1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,800 Hello everyone welcome to the sustainability framework advisory 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:13,600 committee today's Friday September 23rd and it is 1 o'clock and we do have a 3 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:18,160 quorum here in the City Council work session room and we will go ahead and get 4 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,960 started with our first item for individual consideration which is 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:35,120 consider approval of August 26 2022 and August 31st 2022 minutes on the meeting 6 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:41,360 minutes not the special call but regular meeting they have me asking about carbon 7 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:48,920 output and zero scavenging what I think I actually asked about was the amount of 8 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:55,800 carbon sequestered by the current tree canopy and the zero escaping there's a 9 00:00:55,800 --> 00:01:03,880 typo it should be XERI pardon me XERI instead ZERO 10 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:10,080 escaping that's all okay so would you like to approve minutes with those 11 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:17,440 suggestions with gusto all right so we have a motion to approve with those 12 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:24,560 changes second okay all in favor all right so those will be approved if we 13 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:31,360 get notes for those changes okay we will move on to be receiving report 14 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:38,040 discussion regarding sustainability solutions group SSG progress on City of 15 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:43,680 Denton's climate action and adaptation plan and I'd like to introduce Carol 16 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:48,800 Frazier from SSG Carol will be making today's presentation answering any 17 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:52,760 questions that you may have at the end okay so I'll just go ahead and reiterate 18 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,920 that SSG is short for the sustainability solutions group so when that is 19 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:01,720 mentioned that's what this is referring to okay all right thank you welcome thank 20 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:06,760 you glad you're here so glad to be here so my name is Carol Frazier I am with 21 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:12,000 SSG and consultants and we have been selected by City of Denton to work with 22 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,400 you on your climate action and adaptation plan so I'm here to give an 23 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:19,900 update about what that planning process will look like how you all can get 24 00:02:19,900 --> 00:02:27,360 involved and what the next steps will be so first I'll just go over the project 25 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:31,680 approach after a little bit more of an introduction and then the project 26 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,960 scheduled I'll talk about this committee's role in the project and then 27 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,800 answer any questions that you have can you hear me okay it's okay to use this 28 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,560 much oh that mic is not working so the mic above you the white one is the one 29 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:50,320 you'll need to project to good for now thank you all right so our protest is 30 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:55,960 SSG's approach to climate planning projects well we're really concerned 31 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:01,160 about where do Denton's GHG greenhouse gas emissions currently come from so 32 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:05,160 what you see here is just an example this is not an actual calculation of 33 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:08,760 Denton's we're working on doing that right now it's just an example from another 34 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:13,040 city that we've worked with but essentially we'll break down the 35 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:18,280 activities that are causing energy use in Denton that's what you see on the 36 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:24,120 left by fuel type so anything from propane to gasoline electricity natural 37 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:30,900 gas etc and then we also break that down by sector so we'll be able to show you 38 00:03:30,900 --> 00:03:35,680 all where your emissions are mostly coming from either waste sector, transportation, 39 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:44,640 residential buildings, commercial buildings etc and using our systems 40 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,120 integrated model that gets us that information on the previous slide we can 41 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:52,480 also make projections about what might happen in the future under various 42 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:57,240 scenarios so again what you see here is just an example but it shows a 43 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:04,920 trajectory from right now through 2050 breaking down the energy use oh sorry in 44 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:09,360 this case emissions by sector over time based on the kinds of policies that you 45 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:14,160 might implement so this one is showing you what happens if you don't implement 46 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:18,960 any new policies this is what we call our business as usual scenario so we develop one of those that 47 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:23,240 becomes our baseline against which to compare future policy actions that you 48 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:25,720 all could take 49 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:32,040 so then once we have an understanding of that we work with you all on 50 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:37,320 understanding what kind of actions could Denton take based on your current context 51 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:41,360 in a variety of ways so we could look at how could you electrify 52 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:46,200 transportation not only personal use vehicles but public transportation we 53 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:50,400 look at how can you electrify or otherwise reduce the energy use of 54 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:55,200 buildings for commercial and residential buildings like heat pumps for example we 55 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,640 think about how can you improve active transportation avoiding emissions in 56 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:04,840 the first place looking at the renewable energy mix that you already have and 57 00:05:04,840 --> 00:05:09,320 seeing how we can further that and strengthen that future demand we also 58 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:15,400 examine energy efficiency in buildings so whole home retrofits or retrofits of 59 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:19,440 commercial property so that they're actually needing less electricity or 60 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:24,080 energy over time in the future we think about alternative fuels that may be 61 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:28,440 useful for some of those harder to decarbonize sectors such as 62 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:36,420 manufacturing aviation thinking about hydrogen or other kinds of renewable 63 00:05:36,420 --> 00:05:40,560 natural gas for example and then finally we think about adaptation and resilience 64 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:46,280 so what can we do to not only reduce emissions but strengthen Denton's ability 65 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:51,840 to respond to a changing climate in this case hotter and experiencing more 66 00:05:51,840 --> 00:06:00,480 intense and frequent rain storms so what we do is using our model that I discussed 67 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:05,760 just a moment ago we take all of those actions and we're able to quantify many 68 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:09,760 of them if not all of them and create what you see here which we call a wedge 69 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:15,360 diagram so at the top left you see this is the current emissions level from the 70 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:20,160 reference here in this case 2019 data is what we're using that's the most recent 71 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:24,520 data that we have a complete data set for and that's going all the way out 72 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:31,280 until 2015 so each wedge in this diagram is showing you the reduced emissions 73 00:06:31,280 --> 00:06:35,720 impact of each potential action so the ones that I just mentioned anything from 74 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:40,560 let's say we retrofit all the homes in Denton that would one potential wedge 75 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:45,280 and again we can break