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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-11-08 PSC Agenda PacketPage 1 of 2 Public Spaces Commission Special Meeting AGENDA Ukiah Valley Conference Center ♦ 200 S School St ♦ Ukiah, CA 95482 To participate or view the virtual meeting, go to the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81764322746 November 8, 2022 - 5:00 PM 1. ROLL CALL 2. INTRODUCTIONS 2.a. Casey Thompson- New Commission Member Recommended Action: Attachments: None 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 3.a. Approval of Minutes from March 22nd 2022-Regular Meeting Recommended Action: Attachments: 1. 2022-03-22 Minutes 3.b. Approval of Minutes from August 4th 2022 -Special Meeting Recommended Action: Attachments: 1. 2022-08-4 Minutes 4. COMMISSIONERS REPORTS 5. STAFF MEMBER PRESENTATIONS/REPORTS 5.a. Shannon Riley- Deputy City Manager- City of Ukiah Climate Action Initiatives Recommended Action: Provide comment. Attachments: 1. CC Reso 2022-44 - Endorsing Climate Emergency Action 5.b. Western Hills Update; Maya Simerson- Project and Grant Administrator and Neil Davis- Community Services Director Page 1 of 13 Page 2 of 2 Recommended Action: Staff seeks community and commission input on the focus and approach of the baseline assessment. Attachments: 1. Boundary Map 2022 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS (DISCUSSION ONLY) 7. AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS The Public Spaces Commission (PSC) welcomes input from the audience that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the PSC. In order for everyone to be heard, please limit your comments to three (3) minutes per person and not more the (10) minutes per subject. The Brown Act regulations do not allow action to be taken on audience comments. 8. NEW BUSINESS 9. ADJOURNMENT Please be advised that the City needs to be notified 72 hours in advance of a meeting if any specific accommodations or interpreter services are needed in order for you to attend. The City complies with ADA requirements and will attempt to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities upon request. Materials related to an item on this Agenda submitted to the Public Spaces Commission after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at the main entrance of the City of Ukiah Annex, located at 411 W. Clay St., Ukiah, CA 95482, not less than 72 hours prior to the meeting set forth on this agenda. Page 2 of 13 AGENDA ITEM 4a Page 1 of 2 CITY OF UKIAH PUBLIC SPACES COMMISSION MINUTES Special Meeting Virtual Meeting Link: https://zoom.us/j/91565369558 Ukiah, CA 95482 March 22, 2022 5:00 p.m. 1. ROLL CALL Public Spaces Commission met at a Special Meeting on March 22, 2022, having been legally noticed on March 18, 2022. The meeting was held virtually at the following link: https://zoom.us/j/91565369558. Commissioner Knopf called the meeting to order at 5:02 p.m. Roll was taken with the following Commissioners Present: Elora Babbini, Vicki Bitonti-Brown, Susan Knopf, Megan Parker. Commissioners Absent by Prearrangement: James Bair. Staff Present: Neil Davis, Community Services Director and Jake Burgess, Recreation Supervisor. Note: Prior to the Public Space Commission being formed, and informal meeting was held on March 15th 2022, which was not noticed due to not having been officially formed. 2. INTRODUCTIONS Susan Sher introduced herself, as a public member. 3. PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS Commissioner Knopf stated that all communications had been distributed. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 5. COMMISSIONERS REPORTS a. Susan Knopf-Orr St Bridge. Presenter: Commissioner Knopf. Public Comment: Susan Sher. Report was received. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS (DISCUSSION ONLY) 7. AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS No public comment was received. Public Comment: 8. NEW BUSINESS a. Elect Chair and Vice Chair, and Introductions of Commission Members and Staff. Presenter: Commissioner Knopf Public Comment: None Motion/Second: Knopf/Parker moved to elect Commissioner Elora Babbini as Chair Motion carried by the following roll call votes AYES: Bitonti-Brown, Knopf, and Parker. NOES: None. ABSENT: Bair Page 3 of 13 Public Spaces Commission Minutes for March 22, 2022, Continued: Page 2 of 2 ABSTAIN: None. Motion/Second: Knopf/Parker moved to elect Commissioner Vicki Bitonti-Brown as Vice Chair Motion carried by the following roll call votes AYES: Babbini, Knopf, and Parker. NOES: None. ABSENT: Bair. ABSTAIN: None. b. Establish a Regular Meeting Date, Time, and Location for the Public Spaces Commission. Presenter: Neil Davis, Community Services Director Public Comment: None Motion/Second: Knopf/Prout to establish the Regular Meeting Date, Time, and Location as the second Tuesday of every other month at 5 pm with the next meeting in May. Pending anticipated audience attendance, the meetings will be hybrid at the Council Chambers, Conference Center or Conference Room #5. Motion carried by the following roll call votes: AYES: Babbini, Bitonti-Brown, Knopf, and Parker. NOES: None. ABSENT: Bair ABSTAIN: None. c. Review, edit, approve the draft Community Outreach plan and Activity Schedule. Presenter: Neil Davis, Community Services Director Public Comment: None Motion/Second: Knopf/Babbini to approve the draft Community Outreach Plan and Activity Schedule. Motion carried by the following roll call votes: AYES: Babbini, Bitonti-Brown, Knopf, and Parker. NOES: None. ABSENT: Bair. ABSTAIN: None. Note: By Commissioner request, the edited plan is attached. 9. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:58 p.m. ________________________________ Mikki Taylor, Public Spaces Commission Clerk Page 4 of 13 AGENDA ITEM 5a Page 1 of 2 CITY OF UKIAH PUBLIC SPACES COMMISSION MINUTES Special Meeting Conference Room #5 411 W Clay St. Ukiah, CA 95482 Virtual Meeting Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81764322746 August 4th, 2022 5:00 p.m. 1. ROLL CALL Public Spaces Commission met at a Special Meeting on August 4th, 2022, having been legally noticed on August 1st, 2022. The meeting was held virtually at the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81764322746 and in person in Conference Room #5 at 411 W. Clay St. Ukiah Ca 95482. Commissioner Babbini called the meeting to order at 5:02 p.m. Roll was taken with the following Commissioners Present: Elora Babbini, Susan Knopf, Megan Parker and Vicki Bitonti-Brown. Commissioners Absent by Prearrangement: None Staff Present: Neil Davis, Community Services Director and Mikki Taylor, Community Services Administrative Secretary. 2. INTRODUCTIONS None Given 3. PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS None Given 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Approval of Minutes from March 22nd 2022 – Regular Meeting Parker/Bitonti Brown to continue item to the next meeting for the Minutes of March 22nd, 2022, a Regular Meeting b. Approval of Minutes from May 10th 2022- Regular Meeting Parker/Babbini to approve the Minutes of May 10th, 2022, a Regular Meeting; as submitted. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: AYES: Knopf, Bitonti-Brown NOES: None. ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None 5. STAFF MEMBER PRESENTATIONS/REPORTS a. Neil Davis-Community Services Director - Report and provide comment on the DRAFT update to the City of Ukiah’s Tree Management Guidelines Presenter: Neil Davis Report was received b. Neil Davis-Community Services Director - Receive Report and provide comment on proposed updates to Parks and Facilities Code Presenter: Neil Davis Report was received c. Neil Davis-Community Services Director - Report on the Great Redwood Trail Presenter: Neil Davis Report was received Page 5 of 13 Public Spaces Commission Minutes for August 4, 2022, Continued: Page 2 of 2 d. Neil Davis-Community Services Director - Report and provide comment on Upgrades to Todd Grove Park Presenter: Neil Davis Report was received 6. COMMISSIONER REPORTS a. Susan Knopf - Commission Member b. Megan Parker – Commission Member c. Vicki Bitonti-Brown- Commissions Member 7. UNFINISHED BUISNESS None Given 8. AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Public Comment: None Received 9. NEW BUSINESS None Given 10. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:38 p.m. ________________________________ Mikki Taylor, Public Spaces Commission Clerk Page 6 of 13 RESOLUTION 2022-44 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF UKIAH ENDORSING THE DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY AND A CALL TO ACTION TO RESTORE A SAFE CLIMATE WHEREAS, human activities have warmed the Earth, destabilizing the climate and setting in motion catastrophic changes to the Earth's systems, including fresh water scarcity and droughts, floods, extreme weather events and increased heat, wildfires, species extinction and accelerating ice mass decline resulting in sea-level rise; and WHEREAS, on February 27, 2022 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group II reported, "The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human well-being and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will miss the brief, rapidly closing window to secure a livable future"; and WHEREAS, the U.S. moving toward rapid