SC 03-18-2021 (Special)CITY OF CUPERTINO SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
Teleconference meeting without a physical location.
Thursday, March 18, 20214:00 p.m.
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
At 4:02 p.m. Vice Chair Mohan called the meeting to order.
ROLL CALL
Commissioners Present: Chair Vignesh Swaminathan (arrived @ 4:34 p.m.), Vice Chair Ram Mohan, and
Commissioners Gary Latshaw, Meera Ramanathan, and Anna Weber.
Staff: Kirsten Squarcia, City Clerk; Ursula Syrova, Environmental Programs Manager; Nicole Lee,
Environmental Programs Assistant; Manpreet Chandok, Intern; Gilee Corral, Climate and Utilities Analyst.
Guests: Members of the public.
Vice Chair Mohan read a statement regarding provisions of the Brown Act and an Executive Order issued by
the Governor to facilitate teleconferencing to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission at public meetings.
Staff requested to reorder the agenda to move Item #4 after Item #2. Commissioner Latshaw moved and
Commissioner Weber seconded to reorder the agenda items as requested. The motion carried unanimously
with Chair Swaminathan absent.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. Subject: Minutes from January 21, 2021 meeting
Draft minutes of January 21, 2021 meeting were reviewed. Vice Chair Mohan moved and Commissioner
Latshaw seconded to approve the minutes. The motion carried unanimously with Chair Swaminathan absent.
POSTPONEMENTS
None.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
None.
OLD BUSINESS
None.
STAFF AND COMMISSION REPORTS
Staff updates: Gilee Corral, Staff Liaison, briefly reviewed the 2021 Earth and Arbor Day website and events
featured, including community activities, challenges, and a speaker series. The speaker series will be 17 pre-
recorded videos, including a welcome from Commissioner Ramanathan. An Eventbrite link will be added
April 1 for residents to register for the event and be entered to win a raffle prize. Sponsorships of $450 are
available. CivicSpark AmeriCorps Fellow Brendan Norton presented his volunteer opportunity in the
community, Clean City Green City. There will be a webinar to on April 1 to kick off the event.
NEW BUSINESS
2. Subject: Training on Commissioner Handbook approved by City Council on January 19, 2021
City Clerk Kirsten Squarcia presented a training on the newly adopted Commissioner's Handbook. Subjects
covered included:
- Roles of the Commission, staff, and Council
- Key highlights of the Brown Act related to conducting meetings, agendas, and public participation
- Overview of the Political Reform Act and reminder to submit Form 700 disclosure (due April 1)
- Rosenberg's Rules of Order
- City Work Program
- Cupertino Ethics Policy and reminder for Commissioners to attend online ethics training
- City Email policy
The Commission asked clarifying questions and gave comments, including:
Clarify what constitutes "city business" (Weber). City Clerk Squarcia: anything that might come before
the Commission for deliberation. Ok to talk about scheduling.
Expression of thanks to the City Clerk for her clear and useful presentation (Mohan, Ramanathan).
Chair Swaminathan arrived at 4:34 p.m. and resumed Chair duties.
4. Subject: Update from Public Works Environmental Division staff on FY 2020-21 City Work Program
item on development of single -use plastics ordinance
Ursula Syrova, Environmental Programs Manager, presented an update on the ordinance development. The
Santa Clara County Technical Advisory Committee completed a model ordinance in 2020. She acknowledged
Eva Holman from Upstream, a partner in the work of the ordinance development, in the attendee list. Syrova
reviewed elements of the model ordinance, including an opt in requirement for disposable accessories. Her
presentation included purpose of pursuing an ordinance, overview of single -use food ware products, the
regional model ordinance process, and policy options for consideration. Nicole Lee, Environmental Programs
Assistant, reviewed outreach plans. Manpreet Chandok, Intern, presented her fieldwork surveying local
businesses.
Topics from the presentation included:
Increase in use of single -use items during COVID shutdown
- Specific language in the model ordinance by material type, i.e. fiber -based food ware, bioplastics
- Reusable to -go ware, dishwashing services vs requiring dishwasher installation
- Staff are tracking how different jurisdictions are landing on their local ordinances
- Overview of outreach plan for engaging various groups using an inclusive approach
- Survey of ten local stores on compliance with single -use plastic grocery bag ordinance and materials
used for food ware
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Syrova plans to bring a recommendation to the Commission for discussion in the summer, a request for a
recommendation to Council in the fall, with the aim for Council adoption of the new ordinance in January
2022.
