CITY OF SANTA MONICA

TASK FORCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

The meeting was convened at 7:15 p.m. Task Force members in attendance: Bill Selby, Mark Gold, Tim Carmichael, Bobby Rees, Susan Mearns, and Matt Petersen. Santa Monica City staff in attendance: Brian Johnson and Dean Kubani. Others: Mayor Pro Tem Kevin McKeown, City Council member Pam O’Connor, Recreation and Parks Commissioner Lori Nafshun, MWD Board member Judy Abdo, Laurel Roennau, Marty Rubin, Stacy Brown, Jim Donaldson, Gene Burke, Susan Weingartner, Andrea Gullo, and seven additional members of the group Earth Save.

Minutes

The minutes from the meeting of April 15, 2002 were unanimously approved.

Discussion of possible recommendations to the City Council on environmental issues related to the Santa Monica Airport

Tim Carmichael provided an update on his input to the Airport Commission at their April 22 meeting. He indicated that the Airport Commission seems to share the Task Force’s concerns about air pollution impacts adjacent to the airport and recommended that members of the commission and the Task Force meet to discuss the issue further. Following discussion on how best to proceed, the Task Force unanimously agreed to create an ad hoc committee to review technical environmental and legal issues related to air emissions and the airport, both locally and regionally. The committee will include members of the Task Force on the Environment (Tim Carmichael, Susan Mearns and Mark Gold), up to two members of the Airport Commission, and City staff, as well as invited legal, regulatory and environmental experts. The committee will be asked to return to the Task Force with recommendations regarding possible actions the City should pursue to address air pollution impacts related to the airport. It was agreed that the first meeting of this ad hoc committee should be held prior to the June 17 meeting of the Task Force on the Environment. Stacy Brown recommended that the Task Force contact legal experts from local universities to get input on the question of proprietary rights and get an opinion on whether the City can deny access to the airport to specific types of aircraft.

Review of Environmental Programs Division Budget Proposal

Brian Johnson presented an overview of the proposed division budget and summarized key changes from the previous fiscal year. Changes include addition of two new staff positions and a focus on performance-based outreach activities incorporating community-based social marketing techniques. As part of a discussion regarding efforts to improve enforcement of environmental regulations, Brian noted that the City is pursuing administrative fine authority to allow City inspectors to issue tickets for misdemeanor infractions of the municipal code. The Task Force indicated their support for this change and requested to review this proposal before it goes to Council. Task Force members noted that increasing commercial participation in solid waste recycling programs is a high priority issue and requested a report at the June meeting on steps the City plans to take in FY 02-03 to accomplish this. The Task Force also recommended that an additional departmental objective be included in the final budget submittal to City Council regarding collaboration with the school district to implement a sustainable schools program. Other discussion involved the departmental objective regarding the continued removal of MTBE from the city’s groundwater wells. Task Force members recommended that, if it hasn’t already been done, the City should publicize to residents the fact that local water from Arcadia wells has been remediated and is being utilized again.

Report on Sustainable City Program Update Process

Dean Kubani reported on the update process. He presented a table showing the eight proposed new SCP goal areas, and proposed goals, indicators and targets for each area. Indicators and targets for all of the goal areas have been developed and finalized by small groups working in each area, with the exception of the Open Space and Land Use area. Indicators and targets will be completed for this area prior to the next Task Force meting and included in the packet for Task Force review. Dean asked that Task Force members review the table and be prepared to discuss any changes they may have at their June 17 meeting. Following that meeting a full draft of the proposed SCP goals, indicators and targets will be released for public review and comment.

Task Force members then discussed inclusion of additional goals requested by representatives of Earth Save. The Task Force approved a motion by a vote of 5 - 1 to add the following goal statements to the document and convene a small working group to finalize the goal language and develop indicators and targets for each of the goals.

Add goal #3 in the Environmental and Public Health goal area:

“Encourage the consumption of fresh, organic and locally-produced foods in order to minimize resource consumption and utilization of chemical fertilizers, support local food producers, and to promote public health.”

Add the following bullet to the Human Dignity goal area:

“Residents recognize that treating animals with compassion and respect improves the dignity and quality of life for both human and non-human animals.”

Add goal #3 in the Resource Conservation goal area:

“Decrease reliance on resource-intensive food products, such as those dependent upon the use of petroleum-based pesticides and fertilizers; long-distance transportation; and excessive water utilization, and those foods whose production generates negative environmental impacts such as soil, water or air pollution.”

The Task Force requested that the working group to refine these goals and develop associated indicators and targets meet and finalize these additions to the proposed SCP update before their next meeting on June 17.

Discussion Regarding Downtown Parking and Sustainability

This item was agendized at the request of Sandy Grant for the purpose of discussing if the Task Force should review the City’s Downtown Parking Plan at a future meeting. The Task Force agreed to review the plan and asked that the executive summary of the plan be included in the next Task Force packet for discussion at the June 17 meeting, and that members of the Downtown Parking Task Force be invited to attend.

Metropolitan Water District Update

MWD Board member Judy Abdo provided the update. A board workshop on the Cadiz proposal scheduled for last month was postponed and has not yet been rescheduled. No decisions will be made on the Cadiz proposal by MWD until after the workshop is held. Judy reported that the State Department of Health Services is considering setting a health advisory standard of 6 ppb for perchlorate in drinking water. An internal working group of MWD staff is working to develop recommendations for high-risk persons who may live in areas with high levels of perchlorate in their water. Judy noted that Santa Monica’s water occasionally has perchlorate levels up to 5 ppb so this is an issue locally as well.

Public Input

Judy Abdo announced that she is overseeing the development of an outdoor environmental learning center for pre-school children at SMMUSD’s Washington West campus on Fourth Street. She is putting together an advisory group to provide input on how to best incorporate green elements into the design. Tim Carmichael recommended that she contact Tree People to provide input.

Gene Burke asked the Task Force to consider addressing the issue of the impending fluoridation of Santa Monica’s water. Following discussion the Task Force felt that this would be of little use because City Council has already voted to proceed with fluoridation of the water supply. The Task Force recommended that Mr. Burke investigate the feasibility of placing an initiative on the November ballot to address this issue.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:55pm