February 7, 2024 — Environmental Advisory Board Regular Meeting

Transcript

Captions from City of Boulder YouTube recording.

[0:46] We are live and reporting. Yes. Oh, I'm gonna go and call this meeting to order. First item will be free in the medium protocols. Nice.

[1:00] Look at you. Okay. So I'll do Last Chance. Get it right? See if I can get this together. Yeah. right? Are you seeing it correctly sorry some technical difficulties. Let me try. This again is not right. Hello. yes. Can you hear me from? Zoom? Really likes to mess with me in Powerpoint, and switch my screens back and forth. So my apologies! Months. There we go. So the you're seeing my notes. The public is not

[2:04] hello, everyone. My name is Heather Sandina, and I'm serving as the technical host for tonight's meeting. Thank you for your grace and patience. As we all adjust to this new platform. We're all learning. And we appreciate your understanding with any technical issues that we pop up today. The city designation community members to co-create a vision for productive, meaningful, and inclusive civic conversations. This vision supports physical and emotional safety for community members, staff and board and commission members as well as democracy for people of all ages, identities lived experiences and political perspectives. For more information about this vision and the community engagement process. Please visit https, Colon Slash Folder, Colorado board, slash services forward slash, productive hyphen atmospheres. The following are examples of rules of decorum found in the boulder revised code and other guidelines that support this vision. These will be upheld. During this meeting

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[4:18] so the first item will be the approval of the minutes for the generate. 10 meeting. But we'll put a motion to approve those anybody. Second. thank you. Okay, so let's move on to public participation. One moment, please. Need to promote Alex, who is joining us remotely. So she is rejoining as a panelist. It looks like we have Paul Coleman up first. Hi, there! Good evening, everyone.

[5:01] Oh, wow! That that was interesting. Yeah, we're getting used to this new platform. I guess. This isn't like a normal Zoom Meeting. So I happy to be here today. I've I missed several Eab meetings in a row now, and you haven't heard from me for a while. but just like to extend my best wishes to Eab to keep up the good work. I've been busy. I'm now on the board of 3 50 Colorado. and I'm also a designated representative for the ballot initiative to phase out fracking room rents by 2,030. so can you guys hear me? Okay, okay, it just look like you're kind of distracted there. I'm sorry. I'm not very engaging, I guess.

[6:03] So I'd like to see the city focus on electricity and electrification and equity. These are the issues that I think traditionally. city has been focused on. And and to a certain extent, more or less. I'd like to see Eab really contribute to that focus and make sure that the Council gets the message loud and clear that this is what's your interest in seeing them put a lot of emphasis on, and and money and time. So anyway. thank you very much. Have a productive meeting, and I'll talk to you later. Thank you, Paul.

[7:02] and if you're just joining us, just please raise your hand. If you would like to participate. I'm in public participation. So that we know who to give those permissions to to speak like, that's all for public participation. Okay. okay, so let's move on to the next item, the big one today, which is figuring out our 4 priorities. We will be included in a letter to Council next month. So hope you guys all digital homework. so at the minute before that's good.

[8:05] Let's see, Jonathan, how should we do this? I I have my ideas. I think, Greg, I got your email. I like to go on your proposal as well. see you. I'm thinking, maybe, Alex, you can talk about your idea right? You can talk about your ideas. Then you guys can also talk about what do you think should be included? Then we can maybe find common topics to group them into like, for example, I think, Alex, what you talked about is involved talking about electrification. Land use. I think, Rick, your ideas will fall under, like maybe environmental justice and outreach. I have some ideas about transportation and then use, or at least some recommendations. So maybe we could like group them into like big tent ideas, and they organize like sub items within those. And then what I have is is touching on equity and accessibility and electrification and access of electricity. So one question, though, is, are we trying to?

[9:20] We're not trying to get everyone's idea on the letter right? I would like to group. I find common topics like, maybe not exactly the idea into the letter, but it's like, maybe it relates to transportation and transportation. What what is it addressing? What what are the questions within that field? And then, like. I just see how it goes. Like, I mean idea. I, initially, I was thinking, like, Yeah, I better with like 2 or 3 items. But they like you said you would send a memo as well. So there, if there's a lot to say we can have like a one page. Cover that.

[10:01] and the letter to counsel is like a once a year thing that all of the ports do, whereas I mean theoretically correct, but we could, as a board, send them over to council at any time. whereas the letter to Council is like a very specific. All the board send those in at the same time. Sure happy to jump in here just for the record jumping calling director to climate initiative. So I sent some follow up information that I thought might be useful in in your conversation tonight. So to to the specific question. There's a little bit different instruction this year for council and your guidance. Your thoughts to counsel can take any written format so it could be a memo it could be it could be a letter. Whatever feels good to the board, and I would also say that there is an opportunity. If you feel like it's important to list out teams or things in that regard. And then some specific things that you want council to prioritize over the next 2 years again as a reminder. This is just a way for you all to have your voice heard by council as they go into their retreat in march, so they can be thinking about the priorities of their advisory boards, things that

[11:10] from from a policy standpoint they should really be thinking about right? I also just wanted to share this in terms of tonight's exercise. I'm gonna be listening for all of the ideas. And I would just say that You are looking to kind of go from a handful, probably down to 2 to 3 priorities. But that doesn't mean that those things that aren't on the letter as a priority get lost. There may be things that you bring up tonight that are more project based or specific projects. And I would just say that we could think about how to bring those in, how to incorporate those into a work plan, whether it be this year or next year. So just know that I think there's space for a good, broad, and healthy dialogue for you all to really think about as policymakers as city council. What do you want them to hear from you in terms of them setting their priorities

[12:02] is again? They'll they'll think big policy, and they'll say something broad like. Talk about transportation. What about transportation that you would want? Counsel them to filter down to all departments to say as we look forward, here's what we're not doing right now that we'd like to accelerate that we'd like to think differently about transportation. It's exploring XY and Z. And then multiple departments would then respond to that policy direction from council. Hopefully, that's a little bit helpful. Yes. go. I was just gonna say, should we kind of time box it to make sure we can in terms of each person. What? Your proposal? Sure, yeah. So we're just gonna go one by one. Yeah, I think so. Okay. well, okay. So I wanna preface it with.

[13:04] you know, like, I actually be able to see Alex's thing beforehand. And I really like. II told you in my thing that I was like. Oh, this is not concrete enough, in a way, and I and I really wish I had more time to one see what it was like to submit something into. Just be like to really dig into. What is the city already doing? A few months on board I'm like didn't really feel like I knew so that being said, you know, the the 2 ideas I had were more broad. There one is around outreach, and I, you know I was really wanting to look at. There's a lot of hope, of feeling, of hopelessness. and amongst a lot of the people who are really into climate and environmentalism. And I'm just looking for a way for for these people to

[14:07] feel hope. And so. you know, like, how do we engage the public into conversations? And and okay, no, there's a call-in number. If somebody is keeping track of my time. you know there's a call in number that people can get feedback on. I think that's a great idea. And I think that could be expanded to allow other people on public to say, Yeah, I like this, so that when the city sees there's a thousand people like that, that's something that city might take up and go. Okay, what do you do about this? Yeah, I think there's a lot of people that want to know what they can do. you know. And and and I think that these for a lot of room for

[15:05] people getting together and say, Okay, here's how we can make a difference. And I just wonder, is there a way that the city can support. you know, can can't dominate or control or legislate? Necessarily, I'm just yeah. Let's let's help all of us. you know. So that was kind of one general like review of how we reach out to whatever festivals like the farmers market and and bring people in 2. How do we solve this? As a community? You know, sustainability results. Oh. okay. number 2 is around reviewing what holds us up on the right. I'm here on the board. Maybe so we can keep track, and then we can discuss some later.

[16:02] Sure. Looking ahead, I can actually teach you just reviewer. And it's part of also democratization getting the feedback, getting the input of the the public. I thought it was like, maybe community groups. It could, it could be. But it's just more a matter of so yeah, how can people have sensible and action and also finding out, I think, kind of Mission Department a lot of things. and and the whole city. I don't know that people know it like to like that whole good stuff about 10. So I think a lot of it connect the city. It's the public.

