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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5-13-26 ESC Adopted MinutesPresent: Absent: MINUTES Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) Meeting Wednesday, May 13, 2026 - 6:00 PM City Hall, Commission Chamber 800 Seminole Road, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233 Amy Palmer, ESC Member 2 Todd Miner, ESC Member 3 Sarah Boren, ESC Member 4 Matthew Mattila, ESC Member Bruce Andrews, ESC Member 6 Daniele Giovannucci, ESC Member 7 Amy Franqui, ESC Member 9 Anastasia Houston, ESC Member 1 Christina Kelcourse, ESC Member 8 Also Present: Payton Jamieson, Principal Planner (PP) 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chair Palmer noted that Dan Giovannucci had attended the May 11th Commission meeting and suggested an addition to their agenda related to preparation or weighing in on the commission's consideration of preserving the city's largest trees, which was something the committee had been discussing. Chair Palmer suggested adding this item to the staff reports section since they would be discussing that topic during the town hall discussion anyway. Dan Giovannucci credited his neighbor for bringing the issue to his attention, and Sarah Boren had sent documents ahead of the meeting to help inform the discussion. 3. COURTESY OF THE FLOOR (5 MINS.) There were no public comments. 4. CHAIR REMARKS A. Project Leads Chair Palmer presented the committee lead assignments attachment, noting it may still be incomplete, but she was hoping to get a motion to accept it even as amended that night. This would mean they were accepting leadership for different items they wanted to accomplish into fiscal year 27, with everyone committing to the items attached to their names. During discussion, Sarah Boren raised questions about the timeline since four members would be rolling off, asking specifically about Amy Franqui's assignments for the speaker series and lights out initiatives - whether she would be planning for 2027 or just Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) May 13, 2026 Page 1 of 10 finishing up the current year. Chair Palmer explained it would be handled on a case-by- case basis, with departing members doing what they could while still on the committee and setting up their successors for success. Amy Franqui agreed with the case-by-case approach, stating her goal was to set things up for success to hand it off to someone else, and she could continue to support until items were handed off appropriately. Chair Palmer explained they were committing to assignments knowing there might be adjustments over time, particularly for members rolling off the committee. Chair Palmer then presented a lead planning document as a basic overview to help members get started with their assignments. The document included sections for activities, support team, timeline, promotion plans, success metrics, and notes. She also included how these items aligned with their stated priorities and sub -priorities for fiscal year 27. Chair Palmer announced staggered deadlines: some planning documents could be submitted by June 2nd for the first June meeting agenda, with the remainder due by June 30th for the first July meeting agenda. She emphasized this would help provide a broad overview of everyone's plans. Sarah Boren asked for clarification on whether Chair Palmer expected one page for each item or just one row, and Chair Palmer responded that either format would work depending on the complexity of the project. MOTION. To accept the ESC committee lead assignments as written, open to potential updating as they move forward. Motion: Bruce Andrews Second. Todd Miner Motion passed 7 to 0. B. Meeting Schedules Chair Palmer announced several changes to their meeting schedule, noting their report to the commission was now scheduled for July 13th. She mentioned staff assignments for various commission meetings and said she would provide an updated commission agenda at their next meeting. Chair Palmer then announced a significant change to their meeting structure. She read from Director Askew's email explaining the city would be transitioning from two monthly ESC meetings to a revised structure consisting of one regular ESC meeting and one tree subcommittee meeting each month. This adjustment was being made to better distribute responsibilities and reduce the workload on the existing chair. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) May 13, 2026 Page 2 of 10 Chair Palmer provided historical context, explaining that in the nearly decade-long history of the ESC, there had really only been one regular meeting per month with three different subcommittees that each had their own chair and met monthly. Changes were made to their committee structure the previous year, eliminating subcommittees except for the tree subcommittee. Originally, they were going to have just one regular meeting and one tree subcommittee meeting each month, but then there was a decision to try having two regular ESC meetings per month instead. Chair Palmer explained that when she took on being chair, she was concerned about being able to keep up with two meetings given her other obligations, and after trying it for four months, she felt it wasn't going to work. She emphasized her commitment to being chair but believed this new structure would work better for her and future chairs. She noted that while the second meeting would be the tree subcommittee, all members were encouraged to attend, as it would cover tree business beyond just Chapter 23, including tree giveaways and other tree -related initiatives. Bruce Andrews expressed support for the change, noting it would help organize topics better and allow Chair Palmer to focus on everything but trees during regular agenda items. He mentioned the possibility of Dan Giovannucci serving as vice chair of the tree subcommittee since he would still be on the ESC. Chair Palmer clarified that Dan Giovannucci was also rolling off, leading to discussion about succession planning. Bruce Andrews