Should I go ahead or am I waiting for
you to tell me to go?
>> We'll do public comment in just a few
moments. I'm just getting the recording
started. I
>> I'm I'm just making sure I'm doing what
I'm supposed to do. So,
>> we'll do a call for public comment in
just a moment.
>> Thanks.
>> Good. Y
>> All right. Welcome everybody. This is
the Wednesday, April 22nd special
meeting of the environmental board. Um,
thank you for coming tonight. We
appreciate it.
Um, this is a hybrid meeting. So, some
of you in person, some of you are
online, the folks in person. If you have
a question, comment, tip your sign up,
please. I'll call you when I see you.
Um, for those of you online, put your
hand up, your remote hand up, and we'll
keep an eye out for you
to watch. Stacey, you want to call us
words?
>> Uh, Tom Anderson has an excused absence.
Nancy Davidson
>> here. Duba
Pandi has an excused absence. Kan P
>> here.
>> Mina June,
Don Mc Williams
>> here,
>> Alex Lee Tner
>> here.
>> Ann Nukem here. Keith Gonzalez has an
excused absence and John Smith
>> here.
>> And Ann and John will be sitting in as
regular members members.
And then I'll just also share we have um
Emma and Oliver from Gibson EC. Emma is
our interns and Oliver.
>> Very good. U next up we have public
comments. Um so we have three minutes or
five minutes?
>> Five minutes.
>> So five minutes per person. Um Steve, I
think your only public comment that I
see tonight.
>> Yeah. Sure.
>> How about we go Steve first?
>> Go for it, Steve.
>> So, this is Steve Pereira. I live in the
Oldtown neighborhood of Isa for 17
yearsish or so. And start as always by
saying thank you for your public
service. I send in some comments like
right about 6:30, so I'm not sure if
they've been distributed or read.
Probably not much before the meeting. I
apologize for that. Uh the kind of gist
of my meeting was to set the context uh
that there is precedent for the city
to implement standards that are higher,
more stringent or more restrictive than
what the either county or the state
submitted. Then I submitted an example
documenting the city council decision to
add is a quad municipal code 5.52
which
is geared around tenant protections
rental increasing the length of time
required to give advanced notice of rent
increases to to 120 days when greater
than 3%.
uh definitely ahead of the curve
uh
locally and
uh statewide level. So my point is just
whether you agree with it or not, there
is example precedent as you take up
tonight's topic of
uh code not code changes but changes
that are needed by all threshold or
manners. We don't seem to be meeting the
standards or outcomes of global warming
by either a percentage or a total
output. And unless we take serious
actions, it doesn't seem that we're
going to meet that threshold.
I believe the two largest factors
contributing to that are transportation
and building energy code development. So
while I don't recommend anything
specifically, I would I would certainly
look at uh requiring energy audits for
private sale
and I would also look at tighter code
energy and transportation
restrictions not apply not just to the
city of Isizquad jurisdiction but to the
uh citywide as well as continuing to
lobby the city with other jurisdictions
including the county, the state and
we're appropriate national levels for
those changes but we can't wait another
5 years before we get ahead of the curb.
Um, so asking that you as a body do
discuss and consider
recommendations in some form, whether
it's by I don't know if I don't know if
you guys can do agenda bills or put
items on the agenda or to write a letter
to city council asking that these this
these topics please be dealt with sooner
rather than later.
Uh, I'll stop my rambling and ask that
somebody please take down my hand at
this point. Thank you all for your
service again and I appreciate the time.
>> Thank you, Steve. Appreciate it.
>> And Steve, just confirming we did
receive your comments as well, not right
before meetings.
>> Thank you for confirming.
>> I don't know if it went to us.
>> Thank you.
Okay. All right. Thank you.
Well, um, good evening and thank you for
the opportunity to speak here. Um, so
I'm I'm a resident and a community
member and I do plan to join the
environment board shortly and looking
forward to working with you all. Um, one
of the points that I want to find out,
this isn't a specific action but more an
observation, something that I'm really
would love to track for as we move
forward. Um, you know, as we move to the
next phase of the IAAP. Um, definitely
there's there'll be focus on faster,
speedier, you know, movement towards the
targets of the ICAP, especially as we
get aligned to 2030, which is an
important milestone coming up. And one
of them is definitely the one that I'm
interested in and watching for
interested in working with you all is um
the the gap between the emissions at the
moment between where we are now and the
2030 targets. Um there is definitely a
big gap and of course it's better in the
room almost um but um um I would love to
you know as you wrap up the I gap I know
it's very close to wrapping up um are
there any deeper actions any any other
actions that can be included um I don't
have any specific thoughts on that but
definitely would love to challenge if we
um and um
as we move forward that's an area that
I' love to work with you on as well over
the next couple of years. So, I just
want to be
>> and thank you. Appreciate it.
Okay. On that, the focus of tonight's
meeting, pretty much the whole meeting
is going to be on the IAP review on the
climate action plan in detail. Stacy's
going to walk us through, Stacey and
David. And there's a printed copy here
if you want to see something in print.
It's also in your packet.
There's two printed copies if you look
at those and also zoom in. Do you want
questions as we go or do you want us to
wait till the end?
>> Um we framed it up kind of into three
main sections. So we'll go we'll provide
an overview of the kind of broad changes
and then take feedback and questions and
then the target feedback and questions
and implementation. Okay.
>> Yeah, feel free to interrupt it if
there's clarifying questions.
Um, and I did want to just acknowledge
to the Ann Pletcher sent in Brandon
comments.
>> Can we can I ask a question about Ann's
comments before you get too far into it?
One of the comments I thought she was ve
was very interesting that I thought
about was things that are too hard for
us to do right now. Kind of summarizing
those. Are they are they going to be in
your presentation tonight or is it
something we should I thought that was a
good thing to think about to just add
because things will change and this is a
10-year plan and just noting that we
thought about these and they may have
been tough and just maybe having a
section. So is there anything like that
in this or in your presentation? And
>> there is currently. Yeah. And I think
some of that is through the discussions
that we had with um the council
committee and you all some of those kind
of big policy ideas that we um proposed
uh that it was decided wasn't feasible
for us to move those forward. So I think
absolutely that's something the board
can propose in this first section of
review content to add in the plan.
>> Yeah. just I thought that was an
interesting comment and I thought that
would be a nice thing to capture but we
can talk about that in the conversation
you know further on but
>> yeah that I love that so we know what it
is that we
>> thought about yeah and what the barriers
are barriers
>> something could happen
>> y absolutely great yeah I think that'll
be good for that first section when we
talk about major plan updates
>> okay thank you
>> Tom also sent us an email saying he
wasn't able to make it tonight but he
also have some concerns about the
10-year plan.
>> Yes. Yeah, I'll note that. And um Keith
had a couple comments.
>> Great. All right.
>> Great. Um so tonight we're going to talk
through the um well, I guess first I
want to acknowledge this is the first
time you all are seeing the other
content beyond the actions and targets.
Um, so what you have is a full very uh
draft because it has not been formatted
although we've been working quite a bit
on the narrative and plan. So we're
calling it of a full draft minus that um
the design layout um etc. But we believe
this has the content that we want to
move forward um for review and approval.
Um so tonight we'll be talking through
the major plan updates just provide you
kind of a broad summary of um the
revisions we've made to the narrative
from the 2021 plan. Um we are looking
for feedback on those updates and then
we are also looking to the board to
determine um whether or not we're ready
to uh move forward with
um I have multiple slides of our
questions. This is kind of how we've
broken up the presentation. Um the first
set of questions will be around general
changes and feedback. Um and then we'll
move into implementation plan and then
approval process. Um so the first set of
questions we have are around feedback on
the narrative. Are there sections that
are missing? Additional content the
board wants to see added. Um and then
we'll dig a little bit into a couple of
the targets uh that have been updated as
well as a proposed revision to the
target.
Um the next set of questions will be on
the implementation section. So this is
the first time you've seen uh both the
narrative for the implementation section
as well as the plan. Uh that plan is the
uh attached spreadsheet that walks
through when actions are anticipated to
start anticipated cost uh lead partner
or department etc. Um so we'll be
seeking both feedback on the narrative
um as well as the work plan.
Um and then the third set of questions
is around our readiness to move forward.
Um, we are, and I'll talk through the
complexities and nuances in a bit, but
we're looking for at least a a tenative
thumbs up. This is headed in the right
direction tonight. Um, but recognizing
you are not seeing a formatted um plan.
Uh, the board may want to hold off on
that final.
So, those are the three buckets of
questions to the board.
Okay. Um so I will walk through some of
the major updates. Um
again this is pretty high level summary
um that we'll be going through that we
did include in the meeting packet
attachment D. Uh this is a document that
Emma, one of our interns has been
helping us out with quite a bit over the
last um nine months or so. Uh attachment
D is our comment tracker and change
tracker. So we've tried to document all
the feedback we've gotten from boards,
commissions, and members of the public.
And then we David and I also went
through and added kind of the major
changes that or revisions that we've
made to the plans, the 2021 version. Um
so again, that has that attachment D has
the details. I'm going to provide the
high level. Um so major plan updates,
we're planning to update the graphics.
There's a number of uh graphics that we
just have additional content from our
greenhouse gas inventory. For example,
um replace photos, add some more photos
um to help tell the story. Uh we've
removed the references to the 2021
process. So, if you all remember, there
was a number of climate convenings,
community discussions that really helped
build the 2021 plan. Um we feel like
that process is now documented in the
2021 plan. Um and instead we want to
kind of look from 2021 forward.
