Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) - 15 Nov 2023 - Agenda - Pdf
City of Atlantic Beach
Agenda
Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Meeting
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 - 6:00 p.m.
Commission Chamber
City Hall, 800 Seminole Road
Page(s)
1.CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
2.APPROVAL OF AGENDA
3.COURTESY OF THE FLOOR (5 MINS.)
4.CHAIR REMARKS
5.NEW BUSINESS
5.A.2024 ESC Priorities 3 - 8
Initial 2024 ESC Priorities Draft
5.B.2024 ESC Priorities for Commission 9 - 10
2023 Commission Priorities
5.C.2024 ESC Structure/Organization (improve committee structure to improve 11 - 14
processes and accomplish more work)
Current ESC Structure 4 slides
5.D.2024 ESC Proposed Calendar15
2024 COAB ESC Planning ^0 Calendar One Slide
6.ADJOURNMENT
Any person wishing to speak to the Environmental Stewardship Committee on any matter at
this meeting should submit a Comment Card located at the entrance to Commission Chamber
prior to the start of the meeting.
This meeting will be live-streamed and videotaped. To access live or recorded videos, click on
the Meeting Videos tab on the city's home page at www.coab.us.
In accordance with the American with Disabilities Act and Section 286.26 of the Florida
Statutes, persons with disabilities needing special accommodations to participate in this
meeting should contact City Clerk Donna Bartle at 247-5809 or at City Hall, 800 Seminole
Road, Atlantic Beach, Florida not less than three (3) days prior to the date of this meeting.
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Agenda Item #5.A.
15 Nov 2023
Clumping of Results from Initial 2024 ESC Priorities Survey
10 out of 11 ESC members responded (91%)
MARITIME FOREST
Plant 100 trees in 2024
o Plant more streetscape trees on both public and private property – Tree Subcom leads
o Get more trees planted in commercial and industrial parking lots to reduce heat island effect plus other
benefits. – Tree Subcom leads
o Plant edible community trees and bushes throughout the city (“edible walking tour/trail”) – Tree
Subcom leads
Educate about ordinance and benefits of trees at least once a month
o Use door hangers to promote tree planting program - redouble efforts when backyard trees included –
OSC leads
o Expand education and outreach for AB Verified Tree services – OSC leads
o Develop AB Verified programs for landscapers and developers – OSC leads
o Continue to educate and reinforce the value and benefits of trees (including absorption) – share
inspiring local stories, launch a campaign where people post videos about
identifying/inventorying/assessing their own trees, create an editorial calendar where ESC (maybe in
partnership with UF/IFAS) creates and city posts helpful tree information each month, etc. – OSC leads
o Add best residential and commercial tree award to awards nominations. – OSC leads
Update and strengthen policies and ordinances negatively affecting trees annually (introduce by at least Nov)
o Update and strengthen Chapter 23, present to Commission, amend ordinance (examples: backyard tree
plantings allowable; incentives for heritage trees, such as subsidy to help pay for maintaining trees;
strengthening tree ordinance to mirror stronger ones in Florida that require "every effort to save"
designated trees and disallow clear cutting; Develop incentives for protection of the canopy; strengthen
enforcement) – ESC leads
o Continue growing the green streets campaign – Staff or ESC leads?
o Improve building codes so they harm less trees and incentivize keeping trees – Staff or ESC leads?
Expand data and understanding of tree canopy and its benefits via at least 3 actions
o Receive regular reports on status of tree canopy – Staff leads
o PlanItGeo Assessment structured into planning systems to integrate it so that it is regularly utilized in
planning and policy. – ESC leads
o Develop and execute plan for canopy species identification. – Staff leads
o Identify and understand scope of invasive species problem and make a plan to reduce problem – Staff or
ESC leads?
o Perform a heat study in June 2024 replicating the one done in 2022 – S&R leads
o Decide on a tree canopy percentage for AB to maintain (this works toward and refines the SRCAP 2050
goal to “Increase and maintain healthy, diverse tree canopy to 40%” – S&R leads
o Perform a mature tree assessment or somehow understand how many, location, and ideally
species/expected lifespan/key details of our mature trees so we can design incentives to keep them and
plan for replacement (this works toward/refines the SRCAP 2050 goal to “Increase number of historic
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Agenda Item #5.A.
