JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE HYBRID MEETING FORMAT March 27th, 2024 at 6pm Council Chambers, City Hall 301 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701 Some members of the Committee may be participating by videoconference Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Rohan Lilauwala at (rohan.lilauwala@austintexas.gov or 512-974-9394). CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Kaiba White, Chair (Electric Utility Commission) Diana Wheeler, Vice Chair (Urban Transportation Commission) Charlotte Davis (Resource Mgmt. Commission) Richard Brimer (Environmental Commission - Alternate) Melissa Rothrock (Zero Waste Advisory Commission) Bertha Delgado (Community Development Commission) Larry Franklin (Austin Travis County Food Policy Board) Chris Maxwell-Gaines (Water & Wastewater Commission) Amy Noel (Economic Prosperity Commission) Stephanie Bazan (Parks & Recreation Board) Jon Salinas (Design Commission) Vacant (City Council) Alice Woods (Planning Commission) Rodrigo Leal (Mayor’s Representative) Anna Scott (Mayor’s Representative) Heather Houser (Mayor’s Representative) Yureisly Suarez (Mayor’s Representative) Christopher Campbell (Mayor’s Representative) For more information, please visit: www.austintexas.gov/jsc AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of minutes from the February 28th meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. DISCUSSION 2. Presentation on the goals and strategies in the draft Austin-Travis County Food Policy Plan – Sergio Torres-Peralta, Office of Sustainability 3. Navigating Funding Opportunities – Erik Nelson and Belinda Weaver, Financial Services Department. 4. Presentation on the Staff Response to Resolution 20240215-025, the “Environmental Investment Plan” – Zach Baumer, Office of Sustainability. 5. Public Hearing on Resolution 20240215-025, the “Environmental Investment Plan” DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. Approve FY25 budget recommendations to support the implementation of the Austin Climate Equity Plan as it relates to the objectives of the Joint Sustainability Committee. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 …
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MEETING MINUTES Feb 28, 2024 The Joint Sustainability Committee convened in a hybrid meeting via videoconferencing and at Permitting and Development Center. Chair Kaiba White called the Board Meeting to order at 6:09 pm. Board Members in Attendance in Person: Kaiba White, Rodrigo Leal, Anna Scott, Jon Salinas, Chris Maxwell-Gaines, Christopher Campbell, Haris Qureshi, Charlotte Davis, Larry Franklin Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Diana Wheeler, Stephanie Bazan, Melissa Rothrock, Amy Noel, Heather Houser, Alberta Phillips Board Members Absent: Yure Suarez, Bertha Delgado City Staff in Attendance: Rohan Lilauwala, Zach Baumer CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION • Charlie Mossburger – St. Edwards Civic lab. o Spoke about ‘Get Fertilizer Wiser’ program to replace plants that have low fertilizer requirements • Chioma Okoro – street nurse o Spoke about mental health initiatives 1. Approval of minutes from the Jan 24th meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. • Qureshi motions to approve, Davis seconds, passes on 13-0 vote (Franklin, Phillips off dais) 2. Discussion on the benefits of adopting and implementing the Great Streets Initiative –Kevin Howard • Presentation on Great Streets Initiative • Commissioners discussed details and logistics of supporting a measure at length. 15. Approve a recommendation supporting adoption and implementation of the Great Streets Initiative. • Proposed amendments to clarify goals, add safety for bicycles and peds. • Salinas motions to support goals of Great Streets Initiative. Salinas motions, Davis seconds, passes 14-0 (Phillips off dais). 3. Discussion of next steps on the Environmental Investment Plan Resolution (Item 25 from 2/15 Council Meeting). • JSC will need to hold public hearing in May/Apr • Mar – broad, public input • Apr – narrow, possible staff draft list • May 1 – JSC presentation due; May 30 – staff response due • This is parallel with budget recommendations • JSC has commissioners over many of the plans. Homework for March meeting – each working group to look at each of the plans related to their group. • White to write a short message to share with home commissions 16. Creation of working group to advise on public input and recommendations that are responsive to the Environmental Investment Plan (Item 25 passed by the Austin City Council on 2/15). • Office of Sustainability staff support for working group • White, Leal, Scott, Qureshi, Davis, Salinas, Campbell, Franklin volunteer to be on • White motions to create a …
A Food Plan for Austin-Travis County Find your seat at the table Some Food for Thought Developing a Food Plan What is a Food Plan & why do we need one? ● A Food Plan sets clear Goals and Strategies to move toward a more equitable, sustainable & resilient food system ● The Food Plan builds on several other initiatives made by the County, City, and Communities to tackle key food system issues. ● The Food Plan centers equity and the lived expertise of those most impacted by the current food system Good to Know ● On June 2021 Austin City Council directed the City Manager to initiate a planning process ● Travis County Commissioners Court approved formal participation in the plan in fall 2022 ● A draft was released on March 18th and it’s now open for public comment. Link to full resolution Project Timeline Phase 0: Planning for the Plan Phase 1: Vision Development Phase 2: Goal & Strategy Development Phase 3: Review and Ground truthing September 2021 - January 2023 March - August 2023 September 2023 - February 2024 February - Summer/Fall 2024 We