MINUTES

FEBRUARY 11, 2008 MEETING OF THE

CITY OF SANTA MONICA

SUSTAINABLE CITY TASK FORCE

 

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:15pm.

 

 

Sustainable City Task Force members in attendance:  Laura Berland Shane, Jennifer Wolch, Dennis Woods, Al Rosen, Christina Erikson, Carol Rosskam and Leonard Mitchell. City staff in attendance: Dean Kubani and Shannon Parry. Members of the public in attendance:  Community Sustainability Liaison Traci Reitz, City of Long Beach staff Larry Rich, City of Long Beach staff Alfre Vaille and Louisa Fish.

 

Public Input on Agenda Items

There was no public input on agenda items.

 

Approval of Minutes from the January 14, 2007 meeting

Dennis Woods requested the minutes be amended to reflect that the Task Force support for the City as Park Plan was “in general concept.”

The amended minutes were unanimously approved.

 

Update from the Community Sustainability Liaison

Traci Reitz provided the update.  Interest in the Sustainability Champions program continues to grow. She provided a presentation to the OPA and is scheduled to present to the Neighborhood Councils and FOSP.  Her goal is to get all the neighborhood groups to participate in the Sustainability Champions program. In an effort to engage the hospitals in sustainable practices, Traci Reitz met with Food Services Director at UCLA medical center to introduce them to the city’s EPA funded food waste to energy pilot program.

 

Update on the Santa Monica Strategy For A Sustainable Local Economy

Shannon Parry provided the update. Members of the Task Force economic development subcommittee as well as staff from Environmental and Public Works, Planning and Community Development, Housing and Economic Development and Finance have reviewed the proposals. The consultant selection process should be completed by March and the consultant should begin work in early June.

 

Discussion and Recommendations Regarding the Santa Monica Sustainable City Implementation Plan- Phase 2

Shannon Parry introduced the item. She provided the framework for the Task Force to begin production of Phase 2 of the Sustainable City Plan Implementation Plan. The major themes for this phase will be innovation and implementation. The primary emphasis at Task Force meeting for the next four month will be the development of implementation measures to achieve the goals established in the Sustainable City Plan. Implementation measures will focus on both municipal government and the larger community. The Task force’s emphasis will be on larger community scale implementation measures.

 

Shannon Parry presented a delivery schedule and detailed the requirements for each subcommittee in order to produce of Phase 2 of the Sustainable City Plan Implementation Plan in a timely manner. 

 

Discussion and Recommendations  Regarding the Appointment of Task Force Chair and Vice Chair

After discussion, the Task Force unanimously approved the following motion:

Motion: The Santa Monica Sustainable City Task Force appoints Laura Berland Shane to the position of Vice Chair and Dennis Woods to the position of Chair.

 

Discussion and Recommendations Regarding the Appointment of Task Force Liaisons

After discussion, the Task Force appointed the following liaisons:

• Solar SM (Al Rosen)
• LUCE (Jim Ries)
• Parks and Recreation Commission (Jennifer Wolch)
• Santa Monica Airport (Leonard Mitchell)
• TFOE (Christina Erickson and Carol Rosskam)
• Chamber of Commerce (Laura Berland-Shane)
• SMMUSD (Shannon Parry)
• CVB  (Shannon Parry)

 

Shannon Parry agreed to send a letter of introduction for the newly appointed liaisons to the appropriate contact.

 

Liaison Updates

Al Rosen provided the Solar Santa Monica update. The program continues to grow and has requested a significant allocation to install solar on municipal buildings in the coming years.  The rapid growth of this program, and others across the state, continue to be limited by legislative challenges.

 

Carol Rosskam provided the LUCE update. She attended the recent LUCE workshop. She noted the emergence of ‘nodes’ as a key design feature and commented on the  significance of ‘nodes’ in meeting the goals established in the LUCE process and in the Sustainable City Plan.

 

Public Input on Non-Agendized Items

Louisa Fish encouraged the city to focus its efforts on ‘closing the loop’ on the polystyrene and non-recyclable food packaging ban. She suggested the city provide collection programs for biobased and compostable food packaging containers. She also suggested that the city undertake a proper disposal educational campaign.  Louisa Fish also commented on the proposed plastic bag ban. She feels that plastic bags serve an important function and that they are often reused. She also feels that paper bags also serve an important function and are often reused. She is concerned about he cost implications of the proposed ban.

 

Comments and Announcements

The Task Force requested that staff include the Green Cities California staff report and resolution in the March packet.

 

Adjourn

The meeting was adjourned at 9:45pm.