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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025/02/05 - ADMIN - Minutes - Environment & Sustainability Commission - Regular Official minutes Environment & sustainability commission St. Louis Park, Minnesota 2/5/2025 1. Call to order – 6:30 p.m. 1a. Roll call Members present: Chair Eric Zweber, Vice Chair Abigail Oppegaard, Shaina Ashare, Marisa Bayer, Tatiana Giraldo, Ramil Goonetilleke, Sasha Shahidi, Jessie Hendrix, Avery Kuehl, Bennett Myhran, Ethan Kehrberg, Natalie Wagner Members absent: Ryan Griffin Staff present: Emily Ziring, Sustainability Manager Guests: Michael Hennen, resident 2. Approval of minutes – Jan. 12, 2025 retreat – The minutes were approved unanimously as presented, with 3 abstentions. 3. Business 3a. New Business – none 3b. Unfinished Business • Approve 2025 work plan Commissioner Shahidi noted that six priority items is a lot, and she is concerned about how the ESC will handle all of them. Ms. Ziring stated some of these might not get done, and one is an event, so once that is over it will go off the list. Another priority includes several tabling events. She added these priorities are aspirational and that as a volunteer group, they will do what they can. Ms. Ziring added the work load for Vision 4.0 work plan item is unclear but likely a light lift. Ms. Ziring added the ESC can trim this down and not include all of the items. She added workgroups will help frame this so not everyone is doing everything. Vice Chair Oppegaard stated the electrification event would also be part of a workgroup only. Chair Zweber stated this will be a heavy lift. Ms. Ziring stated this is laying the foundation and some items may go into next year as well. Commissioner Ashare asked about budgeting for the Climate Action Plan update. Ms. Ziring stated that budgeting for professional services is handled by staff. Environmental & Sustainability Commission Feb. 5, 2025 Commissioner Shahidi asked how much leeway the ESC will have after the workplan is approved by council. Ms. Ziring stated there is some leeway, and that descriptions are bound to change, and some items will be more involved and some less. Commissioner Shahidi asked about the item related to solid waste and how it got into the work plan. Ms. Ziring stated that solid waste reduction is a Climate Action Plan goal and the commission should support the solid waste program. Commissioner Goonetilleke said he is curious if some groups need more help than others and noted he would like to help with curbside organics and the electrification event. Commissioner Bayer stated she would be a support person on the Climate Action Plan update. Commissioner Myhran asked about the item on trees and if the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission is also monitoring the tree preservation ordinance or if there is anything in their work plan specifically about trees. Ms. Ziring stated she is not sure but noted it will be a joint effort to look at the effects of the ordinance and propose any changes to council if it makes sense to do so. Ms. Ziring stated that all the commissions’ work plans will go to the city council for approval on February 18. After that, council will meet with commissions (the commission chair or vice chair if available) at a future meeting during the year to discuss and add additional items initiated by council. She added that the work plans will stay in effect until 2026. She added once approved the workplans will be on each commission’s website. Commissioner Kehrberg made a motion, seconded by Vice Chair Oppegaard to approve the 2025 ESC work plan as presented. The motion passed unanimously. • Establish new work groups - Events – Ms. Ziring stated that commission-led events are different than tabling as an ambassador to the community at a citywide event. Those interested in serving on the new Events work group are Vice Chair Oppegaard and Commissioners Hendrix, Giraldo, Shahidi, Kuehl and Wagner. Vice Chair Oppegaard made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Wagner, to establish the events group with the volunteers noted above. The motion passed unanimously. - Climate Action Plan workgroup – those interested in serving on the climate action plan workgroup are Commissioners Griffin, Kehrberg, Bayer, Ashare, and Chair Zweber. Commissioner Bayer made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Kehrberg, to establish the Climate Action Plan update workgroup with the volunteers noted above. The motion passed unanimously. Environmental & Sustainability Commission Feb. 5, 2025 - Others as needed – Commissioner Myhran suggested creating a tree preservation workgroup. Ms. Ziring recommended that this be tabled until the April meeting with PRAC to gauge whether there is interest in a cross- commission workgroup. • Approve amended ESC by-laws Commissioner Bayer noted that in the by-laws it states the meetings start at 7 p.m. even though the ESC meets at 6:30 p.m. She proposed the group return to the 7 p.m. start time, which would be more accommodating to those who have a busy home life. Commissioner Shahidi asked if there needs to be a start time for meetings in the by-laws, or can it be just the first Wednesday of the month. Ms. Ziring