committed to preparing agendas for the tree subcommittee meetings and noted that Director Askew would create a standing agenda format to make it less burdensome. The first designated tree -focused meeting was scheduled for May 27th, two weeks from the current meeting. C. Sunshine Training Chair Palmer asked Matt Mattila if he had received his sunshine training invitation as a new member. Matt Mattila confirmed he had received it but hadn't completed it yet. Chair Palmer discussed whether standing members needed to re -up their training on odd years, with some uncertainty about the exact schedule. Bruce Andrews noted there were separate ethics and sunshine components, and Sarah Boren mentioned ethics, public records, and sunshine training. The committee agreed to wait for notification if training was needed. D. Chair's Report Chair Palmer mentioned she had finally completed an informational report and committed to doing them every month now that she had more time. She recommended this as a good way for all members to update the committee on their progress or share FYIs without using meeting time, noting that discussion items could still be flagged for agenda inclusion. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) May 13, 2026 Page 3 of 10 5. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approve minutes of the April 8, 2026 regular Environmental Stewardship Committee meeting. B. Approve minutes of the April 22, 2026 regular Environmental Stewardship Committee meeting. To approve the April and April 22 ESC Meeting minutes. 6. 90 DAY CALENDAR Chair Palmer noted they had a film coming up that month and asked Sarah Boren, as the lead, if she needed help or could describe the event for the group. Sarah Boren provided detailed information about the May 28th event at Adele Grage Theater from 6 to 8:30 PM. She had invited four panelists: Angela TenBroeck, Tim Armstrong or Brent Clark, and someone from the Blue Zones project. She needed to borrow Anastasia's better projector and find a white sheet for the background to improve visibility. Sarah Boren planned to reach out to Chris Kelcourse about pushing the flyer to local schools since the event was family friendly, and she asked committee members to attend and invite friends, family, and neighbors. She mentioned the possibility of a food truck like the previous time. Dan Giovannucci suggested the new Sunday market entity (Dig It Local) as a potential alternative panelist since they had a stake in being in the community. Sarah Boren agreed this was a good idea. Chair Palmer noted the film could tie into their Florida Friendly focus, explaining how the movie demonstrated that when ecosystems work properly, chemicals aren't needed for pest management since natural predators maintain balance. 7. COMMISSION AND/OR STAFF REPORTS A. Update on 05.02.2026 Commission Town Hall and Next Steps Chair Palmer reported that several committee members had attended the town hall, which she found really positive and productive. Everyone there seemed interested in making changes to better preserve trees and plant more trees, including the commission. Her biggest takeaway was a possible new approach around relocating trees. Sarah Boren had sent dramatic photos of huge live oaks going down a river on a barge, demonstrating that the technology exists for moving large shade trees, not just palm trees. Todd Miner noted the challenge with root structures, explaining that moving trees is difficult because root structures will inevitably extend into other properties in tight localities like theirs. The canopy typically equals the root spread, making relocation harder, though it was still worth exploring. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) May 13, 2026 Page 4 of 10 Chair Palmer noted other takeaways from commission comments: the mayor wanted a timeline for ordinance changes and mentioned wanting a tree inventory to know what they already had. Bruce Andrews observed that commissioners learned for the first time that their current tree protection only covered public trees, not private ones. There was discussion about approaching canopy protection from its storm protective quality, similar to mangroves, which might deserve greater protections to counter private property versus community good concerns. Bruce Andrews identified the most important takeaway as how to protect special trees beyond just requiring mitigation - specifically requiring property owners to exhaust all possible options for saving trees before getting permission to remove them, potentially requiring commission approval. Chair Palmer confirmed that staff was putting forward proposals that addressed the committee's previous motions, including their recommendations for trees between 24 and 30 inches DBH to receive special consideration. Planner Jamieson confirmed they were working on both short-term protection measures due to the town hall and longer-term protection with Chapter 23 updates, with something coming to commission relatively soon regarding big tree protection. The committee discussed the potential for requiring relocation attempts before tree removal. Dan Giovannucci explained they had already addressed minor updates to allow relocation as mitigation rather than treating moved trees as removals requiring additional mitigation. Sarah Boren provided details from the May 11th commission meeting, where the city manager proposed three main components: double mitigation for landmark tree removal, certified arborist statement of infeasibility, and a 30 -day timeout period before tree removal. These would be drafted into an ordinance by June 8th. Sarah Boren noted other suggestions from the town hall that weren't in staff recommendations, including commission approval requirements, comprehensive tree and landscaping plans, and third -party arborist reviews. The committee discussed concerns about having arborists determine design feasibility rather than architects, with Bruce Andrews emphasizing that arborists assess tree health, not architectural design alternatives. There was extensive discussion about who should make infeasibility determinations and what criteria should be used. Sarah Boren expressed concern that the commission wanted to pass the tree protection measures quickly but delay other Chapter 23 changes for six months or longer. She recommended a phased approach with quick fixes to Chapter 23 alongside the tree protection measures. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) May 13, 2026 Page 5 of 10 Todd Miner supported taking advantage of the current political moment, agreeing that focusing on the most important elements made sense given the rare alignment of public and commission support. Planner Jamieson indicated that staff was looking at 20 inches DBH as the threshold and suggested the committee would be very pleased with staff s proposal, though it hadn't been reviewed by the city manager yet. Dan Giovannucci presented a comprehensive motion addressing the discussion points. His proposal included designating all maritime trees over 20 inches DBH as protected landmark trees with several requirements: a statement of infeasibility to retain the tree with criteria including alternative building design statements from architects or design engineers; health and risk review from certified arborists; minimum 30 -day timeout for examination by city arborist or consulting arborist if there was disagreement; and if no alternatives could be found, presenting the case to commission for approval while still requiring appropriate mitigation unless the tree was dead or clearly dangerous. Bruce Andrews requested a friendly amendment to clearly state that infeasibility determinations should not be made by arborists, emphasizing the importance of having the right professional assess design alternatives. MOTION. That the city designate all maritime trees 20 inches DBH or greater as protected landmark trees, unless the tree is dead or a clear danger. This would require proof of infeasibility to retain the tree, with criteria including alternative building design statements from architects or design engineers, ISA risk review from qualified certified arborists, minimum 30 -day timeout for examination by city arborist, and if no alternatives are found, presentation to city commission. If approved by commission, appropriate mitigation for actual tree type and size would still apply. Motion: Daniele Giovannucei Second: Bruce Andreivs Motion passed 7 to 0. B. General Fund Budget Discussion Chair Palmer reported on her discussion with Director Askew about ESC budget support. She confirmed that staff support for ESC priorities did include budgetary support, with staff putting together their budget keeping ESC priorities in mind. For their major priorities, Chapter 23 work and most tree fund items were covered under existing budgets. Florida Friendly initiatives were seen as more of a cultural shift than requiring extra dollars initially. The parks plan and stormwater management were staff - led initiatives. The Marsh pilot project had Steve Swan putting together funding with grants and contingencies. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) May 13, 2026 Page 6 of 10 Director Askew proposed $2,500 for ESC -managed outreach, specifically for what Chair Palmer called "true outreach" like hands-on workshops (she gave the example of a vertical oyster garden making workshop) rather than printed materials, which could be covered elsewhere in the budget. Sarah Boren asked about funding for the film series, which costs about $2,000. Chair Palmer explained that this year's funding came from Director Askew's budget as directed by the city manager, and similar events would likely continue to be funded through existing mechanisms, with the ESC -specific budget for more intensive or unusual outreach activities. 8. OLD BUSINESS Chair Palmer provided updates on the environmental awards, noting they were considering holding them at the new Marsh Oaks Community Center instead of during an ESC meeting, which would allow for a larger, more public event similar to their previous awards ceremony. The timing would be in the fall after the community center opens, potentially as a joint event with ARC. They were instructed to stick to three categories, which they already had established. The process would involve soliciting nominations from the community, building on their previous experience. Sarah Boren reported on her recent meeting with the city manager, who proposed holding awards every two years rather than annually and suggested a budget of $3,000 to cover the costs of hosting at Marsh Oaks, which would be more expensive than their previous restaurant venue that allowed people to buy their own drinks. The committee discussed alternatives like cocktails and appetizers rather than full meals to manage costs. Chair Palmer noted that Anastasia was in charge of awards according to their documents. Sarah Boren mentioned Amy Franqui's idea of using awards as showcases and packaging education around them to inspire better environmental behavior, which Chair Palmer supported. 9. NEW BUSINESS A. Minecraft - Extension Activities Sarah Boren presented recommendations for additional Minecraft activities, noting they had a successful previous event and that sponsors were thrilled with the impact. The Marsh Oaks Community Center needed two more workshops before opening for community input on programming. She proposed leveraging Minecraft as an attractive tool to engage the community, particularly since no Atlantic Beach schools had participated in their previous event. Her suggestions included both community workshops and a local student competition to learn about and design features for the community center. