San Diego Environment Committee Meeting: February 9, 2023 - Climate Action, Landfill Fees, and Infrastructure Updates
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San Diego Environment Committee Meeting: February 9, 2023
The Environment Committee of the San Diego City Council met on February 9, 2023, at 9:00 AM. All four members (Chair LaCava, Vice Chair Von Wilpert, Members Campbell and Campillo) were present. The committee approved consent items, discussed and voted on several infrastructure and fee proposals, and received informational updates on climate resilience and implementation planning. Public testimony focused on SDG&E, public power, equity in contracting, landfill fees, and climate action implementation.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Second amendment to sole source agreement with Geosyntec Consultants Inc. for NPDES technical services (H186994).
- Item 2: Pure Water program amendment #2 with Parsons Black & Veatch JV for construction management at treatment plant and facilities (H176935).
- Item 3: Pure Water program amendment #3 with Jacobs/CH2M Hill for conveyance projects construction management (H176955).
- Public Comment: Speaker Lori Saldaña raised concerns about workforce diversity underrepresentation across all three contracts, urging the committee to compel compliance with city diversity goals.
- Outcome: Motion to approve by Member Campillo, seconded by Vice Chair Von Wilpert. Voice vote: 4-0 in favor.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comments: Multiple speakers, primarily UCSD students (Johanna Dorward, Jacob Marquez, Alia Garcia, Alvin Nguyen, Gabriel Morales) and community members, expressed concerns about the climate crisis, criticized SDG&E franchise agreement, and advocated for a public power utility. Speakers urged the committee to pursue a “people-controlled” decarbonization pathway. Others spoke on tobacco waste, marijuana cultivation environmental impacts, and Montgomery Field leaded fuel.
- Item 4 (Pump Station Improvements): No public comment.
- Item 5 (Landfill Fee Simplification): Lori Saldaña argued that residents would be charged twice (via household waste fees and self-haul fees) for green waste disposal.
- Item 6 (Landfill Fee Increase): Lori Saldaña echoed double-charging concerns and questioned Prop 26 classification.
- Item 7 (Climate Resilient SD): Brenda Garcia (Climate Action Campaign) requested more detail on community benefits and equity-centered implementation; Lori Saldaña urged inclusion of shallow groundwater rise risk analysis.
- Item 8 (CAP Implementation Prioritization Policy): Lauren Casares (San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce) requested higher weight for feasibility and jobs/economy, and inclusion of builders and industry stakeholders. Brenda Garcia (Climate Action Campaign) emphasized GHG reductions as the key metric. Heather Hopshi (SD350) urged moving from planning to action. Kyle Heiskala (Environmental Health Coalition) called for an overarching environmental justice lens.
- Item 9 (2023 Work Plan): Joy Sonia (public) requested more focus on trees; Serena Pelka (Climate Action Campaign) urged urgent adoption of REACH code and building decarbonization updates; Heather Hopshi (SD350) expressed support.
Discussion Items
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Item 4: Pump Station 1 & 2 Improvements and Modernization Project
- Staff (Craig Boyd, Deputy Director of Public Utilities) presented the project. Both pump stations, built in 1963, are critical for conveying wastewater from 2.2 million residents. The design contract funding request was $5.8 million; total project cost estimated at $30 million. Design completion expected FY25, construction by December 2028.
- Discussion: Vice Chair Von Wilpert asked about coordination with Pure Water program. Staff confirmed separate but coordinated. Questions about pre-awarding the contract without a selected contractor. Staff committed to providing a memo with EEO goals and contractor details before signing.
- Outcome: Motion by Member Campillo, seconded by Vice Chair Von Wilpert. Vote: 4-0 in favor.
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Item 5: Revisions to and Simplification of Miramar Landfill and Greenery Fee Schedule
- Staff (Renee Robertson, Director ESD) presented a revenue-neutral simplification, reducing 39 fees to a clearer structure. Key changes: consolidating 10 vehicle types into one flat rate tier; flat rates for non-account customers; eliminating yard waste fee exemption for residents (effective July 2023) once weekly curbside organic collection is universal.
- Discussion: Vice Chair Von Wilpert asked about residential self-haulers. Staff confirmed residents with large projects would pay a fee, but weekly pickup minimizes need. Chair LaCava clarified the action is not double-charging; it reconfigures existing fees.
- Outcome: Motion by Vice Chair Von Wilpert, seconded by Chair LaCava. Vote: 4-0 in favor.
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Item 6: Adjustments to Miramar Landfill and Greenery Fees
- Staff proposed a $16/ton tip fee increase effective July 1, 2023, and a $14/ton increase effective July 1, 2024 (first increase since 2012). The increase is needed for SB 1383 compliance, organics processing facility, and fund solvency. Without action, the fund faces a $119 million shortfall by FY28.
- IBA (Jordan Moore) noted a $5 million general fund impact in FY24 and $4.5 million in FY25 due to city hauler fees, not included in the five-year outlook. Prop 26 analysis was requested; City Attorney stated it’s not a tax because other landfill options exist.
- Discussion: Member Campbell initially worried about new charges but clarified after staff explained it’s not a new fee. Vice Chair Von Wilpert initially moved without recommendation but withdrew after dialogue, supporting staff recommendation.
- Outcome: Motion by Member Campbell, seconded by Chair LaCava. Vote: 4-0 in favor.
