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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017.03.22 Conservation Commission Agenda Packet ASHLAND CONSERVATION COMMISSION Meeting Agenda March 22, 2017 — 6:00 PM Community Development Building, Siskiyou Room 51 Winburn Way 1. Call to Order 2. Consent Agenda 2.1. Minutes January 25, 2017 Commission meeting 2.2. Minutes February 22, 2017 Commission meeting 3. Announcements (15 min) 3.1. Next Regular Meeting: April 26, 2017 3.2. Upcoming Sub-committee meeting 3.3. Other Announcements from Commissioners 4. Public Forum 0 0 min to be evenly divided by public wishing to speak) 5. Reports / Presentations/Updates (25 min) 5.1. Ashland School District Quarterly Update (5 min) 5.2. Council Update- Councilor Rosenthal (5 min) 5.3. City Conservation Programs and Operations—Hanks(5 min) 5.4. Water Subcommittee Update—Weir(10 min) 6. Old Business (45 min) 6.1. Commission Monthly Column in Sneak Preview (5 min) April—Bottle Bill Update May—Low Impact Living Classes June—Water related article 6.2. Climate &Energy Action Plan—Update (10 min) 6.3. Conservation Commission—Powers/Duties Discussion(30 min) 7. New Business (20 min) 7.1. Nominations for 2017 Chair/Vice Chair(terms begin in April) 7.2. Conservation Classes (Low Impact Living Series) —2017 Update(Beigel-Coryell/Buck) 8. Wrap Up (5 min) 8.1 Items to be added to next agenda CITY 0, F Minutes for the Conservation Commission January 25,2017 Page 1 of 3 MINUTES FOR THE ASHLAND CONSERVATION COMMISSION Wednesday, January 25, 2017 Siskiyou Room, 51 Winburn Way 1. Call to Order Commissioner Roxane Beigel-Coryell called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Commissioners David Sommer, Risa Buck, Mark Weir, Jaime Rosenthal, and James McGinnis were present. Staff member Adam Hanks was present. Council liaison Rich Rosenthal was present. Commissioners Cara Cruickshank and Bryan Sohl were absent. Commissioner Marni Koopman was late. 2. Consent Agenda McGinnis/Buck m/s to approve the minutes of December 14, 2016, as presented. Discussion: None. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion Passes. 3. Announcements The group welcomed the newest commission member, David Sommer, the Ashland School District Representative. Sommer gave some background information. The group introduced themselves and gave some background information on their involvement with the group. The next commission meeting will be February 22, 2017. Commissioner Marni Koopman arrived 6:06 p.m. The Water Subcommittee will be meeting this Friday at 1:30 p.m. with conservation staff member Julie Smitherman in the Siskiyou Room. On March 10, 2017, there will be a climate change action celebration at the Ashland Historic Armory. It's being organized by Geos Institute, Rogue Climate, SOCAN and others. Ashland School District has updates lighting on their sports field to LEDs. There were some issues with the equipment, but the installing company will be replacing those items. 4. Public Forum Jeff Sharpe—stated he is encouraged by the addition of Sommer to the commission and is looking forward to seeing the partnership between the City and the school district. Huelz— stated that ACE Hardware is having a sale on LED lightbulbs. He stated that Portland is now requiring energy audits to be shown on all real estate transactions and new homes should also be modeled for energy before building. The commission should ask for this requirement in Ashland. They should also request homes be autonomous and off the grid as a comp plan requirement. He would like everyone to have a car for easier transportation but that all homes should have chargers and solar panels to provide electricity so that those cars can be electric. 5. Reports/Presentations/Updates Recology Quarterly Report—J. Rosenthal handed out copies of the recent ads for the group to Minutes for the Conservation Commission January 25,2017 Page 2 of 3 review. She stated that Recology has recently done the following: • helped to make the Bear Creek Salmon Festival a waste-zero event • provided support for the SoPride parade last fall • the leaf diversion programs in the fall also had more participation than previous years • Christmas Tree recycling (chipping for Parks)program is still going on - it's $5 for a tree to be picked up • partnering with the Master Recycler program to help keep large events low- or zero- waste events assisting Ashland Middle School in its "green week" to establish a composting program Some of Recology's upcoming projects include: • SOU interns researching multi-family recycling and waste management ordinances in other cities • the fourth of July events planning • a new SOPTV commercial. Group discussed multi-family recycling and waste management ordinances and what the challenges exist in Ashland regarding multi-family housing. City Council Update—R. Rosenthal stated that January 27 is the deadline for applications for those interested in filling the Council seat 6 vacancy and gave some process details. He stated the Council is set to approve the hire of a new Finance Director at the next business meeting. Lastly, there was a study session on January 23rd regarding the Climate and Energy Action Plan (LEAP). At this meeting there was lots