15 Nov 2023
homes/buildings, number of lots that retain trees (not denuded due to construction), and renovate
versus razing by 25%” – OSC leads
PARKS & OPEN SPACES
Choose at least one action and implement it in 2024 that develops and enhances connectivity and walkability
between parks and within city – S&R leads
o Work with staff to understand their long term plan to connect parks and how ESC can help – S&R leads
Improve Experience with at least two significant actions
o Provide water bottle filling stations at all parks. – Staff leads
o Plant edible plants - permaculture additions to parks (citrus, mulberry, fig, etc.) – Tree Subcom leads
o Increase recycling bins in all parks. – S&R leads with help from OSC on education
Update and implement Parks Master Plan
o Ascertain where residents do not have access to a park/open space within ½ mile and look for open
space for city to buy/designate a park/open space/community garden (this works toward and refines
the SRCAP 2050 goal to “Ensure that 95% of residential addresses are located within ½ mile of a park or
open space.” – Staff leads
o Incorporate native plants and trees into our green spaces – Tree Subcom leads
o Establish a native plant demonstration garden – OSC leads
o Establish a robust "friends of the park" infrastructure so that each COAB park has a group of citizens to
advocate for their park. In order to be effective, some city staff assistance would be needed to
coordinate. – OSC leads
o Help get no sale of AB parks without a citizen vote/referendum in the Charter and passed – ESC leads
o Install exercise equipment for long, healthy, active life in one of AB’s parks (partner with Blue Zones) –
Staff leads
o Have City create account and add/update native plantings as they plant – Staff leads
o Clean up and create a natural walking path along Hopkins Creek – ESC leads
o Disc golf – add to suggestions to Parks Master Plan
o Bat boxes – Staff leads
Expand and convert Baker Center (or one/all community centers) into Resilience Hubs – S&R leads
o Host a “What is a Resilience Hub” educational event
o Host a community charrette to hear what the community wants
o Secure additional funding
Educate the community at least once a month – OSC leads
o Education about the benefits for parks, open spaces and green spaces (e.g., create an editorial calendar
for telling stories about each open space/park AB has)
o Participate in Homegrown National Park effort
o Launch a residential native plant challenge with goal of 100 new plantings on map by end of 2024
o Launch a commercial native plant challenge with goal of 50 new plantings on map by end of 2024
BEAUTIFICATION OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACES
Start at least three projects
o Beautify and connect/delineate sidewalks on Seminole & Atlantic Blvd corners; Redesign, connect
sideways, beautify, and vegetation to Seminole & Atlantic Blvd corners (less concrete) – Tree Subcom
leads
o Improve Atlantic Blvd Median with perennials, expand native plantings – Tree Subcom leads
o Break ground on Demonstration Garden – OSC leads
o Identify public spaces and initiate action to plant oasis in asphalt /concrete deserts – Tree Subcom leads
o Add native species to green spaces, side of road/right of way, etc – Tree Subcom leads
o Identify a location and establish an Art Installation Program with a budget. Example:
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/136091ee6017400fa216fb9cbc383fe0 – OSC leads
o Identify locations and create natural habitats for butterfly's/bees/birds – Tree Subcom leads
Improve at least two internal City practices
o Have existing "Plant Palette" used and enforced by Public Works – Tree Subcom leads
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Agenda Item #5.A.
