Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-05-25-SLC-min RECEIVED 2021 23 IIMov, 4, d S Ipui °m Sustainable Lexington Committee TOWN CLERK Minutes of Meeting of May 25, 2021 LEXINGTON MA A meeting of the Sustainable Lexington Committee (SLC)was held by Zoom conference. A quorum of at least five was present throughout. Members Present: Cindy Arens, Celis Brisbin, Rick Reibstein, Todd Rhodes (vice- chair), Dan Voss (chair), Charlie Wyman Members Absent: Archana Dayalu, Paul Chernick Other Attendees: Stella Carr(Sustainability Director), Joe Pato (Select Board), Mark Sandeen (Select Board), Charles Hornig (Planning Board), Jeff Rhodin, Ricki Pappo (LexGWAC), Mary Hutton (Mothers Out Front), Lin Jensen, Tina McBride, Marcia Gens, Laureen Sloman, Jeanne Krieger, Nagarjuna Venna The meeting was called to order at 6:04 pm. Todd referenced the opening statement requested by the Town Clerk, and all members and staff present responded that they could hear. 1. Minutes. The minutes of April 27 were approved as written. 2. Comments from residents; new business. Cindy mentioned that the LPS Green Teams were featured by Mass DEP as a spotlighted partner. 3. Presentation on Building Energy nergy Use Disclosure Ordinances (BEUDO)by John Bolduc, Environmental Planner, Cambridge Community Development Department. Mr. Bolduc presented an overview of BEUDOs, how they're typically structured and how they function, and what Cambridge's experience has been. The city adopted the ordinance in 2014 and the first reports were due in 2015. No performance standards were adopted at that time, and data shows about a 1% decline in emissions annually since then, while they need a 3-4% decline to meet city goals. Performance standards are now being considered, with a working group of stakeholders working in collaboration with the city. Committee members asked a number of questions about utility cooperation,performance standards, labs, easing resistance to adoption, work load, and enforcement. Stella reported that she has been in touch with South Portland, Maine, which has a BEUDO and is a municipality more comparable in size to Lexington, and is talking with Concord about the possibility of collaboration on a multi-town approach that would reduce administrative costs. 4. Director's Report. Stella touched on the highlights in her written report: MAPC application; selection of two students for SustainabLY; Town has chosen to purchase the solar system for firehouse; RFP being assembled to select a preferred curbside compost vendor (Dan mentioned a trend away from open-air composting towards digesters); Select Board 1. Sustainable Lexington Committee Minutes of May 25, 2021 endorsed our participating in Cities Race to Zero; EVIP grant obtained for charging ports; working on obtaining a Tesla 3 or Y for the Town Manager's office, which after three years becomes a PD Detective vehicle (other town have given strong positive reviews). Stella walked us through the Cities Race to Zero process. We need to choose one goal to commit to; Stella highlighted several she thinks are good candidates, and committee members are encouraged to send her their thoughts soon. 5. Update on AMP's Solar Alternative On-Bill Credit(AOBC) Opportunity. To help clarify the issues involved with the AMP Project, Dan spent some time exploring options for how the town might generate within its borders sufficient electricity to meet municipal needs of 10-12 million kWh/year. He presented as a focus for discussion the possibility of converting 10+/- acres of forest to solar farm to generate an additional 4+/- million kWh/year above and beyond current or planned generation at Hartwell, schools, and municipal buildings. A long discussion ensued. Rick and Charlie explained their concerns about the AMP project (adverse impacts of losing forest; lack of a thorough alternatives analysis; cutting forest in another town to meet Lexington's needs; ramifications of dividing environmental advocates). Celis expressed concern about entering into an AOBC that would lock the town into a 20-year contract without a more thorough examination of the pros and cons. Todd pointed out the need for a general discussion about what kinds of projects we're interested in and would support, so that staff and committee members can focus on projects most likely to be recommended to the Select Board. He will put it on the agenda for the next meeting. After further discussion and comments from each committee member, the committee voted 5- 0 (with one abstention) not to recommend the AMP project to the Select Board. 6. Review of the Sustainability Plan Sector priorities. Stella explained that she's inclined to restructure her memo to the Select Board to be less about priorities and more of a general update of what we are working on and that will feed into an overall work plan. Todd noted that the list is very much a bottom-up approach, which is useful, but which needs to be tempered by a top-down approach that calls out the items that will make the greatest impact. Stella will refresh her memo and circulate it for further comment, after which she will forward it to the Town Manager. Ricki reported that the Clean Heat Alliance that worked on Articles 29 and 45 is still very much alive and hopes that improved energy standards for the Hartwell corridor will come back to Town Meeting in the fall. Todd mentioned that the Town Manager had expressed his desire to pull the parties together after Town Meeting to talk about the issues that caused 45 to be postponed, and the committee agreed that it would like to participate in continued development of Article 45 in its role as advisory committee to SB on policy on building emissions and sustainability. 2. Sustainable Lexington Committee Minutes of May 25, 2021 Next Meeting: The next regularly scheduled meeting of Sustainable Lexington is at 6 pm on June 22, 2021. The meeting was adjourned at 9:02 pm. Respectfully submitted, Charlie Wyman 3.