are here ● ● ● ● Building Community Awareness 📰 Release of State of the Food System Report 📚 Onboarding Planning Consultant⭐ Recruitment of Community Teams🚀 ● Website launch 📶 ● World Cafe’s ☕ ● ● ● ● Listening Sessions & Tabling at events 📞 Equity Grounding Workshops 🤝 Community Circles 👐 Selecting Issue Area Groups🍽 ● ● ● ● Issue Area Group Meetings 🏘 Develop Goals and Strategies 🎯 Review Goals and Strategies Develop a draft for the Food Plan 🖊 ● ● ● ● Community Review of Plan 👀 Council and Commissioner Review ⚖ Approval 👍 Adoption 🏁 Co-creating the plan ● Planning Team: Coordinating and managing all moving parts ○ Includes: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ City of Austin staff Travis County staff Consultant Team Equity Consultants Austin Travis Food Policy Board Executive Leadership Team ● Community Advisory Committee: Advisory body overseeing the planning process ● Issue Area Groups: Developing goals and strategies for the plan ● Community Food Ambassadors: Connecting the plan to our communities ● Broader community feedback: Provide input at different stages of the plan Food Plan Structure ● Vision: Describes and articulates our shared aim - the kind of future we agree we would like to move toward together. ● Objectives: The ends towards …
20240215-025 “Environmental Investment Plan” March 27, 2024 1 Resolution 20240215-025 Reaffirm commitment to net-zero by 2040, act with urgency. Prepare options and costs of capital improvements or programs that would: 1. Reduce carbon emissions 2. Decrease water usage and improve water quality and detention 3. Advance the sustainability of City Operations, and 4. Improve Community Resilience Public hearing of the JSC in March (27) / April (24) to gather input from the public JSC to submit any recommendations for investments to Council by May 1 Review whether recommendations can be funded through: - Utility rates and fees - General Fund Expenditures - Grants - General Obligation Bonds (may include Nov 2024) 2 Resolution 20240215-025 Analyze investments needed to fulfill the following adopted plans: - Climate Equity Plan - Water Forward - Watershed Protection Strategic Plan - Green Infrastructure Strengths and Gaps Assessment - One Austin: Climate Resilience Action Plan - Austin Strategic Mobility Plan - ARR Comprehensive Plan - AE Resource Generation Plan - - Austin Travis County Wildfire Preparedness Plan - Central Texas Regional Air Quality Plan - Urban Forest Plan - Austin Travis County Food Plan, State of the Food System Report, & Supply Chain Vulnerability PARD Land Management Plan and Long Range Plan Assessment Analysis should also identify options for fulfilling either all or specific elements of these plans before their current target date. 3 Resolution 20240215-025 Identify capital improvements and programs that would maximize potential Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, and to develop a mechanism for reinvestment of reimbursement from such credits into similarly climate-focused capital improvements and programs, where appropriate. Provide information detailing recommendations or actions taken to promote inter-departmental coordination to ensure that departments have an aligned approach to combating the threats of the climate crisis and natural hazards, including wildfire and flooding. Present to the City Council on or before May 30,2024, with an update of the Austin Climate Equity Plan dashboard, a combined inventory of plan recommendations, and a briefing or memo on applications and opportunities for federal funding relevant to an environmental investment plan. Public hearing on May 30 to consider this Environmental Investment Plan 4 What are they really looking for? Council Member R. Alter’s Office communicated that: - They’re not looking for business as usual spending. - They’re not looking for spending to make annual incremental progress. - They’re looking for the DELTA between our current trajectory and fully …
Joint Sustainability Committee RECOMMENDATION 20240327-XX Date: March 27, 2024 Subject: Austin Energy Budget Recommendations Motioned By: Seconded By: Recommendations on the FY 24-25 Budget Description of Recommendation to Council 1. Low-Income Bill Discounts: Austin Energy customers pay a dedicated Customer Assistance Program fee to provide bill discounts for low-income customers. The purpose of this fee is to provide needed support in a transparent way. Forcing solar to pay for low-income discounts (as is the current structure of Austin Energy’s Community Solar program) only serves to slow the transition to clean energy. Low-income discounts are needed regardless of the source of energy. The Joint Sustainability Committee recommends that all bill discounts for lower-income residents be paid from the Customer Assistance Program fund, including bill discounts for low-income Community Solar subscribers. 2. Transmission Improvements: Improvements to Austin Energy’s transmission system are essential for mitigating local congestion that increases costs to the utility and customers and for enabling the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. Austin Energy commissioned a study that identified five recommended types of transmission upgrades. The Joint Sustainability Committee recommends that these recommended upgrades be implemented as quickly as possible and that sufficient funding be allocated to this need to ensure that that of funds is not a source of delay. 3. Fayette Coal Plant: Austin Energy and the Austin City Council have established that shutting down Austin Energy’s portion of the Fayette coal plant is a top priority. Investing in an asset that the utility is actively trying to shut down is not a prudent use of ratepayer or utility funds. The Joint Sustainability Committee recommends that the budget not include any capital investments in Fayette.