decarbonization will avoid economic losses and take advantage of entirely new economic opportunities that are likely to emerge; governments at all levels need to focus on setting regulation and policy; rapidly deploying and scaling advanced technologies; and accelerating critical infrastructure programs; and WHEREAS, California's Fourth Climate Change Assessment warned that extreme weather and climate-related events in the United States are worsening, predicting increased drought cycles and heat waves in the western U.S. with a resulting three-fold increase in intensity and magnitude of wildfires, declined water supply and snow pack, increased flooding, impacted agriculture, as well as substantial damages to the U.S. economy and human health, unless greenhouse gas GHG) emissions are curbed; and WHEREAS, current global warming is contributing to the increased frequency and intensity of wildfires, floods, droughts, heat waves, and other extreme weather, including the Northern California wildfires of 2017 and 2018 that destroyed at least 38,333 structures, killed 118, displaced thousands, and caused serious reductions in air quality; in 2020, in California, four million acres were burned, 112 million tons of GHG's released, 11 million gallons of fire retardant used and 31 lives lost; and WHEREAS, in 2021, drifting smoke from wildfires in California caused haze on the other side of the United States; the Pacific Northwest was gripped by a heat wave that caused thousands of emergency department visits for heat-related illness and likely killed hundreds; extreme heat has killed an estimated 3,900 people in California over the last decade; and WHEREAS, the California State Legislature has set clear climate objectives for the next decade, including a 40% reduction in 1990 level GHG emissions by 2030; 50% renewable energy; and reduce petroleum use by 45% by 2030; and WHEREAS, the economic impacts of climate change if left unabated will have catastrophic implications on the global economy with direct impacts at the federal, state, local and household level including storm damage, real estate losses, energy costs, water costs, and food availability; and Page 7 of 13 WHEREAS, the current pace and scale of worldwide and national climate action is not sufficient to avert substantial damage to the economy, environment, and human health over the coming decades; and WHEREAS, on July 21, 2020, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a Climate Emergency Resolution proposed by their appointed Climate Action Advisory Committee; and WHEREAS, the City of Ukiah and its surrounding areas have been profoundly affected by several natural disasters due to climate change including severe drought, flooding, devastating wildfires and accompanying days-long power outages and related Public Safety Power Shutoff events; and WHEREAS, marginalized communities including people of color, immigrants, indigenous communities, low-income people, those with disabilities, and the unhoused—are disproportionately affected by climate change impacts and must be supported in the transition to a sustainable environment and economy; and WHEREAS, in order to avoid irreversible, catastrophic climate change impacts, we must significantly decrease our carbon emissions, incorporating new technologies, setting new policies and accelerating critical infrastructure, thus preparing for significant ecological and economic impacts due to climate change; and WHEREAS, during emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires,the City of Ukiah, along with the County of Mendocino and the State of California demonstrated a remarkable capacity to protect human health in the face of crises, based on early, preventative action in response to evidence and warnings issued by scientists, that same focus must be an ongoing focus to eliminate any activities that threaten our climate stability and the overall health of our City residents; and WHEREAS, the City of Ukiah must actively work for a clean environment, to improve environmental standards and promote sustainable energy policies; and WHEREAS, the City of Ukiah is committed to doing everything in its power to encourage an ecologically, socially and financially sustainable economy. