Will Likely End Beverly Hills Ban on PHEV Charging
The City of Beverly Hills, California changed their Electric Vehicle Charging Policy on April 2, 2018 in an effort designed to encourage more efficient use of the city’s 35 public charging stations. One of the key changes to the policy was to prohibit plug-in hybrid electric vehicles from charging.
The policy had been developed by the Beverly Hills Traffic & Parking Commission and approved by the City Council and implemented EV charging fees, defined signage to reserve charging spots exclusively for battery-only electric vehicles and implemented a new enforcement regulation to fine and/or tow all other vehicles including plug-in hybrids, gas-only vehicles and any BEV not actively charging.
Bill SB 1000, authored by California State Senator Ricardo Lara, passed the legislature and was signed by Gov. Brown last week. The bill contained a provision that prohibited local municipalities from restricting access to public EV charging stations that are funded using state or ratepayer money.
65850.9. (a) A city, county, or city and county shall not restrict which types of electric vehicles, including, but not limited to, plug-in hybrid vehicles, may access an electric vehicle charging station approved for passenger vehicles that both is publicly accessible and the construction of which was funded, at least in part, by the state or through moneys collected from ratepayers.
The City of Beverly Hills had opposed the provisions of the bill that limited local governments’ ability to restrict which types of EVs can access publicly funded EV charging stations. According to an 8/30/18 Senate Analysis of the bill, The City of Beverly Hills stated “Prohibiting cities and counties from being able to determine how best to promote and encourage the use of EVs and how best to expand their EV charging infrastructure is not the route the state should take to meet our climate goals.”
UPDATE: I reached out to the City of Beverly Hills and they responded on October 1, 2018 to say that the City Attorney’s Office and Public Works departments will be reviewing SB 1000 to determine what modifications may need to be brought to the City Council for consideration.
The new bill takes effect Jan. 1, therefore an item can be expected to be brought to the Council in the next few months.
The following letters were provided.
City of Beverly Hills Letter to Sen. Lara to Oppose SB 1000 Unless Amended July 6, 2018
City of Beverly Hills Letter to Request Veto of SB 1000 Sept. 5, 2018
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