Air Quality

Purpose and Introduction

This element provides policy and action items to ensure that the City is striving, in collaboration with regional agencies, to implement measures to preserve and improve air quality in the Coachella Valley to the greatest extent possible.

Figures and Tables

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Tables

Goals, Policies, and Actions

Goal AQ1

Improve regional air quality to protect the health of the community.

Policies

AQ1.1	Work to attain ozone, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead, particulate matter, and sulfate standards as enforced by SCAQMD.
AQ1.2	Identify and implement regional mechanisms that reduce air emissions and improve regional air quality as outlined in the Coachella Valley Association of Governments’ Memorandum of Understanding and SCAQMD’s Air Quality Management Plan.
AQ1.3	Continue to incorporate, where appropriate, provisions of the SCAQMD Air Quality Management Plan into the City’s Zoning Ordinance.
AQ1.4	Incorporate the provisions of the SCAQMD Air Quality Management Plan into project review procedures.
AQ1.5	Support measures for improving air quality in the South Coast and Salton Sea Air Basins, while opposing measures that may result in transferring air pollution via “credits” to the Inland Empire.
AQ1.6	Support measures that improve air quality in the Los Angeles air basin, while opposing measures that transfer air pollution via “credits” to the Inland Empire.
AQ1.7	Participate in meetings between the Coachella Valley Association of Governments and SCAQMD to discuss and implement regional actions to reduce local air emissions. A comprehensive range of options should be considered including, but not limited to, the following: Supplement existing public transit opportunities with additional routes and/or frequency to facilitate intercity travel. Provide local subsidies or other incentives to encourage the use of public transit. Implement a subregional transportation-demand management program. Restrict the development of uses that degrade the air quality. Work with the SCAQMD to focus on the reduction of trip length and total vehicle miles traveled rather than the jobs/housing balance ratio, which can still result in significant trip lengths.
AQ1.8	Support and implement the provisions of the Coachella Valley Dust Control Ordinance, Handbook, and Memorandum of Understanding.

Implementation Actions

Action Number	Implementation Action/Program
AQ1.1	Require the preparation of detailed geotechnical analyses for new construction and significant alterations to structures located in areas subject to slope failure, rockfalls, or landslides. Reports should include measures to prevent the movement of soil that creates negative impacts on the City’s and region’s air quality.
AQ1.2	Monitor implementation of air quality ordinances and programs. Provide annual reports to the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, SCAQMD, California Air Resources Board, and other interested agencies.
AQ1.3	Develop incentives that encourage local businesses to incorporate emissions reduction measures that go beyond those required or recommended by SCAQMD, SSAB, and the City. Such incentives might include permit streamlining, priority processing, or fee reductions.
AQ1.4	Support the efforts of the SCAQMD to develop quality educational program to increase community awareness about the importance of air quality and the methods that can be implemented to improve air quality in the region.

Goal AQ2

Control suspended particulate matter emissions from human activity or from erosion of soil by wind.

Policies

AQ2.1	Require those projects meeting specialized criteria as identified in the Zoning Ordinance to submit a Fugitive Dust Control Plan prior to the issuance of grading or building permits.
AQ2.2	Encourage the use of landscaping, vegetation, and other natural materials to trap particulate matter or control other pollutants. Establish windbreaks immediately downwind of large open spaces. Tree species used for windbreaks should be drought tolerant.
AQ2.3	Reduce the transport of blowsand adjacent to paved roadways and residential areas through the use of chemically stabilizing soil surfaces or snow fence windbreaks. Chemical stabilizing measures should only be used in areas where they will not impact endangered habitats or species.
AQ2.4	Continue to remove blowsand from City streets and relocate it downwind on a regular and postevent basis as part of routine street-cleaning programs.
AQ2.5	Prohibit the use of off-road vehicles in blowsand areas.
AQ2.6	Prohibit the transport of earth/soil through the City when wind gusts exceed 25 miles per hour per the City’s PM10 Ordinance.
AQ2.7	Require the planting of vegetative ground covers as soon as possible on construction sites.
AQ2.8	Consider adding provisions to the City’s Municipal Code to phase out the use of gas-powered lawn mowers and replace them with electric mowers and to prohibit the use of leaf blowers.
AQ2.9	Phase mass grading in a way that minimizes, to the greatest extent possible, the exposure of large expanses of graded areas to wind that causes blowing sand.
AQ2.10	Encourage that landscape plans submitted with new development take into consideration drought tolerance and pollen generation through the selection of appropriate plantings.

