Health Social and Environmental Affairs Committee — Columbia, SC
Date: 2024-03-26
Time: 18:00

HEALTH, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING
 AGENDA
 TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2024
The Health, Social and Environmental Affairs Committee will conduct a Council Standing
Committee Meeting on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. at City Hall (Mayor's Conference
Room), 1737 Main Street, Second Floor, Columbia, SC 29201. The meeting can be viewed
online at www.columbiasc.gov. Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (803)545-3045 or
cityclerk@columbiasc.gov if you have questions regarding the meeting.

 The Honorable Aditi Bussells, At-Large
 The Honorable Edward H. McDowell, Jr., District II  The Honorable Tyler D. Bailey, At-Large

Prior to entering the meeting please turn all electronic communication devices to the silent, vibrate or off
 position. All presenters are asked to speak directly into the microphone for recording purposes.

CALL TO ORDER
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

1. Tree and Appearance Commission Update - Mr. Russell Jeter and Ms. Kristin Dow, Co-
 Chair and Member of Tree and Appearance Commission

2. Rental Housing Ordinance - The Honorable Tyler D. Bailey

3. Update on Perfluorinated Substances in Drinking Water - Mr. Clint Shealy, Assistant
 City Manager for Columbia Water

ADJOURNMENT




 Page 1 of 1

HEALTH, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING
 AGENDA
 TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2024
The Health, Social and Environmental Affairs Committee will conduct a Council Standing
Committee Meeting on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. at City Hall (Mayor's Conference
Room), 1737 Main Street, Second Floor, Columbia, SC 29201. The meeting can be viewed
online at www.columbiasc.gov. Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (803)545-3045 or
cityclerk@columbiasc.gov if you have questions regarding the meeting.

 The Honorable Aditi Bussells, At-Large
 The Honorable Edward H. McDowell, Jr., District II  The Honorable Tyler D. Bailey, At-Large

Prior to entering the meeting please turn all electronic communication devices to the silent, vibrate or off
 position. All presenters are asked to speak directly into the microphone for recording purposes.

CALL TO ORDER
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

1. Tree and Appearance Commission Update - Mr. Russell Jeter and Ms. Kristin Dow, Co-
 Chair and Member of Tree and Appearance Commission

2. Rental Housing Ordinance - The Honorable Tyler D. Bailey

3. Update on Perfluorinated Substances in Drinking Water - Mr. Clint Shealy, Assistant
 City Manager for Columbia Water

ADJOURNMENT




 Page 1 of 1
 1




MEETING DATE: March 26, 2024

DEPARTMENT: City Clerk

FROM: Erika Hammond, City Clerk

SUBJECT: Tree and Appearance Commission - Mr. Russell Jeter and Ms.
 Kristin Dow, Co-Chair and Member of Tree and Appearance
 Commission
FUNDING SOURCE &
ORIGINAL BUDGET:


ATTACHMENTS:
  City CTAC presentation (PDF)




Updated: 3/19/2024 1:51 PM Page 1
 Packet Pg. 2
 1.b




 Attachment: City CTAC presentation (9170 : City of Columbia Tree and Appearance
City of Columbia Tree
 and Appearance
 Commission
 Russ Jeter, Co-Chair
 Kirstin Dow, Member


 Packet Pg. 3
Heat is an increasingly serious, but manageable risk
 1.b




• In the south, heat is a




 Attachment: City CTAC presentation (9170 : City of Columbia Tree and Appearance
  given, but it’s getting
  hotter than it used to be.

• Increased heat exposure
  impacts health.

• Heat kills more people
  annually than any other
  weather hazard.

• Heat risks are not well
  integrated into planning



 Packet Pg. 4
 IMAGE CREDIT: NWS
 Zone 8a Zone 8b




 1.b
Packet Pg. 5

 Attachment: City CTAC presentation (9170 : City of Columbia Tree and Appearance
 1.b

 2005-2020 21% Canopy Loss
 Caveats: Only within city boundaries 2020




 Attachment: City CTAC presentation (9170 : City of Columbia Tree and Appearance
 Some areas cut before annexed to the city
 Does not show the potential of the smaller trees
 that are being planted
• Satellite measurement of skin
  surface temperature




 Packet Pg. 6
 1.b
Packet Pg. 7

 Attachment: City CTAC presentation (9170 : City of Columbia Tree and Appearance
Columbia Heat Watch About 40 volunteers and more backup supporters 1.b