[17:01] yeah, can also really help us pull together as a community to resolve and work through like. let's what's present for people. What are people afraid of? What are people looking for? I believe? Forward. So then the second idea was around doing research into you know. like what holds us back from doing these great ideas that everybody has, you know, like change systemic change. Yeah, yeah, you know. And and my, I guess actual item for the city council might be to love to hear more about research and group that could come in and help us with determining different things like, why are we not doing more green roofs? Why are we? You know what? What is preventing us from being

[18:05] a truly resilient? What prevents us from really. they're becoming more sustainable. Okay? And then trying to triage. Okay, what's what's will be our best bang for a buck. so to speak. Yeah, it's not just about sense. But you know. okay, that's gonna be really hard to implement. But it's huge outlet. you know. or it's book. Okay, that's great. Thank you. Yes. great so I don't know where to see what my personal side hobby is learning about the intersection of climate and food, and I was really interested in looking at our consumption based missions that was the second highest after transportation.

[19:05] and so kind of got me just thinking like and looking into. What are we doing, and what are we not doing? I think we're doing really good job on through ways when it comes to our composting program. And I didn't see too much else going on. So I really think our food systems is a big area for opportunity on a few different levels. So like globally food systems, emissions is around 25, some say up to like 42 greenhouse gas emissions. So it has some real climate impacts. It's also a really big cross issue sector. So health equity is a real big part of it. I actually in prepping for this, I met with someone who works for the county and the Public Health Department, and they're really interested in a lot of from an equity perspective, a lot of the same things that might need to happen

[20:02] from a climate perspective. So, for example, like producing me and dairy consumption is one of the biggest things we can do, and that has a lot of health activity issues as impacts as well. It hits upon fresh water. That I can't say specifically in older, I think. What's in what's hard about the food systems. A lot of it doesn't all happen here in the city of Boulder. But I still think there's things we can do and things that we can be big leaders on. So there's other cities that are starting to do things. They're they're really focused on procurement of food. But it doesn't do a lot of procurement of food. I think we'd have to get more creative. So my proposal for the Council I have many ideas, but I think what would make the most sense is one encouraging council to elevate food

[21:01] systems who work as an issue within the city and put resources to it. I think one of the best things people can do is hire like a policy director, so that there's someone that can have the conversations with all of the different pieces above. So it'd be like, transportation is a part of it, and, as I said, public health. it probably touched on, like you said, like different departments at the city. It wouldn't just it, could. It could just kind of follow your client, but I don't think it would be the most impactful sense. But, I do think we need to put resources towards it in a way that has like longevity. So first, just like a one off study or one off something, and then hiring someone. you know, give some responsibility to execute long term projects in a really collaborative way, taking. you know, resiliency and and equity all these things. So that's my high level. I have lots more thoughts and information if people will have questions about later side to me.

[22:10] That's the requirement. But and I did write a letter. I mean, I think, let's try to gonna get high level overview. People thought. And then we can go more into the details as we kinda dig deeper into this. Nope. yeah. So one of the things that I've kept on since applying to board members. Part of my application is the Solar Brand Program City does and I would. Currently, it's pretty successful. You can get up to $8,000 of your household income is under $78,000, I think, for a single person household, and that goes up a little bit with each additional family members. I would love to see that program expanded the access the number of people that can access that program and the number, the amount of money that program is able to provide it, especially with

[23:09] the what our economy is doing right now, and how squeezed people are feeling, even with what used to be very reasonable salaries. The there! There's a lot less financial flexibility. in the in the last couple of years. And so increasing the size of that program to help middle to low income families get access to clean energy in a way that is affordable and will save the money long. Term. Over oil and gas. yeah, that's that. That's most of it. I can go to some more detail if you'd like, but mostly just trying to to expand that program to make it more equitable. Given how how strange people are, financially, because, you know, it could be hard to make that initial switch, because you know in the long term it's more more portable to have solar panels on your house.

[24:08] But the the input costing up in there is pretty high. It's, you know, getting lower every year. But actually, I don't know if it is recent. But that, that input cost is is some of the biggest hardship for books. you know. Pat. just expanding the program in general, I think, would be super helpful for our cause. Cause. There's also the solar that you can buy into. But if you want, like solar on your house. the the options are pretty limited. Does that money come to the climate tax? I

[25:01] don't know where that many comes from, John, you would probably know better than I do. I just know about the program, not the exact how it works and where it comes from. Yeah. And without, like, you're tempting me to go into a really long brand right now. So there are a number of programs. City. Either kind of operates partners with other entities, particularly in this area of of energy equity. So a couple of things that you're talking specifically about some of our solar rebates. We actually offer a good number of them through the climate action tax for actually partner. Then with energy, smart Colorado. So that's the program that we we built. And then we expanded and is hosted by Boulder County. We also leverage a lot of the funds through excel because through our actions of the regulatory side of things, we've kind of come around at this direction and and really regulated that excel, offer a whole lot more incentive for income qualified by residents. There's the lead program, which is low income energy assistance program which really looks at rebates, incentives and bill assistants both in terms of electricity and gas. So there are a number of programs there. You mentioned community solar. And I think it's important to also recognize that

[26:23] one of the challenges that we base for a long time is this barrier to solar in terms of property or home ownership. And that's just inequitable as it is because the majority of rebates are tied to specifically to property ownership, right? So that excludes 50% of our population right off of that. So the options then become either working with your landlord or property owner to install solar or doing the community solar Garden. And we created that program not only for Colorado but coordination. Community solar. And we have one of the. We have the first

[27:00] municipally owned low income community solar. Right now, it's dedicated to Ponderosa. But we have a whole number of community solar that is specifically specifically as carveouts for low income. That's a, I think, an easier entry to some of the barriers that exist. And II think I wanna just appreciate what you're saying, that it's not this or that. It's both right. Because looking at ownership models that builds equity right? That's a really important aspect of this. So how can we support lower that barrier to entry, whether it's up front cost? If you do, on your own home, or a manufacturing home or a mobile home. you still should have the opportunity to love eyes and have predictable energy cost or on site solar and extending that if you can't put it on your reason. Then you have that accessibility into community solar which is going to be lower anyway, because you don't have a lot of the infrastructure costs associated. I'll make it open in. But obviously socialized amongst all those absolutely. Yeah, III have very fake information. So the specifics that you can

[28:04] no super good. And so what I would roll up kind of your comment to be. And I want to just kind of pull in something that Paul Colin said, something that I hear. And you saying is just continuing to really prioritize energy equity. I'm gonna call it climate justice. The ability for all community members, not just those that can afford include actually in this would also be the the subsidy for electric scooters. I know somebody who wanted to get a scooter qualified for the subsidy, but still didn't have the money for it really, which is.

[29:03] even with a thousand or $1,200 off the initial upfront cost. But like it's still, you still have that barrier right? You still have to come up with the cash to to invest in that way. Same way with solar. Right? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. No. Yeah. And and so the what the specifics that I looked into were about the solar the solar program. But I think it can be brought more into just general increase of equitable equitable access to other adjacent clean energy. And you know more electric months of transportation, and you know, maybe that's a electric car subsidy, or continuing the the E-bike subsidy that you mentioned. However, exactly. That looks that is easiest to work. But but just increasing equitable access to greener sources of energy and transportation. Fascinating.

[30:06] Yeah. And and while there's a little bit of a pause. The other thing I just wanted to flag for you that I think there's an opportunity for the Board to start to kind of weigh in on is. how do we create kind of what you're describing and bolted on to a lot of the other services that that are provided by the city. So what you're talking about is really specific to clean energy sources. Kind of directive in that way. But can we bundle? Can we start to look for services in a holistic way. So we're actually looking at other utilities. How are we thinking about protecting most vulnerable to increase costs? Issues related to all utilities. So it's water. It's it's gas. Electric transportation costs all of those things together. So really thinking about that.

