Conservation and Sustainability Commission

127 Center Street S Town of Vienna Vienna, VA. 22180 p: 703-319-8630 Meeting Minutes Conservation and Sustainability Commission Thursday, March 23, 2023 7:30 PM Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St. SE 1 Roll Call In Attendance: Christina Caplan Craig Burns William Comerford Mala Persaud Bob Robinson Cindy Weinberg Nicole Caplan Annika Chandra Absentf: Patricia Esswein Zach Smith Guests Avril Garland, Hillcrest Sidewalk and Tree Preservation Lisa Boms, Board Member, Vienna Public Art Foundation (VPAF) 2. Communication from Citizens and/or Commissioners 3. Public Hearings 4. New Business Spring Native Plant Sale - Plant sale banner design under review, and flyer available with pre-order QR code. - Pre-order social media to be submitted to PIO. - Event planning for student volunteers and additional booths is under way. Mayor Community-Maker award nominees - Monica Nuno for Marshall Road ES composting, Debbie S. for collecting 192 lbs. of special recycling items, and Bob Robinson for his service and contributions to the CSC and the Town of Vienna. DPW Updates - Special heritage trees in the median on Nutley St SW between Marshall Rd SW and Tapawingo Rd SW and Nutley St SW at the Townes of Moorefield have been marked with an X. The Town is still researching who marked these trees, and is keeping an eye on the area to ensure the trees are not cut down. - Piney Branch Stream Restoration update Town of Vienna Page 1 Printed on 8/31/2023 Conservation and Sustainability Meeting Minutes March 23, 2023 Commission - At the two-year mark 2,500 live stakes and 50 pin oaks have been planted. - Viennava.gov email addresses and access are now available for commission member use, excepting the students. Hillcrest Sidewalk and Tree Preservation. - Concerns included impacted families with the ability to vote on tree removal and sidewalk implementation. The size of the tree being into consideration as to how many live tree stakes will replace it. Compensation to private property owners needing to remove trees impacted by adjacent sidewalk installations, and whether there is a limit to the number of trees removed for a sidewalk installation. - Solutions under discussion are 4’ sidewalk by the curbs and/or in street on wider 30’ streets to reduce impact to trees. CSC to reach out to Town Council on alternatives to tree impacts when designing and installing sidewalks. CSC to issue letter highlighting five points currently under consideration by Town Council. 5. Old Business Litter Grant Funding Update - There were no additional updates. CSC Budget Update - There were no additional updates. Student Creativity Contest - Students continue to advertise the contest. Vienna Voice articles, Green Tips, and website/social media updates - April 2023: Ms. Boms to provide an article on Earth Day. An announcement on May Plant Sale will be included. - May 2023: CSC interviews Town Arborist Scott Diffenderfer on how to plant a tree. Ms. Esswein to provide an article on turning off the exterior lighting. - June 2023: Ms. Persaud wished to promote June 16 World Refill Day. - July 2023: Mr. Burns to provide an article on composting tea and coffee grinds. - August 2023: Ms. Esswein to provide Solarize Vienna program article. - Ms. Persaud wished to write an article on eco-anxiety for later in the year. Discussion on Green Tips and future strategies to amplify the commission’s efforts. - There were no updates. Vienna Sustainability Challenge - CSC has received four applications to date, and potentially, six additional applications are to come. Green Expo - Invitations continue to be sent to potential exhibitors. - Green Expo promotional tool kit will be available. Tree Canopy (Town Council priority) - On Town Council agenda for March 6 and May 8 with focus on the stricter ordinance with preservation first, tree commission funding, and public education and publicity. - At March 6, Council meeting, Mr. Land and Ms. Caplan presented their tree canopy assessment, and recommended a tree commission with a planting budget and planting plan, and changing the ordinance so that there is preservation first. - On May 8, Dept. of Parks and Recreation’s Ms. Herman, Mr. Edwards, and Mr. Diffenderfer will present their recommendations dovetailing those Town of Vienna Page 2 Printed on 8/31/2023 Conservation and Sustainability Meeting Minutes March 23, 2023 Commission recommendations of the CSC. - Town property/street tree inventory update. The North side of Town is now complete; the south side of Town is now in progress of being mapped. Light and Noise Pollution, abatement, and ordinances (Town Council priority) - CSC to help to present to Town Council on April 17, current research and draft of local noise pollution ordinance modeling the City of Fairfax. - A light pollution ordinance is now included within the Planning & Zoning Division draft code ordinance. Recycling, Trash, Litter, and Composting initiatives - Mr. Burns met with Parks & Recreation Director Ms. Herman regarding coffee and tea bag recycling at the community center. CSC to provide a suggestion for a composting station the fits within a parking space. - Mr. Comerford advised that Vienna Presbyterian is looking into drop-off composting/ recycling, at their site and/or farmer’s market. CSC “Leave the Leaves” citizen outreach campaign. - There were no updates. Invasive plant removal and native and pollinator garden initiatives - There were no updates. Update on VPAC and Windover Heights Board of Review meetings - Question raised whether paint used for upcoming projects is sustainable or eco-friendly. - VPAC goals are to plan for more interactive art in the community moving forward. - The Windover Heights Board of Review did not meet. Solarize Vienna, energy efficiency, and climate change initiatives - Solarize will select installers in late May, and start launch full Solarize program in July. - Press, outreach and webinars will be scheduled to support the launch. 6. Approval of the Minutes: 7. Meeting Adjournment THE TOWN OF VIENNA IS COMMITTED TO FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT STANDARDS. TRANSLATION SERVICES, ASSISTANCE OR ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS FROM PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE TO BE REQUESTED NOT LESS THAN 3 WORKING DAYS BEFORE THE DAY OF THE EVENT. PLEASE CALL (703) 255-6304, OR 711 VIRGINIA RELAY SERVICE FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED. Town of Vienna Page 3 Printed on 8/31/2023