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Politics & Government

Environmental Quality Commission Greenlights Energy Efficiency Ordinance

Letter will be sent to Menlo Park City Council detailing their revisions.

The Environmental Quality Commission unanimously approved modifications to a proposed energy efficiency ordinance Wednesday that details ways residents and developers can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that emanate from Menlo Park.

The city of Menlo Park is working with the Commission to identify specific actions that both commercial and residential contractors can take during construction, with the goal of having buildings in town that exceed California's energy efficiency standards by 15 percent.

One of the ways that has been identified in the past is the "cool roof" initiative. The idea is to paint roof shingles white, so they reflect solar energy off of a structure, thereby reducing the temperature of the structure and the area surrounding it.

Public concern about the availability of alternative energy efficiency technologies compelled the commission to discuss alternatives, which do not alter the aesthetics of a structure, during their July 6, 2011 meeting.

One of the alternatives that may be given to construction companies in the future is the installation of a radiant barrier, which would be placed underneath the roof.  Its presence would keep the structure cooler, reducing what is known as the "heat island" effect.

Commissioner Mitch Slomiak also described metallic, light-reflecting asphalt shingles that are light colored as another option.

The Commission will work as a board of advisors would with city staff liaison , Environmental Programs Manager, to fine tune the recommendations. The tentative date for presenting them to City Council has been set for the July 19 meeting.

An ordinance must appear before Council twice before it can be approved, once to introduce it and another to adopt it. There is no set amount of time that must elapse in between those dates. This ordinance had already appeared before the Council.

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Other things discussed at the meeting:

The EQC also approved a letter containing feedback for the City Council meeting on July 26 about the draft Climate Action Plan Assessment Report. The letter, drafted by Commissioner Slomiak with some additional language changes from Commissioners Douglas Scott and Daniel Kocher, stresses the need to set realistic, achievable green house gas reduction target goals.  

Discussion regarding the development of the Community Environmental Sustainability Policy was tabled until the September meeting. The Commissioners also canceled their August meeting, as many of the members would not be able to attend. 

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A discussion about a ban on food containers composed of plastic foam, a.k.a. styrofoam, was not pursued as San Mateo county may be writing their own ordinance, according to Commissioner Kathy Schrenk.

Modifications to the Heritage Tree Ordinances will have to wait until September, as the city has hired a new arborist. Commissioner Scott pointed out that quite a few trees in Menlo Park were planted when the city expanded after WWII and will be soon reaching the end of their life span.

“The longer we wait, the bigger the problem will be,” he remarked.

The commissioners are looking forward to meeting the new arborist and asking him plenty of questions.

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