Implementation Actions

Action Number	Implementation Action/Program
AQ2.1	Distribute the SCAQMD air quality management manual to provide information to the community on effective and appropriate dust-control activities for construction sites with an emphasis on minimizing PM10 emissions.
AQ2.2	Investigate and establish standards for dust-generating activities such as concrete recycling and rock crushing.

Goal AQ3

Protect people and land uses that are sensitive to air contaminants from sources of air pollution to the greatest extent possible.

Policies

AQ3.1	Discourage the development of land uses and the application of land use practices that contribute significantly to the degradation of air quality.
AQ3.2	Carefully consider the placement of sensitive land uses (schools, residences, daycare, medical uses, etc.) in proximity to sources of air contaminants that pose significant health risks.

Implementation Actions

Goal AQ4

Reduce vehicular emissions.

Policies

AQ4.1	Encourage the use of mass transit, carpooling, and other transportation options, including alternative-fuel vehicles and bicycles, to reduce vehicular trips.
AQ4.2	Coordinate with regional service providers to improve regional transportation services.
AQ4.3	Establish a shuttle service linking the airport, attractions, convention center, major resort activities, and the Downtown area.
AQ4.4	Encourage walking or bicycling for short-distance trips through the creation of pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and street crossings and efficient and safe bikeways.
AQ4.5	Integrate land use and transportation planning to the greatest extent possible.
AQ4.6	Encourage the development of mixed-use and multi-use projects.
AQ4.7	Study, and implement if feasible, the development of a combined shuttle program from the airport to major hotels in Palm Springs.
AQ4.8	Consider the development of “cell phone” parking lots at the airport. These lots would provide short-term parking (less than 30 minutes) that allows passengers to call their rides when they are ready to be picked up. This approach can minimize the drive-through traffic (and subsequently vehicular emissions) generated by circling the airport loop until passengers are available for pickup.

Implementation Actions

Action Number	Implementation Action/Program
AQ4.1	Consider incorporation of air quality standards and requirements into the Zoning Ordinance. Establish transportation system and demand-management programs that require employers to utilize appropriate techniques, such as alternative work hours, telecommuting options, and carpooling programs, to reduce the number of vehicular trips and trips during peak hours.
AQ4.2	Coordinate with the SunLine Transit Agency to study and initiate local transit improvements.
AQ4.3	Encourage the use of hybrid, low, or zero emissions vehicles in the City’s vehicular fleet. Existing vehicles should be replaced by “clean” or alternative-fuel vehicles as they are normally retired.
AQ4.4	Develop a program to encourage the use of alternative-fuel vehicles. This program could include incentives such as priority/free parking or tax breaks.
AQ4.5	Create an incentives program to encourage developers to incorporate bike paths, sidewalks, and pedestrian access points beyond those required.

Glossary

Ozone: Known as smog, ozone is a highly reactive gas that commonly originates from mobile sources such as automobiles and poses a significant threat to human health.

Particulate Matter: A mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air.

PM10: Defined as suspended particulates smaller than 10 micrometers, PM10 is primarily produced by blowsand, construction dust, vehicular exhaust, and other types of combustion and can induce serious respiratory illnesses.

PM2.5: Defined as suspended particulates smaller than 2.5 micrometers, PM2.5 is primarily produced from vehicular exhaust. While PM2.5 is a component of PM10, CARB and EPA have set separate standards for PM2.5 and PM10.

Sensitive Receptor: People or segments of the population more susceptible to health problems associated with pollution emissions.

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