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Item 7: Climate Resilient SD (Information Only)
- Chief Resilience Officer Julia Chase presented the plan’s progress: 54% of near/mid-term strategies in progress, 39% of all strategies in progress. Key accomplishments include coastal resilience master plan grant, updated council policy integrating climate equity into CIP prioritization, and formation of an interdepartmental working group. Future work includes annual updates, a public web map, and community engagement.
- Discussion: Chair LaCava asked about coordination with CAP; staff said plans complement each other. Vice Chair Von Wilpert requested a detailed list of strategies in progress. No action taken.
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Item 8: Progress Update on Proposed Council Policy for Climate Action Plan Implementation Prioritization (Information Only)
- IBA Jordan Moore presented the draft policy, which establishes a weighted scoring system for CAP actions. Key elements: action timing categories (preliminary, foundational, next, other) with prioritization for foundational actions; eight metrics (GHG reductions, feasibility, equity, air quality, public health, jobs/economy, resilience) with two weight sets (foundational actions give more weight to GHG reductions). Public input to date supports focusing on GHG, feasibility, and equity. A virtual public forum is scheduled for February 16, 2023.
- Discussion: Chair LaCava asked about departmental input; staff noted feasibility scores were provided by implementing departments. No action taken.
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Item 9: 2023 Environment Committee Work Plan (Information Only)
- Staff presentation waived. Chair LaCava highlighted implementation as the common theme. Public comments supported tree canopy, REACH code, and building decarbonization. No action taken.
Key Outcomes
- Votes: All four action items (Consent Calendar, Items 4, 5, 6) passed unanimously 4-0.
- Directives: For Item 4, staff will provide a memo with contractor details and EEO goals before signing the design agreement. For Item 6, the IBA noted the general fund impact must be addressed in the FY24 budget process.
- Referrals: The CAP implementation prioritization policy (Item 8) will return for formal adoption in March 2023, following additional public input. The climate resilience update (Item 7) will be brought annually, with a focus on budget implications in September.
- Next Steps: The committee’s next meeting is March 9, 2023, where the CAP implementation plan and final prioritization policy are expected.
Meeting Transcript
City's website and the committee liaison will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Additionally, members of the public who wish to provide testimony via call-in or an internet-based service option must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after the conclusion of in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct city business. Present. Committee member Campbell. And Committee Member Campillo. Here. And of course, I am here, so all four members are present, and we do have a quorum. Also participating in the meeting are Jordan Moore, Office of the Independent Budget Analyst, Deputy City Attorney Attorney Nicole Dino, Randy Wilde, who will, I'm sure, be joining us shortly, senior policy advisor in the office of Mayor Todd Gloria, Committee Consultant Brian Elliott, and Committee Manager Ty Birch. Ty will now go over the instructions for participating in the meeting. Ty. Thank you, Chair Locava. If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it in the box indicated. The link to join the committee meeting webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone is listed on the agenda there. To join the webinar by telephone, please dial 1669-254-5252 and when prompted, input webinar ID 161-163-9403 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Members of the public who wish to provide testimony via call-in or internet-based service option must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after the conclusion of in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first. Please note that if you're watching on uh CTV channel 24 online, there may be a delay, so please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it's your turn to speak. When I introduce the item you would like to comment on, please raise your hand by tapping the raise your hand button on your computer, tablet, or smartphone, or by dialing star nine on your phone. You will be taken in the order in which you raise your hand, and you may only speak once on a particular particular item. When I indicate it's your turn to speak, I will call on you by your name as it appears on the Zoom webinar attendee list or read out the last four digits of your phone number if you've called into the meeting. Chair, we do not have any individuals who have submitted speaker slips in chambers to speak on the committee actions. We do have one individual in this virtual queue who has indicated that they wish to speak. Uh Lori Soldania, you may unmute yourself and provide your comments. You will have two minutes. Regarding the meeting uh in January, there were uh there was a comment from Jay Powell who commented on the franchise compliance oversight committee that was created as part of the San Diego Gas and Electric franchise nearly two years ago. They held their first meeting shortly after he asked that question. However, they are still not fully staffed or they're not fully appointed. And so I I wanted to remark on this because asked. I don't know if it was ever responded to. And basically, the franchise compliance oversight committee cannot do its work fully because they have still not had all five members appointed. So my comment on this non-agenda public comment from last month. Uh, if you could add this to the record, is uh to clarify when that final appointment is going to take place and who is responsible for it. Um, and also to ask the staff of that committee to comply with the Brown Act and provide agenda documents ahead of the scheduled meeting that's coming up this Monday at three o'clock. They have posted the notice in a rather obscure place, but uh they have not provided any of the documents that are under discussion. So if this committee is the one, I'm not clear what committee has oversight of this compliance oversight committee, but it needs to be fully appointed, and they need to be complying fully with the Brown Act in terms of giving the public access to documents ahead of the meeting to prepare to participate. Thank you. Thank you for those comments and chair that will conclude public testimony on the committee actions of January 19th, 2023. All right, thank you, Ty. And we always appreciate the public weighing in. I'll turn it over to the committee members for a motion and member comment. I will move. Thank you. And do we have a second or I'll second just for the ease of uh with the folks operating remotely? And so assuming there's no other comments, we'll go ahead and go to the vote. We'll do a voice vote since we do have two members remote. Uh Vice Chair Vaughn Wolpert, how do you vote? I vote yes. And committee member Campbell. Yes.
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