HomeMy WebLinkAboutApproved Minutes - 2022-03-14
CITY OF LAKE OSWEGO
Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes
March 14, 2022
Call to Order / Roll Call
Stephanie Glazer called the March 14, 2022 meeting of the Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) to order
at 6:33 p.m. over Zoom.
Members Present: Buzz Chandler, Stephanie Glazer, Jay Hamachek, Susan Mead,
Mark Puhlman, Matt Schaeffer, Kathleen Wiens, Kara Orvieto
Members Excused/Absent: Olivia Reinhart, Anna Wallin, Kim Roeland, Councilor Nguyen
Staff: Amanda Watson, Pam Peterson
Public: Craig Chisholm, Carole Ockert, Brian Stewart
Approval of Minutes
February meeting minutes were approved.
Announcements from Board and Staff
Amanda reminded the Board about upcoming meetings on sustainability for the Lake Oswego
Recreation and Aquatic Center (LORAC) project: Parks Board co-chairs have invited SAB members to
attend the Parks Board meeting at 4 pm on Wednesday, March 16 at the Maintenance Center. The City
Council meeting on Thursday at 3 pm will also include a study session on LORAC sustainability.
Boards & Commissions recruitment will take place from April 15 – May 31 this year.
Board members discussed returning to in-person meetings, with a Zoom and/or call-in option. Jay noted
there is better interpersonal connection when we can meet in person. Mark pointed out that remote
meetings are more sustainable from a carbon emissions perspective. Amanda will look into conference
room options for an in-person April meeting. SAB could alternate between in person and remote
meetings going forward.
Public Comment
Craig Chisholm shared comments about rooftop solar arrays and trees. He feels that the City’s tree code
is discouraging installation of rooftop solar and could be changed to make it easier to remove trees for
the purpose of installing solar, helping to lessen demand for fossil fuels and support sanctions against
Russia. Stephanie noted the other benefits of trees and asked if community solar could be an option
that would minimize conflict with trees. Craig had not looked into the numbers on that, but felt that it
would still be important to create an incentive in the tree code to encourage solar installation.
Carole Ockert provided an update on the Planning Commission’s work to update the definitions of
demolition and nonconforming development. At the Feb. 28 work session, the Commission chose to
postpone the scheduled public hearings to open up the discussion on the demolition code and hold
more work sessions, including a City Council study session on 3/17. She thanked SAB for their interest in
this work and their memo to the planning commission on deconstruction and demolition.
City of Lake Oswego Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes
February 21, 2022
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Regular Business
A. Council Update
Councilor Nguyen was absent.
B. Transitioning to Electric Landscaping Equipment
Brian Stewart founded the organization Electrify Now. He is partnering with Quiet Clean PDX to
address gas-powered landscaping equipment in the Portland area. Gas-powered landscaping
equipment is relatively small in terms of its contributions to global warming/carbon emissions, but
has a big impact on local air pollution and is a good “poster child” for why electric is better. Brian
presented data comparing gas-powered leaf blowers with electric (battery-powered) models, in
terms of noise levels, toxic emissions and related health impacts, environmental hazards,
effectiveness, equipment and operating costs, demonstrating the advantages of battery-powered
blowers. A couple challenges that need to be addressed with battery-powered blowers are the high
upfront battery costs and additional labor costs due to relatively lower force of battery-powered
models. Brian noted that battery-powered leaf blowers are less powerful than many gas-powered
models, but are still plenty powerful to do the job. This requires an adjustment in our expectations;
compare to materials like lead paint, DDT, asbestos which are not as powerful or effective as
alternatives but have health impacts we decided were unacceptable.
Multnomah County has started a working group that is looking at how to equitably transition
County-wide away from gas-powered blowers; Brian is a member.
Jay asked about scope 2 and 3 emissions of electric landscaping equipment; at the source they are
zero emissions, but not for scope 2 and 3. Brian shared that a gas backpack blower used 4 hours per
day, 5 days per week will produce around 12,000 lbs of CO2e per year. A battery powered backpack
blower will produce around 800 lbs, or one fifteenth the emissions.
