SSF PLAN:

SF Development & Zoning Code

The layout of cities and the distribution of land uses affects how much people need to travel. When jobs, schools, shopping, and services are nearby, vehicular travel can be shortened or replaced with alternatives.

Zoning Code dictates where different land uses are allowed, as well as the placement and height of structures. The Development Code, including the Zoning Code, needs to be reviewed for opportunities for greenhouse gas emissions reduction in such areas as transportation, solar gain and shading, food growing, and water harvesting and usage.

Proposed Actions:

• Amend the Development and Zoning Code to:
• Make access to solar exposure a property right.
• Encourage Passive Solar Building design.
• Encourage use of gray water and rainwater for landscape watering and other uses such as toilet flushing.
• Require subdivisions be laid out to enable maximum feasible use of solar design and equipment, and the ability to use captured stormwater.
• Encourage natural vegetation shading of buildings and constructed surfaces, as vegetation absorbs CO2 and keeps things cool in the summer.
• Amend the Development Code to encourage locally grown food to reduce costs of fuel and transport of food.
• Allow for a greater variety of uses within a development, which reduce the number and length of vehicle trips.
• Encourage development of affordable energy efficient housing.

Green Building Code

Building (construction) uses the majority of electricity produced by power plants. Building materials contain large amounts of embodied energy. The City of Santa Fe was the first city to adopt the “2030 Challenge,” which calls for reducing GHG emissions from buildings until they produce zero emissions by the year 2030.

Proposed Actions

• Implement performance-based Santa Fe Green Building Codes that recognize the need for phased-in mandatory minimums and offer incentives for superior performance.
• Codify commitments and date benchmarks included in the “2030 Challenge.”
• Develop green building codes and incentive programs for retrofitting existing buildings, commercial buildings, and new or old structures in historic districts.
• There would be incentives to go beyond the minimum requirements to “gold,” “platinum” and “emerald” levels.