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Agendas and Minutes

Climate Policy Committee (View All)

Climate Policy Commission Meeting

Agenda
Thursday, June 10, 2021

Meeting Video

MINUTES FOR THE CLIMATE POLICY COMMISSION

Thursday, June 10, 2021; Held Electronically

1. Call to Order (item starts at approximately 00:29 on the video)

Chair Rick Barth called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Commissioners Bob Kaplan, Ray Mallette, Gary Shaff, and Jeff Wyatt were present along with staff member Bridgette Bottinelli. Commissioner Chris Brown, Council liaison Tonya Graham, and staff liaison Stu Green arrived later in the meeting.

2. Consent Agenda (00:35)

2.1. May 13, 2021 Minutes

Kaplan/Mallette moved/seconded to approve the minutes. Further discussion: none. Ayes: Barth, Kaplan, Mallette, Shaff, and Wyatt. Nays: none. Motion passed unanimously.

3. Announcements

3.1. Next Meeting: July 8, 2021

3.2. Council Update (3:23)

Graham announced that the Council passed the next budget and that Senator Golden has put forward State legislation to harden homes for wildfire prevention.

3.3. Staff Update (11:26)

Bottinelli stated that the induction cooking incentive is available for permanent installations. The City donated three portable induction cooktops to the Jackson County Library of Things for users to try out. The e-bike incentive program has been changed to allow for class one and class two bikes and the incentive amount is being reduced from $300 to $200.

3.4. Other Announcements from Commissioners (1:25)

Shaff announced that the Rogue Valley Transportation District (RVTD) and the City of Ashland are collaborating on securing funding from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) for a bike share feasibility study. Mallette asked if this would help revitalize Ashland’s bike share program. Shaff responded that Cascadia Bike Share in Eugene has contracted with the State to launch bike shares in moderate to small size metropolitan areas.

Tonya Graham arrived at 4:03 p.m. and Chris Brown arrived at 4:04 p.m.

Shaff forwarded an email he sent to the Transportation Commission. Mallette asked if the email relates to the difference between the Climate Policy Commission’s (CPC) transportation focus and the Transportation Commission’s focus. Shaff stated that the Transportation Commission’s focus is on City’s transportation system not creating a more transportation efficient land use pattern and system.

Graham stated that the proposal for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan application will be presented to Council in June. Shaff/Kaplan moved/seconded to authorize Barth to write a letter of support the submittal of the application on behalf of CPC. Further discussion: none. Ayes: Barth, Brown, Graham, Kaplan, Mallette, Shaff, and Wyatt. Nays: none. Motion passed unanimously. Graham volunteered to send the letter to Council, if needed.

3.5. Reports from Representatives of Other Commissions

None

4. Public Forum

None

5. Old Business

5.1. Chair and Vice Chair Election (14:17)

Barth volunteered to continue as Chair. Wyatt volunteered to serve as Vice Chair. Kaplan/Shaff moved/seconded to nominate Rick Barth for Chair and Jeff Wyatt for Vice Chair. Further discussion: none. Ayes: Barth, Brown, Graham, Kaplan, Mallette, Shaff, and Wyatt. Nays: none. Motion passed unanimously.

5.2. Action Items Volunteer (15:45)

Shaff took action items for this meeting and Wyatt volunteered for July. Barth reminded that the action items should be sent directly to the Commission after the meeting.

5.3. Commissioner Recruitment (16:25)

Barth reminded everyone that there are two vacancies on the Commission. Anyone interested in joining the Commission should apply.

5.4. Formal Planning - Mallette (16:46)

Mallette announced that the Storm Drain Master Plan is up for adoption in July along with the Talent Ashland Phoenix Intertie (TAP) Master Plan. Mallette reached out to Scott Fleury, Public Works Director, about the need for a climate study to be included in TAP. Fleury suggested including a climate study in the City’s Water Management and Conservation Plan instead.

Kaplan observed that many residents are concerned about rising water rates even though the water rates in Ashland are lower than large metropolitan areas where water is not scarce. He asked how the water rates were determined based on the cost of disinfection, transportation, conservation, etc. Graham answered that the master plans and capital improvements program are used by consultants to set the rates to maintain the current system and service levels. Currently, the City does not set rates to encourage or force water conservation. Some concern from the community is due to a comparison to other cities in the region, like Medford, who have lower water rates due to having less infrastructure to maintain. For example, Ashland has to maintain a dam whereas Medford uses water from a natural aquifer and the main stem of the Rogue River. Mallette also added that the City has been collecting money through water rates to fund a new water treatment plant.

5.5. DLCD Climate Friendly and Equitable Communications Rule – Shaff (25:46)

Shaff asked if the Commission could send comments to the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) without Council approval as that would take longer. Near the end of the meeting, Graham stated that Adam Hanks, City Manager Pro Tem, said any recommendations from CPC to State organizations need to go to Council for approval. Discussion included:

The amount of staff time needed to review and present this to Council with the appropriate background information. A suggestion was that CPC could provide background for Council.
The timeline for submitting comments would most likely be in Fall 2021 as the DLCD plans to pass the rule in early 2022.
Whether the recommendation to limit off street parking would conflict with the recommendation to increase electric vehicle (EV) charging as EV charging requires off street parking spaces. Some cities have done on street EV charging as an option.

