Agenda Packet - 2023-05-15Buzz Chandler, Co-Chair Jay Hamachek, Co-Chair Kara Orvieto Ashley Robin Palao Bastardes Susan Mead
Mark Puhlman Matt Schaeffer Jules Unitan, Youth Roya Wahab, Youth Joe Buck, Council Liaison
503.635.0215 380 A Avenue PO BOX 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034 www.ci.oswego.or.us
AGENDA
SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD
May 15, 2023
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Contact: Amanda Watson, Sustainability Program Manager, awatson@ci.oswego.or.us, 503-635-0291
Also published online at: www.ci.oswego.or.us/boc_sab
This meeting will take place via Zoom. Interested members of the public can register for the Zoom to provide
public comment or watch the meeting at the following link (also available via the City Calendar online):
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Pz3R7SNRRYKY8WoJ0FbGfQ#/registration.
The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities. To request accommodations please contact the
City Manager’s Office 48 hours before the meeting.
Members of the public are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes during Public Comment only. Host will
mute non-Board members during remainder of meeting.
I. AGENDA
6:30 Call to Order
Approve Minutes
Public Comment (comment on agenda items may be deferred to discussion of that item)
6:45 Regular Business (I-Information, C-Conversation/Discussion, D-Decision, R-Recommend to Council)
II. ADJOURNMENT
ATTACHMENTS
Please note that all materials are sent electronically. Please review before meeting.
• April 17, 2023 Meeting Minutes
NEXT MEETING: JUNE 19, 6:30 to 8:30pm (*To be rescheduled due to Juneteenth holiday.)
A. Storm Landscaping: Experience with All-
Electric Equipment
Randy Mihalko 30 min I, C
B. City Council Update Mayor Buck 15 min I
C. Sustainability and Climate Action Plan
Progress Report
Amanda Watson 30 min I, C
D. Sustainability in Schools Roya Wahab 15 min I, C
E. Updates & announcements from Board and
Staff
• Outreach events debrief
• Bulky waste collection event
• June meeting date
All 15 min C
SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD
Vision of a Sustainable Lake Oswego
A sustainable Lake Oswego is a community that meets the vital human needs of the present without
compromising our ability to meet future needs. This requires consideration of both long-term and short-
term effects on ecological, economic, and community systems. Operating sustainably means that we are
leaving a legacy for the community of Lake Oswego and the planet.
A sustainable Lake Oswego is a place recognized nationally as a model of livability—a unified city with a
vital downtown, a strong sense of neighborhoods, and a harmonious relationship with the natural
environment. The lives of everyone who lives, works, and conducts business in Lake Oswego are
enriched by a wide range of choices in transportation, housing, recreation, and culture. Our
infrastructure is sound, our finances stable, and our citizens and employees healthy and engaged.
SAB Mission & Duties
The mission of the Sustainability Advisory Board is to promote the economic, ecological, and quality-of-
life sustainability of our community.
The Sustainability Advisory Board shall:
a. Advise and assist the City Council in efforts to make City operations more sustainable. The
Sustainability Advisory Board is guided by the Sustainable City Principles embodied in the City’s
Sustainability Plan.
b. Assist in the development of plans and policies to enhance the sustainability of the City as a
whole.
c. Educate and engage the public in efforts to make the community of Lake Oswego, including
residents, businesses, and institutions, more sustainable.
SAB Meeting Ground Rules
We have agreed to abide by these ground rules to increase our meeting effectiveness.
1. Participate – everyone share “airtime”
2. Speak for yourself – use “I” language
3. Seek clarity:
– ask clarifying questions
– paraphrase what you hear others say
– check out your hunches
4. Be respectful:
– be on time
– come prepared
– turn off phones, pagers, and other devices
– avoid interrupting others
– don’t use inflammatory labels & judgments
5. Have fun
CITY OF LAKE OSWEGO
Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes
April 17, 2023
DRAFT
Call to Order / Roll Call
Jay Hamachek called the April, 2023 meeting of the Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) to order at 6:36
PM.