Um similarly we removed a lot of the
background on the work the city and
community did to lead up to the 2021
plan. Um and instead we added a section
on achievement since the 2021 plan
adoption.
Um, kind of building from our neighbors,
we've added in a lot more language
around the importance of state regional
policies, EDS, electric transition, and
the reliance of the electrical grid. Um,
so tried to really emphasize that is
important
towards success of this plan. Um I did
want to just note uh Keith sent a note
just saying he supported
the language around.
Um other updates is um there's a section
on climate impacts. Um we added a few of
the major events that have unfolded
since 2021 such as the bomb cycle and
additional flooding. Um we have a new
section on measures. Um David presented
quite a bit on measures at our last IAP
meeting um that they reflect the plan
level goal focus area targets and then
also the new uh the addition of these
high priority measures.
Um the targets and actions have all been
updated based on feedback from you all
other commissions and committee as well
as the committees that convened last
summer.
Um, and then one other change you may or
may not recall from the 2021 plan is
that each of the focus areas talked
about the relevant functional plan. So,
how it related to other city plans and
then they also had a kind of call to
action within each of those sections. We
decided to remove that because we have
um of an overarching discussion of how
this plan relates to other plans and
then removed the call to action because
it was very focused on community members
where we see this plan as being for
businesses and visitors and being much
and for the city. So, it's much more
broad. The um previous call to action
just felt very focused on residents.
Sure. this pro this plan really speaks
to everyone.
Um
so th that is very high level summary um
of the major changes um but wanted to
now just open it up for discussion
feedback on those changes gaps um that
we
>> Nancy
>> well I really support
98% of what you've done but I'm
concerned about removing the what can
you do And I think that people need to
understand. I mean, this is becoming
more and more of a problem nationally
and internationally. And so people need
to know what they can and can't do. And
having a page for community members, a
page for a business, and a page for
whatever else, you know, the city, um,
or, you know, even a column of
suggestions, I think, is important for
people. It's something you're going to
want on the website. People are not
going to read. I mean, this is a tough
thing to read. even for me who's been
involved since this committee started.
Um, so I think you need a highle summary
section that has it somewhere. Um, so
people know that they can make a
difference by changing to a heat pump
and whatever else we choose to do. And
it would be very hard in this document
to find it what I personally could do to
try and make a difference in my
community. And I think that's why we put
it in last time. And I'm very
discouraged if we do not continue to
have that as we move forward because I
think people, businesses, etc. need to
know that. The second piece is which is
an easy part, but I also think we need
to add that section that Ann referred to
about ideas we talked about and um we're
not able to accomplish because of, you
know, the legal, state law, whatever.
But it's an idea we talked about and
it's something that five years from now
might make more sense because something
might change. So, and it also gives
something for that you could communicate
to council which is there is more we
could do if we could just get a few
things around us taken care of. So, I
think that's an important piece that we
thought thought about and decided it
wasn't feasible and I'd really encourage
us to continue. That's my
>> Yeah, I totally agree with Nancy that um
call the action for for um you know
people and businesses owners and
businesses and um is that already in the
dashboard or would it need to be put in
both dashboard and the plan action plan?
>> We had a call to action in our 2025 end
of year report. Um, it's not it's pretty
limited, but we could build that out.
>> Needs to be everywhere.
>> Yeah, we can talk about I think we'll be
reworking the dashboard with the new
targets and measures, so we can look at
that. We have necessarily have a call to
action. We kind of highlight getting
involved.
>> No, there's no there's no call to action
specifically within the dashboard. um
the dashboard will get reworked with the
IAAP update and that was one thing that
was mentioned in the measures uh
committee was thinking about kind of
more of a welcome page that invites
somebody into the dashboard more versus
the way it's set up which is kind of
diving straight into data.
>> It's great. data is great, but people
just want to know what they can do
sometimes and we need them to be really
um question on the call to action. Would
you all prefer that embedded within each
of the focus areas? Um so a call to
action on the building energy or an
appendix where we have a page for each
or
>> I wouldn't put in an appendix because
it's not part of the document in my
opinion. Most people won't read it.
Sorry to interrupt Ann. You're still
talking.
>> I like when you go back.
>> Yeah. So do I. We're But I just think
having it somewhere in the document in
one place so you don't have to read each
section to find it. It's a summary and
it could be something you could hand out
at sustainability.
>> Yeah. One pager at the sustainab your
sustainability fair.
>> Yeah.
>> I would see it, you know, on the
website. It would be, you know, an
another tab basically a call to action
tab right up in front kind of like
executive summary. And then same in the
document right up in the front there. So
because a lot of people I mean they'll
flip through the first five pages and
then
>> Yeah.
>> and they're just going to look at
pictures after that and the graphs and
whatnot.
>> And it's great too because we last year
we put together a sustainability
resource guide for businesses and that's
only been promoted to the business
community. So to be able to bring in a
dash from there into this land so this
another way about a lot of the content
we've already written.
>> Nancy said I think people want to do the
right thing but they don't generally
they have a good idea but they don't
know specifically what you are asking.
>> Yeah. Okay. Yeah.
>> How should we do this? Are you going to
go through and so overall you want that?
>> Yeah. Next we're going to move specific
to targets. So if there's other general
comments about content missing, happy we
can I can bring up the document. Let's
>> this the appropriate place to talk about
the tenure.
>> Um let's why don't we save that for the
implementation section. Yeah. Other
comments on we do have a question in the
presentation. Is there anything else?
But I'd say if you have major sections
you want us to rewrite, new sections to
add, let's talk about that.
>> Uh yeah, I do have a new section. Great.
>> So, and I think it should also be in the
call to action. So, um I
didn't see anything about um forest, you
know, fire
wild, not forest fire, but wildfire
mitigation actions. So, and for
instance, a wildfire, I always think of
it as a forest fire, but wildfires are
just like out of control fires. So,
there's two wildfires going on today
right now. You know where they are?
>> I think one of the big
>> Georgia or something like that.
>> Yeah, Georgia and Florida. Already 50
homes have been burned or so less than I
heard. And I just did a quick glance
like 5,000 acres and one of them has
burned. Um, and I don't think that's
normal,
>> right? It's going to get hot here. This
is climate change. We're trying to be
resilient. So, what about if we put it
in the resilience and community
wellness?
In fact, I thought it was there before,
but then I saw um something was taken
out about wildfire and then I realized
that that was just to get people
prepared for wildfire. Like, what do I
take? you know, how do I prepare and
what do I take to leave the house and
stuff like that? But I'm talking about
um you know, pardoning your home.
So, if there is a fire, either
forest fire, you've got that 5 foot
buffer and your home is hardened, so
maybe it's not going to burn. So it's
it's they've shown in like LA, you know,
there's uh the houses that didn't burn
had these practices. So houses in
multiple fires that we've had that
didn't burn have had these home
harvesting practices. They did the work.
And so it just makes sense to um you get
the word out more. It seems like most
people don't know about it. And then of
course, not only that, but like we all
we might be barbecuing, you know,
something outside and um we live next to
a forest and um a little fire gets out
of control and it's really dry and then
it just catches the whole forest fire.
So it goes both ways. We want to protect
our forest and we want to protect our
>> So I really think this has to be in
there.
>> Yeah. Is there um I think we tried to do
we were trying to generalize a lot of
the results action should be generalized
important.
>> So calling out wildfire specifically.
This came up when your emergency
management
>> manager was here and we kind of went
down this path and I want to say,
correct me if I'm wrong, but I want to
say that he was going to address it in
some of his outreach materials, but it
wouldn't be bad to echo it by any means.
to the echo because okay for instance um
when Minnie Dwali was we were doing the
tree
>> cup
>> um I was like let's let's have a five
foot buffer you know of non-plantable
things like don't plant a bunch of
shrubs in that 5 foot buffer have gravel
or something around the edges
>> and um she was like nope we can't do
that um but what we can do is educate
the public
and so Um, in in order for that to
happen, it has to be in our plans.
>> Yeah,
>> multiple plans. Maybe all our plans.
>> Okay. Um, I know I'm trying to
Oh, we did
>> incentivize. Yeah.
>> 1.3. I know this was I think a
recommendation from Tom pre-qualifying
contractors. Um, so we do mention
incentivizing wildife or wild wildfire
resistant building materials
>> building materials, but it's more than
that. in your
>> so I did read the building materials
>> but there's the whole practice that
conservation district county fire and
rescue DNR they've all got good
practices right so follow those
practices and it doesn't really have to
do with the material has a little bit to
do that's one of it but it's just a pain
part
>> okay so folks want to see a specific
action around
that yeah I think so Sure.
>> That's a lot of emissions, you know,
houses and forest burn.
It would reduce our tree canopy a lot.
>> Yeah. Potentially.
>> And the Isiqua Alpro Club has a forum
coming up on 29th that goes with this in
how to keep our forest healthy in these
education.
Um
on
getting idea what what we want that
action to cover specifically.
>> Um
>> I heard forest protection too.
>> Wildfire wildfire mitigation I think.
Could that be the title?
wildfire mitigation would maybe go a
little bit more towards kind of like
forest management practices. So I think
it maybe like uh fire
impact
>> is that what you're getting at
wildfire mitigation is is how they how
they word it but I can look it up right
now.
