HomeMy WebLinkAbout2 - Draft Minutes - Environmental Advisory - March 18, 2009 DRAFT
CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING SUMMARY
NAME OF BOARD/COMMISSION: Environmental Advisory Board
DATE OF MEETING: March 18, 2009
NAME/TELEPHONE OF PERSON PREPARING SUMMARY: Kelle Karp, 303-441-1940
NAMES OF MEMBERS, STAFF AND INVITED GUESTS PRESENT:
Environmental Advisory Board Members Present: Brian Vickers, Francoise Poinsatte, Bill
Roettker, Leah Kukowski Martinsson and Suzanne Jones- Chair
Board Members Absent: None
Staff Members Present: Office of Environmental Affairs staff: Sarah Van Pelt, Kevin Afflerbaugh &
Yael Gichon; Community Planning: David Driskell
Public Present: Steve Pomerance, Vicky Mandell, Alison Burchell, & Climate Action Plan Advisory
Group: Craig Eicher, Amy Ellsworth, Gwen Farnsworth, Howard Geller, Sheila Horton, Pam Milmoe,
Henry Mueller, Mona Newton, Dan Powers, Michael Reid, Dave Roberts, and Moe Tabrizi
OUTLINE OF AGENDA
1. CALL TO ORDER. The meeting was called to order at 6:10 p.m. by chair Suzanne Jones.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. Minutes from the February meeting were unanimously approved.
3. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. Steve Pomerance expressed his support for raising the Climate
Action Plan tax, and added that he believes regulation may also be necessary for the city to achieve the
Kyoto goal. The other public present indicated that they were at the meeting to observe and get up to
speed on the Climate Action Plan work plan.
4. MAIN AGENDA ITEMS. The agenda for this meeting was to discuss and get feedback from the
board and the Climate Action Plan Advisory Group on the 2009 Climate Action Plan (CAP) programs
and a potential increase to the CAP tax. David Driskell, Deputy Director of Community Planning, gave
a presentation that highlighted the recently created 2009 Community Guide to Boulder's Climate
Action Plan, the approach staff is taking to do analysis on existing and new programs for the CAP as
well as other paths to pursue to achieve the climate action goal, and the four options for council to
consider with respect to increasing the CAP tax.
Following the presentation, the board and CAP Advisory Group members engaged in a discussion with
staff for further clarification on the proposed 2009 CAP programs and how those correlate to an
increase in the CAP tax. Comments and questions from the CAP Advisory Group related to the federal
stimulus money; the timing of increasing the CAP tax given stimulus funding and the current
recession; whether stimulus funding could support the CAP; how increased CAP revenues would be
distributed across each sector; clarifications about the estimates for the residential energy conservation
ordinance (RECD) and the Smart Grid contributions to the goal; and, the sentiment that volunteer
efforts are saturated with current funding and regulations may be necessary to achieve higher
reductions.
The board raised several points and questions regarding the expansion of existing programs with
additional funding; whether current staffing levels were sufficient for the expansion and addition of
programs with increased revenue; whether the city is looking beyond the 2012 goal and if so, will the
tax increase contribute to a longer term goal; and whether the city would be able to expend stimulus
funding and increased tax revenues if both were available. The board also recommended that
additional details be rovided to Ci Council about where the additional revenues would be invested.
Approved:
1
Suzanne Jones, Chair Date
Staff answered the questions voiced by the board and CAP Advisory Group.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the CAP Advisory Group and the board took a vote to determine
interest in increasing the CAP tax. Eight of the twelve CAP Advisory Group members present at the
meeting were in favor of raising the CAP tax to the maximum level; one member opposed raising the
tax at all and suggested staff utilize stimulus funding instead; one member advised raising the tax in six
months after staff has a chance to receive stimulus funding; and two members opposed raising the tax
at this time and suggested revisiting the topic again in six months. All five of the board members are in
favor of raising the tax to the maximum level. The board agreed to submit a written recommendation
to council outlining their support for the tax increase that will include specific suggestions on how the
additional funding should be utilized.
5. UPDATE. None
6. MATTERS FROM STAFF. None.
7. MATTERS FROM THE BOARD. None.
8. ADJOURNMENT. The meeting adjourned at 8:18 p.m.
9. TIME & LOCATION OF NEXT MEETING: Wed, April 1, 2009, 1300 Canyon Blvd, b p.m.
Meetin a ends will include the Nuisance Mos uito Pilot Pro'ect a date.
Approved:
2
Suzanne Jones, Chair Date