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the City of Ukiah declares that a climate emergency threatens humanity and the natural and built environments; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Ukiah joins a global call for supporting ecologically sustainable livelihoods creating a fair and more equal society that moves away from fossil fuels and supports an urgent collaborative climate mobilization effort, focused on enacting policies that dramatically reduce heat-trapping emissions both inside and outside the City's borders across all sectors to accelerate the necessary systems change required to restore a safe climate; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an urgent global climate mobilization effort to address global warming is needed to address global warming is needed to achieve carbon neutrality as soon as possible, and no later than 2045, and that full community participation, inclusion and support is integral to our efforts to safely draw down carbon from the atmosphere and accelerate adaptation and resilience strategies in preparation for intensifying climate impacts; and 2 Page 8 of 13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Ukiah commits to ongoing education and active engagement of all City staff, members of committees and commissions, contractors, consultants, residents and independent community groups in alignment with the goals of mitigation, drawdown; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Ukiah commits to address the climate implications of all policies and actions that come before the Council that have the potential to impact greenhouse gas emissions, carbon sequestration, and disaster preparedness within the City; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Ukiah will identify and consider an initial list of actions toward restoring a safe climate and meeting State goals by 2030 as detailed in Exhibit A attached hereto, and the City Council will continue to implement, evolve and update the list based on changing conditions, regulations, constraints, and policy direction; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these actions be reflected throughout the new General Plan currently being developed. PASSED AND ADOPTED this 1511 day of June, 2022, by the following roll call vote: AYES: Councilmembers Orozco, Rodin, Duenas, and Mayor Brown NOES: None ABSENT: Councilmember Crane ABSTAIN: None Brown, Mayor ATTEST: Kristine Lawler, City Clerk 3 Page 9 of 13 EXHIBIT A CITY OF UKIAH ACTIONS TOWARD RESTORING A SAFE CLIMATE Energy Efficiency Implement a 100% Green Rate option to all City electric customers. Increase Renewable Power Production and Storage: Install renewable energy with storage capacity on City-owned land within City limits, where feasible. Install Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting: Replace all streetlights and lighting in public facilities parking lots,field lots, etc.)with LEDs. Continue to install"dark sky compliant"streetlights to reduce light pollution and eliminate light trespass into residents' homes. Continue Plan to Meet Statewide Goals for Purchased Power by 2030: Prepare for an increase in overall renewable power to meet 2030 50% emission reduction plans pursuant to federal and state guidelines. Decarbonize Existing Building Stock: Explore opportunities to provide incentives for electrification and increased energy efficiency of existing residential and commercial buildings— both appliance-by-appliance and as whole building retrofits. Continue to Explore Rebate Programs: Explore additional options for rebate programs for fuel shifting and energy efficiency improvements to benefit commercial and residential properties, ensuring access to affordable power for all, including tenants. Perform Energy and Waste Audits: Contract with a reputable private company to conduct energy and waste audits on City buildings. Transportation Transformation of the Fleet: Continue replacement of City fleet vehicles, light-and-heavy-duty trucks, and other mobile equipment,where feasible, with models that run fully on electricity or green hydrogen. Encourage Active Transportation as a viable alternative to automobiles: Encourage more walking and biking by ensuring safe and attractive paths. Encourage Clean Vehicles when Active Transportation is not Feasible: Continue to support the expansion of the number of Level 2 and 3 vehicle-charging stations in the City through direct installation of public charging stations and through public/private partnerships. Continue efforts to offer electric utility rebates for installation of residential and workplace EV chargers. Continue to Expand the Great Redwood Trail—Ukiah: Continue to extend the Trail to the north and the south, while also adding amenities like water, shade, and connectivity throughout. This trail provides direct access to major employment centers, services, shopping, residential areas, the future Mendocino County Courthouse, and connectivity to other bicycle routes throughout the city. 4 Page 10 of 13 Educate the Public About the Dangers of Idling Vehicles: Utilize public service announcements