Members Present: Jay Hamachek, Susan Mead, Kara Orvieto, Mark Puhlman, Matt
Schaeffer
Members Excused/Absent: Buzz Chandler, Robin Palao, Roya Wahab, Jules Unitan
Staff: Mayor Buck, Amanda Watson
Public: Whitney Street (SAB Alternate)
Approval of Minutes
Jay moved to approve the March 2023 meeting minutes. Mark seconded and the motion passed
unanimously.
Public Comment
None.
Regular Business
A. Bulky Waste Collection Event
Travis Comfort, Contract Administrator for Republic Services, joined to discuss with SAB members ideas
for a Spring bulky waste collection event as provided for in Republic’s franchise agreement with the City.
The group discussed timing and location. The location would need to have a large parking lot, with
sufficient space for at least 2 drop boxes so Republic could haul boxes as they get full. A Saturday would
be ideal. SAB members suggested holding it in a school parking lot, or an industrial area, after school is
out for the summer. Amanda will check in with LOSD. Travis will check in with Metro about grants to
cover disposal costs. The group discussed accessibility; how can the event be accessible for people who
would benefit from the free disposal service but might have trouble moving their items? Due to liability,
Republic couldn’t provide labor to move items; maybe student volunteers could help, and/or
Neighborhood Associations? Tualatin combines their event with a food drive which is very successful.
Republic explained it is more difficult to incorporate a reuse component to a bulky waste event. It would
also be difficult to incorporate recycling due to much higher cost of disposal, but we could talk about
focusing on recycling for a future event.
Travis provided a brief overview of the Recycling Modernization Act, currently in the rulemaking stage,
which will standardize a statewide curbside recycling list for Oregon and require companies who sell
plastic packaging in Oregon to pay in to financially support the expanded recycling system. There will
also be an expanded list for materials to be collected at depots; the City will have to weigh in on options
for depots in LO. Republic anticipates that packaging companies will pass increased costs of disposal on
to customers, as the Producer Responsibility Organizations pass along costs to their clients, so for
City of Lake Oswego Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes
April 17, 2023
Page 2 of 3
example customers may see an increase in the costs for boxed salads or soda due to the packaging. The
group discussed recycling education; Travis noted that the most effective kind of outreach in Republic’s
experience is tabling at events, and emphasizing the message of “When in doubt, throw it out” to avoid
contaminating a whole load of recyclable materials.
B. City Council Update
Mayor Buck provided the City Council update. The Wastewater Treatment Plant project is moving ahead
with 90% design; Council approved changes to the financing structure (greater emphasis on bonds) to
reduce the total project budget and keep it within the affordability threshold. Lake Oswego and other
cities in Clackamas County are working closely with elected officials in Salem to ask for a moratorium on
ODOT I-205 tolling to allow for development of a more comprehensive approach. In City Council
meetings since the April SAB meeting, Council discussed mitigation for ministerial developments, related
to middle housing types (tri- and quadplexes) on lots previously zoned single-family. Council passed a
new flag policy, inspired by a request to fly the Pride flag during Pride month. Municipal grants are open
now through May 10.
C. Sustainability in Schools
Youth members were absent. Board members noted the need to improve attendance for youth
members, including through making expectations for involvement clear in the recruitment process and
partnering with LOSD on recruitment.
D. SAB Goals Updates – Gas Powered Landscaping Equipment (GPLE)
Mark presented ideas from the research group working on this goal (Mark, Susan, Matt, and Whitney).
