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Sample Letter to Send to Elected Official

Here is a sample letter template that you can use to send to your local Elected Official or City staff . Simply make a copy of this document and add your own information. Remember: write from your heart and use examples from your life. This sample letter was created by Greenbelt Alliance in partnership with Contra Costa Climate Leaders (4CL).


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Dear [city council members, or name specific people],
My name is [name]. I am from [city/neighborhood]. The General Plan is the long term blueprint for our communities vision of future growth. I am writing to you today to request that you ensure that you:

[This is where you share the main issue you would like to talk about. Perhaps its including or prioritizing environmental justice policies or encorporating more green infrastructure policies]


Possible request: I am writing to you today to request that the climate crisis and how our community plans to address it is front and center in our General Plan update.
We ask that you ensure the Updated General Plan incorporates in all its elements goals and specific policies to reduce the causes of human caused climate change and also prepares our community to adapt to a future that will experience significant impacts from the climate crisis. To do this, means that all growth, development, or redevelopment plans accounts for ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as climate impacts Priority is needed to ensure plans protect those currently most affected by greenhouse gas emissions and those who currently do and are at future risk of disproportionate harm from climate crisis impacts in our communities.
Please ensure that our General Plan update addresses climate action, strengthens the urban limit line, protects our shorelines, and includes clear implementing policies to shift towards clean industry, affordable housing and overall healthy places.

Specifically, please ensure that the General Plan updates include: [please feel free to use all or part of this list or create your own. This is where you should list out clear, bullet point requests that are easy to digest]


Direction to address the climate crisis, explicitly require a Climate Action Plan that meets or exceeds the state goals, and is reviewed on an annual basis.
Clearly state that there will be a completion of a Greenhouse Gas Inventory to establish a baseline level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and is reviewed on an annual basis.
Agree to partner with other jurisdictions and organizations to develop effective regional solutions and regulation at regional, state and federal levels.
Identify disadvantaged communities, and include clear Environmental Justice policies
Clearly state that you will expand the green transportation network by encouraging the use of climate-friendly technology, planning growth around multiple modes of travel and reducing automobile reliance and vehicle miles traveled.
Ensure transit-oriented development, focus economic development and jobs near housing or transit, and promote equitable access to jobs and services, especially for disadvantaged communities
Incorporate ecologically sustainable practices like green infrastructure and materials into new development, building retrofits and streetscape improvements.

We cannot afford to ignore our climate crisis any longer. I look forward to following along in the General Plan process and providing my feedback. The consequences of not fixing addressing our climate crisis are extreme and we are already experiencing some of them. We do not have more time to waste
Thank you for your service to our community, and all that you do to ensure it is a place that future generations will come to enjoy as we have!
Sincerely,

Name, address, email, phone number



Contact information for city staff and elected officials below:

1
Oakley
Kevin Romick Mayor, Kevin@romick.net Sue Higgins Vice Mayor, higgins@ci.oakley.ca.us Claire Alaura, alaura@ci.oakley.ca.us Michael Krieg, krieg@ci.oakly.ca.us Randy Pope, randypope@ci.oakley.ca.us
cc: Bryan Montgomery City Manager, montgomery@ci.oakley.ca.us Nancy Marquez Ass't to City Mgr, marquez@ci.oakley.ca.us Joshua McMurray, community Development director, McMurray@ci.oakley.ca.us Lynda Deschambault, info@cccclimateleaders.org, Contact information for city staff and elected officials below: Zoe Siegel, ZSiegel@greenbelt.org
2
Pittsburg
Marilyn "Merl" Craft Vice-Mayor mcraft@ci.pittsburg.ca.us Holland Barrett White hwhite@ci.pittsburg.ca.us Juan Antonio Banales jbanales@ci.pittsburg.ca.us Jelani Killings Mayor jkillings@ci.pittsburg.ca.us Shanelle Scales-Preston sscalespreston@ci.pittsburg.ca.us
cc: Garrett Evans City Manager gevans@ci.pittsburg.ca.us Alice Evenson City Clerk aevenson@ci.pittsburg.ca.us Haidi Muro Executive Assistant hmuro@ci.pittsburg.ca.us Lynda Deschambault, info@cccclimateleaders.org Zoe Siegel, ZSiegel@greenbelt.org
3
Pleasant Hill
Michael G. Harris mharris@pleasanthillca.org Susan A. Noack Vice Mayor snoack@pleasanthillca.org Matthew Rinn Mayor mrinn@pleasanthillca.org Kenneth Carlson kcarlson@pleasanthillca.org Timothy M. Flaherty tflaherty@pleasanthillca.org
June Catalano City Manager jcatalano@pleasanthillca.org Juanita Davalos jdavalos@pleasanthillca.org Lynda Deschambault, info@cccclimateleaders.org Zoe Siegel, ZSiegel@greenbelt.org
4
Martinez
Rob Schroder Mayor rschroder@cityofmartinez.org Lara DeLaney Vice Mayor ldelaney@cityofmartinez.org Debbie McKillop dmckillop@cityofmartinez.org Noralea Gipner ngipner@cityofmartinez.org Mark Ross Council Member mross@cityofmartinez.org
cc: Eric Figueroa City Mgr efigueroa@cityofmartinez.org Melissa Espinoza Dep. City Clerk mespinoza@cityofmartinez.org Lynda Deschambault, info@cccclimateleaders.org, Zoe Siegel, zsiegel@greenbelt.org
5
Unincorporated County
John Gioia District 1 jgioia@bos.cccounty.us Candace Andersen District 2 candace.andersen@bos.cccounty. Diane Burgis District 3 dist3@bos.cccounty.us Karen Mitchoff District SupervisorMitchoff@bos.cccounty.us Federal D. Glover District 5 dist5@bos.cccounty.us
Monica Nino County Administrator and Clerk Monica.Nino@cao.cccounty.us Lynda Deschambault, info@cccclimateleaders.org, Zoe Siegel, zsiegel@greenbelt.org
6
Lafayete
Entire City Council: cityhall@lovelafayette.org Mayor Susan Candell, Scandell@lovelafayette.org Vice Mayor Teresa Gerringer, tgerringer@lovelafayette.org Cameron Burks, CBurks@lovelafayette.org Carl Anduri, canduri@lovelafayette.org Gina Dawson, gdawson@lovelafayette.org
City Clerk Joanne Robbins (925) 299-3210, JRobbins@lovelafayette.org
7
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