SC 11-21-2019 (Special) CITY OF CUPERTINO SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
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Environmental Education Center,22221 McClellan Road
Thursday, November 21,2019 4:00 p.m.
SPECIAL MEETING
MINUTES
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
At 4:10 p.m. Vice Chair Latshaw called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance. j
ROLL CALL
Commissioners Present: Gary Latshaw,Meera Ramanathan,Angela Chen,Anna Weber(arrived @ 4:58 p.m.),
Vignesh Swaminathan(arrived @ 5:10 p.m.).Absent: None.
Staff: Gilee Corral, Sustainability Program Coordinator.
Guests:Members of the public.
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Draft minutes of October 24,2019 meeting were reviewed. Commissioner Chen moved and Commissioner
Ramanathan seconded to approve the minutes. The motion carried unanimously with Chair Weber and
Commissioner Swaminathan absent.
POSTPONEMENTS -None.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS-None.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
Gilee Corral distributed an email related to Subject#6.
OLD BUSINESS
2. Subject:Discuss November 19th City Council Study Session on building electrification policy and
reach codes adoption process
Corral gave a brief update on, and answered questions about,the reach codes adoption process:
- Council First Reading of the Draft Ordinance scheduled for December 17.
- Sustainability Manager Andre Duurvoort will present the reach codes to a public meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce on Dec. 6;Commissioners are encouraged to attend if interested.
- Commissioners asked for clarification on a Council study session vs First Reading,timing, and about
mandatory waiting periods between Readings. Corral explained that the study session was to explore
the policy options and get feedback, whereas the First Reading is the official Council review of a
proposed ordinance. Corral will forward an updated timeline of the process to the Commission.
NEW BUSINESS
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3. Subject:Review City of Cupertino Draft Ethics Protocol
No feedback,written or verbal,was received from Commissioners on the Draft Ethics Protocol.
4. Subject:Discuss if limitations can be applied to natural gas usage in nonresidential facilities via a fee
structure or licensing process by the City
Vice Chair Latshaw raised the issue of an increase in natural gas usage reflected in the community greenhouse
gas (GHG)inventory update.He would like the Commission to review the options available to the City to
address this and add it to the Commission's Work Program. Commissioners Chen and Ramanathan expressed
their support.
Corral reviewed Commissions FY 2020 Work Program and the status of each item,noting several unfinished
items on the Work Program. She advised the Commission to either drop a current item and swap it for the
natural gas usage item in FY 2020;alternatively,the Commission could add the natural gas usage item to the
FY 2021 Work Program idea list.
The Commission discussed the options and raised other points, including:
- Synergy with the reach code Work Program item and furthering the push for electrification
(Ramanathan).
- Consider alignment with the Sustainability Commission's purview,potential crossover with the
Planning Commission(Chen).
- Synergy with Climate Action Plan (CAP) methodology Work Program item (Latshaw).
Vice Chair Latshaw moved and Commissioner Chen seconded to add the natural gas usage in nonresidential
facilities item to the FY 2021 Work Program discussion on the December agenda.The motion carried
unanimously with Chair Weber and Commissioner Swaminathan absent.
5. Subject:Discuss Protected Trees Ordinance (Cupertino Municipal Code Chapter 14.18) and staff update
on recent assessment of Cupertino's tree canopy
Chair Weber arrived at 4:58 p.m. and assumed Chair duties.
Corral gave a brief presentation on the Protected Trees Ordinance and an overview of the recently completed
assessment of Cupertino's tree canopy.
Chair Weber opened public comment and the following individual spoke:
Elle Van Buren (Cupertino resident) talked about her desire for an update of the Protected Trees Ordinance,
expressed concern of mature redwoods being cut down in her neighborhood.
Commissioner Ramanathan left the room at 5:06 p.m.
Public comment resumed at 5:07 p.m. Elle Van Buren displayed written comments on the screen for the
Commission and expressed a desire for Cupertino to consider updating the Protected Tree Ordinance.
Commissioner Swaminathan arrived at 5:10 p.m.
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Chair Weber closed public comment. Corral responded to procedural questions about the item and
possibilities. Corral recommended either requesting a presentation on the tree canopy from Public Works staff
or including the item in the Commissions discussion of potential FY 2021 Work Program items.
The Commission entered a brief discussion with various issues raised,including:
- Numerous activities are still underway in FY 2020 Work Program;could discuss adding it to FY 2021
Work Program(Weber).
