COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

County Manager’s Office

DATE:

May 17, 2007

BOARD MEETING DATE:

May 22

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

John Maltbie, County Manager

SUBJECT:

County Manager’s Report #8

A.

Resolution in support of AB 35 (Ruskin), Environment: state buildings: sustainable building standards

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution in support of AB 35 (Ruskin), Environment: state buildings: sustainable building standards.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Preserve and provide people access to our natural environment

Goal(s): 14—Important natural resources are preserved and enhanced through environmental stewardship.

BACKGROUND:

AB 35 would require, by July 1, 2009, the adoption of green building standards for the construction and renovation of state buildings. AB 35 would then require that state buildings for which capital plans or renovations begin after July 1, 1010 be designed, built and operated in accordance with the adopted green building regulations.

The regulations would be required to incorporate, at a minimum, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver rating standards, which are set by the United States Green building Council (USGBC). The regulations would also be required to include credits for projects that use sustainable-forest certified wood products and that use California-based resources.

DISCUSSION:

According to Assembly Member Ruskin, there are no statutory mandates that require the state to construct facilities with green building standards. USGBC reports that buildings in the United States consume 36 percent of all energy (65 percent of electricity) produce 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and use 30 percent of raw materials.

The Board of Supervisors adopted a Sustainable Building Policy in December 2001 that requires all new buildings over 5000 square feet to be built to the highest practicable LEED rating and certified through the U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC). San Mateo County does not require attainment of a specific LEED standard (as is proposed in AB 35). However, several recently constructed facilities have met LEED certification. The Forensic Lab has a rating of Certified (the lowest LEED rating). The Youth Services Center is expected to be rated Silver. Staff and design consultants are considering Silver rating standards for anticipated new construction projects including a new women’s correctional facility and a receiving home adjacent to the Youth Services Center.

AB 35 is currently in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

FISCAL IMPACT:

No fiscal impact.

B.

Resolution in support of AB 1472 (Leno), The California Healthy Places Act of 2008

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution in support of AB 1472, the California Healthy Places Act of 2008.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal(s): 7—Children grow up healthy in safe and supportive homes and neighborhoods

BACKGROUND:

AB 1472 (Leno) would establish the California Healthy Places Act of 2008 and would approprate $2.8 million to the California Department of Public Health for activities including supporting childhood development, preventing injury, illness and chronic disease, ensuring environmental health, and reducing health disparities.

According to the Health Department, too many Californians experience avoidable injuries or suffer unnecessarily from chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and asthma. The resulting human and economic toll is largely preventable. According to the Institute of Medicine, improving health in the 21st century will require new approaches to environmental health, including strategies to deal with unhealthy buildings, urban congestion, poor housing, poor nutrition, and environmentally-related stress.

On April 4, 2006, the Board adopted Resolution No. 067893 to enact the More Livable San Mateo County model policy and Resolution No. 067894 to establish a More Livable San Mateo County Work Group to encourage and promote community health, prevent and reduce obesity, provide access to healthy foods, increase physical activity and connectivity for all neighborhoods.

DISCUSSION:

Research shows that how we design neighborhoods and cities affects numerous health conditions such as heart disease, asthma, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, depression, injuries, and some cancers. A healthy environment means that children should have playgrounds, parks, and schools within walking distance of their homes. Streets should be safe for walking and bicycling. Nutritious food should be available in every neighborhood. Housing should be affordable and free of hazards. Currently, mechanisms and mandates for public health to participate in planning decisions do not exist, and city, county and regional planning agencies do not have the resources or expertise to assess the health impacts of planning and land use decisions.

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is an emerging methodology used across Europe and more recently in the United States to assess the health impacts of various land use and planning decisions. HIAs are voluntary but increasingly used at the local level.

The California Healthy Places Act of 2008 would provide technical assistance and grants to community organizations and local health agencies to evaluate land-use planning decisions to ensure that they create communities that promote health through the new California Department of Public Health. This legislation builds on innovative Health Impact Assessment initiatives already taking place at the local level.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no Net County Cost associated with supporting AB 1472.