COMMISSION ON THE ENVIRONMENT

 REGULAR MEETING

 

City Hall, Room 416

One Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

San Francisco, CA 94102

 

 

COMMISSION MEMBERS:  Commissioners Paul Pelosi Jr. (President); Johanna Wald (Vice President), Ruth Gravanis, Angelo King, and Alan Mok

 

Commission Secretary:  Monica Fish

 

ORDER OF BUSINESS

 

Public comment will be taken before the Commission takes action on any item.

 

1.      CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL.  The Commission on the Environment Meeting was called to order at 5:05 p.m.  Present:  President Paul Pelosi Jr., Vice-President Johanna Wald, Commissioners Gravanis and Mok.  Excused:  Commissioner King.

 

2.      ACTION:  Adoption of Minutes of the November 28, 2006 Regular Commission Meeting Upon Motion by Vice-Chair Wald and second by Commissioner Gravanis, the November 28, 2006 meeting minutes were approved without objection.  (Absent:  Commissioner King)  (Explanatory Document:  Approved Minutes of the November 28, 2006 Regular Commission Meeting)

 

3.      PUBLIC COMMENTS:  Members of the public may address the Commission on matters that are within the Commission’s jurisdiction and are not on today’s agenda.

 

Ms. Nancy Wuerfel distributed a proposal for planning for San Francisco’s future landfill needs (Explanatory Document:  Ms. Wuerfel Proposal Landfill)).  President Pelosi Jr. referred this item to the Commission’s Policy Committee for discussion.

 

A video was shown on the Department’s new thirty-second television commercials, one to encourage recycling and one to encourage composting.  The video is translated into Spanish and two dialects of Chinese and is being aired on cable channels.

 

4.      PRESENTATION AND ACTION: Informational Presentation to Commission to consider and vote on approving the Department of the Environment’s Fiscal-Year 2007-2008 Draft Budget (Explanatory Document: 2007-08 Draft Budget).

 STAFF:  David Assmann, Deputy Director

 

Deputy Director Assmann presented an Informational Presentation on the Department of the Environment’s approximately $15 million Fiscal Year 2007-08 Draft Budget.  Revenues and expenditures from the Impound Account, Grants, and General budgets were described.   

General Budget 

Deputy Director Assmann described the General Budget revenues and programs that are being funded by other City departments.  The largest amount of funding is for the Environmental Justice program; next largest is the Energy budget predominantly funded by the Department of Building Inspection and the Public Utilities Commission; third largest is Green Building funded by the Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), Building Inspection, and the Treasure Island Development Authority.  The Department is also currently working with the Redevelopment Agency to develop a Sustainability Plan for the Hunters Point Shipyard. 

 

The seven largest pesticide-using departments fund the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program.  The departments that have the greatest responsibility for trees in the City fund the Urban Forestry Program.  The Commuter Benefit Program is a pre-tax program that allows City employees to take advantage of pre-tax commuter benefits paid for by the savings that the City has from providing the benefit to employees.  Every department that has participating employees contributes towards the cost of running the program.  The Outreach line in the General Budget is for School Education Outreach funded by the SFPUC.  The Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling program is to administer the Construction and Demolition Ordinance and is funded by the Department of Building Inspection. 

 

The Department Administrative costs are based on a pro-rated allocation for each full time employee in the Department, is spread out evenly across the programs, and come from all three budget-categories.  It was explained that the Budget is not significantly different than last years other than an increase in the Green Building program area. 

Grants Budget 

Deputy Director Assmann described the Grants Budget funding sources received to fund specific Department programs.  It was explained that the $6.9 million Grants Budget is significantly bigger than last year’s.  The largest grant amounts to $5.6 million in revenues that comes from the Peak Energy Program; next largest is the California Integrated Waste Management Board for oil; followed by funds received from the Department of Conservation to promote bottle and can recycling.  Funding is also received from a number of sources to promote alternative fuel vehicles, Prop K for clean air work, and a commuter check grant to help promote commuter check programs. 

 

A one-time grant is being received this year from the California Integrated Waste Management Board to upgrade the Household Hazardous Waste Facility.  The United States Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency are providing grants for Environmental Justice programs including the Farmers Market. CALTRANS is also providing a grant to the Environmental Justice program.  The California Integrated Waste Management Board is funding a reuse grant to go to the Green Building program.

 

Vice-Chair Wald asked to discuss the difference between this year’s and last year’s budget.  Deputy Director Assmann stated that this year’s budget is twice the amount of last years, and that the grant budget was considerably smaller last year.  The biggest increase in the budget is for the Energy Watch program.   