Joint Sustainability Committee RECOMMENDATION 20240327-XX Date: March 27, 2024 Subject: Food Plan Budget Recommendation Motioned By: Seconded By: Recommendations on the FY 24-25 Budget Description of Recommendation to Council Food Plan Implementation: The Austin/Travis County Food Plan will soon be completed. The plan includes a number of strategies that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Austin Climate Equity Plan also includes strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from food consumption and to improve carbon sequestration as part of food production. This work is complex and has the potential to yield significant emissions and equity benefits. The Joint Sustainability Committee recommends that: one (1) Food Plan Project Manager be added to the Office of Sustainability. (est. $150,000) In addition to implementing the Food Plan, this position should be responsible for implementation of the strategies related to food consumption and food production in the Climate Equity Plan.
Joint Sustainability Committee | Navigating Funding Opportunities Council Resolution Key Takeaways • Identify capital improvements and programs that would maximize potential Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, and develop a mechanism for reinvestments of reimbursement from such credits into similarly climate focused capital improvements and programs. • Review and identify which investments from the Committee have the option of being funded through utility rates and fees, general fund expenditures, grants, and/or bond instruments. Resolution: https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=424874 Funding Sources FY 2024 All City Operating Funds – $5.5 Billion Convention Center 5% Aviation 5% Austin Water 13% Austin Resource Recovery 2% General Fund Operations 24% GO Debt Service 4% Internal Service Operations 7% Other Expenses 6% Watershed Protection 2% Austin Energy 28% Transportation and Public Works 4% Funding Sources Utility Rates and Fees • $1.7 billion projected revenue for FY 2024. • 90% from rates and 10% from fees. • AE’s major expenditures include power supply costs, wholesale transmission costs, operating and maintenance expenses, debt service, investment in capital improvements, and transfers to the City’s General Fund. • Energy Efficiency Programs funded by the Community Benefit Charge include: • Rebates and incentives for energy efficiency improvements • Rebates for installation of rooftop solar systems • Austin Energy Green Building Program Funding Sources Utility Rates and Fees • $698.2 million projected revenue for FY 2023‐24. AW utilizes water and wastewater rate revenue through their operating budget and capital improvement program. • AW’s major expenditures include operating and maintenance costs, debt service payments, and transfers to other City funds, including the General Fund, Utility Billing Support, and Administrative Support. • GoPurple Program ‐ Increases use of reclaimed water in and around Austin. By 2040, onsite water reuse will save an estimated 6 million gallons of potable water per day. o Funded through a combination of fees and rates. Funding Sources FY 2024 General Fund Revenue – $1.4 Billion Sales Tax 27.8% Other Revenue 13.1% Utility Transfers 12.1% Property Tax 47.0% Funding Sources FY 2024 Budgeted General Fund Expenditures – 1.4 Billion Police 35% Housing and Planning 2% Parks and Recreation 9% Forensic Science 1% Municipal Court 3% Animal Services 2% EMS 9% Transfers & Other 7% Fire 18% Austin Public Health 9% Library 5% Funding Sources General Fund • The General Fund mainly consists of revenue from property taxes, sales taxes, and utility transfers. $1.4 billion projected revenue for FY 2023‐24. • The General Fund can …
Joint Sustainability Committee RECOMMENDATION 20240327-006 Date: March 27, 2024 Subject: Joint Sustainability Committee Budget Recommendations (Part 2) Recommendations on the FY 24-25 Budget Description of Recommendation to Council 1. Low-Income Bill Discounts: Austin Energy customers pay a dedicated Customer Assistance Program fee to provide bill discounts for low-income customers. The purpose of this fee is to provide needed support in a transparent way. Forcing solar to pay for low-income discounts (as is the current structure of Austin Energy’s Community Solar program) only serves to slow the transition to clean energy. Low-income discounts are needed regardless of the source of energy. The Joint Sustainability Committee recommends that all bill discounts for lower-income residents be paid from the Customer Assistance Program fund, including