HomeMy WebLinkAboutBRIEFING re Commercial Property Assessed JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
Mark McCauley, County Administrator
FROM: Brent Butler, Chief Strategy Officer, AICP
Cindy Jayne, Vice Chair, Climate Action Committee
DATE: March 18, 2024
SUBJECT: Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy+Resiliency (C-PACER)
Implementation Grant
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
The Board of County Commissioners ("Board") identified a range of projects, programs and activities to
incentivize building resiliency and economic development within Jefferson County. The Commercial
Property Assessed Clean Energy and Resiliency (C-PACER)program had appeared on the Department of
Community Development's ("DCD")project list in 2023, and prior years. After a duly noticed public
hearing on October 9, 2023, and a public session on October 23, 202, the C-PACER program was adopted as
Ordinance Number 04-1009-23 and Resolution Number 46-23 respectively adding Chapter 15.20 to the
Jefferson County Code and establishing associated fees. Since few if any commercial, agricultural or
multifamily building owners are aware of the C-PACER program,the Chief Strategy Officer contacted the
Climate Action Committee ("CAC")regarding the feasibility of using the Energy Efficiency and
Conservation Block Grant(EECBG)to promote the program's goals in alignment with the CAC's core
mission.
ANALYSIS:
The C-PACER program would be in conformance with the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan ("CP")
because the program encourages the adoption of programs, policies and procedures that increase energy
efficiency in publicly funded infrastructure (see CP page 149),partnerships with other stakeholders such as
the Public Utility District#1 (see CP page 331), and resource consuming facilities (CP page 356), among
other areas. Through discussions with the program administrators of Pierce and Whatcom counties, the
county has learned that other counties struggle securing sufficient capacity to promote the program. For this
reason, staff proposes applying for the attached grant to retain an intern, who could work with the CAC to
promote the program by advancing energy audits on behalf of Jefferson County's efforts to reduce
greenhouse gases.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact anticipated is limited to the completion of the grant application, as the grant authorizes
recovering the cost for administrative services up to 10%of grant amount.
RECOMMENDATION:
After a discussion of the pros and cons of this grant with the Climate Action Committee, consider applying
for an award that advances the CAC's core mission.
REVIEWED BY:
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Mark McCauley, unty Administrator Dat