Climate Action Plan Standing Committee

CAP Standing Committee Meeting Whitefish City Hall August 18, 2021 In Attendance Committee Members: Hilary Lindh, Casey Lewis, Karin Hilding, Kate McMahon, Liz Records, Ben Davis (attended remotely) Other: Daniel Wright A. Meeting called to order at 5:30 pm B. Approval of Minutes – July minutes unanimously approved with a minor edit. C. Select New Committee Chair Kate McMahon was selected as the new Committee Chair. Robin Paone was nominated to be the Vice- Chair if she’s willing; otherwise, Karin Hilding will be the Vice-Chair. D. Follow Up from August 2 Council Work Session and August 18 Meeting with City Manager The committee members who attended the August 2 work session summarized the meeting for those not present. In general, the Council reaffirmed their support and priority for implementing the Climate Action Plan. However, currently there is not support for creating a new sustainability coordinator position. The meeting with the City Manager helped clarify how the committee can be more effective in the future. The committee will review the draft City Council goals in January and propose its own goals for City Council to consider. The committee will provide a form to Department Directors early in their budget process to help educate the departments about the Climate Action goals and identify how specific actions and projects of each department could help achieve those goals. Overall, the City Manager’s message was that the committee can be more proactive in promoting its own goals. Further discussion from the committee led to a plan to invite department directors to CAP meetings before the budgeting process begins to share goals and identify overlap. Karin will invite the Parks Director to a meeting this fall to hear about department goals and share committee goals, as well as review the irrigation audit findings and native species report. It would also be a good idea to create a list of questions related to environmental sustainability the departments could refer to during site review meetings. Sharing information and research across departments is key. For example, the Parks Department irrigation and native species reports could inform amendments to the landscaping regulations to be undertaken by Planning or creation of brochures or handouts by the committee to be provided to developers. To keep City Council updated and implementation of the CAP in people’s minds, committee members should report items of interest or committee goals needing political will during the Reports from Volunteer Committees agenda item at Council meetings. Casey suggested adding a standing agenda item for the CAP meetings to ask whether there is anything that needs to go to Council each month. E. Communication with Other Boards and Committees 1 As part of the discussion above, Kate also suggested joint meetings with other volunteer committees or boards. Or alternatively, each committee member attends a different volunteer committee meeting to share the CAP goals and identify overlapping interests where committees could join forces. Karin will bring a list of the City’s volunteer boards and committees to next month’s meeting. F. Recycling Contract Update Karin provided the status of the contract, which has been sent to Republic Services but not yet returned to the City. Kate had three questions about the contract, which Karin will convey to Craig (Public Works Director): • As written, does the contract include multi-family as well as single-family residences? She understands that commercial businesses will need to contract with Republic individually. • The contract mentions reporting contamination levels, but it should also include the need to set targets for reducing the level of contamination over time. Targets for improving the rate of participation should also be included. • The contract doesn’t include anything about Republic’s responsibility for education in the community, which was a selling point during the City Council work session. Republic should also present their education materials to the CAP committee. G. Committee Status Updates • Climate Smart Glacier Country continues to purchase more HEPA filters and Casey is looking into more funding sources. Karin mentioned a cheaper building filter alternative, which Kate said they may consider next year. Filters were also purchased for the United Way cooling center. The Zero Waste Webinars will resume in September. Green Drinks event at Big Mountain Cider Works is scheduled for September 16. • Flathead Conservation District water clean-up event on August 14 was a success with 184 participants. • A rain garden workshop is being held August 19 at the Center for Native Plants. • An article in the Flathead Beacon covering the City Council work session consideration of creating a sustainability coordinator was picked up by US News. Feedback from the local community has not supported creation of the position citing other funding priorities like fixing roads, according to the City Manager. Casey noted if we know of residents in support of creating the position to have them also submit comments indicating that. • Dylan Boyle from the Convention and Visitors Bureau is working with representatives from Breckenridge, Colorado on the process of becoming a certified sustainable community. Hearing what he learns from Breckenridge at a future meeting would be good. • The next phase of the Transportation Plan update is beginning soon and will include public involvement. A study review committee is being formed. • A public open house is planned in September for MDT’s Downtown Whitefish Highway Study. E. Public Comment Daniel Wright is interested in getting involved with the committee and will submit a letter of interest to the City. He is LEED certified and noted that for Platinum level building certification there needs to be reduced on-site parking. The parking standards for Whitefish are very high and he would like to see an incentive program to reduce parking. Casey mentioned she did a low impact development review for the 2 City of Kalispell of their entire ordinance and could confirm that parking standards there are also very high. Kate thought the LID review would be a good topic for the Montana Association of Planners conference. F. Adjournment – Meeting adjourned at 6:55 pm Next meeting: September 15 3