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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSustainability Commission - 03/11/2025APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2025 7:00 P.M. Heritage Rooms 1&2 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Aaron Poock (Chair), Laura Bishop, Tim Conners, Gretchen Enninga, Cindy Hoffman, Moussa Ousmane, Carolyn Wieland, Michelle Frost, Jim Nehl STUDENT COMMISSION MEMBERS: Akhil Agrawal, Raghava Dwivedi, Evie Elmquist, Gabriel Hernandez, Lucinda Jacobs, Simone Kirkeby, Ishika Nanavati CITY STAFF: Jennifer Fierce, Sustainability Coordinator, Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Poock called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. Commission members Nehl and Bishop were absent, Commissioners Hoffman and Ousmane arrived late, and student representatives Elmquist, Nanavati, and Dwivedi were absent. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS MOTION: Enninga moved, seconded by Wieland to approve the agenda. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Wieland moved, seconded by Enninga to approve the minutes from the February 11, 2025 meeting. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. IV. REPORTS A. REPORTS FROM STAFF 2024 GREENSTEP CITIES METRICS OVERVIEW Fierce displayed a PowerPoint and explained the City of Eden Prairie annually submitted metrics to the statewide program to track progress on sustainability goals. Submission of the metrics was considered Step Four, after which the City would be considered to be at Step Five depending on Sustainability Commission Minutes March 11, 2025 Page 2 how many metrics improved. Eden Prairie had been in the program since 2011 and at Step Five since 2017. Energy used per square foot in city facilities between 2022 and 2025 was steady with a slight decline in 2025 probably due to the swap to LEDs at City Hall. Energy efficient rooftop units and boilers also accounted for the decrease. Boilers have a 20-year life expectancy although the City tries to extend that as long as possible. Another slide looked at fleet vehicles miles per gallon of the City fleet. Fierce added these numbers would not be impacted by EVs, although the City did have a few electric vehicles. Conners noted an increase in miles per gallon at the end of 2024. Fierce replied Eden Prairie performed slightly better than the other 32 cities reporting metrics. The number of Fleet EV and PHEV (plug-in hybrids) from 2020 to 2025 had greatly increased, from three in 2020, to 15 in 2025. Other cities had a median of zero. Wieland asked for and received confirmation school buses were not included. The number of public EV Charging Ports in Eden Prairie between 2016 to 2025 had increased from 10 in 2016 to 27 in 2025. The median for other cities was 7. The total solar installations citywide increased from 117 in 2020 to 313 in 2025. The median for other cities was 40. Green Power Purchase program participation also increased over this same timeline. These numbers were released prior to the autumn push with the e-bike giveaway. Conners asked for and received confirmation this did not include community solar. City operations produced and purchased about 4,000 MWhr/year of solar energy. Fierce stated Eden Prairie was at Steps Four and Five this year. Some numbers the City tracked regardless, and some were specifically tracked for the Green Step Cities program. COMMERCIAL ENERGY SQUAD PROGRAM GOAL SETTING Fierce stated this was one of the Work Plan items, and that she was starting research on options, but it would be helpful to know what the commission members wanted to see from this program, including: what Sustainability Commission Minutes March 11, 2025 Page 3 actions to focus on, how they’d measure success, and what sort of timeframe should be considered. Fierce stated there are resources that could be utilized to provide free or reduced energy audits, and a small amount of funding the city could utilize in support as well, but it was important that the commission be strategic with its focus. Hoffman suggested smaller businesses would benefit more from the program. Wieland suggested focusing on landscaping and irrigation. Enninga suggested that if the business did not own the building it would be difficult to get them to implement energy improvements. Fierce noted the will be some difficulty in getting businesses to participate, relaying information about a previous pilot the city did with commercial water account customers. The city notified the top 50 businesses for water use and offered them a free water audit. Very few businesses responded to the notification, and none of the businesses who did utilize the free audit then implemented any of the suggested water-saving changes. She suggested focusing on small-to-medium, owner- occupied businesses for the best chance of action. Fierce thanked the commission members for their input and said this would be an ongoing discussion. B. REPORTS FROM CHAIR Poock thanked Hoffman for chairing the last commission meeting and Frost for setting up next month’s tour and meeting. He thanked everyone for their participation. C. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION GOING ELECTRIC EVENT PLANNING COMMITTEE UPDATE Enninga stated she, Nehl and Frost met to review options for holding an EV event. Enninga suggested holding the event at Schooner Days, at the end of May (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) at Round Lake Park. She added the subcommittee had reserved two booths. Discussion followed on the suggestion. Hoffman suggested the commission hold a separate event, manage its expectations, and consider planning for Schooner Days next year due to the tight timeline and need to staff all three days. Discussion followed on Sustainability Commission Minutes March 11, 2025 Page 4 the difficulties of having sustained conversations at events, especially with families with children. Hoffman suggested considering the Citywide Open House. Conners stated if the commission participated in that event, it should have a table located between fire engine and the garbage truck. Discussion followed on potential options. D. REPORTS FROM STUDENTS STUDENT SWAP PROJECT PLANNING Fierce displayed a PowerPoint and Wieland explained last year’s swap event to help student commissioners understand what to expect. The date was set for March 22 in the PAC (Performing Arts Center) lobby of Eden Prairie High School beginning at 11:00 a.m. V. OTHER BUSINESS Eco Expo Tabling Shift Signup Conners urged the commission members to support the sustainability table. He was still working with the EV vendors. The event would be held April 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the same weekend as the Minneapolis Car Show. VI. UPCOMING EVENTS • Saturday, March 22, 2025- Community Clothing Swap, 11AM – 2PM, EPHS • Tuesday, April 8, 2025 – Margaret A. Cargill Site Tour, 4PM • Wednesday, April 9 – Turf Alternatives Workshop, 6PM, Online • Saturday, April 12 – Eco Expo, 10AM to 6PM, Eden Prairie Center • Saturday, May 3 – Recycling Drop Off Day, 8AM to Noon, Yard Waste Site • Commission Banquet, May 22 at St. Andrews Church VII. NEXT MEETING The next Sustainability Commission meeting will be held Monday, April 8, 2025. Fierce noted it may be cancelled due to the Cargill Building site tour that afternoon. VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Conners moved, seconded by Hoffman to adjourn the meeting. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:44 p.m.