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Agendas and Minutes

Climate Policy Committee (View All)

Climate Policy Commission Meeting

Agenda
Thursday, September 12, 2019

MINUTES FOR THE CLIMATE POLICY COMMISSION

September 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 4:00 p.m. Graham introduced the agenda and the expectations of the meeting. Commissioners present included Rick Barth, Julian Bell, Christopher Brown, Allie Coleman, Zander Huston, Ray Mallette, Gary Shaff, and Les Stone. Commissioner Talia Shea was absent. Staff Liaisons Stu Green and Adam Hanks were also present.

2. Consent Agenda

None

3. Announcements

3.1. Welcome and Introductions

• How do you know you are home in Ashland and why have you decided to serve on this Commission?

Commissioners took turns speaking about how they know they are home in Ashland and why they have decided to serve on this Commission.

Chris Brown arrived at 4:11 p.m.

3.2. Regular Meeting Schedule Discussion

Graham moved this item to the first item under New Business.

4. Public Forum to be evenly divided by public wishing to speak

Larry Cooper – Thanked the Commissioners for volunteering to help get Climate Policy moving forward in Ashland. He emphasized his issues with the proposed plan for the Water Treatment Plant; no Greenhouse Gas (GHG) or other emissions data were incorporated. Cooper requested that the Commission ask for the plan to be delayed, so that emissions and climate data can be included (see pdf attachment).

Huelz Gutcheon – reminded the Commission of the Climate Strike starting at 11 a.m. on Friday, September 20 in the Plaza. He also reminded the Commission that Climate and Energy Action Plan (CEAP) requires City Departments to inform their staff of CEAP actions and incorporate its goals. He asked the Commission to start looking at an Electric Vehicle (EV) ready wiring Ordinance that would require all EV wiring for all new constructions and separate Ordinances that would ban new natural gas connections to buildings and enact a 20 mph speed limit throughout town.

JoAnne Eggers– stated that the Commissions work is honored and valued. She also emphasized the City’s role in implementing CEAP throughout their operations.

Angelina Cook – stated that many Ashland neighbors are looking to the Commission to do something meaningful about Climate Change. She understands that there are some discrepancies between the Capital Improvements Projects and Climate planning, but those needs to be acknowledged and reduced.

5. Reports/Presentations

5.1. Review and Discussion of Powers and Duties and Scope

Hanks introduced how the Climate Policy Commission was created in its relation the Conservation and Climate Outreach Commission. The Conservation and Climate Outreach Commission will focus on outreach and education while the Climate Policy Commission will focus on more policy and updating of CEAP documents.

Mallette asked how the Commission should view CEAP. Hanks stated that some elements, especially the implementation, are flexible, but other elements that are enacted by Ordinance must be changed by approval by Council.

5.2. Public Records and Meeting Law

David Lohman, City Attorney, spoke and gave a presentation on Public Meeting, Public Records, and Ethics Law (see pdf attachment). Lohman clarified that the presentation was created for Council and that this Commission’s quorum is five people and 36 hours is needed for noticing a meeting. He passed out disclosure statement for stating potential or actual conflicts in meetings (see pdf attachment).

6. Old Business

None

7. New Business

Graham announced that Commissioners should save all discussion and deliberation for the meetings. If a Commissioner needs to inform the Commission of an item before the meeting, they can send it to staff or the Chair who will then bcc the rest of the Commission. The group will eventually set up working groups and sub-committees. Rules regarding both will be addressed when either are created.

7.1. Regular Meeting Schedule Discussion

The Commission agreed to keep the regular schedule as the second Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. Graham asked if the Commission would be willing to meet two more times in September and October for strategic planning. The Commission agreed to also meet on the fourth Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. for September and October.

7.2. Annual Work Plan Discussion

Graham handed out a work plan for the Commission (see attached) and asked the Commission if they wanted to focus on the plan review and update or focus on implementation. Five items were addressed and included on the hand out (1) monitoring progress toward GHG goals, (2) make implementation recommendations for the City and the community, (3) make policy, rules, and process recommendations to the City, (4) recommend changes to benchmarks and targets as needed, and (5) update the CEAP as necessary. Graham also announced that the CEAP review is scheduled for March 2020, but asked if the review could be moved to September 2020 to align with the anniversary creation of the Climate Policy Commission. Green stated that it is possible as the plan was adopted in March 2017, but Ordinance 3145, an Ordinance Establishing Greenhouse Gas and Fossil Fuel Reduction Goals and Targets for Community and City Operations, was approved in September 2017.

Discussion surrounded:

• Whether or not to continue with the review in March or focus on implementation;

• Action level benchmarks and targets (e.g. “we want x amount of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging in x amount of time);

• A request from staff of what has been happening, what is currently happened, and various hopes and expectations from the Commissioners;

• Looking into a similar ban on new Natural Gas connections as was recently passed in the City of Berkeley; and

• Creating working groups to proceed with tasks.

Graham brought for discussion a subject outlined in Public Forum and asked if the Commission would like to request the City Council direct staff for more information on climate emissions for construction and maintenance for the proposed Water Treatment Plant. Hanks stated that the Conservation Commission, recognizing that the Climate Policy Commission (CPAC) might not have time to respond, requested staff to draft a letter on their behalf to Council. The letter will state that a GHG emissions analysis with CEAP goals be taken into consideration for the contract approval for the Water Treatment Plant final engineering acknowledging that CPAC has not started meeting. Some issues discussed were:

• If the proposed Water Treatment Plant size has taken into consideration new figures for water conservation;

• If a Fossil Fuel analysis could be taken into consideration for the project as well as a social cost; and

• If a staff presentation from the Public Works Department should be given to the Commission for more information.

Bell/Barth moved to request that the Council postpone their final decision on the Water Treatment Plant until a more detailed assessment of a GHG footprint for the proposed plan is taken. Further Discussion: none. All voted in favor and the motion passed unanimously.

7.3. What background information and documents (e.g. master plans, policy documents, etc.) would you like to have copies of?

Shaff was interested in a recent study of cycling and GHG emissions as an alternative mode of transportation. Graham asked him to find the study for future use by the Commission. Barth asked for the long term plan for the Electrical Utility. Also requested was the Water Treatment Plant plans when available to Council and top tier efforts for CEAP.

Bell moved to ask Council to ban Natural Gas connections on new constructions. Graham stated that the meeting was out of time, but this issue can be brought up later in strategic planning. With no second, due to lack of time, the motion died.

7.4. Homework for October Meeting

• Which ten climate actions do you feel are most urgent for this Commission to address? Please list in priority order. Please use identified CEAP actions if possible (see CEAP document, page 120)

Moved to next meeting due to lack of time.

7.5. Election of Vice Chair

Moved to next meeting due to lack of time.

8. Wrap Up

8.1. Items to be added to next agenda

Meeting adjourned by Chair Graham at 6:01 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Elizabeth Taylor, Executive Assistant