We can talk with Jared too.
>> I think it's more than forest management
because you know you live in
neighborhoods that don't Highlands
doesn't have any forests in the center
of it but they still have a lot of homes
that may not may not be ready for a fire
that might come through.
>> Yeah. you know, breaking the, you know,
breaking up leaves and everything looks
flammable. You know, trimming back your
trees, not planting anything there.
any flat surface, you know, could have
nonflammable stuff. Having a metal roof
or you know those roofs that with a
class A fire rated um
shingle roof, which I don't know what
that what those are, but I know it's
less expensive than a metal roof. I like
metal roofs and I don't know like
concrete.
>> Those are some that we're recommending.
>> Okay,
>> but it's all in the plans. There's a
bunch of plans out there and so you guys
I know you guys are good at figuring
this out.
>> Okay. Yeah, we can talk with um Jared
and develop a general but at least it's
calling out
wild um calling out wildfire
specifically.
>> Yeah, that's great. And it is it is also
resilience but I think the mitigation is
like how do we not get it spread? Mhm.
>> What we're trying to do is not is make
it so it doesn't spread tires.
>> Okay.
>> Great
other
Well, I have the plan open. Any other um
actions that folks feel like we missed
or
>> So, I didn't see load. So, I'm wondering
if load shifting and demand response are
a little bit different.
>> Is that possible? Is is it like when we
um
when we don't use electricity during our
peak times and then we use it during off
peak times is I think we might have
categorized that as demand response but
I'm wondering if demand response is more
like when we have a hot or cold event
and we're asked to um not use
electricity for a whole day or certain
hours in that day. And so is that demand
response and then loads when we just oh
we're going to curtail and use that
later.
>> Yeah, that's a good question. I think
and not an expert on this, but I think
with PSSE's program there's with the
demand response, it can be just using it
um shifting your energy use to times
when there's less demand. So it could be
like making sure your car is set up to
charge during the night instead of at
6:00 when everyone's going home. But we
could add in load shifting here just to
make sure it's
>> so people understand. Yeah. So I
listened to the Bolts podcast and you
know and I did know that we weren't
using all of our electricity on the grid
but it's like 50 50%. So better
utilization of what's on the grid
because they have to plan for peak
events and then um power companies also
make money on um building things. That's
how they make their money. So, um, so
yeah, just better utilization of the
grid. We can help out with that.
>> I'll just add that now. We'll we'll
chat.
>> Saves money. Saves money for customers.
>> Let's see. And then I just had like
specific little things. Um, couple
little specific things. And I know we're
going to talk about tree. You're going
to ask us that question today. So,
so under strategy number one 1.2 too. I
think there should be advocate for
legislation and policy. It's not just
legislation. I think that can is
confusing if you are just going through
and you're looking at it and you don't
read the the full thing. So, I would
just add policy to that.
>> This is um
>> this is strategy 1.2.
>> Yeah. Category number one 1.3.
>> Okay. I mean
there
other folks comfortable with that change
>> in NS 1.3. I wasn't sure if they signed
to the green
because they are these are it's green
volunteers getting out there um removing
it.
>> Um they do I think and we called them
out I think in the implementation
plan. I think we wanted to leave it a
little broad since some of this might be
on private property. So we're trying to
be careful not calling out partners
here. Um, but we'll double check that
they're in the implementation
>> and then CR 1.3.
Um, talking. So, I think it
So, I just noticed the green roof, and
I'm starting to wonder now if that's a
good idea because if you don't keep it
moist, um the vegetation could get
really dry during a heat event. And um
on Fourth of July, somebody could
accidentally catch them by a bottle off.
>> Just a thought. I'm not really sure. I
didn't do any research about that. Yeah,
>> I think it was probably included because
it's a um strong cooling opportunity for
roofs. So, thinking about heat that and
painting them a light color like white
as the albido effect because we're
losing our ice caps. If we all had white
roofs, maybe that would help.
>> We could just remove it from here and
not call it out specifically. It doesn't
mean that
I
>> think most of at least the ones I'm
familiar with with our parks building
where we have them. There's requirement
to have irrigation up there and keep
them watered on a regular basis and they
have to be inspected.
>> Yeah.
>> For them to
keep that certification. Most of the
buildings are bleed through.
>> Good to know. Yeah.
>> I love freeze roof so I don't want to be
a naysayer but I just thought about that
as I was reading it.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. Cool.
>> And then there was Ann's comment. So I
like what she said a lot of the things
but um
about
bring like one person from each
department
um and working collab collaboratively on
certain subjects
um to get those
I don't know if that is something you
think
>> um we do have language in the plan uh
building internal capacity um and
paraphrase basically building champions
across the entire city to advocate the
work um for sustainability initiatives
within departments. We have a couple of
cross departmental committees
uh where we do get a bit to what Ann was
suggesting
uh OM 2.5 we talk about strengthening
staff ability to
make sustainability related decisions.
Some of that could be through
programming um
like that. So yeah, I don't know if we
want to specifically get to that level
of detail where we're calling out the
city to develop a cross departmental
committee. We have some of that, but of
course our
look at your comp plan. It's probably
something in there that speaks to that.
>> You had some really great comments, but
I can't remember right now. I should
have written it down. I was just
wondering if we should address
what what was your most important
comment
in your comment. Yeah,
>> I haven't looked at detail in detail.
So, okay. So,
>> just wanted to make told.
>> Okay.
>> We can circle back to this if we have
more comments. That's JCO.
>> Can you just summarize what you have
agreed to do just so that Do you know
that or are you going to do it at the
end of the meeting? I just want to make
Yeah.
>> Yeah. No, I think that's a great
suggestion. So, we captured those real
specific comments on the plan
particularly around the resilience
action. We'll work on adding specific to
wildfire. And then the two new sections
that we talked about was adding a
section on what we can't do now or
barriers where we'll speak to ideas that
were talked about but we don't feel for
whatever reason it might be that we
can't move them forward now. It might be
a legal barrier was called out as a
capacity barrier etc. Um and then we'll
also add a section early in the
document. It's a a call to action. Um we
can develop one pages for residents,
businesses, employees, visitors. Um and
we'll also be sure that that content is
integrated into the new dashboards and
across web pages.
>> I like that. Thank you, Megan.
>> Great work as always. Yeah,
>> we've been looking at this document for
over a year, so always nice to have a
fresh set of eyes on it. Okay,
please.
>> All right, and folks online, feel free
to jump in kind of having more of a
conversation here. So, jump in anytime.
All right, we're going to get a little
bit more specific now with some proposed
change and updates to targets.
Um at the last meeting we talked about
uh changing the current tree canopy goal
from 55% by 2035 to 53%.
Um I think I didn't fully share Ann's
comments around that. Um where I think
and speak to this more Ann in her
discussions with Dan they had talked
about a 53% tree canopy possibly being
achievable by 2050. Um, so there's a
proposal to move the tree canopy to
2050. Um, I will note he sent support
for that. And then the other target, um,
our water manager has been out on leave.
Had a chance to talk with her and our
public works director a couple weeks ago
around the water target. This is new. We
didn't currently have a water target in
the plan. And what we landed on was
having
um the water target under the focus area
speak to the city's water system plan
which sets targets. That plan is about
to be updated. So we don't want to get
ahead of that very lengthy process and
um set targets in the IAP, but instead
referring to those targets that will be
in the water system plan. Um that's a
state approved plan. Um and then what we
also talked about as a really important
measure is looking at seasonal water use
and specifically what this would capture
is summer irrigation. Um which our water
shared is one of the biggest issues. Um
so we can't necessarily set a target for
that because it fluctuates based on the
weather and um new businesses coming to
town, new multif family buildings being
built. uh but she thought this would be
really important to track over time um
that we can uh see how it fluctuates in
comparison to weather.
So uh that's what we're proposing for
the water target is looking at the water
system or referring to the water system
this new priority measure around season
>> but the seasonal water has to be tracked
on the IAP or inside of the system plan.
>> Um no it's they track it separately. um
our public works department would track
that and report out on and we would
reflect that data in the dash.
>> Is the water system plan going to come
to this committee?
>> Uh I don't know if it typic well the
last time it was updated was probably
eight plus years ago but we can talk to
them. I don't know if
>> I guess if we're deferring water use
reduction target targets and you know
dealing with seasonal water use to
another plan it would instead of putting
it in this one and setting it. Yeah,
>> it would be great if it we could have an
opportunity to comment on it.
>> Yeah,
>> I think we need to see where the
reservoirs and pipes need to go but I
think the big picture policy issues are
probably something we might want to hear
from them on.
>> Great. Yeah, I'm guessing that probably
wasn't like rivers and streams,
>> right? So water system.
>> There's also inside of that plan or
separate from it, typically there's a
water contingency plan. So if
>> SPU issues a voluntary compliance, then
you'll you'll see that.
>> Great. It's been a while since I've done
one, but I used to do them all the time.
>> That was my responsibility. Water system
plans.
>> Great. Yeah. And I believe that was
going to be updated in 2728. So that's a
great suggestion we can talk.
>> Uh so our questions to you all or are if
you want to keep the tree canopy target
of mention 53% at 2035 or do we want to
bump that out to 20?
