HomeMy WebLinkAbout5-C Public CommentAnthony Mejia
To: City of Palm Springs; City Clerk
Subject: RE: *NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
From: City of Palm Springs <palmspringsca@enotify.visioninternet.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2021 6:22 PM
To: City Clerk <CityClerk@palmspringsca.gov>; Anthony Mejia <Anthony.Mejia @palmspringsca.gov>
Subject: *NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Full Name/Nombre
Jake Torrens
City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia
Palm Springs,
Phone (optional) /Telefono (opcional)
Email (optional/opcional)
a aketorrensPgmail.com
Your Comments/Sus comentarios
In terms of the proposed updated Franchise Agreement, I want to advocate for the importance of a complimentary community
composting option. While most the lanugage currently proposed is strong, and supports community composting, there is one are
that I believe needs some attention, and reconsideration.This matter is related to a combined fee for the new service. I am strong
believer of the carrot -and -stick approach, and the good behaviour should be engouraged, and bad behavior discouraged. As such, it
would worthwhile to increase the fees for black refuse bins, and offer the green composting bins at not cost to the community
resident. This will also support the coexistence of a community composting, who are well known (and it's studied) that they are
great educators and community advocates, will hold workshops, etc, and will be a tremendous asset and partner to the Palm Spring
community and PSDS to help us all meet the city's waste diversion goals. thank you
Thank you,
City of Palm Springs
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ITEM NO.
California Alliance for Community Composting
FROM: Kourtnii Brown, President
California Alliance for Community Composting
TO: Christy Holstege, Mayor
CC: Justin Clifton, City Manager
Anthony J. Mejia, MMC, City Clerk
Grace Elena Garner, Councilmember
Geoff Kors, Councilmember
Dennis Woods, Councilmember
September 30, 2021
RE: Community Composting in Palm Springs
Dear Mayor Holstege,
On behalf of The California Alliance for Community Composting (CACC), I am writing to express our support for
developing community composting programs in Palm Springs, CA.
Our Alliance is a working group of the most active community composters in the state. Our collaboration has developed
over the past few years to share resources and support community -based composting operations in California. Our
member organizations are working hard everyday to build better soil within the same community where organic
materials are generated, and manage to achieve their reuse and recovery goals in innovative ways. We exemplify the
potential of a diversified organics recovery industry to emerge in California under SB 1383 that can provide important
community benefits strengthening local education on compost, food security, climate change resilience, and
environmental justice. Other associated community benefits at community composting sites include:
• Local access to healthy, fresh, and chemical free foods
• Community outreach, engagement, and education
• Green space development, habitat creation, and local beautification
• Numerous environmental impacts, such as increased soil water retention & ground water infiltration, decreased
methane emissions & increased carbon sequestration, improved soil health and biodiversity increases
• Providing financial resources to workers (through both short and long-term job creation)
CACC has been working with CalRecycle since October 2020 to administer their $1.5m "Community Composting for
Green Spaces"(CCGS) pilot grant program, which runs through March 2023. One of the selected projects is a newly
formed group in your city called Desert Compost. We are witnessing how integral this funding opportunity has been for
launching, expanding, and improving small-scale composting operations just like them with infrastructure and labor in
2021 Board of Directors
Kourtnii Brown, CEO Charlotte Canner, CFO Calli Goldstein, Secretary Michael Martinez Kirk Kunihiro Elinor Crescenzi
Common Compost Earth Ally Full Circle Compost L.A. Compost LB Community Compost IDI / ECOFARM
Oakland, CA San Francisco, CA Topanga, CA Los Angeles, CA Long Beach, CA Pomona, CA
130 Page 1 of 2
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order for these groups to contribute to California's organics diversion targets at a regional scale. In addition to technical
assistance for infrastructure development, CACC has also developed a California -specific Community Composters Training
and Certification program in collaboration with the Institute for Local Self Reliance and the U.S. Composting Council that
will support CCGS sites in basic market development, including working through metrics and reporting, liability
insurance, compost quality assurance, safety and other key elements that need to be in place to ensure these
community- and farm -based operations are able to sustain operations after the grant period offering place -based jobs
and healthy soil to their communities. Desert Compost attended our first training session this past June.
