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Agendas and Minutes

Climate Policy Committee (View All)

Climate Policy Commission Meeting

Agenda
Thursday, December 12, 2019

Meeting Audio

MINUTES FOR THE CLIMATE POLICY COMMISSION

December 12, 2019 4 to 6 p.m.

Siskiyou Room, 51 Winburn Way

1. Call to Order

Chair Tonya Graham called the meeting to order at 4:07 p.m. Commissioners Rick Barth, Julian Bell, Zander Huston, Ray Mallette, Gary Shaff, and Les Stone were present at the meeting. Commissioner Chris Brown arrived later as he has a meeting conflict. Commissioner Talia Shea was absent for the meeting. Staff members Stu Green and Adam Hanks were also present.

2. Consent Agenda

2.1. November 14, 2019 Minutes

Barth asked that a correction be made under Section 6.3 stating that the Commission needs to further discuss with staff its involvement in the (Electric) Comprehensive Plan. Bell/Barth moved/seconded approval for the minutes with the changes discussed. Further discussion: None. All ayes. Motion passed unanimously.

3. Announcements

3.1. Next Meeting: January 9, 2020

Graham announced that she will be absent from the next meeting and Vice Chair Barth will take over.

3.2. Other Announcements from Commissioners

Graham announced that the Council approved a resolution supporting a strengthened 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which influences updates to the State Building Codes. Advocacy is possible at the state level after IECC adoption.

4. Public Forum

Huelz Gutcheon, Ashland, OR – apologized for a recent public forum speech he gave at a City Council meeting where he missed a sentence and implied that the Climate Policy Commission (CPC) was something it was not. He would like to become Community Development Director and require electric vehicle (EV) wiring for homes.

5. Reports/Presentations

6. Old Business

6.1. Working Group Updates – discussion and finalization of working group priorities

6.1.1. Utilities

Mallette summarized the Utilities group’s plan for 2020 (6 to 12 months’ update) which includes:

• Creating an Electric Master Plan focusing on reasonable rates, resilience, safety, reliability, and minimizing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions;

• Focusing on Climate Energy and Action Plan (CEAP) goals and requirements including measurements of GHG, mitigation, adaptation, needs for the electrical grid and emergency planning;

• Reducing Natural Gas usage and that impact on the Avista contract; and

• Researching what model cities have done for bans, reductions, or phase outs of GHG.

Chris Brown arrived 4:21 p.m.

The Commission requested that the Utilities group also look into the Water Master Plan going before Council in 2020. The group also plans to look at Sewer and Waste Management plans, but will focus on those in the long term. Another request was placing CEAP within the Comprehensive Plan similar to what the City of Talent is doing. This could be done during the CEAP update in September.

6.1.2. Built Environment

Shaff described the three categories the Built Environment decided upon:

• Two-month work plan

o Researching details on banning or phasing out landscaping equipment and new Natural Gas furnaces, water heaters, and fireplaces.

This could begin with new residential only and expand to commercial once an incentive plan is in place. The group hopes to bring these back as ordinances for the Commission to approve for eventual Council consideration. Brown stated that stakeholder groups will be affected including schools and the hospital which rely on natural gas as a backup power source. The Commission would like to focus on phasing out instead of an outright ban. This could also be included in the potential emergency declaration from Council.

• Three to six months

o Making bicycling a safe mode of travel

Strategies for this will need to be incorporated with the Transportation System Plan (TSP).

• Seven to twelve months

o Requiring building energy performance score program for existing structures;

o Adopting CEAP as element of the Comprehensive plan;

o Developing a budget for incentives including identifying the revenue source; and

o Developing the group’s work plan for 2021 and 2022.

The Commission wanted the group to take up: • Requiring Electric Vehicle (EV) ready wiring for multi-family and commercial construction; and

• Adding collaboration with Rocky Mountain Institute to include training on rental and residential efficiency standards.

6.1.3. Administrative/Planning

Graham announced the three primary tasks of the group: coordinate with Conservation and Climate Outreach Commission (CCOC), shepherd requests to Council, and the CEAP update in September. Actions for achieving these goals include:

• Meeting with the Chair and Vice Chair of CCOC every two months;

• Meeting with all members of both Commissions every six months;

• Subscribing to website updates for agenda and minutes of the other Commission;

• Asking for initial guidance from CCOC for work tasks for them. Some suggestions of potential CCOC tasks from the Administrative/Planning group include:

o Developing a dedicated website to track progress and engage the public;

o Researching public engagement needed for CEAP update; and

o Creating a presentation video based on the current CCOC presentation template to train internal staff.

6.2. Working Group Logistics – meeting time, public notices, meeting notes

Discussed after Section 6.3.

6.3. Possible Climate Emergency Declaration and initial list of climate asks for the Council

The initial list for Council includes:

1. Direct staff to collaborate on the creation of the Electric Utility Master Plan;

2. Direct staff to incorporate CEAP in all plans and projects including Capital Improvements Projects (CIP);

Details for this item included investigating the City of Eugene’s process, each planning action and City project to have CPC review and comments at a determined threshold, and recommending a CPC member be appointed as a liaison to the Planning Commission or project body. Suggestions also included a checklist for planning and project bodies and including CEAP within the Comprehensive Plan.

3. Require Council, Commissions, and ad hoc Committees to incorporate CEAP goals in their decisions including training or educating these members on CEAP;

4. Prioritize climate action in budget processes;

5. Providing web development funds for a separate climate website for outreach and progress tracking;

Currently, there is tracking of CEAP progress on the City website, but this could evolve into a separate website with more opportunities for public engagement when funding is available.

6. Implement efficiency requirements on City facilities and fleet in addition to a City facilities water audit;

7. Require climate training for staff and climate knowledge requirements for lead position job descriptions. This will also include asking for feedback from staff about what requirements they must meet for their projects.

Bell/Barth moved/seconded to confirm the recommendations for the three groups as a plan for moving forward. Further discussion: none. All ayes. Motion passed unanimously.

Graham referred back to Section 6.2 Working Group Logistics. The groups will now become Subcommittees, which requires noticing of their meetings and notes provided back to the Commission. Green reserved the first and third Mondays from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Siskiyou Room for Subcommittees to meet. If a Subcommittee chose one of these dates, staff still needs to be informed to notice the meeting.

6.4. Process to add residents to working groups

Graham stated that after speaking with the City Attorney that the Subcommittees can have residents who are not on the CPC added to them. The Commission as a whole would appoint these resident members at one of their regular meetings.

7. New Business

8. Wrap Up

8.1. Items to be added to next agenda

Graham requested that the climate emergency declaration with an initial list for Council action be placed on the January CPC agenda.

Chair Graham adjourned the meeting at 6:02 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Elizabeth Taylor, Executive Assistant