PRESENT:

Paul Loomis, Mayor K.C. Carter, Vice Mayor Paula Abbott, Council Member Bill Garner, Council Member Barry Gillaspie, Council Member Al Kunisch, Council Member Salette Latas, Council Memmber

Planning & Zoning Director Ainsley Legner presented the Naranja Town Site Implementation Plan Concept.  Three options for moving forward were reviewed:

1)  Hold public forums to readdress Naranja Town Site using the masterplan as a starting point.
2)  Complete a needs assessment with community, user groups and stakeholders.
3)  Appoint a blue ribbon task force of residents designated by the Town Council to look at the site and recommend an implementation plan for use of the property. The Task Force would also include a council member and a management staff representative.  Staff expertise would include Parks & Recreation, Finance, Building Safety/Architecture, and Engineering as well as a professional facilitator to keep the task force moving forward.

Council members discussed the proposed options:
- Survey likely voters to find out what options are acceptable before moving forward.
- Due to budget shortfall and nationwide recession this item should be tabled.
- Solicit ideas from citizens on website and newspapers. Should not rush since there is a budget crisis.
- Conducting a needs assessment would be helpful. Hearing from the public and analyzing election results would be helpful.
- Give this decision some time to see if possible to get private businesses to help.
- Build an element of the park with volunteers.
- Council show leadership by paying for a statistical survey; $18,000 to $20,000 to conduct needs analysis.
- Look at needs for Oro Valley, not as a metropolitan area.
- If move forward with survey, don’t dwell on the details of the park.  The proposed park was a 10 year public process and there was a disconnect between the masterplanning process and when it went to the ballot.
- Council should stay focused on the policy, won’t support making the park smaller.  Election hit at wrong time, there is no rush.
- Form blue ribbon committee and hold public forums and needs assessment. Let the blue ribbon committee make a recommendation to Council.
- Need fresh ideas and fresh faces.
- Keep all options open.

Direction - bring an action item back to Council to either create a blue ribbon committee or table this issue for a year or two. Council Member Abbott suggested keeping all options open.

Council Member Abbott requested information regarding what the Town and other municipalities are doing regarding Environmental Sustainability.

Assistant Planning & Zoning Director Paul Popelka reported on the background and accomplishments of the 21 member Green Team, reviewed internal sustainability practices proposed by the team, and discussed the community outreach for development of community-wide sustainability practices.

Mr. Popelka reviewed the draft Sustainability Plan entitled "Sustainability: Methods of Approach & Highlights of Success" including: 

- Water Conservation
- Renewable Resources
- What other communities are doing.
- Key internal activities by other communities.
- Key external activities
- Rating Smart Growth - Arizona Smart Growth Scoreboard
- Green team assessment of OV - 75% (In transition)
- General Plan Update for Sustainability (adding an Energy Element for populations over     50,000 addressing efficient use of energy and expanded use of renewable energy)
- Public Outreach for the General Plan and Sustainability programs
- Public Outreach - engaging the community - starting this spring to flush out sustainablity plan - need to go public add different people, locations, venues. (traveling road show)

Mayor Loomis suggested holding a study session where the Council and staff could complete the self assessment tool for sustainable practices (Scorecard) together. He complimented the Green Team for their work.

Mayor Loomis turned the meeting over to Vice Mayor Carter and left the meeting at 6:20 p.m.

Further discussion followed regarding the importance of public education, the elements of the Scorecard - responsibility and accountabililty, preservation of community character, stewardship of natural resources, opportunity for broad choices, essential service structure and economic development. 

In answer to a question, Procurement Administrator Brian Garrity and member of the Green Team explained that the Town utilizes a state cooperative contract with WAXY and that the Town and our janitorial service uses green products.

The possibility of meeting with other jurisdictions to discuss the importance of coordinating regional environmental sustainability was discussed.

Planning & Zoning Director Sarah More agreed and pointed out that this Plan is a significant undertaking and will be a multi-year process to integrate this into the Town’s future.  She stated this is the first of many presentations that the Green Team will be presenting to Council.

Resumed meeting at 6:55 p.m.

Planning & Zoning Director Sarah More reviewed the 2008-09 Highlights & Accomplishments with the Work Plan.

Ongoing Projects and Programs
1)  Administration
2)  Zoning
3)  Planning
4)  Special Projects
5)  Training
6)  Citizen Planning Institute
7)  Neighborhood Clean-ups and Hazardous Materials Collection
8)  Annexations

Workplan Projects by Priority
1)  The Arroyo Grande Plan (ASLD)
2)  Environmentally Sensitive Lands Project
3)  Arroyo Grande Pre-Annexation Development Agreement
4)  Master Planned Community Ordinance/PAD for Arroyo Grande
5)  Sustainability Program to include incentives for green building and town practices
6)  Steam Pump Ranch Master Plan
7)  Development Review Process revisions to zoning code and internal procedures
8)  Zoning Code clean-up, submittal requirements, and development of standardized review   checklists
9)  Historic Preservation Plan
10)  Steam Pump Ranch Restoration
11)  Public Art
12)  Landscape Code Amendment
13)  Recreation Areas in residential districts
14)  Neighborhood meetings revisions
15)  CN Zone review
16)  Sign Code
17)  General Plan 2010 

Council Member Gillaspie left the meeting at 7:19 p.m.

Russell Lowes, Research Director, SafeEnergyAnalyst.org gave a presentation entitled "Nuclear Energy: Too Expensive and Too Polluting - We have Better Options."

Discussion included looking at an energy future that includes appropriate use of technology; an energy scenario that uses low-pollution technologies; a palette of energy solutions that foster the human relationship with nature and reasons why atomic energy plants are bad for global warming.

Latas/Kunisch Adjourned meeting at 8:10 p.m.  Motion carried 5 - 0.