 Attachment: City CTAC presentation (9170 : City of Columbia Tree and Appearance




 Packet Pg. 8
 1.b




Heat Mapping Findings




 Attachment: City CTAC presentation (9170 : City of Columbia Tree and Appearance
  August 6-7th 2022
  • 18.5 °F Temperature Differential
 Afternoon
  • 114.9° Maximum Heat Index
 • (OSHA Very High to Extreme)
  • 100.2°F Maximum Temperature
 • Air temperature about 6 feet
 • Airport recorded 93 °F
  • ≈ 9°F Morning and Evening
 Temperature Differential

 Packet Pg. 9
Packet Pg. 10 1.b
 Attachment: City CTAC presentation (9170 : City of Columbia Tree and Appearance
Heat index values 1.b




indicate potential




 Attachment: City CTAC presentation (9170 : City of Columbia Tree and Appearance
risks
Aug 6, 2022
Max Airport Temp 93° F




 Packet Pg. 11
 1.b



 Benefits of Trees




 Attachment: City CTAC presentation (9170 : City of Columbia Tree and Appearance
• Peak air temperatures in tree groves
  that are 9°F (5°C) cooler than over
  open terrain.
• Temperatures over grass sports fields
  that are 2 to 4°F (1 to 2°C) cooler than
  over bordering areas.
• Evapotranspiration and shade that
  trees provide help to cool down
  buildings and reduce the need for air
  conditioning, which then decreases
  energy consumption
• In Charleston, large-scale vegetated
  areas were as much as 11.2°F cooler
  than non-green city centers
• Trees improve air quality by
  intercepting particulate matter (PM10)
  and absorbing gaseous pollutants
  (NO2, SO2 , and O3 )
• Large trees (~37 ft. crown spread)
  intercept over 2,000 gallons of rainfall Ken Lund
  annually Packet Pg. 12
 Reducing Urban Heat islands - EPA
 1.b



Opportunity to Improve Overall Attractiveness




 Attachment: City CTAC presentation (9170 : City of Columbia Tree and Appearance




 Packet Pg. 13
 Columbia Tree & Appearance Commission August 2023)
 1.b




 Recommendations for Council Consideration




 Attachment: City CTAC presentation (9170 : City of Columbia Tree and Appearance
 1. Adopt an Ordinance Which 2. Undertake Supporting Actions
a. Prohibits new utilities above ground a. The Mayor/Council request a review of the cost
 where utilities have been of procuring and operating one water truck to
 undergrounded water an additional 500 new trees per year.
b. Requires undergrounding on all new b. Council fund an intern for the Tree and
 projects of a certain size Appearance Commission to gather information
 about possible grants or other sources of
c. Strongly encourages or requires the
 funding for Undergrounding Utilities.
 planting of appropriate trees where
 undergrounding has been accomplished c. Council consider undergrounding one to two
d. Sets up annual funding for burial of blocks annually in the central business district
 residential power lines on a rotating which are relatively inexpensive to underground.
 basis for each district in the City with d. City institute negotiations with Dominion Energy
 costs to be shared by the City and the on revising the terms of the Franchise
 affected Residents. Agreement.
 Packet Pg. 14
 2




MEETING DATE: March 26, 2024

DEPARTMENT: City Clerk

FROM: Erika Hammond, City Clerk

SUBJECT: Rental Housing Ordinance - The Honorable Tyler D. Bailey
FUNDING SOURCE &
ORIGINAL BUDGET:




Updated: 3/19/2024 9:08 AM Page 1
 Packet Pg. 15
 3




MEETING DATE: March 26, 2024

DEPARTMENT: City Clerk

FROM: Erika Hammond, City Clerk

SUBJECT: Update on Perfluorinated Substances in Drinking Water - Mr.
 Clint Shealy, Assistant City Manager for Columbia Water
FUNDING SOURCE &
ORIGINAL BUDGET:




Updated: 3/22/2024 4:36 PM Page 1
 Packet Pg. 16

HEALTH, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING
 MINUTES
 TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2024


CALL TO ORDER

The Health, Social and Environmental Affairs Committee conducted a meeting on Tuesday,
March 26, 2024 at City Hall (Mayor's Conference Room), 1737 Main Street, Second Floor,
Columbia, SC 29201. The Honorable Aditi Bussells, Chair called the meeting to order at 1:01
p.m.

