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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-08-13 Packet 2CITY OF EDINA MINNESOTA ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION EDINA CITY HALL COMMUNITY ROOM Thursday August 13, 2015 7:00 PM I. CALL TO ORDER II. ROLL CALL III. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA IV. ADOPTION OF CONSENT AGENDA A. Minutes B. Attendance report and roster C. Workgroup list and minutes i. Combine Business Recycling and Recycling and Solid Waste Working Groups V. COMMUNITY COMMENT During "Community Comment," the Energy & Environment Commission will invite residents to share new issues or concerns that haven't been considered in the past 30 days by the Commission, or which aren't slated for future consideration. Individuals must limit their testimony to three minutes. The Chair may limit the number of speakers on the same issue in the interest of time and topic. Generally speaking, items that are elsewhere on tonight's agenda may not be addressed during Community Comment. Individuals should not expect the Chair or Commission Members to respond to their comments tonight. Instead the Commission might refer the matter to staff or to an EEC Working Group for consideration at a future meeting. VI. REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. Partners In Energy Subcommittee B. City Climate Commitment Subcommittee C. EEC 2016 Term Workplan (Due September 291 VII. CORRESPONDENCE & PETITIONS A. Duck Keeping Request B. Master Park Planning — Latham C. Human Service Task Force D. Storm Drain Stenciling Input from Nextdoor E. Air Pollution-Latham VIII.CHAIR AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS A. Building Energy Efficiency Subcommittee B. City Environmental Considerations Subcommittee C. Education Outreach Working Group D. Home Energy Squad Subcommittee E. Water Quality Working Group F. Business Recycling Working Group G. Recycling and Solid Waste Working Group i. Presentation ii. Resolution Authorizing Amendment To Residential Recycling Grant Agreement with HC H. Student Subcommittee IX. STAFF COMMENTS A. 2015-2016 EEC Term Summary / Council Advisory Status / Workplan B. Xcel Franchise Update C. 2nd Community Solar Report to Council UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS: http://www.edinamn.gov/ <click calendar> The City of Edina wants all residents to be comfortable being part of the public process. If you need assistance in the way of hearing amplification, an interpreter, large-print documents or something else, please call 952-927-8861 72 hours in advance of the meeting. 2 DRAFT MINUTES CITY OF EDINA MINNESOTA ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION EDINA CITY HALL COMMUNITY ROOM Thursday July 9, 2015 7:00 PM I. CALL TO ORDER 7:01p.m. II. ROLL CALL Answering Roll Call Glahn, Gubrud, Howard, Manser, Satterlee, Thompson, Zarrin and Chair Kostuch Absent: Anderson Padmanabhan, Seeley, Sierks and Waldwick Staff Present: Ross Bintner, Rebecca Foster and Scott Neal III. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA. Chair Kostuch changed the Meeting Agenda to the following order. A. Xcel Parnters in Energy B. City Climate Commitment Subcommittee C. Community Solar Subcommittee - Community Solar Advisory D. Street Sweeping E. EEC 2016 Term Workplan (Due September 291 Motion made by Member Gubrud and seconded by Member Thompson to approve the Meeting Agenda. Motion carried unanimously. IV. ADOPTION OF CONSENT AGENDA A. Minutes. Member Zarrin requested Lauren's name to be corrected on the RSWG report. B. Attendance report and roster. No Comment. C. Workgroup list and minutes. Member Howard said the Local Food Working Group needs to be removed from the list. The Edina Business Recycling Working Group was combined with the Recycling and Solid Waste Working Group. Motion made by Member Gubrud and seconded by Member Zarrin to approve the Consent Agenda. Motion carried unanimously. V. COMMUNITY COMMENT. No Comment. VI. REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. Street Sweeping. Paula Kalinosky from Emmons & Oliver Resources, Inc. explained the City's new Street Sweeping Management Plan. The City had a few rules to follow in the SWPPP, but didn't have a plan. The plan is to establish benchmarks to stop pollution getting into Storm Water. There are different benefits to sweeping a street twice a year, monthly or bi-weekly. The City currently sweeps in Spring and Fall with extra routes in Commercial areas. Sweeping was modeled for gross removal, and to account for removal in ponds and wetlands. Current sweeping practice removes 60Ibs of phosphorus in Minnehaha Creek and 130Ibs in Nine Mile Creek yearly. The City has one regeneration air sweeper and two regular sweepers. The plan recommends upgraded sweepers, increase to monthly sweeping and additional sweeping in high priority watershed areas. B. Community Solar Subcommittee - Community Solar Advisory. Member Gubrud reviewed the Advisory going to Council. The Subcommittee recommends that the City Develop and Issue a Request for Proposals for a Community Solar Garden Project on the Roof of the Public Works Building. Authorize and direct the City Administrator to have staff and legal counsel develop a Request for Proposals for a 3 Community Solar Garden (CSG-PW) located on the Roof of the Public Works Building. While the City could subscribe to a small portion of the CSG-PW project, the primary intent would be to offer Edina residents the opportunity to become subscribers. This is a project for the City to be a host where Met Council is a project for the City to be a subscriber. Trevor Drake from Great Plains Institute and Clean Energy Resources Teams will review community solar. He helps people understand what needs to be done for clean energy projects. The Solar Garden at Public Works would be 350kw. The City would share 40% of the power and have 40 residents or 80 half time residents. Mr. Drake said the City should do a Request for Interest rather than a Request for Proposal. Chair Kostuch said community solar has education value that 1) our existing City Hall panels have failed on that point given their performance issues made a —150 year payback period even worse and 2) the community solar projects are only viable because of the regulatory mandate by the PUC (which will be passed on to Xcel customers in higher rates) and tax benefits which expire on 12/31/2015. Mr. Bintner said he's not supportive of the project, because it takes the City off of its core mission of transportation, sanitation and public safety. Motion made by Member Gubrud and seconded by Member Thompson to approve the Community Solar Garden Project Advisory and add that the City will have a nominal value to it. Members Kostuch and Glahn opposed. Member Howard abstained. Motion carried. C. EEC 2016 Term Workplan (Due September 29th). Chair Kostuch asked each Working Group to meet and review their duties and prioritize what they want to have on the EEC 2016 Workplan. The workplan is due September 29th D. City Climate Commitment Subcommittee. Member Zarrin reviewed the ECCT Mission. • Assist with establishing best practices for energy conservation for The City of Edina (i.e., buildings, fleet) • Assist with meeting established conservation goals and establish strategies to track and meet these goals • Identify opportunities for change to meet GHG goals • Assist with developing effective communication strategies for above to EEC, Council and the public • Assist with allocating City resources (staff, budget) to enable realization of conservation goals The team will focus on City buildings and fleet over a 5yr, 10yr and 15yr timeframe to reduce greenhouse gases. B3 will be the baseline for the buildings and CRBPS will be working with Tim Barnes to interpret the data. Member Zarrin suggested that the Education and Outreach working group write an article on what the City is doing. Motion made by Member Zarrin and seconded by Member Gubrud to approve the temp ECCT and mission. Member Glahn opposed. Motion carried. E. Xcel Partners in Energy. Mr. Neal said Xcel Energy has selected the City of Edina to participate in its "Partners in Energy" program. The broad purpose of the program is to assist and support communities develop and implement an energy action plan that is designed to meet the communities' individual energy needs. There is a need to create a planning team of 12 members mixed with City staff and Community. The team will be appointed on August 18th by City Council with the first meeting to be on September 22nd. The early tasks would be to name the group and review the current city practices and 4 goals for greenhouse gas reduction. Then, the team would set interim goals, a timeline, and what's a successful outcome. It'll be a two year term commitment. Xcel Energy will provide data on energy consumption, ideas, programs and suggestions for the Creation of the Energy Action Plan. Member Kostuch asked that the City will lead by example and before it asks the rest of the Community to follow. The EEC will discuss which Commissioners will serve on the team at the August meeting. VII. CORRESPONDENCE & PETITIONS A. Duck Keeping Request. Chair Kostuch said the Commission should send an Advisory to Council to update the Chicken Ordinance to allow ducks. Vice Chair Zarrin will ask Dianne Latham to provide the verbiage. VIII. CHAIR AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS A. Building Energy Efficiency Subcommittee. No Comment. B. City Environmental Considerations Subcommittee. No Comment. C. Education Outreach Working Group. Member Thompson said 20 people attended the July 4th parade. They handed out $35 discounts on a Home Energy Squad visit that has to be used by August 30th. D. Home Energy Squad Subcommittee. No Comment. E. Water Quality Working Group. No Comment. F. Business Recycling Working Group & G. Recycling and Solid Waste Working Group. Member Zarrin will bring the new objective for review at August EEC meeting. The will be having a presenter speak to them on Building Material Recycling. They are researching packaging material recycling too. Lauren attended a composting workshop. Hennepin County will have all haulers provide organic pickup by 2016. H. Student Subcommittee. No. Comment. IX. STAFF COMMENTS A. 2015-2016 EEC Term Summary / Council Advisory Status / Workplan. Mr. Bintner said there is a revised schedule in the packet that has Workplan 2016 added to the August and September Agendas. B. Communications Copy Deadlines. Mr. Bintner described the handout in the packet. C. Park/Natural Resources Plan. Mr. Bintner suggested commission members review the new sustainable park plan. D. Community Solar Report to Council. The Council Approved the Met Council Joint Powers Agreement. E. EEC Communication with Council. If advisories are not mentioned by Council, or Council does not request additional information, no further action should be expected. Purpose. When presenting recommendations to City Council it is essential that Board and Commission members keep the following in mind: • Recommendations should be in written form. • Ideas should be expressed in clear and concise language. • Proposed solutions should be viable and cost-effective. • Recommendations should identify reasons for the changes suggested. • Advice should reflect the views of a consensus or a majority of Board and Commission members. Role of Staff Liaison. One of the primary roles of the Staff Liaison is to assist in delivering information from the City Council to Boards and Commissions, and vice versa. It is the responsibility of the Staff Liaison to communicate the guidance of their Board and Commission completely and impartially. Mr. Bintner suggested that if the Members are passionate about something to put it in writing and engage staff before to goes to Council. There being no further business on the Commission Agenda, Chair Kostuch declared the meeting adjourned at 9:42p.m. 5 Motion made by Member Glahn and seconded by Member Thompson to adjourn meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Rebecca Foster GIS Administrator 6 ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION Th,,:, M A M J J A S 0 N D Work Session Work Session # of Mtgs. Attendance % Meetings/Work Sessions 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 NAME TERM . 