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) May 13, 2026 Page 7 of 10 Sarah Boren noted the infrastructure was already in place from their previous work with Minecraft Education, requiring minimal effort to organize additional activities focused on education and inspiration. MOTION. To enhance the opening of the Marsh Oaks Community Center, ESC proposes to promote and host the following activities to deepen community engagement and education around the center: Atlantic Beach specific Minecraft competition solely for Atlantic Beach schools and students, interactive community charrette with Minecraft Education to engage and seek ideas from the community of what they want the community center to be and grow into. Motion: Sarah Boren Second: Matthew Mattila Motion passed 7 to 0. B. Stormwater Management Plan - Scope Chair Palmer shared a note from Steve Swann dated April 22nd indicating they were working on a draft scope for the stormwater management plan, which should be completed within a month. He indicated many of their recommendations were already included and suggested they vote on their current recommendations for inclusion in the update. Sarah Boren presented the motion explaining that upon hearing the city received a $300,000 grant for an updated master stormwater management plan and that staff was actively working on scope and RFP, the ESC wanted to make preliminary recommendations for inclusion in the plan. She referred to several bullet items in their attached proposal and deferred to staff to include what made sense and hadn't already been done. MOTION. Upon hearing that the city received the $300,000 grant to do an updated master stormwater management plan and that staff is actively working on a scope and RFP, ESC would like to make preliminary recommendations to be included in the plan [with detailed bullet points as attached]. Motion: Sarah Boren Second: Matthew Mattila Motion passed 7 to 0. Sarah Boren asked about the process for getting this to the commission since it was one of their priorities. Chair Palmer explained that all motions were supposed to go from Director Askew to City Manager Hogencamp, then City Manager Hogencamp would share with commission if relevant. Alternative options included emailing elected officials directly or making public comments. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) May 13, 2026 Page 8 of 10 10. MEMBERS CLOSING REMARKS Chair Palmer asked if there was anything anyone would like to share, limiting comments to about 20 seconds each given their time constraints. Todd Miner reported that the person managing the pilot project had reached out to schedule time for further discussion, potentially leading to them presenting to the committee. Amy Franqui announced she had received Director Askew's approval to move forward with scheduling a Florida Friendly Landscape Review of City Hall, working with the extension office and coordinating with Andre's team. She reported finding an invasive tree behind the butterfly garden that Chris Delk confirmed and was working with Andre to have removed proactively. She was also reviewing the current plant palette, which had some invasive plants, and planned to meet with Director Askew to understand city needs before bringing recommendations to a future ESC meeting. For the July 2nd speaker series, Amy Franqui was reconsidering her initial idea of showing a prerecorded Douglas Tallamy talk, feeling it might be too similar to the film series. She was exploring other presenters and welcomed suggestions. Sarah Boren suggested Blue Zones as a potential speaker topic, noting they were accepting pledges and might be relevant for the city. There was discussion about Blue Zones' previous high costs but potential for individual or organizational pledges. Bruce Andrews shared a photo of excellent landscaping at a new home construction at 11 th and East Coast, highlighting native plant selections including oaks, palms, Florida saw palmetto, and sea grapes. He praised the homeowner for allocating significant budget to quality landscaping, contrasting it with typical basic plantings on new construction. He also recommended a plant place on Fort Caroline Road as a good source for native plants. Dan Giovannucci had nothing to report. Matt Mattila asked about updating the motion tracker and how to get feedback from the city. Chair Palmer indicated he could reach out to City Manager Hogencamp and Director Askew directly, and she would give Director Askew a heads -up that they were revisiting the tracking system. Sarah Boren asked about everyone's clarity on their tree fund action and spending plan roles, noting that people needed to update their motions based on committee discussions. She mentioned Chris Delk was considering offering 3-5 hours weekly for on-site consultations with residents about tree concerns, potentially using Calendly for scheduling if approved by Director Askew. Sarah Boren reported receiving over 15 calls and texts about duckweed in Howell Park, asking for updates. Committee members generally didn't think it was a significant issue, attributing it to lack of rain and water movement. Amy Franqui confirmed she had also noticed it and assumed it was due to weather conditions. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) May 13, 2026 Page 9 of 10 Sarah Boren asked about timing for the oyster workshop mentioned in Chair Palmer's report. Chair Palmer indicated it would be in conjunction with their Marsh pilot project in fiscal year 27. Dan Giovannucci mentioned he had a book about United Fruit Company for anyone interested, describing it as an environmental history of a company that worked with environmental activists. Chair Palmer asked about something that Elizabeth from Audubon had mentioned at the town hall regarding Atlantic Beach being the first city in the nation to pass a proclamation, though she wasn't sure she heard correctly. Amy Franqui clarified that Jacksonville was first overall, but Atlantic Beach was the first of the beaches in their area for the lights out initiative. The distinction about being first "in the nation" remained unclear. 11. RECAP OF DECISIONS, ACTION ITEMS AND NEXT STEPS There was no discussion regarding this agenda item. 12. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:12 p.m. Attest: Amanda Askew, Neigh orhoods Director Amy P mer, ESC Chair Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) May 13, 2026