Attendee Name Title Status
Aditi Bussells Chair Present
Edward H. McDowell Member Remote
Tyler D. Bailey Member Present

COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

1. Columbia Tree and Appearance Commission Update - Mr. Russell Jeter and Ms. Kristin
 Dow, Co-Chair and Member of Columbia Tree and Appearance Commission – Received
 as information

Ms. Kristin Dow, Member of the Columbia Tree and Appearance Commission said heat risks are
not well integrated into emergency management. One way of addressing heat is by having
adequate shade. Within the boundaries of the city, approximately 21% of tree canopy was lost
due to cutting, dying, removal or clearing for different purposes. We are not able to see the
efforts of the city to replace those large canopy trees. We joined a heat mapping campaign,
which allows us to pursue an understanding of heat risks that we’re exposed to. We were able to
get a grant with the support of the Richland County Conservation Commission, Climate
Protection Action Committee and many others. Volunteers took instruments onto prescribed
routes around the city to collect data. They looked at air temperature and humidity at the level
people experience it. On a 93 degree day in the summer, you can see certain areas of the city are
in danger. According to the National Weather Service, this means there is a probability of
experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Mr. Russ Jeter, Co-Chair of the Columbia Tree and Appearance Commission said Dr. Dow has
helped us focus on where we think the city can best spend its limited funds. We focused our
efforts on where the money is and helpful solutions that won’t break the budget. The main
objective of the proposed ordinance is to prohibit new utilities above ground where we’ve
successfully undergrounded. This would apply to all new projects or renovations of a certain
size. The ordinance would also strongly encourage or require the planting of trees where
undergrounding has been accomplished. We would like to see the city do smaller projects that
people will see. We think it will have a greater impact on the citizens. We would also request

 Page 1 of 3
 HEALTH, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING
 MINUTES
 TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2024


that city staff determine the cost of an additional water truck, employee, and all the related costs.
We’re asking you to consider funding to underground one to two blocks annually.

There was discussion about the potential assessment of citizens in each district, grants and
federal dollars, and bandwidth within the intern program.

There was consensus of the committee that staff should review the draft ordinance with the
feedback before presenting it to the City Council for endorsement.

2. Rental Housing Ordinance - The Honorable Tyler D. Bailey – Received as information

Councilor Bailey said I started looking at the residential rental ordinance that we have in place to
give the City Attorney’s Office more tools when there are emergency situations.

Ms. Jessica Kinard, Senior Assistant City Attorney said Councilman Bailey asked for an
ordinance to help people that are displaced, especially in situations due to landlord neglect. In the
City of Columbia, we do not have a civil cause of action. We only have criminal enforcement
procedures and a criminal court. If we wanted to go after them, it would have to go to the Court
of Common Pleas. Councilman Bailey provided us with ordinances from places around the
country that are starting to require emergency plans from the landlords. If a major event occurs
due to your neglect or issues that you’ve allowed to go unchecked, you have to be responsible for
housing the tenants. For units or complexes that are deemed high risk, they will also have to file
an emergency operations plan, which will include how to notify the tenants, defines the
emergency, how the management company will take steps to ensure the tenants have a safe place
to reside, remediation for the underlying cause of the event, and the owner’s plan to reintroduce
the tenants to their prior living arrangements. This would have to include a copy of the certificate
of insurance. If there is no insurance, the owner or property manager has to inform the tenants in
writing.

There was discussion about the connection with the Tenant’s Bill of Rights and sharing
information with the Administrative Policy Committee, State Housing Authority, and
Community Development.

There was consensus of the committee to receive updates before moving forward to Council.




 Page 2 of 3
 HEALTH, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING
 MINUTES
 TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2024


3. Update on Perfluorinated Substances in Drinking Water - Mr. Clint Shealy, Assistant
 City Manager for Columbia Water – Received as information

Dr. Bussells said Clint and his team introduced PFAS to myself, Councilman Duvall, and
Councilman McDowell a few months ago. Since then, there has been a lot of attention around it.
As the science is emerging, we wanted to get an update given that there are potential regulations
from the Environmental Protection Agency that could affect us.

Mr. Clint Shealy, Assistant City Manager for Columbia Water introduced the Utility Operations
Director Frank Eskridge and Dr. Alejandra Beier, Water Compliance Manager. We wanted to
make our customers and citizens aware that PFAS compounds are not something that we’re
adding in the water. These are compounds that have been used in manufacturing and personal
care products for years. We can see them at lower concentrations now because the analytical
methods are getting better. That is what has prompted the EPA to move forward to propose this
draft regulation. The average of all the data gathered shows that we are slightly below that
regulatory threshold. This regulation may be finalized by mid-April of 2024. The data is readily
available on our website and we have been transparent about the significant investment in
treatment technology as well. We’re advocating strongly that these compounds be regulated out
of our economy so they can’t be put into our receiving streams. They will pollute our waterways
and that’s not good for our aquatic environment, fish consumption, or recreational use.

There was discussion about investment in treatment technology in relation to the upcoming
election, safe drinking water, and early detection of substances.

There was consensus of the committee that updates on developments and testing results will be
provided regularly.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 1:52 p.m.

Respectfully submitted:



Erika D. Moore Hammond, CMC
City Clerk



 Page 3 of 3