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2019-11-04 Committee on the Environment Minutes DocuSign Envelope ID:45DDOOD2-AA85-4DBD-ABC7-D49ODD882719 City of Denton MINUTES City Hall 215 E.McKinney Street DENTON COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT Denton,Texas www.cityofdenton.com Monday,November 4, 2019 1:30pm City Council Work Session Room 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, November 4, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Work Session Room at City Hall, 215 E. McKinney Street, Denton, Texas Council Members: Chair Council Member Keely Briggs, Council Member Paul Meltzer and Council Member Jesse Davis Also Attending: Mario Canizares, ACM; Kenneth Banks, Ethan Cox, General Manager, General Manager Utilities; Brian Boerner, Director Solid Waste; Terry Naulty, Asst General Manger of Power Supply; Vanessa Ellison, Recycling Education Coord; Sarah Luxton, Sustainability Coordinator; James Douglas, Conservation Program Coord; Misty Adams, Recycling Education Coord; Elizabeth Ruiz, Customer Programs and Comm. Mgr; Ryan Adams, Deputy Director Public Affairs; Kim Mankin, Utility Administration Manager REGULAR MEETING A. COE19-040 - Consider approval of the minutes of October 7, 2019. Approved as circulated. B. COE19-042—Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the future of the City of Denton Solid Waste and Recycling Services Calendar. Ryan Adams gave this presentation. Background was given to include this was first issued in 2012. It is a 36 page graphically designed calendar that is distributed in the December January time frame to all customers; 32,000 at $25,000. The calendar future was talked about including discontinuing. Challenges with calendar include a move towards a digital calendar and the timeliness of information. Also, with many paper calendars they will be discarded without use. Alternative communication channels. In recent years, City communications have become more robust and are engaging more residents more often. The City has more and more diverse options to communicate Solid Waste and Recycling information. There is design time, planning and content creation time as well as the $25,000 cost. Should the resources devoted to the calendar be used in other Solid Waste and Recycling efforts. If the calendar is discontinued, staff commits the same quality and quantity of solid waste and recycling information through other existing digital and print channels. Also there would be other targeted and print publications, similar to the Services Guide or Valet Service handouts. DocuSign Envelope ID:45DDOOD2-AA85-4DBD-ABC7-D49ODD882719 Meltzer agreed it is dated, but what is the best way to communicate. Davis stated that the services guide would be the best way to go. Briggs has a calendar and believes it is good outreach, pictures, but she is good with not having a calendar,but the other information is important. She then asked if we can have a calendar on the website that can integrate to google or other calendars. Would like for the money to stay in sustainable and be used in recycle right or any other communication needed in that area. Briggs also stated it would be helpful to add the information of how much paper was saved when this is discontinued. Meltzer wants to make sure all things that need to be communicated are still communicated. C. COE19-039—Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff input regarding the creation of a Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Strategy for the City of Denton. Brian Boerner gave this presentation. The objectives are to define the elements of a Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Strategy, Process overview, identify potential funding sources and to set a schedule. What is a comprehensive Solid Waste Management Strategy? It is a forward-looking document out to the next 20-25 years. It also helps determine where you go with regards to managing the waste. What will the strategy consider? There were several lists, with some items highlighted that Solid Waste is already looking at. Will we strategize with citizen, council and stall input. Funding includes an application for a grant through North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG). The source of the grant funds is landfill tipping fees paid on a quarterly basis. Eligible projects include solid waste management planning and technical studies. There is up to $200,000 per project available. If the grant is not received Solid Waste would need a budget amendment. Boerner showed the proposed CSWMS timing. Meltzer suggested defining the goal with a financial dimension. Davis asked what the goal setting process is and how early in the process is it set. Goals to be set with council. Briggs stated the long-range plans are great but they need actual policies to go with them. She then asked if the RFP will be written for the many areas such as zero waste, experience is needed. Boerner talked about and answered many questions. Meltzer would also like quantitative goals. There was a speaker. Kevin Richardson with Texas campaign for the environment. He would like a focused zero waste plan for Denton. There was more discussion regarding the funding and projects. DocuSign Envelope ID:45DDOOD2-AA85-4DBD-ABC7-D49ODD882719 Next steps include a presentation to Council November 5 and to the Public Utilities Board on November 11. After that there is work on the grant applications to be taken care of as well as a Resolution from Council. D. COE19-041 —Receive a report and hold a discussion regarding the updated draft Sustainability Plan. Sarah Luxton gave the presentation. The background included: Simply Sustainable Plan adopted in 2012, living document, flexibility to address new opportunities and additional regulations. STAR(Sustainability Tools for Assessing and Reporting) Communities Certification(2017). Annual Greenhouse Gas Inventory(2015). Luxton then went over some of the internal reviews and city accomplishments. -Contracted for 85%renewable energy(excluding Wolf Ridge)by the end of 2018, ahead of the Denton Renewable Resource Plan timeline. -Continued reduction of Greenhouse Gases - 2018 community inventory- 22%below 2006 baseline. -Adoption of Clean Fleet Resolution and Fleet emission reduction targets 25%reduction by 2025. -Increased citizen participation in both Sustainable Denton and Learn 2 Conserve workshop series. There was a 67% increase in programs from 2018 to 2019. -Increased pollinator support through education and prairie restoration. In 2019 staff and volunteers planted 230 milkweed and 250 native grasses on more than one acre at Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center and added 61 nectar producing plants to our existing habitat. Luxton then talked about the update process. Staff s public engagement included: -two online surveys with 551 responses -33 participants at three public meetings -32 participants at two internal staff meetings In 2012 and 2018 the citizen selected definition of Sustainability was `Meeting today's needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet those same needs'. Luxton then showed a graph of the primary interest in sustainability. Conservation of resources was at 38 percent, health and safety was 28 percent, access to natural spaces 17 percent, air quality 11 percent and water quality six percent. The plan has six focus areas: -Water -Air quality and greenhouse gas management -Energy conservation and efficiency -Landuse and open/natural space -Transportation -Education, communication and community involvement -Material resource management -Environment, resiliency and public health Luxton then went over each of the focus areas and talked about the goals, strategies and KPI's. DocuSign Envelope ID:45DDOOD2-AA85-4DBD-ABC7-D49ODD882719 There was a lot of discussion on the focus areas and details. Davis would like to see a comprehensive progress report. The 2016 progress report was shown. Next steps include: -Incorporate comments from Committee on the Environment -Present to City Council November 2019 -National League of Cities Grant funded Community Resiliency Workshop E. COE19-043—Assistant City Manager Update: 1. Sustainability Events 2. Future Business Items CONCLUDING ITEMS 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 Adjournment: 2:57pm Approved 1/9/2020 L gned by: Keely Briggs �DocuSign edby: 6M h tu tI V,hhAE6aELazd."" Kim Mankin