Impound Account 

Deputy Director Assmann stated that this fiscal year’s $6.658 Impound Account budget was set this past year by a five-year rate process and is comparable to previous years.    The biggest change is in the salary line item due to two factors (1) the department was assessed a $200,000 cost for retiree health benefits last fiscal year that was not part of the five-year planning process, which about half was charged to the Impound Account and (2) the cost of benefits increased beyond what was projected.  The Department is projecting to add 1.5 FTE’s to the Impound Account this year, one FTE to Residential Recycling and changing a half-time Green Business intern into full-time.  The work order to the Department of Public Works is being reduced because the funds that were allocated last year were for a one-time allocation that was based on savings in the budget last year.  Most of the other budget items are the same as in the past.

 

2007-08 Impound Five Year Plan Overview

 

Deputy Director Assmann discussed the “2007-08 Impound Five Year Plan Overview” explanatory document that compares the proposed Impound Budget with the Five-Year Plan.  It was stated that the overall budget matches the Five-Year Plan exactly.  However, more money is being spent on salaries and less on overhead, professional services, and other categories.  Within each category, Recycling is projected to spend less than what was proposed in the Five-Year plan, Toxics slightly more, and Green Building and Environmental Justice what was projected.

 

COMMISSION VOTE:  Approved.  Upon Motion by Commissioner Mok and second by Commissioner Gravanis, the Fiscal Year 2007-08 Draft Budget was approved without objection. (Absent:  Commissioner King)

 

5.      INFORMATIONAL REPORT:  Controller’s Audit Report – January 2007 (Explanatory Document:  Controller’s Audit Report).

STAFF:   Jared Blumenfeld, Director and David Assmann, Deputy Director

 

Mr. Robert Tarsia, Audit Manager, Controller’s Office, discussed the Controller’s Office objectives and scope as described on page 3 of the Audit. It was stated that the focus was primarily to improve business practices and to look for practical recommendations that will provide for better accounting of impound accounts, better contract and grant practices, better reporting on the results of grant making and other efforts to guide future spending decisions.  It was stated that a full performance audit to compare the Department’s efforts and results with other cities or industry best practices was not done. Mr. Tarsia stated that the Audit Report lists five findings (pages 5-21) and includes 21 recommendations that the Department has agreed to implement (pages 5-21 and C-3 throughC-8).  

 

Ms. Catherine McGuire, Controller’s Office Audit Staff, discussed the Department’s grant process and reported that a review was made of the Department’s Request for Proposal (RFP) process, evaluation of applications, grant monitoring, and grantee evaluation. 

 

RFP:  It was stated that the RFP document was very good and because it is issued for multiple programs, it allows each recipient of the announcement to see all of the departments’ grant opportunities and expands the Department’s ability to garner a broad range of applications.  It was recommended that each program distribute the RFP in a centralized way to a comprehensive list of applicants.

 

Evaluation of Applications:  Ms. McGuire discussed conflicts of interests that may arise from grant evaluation panels that evaluate and score grantee applications and then work closely with grantees, e.g. conducting site visits and working at events together.  It was recommended that the grant evaluation panel be composed of more than two or three evaluators and be of a more diverse group to mitigate possible conflicts of interest and to increase the robustness of grant-applications.  It was also recommended that the Department create uniform scoring-criteria that would be applicable to all programs and have a separate scoring for program specific criteria.  Ms. McGuire requested that a final grantee evaluation be conducted at the end of the grant term to determine whether the grantee was successful and would be a good candidate for future programs.

 

Grant Monitoring:  Ms. McGuire reported that grant agreements be more clearly written or sufficiently detailed, and that works plans and grant budgets be more consistent with one another so that grant managers can better monitor their grantees.  It was stated that grantees were not meeting reporting requirements or addressing all of the items in their grant plan.  The risk is that the department may be paying for work that is not completed. 

 

President Pelosi Jr. asked if the grants from previous fiscal years were less clear than recent grants.  Ms. McGuire stated that 2004-05 and 2005-06 grants were reviewed and were also unclear, and 2003-04 grants were outside of the scope of the review.

 

Director Blumenfeld made reference to the full list of the Recommendations that start on page C-3 of the Audit Report and the Department’s proposal on how to implement the recommendations.  It was stated that one grant solicitation for the Environmental Justice program area has been redone.  The scoring has also been redone so that it makes more sense and is more align with the goals.  Director Blumenfeld advised that several of the recommendations can be implemented quicker and others would take more time in order to build recommended systems and to put procedures in place.  It was stated that the Director and Deputy Director would work with the Operations Committee to develop a trackable implementation schedule.  Director Blumenfeld thanked the Controller’s Office staff for their Report.

