Sustainability Commission

City of Sunnyvale Meeting Minutes - Final Sustainability Commission Monday, September 20, 2021 7:00 PM Telepresence Meeting: City Web Stream CALL TO ORDER Pursuant to Section 3 of Executive Order N-29-20 (March 17, 2020) and Section 42 of Executive Order N-08-21 (June 11, 2021), issued by Governor Newsom, the meeting was conducted telephonically. Chair Wickham called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. via teleconference. ROLL CALL Present: 6 - Chair Kristel Wickham Vice Chair Douglas Kunz Commissioner Kristina Pistone Commissioner Murali Srinivasan Commissioner Tonya Veitch Commissioner Justin Wang Absent: 1 - Commissioner Shana Padgett Commissioner Padgett – absent (excused). Council Liaison – Councilmember Larsson (present). Commissioner Padgett’s absence was excused by general consent. Council Liaison Larsson arrived at 07:05 p.m. Chair Wickham, Vice Chair Kunz, all Commissioners, and Council liaison attended via teleconference. PRESENTATION 21-0315 PRESENTATION - Carbon Sequestration and Getting to 100% Carbon Reductions (Commissioner presentation) City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final September 20, 2021 Chair Wickham presented on carbon sequestration and what methods could be utilized in Sunnyvale. Commissioners asked clarifying questions, and Chair Wickham provided responses. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None. CONSENT CALENDAR 21-0906 Approve the Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes of August 16, 2021 Vice Chair Kunz moved, and Commissioner Veitch seconded, a motion to approve the consent calendar. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Chair Wickham Vice Chair Kunz Commissioner Pistone Commissioner Srinivasan Commissioner Veitch No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Padgett Abstain: 1 - Commissioner Wang STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES 21-0810 Fleet Planning for the Electric Vehicle Transition (Potential Study Issue) Chair Wickham provided a summary of the Potential Study Issue (SI) and her rationale for submitting it. Vice Chair Kunz noted that the staff response did not seem to address the request for cost comparisons for the fueling station upgrades in comparison to alternative fueling methods. Commissioner Veitch asked if the point of the SI was to determine if all fueling stations needed to be upgraded to electric vehicle (EV) charging stations or if one would suffice. Chair Wickham indicated that determining whether all fueling station upgrades were needed is a goal of the study. Commissioner Veitch also observed that “significant cost increase” associated with the purchase of an EV was not City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final September 20, 2021 defined within the staff response. Staff clarified that funds were available in the Climate Action Playbook budget to cover the additional cost of an EV over that of a gasoline vehicle. Commissioner Veitch also recommended that the Study Issue include a specific request for the development of a fleet electrification plan. Vice Chair Kunz moved, and Commissioner Pistone seconded, a motion to propose this Study Issue with the following amendments: (a) add “This Study Issue proposes the development of a fleet electrification plan that studies the following elements,” to the end of the first paragraph; and (b) request staff to specifically address the cost comparison described in the first bullet of the SI. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Wickham Vice Chair Kunz Commissioner Pistone Commissioner Srinivasan Commissioner Veitch Commissioner Wang No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Padgett 21-0903 Water Neutrality for New Development (Potential Study Issue) Chair Wickham provided a summary of the Potential SI and her rationale for submitting it. Commissioner Pistone asked for clarification of the definition of water neutrality, and Chair Wickham responded. Commissioners asked staff for clarification on what currently exists within Sunnyvale’s Green Building Program for water conservation and onsite reuse, and staff responded. Vice Chair Kunz and Commissioner Pistone noted that they were not sure if this SI was the best method for encouraging water conservation and reuse. No further decision was made on this Study Issue. 21-0907 2022 Proposed Study Issues City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final September 20, 2021 Staff shared that the response was still being developed to one additional SI form submitted by a Commissioner. Staff is aiming to include this SI form in the October meeting agenda. Commissioner Pistone provided a summary of the Proposed SI on Assessment and Promotion of Sustainable Landscaping Strategies, including its amendments. Chair Wickham moved, and Vice Chair Kunz seconded, a motion to sponsor both proposed Study Issues (1) Assessment and Promotion of Sustainable Landscaping Strategies and (2) Fleet Planning for the Electric Vehicle (EV) Transition. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Wickham Vice Chair Kunz Commissioner Pistone Commissioner Srinivasan Commissioner Veitch Commissioner Wang No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Padgett NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS -Commissioner Comments Commissioner Veitch encouraged Commissioners to attend the following events: (1) NorCal symposium on Climate Health and Equity Friday, September 24, 2021; (2) Sustainable Silicon Valley WaterPalooza from 1 to 5 p.m., from September 30 – October 1, 2021; (3) BayREN Energy Efficiency and Electrification webinar from 6 to 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, October 28, 2021. Commissioner Pistone encouraged Commissioners to attend a webinar at 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 23, 2021, hosted by the Earth Science Division at NASA Ames on Reversing Climate Disruption and Ocean Decline with David Koweek. Commissioner Wang encouraged commissioners to attend a webinar from 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, hosted by SPUR and the Greenbelt Alliance on sea level rise adaptation and sea wall construction. -Staff Comments City of Sunnyvale Page 4 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final September 20, 2021 Madeline Willett, Environmental Engineering Coordinator, shared that the City will be holding a Mercury Thermometer Exchange event at the Sunnyvale Senior Center from 10 to noon on Tuesday, September 21, 2021. She also shared some items of interest scheduled for upcoming City Council meeting agendas. Nupur Hiremath, Environmental Programs Manager, reminded Commissioners to watch the recording of the Board and Commission Chair and Vice Chair training sent out by the City Clerk. INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS 21-0905 Updated Annual Work Plan September 2021 ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:48 p.m. City of Sunnyvale Page 5