San Diego Infrastructure Committee Meeting - July 12, 2017

The Infrastructure Committee of the San Diego City Council met on July 12, 2017, at 10:00 AM. The committee, chaired by Councilmember Chris Cate, included Vice Chair Lorie Zapf, and Councilmembers Georgette Gomez and David Alvarez. Staff from the Economic Development Department, Transportation and Stormwater Department, and representatives from SDG&E, the IBA, and the City Attorney's office were present. The meeting covered two main agenda items: a proposal to participate in SDG&E's Power Your Drive electric vehicle (EV) charging program, and an amendment to the Transnet Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) for fiscal year 2018.

Consent Calendar

• The meeting minutes from June 29, 2017, were approved as distributed without objection.
• No items were on the consent calendar.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Non-Agenda Public Comment: Martha Welch spoke about the widespread and worsening pothole conditions on city streets, particularly on Broadway, 10th, 9th, and Eastman/Fuller Street. She criticized the city's maintenance contracts and expressed frustration that potholes are damaging tires and vehicles, stating it shows the city does not care about people.
• Item 1 – EV Charging Stations:
  • Molly Ament (SDG&E Clean Transportation Manager): Expressed strong support for the program, noting that over half of city emissions come from transportation. She highlighted SDG&E's grid is 43% renewable, and the program incentivizes daytime charging when renewable energy is abundant. She also mentioned the upcoming SB 350 transportation electrification program.
  • Martha Welch: Spoke in favor of the EV program, noting that Ford and Tesla are moving toward electric vehicles and that the city should prepare for increased adoption.

Discussion Items

• Item 1: Report from Economic Development Department – SDG&E Power Your Drive Program
  • Lydia Moreno (Deputy Director) presented the proposed 10-year agreement allowing installation of up to 194 EV charging stations at 14 city sites (95 for fleet vehicles, 99 for employee parking). The program is part of a $45 million CPUC pilot approved in 2016 targeting 3,500 stations regionwide, with at least 10% in disadvantaged communities.
  • A city employee survey in 2016 received 75 responses. Site selection was based on survey results, on-site visits, and engineering review.
  • Fiscal impact: minimal. A one-time fee of $640 per station for sites outside disadvantaged communities (total ~$40,000, with $27,720 from fleet operations and $11,970 from Environmental Services Department). SDG&E will install, own, operate, and maintain the stations.
  • The program aligns with the city's Climate Action Plan goals: 50% of municipal fleet zero-emission by 2020 and 90% by 2035, and the state's goal of 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles by 2025.
  • Committee discussion:
    • Councilmember Gomez asked about the definition of disadvantaged communities (tracks with CalEnviroScreen, expanded by 25% of census tracts). He also questioned the gap between current fleet (45 hybrids, no full EVs) and the 50% target by 2020. Fleet Operations Director Alia Corey replied that a report from the Center for Sustainable Energy is expected by November/December 2017 and will come to committee.
    • Vice Chair Ward asked about charging rates (variable hourly rates, typically 13-15 cents/kWh, with a cap of 25 cents via app). He also inquired about public access after hours; staff noted stations are for employees only, but Vice Chair Ward suggested exploring public use. SDG&E's April Bold Duke explained the program is for workplaces and multifamily communities only.
    • Councilmember Zapf raised concerns about limited parking spaces and the need for a reservation system. She also noted that she drives a Chevy Volt and finds public charging stations often Tesla-only or require complicated sign-ups.
• Item 2: Report from Transportation and Stormwater Department – Transnet RTIP Amendment
  • Hassan Yousuf (Deputy Director) and Ben Bitalia presented the amendment to the 2016 RTIP to conform to the FY 2018 adopted Transnet budget of $32.5 million. Breakdown: 30% ($9.6M) for street maintenance, 70% ($22.5M) for congestion relief (including $19.2M for CIP projects and $3.3M for implementation), and $300,000 for administration.
  • The five-year forecast (FY18-22) shows revenues growing from $32.5M to $38.1M (4% annual growth). A list of specific CIP projects is in Attachment A.
  • Committee discussion:
    • Vice Chair Ward asked about past revenue reliability (staff noted actual revenues are typically 1-2% less than projections, a manageable variance). He also noted a significant increase in resurfacing funding in FY20-22, which staff said is because no large standalone projects are currently planned for those years; amendments can be made later.
    • Councilmember Gomez expressed concern that 64% of funding goes to road/highway widening and lane extensions, with little for bicycle/pedestrian projects or traffic calming that supports the Climate Action Plan's goal of reducing vehicle miles traveled. She asked how projects are tied to the CAP. Staff responded that all projects include pedestrian and bicycle components and that the RTIP list is built from council and public input. Councilmember Gomez also noted that she had requested projects but never received a response; staff committed to providing formal responses in the future. She stated she could not support the motion due to the need to shift priorities toward sustainable transportation.
    • Councilmember Zapf clarified that truck route widening (e.g., La Media Road in Otay Mesa) is on city streets, not freeways, and the 163/Friars interchange is a cooperative project with Caltrans that improves city street circulation. She supported the motion.

Key Outcomes

• Item 1 – EV Charging Program: The committee voted unanimously to approve the staff recommendation to enter into the 10-year agreement with SDG&E for the Power Your Drive program. The approval includes the concept plan and allows each city department to enter separate agreements for specific sites. Next steps include department approvals, application submission, and construction expected by end of 2017 or early 2018.
• Item 2 – Transnet RTIP Amendment: The committee approved the required SANDAG resolutions to amend the 2016 RTIP to conform to the FY 2018 Transnet budget. The vote was 3-1, with Councilmember Gomez opposing. The amendment will allow the city to draw Transnet funds against expenses for approved projects.