| SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION THURSDAY Dec. 12, 2024 |
HYBRID MEETING SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE 419 N. Mogollon St. AND MICROSOFT TEAMS 4:30 - 5:30 P.M. |
NOTICE: The December 26th Sustainability Commission meeting was moved one week earlier to December 12th (to accommodate the holiday season).
Vision: The City of Flagstaff is a culture and community that thrives in response to the Climate Crisis.
Mission: To advise Sustainability Division Staff on matters related to climate and sustainability, support community projects through Neighborhood Sustainability Grants, and provide feedback to the City Council on sustainability issues.
Members of the public may join the meeting online, via Microsoft Teams.
| NOTE: One or more Commissioner may be in attendance through other technological means. |
| AMY WOLKOWINSKY - CHAIR (Present) MARY METZGER - VICE CHAIR (Present) COMMISSIONER ELIJAH BORN (Present - Joined at 4:37 P.M.) COMMISSIONER CAMERON CARLSON (Present) |
COMMISSIONER KRISTEN KONKEL (Present) COMMISSIONER TOM LAMMIE (Present) COMMISSIONER RODGER SCURLOCK (Present, Online) |
Others present:
Tia Hatton (Commission Staff Liaison and Sustainability Coordinator II), Genevieve Pearthree (Climate Analyst), and Marisa Miller (Administrative Specialist).
Chair Wolkowinsky read the following Land Acknowledgment: The Sustainability Commission humbly acknowledges the ancestral homelands of this area’s Indigenous nations and original stewards. These lands, still inhabited by Native descendants, border mountains sacred to Indigenous peoples. We honor them, their legacies, their traditions, and their continued contributions. We celebrate their past, present, and future generations who will forever know this place as home.
At this time, any member of the public may address the Commission on any subject within their jurisdiction that is not scheduled before the Commission on that day. Due to Open Meeting Laws, the Commission cannot discuss or act on items presented during this portion of the agenda. To address the Commission on an item that is on the agenda, please use the Teams Chat function: simply type in "public comment" to indicate to the Chair that you would like to comment. The Chair will then recognize you when it is time for public comment, and staff will unmute your microphone if needed.
View the DRAFT November Minutes
The informal Regional Plan Working Group (comprised of Commissioners Born and Carleson and Vice Chair Metzger) shared their recommendations on behalf of the Sustainability Commission to regional planning staff and city council (Ms. Hatton agreed to check with the City Manager’s Office to ensure this is the proper protocol). This response included a cover letter drafted by Vice Chair Metzger, narrative comments on the Regional Plan draft, and specific comments compiled on a spreadsheet.
Chair Wolkowinsky thanked the Working Group for their time and effort in responding to the Regional Plan update guided the ensuing discussion.
Commissioners reviewed and made suggestions to the Working Group’s response. In brief, their suggestions included:
- Provide more explicit definitions. With regard to equity, shift to language that is more inclusive.
- Create a diagram or illustration to contextualize priorities, vision, themes, objectives, goals, policies, and terminology. The draft Regional Plan is confusing and seems redundant on these points.
- Add a more comprehensive priority item: to improve economic vibrancy, climate resilience, and community health.
- Add next steps to objectives.
- Change a theme from “community character” to “community identity.” “Character” may be interpreted as a moral standard and can and has been used as a tool for resistance to sustainability and inclusivity. “Identity” is more of a secular standard.
- Move the Transportation and PROSE maps and narratives to those respective chapters.
- Add a chapter about climate action without removing the references to sustainability in the other chapters. This can be done with callout boxes and/or a climate action icon/symbol.
- Policy CA-7 should require that development projects incorporate sustainability and climate action into their planning process, by quantifying and explaining how they will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Chair Wolkowinsky moved to adopt the cover letter and approve action items in the documents (with edits for clarity and length), keeping the intention as discussed at the meeting and as documented by Ms. Hatton in the comments. Commissioner Konkel seconded the motion. All five remaining Commissioners said “aye.” Motion approved.
Ms. Hatton suggested attaching the spreadsheet document after anonymizing comments for detail. Chair Wolkowinsky made the motion, Vice Chair Metzger seconded the motion, and the five remaining Commissioners said “aye.” Motion approved.
Commissioner Carleson requested a discussion of water pollution concerns on a regional and city level. He suggested inviting Water Services to join the discussion and provide insight.
Commissioner Konkel suggested the creation of a working group to plan a previously proposed event in spring 2025 for Neighborhood Sustainability Grant recipient presentations.
Commissioner Born requested adding the J.W. Powell Boulevard improvements plan as an agenda item, especially given its relevance to the Regional Plan. Commissioner Metzger suggested discussing the Lake Mary Road project as well.