We are well positioned to provide CalRecycle and the City of Palm Springs with strong evidence upon completion of the
grant period that, given adequate continued funding and technical assistance, decentralized community composting can
contribute in a significant way to California's methane reduction and compost facility development targets under Senate
Bill 1383, as well as demonstrate that it is not a burden or liability for cities and their staff.
Thank you for your enthusiasm to consider including this important climate change resilience work in Palm Springs.
Sincerely,
Kourtnii Brown
President, California Alliance for Community Composting
Page 2 of 2
Anthony Mejia
To: City of Palm Springs
Subject: RE: *NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
From: City of Palm Springs <palmspringsca@enotify.visioninternet.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 20214:12 PM
To: City Clerk <CityClerk@palmspringsca.gov>; Anthony Mejia <Anthony.Mejia @pa lmspringsca.gov>
Subject: *NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Full Name/Nombre
Kim Floyd
City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia
Palm Desert,
Phone (optional) /Telefono (opcional)
7606809479
Email (optional/opcional)
kimfflovd(Mfastmail.com
Your Comments/Sus comentarios
Regarding Item 5 C SB 1383 City Council Meeting agenda 9/30/21 The Sierra Club strongly supports full implementation of SB 1383.
As part of that effort we look forward to working with local residents on a robust community composting effort. Food waste must be
both reduced and not allowed in landfills. Organic waste, including food waste, decomposes in landfills releasing methane emissions
that account for 20% of the state's methane. Since methane is a short-lived climate super pollutant 84 times more potent than
carbon dioxide, reducing methane has the fastest impact on the climate crisis. We at the Sierra Club look forward to working with
the City Council and the Sustainability Commission to assure full implementation of SB 1383. Regards, Kim F Floyd Conservation
Chair San Gorgonio Chapter (Riverside & San Bernardino counties) Sierra Club
Thank you,
City of Palm Springs
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ITEM NO. C.--
Anthony Mejia
To: City of Palm Springs
Subject: RE: *NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
From: City of Palm Springs <palmspringsca@enotify.visioninternet.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 20214:13 PM
To: City Clerk <CityClerk@palmspringsca.gov>; Anthony Mejia <Anthony.Mejia @palmspringsca.gov>
Subject: *NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Full Name/Nombre
Abby Winston
City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia
Palm Springs,
Phone (optional) /Telefono (opcional)
5623316077
Email (optional/opcional)
abbyw511@vahoo.com
Your Comments/Sus comentarios
To get the best results and avoid enforcement fines from SB1383 Palm Springs needs to engage the community in food waste
reduction goal. One of the best ways to do that is to work with community composting groups. 30 years in nonprofit management
confirms for me that it is difficult for professional staff to work with and rely on volunteers to get necessary work done. In the case
of food scrap composting these challenges are outweighed by the need to fully engage the residents of Palm Springs in the effort to
reduce organic waste disposal by 75% by 2025 and to reduce carbon in our atmosphere quickly. As a result, I would ask the Mayor
and Council Members to: Make finding a city owned site that can be used and developed by community composters a priority for
staff. Don't finalize the amended Franchise Agreements until you have worked with Community Composting groups to ensure
maximum benefit for the city and its residents.
Thank you,
City of Palm Springs
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ITEb4 NO.
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR 09/30/2021 PALM SPRINGS CITY COUNCIL MEETING
I am Prema Bhavireddy. I reside at 1555 Sonora Ct., Palm Springs, CA 92264.
I thank the City Council for their efforts to date to help DCCC. The city's Sustainability Department has
taken the time to show us some possible locations for our DCCC community compost site. However,
upon visiting and examining these locations, the DCCC has determined that none meet our fundamental
criteria.
Therefore, I have presented a Public Records Request for Palm Springs City Owned Vacant or Usable
Land. Upon receipt of this list, our DCCC team will analyze the available locations and prepare a list of
sites that best serve our four fundamental criteria of: 1. access to water, 2. access to electricity, 3.
shade availability and 4. access for vehicular deliveries and pick-ups.
