City of Rockville Environment Commission met Nov. 1.
Here is the minutes provided by the commission:
Meeting Attendance
| Commissioner | Present | Absent | Reason, If Given |
| Chair John Becker | X | ||
| Sy Garte | X | ||
| Alicia Hosmer | X | ||
| Larissa Johnson | X | work | |
| Clark Reed | X | ||
| Monica Saavoss | X | ||
| Steve Sprague | X | ||
| Fedon Vayanis | X | ||
| Vacancy | X |
City Staff: Lise Soukup, REC Staff Liaison
Guests: Steve Cardon, Watershed Committee
Meeting Commencement
The meeting convened at 7 p.m. by Chair Becker.
Approval of Agenda
Commissioner Hosmer moved and Commissioner Sprague seconded the motion to approve the November 1, 2018 agenda. The motion passed (6-0).
Approval of Meeting Minutes
No approval. Only four of the attending commissioners were eligible to vote on the October minutes approval, which did not constitute a quorum of five members. Commissioners Hosmer and Garte abstained, due to not being present at the October meeting. Approval of the October minutes will be postponed until the December 6 meeting.
Community Forum
No speakers.
REC Vacancies - Status Report
Chair Becker asked for a status report at the November meeting on filling the vacancy of Commissioner Rosenbohm, who resigned as of October 5. This leaves one vacancy on the REC. As of Nov. 1, one new candidate has contacted the City about the vacancy. The REC expressed interest in reconsidering past applicants to the REC who were not selected. The REC also asked to have the applicant interviews one at a time, rather than multiple candidates in the room together.
➢ Action item: The REC selected three previous applicants to interview. Staff will contact those people to determine if they are still interested. If so, staff will schedule REC interview time on the December or January agendas, as availability allows.
➢ Action item: Staff will check with the City Attorney’s office to determine if individual interviews are acceptable under the Open Meetings Act.
REC Attendance Policy
The Assistant City Attorney has highlighted Sec.2-220 of Rockville City Code that establishes the official attendance policy for Boards and Commissions, including the REC. It states that a Commission member who is absent from 25% or more of the scheduled mee4tings during any 12-month period is deemed to have resigned from his or her position. The Commission Chair is required to send written notification to the Mayor and Council (as the appointing authority) of any member deemed to have resigned. The resignation becomes effective 30 days after this notification, although the Mayor and Council may waive the resignation for good cause shown. The City Attorney staff also explained that alternate or additional attendance expectations should not be required of commissioners.
The REC discussed the implications of this policy. Chair Becker noted that the City’s Boards and Commissions Task Force is working on standardizing this and other procedures/policies for all boards and commissions. That work should be concluded in 2019. Since the REC has been unaware of this City Code attendance standard, the City Attorney’s Office has agreed that it would be acceptable for the REC to temporarily defer implementation of this attendance process, pending the outcome of the Boards and Commissions task force. The REC agreed to do so, and Lise Soukup will track member attendance over the next 12 months, starting with the Nov. 1, 2018 meeting, to help the REC assess attendance.
Committee Reports and Requests to REC
Watersheds Committee
The fall events have gone smoothly. The Rocktobierfest and the Maryvale stream cleanup had good turnouts. The Brewshed event will be held at the True Respite Brewery on Nov. 8, and is a partnered event between the Watershed Committee and the Rockville Nature Center.
➢ Action Item: Watershed committee members will contact EMD staff to review schedule of supplies for the Brewshed and to arrange transfer of the rain barrel to be raffled off.
➢ Action Item: The stream cleanup team reported a tree blocking the culvert at Norbeck Road. Staff will notify the DPW storm drain maintenance crew of this.
Climate Action Committee
• CLAC has requested a staff briefing about climate change inclusion in the draft 2040 Master Plan. The REC voted to formally request this of staff. Lise Soukup reported that David Levy, the Community Planning and Development Services head of the master plan effort, has offered to brief the REC in January or February on the Master Plan, once the Planning Commission has agreed that the draft Master Plan may be released. It is expected to go to the Planning Commission in late November or December.
• CLAC has requested to meet with the Planning Commission and with the Traffic & Transportation Commission to query them about their position on implementing climate change action plan recommendations from Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG). The REC voted 6 – 0 to approve this request, and appointed Commissioner Saavoss as its spokesperson. Lise Soukup explained that it may not be feasible for Commissioner Saavoss to drop in and address the commissions if they don’t have a Guest Forum period.
➢ Action Item: Ms. Soukup will find out the process for getting time on the agenda for each of these other commissions and inform Chair Becker, who will make the request of the other commissions.
➢ Action Item: Commissioner Saavoss will prepare of an outline of her remarks and a pdf of the published MWCOG climate action report (preferably of the executive summary). These will be approved by the REC, then forwarded by the REC staff liaison to the liaisons of the other commissions in advance of the REC visit.
➢ Action Item (still pending): At the October meeting, Councilmember Pierzchala was asked to get more clarity from Councilwoman Palakovich-Carr about her earlier request for a Climate Action Plan Task Force, her thoughts on timing and regarding a new task force vs. using the CLAC for this.
