®TER OF TRANSMITTAL

^R A F T

RECOmENDED ACTIONS

IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

1. ADOPT THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION ON THE INSTITUTION OF A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM
FOR GASOLINE SALES.

2. DISTRIBUTE THIS RESOLUTION TO ALL CITIES IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY WITH THE
RECOMMENDATION THAT EACH CITY ADOPT SAME.

3. DISTRIBUTE THIS RESOLUTION TO ALL NEIGHBORING COUNTIES TO INFORM THEM OF
THIS ACTION.

4. COMMUNICATE WITH LOCAL FEDERAL LEGISLATORS TO INFORM THEM OF THIS ACTION, AMD
ON THE NEED TO PETITION THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO INSTITUTE A SYSTEM
OF REGIONAL GASOLINE ALLOCATION.

5. COMMUNICATE WITH LOCAL STATE LEGISLATORS TO INFORM THEM OF THIS A^ION, AND
ON THE NEED TO PETITION THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO INSTITUTE A SYSTEM OF
REGIONAL GASOLINE ALLOCATION.

6

COMMUNICATE WITH THE GOVERNOR TO INFORM HIM OF THE ACTION, AND ON THE NEED TO
PETITION THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO INSTITUTE A SYSTEM OF REGIONAL GASOLINE
ALLOCATION.

COST

NO APPRECIABLE COST.

REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY SERVICE STATION DEALER'S ASSOCIATION HAS ASKED THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS FOR ASSISTANCE IN MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF THE CURRENT GASOLINE
SUPPLY/DEMAND IMBALANCE.

THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS A POLICY COMMITTING THE COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE IN
ENERGY management AND CONSERVATION EFFORTS.

THERE IS A PRECEDENT FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACTION IN THIS SITUATION, TO WIT THE
PROGRAM INSTITUTED FEBRUARY 28, 1974 FOR

GASOLINE MARKETING.

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BACKGROUND

LOCAL GASOLINE RETAILERS ARE RECEIVING ALLOCATIONS OF ONLY 85% to 95% OF THEIR

SALES FOR THE SAME PERIOD IN 1978. SOME NON_BRANDED RETAILERS FACE CUTBACKS
OF AS MUCH AS 50%. SINCE 1978,COUNTY POPULATION, THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED

VEHICLES AND THE LENGTH OF THE AVERAGE HOME/WORK COMMUTE HAVE RISEN SIGNIFICANTLY.
THROUGH CONSERVATION EFFORTS, COUNTY MOTORISTS ACTUALLY DECREASED GASOLINE
CONSUMPTION ABOUT 3% COUNTYWIDE FROM 1977 to 1978, BUT THERE REflAINS A SERIOUS

SUPPLY/DEMAND IMBALANCE. THIS IS PROJECTED TO WORSEN AS THE. SUMMER DRIVING.
SEASON APPROACHES. RECENT WEEKS HAVE SEEN LONG LINES AT GAS PUMPS, TRAFFIC

CONGESTION, CURTAILED HOURS OF, OPERATION AND SUNDAY CLOSINGS. GASOLINE RETAILERS
hAve reported that many customers are making purchases of less than five gallons, several

TIMES A WEEK, IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP THEIR TANKS FULL AT ALL TIMES. THIS,"TOPPING"
HAS GREATLY INTENSIFIED THE CONGESTION AT THE GAS PUMPS, AND HAS CAUSED AN

INREASONABLY QUICK DEPLETION OF THE DEALERS' DAILY RATION OF THE MONTH'S GASOLINE
ALLOCATION. SEVERAL POTENTIALLY VIOLENT INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED, RESULTS

OF THE ANGER AND FRUSTRATION OF MOTORISTS TRYING TO GET GAS. THIS PLAN IS DESIGNED
TO ALLEVIATE CONGESTION AT GAS STATIONS BY PROPOSING A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM OF

ODD/EVEN ALLOCATION. SUCH A PLAN WAS INSTITUTED IN EARLY 1974 IN' RESPONSE
TO THE SUPPLY/DEMAND IMBALANCE OCCASIONED BY THE OPEC OIL EMBARGO. IT PROVED
SUCCESSFUL THEN BY NOT ONLY RELIEVING CONGESTION, BUT BY REASSURING MOTORISTS
THAT GASOLINE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THEM ON APPROPRIATE DAYS. AS THE FEAR OF AN

EMPTY GAS TANK SUBSIDED, MOTORISTS STOPPED TOPPING TANKS THAT WERE MORE THAN HALF
FULL AND RETAILERS WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE DEPENDABLE SERVICE HOURS. THE
SANTA CLARA COUNTY SERVICE STATION DEALER'S ASSOCIATION REQUESTED THAT THE COUNTY

SUPPORT A PLAN FOR GASOLINE DISTRIBUTION, AND AfTER DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATION,
I

V.

THE COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND THE COUNTY ENERGY ADVISOR, THIS PLAN

WAS PROPOSED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS VOLUNTARY PROGRAM IS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

THE SERVICE STATION DEALERS ASSOCATION, AND THAT THE COUNTY MLL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
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PAGE 3

CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION

THERE WILL BE NO FORMAL COUNTT S-UPRORT FOR THE SERVICE STATION DEALER'S
ASSOCIATION VOLUNTARY PLAN FOR GASOLINE DISTRIBUTION.

STEPS FOLLOWING APPROVAL

REQUEST CLERK OF THE BOARD TO DISTRIBUTE AS INDICATED IN RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
#2 through #5.