those out by sector so you get a sense of how each 76 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:50,800 sector is going to approach decarbonization and then you can compare over time that 77 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:54,940 reference scenario that dotted line that's that your business is usual what 78 00:06:54,940 --> 00:07:00,960 if you took no other actions so in some cases you know electricity sorry energy 79 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:06,280 use over time may be decreasing to to that relative point from here but 80 00:07:06,280 --> 00:07:10,720 there's a whole suite of actions that you can use to get down to a target and we 81 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,900 will be working with you all on understanding what kind of target could 82 00:07:13,900 --> 00:07:20,080 be said that's feasible that you all can get to and as well as interim targets 83 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:25,800 between now and 2015 and then everything that's still remaining under those wedges 84 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:32,280 is what we call the carbon liability so that's still the emissions that are going 85 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:38,400 to be room going to be emitted under that scenario so you're probably think 86 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:42,360 that that's great but how do I get involved how do I get input it's not 87 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:47,040 going to be a black box black box exercise we are going to be engaging 88 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:52,480 with you and the community quite a bit over the course of this project so our approach is first of 89 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:57,680 all to take a step back before we begin engaging any community and do what we 90 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,720 call pre engagement so we're in the process of finishing that up right now 91 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:05,280 what we're doing is interviewing people from key groups who might want to be 92 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:08,760 involved in providing input and asking them how would you like to be involved 93 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:13,080 what's the best way to provide input what hasn't worked in the past what can 94 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:16,520 we really do here to make sure we're hearing from everybody in the community 95 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:21,320 who wants to be a part of this process we take that information and then we 96 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:25,440 create an engagement plan so this really lays out okay for this duration of the 97 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:29,480 project here's the ways in which we engage people here are the goals for 98 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:34,320 that particular engagement activity or tool here's how we're going to use the 99 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:39,320 input in the final creation of the plan and then here's how we'll report back 100 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,800 on what we're doing and it also have a timeline so there will be a really 101 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:47,920 concrete sense of when these activities are going to happen so some of the things that we 102 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:54,320 might do include webinars or in-person events where we talk about climate action 103 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:58,880 and adaptation planning 101 is really giving people a foot in the 104 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:01,720 door to understand what's going on and then build on that for further 105 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:07,640 participation we may also do things like community town halls or survey or a whole 106 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:11,800 host of other tools that we've used in other communities again to be adapted to 107 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:21,880 what we hear in free engagement and what we think might might work best in terms 108 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:27,920 of the schedule what you see here is the detailed breakdown of the tasks that 109 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:33,640 we'll be completing what's highlighted in yellow are the the things that we have 110 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:37,000 at least in our kind of draft understanding and again it's not 111 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:42,440 finalized of coming to you all here at the sustainability advisory committee and 112 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:46,760 talking about first of all the business as usual what will happen if no other 113 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:51,800 action is taken scenario then we'll come back again once we develop some targets 114 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:54,920 and we're talking about what kind of sorry once we develop some actions and 115 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:59,200 what kind of targets could be set and then finally we'll come to you towards 116 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:04,960 the end of the product process and keep the results of the guy so that's our 117 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:11,400 preliminary idea that could change a little bit but that's what and that will 118 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:19,440 be in December ish January ish and March ish and I say the ish not because we're 119 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:23,560 not committed to it but depends on you know there's the holidays and you know 120 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:32,720 things get in line so it will be in in those windows there your role as SPAC so 121 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:39,960 as I as I just mentioned during these time periods we'd like to work with you 122 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:44,960 all in a few different ways so for that first inventory and business as usual 123 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:49,080 workshop we really want to hear from you okay what are the key opportunities and 124 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:54,960 key challenges to bringing emissions down compared to what is projected to 125 00:10:54,960 --> 00:11:00,920 happen without any kind of further intervention so there may be some things that in Den that are 126 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,960 really going to catch on quick we're able to hit the ground running some some 127 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:08,880 policies or programs you already have we want to know how to leverage those we 128 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,680 also want to know what's going to be really challenging it's going to be 129 00:11:11,680 --> 00:11:15,760 important to think about addressing the harder stuff first off rather than 130 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:19,160 leaving it out to a later date if it's going to take a while to work through we 131 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:22,720 want to know what those kind of things are because they may take some time to get 132 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:28,360 going when we come to you with the actions and to discuss targets we really 133 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:33,520 want to know what you think of some of the actions that we've developed and and 134 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:38,360 and the targets in terms of feasibility and timeline or implementation that will 135 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:41,240 build on that earlier conversation that'll be really important to get your 136 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:46,880 feedback on those and we'll be able to do following that workshop that's when we 137 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:51,360 take the actions and we put them into our model and then we can really discuss 138 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:56,200 what will the emissions and energies impact be and then finally we want to 139 00:11:56,200 --> 00:12:00,920 come back to you before this is a final document final plan it gets put out into 140 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:06,480 the world for implementation so we want to know that we got it right and we can 141 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:09,800 adjust things at that stage 142 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:15,280 So that's my very brief presentation. I'd be really happy to take any questions. 143 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:17,280 Anyone have questions? 144 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,160 Ed? 145 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:22,160 Yeah, welcome to Denton. 146 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:32,160 This may be going down the road too soon, but I didn't see anything about it. 147 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:37,560 Will there be any sort of cost-benefit analysis? 148 00:12:37,560 --> 00:12:39,160 Yeah, that's a really good question. 