CITY COUNCIL SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETING
Hybrid Meeting
January 8, 2024
5:00 p.m.
MEETING MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER: Meeting called to order at 5:00 p.m. by Council Member Julie Roche.
ROLL CALL:
Members:
Present
Julie Roche, City Council Member/CSC Chair
Angela Andrews, City Council Member
Francisco Zermeño, City Council Member
Staff:
Alex Ameri, Director of Public Works
Elizabeth Blanton, Senior Planner
Dustin Claussen, Assistant City Manager
Makenna Colucci, Sustainability & Climate Action Fellow Erik Pearson, Environmental Services Manager
Judy Phung, Senior Secretary (Meeting Recorder)
Elise Pierce, Recycling Outreach Fellow
Elisa Wilfong, Water Pollution Source Control (WPSC) Administrator Other:
Julia Diener, Caltrans Landscape Architect
Lydia Mac, Caltrans Senior Landscape Architect
Zac Thompson, Ava Community Energy Senior Associate
PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no public comments.
Approval of Minutes of the Council Sustainability Committee (CSC) Meeting Held on November 13, 2023 The item was moved by Council Member Zermeño, seconded by Council Member Andrews, and approved unanimously.
Proposed PG&E Transmission Line Over Highway 92: Discussion and Recommendation to Council Erik Pearson, Environmental Services Manager, reported on the proposed PG&E transmission line over Highway 92 and asked for the Committee’s direction to negotiate agreements with PG&E and Caltrans, which would be presented to the full Council for approval. Julia Diener, Caltrans Landscape Architect, presented additional information on the proposed landscape plans.
Public Comments
Lydia Mac, Caltrans Senior Landscape Architect, commented that the plan showed the appropriate mitigation strategy that took into consideration clearances, setbacks, and other regulations for the project.
Committee Comments
Council Member Andrews expressed concerns about removing Redwood trees for the proposed route and requested information about the litter clean-up schedule for the project area.
Council Member Zermeño requested for the landscape design to include tree removal mitigation details for when the item goes to Council for consideration.
Elizabeth Blanton, Senior Planner, stated that the City would work with the private property owners to mitigate the tree removal, but that Caltrans would have jurisdiction over the tree mitigation efforts within their right-of-way.
Council Member Roche expressed her reluctance to approve the recommendation to Council. She expressed her willingness to recommend the item for the City Council’s consideration under the circumstance that the Developer, PG&E, and Caltrans would look into every effort to save impacted trees before coming to Council. This would include an explanation to Council on what efforts were made, the successfulness of the efforts as well as details about the number of trees that would be planted for tree mitigation efforts.
Council Member Andrews moved the item, only under the above terms detailed by Council Member Roche, the item was seconded by Council Member Roche, and approved unanimously to recommend the item for Council consideration.
City Fleet Electrification & Electric Vehicle Charging – Discussion and Direction to Staff Mr. Pearson presented a report on a study analyzing the costs and charging infrastructure needed to electrify the City’s fleet.
Public Comments
Zac Thompson, Ava Community Energy Senior Associate, commented that the total ten-year cost is expected to decrease as electric vehicle costs are anticipated to go down, especially for light duty electric vehicles.
Committee Comments
The Committee voted unanimously to recommend the report to Council.
Compliance with Stormwater Trash Reduction Requirements – Information and Discussion Elisa Wilfong, WPSC Administrator, presented a report on the City’s implementation and compliance with the Stormwater Trash Reduction mandate per the Municipal Regional Permit (MRP) 3.0.
Public Comments
There were no public comments.
Committee Comments
Council Member Andrews inquired if there would be different paving at the end of the Cotter Way project. Director Ameri stated that there would be final paving done.
Council Member Zermeño requested that staff let the Committee know when the final work was completed.
Council Member Roche thanked staff for the report.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
Proposed 2024 Agenda Planning Calendar: Review and Comment The presentation of this item was skipped due to time constraints.
Public Comments
There were no public comments.
Committee Comments
Council Member Zermeño requested to add a bus shelter litter receptacle requirement for the proposed Litter Collection Effort agenda item.
COMMITTEE MEMBER/STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REFERRALS:
There were no Committee Member or staff announcements and referrals.
ADJOURNMENT: 6:14 p.m.
MEETINGS
Attendance
Present
1/8/24
Meeting
Present
to Date This Year
Excused
to Date This Year
Absent
to Date This Year
Julie Roche
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1 0
0 Angela Andrews
✓
1 0
0 Francisco Zermeño
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1 0
0
ATTACHMENT I