4/7/2015 (Enter Date) Glahn, William 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 88% Gubrud, Bob 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 88% Howard, John 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 100% Kostuch, Keith 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 88% Manser, Richard 3/1/2018 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 100% Satterlee, Lauren 3/1/2018 1 1 1 1 1 5 83% Seeley, Melissa 3/1/2018 1 1 1 1 1 5 83% Sierks, Bill 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 88% Thompson, Paul 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 100% Waddick, Louise 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 88% Zarrin, Sarah 3/1/2018 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 75% Heer, John 2/1/2015 1 1 2 100% Latham, Dianne Plunkett 2/1/2015 1 1 2 100% 0 0% Anderson, Reilly 9/1/2015 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 75% Padmanabhan, Sunaya 9/1/2015 1 1 1 1 4 50% Liaisons: Report attendance monthly and attach this report to the Commission minutes for the packet. Do not enter numbers into the last two columns. Meeting numbers & attendance percentages will calculate automatically. INSTRUCTIONS: Counted as Meeting Held (ON MEETINGS' LINE) Attendance Recorded (ON MEMBER'S LINE) Regular Meeting w/Quorum Type "1" under the month on the meetings' line. Type "1" under the month for each attending member. Regular Meeting w/o Quorum Type "1" under the month on the meetings' line. Type "1" under the month for each attending member. Joint Work Session Type "1" under "Work Session" on the meetings' line. Type "1" under "Work Session" for each attending member. Rescheduled Meeting* Type "1" under the month on the meetings' line. Type "1" under the month for each attending member. Cancelled Meeting Type "1" under the month on the meetings' line. Type "1" under the month for ALL members. Special Meeting There is no number typed on the meetings' line. There is no number typed on the members' lines. *A rescheduled meeting occurs when members are notified of a new meeting date/time at a prior meeting. If shorter notice is 7 Edina Energy & Environment Commission Working Groups and Subcommittees Draft of 7-30-15 Building Energy Efficiency Subcommittee - Chair Sierks, Members: Bill Glahn, Keith Kostuch Objective: This subcommittee will work with City staff to recommend to Council a comprehensive approach for achieving deeper energy efficiency actions for the city's buildings that maximizes greenhouse gas reductions, maximizes energy saved and dollars saved, and maximizes effective use of city dollars. City Environmental Considerations Subcommittee — Chair Keith Kostuch, Members: John Heer Objective: This sub-committee of the EEC will work with City staff to find a way to embed the 2008 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 10 environmental commitments into the City's capital budget process. New buildings, major building renovations and fleet purchases have large and long-term environmental implications. Consequently, environmental considerations need to be made more explicit at the inception of all capital projects and in the approval process up to City Council final approval. Time frame: This process will be collaborative with City staff in terms of conceptualization and implementation so it will take most or all of 2014. Community Solar Subcommittee - Chair Bill Sierks, Members: Paul Thompson, Bob Gubrud Objective: Work with City Staff to evaluate whether the City can host a Community Solar site. If so, the group will assist as appropriate in completing the steps necessary to apply for, develop, and market this program, and involve interested members of the public through a working group if the project moves forward to construction Edina Climate Commitment Team — 1st & ri Monday — Chair Sarah Zarrin — Commissioners: Bill Sierks, Robert Manser — Staff: Scott Neal and Council Member Kevin Staunton Objective: Assist with establishing best practices for energy conservation for The City of Edina (i.e., buildings, fleet) Assist with meeting established conservation goals and establish strategies to track and meet these goals Identify opportunities for change to meet GHG goals Assist with developing effective communication strategies for above to EEC, Council and the public Education Outreach Working Group (EO WG) —191 Thursday at 7:00 pm - Co-Chairs Paul Thompson and Bob Gubrud — Members: John Howard (EEC), Reilly Anderson, Sunaya Padmanabhan, Sarah Stefanik, Chuck Prentice and Mindy Ahler. Objective: The mission of the Education and Outreach Working Group is to support the charter of the Edina Energy and Environment Commission by creating awareness and engaging residents, schools, churches, business' and community organizations to take action to conserve and increase energy efficiency, to reuse and recycle, and to preserve and enhance our environment Home Energy Squad Subcommittee (HES) — Meets as needed - Chair Bill Sierks — Commissioners - Paul Thompson, Bob Gubrud Objective: This subcommittee works with City staff, Xcel Energy, Centerpoint Energy, and the Center for Energy and the Environment to implement the Home Energy Squad program for Edina's residents. The city's gas and electric utilities have hired CEE to implement the Home Energy Squad program across their service area. Our subcommittee is helping to promote the program and maximize its impact in Edina. 8 (Existing) Edina Business Recycling Working Group— 3rd Wednesday - Chair Sarah Zarrin — Members: Lori Syverson (Chamber of Commerce), Ben Knudson (Hennepin County Environmental Services), Andre Xiong (HCES), Aileen Foley (Existing) Recycling & Solid Waste Working Group (RSW WG) — 1st Wednesday at 7:00 pm - Chair Sarah Zarrin - Commissioners Lauren Satterlee, Melissa Seeley — Members: DP Latham, Michelle Horan — City Staff Solvei Wilmot Objective: Evaluate and monitor the provision of a residential recycling program. Evaluate and monitor the provision of a privately provided solid waste program, as well as a reduction in municipal solid waste produced by city residents and businesses. Educate the public about recycling (Proposed New) Recycling Solid Waste and Organics Working Group(RSW WG) — 1st Wednesday at 7:00 pm - Chair Sarah Zarrin — Commissioners Lauren Satterlee, Melissa Seeley Members: DP Latham, Michelle Horan, Lori Syverson (Chamber of Commerce), Ben Knudson (Hennepin County Environmental Services), Andre Xiong (HCES), Aileen Foley— City Staff: Solvei Wilmot Objective: Evaluate and monitor the provisions of the recycling, solid waste and organic waste collection programs in Edina. Evaluate and monitor the reduction in municipal solid waste by residents and businesses in Edina. Educate the public about recycling, organics and solid waste reduction. Student Environmental Leadership Council — EEC Chair, Members: Paul Thompson, Student Members, and open to students attending secondary schools in Edina. Objective: To facilitate, coordinate and share information between the EEC and the School Environmental groups and to work on common energy and environmental objectives as appropriate. To assist in developing environmental leaders of tomorrow. Water Quality Working Group (WQ WG) — 2nd Tuesday at 6:30pm - Chair Lou Ann Waddick — Members: David B. VanDongen, Jon Moon, Steve Wielock, Katherine Winston, Sue Nissen and Randy Holst, Richard Strong. Objective: To facilitate communication between citizens and city government and champion efforts to improve water quality within Edina. 9 REPORT / RECOMMENDATION To: Mayor and City Council From: Scott H. Neal, City Manager Date: August 5, 2015 Agenda Item #: XII.A. Action NI Discussion q Information q Subject: Creation of Partners In Energy (PIE) Community Planning Team Action Requested: Approve the proposed establishment of the Partners In Energy Community Planning Team Information / Background: The City Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Xcel Energy for the Partners In Energy (PIE) program on June 17, 2015. One of the first actions necessary to implement the PIE program is to appoint a Community Planning Team (CPT). The purpose of the CPT is to craft, for the City Council's ultimate review and approval, an Energy Action Plan (EAP) for the City. An EAP can have many goals and objectives, depending on the wants and needs of the community. As I have discussed this program with the Members of Council, City staff and representatives of the Energy & Environment Commission, I think we will want an EAP that not only embeds an energy conservation ethos in city government, but in the community as well. Xcel provides staff support for the CPT. Xcel recommends the CPT be populated with representatives from a wide array of disciplines and perspectives in the community. At the July 21 Council meeting, I shared my thoughts with the Council about how I recommend you should populate a twelve member Edina CPT. That recommendation is as follows: Two members of the EEC appointed by the EEC Five Edina citizens appointed by the Council - with each Council Member nominating his or her recommended appointee Two City staff members appointed by the City Manager Two members appointed by the Edina Area Chamber of Commerce One member appointed by the Board of the 50th & France Association City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 10 My July 21 recommendation also included a counsel to have the CPT co-chaired by the two members from the EEC. There is no magic or strict rationale for the size of this group. As with any ad hoc group, committee or task force, however, bigger is not always better. According to social scientists Marcia W. Blenko, Michael C. Mankins, and Paul Rogers, authors of Decide & Deliver: 5 Steps to Breakthrough Performance in Your Organization (Harvard Business Press), optimal group size for a group of people that is charged with making decisions or recommendations is 7. Each additional member added to the group beyond 7 reduces decision effectiveness by 10%, according to Blenko, Mankins and Rogers. Using the authors' formula for optimal group size, the decision effectiveness of a group of 17 or more will be nil, so anything less than 17 members should produce the desired outcome. I am open, of course, to Council input on the size and composition of the CPT. I have received input that the CPT may benefit from having a Member of Council as a member. I've had other input that it ought to include more City staff on it. I will introduce this item during my report at the Aug 5 Council meeting. I would advise, if possible, that we discuss the possibilities and make a decision at the Aug 5 Council meeting. If the Council can approve the composition of the CPT, Council and staff can go forward with soliciting potential members for appointment at either the August 18 or September I Council meetings. 11 Thursday: July 30, 2015 City Seeks Volunteers for Energy Action Team Edina, Minn., July 28, 2015 — The City of Edina is teaming up with XceP Energy in the utility's Partners in Energy, a two-year partnership designed to support Edina as it develops and implements an energy plan that will help reach community-driven goals around energy. Volunteers from the community are needed to join an energy action planning team that will identify energy goals and create an energy action and implementation plan. Once complete, the goals and plan will be presented to the City Council for approval. Any goals that are approved by the Council will be implemented over an 18-month period. INe intend to plan energy use more thoughtfully with regard to the services that we provide," said Environmental Engineer Ross Bintner. 'Energy touches so many aspects of our lives we need creative people to help us dig into the issue so we can be more deliberate in our consumption of energy resources. We invite our residents to be a part of the conversation and have a seat at the table." Those interested in serving on the team are encouraged to apply. Volunteers must be able to attend 2.5-hour meetings once per month for six months, have an interest in energy and related topics, and the ability to represent and educate the community. The 12-member committee will be composed of two members of the Energy & Environment Commission, five residents appointed by the City Council, two City staff members appointed by the City Manager, two members appointed by the Edina Chamber of Commerce and one member appointed by the 50th & France Business & Professional Association. Applications are due Aug. 10. "Communities are increasingly focused ori developing a vision of the role of energy in the broad scope of the community's aspirations," said Xcel Energy Regional Vice President Laura McCarter)_ ''The tools and resources we provide with our Partners in Energy initiative offer communities direct access to our energy expertise and portfolio of services that work best for them." To apply, visit .www.EdinaMN_govienergyteam_application. For more information, contact Bintner at 952-903-5713. 