 

Public Comment:  Ms. Nancy Wuerfel thanked the Controller’s Office for the Audit and stated that she looks forward to the changes that the Director has referenced.  Ms. Wuerfel offered her assistance especially in areas where the Impound Account has been cited.

 

Items 7 and 8 were heard before Item 6.

 

6.      DISCUSSION AND ACTION:  Resolution endorsing SWAIe Wastewater Master Plan Objectives (Explanatory Document:  Approved Resolution and Master Plan Objectives)

SPONSOR/SPEAKER:  Commissioner Ruth Gravanis

 

Commissioner Gravanis stated that at the January 16, 2007 Policy Committee meeting the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) presented an update on the status of the Wastewater Master Planning process. At that time, Mr. Alex Lantsberg, a member of SWAle, the Sustainable Watershed Alliance, requested that the Commission consider endorsing a set of goals and objectives that the organization has been working on for the past six months.  It was explained that SWAle used to be known as the Alliance for a Clean Waterfront, an organization that consists of 15-20 organizations that started meeting more than ten years ago.  These goals and objectives are intended to help assure that the Master Plan Planning process is based on sound community-based values.  Commissioner Gravanis stated that these objectives would be consistent with Urban Accord 21 and the City’s Sustainability Plan.  It was also explained that the endorsement of these objectives and their incorporation into the criteria that are going to be set is consistent with the Precautionary Principle.

 

Commissioner Gravanis summarized the objectives and indicated that one of the most important aspects is to readdress environmental justice issues in the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood.  It was stated that the existing sewage storm water system that the City has places a disproportionate burden on the southeast community in terms of all of the various negative impacts that are experienced there (e.g. odor, flooding, leaks, receiving 85% of the City’s wastewater).  SWAle would like to see the relocation of the digesters to help alleviate the environmental injustices that are now a part of the Wastewater Master Plan.  Other aspects are to stop the discharge of minimally treated sewage into the bay and ocean by coming up with low impact development techniques to keep stormwater out of the system.  Other objectives cited included a watershed based planning approach, decentralized approach to how the City treats its sewage and stormwater, and additional methods of dealing with stormwater that have multiple environmental benefits to include wildlife habitat and environmental education that can be done in a way that is more economically sustainable.  

 

Vice-Chair Wald advised that the PUC representatives that gave a presentation at the January 16 Policy Committee meeting stated that the objectives that SWAle put forward are consistent with their Master Plan objectives.

 

COMMISSION VOTE:  Approved.  Upon Motion by Vice-Chair Wald and second by Commissioner Gravanis, the Resolution endorsing the SWAIe Wastewater Master Plan Objectives was approved without objection.  (Absent:  Commissioner King).  Commissioner Gravanis advised that the adopted Resolution would be forwarded to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

 

7.      INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION:  Update on the Department of Public Works/Army Corps of Engineers Erosion Mitigation Project at Ocean Beach.

SPONSOR:  Jared Blumenfeld, Director

SPEAKER:  Frank Filice, Department of Public Works

 

Director Blumenfeld reported that Mr. Frank Filice, Department of Public Works, the Army Corps of Engineers, and Department of the Environment staff have been involved in Ocean Beach restoration.  It was stated that San Francisco has one of the largest stretches of urban beach in any city in the world and has been neglected for a long time.  Director Blumenfeld stated that it is complicated how Ocean Beach is managed in terms of the different interagency involvement from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) to Recreation and Park Department.  Mr. Filice has been effectively dealing with this issue for a long time.  The Department of the Environment had previously managed the Ocean Beach Task Force.  Many recommendations were brought forward, a web site developed, and Department staff tried to make it a priority.  It was stated that Ocean Beach deserves attention because of the neglect that is has suffered.

 

Mr. Frank Filice gave an information presentation about his work on the Ocean Beach Erosion Mitigation Project.  A history of the project was discussed.  It was stated that before the Commission had a department, in 1990, Mr. Filice was a member of the Ocean Beach Committee.  The location that was described is an area of Ocean Beach that is 2 ½  - 3 miles long that runs from the bluffs at Fort Funston north past the Beach Chalet all the way to Lands End.  The erosion area of most importance is south of Sloat Boulevard.  The problem has existed since the winter of 1994/1995 and there has been seasonal erosion.  In 1996, 600 feet of large boulders were placed to stop erosion that was occurring between two parking lots.  Since that time, Ocean Beach has experienced cyclical erosion events.  In 1999, there was a large erosion of about 50 feet of bluff area along a 300-foot section.

