Sustainability Commission

City of Sunnyvale Meeting Minutes - Final Sustainability Commission Monday, May 17, 2021 7:00 PM Telepresence Meeting: City Web Stream CALL TO ORDER Pursuant to Section 3 of Executive Order N-29-20, issued by Governor Newsom on March 17, 2020, the meeting was conducted telephonically. Chair Wickham called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. via teleconference. ROLL CALL Present: 6 - Chair Kristel Wickham Vice Chair Douglas Kunz Commissioner Stephen Joesten Commissioner Bruce Paton Commissioner Murali Srinivasan Commissioner Tonya Veitch Absent: 1 - Commissioner Shana Padgett Council Liaison – Councilmember Fong (absent) Commissioner Padgett’s absence is excused by general consent Chair Wickham, Vice Chair Kunz, and all Commissioners attended via teleconference. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None. PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS 21-0575 Annual Review of City Manager’s Recommended Budget Full budget available online at: Sunnyvale.ca.gov/government/budget.htm Staff summarized highlights of the City Manager’s FY 2021/22 Recommended City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final May 17, 2021 Budget (Recommended Budget), highlighting funding included for projects and positions related to sustainability programs. Key highlights included: (a) continued freeze on Transportation Planner position in Department of Public Works intended to support the implementation of the City’s transportation demand management (TDM) program; (b) un-freezing of the Environmental Programs Specialist position to support Climate Action Playbook (CAP) community engagement efforts; and (c) extension of funding for Project 831290 (Climate Action Plan Implementation) funding through FY 2022/23 without overall increase in funding. The Commission discussed the Recommended Budget and asked questions of staff. The Commission appreciated the recommendation to un-freeze the Environmental Programs Specialist position, which would support CAP community engagement. Commissioner Veitch commended City Staff for the continued efforts on Safe Routes to School and the number of projects supporting this program. Chair Wickham opened the Public Hearing. No public comments. Chair Wickham closed the Public Hearing. MOTION: Commissioner Paton moved, and Commissioner Veitch seconded, a motion to provide the following recommendations on the Recommended Budget to City Council and to nominate Chair Wickham to convey these recommendations to the City Council at the Budget Workshop on May 20, 2021: (1) Fund Study Issue ESD 17-01 “Eliminate the Use of Chemical Pesticides” as a part of Budget Supplement No. 1. (2) Support the recommendation to un-freeze the Environmental Program Specialist position in the Environmental Services Department (ESD). (3) Un-freeze the Transportation Planner position in Department of Public Works (DPW), or suggest that an interim solution be determined. Interim solutions could be: (a) Un-freezing the position halfway through the fiscal year; or (b) Hiring a consultant to perform the work. Advancing this work is aligned with the “Cut the Commute” pledge adopted by City Council in October 2020 in partnership with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final May 17, 2021 (4) Request staff to evaluate and provide an update on whether communitywide greenhouse gas reductions are on track to achieve the 2030 goal of 56% reduction. (5) Update Project 831290 (Climate Action Plan Implementation) to: (a) Reflect the Council and City Charter mandates for 10- and 20-year budgeting to ensure that future funding needs are planned for; (b) Ensure that funding is adequate to achieve the timely planning updates and implementation of the CAP, such as with funds programmed every five years. (6) Upgrade to a GreenPrime account of 100% renewable energy with Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), as budget realities permit, to demonstrate the City’s commitment to renewable electricity. (7) For Traffic and Transportation Projects, (a) Request clarification on the relationship and impact of projects on the vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduction target; and (b) Recommend that Council request that future budgets include this estimated impact with transportation projects. (8) For Project 831600 (Solar Installations on City Facilities), re-evaluate the economic feasibility of adding solar and battery storage to additional Department of Public Works facilities and include this in the next budget. (9) Request staff to provide a report on: (a) How changes in the recyclables market affects our progress toward reaching our waste diversion goal and applicable state goals; and (b) Recommended actions to close the gap between the City’s projections and the Zero Waste Strategic Plan’s 90% diversion goal. (10) Defer the funding programmed for FY 2021/22 funding for Project 824780 (Upgrading of Fuel Stations) to a later year, unless the fuel tank replacement is absolutely needed to prevent a release. Recommend that Council asks for justification of the planned expenditures on fossil fuel infrastructure, while the City is committed to electrifying its fleet. (11) Recognizing the cost effectiveness of expanding tree canopy as a climate change mitigation and adaptation action aligned with CAP Move 4.F, the Commission recommends: City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final May 17, 2021 (a) Continuing to fund the contributions to “Our City Forest” at a minimum of the same level as FY 2020/21, to support the Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP); and (b) Adding a new project to fund continued street tree planting to implement the UFMP approved in 2014. (12) Request that the City Clerk include a training and material about the budgeting process in the Board/Commission annual training to better prepare new Commissioners for the budget review process. FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Commissioner Kunz offered a friendly amendment to revise the motion to include that Chair Wickham will convey the recommendations both verbally and in writing to the City Council. Commissioner Paton and Commissioner Veitch accepted the friendly amendment. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Wickham Vice Chair Kunz Commissioner Joesten Commissioner Paton Commissioner Srinivasan Commissioner Veitch No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Padgett CONSENT CALENDAR 21-0574 Approve the Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes of April 19, 2021 Vice Chair Kunz moved, and Commissioner Joesten seconded, a motion to approve the consent calendar. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Wickham Vice Chair Kunz Commissioner Joesten Commissioner Paton Commissioner Srinivasan Commissioner Veitch City of Sunnyvale Page 4 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final May 17, 2021 No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Padgett STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES No new Study Issues were submitted. Staff clarified process questions for the Commission and reminded Commissioners to submit study issues by no later than July to allow for review of draft Study Issue Papers by the Commission prior to submission. NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS -Commissioner Comments Commissioner Paton thanked staff for the Leadership Sunnyvale presentations and Build a Better City game. Commissioner Joesten shared that SPUR released "The Bay Area 2070," a long-term strategic planning document on transportation and other related issues. Commissioner Srinivasan announced that City staff will provide a presentation to the Neighborhood Association on Sunnyvale’s FoodCycle Program on Saturday May 24, 2021, at 11 a.m. Commissioner Veitch reminded the Commission that May 21, 2021, is Bike to Wherever Day and encouraged Commissioners to participate. Chair Wickham encouraged Commissioners to attend the Canopy webinar series and the Nature Based Solutions webinar series. She reminded the Commission that the last Sustainability Speaker Series will be held on Wednesday May 19, 2021, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. She noted that the Moffett Park Specific plan will be going to Council on May 25, 2021, for the EIR and Land Use Option. -Staff Comments Madeline Willett, Environmental Engineering Coordinator, shared that the last Drive Electric Program event will be held on Monday May 24, 2021, from 7 to 8 p.m. Nupur Hiremath, Environmental Programs Manager, thanked the Commissioners for their support in publicizing the upcoming vacancies on the Sustainability Commission and encouraged Commissioners to continue to ask the community to attend and participate in meetings. City of Sunnyvale Page 5 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final May 17, 2021 INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS 21-0573 Updated Annual Work Plan May 2021 ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m. City of Sunnyvale Page 6