of discussion regarding the proposed goals ordinance but only a few questions from council members regarding the plan. The plan should be on the March 7th business meeting for approval. City Conservation Programs and Operations—Hanks stated there will be a solar workshop at the end of March (more details to come). Conservation staff member Larry Giardina is finishing an assessment of all city facilities for solar purposes. This should help in future budgeting, the CEAP implementation process, and 1Ox20 Ordinance process. BPA is doing a new pilot program for smart thermostats and will review the results when the pilot is completed. If it is deemed successful, this might lead to a similar program through the City. Conservation staff member Dan Cunningham is on BPA's low-income taskforce. ACCESS, Inc. is our local partner in this and they have some new programs coming out that we are helping to promote. Water Subcommittee Update—The group is working with Julie Smitherman on an education event regarding grey-water, possibly for early summer. Their goal is to work toward doubling the number of systems in the city. 6. Old Business Sneak Preview Column—Hanks handed out a draft article for publication. Group discussed some minor edits. Weir/Koopman m/s to approve the Energy Efficiency article by Hanks with edits based on the discussion. Discussion: None. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion Passes. Minutes for the Conservation Commission January 25,2017 Page 3 of 3 Group discussion potential article topics and agreed to the following: March—CEAP update (as agreed to at last meeting) April—Water, written by Weir and Buck May—Energy Climate &Energy Action Plan—Beigel-Coryell suggested that the commission members read the draft plan and give their input before it moves into final form. McGinnis gave an overview of the City Council study session discussion. Hanks gave a summary of the budget issues Council will need to consider with the plan. In general, they felt that Council was supportive of the plan but had concerns with the timing of the goals ordinance. Conservation Commission Powers and Duties Discussion—Group agreed to postpone this discussion until the CEAP ordinance regarding the creation of a new commission is passed and/or until there is more clarity on that ordinance. 7. New Business Nomination of 2017 Char/Vice Char—McGinnis nominated Buck, she respectfully declined. Group decided to postpone the discussion until next meeting as both Cruickshank and Sohl are absent. Conservation Classes (Low Impact Living Series) —Koopman stated that last year the classes were engaged but very small in size. She would like to consider ways to increase attendance. Group discussed some opportunities to market the classes. Group agreed to submit information about the classes they would like to teach for inclusion in the Parks Department catalogue. 8. Wrap Up Group requested that the following topics be on an upcoming agenda: • SOU Quarterly Update in February • ASD Quarterly Update in March • Earth Bowl discussion Meeting adjourned at 7:58 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Diana Shiplet Executive Assistant Minutes for the Conservation Commission February 22,2017 Page 1 of 3 MINUTES FOR THE ASHLAND CONSERVATION COMMISSION Wednesday, February 22, 2017 Siskiyou Room, 51 Winburn Way 1. Call to Order Vice-Chair Cara Cruickshank called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. Commissioners Jamie Rosenthal, Risa Buck, Roxane Beigel-Coryell, David Sommer, and James McGinnis were present. Staff member Adam Hanks was present. Commissioner Marni Koopman was late. Council liaison Rich Rosenthal, commissioners Bryan Sohl and Mark Weir were absent. 2. Announcements The next commission meeting will be March 22, 2017. 3. Public Forum Louise Shawkat: stated that Energize Rogue is doing a discount program for ductless heat pumps. At SOCAN's next meeting they are going over the upcoming new recycling regulations. Huelz Gutchen: asked that the group watch his YouTube video regarding structural wattage to learn about heat pumps. Stated that there is a new technology out which uses carbon dioxide as a refrigerant, which is better for the environment but in direct competition with the natural gas industry. He stated that we used to only focus on conservation but the new term is efficiency. Technology leaders like Elon Musk have stated that soon robots will do everyone's jobs, which means no driving, no carbon increase and no extra money for buying things which increase carbons to create. Commissioner Marni Koopman arrived 6:08 p.m. She informed the group that on March 17th there will be a climate bash at the Historic Armory at 6:30 p.m. 4. Reports/Presentations/Updates SOU Quarterly Update—Beigel-Coryell gave some highlights of SOU activities: • Strategic planning process with the new university President. The goal is to finish this in one year and integrate sustainability in the plan. • The remodel of the theater arts building has started construction. The new remodel will include space for the JPR studios. • They are doing retrofits of lights to LEDs, particularly in the residence halls. • There is a recycling competition going on in the residence halls. • Students are