12 7/20 meeting ECCT notes: Present: Scott Neal, Kevin Staunton, Richard Mansor, and Sarah Zarrin - Guest speakers, city engineers, to discuss fleet will now be on Wed, 7/22, @ 7:30am - 3 working groups that overlap with ECCT that have formal plans include - City Building energy efficiency group (Bill S.) - Fleet working group — Fuels / Vehicles - Comprehensive plan - Sarah asked for timeline for the ECCT committee Sarah asked for budget, plan, and the internal city staff to own the reduction of GHG and work within the city operation and collaborate with the EEC members. Scott's council presentation for Tue 7/21 will include partners in energy group; includes time line. Package includes $0.50 that includes staff time. - 'Partners in Energy' replaces Xcel's 'Clean Energy Partnership' - 'Partners in Energy' has a two year time commitment to develop the plan, next is implementation - Franchise agreement with Xcel solution would include funding for going forward after 2yrs are up - Consider inviting Center Point into similar conversation we are having with Xcel Partners in Energy - City would need to oversee integration of Center Point and Xcel components; also need to identify gaps and position City for success after 2yrs are up - Pounds of CO2 equivalent is our best metric - Embedded includes HR, job descriptions, performance evaluation - Don't loose site of the long term components that have a long lead time (storm water, water resources, building material recycling, grey water systems, - School buildings — need to make sure we take advantage of future solar opportunities as part of school building remodel 13 Meeting notes on ECCT, city's fleet presentation, 7/22 Presenters: Brian Olson and Gunnar Kaasa Present: Scott Neal, Bill Sierks, Richard Mansor, and Sarah Zarrin -Fleet includes 295 vehicles Horse power is important for some services - City utilizes a computerized fleet analysis (CFA) system to track these assets. Includes a point system to help assess vehicle life cycle and replacement. Includes: - type of service - condition of vehicle - reliability - repair cost - 2014 City used 104,222 gallons unleaded fuel and 79,097 gallons diesel fuel - One snow storm accounts for approximately 1500 to 3000 gallons of fuel - City tracks potential use of propane and natural gas but still not cost effective to convert vehicles, getting to be more cost effective for new vehicles; considering for weed whips and mowers - Propane has best potential for future use City has about 900 employees in summer time (seasonal) - Figure out specifics of what metrics and graph would look like for communicating and broadcasting the effectiveness of this great tracking system used by the City 14 From: Keith Kostuch To: meyerisabe1024gmail.com Cc: Sarah F Zarriu; Ross Bintner Subject: Ducks in Edina Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2015 10:26:43 AM Dear Ms. Meyer, My name is Keith Kostuch and I'm the current Chair of the Energy & Environment Committee. I wanted to follow up with you to get your reaction to Dianne Plunkett Latham's email below (if you replied to Dianne, she did not forward your reply to me). The EEC is supportive of your idea of extending the chicken ordinance to ducks but we disbanded our local food group when the bee and chicken ordinance was passed by City Council. As you can see from Dianne's emailing outlining what needs to be done, it is fair to say that getting a duck ordinance modification will take some work. Right now that is not in our 2015 work plan (which was approved by City Council and which restricts our activities to approved initiatives) and we do not have any commissioners or work groups who want to put a duck modification into their 2016 work plan. If you are willing to undertake the work as laid out by Dianne, the EEC will support your efforts. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks and best regards, Keith On Mon, Jul 13, 2015 at 10:29 AM, Dianne Latham <Dianne@lathampark.net> wrote: 7-13-15 Sarah, There isn't anything much to changing the ordinance to add Peking Ducks and the City Attorney will do that if Council approves it. However, before you send it to council the following process will need to be accomplished. The process takes about 12 — 18 months from a resident first asking EEC for an ordinance change to ordinance implementation. The Bee/Chicken ordinance changes took 18 months. 1. Elizabeth Meyer will need to do a survey of surrounding cities to see if any allow Peking Ducks and if so, what their experience is with them. She should send an e-mail to their animal control officers and get a statement from the following cities at a minimum: Mpls, Blmtn, Eden Prairie, Hopkins, St. Louis Pk, Richfield. Ask if they know of any cities allowing Peking Ducks in the metro and if so, contact those cities and add them to the survey. 15 2. Once the above information is gathered, Elizabeth should make a report in the format of the attached. It is important to include the Latin name for Peking Duck, as that is the name the City Attorney will insert in the ordinance. I advised an Eden Prairie residents group on chickens and Elizabeth can use their attached report as a model. 3. Elizabeth's report should be placed in an EEC packet and Elizabeth should appear at the EEC meeting and present it. 4. If EEC approves Elizabeth's report, EEC should schedule the Peking Duck issue at the next Work Session they have with Council. Elizabeth should appear at the Work Session, present her report and bring a live Peking Duck so that council can see what nice pets they are and how quiet they are, just as we did with chickens. 5. If Council approves the Peking Duck issue to move forward, the City Attorney will make the ordinance modification, Ross Bintner will schedule it for a first reading at Council. Elizabeth's report will be placed in the council packet and she will present it to council at its first reading. Elizabeth can review the past council meetings where Bees/Chickens had their first and second readings to learn what to expect. If no one objects either in person or in writing, council can waive the second reading. 6. If anyone objects, Council will schedule a second reading for a subsequent meeting. Elizabeth should plan to appear at the second reading and address any objections previously raised. 7. If Council approves changing the ordinance after the second reading, the City Clerk will publish the revised ordinance in the Edina Sun Current. This will be about a month between the 2nd reading and publication. On the date the ordinance is published, it will become legal to have Peking Ducks in Edina. The above process is the same for any animal EEC may want to remove from the city's livestock definition and make legal in Edina. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call me. Dianne Plunkett Latham EEC Recycling & Solid Waste Working Group 7013 Comanche Ct. Edina MN 55439-1004 952-941-3547 Dianne@LathamPark.net 16 From: Sarah F Zarrin [mailto:sarah.f.zarrinC@seagate.com] Sent: Friday, July 10, 2015 8:12 AM To: Dianne Latham Cc: Richard Manser; Keith Kostuch; Ross Bintner Subject: Fwd: EEC ... ducks! Thanks Richard! Dianne, The attached is a second letter from an Edina resident requesting to allow ducks. I brought this up at our RSWG meeting, 6/24, and you mentioned just added to the chicken and bee's ordinance. This came up at the EEC meeting last night, 7/9, and all agreed that if you would please use your red pen and add it to the ordinance that you put together for the chicken and bees. Please send it to Ross, Keith and me and we will recommend it to the city council. Dear Mr. Bintner, My name is Isabel Meyer. I have spoken to Timothy Hunter concerning the following issue, and he referred you to me. My sister and I want to purchase and maintain two domestic ducks. We live on Browndale Avenue in Edina. I read the city Code of Ordinances and I understand that it is ok to own and maintain four female chickens in Edina (Section 8-212). If we were to purchase ducks, we would buy two egg-laying females. We would keep them in an enclosed area (a coop or pen) so they would not be a distraction to our neighbors. When I was researching ducks, I found out that they are much quieter than chickens. I discovered the Pekin duck, which closely resembles a chicken. Pekin ducks cannot fly, but they can produce up to two eggs daily. Pekin ducks are domesticated and raised for the purpose of laying eggs. They a generally easier to take care of than chickens, because they have higher intelligence. Unlike chickens, ducks do not tear up your garden. If I had two female Pekin ducks, I would take care of them almost exactly as I would a chicken. Ducks are low maintenance and they produce healthier eggs than most birds. Thank you for your consideration.s, Sarah Zarrin Seagate Technology (952) 402 8719 17 Forwarded message From: Richard Manser <richardmanser@icloud.com> Date: Thu, Jul 9, 2015 at 10:37 PM Subject: EEC ... ducks! To: "Sarah F. Zarrin" <Sarah.F.Zarringseagate.corn> Attached is the DUCKS section from the EEC notes ... 18 From: Dianne Latham To: BOSSLIDILleG KeithKOlblal; SaLabl-ZULID Subject: Edina Park Master Plan Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2015 9:23:45 AM 7-22-15 Please share the Edina Parks Master Plan with EEC members if you have not done so already. The URL is http•//edinamn goviedinafiles/files/Ciry%20Counril%20Staff%20Reports/Nlay%206.%202015/W_S_VOltem%201V.,_%20Park%20Strategic%20Plan_pdf Take special note that many recommendations in EEC's Urban Forest Task Force report have been adopted such as: Buckthorn removal at Bredesen Park — 1) Lino Lakes did some removal in May; 2) Bredesen Park will be closed July 25 so volunteers can do some removals; 3) the Edina Garden Council proposes funding some removals in fall 2015 Hiring a full time Natural Resource manager. Dianne Plunkett Latham EEC Recycling & Solid Waste Working Group 7013 Comanche Ct. Edina MN 55439-1004 952-941-3542 Dianne@LathamPark.net 19 August 1, 2015 Re: 2016 HUMAN SERVICES FUNDING Hello Staff Liaisons, It is time to convene our Human Services Task Force for 2016 funding. We are looking for one member from each board or commission to serve. Can you please assist me with identifying a volunteer from your board or commission? Next steps: 1. Copy and paste the following letter (italicized below) into the body of an email to all your board and commission members. The letter is from City Manager, Scott Neal, inviting them to consider serving on the Human Services Task Force. 2. Please select one member by September 4, 2015 who will serve and forward their name to me. Let me know if you have questions. Thanks, MJ ********************************************************************************** * Dear Board Member or Commissioner: Each year the City appropriates approximately $87,000 from its general fund to pay human services agencies to provide outsourced services to Edina residents. The process for appropriating these funds starts with a Council-appointed group called the Human Services Task Force, which is comprised of members of the City's various citizen advisory boards and commissions. The Human Services Task Force will again consist of one representative from each of our official boards and commissions. The task force will be created for this process only, and then it will be dissolved. It will come together for three meetings and a City Council Work Session in October and November: 1) Proposal Review: Monday, October 5, 6:00-8:00 PM, Mayors Conference Room at City Hall (meal provided) 2) Provider Presentations: Wednesday, October 21, 5:00-9:00 PM, Community Room at City Hall (meal provided) 3) Create Funding Recommendation: Thursday, October 29 6:00-8:00 PM, Mayors Conference Room at City Hall (meal provided) 4) City Council Work Session: Tuesday, November 17 6:00-7:00 PM, Community Room at City Hall I urge you to consider serving on this important task force. Our goal is to have one member from each Board and Commission. No co-appointees please. It is important that volunteers be available and willing to attend all four meetings of the task force. While it is desirable that each Board and Commission be represented on this task force, it is not mandatory. 