Goal CHEJ-3

Goal CHEJ-3:

South San Francisco neighborhoods near highways and industrial uses have improved air quality. 

Intent:

To improve air quality and promote health for all residents, and especially residents living in disadvantaged communities.

Policy CHEJ-3.1: Support regional efforts to improve air quality and protect human health.

Support regional efforts to improve air quality and protect human health.

  • Action CHEJ-3.1.1: Monitor air quality in Lindenville, East of 101 and Downtown.

    Work with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to establish and identify funding for air quality monitoring and reduction strategies. This action may include purchasing fine particulate matter (PM2.5) monitors to track local air quality data in Lindenville, East of 101, and Downtown.

Policy CHEJ-3.2: Reduce mobile source pollution.

Reduce emissions from mobile sources of air pollution, such as diesel-based trucks and vehicles that travel to, from, or through South San Francisco.

  • Action CHEJ-3.2.1: Maintain Truck route maps to minimize exposure.

    Maintain an up-to-date truck routes map that minimizes exposures to sensitive land uses. Prohibit the designation of new truck routes on local neighborhood streets in South San Francisco.

  • Action CHEJ-3.2.2: Adopt an ordinance establishing vehicle idling restrictions.

    Establish a local ordinance that exceeds the state vehicle idling restrictions where appropriate, including restrictions for bus layovers, delivery vehicles, trucks at warehouses and distribution facilities and taxis, particularly when these activities take place near sensitive land uses (schools, healthcare facilities, affordable housing, and elder and childcare centers). Manage truck idling in new residential neighborhoods in Lindenville and East of 101.

  • Action CHEJ-3.2.3: Transition the City’s vehicle fleet to lower-emission fuel technologies.

    Transition the City’s vehicle fleet to lower-emission fuel technologies, including electric, hybrid, and other alternative fuel vehicles.

Policy CHEJ-3.3: Support businesses in transitioning their operations to emit fewer air pollutants.

Support local business owners in transitioning their operations to emit fewer air pollutants through incentives and development standards.

  • Action CHEJ-3.3.1: Explore incentives for pollution reduction.

    Explore opportunities for production, distribution, and warehousing uses in Lindenville and East of 101 to reduce pollution, such as greener trucks, energy efficient buildings, and other strategies.

  • Action CHEJ-3.3.2: Reduce indoor air pollution.

    Explore opportunities to work with property owners to rehabilitate existing buildings and require that new buildings adjacent to production, distribution, and warehousing uses; highways; or rail to implement appropriate mitigation measures to reduce indoor air pollution such as air filtration/ventilation systems, landscaping, and other physical improvements as recommended by the California Air Resources Board and/or the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Policy CHEJ-3.4: Encourage participation in the Green Business Program.

Encourage existing businesses and industries to participate in the San Mateo County Green Business Program.

Policy CHEJ-3.5: Discourage development of sensitive uses near sources of pollution.

Discourage the development of sensitive land uses (schools, healthcare facilities, and elder and childcare centers) within 500 feet of highways and stationary sources of pollution. For sensitive land uses that cannot be sited at least 500 feet away, potential design mitigation actions include:

  • Locate air intake systems for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems as far away from existing air pollution sources as possible.
  • Use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems and develop a maintenance plan to ensure the filtering system is properly maintained.
  • For non-residential buildings, consider utilizing only fixed windows next to any existing sources of pollution.
  • Plant landscape barriers between highways and residential areas to reduce noise and air pollution for residents.
Policy CHEJ-3.6: Incentivize air filtration in multifamily residential buildings.

Connect property owners of existing multifamily residential buildings, especially those in disadvantaged communities, to incentives to install heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems with high-efficiency particulate air filters for all units.

Policy CHEJ-3.7: Expand tree canopy.

Increase the tree canopy in residential neighborhoods, particularly in Downtown and El Camino, with native and low-maintenance street trees.

For related policies and implementation actions related to urban forestry, see Goal ES-4.