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Home My WebLink AboutRes 09-60 - Natural Gas Pool Heater Rplcmnt Permits CITY OF PALM DESERT BUILDING AND SAFETY DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT REQUEST: APPROVE RESOLUTION NO. o9-6oAUTHORIZING FEE FREE PERMITS FOR REPLACEMENT OF NATURAL GAS POOL HEATERS WITHIN THE CITY OF PALM DESERT SUBMITTED BY: Russell A. Grance, Director of Building and Safety DATE: August 27, 2009 CONTENTS: 1. June 25, 2009 letter from Southern California Gas 2. Fee-Free permit historical data (2007-2009) 3. Resolution No.o9-bo Recommendation: Waive further reading and adopt Resolution No.o9-bo; authorizing fee-free permits for the replacement of natural gas pool heaters within the City of Palm Desert. Executive Summary: A request from Southern California Gas Company was submitted to the Department of Building and Safety for consideration of fee-free permits for the replacement of natural gas pool heaters installed within the City of Palm Desert. We currently offer fee-free permits for other energy efficiency measures, such as photovoltaic, thermal solar, and HVAC permits. During the month of June the Set to Save program is launching an innovative, new program to promote replacement of pool heaters with high efficient natural gas pool heaters. Becky Estrella, Program Manager for Southern California Gas Company is concerned that the current $241.00 permit fee will be a detriment to the performance of this program. If this program is successful,the resulting energy savings will benefit the city's 30-30 energy goals. H:\Staff Reports\Fee Waivers\Gas Pool Heaters.docx Natural Gas Pool Heaters August 27, 2009 Page 2 Swimming pools are big energy consumers. Pool owner/operators spend billions of dollars annually to heat the nation's pools. Much of this energy is often wasted and can be saved with proper management. Wasting energy also contributes to our growing air quality problem. Gas appliances have become increasingly more efficient in recent years. With innovations in hydraulics, heat exchanger technology, forced draft combustion systems, and pilot-less ignitions, efficiency has almost doubled in recent years. High efficiency pool heaters are now available that are 89-95% efficient. Squeezing every bit of useful energy out of fuel burned not only conserves non-renewable resources and protects the environment, it makes good economic sense. As an informational item I have included historical data that provides breakdowns for the number and type of fee-free permits that the City of Palm Desert has issued from January 1, 2007 thru June of 2009. These fee-free permits represents a sizable revenue stream that would have normally covered staff's time for permit issuance plan check and field inspections. As the City of Palm Desert moves forward with the adoption process for the eventual mandatory Green Building Code it will become more difficult to draw the line in offering fee-free energy efficient type permits. Submitted By: Approved: �� Russell A. Grance, CBO aul Gibson Director of Building and Safety Finance Director CiTY COUNCILA�ON APPROVED DENiED RE EIVED _ OTHER John Wohlmuth MEETI G DATE City Manager AYES: ' �'r �s � �N NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: V�RIFIED BY: � Original on File with Ci C erk's Office G:\BldgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Staff Reports\Gas Pool Heaters 082709�2009 08 27 Gas Pool Heaters Staff Report w Resolution.docx Southern Califomia Gaa Company ,a�Sempra Energy Ut�i�ty� Soutliem CaliFomia June 25, 2009 cascomparry MailingAddress: Mr. Russell Grance P.O.Box3003SC8013 Redlandr,CA 92373-0306 Building Official Building & Safety Department StreetAddress: City of Palm Desert Redlands,CAniaAvem�e 73510 Fred Waring Drive 92374-9720 Palm Desert, CA 92260 Dear Mr. Grance: I am a Program Manager at Southern California Gas Company which is one of the partners for the City of Palm Desert's Set to Save Program. It was recently brought to my attention that the City of Palm Desert requires residential and commercial customers to pay a $241 permit fee for the replacement of natural gas pool heaters. As a courtesy of the Set to Save Program, I am requesting that the City of Palm Desert consider waiving this permit fee. The Set to Save Program is launching an innovative, new program to promote replacement of pool heaters with high efficient natural gas pool heaters this month and we are concerned that the permit fee may be a detriment to the performance of the program. Thank you in advance for your consideration of my request. Sincerely, � � , • ` � �f�� Becky Estre Program Manager Cc: Patrick Conlon Martin Alvarez Frank Spasaro NO-FEE PERMIT REVENUES 2007 Calendar YR Type Permit #ISSUED Unit Cost Total Photovoltaic 109 $138.00 $15,042.00 HVAC 658 $130.00 $85,540.00 Water Heater 85 $138.00 $11,730.00 TOTAL $112,312.00 2008 Calendar YR Type Permit #ISSUED Unit Cost Tota) Photovoltaic 57 $138.00 $7,866.00 HVAC 453 $130.00 $58,890.00 Water Heater 89 $138.00 $12,282.00 TOTAL $79,038.00 2009 Calendar YTD Type Permit #1SSUED Unit Cost Total Photovoltaic 12 $138.00 $1,656.00 HVAC 210 $130.00 $27,300.00 Water Heater 24 $138.00 $3,312.00 TOTAL $32,268.00 Tota12007-2008 $223,618.00 RESOLUTION NO. 09-60 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT AMENDING RESOLUTION 07-80, AS IT RELATES TO THE BUILDING AND SAFETY FEE SCHEDULE FOR NATURAL GAS POOL HEATER REPLACEMENT PERMITS WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert adopted Resolution 07-78 on December 13, 2007 enacting policies and programs to meet or beat the target of reducing harmful global emissions levels to seven (7) percent below 1990 levels by 2012; and WHEREAS, swimming pools are big energy consumers. Pool owner/ operators spend billions of dollars annually to heat the nation's pools. Much of this energy is often wasted and can be saved with proper management. Wasting energy also contributes to our growing air quality problem; and WHEREAS, gas appliances have become increasingly more efficient in recent years. With innovations in hydraulics, heat exchanger technology, forced draft combustion systems, and pilot-less ignitions, efficiency has almost doubled in recent years. High efficiency pool heaters are now available that are 89-95% e�cient. Squeezing every bit of useful energy out of fuel burned not only conserves non-renewable resources and protects the environment, it makes good economic sense. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT DOES HEREBY AMEND THE BUILDING AND SAFETY FEE SCHEDULE AS IT RELATES TO REPLACEMENT OF NATURAL GAS POOL HEATERS AS FOLLOWS: Rep/acement natural gas pool heaters Fee waived PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California at its regular meeting held this day of , 2009, by the following vote, to wit: � AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ROBERT SPIEGEL, MAYOR ATTEST: RACHELLE D. KLASSEN, CITY CLERK CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA