Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCitizen Sustnabilty Cmte - 04/29/2013 ��� � ,,.._..,T,.,..�„� CITY OF PALM DESERT CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMITTEEE - MINUTES • • MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013— 2:00 P.M. ADMININSTRATIVE CONFERENCE ROOM 73-510 FRED WARING DRIVE, PALM DESERT, CA 92260 I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Robert Leo called the meeting to order at 2:01 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Absent: Member Tommy Edwards Member David Koller Member Eric Freed Member Luke Taylor Member Dean Gatons Member Gregory Gritters at 2:04 ,�iTvco[rNCiLACTTON Member Bruce Kassler AI�I�Rn��rt� ._���Yirn Member David Mourhess �2Q,cf����,,i,�o ., t�,i'i�r�:�z Member Susan Rosenberg Member Ralph Raya M�s?Tt�G nA'r��; � � Vice Chair Cleve Langford ���rti: �k Chair Robert Leo ������: At3�t?NT: Also Present: Ali�;-t�;1��: VT:R(1�'IT:1) 13Y: V1tl Tc111tlef, COUflClll71@tllb@P Original on I+ife�r ith City Clcrk's � ' tce John Wohlmuth, City Manager Lauri Aylaian, Director of Community Development Mark Greenwood, Director of Public Works Ruth Ann Moore, Economic Development Manager Tony Bagato, Principal Planner Missy Nale, Assistant Planner Lisa Ream, Recycling Technician Monica O'Reilly, Recording Secretary III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE APRIL 29, 2013 IV. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES of the Citizens' Sustainability Committee meeting of March 20, 2013. Rec: Approve as presented. Member Dean Gatons noted that the change of inembers on both subcommittees was not mentioned in the minutes. Upon a motion by Gatons, second by Raya, and a 10-0 vote of the Citizens' Sustainability Committee, the Consent Calendar was approved as amended with Members Koller and Taylor ABSENT. V. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER None VI. NEW BUSINESS A. ELECTION of Vice Chairperson. By Minute Motion, Member Cleve Langford was elected as Vice Chairperson. The motion carried unanimously. VII. CONTINUED BUSINESS None VII1. OLD BUSINESS A. UPDATE BY SUBCOMMITTEE ON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC BAGS Ms. Missy Nale, Assistant Planner, reported that the subcommittee decided to meet with the Plastic Bag Subcommittee of the Palm Springs Sustainability Commission. She said Palm Springs suggested an agreement on terms of a proposed ordinance. She explained that if the subcommittees of the two cities can get together and come to terms with what they would like proposed; the two cities could then introduce a model ordinance to the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) as a valley-wide approach. Ms. Nale mentioned that Member Freed sent a survey to Ms. Kate Castle, Chair of the Palm Springs subcommittee, and they have requested a meeting. She noted representatives from the two cities are meeting April 30 at 3:00 p.m. in Palm Springs. On May 1 at 9:00 a.m., the two cities will give a presentation to CVAG staff inembers in Palm Springs. 2 G:\Planning\Monica OReilly\Sustainabiliry Committee�2013\Minutes\4-2&13 min.docx MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE APRIL 29, 2013 Member Gatons inquired if the Citizens' Sustainability Committee would receive a copy of the Committee's position statement regarding single-use plastic bags as mentioned in the previous meeting. Ms. Nale replied that she would email the statement to the Committee. Member Gatons commented that they discussed Assembly Bill 158 (AB 158). Now there is Senate Bill 405 (SB 405), and asked staff if they know the difference between the two bills. Ms. Nale responded that she has not researched SB 405. Member Gatons also commented that SB 405 came out last week, and potentially goes into effect in 2015. Member Eric Freed communicated that there are 72 cities in the State of California that are covered by plastic bag ordinances. He said that they cannot guarantee that a bill will pass. For that reason, many cities have taken the issue on themselves, which is what Palm Desert is doing. Member Freed stated that the subcommittee realized all 72 cities had eight decision points, with the policy generally the same. He said that at the subcommittee meeting they highlighted those eight points, and forwarded the information to Ms. Castle in Palm Springs in an effort to work together to draft a policy that both cities could share and move valley-wide. Member Raya asked if other cities were invited to the April 30th meeting. Member Freed responded that Ms. Castle invited CVAG staff and other cities to the meeting of May 1. B. RECOMMENDATIONS BY SUBCOMMITTEE ON DE-ASPHALTIFICATION Ms. Nale reported that the subcommittee met and recommended revised parking ratios per thousand square feet of building area, using maximums rather than minimums to forward to the City Council Zoning Update Study Session in May. She said that Mr. Tony Bagato, Principal Planner, would take the information to the May study session to find out if the City Council wants to include the recommendations with the Zoning Ordinance update. Member Bruce Kassler noted that he did the parking counts for the area where Red Lobster is located, and that those counts were done before they opened. Ms. Nale said that she went back to do parking counts after Red Lobster opened. 