149 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:44,320 So I do believe we will be working with the sustainability team and doing a 150 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:50,240 cost-benefit analysis. What we like to do is kind of a financial economic benefit 151 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:55,680 look at how much investment would it take to implement these actions and think 152 00:12:55,680 --> 00:13:01,120 about that in terms of net present value, return on investment, those various 153 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:05,400 angles and then we also think about co-benefits. So what are the other 154 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:09,920 benefits of taking these kinds of actions say improving air quality or 155 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:14,120 health outcomes in addition to reducing emissions. So while we're very 156 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:18,160 technically focused on the quantitative aspect of understanding how emissions 157 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:23,800 can be reduced, we do recognize that you know people think about the benefits in 158 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:27,120 different ways and it can be really useful to communicate that to various 159 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:30,640 audiences so that will be part of our analysis in the final plan. 160 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:32,640 Great, thanks. 161 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:40,280 This kind of follows Ed's question kind of related to the technocratic issues 162 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:43,680 that can be around this subject and so I know you're in the pre-engagement 163 00:13:43,680 --> 00:13:49,360 process right now and kind of gauging community's feedback. How, knowing that 164 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:54,200 this is going to be a very data-dense document, how is it that you try to 165 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:58,600 break down that really heavy information asymmetry that can exist whenever you're 166 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,840 talking with people who might have different lived experiences than what 167 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:06,160 you're presenting is not going to be the plan or solutions for these. I'm just 168 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:10,120 kind of curious as how those like dialogues help inform where this plan 169 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:14,600 goes if we're not really talking on the same baseline. Absolutely, yeah so 170 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:19,960 definitely one of the first things that we'll end up doing is that climate planning 101 171 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:25,040 where we do take a step back and we put all of these discussions more into 172 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:31,120 context. It's not necessarily going to be only about the numbers of what's going on 173 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:35,440 in Denton, but we want to talk about the potential co-benefits of taking action 174 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:41,200 or talking about what other cities have done. I think really getting down to the 175 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:47,000 concrete framing of how might this affect people's individual lives, right? 176 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:51,040 The kinds of choices that might be available to them in the future and 177 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:57,160 taking that kind of holistic perspective when we talk about you may have access 178 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:02,360 to an electric vehicle charger in your neighborhood, you know, would that 179 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:07,320 be useful or not useful in that kind of way, right? So very open to suggestions of 180 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:12,840 what might work particularly here, but I will say our company is pretty proud of 181 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:17,520 how we can really blend our engagement practices with the technical modeling. So 182 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:21,680 we have an in-house engagement team that really thinks through the kinds of 183 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:26,840 activities that we create to gather that input and not keep it at that 184 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:30,840 high technical level. We adapt it to that kind of model. 185 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:37,880 Matt? So my question kind of, I guess, comes up because I really, I'm like 186 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:41,560 community town halls, community surveys, communities, and I guess this is what 187 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:45,400 you're talking about with like engaging the community. So it's, you're doing 188 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:50,360 surveys with them based on your findings or is this, you're drawing from the 189 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:56,280 community to get findings? I guess I'm kind of lost in what that is. True, yeah, and it'll be 190 00:15:56,280 --> 00:16:02,120 up. So part of it is we draw on our knowledge of best practices from across 191 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:05,520 across the world, really, of how different cities are approaching these 192 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:09,760 very similar problems. So we can work with sustainability staff and kind of 193 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:14,400 ground truth that here and say here's what we think based on that. At the same 194 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:19,600 time, our process is very much we gather input or even collaborate with the 195 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:24,520 community members and hear from you all. Here's our top priority, here's what we 196 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:28,560 think will work, here's the kind of actions that we could take, and then we 197 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:36,360 can quantify those as well. We just need some parameters around what kind of 198 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:40,480 what kind of quantified aspect there would be to to implementing some of 199 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,720 those actions, but we can work with you all to develop them. So it's not a 200 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:47,960 top-down coming from us only. We really do want to hear what you all think will 201 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:56,720 work in what you're sitting on. Okay, my second question. So it's hard to get the 202 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:01,360 full community represented. So I'm wondering, because you mentioned with the 203 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:05,800 pre-engagement that you're like everyone who wants to be involved is involved. 204 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:10,280 There's also a lot of other people out there who might be unaware of what they 205 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:16,240 can do. So I'm wondering about like how do you account for like involving groups 206 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:20,360 who might traditionally not be involved or this kind of like questions of 207 00:17:20,360 --> 00:17:26,720 justice and access to this information? Yeah, so part of what we do is work with 208 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:32,960 the city's communications and engagement staff and make sure that we're 209 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:36,840 using the channels that you already have to reach people. And then as you 210 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:40,720 mentioned in our pre-engagement process, we do talk to a variety of people from 211 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:44,800 different groups and ask what hasn't really worked before, what might 212 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:48,280 potentially work here. And then we use a variety of techniques. So sometimes that's 213 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:52,680 in person, you know, sometimes it's come meet us here where it's convenient for you. 214 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,720 Sometimes it's let's do this virtually because then you don't have to drive 215 00:17:55,720 --> 00:18:00,560 across town and you can still get your input. Or using the survey it gives 216 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:05,200 people another another way to give input. So I think the key part will be in we 217 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:08,880 have all the techniques. It's really getting the word out and working with 218 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:17,640 your staff to make sure that happens. Mr. Seagal. Again, this may be early, but I think 219 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:22,320 it's probably right in between the cost benefit analysis as well as who's 220 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:26,080 coming to the table we're going to gather information from and then you'll 221 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:32,600 come back to us. I just want to ensure that the focus groups see a line 2.06 222 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:39,800 that we're going to be talking to and leaning towards this question who will be 223 