 

Project Background:  Mr. Filice presented background information for the past six to seven years on the project.  In 2000, the Mayor’s Office created the Ocean Beach Task Force with the involvement of the Department of the Environment, Public Works, and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), the Recreation and Park Department, and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA).  Ocean Beach is owned and operated by GGNRA.  The City has land site improvements, roads, sewers, and water pipes inland of Ocean Beach.  The erosion problem for the most part is a GGNRA issue, but it affects the City.  It was stated that the GGNRA has been cooperative in allowing the City to investigate and evaluate issues regarding their property.

 

In 2002, the Commission on the Environment passed a Resolution requesting monitoring of the beach and bluff erosions, investigating relocating southbound traffic if necessary, supporting policies such as not placing rock on the beach, preparing public notices and announcements, and promoting the design installation of a new Great Highway alignment south of Sloat Boulevard.  It was requested that less costly and temporary alternatives to sacrificial sand placement such as infrastructure relocation, restoration, and beach dunes be evaluated.  For three years, 25,000 yards of sand that was removed from Angel Island was trucked in at a cost of about $300,000 a year.  After the third year, then Mayor Brown stated that other ideas should be researched.  A detour lane was installed in case there was further erosion that would affect the roadway and a more aggressive maintenance program was implemented. 

 

Efforts made to date:  Mr. Filice reported that a Task Force and Stakeholders meeting was held in March 2005 to evaluate a series of alternatives and there was support from fourteen different public agencies.  The Task Force is looking at ways of effectively moving sand in the system so future problems are not created.  It was stated that the USGS is providing technical support and is now looking at the Corps of Engineers maintenance practices for keeping the ship channel open in order to move hundreds of thousands of yards of sand a year out of the channel and possibly moving the sand inland onto the beach or near shore.

 

Mr. Filice reported that the project is now an interagency function to influence people to communicate.  It was stated that there has been success in obtaining appropriations in the past to help the Corps with their studies and funding has been received from Boating and Waterways to begin program studies.  The USGS and a new funding partner, the Mineral Management Service, a group within the Department of the Interior that manages the offshore mineral leases, natural gas and oil leases, will be further investigating the sand movement, identifying coarser grain sands that will stick on the beach better, and beginning more scientific investigations. 

 

Mr. Peter Mull, Corps of Engineers reported that from the Corps perspective, there is a good opportunity to utilize the sand that is removed from the federal shipping channel entrance to the Bay and that over the last couple of years, sand has been placed adjacent to the Sloat shoreline in late May, early June.  It was stated that means are being developed to support the natural processes by placing sand in the system so that the system can dissipate wave energy, as it needs to during storm cycles.  The Corps is researching the possibility of permanently designating the location as an alternative disposal or placement area for the sand. 

 

Mr. Mull stated that the Corps is using best sustainable practices and using sediment to construct vegetated sand dunes along that section of Ocean Beach as there is along other stretches of the beach.  The sand dunes would then help supply the beach in periods of storm activity; the vegetation will help hold that in place, enhances recreational opportunities, and may even provide ecological benefits to endangered species such as the Snowy Plover. 

 

Commissioner Gravanis thanked Mr. Filice and Mr. Mull for their presentation and stated that she is pleased that alternatives are being pursued to the hard structure approach that was the only one talked about many years ago.  Commissioner Gravanis asked what the Commission and Department could do to help with this effort. Mr. Filice stated that minor Department staff involvement and future support from the Commission would be helpful. Mr. Mull stated that with all of the priorities that the federal budget is facing, it is important to have reminders from local constituents that this is an important project to the City that supports the environmental and sustainable approach.

 

8.      DISCUSSION AND ACTION: Intergovernmental Office Use Policy (Explanatory Document:  Intergovernmental Office Use Policy)

STAFF:  David Assmann, Deputy Director

 

Deputy Director Assmann explained that the current version of the Intergovernmental Office Use Policy is much more restrictive than what was previously proposed.  The Intergovernmental Office Use Policy (explanatory document above) was read.

