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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018/02/07 - ADMIN - Minutes - Environment & Sustainability Commission - RegularMINUTES ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION: SUSTAINABLE SLP ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA February 7, 2018 Community Room, City Hall MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Ryan Griffin, Sue Bloyer, Nicole Ciulla, Katie Christiansen, Stefan Collinet, Terry Gips, Claire Lukens, Bridget Rathsack, Julie Rappaport, Keir Stiegler, and Lukas Wrede EXCUSED ABSENCE: None STAFF PRESENT: Shannon Pinc, ESC Coordinator. GUESTS: Wendy Steageberg 1. The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Chair Griffin, and introductions were made. 2. The minutes of the December 2017 and January 2018, were reviewed and several corrections were made. The minutes were approved unanimously as corrected. 3. Business a. Workgroup Updates: Comp Plan; Energy/Climate; Communication Energy/Climate plan - Chair Griffin stated he would like to attend meetings of Roots and Shoots at the high school. He added he would like to have others attend as well. Lukas said they will begin planning the Climate Action Plan launch and campaign. This will be the focus the next few meetings. They will review the flyers and print them out to pass out to target audiences. They will also update on the Roots and Shoots Facebook page. Flyers will also be posted as well on social media, and business outreach will also be conducted with businesses willing to follow the Climate Action Plan. Lukas added they hope to reach 200 people by March on wind sourcing information and the Climate Action Plan. He added they want to have information in the Sun Sailor as well, while Lukas is also working on a letter to the editor. Will be encouraging businesses to sign up for Wind source also. Lukas also had an interview with MPR about the Climate Action Plan. Lukas also updated the commission that the council has officially adopted the city’s Climate Action Plan as of Monday, February 5, 2018. Comprehensive Plan – Julie reported. She updated the group about the last meeting. She noted the U of M resiliency project, to advance local sustainability based on community-identified issues. Chair Griffin would like to supply something to staff so they can come back and review again with the commission. He would like to propose a statement on what resiliency and sustainability is, for Environment and Sustainability -2- February 7, 2018 Commission Meeting the comprehensive plan. He added the commission needs to agree on these definitions. Stefan stated he thinks only one or two definitions should be used, as there are too many competing definitions, and this could lead to confusion and difficulties keeping people's attention. Terry stated that we should keep many different definitions for sustainability as each one has its own strengths, and it appeals to different people. Terry stated he does not think one definition should be used, there are many definitions, and each one has its own strengths, and it appeals to different people. This is a concern of his, and he hopes there will be a number of definitions in the comprehensive plan. There was concern that only resiliency be used as a definition for sustainability. Julie said resiliency and returning back to normal is not necessarily the best definition to look at either. She added the group created a list of the 15-30 projects the U of M could do. They also looked at the vision for the next 10 years and that sustainability should be the umbrella for resiliency, vs the other way around. Education, and buy-in is of the most importance on this work, along with food access. Education for all will also create equity on resiliency and sustainability. She also noted Green Step Cities as another topic, and how do all of these themes provide value. Julie also updated the commission on food policy resolution, as it overlaps with what is happening in the community now, and noted the MN Food Charter as well, and discussed food policy and how it should be added into comprehensive plans. This involves increasing access to affordable foods in communities. She also acknowledged what Sue wrote, which was accepted by the 12th precinct? April 24th will be Earth Day events and this would be a great place to have climate, energy and wind source tables, and it would be helpful to have a panel to advise residents as to how they can help. Lukas will email students about being there for this event also. Chair Griffin asked Julie to loop in the communication group on anything going out to the public, so they can help with outreach and communication on all these events. Terry thanked everyone involved in this work. He also said this work in getting supporters is very impressive and important, and he is grateful for this. He added there are statistics here that should be widely publicized, and these are being worked on to get to Councilmember Brausen, who has asked for them. He said he hopes the commission will support this resolution. Julie said the police and fire departments have statistics on folks who run out of food and are having health problems at the end of the month, and this is where reporting they have no food, nor access to food. This is being studied. Environment and Sustainability -3- February 7, 2018 Commission Meeting Terry added having something from the police or fire would be impactful also, along data or anecdotal information