Sustainability Commission

City of Sunnyvale Meeting Minutes - Final Sustainability Commission Monday, September 18, 2017 7:00 PM West Conference Room, City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086 CALL TO ORDER Chair Paton called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the West Conference Room. SALUTE TO THE FLAG Chair Paton led the salute to the flag. ROLL CALL Present: 7 - Chair Bruce Paton Vice Chair Amit Srivastava Commissioner Dan Hafeman Commissioner Adriana Imbre Commissioner Stephen Joesten Commissioner Kristel Wickham Commissioner Steven Zornetzer Council Liaison – Jim Griffith (present) ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None. CONSENT CALENDAR 1 17-0930 Approve the Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes of August 28, 2017 Commissioner Joesten moved, and Commissioner Zornetzer seconded, a motion to approve the consent calendar. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 4 - Chair Paton Commissioner Joesten Commissioner Wickham Commissioner Zornetzer City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final September 18, 2017 No: 0 Abstain: 3 - Vice Chair Srivastava Commissioner Hafeman Commissioner Imbre Vice Chair Srivastava and Commissioners Hafeman and Imbre abstained as they were not present at the August meeting. (Commissioner Imbre’s term did not commence until August 23, 2017). PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS 2 17-0921 2018 Sustainability Speaker Series Recommendations The Ad Hoc Committee (Subcommittee), comprised of Commissioners Wickham and Zornetzer, presented a proposal for the 2018 Sustainability Speaker Series. The proposal focused on six topic areas within the theme of Climate Action. For each theme, the Subcommittee presented its rationale for topic selection and the proposed speakers. Staff noted that they would provide updated numbers for remaining funds from FY 2016-17 that would roll over to FY 2017-2018. Staff also noted that there would be a significant focus on Climate Action Plan (CAP 2.0) development and associated community engagement, which may limit staff ability to support additional events beyond the four approved as part of the Budget Supplement. The Commission discussed the merits and concerns with the proposed topics and speakers, this included adjusting the Business Climate Action topic to focus more generally on businesses in Sunnyvale that have taken effective climate action by incorporating sustainability not only into their buildings but also into their products. To account for the diversity of opinions, Commissioner Joesten proposed a ranking exercise to help prioritize topics. Based on the written prioritization, each Commissioner prioritized the topics as follows: Commissioner Hafeman: Building Design for Sustainability; Consumerism and the Environment; Climate Change Solutions; Food Choices and Food Waste; Home Energy; and Business Climate Action. Commissioner Imbre: Building Design for Sustainability; Climate Change Solutions; Food Choices and Food Waste; Home Energy; Consumerism and the Environment; and Business Climate Action. City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final September 18, 2017 Commissioner Joesten: Food Choices and Food Waste; Climate Change Solutions; Consumerism and the Environment; Home Energy; Building Design for Sustainability; and Business Climate Action. Chair Paton: Building Design for Sustainability; Business Climate Action; Climate Change Solutions; Consumerism and the Environment; Food Choices and Food Waste; and Home Energy. Vice Chair Srivastava: Building Design for Sustainability; Climate Change Solutions; Food Choices and Food Waste; Home Energy; Consumerism and the Environment; and Business Climate Action. Commissioner Wickham: Food Choices and Food Waste; Consumerism and the Environment; Climate Change Solutions; Building Design for Sustainability; Business Climate Action; and Home Energy. Commissioner Zornetzer: Building Design for Sustainability; Climate Change Solutions; Consumerism and the Environment; Food Choices and Food Waste; Home Energy; and Business Climate Action. Staff tabulated the prioritization and provided the following ranked list of topics: 1. Climate Change Solutions 2. Building Design for Sustainability 3. Food Choices and Food Waste 4. Consumerism and the Environment 5. Business Climate Action 6. Home Energy Chair Paton moved, and Vice Chair Srivastava seconded, a motion to approve the 2018 Sustainability Speaker Series topics as prioritized, and to request the Subcommittee to work with staff to prepare a report to Council. The motion carried by the following vote: City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final September 18, 2017 Yes: 7 - Chair Paton Vice Chair Srivastava Commissioner Hafeman Commissioner Imbre Commissioner Joesten Commissioner Wickham Commissioner Zornetzer No: 0 STANDING ITEM: CLIMATE ACTION PLAN (CAP 2.0) UPDATE Chair Paton expressed an interest in ensuring that the CAP 2.0 included a plan to address adaptation. Chair Paton moved, and Commissioner Imbre seconded, a motion to propose adding a topic to next month’s agenda on whether climate adaptation can be incorporated into the CAP 2.0. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Paton Vice Chair Srivastava Commissioner Imbre Commissioner Joesten Commissioner Wickham Commissioner Zornetzer No: 0 Abstain: 1 - Commissioner Hafeman Commissioner Hafeman abstained as he thought it might be too early in the CAP 2.0 process to discuss this topic. STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES 3 17-0742 Proposed Study Issue: Lower speed limits on all Arterials and El Camino Real to 30mph or less Nupur Hiremath, Sustainability Coordinator, explained that staff had shared speed survey data (including 85th percentile) for El Camino Real and Mathilda Ave with the Commission the week before. She clarified that El Camino Real speed surveys were done by CalTrans, while Mathilda Ave speed surveys were done in segments along that street by the City. Commissioner Hafeman observed that if speeds were City of Sunnyvale Page 4 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final September 18, 2017 determined based on the prevailing speed, they would need to be raised as most people drive much faster than the posted speed limit. Commissioner Hafeman reviewed the edits that were made to the proposed Study Issue since the August meeting based on data provided by staff. These changes included: suggesting that the speed limit be set at 5 mph lower than the 85th percentile (instead of specifying the speed limit); and assessing the level of effort needed to work with CalTrans to change the speed limit to 35 mph on El Camino Real (as is the case in the cities of Mountain View and Santa Clara). Commissioner Zornetzer suggested removing the reference to El Camino being one of the “most dangerous” streets unless it could be corroborated, and Commissioner Hafeman agreed to delete that statement. Commissioner Hafeman moved, and Commissioner Wickham seconded, to approve the proposed Study Issue as amended: Yes: 5 - Chair Paton Vice Chair Srivastava Commissioner Hafeman Commissioner Wickham Commissioner Zornetzer No: 0 Abstain: 2 - Commissioner Imbre Commissioner Joesten Commissioners Joesten abstained as he felt that reducing the speed limits might not be as productive as focusing on improving bicycle lane safety through better design. Commissioner Imbre also abstained. NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS -Commissioner Comments Commissioner Zornetzer noted that a Mercury News article about the City’s FoodCycle program stated that the pigs being fed with animal feed created from the City’s residential food scraps would not be used human consumption, and asked staff to confirm if this was true. Elaine Marshall, Environmental Programs Manager, and Councilmember Griffith clarified that the animal feed was intended for City of Sunnyvale Page 5 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final September 18, 2017 consumption by non-ruminant animals, including pigs, chicken, and fish, and that there was a helpful list of Frequently Asked Questions and responses on the City’s website. Chair Paton requested a staff update on FoodCycle in the future. Commissioner Hafeman recommended taking the resident surveys on the Sunnyvale Ave and Mary Ave Grade Separation project, which aims to separate the railway and the roadway for improved bicycle and pedestrian safety. He noted that the consultants had devised creative approaches that were both practical and affordable. As the Commission’s representative on the El Camino Real Plan Advisory Committee (ECRPAC), he reported that Council recently voted for more residential development along El Camino Real. He also shared that the ECRPAC has discussed revising speed limits, addition of bicycle lanes, and modifying street parking availability as the most challenging issues. Chair Paton noted that he and Commissioner Joesten had assisted staff in developing ideas for Sunnyvale’s application for the 2017 Bloomberg Mayors Challenge, a nationwide funding competition to win $5 million to solve the City’s most pressing problem. Commissioner Joesten shared that he had read an article about the molecular production of high-quality meat replacements and their positive sustainability impact. Commissioner Wickham noted that the Subcommittee planning the 2018 Sustainability Speaker Series had room for one additional member, now that all Commission seats are filled. Chair Paton requested that this be added to the agenda for the following month’s meeting. -Staff Comments Elaine Marshall announced changes in City staffing at the executive leadership level, including that Kent Steffens was appointed as Interim City Manager effective as of October 1, 2017; Melody Tovar was appointed as Interim Director of Environmental Services as of September 15, 2017; and Craig Mobeck was appointed as Interim Director of Public Works as of September 28, 2017. Ms. Marshall also shared that the City is developing its application for the 2017 Bloomberg Mayors Challenge (due October 20, 2017) and is focusing on decarbonizing buildings as the “right-sized” problem that can be addressed within the timeline and funding provided by this Challenge. Staff is working with two focus groups – a group of developers, architects, and businesses, who have a stake in City of Sunnyvale Page 6 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final September 18, 2017 building stock in Sunnyvale, and the newly formed Climate Action Plan (CAP 2.0) Advisory Committee – to solicit stakeholder input. INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS 4 17-0741 Draft Study Issue: Encouraging Heat Pump Water and Space Heating ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:36 p.m. City of Sunnyvale Page 7