AGENDA DATE: 6/12/2024
TITLE:
Title
Electric Vehicle Charging Fee Ordinance
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: An Ordinance to Establish Fee Rates for County-Owned Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Wall, Rosenberg, Bessette, Stewart, Dumars, Strother, Mowry
PRESENTER (S): Cai Mowry
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: Albemarle County's Climate Action Plan target is to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions by 45% from 2008 levels by 2030 and to achieve carbon emission neutrality by 2050. Transportation emissions are estimated to account for 48% of the emissions in Albemarle County. The expansion of electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment to encourage the use of electric vehicles is essential to meeting the community's carbon emission reduction goals.
In 2021, the County installed EV chargers in the County Office Building parking lot for use by the general public. The total project cost was $333,008, including grant funds and $100,000 of Board dedicated climate action funds. Since commissioning, the County has hosted approximately 8,000 unique drivers at the county-owned facilities, dispensing over 738 mega-watt-hours of electricity for an accumulated greenhouse gas emissions savings (GHG) of over 502 metric tons.
At the time of installation, state agencies and localities were not permitted to assess fees for electricity distribution. As a result, EV owners charge their vehicles at County charging stations free of charge. Virginia Code ? 2.2-614.5 was subsequently amended to allow government agencies to operate EV charging stations and to charge for service at prevailing rates. Other jurisdictions, including Alexandria and Fairfax County, have already established EV charging fees. A draft ordinance to establish EV charging fees to recoup the County operating expenses associated with the EV chargers is provided as Attachment A.
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