Featured Series
Livermore 2022 Climate Action Plan Will Have Major Impact on Our Buildings, Cars, & Other Infrastructure.
Livermore’s 2022 Climate Action Plan (CAP)
All over California, cities and at least one county have crafted their own Climate Action Plans; many elements of these are very, very similar to those in Livermore’s CAP. This makes us wonder if the same folks are advising the cities throughout the state. At any rate, the CAPs are not unique and they are designed to get the regular citizen on board with what used to be considered radical changes to Californians’ life style. Changes include reduced driving, transition to electric vehicles, transition to public transportation or to bicycles, rejection of fossil fuels in favor of what are termed ‘renewables,’ transition from gas stoves, heaters, lawnmowers, generators to electric and/or battery-powered. The list is long and the motivations are described as catastrophic - droughts, fires, floods, heat-waves, all things that the writers assure us are inevitable, personal as well as universal, and that must therefore be addressed through the proposed and underway massive transitions. Even though actual temperature reductions are never quantified. The outcome is presented as a literally and figuratively green future, where everybody wins. The date for all of these changes to be completed is roughly 2045, about 20 years into our future. The date for some of these changes is now, and for the remainder is 2030.
We cover what we consider to be the most consequential changes from the Livermore CAP in three articles: 1. Building Electrification, 2. Decarbonize Electricity, and 3. Transportation Changes.
Part 1. Building Electrification Starts in 2023
Livermore’s consequential 2022 Climate Action Plan (CAP) maps out planned actions to mitigate and adapt to its authors’ expectations of climate change. The city is not strictly acting on its own, but is essentially mandated to do so because of California legislation and executive orders. more>
Part 2. Decarbonize Electricity Starts in 2023
Livermore’s consequential 2022 Climate Action Plan (CAP) maps out planned actions to mitigate and adapt to its authors’ expectations of climate change. The city is not strictly acting on its own, but is essentially mandated to do so because of California legislation and executive orders. We are covering CAP’s effects on Livermore citizens and infrastructure in a series of short articles, with the first on the required electrification of buildings. This second article discusses the CAP’s plans to “decarbonize electricity. more>
Livermore’s consequential 2022 Climate Action Plan (CAP) maps out planned actions to mitigate and adapt to its authors’ expectations of climate change. The city is not strictly acting on its own, but is essentially mandated to do so because of California legislation and executive orders. We are covering CAP’s effects on Livermore citizens and infrastructure in a series of short articles, with the first on the required electrification of buildings and the second on ‘decarbonizing’ electricity. This third article discusses the CAP’s plan to “replace gasolinefueled vehicles with EVs” and transition as much transportation as possible to buses, bicycles, and walking. more>
References (for Introduction above)
City of Livermore 2022 Climate Action Plan, adopted November 28, 2022, https://livermoreclimateaction.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-CAP-Final.pdf
City of Pleasanton Climate Action Plan 2.0, Adopted February 2022, Updated February 2023, https://cap.cityofpleasantonca.gov/CAP/PleasantonCAP_FINAL Adopted 2023.02.21.pdf? _t=1677537710
City of Dublin Climate Action Plan 2030 and Beyond, September 2020, https://dublin.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24447/Climate-Action-Plan-2030-And-Beyond
City of San Diego Climate Action Plan, 2022 https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/san_diegos_2022_climate_action_plan_0.pdf
San Francisco’s Climate Action Plan 2021, https://sfenvironment.org/sites/default/files/2021_climate_action_plan.pdf
City of Sacramento Climate Action & Adaptation Plan, https://www.cityofsacramento.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/CDD/Planning/Major-Projects/generalPlan/Climate-Action-andAdaptation-Plan---April-28--2023.pdf?la=en, Draft for Public Review, April 2023
Humboldt Regional Climate Action Plan, https://humboldtgov.org/DocumentCenter/View/106404/Humboldt-Regional-CAP----Public-Review-Draft-4-7-22-PDF, Public Review Draft, April 2022
Livermore Urban Growth Boundary - Why is "No Build" Not an Option?
December 17, 2023
by Con H
I won't pretend that I am very knowledgeable on all the happenings in the City of Livermore. However, whenever I do pay attention to what's going on, and when I do try to become involved, I just find myself feeling disappointed. I feel unheard and impending doom. And that is exactly how I felt about the 12/13 General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) meeting.
Background: I was present at the General Plan Community Workshop at Croce Elementary. Everybody at my table did not want the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expanded and wanted the land there left alone. Almost all attendees did not want to expand the UGB in the Greenville area. One of the members in my group asked the presenter, Joanna Jansen (Placeworks, Inc., who is contracted with the City) about what they were going to do with the written input we submitted. She replied they would take everything into consideration. One important detail to note is during these workshops, neither the City nor Placeworks indicated to workshop attendees that they had the option of choosing “no build” or “leave as is.” Attendees were given three plans to choose from, so many attendees, myself included, were not aware “no build” was an option.
