CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES

6:00pm-8:00pm –August 22, 2012
Community Development Building
51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR  97520
--- To be approved at the September 26, 2012 Commission Meeting.
 
CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Beam called the meeting to order at 6:00pm.
Attendees:
Thomas Beam, Roxane Beigel-Coryell, Risa Buck, Jim Hartman, Marni Koopman, David Runkel and Mark Weir.
 Cat Gould and Jim McGinnis were not present.
 
City Council Liaison: Carol Voisin
Staff Representative: Lee Tuneberg, Adam Hanks, and Mary McClary.
 
Chairperson Beam welcomed the Commission’s newest member, Marni Koopman, who gave them a brief background about herself. She works as a climate change scientist with the GEO Institute helping communities prepare to science change and has resided in Ashland for the past 3 years.
 
 
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Chairperson Beam asked for approval of the minutes for July 29, 2012.
Commissioner Buck corrected the compost class was September 8^th, not the 6^th.
 
Commissioner Buck moved to approve the minutes as adjusted of July 29, 2012, seconded by Commissioner Beigel-Coryell.
Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
Adam Hanks asked for clarification, if this motion would include the sub-committee minutes for May/June/July.
Commissioner Buck clarified her motion was to include all sub-committee minutes.
 
                                                                                                                                                                                       
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The next Conservation Commission meeting would be held September 26, 2012. 
Upcoming sub-committee meetings for September:
Sustainability planning will meet the 1^st and 3^rd Thursday of the month at the Siskiyou Room, Community
Development Building.
 
Chairperson Beam asked for a motion to move Item B under New Business to next item.  So moved by Commissioner Beigel-Coryell, seconded by Commissioner Hartman.
Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
 
NEW BUSINESS
North Main ST. Road Diet Project Update

Mike Faught, the Public Works Director, updated the Commission with the progress and information about the Road Diet Project.  The City Council approved the project August 22, 2012, and decided to complete the Wimer/Hersey re-alignment first, with a target date of September 14, 2012.  As soon as that is completed, Public Works will restripe the road, hopefully beginning on September 17, 2012, and should take approximately 6 days.  They received a $100,000 grant from the state, and total cost would be around $130,000.
 
He reminded the Commission; this project was a year-long trial and wanted to address how they would measure success.  They have baseline numbers for traffic counts and would take a series of traffic counts during the year.  They also would look to see if accidents and traffic speed were reduced. (85% of traffic is 7 miles over the speed limit)

In addition, they would be measuring the increased volume of bicycle/pedestrian traffic and those baselines have also already been established.  He plans to utilize the volunteers from the Transportation/Planning Commissions to measure and count during peak periods.  Staff members will be trained to do measurements in maintaining The Average Vehicle Speed, which is another area that will be studied.  Altogether they have 16 locations for counts.
 
Mike will be working with SOU to conduct a city-wide survey to gather information from citizens about how they feel the Road Diet was working, after it has been in place for a time period.   He believed there will be increased support  for the project once it is in place.  They plan to begin measuring/counting after a 6-8 week period, then continue on a  monthly basis.
 
Mike answered questions from the Commission members regarding increasing add counters on different streets, environmental standards and impacts, overcrowding on certain streets, vegetation, peak periods, average daily trips, pedestrian cross walks, and more advantages for multi-mobile transportation coming into the city.  The model they  have used for projections not only portrays today, but including up to 20 years. 
               
Lee Tuneberg talked about the safety aspect of possibly spreading traffic throughout the city as an enhancement for safer driving practices and was looking forward to the results of the project.  Carol Voisin was happy to have alternative options coming into town.
 
Commissioner Weir was interested in the outcome of the project to help highlight the city’s efforts in conservation and  sustainability. 
 
Chairperson Beam thanked Mike for coming to the meeting and discussing a lot of different aspects for the Commission.
 
 
PUBLIC FORUM
 Chairperson Beam opened the floor for public forum.
Commissioner Buck spoke to the Commission regarding the Leaf Bag Program that the Commission has supported in collaboration with Recology and the Public Works Department. She explained the program sells bags for two weeks at a discounted rate.  Public Works contributes $500 and the Commission has contributed $300 in the past.  Last year Recology sold a total of 295 sets of discounted bags, picking up any cost beyond what was contributed.  She asked the Commission if they would like to financial support the project again.
 