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:44,360 the people at the table that we're going to be talking to. My mind comes to the 80/20 224 00:18:44,360 --> 00:18:50,360 group. Probably 20% of the offenders are creating 80% of the the issues that we 225 00:18:50,360 --> 00:18:54,360 need to resolve. Can we make sure the focus groups in the survey and that we 226 00:18:54,360 --> 00:19:00,320 are focusing on the major offenders and I know they're not doing it 227 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:06,680 intentionally but the data supports that there are organizations, institutions 228 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:12,480 that are major offenders that we want to make sure we hear from them as to why 229 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:18,720 you know they are not performing better and then to get an honest true 230 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:24,000 commitment from them in terms of what they're going to do to reduce it. No 231 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:28,400 sense in talking to the guy who just threw his milk jug in the wrong container 232 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:33,120 so to speak in terms of the waste issue and so forth but who are the 233 00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:37,280 folks that are really really causing this issues and can we make sure we're 234 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:44,120 talking to those folks to ensure that they are part of the right solution that 235 00:19:44,120 --> 00:19:48,920 we want to approach. Is that possible? It's already been worked out. I could be 236 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:54,160 you know just in the dark. It's really good to hear your perspective. Certainly 237 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:58,600 that's the kind of thing that we are examining through our pre-engagement 238 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:05,720 process so and our initial we're doing an update of the GHG inventory at the 239 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:09,240 beginning of this process as well so we have a sense of you know what what are 240 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:14,840 the largest admitting activities in Denton in terms of what's in scope with this plan so we can 241 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:19,560 definitely consider that in terms of how we end up engaging. I think maybe to 242 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:23,320 build on your calling comment too as well then there's also for us is very 243 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:27,600 important the equity and social justice component of who are the people who are 244 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:32,360 going to be most affected by what happens as a result of this plan. We want 245 00:20:32,360 --> 00:20:38,680 to make sure that we have engagement that asks them for further input on on 246 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:42,840 how we should shape the programs and policies right that are recommended if 247 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:46,200 those are the folks who'd be most affected. So we'll definitely look 248 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:50,600 both sides. I think in terms of how you're talking about it with the 8-20 rule we 249 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:57,360 we are interested in working with y'all on having the biggest impact right with the 250 00:20:57,360 --> 00:21:01,160 actions that really cut through and like I mentioned you'll want to do that more 251 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:06,720 now in this decade so that when you're in the 2040s you're dealing with things 252 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:11,080 that are maybe a bit more tricky or more on the margins. There's really a lot that 253 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:20,080 can be done in the next 10 years as a result of Inflation Reduction Act, all the federal policies so yeah great thank you for the point. 254 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:30,080 It will be very important when you guys can come back to me supporting whatever proposal will ultimately hit the table. I'd really like to have that kind of information who the players are. Thank you. 255 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:48,080 Sounds good, thank you. Brian, do you have another? Yeah, just one more. So last year our committee as well as our council's committee on the environment have approved a target, a science-based reduction target. I was just wondering if that already approved target is what's informing this current action plan or is that kind of back on the table now for discussion to rework very quickly? 256 00:21:48,080 --> 00:22:15,080 Do you mind clarifying that actually? I'm aware of the target but I know we're also going to be looking at how that target fits in. We'll use that target as our basis but we'll also look at the modeling and see if that informs that we may need to revise the target or how aggressive we need to be to reach those targets. 257 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:44,080 Could we, it would be interesting in the newer models that I've developed to kind of see how that comparison trends from when we had set that this last year and then what our new projections even might look like as informed on the new greenhouse gas emission. It just would be nice to see if like what we had looked at and discussed and the information that they presented before. That was what we had agreed to and then this new target, I just want to make sure we're familiar with where our pivots might be going so we're making a more informed decision about it. 258 00:22:44,080 --> 00:23:05,080 Great, yeah so I think we will definitely be able to visualize that in the context and then looking at what your projections are we may say actually you could potentially reach a more aggressive target based on our analysis or the target that you've set might be really really difficult and you might want to rethink your, because it's an interim target that you're talking about right? 259 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:25,080 It's 46% by 2030, okay great yeah so I mean just off the top of my head like that sounds very similar to a lot of other communities and it's a fairly reasonable trajectory but we'll have like more solid data and math to really back that up and talk about it in more detail. 260 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:44,080 Ed, do you have a follow up? Yeah just one more thing, sort of on what Brent, where he's going and this might be for Katherine really but on the agenda information sheet for this it talked about data transfer in three categories, high priority, medium and low priority. 261 00:23:44,080 --> 00:24:04,080 Would it be possible to find out what those are? I mean at least I can't speak for the other committee members but I don't know what the priorities are. Sure yeah so that's just our internal system in terms of populating our computer model to look at the energy emissions. 262 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:18,080 Some data sources are really important to get really globally specific, others we can use state level data or even federal level data to fill in the gaps and that mostly determines the prioritization in terms of what we ask. 263 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:25,080 Your wonderful staff here, can you provide us with some of this data? We want to make sure that's the data that they get us first so we can start creating the model. 264 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:36,080 It usually is what accounts for the largest emissions. I can get you the specific sectors though. I appreciate that, thank you. I don't have them up on my head, sorry. 265 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:46,080 I have just a couple and thanks for bringing that up about the carbon reduction that we had set earlier in the interim because that was one of my questions I had. 266 00:24:46,080 --> 00:25:01,080 So just a few engagement questions. You mentioned survey and I know that our residents really love the survey when it gets shared. I mean the online survey, I think we can reach a broader range of people who maybe aren't able to come out to the meetings. 267 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:10,080 And I know that having a computer set up at some of those meetings with the survey there has been helpful in the past. 268 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:30,080 And how many community meetings are you planning? At this point, I don't want to give a number because it might change and I'm not even quite sure, but it's going to be at least probably three workshops identified here in addition to one or two more approximately. 269 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:45,080 Just a suggestion, just based on that equity, if we could move them around different spots of town just so that if somebody doesn't have transportation, they have an accessible way to get to the meetings if possible. 270 00:25:45,080 --> 00:26:00,080 And another process question, so in between all of those stages where you come back to us, will you be going to council in between as well to review that? Or is that just towards the end after we? 271 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:17,080 And I think that's it. I appreciate it. Yeah, that's all I have. Great, thank you so much. Yeah, thank you. I appreciate you being here. 272 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:39,080 Alright, so we will go ahead and move on to item C, Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion Regarding 2022-2023 Sustainability Framework Fund Work Plan. 273 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:49,080 After I'm going next, sustainability management. 