During the 12/13 General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) meeting, Joanna Jansen presented the feedback that received the majority consensus from the 5 focus areas. As mentioned, most attendees from the workshop held at Croce were against expanding the UGB. So why is it that when Joanna Jansen presented the feedback received on the Greenville focus area, her slide showed that most people favored development there (specifically, to start with Alternative A)?
Most of the public comments from the 12/13 meeting were against expanding the UGB. When committee member Paul Halvorsen asked if the committee members could vote on who wants to not build in the Greenville area, committee member Alana Laudone responded that was not one of the options on the table that night. My question for her is: what is the point of public comments then? If the majority of the public comments on 12/13 were not in support of the UGB and in support of not building in the Greenville area, why was the no build option not something they were considering during the 12/13 meeting? Did all comments go in one ear and out the other? I’ve seen this kind of dismissive attitude from our city council during council meetings too (two issues that come to mind: issues with the airport and the sign ordinance).
While discussing the potential areas for open space in the Greenville area, the committee discussed leaving the hilly areas as open space, as it was a challenging landscape to develop. Actually, the residents of North Livermore have been trying to convince the City for a decade that hills are difficult to build on (Garaventa Hill). Yet, the City is still absolutely set on building 40+ homes on Garaventa Hill. None of this makes sense.
Resources:
Livermore General Planning Advisory Committee
Agenda Packet for December 13, 2023 Advisory Committee Meeting
I Wish I Had Said Something!
I overheard a conversation while waiting in line to get a flu shot. In this line, you could choose
to get a flu shot, a COVID shot, or both. About eight people away from me in the line, a woman
was (loudly) talking with an older couple about various male friends and relatives who had
become ill or even debilitated shortly after receiving the COVID shot. After each statement from her, either the man or the woman in the older couple would express some sympathy. ‘Oh, that’s no fun.’ Or, ‘I hope he got better.’
The Curb Extension Family Moves to Livermore, CA
The Curb Extension Family is a rather large family. We consisted of extended and blended members, all age ranges. Unfortunately for us, we are all white and and as a result we are told we suffer from “White Privilege Syndrome”. Even though when the sun goes down, we look dark with only white stripes on our body.
Goodbye, EventBrite!
Count me among those firing EventBrite and refusing to use that service anymore-anywhere. This stance may keep me from a few winery parties, oh well. I’m telling the wineries I visit, too, about this recent event. And my ISSA chapter isn’t using EventBrite anymore, either…we actually found a cheaper service!
History of this editorial…on 25 October 2023 OutKick (an American conservative sports news website) published an article discussing that EventBrite (an American-based event ticketing website) was prohibiting Olympic swimmer Riley Gaines from promoting her 3 November 2023 speech at UC Davis about protecting women’s sports on its site. Apparently, her speech at UC Davis violated Eventbrite’s community guidelines – specifically that they:
“do not allow content or events that – through on- or off-platform activity – discriminate against, harass, disparage, threaten, incite violence against, or otherwise target individuals or groups based on their actual or perceived race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, immigration status, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status, age, or disability.”*
Ouch. OutKick also ‘outed’ that EventBrite left on at least two pro-Palestinian events on their website:
“Stop the Genocide! Free Palestine,” and a London rally called “Carnage in Palestine: Oppression, Complicity, and Ethical Responsibility””**
EventBrite co-founder Kevin Hartz denied it:
“…to accuse Eventbrite of being Pro-Hamas is egregious and moronic…” and also telling OutKick to “Please go f---yourself!”***
When the pro-Palestine event links were shown to him, they were simply taken off. No comment now? And Riley still isn’t listed.
I’m pretty sure nothing I can say to Hartz will get Riley on the event site in time for her event (however – just look at the publicity this has gotten her at UC Davis!), but myself and many other organizations can give EventBrite “the FULL Bud Light treatment.”**** Thanks, Sen. Ted Cruz!
I just want to say: Ma’asalma, EventBrite – goodbye, EventBrite.
** https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/oct/27/eventbrite-gets-bud-light-treatment-after-de-listi/
*** https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/oct/27/eventbrite-gets-bud-light-treatment-after-de-listi/
**** https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/oct/30/glenn-youngkin-dumps-eventbrite-after-it-drops-ril/
Riley Gaines Gets Last Laugh...
Eventbright phone number (to leave a message for co-founder Kevint Hartz) 1-628-600-1786
From the Washington Examiner
Eric Swalwell dipped into campaign funds again — this time to buy Super Bowl tickets
Civic Calendar
March 1, 2023
The Valley Link rail project, a new 42 mile, 7 station system meant to connect BART in Pleasanton/Dublin with the ACE train and several San Joaquin communities, is scheduled to commence construction in 2025.
California Continues Its Pilot Program to Tax Drivers by the Mile. Is This Coming to Livermore?
March 4, 2023
The short answer is, not yet. However, state and national legislative bills and executive orders are leading to what looks like inevitable changes in how citizens pay taxes and fees to maintain the roads, bridges, and public transportation.
June 7, 2023
March 1, 2023
East Avenue Corridor, Tactical East Avenue
June 10, 2023
Nov 20, 2023
Livermore General Land Use Community Workshop Nov 2023: Some Attending Citizens’ Comments
