Approved Minutes - 2013-01-28
CITY OF LAKE OSWEGO
Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes
January 28, 2013
Call to Order / Roll Call
Co‐chair Lisa Adatto called the January 28, 2013 meeting of the Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) to
order at 6:30 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Main Fire Station, 300 B Avenue, Lake Oswego,
Oregon.
Members Present: Co‐chair Gregory Monahan, Co‐chair Lisa Adatto, Sarah Asby,
Andre DeBar, Jason Duhl, Matthew Fischer (Youth Member),
Vidya Kale, Miranda Kraus (Youth Member), E. Jay Murphy, Mick
Mortlock, Suzanne Spencer, and Mary Ratcliff (Alternate)
Members Excused / Absent: None
Council Liaison: Councilor Skip O’Neill
Guests: Tracy Marx (citizen)
Staff: Susan Millhauser, Sustainability Coordinator, David Gilbey,Water
Quality Program Coordinator
Announcements from Board and Staff
Co‐chair Monahan welcomed Skip O’Neill as the new City Council liaison for the Board.
Approval of Minutes
Co‐chair Monahan called for a motion to approve the meeting minutes. Mr. Kale moved to approve the
four sets of meeting minutes en mass. Ms. Murphy seconded the motion. The minutes of April 16, 2012;
August 20, 2012; September 17, 2012; October 1, 2012 were approved by a unanimous vote.
Review City Council Draft Agenda Schedule
Ms. Millhauser reviewed the Council upcoming meetings schedule through mid‐May.
Public Comments
None
Regular Business
A. Review Agenda
Co‐chair Monahan reviewed the meeting agenda.
B. Stormwater Code and Manual – Presentation & Q&A
Mr. Gilbey presented the latest in the Stormwater Code and Manual update. The City has been working
with Herrera Environment and a community Project Advisory Committee (PAC) to prepare
recommended updates for over a year now. SAB member E. Jay Murphy serves on the PAC. Mr. Gilbey is
still working with the City Attorney on the code language. The code update and development of design
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January 28, 2013
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standards deadline is in November 2014. The design manual has 15 requirements that need addressing.
Mr. Gilbey shared a draft of the manual with the Board and reminded them that throughout the
process, he has been meeting with various stakeholder groups in the community. The process also
included using regional standards from around the area as to not re‐create the wheel. Anything unique
to Lake Oswego was then added. Once a final draft of the manual is completed there will be
opportunities for public comment. Mr. Gilbey would appreciate feedback and support from SAB during
the public comment period, once the final draft is complete. Then it will go to Council for approval
and/or changes. Mr. Gilbey continued to walk the Board briefly through each chapter.
Board members asked questions about how the updated code and manual consider trees; if smaller,
distributed facilities are preferable; if easily understandable terms will be used (including a glossary of
acronyms at the beginning of the manual was suggested); and if there will be inclusion of incentives to
encourage use of low impact development best management practices rather than engineering
solutions. Councilor O’Neill observed that much of Lake Oswego is already developed, and that
remaining properties may not be able to comply due to soil type and other site specific factors. He noted
that opportunities to reduce staff time needed to inspect and maintain improvements were desired.
C. Approve Work Plan
Ms. Millhauser shared comments she heard from the City Council during Co‐chair Adatto’s presentation
of the 2013 Work Plan to the Council. She noted that overall the Council was positive about the Board’s
proposed projects for 2013. She added that one Council member picked up on the bullet point that
mentioned reviewing the tree code and said this was a red flag. The SAB discussed that this was one
small point in many related to urban forests and that is was not their intent to take on the tree code at
this time, but if the City did endeavor to review the tree code, the SAB would like to be involved at some
level.
After no further discussion Co‐chair Monahan asked for a motion to approve the Work Plan. Mr. DeBar
moved to approve; Mr. Duhl seconded the motion. The Work Plan was approved by a unanimous vote.
D. Refine Outreach Strategy and Finalize Spring Events
Co‐chair Adatto presented the Outreach Strategy that was discussed at the last meeting. She shared that
outreach has been grouped into three phases or levels. The first level, Sustainability Action Month
and/or other general events, presentations, and speakers, provides a great opportunity for outreach and
should be kept going. The 100 Mile Challenge is the second phase or type of outreach with a targeted
message, actions, and audience. Thirdly, the idea was proposed to pro‐actively go to other institutions,
community groups, key stakeholders, etc., with an overview presentation on sustainability, which could
produce more participation in phases one and two. A standard presentation would be created. Ms.
Adatto asked the Board for additional ideas and how they would like to be involved.
Rather than Sustainability Action Month it was suggested to have a discreet set of activities throughout
the year that the Board can be involved in. Ms. Millhauser shared several possible opportunities for
involvement that the Board has included in its work plan. Co‐chair Monahan also added that one goal
could be to have one activity each month throughout the year in place of one month of activities. Ms.
Adatto added that marketing is a key part of getting the community to these events. It was also
suggested that events focus on a “challenge” by pitting neighborhood against neighborhood in
sustainable activities each month for a year to see which neighborhood is more sustainable. It was also
suggested that a checklist of sustainable activities would be helpful.
Ms. Adatto proposed forming a group to look into past outreach efforts and finalize an outreach
program and marketing strategy for 2013. Ms. Adatto, Mr. Duhl, Ms. Ratcliff, Ms. Asby, and Ms. Kraus
volunteered. An update on the group’s work will be included on the agenda next month. It was
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January 28, 2013
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suggested the outreach plan include metrics to better measure community engagement and
involvement.
The Board strategized ideas for types of groups to target for sustainability presentations and how to
best connect. Suggestions included creating a mailing list and sending letters to let groups know of the
availability of a presentation. Ms. Millhauser noted the City had created a master community contact list
a few years back as part of the Comp Plan update and that staff could update this list as a starting point.
She also suggested a brief article in the Hello LO. Potential groups included churches, neighborhood
associations, homeowner’s associations, service groups such as Lions and Rotary, Adult Community
Center, school and youth groups, Chamber and other business groups, City employees, City Boards and
Commissions, LONAC (Lake Oswego Neighborhood Action Coalition), and local PACs (Political Action
Committees). Mr. Kale, Co‐chair Monahan, Ms. Murphy, Co‐chair Adatto, Mr. Mortlock, and Ms. Ratcliff
volunteered to be presenters.
E. Work Plan Assignments and Monthly Updates
Ms. Millhauser shared that most areas have been assigned. She handed out the list of assignments and
asked Board members to add their name on items of interest. She noted that the co‐chairs had
requested that each month a work plan item update would be included on the agenda and presented,
with the 100 Mile Challenge and refined outreach strategy listed for the February board meeting.
F. Monthly Work Plan Update – Luscher Area Master Plan
Co‐chair Monahan handed out copies of a draft letter of approval from the Board chairs’ working group
(SAB, NRAB, PRAB, and HRAB) regarding the Luscher Area Master Plan for the Board to review. The next
step is to start an official friends group for the Farm. The overarching goal is to get people to have an
emotional connection to the farm by offering programs and other activities at the farm – get them
participating. Councilor O’Neill noted he has had a community garden plot at Luscher for many years
and suggested organizing a tour of the farm for the City Council.
Adjournment
The next meeting was scheduled for February 25, 2013. There being no other business Co‐chair
Monahan adjourned the meeting at 8:40p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Millhauser
Sustainability Coordinator