MINUTES
ENVIRONMENT AL SUSTAINABILITY SUBCOMMITTEE
SPECIAL MEETING
FEBRUARY 23, 2023
TELECONFERENCED - VARIOUS LOCATIONS
1:00 P.M.
The following meeting was held pursuant to AB 361 and fully teleconferenced from various locations during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Pro Tern Uhring called the meeting to order at l :00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
The following persons were recorded in attendance by the Recording Secretary:
PRESENT: Mayor Pro Tern Steve Uhring and Councilmember Marianne Riggins ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Steve McClary; Environmental Sustainability Director Yolanda Bundy; Environmental Programs Manager Tracey Rossine; Environmental Programs Coordinator Mark Johnson; Environmental Sustainability Analyst Caryn de la Cruz; Senior Administrative Assistant Rebecca Nelson-Brown; Media Technician Parker Davis; and Executive Assistant Mary Linden
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION Councilmember Riggins moved, and Mayor Pro Tern Uhring seconded a motion to approve the agenda. The question was called, and the motion carried unanimously.
REPORT ON POSTING OF AGENDA
ITEM 1
Executive Assistant Linden reported that the agenda for the meeting was properly posted on February 16, 2023.
PRESENTATIONS / STAFF UPDATES
None.
ITEM2 OLD BUSINESS
None.
Malibu Environmental Sustainability Subcommittee
Special Meeting
Minutes of February 23 , 2023
ITEM 3
A.
MOTION
NEW BUSINESS
Approval of Minutes - May 23, 2022
Recommended Action: Approve minutes for the Environmental Sustainability Subcommittee Special meeting of May 23 , 2022.
Mayor Pro Tern Uhring moved, and Councilmember Riggins seconded a motion to approve the minutes for the Environmental Sustainability Subcommittee Special meeting of June 9, 2021. The question was called, and the motion carried unanimously.
Item Nos. 3.A. and 3.B. were presented concurrently.
B. Environmental Programs Update
Recommended Action: Receive and file a presentation on the Environmental Programs activities.
C. Dark Sky Program Update
Recommended Action: Receive an update on enforcement of the City's Dark Sky Ordinance.
Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy stated 2022 was a challenging year due to low staffing. She introduced Environmental Programs Manager Rossine, Environmental Programs Coordinator Johnson, and Environmental Sustainability Analyst de la Cruz, and discussed their responsibilities.
A presentation was offered for the report. Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy discussed the City's efforts related to the Dark Sky Ordinance (Dark Sky).
Environmental Sustainability Analyst de la Cruz provided the presentation on energy and the Clean Power Alliance (CPA).
Councilmember Riggins expressed disappointment that Dark Sky was not recognized by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). In response to Councilmember Riggins, Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy discussed outreach for Dark Sky recognition.
She stated residents were reluctant to comply until commercial properties were in compliance. Councilmember Riggins suggested partnering with the County of Los Angeles (County), California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks), U.S. National Park Service (National Parks), and Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) to place posters in public spaces. In response to Councilmember Riggins, Malibu Environmental Sustainability Subcommittee
Special Meeting
Minutes of February 23 , 2023
Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy discussed plans for enforcement of Dark Sky. She stated education continued and the Environmental Sustainability Department (ESD) was coordinating with Code Enforcement on compliance, as requested by the City Council. In response to Councilmember Riggins, Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy confirmed fines were issued to property owners.
Mayor Pro Tern Uhring stated he got good reports regarding the shopping center at Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Busch Drive, as well as Malibu Country Mart, for making changes to their lighting. He stated any problems with compliance should be brought back to the City Council for assistance.
Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy discussed the City's partnership with the Chamber of Commerce on Dark Sky compliance.
Mayor Pro Tern Uhring discussed CPA potentially raising prices. He asked if there was a decrease in the number of Malibu residents using CPA power.
Environmental Sustainability Analyst de la Cruz stated CPA indicated no significant changes.
Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy stated CPA was now strongly pushing for zero gas. She stated CPA wanted all jurisdictions to adopt ordinances for electric-only single family residences. She stated she would meet on March 10 with a CPA representative and would report back to the Subcommittee.
Councilmember Riggins asked for an update on solar power at City Hall.
Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy stated Public Works was including a solar project for the City Hall parking lot in its proposed work plan for next year. Councilmember Riggins requested Public Works attend the next Environmental Sustainability Subcommittee meeting to present on that.
