CC MIN 02012022 - Laserfiche WebLink

In response to Councilmember Arkin, Mr. Repp clarified this item does not include backyards. Staff is not recommending backyards because there is no visual benefit to other residents. He added residential meters are combined so the City does not know how much water use is going to irrigation. He stated they would need separate irrigation meters to assess the benefit of a backyard conversion. He noted the current program only has a two-year term, so applicants are not obligated to maintain the conversion after two years. He noted a reversal in conservation measures would be visible in the front yard but not the back yard. He added if Council desires, staff could look for ways to quantify the benefit of a backyard conversion and also assess the potential cost of extending this program to backyards. In response to Councilmember Narum, Mr. Repp confirmed staff recommends using the Water Enterprise Fund to pay for these rebates. He confirmed these rebates would be included in the rate studies if approved. Ms. Olson clarified staff has set aside funding for this program as part of the year- end surplus in the Water Fund so they may not have to incorporate any additional money into the rate study. Mr. Repp clarified currently they grant rebates up to the funding level authorized for the program and they would require Council's authorization for additional funds if there were still people interested. He added this would be like the parklet grants discussed in Item No. 12. Director of Operations and Water Utilities Kathleen Yurchak clarified the $15,000 would be an annual request to maintain the program in addition to the $25,000 already budgeted. In response to Councilmember Balch, Mr. Repp confirmed if Option 2 were to be approved, Pleasanton would be the only Zone 7 retailer to have these requirements. He clarified the City is enhancing what Zone 7 is already doing so residents are both participants but also burdened with the Water Enterprise Fund pressures for the rates. Mayor Brown opened the public hearing. Andre Pegeron thanked Councilmember Testa for her earlier follow-up to his comments about Weekends on Main. He clarified his proposal was to have the Main Street closure be continuous. He added this would allow for the creation of play structures, greenery, and other permanent community benefits within the road space. He expressed his support for the expanded rebate program encouraging residents to invest in a more sustainable future and commended the aesthetics of the variety in these yards. He stated it is a good responsible use of City funds. He noted it impacts 60 lawns per year. He stated water conservation does not have to be a bogeyman preventing responsible growth. Jill Buck expressed support for the staff's recommendation. She added they are working on an April 21st movie night for the documentary her 2020 summer interns made about the City's water. She stated education about this rebate program would be a perfect impetus for residents to attend. Becky Dennis reported she added native plants to her backyard but not all of them are good for the front yard for their size and unruliness. She suggested the City create a native plant demonstration garden for residents to learn more about managing them. She stated the sheet mulching requirement is interesting but pondered if the City will provide free pizza boxes for it. She added people may want to use a professional for sheet mulching. She expressed support for the proposed program. She suggested participants should share their success stories through the City's newsletter. She inquired if the City has considered showing residents how to do a rain garden. In response to Mayor Brown, Managing Director of Utilities and Water Services Repp confirmed the native plants around City Hall are a demonstration garden. Environmental Services Manager Di Candia added the City received a grant from StopWaste to perform this sheet mulching demonstration project at City Hall for residents to view the process. She noted the drought-tolerant plants around City facilities are landscaped for a commercial landscape and will not be as pleasant for what a resident would want around their houses for their difficult maintenance. City Council Minutes Page 10 of 16 February 1,2022