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2016-01-20 Committee on the Environment Minutes MINUTES CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT January 20, 2016 After determining that a quorum of the Committee on the Environment of the Denton City Council was present, the Committee on the Environment thereafter convened into an Open Meeting on Monday, January 20, 2016 at 9:16 a.m. in the City Council Work Session Room 215 E. McKinney, Denton, Texas. Present: Council Member Dalton Gregory, Council Member Joey Hawkins and Council Member Keely Briggs Also Present: Howard Martin, ACM; Kenneth Banks, Environmental Services and Sustainable Director; Katherine Barnett, Sustainability and Special Projects Admin; Deborah Viera, Environmental Compliance Coordinator; Kathy Jack, Conservation Program Coordinator; Stephanie Corley, Environmental Services Sustainability & Grant Coordinator; Kim Mankin, Administrative Supervisor REGULAR MEETING: A. COE16-001 Consider approval of the Committee on the Environment meeting minutes of December 7, 2015. Attachment Exhibit 1 12-7-15 COE Minutes Approved as circulated B. COE16-002 Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding integrated Storm Water Management TM (iSWM). Deborah Viera gave the presentation for this item starting with the History of iSWM. iSWM is facilitated by North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG). It is funded by 65 agencies (cities, counties, transit & toll authorities, water districts, T). The project was approved in FY2002 and released in January 2006 to participating local governments. Headed by Freese & Nichols, guided by a task force of local government and private industry representatives. Denton participates and has been adopted by other cities in the DFW area. The helps meet construction and post-construction obligations under state storm water permits. iSWM helps Water quality and quantity are addressed holistically. Water quality concerns and stormwater regulations. Loss of natural features. Interest in green infrastructure. Regional consistency and equity. Design focus areas for iSWM include water quality protection, stream bank protection and flood mitigation. Minutes of Committee on the Environment Meeting January 20, 2016 Page 2 of 4 Strategies are nature-driven solutions, engineering-driven solutions and downstream protection. Briggs asked if iSWM provides any funding, Viera answered no. Low impact development was discussed. The Rayzor Ranch Storm Water Treatment was showed on a map while the flow and storm water quality controls were discussed. on for new development and water quality protection. Imperviousness is addressed by landscaping requirements and parking allowances. Viera showed pictures of a stream erosion due to absence of vegetation. Briggs would like to see the natural streams in the City to remain before erosion and before they have to add concrete liners. C. COE16-004 Receive a report, hold a discussion and give staff direction regarding updating . Sustainability Plan, Goals, Actions, and Key Performance Indicators Katherine Barnett gave the presentation for this item with the updates and changes. Focus Area Water Accomplishments: Completed a strategy and had zero EPA water health violations. Room for Improvement: Water conservation education, the number of NPDES permit violations Air Quality and GHG Management Accomplishments: Strategy #1 adopted in 2015, 181 hybrids, electric and flex fuel vehicles, 24 electric vehicle charging stations and using less municipal fleet fuel overall. Room for Improvement: Municipal fleet fuel, increase alternative fleet use. Briggs asked about anti-idling. Barnett answered for City vehicles it is three minutes unless they have tools or equipment that is being run off of the vehicles. Energy Conservation and Efficiency Accomplishments: Increased participants in rebate and audit programs, DME smart meter program substantially complete, capacity of renewable energy system installed community. Room for Improvement: Establish system for tracking and targeting energy saving opportunities, increase engagement and opportunities for business and multi-family. How to videos will be added to this focus area. Energy audit have been successful. Land Use and Open/Natural Space Accomplishments: Brownfield acreage remediated within Downtown area 5.15 acres and Landscape code changes based on multiple uses to be brought before Council soon. Minutes of Committee on the Environment Meeting January 20, 2016 Page 3 of 4 Room for Improvement: Tree canopy study and track square footage or acreage of infill development in downtown. Gregory stated it would be nice to see how much of the canopy has changed due to development as opposed to environmental impact (drought). Banks pointed out that about half of the tree canopy that exists in the City is within a floodplain or a riparian buffer. Viera added to remember many of the floodplains are unstudied. Transportation Accomplishments: Hired Bike Czar and Bike Master Plan was implemented, six miles of bike lanes and five miles of sharrows, 395.5 miles of sidewalk and walking path, and public transit ridership 2.99 million rides per year. Room for Improvement: Continue to add bike lanes and sidewalks, and continue to promote pedestrian and bike safety education in schools. Education, Communication and Community Involvement Accomplishments: Websites have doubled in FY2015, 250 citizens attended free sustainability and nature workshop series in 2015, learn to conserve program, developing green business program and expanded the sustainable schools. Room for Improvement: Expand programming to include more workshops and more varied audience and implement Green Business Program. this. Staff will look into ideas to cover this. Material Resources Management Accomplishments: FY 2015 HHW collected 94,003 lbs, 2.43 times more than in 2013 (38,588 lbs), collected 2628.4 lbs pharmaceutical waste, 4 times more than in 2012 (626 lbs) 16955 tons recycled in FY 2015. Room for Improvement: Increase quantity of Dyno products sold, increase number of commercial recycling containers and formalize Environmentally-Preferable Purchasing Policy. Gregory added that SCRAP donations were up from 19 to 27 tons. Gregory asked about recycling enclosures. Martin will check. Local Food Production Accomplishments: More than 11 acres of urban farms, 61 permits at Denton Community Market for food/cottage vendors and growers in FY 2015 (up from 48 in 2014), Ordinance allowing backyard chickens passed in 2012, Developing Beekeeping code and well attended workshops on gardening, beekeeping and backyard chickens. Room for Improvement: Continue education and outreach on backyard chickens, gardens and beekeeping and increase community garden plots available. Briggs added that the City of San Antonio changed the code to allow urban farming in the City. How does our code match up. Barnett has sent this to Aimee Bissett to review and will follow up. Minutes of Committee on the Environment Meeting January 20, 2016 Page 4 of 4 Corley added that about 180 pounds of vegetables were donated in 2015. Outdated action items will be removed from the sustainability metrics. CONCLUDING ITEMS A. Under Section 551.042 of the Texas Open Meetings Act, respond to inquiries from the Committee on the Environment or the public with specific factual information or recitation of policy, or accept a proposal to place the matter on the agenda for an upcoming meeting AND Under Section 551.0415 of the Texas Open Meetings Act, provide reports about items of community interest regarding which no action will be taken, to include: expressions of thanks, congratulations, or condolence; information regarding holiday schedules; an honorary or salutary recognition of a public official, public employee, or other citizen; a reminder about an upcoming event organized or sponsored by the governing body; information regarding a social, ceremonial, or community event organized or sponsored by an entity other than the governing body that was attended or is scheduled to be attended by a member of the governing body or an official or employee of the municipality; or an announcement involving an imminent threat to the public health and safety of people in the municipality that has arisen after the posting of the agenda. The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 11:46 a.m.