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Green Committee Minutes 2009 09-28-09 APPROVED 11/23/09 Minutes YORKVILLE GREEN COMMITTEE September 28, 2009 7:00 P.M. Yorkville Public Library First Floor Meeting Room Call to order : Marta Keane called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m. Welcome Members and Guests: Members present: Marta Keane, chairperson, Anne Engelhardt, secretary, Mariann Manthei, Cheryl Lee, Al Green, Richard Scheffrahn; Jackie Dearborn, City Staff. Guests: Becky Reichenbach, resident, Miya Russsel, USG, Tim Green, Renewable Resource, Tom Goollecoski, E.J. Plumbing Inc, Pete Huinker, SEL Group, John Philipchuck, DBC & WLtd, Jason Humm, Kendall Land Development, Jacek Zaworski, PROCOM, Dave Ponsco, GG Security/ Resident, Todd Wysocki, GE Security, Jessica Pierson, Kendall County Forest Preserve District. New Business: 1. Presentation on Proposed GE Ecomagination Housing Development. 1. Presentation on Proposed GE Ecomagination Housing Development [Secretary Engelhardt’s note: The presenters did not have handouts regarding this proposed development. Except for the sign-in sheet, there is nothing in writing for names and areas of expertise]. The members of the development group presented some of the features of the proposed housing development:  Use products to minimize carbon footprint, energy efficiency, and generally a green home development  Storm water run off - no additional storm sewer pipes or roadways  Preserve more trees and open space  Provide rain garden, 240 sq ft, 8” depth, connected to downspouts; two different locations of rain gardens  Two-car garages with asphalt driveways; permeable paver option (1 ½ times the cost of the asphalt)  Development will have 47 detached units and 38 duplexes (76 attached in pairs)  Homeowners’ association to enforce the rules of the subdivision.  Guarantee 20% savings on water and energy bills.  Interior gypsum and interior finishing products to have 99% recycled content, 100% formaldehyde-free, meet and exceed the VOC requirements.  Apply stringent sustainable practices  Provide solar heaters or tankless water heaters; the homeowner will get $1500 tax credit on their return  Options for geothermal and solar panels to generate some energy and savings  Each home will not be set up for geothermal; estimate to be 7 – 10 years to realize the monetary return on the investment  Option for tankless water heater  Standard model will have semblance of things, including CFL light bulbs and Energy Star appliances  Wiring will integrate the subsystems  GE security will teach customers how to save energy by management of water and power usage  Options for automatic turn-on exhaust fans, as in bathrooms, etc.  GE is the manufacturer of the products The representatives from the group explained and demonstrated the GE Smart Command Environment Monitor. The City of Yorkville Council meeting will have a public hearing on October 13 regarding this development proposal. The Group has already been to Plan Commission and Economic Development Counsel prior to the up-coming city council meeting. Many questions were raised and addressed. Question from Keane: What all will be standard Green things? Also options for buyers? Are you exceeding the density? Comprehensive plan calls for 2.25 units per acres. Answer: 2.35 density units per acres. Under the zoning requirements, the density is at the maximum. The development group will ask for a variance to the comprehensive plan and compared their request for variance to PUD, which is a variance. . Question from Keane: What are the obstacles that you need to overcome with the plan commission? At this point you are offering a base green style with options. Question from Lee: Will any buildings be LEED certified for homes? Or certified by NAHB? Answer: They will follow guidelines for NAHB and LEED. Question from Lee: Will you recycle the construction materials? Answer: They will consider this procedure. They expect to have three different dumpsters for different items to separate the recyclables and will train the workers on site. Question from Lee: What will you do that will promote a green lifestyle? Answer: They will be required to follow current ordinances, including requirements for city parks, gardens and vegetable gardens. The current proposal does not allow clotheslines; current proposal has connection to Com Ed bike trail. Question: What about the existing covenants? Answer: They will have to look at the covenants. Also they plan to “Green up” the CCNR’s. Question: Are you wired for wind turbines? Answer: Not on houses, but may, in the future, have wind turbines on street lights. Challenge is the battery power. Question: How many Ecomagination developments are there in Illinois? Answer: None. But have one in Myrtle Beach and in North Carolina. Question: How are sales? Answer: Better than here. Question: What is the demographic that is buying? Answer: Cannot tell you. GE has invested a lot of money in this company. Shell of building is stock, but the internals will be customized. Question: Will the homes be handicapped accessible? Answer: No, the terrain is very hilly and homes will be two stories. Question: What about the park? Answer: The land slopes much and is not very usable. Wetland and fen will be protected. The area will have sidewalks throughout and connecting to the Com Ed trail. (Attached document lists the proposed standards) At 8:23 pm. Keane moved on to the regular meeting. Approval of Minutes: August 24, 2009-10-22 Keane asked that the minutes be corrected by adding the name of guest Becky Reichenbach. Green noted three additional corrections, including (1) page one, under Committee Reports, third bullet point, delete “Veolia” and add “Com 2”, (2) page two, under Recommendation Progress Reports, #2, the title line, Delete “Tree City” and add “Water Conservation”, and (3) under Recommendation Progress Reports, 2. third sentence, delete “tree” and add “landscape”. Al Green motioned to accept minutes with the four noted changes. Lee seconded. Vote: All “yes” to approve minutes as corrected. Motion passed. Thank you note Keane stated that