Yeah,
>> I had a great meeting with Dan Hints and
um he's done a lot of great work around
this, put a lot of thought into it. Um
um he worked with King Conservation
District. They have a GIS tool, New York
GIS or something like that. And um he
was really able to drill down and see
like where could we be planting trees?
And um so
uh
first off maybe I should start so we've
been holding steady uh at the 51% since
2019 and I think Stacy explained why
that was at the last meeting. So there
were some big housing developments and
maybe the highlands that the trees got
cut down and um it was measured and then
they grew back and so um they grew back
by 2017 or 2019 to 2019 and um and so
we've been holding steady at 51% since
then. And um so the 53% that's two more%
of course and um
uh that would be like 150 acres and he's
thought he sees like 75 acres in um
state park
state park
keeping in mind that you need to keep
some of it meadow um to keep suggested
this and then apparently also So, um,
whenever they start planting trees,
there's a lot of concerned citizens.
They're concerned about, um, the birds,
you know, because there's a lot of, um,
birds that hunt in the meadows. So,
>> something to think about. So, we want to
keep some meadows as well. And then
there's like a few acres in um,
a south cove,
and then
a few more here and there um, and on
private land. So it seems like um 150
acres would be total um
so
uh the uh but it has to be at 20 by
2050. So it takes about 10 years to grow
a canopy.
And so
anything that for a 2035 pole we would
have already had to have planted. And so
um and maybe we've got like half a
percent. So if we wanted to do like half
a percent by um 2035 and then the rest
and then you know 53% by
um total by 2050 that would work. I
think that's pretty much everything. Um
but yeah, I was really impressed with
how Dan um put a lot of work into
figuring this all out. So it makes total
sense.
And that's a lot. 50 150 acres. It's a
lot.
>> I don't know that I want to extend it
all the way to 2050. I like the 2035
goal. Um, you're not going to get mature
trees by 2035, but you could be on your
way to planting those. Maybe you're
reporting out in 2030, 2032, somewhere
in there that, hey, we've planted 75
acres and, you know, by 2040 we expect
to have a mature canopy of this size. So
>> yeah,
>> something like that that
is looking future focused rather than
just tableabling it till 2050 because
otherwise
>> they have to be planted before 2040 or
it won't
>> easily. Yeah, probably before that.
>> Yeah. So So that makes sense. X amount
planted by rather than the canopy also
included. I like that. Planted by 2035
or 2040.
>> See, I I would support that too. The the
only reason I like the 2035 is because
you've got to get the council to spend
the money
>> to actually achieve to buy the trees and
get the land and stuff like that. If you
put it to 2050, that gives them a whole
20 years to try and do any of this. And
it's easy to let this target slide. It
is really easy when you're looking 20
years out. It's much harder to look at
it in 2035. So if you could say have so
many trees or you know 1% by or two 1%
by just so many trees planted by 2035
and so many trees planted by 2040 so
that you achieve a 2050 target of a
canopy of um whatever and I'd leave that
to Dan to come back with a
recommendation on how he can achieve
this. I think we're hearing him, but I
think what we don't want to do is not
have council put the financial
wherewithal behind this goal. Acquire
the land,
>> find the land, plant the trees.
>> Yeah,
>> you might not need to acquire the land,
but with this plan, you don't need to
acquire any land. You just plant the
trees.
>> Right. And I'm just saying, but if they
have to, and we suggested going outside
the city to get some of the trees
potentially at the harvest that are
happening just outside our boundaries,
>> you can see them all the time. an
opportunity may arise or they get an
donated to them. I know a lot of lot of
things happen between now and 23.
>> Alex, you had a comment.
I just wanted to agree with that line of
thinking of having a number of acres
that we as it's a goal to be planted um
by 2035 or 2040 potentially
um that then would be the getting to
that 2050
target of canopy coverage.
>> He's got to figure it out now.
stay broke.
>> I'm not completely clear. Do we want to
keep the target and then have a goal? Um
Dan and his team report out on number of
trees planted every year. That's easy
for us to pull. We could ask them does
that a goal of annual planting. They
probably have that built out.
>> Well, if I'm hearing right from it's 150
acres you said when you talked to Dan.
>> Yeah. to get to the 2%
>> having to work with state parks. Yeah.
So, um rather than the number of trees
that Yeah. or they'll have to start
calculating the acres
>> with the number of trees
>> 150 acres of trees planted by 2035 to
achieve achieve a 53% canopy by 2050
something like that. that change the
target to acres.
>> 150 acres
>> to achieve a
canopy
>> by 2050
>> to achieve
>> 150 acres of trees planted by 2035
>> to achieve target.
>> Sounds great. run that back% sure
>> or
>> he can come back
>> maybe
38
>> 2038
>> and the plan should be incremental
between now and 2035 so that you
>> they're increasing. Yeah.
>> But if you set that
>> Yeah. Wait until 2034
>> financially heads up and say
>> otherwise they're just going to kick the
can down the road.
>> Yeah. Throw
>> the money out. Yeah. Okay.
>> Going to
make the change in here. Make sure we
get the wording right.
>> We would also maybe want to talk with
Dan around um
tree loss in the same period. So if you
plan 150 acres but there's development
or bomb cyclones, things like that,
there would have to be, wouldn't it?
>> So I don't quite know what that would
look like, but we can talk with them
around how to include
that language around net. Yeah, I think
it would be a net
>> goal is the 53% by 2050, but
>> yeah,
>> we don't want to wait till 2050 go on
the ground.
>> Exactly.
>> Acres planted.
Maybe we should say at least
>> Okay. Is that we can word Smith it?
>> You understand what we're trying to get
to? Yeah, I I do. And I want to make
sure that it's not um you know, lost.
>> I think you've captured it.
>> You and Dan can work it out.
>> Or something like that. We need to Okay,
everyone.
Good. Okay.
Um, and the water should have changed
that while I was in there. Um, no
changes to the water target, but we will
talk to public works uh making sure that
the board has a chance to review the
water system plan and the um recommended
targets in there when it's developed
>> and the water contingency plan as well.
Is this like a Google doc that updates
um automatically that so we can see it
when you type something?
>> No, I can bring it back up.
>> Oh, no worries.
Hey,
>> do we have outreach programs in here
that to help us get there related to
this canopy for the
>> Oh, we have um Yes, there's lots of
programming around tree planting
>> owners
trees.
>> Okay,
>> let's make sure that's the parks plan.
Yep. Implementing the parks plan.
Implementing the urban forest management
plan. Uh tree canopy on private
property.
>> There's an education
>> we have general education outreach.
Yeah. Take a look if you are like
>> just as a result of these discussions I
now have 36 small trees that I'm
nurturing.
>> Yeah. yard for for donation to the city.
>> But if we could get
into lots of people doing that.
>> Yeah.
>> We wouldn't have to buy trees.
>> Yeah.
>> And they could get them, you know,
mature trees.
>> Yeah.
>> 5-year-old trees.
>> I could
see.
>> Great. So um next section to discuss is
the implementation section. Um within
this section uh it does include kind of
more details around how we would plan to
uh implement all of the actions that
we've talked about uh for the last many
months. Um again today I'll just kind of
go through some of the major changes
that we've incorporated into uh the
implementation section at this point and
then open up to any comments and
questions related to that. So, uh, the
first one being, uh, something that we
actually talked with the environmental
board about a long time ago at this
point, but it was, um, we have
incorporated at this point, um, a
description of this being a 10-year, uh,
action plan, um, with many pieces as
outlined on the slides related to um,
how we are going to deal with the plan
on a year or and every other year basis.
So,
In addition to it being or within it
being a 10-year plan, we would have
bienial work plans that align with our
budgeting process um and develop uh
implementation approaches for the
actions that we're going to be taking in
sustainability as well as in other
departments uh in more detail.
Additionally, uh there'd be annual
progress reports on what we've
accomplished the previous year, what
we'd be looking forward to, um things
like that. um helping kind of provide uh
context for um how we are really uh
implementing the climate action plan um
and what we need to be considering for
for those next years.
Uh we would uh similar to uh how we've
discussed this with the board in the
past, we've included that there would be
regular greenhouse gas inventories every
2 to 5 years. Um and we incorporated
this flexibility of 2 to 5 years so that
we could align with um regional efforts
and maximize resources. So um as of
right now we do inventories every two
years with the east side climate
partnership. Um but as those
opportunities change, as regional
opportunities arise, we uh thought and
the board had uh supported in the past
kind of allowing a little bit of
flexibility um uh so that those could
align those inventories could align with
those regional efforts.
Additionally, um making sure uh that we
shared out um lessons learned,
achievements, uh challenges um that
we've encountered while implementing the
climate action plan so that um we can
make sure that um we're being
transparent around um how the city is
learning and growing uh in that
implementation process. And then there
is also written in I believe it's in
2030 doing a midpoint check-in uh to the
climate action plan. And this was uh
again specifically requested by the
environmental board when we had
previously talked about this. So
thinking a 10-year plan um is is quite a
long time. Um and the um uh length of
that plan is to allow us um the staff
some flexibility around um implementing
it. uh in implementing actions
especially that we know we're going to
be needing to do for the long period um
without necessarily shifting as many
resources into um a full plan update as
we've done this time. but instead
incorporating a midpoint check-in um and
additional check-ins from city
administration as we're evaluating our
progress against targets so that if we
do need to be um adding actions,
shifting targets um or strengthening
targets um or doing any other updates,
we can um have that um have that process
laid out.
