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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSustainability Commission - 03/08/2022APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2022 7:00 P.M., Heritage Room 1 &2 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Aaron Poock (Chair), Priya Senthilkumar (Vice Chair), Jeanne DeSanctis, Debjyoti Dwivedy, Cindy Hoffman, Daniel Katzenberger, Emily Eddy-Theis, Jeff Nobleza CITY STAFF: Jennifer Hassebroek, Sustainability Coordinator, Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary STUDENT MEMBERS: Abi Rajasekaran, Amoligha Timma, Anna Maristela, Augie Stukenborg, Julia Harris, Muthu Meenakshisundaram I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Poock called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. Absent were Commissioners Dwivedy, DeSanctis, and Nobleza. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Katzenberger moved, seconded by Hoffman to approve the agenda. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM JANUARY 12, 2022 MEETING MOTION: Eddy- Theis moved, seconded by Senthilkumar to approve the minutes of January 12, 2022 Sustainability Commission. 4-0 with one abstention (Katzenberger). IV. REPORTS A. REPORTS FROM STAFF 1. REACT EDEN PRAIRIE DISCUSSION Hassebroek explained the technical and privacy questions that came up in the mapping function, such as one household achieving multiple benchmarks and how the larger set of data would be displayed. At present Sustainability Commission Minutes March 8, 2022 Page 2 different colored dots would stack up on top of each other, making the data difficult to interpret. The data needed to be aggregated and broken into neighborhoods, and staff was working on this. Hoffman stated she approved of identifying blocks rather than residents, saying it would make residents more likely to report. Discussion followed on how to recognize participants beyond being part of the aggregate data. Hassebroek suggested a window cling, Poock a door sign, Hoffman a certificate. Meenakshisundaram preferred a cling to tie the house rather than the person to the effort. Hoffman suggested a gold, silver and bronze level system. Timma suggested a sticker for one’s car. Hassebroek suggested including a certificate with the window cling/sticker. She offered to bring this idea to staff. Stukenborg stated residents people won’t be disappointed if they do not receive something. Hassebroek tested the survey function via QR codes. She stated her intention was to use student representatives for the test group for the rental properties. Hassebroek offered to tally the results and weight them. Discussion followed on announcing this initiative on Earth Day. 2. 2021 GREENSTEP CITIES METRICS REPORT Hassebroek stated she was in the process for updating the metrics for Greenstep Cities 2021. A certain number of improvements allowed a city to move up a step, and Eden Prairie had to show at least three improvements a year to maintain Step Five, which it would. She gave highlights of the improvements: • 30 percent increase in number of public EV charging stations • Community-wide VMT per person, per day • 55 percent of number of new trees planted (approximately 500) • 27 percent decrease of loss in drinking water • 16 new renewable generation solar sites • 25 percent decrease of community-wide GHG emissions from travel • 8 percent decrease of community-wide GHG emissions from waste • The City’s facility kBTW per SF was slightly up after 2020 • Water usage was up 11 percent slightly due to drought in 2021 Hassebroek stated the metrics had to be in by April 1, 2022. She was not sure if the GreenStep Cities Awards would be held in person this year. Sustainability Commission Minutes March 8, 2022 Page 3 3. STUDENT COMMISSIONER PROJECT PRESENTATION PLANNING Hassebroek stated she planned each group to present for ten minutes each at the next commission meeting. She encouraged the students to contact her with questions and concerns, and to reach out to their mentors. She also invited them to present their results at a table at the April 30 Arbor Day Event. Stukenborg and Maristela summarized their webinar, which was a success. B. REPORTS FROM CHAIR Poock thanked Senthilkumar for leading January’s commission meeting. He also thanked Hassebroek for putting together his annual presentation to the City Council. Over half of the Council Members had signed up for the organics recycling themselves and still had questions, which Poock saw as an opportunity. C. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION 1. WATER UPDATE 2. WASTE UPDATE 3. LANDSCAPE/POLLINATOR UPDATE 4. ENERGY UPDATE Katzenberg stated he was working with Hoffman on the statewide Environmental Commissions workshop being held Saturday April 30 at Ridgedale Library and online from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Many sustainability and environmental commissions would participate. Dianna McKeown with CERTs, Larry Craft of the Saint Louis Park City Council and Katie Jones with CEE would present. D. REPORTS FROM STUDENTS V. OTHER BUSINESS Senthilkumar stated her term was up and this would be her last year on the commission. Sustainability Commission Minutes March 8, 2022 Page 4 Hassebroek stated four new commission members would begin their terms in April. VI. UPCOMING EVENTS • Everything Spring Expo: March 12, 2022 – 9 AM to 3 PM at Grace Church • Eden Prairie Eco Expo: April 3, 2022 – 10 AM to 4 PM at Community Center • Spring Recycling Drop Off Day: April 16, 2022 – 8 AM to Noon at Yard Waste Site • Park Clean Up Day: April 23, 2022 – TBD • Arbor Day and Green Fair: April 30, 2022 – 9 AM to Noon at Round Lake Park VII. NEXT MEETING The next Sustainability Commission meeting will be held Tuesday, April 12, 2022, in the Heritage 1&2 Room. VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Eddy-Theis moved, seconded by Hoffman to adjourn the meeting. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:09 p.m.