3 G:\Planning\Monica OReilly\Sustainability Committee�2013\Minutes\4-29-13 min.docx MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE APRIL 29, 2013 Member Kassler added that the counts were also done before the Tilted Kilt re- opened. Ms. Nale stated that the parking lot subcommittee asked the Citizens' Sustainability Committee to take action on the following items to determine recommendations to the City Council. The first item is whether to require at least 50 percent of the parking lot be paved with impervious surfaces, having a solar reflective index (SRI) of 29 or higher, and/or an open-grid paving system. She noted that impervious areas under open cover such as drive-thrus are included in the overall calculation. Chair Leo asked if they are putting drive-thrus along the freeway at a disadvantage. Ms. Nate said drive-thrus are allowed by the freeway. Councilmember Van Tanner commented that there are drive-thrus at banks and pharmacies; however, the requirement should have no impact. Mr. John Wohlmuth, City Manager, asked what the SRI 29 relates to. Ms. Nale responded that it relates to the type of material used on an impervious surface; it is an indication of how reflective the material is of sun energy and heat. Mr. Wohlmuth inquired if it includes colored asphalt. Ms. Nale replied that 50 percent was the number that allows for the use of concrete and asphalt. Mr. Wohlmuth asked Ms. Nale if they met with Mr. Mark Greenwood, Director of Public Works, to find out what the cost increase would be. Ms. Aylaian responded that by the time the issue gets to the City Council, staff will bring a couple of recommendations. One recommendation would come from the Sustainability Committee based on sustainability concerns. Another recommendation would come from merchants and developers, who might have opposing interests. Member Freed said the subcommittee aimed to establish a prescriptive method. He stated basically a developer could use any material, as long as the SRI is 29 or higher. Mr. Wohlmuth asked what the SRI of asphalt is. 4 G:\Planning\Monica OReilly\Sustainability Committee�2013\Minutes\4-29-13 min.docx MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE APRIL 29, 2013 Member Freed replied the SRI for asphalt is 6. A mirror is 100 and polished concrete is approximately 39. Mr. Bagato asked Member Freed if he is familiar with any other jurisdictions that are using SRI ratings. Member Freed responded that it is part of the voluntary measures for CALGreen Building Code. Mr. Bagato clarified that they are only voluntary measures and not required measures. Mr. Freed replied they are not required measures, and mentioned that San Francisco has mandatory measures. Mr. Wohlmuth asked if there is a book that shows all the SRIs. Member Freed replied yes, and the manufactures also have that information. Mr. Wohlmuth commented that he's thinking of maintenance and higher costs for different materials. Chair Leo communicated that they are trying to change a perception and outlook, which is going to take a while. He said the subcommittee discussed how long they should allow people to move towards this. Will it be a period of three or five years? Is the City going to require changes as soon as the developer submits plans? He stated it is important for the City to move in this direction, and asked how to get the merchants to understand that this is beneficial for the environment. Chair Leo expressed that this is where education comes in, but he believes that the City should have a goal. The recommendations are goals that the City could move towards. Member Kassler commented that the same types of questions were asked years ago before there were requirements for dual pane glazing, and thicker insulation for walls and attics. He said most of the materials had a price tag associated with them with a benefit once everything was complied with. He stated he thinks of it as furthering development requirements that are in place today. Member Gatons inquired if there are changes being made to the Whole Foods parking lot. Mr. Wohlmuth stated that there are, but that currently there is no ordinance requiring the developer to change the materials used for the parking lot. 5 G:\Planning\Monica OReilly\Sustainability Commiriee�2013\Minutes\4-29-13 min.docx MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE APRIL 29, 2013 Mr. Bagato added that the developer is reconfiguring the parking lot and driveways to current requirements. He noted that staff worked with the developer to change the perimeter landscaping from grass to desertscape. In addition, the developer will be required to add a water retention chamber as part of the Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) under State law, which was not a requirement before. Member Gritters asked if trees would help increase the SRI. Member Freed responded that the way it is written now, half the site (50 percent or more) would need to be either SRI 29 (or higher), permeable pavers, or shaded by trees or by overhangs. He said they tried to write it to be as open ended as possible to achieve cooling down the site. Mr. Wohlmuth asked how shade is calculated. Ms. Nale replied that is currently proposed as a separate category. If you have trees or carports covering part of the asphalt, it is not included in the overall calculation. Member Freed stated that if they follow the LEED standard, it is calculated from a baseline at a certain time of day. He said the trouble with trees is that they can be pruned back pretty far and they no longer provide shade. Following discussion about the trees and surfacing materials used in parking lots, Ms. Nale continued with her presentation. She stated that a design layout proposed by developers would still be reviewed by staff on as case-by-case basis. She stated that the subcommittee discussed that parking lots should be sized appropriately for day-to-day use and not seasonal use. As they mentioned before, at least 50 percent of the onsite parking spaces must have an SRI of 29 or higher, and existing code requirements for one shade tree for every three parking spaces would be removed. (This allows for landscape design flexibility and/or grouping of shade trees in larger planter areas where they can grow larger, provide more shade, and require less pruning. It also allows for the use of carports to provide shade cover). Member Edwards noted that trees in parking lots do not grow well. However, this approach would allow for the professionals to encourage new innovations. Councilmember Tanner commented that there must be some trees that grow well in a parking lot. Member Gritters interjected that City's landscape staff is very knowledgeable. Staff also established a manual and guidelines for the type of tree and size of the tree planter that promotes healthy growth. 6 G:\Planning\Monica OAeilly\Sustainability Committee�2013\Minutes\4-29-13 min.docx MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE APRIL 29, 2013 Ms. Nale continued that the subcommittee also discussed infill space. She said if a center has 50 percent of parking spaces underutilized, the property owner would be able to infill unused parking spaces with 20-30 percent leasable space, depending on proposed use and parking requirements. Staff would evaluate proposed infill and parking requirements on a case-by-case basis. Member Gritters asked if the situation normally is where the developer designs less parking, but the ordinance requires the developer to add more. Ms. Nale replied that is not typically the case. Member Gritters clarified that typically the developer wants more parking spaces. Ms. Nale said yes. Ms. Aylaian mentioned that some of the big developments, such as Walmart, wanted more parking than what was required. However, on a day-to-day basis for people that are doing small projects, they want to be required to have less parking when they expand or add on. Ms. Moore stated that it is important to talk to various developers about the concept. She noted that some of the anchor tenants in bigger centers own their own parking field. Member Raya commented that he has spent time in San Diego and San Francisco, and they do not have large parking lots with a lot of space. The two cities utilize smaller parking lots, and they do it very creatively to achieve smaller lots. Ms. Moore mentioned that it has a lot to do with the scale and density of the area, property values, and the return on investment. Larger urban cities look at properties differently and jump through more hoops. Member Raya interjected that he thinks the developers in Palm Desert should jump through hoops too. Ms. Moore remarked that she is not arguing and that these are good ideas; however, she is the person that advocates for and talks about businesses. She stated she is not a fan of asphalt, but feels that it is important to hear from all impacted parties when making a major decision. Member Gritters commented that it seems the City should find a good balance with businesses in having an ordinance for the maximum amount of parking and not the minimum. 