Located 35 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles is the fourth largest city in LA County, and the twenty-fourth largest city in the state of California. Santa Clarita, a well-known and busy city, has decided to join the green initiative!

The city has set up a website that lists green opportunities for residents and businesses, and it looks like the information is paying off as homes and businesses in the valley are going solar at a record pace. Though the city of Santa Clarita’s Building and Safety Division issued only 86 permits in 2010, it had issued 257 in 2011. The resulting effort has seen over one megawatt of new commercial solar-generated power each year for the past two years. It is estimated that at it’s current rate the city will issue over 500 new solar permits in 2012. The city has also cut it’s energy costs by $7,500 through the use of energy efficient lighting in City Hall.

Through the City’s new website, residents and businesses can find a list of useful resources that highlight green opportunities in the city. The website also highlights new buildings that fit within the city’s green initiative. These buildings along with all new City facilities are built to a minimum LEED Silver Certification.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized mark of excellence. LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing green building design, construction, and maintenance. This framework was originally developed by the U.S Green Building Council in 2000.

The City is also a participant of the Beacon Award, which recognizes California cities and counties that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save energy, and adopt policies to address climate change. According to the City’s former Mayor Marsha McLean, the award “is an opportunity for cities to learn from each other and promote what they are doing to reduce greenhouse emissions, create sustainable programs, minimize energy consumption, and promote green living practices.”

What would you like to see your city do to show it’s support of the green initiative?