Energy Committee
• At the October REC meeting, the Energy Committee requested a staff briefing on City facility energy consumption & efficiency. Erica Shingara, the Sustainability Coordinator, and Noel Gonzalez, City Facility Manager, will attend the Dec. 6 REC meeting to give this briefing.
• The Energy Committee also requested that staff fill out an Energy Star Partner program evaluation matrix. The REC voted to approve this request and forward it to staff. Ms. Shingara and Mr. Gonzalez are working on this matrix, and adding clarifying information to it. It will be sent out to the REC ahead of the December meeting, along with any other agenda-related supplemental information.
➢ Action Item: The Recreation and Parks Facilities Manager and the Sustainability Coordinator will talk with the REC at the Dec. 6 meeting on the status of energy consumption and efficiency in City buildings. Manage expectations that the staff is in a position to modify either spending or staff time and Citywide priorities to enhance energy management at City facilities. This would have to be supported with additional staff and funding by the City Manager and Mayor and Council to change the current status.
➢ Action Item: Commissioner Reed asked that the City staff complete a questionnaire about the City’s energy efficiency program. This is being done, but is a time-consuming task between the two staffers.
Mayors’ Monarch Pledge
The REC voted 6-0 to approve the draft Resolution, with the correction of the new City Clerk’s name.
➢ Action Item: Ms. Soukup will circulate the draft Resolution to the Department of Recreation and Parks, the City Attorney’s Office, and the City Clerk’s Office for comment. If any edits are required, Ms. Soukup will bring the edited version of the Resolution back to the REC for reapproval.
FY18 Budget
The REC voted 6-0 to authorize purchase of a $35 duffle bag to hold trash pickers used by the Watershed Committee on their stream cleanups. Commissioner Sprague asked for more recycling bins at Hometown Holidays, but these are not purchased by the REC. Commissioner Hosmer asked about a milkweed plug giveaway for the Native Plant sale at the Nature Center.
➢ Action item: Commissioner Hosmer will investigate milkweed plug availability, find a provider, get their bulk prices, and bring this to the REC for budget approval in time to order for the Plant Sale in April.
Chair Report
• The REC voted 6-0 to march in the 2019 Memorial Day Parade, per Commissioner Saavoss’s suggestion. The commissioners also discussed inviting Rockville Solar Co-op participants to march with the REC, both with their banners.
➢ Action Item: Staff will inquire about these further REC questions for the parade:
▪ What is the parade application process and due date? Are there any fees?
▪ How much space in the parade would the REC have? Are there space limitations for marchers or vehicles?
▪ Could electric vehicles be in the parade? (Such as City electric vehicles or other volunteered private electric vehicles?) If so, how many?
• Chair Becker mentioned the Dunedin, Florida, Green Certification award and asked if Rockville can do something similar. Ms. Soukup mentioned that Rockville just won the Sustainable Maryland Certification award for Best in the State on October 12, which seems comparable.
• In October, Chair Becker discussed street lights being on during daylight hours with the DPW Director and Chief of Traffic and Transportation.
Environmental Management Division (EMD) Report
• Staff gave an update on the plastic straw ban. Montgomery County included a plastic straw ban in their 2017 regulations that banned Styrofoam. When Rockville adopted that same legislation in 2017, it also adopted the language banning plastic straws, which is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2019.
Since the adoption, both jurisdictions have discovered that there is no market to recycle plastic straws; this material currently is being thrown away at the recycling sorting centers. There are no other composting or recycling opportunities available at this time. After discussion with councilmembers, City staff have been directed to bring a revision to the ordinance that defers implementation of the plastic straw ban for six months, to allow time for the commercial market to offer other disposable straw alternatives.
• Requested update on status of Forest and Tree Preservation Ordinance (FTPO) changes the REC reviewed in January, 2018. Staff reports that almost all of them are on hold, due to an overhauling of the Development Review process. Staff in Forestry, Planning and other departments are making comprehensive changes, so the FTPO changes will not be decided until 2019 or later. They will be brought back to the REC, if they are substantially different from before. The two FTPO ordinance changes that the REC was briefed on in September were adopted by the Mayor and Council in October.
• REC member roster- contact information sheet has been updated and will be emailed out to commissioners, Councilmember Pierzchala & key staff.
• Ms. Soukup showed a new spreadsheet she is using for REC requests and City staff action items. The REC will receive this ahead of each meeting as a communication tool for updating the commissioners on details and further action needed from their requests.
Old/New Business
Commissioner Sprague requested that an agenda item be added to discuss possible limits to lengthy staff research/involvement for REC requests. Ms. Soukup’s commented during the CLAC committee discussion that REC requests for staff research/responses may need to be prioritized by the REC, given staff time limits and existing work plans.
➢ Action Item: Ms. Soukup will put this on the January REC meeting agenda. Adjourn
The Commission adjourned by acclamation at 9:20 p.m.
https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_11012018-2400
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