- Need to establish a link between the tree canopy and the GHG inventory for it to be relevant to the
Sustainability Commission;otherwise,may be under the Planning Commission purview (Chen).
Commissioner Chen moved and Vice Chair Latshaw seconded to add the Protected Tree Ordinance item to the
FY 2021 Work Program discussion on the December agenda.The motion carried unanimously with
Commissioner Ramanathan absent.
6. Subject:Review submitted applications for 2019 Sustainability Grants for Students program
Commissioner Ramanathan returned at 5:23 p.m.
Corral reviewed the eligibility requirements, grant amount limits, and the Commissions FY 2020 budget and
year to date approximate expenses.The Commission discussed shifting funds from other projects to
supplement the grant fund.
Vice Chair Latshaw left the room at 5:35 p.m. and returned shortly after.
Corral announced that Silicon Valley Clean Energy(SVCE)is accepting applications for a similar grant
program for students,the Education Fund, applications due Jan 31,2020.
Commission discussed whether to divide the applications into categories, i.e. high school/elementary school,
nonprofit, etc., and whether to request similar projects work together.Chair Weber advised, and the
Commission decided, to consider each project separately and judge each based on its merit and alignment with
the stated goals.
The Commission reviewed each application and briefly discussed each individually.Items reviewed included
feasibility, link to the program purpose,educational element,reduction of greenhouse gas emissions(GHGs)
in Cupertino,empowering students, working with school staff, if program will continue after the student
applicant(s)leave their school and graduate,etc.
Commissioner Chen left the room at 6:25 p.m. and returned shortly after.
Commissioners gave their personal top picks:
• Commissioner Ramanathan: top four (not ranked):Lawson Middle 'Bring a Fork to School" (App
#108),Montclaire Elementary vegetable planting project(App #103),Monta Vista High off-site
composting project(App#105),Monta Vista High"Smile for Nature"project(App#106).Top two if
only two were chosen(not ranked): #105 and#106. She left the meeting at 6:30 p.m.
• Commissioner Swaminathan: top four (not ranked): same as Ramanathan. Top two if only two were
chosen (not ranked): #108 and#103.
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• Chair Weber:top four (not ranked): same as Ramanathan and Swaminathan. Top two if only two were
chosen (not ranked): #108 and #105.
• Commissioner Chen: in preference order: Top choice: #105,2nd place: #103.Runner up: #108,with
reduction in funding to$200.
• Commissioner Latshaw:Top choice: #103.
Chair Weber moved and Commissioner Chen seconded to revise the Sustainability Commission FY 2020
budgeted program amounts as follows:increase amount of funding for Sustainability Student Grant Winners
from$1,200 to$2,000;eliminate$500 from the Sustainability Essay Contest;and reduce School Waste Audits
amount from$700 to$400. The motion carried unanimously with Commissioner Ramanathan absent.
Chair Weber made a motion to award$500 each to applications #103, #105, #106, and#108. The Commission
discussed the motion,noting that the amount was above the request for some of the applicants.The motion
was withdrawn.
The Commission discussed the distribution of reusable forks proposed in#108, raising various concerns.
Corral noted that the Water District may be able to supply reusable forks.There was general agreement that
the Commission wished to fund the posters/promotion part of the project but not the purchase of the forks.
After some discussion, the Commission agreed not to select#106; comments included that the project could
augment the other Monta Vista project or could be expanded to a district-wide approach.
Commissioner Swaminathan moved to award$300 to Montclaire Elementary vegetable planting project(App
#103);$325 to the Monta Vista High off-site composting project(App #105);and$200 to the Lawson Middle
"Bring a Fork to School"project(App #108), with the provision that Commission funds be used for posters and
promotion only.After a brief discussion, the motion was amended to award$240 to the Lawson Middle "Bring
a Fork to School" project(App #108)for supplies for posters and fliers for advertising;$300 to the Montclaire
Elementary vegetable planting project(App #103); and$325 to the Monta Vista High off-site composting
project(App #105).The motion as amended was seconded by Chair Weber and carried unanimously with
Commissioner Ramanathan absent.
STAFF AND COMMISSION REPORTS
Commissioner Swaminathan left the meeting at 7:00 p.m.
Commission updates:Vice Chair Latshaw announced that Churchill Club is having a meeting on Dec.5 on
California achieving its GHG goals. Latshaw will email staff details for distribution to the Commission.
Staff updates: Staff noted that the City of Sunnyvale has suggested ideas for collaborating on a Sustainability
Speaker Series event;to be discussed at the December meeting.
ADJOURNMENT-7:05 p.m.
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