stated she can look into this and let the commission know. She stated the time is important for the city-wide calendar and website, as well as publications, but stated she will verify. Commissioner Giraldo stated she prefers a 6 p.m. start time so she can put her child to bed. Ms. Ziring noted there is no end time noted in the by-laws. Vice Chair Oppegaard stated she would be opposed to a 6 p.m. start time. Chair Zweber stated he has no preference but would approve of 7 p.m. depending on others. Commissioner Bayer made a motion, seconded by Vice Chair Oppegaard, to approve the ESC by- laws with a change to a 7 p.m. start time. The motion passed 7-5. Commissioner Bayer made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Hendrix, to approve the ESC by-laws as amended and pending facilities approval of the new start time. The motion passed unanimously. 4. Staff updates Ms. Ziring updated the commission on the following items: • Scoping outreach project for Aquila and Texa Tonka neighborhoods • Updating costs to implement the Climate Action Plan • Submitted intake form for Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program for up to $150,000 to support the outreach at Aquila and Texa Tonka • Working on a geothermal planning grant application through the MN Dept. of Commerce • Disbursement of EECBG funds has been paused, still working on reporting requirements Environmental & Sustainability Commission Feb. 5, 2025 • Working on direct pay documentation with finance – received $120,000 credit for solar on The Rec Center and an electric vehicle – will do this again in 2025 • Postcard promotion for Climate Champions and Depave SLP program • Did a survey for a potential EV cost-sharing program to gauge interest Ms. Ziring recapped the meeting related to boards and commissions and how they interact with council. She stated she was appointed to a work group with two other liaisons and three city council members to discuss how council can more directly be involved with boards and commissions, especially advisory commissions. They discussed tools for better communication between council and boards and commissions, including how to involve boards and commissions earlier in the policymaking process. Ms. Ziring added they also discussed more active communication between council and boards and commissions through use of an advisory communication form to request, inform or make recommendations. She stated it encourages the council to discuss the issue at a public meeting. She also stated six council members committed to attending two commission meetings during the year. Commissioner Shahidi asked if there can be an alert from council when they need input from boards and commissions. She stated if items are not known to commissioners, it can be problematic for the board or commission as well as for residents if they are not in the loop. Ms. Ziring stated the city council is working on notifying advisory boards earlier in the process. She added things have changed and will continue to improve. Chair Zweber asked if there were any funds frozen at the federal level that will affect sustainability. Ms. Ziring stated the federal freeze that went into effect briefly last week did not affect the city’s sustainability division, but that there was a previous executive order that froze approved disbursements from the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act and that freeze is still in effect. She stated at the state level the HEAR program is still approved and funded, but the HOMES program may not be funded. She added at this time, there is very little information being shared, and much of this will go to the courts to be resolved. Quarter Four Updates Ms. Ziring showed a slide with updates related to communications mailings, tablings, and events and outreach. 5. Work plan update - none 6. Sustainability issues – group share Commissioner Kehrberg shared information from Bassett Creek Watershed, which includes Dakota history and culture that he encouraged everyone to check out. Chair Zweber stated he recently purchased an electric vehicle and has been learning a lot about how to own an EV. Environmental & Sustainability Commission Feb. 5, 2025 Commissioner Shahidi stated she wants to give credit to the city’s infrastructure and resources. She stated she has been working with several residents on various issues and pointing them to areas on the web page that can assist. She encouraged everyone to utilize the city’s website for city resources. Commissioner Shahidi added that there are several organizations that are providing emotional support and healing, yoga and meditation classes for those in need. 7. Items to discuss at a future meeting • Idle-Free SLP – still seeing idling going on at Westwood, at the high school and Rec Center 8. Upcoming/proposed events • March 5, 2025 – March monthly ESC meeting at 7 p.m. • April 23, 2025, will be at 6 p.m. – April monthly ESC meeting (joint meeting with PRAC at WHNC) – agenda TBD, more of an informational and networking/educational meeting • May 10, 2025 – Arbor Day celebration – will send out a Sign-Up Genius for tabling 9. Adjournment – 8:12 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Emily Ziring, liaison Eric Zweber, chair member