Next slide. And there's additional
details also um some held over from the
previous plan and some updated related
to monitoring and evaluation, equity
considerations, incentives, things like
that.
Additionally, as part of the attachments
to the board materials uh today was uh
an Excel uh document of our
implementation plan as written right
now. And what this is intended to do is
to help us think through um what does
implementation of each of the actions
within the climate action plan actually
uh look like and mean. Included in that
implementation plan are uh estimated
start years of when staff would be
taking that action and and starting to
implement it. um many of the actions
have either ongoing implementation past
their start year um or there would be
kind of checkpoints, right? So if some
of the actions are assessed feasibility,
for instance, um that action could be
ongoing if we deem that action feasible
and um uh might end if if um it is
determined that's not the right action
or effort to implement at that time.
Additionally, we've highlighted um lead
agencies or lead departments within the
city, partner organizations,
um budget estimates um that go from
staff time all the way up to above uh
$250,000
for the most expensive uh actions that
we anticipate implementing. And then we
also added a new column specifically
related to connecting our actions back
to the targets that we've outlined
within the plan.
So
>> connecting each action to either the
plan level target specific focus area
targets and then also this was uh part
of the theory with the high priority
measures connecting those each of the
target actions back to those high pri
priority measures where appropriate.
We did remove specific uh reference to
partners and some local organizations
and we'll call those out in our two-year
plan. But we um wanted to make sure that
there was some flexibility in there as
partners change, as uh names change, as
uh as things change, but instead um call
out that we would be identifying the
appropriate local partners to um to work
with on the implementation of any action
as we go.
Those are generally the main changes
with the implementation plan and what
that uh looks like at this time. Um but
uh happy to hear um next set of feedback
on uh how that implementation section um
looks, feels and uh whether there are
any updates you'd like to see us make.
>> Do you feel that you have the
flexibility in here? So I'd say year two
you're looking at a feasibility study
and you're just like this is not going
to work and we really just need to bag
this, cut our losses and move on. Do you
have flexibility in here to be able to
do that or to shift the other direction
rather than waiting for the five or 10
year mark?
Um I think from my perspective I would
say yes for the actions that say assess
feasibility for I think um we could um
stop doing actions that don't have that
language in particular if it's deemed no
longer feasible um uh but the way the
the uh ones that are written um related
to feasibility and implementation I I
believe so we could kind of stop if um
>> yeah that's mostly the big kind of
policies or big actions, we've included
that language just because we want to
make sure that the cost benefit works
out and everybody's going to have the
intended impact. Um, and then I think if
there's other actions that we start down
the path of implementing and we just
realize this is not where we should be
investing our time or resources, that's
something we can report out in those
annual reports or reflect that banium
too. Cool.
So, it sounds like if we do go for the
10 10 years, um, uh, there'll be like a
fiveyear check in, but it doesn't have
to be a full overhaul like this. It's it
just takes up a lot of time. Um, and so,
and so you can be fairly nimble. Or
maybe if there's something three years
where you feel like you have to change
it, you can, um, bring it up to the
board and talk about changing it.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Absolutely. And we tried to in
this version of the plan, we tried to
generalize a bit more of the actions to
allow for that flexibility. But yeah, if
there's something we feel is essential
we move forward and it wasn't included
in the plan or something just isn't
right with the plan, I think we could
always bring it to the board and
recommend we do an update um even before
the five years if necessary.
>> Yeah. And I know Tom um expressed in his
comments he wasn't I think the tenure so
that was not his preferred approach but
we've tried to include checkpoints in
those by mail work plans uh to make sure
that we have those regular check-ins
that we would
share
>> and the annual reports for transparency
around of what we've done
>> the 10year number did that come from
state recommendations of when They plan
to acquire updates next
>> necessarily. Um I think it was just
feeling like five years went fast. Um
and I talked to that. Yeah.
>> Uh we kind of talked through that with
the board. Do we go to eight years?
There are some other cities that have
moved to 10 year. The urban forest
management plan is a 10-year plan. So we
felt like we have even if things are
changing at the state federal level um
we feel like we have a general sense of
what we need to be for the next
years um but abs we'll need those checks
throughout just to make sure
>> Alex you had a comment
>> yeah I support this being a 10-year plan
um especially because I looking through
it all of the start years are still
within in like the next 3 years. So, we
should have a good assessment by that
5year
check-in point as to what's working and
what we need to update. Um, do you find
it realistic that all of these actions
will have been started by 2029?
Um, I know some of them are already
ongoing, programs and things like that.
Um, just kind of wanted to check in on
those timelines. I guess there's one
that's that's longer that I'm seeing
that starts in 2033. Um,
so just want to check on those dates.
>> Yeah, I think when we were uh mapping
out the dates in the implementation
plan, I think we felt comfortable with
the dates we put in there that at least
those longer term actions we could
initiate the feasibility study within
the next budget. And our intent is as we
go through the budget process this year
to ask for funding to initiate that
work.
Um I think if there's any actions a lot
of the work is underway in some form or
another. I think otherwise but yeah we
can do another pass through or if
there's any actions in there that the
board really questioning please like
those perhaps
I think this makes sense to going into
the budget year to have all of these
saying we're starting within nearly the
next bianium so then it can be planned
for budget-wise that's
I support it. Great job.
>> Yeah, thank you.
>> We'll add in that we talked about with
the wildfire that will be added into
theation plan that
>> well some of the language updates.
>> Yes.
Great. Um, before we move to
Google options, our next question is, is
there any other that you all have?
You've given some great feedback today
on additional sections we'll prepare,
but any other content you want to see?
Not
>> for me.
>> Couple of things I've been thinking
about. Um,
something that's not really addressed is
like re reducing consumption. There's
everything that's in here has got some
plan to increase efficiencies
to
um spend money to to
um improve efficiencies but there could
be gains done. We had some targets for
just reducing consumption
>> and um I was thinking looking at the
tree or sorry the um transportation
um
transportation and land use. Um you've
got a lot of targets there on on
increasing um
decreasing miles traveled. But you could
do a simple measure like you could set
targets for the number of vehicles
within the city limits and
reducing the number like
does every household need to have three
vehicles? Do they need to have three
vehicles plus an RV? you know, um
because that's that's a measure of
consumption
and
or or measuring the the um pavement area
that we have within the city.
Like we want to keep the pave want to
keep the uh have some targets for
we have certain amount paved area today
roads parking lots and we want to keep
keep it at that level or reduce it
instead of just but there's no measure
of that just a measure of like let's
let's get more people let's reduce you
know vehicle miles travel and things
like we are going to grow as a city but
um
um it may get very very dense and we
just um so just a different way of
thinking about it is is reducing
consumption and I I can walk through my
neighborhood I can see vehicles parked
in driveways that have never moved and
they're brand new they're they're nice
new vehicles
>> y
that's consumption that causes that
burns through resources.
The other I mentioned this before but um
materials and consumption um
talk about diverting more to the
landfills.
Um,
I don't know how to do this, but I like
to have some sort of targets for um
keeping our roadsides clean and like
um certain cities um and places have
gotten a lot worse over the years and
and this qua is not too bad, but there
are certain areas that are getting
worse. But um there are examples of of
of like the Seattle area has just gone
in the last 30 years has gotten really
bad. You know, a lot of lot of um
um materials that are tossed off along
the roadsides that are not being
removed. No. And there's no plan to
remove it. But we have a fixed
boundary to this city and we could set
some targets for um maintaining
um our the areas that we have and we
could set some requirements for our our
city to to to maintain these things. Um
um and then encourage, you know,
encourage um
encourage a culture of keeping our
environment clean of debris. I'm
thinking specifically of debris. I mean,
all this is about greenhouse gas, but I
can give you an examp like if you go
into Mexico, right? Um
um or you go to India that the cultures
you they don't even have trash you know
trash bins they just throw it out they
throw it out they drive down the road
and throw it in the weeds and
>> um we ought to have some targets uh to
to to try to keep keep our what we have
within this we've got a in a relatively
small town keep it keep it nice like I
was thinking later the other Hey, on 900
and I found a
vehicle
in Isqual Creek in the creek that feeds
uh Lake Spanish.
>> A whole vehicle.
>> A whole vehicle that's probably been
there for 10 years and but it's outside
the city limits. Just outside the city
limits. It's like
>> Did you record it? Report it to town. I
did.
>> Yeah.
But
we we have stretches of roads that I
could give you a map and we could we
could do some studies,
simple studies, you know, annually go
measure the amount of litter found on a
certain, you know, certain mile road and
and we try to keep it keep it under
control.
>> And they do that with the storm drains,
too, because you know that you can adopt
a storm drain in your neighborhood. So
there is a system that can be done, you
know, that would be an interesting thing
to adopt or pick up the trash in your
neighborhood like adopt a storm drain.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Just um
if you if you don't do anything
>> Oh, I get it.
>> I think I mentioned this. I'm reading a
book onius Grant. He was we wrote to his
wife 150 years ago on his visit to uh
Mexico City and he said it was the most
beautiful place on earth and I don't
think it's that way today. I've never
been there but I've heard that it's the
most polluted place in the world and and
within 150 years it's gone from a
beautiful place to the most polluted
place and that's because there haven't
been people
focusing
the government probably had something to
do with that
>> and this is a government
I'm off my stuff
>> and I agree with you I mean if you
>> there's nothing not a lot in here about
that
>> I don't know if this is the place for it
or not but you could certainly mention
it here and then reference it over to it
helps support the other plans like the
transportation plan and the parks plan
um where they could do things like that
and the less waste you have on the
the less desire there is to throw out
more waste. It's a cyclical.