she received a thank you note from Kendall County Outdoor Education Center for Keane’s participation, representing the Green Committee, at the Family Adventure Day in August. The Green Committee is invited back next year. Recycling natural Christmas trees Jessica Pierson is Assistant Naturalist at Kendall County Forest Preserve. She presented information about an up-coming event that she is developing. On January 9, 2010, there will be an opportunity for recycling natural trees with the use of a chipping machine. The event will be held in the parking lot at the Historic Courthouse and at the Kendall County administrative building. She would like to include a collection of recyclable items. Scheffrahn asked Pierson to explain the final destination of the wood chips. Lee suggested to her to find out if the city could take the chipped wood for use in parks, etc., Dearborn offered to check on this possibility. Lee also suggested to Pierson to check with the highway department. Pierson stated she will check on this. Pierson thought that chipped wood cannot be brought into the Kendall County Forest Preserve. She will investigate this point. . Keane asked if the trees could be chipped on a City site, where it could be left and used at a later time. Manthei asked if she thought that people will people take their trees, bulky, large, dried out, to get them chipped. She also offered a green suggestion that the natural tree be used for bird feeders outdoors in the winter months. Engelhardt commented that Veolia does have a pick up for natural trees that get taken for landfills. Scheffrahn offered another possibility of using the fairgrounds or Hoover as a collection site for the trees and then mulch it all at a later date. Pierson will check with the fairgrounds. Green stated he liked the idea that the trees be dropped off on a city site and then chipped at a later date. Additional discussion centered around what other items Pierson had in mind to collect for recycling, such as small electronics, books, batteries, scrap metal, etc. Engelhardt suggested to Pierson that she attend the Care & Share Day on October 24 to see the method of operation and handling of the recyclable items. Pierson stated that she will continue to research to develop a plan for this event. Keane stated that the Green Committee is willing to work to help out if needed. Committee Reports: 1 Share & Care Recycling Event Committee – October 24, 2009 2. Environmental Fair Committee – Recommendations Progress Report 3. Water Conservation Committee – Recommendations Progress Report 4. Plastic Bag Reduction’ 5. Chamber Green Committee Engelhardt motioned to accept the reports as written. Scheffrahn seconded. Vote: all “yes”. Motion passed. Recommendation Progress Reports: 1.Tree Survey Recommendation 2.Tree City Recommendation 3.Electronic Recycling Permanent Program 4.Franchise Agreement Recommendation 5.Recycling in Parks, Athletic Fields, etc. 6.Budget Line Item for Environmental Education that allows Fundraising Marta stated that she will add page numbers on reports in the future. City Admin is going to contact the listed communities that have already taken on the franchise agreements to acquire some comparative information. Green motioned to accept the recommendation progress reports Scheffrahn seconded. Vote: All “yes.” Motion passed. Old Business: 1.Clean Air Counts 2.Third Annual Renewal Energy Fair on October 17, 2009. at Waubonsee Community College 3.Zoning Ordinance Committee Update 4.Kendall County Solid Waste Committee 5.Wind Turbine Ordinance Progress 6.Cool City Challenge Action Plan 7.Rain Garden – Second City Rain Garden Progress Keane asked Green Committee to sign up for Oct .17 (YHS homecoming weekend), Third Annual Renewable Energy Fair 9 – 5 pm at Waubonsee College. Chamber of Commerce will set up and work 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Time slot 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. is open. Engelhardt will work 3:00 – 5:00. Keane will work 3:00 – 5:00. Both will help close. Dearborn will check with Travis to see if someone from the city might be able to work the booth or check in. Engelhardt handed out a sheet to sign up to work at the Care & Share Recycling Day on th Saturday, October 24. Volunteers will do two hour shifts. Five members of the Green Committee signed up to help. Lee reported that there will some volunteers from t he Yorkville Junior Women’s club. Engelhardt reported that there will be 8 or more from the Yorkville Congregational Church Green Group. Lee will contact the ACE group (Athletes Committed to Excellence) at YHS and the St. Pat’s CCD class. Lee suggested that Harry Wolf, sponsor of the YHS SAFE club (Students Acting For the Earth), be contacted to see if there will be high school students who can help. Engelhardt will follow-up on this. Manthei volunteered to pick up pizzas for the volunteers. Scheffrahn motioned to accept old business reports. Green seconded. Vote: All “yes.” Motion passed. Keane asked the Green Committee to discuss and form a recommendation about the proposed GE Ecomagination Housing Development. The following recommendation will be presented to the City Council. The Green Committee heard a presentation from Kendall Land Development Corp., on their updated proposal to build Kendallwood as a GE Ecomagination development. They offered a list of items that they proposed as standards that will save homeowners 20% of utility costs annually. They also proposed an additional list of optional items that buyers may choose that would further improve the energy efficiency of the homes. The Green Committee endorses the concept of GE Ecomagination. We recommend that the PUD agreement require specific minimum development standards (such as Energy Star Requirements or LEED for Homes standards) and that the covenants be reviewed and revised to reflect green goals (such as allowing clothes lines, minimal use of sod, rain gardens, native plantings, etc.). Additional Business: 1. Report from Jackie Dearborn, Green Committee and Staff Liaison Keane adjourned the meeting at 9:45 p.m. Next meeting: Monday, November 23, 2009