Simi Valley
The City of Simi Valley is committed to achieving an environmentally and economically sustainable community. In 2007, the City Council established the Sustainable Simi Valley Committee which, with broad community representation, completed a Green Building Ordinance, the first such ordinance to be adopted in Ventura County. The Committee is now preparing a Green Community Action Plan to further advance the City’s sustainability vision. The City is also nearing completion of a comprehensive General Plan Update and with it, a Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Various City-owned facility improvements are either underway or planned in the coming months, including the replacement of outdated HVAC systems in two City-owned buildings, and the installation of energy-saving lighting fixtures and occupancy sensors throughout City facilities. Motor and pump replacements to increase energy efficiency are under evaluation or scheduled within the City’s water distribution facilities and wastewater treatment plant operations. The City operates a municipal bus system that uses compressed natural gas fuel, and its Transit facility will be renovated in 2010 in accordance with U.S. Green Building Council standards, making it Simi Valley’s first municipal LEED-certified facility.
The City is involved in several initiatives to encourage sustainable practices within the community, including partnering with Southern California Edison as an energy efficiency leader, establishing a program to assist residents in older homes become more energy-wise, and participating with 14 counties throughout California on the upcoming launch of a pilot program to provide property owners financing for energy and water efficiency improvements.
Links
City of Simi Valley Official Site
CONTACT INFORMATION
Certification Status
Certification is awarded when cities complete at least one (Silver), two (Gold) or all three (Platinum) activities in their Action Plan in each of the 10 challenge areas and upon peer review by other participating cities. Simi Valley’s self-reported progress in each challenge area is shown below.
CURRENT OVERALL STATUS: SILVER (PENDING CITY PEER REVIEW)
Action Plan
| Energy Efficiency & Conservation | ||
|---|---|---|
Silver | City Facility Energy Efficiency Improvements Project to replace outdated HVAC with energy efficient models in two City facilities, install energy efficient lighting and occupancy sensors in City buildings. Responsible Department: Public Works | December 2010 |
Gold | Municipal Energy Tracking and Management Program Implement utility manager software networked among City facilities for real-time reporting and management of electricity, water and gas usage. Responsible Department: Administrative Services | July 2012 |
Platinum | Community Energy Efficiency Financing Programs Grant and loan program for single-family residential home energy improvements; pilot program to provide property owners financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Program outreach to include City website, Green Living Expo, and informational workshops. Responsible Departments: City Manager’s Office/Environmental Services | January 2011 |
| Water & Wastewater Systems | ||
Silver | Smart Irrigation Project Install 85 smart controllers and weather station in City’s Landscape Maintenance District, providing for 2/3’s coverage by smart irrigation devices. Responsible Department: Public Works | July 2011 |
Gold | Water Main Improvement Program Develop a water main improvement program to selectively replace and improve an average of 10,000 feet of water mains annually. Responsible Department: Public Works | December 2011 |
Platinum | Community Water Conservation Program Public outreach and involvement activities to facilitate a 15% (or more) reduction in community-wide water use. Program to include residential conservation retrofits. Responsible Department: Public Works | June 2011 |
| Green Building | ||
Silver | Reach Code Implementation Obtain California Energy Commission approval and implement energy efficiency “Reach Code” section of the City’s Green Building ordinance, the first such ordinance in Ventura County. Responsible Department: Environmental Services | July 2010 |
Gold | Transit Maintenance Facility Modernization Project Expand and modernize City’s transit facility and garage to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification, including significant energy efficiency, resource and conservation enhancements. Responsible Department: Community Services | September 2011 |
Platinum | Green Building Education Campaign Program to include public information and technical assistance on green building methods for residents and developers. Responsible Department: Environmental Services | March 2012 |
| Waste Reduction & Recycling | ||
Silver | City Waste Audit and Enhanced Recycling Program Conduct waste audit of City facilities to identify additional opportunities to reduce landfilled waste; expand use and access to recycling collection containers in City offices, public areas, and conference rooms. Responsible Department: Community Services | June 2011 |
Gold | Special Event Recycling Program Implement a recommended condition for community events exceeding 300 participants to provide for recycling of waste generated at the event. Responsible Departments: City Manager’s Office/Public Works | December 2010 |