SAB has had a goal to address emissions from GPLE for some time; the research group built off previous
work including a 2019 SAB white paper that has been partially implemented. The research group
proposed for discussion a ban of sale and use of gas-powered leaf blowers in Lake Oswego by January
2025, and on the usage of all GPLE by landscaping companies and residents by January 2026. They
would also like the City to support bills in the current legislative session that would regulate GPLE state-
wide; Amanda noted that those bills did not meet the deadlines to move forward this session. Mark
noted progress on the issue so far, including electric landscaping equipment technology demonstrations
by the City Parks Department, SAB, and LOSN at community events and a PGE electric tool exchange at
the 2021 Sustainability Resource Fair. The City of LO does not have decibel-based noise prohibitions in
code. Mark spoke to Quiet Clean PDX who are willing to speak with SAB about their efforts to address
GPLE in Multnomah County; they are applying for a grant for their work that the City might be able to
look into.
Jay outlined issues related to funding (City does not have additional resources for incentives),
enforcement (many landscaping companies and equipment providers not located in LO, and concerns
about using police to enforce use restrictions), and equity (both exposure of landscaping staff to
emissions from GPLE, and impacts to small landscaping businesses with limited capital to switch to
electric equipment). Jay suggested that focusing on education and outreach might be the best approach
for the City; Kara suggested Parks Stewardship events could be another opportunity for equipment
demonstrations, collaborating with HOAs that manage their neighborhood’s landscaping, and adding
electric equipment to the Library of Things collection [they currently have an electric leafblower]. Susan
suggested NAs, HOAs, or a group like LOSN could apply for a City grant for an electric tool library.
Amanda said it feels like there are still significant challenges to a ban at the local level that is equitable,
including resources needed for incentives/subsidies for small companies, enforcement mechanisms and
City of Lake Oswego Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes
April 17, 2023
Page 3 of 3
resources. She doesn’t feel like the City has the right tools currently, although there is more that can be
done on education and outreach. A state or regional level approach would probably be more effective
but we are not seeing that momentum right now. Jay noted that when California’s ban goes into effect,
that will have a significant impact on the market and could change the game in Oregon by 2025 or 2026.
Mayor Buck noted that most people at the residential level are going towards electric equipment, and
thanks to SAB’s encouragement the City approved an all-electric landscaping contract with Storm and
Parks is working on transitioning their equipment. He argued that any ban would need to involve
commercial landscaping companies at the table; at the state level we are hearing from industry that the
technology is just not there yet at the commercial level to support a ban, but industry does want to go in
that direction. He recommended that SAB convene a discussion with Storm Landscaping and other local
landscaping companies (Susan also suggested Seven Dees) to hear their take; City Council would be
interested to hear how it has been going for Storm with using all-electric for the City’s contract.
E. Sustainability and Climate Action Plan Progress Report
Amanda provided a brief overview of her Sustainability and Climate Action Plan progress report,
scheduled for a City Council study session on May 16. Based on an initial review, of 63 actions in the
SCAP, 9 actions are completed/ongoing, 32 in progress, and 22 not started. In the report she will be
sharing highlights of progress for each of the actions, and recommended next steps, including
developing a citywide EV charging strategy, continuing to focus on expanding clean energy use and
availability, updating adaptation actions in the plan, and updating the City’s GHG emissions inventory.
She asked for input from SAB members on recommended next steps. Jay noted that transportation is
the largest source of carbon emissions, and as vehicles are becoming more available and prices are
coming down the City should take a closer look at fleet electrification and the cycle for vehicle
replacement. He would also like to see the GHG emissions inventory include Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions
with Scope 1 focusing on City operations and Scope 3 including community-wide.
F. Announcements from Board and Staff
SAB has a table at the Farmer’s Market on May 13. Board members suggested including recycling
education materials at the table. Amanda will send out a sign-up sheet for everyone to sign up for a slot.
Mark will be tabling at the Spring Garden Fair in Canby the weekend of May 6. LOSN asked if SAB could
include their handouts at SAB’s table, Board members happy to as long as the content aligns with SAB
goals.
Jay moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:45 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Amanda Watson
Sustainability Program Manager