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Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) - 11 Dec 2024 - Minutes - Pdf MINUTES Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) Meeting Wednesday, December 11, 2024 - 6:00 PM City Hall, Commission Chamber 800 Seminole Road, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233 Present:Sarah Boren, Chair Bruce Andrews Daniele Giovannucci Heather Markaj Todd Miner Amy Palmer Absent:Anastasia Houston Patrick Nobles Also Present:Abrielle Genest, Principal Planner 1.CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order. Mr. Giovannucci volunteered to take notes for the meeting. He called the roll. 2.APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was approved. 3.COURTESY OF THE FLOOR (5 MINS.) There was no one wishing to speak. 4.CHAIR REMARKS Ms. Boren thanked Mr. Andrews for attending and making public comments at the November 25, 2024 City Commission Meeting and attending the FDOT Meeting and submitting comments. She thanked Ms. Palmer for attending the December 9, 2024 City Commission Meeting. Ms. Boren passed around 4 action items for the committee to review. The committee discussed Mr. Gabrynowicz departure from the committee and how to acknowledge him. Ms. Boren said she would look into some options for a plaque. Ms. Palmer said she might be able to order something. Ms. Boren said their first annual award categories were approved at the last Commission Meeting. She said that the committee will not have a newsletter, but they will submit in their agenda what they would like to have in the City newsletter. Ms. Boren reminded the committee to do their end-of-the-year self-evaluation survey by December 31. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) December 11, 2024 Page 1 of 6 She said she spoke to Scott Williams and found out that in the last 2 years the City has lost 260 trees in Dutton Island. Ms. Boren said that Mr. Williams thinks it's from standing salt water from the 3 weeks of heavy rain and a beetle. She said Mr. Williams is open to the committee researching and talking to experts to find out what can be done. The committee talked about the possibility of a controlled burn, but Planner Genest said she contacted the Department of Forestry, and they don't believe it's a suitable location since it's surrounded by residential. Ms. Boren said their last meeting had 2 great presentations. She thanked Mr. Giovannucci for chairing the meeting. Ms. Boren asked if the committee had any takeaways from the presentations. Mr. Andrew didn't feel like he got answers to a few of the questions for the St. John's Water Management District. He said he would like to know more about the watering of lawns and shallow and deep wells as related to water conservation. Mr. Miner liked the idea of using reclaimed water for lawn watering like the golf course does. Mr. Giovannucci liked the idea that we have reduced our water usage. Ms. Boren said that there was an in-person and a virtual FDOT Meeting where she tried to suggest more trees and plants to soften the concrete. She said she has had a lot of conversations regarding the ESC priorities with Staff. Ms. Palmer asked if the FDOT plans were final. Planner Genest said she believed the plans were at the end of the design stage but there should be more public meetings. Mr. Andrews said they are supposed to begin the project toward the end of 2025 and beginning of 2026. Ms. Boren said you can still email comments to FDOT. Planner Genest said that Director Askew has provided feedback to the FDOT but doesn't know how much of the feedback is utilized. Mr. Andrews was surprised that there is no "green" in the "greenway". 5.CONSENT AGENDA A.Approve minutes of the November 18th Community Input meeting MOTION: To APPROVE the Consent Agenda Motion: Todd Miner Second: Heather Markaj Bruce AndrewsFor Sarah BorenFor Daniele GiovannucciFor Todd Miner (Moved By)For Amy PalmerFor Heather Markaj (Seconded By)For Motion passed 6 to 0. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) December 11, 2024 Page 2 of 6 6.90 DAY CALENDAR A.Approve the 90 Day Calendar. MOTION: To APPROVE the 90 Day Calendar. Motion: Bruce Andrews Second: Todd Miner Bruce Andrews (Moved By)For Sarah BorenFor Daniele GiovannucciFor Todd Miner (Seconded By)For Amy PalmerFor Heather MarkajFor Motion passed 6 to 0. 7.COMMISSION AND/OR STAFF REPORTS A.Arbor Day - January 17th Planner Genest said that Staff was going to follow last year’s agenda: the raising of the flag with the ABE students and 150 trees for the farmer's market on the 12th. B.Heritage Tree Application Planner Genest said there are 3 heritage tree applications. She said those will go to the first Commission Meeting in January for their approval. C.Lifeguard Station Update Planner Genest said the lifeguard station is in the works, and she presented some of the renderings. Ms. Palmer asked if it was still following the Bill Morgan original structure. Planner Genest said it was. She said the estimated completion is the end of March to April. D.Safety Action Plan and Vision Zero Task force Planner Genest said there was an Open House this past week and it got a lot of good feedback. Kimberly-Horn should have the Action Plan by the end of 2024. She said there is a QR code that you can scan and give your feedback. Planner Genest said the Vision Zero Task Force is the former STOP Committee. Ms. Palmer brought up how there isn't a really good way to cross Mayport Road. She wondered if the City had any control over crosswalks on Mayport Road or is it up to the FDOT. Mr. Andrews thought the speed limit was going to be 35 mph but found out that would only be for a short stretch. There was further discussion about Mayport Road and pedestrian safety. