2015-07-09 Mayor's Climate Protection Committee AgenCitizens Committee on U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
Mission: 1. Encourage citizens to be a part of the solution
2. Encourage City staff and citizens to conserve current resources
3. Work with the City Council to implement ideas
4. Effectively address the future impacts of climate change
Members: Wes Gallaugher, Hank Landau, Graham Marmion, Cynthia Pruitt,
Josh Thompson, Barbara Tipton
Council Rep: Kristiana Johnson
City Staff: Mayor Dave Earling, Shane Hope, Rob Chave, Steve Fisher, Jen Machuga, Jim Stevens
Meeting Agenda
July 9, 2015 @a 8:45 am
SUBJECT
ACTION/DISC./BRIEF.
TIME
Who
1. Check in & approval of minutes
Action
5 Minutes
Cynthia
2. Comprehensive Plan
Briefing
Briefing
5 Minutes
Shane
3. Report on projects in the schools
20 Minutes
Steve, Mike
Cawrse or a
student
4. Third National Climate Assessment
Briefing
io Minutes
Cynthia
http://globalchange.gov
5. Subcommittee/Top Priority Projects reports
Informational
20 Minutes
All
a. Green Resource Room
b. Zero Waste
c. Green Buildings & Sustainable
Development (including Sustainable
Heroes and Green Business Pledge)
6. Announcements
Informational
to Minutes All
Climate Committee
May 7, 2015 - Meeting Notes
Attendees: Cynthia Pruitt, Hank Landau, Janice Freeman, Josh Thompson, Jim Stevens, Jen Machuga, Shane
Hope, Steve Fisher, Rob Chave
Approval of Minutes
The minutes from the March 5, 2015 meeting were approved with the following change:
1. Rain Gardens
a.-T4e Mike Cawrse, Stormwater Engineering Technician, discussed...
Josh Thompson made a motion to approve the minutes, which was seconded by Steve Fisher. The minutes
were approved unanimously.
CPC 7/9/15 Meeting
Co -Chair Election
Cynthia Pruitt asked for volunteers or nominations for a co-chair since Mike Nelson recently stepped down due
to his appointment to City Council. Steve Fisher was nominated as co-chair and was elected unanimously.
Comprehensive Plan
Shane Hope reported that each element of the Comprehensive Plan is being updated and is being reviewed by
the Planning Board and City Council as part of the process. The Sustainability Element was the first element to
be updated and no significant changes were made to this element. They are currently working on the
Transportation Element, focusing on alternative modes of transportation. They are also working on the Capital
Facilities Element and Streetscape Plan. An open house will be held on June 101h at 6:OOpm in the Brackett
Room. This will be the next major opportunity for public input. The target for a final decision by the City
Council on the Comprehensive Plan update is this summer.
City's Solar Campaign
Rob Chave reported that the number of solar permits issued by the City greatly increased in 2014, mostly due
to two solar campaigns. Also, the increase in solar could be due to the City's new online permitting system.
The City is finding that most applications for solar installations are submitted online. The Governor recently
recognized Edmonds as a "Solar Ready' city for improvements made to our permitting process. Rob provided
the group with a chart indicating the following facts about solar permits:
Year
Number of
Permits
Number of Online
Permits
Number of Permits
Applied for at
Counter
% Online
kW
2012
1 3
0
3
0%
11.0
2013
6
5
1
83%
41.0
2014
39
35
4
90%
241.4
2015
13
12
1
92%
78.8
Hank Landau commented that he was contacted by Northwest SEED who is working with Snohomish County
PUD on developing a program for encouraging solar installations at commercial properties. Northwest SEED is
asking businesses about the impediments to installing solar at commercial sites in order to help develop the
new program.
Jim Stevens said that the solar system at the Frances Anderson Center is now linked to an online interface so
that production can be tracked online. He also mentioned that a display is going to be installed in the lobby so
that the public can see the system's production.
Mid -Year Review of Committee's Work
Cynthia suggested that the committee set goals to be accomplished by the end of the year. The group came up
with the following goals:
- Complete construction of the green resource room.
- Write three more Sustainability Heroes stories.
- Create a follow-up plan for pledgers of the Green Business Pledge.
- Complete Comprehensive Plan update process.
- Get zero waste resolution adopted by the City Council.
Jim suggested that the committee needs more involvement from the public and voiced concerns that there
have lately been more staff members present at committee meetings than members of the public. Hank
CPC 7/9/15 Meeting
suggested changing the name of the committee to make it more attractive for new members. The group
agreed that membership on the committee needs to be increased.
Cynthia enquired if members would be interested in changing meetings back to every month instead of every
other month. The group generally agreed that it could be helpful to meet every month, but felt that gaining
more membership was a bigger priority than meeting more often.
Subcommittee / Top Priority Projects Reports
Green Resource Room: Shane reported that the layout of the Permit Center is being reconfigured in order to
accommodate the green resource displays. The main construction was delayed until the fall, but the counters
and other portions of the new Permit Center are being constructed in the meantime. This will assist in
reducing the length of time that services are disrupted for installation.
Sustainability Heroes: Jim reported that the subcommittee is looking for suggestions for people to interview.
Zero Waste: Steve Fisher handed out a draft zero waste resolution, which they hope to present to City Council
this summer. Cynthia mentioned that since Mike Nelson was unable to attend the meeting, he asked her to
check to see if the group would be interested in working with students from Edmonds Community College on a
zero waste strategy. The group was supportive, and Steve said he would get in touch with his contact at
Edmonds Community College.
Announcements
Janice Freeman discussed the Senior Center project including concerns related to sea level rise and the
Center's location on the opposite side of the railroad tracks from emergency services.
Hank reported that approximately 150 students participated in a bicycle rodeo at Sherwood Elementary School
on May 61". It has been four years since the Council passed a resolution in support of the program, and it has
been a great success. Hank also reminded the group that May 15t" is Bike to Work Day.
Josh Thompson volunteered to get involved with the zero waste strategy with Mike Nelson; he will contact
him.
Cynthia confirmed that the next meeting is scheduled for July 2"d, but she will ask Carolyn if it can be
rescheduled to July 91" in order to accommodate holiday travel schedules.
CPC 7/9/15 Meeting