HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-SCJC-2024-4-15
Sustainability & Climate Justice Commission Agenda
Date Monday, April 15th
Time 5 pm
Location City Hall Council Chambers
Watch Online https://www.youtube.com/@CityofIthacaPublicMeetings
Commission Member Attendees
☒ Scott Doyle
☒ Christine O'Malley
☐ David Kay
☒ Iris Packman
☒ Tanya Saunders
☒ Alexander Travis
☒ Aaron Fernando
☒ Siobhan Hull
☒ Nick Goldsmith (virtual)
☒ Fernando de Aragon
☒ Kris Haines-Sharp - Common Council
Liaison
☒ Pierre Saint-Perez- Common Council
Liaison
☒ Rebecca Evans – City of Ithaca Staff
☒ Savannah Vega – City of Ithaca Staff
Agenda Item Timestamp
1. Call to Order 00:01:05
David Kay (Chair) is not in attendance today; Aaron Fernando will serve as interim chair. 00:02:25
Agenda Review: Motion to amend agenda to add Downtown Plan Presentation by 00:04:50
Yamila Fournier as Agenda Item 2.6 (unanimously approved).
2. Public Comment 00:06:20
Yamila Fournier, Senior Planner for the City of Ithaca, shares about the Downtown Plan, 00:06:50
a survey for public feedback on the Downtown Plan, and the planned open house at
the Tompkins County Library on May 2 from 4-7PM.
No additional public comments.
3. Announcements, Reports & Presentations 00:19:40
Announcements: 00:20:00
• The Justice50 resolution will go in front of Common Council for their study session
this Wednesday, April 17th.
Justice 50 Letter: 00:22:00
• Commission Members provided comments to the draft letter in the previous
commission meeting and over email prior to this meeting; Aaron Fernando and
Siobhan Hull addressed those comments within the document.
• Commission Members unanimously approve the letter to be given to 00:28:24
Common Council at the April 17 meeting.
Presentation: 00:30:05
Ithaca Energy Code Supplement by Rebecca Evans
o An informative memo and the letters from Cornell University were sent out in the
agenda packet.
o Presentation included:
o Purpose
o Types of projects that will have to comply with the code
o Phases of implementation by year
o Historical context and general information (point system, etc.)
o Cornell University’s requested amendments and explanations
Thermal Energy Networks
Heating Plants
Fossil Fuel Use
Allowable Renewable Energy Certificates
o Amendment process
4. New Business: 00:55:45
Ithaca Energy Code Supplement Discussion 00:55:45
• Based on the guiding questions posed by Rebecca Evans, commission members provided
feedback on the requested code changes.
• Commission member discussion brought up concerns as well as a desire for more
information and further discussion.
• Public comment from Bethany Ojalehto Mays that detailed concerns about Cornell’s
sustainability plans and the related code supplement requests.
• Commission members feel that they need another discussion before making
recommendations.
Commission members would like the agenda to be posted 1 week in advance of the meeting.
Ithaca Green New Deal Website by Savannah Vega 01:27:05
• Presentation on the potential for a new Ithaca Green New Deal website. This included:
o Our current website
o IGND Scorecard
o Examples of other city’s websites
o Initial ideas for a new website
o Questions for Commission Members
• Commission Members think this is a worthwhile idea and provided initial ideas 01:32:59
and feedback.
5. Meeting Wrap-up: Aaron Fernando 01:41:00
Next Meeting is scheduled for May 13th. Agenda will be posted May 6th.
Adjourned meeting at 01:41:21.