working on a"real food" challenge with the dining hall. • Students are working on a divestment campaign. • There will be a social justice conference March 3rd and 4th, typically there is at least one section related to climate issues. • SOU received honorable mention in the 2nd Nature Climate Leadership Awards. City Conservation Programs and Operations—Hanks stated conservation staff member Larry Giardina has finished the city facility solar review. Next is to work on how to fund installation. Minutes for the Conservation Commission February 22,2017 Page 2 of 3 Giardina found lots of good opportunities for solar at city facilities. Hanks and conservation staff member Dan Cunningham did a radio interview on JPR recently regarding conservation. Hanks is now focused on the biennial budget process. Water Subcommittee Update—Buck stated that last month they met with water conservation staff member Julie Smitherman and agreed to do a laundry to landscape tour on June 3rd. This event will be in the Parks and Recreation activity guide. They are also creating a flyer to get the word out. There will also be a June 29th rainwater catchment system design class at North Mountain Park. The subcommittee hopes to do a rainwater catchment tour in the future. 5. Old Business Sneak Preview Column—Group discussion potential article topics and agreed to the following: • April—Bottle bill update, written by J. Rosenthal and Beigel-Coryell • May—Low impact living class announcements, written by Hanks (group to send info to him to collate) • June—Water, written by Cruickshank Climate &Energy Action Plan— On March 7th the plan will go to Council for approval. Council will also be scheduling the two proposed ordinances either for further discussion or first reading. Group discussed the process next steps after plan approval. Conservation Commission Powers and Duties Discussion—Group discussed whether they should have this discussion before the Council has considered the proposed CEAP commission. Some felt it was too early to discuss others felt it was important to lay out the options so the group could move forward quickly with whatever the Council determines. Group agreed to send to Hanks a list of what they would want in the Conservation Commission's powers and duties (i.e. what would be not covered by the proposed CEAP commission?). Hanks will provide this list for discussion at the next meeting. Earth Day—Hanks stated that staff will be doing the same as last year and the City is providing the same funding as last year. 6. New Business Nomination of 2017 Chair/Vice Chair—Group agreed to discuss this at the next meeting as two members are absent. Commissioner terms/vacancies—Commissioner Sohl's term is up on April 30th. Group agreed to encourage applicants to submit their applications to the City Recorder by the mid-March deadline for the annual appointment process. 8. Wrap Up Group requested that the following topics be on the March agenda: • ASD Quarterly Update • Nomination of chair and vice chair • 45 minute discussion of powers and duties Minutes for the Conservation Commission February 22,2017 Page 3 of 3 Meeting adjourned at 7:22 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Diana Shiplet Executive Assistant These days, littering is incredibly taboo, but in the 1960's and 1970's when disposable containers were becoming commonplace, littering was a major issue.To help clean up this problem and encourage recycling, Oregon introduced groundbreaking legislation in the revolutionary Bottle Bill. In April 2017 and January 2018, Oregon's Bottle Bill will be undergoing two significant enhancements to further advance recycling of beverage containers in the state. We have prepared a few FAQ's for you to familiarize yourself with the Bottle Bill and the forthcoming changes. What is a Bottle Bill? In 1971, Oregon cemented itself as an environmental leader with the passing of the first ever Bottle Bill (House Bill 1036).The Oregon Bottle Bill calls for consumers to pay a 5-cent container deposit on many beverage containers including soft drinks, beer and water. People can return the empty containers to stores to receive the 5-cent refund value for each container. Why do we need a Bottle Bill?The initial intent of the Bottle Bill was to combat littering and promote the conservation of resources. Since decreasing litter was the primary focus of the Bill,the initial legislation only included container deposits on beer and soft drinks in aluminum cans, which were the most commonly littered containers. However, during the last 46 years the legislation has undergone several updates including expanding the program to include water, flavored water, and carbonated beverages in any container type including glass and plastic bottles.Additionally, in 2011 the Bottle Bill received two significant updates (HB 3145) that will soon take effect. What is the return value of eligible containers?As of April 1, 2017 all eligible beverage containers in Oregon have a return value of 10-cents per container. No,this isn't an April Fool's joke! An update to the Bottle Bill approved in 2011 (HB 3145) required the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to monitor the return rate of eligible beverage containers. If the