[31:01] couldn't Alex, you want to go next. Sure, this is actually a perfect lead in to my idea, because. my idea was basically a solar array as opposed to rooftop solar so the reason that I was suggesting this was kind of 2 fold on one hand, as Jonathan was talking about you know, solar arrays a little are a little bit more equitable because it serves a wider population. such as renters, multi. home dwellings, etc. So that's that's the one piece from the equity perspective. The second piece is that, as Jonathan also mentioned, it's tends to be cheaper because you have just a different type of interest infrastructure, and you have a larger number of panels that can come reside together. So I guess the third piece is, it kind of bit off the one of the lowest hanging fruits that we have for a gap in, where we can improve our greenhouse gas emissions. So

[32:06] for the city. I think the building energy use made up 63% of boulders, 2022 emissions inventory. So if if we can do an electrification to target some of those building usages that can help cut that And then Boulder has a specifically a stated goal, as we saw, I think, last session of 100 milliwatt megawatts of renewable energy locally by 2030. So we're currently around 80 megawatts. So if we can introduce a solar array that can help glo close the gap. That boulder is stated as one of its specific goals as well. so I guess it. It also meets a couple of the objectives that were stated in the the admission summary report. Like, I said before. increasing equitable

[33:00] services, I guess in this case, electrification so for a somewhat more diverse set of people, as well as establishing more renewal, or we're working our way to 100 renewal electricity. So I guess this is kind of a large scope of a plan in terms of installing a solar array on like public land, which I could think of one potential area that could be used for this. So there's a large swath of land kind of on Cherry Vale and 36 going east it's currently open space. But it's basically a big giant area where dogs can run off leash as an open space area. So re regions like that are possible, I guess I would say But I think because this would be a pretty large in scope type of idea. It would involve a lot of different departments, and could also therefore be

[34:07] involve a lot of different perspectives and hit a lot of roadblocks. so department wise, I think that would be, you know, climate initiatives, obviously, utilities. Anything involving land use codes. Open space. That would also be. Let's see, what else had I written here of ecosystems, management, planning and development department, as well as of course, folding in possible, probably excel energy. So those are a lot of moving parts and a lot of different departments that would be involved. My hope is that involving excel energy wouldn't be a complete nonstarter, because since excel energy has to. It's been required by the Colorado renewable energy standard and the clean Air and Clean Jobs act to reduce its operational emissions.

[35:07] and anything that we can fold in with Boulder locally, I'm hoping hope, hoping that that would be a somewhat collaborative partnership, but again potential for disruption there. So I guess for me it's not exactly clear of what the role of city of of the council members would be. Explicitly obviously the different steps in. This would be finding the correct area. To do this in getting all the zoning permits and checking in with our land. Use codes. and if we can get that far and actually go forward in construction, that's, you know, like the whole second latter portion there. So I guess my question, or up for discussion is, I'm not exactly sure what the role of council will be specifically, whether it just be kind of

[36:03] enforcing different measures or checking in that everything is up to par, or if there are certain things that Council would do in that situation. But that's the general idea, and if it's too large in scope the the secondary idea was evaluating which. you know, public buildings. We could install or improve rooftop solar on to kind of target our building based emissions, because that is such a large contribution. Thank you, Alex. Okay, so my turn. So what I did for this, I mean, besides, work on myself. and I contacted different groups. Console. Is there anything use of me? Feedback cause I wanted to collect feedback, you know, only for myself, but like from the community as well.

[37:07] and I think let's see one thing, and they were like, you know, ranging from incremental changes to like more systemic changes. One thing that came up was smart rates regulations? so something that I would like to bring up as well, and that's more like an incremental change. But basically like, make them smart breaks. But certainly the regulations for rentals. But how like ways we make it more energy efficient. And the rooms that work with the with the students, and they say that maybe these rooms will know that stringing or their heel was that Inspector Zone are not as strict. And then some of the The rentals that people are

[38:05] living in don't really complain about. Well. and I think this kind of relates to what currently said or like working on employee carbon and cooling so it could be part of the for the conversation. and maybe, like in Greece, increase the requirement. I'm also work on the reporting because I think other concerns students have, and from experience, if they, if they report the lander with the regulations, then the landlord's gonna pull the power and never tell you. But no return into the bosses. or, you know, like being more picky about the process. So that's what they need. We're looking for mental change. Then. I think what something like opposite sides of the spectrum was land use.

[39:05] basically relationship between housing. density. transportation and the environment. something that what? Another question. And what is eco-friendly policy? Cause. I think there's a contrast between multifamily housing those avs, which is versus you know what we have been discussing for the last few years, or my Heat Islands. And what does the balance or middle boy look like there? So that's something that kind of needs answer. And then another one was transportation. I think in this there's like.

[40:11] this is, I think, what I heard mostly was just micro mobility. And this kind of relates to what you mentioned. plus, I'm Rick emerging technologies. How to make more pedestrian, bike-friendly network, more eco-friendly transportation. Yeah. They neighborhoods. I think the same those were the main topics and something that I have been discussing like I think I mentioned last time. It's like, what's the role? Yeah, be in the 2020 s. Like, what's the role of the AV

[41:01] in this, you know, in this decade or in this new? Yeah, I think. One group say that they wanted to see the AV. Of some sort of Umbrella Advisory Board, because climate now is so internally housing interpretation water. So I would like for council to rethink what the role of the AV. Is now on. How does data relate to the other boards? And that's what I on some ideas. So I think from here I think we could start maybe grouping things.

[42:03] Alex's ideas, I think, group pretty well in into a similar, like equitable access to energy. And what is that different is that I? My proposal is not about increasing the amount of things that are electric. It was more about increasing the quality and ease of, and ease of accessibility to accessibility, clean electricity as opposed to increasing like increasing electric electrification of things. So but you can definitely put both of them on the same umbrella. I even have some other ideas of like, yeah, like, you know, there's. you know, different vehicles like, maybe it is one big solar panel somewhere, or maybe it's distributed ones. You know that. That you know, when we have a problem with

[43:10] fire, we have a grid that goes down during the summer or the winter, you know. How does the city still get electricity. you know, is something you know. Heard about the Texas thing a couple of years ago, where you know their grid went down, and there were people without power for for you some really interesting things you can do with like kinetic batteries. This is the whole side tension, but and it's not something that, so that II think would be a great project. Give you overall

[44:01] II could offer some observations if it's helpful. And first of all, I really just want to appreciate all of, you know, and your creativity and going through this process. It's a tricky one, right? It's tricky, because it's easy to go right into the tactics, and it's hard to separate, like, kind of the the policy level guidance to elected officials. So then, kind of filter down, you're looking at. Well, here's kind of the what, what the end state that we're trying to create, which I think is absolutely right. What I wanna try to help with is balance is. I started my comments with her. What are those things that could fall kind of as work plan items versus the things that you know? Council like? Well, that's great. What do? What are we supposed to do with that? How? How do we make that happen? So a couple of observations, I guess if I could share. And II really like and certainly please stop taking my comments this night about all it's just to be complementary. And I actually really like that? I could speak. It feels nice, anyway, that I think a lot of the priorities that we have as a department fit very nicely and connect with the things that you all are talking about here. So maybe I can start, Greg. I wanted to maybe talk a little bit about yours. I really like the idea of

[45:23] how we can be more effective in our engagement. Overall. You mentioned a couple of tactics that we have out there right now. One of the things that the city has done is expanded the role of the engagement and belonging office. So it's really trying to find new ways to engage when people are just kinda like, I'm too busy to do anything right. I'm I'm worried about get my kids to school, and I'm getting food on the table, and I'm not going to go to a public meeting that's not working to me. But how do we really continue to be out there not only in a way that helps people feel like they are part of creating solution, but also know what's going on and turn on. You made this comment. And I know this is a real issue, that our programs are very, very deep and broad, but not many people know about them. We don't do a very good job of connecting people to the services and programs that are out there. And so sometimes I

[46:22] and they come came off. Come off as defense. Like, yeah, we're doing that. We're doing that. But people don't know that. So I just want to emphasize. And I appreciate that point. the food systems. You know, I had this conversation about the food systems, and it's it's one that I'm kind of intrigued to think about again, always going into what problem we'll be trying to solve. I think you identify a couple of things there, and it would be an area that would touch a lot of different departments. I feel like the time framing is probably good to relaunch. The city had done some good work around Alex. I'm sorry I'm not looking at you. I feel bad that I have my shoulder to

