Environmental Sustainability Council

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY COUNCIL (ESC) Thursday, December 20, 2018, Thomas Jefferson Elementary cafeteria, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. DRAFT MINUTES 1. Call to Order: Members: Cory Firestone Weiss (Chair), Jon Ward, Chris McCloud, Andy Crawford, Andy Young, Joy Page. ETS Chair: Tim Stevens. City Staff: Kate Walker (Environmental Programs Coordinator). City Council Member/Liaison: Dan Sze. Public: Andy Sakallaris, Marlyn Rodriguez 2. Public comments: None. 3. November 2018 ESC Meeting Minutes: Approved unanimously, 5 voting members 4. Report on City environmental staffing: Kate Walker reported that several positions in the City’s DPW were vacant, and that the Solid Waste Coordinator would leave in January. This personnel shortfall affects City activities related to stormwater and the development of the new solid waste contract, which is not yet “fully baked.” Attendees noted the need for appropriate staffing to execute the environmental aspects of the Comprehensive Plan.  ACTION ITEM 1: Cory W: Call Wyatt Shields (City Manager) to request a January 2019 meeting to discuss a possible advisory role for the ESC in hiring key DPW staff, especially in the areas of stormwater and solid waste. 5. Comprehensive Plan: The ESC reviewed and edited three topic areas of the ESC’s input to the environmental chapter of the Comprehensive Plan: Community Engagement & Well-Being; Water; and Urban Forest. There appeared to be a majority consensus (no vote) that Comp Plan goals can be and sometimes should be aspirational, even if not likely attainable. A pre-meeting hardcopy of the ESC’s input spreadsheet was distributed to attendees.  ACTION ITEM 2: All: By Friday, January 4, review the spreadsheet handout and provide any comments or recommended edits to Cory and Kate. Be ready to review a final version and vote up / down. 6. Development project updates: Kate distributed and discussed the calendar for the West Falls Church Development, both the commercial and school projects. The school plans and cost are to be finalized by May 2019, and construction of the commercial project will start in Fall 2021, after the new high school has opened. 7. Subcommittee Reports:  Habitat Restoration Group: The ESC nominated and voted for Chris McCloud to be the new ESC representative to the HRG.  Energy Transition Subcommittee: Tim reported that ETS was looking at a possible EVgo charging location behind Clare & Don’s. Also, Sen. Saslaw and Del. Simon will host a  legislative update / town hall on January 12, 2019, at George Mason High School ahead of the 2019 legislative session. 8. Next Meeting  Thursday, January 17, 2018. Thomas Jefferson Elementary library, 7:30 p.m. Abbreviations / Terminology:  DPW: Department of Public Works  ETS: Energy Transition Subcommittee