>> It's a culture.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. I was trying to see if there is a
way to fit it.
>> Who takes care of your like the more
formal streets, the sidewalks along FR
Street and Gilman? Is that the parks
department or
>> there are I mean they have they have a
pretty good plan. They have bins out.
>> Yeah. and they pick up things in the
bins and I can report to these and get
it picked up. But I'm I'm talking about
places that are not that are not
covered, you know, that are stretches of
State Route 900 or East Lake Samish,
people that was high traffic.
The neighborhoods are pretty good
because they're maintained by themselves
by the residents,
>> but it's the public areas that, you
know, say we have a light rail station
have to have that go.
>> I mean, that could fit under strategy
one, increasing waste diversion by
improving community waste collection.
It's probably worth it more versus
reducing the material.
>> You could say including ditch roadside
ditches. Is that where you find most of
it is roadside ditches?
>> That's where that's where the problems
are that are not being addressed.
>> Yes.
>> We want a new action.
>> Back up to the first one.
That's kind of f it's mostly focused on
getting recycling composting in multif
family commercial but we could expand
what's meant to that.
>> Alex has her hand up. Alex
>> I was just thinking on that first one
that could address John's ask for more
reduced consumption because it it's it's
focusing on outreach and education. So
maybe there's a
conduct reduce recycling and composting
outreach and education. Um so you're
gearing it towards less use overall
>> within this action.
>> Yeah. And within MC 1.1
seems like it could also include that
outreach and education around reducing
use of materials.
Um
proper litter.
There's another one. Uh was it in No, I
lost where it was that talked about
reducing pollutants to streams.
>> Yep, that's in the first one. That would
be a good one. Yeah.
>> Um, it could fit in there with litter.
Um, I think it's more aimed at chemicals
and things like that, but I don't know
if you could
include landbased pollutants there or
something like that.
>> Yeah, because if it gets into the
stream, could be plastic.
The fish could eat it. It could get out
into the ocean.
The birds could eat it
also be
a lot.
>> There is a increasing wildlife.
>> I Yeah, Alex. I like I feel like that
fits best because the climate connection
is a little
hard for this one, but it fits within
really the intent of OM1.7
and I think John brought that up at
other meetings um
about keeping like plastics for example
out of the street.
>> Yeah, you've got one there. Assess
potential for assembly plastic.
>> Yes. Yeah. But this could address kind
of thing.
>> But these I mean this kind of thing is
measurable. I mean we have a fixed
number of rivers and streams and ditches
and wetlands and we could go in to those
and and
assess them annually to see where we are
and make sure they're not getting out of
control.
Yeah.
Or you could require the city to go
clean up State Route 900 from, you know,
from a point to the
edge of town, you know, twice a year
instead of not doing it at all.
And you then you'd have to put funding
in to have them go do that.
>> But rather do that than because if you
let it pile up, people think it's cool
to just, oh, it's okay. I can throw
anything out here I want.
>> Yeah. Yeah. One time I was at it's like
the doggy bags, right? One time I was at
a trail head on on Cougar Mountain and
there was like this huge pile of green
doggy bags, you know, right under the
sign. It's like, "Oh, I guess this is
the place we can dispose of our doggy."
>> Yeah. They multiply.
Um well there's two potential areas we
can talk with Sam too and get her input
but maybe including in the outreach
within the materials and consumption
stream pollutants.
Um and then the other that total
vehicles so we do have a measure around
EVs registered in the city. Let me get
that. Yeah,
>> I think I think we can pull um also just
total vehicles per capita per capita
which could be really interesting um to
look at see if our populations going up.
Do we see more single vehicle
households?
>> You have a target if you're going to
build a whole bunch of apartments or
condos and apartments
numbers.
>> It does go into the action related to
parking minimums.
>> Yeah, that's what I say we are looking
at,
>> right? which is kind of a a way to get
at this
um item, right? In a way that the city
can control.
>> Yeah,
>> that would be just multi,
>> right?
>> So, we could look here with the high
priority measures.
>> You could probably get know exactly how
many vehicles are registered to owners
in the city pretty quick.
>> I think you could request that through
the DMV.
>> Yeah, DMV has on their website you can
pull EVs. I haven't looked at other
vehicles, but I'm sure
folks
are there, revisions
It's nice to see less pages. Is it like
>> we tried to cut out?
>> Um, yes. It's not format. It's down to
about 50, which the majority of that are
the targets and actions, but I think it
was 80 something.
>> I think it looks really good. You guys
done a good job.
>> Yeah, agree. What one of the thoughts I
wrote down when I got here is like what
does this cover and what does it not
cover? I can I mean if it that's kind of
related to the last discussions I've had
if it's you can have a section in there
says this covers greenhouse gas
emissions and
>> and that's the focus of this
>> primarily the air and water.
>> Um it does not cover solid waste or
something like that
>> that's covered here. It is not an
environmental plan.
>> Yeah, I think that's a good
>> what what is you know what does it
cover? What does it not cover?
>> Yeah. For climate change though mainly
resilience and reducing emissions. Yeah.
>> We'll check and make sure that's really
clear up summary. Yeah,
>> I think with the call to action too.
>> Yeah, everyone.
>> You have one second. I was just going to
help answer your question.
So, so our biggest impact for closing
that gap between the state
laws or rules um and reducing our
emissions that last little bit um is it
getting off of natural gas or what is
how can we influence as a city um
to fill that gap most? What is a what is
the biggest way to influence that?
>> Yeah. So the the biggest remaining
emissions uh 2030 even out to 2050 is
going to be natural gas use in buildings
and um continued um uh gas use in in
vehicles. Um and that is assuming the
full implementation of the clean energy
transformation act.
>> Right. I hope so.
>> Good to know.
>> Thank you.
Oh, I was just gonna say
>> way to go. Um, with the pool.
>> Oh, yes.
>> That's about 16% and that's all natural
gas. Yeah.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> Oh, yeah. Um, and that is it's a big uh
a big driver of uh reducing energy at
the pool. And um I think as we've talked
about electrifying the pool is a big a
very large project or or cutting natural
gas out of the pool. And so kind of
things like pool covers are um
are interim solution to to think about
driving down those uh costs and and
driving down those that natural gas
usage. And then there's a lot of
ancillary benefits beyond just uh
reducing the energy going into keeping
that pool water heated overnight when
it's not being used. But um they have to
put less um you know chlorine and and uh
things into the water because that's not
getting evaporated out. So there's a
whole host of other benefits too. Um
>> it's an exciting project. If you you
should go swimming and and check them
out on the wall. They're big. Yeah,
that's that was like $9,000 but or you
say $9,000
>> just in natural gas cost is the estimate
>> and even more because gas might be going
up pretty soon.
>> Exactly.
>> The UTC it
>> but um so and then PSC paid for 70% of
it. Is that right?
>> So
>> what did the city pay for it then? And
you're saving 9,000 a year. So do you
remember what the city
Yeah. So, the the city investment was
around uh three uh $30,000. Um and that
included a little electrical upgrades
necessary for the uh mechanics of the
pool covers themselves.
>> Um and so, you know, we're hoping
between energy saved, rising natural gas
costs, and then other uh savings
associated with the pool covers, lower
humidity, less chemicals, things like
that. um that it would be uh paid off in
just a couple of years.
>> So, if you go, it is fun to go in if
you're ever there right when they're
pulling them off in the morning at 4:00
a.m. or 5 a.m. But, um the pool feels
very different. Um the whole pool room
just because that heat is is so well
trapped under those covers.
>> So, is the room cooler is what you're
saying? Is it?
>> Yeah. That it it doesn't have that kind
of like humid hot feeling.
>> You're in a spa.
>> Exactly. And it it'll get there over the
course of the day, but when you go in
after the pool covers have been on all
night, it feels completely different.
>> Wow. That's cool.
>> Which is cool.
>> Great research finding the right one.
>> Yeah. Uh big props to our facilities
team helping us get that uh project
accomplished and the and the pool team
for um figuring out how to get them on
and working through it for for this pro
uh process. It's been a it's been a long
project, but I'm really excited to have
it out there.
>> Okay. Um our last questions for tonight
are how do we want to move forward? Um,
so I did want to just provide a little
context here. Um, we obviously have
changes uh proposed this evening. Three
new big sections. We'll be adding um a
few minor revisions to content. Um, so
we'll be working over that on that over
the next couple weeks and then
presenting to the committee of the whole
on May 11th. We're not planning to
present them a full plan, but a little
bit more of a background context and
proposed changes. Um, our next board
meeting is May 13th, so we won't have
time to make any changes between the
11th and 13th. Um, May 13th will be our
first meeting with new members um who
have not been involved in this process
over the last year. Um, and then we
would probably be prepared to bring back
a full draft in our June meeting. So, I
just wanted folks to consider that as we
think about how we went forward with an
approval process. I realized what you've
seen is a very preliminary draft. Um,
but want you all to consider if you want
to provide a preliminary approval
tonight or with that we make the
changes, come back to you for a final
approval or if you want to not take any
action tonight and just request that we
bring back um the changes at the
most likely that June meeting. So, I'll
kind of we put a couple options here um
but open to the action. I'm fine with
the the option one of the tenative
approval of the plan based on what we
heard tonight and you guys making those
comments. There wasn't anything
drastically substantial in the comments
I heard tonight. Um but if council has
significant comments, I think we'd want
to see it again before it gets approved.