20 If you are interested in serving, notify your board or commission staff liaison as soon as possible. Boards and Commissions are required to name their appointed member by September 4, 2015. The Human Services Task Force efforts will be coordinated by MJ Lamon, Project Coordinator. If you have any questions or require clarification, please contact MJ at mlamon@edinamn.aov or 952-826-0360. Thanks, Scott Neal City Manger 21 Edina Water Quality Working Group Encourages Residents to Stencil Their Storm Drains 23 Jul City Staff from City of Edina The City of Edina Energy & Environment Commission's Water Quality Working Group (WQWG) is asking residents to stencil any storm drains near their homes. For more info, visit http://bit.ly/1TOCHEd Edited on 29 Jul • Shared with City of Edina in General Rick S. from Lake Cornelia 23 Jul It is very important to get the word out on this. I see so many homeowners and their lawn services leave grass clippings on the driveway and in the gutter. This is all headed straight for our lakes where it decomposes and feeds the algae that is chocking out the fish. Lake Cornelia is dying, there are basically no fish left, and I am not even seeing turtles anymore. Louann, Blair, joan, and 1 other thanked Rick Zeb H. from Brookview Heights 23 Jul Do we really need to spray-point and stencil our city streets? It was done in front of my home, and around our neighborhood, with no consent from me. I believe this was done without consent of the ... View more citizens of our city, as a whole. On top of this, it looks bad/chintzy. I suggest that we keep all messages quasi-political - or otherwise - from being spray-painted on our streets. Instead I suggest that the city of Edina either send out emails, take out an annual advertisement in the paper (The Sun), or mail the residents, or 'D' all of the above, instead. No, I don't want the water in our lakes to deteriorate: but this 'Eco-Warrior' guerrilla-method of doing without asking is not the right way to go about it. Sue and Babette thanked Zeb Ari M. from Concord 23 Jul Zeb, I doubt the city needs consent to stencil city-owned storm drain covers. Are you suggesting a city- wide referendum every time they need to stencil something on a drain? And how is "Keep it Clean, Drains to Creek" striking you as "quasi-political?" I also think both the message and the initiative are positive and important. Alan, Molly, Krista, and 6 others thanked Ari 22 Barbara N. from Morningside 23 Jul I agree Zeb, I consider it visual pollution! Sue and Babette thanked Barbara Jean M. from Brookside Heights 23 Jul What is a "stencil"? What is its purpose? Barbara N. from Morningside 23 Jul It is letters "stenciled" onto the pavement near the storm drain. Sue thanked Barbara Martha K. from Normandale Park 23 Jul I suppose we all know how to stencil stormdrains??? Zeb H. from Brookview Heights 23 Jul Ari, I do think that the city works for us. We - individually - pay for the streets, curbs and gutters in front of our homes. I don't think they - or anybody else - should be spray-paint-stenciling ... View more anything on drains, period. Until this past year, I've never seen this anywhere. It looks bad. And I don't think it's right to start spray painting messages on our streets (other than traffic items) for any reason. Thus, if we start this new practice of spray painting environmental items (or other items) on our streets, yes, the city needs to pass a referendum. Think about this slippery slope; what kind of message gets sprayed on our streets next...and who decides? But again, I'll go back to 2 basics: it looks bad, and there is a better and proper method in bringing about this request to not dump items in our storm drains. Sue and Jackie thanked Zeb 23 Babette B. from Arden Park 23 Jul I am in complete agreement with Zeb's statement. Kathleen D. from Concord 23 Jul i guess I am missing this...yes I see people all the time leaving their clippings in the street...I even see some that have a service and the service does it and they don't make them clean it up...but what is stenciling? Jane H. from The Heights 24 Jul I agree with Zeb. This information should be delivered in a different manner. I do not support stenciling around storm drains. Good old public relations strategies should apply. Fliers to individual homes, Sun Current articles, and the like. Thanks for letting me share my opinion. Jane Sue thanked Jane Penelope P. from Brookside Heights 24 Jul Doesn't the city send out a street sweep everyday to many neighborhoods? I see it ALL the time on the street. What if we had each neighborhook have their lawn day the same day each week and the street ... View more sweeper went through on that day.... i realize this is ridiculous. It is my point. People just need to clean up after themselves or we will have no Art in our lakes (the cool sculpture just removed from Calhoun because of abuse), water in our lakes or fish in our lakes. Not to mention all the trash people toss out their windows or leave behind but that is a different subject all together. Thanks for letting me spout off here. Really no reply necessary it was not a serious idea. Louann thanked Penelope Environmental Engineer Ross Bintner from City of Edina 28 Jul Thanks for the input. I will present your input to the citizen volunteers at the August 13 Energy and Environment Commission meeting at 7:00pm at City Hall. You are welcome to attend to speak at the public comment portion of that meeting as well. Paul, Louann, and Blair thanked you 24 tzie Amy 0. from Lake Cornelia 28 Jul I mentioned before that I helped stencil some of the drains on Cornelia Drive. The stenciling is very subtle and hardly visual "pollution." However, now that it's done I'm noticing that people still ... View more aren't heeding the request or cleaning off the drain grates (I did a couple of times, but the drain is not in front of my house so it required me hauling a bag of wet debris up and down the block.) In retrospect, perhaps a better solution would be to give neighborhood volunteers the option to "adopt a drain" to keep clean. Just a thought. Kathy, Krista, Ari, and 4 others thanked Amy 4 r , 1 Chrissy B. from Normandale Park 28 Jul I think the "adopt a drain" option would be really great in addition to continuing to stencil. I think there should also be a way to report people we see dumping into the drains. Perhaps if some Edina residents are too posh for the subtle stenciling, they would prefer something more along these lines? http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/do-not-du... Larr , Krista, and Ari thanked Chrissy Ari M. from Concord 29 Jul Zeb, the city doesn't "work for you" like an employee works for an employer. Rather, they work on your behalf, since they are elected representatives. You (and the rest of us) elect them to make these ... View more decisions on our behalf and (hopefully) with our best interest in mind. If they disappoint you, you can voice your objections or simply vote them out. And the slippery slope argument... of course... :-) Paul thanked Ari Babette B. from Arden Park 29 Jul Ari, I feel the city works for its citizens and the taxpayers that pay their salary. I am surprised I am responding to your comment because it actually is just an argumentative, inconsequential ... View more comment. This is so ridiculous. Educate the residents instead of buying stupid stenciling kits! Stenciling will do nothing but make a mess, but have fun with your silly little do good, feel good drawings. That paint is probably toxic anyway! Sue thanked Babette 25 Kathy S. from Sunnyslope 30 Jul Babette- LOL. Kathy S. from Sunnyslope 30 Jul Amy Olson's comment is the one we all should be paying attention to here. "now that it's done I'm noticing that people still aren't heeding the request or cleaning off the drain grates". Sadly, does ... View more this surprise anyone? In my opinion, it makes no sense to put the cart before the horse. If this is truly an issue that Edina is serious about addressing, then it must be done right. Educate people first. And that means publishing alerts in a serious manner...not buried in other city business news or on the back page of the paper. Consider imposing fines for the worst offenders (dumping toxins like paint, oil)... If people start stenciling their own drains, in the absence of a serious campaign by the city to first introduce their policy -- along with follow up to keep the message going-- neighbors are not going to pay attention. Here is sound advice from the EPA website: "Municipalities should prioritize drains for marking. The drains should be carefully selected to send the message to the maximum number of citizens (for example, in areas of high pedestrian traffic) and to target drains leading to waterbodies where illegal dumping has been identified as a source of pollution". Do it Right. Do it Thoroughly. Or Don't Do it At All. Sue thanked Kathy Sue K. from Melody Lake 5d ago And, Ari, the city does work for us. We pay the salaries...they do the work. Daniel S. from Presidents 3d ago Isn't stenciling the drains a way of getting the word out? Every time you look at a drain, you see the message. Eventually it might sink in. Probably more cost effective than printing mailings that ... View more likely will get thrown away and cost more money. We all need to be stewards of our environment. Lakes overgrown with algae do more to devalue our community than some simple stenciling by storm drains. Slippery slope arguments don't hold water (pun intended) Edited 3d ago Larry, Krista, Connie, and 2 others thanked Daniel 26 Daniel S. from Presidents 3d ago I'll be happy to stencil drains. Bathe point is that it doesn't degrade the quality of our city and its better than turning a blind eye to the problem. If it helps a few people realize the problem, it is probably worth it. Lar and Louann thanked Daniel Louann W. from Parkwood Knolls 2d ago 5 neighbors and I have adopted our nearby storm drains and make an effort to keep them clear of trash and organic matter. The Minnehaha Watershed states that leaves and grass clippings are the #1 ... View more pollution in the watershed. Right now, many drains are quite clogged. Please take the time to check out yours. Yesterday I cleaned 5 as I just couldn't stand driving by them anymore. 2 that drain directly to Mirror Lake had a lot of trash (plastic bottles, a can, car part, etc) and sediment also. I think that as a good citizen, I can do my part to keep my community waters clean...many small efforts make a big difference! Holly thanked Louann 27 DATE: August 05, 2015 TO: Energy and Environment Commission FROM: Jessica Van Der Werff — Water Resources Coordinator RE: Storm Drain Stenciling, public outreach strategy Storm drains serve an important purpose of alleviating flood risk by quickly moving water away from roads, homes, and businesses. As water moves across the landscape and into storm drains, it often picks up pollution including excess leaves, grass clippings, garbage, and dirt which are deposited, untreated, into nearby waterbodies. Protecting storm drains from pollution can have a direct impact on the health of our lakes, streams, and wetlands. Through the storm drain stenciling program, the City partners with local residents in a public outreach strategy that seeks to encourage a behavior that is more protective of water resources. Dr. Dennis Mileti is well known for his research related to behavioral factors of people. He mostly focuses on disaster preparedness and mitigation, but his steps for successful public outreach can be applied to other actions, including storm drain protection. Mileti describes ten steps for successful public outreach; these are the ones that apply specifically to the, storm drain stenciling program strategy; • Use multiple information channels — people do more when they get the same information in different ways. We employ many sources for spreading information about storm drain protection including brochures, door hangers, City of Edina About Town publications, local advocates, storm drain stenciling, and more. The storm drain stenciling program was recently highlighted in the Sun Current (attached). • Communicate over the long haul. The stencil is a persistent reminder for the life of the painting which lasts for 1-3 years. Communication through multiple channels will continue as described in the previous bullet point. • Focus messages on actions — tell people what to do to reduce pollution. Don't make people infer what it is you want them to do, tell them explicitly. The storm drain stencils bear the message, "Keep it Clean." • Position cues for people to see — people are likely to take actions they see others doing. • Target talking and have folks who have done storm drain protection activities be your partners in talking about it to others. The storm drain stenciling program helps us to accomplish two main objectives: I) it is a strategy to influence human behavior and foster a culture of water stewardship, and 2) it helps the City in accomplishing goals of public outreach related to pollution reduction, of which it can receive credit toward the MS4 permit issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT 7450 Metro Boulevard • Edina, Minnesota 55439 www.EdinaMN.gov • 952-826-0371 • Fax 952-826-0392 28 Stenciling storm drain awareness to the curb in Edina Sun Current Page 1 of 3 Community & People Stenciling stor:►r.. drain awareness to the curb Edina Published August 1, 2015 at 8:00 am By Paul Groessel A stenciling next to a drain serves as a reminder to residents that storm runoff and property runoff leads to directly to lakes and streams. That runoff can lead to excess algae and plant growth in bodies of water. The pity of Edina provides the stenciling kits for residents who want to help spread the word, (Photo submitted by the city of Edina) The city of Edina continues to cultivate awareness for maintaining water quality in the city. To help minimize the amount of phosphorous that pours into streams, rivers, ponds and lakes, the city offers kits to stencil a message next to storm drains. 