[47:01] So there is a little bit of architecture in place, and that's something that it could potentially get kick started or restarted. In in that way. Lot of great connections to different departments workers, I said. was the singular economy study. The one that we that was sending to us a few months ago was that? Concluded the metabolic study. Yeah, so the company was metabolic. Sorry? Sorry about that. Yeah. So that's the circular boulder plan. If that looks at a number of things. But from the food systems perspective, it's really looking at food waste. It's looking at things like regenerate creating new opportunities for locally sourced and produce food. So all really good stuff. I think what you're talking about is is broader than that. There's a lot of dimensions to to be explored in terms of food systems. on the energy stuff. Alex, I really appreciated kind of your exploration of like energy generation opportunities. There's a lot that we could kind of fit in there. The one challenge that we have always face, and we have done so many studies of like every single parcel of land in and around boulder that would be compatible and a good use for large scale. Solar and community solar

[48:22] open space is is a challenge, because in order to do anything on open space that has to be a compatible use. Solar is specifically not a compatible use, so that property would have to be disposed of effectively, and it would have to then be overseen by another entity or another department, so very, very difficult thing to do when it comes to other types of uses that we think might be good for sustainability, resilience and climate issues. Solar being one thinking different practices around regenerative bag is another one. So that's always an issue. So one opportunity could be looking at the charter and it would be a very hard thing to do, but that could be something to say.

[49:11] Could we start to look at some of the broader policies, whether it be the charter, whether it be. And I want to link this to smart, mix to looking at all of our kind of land use to ensure that it is that we are removing as many restrictions for really important sustainability, objectives that could be something. Comp plan is another great thing that's coming up, and a great vehicle for the board to be considering that could be really Updated. Looking at our way in use policies to make sure that we're doing what we need to do. And you know it would be challenging. But you know it could be a thing. And II bring this up because what we have realized is that you know we have. We've invested in a good number of large scale solar projects, but they're not even a Boulder county. They're in Well County, because that's what the property is the cheapest it is directly going into the system and offsetting. Use? All good stuff.

[50:06] One thing that I would let you all know about that, I think, is a really important upcoming opportunity that we've really pushed Excel to do with an idea that we created on that try not to go too far down this rabbit hole is, how do we actually develop solar when we don't have a tax appetite as as a nonprofit entity? Right? So we don't get to monetize tax credit says, as a city so oftentimes sip, local governments will partner with somebody to develop solar and then release that's changing a little bit. With some of the Ira and some of the recent Federal legislation which I think is helpful. The one thing that is challenging is, if you do community solar. Then you have to have a subscriber organization. Manage all of the subscriptions. We're not set up to do that as a city. We're doing it with Ponderosa because there isn't that many subscribers, and we're working with great alternatives as the subscriber organization and manager of that project. And I'm certainly not

[51:10] shutting down the idea. But I think it's a great way to invest this idea of kind of what you were describing. How do we look at driving down the cost of of of solar cost per Watt. How do we look at accessibility? To make sure everybody has the ability to benefit from solar, and it could be a variety of things looking at all of our on site opportunities. Looking our package of incentives looking at large scale solar work makes sense community solar connecting with entities like polar housing partners and other low income agencies. So I think there could be a really good package there around energy burden. An energy burden is just the amount of money that that people spend towards energy related services and costs, and solar is a great levelizer there. So just just some like off the cuff remarks, and again not trying to shut anything down. I think it's a really interesting idea.

[52:04] I thought about smart regs. If if you'll indulge me just another couple of minutes. Sorry you you open the store. By the way, blame you? I think it's a really interesting, it really interesting time to think about aligning a good number of the city's code and regulation and orient them towards the same kind of outcome. Right now it's there's a little bit of a pattern work, right? So smart regs is our regulation around energy efficiency and rental housing right now, you know, you're gonna see? This next month, too, we're updating, upgrading or updating our energy code. And then we're embarking on a big discussion about an embodied carbon element of our building code, and then we have a number of codes that kind of move forward in different sequences. There could be a really interest. We we started the conversation with our colleagues and planning, which is, how do we start to take all this whole package of code and regulation

[53:08] and align it in a way that really gets to the outcomes that we want around sustainability, around climate, around resilience. What would that look like and I think it kind of pulls in a little bit of what you were saying right, too. So that could be a really interesting thing to advise, to counsel. Take a look at your regulation. What would it take to really be aggressive in many ways, understanding the balance of equity and cost and all of the things. But you know that that could be very powerful, including the Comp plan, because, again, that this is a 10 year opportunity that we have coming up next year to really orient that comp plan in a different way. it's likely the first first look at. It will be later in this year for an update next year. So we're just starting to kind of pull things together. And in a departmental way. Making sure that we have a a role to play. But you know it's a very, very powerful

[54:15] piece of regulation that guides all of the codes for the city and the county. So again, that's a very powerful thing to to think about. There. What else did I want to say, yeah, just sorry. Last thing you. This idea of land use, I think, is also very intriguing. We've talked about it, I think, just just starting to scratch at this. We, as the department, have been thinking about this intersectionality between things like transportation, like density, and and really starting to orient and understand what we mean when we do draw that connection between land use and climate issues. So whether that's some big analysis, whether it's having council really start to think about this issue of density in a different way from climate perspective, I think, is really powerful.

[55:07] And then, just so, you are aware of these seeds anything with you all. Some things that I know we have in motion that are kind of in that 2 year ish timeframe. One is really looking at, building out and starting to reboot our overall city resilience approach. It's a really important one. We we did a lot of great work last month we talked about, and I shared out with you our resilience strategy from 2,016. There's a lot of evergreen information in there. I think we're in a really interesting point to think about. how do we we energize that work? How do we update our resilience work? And how do we make sure that we're actually taking the actions to be identified. And every certain strategy that's a bit of a 2 year work plan, item, and then as part of that, and maybe a little bit of a subset of evidence, we're looking at what it would take to develop.

[56:01] a a community. Heat strategy. So it's, how do we think about heat? Both from a technology standpoint. But through an equity focus through a nature based solutions focus. There are a lot of things that the city could do to really start to identify opportunities. That forecast, what we're gonna be basing with more basic heat. So those are just some things that kind of pop into my mind that were triggered by some of these notes. But, overall, II think there's some great thing, I think some great bucketing and whatever I and our team can do to be supportable. Just to add onto that I read through the resiliency. I actually wrote it down a second. Maybe I totally forgot about it. Cause the document. I don't know if anyone else read it. There's a lot of really good like actionable. So he's gonna do this and like. And it's very much focused holding equity at the center. So kind of hit on some things

[57:00] you're talking about, good resiliency and kind of access to create green power, I mean, not specifically, but And I asked on this like, how do we find out like what happened like did we do these cool ideas of the city layout? We don't. There's no you don't know, and so I don't know. Like sounds like you already rebooting it. But the other idea I had was to tell Council like we need to raise strategy. We need to prioritize it. And I think it hits on a lot of these issues a lot of equity issues when it comes to climate. So I'm just like. also think we should add that to our potential. I didn't like the subscript there is like they should update what they've done around it and have like a real.

[58:02] It's actually part going back to that original plan and getting status of wherever we're at would follow. Things would be part of like a new review of of like, okay, what do we do now? Let's let's what can we do to be resilient and sustainable. Yeah. well, I think I would like to put like maybe 3 buckets combine like some of his ideas, into 3 buckets. and then like within the main bucket, for like sub items, cause I think I can still fit in a one page letter if we put 3 main topics. and then, like a paragraph from middle school, there you go. Yeah.

[59:00] Our leverage ideas. Then, trying to include, like everything. I believe. I mean, there's a lot of overlapping here, though, because, you know, this one. for example, relates to land use, and it like. you know, why our solar rating compatible with open space, for example, it's like it's something that we can explore. Then these 2 relate to access and equity which kinda ties up with, you know, smart rice and students land use also relates to that. You know, there's definitely some, some, some topics. We can put down there some more specific examples. Okay, but at least to find that the common themes of what we want to say. Yes, I think one of the big ones is equity. equitable access. Let's call it a little bit of justice and equal access supporting those at 8

[60:01] as well. and I assume that we are trying to give counsel actionable steps rather than just describing what in general we want to see change, that it would be most effective. If we can say, we request this this or this. Yeah, yeah, that's true. II think that that would be sort of an ideal, but that can also be a little bit. II feel like it would be more productive to give general things that we want done without like. Here's the exact 10 steps you want you want to do, because those can get like those work right in a vacuum. But the way that they apply towards actual political work can get pretty massive in that translation. And so II think it'd be most productive to provide a sort of overarching topic, and then some vaguely actionable items with with more of a direction than steps.

