09-25-19 ESC MinutesMINUTES
Environmental Stewardship Committee Meeting
Wednesday, September 25, 2019 - 6:00 PM
Commission Chamber
Present: Bruce Andrews, Chair, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Amy Palmer, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Linda Chipperfield, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Sarah Andrews Dark, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Tony Pooley, Member,.Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Bonnie Hansen, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Judith Leroux, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Dawn Scott; Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Amanda Askew, Principle Planner
Shane Corbin, City Manager
Jennifer Johnston, Operations Manager
Absent: Boren Sarah, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Also Present:
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. Approve minutes of the July 10, 2019 regular Environmental Stewardship
Committee meeting.
The minutes of the July 10, 2019 meeting were approved unanimously.
B. Approve minutes of the August 14, 2019 regular Environmental Stewardship
Committee meeting.
The minutes of the August 14, 2019 meeting were approved unanimously.
3. COURTESY OF THE FLOOR (5 MINS.)
There were no speakers present for courtesy of the floor.
4. REPORTS
A. LEED Roadmap Survey.
A. Askew discussed the LEED-for-Cities road map and survey results. She presented
the top 10 priorities chosen by the Committee. B. Andrews asked if Commission took
action regarding the Vulnerability Assessment, and A. Askew said that staff had moved
forward with next steps. B. Andrews asked if waste was being recycled, rather than being
collected in recycling bins. A. Askew said that recycling is handled by an outside
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September 25, 2019
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vendor, and the City could review if the recyclables picked up were actually being
recycled. The Committee discussed recycling collection areas. B. Andrews said the
beach recycling basket program should be tested before rolling out to all of the planned
areas. S. Dark discussed adding reclaimed water collection and no-water required
landscaping. L. Chipperfield asked if low-flow toilets could be included with water
efficiency design. S. Dark asked if the Complete Streets program would include trees in
the right of way. A. Askew said that if the Complete Streets policy is adopted, then it
could be used as a guideline when building new streets or updating older streets, and
provides for safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists. She gave examples where a
Complete Streets policy could be used to enhance existing streets. S. Dark asked how
the Complete Streets policy played into the role of the Committee. S. Corbin said that
the Complete Streets policy can help reduce vehicle miles traveled, which is a metric
tracked by the LEED for Cities program. He said it also creates a better human
experience, which is a LEED for Cities metric. J. Leroux said that the Complete Streets
program could also be classified as beautification, which is under the purview of the
Committee. A. Palmer asked if bus shelters and bike racks would be included, which
could then be areas for public art. J. Leroux asked if more recycling bins would be
provided, and A. Askew said that composting bins could be provided, and the priorities
could be defined further once adopted. L. Chipperfield asked if the educational outreach
item would only include vulnerability, resiliency, and adaption, or if other issues could
be promoted. A. Askew said the Committee could make that decision. L. Chipperfield
said priority #2 seemed like a tactic versus a priority. B. Hansen asked how does LEED
for Cities apply to the Committee, L. Chipperfield said that LEED doesn't cover
everything the Committee is charged with. B. Andrews said that the quality of life items
in the LEED program do not apply to the Committee. S. Corbin said the Commission
identified LEED for Cities as a priority and assigned it to the Committee to shepherd and
shape it. B. Hansen said it feels like the Committee is now LEED-focused. B. Andrews
said that LEED had been in the forefront, but there are other items on the agenda that are
not LEED focused but are a part of the four areas the Committee is tasked with handling.
S. Corbin said that staff is asking the Committee for priorities and direction. J. Leroux
said that not all items on the list are for the Committee. S. Dark said that the Committee
should keep their priorities in the back of their mind while prioritizing the LEED
roadmap. L. Chipperfield asked if they should look at the priorities to see what falls
under the Committee's purview, and S. Corbin said that staff can handle the priorities
and report back to the Committee if the Committee recommends it. B. Andrews said that
LEED should not be driving the Committee's priorities, and he does not feel like he is in
a position tonight to recommend staff moved forward on all items. A. Askew said that
often, if a Committee or Commission has discussed an issue, it can be helpful when
applying for grants. J. Leroux said that the Committee does have their own priorities,
but there are intersecting circles with the Commission's LEED program priorities. S.
Dark said that the Committee needs to pair up the low-hanging fruit. S. Corbin discussed
the work staff had already begun on the survey priorities. J. Leroux brought a motion
recommending that Commission direct staff to begin working on the priorities identified
in the LEED for Cities road map. D. Scott seconded the motion, and the motion passed
unopposed.
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B. Royal Palms/Sailfish Drive tree plantings.
A. Askew presented the Royal Palms/Sailfish Drive tree planting plan. She said that
staff may come to the Committee to approve money to plant trees once the current trees
are established. S. Corbin said the planting was the first in the City's right-of-way. A.
Askew said the plantings were coordinated with overhead and underground utilities. S.