REQUEST CLERK QF- THE BQARD TQ DISTRIBUTE TQ THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COUNCIL
AND THE INTERCITY' COUNCIL.

Copy to:
County Office of Emergency Services
Environmental Management/General Services Agency
County Energy Advisor''s Office

DRAFT

RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH A VOLUNTARY
GASOLINE DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM IN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY

WHEREAS, LOCAL GASOLINE.RETAILERS ARE RECEIVING ALLOCATIONS OF ONLY 85% to 95%
OF THEIR SALES FOR THE SAME PERIOD IN 1.978; AND

WHEREAS, COUNTY POPULATION, NUMBER OF REGISTERED MOTOR VEHICLES, AND LENGTH OF AN
AVERAGE DAILY COMMUTE HAVE ALL INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY; AND

WHEREAS, MOTORISTS OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING CONSIDERABLE
DIFFICULTY OBTAINING GASOLINE, WITH EVERY INDICATION THAT THE SITUATION WILL WORSEN
IN THE COMING MONTHS; AND

WHEREAS, MOTORISTS, IN AN EFFORT TO ASSURE THAT THEY HAVE ADEQUATE GASOLINE, ARE
ATTEMPTING TO KEEP THEIR GAS TANKS CONSTANTLY FULL WITH MANY TRIPS TO THE GAS
STATIONS TO TOP OFF TANKS WITH PURCHASES OF LESS THAN FIVE GALLONS OF GASOLINE; AND

WHEREAS, THIS HAS RESULTED IN LONG LINES, REDUCED OPERATING HOURS, TRAFFIC CONGESTION,
WASTED ENERGY SEARCHING FOR GASOLINE, IDLING IN LINES, ANGER AND FRUSTRATION; AND

WHEREAS, COUNTY MOTORISTS HAVE SHOWN THEIR COMMITMENT TO CONSERVATION OF TRANSPORTATION
ENERGY AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE 3% DECLINE IN GASOLINE USAGE COUNTYWIDE FROM 1977 TO 1978;
AND

WHEREAS, THE SERVICE STATION DEALERS ASSOCIATION HAS REQUESTED THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS COOPERATION IN INSTITUTING A VOLUNTARY PLAN FOR GASOLINE SALES; AND

^

PAGE 2
WHEREAS, THERE IS PRECEDENT FOR SUCH ACTION^UNDER A PROGRAM UNDERTAKEN IN EARLY 1974
IN RESPONSE TO A SIMILAR GASOLINE ALLOCATION PROBLEM; AND

WHEREAS, THERE IS A FEDERAL STANDBY GASOLINE RATIONING PLAN WHICH COULD BE IMPOSED
IF THE SITUATION BECOMES UNMANAGEABLE; AND

WHEREAS, IT IS PREFERABLE TO HAVE A VOLUNTARY, COOPERATIVE PROGRAM,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DOES
HEREBY SUPPORT THE SERVICE STATION DEALERS ASSOCIATION PROPOSAL FOR A VOLUNTARY PLAN.
FOR GASOLINE SALES; AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD URGES ALL CITIES IN,SANTA CLARA COUNTY TO
participate in this voluntary PROGRAM; AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE PLAN, BASED ON THAT USED SUCCESSFULLY IN T974, BE
AS FOLLOWS:

AN "ODD-EVEN" SYSTEM FOR BUYING OF GASOLINE BE ESTABLISHED IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY AS
FOLLOWS:

(1)

ANYONE DRIVING A MOTOR VEHICLE WITH A LICENSE NUMBER ENDING IN AN ODD NUMBER

(1,3,5,etc.7 or those who license plates which contain only LETTERS MAY BUY GAS
ON ODD NUMBERED DAYS OF ANY MONTH (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc) E.G, SAM123; 123SAM;

(2)

THOSE WITH LICENSES ENDING IN EVEN NUMBERS (2,4,6,ETC.) SAM123, 123SAM.

(3)

ON THE 31 ST DAY OF ANY MONTH ANY MOTORIST MAY BUY GAS.

PAGE 3

EACH STATION SHOULD POST STGNS OR FLAGS EASILY SEEN FROM THE STREET TO INDICATE
IF IT IS SELLING GAS TO THE PUBLIC AT THAT TIME, OR IF IT IS OUT OF GAS
OF CLASED. IF FLAGS ARE USED, GREEN SHALL MEAN "^GAS FOR. SALE," AND RED
SHALL MEAN "NO GAS" OR CLOSED.

C5)

EACH STATION SHALL POST THE MINIMUM HOURS AND DAYS IT EXPECTS TO BE OPEN FOR
GAS SALES ON A SIGN CLEARLY VISIBLE TO PASSING MOTORISTS.

(6)

EACH STATION OPERATOR SHALL MANAGE HIS/HER GAS SUPPLY SO THAT IT WILL LAST
THROUGH THE MONTH. HE/SHE MAY adjust HOURS AND DAYS.

(7)

FOUR KINDS OF VEHICLES ARE EXEMPT FROM THESE RULES,
THEY ARE;

(8)

A.

EMERGENCY VEHICLES

B.

BUSES REGULARLY USED TO TRANSPORT PASSENGERS.

C.

VEHICLES WHICH A STATION OPERATOR BELIEVES ARE BEING USED FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES,

D.

RENTAL CARS.

-

STATION OPERATORS MAY SELL GAS TO BE CARRIED AWAY IN CANS OR CONTAINERS ONLY WHEN

THEY FEEL IT IS NECESSARY,. AND IT SHALL BE THE SMALLEST AMOUNT THEY BELIEVE IS
PRACTICAL.