rate dropped below 80 percent for two consecutive years,the new legislation called for an increase in the return value from 5-cents to 10-cents per container. This increase took effect on April 1, 2017. What type of containers are covered under the Bottle Bill? Currently,the Bottle Bill applies to all water, flavored water, beer, malt, and carbonated soft drinks. Beginning January 1, 2018 the type of beverage containers covered under the Oregon Bottle Bill will expand to include all beverages except wine, liquor, milk and milk substitutes in bottles or cans. Sorry,your waxy cartons and aseptic containers still cannot be recycled in southern Oregon. Where can I redeem my eligible containers?You can return containers covered under the Bottle Bill to any retail store that sells beverage or to a designated redemption center.Visit .................................................. . .............................................1 .........................!!..............i.r c..o.. .,to find a location near you. Do any other states have Bottle Bills?Yes! Each state's Bottle Bill may differ slightly, but there are currently ten states (plus Guam!)with Bottle Bills including: California, Connecticut, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Vermont. What happens to my cans and bottles if I put them in my curbside recycle bin?Tossing your cans and bottles (rinsed and without lids, of course) into your curbside recycling bin is certainly better than throwing them away, but you won't get your deposit back on the container. If you aren't interested in returning the containers yourself, consider asking a local school or community organization if they would like to return your containers to raise funds to support their cause. Or, if you finish your beverage while strolling downtown, keep an eye out for one of several recycling baskets where you can place your container for someone else to claim for redemption. What happens to my cans and bottles if I throw them in the trash?There are several negative consequences of sending aluminum cans and plastic bottles to the landfill. One of the primary issues in landfilling aluminum cans comes with the cost of replacing that can with virgin materials, rather than creating new cans from recycled aluminum.The energy required to create a can from virgin materials is staggering. Recycling aluminum cans is far more efficient than sending cans to the landfill, where they can take an estimated 200 years to breakdown! Although the manufacturing process for plastic bottles is less energy-intensive than cans,they too are reported to take 70-450 years (or possibly as many as 1,000 years!)to break down in a landfill. By recycling your cans and bottles, you can save landfill space and conserve resources. ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE CREATING THE CLIMATE AND ENERGY ACTION COMMISSION 2.27—Climate and Energy Action Plan Advisory Commission 2.27.005—Purpose Upon adoption of this ordinance,the Mayor shall establish a permanent Citizen Commission to provide oversight and recommendations regarding the implementation of the Climate and Energy Action Plan, as well as recommending updates and modifications to the Climate and Energy Action Plan(LEAP) document. 2.27.010—Establishment—Membership The Commission shall reflect and represent a wide range of community interests and perspectives, including environmental, energy efficiency,renewable energy, academic and business, low income, equity, and health, communities of color and elderly. The Commission shall consist of nine(9)voting members, including at least two (2) of whom shall be 25-years-old or younger at the time of appointment. Eight(8) of the members shall reside within the City, and one(1)may be an at large member living within the Ashland urban growth boundary. One (1)Mayor or City Councilor and one (1) City staff person shall serve on the Commission as non-voting, ex-officio members. The primary staff liaison shall be appointed by the City Administrator and shall serve as Secretary of the Commission. Voting members shall be appointed by the Mayor with confirmation by the City Council 2.27.020-Powers and Duties A. Monitor and advise on the Implementation of the Climate and Energy Action Plan for the Community and City Operations B. Recommend modifications to benchmarks,targets or implementing actions contained in the CEAP as needed to incorporate the best available science and practices to achieve CEAP related goals and targets. C. Monitor progress toward achieving the reductions of GHG emissions prescribed by this ordinance D. Work to ensure that the CEAP considers public input and long-term social, economic and environmental impacts E. Recommend changes in city ordinances,rules and processes that facilitate and/or incentivize residents and businesses to reduce their GHG emissions F. Work to ensure the plans are socially equitable for all community members including low-income, young people,persons of color, elderly and those living with disabilities. G. Work to ensure the CEAP protects Ashland's quality of life by identifying,benefiting, and preserving long-term natural resources, services, amenities, institutions, industries, and community characteristics valued by Ashland residents.