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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSustainability Commission - 05/11/2021APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, MAY 11, 2021 7:00 P.M., Virtual Meeting 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Aaron Poock (Chair), Priya Senthilkumar (Vice Chair), Jeanne DeSanctis, Debjyoti Dwivedy, Cindy Hoffman, Daniel Katzenberger, Bruce Schaepe, Emily Eddy- Theis, Jeff Nobleza CITY STAFF: Jennifer Hassebroek, Sustainability Coordinator, Leslie Stovring, Water Resources Coordinator, Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary STUDENT MEMBERS: Ellianne Retzlaff, Amanda Schlampp Anisha Singhatwadia, Pranav Vadhul I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Poock called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. Absent were Commissioner Nobleza and student representatives Retzlaff, Schlampp, Singhatwadia and Vadhul. Dwivedy and Katzenberger joined the meeting after the approval of the minutes. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Schaepe moved, seconded by Hoffman to approve the agenda. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM APRIL 13 MEETING MOTION: Schaepe moved, seconded by Hoffman to approve the minutes of April 13, 2021 Sustainability Commission. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. IV. REPORTS A. REPORTS FROM STAFF 1. HOME ENERGY SQUAD INTERCITY CHALLENGE Hassebroek explained this had begun since the commission’s last meeting. There were 21 cities participating. Air sealing and insulation were Sustainability Commission Minutes May 11, 2021 Page 2 emphasized. Eden Prairie had 22 visits as of March. Visits were income- qualified and at no cost to low-income residents. The program would run for the entire year and would be promoted via the webpage, email, and social media. The prize was “bragging rights” and perhaps a traveling trophy. Schaepe asked which promotions were and were not working, as he thought the commission could do more. Hassebroek replied that was a good question that might be difficult to answer, but there was a way to track website hits and perhaps the number of recipients of the email blast. Schaepe urged the use of more promotional metrics to assess success. 2. COMMUNITY CENTER SOLAR GARDEN SUBSCRIPTION OPPORTUNITY Hassebroek stated this commission had not yet really discussed this program. Community solar gardens were large, centrally located installations that offered an alternative for those who, for whatever reason, could not or did not want to place solar panels on their residence or business. The resident/business paid for their share of the garden and received a credit on their power bill. Subscribers could cover up to 120 percent of their annual electricity usage, and subscription rates were lower than the credit received. Xcel had the largest installation, but there were others supplied by other utilities. In Eden Prairie one had to be an Xcel customer to participate, and for the time being it was only open to Eden Prairie residents. However, to fill the slots it could be opened up to other cities later in the year. The Community Center solar garden was the result of a partnership with Cooperative Energy Futures, a member-owned energy services cooperative formed in 2012. It had built similar projects on Pax Christi Church, in Edina, and on Ramp A in Minneapolis. The Community Center was a 940-kilowatt project that served between 80 and 100 households, depending on electricity use needs. Construction would begin this summer. Hassebroek outlined the payment structure and financing; the City was a partner in this. Regarding equity considerations, 25 percent of the project had been reserved for low income, renters, and traditionally underserved communities, and did not involve a credit check or upfront costs beyond the $25.00 membership share fee. Zoom webinars about the project would be offered June 21 and September 13, and on August 4 there would be an in-person presentation at the City Center at 6:30 p.m. All three sessions would present the same content. Sustainability Commission Minutes May 11, 2021 Page 3 Hassebroek asked if there were disenfranchised communities not on the list the commission would want to reach, or if there were other ways to reach residents who otherwise might not participate. She asked commission members to contact her. Dwivedy offered to contact the Eden Prairie schools in order to share the information. Senthilkumar asked what percent of Minnesota subscribed to Xcel Energy versus Minnesota Valley, and Hassebroek replied it was 85 percent. Poock asked if this sold out, would there be more opportunities to use City spaces for solar gardens. Hassebroek replied that had been discussed; the only viable site already had solar on it, but it was possible, though it would be smaller than most installations. Larger installations were more economically successful. Eddy-Theis asked if there would be education for the community on household solar options. Hassebroek replied in the past residents learned about solar power hours from the City. It was put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Discussion followed on commission members’ memories of this program. Hoffman suggested there be more promotion inside the Community Center about the solar garden atop the Community Center, such as “What’s Going On on Top of the Roof.” 3. MULTI-FAMILY ELECTRIC VEHICLE CARSHARING/CHARGING STATION PILOT Hassebroek presented the programs. The first would offer 25 dedicated carsharing sites with EV infrastructure provided by Xcel by 2023 under the “Hourcar” model. There would be 25 dedicated carsharing sites with EV infrastructure provided by Xcel by 2023. Xcel would install all the infrastructure as requested by the property owner. The program was either fully or partially subsidized for the duration of the two-year pilot, depending on the property involved. All multi-family properties were eligible, with priority given to low-income properties with at least 100 units or market-rate properties in TOD zoned sites with access to transit. In the second program, Xcel would install, own and maintain dedicated electric service connection to EV charging infrastructure. Either Xcel could purchase and install the actual EV chargers, or the property owner could do this. Xcel’s cost share for market rate properties ranged from covering 100 percent to 10 percent. Qualifying low-income properties would be covered at 100 percent. Sustainability Commission Minutes May 11, 2021 Page 4 4. WATER CONSERVATION REBATE PROGRAMS FOR 2021 Hassebroek summarized the City’s rebate programs: the residential smart irrigation rebate (irrigation controller and spray body), the commercial/HOA rebates, and the stormwater reuse system (cistern) rebate. There were pre-tax options for each of these. There were no rain barrels eligible. 5. STUDENT MEMBER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Hassebroek announced this was the students’ last meeting. She stated her appreciation for their help on the Sustainable Eden Prairie Awards. B. REPORTS FROM CHAIR Poock thanked all the commission members who participated in the park cleanup in April. He stated past member Anna Anderson and Representative Dean Phillips were also there. He also thanked Eddy-Theis for helping with Arbor Day. He reminded the commission members there was a month before new student representatives would begin and asked to contact him with ideas for goals to offer them. C. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION 1. WATER UPDATE 2. WASTE UPDATE 3. LANDSCAPE/POLLINATOR UPDATE 4. ENERGY UPDATE Schaepe stated he had ideas on energy initiatives he had shared with Poock. However, due to a house sale and a move to another city he might work on and announce these later and this meeting was probably his last. Poock reminded him that even as a private resident he was welcome to share his ideas and initiatives with the commission members. Katzenberger offered to help Schaepe with his energy initiative ideas. D. REPORTS FROM STUDENTS V. OTHER BUSINESS Sustainability Commission Minutes May 11, 2021 Page 5 VI. UPCOMING EVENTS • Drop Off Recycling Event – Yard Waste Site: April 17, 2021 – 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (appliances, tires, power equipment, and electronics) • Shredding Event – Senior Center, May 20, 2021 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. • Arbor Day Walk and Green Fair – Round Lake Park: May 1, 2021 – 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., drive-through event; there might also be a Tree Walk at Staring Lake. VII. NEXT MEETING The next Sustainability Commission meeting will be held Tuesday, June 8, 2021, possibly in-person TBD. VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Katzenberger moved, seconded by Hoffman to adjourn the meeting. MOTION CARRIED 8-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:17 p.m.