>> I would agree with that, but I would I'd
like to ask a question before I go all
the way with him. And that is likely our
approval will include a letter that
talks about like we've done in the past.
I'm just asking if this is how you're
planning on doing it as it moves forward
to the council for their action. It will
include So I' I'd like to have us see
that letter too about what we've done
and approve that. You see what I'm
saying? So that um if something comes up
from the committee of the whole or we
see something that changes at least we
have a chance to address it even in the
letter if we need to.
>> Yeah absolutely and what we could do is
at the May 11th um committee the whole
chair
initial verbal approval from the board
there'll be a formal recommendation
letter come to them when it goes to cons
approval. We don't know what the process
is going to look like after that May
11th meeting. They may want us to come
go back to committee. They may want us
to present to council. They may say
bring in on consent. We're not sure. So
um yeah. So maybe at our June meeting
then we could have a draft
recommendation letter
>> um prepared.
>> Okay.
>> And you're thinking it'll go to council
for approval in June or July? June or
July is our goal of getting ahead of the
budget request and the council committee
um supported that timeline.
>> I agree with what he said with the
little bit that we talked about.
>> Caveat little bit of caveat.
>> I like it. verbal thumbs up approval of
content with the changes we'll be making
and
then coming back for review of the
recommendation letter. And
>> I saw Alex's hand flash there briefly.
Alex, do you have a comment?
>> I was just trying to read like give a
thumbs up, but it didn't work. So
>> I did the wrong thing. So yeah, I also
>> um I think what to our advantage um the
PTE council committee had three members
with new council members being appointed
that changed. So four council members
we've presented to on the PTE committee
>> and then we have council member Adair
and as of Monday council member Boy
we've been in front of when they were on
the parks and transportation board. So
this will not be new to them. Um all the
council members will be familiar with
either the previous plan or the updates
we've been through.
>> Okay, great. So we'll take that as a
tenative okay on content with the
proposed changes. Um we will come back
with a formal recommendation
letter for the board to approve. Um
again just that next step is we'll be
presenting something to the uh committee
of the whole main 11 um and then we'll
see where they want us to go from there.
>> Great. Back to the
>> I just noticed one thing. Yes.
>> So have the federal fuel economy
standards changed? Um that's in this
>> in the wage analysis.
>> Yeah. In the forecast greenhouse gas
emissions. Yeah, it's one of the
>> I don't know. Oh, go ahead.
>> Well, I was going to say so the wedge
analysis was completed um based on I
believe it was 2024 data um including um
policies and uh fuel standards and
things at that time. So, um,
generally our language around the wedge
analysis is that it's a point in time
estimate of where we're at and where
we're going. And, um,
uh, it is it is not going to be fully
accurate given kind of how the current
federal administration is implementing
federal uh, laws and regulations related
to clean energy and things like that.
And then you know um things will be
continuing to evolve as the state
changes their policies and and laws
similar um federal laws as well. And so
we um can do more wedge analyses in the
future for the greenhouse gas
inventories. Um yeah
>> I just remembered something after I said
that. So I was at um the good jobs green
jobs conference a long time ago in
Washington DC was talking to these steel
makers
>> and um they said like once they takes a
lot of effort to change the emissions
control in vehicles and there's you know
there's something you have to do with
the steel but once it's in there it's
probably not going to change.
So even if it changed, the policy
changed, car manufacturers aren't going
to go and like make a whole bunch of
changes.
>> I think the hope is that right car
manufacturers have that long-term vision
and um
>> well it would cost them money to change.
So
>> exactly and especially if those car
emission standards are going to come
right back up in a new administration,
why do it? So there's um
hopefully that's not going to we're not
going to see dramatic decreases in our
our mission standards or anything.
>> Um but
shall see what happens.
>> It may be a reason to
>> do another mission inventory office for
26 and maybe keep on top of those
inventories for the next couple years as
we see things change.
>> Yeah. gas prices so high
people
>> that is absolutely something that is
being discussed in the climate world.
>> Yep.
>> Definitely drives demand and interest in
electric vehicles, less driving,
alternative methods of getting around.
Um,
>> buses.
>> Yeah. Oh, yeah.
>> Yes. Yes. Yes.
>> Thought I'd point that out.
>> Is it Is it gonna happen? Well, it's
going across the lake. So, there's a big
step right now.
>> Yeah.
>> Across the lake.
>> Actually, there I had a big regional
meeting in Belleview where we had about
55 people attend in person from all
around the area and about threequarters
of them came by ramp, which was nice to
see.
>> Wow. That's cool. That's good.
>> That's really cool.
>> Good to see.
>> Okay, we have a couple more items.
>> Yeah. Um, I'd like to take a few minutes
to recognize Jonathan and Ann. This is
their last environmental board meeting
with us. I want to thank you guys. I
hope
>> come back and visit us. You're welcome.
>> I very much hope to see you on the other
side as a as a as a commenter coming in
giving us feedback. Um and I hope you
stay involved in what happens in the
future. If you want to reapply for it,
certainly more than welcome. Got a
couple of certificates for you. So
Jonathan's been with us since
May of 2024.
things.
>> And
>> there's a $3,000 check behind me.
>> Ann's a she's been since January of 21.
So, thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Really appreciate it. Um, it's been
such a gift to work with all you really
amazing
board members and
that and I've learned a lot. So, it's
been
>> going to be missed.
>> Much appreciated.
>> Yeah, I've learned a lot, too. It's it's
good. And I'm available for any other
things that you need done or anybody
else needs done. So, I'm very interested
in how I can help.
Thank you. In any capacity,
I have a couple
>> couple reports items. Um I mentioned
this very briefly at our last meeting,
but um we are considering a couple
changes to the board rules and
regulations.
One would be um as of now we elect our
chair and vice chair in May uh which we
have usually a new cohort of folks
coming in in May and so it doesn't
provide them an opportunity to get to
know the other board members before
voting on a chair or vice chair. Um
several other boards and commissions
have moved their elections to the fall.
Um, in talking with our clerks, we could
uh in May just defer our elections to
June without changing our rules or
regulations or we can change our rules
and regulations to vote in September or
October for our board and chair if we
prefer to do that. That would allow a
few months for our new members um to get
to know the other members before voting.
So, I wanted to see um first if that is
something we want to consider u
modifying our rules and regulations to
move the election till September or
October and if so, we can bring those
proposed changes to the next meeting.
>> I would support that.
>> Makes sense. Makes sense.
>> Is that in code?
>> It's in our rules and regulations. So,
it's not in city code, but it's
something we've amended. We amended our
virtual attendance policy and so I think
the chair signs off.
>> Okay,
>> looks good online. Alex Karen
>> to me.
>> Okay,
great. I can bring a track changes
version to the next meeting.
>> Um and then the other rules and
regulations change is there was folks
like this meeting room, the steel head
room. It's definitely a lot more
intimate. um easier for conver feels a
little easier for conversation. Um it
looks like the only
uh potential date would be the fourth
Wednesday of the month to meet in here
unless folks want to meet on Friday
evenings. Um so again, that would be I
um that would need to be an adjustment
to our rules and regulations if we want
to switch to meeting in this room. Um,
and we'd have to switch our meeting
date. Uh, we could I could bring a a
proposed change to our rules and
regulations next meeting, but we also
might want to check in with our new
members.
>> Yeah. Can we have that discussion at our
next meeting?
>> I have a question. How's that affect
your workflow? I mean, you guys are
going to council. What? So, if we move
to the last Wednesday, will that affect
how you present stuff to committee as a
whole or to council meetings? Does it
matter?
>> Not really. We don't we're not in front
of them that often. Um I anticipate we
if the new the policies were proposing
in the plan um are moving forward, we'll
be in front of them more, but it
impacting
>> I just didn't want you guys
>> change meeting dates. often we we take
what slots we can in front of council
and so um
>> it's usually a couple months
that time.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Great question.
>> Um those group of two items and then a
brief update. Uh we had a new council
member appointed on Monday as I
mentioned. Erica Boyd, who is the chair
of the transportation advisory board, um
was appointed to council and I believe
her seat is through the 2027 election
certification.
Um
and then uh this Saturday,
sustainability fair for those that are
in town.
Um and then May 13th as our next
meeting. Um as we discussed, we'll bring
changes to some of the rules and
regulations. will be um welcoming new
board members and then David and I were
just chatting today because there's a
couple other agenda items that need to
be counted towards the summer, but we
thought we'd do a bit more of a deep
dive on city projects and community
programs. So the pool we were just
talking about, we can um share some more
about all the work that the city is
doing um to update facilities and
vehicles and
then on our Yep. share on our um
community programming as well.
>> So that sounds good.
>> Are we going to have mentors for new
members again like we've had in the
past?
>> Yeah. Have folks actually taken
advantage of that? Did your mentees
reach out?
>> Kar reached out to us
with it.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah, I think that would be great. Um,
we have all three of our alternates. Um,
so yeah, we can make those assignments.
Are you willing to be a mentor? Okay.
send that out. Um, and then I was gonna
see if Ann sent out great email about
the work she's been doing on her phone.
If you wanted just to talk a little bit
about that and then give John just a
minute to talk about the high school
student project.
