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Home My WebLink About2018-10-15 CSC Regular Meeting Agenda PacketCITY OF PALM DESERT CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEEE AGENDA MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2018 — 3:00 P.M. ADMINISTRATIVE CONFERENCE ROOM 73-510 FRED WARING DRIVE, PALM DESERT, CA 92260 I. CALL TO ORDER II. ROLL CALL III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Any person wishing to discuss any item not otherwise on the Agenda may address the Citizens' Sustainability Committee at this point by giving his/her name and address for the record. Remarks shall be limited to a maximum of five minutes unless additional time is authorized by the Committee. Because the Brown Act does not allow the Citizens' Sustainability Committee to take action on items not on the Agenda, members will not enter into discussion with speakers but briefly respond or instead refer the matter to staff for report and recommendation at a future Citizen's Sustainability Committee meeting. This is also the time and place for any person who wishes to comment on Agenda items. It should be noted that at Citizen's Sustainability Committee discretion, these comments may be deferred until such time on the agenda as the item is discussed. Remarks shall be limited to a maximum of five minutes unless additional time is authorized by the Citizens' Sustainability Committee. Reports and documents relating to each of the following items listed on the agenda, including those received following posting/distribution, are on file in the Office of the Department of Community Development and are available for public inspection during normal business hours, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., 73-510 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert, CA 92260, telephone (760) 346-0611, Extension 484. IV. CONSENT CALENDAR ALL MATTERS LISTED ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE ROLL CALL VOTE. THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF THESE ITEMS UNLESS MEMBERS OF THE CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE OR AUDIENCE REQUEST ITEMS BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION AND ACTION UNDER SECTION V. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER. OF THE AGENDA. A. MINUTES of the Citizens' Sustainability Committee meeting of March 19, 2018. Rec: Approve as presented. Action: POSTED AGENDA CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE OCTOBER 15, 2018 V. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER VI. NEW BUSINESS A. DISCUSSION on Sustainability Committee Goals Rec: Oral report to be provided at the meeting. Action: VII. CONTINUED BUSINESS None VIII. OLD BUSINESS None IX. REPORTS AND REMARKS A. Committee Members Comments X. ADJOURNMENT I hereby certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California, that the foregoing agenda for the Citizens' Sustainability Committee was posted on the City Hall bulletin board not less than 72 hours prior to the meeting. Dated on this 10th day of October 2018. . ��Y� - � Monica O'Reilly, Recording Sec ry 2 G:\Planning\Monica OReilly\Sustainability Committee�2018Wgenda\10-15-16 a.docx CITY OF PALM DESERT CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMITTEE PRELIMINARY MINUTES MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2018 — 3:00 P.M. 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. I I�:t�7��d�1� Present: Member Dennis Guinaw Member David O'Donnell Member Jim Schmid Vice Chairman Gregory Gritters Chairman Dean Gatons Also Present: Absent: Member Tommy Edwards Member Ralph Raya Member Susan Rosenberg ;;�II 'p� � i ,, �� 'Giiliifi!I� ��qIIIIII�IIDl1°� i� , li�l �,.�I� II � �III!f Ill�l��,,,�,�,l�i � � Illlu�°�. 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). PRELIMINARY 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 ta MR. DRUYON noted that an organization named California lndependent 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:\Planning\Monica OReilly\Sustainability Committee�2018\Minutes\3-19-18 min.docx PRELIMINARY 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.socalqas.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 G:\Planning\Monica OReilly\Sustainability Committee�2018\Minutes\3-19-1 B min.docx PRELIMINARY 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:\Planning\Monica OReilly\Sustainability Committee�2018\Minutes\3-19-18 min.docx PRELIMINARY MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMII7EE 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 Secretary 5 G:\Planning\Monica OReilly\Sustainability Committee�2018\Minutes\3-19-18 min.docx