Kaplan/Wyatt moved/seconded that the CPC endorse the recommendations for forwarding to the State rulemaking body via the appropriate route whether it be staff or City Council to be determined by staff. Further discussion: Kaplan stated that this is consistent with the spirit and content of the CEAP (the Climate and Energy Action Plan) and seems to be in the jurisdiction of CPC to provide this recommendation. Mallette asked what the timeline was for this. Shaff stated that having this sent by early Fall would be ideal. Ayes: Barth, Brown, Graham, Kaplan, Mallette, Shaff, and Wyatt. Nays: none. Motion passed unanimously.

5.6. Vision Zero Resolution (42:35)

Shaff stated that the Vision Zero resolution was discussed at the last Transportation Commission meeting. At the meeting, the climate change references were removed and the resolution will focus solely on safety. Shaff prepared a draft memo in the packet to explain the substantial climate benefits. He would like CPC to approve the memo encouraging the Transportation Commission to include the climate considerations. Alternatively, CPC could wait until Transportation Commission approves the draft resolution in June and not endorse the resolution when asked. CPC could also endorse the resolution knowing that this helps make progress on climate action.

Wyatt asked why the Transportation Commission narrowed the scope. Shaff believes because the charge of the Transportation Commission is on safety and including other issues might dilute that message.

Stu Green arrived at 4:46 p.m.

Barth stated that both the Transportation Commission and CCOC are confused about what CPC wants and expects from both Commissions. Barth would like to discuss with Shaff how to ask other Commissions for support in the future to ease this confusion. Shaff agreed but wanted action on the resolution memo. Barth stated that the process needs to get decided upon first because the confusion is affecting relations between the Commissions in a negative way.

Kaplan asked if CPC should just give comments on adding back in climate and affordability considerations after the Transportation Commission asks for endorsement. Shaff was for advising them beforehand and suggested attending a Transportation Commission meeting to ask them to include the climate considerations in the resolution. Barth suggested to have the Chairs of CCOC, CPC, and the Transportation Commission meet regarding the process informally. No one objected.

5.7. Adaptation

This item was moved to the next meeting.

5.8. CEAP Update Strategy (59:32)

Wyatt presented five questions:

Does the term “CEAP update” mean a formal written update of the CEAP that would require community input and Council approval?

All agreed on this definition.

Does the term “CPC update” mean any interim reporting and written or verbal presentations to Council?

All agreed on this definition.

Will CPC provide a CPC update or comprehensive review this year (May 2021 to May 2022), but not a CEAP update?

All agreed except Shaff who would like to see CEAP turned into an overall policy framework to help implement CEAP related policies into the Comprehensive Plan and the Transportation System Plan.

Can the Commission agree on the following five initiatives (no longer called focus areas): 1) formal planning; 2) clean buildings; 3) the path off natural gas; 4) energy efficient transportation (Shaff); and 5) sustainable electricity?

All in agreement. There was some discussion on adding in adaptation as initiative and blending equity into all of the initiatives. Since other commissions are working on adaptation, CPC will not add this to the list of initiatives, but will discuss adaptation at the next meeting. CPC will include equity considerations into all initiatives.

Can the Commission agree to prepare a high-level document called the CPC update that will include short summaries of each of these five initiatives?

All agreed.

5.9. Engagement and Outreach Strategy (1:57:43)

Shaff outlined the matrix on the different ways to engage the public in addition to digital and traditional media. Barth stated that a consultant or a coalition would be needed to start public engagement and to utilize the matrix. Kaplan favored having the coalition created to take on most of the engagement. Barth expected that the Chair and Vice Chair would attend coalition meetings once formed. The goal is to have engagement done by others to allow CPC to do other tasks. Barth asked if the Commission was okay with moving forward on the coalition idea and with the climate resilient Ashland coordinated campaign and if continued participation in both will be had.

Kaplan/Graham moved/seconded that the Chair participate formally in any kinds of efforts to stand up to coalition and help its work forward regardless of who is the Chair. Further discussion: Wyatt suggested saying the Chair or their representative and Kaplan agreed. Ayes: Barth, Brown, Graham, Kaplan, Mallette, and Shaff. Nays: none. Motion passed unanimously.

6. New Business

None

7. Wrap Up (2:20:03)

Green gave an update on the home energy loan program application to the USDA that Council will need to approve before applying. Kaplan stated that the Commission moved to have Barth draft a formal support letter to Council for this application earlier in the meeting. Some specifics to highlight for the program include that there will be a zero cost to the City and this will help with affordability in the community.

Green mentioned that the City is participating in a grant to have a self-serve ride and drive electric vehicle for the community to drive. He should know more about the program’s status in mid to late summer.

Chair Barth adjourned the meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Elizabeth Taylor