they have collected. Terry made a motion that the commission supports the prep of a food policy proposal, working with Health in the Park on this and the commission will review the final draft. Lukas seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. Ryan asked if he could provide any input to Julie about the food policy proposal. Stefan stated that he would discuss further with Julie. Terry stated he does not know of a sustainability plan anywhere that does not address food issues also. Niki asked about the U of M resiliency program is with the Institutes of Environments. Julie said it is cross –departmental, but they are most likely involved in this. Niki stated she is looking at the Institutes of Environments, adding they have programs that work with communities on food issues and resiliency. Chair Griffin and Shannon stated we would need directives and a timeline for this before bringing an outside group in to do this work on a sustainability action plan. Julie stated as comp plan work comes to a close, what other cities are doing with work on sustainability, and what do we want to focus on in a sustainability work. Shannon stated this is broad work and will touch on all of these topics and more, and is a large undertaking. Chair Griffin stated in 2018, this is not part of our our work plan for 2018, but it can be looked at in the next phase, and into the next year. b. Finalize report for annual meeting with Council Chair Griffin reviewed the report with the commission. Changes and corrections were made to the document. 2017 accomplishments and 2018 goals will be highlighted and the presentation given to the council at the February 26 meeting. Julie asked if one work goal could be looking at studying to prepare for the sustainability action plan, as a workgroup. Shannon stated this could be looked at this as a direction the commission wants to move in, as a goal, but added this is not part of the 2018 work plan. Chair Griffin mentioned also strengthening the portion on the investment in climate and distributing it equitably. Terry stated it is important because it stresses the issue of diversity in commissioners, and that this needs to be addressed. He pointed out that possibly there can be more people of color on the commission’s workgroups by providing daycare for children during meetings, for example. Environment and Sustainability -4- February 7, 2018 Commission Meeting Stefan added that strategically reaching out to a diverse mix of neighborhoods would help address concerns of equity. Nicki added possibly there is a way to get more folks involved who work in the businesses within St. Louis Park as well. Terry asked also if the city can work more with the ESC in order to reach more diverse populations also. Julie noted working with the human rights or multi- cultural commissions might also be a way to support this. Terry added reaching out the council, among other groups, including the Planning Commission, and the Nature Center will be important as well. Chair Griffin however said the Human Right Commission and Nature Center do not tie to the commission’s 2018 work plan, so should not be included in the goals. He did however say he is supportive of this. He also pointed out working on the Comprehensive Plan with the Planning Commission can be included as an opportunity. Shannon stated this draft will now go to the communications work group for finalizing, but it can also be emailed to the commission for final review before the presentation. Chair Griffin made a motion to approve the word document annual report draft and it goes to the communication work group for finalizing. Stefan seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Shannon stated the definitions of sustainability and resiliency also now need to be finalized, in order to get this to staff for inclusion in the Comprehensive Plan. The commission agreed it will be important to work on these definitions and have common understanding among the commissioners about what these definitions are, before sending them to staff for the comprehensive plan. Nicki and the communications group will work on a draft of the definitions, which will then be distributed to the commissioners for review. Nicki stated she will edit the sustainability definitions that Terry Stefan have provided, and will re-format the document. Chair Griffin added the commission will need to meet about who will present to the council, and he proposed setting up a meeting to prepare. Terry proposed having Chair Griffin and the vice chair, as well as work groups, present to the council. Chair Griffin stated he would like to give others an opportunity to present. Shannon suggested those presenting meet to discuss the presentation, and do a dry-run prior to presenting to the council. It was decided that Chair Griffin will kick off the presentation to the council, and Julie will speak on the comprehensive plan. Environment and Sustainability -5- February 7, 2018 Commission Meeting c. Additional Updates Terry stated Ryan, Shannon and Councilmember Brausen attended a meeting regarding sustainability given by the McKnight Foundation. He said it was very positive. Stefan asked about doing an op-ed to the Sun Sailor regarding the Climate Action Plan. He asked if it should be written by himself, or on behalf of the ESC. The commissioners said he should write it himself, but as a member of the St. Louis Park Environment and Sustainability Commission. The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.