Sustainability Commission

City of Sunnyvale Meeting Minutes - Final Sustainability Commission Monday, April 21, 2014 7:00 PM West Conference Room, City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Vice Chair Srivastava. SALUTE TO THE FLAG ROLL CALL Present: 6 - Commissioner Barbara Fukumoto Commissioner Gerald Glaser Commissioner Dan Hafeman Commissioner Petya Kisyova Commissioner Bruce Paton Chair Amit Srivastava Council Liaison Jim Griffith (present) PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Vice Chair Srivastava opened the public hearing for public announcements. There were no public announcements. Vice Chair Srivastava closed the public hearing. CONSENT CALENDAR 1 Draft Minutes of the Sustainability Commission Meeting of March 17, 2014. Commissioner Hafeman moved and Commissioner Glaser seconded the motion to approve the consent calendar. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Commissioner Glaser Commissioner Hafeman Commissioner Kisyova Commissioner Paton Chair Srivastava City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final April 21, 2014 No: 0 Abstain: 1 - Commissioner Fukumoto PUBLIC COMMENTS Vice Chair Srivastava opened the public hearing for public comments. There were no public comments. Vice Chair Srivastava closed the public hearing. PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS 2 Climate Action Plan to Achieve State Recommended Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Goals in Assembly Bill 32: California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 Environmental Review: Negative Declaration Vice Chair Srivastava opened the public hearing at 7:25 p.m. Sunnyvale resident and realtor Barbara Williams and Government Affairs Director, Jessica Epstein, of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors spoke regarding concerns about a measure in the draft Climate Action Plan that calls for the establishment of an ordinance to require homeowners perform and disclose energy and water audits at the time of sale. Vice Chair Srivastava closed the public hearing at 7:50 p.m. Commissioner Glaser made a motion and Commissioner Kisyova seconded to recommend that Council take the following actions: Alternative 1 (and 3 Planning Commission Only): -Approve the Negative Declaration; -Adopt the Climate Action Plan with Implementation Program; -Direct staff to move forward with "just do it" CAP Action Items; -Direct staff to prepare a CAP CEQA checklist to determine future project consistency with the CAP for all departments to use for public and private projects; -Direct staff to come back to Council within four months with a timeline, work plan and possible funding strategies for CAP GHG emission reduction measures; and -Direct staff to come back within four months with a recommendation for securing a CAP monitoring program with a proposed budget modification as needed. Commissioner Glaser commented that he likes the idea of accepting the Climate Action Plan enmasse rather than accepting the plan in piecemeal. Commissioner City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final April 21, 2014 Glaser commented that Sunnyvale as a community and a participant in the state needs to contribute to reducing emissions and it will be great to put the plan it place and actually see that the results end up the way we want them to be. Commissioner Hafeman acknowledged the concerns of the realtors in attendance. Commissioner Hafeman commented that implementing the Climate Action Plan will cost everyone. Commissioner Hafeman commented that if it were easy it would already be done. Commissioner Hafeman commented that Sunnyvale as a community has the opportunity to come together and address this issue and show the world what we can do. Commissioner Hafeman commented that the Commission meeting is not the time or the forum to be putting restrictions on the Climate Action Plan. Commissioner Fukumoto acknowledged the concerns of the realtors in attendance. Commissioner Fukumoto commented that she does not think the Commission should be going through the hundred-odd actions and analyzing them during the meeting. Commissioner Fukumoto commented that it would be more appropriate for the Council to address the big pieces. Commissioner Fukumoto commented that Council and staff working together with the Commissions can work out the different pieces. Commissioner Fukumoto commented that she thinks it makes sense to adopt the entire Climate Action Plan. Commissioner Kisyova acknowledged the concerns raised by the realtors in attendance. Commissioner Kisyova commented that the cost of not taking action is so much greater than the cost of an energy audit. Commissioner Paton commented that he moved to Sunnyvale 25 years ago and started a family. Commissioner Paton commented that the real cost to him is the impact of doing nothing on the life of his son and the kids of this community would be so huge by comparison with the cost of taking action now. Commissioner Paton praised the effort of staff and the consultants and acknowledged the concerns of the realtors group in attendance. Commissioner Paton commented that the Commission is endorsing a broader program which they think is vital to the health of this community and for Sunnyvale to be a leader. Commissioner Paton commented that Sunnyvale is a leader in technology so why should we be a follower when it comes to this issue. Commissioner Srivastava acknowledged the concerns raised by the realtors group in attendance. Commissioner Srivastava commended the effort of staff and consultants. Commissioner Srivastava commented that, looking at the work as a whole, he would support the plan. City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final April 21, 2014 The motion carried by unanimous vote. Yes: 6 - Commissioner Fukumoto Commissioner Glaser Commissioner Hafeman Commissioner Kisyova Commissioner Paton Chair Srivastava No: 0 3 Selection of a Sustainability Commission Chair Commissioner Fukumoto nominated Commissioner Srivastava as the Sustainability Commission Chair. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Commissioner Fukumoto Commissioner Glaser Commissioner Hafeman Commissioner Kisyova Commissioner Paton Chair Srivastava No: 0 NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS -Commissioner Comments Commissioner Glaser acknowledged and commended Mayor Griffith for his action of sending a letter of opposition regarding AB 2145 to the State Assembly. Commissioner Glaser reported that Stanford University's annual Precourt Energy Efficiency Center Silicon Valley Energy Summit will be June 19, 2014 and that he will again be attending. Commissioner Kisyova reported that she has joined a nonprofit that has a Zero Net Energy Working Group focusing on education to let people know how they can perform zero net energy construction. Commissioner Paton reported taking a tour of the LEED platinum certified Packard Foundation building. Commissioner Fukumoto reported attending an event at Acterra that hosted Mosaic founder Billy Parish. Mosaic uses crowd sourcing to connect investors to high City of Sunnyvale Page 4 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final April 21, 2014 quality solar projects. To learn more about Mosaic visit https://joinmosaic.com. Commissioner Fukumoto reported attending the Lawrence Station Area Plan Citizens Advisory Group meeting. The group got a presentation from Don Cameron of the Santa Clara County Roads Department who discussed possibilities for future changes to Lawrence Expressway near the Lawrence Station Area. Commissioner Hafeman reported reading the book "The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars" and was alarmed by the fact that 63% of all human induced carbon in the atmosphere has been emitted since 1991 when scientists were first becoming aware of climate change. -Staff Comments Regulatory Programs Division Manager Melody Tovar reported that the City is participating in the Georgetown University Energy Prize and has sent staff to participate in a GUEP workshop in Washington D.C. that will lay the groundwork for the work ahead. Sustainability Coordinator Clark reported that the City is hosting four BAWSCA Water-Efficient Landscape Class Series this spring. Classes begin April 26 and go through June. Sustainability Coordinator Clark reported that the City will be recognizing local green businesses and Earth Day Poster Contest winners at the April 29 Council meeting. Environmental Services Director John Stufflebean reported that the City's EPS ban will go into effect on April 22, Earth Day. INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS 4 Sunnyvale Letter of Opposition to AB 2145- Electricity: Community Choice Aggregation ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Srivastava adjourned the meeting at 8:40 p.m. City of Sunnyvale Page 5