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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013/02/11 RCC MinutesMINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION COMMISSION February 11, 2013 City of Chula Vista, Executive Conference Room 103 276 Fourth Avenue MEETING CALLED TO ORDER: By Chair Rahimzadeh at 4:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioners Coleman, Flores, Kappes, Valen, Vargas, and Chair Rahimzadeh MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioner Romo MOTION TO EXCUSE: Motion to excuse Commissioner Romo for the January 14, 2013 meeting was approved. STAFF PRESENT: Administrative Services Manager Beamon, Environmental Services Program Manager France, Environmental Resource Manager Reed, Assistant to City Manager Mills, Conservation Specialist Downs, and Sr. Secretary Fields OTHERS PRESENT: Susan Krzywicki of the California Native Plant Society, and former RCC Member Betsy Cory APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of January 14, 2013 were approved. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None CHAIR COMMENTS Chair Rahimzadeh discussed the Tree Planting event. He stated that there was a lot of work that went into the planting on the part of Public Works staff, but that it was a fun event, and that the students who participated enjoyed it. INFORMATION ITEMS 1. Ocean Friendly Gardens Former RCC member Betsy Cory introduced the item and speaker, Susan Krzywicki of the California Native Plant Society. Ms. Krzywicki spoke on ways to manage water run- off and methods to keep water on your property so that it filters down into the soil rather than running off and ending in the ocean. She discussed curb cuts as a method to direct water into the soil, and distributed a related handout. She indicated an interest in working with the City of Chula Vista to implement some of her techniques. Environmental Resource Manager Reed stated that they are in the middle of recreating the NatureScape program, and that some of her ideas could easily be incorporated into the revamped program. A question and answer period followed with the board. RCC Minutes, 2111113, Page 1 of 4 2. City Strategic Planning Process Assistant to City Manager Mandy Mills introduced a new strategic plan process the City is embarking on. She discussed the why of the program and the process they created for the plan. She also went over some of the specifics of the strategic goals and the details of the reporting process. One of the goals Ms. Mills mentioned was a triangle of communication, which would involve helping to facilitate communication between government and citizens, and citizen to citizen communication. Related to that, Commissioner Coleman commented on the need for Council meetings to be held at a time that is more convenient for citizens to attend. Chair Rahimzadeh also asked how outreach to the public was being implemented regarding the plan. Mills stated that information would be placed on the website and that a public meeting was scheduled for this Thursday. The board voiced concern that they had not heard about this meeting. They were also concerned about rubber - stamping a plan that wad almost already complete. Mills stated regarding community involvement in the process, that it was more of a presentation of a plan gathered from what they had heard from previous policy statements, what they knew others were already trying to embark on, etc, and then asking for feedback to verify if they got it right. Commissioner Vargas felt that some in the community may have issues with a Strategic Plan that they had not given feedback on and that since it is a plan for internal operations that staff consider calling it something different. Other Commissioners echoed her sentiments. Chair Rahimzadeh voiced more concern about how outreach to regular citizens was being handled. He stated that even though the plan was being presented to commission members of the various boards and commissions in the City, that they are just a small group of citizens, and not representative of the whole of the city. Mills responded that the plan is really the City's operational tool and that they are just making the board aware of what they're doing, and asking for feedback from them as citizens as to whether they've missed anything, or whether they are concerned that they're not capturing something. Commissioner Valen summarized that he hoped the feedback was useful in that it hammers home the point that it's very different to go through a planning process and then to be given a planning process. He stated that the issue may be one of deciding how much public input is wanted, or whether it should just be something in the end that's simply marketed to the public. In concluding, Ms. Mills gave her e-mail address so board members could contact her with any comments. It was also requested that her presentation be e- mailed to the board. 3. Residential PACE Update Conservation Specialist Cory Downs stated that PACE Financing is a program that provides a mechanism for the City of Chula Vista through a program administrator and a funder that we select to provide upfront financing to residential and commercial properties to implement energy efficiency, water efficiency, and other sustainable improvements that are permanently attached to that building. In return, the property owner repays that financing through property tax assessments that they are already paying through their tax bill. He went over details of the financing programs and talked about the program vision. Downs also stated that the RFP for the program had been released today. He and Environmental Resource Manager Reed then responded to questions from the board and Downs stated that the RFP would be e- mailed to them. RCC Minutes, 2111113, Page 2 of 4 ACTION ITEMS: None COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioner Coleman stated that the Wildlife Advisory Group's Adjacency Ad Hoc Group had met with the function of figuring out what the issues are for things that are adjacent to the bayfront. He stated that there are three different districts that will make up the bayfront including the Otay District, the Harbor District, and the Sweetwater District, so they are looking at what effects those areas. He added that the Ad Hoc Working Group was also tasked with coming up with some key goals. One goal they discussed was to try and maintain the tranquility of the wildlife preserve areas as they are. Another strong goal they were concerned about was security of the park and reserve areas. Commissioner Coleman said they were also concerned about the impact of feral cats and dogs getting into the areas and disturbing the wildlife and balance. He had brought some documents on feral cats and requested they be e- mailed to the other RCC members. He went on to say that they had discussed other issues such as dog parks, fencing, vandalism, noise and lighting issues, and water management and irrigation. The Chair asked Commissioner Coleman to continue with more on the topic at the next RCC meeting. MANAGERS COMMENTS • CLEAN Champion Awards Environmental Resource Manager Brendan Reed went over a proposal for the RCC to bring back annual awards to recognize community members that demonstrate exceptional environmental leadership and contribute to achieving clean air, clean water, and clean land within Chula Vista. He stated that staff had hoped to put something out in March to obtain applications and seek nominations, and then in April for Earth Month, to have the RCC present the awards during the April 23rd City Council meeting, which will be the City Council Earth Month Proclamation. He went over the proposed process and framework, and stated that he wanted to get feedback as to whether this was something the RCC wanted to sponsor. The Board discussed the project and gave several suggestions. Reed stated that staff would include a nomination form and categories in the agenda packet for the next meeting, and the group could finalize it at that meeting. Staff would then release it the following day, with a thirty -day period for submittal. • Gray Water Stub -out Update Environmental Resource Manager Reed reported back to the board on the Proposed Gray Water Stub -Out Ordinance item that Building Official Lou El- Khazen had brought to the RCC in January. Reed stated that the Board of Appeals had also approved it, and that it was going to Council in March. He said that El- Khazen had wanted to say regarding the questions about the language on the signs that had concerned the board previously, that as the Building Official, he is recommending that they go forward with what is called out in the Plumbing Code. The group further discussed the item and Reed stated that he would relay their comments back to El- Khazen. RCC Minutes, 2111113, Page 3 of 4 RCC Meeting Times Staff proposed a new start time of 3:30 pm for RCC meetings to eliminate staff overtime. The Chair did not feel that a 3:30 start time was feasible, and suggested instead that we simply end the meetings at 5:30 and carry over any remaining items to the following meeting. Staff added that time allotments could be set for each agenda item to help facilitate the shorter timeframe, to which the board agreed. As a result, the start time will remain at 4:00 pm with at a pre -set 5:30 pm end time. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 5:54 p.m. to a regular meeting on Monday, March 11, 2013, at 4:00 pm in Executive Conference Room 103, Building 300, 276 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Prepared by: —"_ - Sheryl Fields Sr. Secretary RCC Minutes, 2111113, Page 4 of 4