>> Oh, yeah. So,
I didn't Sorry, John was here early, so
I warned him I was going to give him
time. So I I did more detail, but I just
thought email was so interesting. If you
want just to highlight what you shared.
>> Okay.
>> Just send if you want.
>> Do you want to go first?
>> You can go first. You're great.
>> Go ahead.
>> Okay. So I worked uh I do the litter
cleanup program once a month. Um trying
to figure out how to reduce litter. And
my thought is to help educate students
about layering and to talk to them about
not layering. And um when we were
children, there were PSAs, public
service announcements on television
about not layering. And those live with
me today. Um so I've going to the high
school um every year. I've done it for
three years. um about a month or so
before Earth Day and I go to the
graphics design class and engage with
the teacher there to give the students a
set of design requirements for posters.
We design posters for the elementary,
middle, and high school plus local area
businesses. And um I give them a short
presentation, tell them what I want,
what size format, what I want, roughly
what it should say, and you know what
the theme should be. And then they get
several weeks to work on it. And then I
take a group of people in um probably
three or four weeks after they've got
the requirements. I take uh usually I
like to take somebody from the city,
myself. Um this time I took a
professional graphic designer in and um
generally a person from Kuanas um
somebody that's participating these
events and then we'll look at the
posters and we ask the students to
present their material to us. We try to
run it like a project like a like a
business you know and then um we down
select they might have uh they might
work in teams and they might produce say
15 different posters. We'll now knock it
down to say four or five and then we'll
we'll choose those and then we'll we'll
get get printed and then we'll hand them
back to the students to for them to
distribute to uh the schools in the
district and um through their usually
through their um eco club or through
their student body and then
and then I'll take a set of the posters
out and go to the fast food restaurants
and the coffee shops and the um gas
stations and auto parts stores and
places where we see a lot of litters
and and talk to the manager and ask them
to post it up to tell them that it was
produced by uh students and the the idea
is to to try to get the kids to think
about this. Uh really I'm trying to ed
I'm not trying to make posters. I'm
trying to educate the kids and let them
see their work displayed around town.
>> And then if I'll see a poster posted,
I'll take a photo of it and send it to
the teacher and I'll say, "Hey, check
this out." You know, six months later,
your poster is still hanging it in a top
pot donut center.
And uh so that's what we're doing. It's
this is the third year. Um, we just got
our posters done this time. Um, we have
five posters. Um,
this time they're kind of hard to see,
but here's one that says, "Earth Day is
every day. Uh, don't treat your planet
like a trash."
Okay. And the next one is um says,
"Nurture, don't litter." And it's got a
forum.
>> These are beautiful. You're so tired.
>> And then there's another one that says,
"Hey, wait." It shows it the Earth. It
says, um,
you know, please don't litter. Your
planet, your call. So, and this shows
the Earth in two states. One is where
we're at today with smoke stacks and
garbage and the other side is got, you
know,
um
clean energy solar panels, wind farms.
But u you know this these this is not
done with clip art. They're doing it by
hand. Especially this one. This one was
perfectly done. This person has
band-aids on their hands. One's got a
little heart on it.
for base, but they one of the
requirements is that states that they
designed it that graphic design.
So, um that's what we're doing.
>> That's cool.
>> My pocket. It's not much. Um and getting
distributed.
>> So,
>> I was able to nice today. I worked with
Vista Print, which is an online print.
And I told them what I was doing, and
they cut the cost in half.
That's great.
>> And that was all online. Just, you know,
>> you're printing all three out.
>> I'm actually going to print five. I
didn't show you the ones for the the
younger children.
>> Oh, cool. You could maybe send them to
us.
>> Yeah.
>> And I'm going to send them to the uh
Washington State uh Department of the
College.
>> I'm trying I'd like to do this across
the state, you know, have an annual
contest. I'd like to have the state, the
college do it. I'm trying to just give
them some ideas.
>> We need more PSAs to get the kids
engaged and thinking about
>> we need more Greta
>> Thornbergs.
What
>> kind of success have you had getting
businesses to put it up?
>> Um, it's it's um I'd say it's hit or
miss. a lot of the the companies or a
lot of the uh places won't do it just
because it's a
>> corporations,
>> right? It dep just depends on who you
talk to
>> and you know what manager you talk to.
But um but some of the places that
really you know really need it, you
know, they don't put it out. But uh I'll
I'll I'll hand it to him and I'll I'll
you know leave it leave it with him. I
said if you don't hang us up please give
it to uh somebody who will you know give
it to somebody to give to a child
young adult
somebody that can have a look at. So
>> cool. But yeah, I still see a few of
them hanging up around town and um it uh
I'm going to go back it that's fairly
easy to go in and talk to these people
and get them to
>> So I've used more than one.
>> That's
good job. It's super cool.
>> All right. Well, um my project, so um my
forest steward, green forest steward
buddy invited me to um an REI
presentation of um wildfire mitigation
that was given by Cat Robinson from
Eastside Fire and Rescue um year and a
half ago or so, maybe two years. And
then um from that I learned about this
cost share program that um King
Conservation District uh shares with
whoever I think basically. And um then
in May uh Cat Robinson from East Side
Fire and Rescue came out to our house
because that's in our area that's who
you start with and um she gave us an
assessment and we came up with she came
up with a plan and it was kind of fun.
Then also um Pyro7 came out and did
>> Yeah, I I g I forwarded that to you all
a while ago, but if you're interested I
can save it again.
>> Yeah. So they um they came out and did a
photo shoot and put it on the news and
um and then we worked with uh Nala from
or um
I'm forgetting her name right now but
anyway, King Conservation District and
uh they have specific things that you
can do for their cost share and she came
out told us the things that would be
best and so we did those things. Um, and
there's some great before and after
photos of that. Um, and uh, so we put we
we chose three of the projects and we
did a lot of the work ourselves. We
saved a lot of money, but they still
paid in kind $25 an hour to um you when
you do the work yourself and then you
can also hire contractors to do the
work. So the only thing we hired a
contractor for was um the front porch.
we replaced that and they pay for just
the first foot. But the first foot is a
lot because um you also you you not only
have to use um class A fire rated um
decking uh you also have to put metal um
up 6 in
um at least we did farther and then down
6 in and then also on the joists. So,
um, so if a ember comes and hits the
bottom of your house, then, um, there's
no way that it can sit on anything and
burn.
>> So, embers can fly for up to 25 miles,
actually,
>> which is not good. Um, and then the
other projects we did was um putting
gravel all around 5t out. You have to go
5t out, at least 2 to 3 in. Um, and
then, uh, we also put a skirt. So, um,
around the house you either have to put,
they were suggesting the 1/8 inch metal,
but part of our, um, you know, wire,
it's called a wire or cloth. Um, but,
um, we did black metal on a lot of ours
cuz we have an opening that's like seven
feet and, you know, you don't really
want to look underneath your house. So,
um, so, so yeah, no embers are going to
get under our house and if they hit the
house, they're going to fall out, um,
onto, um, the gravel, so they're not
going to burn. And also then, if we're
out barbecuing or something and, uh, an
ember goes out, it's just going to fall
on something that's nonflammable,
um, like the gravel. Anyway, so worked
with King Conservation District, got
everything checked off, and, um, they
pay for up to 75%
of uh the project. So, we maxed it out.
Um you know, we spent like $8,000 and
they gave us $5,000.
>> Yeah.
>> Did that only apply because you live
outside the city? Are you in King like
No. Would they cover me if I did this in
Isiqua?
>> Absolutely.
>> Yeah. It's it's King County.
>> Okay. King conservation district. I'm
one of the
advisory board members for Belv
and
>> yeah, they have a ton of programs. Go
look on their website.
>> So, I could actually get some help to
get my trees trimmed.
>> Yeah, they do. They have a forest they
have a forest management program, but I
don't know if they offer tree trim.
>> I mean, there's a lot of tree limbs
>> through the fire thing. Yeah.
>> Yeah, it is part of it. Yeah. So you
could have hire an arm race to trim out
to 30 feet, but they probably want you
to do this other home hardening things
if you have to have an army done first
because start with the beginning.
>> Yeah, I'm just looking at their website
right here. So it looks pretty easy. You
can just go on and they have a
application you just start filling out.
>> They'll get a hold of you and go there.
>> Yeah, thank you for telling us. I was
thinking about, you know, in our
neighborhood, everybody's got cedar
fences and they they're just like w that
connect
>> taking the fence down. That's another
thing. So, we did end up taking the
fence down, but that was outside the 5T.
Um, I also wanted to say that we're
continuing this by I filled out the
paperwork um with East Fire and Rescue
for the community. So, we're going to
gather our whole neighborhood and come
up with a community plan. Cool. which
for us is really good because there's
already been three house fires and um
they have we don't have any fire
hydrants so they have to bring like nine
um fire trucks out to fight the fire.
>> Wow.
>> Thank you. Anything else?
>> Thanks for letting us share. Thank
>> you. Appreciate it.
>> Thanks for doing
>> and if you guys want to do some other
poster project next year. Yeah,
>> think about it.
>> Sounds good.
>> It would be cool.
>> Yeah,
>> something around sustainability or
>> thank the kids.
>> Climate action plan.
>> Yeah.
>> Thank you everybody.
>> Thank you everybody.
>> What are you think What are you gonna do
with all your free time now?
and