SC 06-15-2017CITY OF CUPERTINO SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
Environmental Education Center 22221 McClellan Road
Thursday, June 15, 2017 4:00 PM
MINUTES
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
The meeting convened at 4:03pm.
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Commissioners Present: Angela Chen, Anna Weber, Vignesh Swaminathan, and Meera
Ramanathan (arrived @4:10)
Commissioner Absent: Gary Latshaw
Staff: Misty Mersich, Sustainability Manager; Gilee Corral, Sustainability Program
Coordinator
Guests: None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Draft minutes of May 18, 2017 meeting approved. Motion by Commissioner
Swaminathan, 2nd by Commissioner Weber. Motion passes 3-0-2 with Commissioners
Ramanathan and Latshaw absent.
POSTPONEMENTS
None.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
None.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Subject: GHG Inventory Update
Misty Mersich distributed the 2015 greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory narrative which is
scheduled to be presented to City Council on June 20 1h. Staff reported that the direct
access issue discussed at last month's meeting has been resolved through a conversation
with Apple. Community emissions have decreased 13.1 % since 2010, and the City is on
track to meeting its CAP goal of 15% below 2010 levels by 2020. Municipal emissions
have decreased 22.8% from 2010 to 2015 . Misty noted that GHG inventory methodology
has changed to the Global Protocol for Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emission
Inventories (GPC) since the 2010 inventory was developed. The 2015 inventory was
developed according to the GPC protocol, and 2010 baseline figures recalculated
accordingly to enable an apples-to-apples comparison.
Commissioner Weber suggested ways that staff could share these results and our green
fleet efforts with other agencies, such as the Cupertino school district.
Staff also distributed a new colorful summary flier on the CAP progress update.
Cupertino is exceeding its CAP goals for 2020 in solar installations, water reduction,
and new net trees planted. After Council approves the report next Tuesday, the final
version will be on the website.
2. Subject: Sustainability Commission Budget
The Commission has spent about $1,000 on supplies in the 16/17 fiscal year and has
about $6,500 left to spend. Staff suggested rolling this amount over to next year's
budget and that the Commission come up with a plan to spend the money. The
Commission discussed ideas on how to use the money, including fees for conferences
and speakers, funding projects such as Sustainability Heroes idea, student awards, and
small community grants. The Commission will continue this discussion in July.
3. Subject: Sustainability Commission Work Plan
The Commission added items to the Work Plan and discussed several possible items to
address in FY 2017/18:
• Bike to Shop Day event, in coordination with Silicon Valley Bike Coalition and
the Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission. Commissioner Swaminathan will reach
out to the Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission to start planning for this.
• Outreach / promoting the CAP progress report: Commissioner Ramanathan will
forward information to Misty on the Housing Commission Chair's idea to
include the CAP progress report summary in a real estate flyer. Other potential
avenues discussed were the Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club.
• Work with Public Works to address questions about compost bins and liners.
Commissioner Ramanathan will forward these questions to Misty, who will get
input from Environmental Services staff.
• Ways to address gaps in the CAP, i.e. an energy or resiliency master plan or cost
related to the CAP implementation goals, and preparing the city for autonomous
vehicles.
• Building reach code to go above and beyond the State standards under Title 24.
The Commission established new subcommittees as follows:
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• Environmental Jeopardy Game Subcommittee: Commissioners Weber and
Ramanathan. The Subcommittee will report back in the January meeting.
• Building Reach Code Subcommittee: Commissioners Ramanathan and
Swaminathan.
• Sustainable Schools Subcommittee: Commissioners Ramanathan and Weber.
In the interest of collaborating with other City Commissions on mutual projects and
ideas, the Commission assigned liaisons to reach out to the following City Commissions
and report back on the results of their collaboration in the December meeting:
• Commissioners Chen and Latshaw -Library (they are already working with the
Library Commission on a Sustainability Speaker Series Subcommittee)
• Commissioner Weber -Teen
• Commissioner Ramanathan -Housing
• Commissioner Swaminathan -Bicycle & Pedestrian and Parks & Rec
The Work Plan discussion will continue at the July meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
4. Subject: AB262 Buy Clean California
Misty read an email from Commissioner Latshaw regarding his input on this subject.
Commissioner Latshaw recommended removing the middle paragraph of the draft
letter of support that references cement and concrete, but to support the legislative
action in general. The Commission discussed the item at length, and Commissioners
expressed confusion over what the bill was proposing, what the City of Cupertino
would be supporting by signing the letter, and why Lehigh Southwest Cement
Company was copied onto the letter. The Commission wished to see the revised letter
with this language removed as proposed by Commissioner Latshaw before forwarding
to the Legislative Committee for consideration.
Action Item: Commissioner Swaminathan moved to approve the letter of support for
AB262 after being revised by Commissioner Latshaw and to recommend the revised
letter for consideration by the Legislative Committee. The motion was seconded by
Commissioner Ramanathan and carried with 3-0-1-1 with Commissioner Weber
abstaining and Commissioner Latshaw absent.
STAFF AND COMMISSION REPORTS
Staff updates:
• Misty's planned maternity leave is July 171" through November 17 1". Jaqui
Guzman, Deputy City Manager, will oversee the Sustainability Division.
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Katy Nomura will lead staff team meetings and Gilee Corral will be the staff
liaison to the Sustainability Commission. Misty's duties will be split and
assigned among the Sustainability Division staff.
• July 1st is the start of the second round of enrollment in Silicon Valley Clean
Energy (SVCE). There is an upcoming SVCE community meeting in
Cupertino on June 27th at Quinlan Community Center at 6:30pm.
• Misty will ask the City Clerk to clarify policy around Commissioners using
personal phone numbers for Commission business.
• Mayor Vaidhyanathan signed the Climate Mayors letter, which over 300 cities
nationwide have signed, and is also a signatory on the "We Are Still In"
movement.
Commissioner updates:
• Commissioners Weber and Ramanathan and staff met with Kevin Jenkins
with the Cupertino Union School District to discuss ideas on how they can
help further sustainability actions within Cupertino schools. They also
have a meeting set up with staff from Fremont Union High School next
week.
• Commissioner Ramanathan reported that she attended the Mayors
Commission meeting in June in place of Commissioner Chen. Updates
from the meeting include:
o Granny units are restricted to 700 sq. ft. or less; Rebuilding Silicon
Valley has grants available for home projects; the Library has
Photoshop software on its computers for free use; an emerging
artists program is making designs for the park. The next Mayor's
meeting on July 5th has been cancelled. Commissioner Chen will
send an email report to the Mayor in lieu of the meeting.
ADJOURNMENT-6:09pm.
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