 

President Pelosi Jr. asked if the Policy had been approved by the City Attorney’s Office.  Deputy Director Assmann confirmed that it was approved by the City Attorney’s Office and had been heard by the Operations Committee at their January meeting.  Vice-Chair Wald stated that the Controller’s Office might ask the Department how it is monitoring the visiting agency’s activities and for its relevance to the Department’s Charter.  It was recommended that the Department prepare a written document that monitors activities.

 

Director Blumenfeld explained that there are two financial aspects (1) coverage of telephone calls and (2) availability of space.  It was stated that the maximum office use would be for one year.  Director Blumenfeld explained that the case that led to this issue was office space use for the UN Global Compact who spent approximately a month in the office, and that other people were also using the space.  It was explained that office use is available as a resource for volunteers and presents no net increase in expenditure.   

 

Vice-Chair Wald stated that she is unsure whether the Controller’s Office would think that having visitors do their own tracking and monitoring would be acceptable if they were there for an extended period of time.  President Pelosi Jr. stated that the Commission wants to make sure that this situation was not giving any City property for non-City use.  Director Blumenfeld stated that is why the office use is restricted to inter-governmental agencies as they have a prescribed focus of what they are doing. 

 

Deputy Director Assmann explained that the Auditor’s concern was that Impound Account funds were being used appropriately and in this situation, the Department is not paying anybody.  Vice-Chair Wald recommended that the Department monitor the visiting agency’s activities (e.g. telephone calls and photocopying) instead of allowing the visiting agency to do their own tracking.

 

Public Comment:  Ms. Nancy Wuerfel stated that she does not feel that the Department has a volunteer policy, and that the proposed Policy addresses only the U.N. issue.  It was stated that the Department could still be accused of providing a gift of space to the U.N.  Ms. Wuerfel discussed an Operations Committee discussion about additional space needed on the third floor because of Departmental overcrowding issues and indicated that she has had a hard time reconciling buying more space, part of what is paid for by the Impound Account, but yet giving space to other people.  Ms. Wuerfel recommended that volunteers be allowed to use office space but not for an extended period of time.

 

COMMISSION VOTE:  Approved.  Upon Motion by Commissioner Mok and second by Commissioner Gravanis, the Intergovernmental Office Use Policy was approved without objection.  (Absent:  Commissioner King)

 

9.      DISCUSSION AND ACTION:  Election of Officers.  Upon Motion by President Pelosi Jr. and second by Commissioner Mok, Vice-Chair Wald was elected Commission Vice-President without objection (Absent:  Commissioner King).  Upon Motion by Commissioner Mok and second by Commissioner Gravanis, President Pelosi Jr. was elected as Commission President without objection (Absent:  Commissioner King). 

 

10.  INFORMATION:  Public Notice of 2007 Subscription and Renewal of Commission on the Environment and Committee Notices and Agendas as required by the Commission on the Environment Bylaws (Explanatory Document:  Subscription Request Form).

STAFF:  Monica Fish, Commission Secretary

 

Ms. Fish announced that the Commission on the Environment’s Bylaws Article VIII requires that a request from a member of the media or public to receive notices, agendas, or agenda packets for Commission or committee meetings must be in writing and specify what the person would like to receive and whether notice by email is preferred.  Such requests will be valid until the following January.  In January of each year, the Commission will ask each person on the list to re-affirm their desire to stay on the list for another year through a notice on the Commission’s January agenda.  Ms. Fish stated that this notice on the Commission’s agenda fulfills the requirement, and that a Subscription Request Form would be forwarded to all agenda subscribers.

 

Vice-Chair Wald asked if this Bylaws requirement is from the time when notices were sent by mail and not email and suggested considering revising the Bylaws to alleviate the work involved in this process.  Ms. Fish advised that all subscribers at this time with the exception of one receive their agendas by email.  It was stated that there was a lot of work involved in the initial mailing list updates to make it current, but should not be as time consuming at this time.  Deputy Director Assmann recommended that the Subscription Request Form could be revised to request that people respond only if they want to be deleted from the list instead of sending a yearly request.  President Pelosi Jr. stated that sending the request once a year is a good policy in order to be more inclusive.

11.  INFORMATION: Commission Secretary’s Report

Monica Fish, Commission Secretary

§        Communications and Correspondence

§        Update on Pending City Legislation

 

Ms. Fish presented a Commission Secretary Report reporting on (1) communications and correspondence received from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission that will be hosting a Water Utility Climate Change Summit on January 31 through February 1 and (2) pending City Ordinances on a permitting process for Farmers Market and revisions to the Healthy Products Healthy Children Ordinance (see Commissioner Secretary’s Report web link above).