7 G:\Planning\Monica OReilly\Sustainability Committee�2013\Minutes\4•29-13 min.docx MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE APRIL 29, 2013 Ms. Nale stated that during the May study session, staff wili discuss changing the minimums to maximums with an exceptions clause. The developer would have to prove their case that they need more parking for their business by providing some type of parking study. Member Freed mentioned that he has learned over the years that certain retailers like Walmart and Home Depot buy more area than they need. They will take 15 to 20 acres for their site, the store itself will be three acres, and the remaining acres are paved over to eliminate any maintenance headaches. The stores know they are over parking the site, but what they want is the future opportunity to lease out. He said that it is exciting what the Citizens' Sustainability Committee is discussing, suddenly they are saying Palm Desert is a pro-development City. The City wants more businesses here, and we rather have more business than more asphalt. Ms. Nale conveyed that the parking lot ordinance would allow existing parking lots to stay in place. She said generally in Palm Desert, any remodel or renovation of 50 percent or less can stay as-is. If 50 percent or more is being remodeled, it has to be brought up to current code. Ms. Nale asked the Committee's opinion if carports, shade covers, and landscaping should affect the SRI of the site. Chair Leo responded that he believes it is already part of the recommendation. Member Freed added that asphalt under cover would be cooler than surfaces in the sun. Member Gritters noted that the City's landscape book gives canopy sizes for trees. He suggested that planning staff ask landscape staff to give a recommendation on which trees should be used. Chair Leo asked the Committee if there is a motion to take the recommendations to City Council for their review and discussion. Member Gritters moved to take the recommendations to the City Council for their review and discussion. Motion was seconded by Member Freed and carried by a 10-0 vote. Member Raya inquired if the recommendations for parking lots would go to the Planning Commission. Ms. Aylaian responded portions that involve changes to the zoning ordinance would go to the Planning Commission for their recommendation. 8 G:\Planning\Monica OReilly\Sustainability Committee�2013\Minutes\4-29•13 min.docx MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE APRIL 29, 2013 C. UPDATE ON OUTDOOR LIGHTING Member Raya reported that he met with Ms. Nale, and he plans on giving a presentation at the next meeting. He asked if anyone wanted to go on a field trip to look at lights at four to five different sites. Member Kassler mentioned that he and John Greenwood took photographs of different centers in the City during the evening hours. He said they gave Ms. Nale a spreadsheet with all the information. Chair Leo and Vice Chair Langford volunteered to go on the field trip with Member Raya on May 16 at 7:30. Chair Leo asked Ms. Nale to send out a notice to find out if anyone else would like to go. IX. REPORTS AND REMARKS A. COMMITTEE MEMBERS Member Gatons thanked the City's recycling team and the teachers of Palm Desert. He mentioned his kids had a remarkable recycling project. It is wonderful to encourage kids at a young age to recycle. Vice Chair Langford disclosed that he has access to a thermal imaging camera, if needed to check temperatures of different surfaces. Member Mourhess reported that he saw the movie Bag It, which had a real impact on him. He is spreading the word. Member Rosenberg inquired what the Citizens' Sustainability Committee means to the City and the City Council. What are their goals and what should they be focusing on? She also asked what the difference between code, ordinance, and policy is. Is the Committee making recommendations on policy or code changes? Ms. Nale responded that the recommendations for parking lots would be changes to the code. Ms. Aylaian added that staff uses the terms "code" and "ordinance" interchangeably. She said an ordinance passes, and then the language of the ordinance is inserted into the municipal code. She stated that policy is not as formal, and that policies can be institutionalized by the City Manager or by the City Council. 9 G:\Planning\Monica OReilly\Sustainability Committee�2013\Minutes\4•29-13 min.docx MINUTES CITIZENS' SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE APRIL 29, 2013 Councilmember Tanner stated that the Citizens' Sustainability Committee is an important group for carrying forward items that they are discussing today and saving the planet. Chair Leo announced that Cal State San Bernardino Palm Desert is hosting an Environmental and Sustainability Exposition on May 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Ms. Lisa Ream also announced that the City is having a shredding event on May 3and4. Ms. Nale informed the Committee that she submitted her resignation. Her last day is Friday, May 3. She stated that the Committee has been great to work with. The parking lot and plastic bag subcommittees came up with some excellent ideas. She wished everyone luck, and said that there will be a new staff liaison working with the Committee in the future. Chair Leo asked who the new contact in Ms. Nale's absence is. Ms. Aylaian replied Mr. Bagato. X. ADJOURNMENT Upon a unanimous vote of the Citizens' Sustainability Committee, Chair Leo adjourned the meeting at 3:05 p.m. � � ,� �� ^ Monica O'Reilly, Recording Secr ry 10 G:\Planning\Monica OReilly\Sustainability Committee�2013\Minutes\4-29-13 min.docx