29 htto://current.innsun.com/2015/08/stenciling-storm-drain-awareness-to-the-eurb-in-edind 8/5/2015 Stenciling storm drain awareness to the curb in Edina J Sun Current Page 2 of 3 The messages let residents know that the driveway they are hosing down, 1the car they are washing and the grass clippings theyleave out in a storm•can all getwashed to the •street drain and float to a body of water, untreated, This leads to algae growth ialakes and ponds. Someone who has hosed grass, leaves and soap down a storm drain may not be thinking about the unsightly, oxygen-depleted lake it drains to. "We get calls all of the time about algaerand water looks green," said Edina Water Resources Coordinator Jessica Van Der Werff. "... There is kind of this disconnect between what's in the storm drain and where that material ends up." Algae grows really well when they're supplied with phosphortis„,she said, and one way to prevent its growth is by preventing, leaves and grass from getting into bodies of water in the first place. The stencils say whatever gets into the drain goes directly to a stream, untreated, she said. "Those leaves and grass clippings are probably the greatest source of phosphorous; Van Der Werff said. Having residents stencil the, ()trains themselves not only delivers the message On the pavement, but the action,delivers its own. message. Van Der Werff said a city worker could do it, but it could be less rwticeable. When a nei bor sees another neighbor, or a group, crouching down, spraying near the street, it can get them talking to one another, she said. "Ws our way of kind of getting people involved and then, having locatpeople that can chat with their neighbors," she said. Nine Mile Creek Watershed DistrictAdministrator Kevin Bl e saidawareness of phosphorous-fueled algae growth has grown over the years, and,residential lawn care has adjusted, but keeping it at the top of homeowners' minds while they tre,at their lawns requires its own care. "It's an ongoing education and awareness effort to get people to understand that what they do on their own, properties can have a direct effect on the lakes and livers they live near," Bigalke said. Specifically, increased algae and plant growth leads to excess filling, he said. It can have a detrimental effect on oxygen levels, decreasing the amount available for fish and aquatic insects, he said. 30 http://current.mnsun.com/2015/08/stenciling-storm-drain-awareness-to-the-curb-in-edina/ 8/5/2015 Stenciling storm drain awareness to the curb in Edina I Sun Current Page 3 of 3 "For the stenciling program, the city provides all equipment, safety gear, instructions, and a map to guide participants," Van Der Werff said in an email. "There's no minimum or maximum number, interested residents may choose to do a few drains that are on their block or an entire neighborhood. The city also provides brochures for the participants to distribute around the neighborhood and encourages them to engage their neighbors who may pass by as they're stenciling." Contact Van Der Werff at 952-826-0445 or jvanderwerff®EdinaMN.gov to learn more or to reserve a stenciling kit. Contact Paul. Groesset at pautgroessel@ecm-inc.com Filed Under: edina SUig.CURRENT Advertising Information! Contact Us I Subscribe Copyright ©2015 ECM Publishers, Inc. • All Rights Reserved 31 http://current.mnsun.com/2015/08/stenciling-storm-drain-awareness-to-the-curb-in-edina/ 8/5/2015 Rebecca Foster From: Dianne Latham <Dianne@LathamPark.net> Sent: Wednesday, August 05, 2015 8:07 AM To: Ross Bintner Cc: Rebecca Foster; Keith Kostuch; Sarah F. Zarrin Subject: Air Quality Improvement Request for 2016 EEC Work Plan Attachments: 15-07-14STribAirPollution.docx 8-5-15 Ross, Please place the following in the next EEC packet, perhaps under Correspondence. If you would like to have this issue as an agenda item either instead of placing it as a Correspondence item, or in addition to having it as a Correspondence item, please take note that I would not be available to attend either August 13 EEC meeting or the Sept. 10 EEC meeting. I would be available for the Oct. 8 EEC meeting, however, to address this issue should you desire it as an agenda item and wish to hear my comments. I recommend that a proposal for initiatives for air quality improvement be placed in the 2016 EEC work plan. The genesis of this request is the attached 7-14-15 Mpls Star Tribune Article, "Bad Air a Factor in 2K Deaths Annually" by Josephine Marcotty. The article reports on the joint analysis released on 7-13-15 by the Minnesota Health Department and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. New federal standards for ground level ozone are expected in October 2015 according to the Mpls Star Tribune article. Although Minnesota almost always meets current clean air standards, new standards may result in Minnesota having to impose more stringent regulations. I recommend that EEC re-establish its Air Quality Working group in 2016 to review the joint analysis released on 7-13-15 by the Minnesota Health Department and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, as well as to evaluate the new federal standards anticipated to be published in October 2015. The Air Quality Working Group would then recommend initiatives for air quality improvement in Edina. To that end, EEC should recommend to Council that a person or persons with air quality background and/or health background be appointed to fill one or more of the four anticipated openings on EEC in 2016. Another alternative to the EEC's Air Quality Working Group working alone on recommending initiatives for Edina air quality improvement would be for EEC to establish an intra-commission working group just as EEC did with its Urban Forest Task Force and its Local Food Working Group. Such an intra-commission working group would, at a minimum, have one or more representatives from each of the following commissions: EEC, the Community Health Commission and the Human Rights and Relations Commission, as well as members of the public who may have specific expertise in air quality and/or in health. Given that Edina is a member of the Green Step Cities, a good model for actions that cities can take to improve air quality can be found in Green Step Cities Best Practice #23, Local Air Quality, which can be found at http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=28. See GSC BP #23 summary following. GSC #23 Best Practice Actions Conduct an education/financial assistance campaign around one of the following wood burning/auto exhaust issues: a. Indoor and outdoor wood burning behavior, to ensure that wood burning is only done with seasoned wood and in a manner that doesn't negatively impact neighbors. b. Indoor wood burning technology, to result in community members upgrading from inefficient/more polluting fireplaces and wood stoves to pellet/natural gas/biogas stoves and fireplaces or the most efficient certified wood stoves. c. Smoker cars - older model/high polluting vehicles, to result in repairs spurred by repair vouchers. 1 32 Regulate outdoor wood burning, using model ordinance language, performance standards and bans as appropriate, for at least one of the following: a. Recreational burning. b. Outdoor wood boilers. Conduct one or more policy or education/behavior change campaigns on the topics below and document: a. Decreased vehicle idling in specific locations. b. Increased sales by retail stores of low and no-VOC household products. c. Replacement of gasoline-powered equipment with lower polluting equipment. d. Adoption of a smoking-free policy at one or more multi-unit housing buildings, private or public. Document the participation of at least 3 larger businesses in emission/idling reduction programs. Install one or more public charging stations for plug-in hybrid and full electric vehicles. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me. Dianne Plunkett Latham 7013 Comanche Ct. Edina MN 55439-1004 952-941-3542 Dianne@LathamPark.net 33 2 Twin Cities air pollution kills 2,000 a year, new state analysis shows State analysis says pollution takes greater toll on elderly, those in poverty. By Josephine Marcotte Star Tribune July 13, 2015 — 11:00am Air pollution in the Twin Cities contributes to about 2,000 premature deaths every year, and sends 1,000 people to the hospital for asthma, lung and heart disease treatments. It is particularly bad for the elderly, people of color and those living in poverty because they are more likely to suffer from the health conditions aggravated by air pollution, according to a joint analysis released Monday by the Minnesota Health Department and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. It is the first time the state has conducted such a detailed study of the metro-wide health impacts from two kinds of pollution — ozone, which causes smog, and microscopic particles produced by combustion in everything from industry to backyard fires. In all, 6 to 13 percent of deaths in the metropolitan area were partly caused by one or both of those pollutants, similar to death rates from accidents and Alzheimer's disease. "This report helps us see much more clearly than we could before just who is affected by air pollution, how serious the effects are and where we have health disparities that need to be addressed," said Ed Ehlinger, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health. It also starts to make a case in Minnesota for what could be tough new federal standards for ground level ozone that are expected to be released in October. Right now, Minnesota's air almost always meets clean air standards, but that could change when the EPA updates them. If the ozone levels are too high, then the state will be required to come up with a plan to reduce them; that could include the imposition of new regulations and laws that could be a burden to businesses and consumers. A haze settled in over the Minneapolis skyline one day in early July as smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted across Minnesota, leading to air quality warnings. "If we can do emissions reductions now, it's cheaper, easier and a whole lot less cumbersome and bureaucratic," said Julian Marshall, an environmental engineer at the University of Minnesota who studies air pollution. 