[61:00] I mean, I'm guide us towards like a one page letter. I wouldn't mind even that later. Had links or something that is like, Hey, you know, here's like a little bit more like to a whole product for each item. If that makes sense what we want to say. And then we can also, we can work on depending on how it's gonna looking. Provide more information with, like. like one cover, one pitch cover, plus like a little. I don't know. So okay, so we're limited to justice and equal access. So they can just kind of like. Solve that. John. You said smart Brexit land. Use

[62:07] what I was suggesting. Thanks for. Not what I was suggesting is rather than if that could be one specific example that we've teed up for a look later on this year, perhaps next year, I think it fits into environmental justice for sure. But what I was suggesting is packaging up a recommendation for Council to take a good hard look at its suite of policy and code. and ensure that that code is matching up with our commitment towards equity, sustainability, climate action. and I think it would. It would lead us to different places, not only in terms of how we and excuse me when we update those codes, but how we go about that update. So it'll be looking at. Our all of our policies to say, let's look at it through the equity lines. What what would it mean? What would it. How would it look different? Same way with our energy code, same way with our billing covid, same way with the whole suite of of codes that we oversee. So I guess I was just suggesting, I think smart ranks is just one of a whole package

[63:18] that are gonna be moving forward over the next couple of years. That all of that should really be aligned around certain outcomes that that I think you all can signal to say, hey, look, we are your Environmental Advisory Board. You need to make sure that these codes are achieving these particular outcomes when they come to you asking questions, how does this advance, these outcomes that we believe are. I always feel like that, and, you know. like a desire to have more electricity, or whatever it is. come up with like these are factors within. Like, if we can come up with actionable things like. Yeah, have the city look for.

[64:01] you know, way to have more electricity. And it we want to look at it under that lens. And we also want to look at under sustainability and and resilience. Okay, you know lens. So how will we? So so I think that changes how we will organize it better then like so what are you saying? Well, like, I mean, I think, like having a thing of title of have more energy, resilience, or energy sustainability. and and then come up with an idea of okay, let's have the city book, for where you know, either look at code and land use changes and or for existing. you know. situation, maybe taking it even broader kind of some like plus. One would drop this out of like.

[65:05] can the city make decisions? What on everything that we make decisions on, especially around codes and regulations for the climate lens if they're not doing that already. and the climate lens is already what's laid out been laid out. The climate action plan and kind of through the I mean. So without, I think, the question. What are we trying to give council with this letter? Are we trying to give them a like. I don't like the word manifesto, but like, if, like, here is the topics you should be keeping in mind as you approach all of your decisions going into the next couple of years, or are we trying to give them? Here are the things that we think you should actively change. Cause I'm I'm hearing some competition between the 2 ideas. And I think that either one would be good as long as we pick one, and don't try and do both, and fail to do either.

[66:04] Give them direction right? Some directions to where to go for the next 2 years. Yeah, just I think one of our non suggestions kind of bridge the gap between both. When he suggested that council kind of reevaluate the role of the Eab because it does overlap so much with so many boards, is, you know, is the role of the Eab. a a siloed off singular board that makes independent suggestions, decisions, recommendations, etc.? Or do we kind of reallocate it? Such that it is an element within every other board in decision making, and it falls under that umbrella framework, where we are approaching every decision with energy and energy, justice in mind for everything. So I guess that could be a way to bridge. That gap is like or not, and suggested asking the question of What is the role of the Eab as we move forward.

[67:12] This might be good to bring up. I think it might be interesting to explore what would happen if we tried to. Maybe across a judicial board with a more similar for you to. or more similar function to more planning board testing. Where we have oversight over the other advise reports in in terms of how things are. Technically, climate is that would consider putting in the layer. Or is that a wildly different thing? I mean, I guess, kind of proposal of that we come up with along with climate initiative department of like, you know, like what are targets that that transportation has to try to meet, you know, or you know, some way of like we're not in control of it. But

[68:03] you know, through the city's own internal processes. you know. has to look at a lens of how does it match up for the climate. And and like, Okay, what do they need to do? What does this department need to do? So we don't have to get into this. you know, you know, specific management of any board or any department. but that there's a hey like. if if the city has this alignment of like being carbon, neutral and and okay, what are the next things, the energy sufficient. We need to be fire resistant, and let the processes work within the city, too. make each department, do you know, line up with any policies. goals? And then we, as the Board, would just make recommendations. Oh, we think the

[69:05] transportation could do better. And here's some. Here's some things that we've heard about doesn't work right now, like, say, the transportation. Say, somebody's building a new but doing something that index transportation or something. Do they have to? You know our climate emissions like, is there integration of like other things going on city? And like you impact on that. Yeah, thanks for the question. so really interesting conversation. So the answer to your question is, no though what I will say, is so keep in mind that most departments have a master plan. The master plan is then adopted or approved by City council. The city Council at that time will look at the master plan and say, does this hit kind of the the culture, the philosophy that we envision, or whatever period that master plan is intended to serve 5 years, 10 years, whatever it might be. So as an example, master Plan which was just recently reviewed and approved

[70:22] council looked at that and said, Okay, how does how does this plan govern? And what is the vision that it lays out, or how we think about transportation in terms of the construction in terms of the design and the planning and the modality and all of this stuff. And that's where you see things. Then kind of built her down into work plans. Right? So the the policy is, we want to design towards 50 in the neighborhoods, and we have targets around reducing vehicle. Miles traveled or Bmt and reducing emissions by X percent. So that's all laid out in the master plan. What doesn't happen, though, is really interface between the departments kind of laterally, and that's where we've been, I think, as a as a team of directors led by Nuria.

[71:12] Where and I'm great. I'm pulling in something you just kind of prompted for me. One of the things that you could reflect is just. We are now starting to really lean into what's called the Sarah framework. It's the acronym is sustainability equity. And you should have a link to this week. I think we've talked about it previously. The Sarah framework is the guiding document that sits under the comp plan. But basically it says, here's how we are going to do our work as a city. and you go through that Sarah framework. And there are things like safe. There is accessible. There's environmentally sustainable. There are whatever, by different things, and then actions underneath each one of those. so that Sarah Framework is really intended to be that guiding philosophy that all departments oriented towards Greg. I think that's kind of what you were referring to, which is

[72:04] transportation or call it it as they are. Gonna go out and do anything or buy anything. They map it back to the same framework to make sure that it's hitting those marks, and that we're doing what we should be doing under our sustainability, equity, and resilience framework. So one one possibility, in terms of a recommendation is just to continue to build on Council continued to build on the the the great work that the city's doing under the share framework. And I'm sure that maybe we are going and reviewing plans for consistency. With the Sarah framework. I'm just trying to kind of yeah, I do. I mean, we helped create probably in 2,017. It's been updated. And now one of the things that is coming from that. And I shared a little bit about this, and I can share more because it's not really out there for review yet is the city's moving in the direction of a strategic plan which will be a like a 3 year plan. And that's gonna help. Kind of match up with council priorities. So again.

[73:14] your recommendation as a board is. you're gonna send it to all council members. They're gonna go into their retreat. One council member or more may say, kind of a number of priorities for our work, moving forward that there there are additive to what we're already doing. And I really think this idea that suggested which is, whatever this should be, something that we as Council take up as a priority, which means they are going to be monitoring it. They are going to be moving it forward. Some of it may be pushing, you know, directing area to direct Staff to do the thing. But Council is gonna be doing some of the thing, too. So so I think. But I talk too well.

[74:03] it's just get boring. Let's try this again. I think what I'm hearing is maybe framed a letter. Us? What does it look like or counsel, and the decisions they make if they made those decisions through the eye to the lengths of environmental justice and equality, I think big robots is to clean energy. And what does that mean in terms of like access to energy land use like, what? How can we frame all these issues, such that they can be dealt with events. Yes, yeah, you know. dating.

