CITY COUNCIL SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETING
Hybrid Meeting
March 10, 2025
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:
Committee Members:
Dan Goldstein, City Council Member
Julie Roche, City Council Member
Francisco Zermeño, City Council Member/CSC Chair
Staff:
Alex Ameri, Director of Public Works
Linda Ko, Senior Secretary (Meeting Recorder)
Erik Pearson, Environmental Services Manager
Mireille Vargas, Sustainability Specialist
Other:
Captain D.C. Anderon, Public Comment Speaker
Sandra Frost, Public Comment Speaker
Matt Kritscher, Public Comment Speaker
ELECTION OF CHAIR
Council Member Zermeño was nominated for the position of CSC chair by Council Member Roche, the motion was seconded by Council Member Goldstein and approved unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Public speaker Sandra Frost advocated for the preservation of green open space to mitigate pollution and to preserve wildlife.
From New York, public speaker Captain D.C. Anderson shared his thoughts on climate change and the carbon ratio factor.
Approval of Minutes of the Council Sustainability Committee (CSC) meeting held on January 13, 2025 The item was moved by Council Member Roche, seconded by Council Member Goldstein, and approved unanimously.
Shade Requirements for New Development
Mireille Vargas, Sustainability Specialist, presented a report on shade requirements for new developments. The report provided current regulations and efforts that the City and other local and state agencies have regarding adding shade in construction projects as well as examples of best practices from other cities.
Public Comments
Public speaker Sandra Frost shared her thoughts on the importance of having green space to help naturally cool large areas, such as school yards, and also to absorb carbon.
Public speaker Matt Kritscher suggested tree sponsorship through plaques as a possible idea to finance the planting of more trees.
Committee Comments
Council Member Roche thanked staff for the report and emphasized her support of seeing more trees to provide shaded areas. She also urged for more teeth in the development process in incorporate shade, possibly a point system.
Council Member Goldstein thanked staff for the report and agreed on the importance of having shade, however he also voiced his concern about adding more regulations to developments. He encouraged discussion with the developer community and advocated for a point-based system which would allow for more flexibility. Council Member Goldstein also noted the difficulty of managing temporary shade structures.
Council Member Zermeño suggested incorporating art pieces with the shade requirements.
City of Richmond’s Agreement with Chevron
Erik Pearson, Environmental Services Manager, presented a report on the settlement agreement between the City of Richmond and Chevron as well as a brief summary of other efforts to tax fossil fuels.
Public Comments
Mr. Matt Kritscher stated that the Building Performance Standard (BPS) was in line with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system and supported the exploration and acceleration of the BPS for the City of Hayward. He added that a cost/benefit analysis of sustainability performance, similar to the Sustainability Tracking Assessment & Rating System (STARS) used for colleges and universities, could be a key component in helping people see that investments in sustainability measures would have environmental worth.
Committee Comments
Council Member Goldstein underscored the necessity to communicate to building owners, who would need to comply with the BPS, the benefits and value of implementing the measures that would offset the cost needed. He also suggested working with contractors, who would do the work, so they could communicate the value of the implemented changes to the building owners as well.
Council Member Roche thanked staff for the report and expressed her support for the BPS and bringing the item to the City Council.
Council Member Zermeño strongly supported the BPS and advocated for educating the residents more on the issue. He also suggested possibly creating an anti-fossil fuel sticker.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
Proposed 2025 Agenda Planning Calendar: Review and Comment Mr. Pearson shared the proposed 2025 agenda planning calendar with the Committee.
Public Comments
No public comments.
Committee Comments
Council Member Roche indicated that she would like an agenda item on the ratio of open space to developed land in Hayward and how open space could be preserved.
COMMITTEE MEMBER/STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REFERRALS:
Mr. Pearson announced that the Earth Day Poster & Writing Contest awards would take place at the City Council meeting on April 22nd and that the Earth Day Fair would be on April 26th. He also announced the Compost Giveaway would be on May 10th at the Skywest Golf Course and that the Bike to Work/Wherever Day would take place on May 15th.
Director Alex Ameri announced that as part of the last phase of the Mission Improvement Project, 120 trees would be added along Mission Blvd and that the project would be completed in the next two months.
Council Member Zermeño announced that the 149th birthday of the City of Hayward would be on March 11th.
Council Member Goldstein announced that the Mayor’s annual State of the City address would take place on March 11th at the Performing Arts Center at Mount Eden High School.
ADJOURNMENT: 6:02 p.m.
MEETINGS
Attendance
Present
3/10/25
Meeting
Present
to Date This Year
Excused
to Date This Year
Absent
to Date This Year
Julie Roche
✓
2 0
0 Dan Goldstein
✓
1 0
0 Francisco Zermeño
✓
2 0
0