We wish to make things as easy as possible for the city's Sustainability Department. We look forward to
receiving the information on all the available Palm Springs City Owned Vacant or Usable Land locations
as soon as possible.
For reference, as recorded with the Palm Springs City Clerk, our Request Number is: PD-504-2021
(filed on 09/28/2021) .
Prema Bhavireddy,
1555 Sonra Ct.,
Palm Springs, CA 92264.
Ph. No: (714)-394-6944
Email: Swarupamechanical@gmail.com
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ITEM NO. G
Anthony Mejia
From: Janet Cook <janet.a.cook@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2021 6:18 PM
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public comment for Palm Springs City Council Meeting 9/30
INOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you are
sure the content is safe.
Janet Nelson
40610 Ventana Ct
Palm Desert CA 92260
September 29, 2021
Palm Springs City Hall
3200 E Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs CA 92262
Dear Mayor Holstege,
My name is Janet Nelson. I am reaching out to you as a member of Desert Compost, a local grassroots
organization, to urge the Palm Springs City Council to consider supporting access to small-scale, decentralized
community composting opportunities in Palm Springs.
Desert Compost (DC) was established in March 2021, comprised of Coachella Valley residents from various
desert cities including Palm Springs. DC seeks to empower local communities in harnessing the power of
composting as a resource with social and environmental benefits for both current and future generations.
The environmental benefits of community composting are many and include protection against soil erosion,
resilience to floods and droughts, decreased chemical fertilizers, increased soil fertility, restoration of harmful
atmospheric carbon back into the soil as well as serve as a filter for water pollutants.
With small-scale, decentralized composting, communities are empowered to participate in local resource
stewardship, promote social inclusion, contribute to greener neighborhoods, greater food security and fewer
food deserts and hands-on community education. Moreover resources generated in the community stay in the
community, raw organic material is treated as an asset rather than a waste to be hauled away to a landfill that
leaves the community for good.
As the Palm Springs City Council looks to future efforts to comply with the diversion of raw organic material
from landfills we strongly encourage the Council to advocate for the empowerment of local communities to
recover and use this valuable resource in their own community with the following measures:
1. A site in Palm Springs for community composting with shade, water and drop- off access of
compositing materials
2. Desert Compost is part of future discussions regarding the language of the franchise agreement with
Palm Springs City Council and Palm Springs Disposal Services (PSDS)
a. We urge the Council to strongly consider identifying small-scale, decentralized community
composting as its own entity separate from the PSDS franchise agreement I2"u
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T
3. Desert Compost encourages the City Council to pass a resolution in support of community
composting
Small scale community composting provides a very different service than large waste haulers do not provide
by centering on hands-on community inclusion, empowerment and education. It is our hope that Palm Springs
Disposal Services and Desert Compost are valued equally by the City Council and can collaborate with one
another for the benefit of residents.
Thank you for your support and consideration,
Sincerely,
Janet Nelson
Anthony Mejia
Subject: RE: *NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
From: City of Palm Springs <paimspringsca@enotify.visioninternet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 20217:00 AM
To: City Clerk <CityClerk@palmspringsca.gov>; Anthony Mejia <Anthony.Mejia @palmspringsca.gov>
Subject: *NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Full Name/Nombre
Vivian Yturralde
City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia
Palm Springs,
Phone (optional) /Telefono (opcional)
Email (optional/opcional)
Your Comments/Sus comentarios
I support community composting in Palm Springs. Composting can engage and educate the community in food systems and
sustainability. Not to mention reduce the amount of methane gas produced by landfills. I think it will be a great community resource.
Thank you,
City of Palm Springs
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ITEM NO.
Anthony Mejia
From: Haley Preston <opengatemediate@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2021 9:18 AM
To: City Clerk
Subject: public comment
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you are
sure the content is safe.
My name is Haley Preston and I am the lead organizer of Desert Compost, a grassroots volunteer community
compost coalition with over 100 members throughout the Coachella Valley.
The largest portion of our volunteers are Palm Springs residents.