[75:00] hey? So I don't know if that is going to be the most productive way to phrase, to frame what we're trying to give to the Council. I think that it will be a lot more productive to go with a a, a more similar structure to what we're looking at earlier, which was. we have some overarching things that we want council to be considering, and then some general directions that we think that they could take those themes and not try and apply it to things that are working on, not trying to apply it to inter departmental work. Just this is what we, as the Eab think, is important to be looking at and working on. And here are the things that we have isolated. They're important to us, however, here these general frameworks and and overarching topics that you can apply in whatever ways most productive or most helpful in the moment, and not try and like things trying to be as general as possible while still giving a direction, because Council is not going to be able to do all the want them. And us saying, Here's how you should do the things that you might be facing. It's also not going to be super helpful to them.

[76:12] And so, instead, giving a a direction and a framework that they can bend in shape as is clickable, is going to be a lot more productive. I think. At least. No, I mean, that's that's good. What will be the architecture of the later like? What will be the structure. Hope it's better production. They meet the conclusion like a middle school paragraph of Yeah, how? Here's what we talked about. Here are the things that are important to us here. Here are the things that we thought were important for you to to look at, consider, and then dive into a couple of specific examples of things that we touched on be that, you know. Pull, pull from whatever is, is up here of, you know. accessibility to to clean energy, and, you know, find ways to build increased solar spaces and

[77:04] find ways to increase broadcasting. But that's more of a departmental issue than it is a council issue. And you know. like, figure out the specifics that we would like to see, but still leave like in general. Here's what you guys should be looking at. Here's what we. Here's here's what we think you guys should keep in mind. and and the direction that you think you should be heading. So can I based on what you're saying? Yeah, recommend like that. We, we talk about our desire for okay portability. We talked about, you know, sustainability, resilience. And then we could talk about like, okay, city council like under this, the the grouping of of equity. You know, we can talk about

[78:00] some food like, here's how we can increase not only equability, but also like resilience and and and maybe it's coming up with an idea for having more food for you know. so that that there's like in times of, you know, tough times. Maybe we have more food access in boulder as well as more electricity. And then we also talk about okay, we we wanna look at what are the structures that are hindering progress and so bring together a group, you know. Thanks. you know. Give some money to to hire the right you know, to to look at building codes. Land use what prevents us from putting electricity up and and also in there, talk about like we want to have

[79:04] like resilience through trying to provide more electricity for the city. you know, for the for the yeah. I don't know if it's just for the city, or just for for all of the public, you know. So you're saying like, so you'll keep trying to find a couple of beeps, then, is what you're saying, at least at least talk about how the different ideas of presenting as these contracts, you know, if you look at as a city that we're trying to be more, you know. equitable. And we're trying to be more resource. And we're trying to. This. Here's these ideas that we get put together. you know, and I think it's fine to go and say, Hey, see counsel, you know, like maybe make a nudge for providing a framework to really redo

[80:02] the sustainability, equity, and resilience framework and and find out what we don't do, that we should, you know, like. I'm not gonna just really, that's a good thing to do. But I don't necessarily think that that is super within our purview like that. That feels more of like an interdepartmental thing. And I'm I'm sure that department heads and and we are going to be working are are going to be doing basically exactly that of like, how did how did this service? Well, how did this not surpass? But that, I don't think, is what the letter to council is, for I'm sorry I mean, interrupt. Maybe this would help in in terms of kind of tone and structure. II would off this, and I only off this because I've seen a good number of letters from the board, some better effective, and others that are so effective.

[81:00] The not so effective. Letters. have been, I think. good in terms of intent, but they lack specificity in terms of like a council members, and I don't know what to do. This, of course, philosophically, I agree with what you're saying, but I don't know what to do with that like you should prioritize climate. Justice. Great! What does that mean? What? What does that mean in the next 2 years for me as a council member and us as a body. The effective letters I have seen have a little preamble about. We've organized this letter around this. Looking ahead to the next 2 years, we think that the this Council should really lean into these issues of climate, justice, equity. And you know, I'm just like use using the words and because these are really critical to our community. These are priorities, so many departments right now. They are anchored within the share framework. Specifically, here are 3 things that we think would be really good topics for you to be thinking about

[82:08] relaunching a study in an analysis and a program around food systems. And so they can draw the connection like, Oh, food systems. Because I see, yeah, it fits under. This rubric of it supports all of this stuff. I'm I may just say, through systems accessible and affordable energy to everyone that again is making up words. So that. And then maybe it's something around resilience. Maybe it's something about code, whatever you all want to put in there. Maybe it's like 3 bullet points with a few sentences underneath underneath that says. here's why we think this is a priority for you, and you don't need to do the mapping back to kind of that great. I see what you all stand for. There are 3 things that are actionable that I can bring in. This is 2 year priority for me as a council member. Yeah. And and I think the thing I'm gonna

[83:03] at least clarify for my verbiage, and I've done it for, you know, for anyone else. But it's specificity in goals as opposed to specificity and action. Right? It's like we're not giving them action. Item, we're not giving them a like step by step. Here's the 10 things need to do the next year we're giving them a this is a topic you think you you should work on. Here are the sort of like long-term goals. And here's the general direction to get there. And not like we're not. We're not building the road. We're we're designing where we think the road should go. We're essentially giving like objectives and targets, right happens every time I look over the board.

[84:01] So it would be rather than laying out the prescriptive path it would be. look, food systems and food access is really critical in our community. It's gonna become even more so because of the threats of climate and affordability, and all the things the city had done a little bit of work on this we advise that that council take this up a priority and reboot. It's priority and focus on developing safe accessible whatever some words around food systems. That's it. Right? We're we're being architects, not builders. And you would be there. All. A lot of the board is is super motivated to get good plan work done. So we wanna make sure that we are one of the more yeah, on the balance of letters that you've seen, we want to be on the more

[85:11] productive ones. Yeah, this year. So John, and you said, you're really looking into this. So there's no do you think there's no need to mention it again. or you? But I think it's more of like a cell for a review soon. Right, isn't it, anyway? Or not? yeah. So I guess if if I was advising on this which maybe I am the package there is. you know. We're looking at this 2 year window. There are a whole number of there's there's a big package of regulation that the city oversees right? And it doesn't. It's not just our housing and line use codes. There's a lot of regulation that continues to come before council or updates. The advice I think the Board could give is taking a really hard look

[86:13] at the package of regulation that the city oversees as it comes before the that body before Council to ensure that all of that code is aligned around and oriented towards the airport work as an example, or towards the outcomes that you believe that have been put in the preamble up top, which is, how do we make our community more resilient? How do we anchor into environmental justice, so forth and so on. Because that, I think, is is a really good thing, for that's the right level for them, because they're gonna be taking input from different departments bringing forward different codes. And if they were thinking, Oh, yeah, we need to make sure, like, never really thought that we could use that code for that outcome right?

[87:00] So that would be the right level to match up and map the the body of regulation. It's one of the things that power that the cities have power over, right as the regulation. So I kind of see it as 2 things. One is a preamble. What are what are the lens? That which we are encouraging? City council to look at the following, and then give them some ideas, you know, like, Oh, actual like. Let's look, you know, let's review that, Sarah. Cr, you know that's not. I don't think that's pretty new, and that's II wouldn't suggest. That's kind of a guiding document for internal. But then, Council, starting to map to that, too, and like equitability, II think I would want to like encouraging the city Council to look at. How do we increase outreach democracy. you know, as a as a category, electricity, you know, equitability or access to whatever some some titles like that.

[88:12] And I'm I'm happy to help offline, too, if you wanted this idea of the package of codes like such as things that are upcoming, such as the energy code, the building code. And in 2025 specifically bubbled around a comprehensive plan. Those could be things that you could give specifics that they should really be watching for. To to outline the role of heat is without all of this regulation. No, no, no, that falls into a little bit of the additional planning. So I mentioned, you know there's there's other plans that I think need some love and care. One is the reboot of the resilience strategy. Another being an analysis around this way and use connection, which is a really big kind of connector and then the third is something that we're starting to work on as a department, and that is our city by strategy. Extremely strategy.

