Dear Mayor Ohtaki & Council Members,
Please support and approve EV Charging Infrastructure Ordinance as written.
As a number of you Council Members know, electric vehicle (EVs) are cheaper, more convenient and have a much smaller energy/carbon
footprint than internal combustion vehicles. However, one of the biggest concerns by the driving public is the lack of charging
infrastructure and it's a chicken and egg problem. This ordinance solves this in the most cost effective manner by requiring
certain levels of charging infrastructure at the point of new construction.
As part of the ordinance development, the City of Palo Alto which has had similar requirements in place for the last four years
submitted comments in support of the Menlo Park ordinance. Specifically, Peter Pirnejad, Palo Alto's Director of Development
Services stated: "I estimate that this ordinance has increased construction costs by less than 0.5% and I know from experience
that it is considerably more expensive (10-100 times more) to add charging infrastructure post construction than pre-construction.
To date, my Department has had no pushback from developers regarding the ordinance’s residential component and limited pushback on
the commercial side, primarily due to new California Americans with Disabilities Act adding additional parking space
requirements..."
Peter's email closed with "In summary, it is my opinion that Palo Alto’s 2014 EV charging requirements have been a major success.
Feel free to contact my office if there is anything I can do to support Menlo Park in adopting a similar measure. " His full email
follows.
As someone who has been driving EVs for the last 11 years, and has the nation's first residential curbside charger outside of my
house (ProjectGreenHome.org) I hear from EV drivers almost daily regarding charging infrastructure and how it would be so much
more convenient if their workplace and or apartment complex had charging. These EV drivers are told it's too expensive to retrofit
- which is understandable. The cost effective solution is to install the charging infrastructure at the time of construction which
is exactly what this ordinance requires.
I would be present this evening to discuss this important ordinance with Council Members but must pick my daughter from the
airport.
Best,
Sven Thesen
EV Consultant & Founder, ProjectGreenHome.org and BeniSolSolar.com
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From:Pirnejad, Peter
Date: Thu, Feb 8, 2018 at 11:09 AM
Subject: The Palo Alto experience in creating and enforcing an Electric Vehicle Ordinance
To: dmchow@menlopark.org [dmchow@menlopark.org] , rjlafrance@menlopark.org
[rjlafrance@menlopark.org] , rllucky@menlopark.org [rllucky@menlopark.org] <
rllucky@menlopark.org [rllucky@menlopark.org]>
Cc: Jacobson, Melanie , oripaz@menlopark.org
[oripaz@menlopark.org] , jlondon@stanfordalumni.org [jlondon@stanfordalumni.org] <
jlondon@stanfordalumni.org [jlondon@stanfordalumni.org]>, SvenThesen@gmail.com [SvenThesen@gmail.com] [SvenThesen@gmail.com]>, Hodge, Bruce
Dear Ms. Chow, Mr. Lafrance, and Ms. Lucky,
I was talking to a mutual acquaintance, Sven Thesen, also good friend, and he mentioned Menlo Park was considering an Electric
Vehicle ordinance of some kind. As the Director of Development Services, I am pleased that the City of Menlo Park is advancing a
new electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure ordinance for multi-family and commercial developments and would like to share
my Department’s experience to the extent that it may help you.
As you may know, in 2014 the City of Palo Alto adopted EV charging requirements with essentially the following requirements:
* Multi-family residential– one Level 2 charging outlet and/ or one EVSE for each housing unit, plus install electric wiring for
25% of visitor spaces.
* Hotels– all new builds must accommodate EVs at 30% of public spaces. This accommodation can be either a 120V outlet or actual
charging equipment, but all parking must have at least 1 in every 10 spaces set up to includeinstalledEVSEs.
* Commercial Development– 25% of all spaces must accommodate plug-in vehicles, with at least5% of all spaces equipped with
charging equipment.
I estimate that this ordinance has increased construction costs by less than 0.5% and I know from experience that it is
considerably more expensive (10-100 times more) to add charging infrastructure post construction than pre-construction. To date,
my Department has had no pushback from developers regarding the ordinance’s residential component and limited pushback on the
commercial side, primarily due to new California Americans with Disabilities Act adding additional parking space requirements. If
Menlo Park was only to enact one component of our ordinance (residential or commercial) I would prioritize the residential
requirement of one charger per residential unit because a) this is where vehicles spend most of their time b) the great majority
of EV users prefer to charge at home versus a commercial setting and c) both home charger install and operational costs are
generally less than the commercial costs.
Palo Alto and Menlo Park have some of the highest purchasing rates of EVs, yet multi-family dwellings that lack charging
infrastructure remain a major barrier to accelerating EV adoption. I appreciate the efforts of Menlo Park and other cities
throughout the region to support EVs as an effective way to cut greenhouse gas and air pollution.
In summary, it is my opinion that Palo Alto’s 2014 EV charging requirements have been a major success. Feel free to contact my
office if there is anything I can do to support Menlo Park in adopting a similar measure. If you have technical questions about
our ordinance the best person to talk to is Melanie Jacobson, copied in this email
Sincerely,
Dr. Peter Pirnejad
Director of Development Services
Description: Description: Description: Description: cid:image001.png@01CD1405.7F598E60 [cid:165831a2c2e4cff311]
Peter Pirnejad | Director of Development Services
285 Hamilton Avenue | Palo Alto, CA 94301
O: 650.329.2349 | E:Peter.Pirnejad@CityofPaloAlto.org [Peter.Pirnejad@CityofPaloAlto.org]
For scheduling please contact
Tabatha Boatwright | Admin Associate
0: (650) 329-2226 |Tabatha.Boatwright@CityofPaloAlto.org [Tabatha.Boatwright@CityofPaloAlto.org]
Please think of the environment before printing this email – Thank you!
--
Sven Thesen, 415-225-7645
EV Consultant & Founder, ProjectGreenHome.org and BeniSolSolar.com; Wonder Junkie
__________________________________________________Electric Cars are Cheaper than Cell Phones! See:
http://www.projectgreenhome.org/articles.html [http://www.projectgreenhome.org/articles.html]image001.png(12K)
[https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=0b6ebe0b45&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1591861009990871774&th=16176d27904ceade&view=att&disp=safe]
Sans SerifSend
--
Sven Thesen, 415-225-7645
EV Consultant & Founder, ProjectGreenHome.org and BeniSolSolar.com; Wonder Junkie
__________________________________________________Electric Cars are Cheaper than Cell Phones! See:
http://www.projectgreenhome.org/articles.html [http://www.projectgreenhome.org/articles.html]