MINUTES
MAY 12, 2008
MEETING OF THE
CITY OF SANTA MONICA
SUSTAINABLE
CITY TASK FORCE
Task
force members in attendance: Jennifer Wolch, Dennis Woods, Laura Berland-Shane,
Carol Rosskam, Jim Ries, and Christina Erickson. City staff in attendance:
Shannon Parry and Dean Kubani. Members of the community in attendance:
Community Sustainability Liaison Traci Reitz and Louisa Fish.
The
meeting was called to order at 7:20pm.
Public
Input on Agenda Items
There
was no public input on agenda items.
Approval of
Minutes from the April 14, 2008
meeting
The
minutes from the April 14, 2008
meeting were unanimously approved.
Update on the Santa Monica Strategy For A Sustainable Local
Economy Shannon Parry introduced the
item. Earthvoice Strategies has been
chosen as the consultant for the Santa Monica Strategy For A Sustainable Local
Economy. Work is scheduled to begin in late June.
Update from the Community
Sustainability Liaison
Traci
Reitz introduced the item. Implementation of the Sustainable City Champion program
has been postponed. Emphasis will remain on the monthly Sustainable Santa
Monica newsletter and the development of a Sustainable Santa Monica lecture
series. The Sustainable Santa Monica newsletter sign-ups are on track to reach
700 new registrants for the year. The first four Sustainable Santa Monica
lecture series have been scheduled and an additional 8 are expected in the next
year. Finally, the Community Sustainability Liaison would like to release an
annual calendar of community sustainability events. Meetings with city staff
and community leaders indicates that this will not e possible as a number of
events dates are not secured a year in advance. For this reason, the yearly
calendar has evolved into a focus on September sustainability month. The Community
Sustainability Liaison will work with staff and the community to develop
stakeholder programming throughout September and will create a citywide mailer
with Sustainable City Plan information, resources and a calendar of events for
Sustainability month.
Louisa
Fish requested that the September sustainability month programming avoid
conflicts with scheduled Council meetings.
Discussion
and Recommendations Regarding the Santa
Monica Sustainable City Plan Implementation Plan-
Phase 2 Environmental and Public Health Goal Area
After discussion, the Task Force generated draft
implementation measure for the Santa Monica Sustainable City Plan
Implementation Plan- Phase 2. These
include:
Santa Monica Bay Health
- Complete funding plan
and ensure timely installation of Measure V BMPs
- Enhance beach trash
collection and provide recycling services
Wastewater
Generation
- Investigate
opportunities for wastewater demand mitigation for commercial development
- Remove barriers to
graywater system installation
- Consider developing
citywide water budgets
- Install wetlands as
wastewater treatment projects
Vehicle
Miles Traveled
- Investigate
opportunities for congestion pricing
- Support adoption and
implementation of Circulation Element update
- Consider increasing
parking prices (and direct increased parking funds for VMT projects such
as bikes and busses)
- Secure neighborhood
serving busses
- Secure funding for
Expo Light Rail and Subway to the Sea
- Consider dedicated
bus lanes; link to LA regional transportation analysis and financial
allocations
Air
Quality
- Define local
threshold for and identify significant emissions sources in Santa Monica
- Re-evaluate city
biofuels policy with respect to air quality and resource consumption and
GHG emissions
- Reduce residential
exposure to poor air quality by advocating changes to the fuel portfolio
and create buffers.
- Consider AFV sales
incentives for car companies
Residential
HHW
- Enhance incentive
program for visiting HHW center
- Identify proper
disposal method for medical sharps and prescription pharmaceuticals
- Enhance education and
outreach programs
- Support extended
producer responsibility at state level
City
Purchases of Hazardous Materials
- Consolidate City
purchasing with respect to hazardous materials
- Investigate requiring
City employees to assume liability for purchase and use of materials that
don’t comply with City policy (unless written exemption is obtained) –
work with Risk Management on this
- Complete inventory of
city purchases of hazardous materials
- Expand outreach and
training efforts regarding product phase outs
Toxic
Air Contaminants
- Investigate revising
this indicator and target – possibly replace TACs with “significant
emissions sources” once a definition for the latter has been developed
Urban
Runoff Reduction (Permeable Land Area)
- Evaluate policies for
the installation of rubberized sidewalks and porous concrete
- Develop Green Alley
Program
- Actively support City As A Park proposal
- Promote swales and
change streetscape standards
Fresh
Local Organic Produce
- Work with hospitals
to identify what they are currently buying and assist with purchasing more
local organic produce
- Work with SMC to
identify what they are currently buying and help them purchase more local
organic produce
- Support existing
SMMUSD nutrition program and work with district staff to expand efforts to
provide local and organic produce
- Work with the Senior Center, Civic Auditorium, Youth
Service Programs, and Homeless Service centers to purchase and serve local
and organic produce
- Identify top 3
caterers used by City Staff for City meetings and events and encourage
them to increase their purchase of fresh local organic produce
- Work with Sustainable
Works to ensure that the Worksbook highlights this in the shopping section
- Support a local CSA and do education and outreach
regarding benefits
- Consider expanding
the indicator to include non-produce choices
Organic
Produce – Farmers Markets
- Support the
establishment of a grant program to assist farmers in obtaining organic
certification
- Expand the Santa Monica market
basket program to include local businesses and teachers
- Move toward zero
waste at Saturday and Wednesday markets
Restaurant
Produce Purchases
- Work with Farmers
Market staff to obtain quality data to measure this indicator
- Identify non-farmers
market purchasing options for restaurants and stores
- Work with Farmers
Market staff to identify obstacles to existing restaurant purchasing
program and identify ways to expand the program
Food
Choices
- Further enhance
community gardens (access and footprint)
- Develop IPM policy
for community gardens
- Consider utilizing
roofs for community gardens
Discussion and Recommendations
Regarding Sustainable City Progress Report, Report Card and Green House Gas
Emissions Data Collection and Reporting
Shannon
Parry introduced the item. She provided
an overview of the most recent city and community greenhouse gas emissions
inventory. She also introduced the timeline for completing the Sustainable City
Progress Report, Report Card and greenhouse gas emissions inventory. Data collection and analysis for the
Sustainable City Progress Report and Report Card will begin in June and be
completed in early September. Data collection and analysis for the greenhouse
gas emissions inventory will begin in June and be completed by the end of
August. Third party verification of citywide greenhouse gas emissions will be
completed by the end of December 2008.
Discussion and Recommendations
Regarding Sustainable City Task Force Presentation Proposal Subcommittee
Dennis
Woods introduced the item. He introduced the reasons to form a subcommittee to
develop a Sustainable City Task Force presentation proposal and PowerPoint
presentation. Jim Ries, Jennifer Wolcch,
Laura Berland-Shane and Christina Erickson agreed to participate in the
subcommittee.
Dennis
Woods agreed to take the lead on organizing this and will report back at the
June meeting.
Liaison
Updates
- LUCE: Jim Ries provided an update and encouraged task force members
to review the draft LUCE and to participate during the opportunities for
public comment.
- Chamber of Commerce: Shannon Parry provided an update on the
Sustainable Quality Awards luncheon.
Public
Input on Non-Agendized Items
There was no additional public input on non-agendized
items.
Comments
and Announcements
There were no additional comments or announcements.
Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned at 9:50pm.