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01/16/2019 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 16, 2019 City of Clearwater Main Library- Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 e e e Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 16, 2019 4:00 PM Council Chambers - Main Library Environmental Advisory Board Page 1 City of Clearwater Environmental Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 16, 2019 Roll Call Present 5 - Chair Jared Leone, Board Member Mark Wright, Board Member Ashley Wilson Pimley, Vice Chair John Thomas, and Board Member Candace Gardner Also Present - Sarah Kessler— Environmental Specialist III, Patricia O. Sullivan — Board Reporter 1. Call To Order The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. at the Main Library. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 2. Approval of Minutes Approve meeting minutes of the Environmental Advisory Board from October 17, 2018. Member Wright moved to approve minutes of the October 17, 2018 Environmental Advisory Board meeting as submitted in written summation. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda: Kathleen Beckman questioned City progress on hiring a sustainability coordinator as the City needed leadership to balance its resources, minimize carbon impacts, save money, and enhance jobs. She recommended the City consider adding solar panels to City buildings and requiring all new construction and building renovations in the City to incorporate solar power. She expressed concern she had seen no movement in City environmental policy since meeting with City administration last April. She recommended barring fossil fuel burning vehicles from the beaches to reduce exhaust and covering parking lots with solar canopies. She expressed concerned re the area's vulnerability to sea water rise, heavier rains, flooding, algae, and storm surge which could result in $175 billion in losses.She said the City of Dunedin had pledged to put the environment first. She said Clearwater needed to act now. Glenna Wentworth said progress had been made with the plastics resolution but the government's feet needed to be held to the fire to eliminate single-use plastics on City property and at City functions. She reported the City of Largo was voting on a sustainability ordinance on January 22, 2019. She said Clearwater needed to take the lead. Page 2 City of Clearwater Environmental Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 16, 2019 4. New Business Items Elect Chair and Vice-Chair for the 2019 Environmental Advisory Board Meetings. Member Wright moved to reappoint Jared Leone as Chair. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Member Wright moved to appoint John Thomas as Vice Chair. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Presentation about the progress of Ocean Friendly Business program and current initiatives of the Ocean Allies program; by Jana Wiggins The Ocean Allies conservation plan was designed to transform Clearwater Beach into the #1 recognized Ocean Friendly destination beach in the world. As tourists increasingly desired to travel to areas that promoted environmental responsibility, the leadership team oversaw efforts to engage Clearwater Beach and greater Clearwater businesses to develop and implement an eco-friendly Clearwater Beach brand. Participating organizations were "Ocean Allies"certified. The Ocean Allies'leadership team membership represented local businesses, nonprofits, City of Clearwater, Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The Ocean Allies team intended to work with the City and both local chambers to develop and implement local strategies and processes and document them to share with local and global communities. Clearwater Marine Aquarium planned to help promote this project worldwide via its media platforms. Jana Wiggins said Ocean Allies had good relationships with Largo and Dunedin and received multiple contacts from surrounding areas requesting direction. She said small businesses qualified to purchase ocean friendly restaurant items at reduced costs through the organization. She said business participation was voluntary. Ms. Wiggins recommended the City implement ocean friendly practices for all operations, including City events. She offered a draft resolution supporting ocean friendly practices. She said sustainability coordinator positions were catalysts for municipalities to incorporate ocean friendly practices and encourage citizens and businesses to adopt them. She recommended the City's recycling specialist be reassigned to serve as Clearwater's sustainability coordinator. In response to questions, Ms. Wiggins said City of St. Petersburg event applications required vendors to adhere to city criteria re use of ocean friendly products. She said noncomplying vendors were asked to leave. She suggested the City could incentivize ocean friendly practices by Page 3 City of Clearwater Environmental Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 16, 2019 offering reduced fees to vendors that comply. She said 14 businesses in Clearwater were certified Ocean Allies. Environmental Specialist