In January of 2021, Desert Compost organized around the need to keep valuable organic resources in the hands
of the people who generate them and to create options for the public to steward those resources closer to home.
As volunteers we are civically minded and serve the public good, by engaging and educating the public and
youth about composting, gardening, food production, zero waste, source separation, and climate repair.
Our vision is based on science. Generations of observation and research have proven that community
composting is an inexpensive, doable way for each of us to create immediate benefits. Community composting
enables us to fulfill the elements of our mission:
• To educate the public on reducing waste and recovering valuable organic material. And to
compost so that we can reduce wastes harmful byproducts and greenhouse gases
• Improve our soil and water conditions
• Create closed -loop food systems by growing food and increasing access to fresh food
• Bring us closer together as a community
Community Composting gives us the choice to recycle and process our organic material hyper -locally. This is a
powerful act and a measurable step in combating climate change.
Community Composting also goes hand in hand with creating public access to green spaces and growing food.
Composting is the beginning and end of the food system. It strengthens our food systems and makes Palm
Springs a healthier, more food -secure community that promotes and supports a local food system with more
equitable healthy food access.
Desert Compost has teamed up with farmers markets, community programs, and residential gardening programs
to enable this.
The Palm Springs Sustainability plan of 2016 states: "Lead by Example: Palm Springs is a model for
sustainable practices throughout every department in the City."
For Palm Springs to be this example and have the opportunity to be leaders in the community composting
movement that exists nationwide, Desert Compost asks the city of Palm Springs to publicly resolve to support
Community Composting and provide a space, funding, and a clause in the franchise agreement that allows
community composting to operate sustainably so that the public and planet can benefit from their work and
programs.
Thank you,
Haley Preston, Palm Springs resident
Founder/Director, DESERT COMPOST
https://www.desertcompost.or$
FU 61 i L CIO r�
UEM NO.
Anthony Mejia
From: ROBERT MCCANN <whabbear@comcast.net>
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2021 4:29 PM
To: City Clerk
Subject: Comment on Composting Item in This Week's Council Meeting Agenda
INOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you are
sure the content is safe.
September 28, 2021
To: Palm Springs City Council
From: Robert McCann
Re: City Composting Program
Dear City Council Members:
It has come to my attention that this week's City Council meeting includes an agenda item on community composting.
I'm writing this letter in support of Desert Compost, a local grassroots volunteer coalition whose goals are to rebuild our
soils, restore native habitats, increase biodiversity, and strengthen our food systems through community composting
and compost education.
Desert Compost recently developed a community composting program in Palm Desert, which will be up and operational
in the near future. The organization is currently seeking to develop a similar program for the City of Palm Springs.
However, as they (and the Sustainability Office) have discovered, a fundamental challenge for those trying to bring
community composting programs to desert cities is finding land suitable to host the composting operation. There are
three critical requirements for the land: Easy access, abundant shade, and abundant water. Here in the City, I want to
draw Councilmembers' attention to an attractive candidate to host such an operation: The long inactive 30-acre golf
course called Bel Air Greens. Centrally located between S. El Cielo Road and S Compadre Road along the Tahquitz Creek
Wash, Bel Air Greens is within a few miles of virtually every Palm Springs resident. The property is overgrown with
vegetation and numerous tall trees that provide abundant natural sources of shade. Finally, and perhaps most
importantly, since the property was once a golf course and driving range, it has a preexisting irrigation system to supply
a composting center's water requirements.
As you know, composting prevents organic resources from being landfilled, where they contribute to methane and
carbon emissions, unclean air, and water. I therefore ask City Councilmembers to partner with Desert Compost to
develop a Palm Springs community composting program. I further recommend that the City and Desert Compost explore
the feasibility of using Bel Air Greens to host the composting facility. A local community composting center in Bel Air
Greens (or another suitable location) would be a win for the City, for the environment, and for all who seek to reduce
the City's carbon footprint via natural, sustainable techniques.
Sincerely
Robert S. McCann, Ph.D.
Former Co -Chair, Palm Springs Sustainability Commission
Former Chair, Sustainability Commission Standing Subcommittee on Waste Reduction (SSCoWR)
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ITEM NO.
