Sustainability Advisory Commission Meeting

APPROVED CITY OF URBANA, ILLINOIS SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY COMMISSION Council Chambers, Urbana City Building and Zoom Meeting Tuesday, October 5, 2021 Commissioners Present: Tomas Delgado, Maddy Garbacz, Stacy Gloss, Jessica Lehmkuhl, Andrew Stumpf, Morgan White, Grace Wilken Commissioners Absent: None Staff Present: Scott Tess Call to Order, Roll Call, and Declaration of Quorum Chair Gloss called the meeting to order, a roll was called and a quorum was present. Approval of Minutes Commission Member Lehmkuhl motioned to approve the minutes from the September 2021 meeting, as amended. Commission Member White seconded the motion. Roll call vote to approve motion, Commission unanimously approved. Commission Member White motioned to approve the minutes from the August 3, 2021 meeting, as amended. Commission Member Delgado seconded the motion. Roll call vote to approve motion, Commission unanimously approved. Public Input No public input at this time. Vote to Keep Closed Session Verbatim Recording Confidential Commission Member White motioned to keep the closed session verbatim recording confidential from the August 3, 2021 meeting. Commission Member Stumpf seconded the motion. Roll call vote to approve motion, Commission unanimously approved. Staff Report Champaign County Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) Program This program is now open for applications. The City is working to share information on the opportunity with commercial property owners. Closed Landfill Through a vendor, staff has removed woody vegetation at one corner of the entrance road to the Landscape Recycling Center on the City’s closed landfill. This effort will increase visibility and create a mowable condition which will be easier to maintain. Closed Session Following a closed session, “a determination shall be made, and reported in an open session that (1) the need for confidentiality still exists as to all or part of those minutes or (2) that the minutes or portions thereof no longer require confidential treatment and are available for public inspection.” 1  APPROVED Landfill Solar The Low Income Community Solar array at the closed landfill will be energized soon. Staff is now preparing a new request for qualifications for landfill solar developers for the balance of unused land at the closed landfill. The land remaining is sub-optimal for solar development as it has significant slopes, trees, and other woody vegetation. It is uncertain whether these spaces will receive any bids and whether bids will convert to leases. Landscape Recycling Center Staff will be submitting a renewal application this month to the Illinois Environmental Protection Division for operation of a compost facility. Public Engagement Staff spoke about decarbonizing with geothermal energy at a webinar organized by the Illinois Geothermal Coalition. Staff co-hosted a Solar Power Hour with Solar Urbana-Champaign. Sustainability Advisory Commission The Commission has an open seat. An application is posted at https://www.urbanaillinois.us/sites/default/files/attachments/Fillable_Board_Application_0.pdf. Members are appointed by the Mayor. Next Sustainability Advisory Commission Meeting December 7 at 7:00 pm in Council Chambers at the Urbana City Building or via Zoom. Update on Campus and Community Resilience Team at University Chair Gloss provided an update on the Illinois Climate Action Plan (ICAP). Commission Member White gave a background on ICAP. A discussion ensued. Unfinished Business Discussion about goal setting and prioritizing goals for diversity, equity, inclusion and justice related to community environmental sustainability. Commission Members Lehmkuhl shared the jam board that the Commission has been working on in previous meetings. Announcements October is Campus Sustainability Month. The Association for Sustainability in Higher Education (ASHE) has partnered with the University Student Sustainability Council to host month-long Sustainability Summit, beginning with Green Quad Day on Thursday, October 7, 2021. Annual Campus Sustainability Celebration is on October 20, 2021 at the NCSA Building near the North Campus Parking Deck. October is also Energy Efficiency Month, kicking off with Energy Efficiency Day. Adjournment With no further discussion, the meeting was adjourned. This meeting was recorded. 2