Platinum | Community Waste Reduction Education Program Provide public information and education via such means as the City website and Green Living Expo on locally available solid and hazardous waste recycling options, home composting, and local reuse, material exchange and “buy recycled” opportunities. Responsible department: Community Services/Public Works | June 2011 |
| Climate-Friendly Purchasing | ||
Silver | City Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Program Establish and implement an environmentally preferred purchasing policy for City operations that sets required standards for City purchases. Responsible Department: Administrative Services | September 2011 |
Gold | Service Provider Standards Establish and prioritize sustainable practices that would be expected of providers contracting to provide services to the City. Responsible Department: Administrative Services | September 2012 |
Platinum | “How to Make Environmentally Preferred Purchases” Program Educational program to provide resources to local business and consumers on sustainable purchasing practices. Responsible Department: Administrative Services | September 2011 |
| Renewable Energy & Low-Carbon Fuels | ||
Silver | City Fleet Fuel Strategy Develop a strategy for fleet composition and recommended fuel platforms to provide for improved fuel efficiency over 2010 base year fleet. Responsible Department: Public Works | July 2011 |
Gold | City Renewable Energy Plan Evaluate potential application and installation requirements of solar, wind or other renewable energy systems at City facilities. Responsible Departments: Public Works/City Manager’s Office | January 2012 |
Platinum | Community Renewable Energy Resource Program Conduct renewable energy workshop for residential, commercial and industrial property owners; implement program for property owners to finance renewable energy projects. Responsible Department: City Manager’s Office | January 2011 |
| Efficient Transportation | ||
Silver | Alternative Fuel Vehicles for City’s Fleet Expand the number of alternative fuel vehicles in the City’s fleet as vehicles are scheduled for replacement. Responsible Department: Police/Public Works | June 2012 |
Gold | Regional CNG Fueling Station Complete improvements to expand access to City’s CNG bus fueling facility to City of Moorpark Transit to facilitate that community’s transition from diesel to CNG-fueled buses. Responsible Department: Community Services | January 2011 |
Platinum | Community Alternative Transportation Program Implement a community outreach strategy to encourage use of alternative transportation modes, including low or zero emission vehicles, public transit, ridesharing, bicycling or pedestrian travel. Responsible Department: Green Team | December 2011 |
| Land Use & Community Design | ||
Silver | Climate Friendly Affordable Housing Development Implement ordinance to provide incentives to affordable housing projects that incorporate climate friendly and green building techniques. Responsible Department: Environmental Services | July 2010 |
Gold | Increased Density and Mixed Use Development Amend Development Code and Zoning Maps to expand areas where higher density residential and mixed use development would be allowed, including a process to allow some development to exceed size limits. Responsible Department: Environmental Services | September 2012 |
Platinum | Climate Action Plan Adopt a Climate Action Plan to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions from all sectors within the City. Responsible Department: Environmental Services | June 2011 |
| Urban Forestry & Carbon Offsets | ||
Silver | Tree Inventory and Management Program Review the inventory of existing trees on City-owned property and street parkways for additional tree planting opportunities and replacement with low water use trees; modify approved tree list and Landscape Design Guidelines to promote the planting of low-water use tree species. Responsible Departments: Environmental Services and Public Works | August 2011 |
Gold | Green Buffer “Going Green on the 118” Program Plant oak trees and low-water use vegetation within the Highway 118 Freeway interchange rights-of-way to increase green buffer and offset vehicle emissions. Responsible Department: Environmental Services | March 2012 |
Platinum | Residential Tree Planting Program Provide tree-planting resources and promote tree preservation on City website, including benefits to enhancing green space in urban environments, promote use of City’s free wood chip program, and the City’s self-help tree program to encourage tree planting in parkways. Responsible Departments: Public Works and Environmental Services | March 2011 |
| Promoting Community & Individual Action | ||
Silver | “Green” Public Information Program Implement a Green Page on City website; issue a “green” edition of community newsletter, City Focus. Responsible Department: City Manager’s Office/Community Services | October 2010 |
Gold | Green Living Expo Community event to feature local green vendors and services, access to green resources and educational workshops on sustainable living. Responsible Department: City Manager’s Office/Green Team | October 2010 |
Platinum | Emerald Award Program Award Program to recognize residents and/or businesses that exemplify green practices. Responsible Department: Green Team | April 2012 |