15 Nov 2023
o As with pilot project in Howell Park, plant native grasses on creek beds, ditches, etc. – Tree Subcom
leads
o Establish a formal channel with Public Works to ensure that Atlantic Blvd and Mayport road medians are
maintained properly (contractor is currently not performing) and to have input into public plantings at
five-way, welcome to AB areas, etc. – Tree Subcom leads
o Encourage more tree and native plant planting along AB commercial corridors (Atlantic Blvd & Mayport
Road) – Tree Subcom leads
o Create a compost drop off/pick up location at one of AB’s parks – OSC leads
Update/pass at least one Policy / Ordinance that improves public or private spaces
o Update Chapter 24 to require more trees and native plantings in commercial/industrial parking lots –
ESC leads
Outreach and educate at least once a month about how to City is beautifying in an environmentally friendly
manner its public spaces and how residents/commercial owners beautify their private spaces – OSC leads
o Educational campaigns for all of the following, which are interconnected: native landscaping,
xeriscaping - use less water, no biocides, backyard habitat corridor, etc.
Explore ways to develop Mayport Road well and in an environmentally-friendly, attractive manner – Staff leads
o Explore ways to incentivize businesses on Mayport to increase green space and to reduce impervious
surfaces.
o Work with staff on zoning and code to define and develop the way AB wants to develop this corridor
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Work on at least one action item in each focus area of the S&R CAP and plan for 2027 LEED Recertification – S&R
leads
o Continue with LEED roadmap (or current name). Try to focus on a few achievable goals for one year.
o Complete Chemical Management Plan; Pass a required integrative biocide and chemical management
plan for city operations/public sector and voluntary guidelines for private sector.
o Provide green building, sustainability and resilience training to staff, have staff review workplans and
projects with a sustainability and resilience lens, and add environmental stewardship to staff’s annual
performance reviews
o Start a Green Business program; Grow green business recognition and establish community-based
recognition for local stewards of the environment
o Create draft plan on how to meet greening AB’s energy supply by 2050
o Create a citizen’s guide for sustainable and resilience buildings and living
o Integrate PW and PU CIP into SRCAP actions and vice versa
o Grow number of people interested and engaged in making AB more sustainable and resilient by 50. – All
subcommittees lead
o Increase community events that spotlight environmental themes in order to raise awareness.
o Create and implement strategy that will Increase and maintain healthy tree canopy to 40% (or whatever
% is decided upon) *
o Meet or exceed drinking water standards
o Follow the recommendations of the S&R Subcommittee for 2024 action items.
o Create roadmap to achieve Platinum recertification in 2027
o Create an annual LEED performance metric spreadsheet that is completed each year by staff and ESC
o Implement one action to reduce municipal solid landfill waste and increase recycling rate
o Discern and implement incentives to walk/bike and reduce VMT
Update/pass at least one policy or ordinance and/or improve at least one internal city practice through staff
coordination – S&R leads
o Ensure upgrading of our policies to better value resilience as an investment
o Pass an incentivized green building and resilience ordinance for new and existing buildings; Adopt
and/or incentivize best practices for resilient properties; focus on green buildings
o Work closely with staff on the ocean dune invasive plant study and participate in the planning for
removal and reclamation.
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Agenda Item #5.A.
15 Nov 2023
o Address conflicts in Chapter 23 and zoning ordinances (i.e. swales) -- where the law is working at cross
purposes. This may require partnership with CDB.
Funding – ESC leads
o Pursue land preservation grants in collaboration with other stakeholders
o Increase engagement/awareness of grant opportunities and pursue appropriate opportunities (try for at
least two grants in 2024)
o Establish SR line item in AB budget
o Work with staff and Langton Associates to seek funding opportunities for ESC/SRCAP work
Educate the community at least once a month on environmental stewardship, sustainability and resilience
actions and strategies – OSC leads
o The ongoing community education objective tying in env. stewardship to resilience in ways that any
homeowner or politician can get behind smarter long-term policies.