12.  INFORMATION: Operations Committee Report

▪         Chair’s Report:  Commissioner Mok will highlight the meeting of Wednesday, January 17, 2007 and review the agenda for the upcoming meeting on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, at 4:00 p.m., 11 Grove Street, Eco-Center Conference Room.

 

Commissioner Mok reported on the January 17, 2007 Operations Committee Meeting discussions that included (1) the combined Environmental Justice and Recycling program areas Request for Proposal; (2) Environmental Justice Incoming Grant Awards - funding allocation and timeline; (3) Operations Committee recommendation of approval to the Commission on the Department’s FY 2007-08 Fiscal Year Budget and Intergovernmental Office Use Policy.

13.  INFORMATION: Policy Committee Report

▪         Chairs Report:  Commissioner Wald will highlight the Rescheduled Meeting of Tuesday, January 16, 2007 and will review the agenda for the upcoming meeting on Monday, February 12, 2007, 5:00 p.m. to be held at City Hall, Room 421. 

 

Vice-Chair Wald stated that the Policy Committee at their January 16, 2007 meeting, heard a presentation and discussion by Ms. Bonnie Jones and Mr. Jon Loiacono, SFPUC, on the mid-phase of the SFPUC Sewer System Master Plan, which is in fulfillment of Urban Environmental Accord Action 21 which was selected by the Commission as a priority for 2006.  Mr. Michael Cohen, Director of Mayor’s Office of Base Reuse and Real Estate Development presented an informational presentation and discussion on the Hunters Point Shipyard Sustainability and Land Use Plans.  The February 12, 2007 meeting will include the Department’s Strategic Plan for 2007-2009 for Toxics Reduction, Outreach and Environmental Education and an agenda item to discuss and recommend for action to the Commission three key actions from the Accords that the Commission should adopt for 2007. 

14.  INFORMATION: Director’s Report

Nelly Sun, Senior Management Assistant to Jared Blumenfeld, Director, Department of the Environment will give updates on SFE administrative and programmatic operations relating to Budget Planning, Strategic Planning, Climate Division, Outreach and Education Division, Environmental Justice Division, Zero Waste, Toxics Reduction Program, and the Urban Forestry Division.   

 

Director Blumenfeld discussed the Director’s Report that can be referenced in the Director’s Report web link above.  It was stated that Supervisor Mirkarimi introduced legislation requiring all bags at supermarkets to be compostable and Vice-Chair Wald advised that the National Resources Defense Council would be endorsing the legislation. Director Blumenfeld stated that not all information was received from the bag companies by the Friday deadline, but once received would be put together in a comprehensive manner.  It was stated that one of the ways to get compostable items in the green bin instead of the black bin and reach the 75% diversion goal is to offer free compostable bags.

 

15.  INFORMATION:  Upcoming City Developments.  There was no additional discussion on this item.

 

16.  PRESIDENT’S ANNOUNCEMENTS.   There were no announcements made at this time.

17.  INFORMATION:  New Business.  There was no new business heard at this time.

18.  FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.  Commissioner Gravanis stated that at the last Commission meeting, a discussion was held on ways to promote Treasure Island sustainability.  It was stated that there are a number of other challenges on Treasure Island such as energy conservation and that there is no individual metering in any of the residences.  Commissioner Gravanis asked that the Commission at their March or future meeting consider what kinds of things can be done to encourage the residents of the island to conserve water, gas and electricity and on how to educate people on what goes into the green and blue bins.   Commissioner Gravanis recommended that Treasure Island’s Director of Operations report on any new developments.  It was also recommended that the Commission make sure that the Hunters Point Sustainability Plan does not fall off the Commission’s radar and should discuss ways to pursue sustainability there in the near and future term.  President Pelosi Jr. asked that these issues be heard at the March Commission meeting. 

19.  PUBLIC COMMENTS:  Members of the public may address the Commission on matters that are within the Commission’s jurisdiction and are not on today’s agenda.  There was no public comment at this time.

20.  ADJOURNMENT:  The Commission on the Environment meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted by,

 

Monica Fish

Commission Secretary

TEL:  (415) 355-3709

FAX: (415) 554-6393

 

** Copies of explanatory documents are available at (1) the Commission’s office, 11 Grove Street, San Francisco, California between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., (2) on the Commission’s website https://sites.google.com/a/sfenvironment.org/commission/environment-commission as attachments to the meeting agenda or minutes, ;(3) upon request to the Commission Secretary, at telephone number 415-355-3709, or via e-mail at [email protected].

 

Adopted: March 27, 2007