Monique Lomeli
From: City of Palm Springs <palmspringsca@enotify.visioninternet.com>
Sent: Monday, September 27, 2021 8:18 PM
To: City Clerk; Anthony Mejia
Subject: *NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you are
sure the content is safe.
Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Submission #: 1203064
I Address: 72.132.241.119
Submission Date: 09/27/2021 8:17
Survey Time: 7 minutes, 49 seconds
You have a new online form submission.
Note: all answers displaying "*****" are marked as sensitive and must be viewed after your login.
Full Name/Nombre
Ellen Greene
City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia
Palm Springs,
Phone (optional) /Telefono (opcional)
5105202244
Email (optional/opcional)
eclarkgreene@yahoo.com
Your Comments/Sus comentarios
Dear City Council: I am a resident of Palm Springs. Thank for for considering composting for our community. As we are already
experiencing the effects of climate change, I think we must do everything we can to mitigate the effects of climate change. With that
in mind, here are some of the benefits of composting: 1. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions at landfills 2. Reducing waste disposal
costs 3. Promoting uptake of carbon dioxide by vegetation 4. Increasing the amount of water able to penetrate the soil 5. Reducing
soil erosion 6. Lowering costs for farmers 7. Protecting against plant disease 8. Making our gardens more resilient to the effects of
climate change. Supporting composting is an easy and practical step and I urge you to support it. Thank you! Sincerely, Ellen Greene
Thank you,
City of Palm Springs
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ITEM NO.
Monique Lomeli
From: City of Palm Springs<palmspringsca@enotify.visioninternet.com>
Sent: Monday, September 27, 2021 7:34 PM
To: City Clerk; Anthony Mejia
Subject: *NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you are
sure the content is safe.
Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Submission #: 1203000
IP Address: 72.132.241.119
Submission Date: 09/27/20217:33
Survey Time: 12 minutes, 24 seconds
You have a new online form submission.
Note: all answers displaying "*****" are marked as sensitive and must be viewed after your login.
Full Name/Nombre
Tamar Cohen
City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia
Palm Springs,
Phone (optional) /Telefono (opcional)
Email (optional/opcional)
tamarico@aol.com
Your Comments/Sus comentarios
Dear city council, As a new resident of PS I was surprised to learn that composting has not been implemented here. I started
composting all my yard and kitchen scraps in the early 1990's up until curbside green waste was mandated in Oakland, at which
point I switched to the city pickup. I truly believe in composting to help with reducing valuable resources being sent to the landfill.
Composting is part of the natural cycle of life. All organic material need to be given the chance to be recycled back so the nutrients
can feed the soil. Composting reduces green house emissions. Composting reduces waste. Composting enriches gardens and soil.
Composting benefits climate change. Please vote to make composting and green waste pickup part of Palm Spring's contribution to
climate change mitigation
Thank you,
City of Palm Springs
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ITEM NO. 5
September 30, 2021
Dear City Council of Palm Springs,
My name is Adam Gray. I'm a 22-year citizen of Palm Springs. I'm
delighted to learn of the city's recognition of SB 1383 and eager to see
the city pursue community composting.
I embrace the desert landscaping and multiple -season gardening
opportunities, but certain criteria continue to present their challenges.
I'm looking forward to the community exchange of ideas and
information a composting project will foster through the volunteer
group and a meeting place. And I love getting to know the people in
our city and making new friends!
A composting project will help enhance the beautification and health
of our city and homes in a number of ways. Compost is great for
nutrient rich soil for plants and assists in moisture retention. This
contributes to foliage and blooms, which encourages pollinators,
resulting in healthy, garden produce! The sum of these things
contribute to a healthy local ecosystem.
Thank you, City of Palm Springs, for your participation and support.
Please let this letter serve as a formal request for a city liaison to
pursue a suitable land location with access to water and shade.
May our city remain the Coachella Valley leader in our
sustainability efforts of California.
Thank you,
Adam Gray
2353 N. Mica Drive
Palm Springs CA, 92262
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