274 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:59,080 So just following up on our last meeting where we discussed items for the upcoming year's framework fund expenditures. 275 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:09,080 We'll kind of go through our brainstorming and suggestions and then some of the projects that we received feedback from other departments and added to the list. 276 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:19,080 And we'll just discuss the focus areas and the topics that we have and then work on our next steps in any feedback video. 277 00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:33,080 And still the background, we have the work plan that we are still working on that was approved in March of 2022 and the additional funding of approximately $4 million for 2022-23. 278 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:37,080 This was the framework fund as proposed. 279 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:51,080 We are obviously working on the climate action planning, the air quality monitoring that came back, we're working on evaluating those bits. Food fellows and alternative transportation are both underway. 280 00:27:51,080 --> 00:28:06,080 So a few that we didn't get to with the city fleet electrification and rainwater capture, but those are ongoing and we will work on plugging those projects in as the design and the buildings are prepared for adding those types of things. 281 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:18,080 May I ask a question on this? Sure. I was just curious where you got the figures, is it $260, $270 per watt installed for the solar? 282 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:24,080 That was the estimated cost that we were given for municipal solar projects. 283 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:30,080 Okay. That's current? 284 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:38,080 That was from March, probably earlier than March when we developed this. 285 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:42,080 Okay, so realistically this cost could come down? 286 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:48,080 It could. That was just the cost that we were being quoted at that time. 287 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:52,080 I understand, thanks. 288 00:28:52,080 --> 00:29:00,080 So just a little bit of reminder on the timeframe on some of those work plan updates. 289 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:05,080 Some of the activities that we've done. 290 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:27,080 So I brought the funding up by goal area, and as you can see in the AIS, we just put a target amount for each focus area and then listed some projects under each focus area that we feel would be beneficial for sustainability, that we can work with our other departments to get these projects done in the next year. 291 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:41,080 So as we go through this, if you see anything that you absolutely don't think should be part of the framework fund, let us know or if there's something that you feel like should be a priority. 292 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:47,080 Another question, the reclaimed water program, does that include things like gray water? 293 00:29:47,080 --> 00:30:03,080 That's on the larger scale, that's the purple pipe is what we're talking about, but gray water is a little different, I mean each case is going to be specific to that home. 294 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:17,080 When I was on PUV, if I recall correctly, there's only two lines that are currently dedicated of gray water, and they're used, I know one of them is for a golf course. 295 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:29,080 And I just wondered if there was any consideration of expanding that program of, as it were, recycled water or reclaimed water or gray water. 296 00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:44,080 That's exactly what this is. That's exactly what this would be, helping expand that program, make it more available to other locations, helping that program increase its availability and capacity. 297 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:46,080 Great, thanks. 298 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:58,080 Just for clarity, the items listed under each focus area, are those our aspirational brainstorm item or is this now each of these items will receive some degree of funding out of the total listed above? 299 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:11,080 These are still the aspirational and some department programs that we know we could work with the department collaborate and help facilitate moving something forward. 300 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:33,080 And on that, how do we, as a body going forward, will staff bring us individual things and say, hey we've got this, can we use this much fund towards this because it fits in our plan, or just to make sure that we're doing something and the money's just not sitting, we're actively working on projects. 301 00:31:33,080 --> 00:32:02,080 So if we take the $500,000 bucket for water, and as we're working through that, okay we're going to come back and tell you, we're going to spend this much on this project, but in order to move the work plan along, if we can say, we want to have a bucket of $500,000 for water, and then we'll narrow down the projects as we work out that work plan and find out how we can get things done in a timely fashion. 302 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:23,080 So it's kind of asking for approval of the bucket, and the aspirational underneath it, and then we'll try, if there's one that's a priority, we'll try to get that one, but there may be another one that, hey we can knock out three goals with this one project, and it's already designed and we can get it on the ground and coin. 303 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:46,080 And also just, this is, for this one but also as we go, the other areas that are coming up, so like there's this bucket, say we may choose one and it may take the whole bucket, right, it may take the whole bucket, okay, as opposed to like three smaller ones that you could do to make, to take that bucket, or choose one, okay. 304 00:32:46,080 --> 00:33:03,080 Would there be the opportunity, seeing as how, you know, this is a minuscule amount of money for what we've got up there, that this could be tied in by actual city ordinances requiring some of this stuff? 305 00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:26,080 Rather than us just saying we should have this in the plan or we should do this, can there actually, do we have the option of actually requesting or working towards a city ordinance requiring a particular development in this focus area? 306 00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:37,080 Like in terms of wastewater, some sort of ordinance regulating the use of wastewater, what you can do with it, what you can't do with it. 307 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:57,080 And that would be a different discussion than what we're having today about the Framework Fund. I know there will be some opportunities coming up with some water and wastewater planning, future planning and some documents there, so there may be some opportunity for some input with those. 308 00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:58,080 Great, thanks. 309 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:01,080 But for this discussion I think we need to focus on this Framework Fund. 310 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:02,080 I understand, thanks. 311 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:06,080 Yes, sir. 312 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:09,080 Any other comments or questions about water? 313 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:17,080 Anything on there that you love or would love to see in place? 314 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:19,080 Anyone have a comment about this list? 315 00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:21,080 We can go on to the next one? 316 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:23,080 Okay. 317 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:35,080 So for air quality and greenhouse gas management, we know that we're going to have more on this list when the Climate Action Plan is done, so that will probably be in next year's budgeting. 318 00:34:35,080 --> 00:34:51,080 So we anticipate this number going up more for next year, but these are just some of the ideas that we had and the committee had in talking with our departments, too, for what we might be able to do over the next year. 319 00:34:51,080 --> 00:35:11,080 The electric lawn equipment rebate, we had talked about, of course, trying to increase the idling reduction, education and information, and anything that - we can work with parks for a native grass installation for enhanced carbon sequestration, stormwater filtration, it's so much bang for your buck there. 320 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:28,080 Is there a possibility to explore partnership with utilities under our transmission lines for a project like this? I see stormwater filtration, reduced maintenance, carbon sequestration, it seems like that would do well with perhaps their maintenance goals under their power lines as well. 321 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:32,080 Just as a thought, I don't know, it would take a little exploration. 322 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:54,080 It's one that we've mentioned in the past, so we can have that discussion with DMV as well. If we find a model that works well for planting and maintenance, then I think that will be an easier sell for under our utility lines. 