Commissioner Hartman made a motion to continue supporting the program with a donation of $300 and Commissioner Beigel-Coryell seconded the motion.
 
                Chairperson Beam requested this item be put on the annual calendar in August or July for review each year.
Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
 
 
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Unified Land Use Code Project Sub-committee
                Chairperson Beam asked the members if anyone wanted to be on the subcommittee.  Adam explained the sub-committee would be involved in reviewing the project that would update, coordinate, consolidate existing land use ordinances and possibly re-scope existing code. 
               
                Chairperson Beam suggested this item be placed on a quarterly agenda, inviting a representative to report on the  progress.  The members discussed how this would impact staff. Commissioner Runkel felt it would be easier for staff if Commissioners gathered the information and gave a report to this Commission.
               
                Commissioner Weir made a motion to dissolve the Unified Land Use Cod Project sub-committee
                and Commissioner Runkel and Weir would volunteer to gather information and report back any
               issue that might concern the Commission. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Buck.
                                Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
2012-13 Commission Master Calendar Review
Adam went over additions and deletions.
 November 28^th and December 29^th would be the Commission meetings for November and December.
 
 
 
NEW BUSINESS
Plaza Improvements Project

Chairperson Beam asked the Commission to review the video of the Council meeting to learn more about how the Council interacts and the expectations for submitting items.  Commissioner Weir was present, not representing the Commission, but just to observe.  He believed the Commission was following a direction some Council members requested and he spoke to some members about how the Commission would approach them directly concerning items.  There was discussion regarding Council Liaison, and a section on the Council’s agenda for reports from Commissions and Committees.
 
Counselor Voisin recapped her conversation at the Council meeting when she made the request on behalf of the Commission for them to take into consideration the SITES standards for the plaza re-design.
 
The members watched the video of the Council Meeting, August 7, 2012 to better understand the communication process when they wrote a letter asking the Council if they would use SITES in the re-design of the plaza project.

The members discussed how best to get information to the Council.  Lee Tuneberg explained one way would be for the staff liaison to gather information from the Commission, write a memo and be present at the Council meeting in case there were any questions or concerns.
 
Counselor Voisin updated the members about the project design from the August 21^st Council meeting.  Council voted to move ahead with the project.  She felt the public wanted more details that were not included at the meeting.  Also, she would like to see the definition of sustainability restated for the Council and become included in the future communications to the Council.  Adam explained the vote was to move to the next step of designing a Request for Proposal (RFP) where all the detail and scope of the project would be explained.
 
Lee explained all Capital Improvement projects are listed in the budget documents for the current budget year and may be reviewed by the Commission to determine which areas that may be applicable for them.
 
 2012 Commission Retreat Planning
Set aside.
  
City Operational Sustainability Plan Sub-committee
Set aside.                              
  
Water Sub-committee Report
Set aside.
  
Staff Liaison Report
Item moved.
  
OLD BUSINESS
None stated.
 
 
QUARTERLY LIAISON REPORTS
Moved to after Council Liaison report
 
 
COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS
Councilor Voisin reported there would be an update regarding the Transportation System Plan at the Council meeting on September 18, 2012.  She also recommended the members review the council packet for information.  October 15, there would be a study session about progressive rates for water and she will report back to the Commission in October.
 
 
QUARTERLY LIAISON REPORTS
Commissioner Hartman reported all his classes at Ashland High School were composting.  Kitchen food scrapes on campus were being composted and the school garden was still strong.  He has more plants, 330 in all for the green roofs and the county wanted to publicize their work.
 
He will try and connect with the other school in the district to get updates on their conservation efforts.
 

OTHER BUSINESS FROM COMMISSIONERS NOT ON AGENDA
Commissioner Buck reported the free three (3) drop off leaf days would be November11, December 2, and December 16.  She also announced the Transfer station just got a waste vegetable oil container for customer use.
 
Commissioner Hartman spoke with Albertsons who would post of the Conservation winners and he also reported  they have not had a trash pick up for 96 days due to their recycling, compactor and conservation efforts.  SOU will receive the pictures next.
 
 
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:02.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Respectfully submitted by:
Mary McClary
Administrative Assistant for Electric, Telecommunication
and the Conservation Department.
 
 
 
 
 

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Community Development office at 541-488-5305 (TTY phone number is 1-800-735-2900).  Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title1).