[89:32] That's such a so much on this. Now, there's a big social reseiliness piece of that which kind of cuts in the climate, justice and equity piece levels like the what do you guys like to heat study? Right? What else was there lot in the documentary, I think, just like a

[90:00] taking the framework that they have? Will this be part of the resiliency, then, like the like, making the community more resilient? That's about access and equitability. It's not resilience. Yep. So also I don't wanna lose like land use and transportation for some of the biggest climate levers. So I don't wanna lose these. There are going to be more and better opportunities to touch on those later. I don't think that those should be our priority for the letter. Like, though you're correct, those are big, those are important. And they will be big climate issues. Yeah. we will have other opportunities to talk in ways that are more concrete. I think John, is is that an accurate statement that those are going to be coming forward in more actionable ways. Then our letter to come. See, here's here's what I would anticipate, or what? Yeah.

[91:13] little bit of advice. I think focusing on the things that are unique to your voice is really important, too. Right? When it comes to transportation. Absolutely. It's important. It is. It is absolutely essential. I can guarantee that this Council is very, very aware. And I'm looking around. Transportation related admissions, transportation in general we have tab. The Transportation Advisory Board is going to be submitting a letter. They are. They are aligning around these overall objectives, I would say, really speak with a unique voice on things that we know another board is not gonna bring forward. So

[92:02] the letter to counsel is, is is the way for us as the Eab to talk about Ea environmental issues. And so those have environmental aspects. But those will come before us when they're relevant. As you know. the compliance gonna come before us in in some way, and we can talk about things in that as they intersectional when it comes before us. For for letter of accounts, we want to keep it concise and clear and directed on very specifically environmental issues. I think I am helpful. But cause. I would like council to find that like I wanna go to counsel and ask them what is eco friendly housing? I don't want them to be able to tell me that. Yeah, II agree with you. I think that this is not something that's good. Both sides, you know, like

[93:11] there will be other spaces and other opportunities where it is more relevant. I disagree on that. But I think that our you know this, gonna make a loss of the conversation. I wanted to know that beforehand. So they were thinking about. I hope you're gonna study this this year. Can you please include this question in the conversation. But I'm I'm happy to be avoided on this issue if if you would so choose. But I think that right now that is not what is on councils. Yeah, go ahead. I think you're right. I think you're right. I think what we can do is maybe we can just all put down. Here's the topics that we

[94:04] or thinking about like just real quick one line. And then we can just all vote on like, what are the 3 most things that I think are for what are the 3, you know, and then and then pick the ones that are the biggest items. And we we submit that with with a Paragraph of what's important to us. and we don't have to include, we can put in there like. Here's all the things that are important for us. And here's the 3 most important. Again, the voice I'm trying to provide here is more. II think I have the most experience with the interplay between our space and the actual application of how it works in the political space. And so I'm trying to stay in more like advisory, directional kind of space. And so I'm I'm happy. I'm happy to pitch in on any of that. But

[95:00] in terms of how these letters get consumed in cancel. Those are gonna get completely lost. Like council gets. How many boards are there? 1520, 2020. They get 20 letters, all at the same time that they talk about short retreat where it is one of the items in a long list of other things. So we want to be. We want to keep the list of things that we're providing them short. We want to give them like we want to remove as much light work from for them as possible. In. In terms of how do I take this general concept into into a design in a plan, and we want to keep it concise and clear. And just here the here are the big picture topics, and here are a couple of items within those big picture topics that we think are important. and you can do without what you will. But a list of 15 different issues that we ran out in in a list in some sentence in in the letter is going to get completely lost.

[96:00] So whatever we decide, I'm happy to go with but II think that that will not be the most effective. So I think, like, what I'm allocating is to fail counsel to any duration of what I can take is to explore the relationship between yeah house and density, transportation and the environment of other applies to the land use. So it'll just be like a direction that if they, I would like them to take in the next 2 years. Like, I think there's something that we kind of need to study and answer because it relates so much to our politics, to our housing priorities. And I just relate to the environment. So I would just like to give them that nudge. So they know that that is something that's important to us, and I feel like they should at least like I don't know the answer to that. I don't know what departments are involved. But it's something that I would like them to kind of. II think if you say land use, that's gonna get their attention because of something that definitely the fines our local politics so

[97:03] like, just give. Just give them that direction such that they can, you know, sort of like go to Norie, I'd be like, Hey, this is something we should look at. What we need to hire consultants. What department will be will get involved in this, like II mean, I think my question would be. we can't just say you should keep environmental issues in mind when we're talking about land use. I think if we're going to include that, it should be around like what is like very specifically, what about land use and environmentalism? And that intersection? Do we want them to keep in mind? We can't. Just. We can't just say when you're considering land use issues in the next 2 years. Please keep in mind the environmental impacts as a potential, you know. where but like it can, it can be like, Hey. we think that we should find a way to change the turner so that we can section out some spaces of public space open space for solar farms like that is a very like umbrella under land use. But II think

[98:16] I think that we should avoid from just going. Hey? Land! Use an environmentalism? I obviously would be better word than that. But I like. I don't want just like land use and environmentalism. But it's like. because this recording sets up a letter that it's also about then use. And then we send a letter that is like about environmental. There's some like, I think. you know, they can start seeing that there's this connection with the line using all these different things. So it's like they could take action. And like.

[99:19] I'm I like, if that's something you want to do, and it's something that the rest of the board wants to do. That's great. I just don't think that that's going to be the most effective use of the letter. If if if we decide that, that's what we want to do with it, I'm happy to go with that. But I just don't think that that will be effective. I guess, including land use in the weather. Well, is it what the third bucket is like? What is up bottled like

[100:00] feels like that could just be a memo. I have no idea, though I don't even understand. So, looking at regulations. sustainability. And and then I and I think I think that talking about equitability and increasing access accessibility to to clean energy would be much more effective and convincing. Third buckets put on there. Yeah, so I think it's between that food systems. And yeah, B. Orlandius. I also, I mean, II would really encourage. I mean, I would definitely want to vote on outreach. Yeah, III think so. That's why I'm like saying, I think that the role of the AV ends

[101:04] is an entirely separate conversation. And I think it is. It is an extended one, and I think it needs to be revisited, because the way that the Ab. Is not serving the goals of what it I've I've got a whole spell in it. But and I think that outreach is incredibly important. I also think that that is not a council issue. That is a department issue. And so we can work with the climate additions department to increase, outreach and have different ideas for outreach. I think that telling council that we think that the outreach that needs to be done around our climate issues is not going to be helpful. II think I think that that is something we can work with in the rest of the department on about outreach. I'm just raising my hand to offer a comment that may may be helpful. Because I want you all did not feel paralyzed. If you're gonna lose something off this list, if it isn't voted into the letter. So just some things that I would say

[102:09] I'd like to offer, maybe either for my department or also the office of engagement and belonging to, to come to the board and talk about what we are doing around overall community engagement, and maybe we can engage with you and hear your ideas of how we can do better specifically, and kind of come up with those ideas. Because I do II agree that it'll be hard for Council member to know what to do with that recommendation. They're gonna say, well, let's just pitch that we have in a whole office that works on that stuff, so we don't need to do anything as as a counsel around that. And so I would just offer that we can put that on the calendar and make it a topic to engage with you all as in a board, to to think about how we do better in that space. If that would be an option, you'd like the other one. I don't want to lose some of the conversation. Alex, that you brought in some of your ideas and decided around accessibility and kind of our energy systems.

[103:09] I would like an opportunity, maybe, to explore with you all, talk through some of our existing programs talk about where some of the barriers exist. Give you an update on some of those things. As an example, Alex, I wanted to tell you in a good news category. We've actually exceeded that 100 megawatt 2030 target. We just need to update the website. But I think there's still a lot more we could be doing there. we are pretty much in charge of that as a department, and so that feels like more of a hey? Let's talk to you all about what we are doing. Where can we do better? Is it more around rebates and incentives that feels better suited for a good conversation with us. I think another one of those things you you go to council with like, hey? We should care about this stuff they're gonna say, yeah, we care about that stuff. Have you talked to those guys over there? They're the ones that are in charge. I go talk to them. So the in that way, I don't want it to be circular, and I don't want you all to feel like that was kind of worthless, because it just talked to the department, so

[104:10] I would say you could take those off. But I don't want to tell you to do that. Then it's totally your your choice to do so. So that leaves, I guess, in my mind thinking about how to package up something around land use? What is the thing you want council to do with that? That would I. And you can put on this topic. You all can be wants to have and figure out how to massage language. And then II think the issue of the food systems is still there for you to consider. To set sits at the right level, which is, Hey, reboot this work that the city was started several years ago, and it hasn't. We've been doing anything for a while I would agree with that cause. I was gonna also remind us of the food systems that I think in regards to what Brooke has been saying, finding effective ways to actually have council take some sort of actionable steps within their purview.