1 34 New ozone limits loom Ozone, the primary ingredient in smog, is created when pollutants from cars, factories and burning fuels mix in the presence of sunlight and heat. The Obama administration is considering limiting ozone to 65 to 70 parts per billion, below the existing standard of 75 set in 2008. The reduction would cost an estimated $3.9 billion in 2025, according to the EPA, which business groups say would be one of the costliest regulations in history. But the health impact in the Twin Cities would be considerable. According to the computer analysis, which used 2008 data to create a computer model of health effects, each year in the Twin Cities, smog contributes to 23 deaths, plus 47 hospitalizations, and 185 emergency room visits for asthma. The health impact of small particle pollution is much greater. The small particle pollution created by small engines like lawn mowers and leaf blowers, diesel engines, industry and backyard fires causes 2,100 premature deaths each year, plus 291 hospitalizations for respiratory and cardiovascular problems, and 400 emergency room visits for asthma. The air pollution from Canadian forest fires that blanketed the state last week was an extreme example of small particle pollution. Levels reached nearly three times the usual 35 micrograms per cubic meter that the Twin Cities gets on a normal day. "That was a surreal sort of event," said Frank Kohlasch, air quality expert for the PCA. No good particle threshold But the latest research is finding that unlike other kinds of pollution limits, there is no good health threshold for small particles, Marshall said. Even though the levels in the Twin Cities are well below the national standard, "people are still getting sick and dying," he said. The most significant problem is that small particles contribute to heart disease and strokes, he said. The state report estimated that a 10 percent reduction would save 247 lives Those who live in poverty would likely benefit from that the most. The analysis found that people who live in low-income ZIP codes, or in areas with high concentrations of people of color suffered higher rates of death and hospitalization from small particle pollution. That's not because the air pollution in those communities is worse, state officials said. It's because those groups are more likely to have the heart and lung diseases that make them more vulnerable to its effects. josephine.marcotty@startribune.com 612-673-7394 From: Joel Stegner [nnailto:joel.r.stegner@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, July 17, 2015 9:49 AM To: Dianne Latham Subject: Fwd: Life and Breath: a new report on air quality and health in Minnesota Joel Stegner 6312 Barrie Road 1C Edina, MN 55435 2 35 36 952-843-3440 Based on its percentage of the metro areas population, a straight line projection of additional deaths due to air pollution would be 30-35 extra per year. Original Message Subject: Life and Breath: a new report on air quality and health in Minnesota From: Minnesota Department of Health <mdh@public.govdelivery.com> Sent: Friday, July 17, 2015, 6:25 AM To: joel.r.stegner@gmail.com CC: Air quality affects your health Life and Breath: a report on air quality and health in MN While air quality in Minnesota meets federal standards, even low and moderate levels can contribute to serious illnesses and early death. Earlier this week, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) released a new report, "Life and Breath: How Air Pollution Affects Public Health in the Twin Cities." This report estimates that in 2008 there were about 2000 deaths, 400 hospitalizations, and 600 emergency room visits in the Twin Cities 7-county metro area that are attributable to air pollution (particulate matter and ozone). To access this report and learn more about what you can do to protect health and air quality, visit the new Be Air Aware web site. https://beairawaremn.org/ This report and web site are products of a joint MPCA and MDH initiative that included contributions in data and analysis conducted by the Minnesota Tracking Program. Learn more about Minnesota Tracking's activities related to Health and Air Quality. http://www. health.state.mn.us/divs/hpcd/tracking/projects/airquality. html MDH 4P MN Pvbr,C. Pvanh Vp Data Access Minnesota Piihlir. Health Data Arrays 'Inc-Wad and maintained hv the MN Fnvirnnmantal Piihlir. 3 Health Tracking Program, part of the CDC's National Tracking Network. SHARE You can update or cancel your subscription at any time by editing your personal profile. All you will need are your e- mail address and your password (if you have selected one). P.S. If you have any questions or problems please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com for assistance. STAY CONNECTED: MDH on Twitter MDH on Facebook This email was sent to joel.r.steaneraamail.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: Minnesota Department of Health • 625 Robert Street North • St. Paul MN 55155 • 651-201-5000 4 37 Minneapolis's Environmentally Acceptable Packaging Ordinance in a nutshell Minneapolis's Environmentally Acceptable Packaging Ordinance = Green to Go • The Environmentally Acceptable Packaging Ordinance requires: • Food and beverages prepared for immediate consumption and to-go must be placed in environmentally acceptable packaging. • A qualified recycling and organics collection management system be established and recyclable materials must be recycled and compostable materials must be composted. • Who is Affected: All people, businesses, events, or individuals who serve or give away food prepared for immediate consumption. This includes all restaurants; grocery store deli cases; food trucks and other mobile vendors; and temporary, short term and seasonal food vendors. This does not include manufacturers, brokers or warehouse operators, who conduct or transact no retail food or beverage business. • Enforcement: The environmental health division of the health department and the license official. • Penalties: Each violation shall be punishable as an administrative offense. Each day a violation occurs constitutes a separate violation. What is Environmentally Acceptable Packaging? • Reusable and Returnable Packaging: capable of being refilled at a retail location or returned to the distributor. • Recyclable Packaging: including glass bottles, aluminum cans and plastic food and beverage packaging "that have robust recycling markets" • Polyethylene Terephthalate (#1 PET or PETE) • High Density Polyethylene (#2 HDPE) • Polypropylene (#5 PP) • Compostable packaging: Compostable packaging must be made of paper, certified conipostable plastics that meet ASTM D6400 or ASTM D6868 for compostability or other cellulose-based packaging capable of being decomposed through composting or anaerobic digestion. What is NOT Environmentally Acceptable Packaging? • Polystyrene - plastic marked • Rigid Expanded Polystyrene - commonly known as Styrofoam TM Exemptions Exemptions from Ordinance • Knives, forks and spoons • Straws (they are not a packaging item) • Foods prepared by the manufacturer, producer or distributor • Plastic film less than 10 mils thick • Catering companies licensed by the city of Minneapolis, or another state • Hospitals and Nursing Homes Exemptions to Be Reviewed Annually • Lids for Polyethylene (PE) lined hot cups and containers (such as soup containers) • PE lined paper products to allow for full city-wide implementation of organics collections. Cold cups are included in this exemption (Caribou Coffee example). How • Had a clear goal • Stake holders included in the conversation (business owners, association, building owners, haulers) • Outreach and education • Packaging Fair • Reasonable and fair - emphasis on compliance not punishment • Hennepin County Grant and signage • City Wide organics collection Resolution No. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT TO RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING GRANT AGREEMENT WITH HENNEPIN COUNTY WHEREAS, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 115A.552, Counties shall ensure that residents have an opportunity to recycle; and WHEREAS, Hennepin County Ordinance 13 requires that each city implement and maintain a recycling program; and WHEREAS, the Hennepin County Board adopted a resolution to amend the Hennepin County Residential Recycling Funding Policy to incorporate requirements to expend additional SCORE funds on organics recycling, and extend the contract period of the Residential Recycling Funding Policy from December 31, 2015 to December 31, 2016; and WHEREAS, in order to receive grant funds, the City must sign the agreement; and WHEREAS, the City of Edina wishes to receive these grant funds each year. NOW, THEREFROE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Edina, Minnesota, that the City Council accepts the agreement as proposed. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the city Council authorizes the Mayor, City Administrator or his designee to execute such Residential Recycling Grant Agreement with the County. This resolution was passed by the Edina City council on Members voting in favor: [names]. Members voting against: [names]. Signatures 44 CITY OF EDINA MINNESOTA ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION March 2015 — February 2016 Term SUMMARY AND DRAFT SCHEDULE Item # WP1.1 Workplan Item GHG Measurement Monthly Activity July Partners in Energy report WP1.2 City Building Energy March staff report on building energy use WP1.3 Capital Process Environmental Considerations WP2.1 Community Solar May CC Community Solar advisory. July CC PW Solar Proposal Advisory WP2.2 Coordinate with PC, ETC, PB WP2.3 Promote Home Energy Squad April Edina dialogue event, April Movie, June Motion to recommend $3200 OR1 Green Step Cities Reporting May annual assessment OR2 Urban Forestry OR3 Solid Waste and Recycling OR4 Purchasing policy, review annual report ORS Business Recycling OR6 Local Food / Bees and Chickens Ordinances passed Spring 2015. July Duck Keeping Request. May recommendation for Xcel franchise agreement WP = work plan number. OR = ongoing responsibility number Advisory, Date MM/YY Acted on Not Acted Golf dome re-commissioning 10/12 X New facility carbon goals 10/13 X Urban forest task force 3/13 X Yorktown community garden pervious parking 4/13 X Water bottle sales 4/14 X EEEP transfer to SPPA 5/14 X Building energy system CIP 1/15 X Braemar capital improvements, 1/15 X CIP environmental considerations, 1/15 X Fleet operations task force, 1/15 X Grandview sustainability principles, 3/15 X Community solar joint purchase, 5/15 X March 12, 2015 Televised Meeting Item of focus: Elect Chair and Vice Chair. Presentations: TELEVISED MEETING April 9, 2015 Meeting Item of focus: EEC/CC Meeting Recap Presentations: None May 14, 2015 Meeting Item of focus: Xcel Energy Franchise Presentations: 45 August 13, 2015 Meeting Item of focus: Xcel Partners In Energy Program f Working Group Creation September 10, 2015 Meeting Item of focus: Workplan, Presentations: October 8, 2015 Meeting Item of focus: Presentations: November 12, 2015 Meeting Item of focus: Presentations: December 10, 2015 Meeting Cancel January 14, 2016 Meeting Item of focus: Presentations: February 11, 2016 Meeting Item of focus: Presentations: 46 April 1, 2015 July 1, 2015 July 1, 2015 April 1, 2015 October 1, 2015 December 31, 2015 April 1, 2015 Staff Time Staff Time Staff Time $500 (Consultant) Staff + $1,000 (Consultant) Staff + $10,000 (Consultant) Tim Barnes (12hrs) Gunnar Kaasa (20hrs) Dave Goergen (20hrs) Scott Neal (8hrs) Tim Barnes (80hrs) Tim Barnes (200hrs) Eric Roggeman (20hrs) Staff Time 47 ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION 2015 Annual Work Plan Approved by City Council on 12/16 with following notes: Certain items are not included in the approved budget. Projects that involve considerable staff time may need to span two calendar years. Suggest that prioritization be considered during upcoming joint meeting. 015 New Initiative Workplan Item 1 (WP1) Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Reduce Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) in City of Edina Operations to meet Comprehensive Plan Chapter 10 Goals. 1) Measurement — continue to use and refine metrics and analyses a. B3 database for all City Buildings b. Create metrics for City vehicle fleets(gallons of fuel) c. Create metrics for Utility operations (energy usage) d. Regional Indicators for City as a whole 2) City Building Energy Efficiency initiative a. EEC Commissioners to work with City Manager and City Building manager to create a detailed plan for retrofitting existing buildings within 5 years b. At least one building will be retrofitted in 2015 either under the City's own effort or under the State GESP program 3) City Capital Process Environmental Considerations Initiative a. EEC to review results of having an environmental considerations section in 2014 CIP process. EEC commissioners will work with City staff to refine and expand so that all capital decisions (i.e., new buildings, major building renovations and fleet purchases) have explicitly environmental analysis on how they will affect City GHG commitments Progress Report: 2015 New Initiative Workplan Item 2 (WP2) Target Completion Date December 31, 2015 April 1, 2015 December 31, 2015 December 31, 2015 Budget Required Staff + $10,000 (Consultant) Staff Time None $10,500 (Consultant) Staff Support Required Ross Bintner (100hrs) Krystal Caron (80hrs) None Minor Council Approval Promote the Reduction of Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) in the City of Edina at large to meet Comprehensive Plan Chapter 10 Goals. 