Dear members of the Cupertino City Council,

The Cupertino Youth Climate Action Team respectfully ask that you pass an All-Electric Reach Code in the City of Cupertino. It is likely that Reach Codes will be considered at the November 19th, 2019 City Council Meeting.

We are living in a climate crisis. Conditions will continue to worsen unless we take decisive and rapid action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While it is heartening to see that electricity related emissions have significantly declined, it is worrying to see that natural gas emissions have simultaneously risen.

Every three years, cities and counties across the state adopt the new Building Standards Code or Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations. Cities and counties may adopt building codes more advanced than those required by the state, which are known as “reach” codes. By developing electrification reach codes, the City of Cupertino can save energy and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Thanks to the advocacy efforts of local environmental groups, including the Cupertino Youth Climate Action Team, the Cupertino Sustainability Commission voted to officially recommend All-Electric Reach Codes for Cupertino!

Every new gas line that we build is a huge financial liability to our community, as gas rates continue to rise as the cost of gas maintenance increases for the declining number of gas users. The constant methane leaks from gas lines are devastating to our climate while indoor gas use pollutes our homes, causing serious health impacts. The unfortunate reality about gas lines is that once they are installed, it will be difficult and expensive to retrofit them out. The best way to avoid this cost is to not build gas in the first place.

Ultimately, an incentive-based approach that allows for mixed fuel buildings will not get us to our goal of full electrification fast enough. Cities like Menlo Park and Mountain View agree, and have included all-electric requirements into their reach codes. Mountain View is especially notable for unanimously approving the first reading of a fully all-electric reach code, demonstrating that an all-electric requirement is both legally and politically viable.

If we do not require that new construction is all-electric, we will have to deal with the consequences of the new gas lines that accelerate climate change and are hazardous to local residents. This is an opportunity for Cupertino to stand strong as a climate leader!

An all-electric reach code requirement will greatly simplify the code language. This will simplify the permitting process as the requirements are straightforward and easy to understand. Community members will benefit from the reduced cost of all-electric buildings, and the City will benefit from the avoided liability of future, inevitable retrofits.


We ask that the Cupertino City Council to pass an All-electric Reach Code that:

- Requires electric heating/cooling, water heater, clothes dryer, cooking appliances, fireplaces, and firepits for all building types.

- Allows for Commercial restaurants to apply for a waiver for an exemption for gas cooking in situations where no electric alternative is available (Menlo Park and Mountain View use similar waivers)

- Allows for some exemptions for certain commercial building types: [Mountain View allows gas for F (factory industrial), H (hazardous materials), and L (laboratories).]

- Require pre-wiring for the future installation of electric appliances where gas is installed.

- Allows multi-family buildings within ¼ mile of transit (defined as frequent bus service or a light rail station, in a Planned Development Area, with a Transportation Demand Management Plan) to have no parking requirements, thus reducing the cost of EV infrastructure.

Thank you for your time and consideration!

- Members of the Cupertino Youth Climate Action Team

To join the Cupertino Youth Climate Action Team, email us at cupertinoyouthclimate@gmail.com