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JULY 1, 2009 PRESS DEMOCRAT
A costly mandate
EDITOR: The city of Santa Rosa is quietly considering adopting a green
building ordinance affecting all property owners and mandating that,
upon sale or extensive remodel, they comply with this proposed
ordinance. The goal is a 15 percent reduction in existing greenhouse
gas emissions.
The cost for property owners to comply could be up to 1.5 percent of a
property’s value. City staff estimates unbudgeted start-up costs of
more than $1 million and annual costs thereafter of $750,000, also
unbudgeted.
This proposal would target 34,000 existing homes, 14,000 multi-family
residential units and all commercial properties within Santa Rosa. Why
have most citizens never heard of this potential mandate? Why is the city mandating
compliance instead of providing incentives for green energy use?
DONALD TEST
Santa Rosa
JULY 16, 2009 PRESS DEMOCRAT "EDITOR: An official-looking flier regarding energy retrofits for existing buildings is being circulated in Santa Rosa. Much of the information in this flier is misleading about the city’s policy concerning retrofitting existing buildings. We have received many calls from concerned residents about information in the flier, and we want to clarify where we are in the process. The notice states, “The city of Santa Rosa is in the process of imposing green building requirements on all existing buildings that will impact your home and business.” Santa Rosa is committed to reducing greenhouse gases. The City Council adopted the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Community Action Plan which includes recommendations about making existing buildings more energy efficient to achieve the countywide goal of reducing GHG. Last December, the Green Building Advisory Committee recommended the city adopt a mandatory audit, and energy efficiency improvements triggered by a transfer of title or major renovation. However, these recommendations were NOT approved. Instead, the council adopted work plans including a broad-based evaluation of these and other topics related to retrofitting existing buildings. This has not been done yet. Before adopting any policy of this type, there will be opportunities for public review and input.
SUSAN GORIN Mayor, City of Santa Rosa
JULY 22, 2009 PRESS DEMOCRAT Green building
EDITOR: I received a 8½-by-11-inch sheet of paper on my doorstep stating that the city of Santa Rosa is in the process of imposing green building requirements recommended by the green building advisory committee.
The notice was obviously not an official notice issued by the city of Santa Rosa. Neither was it official looking as stated by Mayor Susan Gorin in her letter (“Misleading flier,” Thursday) and the statement posted on the city’s Web site.
After reviewing information on the city’s Web site, I would conclude that the notice directing readers to the Web site was accurate and far from misleading. The only objection to this sheet of paper is that it was not signed.
It is important that all the property owners within the city become involved early in the discussions of an advisory committee before issues move out of committee to the City Council. I recommend that the city send an example of an official notice to residents or publish it on the Web site. The official notice should contain the dates and location of advisory committee meetings, the agenda and minutes and the names of committee members.
JACK GEARY
Santa Rosa
JULY 26, 2009 PRESS DEMOCRAT
Green building rules
EDITOR: Santa Rosa Mayor Susan Gorin’s letter regarding the flier alerting the citizens to the city’s pending mandatory energy upgrade program for existing buildings is deliberately misleading (“Misleading flier,” July 16).
The Green Building Advisory Committee Report was accepted by the City Council in December 2008. The report contains the provisions as stated in the flier. The council voted to accept the report.
The council didn’t vote on the recommendations, as was implied by Gorin. The vote comes later. Staff was directed to develop a plan to implement the provisions in the report. According to City Manager Jeff Kolin, the city is applying for grants to fund the program.
The flier does not misrepresent this information. It clearly states that the program is in the process of being developed. Now is the time for public input and review. Waiting until the public hearing will ensure that the city will have everything in place to pass this mandatory program.
There are other ways to encourage upgrades to existing homes that have not been exhausted. Mandatory programs should be a last resort. No other city in the nation has made this a mandatory program.
ROSA KOIRE
Santa Rosa
August 25, 2009 Press Democrat Green mandates EDITOR: Am I the only person in Santa Rosa who is incensed by the proposal by the City Council and the Green Building Advisory Committee to impose green building requirements on all existing buildings, residential and business. The city is currently crafting guidelines that may include:
• Mandatory inspection and testing ($750) of every property in Santa Rosa.
• A requirement that every property owner pay up to 1.5 percent of their property value in energy upgrades prior to being able to complete the sale of their property.
• A requirement that every property owner pay up to 1.5 percent of their property value in energy upgrades prior to being able to obtain permits to remodel.
• A requirement to increase your property's energy efficiency by 15 percent, triggered every time you either sell of get a permit, no matter how much work you've already done.
Need I mention the deepening recession we are in, with many of us smarting from loss of income because of being laid off or loss of investments. To a person, all of my friends and neighbors think this is a joke and/or it would never materialize. Well it is real, and it could.