ESC ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE
Expand outreach through improved COAB website by improving traffic by 50% – OSC leads
Increase effectiveness, productivity, and improve satisfaction of ESC meetings and measure success through
overall scores on ESC self-evaluation questionnaire – ESC Chair leads
o Focus on agreed-upon priorities at meetings by limiting time spent on ad-hoc issues that are brought to
us outside of our workplan.
o A greater focus on planning and accountability for measurable goals, and more efficient meetings with
pre reads that could help to reduce the extensive exploratory conversations that, although certainly
valuable, tend to ramble. – All ESC members lead
o If the meetings could be done virtually sometimes that would help.
o All ESC members must come to each meeting prepared – meaning they have read through the full
agenda and all the supplemental documents (minutes, motions, background info, etc.) and come
prepared to vote, ask questions, make concise comments and suggestions using motions/discussion. –
All ESC members lead
o Add a member round to the standing agenda so each member has a chance to share their perspective,
new ideas, announcements, etc.
o Hefty items (e.g., motions, items that need thoughtful feedback) should be place early on the agenda
and less time spent on reviewing subcommittee work already outlined in minutes and under consent
agenda
o I think consent agenda is working fairly well and has improved efficiency of ESC meetings
o The order of the meetings would be more productive if subcommittee reports were held to the end and
the items from staff and/or substantive conversations should be prioritized instead. I think 1 minute for
each committee member to speak at the end would be appreciated. I know that I always have items to
share or broach and there is not really an appropriate time in the agenda for this.
o I suggest spending more time during meetings on policy formulation, staff reports, meatier topics, guest
speakers to help educate us so that we can make strong recommendations to commission, etc., vs.
recounting subcommittee activities. The only subcommittee items that should be discussed are ones
that need full committee approval for moving forward. Otherwise, members can keep up to date by
reading consent agenda items.
Improve internal processes measure success through overall scores on ESC self-evaluation questionnaire – ESC
Chair leads
o Increase delegation and accountability.
o Increase collaboration between subcommittees.
o Continue to improve the planner/calendar/metrics and annual workplan to stay ahead of actions, meet
our goals, stay accountable, and share what we are working on and accomplishing
Must decide ESC priorities by no later than December
Must make recommendations for Commission priorities by no later than December
ESC should set its 2024 calendar by December including events (e.g., are we renewing speaker
series, doing film series, new citizen meet & greet,
Must put together a requested budget by no later than January
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Agenda Item #5.A.
15 Nov 2023
Work with staff to improve monthly/quarterly metrics reporting
o Set up automatic emails reminding ESC members to submit suggested agenda items,
planner/calendar/metrics
o Send calendar invites for each meeting
o Get each ESC member to subscribe to City calendar and texts
o Continue to improve the ESC Member Guidance Packet (aka Onboarding Packet) so that it can help all
members not just new members. Add a Chair/Vice Chair/Secretary description (what does each position
do?) Add subcommittee descriptions. Add links of where to find key items. Add past accomplishments
and kudos.
o Have one online place where ESC members can find everything from agendas and minutes to record
decisions and sign-up sheets/graphics for events (e.g., could be external facing ESC webpage and meet
two major needs)
o Start an internship program
o Understand better what we can and can’t do under Sunshine Laws (e.g., work on creating a program
once vote for program has been approved)
o Get clarity on what needs a formal ESC vote
o Strategic plan for each year for ESC should include something from each of the four focus areas under
ESC. I therefore appreciate this survey!
o Start planning early and make sure the Commission has all information needed from ESC to include in
their priority planning.
o We have two ESC members rolling off in December (one At Large and one District 1312). It would be
great to recruit two new members before then so they have some onboarding time but definitely by
January.
Continue to improve the best practice of annual self evaluation – ESC Chair leads
o Seek suggestions to improve and perform end of year evaluation/continual improvement questionnaire.