and social media to discourage drivers from letting their engines run when their vehicles are not moving, which is hazardous to children's developing lungs, wastes gasoline and causes unnecessary GHG emissions. Solid Waste Continue to lead the way in solid waste diversion including the diversion of compostable food: Take measures to ensure that the City's waste removal contractor informs and monitors customers' adherence to California's new compost law that went into effect January 1, 2022. Senate Bill (SB) 1383 was passed in September 2016 as part of a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants. SB 1383 set the targets of reducing organic waste disposal 50% by 2020 and 75% by 2025. Urban Greenhouse Gas Drawdown Implement Nature Based Climate Solutions: Manage parks, community gardens, greenways, riparian and aquatic zones with best practices for carbon sequestration. Maintain wild lands: The State of California Executive Order N-82-20 identifies land management actions that protect climate-vulnerable communities and achieve carbon neutrality; promote biodiversity protection, habitat restoration and wildfire-resilience; sustainably manage landscapes; and steward natural and working lands, building climate resilience and economic sustainability. Continue to Develop the City of Ukiah's Tree Management Guidelines: To reduce the City's heat island effect, continue developing the City's Tree Management Guidelines to cool streets with trees, prioritizing shade equity in neighborhoods. Explore opportunities to better protect existing trees inside the City limits and support efforts to strengthen oak protection efforts. Enhance Carbon Sequestration Capacity: Support regional efforts to encourage climate beneficial agriculture and land management, incorporating compost and other methods that increase urban soil carbon and nutrient cycling. Land Use Update Zoning Ordinance: Educate the public and promote "gentle density" as a sustainable, climate friendly way to preserve small town quality of life. Utilize policies and programs within the City's 2040 General Plan to implement environmental and sustainability goals. Protect Against Sprawl Through Completion of Annexations: Implement the City's Annexation Policy in Resolution No. 2020-06 to avoid the consequences of continued urban sprawl and protect open space and prime agriculture lands in the Ukiah Valley, encouraging urban, compact design that relies less on the automobile and reduces overall GHG emissions. Complete Update of 2040 General Plan: Complete and adopt the 2040 General Plan, including a new Complete Streets policy and Climate Vulnerability Analysis. Set goals for implementation of programs and annually report to the City Council on status of completion of General Plan programs. 5 Page 11 of 13 Community Engagement Develop a Web Page with Informational and Educational Resources: Create a dedicated page of the City's website identifying all the resources now available to City of Ukiah residents such as home energy audits, energy efficiency tool lending library, financing for energy efficiency, rebates and incentives. Also, include information on residential and commercial best practices (including all-electric), home performance best practices, green building best practices and more. Continue to Actively Promote Climate Matters on City Web Site/Social Media: Actively promote the City's goals, efforts and initiatives related to climate on the City's website and social media. Ensure that climate responsibility is integrated throughout the City's departments and operations. Water Policy Expand Sustainable Water Practices: Continue to explore expansion of the Recycled Water Project, water conservation, and other practices that help ensure a healthy, sustainable, water supply. Information Technology Transition to Cloud Computing: Continue to move our digital systems onto the cloud, reducing our reliance on energy intensive servers, which require batteries, battery back-up systems, and climate controls, as well as reducing paper usage. Parks and Recreation Eliminate Pesticide Use: The City will continue to keep its parks 100%free of pesticides and use only approved organic materials for pest control, and reuse all mulch generated from those parks. Fire Prevention Protect from Dangerous Emission by Preventing Fires: The City shall engage in multi- jurisdiction activities to reduce the risk of future fires throughout the County, including the acquisition of open space, putting in firebreaks, and clearing fuel. Additionally, the City shall use non-toxic alternatives to fire-fighting foam that are free from the PFAS and PFOS chemicals. 6 Page 12 of 13 Page 13 of 13