Sustainability Advisory Board

Police and Fire Headquarters,Community Meeting Room

Agenda — 14 items

1. 1. Roll Call / Introductions Staff: Matthew Anderson, Sustainability & Mobility Assistant Director Nicole Gautney, Sustainability Coordinator Diego Cancel, Sustainability & Resiliency Supervisor Guests: Rhonda Anderson – Vice Mayor of City of Coral Gables. Melissa Castro – City of Coral Gables Commissioner. Riely Forte – University of Miami Graduate Student, Dr. Kenneth Feeley’s Assistant. Deiter Manstein – High School Student and interested in Youth Appointment vacancy. Call To Order: Meeting called to order at 5:12 P.M. by Teddy Lhoutellier.
2. 2. Approval of July SAB Meeting Minutes Approved on Consent Agenda
3. 3. Public Comment: 2 minutes each guest
4. 4. Presentation on Tree Species being Affected by Climate Change – University of Miami’s Riley Fortier presenting on his and Dr. Kenneth J. Feeley’s research Riley Fortier presented on behalf of Dr. Kenneth J. Feeley on their research on Miami’s urban trees and how they will be affected by rising temperatures. Riley presented a significant study on the effects of rising temperatures on Miami's urban street trees, emphasizing the vulnerability of native species compared to exotics, and highlighting the need for heat and drought-resistant varieties. Riley presented his findings on thermal safety margins for different tree species, identifying specific tree species that may thrive or struggle under future climate scenarios, guiding future urban planting strategies. Riley continues regarding that native species will be disproportionately impacted by heat compared to exotics which may lead to decreased biodiversity, disrupting local ecosystems. Although native species are more impacted by temperature rise, natives are more resilient than other abiotic stressors, showing the importance of continuing to plant native species in Miami for the foreseeable future.
5. 5. Keep Coral Gables Beautiful Program Updates: i. Recent Events: 1. Pollinator Palooza – Saturday, September 28 a. Over 114 volunteers came out to the annual Pollinator Palooza to plant a new butterfly garden at the Coral Gables Country Club. This event is partnered with the Parks and Recreation and Greenspace Management. 2. Phade Matheson Hammock Cleanup – Saturday, October 12 a. The coastal cleanup at Matheson Hammock Park was in partnership with Phade, a company who creates biodegradable sturdy straws and other single-use plastics. This event attracted ii. Upcoming Events & Updates: 1. Recycling Drive-Thru – Saturday, November 9 a. The bi-annual Recycling Drive-Thru will be held at the City Hall parking lot beginning at 9 a.m. This event is meant to serve the local community and assist them with recycling items such as old electronics, household hazardous waste, large cardboard boxes, paper shredding, and plastic film. Clothing will be donated to Camilus House. 2. Holiday Downtown Community Cleanup – Monday, December 2 a. The fourth and final Downtown Community Cleanup of 2024 is around the corner on August 26 beginning at 5 p.m. The event will begin at the Fink Studio and will end with a refreshing bite at L’Artisane Bakery & Bistro. 3. Phillips Park Cleanup – Wednesday, December 4 a. A Cleaner Planet is hosting a cleanup at Phillips Park beginning at 2:30 p.m. CNN will be there to interview A Cleaner Planet about the sustainability events they are planning for Earth Day. 4. Business Recycling Drive-Thru – Saturday, December 7 a. The annual Business Recycling Drive-Thru will be held at the City Hall parking lot beginning at 9 a.m. This event is meant to serve the local businesses and assist them with recycling items such as old electronics, large cardboard boxes, paper shredding, and plastic film. Business attire will be donated to Suited for Success.
6. 6. Sustainability Related City Commission Items: a. E-Waste Day in Coral Gables Proclamation - 24-8118 i. The City Commission proclaimed October 14, 2024, as E-Waste Day in Coral Gables to highlight the importance of recycling irreparable electronics properly instead of having them go to a landfill. The City Commission highlighted the success of the Recycling Drive-Thru events and the different recycling programs within the city.
7. 7. Standing Agenda Items i. Vulnerability Assessment Update 1. The vulnerability assessment grant project aims to update the city's existing assessment to address current and future risks related to climate change. The project will include newer projections for sea level rise and flooding, enhancing the city's preparedness for extreme weather events. A draft report from the consulting firm Hazen and Sawyer is expected in the coming months, with plans for community input on the findings. They will come to one of the Sustainability Advisory Board meetings early 2025 to present their findings. ii. Water Quality Update 1. Vice Mayor Anderson will try to attend 12/11 meeting but if she does not make it, she requested the presentation on the final water quality assessment be done during her office hours on Friday afternoons so she can use this in her lobbying efforts. Call Gaby to coordinate. 2. Tiffany is working on finalizing an initial report on the water quality in Coral Gables, she is planning to present the results at the December meeting. Recommendations will be provided for improving water quality and mitigating risks to public health and the environment. The findings will be shared with the community to promote transparency and encourage collaborative efforts for water quality management.
8. 8. Youth Appointment Discussion Martin motioned to vote in Deiter Manstein as the new Youth Appointment for the Board; Joe seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved. Approved on Consent Agenda
9. 9. Follow-Up Discussion on Coral Gables Tree & Mangrove Working Group
10. 10. Member Comments i. Joe: 1. Joe wanted to mention that the city’s Athletic Club now uses paper cups instead of the previously used plastic cups. Carolina, the Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation, was the one who implemented the replacement of plastic to paper cups. The next step is to install water bottle refill stations at all city facilities to encourage reusable bottles. ii. Martin: 1. Martin visited Ponce Circle Park and noticed that the park has many nice benches, but there are no shaded areas for sitting. Vice Mayor Anderson mentioned that a major renovation is planned for the park via the Allen Morris Company. This will take place in conjunction with the construction of a new building nearby. The project is made possible by a significant community contribution from the building’s owner, who has allocated millions of dollars to improve the park. iii. Anabella: 1. Anabella will be sharing the Green Business Certification Program with Mark from the Chamber of Commerce to promote the program more heavily. Matt Anderson mentioned that Baraket Law would like to be recertified under the new certification process, making them the first business to be recertified. A site visit will be done to verify that everything is being done properly and to educate them on anything else that they may be able to do so that they may get a higher certification. iv. Teddy: 1. Vice Mayor Anderson brought up composting at the University of Miami, Teddy stated that they have been composting all food waste for some time now. Vice Mayor Anderson has a draft change to four statutes making food waste, yard waste, etc. be considered as recoverable materials. Municipalities will not be handcuffed to giving these types of waste to Waste Management to be taken to landfills.
11. 11. Combining November and December Meetings to December 11
12. 12. Next Meeting – Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at 5:00 P.M. at the Parking & Mobility Services Office ADJOURNED: 6:48 p.m.
13. 13 Additional Zoom Meeting Call-In Information Below Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82049614201 Meeting ID: 820 4961 4201 Phone Number: 305-461-6769 For more information on the Sustainability Advisory Board please visit: CoralGables.com/SAB Email Sustainability@coralgables.com
14. 14 NOTE