07/18/2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
Wednesday, July 18th, 2007
Present:
D. Michael Flanery
Sandra Jamieson
Joseph A. Calio
Ron Gregory
Ed Chesney
Leslie Dougall Sides
Council Member
Veronica Josef
Dr. Robert Brinkmann
Chair
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Absent
Richard Packman
Environmental Manager
Asst. City Attorney II
George Cretekos
Senior Staff Assistant
USF Department Chair
Board Member
Also Present:
APPROVED
Items for the City Council's attention
EAB supports the signing of the Climate Protection Agreement
Environmental news and information for the City of Clearwater's Iiveibility and sustainability to be
inserted periodically in the C.News and Sunshine lines.
· Work with the IT department to develop guidelines for The EAB web page on myclearwater.com
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The Chair Mike Flanerv called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. in the MSB Building, Conference Room # 130.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order.
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - JUNE 20th, 2007
Chair Mike Flanerv had minor changes to the minutes of June 20th, 2007 on page 2, under Item # 4
I"U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYOR'S CLIMATE PROTECTION AGREEMENT" , to read as:
" The EAB board members unanimously moved to recommend the attached resolution to the Mayor
which was as signed by EAB Chair D. Mike Flanery"
2. CITIZEN COMMENTS
Member Ron Gregorv introduced Dr. Robert Brinkmann of USF, Chair of Geography Department.
Dr. Robert Brinkmann proposed the possibility of assisting the EAB with a graduate level course
designed around the issues of Green Initiatives & Climate Change, associated with the City's decision
to proceed with compliance with the signing of the Climate Protection Agreement and inquired about
the following:
1) Any specific requirements in regards to carbon reduction?
2) What has already been done by the City?
3) Expectations if the USF students undertake this project?
4) Non-fiscal resources available from the City for this project (data sets, city personnel,
computing, etc.) ?
Environmental Advisory 2007-July 18th
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Dr. Robert Brinkmann also touched on policies and ideas the City needs to enact to bring the City
online with carbon reduction, energy efficiency and pollution reduction. Research work will be carried
out by students from USF on these topics. USF to develop the class pending City Management
approvals.
Member Ron Greaorv stated that the City would to develop a working arrangement with the University
of South Florida to investigate, analyze, suggest policies and initiatives for overall carbon reduction.
Leslie Douaall Sides, City Attorney II stated that this has to go through City Management for
approval.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Member Ron Greaorv stated that since the City is in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan,
suggestions should be made to the changes that relates to green building codes. EAB should have
some input to the green building standards and formulate policies which can be easily implemented
by the City. This could be transmitted as a suggestion to the Citizens Advisory Committee for the
Comprehensive Plan revision that the Planning Department is working on.
Member Ron Greaorv also stated that Clearwater is a popular tourist destination with a large local
population and suggested the following:
Need to have a positive movement towards implementing Greens Building Codes and
Energy Efficient practices
Buildings will be more efficient with less energy consumption
Will save money and resources
Create a positive environment for people who come to Clearwater and enjoy the beaches
which will make Clearwater more attractive for quality of life issues.
Chair Mike Flanerv also suggested the following to be made to the Comprehensive Plan and
Clearwater's mission:
Green Building Standards for Clearwater
Uniqueness of Clearwater with long term goals
Have a general Master Plan on what are the needs of Clearwater.
Leslie Douaal Sides-City Attorney II, stated that it was a formal process for the City to adopt new
Green Buildings Codes. In addition building codes, would likely change on the State level following
the Governor's pledge towards climate change.
3. WELLHEAD PROTECTION ORDINANCE
The EAB members stated that the radius of the Wellhead Protection Ordinance needs to be compared
to the Reclaimed water radius.
4. BOTTLED WATER
Council Member George Cretekos distributed to the EAB members an article from "People' Magazine"
on the amount of bottled water consumed by the average American each year. It stated a large
number of unrecycled plastic water bottles wind up in landfills or incinerators, and that filtered tap
water is recognized as being safer than bottled water. Council Member George Cretekos stated that he
wilLmake recommend~tiQnstotheCoLJncil if the EAB members hadcmy concerns on this issue or
should the Council pursue this further.
5. WEBSITE I C.News & C-View
Ed Chesney stated that he had spoken to Doug Matthews, Communications Director, Diane Fitzgerald
and Heather Shell. Communications Specialist on the C-News publication and the C-View website.
Space is available, items will be filtered through and edited by the Communications Department. Print
items can be started immediately.
Environmental Advisory 2007-July 18th 2
6. ESTABLISH AGENDA
Feed back to Dr. Robert Brinkmann
Reviewing comments on research topics
Green Building codes
Bottled Water vs. Tap Water
Comments from the Wellhead Protection Ordinance
7. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next EAB meeting is on Wednesday, August 15th, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. and will be a Work
Session.
8. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:00 p.m.
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9/19/d'1
Dated
Environmental Advisory Board
Attest:
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Senior Staff Assistant
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Dated
Environmental Advisory 2007 -July 18th
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