Jay also raised concerns about economic impacts on small landscaping companies, many of which
are minority-owned. SAB will need to consider this, and take into account social and economic
aspects of sustainability as well as environmental. Will also need to figure out how to identify which
firms need help. Partnering with landscape contractors’ association, community colleges on
education could help. The City could provide educational support to contractors on what equipment
to buy, how to charge/maintain, etc. that can help ease the transition beyond the financial piece.
Brian advocated for a “green zone” approach, e.g. with a City park, to be able to quantify the before
and after and demonstrate to the public the advantages of switching to electric equipment.
Stephanie pointed out the impacts of high-force leaf blowers on soil quality. Brian said that electric
leaf blowers work well on hardscape (concrete, asphalt) and lawns; where they struggle is when
blowing leaves out of a flower bed, for example, which is actually where you want to leave them for
soil, plant, insect health. The City could set an example by taking a selective strategy in their own
landscaping.
C. Update on City of LO All-Electric Landscaping
Pam Peterson, City Beautification Specialist with the Public Works department, shared lessons
learned from the City’s transition to electric landscaping equipment for the ROW and stormwater
maintenance contracts.
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February 21, 2022
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• Landscaping companies need commercial equipment (different from what homeowners might
buy from a hardware store), and the cost is high.
• Both of the City’s contractors are using all-electric equipment for ROW landscaping. The cost of
equipment for city’s contract was $60,000, which included two large mowers (~$18k/each). An
unanticipated expense was the need to upgrade/install electrical capacity and wiring to be able
to charge batteries in their equipment storage areas overnight (~$10k).
• Another challenge was actually getting the equipment they needed, due to supply chain issues
(batteries backordered).
• Backpack leaf blowers are awkward and heavy. This will probably be improved over time as new
equipment models are developed.
• Additional time is needed to clear heavy, wet winter leaves from sidewalks and pathways with
electric blowers compared with high-power gas models. Need to account for higher labor costs.
Based on the lessons learned from the city contracts, Pam recommended a couple strategies to
support the transition to electric equipment:
• Engaging contractors and educators via community colleges with certification programs to share
information and potential incentives, like rebates. Pam has worked with PCC and CCC on
stormwater certification programs.
• Technology is changing and improving rapidly, so a gradual approach to transitioning equipment
makes more sense than requiring companies to replace all of their equipment at once.
D. SAB Discussion on GPLE Transition Plan
SAB discussed several ideas for actions to support the transition to GPLE:
• “Leave the Leaves” campaign to support a paradigm shift on expectations in regard to
landscaping and educate about ecological benefits for flower/garden beds. Kathleen noted that
the Watershed Council will be doing a “leave the leaves” campaign this fall. Brian shared a link
to an example campaign: https://xerces.org/blog/leave-the-leaves.
• Collecting resources on available rebates and other incentives and adding links to the City’s
website. Creating educational materials for contractors and translating them. Kathleen noted
that LOSN has a lot of educational materials on GPLE on their website.
• Making it easier for landscapers to charge batteries between work sites, such as through:
battery chargers on light posts in neighborhoods where landscapers work; battery
banks/battery exchange program in several locations city-wide or at subscribing individual
residences and multifamily buildings so landscapers can swap out spent batteries for charged
ones throughout their work day; EV trucks that could charge batteries on the go.
• Buzz worked out a deal with his landscaper where he bought electric equipment for them to
use, and his monthly fees will be reduced until cost is recouped.
• Clothes or car decals for landscapers who switch to electric to advertise/spread awareness.
• Survey landscapers and homeowners to gather more information about perceptions and use of
electric landscaping equipment. Amanda will circulate the draft survey from 2020 for SAB to
review and provide feedback.
• Messaging to landscapers could include how transitioning their equipment can help prepare
them for potential state-level policy changes; also to be responsive to market demand/customer
City of Lake Oswego Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes
February 21, 2022
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preferences for electric equipment. The list of contractors using electric equipment in our area is
growing.
PGE will be holding an electric tool exchange in Lake Oswego during the LO Sustainability Resource Fair
on April 24, at Lakeridge Middle School.
Amanda noted that SAB is scheduled for a joint study session with City Council at their May 3 session
and GPLE can be one of the topics they discuss. SAB members suggested also touching on trees and
natural resources, deconstruction, and other progress on SAB’s goals.
Wrap Up & Adjournment
Stephanie Glazer adjourned the meeting at 8:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Amanda Watson
Sustainability Program Manager