San Diego Environment Committee Meeting – April 19, 2018

Note: The transcript opens with the Chair stating the meeting date as April 12, 2018. However, the provided meeting date is April 19, 2018. This summary uses the supplied date, but the discrepancy is noted.

The Environment Committee of the San Diego City Council convened at 1:15 PM on April 19, 2018, under the chairmanship of Councilmember David Alvarez. Councilmembers Kate, Gomez, and Sherman were present. The meeting covered a range of environmental, infrastructure, and energy issues, including a ballot measure on electric utility franchise reform, a truck route ordinance for Barrio Logan, a bicycle plan, and utility oversight reports.

Consent Calendar

• Items 1–7: Approved unanimously without discussion. These routinely included action records from the March 8, 2018 meeting and other non-controversial items.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Martha Welch (non‑agenda): Expressed opposition to a waiver for the Point Loma wastewater treatment plant from environmental review, citing concerns about sewage discharge, inadequate staffing, and the long‑standing waiver. She urged the committee to address the issue.
• Item 9 – Ballot measure on electric utility franchise:
  • Claudia Valenzuela (SDG&E): Opposed the ballot proposal, arguing that franchise agreements should only cover right‑of‑way access and not broader climate or energy goals. She noted SDG&E already delivers 43% renewable energy and is willing to negotiate a franchise renewal.
  • John Stump (resident, former Sierra Club chair): Supported the proposal, stating that San Diego businesses (e.g., hospitality) pay 33% more for electricity than competitors and that the franchise should include local hiring and climate targets.
  • Sebastian Saria (Climate Action Campaign): Supported the proposal, criticizing SDG&E for high rates and lack of a credible 100% clean energy plan; urged restoring local control.
  • Sonia Robinson (Romero Institute, Community Choice Alliance): Supported, calling for 100% renewable energy by 2035 and lower rates through a community choice program.
  • James Ferguson (San Diego 350): Supported, arguing that the city has legal authority to set franchise terms and that modern franchise agreements should be short (≤10 years), require transparency, and allow the city to generate power if needed.
  • Jay Powell (Sustainable Energy Advisory Board member): Supported, highlighting the opportunity to include undergrounding and distributed energy provisions in the franchise.
• Item 11 – Barrio Logan truck route:
  • Rafael Castellanos (Port of San Diego Chairman): Supported a designated truck route, citing port expansion and the need to be a good neighbor; requested an exception for high‑and‑wide loads that cannot clear the 32nd Street overpass.
  • Philomena Marino (Barrio Logan resident and planning group candidate): Supported, describing heavy truck traffic on Boston Avenue, a recent fatality, and health impacts; urged an enforceable ordinance.
  • John Stump: Supported, but asked that the ordinance also address lead pollution from small airports (Montgomery Field).
• Item 12 – Bicycle Strategic Implementation Plan:
  • Eric Tilkmeyer (City Heights CDC): Supported, noting unsafe corridors (University, El Cajon) and the need for measurable milestones.
• Item 13 – IROC report: No public speakers.

Discussion Items

• Item 8 – Fourth Amendment to AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) Agreement with Itron: Leanne Jones Santos presented the amendment to extend the contract one year (through June 30, 2019) at a cost of $1,227,303.52, maintaining service for the 11,000 existing AMI meters. A citywide rollout is pending an audit. The committee approved the amendment unanimously, with a request for a closed‑session discussion on the 70/30 water‑sewer fund split.
• Item 9 – Ballot Measure on Public Electric Utility Franchise (Referred from Rules Committee): Bill Powers presented a proposal to include in the next franchise agreement with SDG&E requirements for 100% clean energy by 2035, 50% local generation, city rights to generate power, transparent contracting, and a 10‑year term. If the utility refuses, the city would form a municipal utility. Powers cited high rates, opaque contracting, and the city’s leverage as the largest customer. After public testimony and committee discussion, the committee decided not to advance the proposal but asked city staff and the City Attorney to prepare an analysis for the Rules Committee’s June meeting. No vote was taken on the substance; the item will return to Rules.
• Item 11 – Barrio Logan Clean Air and Safe Streets Ordinance (Truck Route): Jerry Rivero and Joy Williams of the Environmental Health Coalition presented research showing that residents of Barrio Logan face among the highest diesel particulate exposure in California, leading to asthma ER visits and safety hazards. They proposed a designated truck route redirecting trucks away from Boston Avenue (a residential zone) to Harbor Drive and 32nd Street. The Port of San Diego and community groups support the route, with a narrow exception for high‑and‑wide loads. The committee unanimously approved a motion directing the Transportation & Stormwater Department, in coordination with EHC and other departments, to draft an ordinance (or amendments) creating a truck route and return to committee. The motion also called for collaboration with police for enforcement.
• Item 12 – Bicycle Strategic Implementation Plan (BSIP): Andy Henshaw, Nicole Burgess, and Josh Clark of the Bicycle Advisory Board presented the BSIP, a roadmap to achieve a 6% bike mode share in Transit Priority Areas by 2020 (current: ~2%). The plan includes prioritizing Vision Zero corridors, funding a downtown cycle‑track network, expanding bike‑share, installing counters, and conducting safety education. They noted the city is already implementing about 90% of the recommendations. The committee voted to send the plan to city staff for analysis and to return with a report in June; the BAC will meet with staff in May to discuss concerns.
• Item 13 – Independent Rate Oversight Committee (IROC) FY2017 Annual Report and FY2019 Work Plan: Chairman Gordon Hess presented IROC’s recommendations: update Pure Water project costs and rate impacts, give quarterly Pure Water reports to IROC, involve IROC in the alternative water rate structure study, continue condition assessments, enhance public understanding, and monitor rate drivers. He noted two vacancies on IROC. The committee received the report without action, as it was informational.

Key Outcomes

• Item 8: Approved the Fourth Amendment to the AMI agreement (contract extension and $1.23 million increase) unanimously.
• Item 9: No action taken; referred back to Rules Committee with a request for a staff/City Attorney analysis of the ballot proposal to be completed in time for the June Rules Committee meeting.
• Item 11: Unanimously approved a motion directing the Transportation & Stormwater Department to develop a truck route ordinance for Barrio Logan, with a draft to return to the Environment Committee.
• Item 12: Unanimously approved a motion to have city staff review the Bicycle Strategic Implementation Plan and report back to the Environment Committee in June; the Bicycle Advisory Board will confer with staff in May.
• Item 13: No action required; the report and work plan were received and filed.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 3:15 PM. The next Environment Committee meeting is scheduled for June 21, 2018.