The Commission asked clarifying questions and gave comments:
- General expression of appreciation for the quality of presentation.
- State considering multiple actions on plastics, how this coordinates with our local efforts, if Recology is
working on policy (Latshaw). Syrova: her team is tracking the state legislation. She is checking in with
Greenwaste on the #3 — 7 plastics and market for long term recyclability. #1 and #2 are still marketable.
Confirmed Recology was working on a bill. Latshaw will provide specific policy references for her
tracking list.
- Dishwashing temperature for illness prevention and communicating this (Ramanathan). Syrova: food
safety regulations that cover commercial dishwashers also cover COVID safety.
- If company cafeterias are covered in the model ordinance, if exemption for homeless services
(Ramanathan). Syrova: Company cafeterias will be part of the policy discussion. Noted the issue of
food banks and houeless services would be part of the discussion as well.
- Noting the opportunity for innovation through this project, if there are best practices, pilots, or contests
to emulate (Mohan). Syrova: noted that Berkeley, San Francisco, Alameda, Palo Alto have done some
work.
- If masks or other single use items being considered, items given out for free (Swaminathan). Syrova:
noted City is collecting disposable employee masks and gloves for recycling via Terracycle. Currently
the scope of the model ordinance is limited to food ware.
Chair Swaminathan opened public comment and the following individual spoke:
- Eva Holman with Upstream spoke about restaurants reopening as an opportunity to shift to reusables
for onsite dining. She noted examples of work in the reusables space by Santa Rosa and Genentech.
Mentioned Styrofoam tray ban in San Francisco. Supports Cupertino implementing food ware and
reuse policy.
Chair Swaminathan expressed concern about single use masks and gloves ending up in inlets and gutters
would be interested to hear about best practices to address this. Commissioner Latshaw noted the high level of
attention on the issue at the state level and potential for Cupertino to arrive at more aggressive policy.
3. Subject: Review submitted nomination for 2021 CREST Awards Sustainability Champion of the
Year
Corral briefly reviewed the nomination for the 2021 Sustainability Champion of the Year. Commissioner
Latshaw abstained from the discussion and vote.
The Commission made comments, including:
- Cupertino Youth Climate Action Team (CYCAT) helps youth to find their voices and learn about
policy, giving high schoolers a change to make a difference (Weber).
- CYCAT as an organization has grown, learned about decision -making process, have used their
direction and feedback as a Commission, great to support the next generation (Swaminathan).
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Commissioner Weber moved and Vice Chair Mohan seconded to select the Cupertino Youth Climate Action
Team as the 2021 CREST Awards Sustainability Champion of the Year. Commissioner Ramanathan noted her
"yes' vote was because there are no other nominees, and expressed her appreciation for CYCAT. The motion
passed unanimously with Commissioner Latshaw abstaining.
FUTURE AGENDA SETTING
Chair Swaminathan noted that there are five openings in the VTA citizens advisory commission.
The Commission discussed changes and additions to the Future Agenda Setting List:
- Add education and marketing for Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEV) (Mohan). Potential to create a
subcommittee to address (Swaminathan).
Regarding the carbon fee and dividend subject, Commissioner Latshaw noted that he submitted
written communications to City Council when this subject was raised by Citizens Climate Lobby. Does
not support Cupertino getting involved on this federal legislation.
Add discussion on barriers to home electrification, guidelines on cost and streamlining the process
(Latshaw).
The Commission discussed these ideas, removed items, and added new items. Staff answered clarifying
questions. Commissioner Ramanathan suggested announcing the Sustainability Champion of the Year Award
during the Earth and Arbor Day Speaker Series.
The Commission agreed to amend the future agenda setting list to read as follows:
• Sustainability Grants for Students / essay contest
• Discuss hosting a public workshop on carbon reduction ideas
• Discuss 2021 Earth & Arbor Day event ideas
• Zero Emission Vehicles discussion
• Building electrification discussion
A motion was made by Vice Chair Mohan and seconded by Commissioner Latshaw to approve the Future
Agenda Setting list as reflected above. The motion carried unanimously.
Commission Latshaw announced an upcoming presentation from the Sierra Club on building electrification on
Wednesday at 7 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion to adjourn was made by Commissioner Latshaw and seconded by Vice Chair Mohan. The motion
carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 6:01 p.m.
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