Mayor Pro Tern Uhring suggested it be presented to City Council at the Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget and work plan workshop.
Environmental Sustainability Analyst de la Cruz provided a presentation on water.
Councilmember Riggins congratulated staff for its successful water programs. In response to Councilmember Riggins, Environmental Sustainability Analyst de la Cruz discussed potential future projects.
Malibu Environmental Sustainability Subcommittee
Special Meeting
Minutes of February 23, 2023
Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy stated the rain barrel event was tentatively scheduled for Fall 2023.
Mayor Pro Tern Uhring suggested coordinating with the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) on its water reuse program.
Environmental Programs Coordinator Johnson discussed grant funding for water conservation programs in coming years.
In response to Councilmember Riggins, Environmental Programs Coordinator Johnson stated Santa Monica College (SMC) was going to connect to the City's Civic Center Water Treatment Facility (CCWTF) to use recycled water.
Mayor Pro Tern Uhring stated not much water was being reused by CCWTF commercial connections included in Phase One.
Environmental Programs Coordinator Johnson provided the presentation on pollution prevention.
Councilmember Riggins asked how the City did on the various reports. She suggested the reports be posted on the City website. Environmental Programs Coordinator Johnson stated the City website included a link to the reports on the County website.
In response to Councilmember Riggins, Environmental Programs Coordinator Johnson discussed bacteria levels at the head of Malibu Creek.
He stated it could be due to a breach at the mouth of the creek and a large bird population. He stated the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) was considering using DNA technology to identify if the bacteria was human.
Mayor Pro Tern Uhring commended staff for an impressive job. He stated Poison Free Malibu reported seeing unlocked trash bins. Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy stated she would report the City's results to Poison Free Malibu at an upcoming meeting with them. Mayor Pro Tern Uhring discussed cleaning Santa Monica Bay. He requested Environmental Programs Coordinator Johnson prepare a presentation for the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission. He stated it would be good to share the City's efforts.
Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy agreed ESD should do better public relations for its successful programs.
Malibu Environmental Sustainability Subcommittee
Special Meeting
Minutes of February 23 , 2023
Councilmember Riggins agreed with Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy that the City did not get enough credit for its environmental programs.
Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy provided the presentation on waste reduction.
Councilmember Riggins congratulated staff on a very difficult project to implement.
Mayor Pro Tern Uhring agreed. He stated he had doubted reporting requirements could possibly be implemented, and he was very impressed.
Environmental Programs Manager Rossine provided the report on coastal projects to prepare for potential sea level rise.
Councilmember Riggins stated the living shoreline should be presented to the Coastal Commission with a request that they visit the site to see the work being done there before making a decision about a permit in that area.
Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy stated the coastal vulnerability assessment was projected to be out by May. She discussed the importance of public involvement.
Mayor Pro Tern Uhring stated there were varying opinions about coastal vulnerability. He commended staff for including youth in the dune restoration project.
Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy stated the scope for the coastal vulnerability assessment consultant was only to provide results. She stated she would need Council direction on next steps. She stated the dune restoration project would continue, weather permitting.
Environmental Programs Manager Rossine and Environmental Sustainability Analyst de la Cruz provided a presentation on outreach and events.
City Manager McClary thanked Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy and the ESD team for all they had done. He thanked the Subcommittee for their feedback. He stated he would ask the Public Works Director to provide a report to the Council at its next meeting regarding the City Hall solar project.
Malibu Environmental Sustainability Subcommittee
Special Meeting
Minutes of February 23, 2023
Councilmember Riggins suggested possibly adding part-time staff to help with outreach.
Mayor Pro Tern Uhring commended staff for an impressive job. He suggested asking the Youth Commission to take what they learn about composting back to their schools. He stated Pepperdine University was trying to become the first dark sky university in the country. He discussed recent comments from Councilmembers questioning why Malibu had more employees than neighboring cities. He suggested bringing a condensed version of today 's presentation to the full Council to educate them about the amount of work being done.
Environmental Sustainability Director Bundy stated the presentation would be added to the City website.
Councilmember Riggins stated many cities outsourced their work.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION
ATTEST:
At 2:47 p.m., Mayor Pro Tern Uhring moved and Councilmember Riggins seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried unanimously.
Approved and adopted
Subcommittee of the •
e Environmental Sustainability
of Ma· u on October 4, 2023.
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CYmHIA ALBA, Executive Assistant