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) December 11, 2024 Page 3 of 6 E.11/25/2024 Commission Meeting Report (Andrews/Boren) Mr. Andrews said there wasn't anything specific that came from that meeting. He said he talked at the meeting about Mayport Road, challenges to the tree ordinance and the end of the 19th Street litigation. Ms. Boren said that under City Manager Reports the City Manager asked the Commission whether they were open to Staff recommendations on how to standardize all the committees and the Commission voted 4-1 in favor of those recommendations. F.12/09/2024 Commission Meeting Report (Palmer) Ms. Palmer said there was discussion at the meeting about a project on Ahern and said Commissioner Bole challenged Staff to address stormwater drainage regarding that project. She said there was a lot of discussion about FDOT. Ms. Palmer said the condition of the ditches was talked about by Commissioner Grant. She said there was a need for a lift station at 20th Street and that passed. In regard to the interlocal agreement, Ms. Boren told the committee to think about how they can leverage stuff that COJ is already doing (like tree inventory software) that the City could access by getting an additional license for a minimal fee and the possibility of free trees. She recommended the committee do research on what options they have and then a memo would go to Director Askew and on to the City Manager. Mr. Miner suggested that a memo be given to Director Askew regarding these 2 options and then after further research another memo could be created. 8.RECESS FOR POTLUCK 9.OLD BUSINESS A.Finalize proposed ESC 2025 priorities and events Ms. Boren said 72% of people voted that environmental stewardship be added to the City Charter. She said there haven't been any negative public comments, great success with tree giveaways, high praise for the speaker series, good conversations with Commissioners, the Mayor and Staff regarding priorities. Ms. Boren said there was a good amount of overlay with the feedback she received and the committee’s priorities. She said by the end of the meeting they need to have a list of priorities that they want to achieve or start before the end of 2025. The committee went throw the ESC Priorities and determined which items would be things they do as a committee and what things to recommend to the City Commissioners to determine whether the Commission wants ESC to pursue them. B.Draft Motion of proposed ESC 2025 priorities and events Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) December 11, 2024 Page 4 of 6 MOTION: To APPROVE motion to proactively present the rationale for the structure and process of the ESC and disseminate that to Staff and Commission so that we can more accurately inform the tenor of conversations about us. Motion: Bruce Andrews Second: Daniele Giovannucci Bruce Andrews (Moved By)For Sarah BorenFor Daniele Giovannucci (Seconded By)For Todd MinerFor Amy PalmerFor Heather MarkajFor Motion passed 6 to 0. 10.NEW BUSINESS A.Draft Motion for Proposed ESC content for COAB newsletter through 1/31/25 MOTION: To APPROVE the newsletter content and re-confirm the need to postpone the volunteer recognition event to beyond January 29. Motion: Bruce Andrews Second: Amy Palmer Bruce Andrews (Moved By)For Sarah BorenFor Daniele GiovannucciFor Todd MinerFor Amy Palmer (Seconded By)For Heather MarkajFor Motion passed 6 to 0. B.Draft Motion from ESC Regarding Standardization 11.SIGNIFICANT MATTERS ARISING IN SUBCOMMITTEES A.OSC o Update on current activities (Arbor Day, Awards, etc.) o What subcommittee did well and achieved in 2024 and what could it improve upon o How subcommittee can help with proposed 2025 priorities B.TSC o Update on current activities (Permits, 1/12/24 tree giveaway, beautification) Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) December 11, 2024 Page 5 of 6 o What subcommittee did well and achieved in 2024 and what could it improve upon o How subcommittee can help with proposed 2025 priorities C.SRSC o Update on current activities (Community meeting, S&RCAP, LEED recertification) o What subcommittee did well and achieved in 2024 and what could it improve upon o How subcommittee can help with proposed 2025 priorities 12.MEMBERS CLOSING REMARKS The committee agreed to discuss the Awards Ceremony at the upcoming Outreach Meeting. 13.ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned. Attest: Amanda AskewSarah Boren, ESC Chair Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) December 11, 2024 Page 6 of 6