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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-06-04ENVY1997-06-04 JUNE 4, 1997 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE MINUTES CITY OF KITCHENER The Environmental Committee met this date commencing at 4:00 p.m. under Councillor T. Galloway, Chair, with the following members present: Councillors C. Weylie and J. Ziegler and Mrs. J. Haalboom, Ms. A. Coffey, Ms. D. Hartman and Messrs. B. Harper, J. Kay and P. Kay. Councillor Jake Smola entered the meeting after its commencement. Officials Present: Messrs. B. Stanley, T. Clancy, B. Allen, C. Ford and L.W. Neil. This meeting was held in the boardroom of MTE Consultants Inc., located at the Green on the Grand building, 650 Riverbend Drive, Kitchener. UPDATE ON PROCESS RE: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (ELS) AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (EA) - HURON NATURAL AREA WESTERN BOUNDARY Mr. B. Stanley provided the Committee with an update on process respecting the above referenced ElS and EA regarding the Huron Natural Area Western Boundary. He advised that a public open house has been held and comments have been forwarded to the study team. He noted that the Committee had slowed the process in mid March to allow the Huron Board of Directors an opportunity to respond in respect to this matter. At this time the study consultants are now able to proceed and the anticipated timetable is to complete a second draft document by the end of June and thereafter hold a second open house probably in July. It is hoped to make a presentation to the Environmental Committee at its July 2nd meeting with additional public input being sought commencing in July and conclude this issue in September. Mr. Stanley pointed out that the comments on the ElS by the Huron Natural Area Board of Directors were quite encompassing and every attempt was being made to incorporate as many of the concerns that were expressed by all parties responding in respect to this matter. He pointed out that the boundary of the natural area itself was another matter that was outside the terms of reference being dealt with by the current process. Mr. James Kay concurred that the detailed remarks provided by Mr. Stanley this date were a full and accurate account of the proceedings to date. Councillor T. Galloway and Mr. T. Clancy clarified that $120,000 had been approved by the Huron Natural Area Board of Directors toward the Master Plan process for the park and that it was critical to resolve boundary issues. 2. FCM 20% CLUB GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION RE: KITCHENER PROGRAM At an earlier Committee meeting it had been agreed that Messrs. P. Kay and C. Ford would provide an update on a regular basis respecting a Kitchener program to achieve FCM 20% Club Greenhouse Gas Reduction goals. Mr. P. Kay advised that one team of his university students are presently evaluating what was necessary to inventory the amount of carbon stored in the local environment. Data derived from this undertaking will then allow for further assessments with respect to emissions. Subsequently the focus can then be to deal with implications and actions with regard to greenhouse gas reduction. He pointed out that care must be taken to spell out the methodology on which the program would be based. It was also pointed out that the benefit of this undertaking was that the City would be better informed on this issue thereby allowing for more effective policy decisions to be made. Mr. C. Ford advised that the university students have been given Messrs. Stanley and Clancy's names as reference in respect to this matter. Councillor C. Weylie advised that she had sat on the FCM Environmental Committee and that through that Committee she had not heard of any other similar work being done in Canada. Mr. C. Ford advised that ICLEI has a monitoring software package available and that staff may be able to make a presentation to the Committee in this regard. Mr. P. Kay advised that some numbers in respect to a Kitchener program would be available by August that could be considered at the Committee's September meeting. ENVIRONMENTAL MINUTES JUNE 4, 1997 COMMI1-FEE -21 - CITY OF KITCHENER TOUR OF GREEN ON THE GRAND Councillor Jake Smola entered the meeting at this point. Mr. Steven Carpenter, Enermodal Engineering Limited, provided the Committee with a slide presentation and commentary with regard to the initiation, design, construction and completion of the Green on the Grand. The slides highlighted many of the environmental considerations that took place both during construction and within the building itself. It was noted that the Green on the Grand was Canada's 1st C-2000 Office Building to be completed and represented a new standard in energy efficiency and environmental responsibility in commercial construction. Committee members were provided with a booklet on the development of the Green on the Grand that highlighted: design objectives, building form, building envelope, heating and cooling systems, heat recovery and ventilation, water conservation, lighting, finishing, furnishing and office equipment, landscaping, waste management and the finished product and economics of the building. Mr. S. Carpenter then took the Committee on a tour of the building to illustrate many of its environmental features. CITY OF KITCHENER ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIC PLAN - UPDATE ON STATUS OF INITIATIVES COMPLETED IN 1996 Mr. B. Stanley distributed the following summaries to the Committee: - Environmental Strategic Plan - Status of Initiatives - Status of Level I Initiatives - Strategic Plan Initiatives categorized as follows: · not started · underway/on-going · completed Mr. Stanley advised that this information was being tabled with the Committee at this time with the intention of discussing the material in greater depth at the Committee's next meeting. He pointed out that City Council's Corporate Action Plan contains an initiative to complete as many initiatives in the Strategic Plan for the Environment as possible. He asked that the Committee take note of how a shading technique has been used to assist the Committee in its review of the status of strategic plan initiatives and pointed out that everything the Committee has done from the very beginning is contained in the summary. He noted that the summary tables distributed this date deal only with revisions since 1995. Mr. Stanley commented that the question of multi year initiatives needs to be further refined as to whether phases to complete such initiatives are being utilized. Mr. Stanley requested that the Committee review the documents and determine if there were any initiatives that they require further information on and that they contact either himself or Avril Tanner for such information. He also asked that the Committee consider if additional steps are warranted in regards to completed initiatives and stressed that the process he has suggested puts more of an onus on the Committee with regard to the final effectiveness of the strategic plan. It was pointed out that initiatives 1.2.4, 1.2.5, 2.1.5 and 5.1.9 were new initiatives and Councillor T. Galloway advised that the Committee should address these initiatives by giving its approval to the initiatives as written or revising them before approval. PESTICIDE RESOLUTION Councillor T. Galloway advised that the Committee's pesticide resolution approved at its May meeting was amended by City Council on June 3, 1997. He indicated that the context of the resolution was changed so that it would focus on a letter being sent to the Ministry of the Environment with a copy of such letter being mailed to all local lawn care companies. ENVIRONMENTAL MINUTES JUNE 4, 1997 COMMITFEE CITY OF KITCHENER PESTICIDE RESOLUTION (CONT'D) Mr. P. Kay advised that a university student was undertaking a project to survey attitudes and perceptions among the public with regard to pesticide use and he requested that he be provided with a copy of the letter to be sent to the MOE. FUTURE ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION As referenced in item #4 of the May 7th minutes it was asked that the legality of municipal regulation of pesticide use be pursued and considered at the next meeting. ADJOURNMENT On motion, the meeting adjourned at 6:05 p.m. L. W. Neil, AMCT Assistant City Clerk