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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025_02_04 Sustainability Collaborative MinutesTown of Mamaroneck Sustainability Collaborative/CSC Task Force 2025.02.04 Meeting Notes TOWN OF MAMARONECK SUSTAINABILITY COLLABORATIVE FEBRUARY 4, 2025 -- MEETING NOTES Attendees: Mark Kramer, Mark Manley, Sue Odierna, Arlene Novich, Andrea Hirsch, Mitch Green, Karin Weisburgh, Roger Weiss, Irene Ochs-Lilien, Hugh, Allen Reiter, Kevin Crowe, Jacob Levitt, Sophie Dassesse-Cowles, Caito Stewart (One River School of Art & Design). Caito Approval of the Meeting Notes The Notes from the January 2025 Sustainability Collaborative Meeting were approved. Earth Day Celebration (4/26/2025) - Katherine Pannell Katherine reported that they will try and have additional activities at the Earth Day event to bring out families. She would like to add a sports equipment exchange, enabling families to pick up items that are gently used. Discussion on having a "Buy Nothing" app representative at the event to further keep items that can be reused out of the waste stream and save people money. Sue suggested we should also have "Repair Cafe" flyers there to recruit fixers and let residents know to save the date. Mark K asked for volunteers for the afternoon event, and no one stepped up at this time. EV Fast Chargers for Public and Resident Use - Mark Manley: Mark M. mentioned that he met with NYPA representatives, along with Collab Frank Owens and Town Administrator Meredith Robson and Town Engineer Rob Wasp regarding fast chargers being placed in the Town. Vine Street, Lot D (Myrtle Blvd.) are options. If the Town decides to go through with this plan, NYPA is proposing a ten-year agreement with the Town. Mark M. stated he likes both options (though it's likely just one will be used as this is very expensive for NYPA) as they are near Washington Square neighborhood and also, the business area. These fast chargers give drivers the ability to charge a car in minutes vs hours. The Town would enter into a ten-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. Mark will follow up with Meredith in a couple of weeks. Website Update - Sue and Hugh Sue reported that the main part of the Sustainability Collaborative webpage is updated now. The outdated documents have been deleted, and documents/laws/events are listed in a more readable way and in date order from most recent to oldest. As to the side links (Vertical blue bar on the left - side of page), need to delete rain barrel link and update LYF section. Discussion ensued regarding tying in the LMSanitation.org page with the Collab page. Should we add a link to LM Sanitation? It seems to be a good idea since residents come to the Collab webpage to learn about environmental initiatives, such as what to recycle. Andrea stated that there is sometimes confusion about what is recyclable, stating that she didn't realize milk cartons go in the commingled bins. Perhaps others could benefit from more frequent recycling info on FB and in other places. The question, "How about adding a recycling blurb to Jaine's next newsletter?" was raised. Sue will ask. Also, the Recyclopedia has not been updated in quite some time. Sue will ask who (and when) can do this. Hugh suggested we add photos from events to the page since we want to include community and nature pictures on this page. Discussion about the difficulty of reaching residents as only about 10% are signed up for notifications. Hugh suggested we add a QR code for the public to quickly sign up. Where would this QR code go? On hard copy flyers or on website itself? Also, Jake commented that the 3,000 sign- ups (families) probably represent many more residents, say 9,000 - 12, 000 residents. Jaine and Meredith approved the Town getting an lnstagram page, what is the status with that? How else can we get the word out- libraries, gas stations, TJ's, ask residents to ask their neighbors to sign up for newsletter? Can we get analytics on how many people look at websites? Can we get statistics on how many look at Collab webpage? Google Analytics?Also suggested was when Sue forwards Jaine's E-newsletter to elected officials, such as Shelley Mayer and Catherine Parker, she can ask them to include a link so that their Town of Mam'k constituents can sign up for newsletters/notifications. Also, can we send a newsletter to PTA's, neighborhood associations, schools, reach out to Joe Liberti... Sue will investigate these options. Senator Kruger's Bill- Rebates on Electric Leaf Blowers -Allen Reiter Allen and Mark K. had asked Jaine if the Collab could sign a coalition letter (from various environmental committees) addressed to our NYS legislators asking for their support