[105:08] The fact that we had a food systems kind of program, if you will. That can be reevaluated, rebooted, and analyzed of what went well, maybe what things can be improved. I think that's a nat something that naturally sits there that Council can kind of grab onto, look at and understand their path of what they may be able to do, moving forward with kind of simple suggestions and nudges from us. Okay. but wait. So what do we think that their buggy should be as just mentioned food systems? I'm obviously interested in that. But

[106:02] I don't know what else. Again food systems falls in that space where we can go, as as Alex mentioned. Hey, look! There's nothing you already have. Let's just go back to that and keep doing that and figure out why that isn't working, and fix it and think about it, that coming from us, they'll be like, Oh, yeah, that is a climate. Should I have to be like, Oh, yeah, food. It's climate. Okay. that doesn't always sit. I think, with people you could do 4. You don't have to. There's no magic. You can put as many as you want. 3 items get too sick. I assume, like well, like draft. Are we allowed to work in a global Doc? I think 2 at a time, or something like that?

[107:07] I think what you said about the memo for this. I think maybe that's right. It should be a memo. Yeah, I totally agree that it's worth that needs that needs to be an entirely separate conversation, because there is a lot to talk about there. And I or at least II think that there's a lot to talk about in that issue, and, like you, seem to know, where do you recommend quick question at all? But it it is definitely, I think, a longer conversation about how the eap does not mean frequently enough, or have enough power to actually have any kind of influence in the way that to the degree in which environmental, the environmental user are so intersectional with everything.

[108:06] We as a as a board, do not have the power or the time to adequately shape how that is working, and that needs to be revisited. I think. I agree with that because it's something we can discuss. I think that needs to be a longer conversation, because there's also a relationship between, like, you know, just recruiting people as well offline to another time. Right? I am okay with removing. You've convinced me I'm okay with removing, as I used from one of the buckets. If anything, if I have been it here, I'll try if it flows.

[109:01] You know I can frame it as I think that's really, how do we really land use? If there's a way to fit it in that works, and is concise, great relationship there. I don't need to make it some bucket. So for the last bucket a bunch of different ways that they intersect. So there's some land land use stuff most of our like regenerative Ag stuff, I think, is a county level. But there's some open space lands. I think that city runs so there's all the way through like growing to

[110:02] eating, to selling. So like, how do we look at food admissions? Looking at the consumption based emissions is a big part of that. So looking at those categories, how do we reduce those numbers so that we can meet our goals. And how does that interact? So whether it's like local food is, I think, what they were which are just referring to as what was done before is a real emphasis on local organic. Well, there's some debate on the mission side of that. How's the end? I'll go to like. What's II don't know. I have lots of restaurants serve all sorts of stuff like that. But I don't think that's for us to decide. Hey? This is our big bucket of climate emissions from the consumption based standpoint that we have data on how to reduce this number and do it in a way that provides healthy, sustainable food to those people who need the most access to healthy, sustainable food and make sure that they're getting it.

[111:05] And dealer will be equitable access right? That will be another bucket as well. Energy like this. All this up is like within the rubric of equitable license energy. Yeah, clean energy. Okay, what do you think? What do you want to include in the third bucket? I think departmental resilience? I think we're talking about providing some examples. That's part of the that falls under regulation inter departmental interactions. It's like.

[112:01] so that's not, it's not. It's not a bucket by itself. But it's a line. So basically everything that's going to be like all the packages, all the goals make sure they're aligned through the sale framework, so there will be like a like frame everything within the. So basically, we're not going to tell city Council focus on it because it's already something gonna happen. It is a new program in between department heads under the city. From my understanding. That is, it is happening independent of city council. What is the in this? Sarah said. And, like city, you know, code. Well, those are different things. So the share framework is a guiding document that the city uses a as a tool to map all of our investments, our programs, our policies to the sustainability, equity and resilience outcomes. What we're talking about here is using that tool and ensure that we're using that tool as we update all of our package of codes

[113:05] that are going to be coming forward. Yeah. So the things that we know are coming this year for next year. So II mean the amount which we should and can talk about. Sorry. Just say, Hey, don't forget, Sarah. We think that that is important to the environmental issues regulations. The building goes like I think you can frame. However, you want, you could say, emphasize these outcomes and all of your regulation and policy. You already have a tool on that you should be using council. As you look at these. That is the share framework. You should also look at all of these outcomes in a in a more holistic way. So we you could massage that line which feels like it doesn't need to be like. So so okay, so for the last bucket we can do book system. So we can do

[114:02] equitable access unless there's a way to mix those 2, I think 3 items is is digestible, you know, like, I think it's something, a number that people remember 3 items is very digestible. Yes, so any references here? What do you think? Any assistance? It was good for whatever, but or like? Probably I guess if you had to. II think that equitable access is something that Ca, that can be a conversation by itself. But we can do it a separate time. I think that food systems is the one that most cleanly fits into our letter, and equitable access is a different conversation. II know how both our ideas fall under that equitable access. But II think that II agree with you that it's kind of what I said earlier with the food systems comment that I think it naturally falls into the structure of the letter. What counsel has the purview and ability to do? Etc.?

[115:12] So III think that food systems is one that most cleanly fits in with with what we have. Alright, we've got a week. Okay. what do we wanna different gifts. I think, from here. As this. Finish the meeting. But I think the idea will be like, set up share Google log. And then start writing the introduction these 3 autographs on a conclusion. and then just iterate on that document. But we do have to be very careful again. We cannot highlight.

[116:15] I think so few years ago. I think it's easy to just go and edit rather than unless you love me like, I think, for example, the maybe we we could take a bucket, because I think I would feel comfortable writing. What put systems if you did all the research? I don't know what's the thing that resilience in the regulations? I don't say you have to do it. I'm just saying, should somebody like I'm happy to write a draft whatever. If you want to. I will. Yeah, I mean, like, that'll

[117:00] language from there promotion to move that to the next meeting. Okay, okay, this is this was the update on our on climate lawsuit hearing last week. Okay, guys. So

[118:00] I'm gonna let's move item, 6, 8 to the next meeting. I wanna put forward a motion to do that. Thank you. Is there anything on the kind of review that is important? Or I'll yeah, thanks. Turn on just a couple of things that I wanted to fight for the board, especially, and you'll be getting a briefing at your next meeting, so we'll make sure to add this piece that we just moved to the next meeting. It it next week's meeting council will be getting an update from staff, but mostly from excel energy. We just had our community advisory panel meeting this past Monday night the purpose of the updated will be under matters so near the end of the meeting. Yeah, I will send you the link. So you have access to that. but it'll be under the matter. So the under matters from the city manager excel, is going to be giving a presentation on their progress towards meeting their emissions. Milestone, and

[119:01] the implications of that. And then Staff will do a short portion afterwards. Talk about some of the activities their emotions associated with the excel partition. So that's the one piece I wanted to make sure that was on your radar. And then a few upcoming things that will also be coming to the board. Obviously, update to the energy code. We bring that back. Next month before that comes back to council. and then we'll be bringing forward the next pieces of that, and our work around it by the carbon in our buildings. We are scheduling some work. And we'll be coming back to the board on updates and recommendations on landscape equipment you talked about this last year, and so that'll be coming back to you. And then we have a couple of things that will be calendar with you. But those are the next 2 months. Okay, thank you. So let's see. Okay, the next Ap. Meeting is scheduled for like March sixth

[120:01] and with that we can attend the meeting 1 s half. Thank you. Alright, thank you. Guys. Good discussion. Thanks. I feel like Alex.