ROBERT C. GEWISS
Santa Rosa
A costly mandate
EDITOR: The city of Santa Rosa is quietly considering adopting a green
building ordinance affecting all property owners and mandating that,
upon sale or extensive remodel, they comply with this proposed
ordinance. The goal is a 15 percent reduction in existing greenhouse
gas emissions.
The cost for property owners to comply could be up to 1.5 percent of a
property’s value. City staff estimates unbudgeted start-up costs of
more than $1 million and annual costs thereafter of $750,000, also
unbudgeted.
This proposal would target 34,000 existing homes, 14,000 multi-family
residential units and all commercial properties within Santa Rosa. Why
have most citizens never heard of this potential mandate? Why is the city mandating
compliance instead of providing incentives for green energy use?
DONALD TEST
Santa Rosa
JULY 16, 2009 PRESS DEMOCRAT "EDITOR: An official-looking flier regarding energy retrofits for existing buildings is being circulated in Santa Rosa. Much of the information in this flier is misleading about the city’s policy concerning retrofitting existing buildings. We have received many calls from concerned residents about information in the flier, and we want to clarify where we are in the process. The notice states, “The city of Santa Rosa is in the process of imposing green building requirements on all existing buildings that will impact your home and business.” Santa Rosa is committed to reducing greenhouse gases. The City Council adopted the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Community Action Plan which includes recommendations about making existing buildings more energy efficient to achieve the countywide goal of reducing GHG. Last December, the Green Building Advisory Committee recommended the city adopt a mandatory audit, and energy efficiency improvements triggered by a transfer of title or major renovation. However, these recommendations were NOT approved. Instead, the council adopted work plans including a broad-based evaluation of these and other topics related to retrofitting existing buildings. This has not been done yet. Before adopting any policy of this type, there will be opportunities for public review and input.
SUSAN GORIN Mayor, City of Santa Rosa
JULY 22, 2009 PRESS DEMOCRAT Green building
EDITOR: I received a 8½-by-11-inch sheet of paper on my doorstep stating that the city of Santa Rosa is in the process of imposing green building requirements recommended by the green building advisory committee.
The notice was obviously not an official notice issued by the city of Santa Rosa. Neither was it official looking as stated by Mayor Susan Gorin in her letter (“Misleading flier,” Thursday) and the statement posted on the city’s Web site.
After reviewing information on the city’s Web site, I would conclude that the notice directing readers to the Web site was accurate and far from misleading. The only objection to this sheet of paper is that it was not signed.
It is important that all the property owners within the city become involved early in the discussions of an advisory committee before issues move out of committee to the City Council. I recommend that the city send an example of an official notice to residents or publish it on the Web site. The official notice should contain the dates and location of advisory committee meetings, the agenda and minutes and the names of committee members.
JACK GEARY
Santa Rosa
JULY 26, 2009 PRESS DEMOCRAT
Green building rules
EDITOR: Santa Rosa Mayor Susan Gorin’s letter regarding the flier alerting the citizens to the city’s pending mandatory energy upgrade program for existing buildings is deliberately misleading (“Misleading flier,” July 16).
The Green Building Advisory Committee Report was accepted by the City Council in December 2008. The report contains the provisions as stated in the flier. The council voted to accept the report.
The council didn’t vote on the recommendations, as was implied by Gorin. The vote comes later. Staff was directed to develop a plan to implement the provisions in the report. According to City Manager Jeff Kolin, the city is applying for grants to fund the program.
The flier does not misrepresent this information. It clearly states that the program is in the process of being developed. Now is the time for public input and review. Waiting until the public hearing will ensure that the city will have everything in place to pass this mandatory program.
There are other ways to encourage upgrades to existing homes that have not been exhausted. Mandatory programs should be a last resort. No other city in the nation has made this a mandatory program.
ROSA KOIRE
Santa Rosa
August 25, 2009 Press Democrat Green mandates EDITOR: Am I the only person in Santa Rosa who is incensed by the proposal by the City Council and the Green Building Advisory Committee to impose green building requirements on all existing buildings, residential and business. The city is currently crafting guidelines that may include:
• Mandatory inspection and testing ($750) of every property in Santa Rosa.
• A requirement that every property owner pay up to 1.5 percent of their property value in energy upgrades prior to being able to complete the sale of their property.
• A requirement that every property owner pay up to 1.5 percent of their property value in energy upgrades prior to being able to obtain permits to remodel.
• A requirement to increase your property's energy efficiency by 15 percent, triggered every time you either sell of get a permit, no matter how much work you've already done.
Need I mention the deepening recession we are in, with many of us smarting from loss of income because of being laid off or loss of investments. To a person, all of my friends and neighbors think this is a joke and/or it would never materialize. Well it is real, and it could.
ROBERT C. GEWISS
Santa Rosa