Sarah Kessler suggested Ms. Wiggins meet with Parks Planning & Project Manager Kris Koch who was formulating an ocean friendly program for City events at parks and recreation centers. Ms. Wiggins said a sustainability coordinator also would be a great resource for these types of programs. Discussion ensued with recommendations that Clearwater adopt ocean friendly practices within City walls as the City of Largo had done. It was commented the City should lead by example and a policy could bar vendors that violated City ocean friendly policies from future special events. It was recommended that Clearwater adopt ocean friendly practices prior to Jazz Holiday. Clearwater Marine Aquarium David Yates said the aquarium worked with Ocean Allies to attract conservation tourism and encourage City sustainability activities. He said multiple groups had expressed interest in participating in Ocean Allies efforts to partner, educate, and inspire. He said the City could help sustainability community efforts by getting the word out, publicizing what the City was trying to accomplish, and promoting sustainability efforts to businesses and residents. Discussion of the presentation to City Council on December 6, 2018; EAB Members Ms. Kessler reported City management was meeting about a sustainability & resilience coordinator position. She had no information on a time frame. Kathleen Beckman expressed concern there had been no movement with a sustainability coordinator position for more than a month. She said the Board should be able to make formal recommendations re the position. Ms. Kessler said the Board reported to the City Council, which was not involved in the position's creation. It was requested that the board be provided a copy of the draft position description to provide input before it was presented to City Council for approval. Determine dates for Cooper's Point Field Trip by EAB Members Concern was expressed that construction appeared to be too close to mangroves and environmentally sensitive areas of Cooper's Point. A Page 4 City of Clearwater Environmental Advisory Board Meeting Minutes January 16, 2019 copy of the master plan was requested in advance. Consensus was for board members to meet at Cooper's Bayou Park on April 2, 2019 at 3:30 p.m. where a van will pick up members and interested citizens for a tour of City property at Cooper's Point. The meeting will be publicly noticed. 5. Old Business Item Concern was expressed that parking often was limited at the Main Library, parking passes were requested should members need to park in metered spaces. In response to a question, Ms. Kessler said the Agency on Bay Management Environmental Group of TBRPC (Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council) was supporting a comprehensive review of the scientific and economic issues related to last year's red tide outbreak. Clearwater will work to promote and partner with these efforts. 6. Director's Report Ms. Kessler reported a less than 1,000-gallon partially treated spill, caused by heavy rain at the City's Northeast Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, was contained on site. Mobile pumps captured the spill and sent it back through the treatment facility. The spill was reported to SWFWMD (Southwest Florida Water Management District) and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). Local Tampa Bay utilities were working together on solutions and to leverage additional State funding to make sure spills did not happen or occurred less often. In response to a question, Ms. Kessler discussed a Solid Waste pilot project to install underground trash vaults next to the beach designed to reduce trash overflows. The first location will be at Mandalay Park. The Solid Waste policy requiring trash can liners was not always followed. Concern was expressed that liners could fly onto the beach during windy weather. It was stated that upgraded trash cans on the sand would be a better solution. Suggested topics for April 17, 2019 meeting: 1) Solar power uses: canopies over parking lots, atop City buildings, new construction, and street lights; 2) Police and lifeguard use of electric vehicles on beach, 3) Special Events requiring ocean friendly materials, 4) City management of a septic system inspection program, 5) Upgraded beach trashcans, including recycling ability 7. Board Members to be Heard Page 5 City of Clearwater Environmental Advisory Board 8. Adjourn Meeting Minutes January 16, 2019 Member Thomas said the newly completed bicycle trail connecting the beach with Ream Wilson Trail was well done and safe but had many traffic signals. He expressed concem significant conflicts with vehicles and pedestrians and a lack of bicycle chevrons on beach streets created hazardous conditions for bicyclists along the downtown waterfront and on Clearwater Beach. He said more residents would bicycle as a form of transportation if safe routes became available. Chair Leone said adding signalized crosswalks in problem areas could improve bicycle safety. He reviewed upcoming events. The meeting adjourned at 5:10 p.m. A 1p Ch A E ental Advisory Board Page 6 City of Clearwater