potential GHG emission reductions and/or carbon sequestration potential from each action or the value of the adaptation action. (Weighting: 32%) 
  2. Foundational/Unlocking: Actions that are necessary for the implementation of future actions (Weighting: 26%) 
  3. Cost-Effectiveness: High-level cost and savings to the County government, residents, and/or businesses with implementation of the action. (Weighting: 10%) 
  4. Funding Available: Assesses whether adequate funding exists, and if barriers or challenges will prevent funding. (Weighting: 8%) 
  5. Enhance Equity: Considers if the action enhances equity for disadvantaged populations and provides for a fair distribution of benefits/services. (Weighting: 10%) 
  6. Co-Benefits: Benefits to the community from actions beyond the primary benefits of GHG emission reductions and climate resiliency (e.g., improved air quality, energy independence). (Weighting: 4%) 
  7. Community Interest: Reflects if the community expressed interest in this action through outreach and engagement efforts. (Weighting: 3%) 
    1. Note: The relatively lower rating of Community Interest is because, given the nature of the process and the exceedingly high number of actions proposed, the public did not provide extensive feedback on every action. The County's consulting team wanted to avoid having an assumed level of interest impact the phasing. That said, of the top-10 priorities identified by the Community during round 2 CAAP workshops, 9 were indicated as Phase 1 actions. 
  8. Technologically Feasible: If technology to implement the action is available now, soon, or in the future. (Weighting: 4%) 
  9. Local Governance & Control: If the County has local control over the action or if it requires state or federal action or funding. (Weighting: 3%) 
D. PUBLIC COMMENT THEMES AND RESPONSES
During the Public Comment Period (June 7 – July 10, 2024) staff conducted three in-person and three virtual Community Workshops and four community outreach events. The engagement process yielded feedback across several key themes including climate change mitigation strategies, centering of equity/Just Transition, implementation and monitoring frameworks, funding and financing, and more. 
 
In response to the public comment received, staff incorporated approximately 60 specific changes into the Final CAAP document. Major modifications include an enhanced definition of “Just Transition” throughout the document, clarification of cost estimates, refined data visualization, and incorporation of additional local imagery and community voices. The complete summary of public comments received and subsequent changes made to the CAAP can be found in the CAAP Appendix H – Community Voices: Summary of Public Comments and Change (Att. I). 

Collaborations (including Board advisory groups and external partner agencies)

  • Yolo County Climate Action Commission
  • Yolo County Resource Conservation District
  • Yolo Transportation District
  • Yolo County Flood Control & Water Conservation District
  • Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation
  • University of California, Davis
  • City of West Sacramento
  • City of Winters
  • City of Woodland
  • City of Davis
  • Center for Land-Based Learning
  • Cool Davis
  • De Colores Resource Center
  • Davis Odd Fellows
  • Yolo Food Bank

Fiscal Impact

No Fiscal Impact

Fiscal Impact (Expenditure)

Total cost of recommended action:
$    0
Amount budgeted for expenditure:
$    0
Additional expenditure authority needed:
$    0
On-going commitment (annual cost):
$   

Source of Funds for this Expenditure

General Fund
$0

Further explanation as needed:

Adoption of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) constitutes approval of a Strategy, Measure, Action framework. Adoption of the CAAP does not obligate funding.

All budgets provided in the CAAP are for planning purposes ONLY. The Yolo County Green Team will meet to identify implementation priorities to be incorporated into budget requests on an annual basis.

Attachments

Form Review

Inbox Reviewed By Date
Stephanie Cormier Stephanie Cormier 11/22/2024 09:40 AM
Berenice Espitia Julie Dachtler 11/25/2024 04:20 PM
Yen Nguyen Yen Nguyen 11/25/2024 04:41 PM
Form Started By:
Kristen Wraithwall
Started On:
04/08/2024 09:12 AM
Final Approval Date:
11/25/2024