Choose 1-2 items to improve. Creating an onboarding packet was the result of the 2022 year end self-
evaluation survey.
o Combine with self-evaluation questionnaire or complete a separate annual ESC Demographic Survey
Increase the number of ESC volunteers/SMEs by at least 20 people – OSC leads
o Recruit volunteers (e.g., citizens, SMEs, university students) and stand up necessary working groups
o Start a “block/neighborhood communicator” program
o Improve how we recruit ESC members – ESC leads
o Grow a partnership program and increase number and depth of partnerships by at least 5 (e.g., Friends
of XYZ Park, N FL Green Chamber, UNF, JU, Beaches Watch, AB Preservation, Beaches Go Green, Fletcher
Interact) – S&R leads
Use ARCC collaboration to increase ESC visibility at Art/culture events
Partner with other committees to increase community engagement.
PROPOSED 2024 ESC SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS
Tree OutreachSustainability & Resilience
Bruce AndrewsAnastasia HoustonSarah Boren
Daniele GiovannucciAmy PalmerMark Gabrynowicz
Mark GabrynowiczPatrick NoblesRomy Vann
Mark GabrynowiczHeather Markaj
Sarah Boren
Missing: Two new ESC members in 2024
List of documents/resources ESC should read before/take into account in setting its 2024 priorities
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Agenda Item #5.A.
15 Nov 2023
Adaptation Plan Phase 1 (recommended by Steve Swann)
Parks Master Plan
Chapter 24
Chapter 23
Staff quarterly tree report
PlanItGeo Assessment
S&R Community Action Plan
Comprehensive Plan
ARCC Committee’s plan/priorities for 2024
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Agenda Item #5.B.
15 Nov 2023
ATLANTIC BEACH CITY COMMISSION PRIORITIES
E STABLISHED J ANUARY 30, 2023; A PPROVED BY R ESOLUTION M ARCH 13, 2023
CITY SERVICES & COLLABORATION
Ensure that City has a high-performing workforce, well-managed volunteer corps, and viable
partnerships via:
Developing an effective customer-centric service strategy that sets measurable goals, creates a
consistent feedback loop, and makes customer satisfaction the end goal across the organization.
Providing consistent and equitable code enforcement.
Developing and implementing a comprehensive volunteer management program.
Enhancing senior services programming and outreach to seniors.
Exploring alliances with a child-service organization to support the after-school program, and
ensuring that the program has qualified educators on staff or serving as volunteers.
Fostering partnerships with the Beaches cities, the City of Jacksonville, and the State of Florida.
INFRASTRUCTURE & STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Address critical current and future needs via:
Administer10-year capital improvement plan.
Exploring options for compliance with Senate Bill 64, which requires the City to eliminate surface
water discharge of treated effluent by 2032.
Administering the stormwater master plan.
Reviewing stormwater management codes pertaining to impervious surface and retention swale
requirements.
RESILIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP
Validate , sustainability and the environment via:
Reducing residential water consumption by 15%, and residential and City energy consumption by
10%, by Dec. 31, 2023.
Adopting an integrative pest management plan for the City, and voluntary guidelines for the private
sector.
Utilizing tree canopy assessment data to create actions to further protect and enhance the canopy.
TRAFFIC SAFETY & PARKING MANAGEMENT
Improve safety, connectivity and quality of life via:
Conducting a comprehensive beach-access parking and mobility study.
Exploring the prospect of forming a citizens committee to review beach-access parking and mobility
issues, and provide recommendations to the City Commission.
Identifying new opportunities to improve bike-, e-bike-, and pedestrian safety, and developing
strategies, accordingly.
-would be a viable
and cost-effective traffic management tool.
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Agenda Item #5.B.
15 Nov 2023
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Enhance community corridors, connectivity and parks via:
Administering the Mayport Road Vision Implementation Plan, Connectivity Plan and Parks Master
Plan.
Developing a Seminole Road gateway-improvement plan.
CITY FACILITIES
:
Upgrading the Gulliford Hall stage at Adele Grage Cultural Center.
Enhancing youth baseball, pickleball, tennis and racquetball facilities.
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