bill discounts for low-income Community Solar subscribers. Motion: Christopher Campbell Second: Amy Noel Vote: 12-0 Yes: Kaiba White, Rodrigo Leal, Anna Scott, Jon Christopher Campbell, Richard Brimer, Charlotte Davis, Diana Wheeler, Chris Maxwell-Gaines, Craig Nazor, Jon Salinas, Amy Noel, Alice Woods, Chris Campbell Off Dais: Anna Scott Absent: Yure Suarez, Heather Houser, Bertha Delgado, Stephanie Bazan 2. Transmission Improvements: Improvements to Austin Energy’s transmission system are essential for mitigating local congestion that increases costs to the utility and customers and for enabling the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. Austin Energy commissioned a study that identified five recommended types of transmission upgrades. The Joint Sustainability Committee recommends that these recommended upgrades be implemented as quickly as possible, by 2030, and that sufficient funding be allocated to this need to ensure that that of funds is not a source of delay. Motion: Christopher Campbell Second: Amy Noel Vote: 12-0 Yes: Kaiba White, Rodrigo Leal, Anna Scott, Jon Christopher Campbell, Richard Brimer, Charlotte Davis, Diana Wheeler, Chris Maxwell-Gaines, Craig Nazor, Jon Salinas, Amy Noel, Alice Woods, Chris Campbell Off Dais: Anna Scott Absent: Yure Suarez, Heather Houser, Bertha Delgado, Stephanie Bazan 3. Fayette Coal Plant: Austin Energy and the Austin City Council have established that shutting down Austin Energy’s portion of the Fayette coal plant is a top priority. Investing in an asset that the utility is actively trying to shut down is not a prudent use of ratepayer or utility funds. The Joint Sustainability Committee recommends that the budget not include any capital investments in Fayette. The Joint Sustainability Committee also recommends allocating $175,000 to support water quality monitoring and remediation. Motion: Christopher Campbell Second: Amy Noel Vote: 12-0 …
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MEETING MINUTES Mar 27, 2024 The Joint Sustainability Committee convened in a hybrid meeting via videoconferencing and City Hall. Chair Kaiba White called the Board Meeting to order at 6:20 pm. Board Members in Attendance in Person: Kaiba White, Rodrigo Leal, Anna Scott, Richard Brimer, Charlotte Davis, Diana Wheeler, Chris Maxwell-Gaines, Craig Nazor, Jon Salinas Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Amy Noel, Alice Woods, Chris Campbell Board Members Absent: Heather Houser, Bertha Delgado, Stephanie Bazan, Yure Suarez, Melissa Rothrock City Staff in Attendance: Rohan Lilauwala, Zach Baumer, Leti Alvarez, Sergio Torres-Peralta, Erik Nelson, Belinda Weaver CALL TO ORDER Chair Kaiba White called the meeting to order at 6:20 pm. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION 1. Approval of minutes from the Feb 28th meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. Brimer motions to approve, Maxwell-Gaines seconds, passes on 10-0 vote (Scott, Salinas off dais) 3. Navigating Funding Opportunities – Erik Nelson and Belinda Weaver, Financial Services Department Presentation on how the city budget works, and sources of revenue and how they function. White: are any revenue sources constrained? Nelson: general fund tight due to lege constraints, ways to override. Other sources have legal limitations on what they can be used for. 2. Presentation on the goals and strategies in the draft Austin-Travis County Food Policy Plan – Sergio Torres-Peralta, Office of Sustainability Presentation on high level food planning process, structure, goals, objectives Campbell: what are some hurdles to implement the plan? Torres: need to find a balance between community desires and what is feasible and can go in the plan. 4. Presentation on the Staff Response to Resolution 20240215-025, the “Environmental Investment Plan” – Zach Baumer, Office of Sustainability JSC will need 5. Public Hearing on Resolution 20240215-025, the “Environmental Investment Plan” Ted Eubanks – need to balance green with density (acres purchased and restored, wetland preserved, etc.). Inventory public lands, convert to green space, no net loss for green space, etc. Bobby Levinski, representing SOS Alliance – support Rewilding goals + programs to improve water quality. Protect land, water-smart infrastructure, smart mowing, study and mitigate damage from Fayette coal plant Spencer Schumacher – in support of ATX Walk Bike Roll, actionable items that can meet goals of ACEP and ASMP. $211 million delta between goals and funded items in mobility bonds. Tanya Payne – Rewilding ATX sent 10 recommendations. …