1) Community solar project a. City will allocate staff time to scope, bid and execute a community solar project on a city building in 2015 once PUC finalizes community solar details. Public Works roof is initial target site. b. EEC commissioners will work with the City staff on this effort c. The City will determine whether it wishes to purchase a share in this project for itself d. The April 2015 EEC community event will be used to roll out Community Solar to residents 2) EEC coordination with Planning, Transportation and Parks commissions to achieve Chapter 10 commitments a. EEC commissioners will be encouraged to track these commission meetings and to comment and recommend actions per the City's commitments 3) Expand City subsidized Home Energy Squad (HES) installs for residents a. The City will fund 150 HES installs at a cost of $10500, prioritize for lower income (a dramatic increase over the current funding of $4000) b. EEC will educate and promote HES with the goal to get 500 visits in the year. Progress Report: 48 015 New Initiative Target Budget Staff Support Council Workplan Item 3 (WP3) Completion Required Required Approval Date EEC will hold a 2 hour working session with City Council and City Manager to discuss existing Edina City environmental commitments and to align EEC charter, expectations, resources and timetables for results Progress Report: February 28, 2015 None Minor Ongoing Responsibilitiin Green Step Cities Reporting - review ongoing activities in GreenSteps program. Urban Forestry -track progress through Parks and Planning Commissions, review final product. Solid Waste and Recycling -track MPCA compost rulemaking and emerald ash borer quarantine changes. Annual Purchasing Policy Report - review ongoing purchasing activities. Business Recycling - track progress Local Food Task Force -track progress Other Work Plan Ideas Considered for Current Year or Future Years -111 Proposed Month for Joint Work Session: January, August 49 2015 EEC Workplan preface Whereas the City of Edina is forward looking with respect to energy and environmental matters; and Whereas the City of Edina is committed to significant GHG emission reductions of 15% below 2007 levels by 2015; and Whereas the City of Edina is committed to GHG emission reductions of 30% below 2007 levels by 2025; and Whereas the City of Edina is committed to GHG emission reductions of 80% below 2007 levels by 2050, the EEC recommends the following course of action to attain or exceed those goals: 50 REPORT / RECOMMENDATION To: MAYOR AND COUNCIL From: Ross Bintner P.E. — Environmental Engineer Date: August 5, 2015 Subject: Energy and Environment Commission Solar Energy Project Proposal Agenda Item #: VIII. E. Action q Discussion IX information q Action Requested: Staff recommends no action be taken Information / Background: Community Solar Gardens (CSG) are developed under a program mandated by Minn. Stat. 216111641 from regulated utilities such as Xcel Energy, whose service territory covers the City of Edina. The program began in late 2014, and has been guided by various Public Utilities Commission orders as recent at June 25, 2015 governing details of the implementation of this program. At its June 17, 2015 meeting, Council reviewed advice from the Energy and Environment Commission (EEC) recommending that the City of Edina participate in a joint purchase led by the Metropolitan Council and directed staff to follow up on this recommendation with a report. At its July 7th meeting Council reviewed and approved a staff recommendation to authorize joint powers purchase agreement for CSG, which is now underway and led by the Met Council. Following that approval, the EEC met on July 9, and passed a second community solar advisory communication to Council (attached) proposing that the City of Edina develop an RFP for solar energy project on its Public Works building at 7450 Metro Boulevard under the CSG program. EEC Proposal: The EEC proposes developing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to develop a CSG on Public Works building to benefit citizens of Edina by opening the ability for individual citizens to subscribe to Community Solar. The EEC states that proposed project provides the following benefit: Demonstrates leadership in a unique application of CSGs, promotes renewable energy, reduces greenhouse gas, educates residents on sustainability, helps residents save money, puts the public works roof to productive use, and engages solar supporters. The EEC addresses the cost and level of effort, spells out specific steps needed and explains the various local resources that make the RFP and legal review easier. This EEC proposal is attached in the form of an advisory communication. Staff Review: Staff has reviewed the EEC proposal, spoken with a variety of solar developers, interviewed staff at Met Council and peer local governments, and gathered preliminary information about means and methods to procure solar facilities. City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424 51 EEC CSG Proposal: The proposed CSG scope of project would range in size between 250-400 kW peak generating capacity, and would cover a majority of the Public Works building roof. The annual energy production for a system of this size range would be between 300,000-500,000 kWh, have a retail value of between $30,000 and $50,000 and reduce carbon emissions by 165-275 tons. The capital cost of an on-roof solar facility of this size might range from $675,000 to $1,650,000. As described in the EEC advisory, approximately 40-80 households could apply. Due to the complication of funding solar facilities to wrap in tax credits, and state and utility cost share, the method of purchase and ownership can vary widely. The role of the City in the EEC CSG concept sets the city as a lessor and optionally as a purchaser though an agreement. The terms of the lease and agreement would run 25 years. The developer of the facility would be a private party that would develop long term purchase agreements (power and bill credit system for CSGs are facilitated by Xcel) with Edina residents, and optionally the City. The developer would be the initial owner and marketer of bill credits, and may retain ownership in the long term. Long term maintenance, operations, crediting and billing would be the responsibility of the owner. The key benefit of this proposal was well described by the EEC. This is the only way for the City to take a proactive role to open CSG credits for the exclusive benefit of its residents. The costs to this proposal include structural review ($6,300), Legal review ($5,000) and staff resources. Additional costs include minor expense related to facilitating roof access to a private party, and the opportunity cost of diverting work from core services that serve the public as a whole, to work on this project which benefits only a few. Potential risks to this proposal include reputational, counterparty and technological. Technological risks such as potential damage to the roof and issues with electrical connection can be insured against, and the cost of insurance born by the facility owner. Reputational risks include potential brand and ownership confusion among residents depending on how much of the marketing and promotion effort the City chooses to assist with, and the nature of that support. Counterparty risks include risk of default, sale of facility, and uncertainty relating to the long term decommissioning of the facility. Recommendation: In recommending an optimal path forward, Staff tried to comprehensively weigh costs, benefits and risks by spending considerable time meeting with potential developers, reviewing pro forma, and interviewing staff with Met Council and peer municipal organizations that are and have undertaken large solar installations. This section details the reasons not to recommend the EEC CSG proposal. In general CSGs are a step in the right direction and solar will inevitably be a larger part of the energy market in the future, as it is on a trajectory to be cost competitive with traditional forms of energy generation. The greenhouse gas intensity of Xcel is continues on a long term downward trend, and the CSG program will help. The CSG program was envisioned by early proponents, and in the EEC work plan as a step to consolidate and more efficiently meet demand for solar in the retail customer classes and it was expected that the program would roll out with small, locally hosted projects and many retail customers. In practice the CSG program has prompted many projects proposed at a utility scale that are being marketed almost solely to large business and institutional customers. After the roll out of the program, Staff began fielding calls from solar firms marketing 52 CSG solely to meet City of Edina institutional electric use. While the vast majority of the CSG market is closed to retail customer classes, there are co-op and faith groups that are considering hosting sites for the benefit of their members. The EEC CSG proposal touts the following benefits: I) demonstrate leadership, 2) promotes renewable energy, 3) reduces greenhouse gas, 4) educates residents on sustainability, 5) help residents save money, 6) puts the public works roof to productive use, and 7) engages solar supporters. Staff disputes only one of these benefits. It is doubtful that the EEC CSG would save money for residents. In comparison to the bulk of the CSG market which are I to 5 megawatt ground mounted installations that market to 5 institutional customer, the economics of the EEC CSG proposal is small (0.25-0.40 megawatt), roof mounted, and retail marketed. To get a sense of the differences in a 25 year cost of operation, imagine marketing once to 5 institutional customers and sending 5 monthly bills, and compare that to marketing to 40-80 residents, sending as many monthly bills, and then having to facilitate the resale of credit blocks as customers move out of Xcel service territory. In addition to the unfavorable economics, there are a variety of reasons to recommend against this proposal. • Unlike the Met Council CSG proposal that staff supported, the public benefit of this proposal benefits only a very small minority of residents. • Power generation is not a core service and there are opportunity costs to the extent that the development of this project takes key staff away from core services they are trained to provide. • Residents that want to support renewables already have the ability to do so through a potentially cheaper alternative, by enrolling in Xcel's Windsource program, which is already promoted by the city and utility. • Solar advocates have the ability to engage with private party, co-op, and faith based projects in the community. The goals this proposal seeks to fulfill are important, but there are more promising and efficient opportunities to fulfill each goal. • If a solar demonstration project is a goal, the City of Edina already owns a rooftop solar installation, additional effort could be spent promoting its demonstration value, but the results are arguably mixed. • If promotion of renewable energy or greenhouse gas reduction is a goal, Windsource is a remarkably cost effective alternative the City could reconsider. • If promotion of solar energy is a goal, alternative ownership and procurement methods should be compared. Lease/purchase, power purchase or CSG credit purchase arrangements are likely to have less cost, higher benefit and less risk, and the City has already taken a step in this direction with the previous Met Council joint purchase. • If market access for residents or subsidy of energy is a goal, an alternative CSG RFP could be written to require a developer to provide market preference to City residents. • If Greenhouse gas reduction is a goal, the City of Edina already exercises myriad opportunities to demonstrate leadership and save money for business and residents through its efficient operation of public facilities, fleet, street light, road, and utility infrastructure. The EEC work plan envisioned a CGS program entirely different than it turned out. The EEC project could be pursued and effectively completed, but the cost and risk do not justify the benefits. Staff suggests the following alternatives. Alternate I : No action. EEC and Staff time is better spent on existing priorities. (Recommended) 53 Alternate 2: Provide direction and request EEC research on alternate solar ownership, or RFP structures. Alternate 3, Follow EEC proposal, identity funding and direct staff to conduct an RFP for a solar developer. Attachments: Energy and Environment Commission Advisory CERTs Community Solar Guide (EEC Advisory attachment) MRES Guide to Community Solar Lease (EEC Advisory attachment) Sample Lease Agreement (EEC Advisory attachment) . •1-• SOICH 54 ADVISORY COMMUNICATION To: From: Date: Subject: Attachments Action Requested: The EEC requests the following: City Council Energy and Environment Commission July 21, 2015 Recommendation that the City Develop and Issue a Request for Proposals for a Community Solar Garden Project on the Roof of the Public Works Building (I) Model Solar Rooftop Lease Agreement (2) Metropolitan Council Request for Proposals For Solar Facilities dated February 19, 2015 (too large for email; will plan to distribute before council meeting) (3) CERTs Community Solar Guide (4) Guide to sample Community Solar Garden contracts I. Place this advisory on the Council agenda as soon as possible and provide the EEC and its Community Solar expert an opportunity to discuss this advisory with council and answer their questions. 