323 00:35:54,080 --> 00:36:02,080 Anything anyone wants to add to this one? Everybody okay? 324 00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:14,080 So on energy, facility maintenance fund support, so energy and water conservation on the existing buildings that we know we're going to have in our building stock for the next seven plus years. 325 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:32,080 The HVAC building envelope, all of those items will really help our buildings be more efficient and anywhere that we can reduce that consumption, then we're reducing the need for increased capacity from DMV. 326 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:49,080 Nice energy management for air quality, solar parking shade structures with charging and battery storage, through that one in there. Demand management and other strategies and then continue the low income weatherization once we get that program kicked off. 327 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:50,080 Ben? 328 00:36:50,080 --> 00:37:00,080 Yeah, just a question. Under demand management projects, would something like time of use policy be in there too? 329 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:01,080 It could be, yes. 330 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:03,080 Okay, I would like that to be in there. 331 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:04,080 Okay. 332 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:05,080 Brian? 333 00:37:05,080 --> 00:37:09,080 Could you define what you're talking about when you say advanced energy management? 334 00:37:09,080 --> 00:37:22,080 So that would be advanced controls in our buildings. So more controls when buildings aren't occupied that we're really actively managing that time and space. 335 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:23,080 Thank you. 336 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:24,080 Matt? 337 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:29,080 I have the same question. That's not the same thing as a smart service control? 338 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:36,080 It would be a smart thermostat on steroids. 339 00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:41,080 Hopefully. 340 00:37:41,080 --> 00:37:51,080 So land use, open natural space. We have so much that we can do in land use and open natural space. 341 00:37:51,080 --> 00:38:00,080 The curviest walking trails, sidewalk connectivity, if there was any gaps that we could help with some incremental costs maybe to close some gaps. 342 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:06,080 We know there's a sidewalk fund, but maybe there's something that didn't get captured and we can help with that. 343 00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:16,080 Curviest walking trails along drainage channels where we have a cooler space to walk rather than on our adjacent to roadways. 344 00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:29,080 The green infrastructure projects with drainage, restoration projects, working on the pollinator waste stations, pocket prairies, tree rescue within our parks, within our open space, our green space. 345 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:33,080 Do you have a question? 346 00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:45,080 Maybe a tree and native plant rescue and nursery facility where we could, we talked about it before, rescuing plants where there's going to be development and where could we have those and make them available for other projects. 347 00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:50,080 Maybe our pollinator waste stations or restoration projects. 348 00:38:50,080 --> 00:39:06,080 Landfilled cells with wildflowers or grasses, the National Wildlife Federation program, city facilities, habitat support, of course, zero scaping, low water use in landscape incentives. 349 00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:12,080 We saw a really great project with the wildflower boxes along sidewalks. 350 00:39:12,080 --> 00:39:17,080 Certainly anything that we could do with rain garden and kind of sidewalk scaping. 351 00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:21,080 Maybe we could do a pilot on that. 352 00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:31,080 More native planning for the biomass wells, erosion control, bank sterilization projects, and then working with parks for some smaller, more walkable community gardens. 353 00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:38,080 Maybe not as large as Bowling Green, but have three or four plots spread out throughout the community. 354 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:42,080 Do you want to have a question about this list, Ed? 355 00:39:42,080 --> 00:39:50,080 I don't know if it would be included in any of these, but the expansion of IPM programs in parks. 356 00:39:50,080 --> 00:40:06,080 I know we've got pilot programs now, so I'm assuming that based upon the outcomes of the pilot that there might be the option of expanding those programs in other city parks, et cetera. 357 00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:09,080 We can definitely visit with parks about that. 358 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:14,080 And I think, I was going to say some of those are going to grow organically. 359 00:40:14,080 --> 00:40:26,080 But I think that parks is really like in the way Avondale is coming together, and I think that those practices make sense, and I think we'll see that in more parks. 360 00:40:26,080 --> 00:40:30,080 We can help facilitate that when that would be agreed. 361 00:40:30,080 --> 00:40:46,080 Catherine, I have a question this way before our lawyer in the room, too. So on this list, the title is Land Use in Open Natural Space, but not listed is, say, preservation of land or something, just generally. 362 00:40:46,080 --> 00:41:00,080 So like, if there was an area in the town or in the city and council needed some extra funds and they were asking, they wanted to ask our committee, could you help us purchase this to preserve it? 363 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:15,080 So like, is that, does that need to be individually listed? I'm just like, you know, on a case by case basis, or would there have to be an amendment to this document for them to ask us for that, or would it just be open? 364 00:41:15,080 --> 00:41:30,080 I think that if you said you wanted to include that under land use and open sites, if you wanted to include preservation, just generally preservation, I think that would leave the door open. 365 00:41:30,080 --> 00:41:45,080 Okay. And I mean, we discussed this as a body once before, but I mean, it just has been getting left out. And so I thought right now before it's approved, if we wanted to add that in to give the council an option to ask us, we can always say yes or no. 366 00:41:45,080 --> 00:42:14,080 And I know we've discussed this before. I love what this list represents, and I think implemented, it's an amazing possibility. And I vocalized this the last time we talked about land acquisition, that I mean, parks have presented their worksheet of properties that they were interested in acquiring a year or two ago at a parks meeting, and it's just orders of magnitude above what we're able to even budget for something like that. 367 00:42:14,080 --> 00:42:32,080 I like the idea of leaving the door open, but hey, we just need a little bit of a gap closer to meet this need. That would be awesome. I just think that our our ability to implement a project like that might be better served by something that was approved through the bond committee for parks last open space acquisition project. 368 00:42:32,080 --> 00:42:47,080 For our budget, I think these sort of beautification and greening improvement programs are maybe more feasible for what we're able to put to it, but that would just be my two cents. I would agree that at least leaving the door open to close that gap if it's possible would be really nice. 369 00:42:47,080 --> 00:43:13,080 And I know there's no way to purchase property or land with that, because I'm just saying, and we have smaller community gardens, so say like if there was an area and they wanted us to help with that purchase, is that included in there? I'm just trying to think in the future so that documents don't have to be reevaluated and amended if that was there. I'm just bringing it up. 370 00:43:13,080 --> 00:43:26,080 I don't think it's excluded. It's not excluded. Okay. Okay, that's fine. 371 00:43:26,080 --> 00:43:45,080 So transportation. You know we've talked about city facility EV charging stations. We have an internal board right now who's looking at a gap analysis for the community EV charging stations, so that will help inform maybe where we want to encourage others to be installed. 372 00:43:45,080 --> 00:44:00,080 Maybe it's a small supplement, you know, that gap closing or bike and pet infrastructure, they do have their own fund, but if there is some piece that maybe they aren't able to do, maybe just an incremental funding for that. 373 00:44:00,080 --> 00:44:19,080 We talked about the bike repair clinic, bike sale, maybe some of the impound bikes that we've had before have bike sales with that. The cycling training, Kim has been in touch with PD, and we'll be working with them for the bike rodeo, seeing if we can bring that back. 374 00:44:19,080 --> 00:44:36,080 It's been a few years that we've been bringing that back. We have looked into the city run bike rental program, and we'll keep exploring that and what opportunities there might be. Bike rebate program or e-bike rebate program, exploring those. 375 00:44:36,080 --> 00:45:00,080 And then lastly, it's not as highly used and getting as we see in Dallas or Fort Worth, even, but some type of employee incentive for using mass transit, rather than everyone in a single occupied vehicle. 