This handbook published in early 2010 provides local planning officials with guidance and tools to reduce potential GHG emissions from new development under current law. As California establishes aggressive targets for reducing GHGs, the policies and tools being developed under AB 32 and other state initiatives to guide local government land use planning are several years away. However, new development projects will not wait. Every subdivision and building that is built in the interim is likely to be here for the next 50 to 100 years. Simple measures taken today will give communities the opportunity to meet and exceed GHG reduction targets in the future. If the potential for future energy and GHG reduction in new buildings remains limited by current policies, it will be harder and more expensive for communities to achieve long-term GHG reduction targets and more dollars will leave local economies as energy prices rise. Early action measures include solar access protection, making buildings future ready for current and developing technologies, cost-effective local codes that go beyond state Title-24 energy efficiency standards, and more efficient streets and parking lots. The measures covered are limited to critical early actions within the authority and control of the local planning process. The Handbook provides the information needed to implement each early action measure including the concepts and technologies involved; why the measure is important; the potential benefits & costs; the existing or required legal authority and steps for taking action. Sample ordinances, implementing documents from other communities and other useful information are discussed in the Handbook and provided in a digital Resource Library.
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