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CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO COMMISSION ON THE ENVIRONMENTOPERATIONS COMMITTEE
REGULAR MEETING APPROVED MINUTES
Wednesday, January 18, 2006, 4:00 P.M.Department of the Environment11 Grove Street, Ground Floor Conference RoomSan Francisco, CA 94102
COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Commissioners Arlene Rodriguez (Chair); Paul Pelosi Jr. and Alan Mok
Commission Secretary: Monica Fish
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Public comment will be taken before the Committee takes action on any item.
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
The meeting was called to order at 4:15 p.m. Present: Commissioners Pelosi Jr. and Mok. Excused: Commissioner Rodriguez.
2. ACTION: Adoption of Minutes of the October 17, 2005 Special Rescheduled Meeting.
Upon motion by Commissioner Pelosi Jr. and second by Commissioner Mok, the October 17, 2005 Special Rescheduled Meeting Minutes were adopted with no objection (Absent: Commissioner Rodriguez). There was no public comment at this time. (Explanatory Document: Draft and Approved Minutes of the October 17, 2005 Special Rescheduled Meeting).
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Members of the public may address the Committee on matters that are within the Committee’s jurisdiction and are not on today’s agenda. There was no public comment at this time.
4. INFORMATIONAL REPORT: Environmental Justice Program—Funding Priorities for 2006 and Development of Special Projects (Explanatory Document: Environmental Justice Program Funding Priorities and Special Projects – 2006). Staff: Anne Eng, Environmental Justice Program Manager
Environmental Justice Program Manager Anne Eng reported on the Environmental Justice grant program for 2006 and discussed funding priorities, the grant application process, and special projects that include:
· City Tree Nursery · Bayview Farmers Market · Renewable Solar Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Projects · Indoor Air Quality and Green Building Project
Commissioner Mok inquired as to the time required to install solar energy systems and the number of jobs that would be created. Ms. Eng explained that (1) installation could be completed within a month, but the permitting and application process may require a six-month lead time because of the time to process state rebates, technical evaluations, and a shortage of solar equipment; (2) anticipates the installation of ten systems in 2006; (3) reported that opportunities for creation of jobs have been limited at this time, but explained that the State of California has committed funding to installing a million solar rooftops in California in the next few years, and the Environmental Justice program is in a good position to work with Bayview or low-income residents to provide them with training and experience to work on solar projects on low-income housing.
Public Comment: Ms. Nancy Wuerfel inquired as to the source of land to develop and grow trees and funding for the City Tree Nursery project. Ms. Eng reported that City agencies would be consulted to identify available land, and that property may be available near Alemany and the open space near the Alice Griffith housing project. Ms. Eng indicated that Requests for Proposals and Qualifications would be issued in order to identify potential sites. It was reported that environmental justice grant funds would be used and this project would produce revenue from the holiday tree program and a request would be made for a commitment from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to buy local trees for the Bayview district.
Staff: David Assmann, Deputy Director
Deputy Director David Assmann presented the Department of the Environment’s Fiscal-Year 2006-2007 Draft Budget discussing revenues and expenditures for (1) program grants; (2) general fund budget, which are revenues received from other city departments for programs and services that the Department works on and related expenditures to perform these services; and (3) the Impound Account and future adjustments to salaries and benefits.
Commissioner Pelosi Jr. inquired about refuse rate review expenditures. Deputy Director Assmann stated that the refuse rate review allocation would appear as a separate line item in the fiscal year 2010-2011-budget. A detailed presentation would be given at the Thursday, January 26, 2006 workshop to be held at City Hall, Room 408 at 6:00 p.m.
Commissioner Mok inquired as to whether there would be available monies to carry forward to the 2006-07 fiscal year budget. Deputy Director Assmann reported that a projection could be made in March, and that impound and grant monies could be carried forward, but general fund monies are required to go back to the general fund.
Public Comment: Ms. Nancy Wuerfel asked for an explanation of the $2.1 million professional services grant expenditure. Deputy Director Assmann reported that the expenditures would be allocated to (1) $2,000,000 for business peak energy program--energy efficiency installations that would be determined through an RFP process; (2) $114,000 for the bottle-can recycling contractor; (3) 30,000 oil-grant; and (4) 25,000 for LEED certification of a green building for the environmental justice grant program.
Ms. Wuerfel questioned why the percentage of environmental justice expenses from the impound account exceeded the percentage listed in the 2003 Department of the Environment Memo that had been submitted to the City Attorney’s office. Deputy Director Assmann reported that new guidelines had been proposed that will be submitted for approval and that he would provide Ms. Wuerfel with a copy of the new guidelines.
Ms. Wuerfel asked for the aggregate amount of space rental monies needed for 11 Grove and 25 Van Ness. Deputy Director Assmann reported that $396,000 would be needed between the two locales, and that savings would be reached after the move as rent at 11 Grove is $27,000 a month, and rent at 25 Van Ness would be $21,000.
Upon Motion by Commissioner Pelosi Jr. and second by Commissioner Mok, the Draft 2006-2007 Department Fiscal Year Budget was approved to forward to the full Commission for consideration and vote at their January 24, 2006 meeting. (Absent: Commissioner Rodriguez)
Staff: David Assmann, Deputy Director
Deputy Director Assmann updated the Committee on the Department’s move to 25 Van Ness Avenue and Eco-Center Plan and Design. It was reported that:
· The Department would be moving to 25 Van Ness Avenue in a two-phase process beginning with the Energy Group on April 28, 2006 and the remaining staff on June 1, 2007 due to availability of space.
· The lease at 11 Grove is now on a month-to-month basis and there would be a two-phase reduction in rent.
· The move and renovation would cost about $1 million and that the Department would be required to raise half of the $1 million. The City is not providing the Department with the full cost of the move and renovation and is requiring that the Department raise the funds beyond what they supply and what is in the Department’s budget.
· The Department’s fund raising project goal is to raise $300,000 cash and $500,000 in-kind contributions for an eco-center. HOK Architects has been hired and is donating half of their services to produce a plan. A preliminary plan will be available at the end of January. The goal is to rebuild the space at 25 Van Ness and make it a LEED standard facility.
Public Comment: Ms. Nancy Wuerfel inquired whether the City would be contributing $200,000 to the move and whether the physical move was part of the projected $1 million figure. Deputy Director Assmann reported that the City set up a building fund for the move and that the Department would be receiving a small portion of that fund. He confirmed that part of the $1 million figure would be allocated toward the physical move. 7. INFORMATION: New Business: No new business was heard at this time.8. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: Update on the move to 25 Van Ness Avenue and presentation of Plan.9. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Members of the public may address the Committee on matters that are within the Committee’s jurisdiction and are not on today’s agenda. No public comment was heard at this time.10. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 5:10 p.m.
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; (3) upon request to the Commission Secretary, at telephone number 415-355-3709, or (4) via e-mail at [email protected].
Adopted: April 19, 2006 |
Operations Committee > 2006 Meetings >
