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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Citizens' Sustainability Committee 03/19/2018 IgEE CITY OF PALM DESERT • t' CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMITTEE / MINUTES s `"� ` �'�e�• MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2018—3:00 P.M. ••''•••. •'• J.�•'' • ADMINISTRATIVE CONFERENCE ROOM 73-510 FRED WARING DRIVE, PALM DESERT, CA 92260 I. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Dean Gatons called the meeting to order at 3:09 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Absent: Member Dennis Guinaw Member Tommy Edwards Member David O'Donnell Member Ralph Raya Member Jim Schmid Member Susan Rosenberg Vice Chairman Gregory Gritters Chairman Dean Gatons Also Present: Councilmember Gina Nestande Tim Jonasson, Interim Director of Public Works Deborah Glickman, Management Analyst Heather Horning, Management Analyst Monica O'Reilly, Recording Secretary III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None IV. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES of the Citizens' Sustainability Committee meeting of August 21, 2017. Rec: Approve as presented. Upon a motion by Vice Chairman Gritters, second by Member Guinaw, and a 5-0-3 vote of the Citizens' Sustainability Committee, the Consent Calendar was approved as presented (AYES: Gatons, Gritters, Guinaw, O'Donnell, and Schmid; NOES: None; ABSENT: Edwards, Raya, and Rosenberg). MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MARCH 19, 2018 V. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER • None VI. NEW BUSINESS A. UPDATE on the Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Program by Katie Barrows, Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG). MR. BEN DRUYON (on behalf of Katie Barrows), CVAG, circulated a chart in regard to the current stage with the CCA program and provided an update. He noted that they will most likely launch the program in August. He offered to answer any questions. Councilmember Gina Nestande commented that she wished Southern California Edison (SCE) was able to make a presentation. She mentioned a resident could currently opt to get 50 or 100 percent of renewable energy from SCE. She believed many Palm Desert constituents do not know about the option of renewable energy. Therefore, she is hesitant to automatically sign up constituents into the CCA program. Vice Chairman Gritters asked why the starting point for the program is to be automatically enrolled. Councilmember Nestande replied that she did bring up that issue during discussions with the City Council. Vice Chairman Gritters mentioned his background is in energy and the program could be very complicated. He believed the program will evolve with time just like solar energy continues to evolve. He said the program will cause SCE to be more efficient. However, the program is very complex and the City has to be very careful about what they commit people to. MR. DRUYON noted that an organization named California Independent System Operator governs SCE and all CCAs. Councilmember Nestande said they would have local control over where the energy is bought. However, she understood they are all buying the energy from the same sources. MR. EGAN stated it depends on the board's direction and if they vote on how much of that power they want in a certain bucket. Councilmember Nestande voiced her concern that the City of Palm Desert is taking on an unneeded risk being in the CCA program when constituents could get the same options though SCE. She felt there is not enough information available for the constituents. MR. EGAN hoped they could get the information out to the constituents when they start marketing the program. 2 G:\Planniny\Monica OReillylSustainabillty Cammittee\2018Wlinutes\3-19-18 min.dacx MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MARCH 19, 2018 • Chairman Gatons expressed the CCA program is very confusing and applauded the • City Council for looking at the program very carefully. He stated education is going to be very critical. Ms.Glickman added that once Palm Desert opts into the program,the City's marketing team will work with CVAG on an education program. MR. DRUYON shared that the Desert Community Energy Partnership is actively hoping to contact the City's Facilities Manager to coordinate a meeting to focus on tailoring a program to the help the City save money on energy. B. PRESENTATION on Southern California Gas Company Programs by Deborah McGarrey and Ana Aceves. MS. DEBORAH MC GARREY, Southern California Gas Company ("Gas Company"), provided a presentation regarding natural gas, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, and goals to reduce gas emissions. Commissioner Dennis Guinaw mentioned he completed a study on a fleet of buses that were converted to natural gas. They found that the emissions coming from buses were attributed to only tire rubber. MS. ANNE ACEVES, Gas Company, briefly highlighted the following three customer assistance programs that are offered by the Gas Company: 1) Medical Baseline Allowance; 2) California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE); and 3) Energy Savings Assistance Program. She said more information on the programs are available at www.socalgas.com and applications are available online. Applications could also be completed with a cell phone. Lastly, MS. MC GARREY informed the Committee of the Advanced Meter and Bill Tracker programs. Vice Chairman Gritters asked how many natural gas filling stations are available in Palm Desert. MS. MC GARREY replied she did not know. However, there is a filling station located by Burrtec, near the Palm Springs Airport, and Sunline Transit Agency. Vice Chairman Gritters inquired if the Gas Company is promoting converting stations to natural gas. MS. MC GARREY responded that the Gas Company was recently approved to build fueling stations. She noted their website lists natural gas fueling station locations. VII. CONTINUED BUSINESS None 3 GAPlanninp\Monica ORNIIy\Sustainability Cammlttee\2018\Minutes\3-19.18 min.docx MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MARCH 19, 2018 VIII. OLD BUSINESS None IX, REPORTS AND REMARKS A. Committee Members Comments Ms. Glickman shared that the Palm Desert Youth Committee is in the process of developing a program to measure air quality by the student drop-off areas at Palm Desert Charter Middle School. The Youth Committee will present the information to the parent/teacher organization (PTO) and come up with alternate ways to improve air quality around the school. Chairman Gatons understood the Citizens' Sustainability Committee meets on an as- needed basis. He pointed out that there is a schedule for 2018. Ms. Glickman explained that the meeting dates are placeholders if they need to have a meeting. Chairman Gatons noted that the Committee discussed leaf blowers at the last meeting. He asked if the item would be going to the City Council. Ms. Glickman responded that the resolution was to create a flyer by the City's Code Compliance Department. The flyer would be distributed to the landscapers. Chairman Gatons said he would like to have an update on leaf blowers. He said at the last meeting it was mentioned City contractors and homeowners'associations (HOAs) are exempt from the landscape maintenance hours. He communicated that his home is near Hovley Lane West and abuts Monterey Country Club. He stated the City landscape contractors and the landscapers at Monterey Country Club are working at 5:00 a.m. Councilmember Nestande commented that she would like to see leaf blowers on the agenda. She said it might be something the Youth Committee could tackle. She felt the particulate matter from leaf blowers are more of an air quality pollutant than cars idling. Chairman Gatons stated that is it not fair that City contractors and HOAs are exempt from the landscape maintenance hours. He pointed out that he would be cited if he started to work on his landscape early in the morning. Ms. Glickman commented that she will discuss leaf blowers and noise with Code Compliance Supervisor Pedro Rodriguez. Chairman Gatons inquired why the Sheriff's Substation still listed as a substation when it is closed. Ms. Glickman responded that she would check with the City's Facilities Manager. 4 G:Wlanning\Monica OReilIy\Sustainabihty Committee\2018\Minutes\3-19-18 min.docx MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MARCH 19, 2018 In the event of an emergency, Chairman Gatons encouraged better clarification of the Sheriff's Substation. X. ADJOURNMENT With Committee concurrence, Chairman Gatons adjourned the meeting at 4:22 p.m. Monica O'Reilly, Recording Se ary 5 G:\Planning\Monlca OReillyS.Sustainability Committee\2018UNinutes1319-18 min.docx