376 00:45:00,080 --> 00:45:18,080 I was just thinking about our green sense business program, and I wonder if there would be any flexibility on using a funding like this to allow for businesses who are in a green business program to apply for the installation of a bike rack at their location if it's not something they'd be able to cover on their own. 377 00:45:18,080 --> 00:45:37,080 And just as an incentive as part of the program, I think that would be really helpful for facing the accessibility of biking to different locations around town, not just on public spaces. 378 00:45:37,080 --> 00:45:45,080 I was looking at education and outreach in regard to transportation. 379 00:45:45,080 --> 00:45:56,080 Well, I know that Johns Colorado has quite a bike infrastructure, bike lanes and arrows telling cars what to do with it. 380 00:45:56,080 --> 00:46:07,080 The last time I was there, which has been maybe five or six years, they were really having problems with accidents, not caused by the cyclists, but caused by vehicles. 381 00:46:07,080 --> 00:46:28,080 I wondered if it would be possible if some of this comes to fruition and bike usage expands to have an educational program of some sort, just to remind drivers of how to behave around bicycles. 382 00:46:28,080 --> 00:46:33,080 There's probably an updated version of Share the Road that we can help promote. 383 00:46:33,080 --> 00:46:40,080 That would be great. 384 00:46:40,080 --> 00:46:46,080 Anybody else have a question about this list? 385 00:46:46,080 --> 00:46:54,080 So education and outreach, it's a smaller amount here because it's a lower cost for what we do. 386 00:46:54,080 --> 00:47:08,080 It's our time, not really all of the expense with it, but green business incentives, item reduction signage, education, working with the development, education about private removal. 387 00:47:08,080 --> 00:47:23,080 We want to try to turn Bowling Green into a demonstration area with trails and signage and explain why the private removal happened, but then restore it with a better habitat for the wildlife in that area. 388 00:47:23,080 --> 00:47:36,080 And then maybe work to contract some removal in some of our profile city and location so that we can tackle that and get it addressed and then have that habitat restored. 389 00:47:36,080 --> 00:47:51,080 Video series for education instead of the classes that we hold so that they're available anytime somebody's available to watch one, and then just supplement any of our current education and outreach funding where it might be necessary. 390 00:47:51,080 --> 00:47:56,080 Does anyone else have anything on this list? 391 00:47:56,080 --> 00:47:57,080 Mr. Stevens. 392 00:47:57,080 --> 00:48:06,080 Yeah, just a comment with regards to the educating and even specifically the education community or sector. 393 00:48:06,080 --> 00:48:16,080 I have some close relationships with some people that are in the school system, and I asked them on a regular basis concerning recycling as a point. 394 00:48:16,080 --> 00:48:27,080 Yes, the education has been there, but there's no follow-up to see if the goals and the strategies are actually being implemented. 395 00:48:27,080 --> 00:48:36,080 My daughter is a second grade school teacher, and I'm very interested in educating the next generation with regards to what we're trying to accomplish. 396 00:48:36,080 --> 00:48:57,080 It's not happening. It's not reaching the grass level roots, if you would. So can we look into, as we're talking about educating the community, can we revisit what the plan looks like with regards to educating our elementary grade school children, as well as the college level? 397 00:48:57,080 --> 00:49:15,080 I have another associate who is connected to UNT, even. I was on the campus this past weekend, and we were walking past the recycle bin, the next to the trash bin, and you notice one is very empty. 398 00:49:15,080 --> 00:49:35,080 It's being utilized, and I ask, "Hey, what's the school's approach to this?" And that individual says, "Well, it's really not talked about much." So I simply say that to say there's an opportunity for us to possibly revisit the strategy from an education perspective. 399 00:49:35,080 --> 00:49:51,080 And is there an objective? I understand the educational piece. Do we have an objective for the people, for the institutions to arrive at? What if it goes to some of the incentive-based type plans? 400 00:49:51,080 --> 00:50:14,080 What can we do to even incentivize those institutions? And I refer to both the elementary school level, as well as the graduate level, and it seems like there's great opportunity. That's a very small audience that I'm speaking with, but it would appear to me that there's opportunity to move this to the next level. 401 00:50:14,080 --> 00:50:37,080 The resources are there on site for them to use, but it's something missing in the educational piece that's not affecting the result that we desire, so I want to offer that as something that we consider as we continue to go forward, because it doesn't appear that what we're trying to accomplish is actually working as well as it could. 402 00:50:37,080 --> 00:50:51,080 And I would agree with that statement. We relaunched our Sustainable Schools program for the school year after taking a break during COVID. I believe we only had six schools sign up for it. 403 00:50:51,080 --> 00:51:09,080 We are working with each campus, doing waste audits and recycling audits, and every school was offered the opportunity to sign up and to have anyone from sustainability, anyone from our recycling education team come out and do presentations to the classes. 404 00:51:09,080 --> 00:51:24,080 We've had a lot of takers, but not that many schools have signed up for the program, so if anyone you know has any sway with the principal, you may suggest that. 405 00:51:24,080 --> 00:51:40,080 But we can also, individual teachers can reach out to us, even if the school isn't signed up, we would love to go out and provide more. And that's part of our core, so this doesn't really, it doesn't fall underneath the Sustainability Framework Fund as much, because that's part of our core daily activity. 406 00:51:40,080 --> 00:51:57,080 Have you talked to the school board and to the superintendent about this, about education in the schools, rather than going to individual principals? 407 00:51:57,080 --> 00:52:14,080 We work with the curriculum coordinators and we were at the in-service trainings this past summer for both upper and elementary schools. We have not done a presentation to the school board. 408 00:52:14,080 --> 00:52:35,080 I really think, you know, what they're doing with putting solar on their schools now and the fact that they're trying to reduce their fossil fuel bus fleet and the whole thing, I think it would really be wise to go before the trustees. 409 00:52:35,080 --> 00:52:38,080 We have a great relationship with their facilities department. 410 00:52:38,080 --> 00:52:55,080 And Paul, I can't remember his last name. Yeah, I would really, you know, 100% go in and present to the board what's going on and how we want them to be part of it. 411 00:52:55,080 --> 00:53:09,080 I just want to make sure we're staying on topic with education and outreach and that this $100,000, is this, when you talk about education and outreach funding, are we talking about? 412 00:53:09,080 --> 00:53:27,080 This is at the sustainable schools program, so it would be different funding for this outreach for the schools. This is more community business oriented outreach funding, just to kind of bring us back to the topic. 413 00:53:27,080 --> 00:53:44,080 I do have a question, and I have to make a comment about the private removal, because it was very jarring to see, and I just have a question of clarification for this. 414 00:53:44,080 --> 00:53:57,080 So are you saying that this money is going to go towards more private removal, or just for this one specific to kind of fix the harm that has been done? 415 00:53:57,080 --> 00:54:02,080 Education and outreach would be to turn Bowling Green into a demonstration area. 416 00:54:02,080 --> 00:54:25,080 There could be additional private removal looking at our properties where some of our trees are being choked out by the privet. There may be additional private removal on public property, but we would try to restore that and have a full education program about the understanding of why we're doing it. 417 00:54:25,080 --> 00:54:50,080 Okay, so I'm good with the restoration. I just was curious that if we were going to fund or use the fund for private removal, I request that the committee gets a presentation and is involved in the process and is able to explain best practices for when something like that happens again. 418 00:54:50,080 --> 00:55:07,080 So, I just wanted, since that was specifically on that issue, I thought I would bring it up and ask and kind of clarify, you know, like, well, you know, if it's more of a homeless thing, then I don't know that our funding should go towards it. 419 00:55:07,080 --> 00:55:13,080 So, just to comment. 420 00:55:13,080 --> 00:55:35,080 All right. All right. So material resource management. We do have quite a bit with the comprehensive solid waste management strategy that will be taking on that this could be to help facilitate some of those coming on a little bit sooner, maybe some pilot diversion of some of our larger non problematic materials. 421 00:55:35,080 --> 00:55:46,080 Some of the glass that we can't take through the drop off system, styrofoam, the large plastics, maybe some drop off events for those where we can compact those and ship them off. 422 00:55:46,080 --> 00:56:10,080 One of the things we're working on right now is books. Pratt can't accept hardcover books, so we're working on a pilot to take our total books to another recycler. But just trying to divert as much as we can from appropriately from Pratt and from the landfill, if Pratt cannot take it. 423 00:56:10,080 --> 00:56:23,080 Trash ballet, the green business program support. We have a lot of problems at apartments where they have trash ballet so maybe providing some clear bags to those apartments so that they understand that's the recycling. 