Please attend the Planning Commission tonight in Escondido. It will be held in the City Council Chambers at 201. N. Broadway at 7 PM.
It is is kick-off of the new Climate Action Planning process. Notices and draft plan below.
Escondido – CAP Newsletter No. 1
CommunityOutreachPlan_Draft_04.25.18
Here is a copy of the NCG CAP and Adaptation Letter to Escondido_21MAR2018
At first I was impressed, until I examined Escondido – CAP Newsletter No. 1, and the Community Outreach Plan Draft 04 25 18.
(fyi – I was out of town last week, so I was unable to attend the May 8, 2018 Planning Commission meeting, where item was introduced).
On the Outreach Plan Draft 04 25 18, on page 9, under Public Outreach, I was disappointed that both Escondido Climate Action Alliance (ECAA), and Sierra Club North County Group SCNCP were both excluded from the specific local organizations that City of Escondido listed under outreach.
This exclusion was a surprising disappointment, following formal correspondence sent from Laura Hunter (representing Sierra Club North County Group) earlier, with specific comments pertaining to City of Escondido’s ‘process’, for updating Escondido’s Climate Action Plan (CAP). So, was that early correspondence with specific suggestions withheld from SANDAG consultants, and if so, why?
Additionally during Oral Communications on 09 24 17 at Escondido City Council before meeting adjourned, I informed City Council my presence that day was to represent Escondido Climate Action Alliance (ECAA), and to express interest and expertise by group of local climate expert volunteers who wish to provide technical assistance during City’s update of Climate Action Plan.
Thirdly, Escondido’s first choice to select SANDAG’s consultant, to provide free service to City to prepare Climate Action Plan update by an SDG&E-consultant is a disturbing early signal to public stakeholders. It probably is self explanatory, (why City chose SANDAG’s “free consultant” service), over other qualified consultants, or wasn’t a Request For Proposals (RFP) process even applied?
Lastly, I was concerned the Climate Action Plan (first Draft 04 25 18) prepared by the SANDAG consultant failed to examine during earliest stage, the option for public stakeholders to choose Community Choice Energy (CCE) Alternative.
As an interested public stakeholder myself, I find it another disturbing early signal how important choices and alternatives have already been excluded, or filtered out of City of Escondido’s most important environmental documents to update the CAP, that will shape our energy future, and define Escondido’s short and long term vision, and fiduciary duty.
It is noteworthy how many other north county cities in San Diego have chosen to participate in a collective regional effort to reduce costs of a Feasbility Study, to implement Community Choice Energy alternatives, and carefully examine costs/benefits, and a system for stakeholders in those cities to make an ‘informed choice’. It was an immense disappointment that Escondido refused to consider CCE alternative, or even mention it in this first Draft CAP plan.
Thank you for thoughtful consideration.