MINUTES
MAY 16, 2005 MEETING OF THE
CITY OF SANTA MONICA
TASK FORCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT
The meeting was convened at 7:10 p.m. Task Force members in attendance: Bill Selby,
Erik Neandross, Sandy Grant, Susan Mearns, Matt
Petersen and Mark Gold.
Santa Monica City staff in attendance: Craig
Perkins, Brian Johnson, Susan
Munves, Stuart Cooley, Greg Reitz
and Dean Kubani. Others: Council Member Kevin McKeown, Mayor Pam
O’Connor, MWD Board Member Judy Abdo, Mike Feinstein, Laurel Roennau, John
Ingersoll, and Stacy Brown.
Public Input on Agenda Items
There was no public input.
Minutes
The minutes from the meeting of April
18, 2005 were unanimously approved.
Update on the Community Energy Independence Initiative
Susan
Munves and Craig Perkins
presented updated information regarding the proposed Community Energy
Independence Initiative. They noted that
in June or July 2005 Council will be asked to approve a two-year demonstration
project designed to demonstrate the viability of the CEII approach. The demonstration project will involve
incorporation of energy efficiency and renewable energy in a number of planned
municipal development projects including the Civic
Center housing project, the Big Blue
Bus campus, the Civic
Center parking structure,
415 PCH renovation, and in approximately 50 private property demonstrations. Following completion and evaluation of the
two-year pilot, staff will return to Council with recommendations regarding
financing and implementing the full CEII program.
Precautionary Principle Policy Discussion
Brian Johnson presented
information regarding the precautionary principle and its current use in city
operations. He noted that Santa Monica currently
uses many parts of the precautionary principle in its environmental decision
making but the City hasn’t formally adopted a precautionary principle policy. Following discussion, the Task Force
recommended that precautionary principle language be included as a guiding
principle in the Sustainable City Plan.
Staff agreed to draft language for review by the Task Force at their
June 20, 2005 meeting. The Task Force
also recommended that Susan Mearns prepare draft policy language identifying
potential thresholds for triggering human health risk assessments for city
projects, also for review at the June meeting.
Discussion and Recommendations Regarding Task Force Protocols
Task Force members discussed a
protocol for adding items to the Task Force agenda. The Task Force agreed that in the future: Any
Task Force member can agendize a discussion item for the following meeting
provided there is majority approval from the rest of the Task Force. In urgent situations (due to the timeliness
of an issue) a Task Force member can add a an item for discussion to the
current meeting agenda provided that 2/3rd of the members present on
the night of the meeting vote to include it.
Due to Brown Act restriction, the Task Force can not take action (other
than discussion) on any item not included on the posted agenda.
Report on Pony Ride Issues at the Main Street Farmers Market
Susan Mearns requested
information regarding the pony rides at the Sunday Farmers Market on Main Street
following her encounter with animal rights protesters at the market. Dean Kubani presented information from
Farmers Market staff regarding this issue.
The SMPD Animal Control division has evaluated pony health and working
conditions and issued the owner of the pony ride company a permit to operate. County health inspectors have reviewed the
site conditions on at least two occasions in response to complaints from
protesters and have found no violations and have taken no further action. Farmers Market staff have observed the
ponies’ living conditions and working conditions and have found no cause for
concern. No action was taken on this
item by the Task Force.
Report on Global Green USA’s Green Schools Workshop
Matt
Petersen reported on Global Green’s April 15 workshop. The intent of the workshop was to encourage
and assist the Los Angeles
Unified School
District to implement green building standards
for their schools that were previously adopted by the LAUSD board. Judy Abdo noted that the Santa Monica Malibu
Unified School
District is considering a Facilities Bond measure
and recommended that Global Green contact the committee that is working on this
to possibly incorporate green building language into the bond ballot language.
Update on Green Business Certification Program
Dean Kubani provided the update
and noted that the City, Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau
will be conducting focus groups in mid June to get input on the program
components from local businesses. Dean
noted that he would forward electronic versions of the certification checklists
to Task Force members for review and comment once the drafts have been
completed and input from the focus group participants has been incorporated
into the drafts. Judy Abdo recommended
that all of the business improvement districts in the city be notified about
this program in order to get the word out to businesses that may not be members
of the Chamber.
Update on SCAQMD Air Quality Study
Erik Neandross and Susan Mearns
were unable to attend the last meeting of this group and they had nothing new
to report.
Sustainable City Task Force Update
Sandy Grant provided the update
and noted that the SCTF plans to present a progress memo regarding preparation
of the SCP Implementation Plan to City Council in June.
Metropolitan Water District Update
MWD Board member Judy Abdo
provided the update. She noted that MWD’s newly appointed CEO recently
announced that he has medical problems.
It is unclear if he will step down.
Public Input on Non-Agendized Matters
Laurel Roennau discussed the
status of the Civic Center Specific Plan / Santa Monica Place EIR and asked the
Task Force to consider making a recommendation to City Council and the Planning
Commission regarding this. The Task
Force agreed to agendize this for discussion and possible action at the June
meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at
10:00pm