424 00:56:23,080 --> 00:56:29,080 Instead of them just providing a black bag, and it all goes in the trash. 425 00:56:29,080 --> 00:56:49,080 There's a project working on replacing the containers on the square, the big bellies, with more appropriate containers and additional containers. I think we talked before about how when the big bellies were installed the waste profile for the square was so different than it is now. 426 00:56:49,080 --> 00:57:07,080 So just putting the appropriate containers there, the organics program expansion, any support we need for the Dawn Order product campaign, increasing our sustainable purchasing. 427 00:57:07,080 --> 00:57:12,080 Just including the education outreach and employer support. 428 00:57:12,080 --> 00:57:22,080 I have one question about sustainable purchasing. Does that also relate to the city's green procurement program? 429 00:57:22,080 --> 00:57:28,080 It does. It could cover an incremental cost if there was for a sustainable item. 430 00:57:28,080 --> 00:57:31,080 Thanks. 431 00:57:31,080 --> 00:57:50,080 And then our last topic area, resilience and public health. So the neighborhood gardens, we're looking at kind of a four quadrant, shallow model with raised beds, on-site composting, small riddle feed, just to track who's using those. 432 00:57:50,080 --> 00:58:05,080 Drainage, helping drainage with the green infrastructure. And these cross over between different focus areas, you'll notice. If we deal with resilience and public health, it's also benefiting land use and it's also benefiting air quality and greenhouse gas. 433 00:58:05,080 --> 00:58:23,080 Which is how our stuff is so unrelated. One thing we talked about was the heating and cooling stations and any way that we could harden those facilities, whether it's battery backup or backup water, whatever we would not be able to do, looking at those facilities. 434 00:58:23,080 --> 00:58:38,080 Eco-friendly playgrounds, we talked about the wellness workout stations, and then the various trails again on the list here. Any additional comments on that? 435 00:58:38,080 --> 00:58:59,080 I had something, I may have missed it. Is there any mention, I know we've got solar parking, shade structures, charging and battery storage. Do we have anything about community solar microgrid possible projects? 436 00:58:59,080 --> 00:59:01,080 We don't have that in there right now. 437 00:59:01,080 --> 00:59:06,080 Would it be possible to add that? 438 00:59:06,080 --> 00:59:20,080 We could also look at that whenever we get the climate action plan back and see what those recommendations might look like from that document for next year. 439 00:59:20,080 --> 00:59:24,080 I'm okay if you want to add that suggestion now. 440 00:59:24,080 --> 00:59:27,080 I would like to, sure. 441 00:59:27,080 --> 00:59:47,080 We do this as a new business because there's maybe some members who might not know what that is, and maybe at the end you can ask for a presentation on it, and then we can revisit that with more knowledge. 442 00:59:47,080 --> 01:00:05,080 Okay, that sounds good. I also think that kind of dovetails with maybe the special meeting we had about conversation with EMA in a lot of ways. Anything with community solar installations. I think that's educating us about what community solar is. 443 01:00:05,080 --> 01:00:09,080 So we'll bring that back up in here in a minute. 444 01:00:09,080 --> 01:00:12,080 Thank you. 445 01:00:12,080 --> 01:00:27,080 Any other questions? I just want to comment and say thank you so much for this detailed listen. Able to take all of our suggestions and the conversation and make something is really great, is this document. Thank you so much. 446 01:00:27,080 --> 01:00:30,080 I'm excited about all the things we can do. 447 01:00:30,080 --> 01:00:54,080 Looks great. All right, so we will go ahead and move to staff reports. 448 01:00:54,080 --> 01:01:01,080 Yep. Did anyone have any questions about the gas well memorandum that was in the backup? 449 01:01:01,080 --> 01:01:06,080 Just with information. Matt? 450 01:01:06,080 --> 01:01:22,080 So we don't know anything about studies on plugged wells and integrity of those wells and other things like that because it seems like there's, there's no action on this, because this is beyond the HB40 questions of what the city can do. 451 01:01:22,080 --> 01:01:30,080 I mean, they're, they're plugged and kind of the Railroad Commission is gone. Right. I mean, this is what I think out of this document. 452 01:01:30,080 --> 01:01:44,080 Then it becomes the city's responsibility to think about the integrity of these boreholes that have been plugged with cement and the integrity of that cement. 453 01:01:44,080 --> 01:01:49,080 And then what structures are being put potentially on top of those boreholes. 454 01:01:49,080 --> 01:01:56,080 So I'm just, I'm thinking like my level of trust for the Railroad Commission is not very high. 455 01:01:56,080 --> 01:02:03,080 My level of trust for Portland cement and lasting forever is not very high. 456 01:02:03,080 --> 01:02:20,080 And I think we should be thinking preemptively or proactively about preventing houses or other structures being built on top of boreholes, whether they're plugged or they're inactive or anything. 457 01:02:20,080 --> 01:02:34,080 But so like I appreciate the presentation, but I'm just, I mean, like my question mark, what do we know about the integrity over time of plugged wells? Because there's not a lot of research on that. 458 01:02:34,080 --> 01:02:42,080 There's some growing research on that. There's question marks about those things. 459 01:02:42,080 --> 01:02:54,080 So I think that would be my comment about this presentation. I mean, because it's great to see it, but it's like, so we can just build right on top of that. 460 01:02:54,080 --> 01:03:03,080 Well, there's a, I think the city of Denton has, I get 10 foot. There's some. 461 01:03:03,080 --> 01:03:08,080 Michael Gallegos, Director of Environmental Services and Sustainabilities. There is no restriction actually within that. 462 01:03:08,080 --> 01:03:15,080 That's what you read through the first two paragraphs. Currently, our code does not have any restrictions, no setbacks, anything. 463 01:03:15,080 --> 01:03:22,080 Once it becomes a plugged well, there is the restrictions under our code no longer apply at this point. 464 01:03:22,080 --> 01:03:29,080 That's what I was clarifying. That was the question posed to me was what does our code do? Our code doesn't do anything. 465 01:03:29,080 --> 01:03:40,080 There's not, I'm not up to speed on current research on doing activities on top of plugged or abandoned wells because you have two different types. 466 01:03:40,080 --> 01:03:47,080 You have a plug that was actively producing and you have what's called a dry hole, which meant it was never producing. 467 01:03:47,080 --> 01:03:52,080 So theoretically, it's a filled in area that never produced gas. Two different things. 468 01:03:52,080 --> 01:04:01,080 But no, we don't have anything at this point. It could be for future discussion for sure. It's just not in the current code. 469 01:04:01,080 --> 01:04:07,080 Because I believe that other cities actually do have some setbacks around plugged wells. 470 01:04:07,080 --> 01:04:13,080 There are various, throughout the Metroplex, other parts of the state, yes, various cities have all different types of requirements, 471 01:04:13,080 --> 01:04:21,080 whether it be markers, setback requirements, different things, just to prevent or control what can be built on top of that. 472 01:04:21,080 --> 01:04:23,080 But our current code does not require that, okay? 473 01:04:23,080 --> 01:04:32,080 I must be misremembering. I thought we had something in our gas well ordinance that was just like, it was something minuscule, but it was something. 474 01:04:32,080 --> 01:04:47,080 So I must be remembering that. So maybe we can have a discussion more in the future and have the director come in about planning and talk about it. 475 01:04:47,080 --> 01:05:00,080 Yeah, I think that would be important. Because plugging has increased, it seems like recently, because some of the prominent wells have been plugged with new developments coming in. 476 01:05:00,080 --> 01:05:12,080 Thank you for the document and the information. It was helpful for us to get to where we are now. Thank you. 477 01:05:12,080 --> 01:05:24,080 All right, so we will move on to new concluding items. Does anybody have anything for concluding new business? 478 01:05:24,080 --> 01:05:31,080 Do you want to bring that kind of back up, Matt, or do you want to request a presentation? 479 01:05:31,080 --> 01:05:41,080 I think another presentation will be good, and also to kind of get a scope of what some other cities are doing with setbacks around plugged wells and other things. 480 01:05:41,080 --> 01:05:44,080 Okay. Ben? 481 01:05:44,080 --> 01:05:49,080 And I'd like to add the community solar microgrid presentation. 482 01:05:49,080 --> 01:06:10,080 Okay. All right. Anyone else? I would like to see if we can get our economic developer, our new economic developer to come speak to us about opportunities with pace, renewables, and preservation in regards to economic development. 483 01:06:10,080 --> 01:06:20,080 And I think that's it. So we have three items to add in the matrix. 484 01:06:20,080 --> 01:06:24,080 And you said about pace, renewables, and? 485 01:06:24,080 --> 01:06:37,080 Just preservation. Just in general, you know, sustainability and economic development. Just kind of like a, those are just something I threw in, but an overall picture of how these play together. 486 01:06:37,080 --> 01:06:50,080 Okay. Yep. All right. We will conclude the meeting at 2 0 6. Thank you, everyone, for your time. Everyone have a good weekend.