TO: Sheryl Sculley, City Manager
FROM: Peter Zanoni, Deputy City Manager
COPIES TO: Mayor Julian Castro; Councilman Diego Bernal, City Council District 1; Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran, City Council District 3; Councilman Rey Saldana, City Council District 4; Councilman Ron Nirenberg, City Council District 8; File
SUBJECT: Environmental Policy Updates CCR
DATE: April 16, 2014
In a Council Consideration Request (CCR) dated November 7, 2013, Councilman Cris Medina of City Council District 7 requested an update on environmental policies within the City of San Antonio. These initiatives include:
1. Prohibition of single-use carryout bags as recommended by the Citizen's Environmental Advisory Committee within 90 days.
2. Updating the current Unified Development Code to reflect the 2012 International Electric Conservation Code within 90 days.
3. Evaluate the potential cost savings and elimination of waste by adopting a paperless system for all Council and Committee meetings. Should the staff's evaluation of costs produce a net savings to the City, a paperless system should be employed within 60 days.
Single-use Carryout Bags
The Solid Waste Management Service Deparment last presented to the Governance Committee in February 2013 on the issue of single use plastic bags. Since then, staff presented to the Infrastructure and Growth Committee on March 20, 2013 and presented to the Citizens Environmental Advisory Committee (CEAC) on April 5, 2013. Staff also completed research on comparative cities single-use bag restriction policies (fees and bans) in Texas cities such as Austin, Brownsville, Ft. Stockton and South Padre Island as well as cities across the nation such as Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, and Washington D.C. In addition, comparative cities were contacted to discuss effectiveness of bans and fees within the communities and the legislative issues associated with each policy.
Since the issuance of the November 7, 2013 CCR from Council District 7, Councilman Medina has had an opportunity to speak with local retail businesses in a roundtable format on February 11, 2014 to discuss single-use plastic bags and litter within San Antonio. After the roundtable, Councilman Medina asked that the Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) compile a listing of approaches to the issue of single use bags that City Council could consider and provide that information to the Governance Committee. Additionally, the Councilman asked that staff recommended a single approach that could be further evaluated by the full City Council.
The most prominent approaches to addressing the issue of single use plastic bags in San Antonio for City Council consideration are:
· Allow the business community to do their own education and outreach program regarding single-use plastic bags. This will allow for the retailers to continue protecting their independent brand while also allowing them to each focus on their independent strengths. The City would not coordinate any of the educational or outreach efforts.
· Institute a fee for all distributed bags, both paper and plastic, by commercial businesses.
· Institute a ban on all single-use plastic and paper carry-out bags at the point of sale.
· Approve and implement a City ordinance requiring business retailers to require incentives for the usage of reusable bags.
· Maintain the current status and continue focusing on outreach to the San Antonio residents who receive SWMD services informing them that beginning August 1, 2014 bundled single-use plastic bags can be recycled in the blue cart program.
The recommendation on this issue is for staff to present additional information on a ban of single-use plastic and paper carry-out bags to the Governance Committee or to the full City Council during an upcoming City Council "B" Session.
Updating Unified Development Code
With respect to updating the Unified Development Code to reflect the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (2012 IECC), Development Services and the Office of Sustainability are implementing the Sustainable Building Ordinance approved by City Council on March 12, 2009. This ordinance requires the Stakeholder Sustainable Building Committee (SSBC) meet to review the progress of energy code adoption and to offer recommendations on how to achieve the goal of net-zero carbon construction by 2030. The SSBC held several meetings in 2013, which included discussions on adopting a newer code. Prior to adopting a new energy code, Development Services recommends the City, the Building-Related & Fire Code Board of Appeals and Advisory Board, and the SSBC have the opportunity to study the 2015 IECC and to make a recommendation to City Council on which code would be best for San Antonio. The 2015 IECC is expected to be published this year.
Investigate Paperless System for Council and Committee Meetings
The City Manager's Office and the City Attorney's Office have examined and implemented improvements to reduce paper and print consumption:
· In September of 2011 the Office of the City Manager began electronic delivery of City Council Agenda packets. City Council Members began using iPads for agenda review.
· Electronic Delivery of the City Council Committee Agenda packets would reduce the number of printed agenda packets. Consuming and estimate of 22,000 sheets of paper and approximately $3,000 in supplies and paper cost annually. Currently agenda packets are produced for each of the Committees and distributed on the posting day. Electronic delivery of City Council Committee Agenda packets is already in place.
· Paper copies of the City Council agenda packets will be distributed to the Library and the City Clerk's Office for archiving purposes.
On December 2013, the Office of Sustainability (OOS) launched the "Think Before You Print" employee campaign. All Departments received a memorandum from OOS informing them of their department's average monthly paper/printing consumption with the goal of reducing paper/print consumption by ten percent. The City Manager has declared this initiative as a city-wide goal for FY14. Since January of 2014, OOS staff has provided technical assistance to each department to assist in meeting their print/paper reduction goal.
Based on an analysis of print and paper costs in 2012, the City expended $5.5 million in printing costs and $272,000 in paper. Through this organizational effort, staff anticipates an approximate savings of $527,000 in printing costs and $137,000 in paper costs. The Office of Sustainability will monitor and provide progress to Departments on a quarterly basis on this sustainability initiative.
The first quarterly performance report reflecting all departments' print reduction indicates that sixty percent of all departments have met or exceeded their target goals or are on track to meet their annual target goal. Additionally, Office of Sustainability staff is providing one-on-one assistance with departments to meet their targeted goals. Staff is providing those departments the print management employee outreach and solutions to ensure all departments are on track to print reduction progress for the next quarterly report in July 2014.
Summary of Recommendations
1. The recommendation on this issue is for staff to present additional information on a ban of single-use plastic and paper carry-out bags to the Governance Committee or to the full City Council during an upcoming City Council "B" Session.
2. Development Services recommends the City, the Building-Related & Fire Code Board of Appeals and Advisory Board, and the SSBC have the opportunity to study the 2015 IECC and to make a recommendation to City Council on which code would be best for San Antonio. The 2015 IECC is expected to be published this year.
3. Staff recommends the electronic delivery of City council Committee agenda packets. City staff will continue the "Think Before You Print" initiative as a part of the FY 2014 City of San Antonio organization goal.