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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSustainability Commission - 01/09/2024APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2024 7:00 P.M., Heritage Rooms 1&2 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Aaron Poock (Chair), Laura Bishop, Tim Conners, Gretchen Enninga, Cindy Hoffman (Vice Chair), Moussa Ousmane, Carolyn Wieland, Michelle Frost, Jim Nehl STUDENT MEMBERS: Rylee Brazil, Sophie Cain, Lucy Dowdal-Osborn, Alyssa Ehler, Lalitha Gunturi, Roshan Gurumurthy, Isaac Hepper, Sabreen Khanikar, Pranav Narayanan, Kate Ropchak, Lilli Timpe, Keerti Tumu CITY STAFF: Jennifer Fierce, Sustainability Coordinator, Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Poock called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Absent were Commissioners Bishop and Enninga and student representatives Brazil, Khanikar, Dowdal-Osborn, Tumu, Gurumurthy, Ehler, Gunturi, Ropchak, and Narayanan. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS MOTION: Nehl moved, seconded by Hoffman to approve the agenda. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM MARCH 8, 2022 MEETING MOTION: Nehl moved, seconded by Ousmane to approve the minutes from the December 12, 2023 meeting. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. IV. REPORTS A. REPORTS FROM STAFF 1. GREEN POWER PURCHASE PLAN Fierce displayed a PowerPoint and summarized the results of the citywide quality of life survey showing residents’ familiarity with renewable Sustainability Commission Minutes January 9, 2024 Page 2 programs: 75 percent of residents were familiar with composting food and paper scraps. 71 percent were familiar with replacing/improving appliances for greater energy efficiency. 70 percent were familiar with fuel switching for vehicles and 46 percent were familiar with this for appliances. 65 percent were familiar with a home energy audit. 56 percent were familiar with home on-site solar energy. 41 percent of residents said they already had signed up, and 34 percent said they would install on-site solar. (7 percent of these said they already had installed on-site solar). This did not include community solar. 27 percent were likely to install solar. 51 percent were familiar with opt-in renewable utility programs. 47 percent had not signed up, and 17 percent were likely to. Frost asked for clarification of the 17 percent with regard to subscriptions. Fierce estimated around 10 percent had actually subscribed. 25 percent of residents were familiar with both solar and the utility rebates. The survey showed similar familiarity across race and ethnicity. Higher percentages of knowledge of solar were shown among higher income residents, whereas familiarity with the utility rebates fell across all groups. The total number of survey participants was approximately 2,000. The majority of participants were aged 35-54 with children, detached-home homeowners. Discussion followed on action items in light of the results. Nehl asked for and received clarification that households meant an individual from a household responded, and that “detached” homes meant non-townhomes. Poock stated engaging businesses would involve a different approach than engaging residents. He advocated focusing on businesses; Hoffman advocated engaging residents. Fierce stated that commercial buildings were not necessarily owned by the company that resided in it, which was an obstacle to even engaged businesses. Maps and permits could reveal which businesses that owned their buildings that had already installed solar panels. Xcel cannot reveal this information. Frost wondered why these companies had made these decisions and if this could be valuable information. Conners stated sometimes education was not the issue; but that time, priorities, and other considerations figured into the decision. Hoffman asked for and received clarification this was the first year energy-related questions were included on the survey. She suggested a Mayor’s Challenge to motivate residents. Fierce offered to set parameters for a residential challenge and return with them at a future meeting. Sustainability Commission Minutes January 9, 2024 Page 3 2. ARBOR DAY PLANNING Fierce stated Arbor Day would be held at Round Lake to showcase the new park building on Saturday, April 27. She suggested including the garden tool swap, and perhaps the compost giveaway if it was a standalone station, separate from the tree pick-up and perhaps also self- serve. She also suggested a city booth. Wieland urged more tracking of participation data for the garden tool swap. Fierce explained the Park and Recreation Department’s tree distribution for Nehl. She stated there were other environmental organizations that also staffed a table there. The weather was the key component. She reminded the students they would participate. B. REPORTS FROM CHAIR Poock stated he had presented to the City Council the 2023 Accomplishments and 2024 Work Plan, which was well received. He summarized the conservation regarding expanding the tree canopy in Eden Prairie. C. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION Wieland announced St. Louis Park had expanded on a 2017 ordinance to require restaurants utilize zero-waste packaging. She explained the compliance process (fees). Education was a key component of this. Edina, Minneapolis, and St. Paul had similar ordinances but no enforcement yet. Nehl noted his research into Citizen’s Climate Lobby, a nonpartisan advocacy group. He suggested creating a commission checklist of tasks accomplished. Frost stated one of Xcel Energy’s big coal units had been shut down on New Year’s Day, with others to follow in the next few years. She announced the Great Northern Festival on Saturday and Sunday, January 28 and 29, at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. Conners announced Hennepin County had announced grants for high schools for waste reduction, offering $1,000 to $20,000. Also, the Eco Expo would be held April 20 at Eden Prairie Mall. It was recruiting exhibitors. Discussion followed on the City’s participation in this. D. REPORTS FROM STUDENTS Hepper asked to what extent commission could propose projects that resulted in lobbying or other advocacy and mandating versus encouraging Sustainability Commission Minutes January 9, 2024 Page 4 changes. Fierce replied the answer was not straightforward; in many cases the city is limited in what it can require. It cannot, for example, mandate retrofits of private homes or businesses for energy efficiency but does have some limited opportunities to require sustainable building practices in new construction. The county and state governments have more power to enforce waste requirements than the city. Conners and Nehl explained how education of residents was key in this effort. Poock stated the commission was a voluntary advisory body, whereas as a citizen, members could join groups and advocate as an individual. V. OTHER BUSINESS VI. UPCOMING EVENTS VII. NEXT MEETING The next Sustainability Commission meeting will be held Tuesday, February 13, 2024, in the Heritage Rooms 1&2. VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Nehl moved, seconded by Frost to adjourn the meeting. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:44 p.m.