Simi taking Green Community Challenge

On the heels of adopting the first green building ordinance in Ventura County, Simi Valley is now putting together a plan to ensure a more sustainable future for the city.

At the end of last year, the City Council authorized Simi’s participation in the California Green Community Challenge, which requires cities to create action plans dedicated to environmental preservation.

Last month, the Sustainable Simi Valley Committee—formed in 2007 to find ways to make the city more environmentally friendly, got to work on that plan, starting with energy efficiency and waste reduction.

“The action plan is going to lead the direction of the city going forward for the foreseeable future, and it is going to touch every corner of the city, from water conservation to energy efficiency to open space,” said Mayor Pro Tem Glen Becerra, who co-chairs the committee.

The Environmental Media Association, in cooperation with Green Seal and the Institute for Local Government, selected Simi Valley as one of 10 Southern California cities that will participate in the program.

EMA and Green Seal are both environmentally focused nonprofits, and the Institute for Local Government is the education arm of the League of California Cities and California State Association of Counties.

Becerra, who works for Southern California Edison, said Simi was chosen as one of the pilot cities partly because of his connection with Edison. The power company has a close working relationship with EMA.

He said Simi deserves to be part of the program, especially since it was one of the first cities in the state to implement a green building ordinance, which requires builders to live up to strict environmentally responsible standards.

“It’s a great honor for a city like Simi Valley to be chosen for its progressiveness in the area of sustainability,” he said. “I do believe Simi is worthy of being part of those 10 cities because we were out there already doing this stuff on our own.”

The 10 cities must develop plans and commit to actions that would reduce carbon emissions. Becerra called the plan a “road map” that will outline the projects and steps that need to be taken and the ordinances that need to be updated.

Assistant City Manager Laura Behjan, who is helping to coordinate the challenge, said the plan is a good thing for the city but will serve as an example to businesses and residents as well.

“It’s really about getting the message out throughout the community that there are actions that we can all take that make sense both environmentally and economically, that benefit us now and into the future,” she said.

Tom Tarn, who represents the Chamber of Commerce on the committee, agreed.

“Going through some of the different chapters of this plan, there are so many opportunities for the city to lead the way and also educate and promote among the community, and work with the business community, to identify doable things,” said the 25-year Simi resident.

Becerra said he is proud of the work the committee did on the ordinance and he is also proud of the way the committee has tackled the issue of sustainability—by leaving politics at the door.

“These are all things we should be doing regardless because it is a better, more responsible use of our resources,” he said. “This committee is not being driven by the politics of global warming; it’s being driven by doing the right thing.”

The organizations promoting the Green Community Challenge will offer the city guidance and support in meeting its goals. Corporate partners—such as Edison, Kellogg Garden Products, Toyota and the California Integrated Waste Management Board—will pitch in too.

The city is also hoping to partner with the school and park districts and reach out to local homeowners associations, Behjan said.

A multidepartmental “green team” of city staff is already working with members of the committee to draft the chapters of the plan.

The committee, which meets on a monthly basis, includes representatives from Waste Management, Calleguas Municipal Water District, the Building Industry Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the park district, the school district and the community.

Associate Planner Cynthia Sabatini said the goal is to complete the plan and present it to the City Council for adoption by this summer. The city has until the end of 2012 to implement the plan and reach its short-term goals.

The next Sustainable Simi Valley Committee meeting is March 23 at 4:30 p.m. in the community room at city hall.