2. Authorize and direct the City Administrator to have staff and legal counsel develop a Request for Proposals for a Community Solar Garden (CSG-PW) located on the Roof of the Public Works Building. While the City could subscribe to a small portion of the CSG-PW project, the primary intent would be to offer Edina residents the opportunity to become subscribers. Situation: The City has an opportunity to host a community solar garden project for its residents at a City-owned facility. Considerable work has already been done to develop a model solar rooftop lease agreement and a model RFP calling for proposals for solar projects, including rooftop solar. This project has some urgency, since federal incentives will be significantly decreasing at the end of 2016. When that occurs, the attractiveness to solar developers of smaller-scale residential projects such as the one EEC is proposing will change significantly. To qualify for the federal tax incentives, a project must be completed and producing electricity by the end of 2016. The EEC has been working with the Great Plains Institute and the Clean Energy Resource Teams, who are providing technical assistance to several local governments who are interested in developing community solar projects. They have indicated that a project such as Edina's (approximately 350 kw of rooftop community solar) will be attractive to some developers, and they expect the City would receive bids. They have indicated that GPI and CERTs have some resources set aside to support the local government willing to develop a project to host a CSG project. 55 ADVISORY COMMUNICATION Background See situation description above. Assessment: See Questions & Responses Following: What is the Edina Public Works Community Solar Project? EEC recommends that the City issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for development of an approximately 350 kw Community Solar Garden project on the roof of the City's Public Works building. The RFP should be issued as soon as possible (by September 2015 if possible) before the federal Investment Tax Credit decreases from 30 percent to 10 percent at the end of 2016. (See below) The Project would be open to Edina residents, who would have first rights to subscribe. The project developer would be responsible for construction, operation, and maintenance of the project, and would also bear all risk of damage to the Public Works building. The City could possibly receive income from the lease of the roof space for project development. That revenue may be focused on subsidizing low-income community solar subscribers. Why would the City Host its own Community Solar Project? There are a number of reasons for Edina to host its own Community Solar Project: I. Leadership — The city can be the first, or one of the first, to demonstrate that a residential community solar project is feasible 2. Promote renewable energy & reducing greenhouse gases — Residents can directly support solar energy and reduce their fossil fuel dependence 3. Educate residents on sustainability — The City can include other opportunities for residents interested in community solar, including energy efficiency and how to conserve other resources. The more energy- efficient a residence is, the more effective its solar subscription is. 4. Help Edina residents save money on electricity costs. Subscribers receive a credit on their utility bills based on the rate paid for the kWh production of their share of the solar garden. The credit may result in residents saving money on electricity, particularly as energy costs rise while they continue to receive solar credits over the life of the project. 5. No City capital or operating costs. The RFP will place the burden of constructing, operating, and maintaining the project on the developer. In fact, the City may receive revenue from the developer who leases the Public Works building roof. 6. Use the Public Works building roof productively. The Public Works roof would not otherwise be a source of sustainable energy or an educational opportunity for residents. 7. Take advantage of assistance from solar supporters. There are several non-profit organizations interested in supporting residential solar projects. The City can benefit from a model RFP, a model solar rooftop lease, and technical assistance from the Clean Energy Resource Teams/Great Plains Institute. 56 ADVISORY COMMUNICATION How many Edina residents could subscribe to this project? If every subscriber wished to get 100% of his or her home energy from the project, about 40 residential homes could subscribe to the Public Works project. If residents had the option to subscribe for less than 100% of their energy, more residents could subscribe. For example, the project could serve 80 residential homes that wanted to have 50% of their energy from solar. A typical Minnesota home uses about 800 kWh each month—or 9,600 kWh/ year. To fulfill that need might take about 8 kW of solar (assuming each I kW panel would general 1,200 kWh per year with a 14% capacity factor). Is there a model community solar RFP? Yes. The RFP is not attached to this Advisory because of its length, but we will send it to the City Manager and Council members. Is there a model Lease Agreement for a Solar Rooftop Project? Yes. The Lease Agreement is not attached to this Advisory because of its length, but we will send it to the City Manager and Council members. Didn't the Council just approve a community solar project involving the Metropolitan Council? Yes. But the Met Council project is very different from the Public Works project. The Metropolitan Council project is a unique government collaborative involving local government entities. The Met Council project does not involve residents and does not involve a community solar project located in Edina for residents. The Met Council project is a wonderful opportunity for the City itself to subscribe for up to 100% of its annual electricity usage from solar. The Met Council Request for Proposals, expected to be issued in July 2015, will ask solar developers to submit proposals for community solar gardens that will have local governments, including Edina, as subscribers. Jason Willett of the Met Council, who is leading the project, described the advantages of the approach: "By working together, government entities who sign up won't have to go through the lengthy solicitation and evaluation process themselves, saving time and money," he said. "The size of the solicitation, which will be substantial, should attract more competition and better proposals. And the subscription process will be easier for local governments because we offer a standard subscription agreement." 57 ADVISORY COMMUNICATION How does the Public Works project differ from the Met Council solar project? This proposal involves the City of Edina hosting a Community Solar Garden project on its own site for its own residents. The Met Council proposal will not be open to Edina residents. The City can subscribe to community solar through the Met Council project and offer its residents the opportunity to subscribe to an Edina-hosted project. Why should the City act now to develop an Edina Community Solar Garden? The Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) is worth 30 percent of a solar project's cost. This subsidy will remain in place until the end of 2016, when it will drop to 10 percent. If Congress fails to renew the ITC, it could have a chilling effect both on individuals who want to install residential solar systems as well as companies who are installing the larger scale solar projects. It is quite possible that smaller projects such as the City-hosted Public Works solar project will become less attractive to solar project financers. What must the City do to make this project a reality? I. Staff Resources to issue RFP. The City must develop an RFP. This requires staff and legal time. The City may also want to worlc with a solar project expert to assure the RFP protects the interests of the City and its residents. 2. Ongoing monitoring of roof activities. City staff will need to periodically monitor the project, since it will be on the City Public Works building roof. Although the City will have no financial or legal responsibility for the project, the City will want to monitor the solar operator's activities. 3. Long-term lease. The City will enter a 25 to 30 year lease with the solar developer. The roof will need to be suitable, without major repairs needed during the lease period. Project Unknowns/Risks I. Federal tax credit expires soon. As noted, the ITC expires at the end of 2016. If solar developers need the ITC to make the Public Works project financially viable, the City may not get quality bid responses. 2. The Community Solar program in Minnesota is still evolving. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission must approve the rules for community solar. This is a new program, and changes will likely continue to occur. For example, the PUC recently considered a significant change to the rules for how many contiguous solar projects could be located on one site during the last week of June 2015. 3. A Local Government Hosted Garden is new. Being the first, or one of the first, publicly hosted residential community solar projects is both an opportunity and an uncertainty. Solar projects are common; rooftop leases are common; local government community projects are also common. Most of the uncertainly around a community solar project for residents involves risks that the project developer will bear. The City should be aware, however, that this is a significant 58 ADVISORY COMMUNICATION opportunity to again lead Minnesota in supporting clean energy policy. Summary: A Unique Leadership Opportunity The City has a major leadership opportunity to show other public entities that a local government-hosted community solar project for residents is viable. Edina can again demonstrate the leadership it showed in 2011, when the City became the first municipality in the Midwest to pass an ordinance creating a "Property Assessed Clean Energy" (PACE) program. Edina's PACE program, called the Edina Emerald Energy Program, allows commercial and residential property owners to install renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades at minimal upfront cost. Edina's leadership enabled other local and regional entities to establish similar programs, with the St. Paul Port Authority now administering a statewide PACE program. Edina's PACE leadership created widespread acclaim, with the City winning a state environmental leadership award in 2012 for the Edina Emerald Energy Program. Recommendation: The EEC recommends that Council direct the City Manager to authorize staff and attorney time to issue an RFP for a Community Solar Garden on the Public Works Building Roof, with a target date for issuing the RFP by September I, 2015. G:\PW\CENTRAL SVCS \ENVIRONMENT DIV\Energy and Environment Commission \Projects\2015 \150721 1 July EEC Community solar at Public Works Council Advisory.docx 59 v Daily Overview 29/15 Yield Udc kWp Inv-T 10-41 Values 24h 8:00 am 10:00 am 12:00 pm 2:00 pm 4:00 pm 6:00 pm 8:00 pm Current Day Feed-in Power Pac 10.68 kW Generator Power Pdc 11.16 kW Inverter Efficiency n 95 % Status Offline, 4x MPP Error Yield 92.52 kWh Specific Yield 3.7 kW hirkWp maximum Value 12.89 kW Target 157.26 kWh Actual Value 58.83 % CO: emissions avoided in total 37.67 t