Loading...
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 Environmental Stewardship Committee September 25, 2019 Page 1 of 5 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. Environmental Stewardship Committee September 25, 2019 Page 2 of 5 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. Environmental Stewardship Committee September 25, 2019 Page 3 of 5 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 Environmental Stewardship Committee September 25, 2019 Page 4 of 5 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 Page 5 of 5