Corbin said a small planting was planned, letters were mailed, and signs were posted,
and feedback from the community was received. A. Palmer said she would like more
diversity in future plantings. T. Pooley said diversity is needed due to species being
susceptible to disease. S. Dark said that right-of-way plantings are limited, but tree
plantings in the parks can be more varied. S. Corbin talked about future plantings down
Seminole Road, but the sewer pipeline in that area is currently being upgraded. He said
the City's engineer used an airspade to save several mature live oaks, rather than
removing them as part of the pipeline upgrade.
C. LEED certification ceremony.
The LEED for Cities certification ceremony occurred at the previous City Commission
meeting.
D. Vulnerability Assessment.
The vulnerability assessment was discussed at the previous City Commission meeting.
E. Northeast Florida Regional Council Community conversation about Adaptation
Planning.
A. Askew discussed the presentation by Taylor Engineering to the City Commission. A.
Palmer said the City of Jacksonville voted last night to defund their portion Northeast
Florida Regional Council, and to keep an eye out for that item. S. Corbin said that the
Regional Council helps smaller communities without extensive staff, and speculated that
the COJ planners may not need their services. T. Pooley said he can present adaptation
and resiliency and how it intersects with the Committee and their objectives. L.
Chipperfield said it would be helpful to have a presentation.
F. Park and Trails Master Plan Charrette presented by National Park Service and
Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects - October 23-24,
2019.
A. Askew said the National Park Service and the Florida Chapter of American Society
of Landscape Architects is giving a charrette for free at 6 PM open to the public on
October 23, and plant palettes will be discussed. The planned time and date is 5:30 PM
on October 24. She said prior to the charrettes, the landscape architects will tour the
community, and the Committee will be invited. She said the rough draft will be presented
to the Committee, the Committee can give input, then the plan will be presented to
Commission. B. Andrews said input could be presented the next day. A. Palmer asked
if there was a public notice the Outreach Committee could promote, and A. Askew said
she can give the Outreach Committee that information.
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G. Outreach Subcommittee Report - next meeting scheduled for October 2, 2019 at
6:30 PM.
A. Palmer said the next meeting is for the Outreach Committee is scheduled for October
2, 2019 at 6:30 PM. A. Palmer discussed the previous meeting, where T. Pooley and A.
Palmer were the only members in attendance. They discussed the tree trimmer training,
and new state statute regarding tree trimming is not a concern in regards to training. T.
Pooley will lead the development of a web -based training. T. Pooley said once the tree
company passes the training, they will be promoted on social media. J. Leroux said she
liked the webinar idea, since that could be completed when it is convenient for the
company. B. Andrews discussed a case in Tampa. A. Palmer said the outreach is to
create a culture that we love our trees. D. Scott will be Facebook administrator for the
Subcommittee, along with S. Dark. T. Pooley will administer the Instagram page, which
is ABSustainability, along with S. Dark. A. Palmer asked the Committee to send them
content to post. A. Palmer said the Outreach Committee can discuss the Arbor Day event
at their next meeting, then report back to the Committee. She discussed Earth Day,
LEED for Cities certification categories, and a Bees, Bats, Butterflies, Birds, and Beer
event for summer. She said they could use Arbor Day event as a template for future
events. She discussed the August 21st meeting and action items.
5. OLD BUSINESS
A. Single -use plastics recommendation to City Commission discussion.
A. Askew said that City staff is gathering information on other communities that have
banned single -use plastics. The City Commission has discussed the issue twice. She said
that Commissioner Norris has a call out to local business, and staff is waiting on
Commission for direction. A. Palmer asked if there was a way around a formal
recommendation by promoting businesses that already ban plastics. D. Scott asked about
incentives, T. Pooley said he can share information, he said surveys collect data and
feedback, which is needed. A. Palmer said bottle refill stations could be installed in
public spaces. B. Andrews T. Pooley L. Chipperfield A. Askew said the Commission
could start the conversation with Neptune Beach City Council. T. Pooley sister city
challenge recommendation
6. NEW BUSINESS
A. Project graphics discussion.
A. Askew said the Mayor approached the Environmental Stewardship Committee chair
about project branding and graphics. The City had rescinded their contract for re-
branding. D. Scott asked if B. Andrews can forward the email from Mayor to the
Committee, and B. Andrews said he needs to talk to the Mayor about the project. L.
Chipperfield said that branding and graphics need to be a cohesive plan, and not to
piecemeal the project together. B. Andrews said the use of the word "branding" sounds
like the City is trying to promote or sell Atlantic Beach. A. Askew said the LEED for
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Cities project could have its own graphic. The Committee discussed the request for
proposal for branding and what the Mayor is asking for from the Committee. L.
Chipperfield said she would like to wait to see what the Commission will do regarding
the City's re -branding project.
7. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further discussion, B. Andrews declared the meeting adjourned at 8:21 p.m.
Attest:
A/at/viol& 066
Bruce Andrews Amanda Askew
Environmental Stewardship Committee
September 25, 2019
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