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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutesMINUTES SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD FEBRUARY 5, 2018 PRESENT: Margy Davey, Robert Turner, Lurton Blassingame, Pat Dwyer Hallquist, Jason Kalmbach, Michelle Bogden Muetzel, Vic Oliver EXCUSED: Tom Pech Jr., Adam Maslowski STAFF: Steven Wiley (Assistant Planner), Scott Williams (Oshkosh Media) OTHERS PRESENT: Alicia Alsberg CALL TO ORDER Chair Davey called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and a quorum was declared present. PUBLIC COMMENT No public comment occurred. APPROVAL OF MINUTES, DECEMBER 4, 2017 Chair Davey stated that this item would be laid over until the March 5th agenda because it had not been posted with the rest of the meeting materials for the February 5th SAB meeting. None of the board members had a chance to review the minutes. UW-OSHKOSH ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES SENIOR SEMINAR: FINAL REPORTS FROM FALL, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AUDIT FOR SPRING – DISCUSSION/ACTION Chair Davey mentioned the four proposals presented by Professor Jim Feldman’s Environmental Studies class during the December 4th SAB meeting. These included the Vehicle Idling Ordinance, Terrace Tree Ordinance, Residential Energy and Water Conservation Ordinance, and Bike Friendly Community status. She explained that the projects were originally set up as ordinances but that they did not have to be implemented as ordinances. A number of the projects could consist of education campaigns. Mr. Wiley explained that city staff had discussed the four proposals at the Development Review Committee (DRC) meetings recently. He explained that the DRC reviews proposals before these go before the Plan Commission, Board of Appeals, and Common Council. He explained that relevant department heads and other city staff are present at the DRC meetings and that the terrace tree ordinance and bike friendly certification were the easier projects to implement. Mr. Wiley explained that Mr. Collins in Transportation and Mr. Gohde in Public Works had weighed in on the idling ordinance from the perspective of their departments and that Mr. Zarate had weighed in on the residential energy and water conservation ordinance from his department’s perspective. Chair Davey stated that the goal of the SAB was really to create a culture and awareness on these issues. Mr. Kalmbach asked if the city was already following a procedure for terrace tree plantings and Chair Davey and Mr. Wiley stated that yes the city has planted new trees at staff’s discretion. Ms. Bogden Muetzel stated that the city should pursue the bike friendly certification and Chair Davey asked if the Bike and Pedestrian Committee had taken any action on it. Mr. Wiley stated that long term they were interested but that they were primarily focused on their Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation Plan update. Mr. Kalmbach asked what the Green Infrastructure Audit was and Mr. Wiley explained that the audit was a means of assessing the community’s ordinances to determine how they help or hinder green infrastructure. LIVE GREEN UPDATE Chair Davey stated that there was no update to provide on Live Green. JANUARY 9th, 2018 SAB WORKSHOP AND 2018 GOAL SETTING – UPDATE AND ACTION Chair Davey and Mr. Wiley provided an update on the January 9th SAB workshop and explained that the group had participated in some brainstorming on potential goals for 2018. Chair Davey explained that Mr. Wiley had taken the proposed goals and compiled them into a chart for board members to review. Mr. Wiley asked if the SAB wanted to keep the ICLEI action item that was listed on the chart. Chair Davey explained that the ICLEI goal was maybe not the greatest impact the SAB could have on the community. Ms. Bogden Muetzel explained that the SAB would require intense collaboration between the SAB and staff, departments, etc. Ms. Bogden Muetzel asked about the goal “Finalize Native Plant Brochure.” She asked if this was something the SAB was doing or something residents could do. Chair Davey stated that the SAB was going to take information provided by a retired horticulturalist and she was planning to collate it into the brochure. Chair Davey asked the board if they wanted to do the rain barrel workshop in spring and hire who they previously worked with. She stated that it would make sense to set up a separate meeting for this workshop. Board members asked for clarification on the Recycling/clean up goal and Ms. Oliver stated that this would consist of getting bins out at events such as the Farmers Market, etc. and educate people and encourage them to use the bins for the right purposes. OSHKOSH FARMERS MARKET - ACTION Mr. Wiley explained that he had received the forms to renew the SAB booth at the Farmers Market for 2018. He explained that the deadline for returning vendors to renew their spaces and pick dates was February 26th. The SAB members had discussion on what dates could work and provided a number of dates during the summer months that could work. Mr. Turner stated that he was pretty flexible and could staff the booth again for 2018 but that he would like to have a blue recycling bin as part of the booth to educate people on the correct use of the bin. Mr. Wiley stated that he would submit the completed form and follow up with the board on this at the next meeting. MENOMINEE SHORELAND RESTORATION - UPDATE Chair Davey asked Ms. Bogden Muetzel if she had any update. Ms. Bogden Muetzel stated that she was planning to have a meeting towards the end of February to discuss the next season of the project. She stated that a Facebook page also was up called “Friends of Menominee Park Shoreland.” ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP AWARD – POTENTIAL UPDATE / DISCUSSION Chair Davey explained that the working committee had just met on the award before the SAB meeting and that they had decided categories, a timeline, and framing the award but that the award needed work. Ms. Oliver asked when the next meeting would occur and Chair Davey stated that the next meeting to continue discussion on the award would occur immediately before the March 5th SAB meeting at 5:00 pm or 5:30 pm. AGENDA ITEMS FOR FUTURE MEETING The Environmental Leadership Award, Shoreland Restoration, Farmers Market, Live Green, and 2018 Goals were all mentioned as items for the March meeting agenda. NEXT MEETING, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5th, 2018 Chair Davey reminded the board that the next regularly scheduled SAB meeting was set for Monday, March 5th, 2018, and that she would not be at the meeting but that Ms. Bogden Muetzel would run the meeting. ADJOURN Motion by Mr. Blassingame and seconded by Mr. Turner to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 7-0. Meeting adjourned at 6:32 pm. Respectfully Submitted, Steven Wiley Assistant Planner