of bills that will establish rebates for the purchase of electric lawn equipment in New York State. These rebates are for point of purchase rebates on all electric landscaping equipment, in addition to electric leaf blowers. Funds would come from NYSERDA. Jaine approved Collab signing off on the letter which Mark K did. Our NYS Assemblyman Steve Otis is the sponsor of this bill in the NYS Assembly (Senator Liz Krueger is sponsoring it in the NYS Senate). We are hopeful that the NYS legislators will support these bills. This led to discussion of our Gasoline -powered leaf blower ban. Allen reported that the prior gas - powered leaf blower law is still visible on the website when one conducts a search of "gasoline - powered leaf blowers."Sue to have IT remove. Discussion about how to promote new law banning the gas -powered blowers. Need to ask Jaine/Meredith -- Signage at Palmer/Weaver stating new law? Handing out flyers at Larchmont Farmers Market? Should we have signs in Spanish also? Sue suggested we have a Message Board (see photo) at the Palmer/Weaver intersection. ,ram" ![ r i !~lit _ rt r• i i- L� C I 1_i Ir 1-11-1.1-i {ri fr We have a letter that the Village of Larchmont sent out to landscapers. This is to be edited byJaine and sent out in the next few weeks. Update: IT removed the reference to the old leaf blower law. The updated law now comes up once a search is initiated. The landscaper letter was edited and was sent out to 85 landscapers/companies on 2/18/2025 (see attached template of letter). Multi -Family Housing in Town - Mitch Green Mitch reported that he and other members of the Collab have attended several Town Planning Board meetings on multi -family housing. He reminded our group that the Town's Comprehensive Plan includes this as a goal. Mitch reported at these meetings there is sufficient continuing opposition to some aspects of the project. As for environmental considerations, the developer has agreed to remediate any potential contamination from the gas station that was there. Mitch feels the environmental effects of this project would actually be an improvement over the area currently. The Planning Board has had three public hearings on the Boston Post Road Diner site, and they will have a fourth public hearing at their next meeting on February20t`' if anyone is interested in attending, please do! Tree Photography Exhibit - Arlene Arlene has gotten approval from laine to have the exhibit at Town Center, second floor. We still need to work out how to get the word out about the contest. Wall space is limited at Town Center; we would limit size of photos, require they are on mattes only (no frames), with name and contact information on the back. It will not be a contest and will instead be an exhibit of our spectacular trees in the eyes of Town residents. We also discussed using the Senior Center, but since that is open to members only, Town Admin/Supervisor said we should limit the exhibit to Town Center. Tree List Discussion -Arlene Arlene reported she was happy to see there weren't invasives on the list that Town Environmental Planner Elizabeth Aitchison has distributed. Arlene contacted Frank Budding, an arborist, and he had some comments, including that Elm trees were not specifically identified. He suggested we want to have a species that is resistant to Dutch Elm Disease. He also suggested we group the trees into two categories: recommended street trees and recommended park land trees. Mark K. agreed it would be helpful to categorize the trees to further guide residents on their choices. Andrea said she'd check with the Native Plant Center to get their input. Mitch suggested we spend a greater portion of time on the list at the next meeting. Upcoming Events/Other — Mark Kramer "Seed Starting 101"— 2/8/25 from 11:30 a.m. —1 p.m. at Larchmont Library Village Center (back entrance) Update: Mark K and Katherine attended Seed Starting 101, initiated by an OCRA project. Two students surveyed recipients of the L-M Hunger Task Force food donations and identified specific vegetables that they wanted and ate. The OCRA students and the Village of Larchmont Seed Catalogue gave away up to 5 packets of vegetable and native flower seeds for people to start during the winter/early spring; take some and give back to the OCRA students and Victory Gardens (Lisa Chase) many of the seedlings raised for distribution the community gardens and hunger task force recipients. Town Cleanup —4/26/25 from 10 a.m. —12 p.m. — LeatherstockingTrails Earth Day Celebration —4/26/25 from 1 p.m. —4 p.m. at Constitution Park, Larchmont Compost Giveaway Day-5/3/25 is being proposed toAdmin. The meeting ended at 8:05 p.m. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, March