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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025_01_07 Sustainability Collaborative MinutesTown of Mamaroneck Sustainabitity Collaborative/CSC Task Force 2024.01.07 Meeting Notes TOWN OF MAMARONECK SUSTAINABILITY COLLABORATIVE JANUARY 7, 2025 MEETING NOTES Attendees: Supervisor Jaine Elkind Eney, Mark Kramer, Sue Odierna, Arlene Novich, Andrea Hirsch, Mitch Green, Frank Owens, Karin Weisburgh, June Wallach, Roger Weiss, Irene Ochs-Lilien Approval of the Meeting Notes The Notes of the December Collaborative Meeting were approved. Climate Smart Community Activities — Town Supervisor Jaine Elkind Eney Jaine updated the Climate Smart Community Taskforce co-chairs and explained that the CSC submission is due this Friday, January 10th. Our consultant is working hard on the actions. She will submit for 290 points (we need 300 for silver). Though we may not be approved for all 290, we will get comments back and know what further work is ahead for the next submission in April. One change that has recently occurred — CSC has updated actions/points which will help us get more points for new actions that weren't previously listed. Jaine also spoke about the many environmental accomplishments the Town has achieved this year, which she will include as part of her State of the Town address at Wednesday night's first Town Board meeting of the year. As some examples, the Town held our annual Repair Cafe, two Cleanups, and our annual Compost Giveaway Day. In addition, the Town planted 110 trees, participated in the Energy Smart Homes program, Drive Electric event/initiative and passed a gasoline -powered leaf blower ban. We also received several NYSERDA grants — one to be used for a heat pump for the new Parks building, another for energy -saving improvements/renovations to the Mamaroneck Senior Center and another for a grant for a climate vulnerability assessment. The Town also contracted with "HELPSY," an organization that picks up used clothing/textiles at residents' front doors as well as "Curbside Compost" which will pick up food scraps from homes in Town if they can get enough registrants. (The program needs 120 households to start, they only have 50 takers thus far.) In the Q&A session which followed the Supervisor's address, several energy and electrification topics were covered, including: PACE financing for energy -saving building improvements: Frank asked about PACE financing, since the program has changed. Frank and Mitch emphasized that Hastings -on -Hudson has adopted PACE financing for which it received CSC points. The CSC Action PE 8, Green Financing, formerly PACE Financing, can be used for points. There are several levels of points available related to PACE financing under PE 8. Jaine said she'd discuss PACE further with the Town Board — may be helpful to talk with our consultant more on this and/or Town Attorney. EV fast chargers for public and resident use: Frank also asked Jaine about various locations for potential additional EV Fast chargers. NYPA would need to know by the end of the first quarter (3/31/2025) if the Town is interested in pursuing this opportunity. There are two locations that NYPA evaluated (next to Lot B on Myrtle Blvd and Lot A adjacent to the train station) and other possible locations (need to be within one mile of 1-95 entrance). Frank reminded the group that these fast chargers are very different from the existing EV chargers that the Town has already installed — namely they: Town of Mamaroneck Sustainabitity Collaborative/CSC Task Force 2024.01.07 Meeting Notes • provide roughly 30 times more power than our existing Level 2 chargers, • charge a car in minutes vs hours, and • are 10 to 30 times more expensive (NYPA estimates the cost to install would be close to $1 million). The Town would enter into a ten (10) year lease agreement with NYPA that would provide for NYPA to pay the Town a nominal annual lease fee (—$6,000/year) and have NYPA cover all up -front capital and operating expenses including electric utility charges. The Town would need to provide any snow plowing or cleaning as they would for any municipal parking and include the EV chargers in their municipal insurance program. Frank said he has a copy of their proposed lease agreement that he can provide if the Town determines there is a location that makes sense for the Town. Fleet Electrification: Frank also mentioned that he has discussed our fleet with Meredith. He thinks we need a consultant to study the fleet and determine a sensible strategy to electrify. Frank contacted DVM Industries who suggested that the Town do a "Fleet Electrification Plan" and that their cost for such a plan would be $130,000, but there was no funding currently for such plans for municipalities, though there is funding available for school districts. All school buses purchased by 2027 must be zero -emission and all school district fleets must transition to electric by 2035, so NYSERDA is providing funding to help them do this. DVM suggested if there were any shared fleet facilities with the School District, the Town might be able to secure some of this funding through the school. Sue mentioned that the Town's Garage gases up school district vehicles and would that count? Frank to follow up with Meredith to check. Sue then mentioned that the Town, Village, Schools (TVS) meetings should start up shortly as they meet quarterly, and the first meeting is generally scheduled for January. Perhaps this subject could be discussed at the next TVS meeting given the enormous costs of electrification and the fact that schools seem to have access to State funding that municipalities do not. Frank said he would also check into other entities who might be able to do a study like this that might be less than DVM's $130,000. Solar Panels for Maxwell Avenue Facility Highway Dept. Buildings — Frank Owens Frank had spoken with former Town Administrator Steve A. about the roof above Highway Department garages. One roof is metal, the other is shingle. A shingle roof lasts about 30 years, and this one was replaced about 25 years ago, so it will be time soon to replace it. Frank spoke with Meredith who said she wanted to check with her staff before checking with Calgi construction company. Her staff expressed concern about putting solar on the narrow building and asked if the larger building alone would work for the solar developer. Frank has e-mailed the solar developer and is waiting to hear back from them. Education Outreach — Mark K and Mitch (M &M)/Sue/Arlene Tree List -- Mark Kramer mentioned we are still waiting for the Tree List from Town Environmental Planner, Liz Aitchison. Jaine to follow up with Liz on this. Mitch suggested Collabs prepare a Tree List to account for locations, utility wire side of the street, distance from structures, etc., for community associations and others in addition to waiting for Town to create one to be incorporated with the Tree Law. Also, new volunteer, Irene Ochs-Lilien mentioned that many trees were taken down from Burton Road, the street her apartment is on, when a new home was built at the corner of Burton and Palmer Roads. Town of Mamaroneck Sustainabitity Collaborative/CSC Task Force 2024.01.07 Meeting Notes Leaf Blower Ban —Jaine said work is being done to create a letter that will go out to landscapers. Will the Collab be asked to do anything to let people know about it, like what they did with the RBI (tables outside Trader Joe's, HS students in need of volunteer hours assisting, etc.)? EV Chargers/WSNA) — M&M Outreach to other apartments such as Larchmont Acres West may now be in order since Washington Square Neighborhood Association is not interested in EV Chargers due to lack of parking spaces in their neighborhood. Irene said she thinks there is interest from residents and that the head of ABC Properties who manages the co-op owns an EV. Irene to e-introduce Frank and Mitch to Co-op Management. Winged Foot 2028 U.S. Open from June 15-18, 2028 — M&M Mitch said he will talk to Ralph Engel (Planning Board) to get a sense from him on what environmental efforts to propose to Winged Foot and to start where we left off from the prior PGA Open. Upcoming Events/Other — Mark Kramer Seed Sowing Workshops-1/11/25 at Mamaroneck Library and 2/8/25 at Larchmont Library Earth Day Celebration —4/26/25 at Constitution Park Mark is proposing 5/3/25 for Compost Giveaway Day. Sue said she would check with Meredith on the date and also see if we can buy our compost made from County food scraps. Residents have said that in the last couple of years, the compost wasn't as good a quality. The meeting ended at 8:05 p.m. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 4t"