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<br />ECC <br />UGENE ITY OUNCIL <br />AIS <br />GENDA TEM UMMARY <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Work Session: Sustainability Commission Recommendations <br /> <br /> <br />Meeting Date: October 8, 2008 Agenda Item Number: A <br />Department: City Manager’s Office Staff Contact: Felicity Fahy <br />www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5017 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />ISSUE STATEMENT <br />The Sustainability Commission is proposing its first set of policy recommendations to the City Council <br />to enable the City organization and community to operate more sustainably. The commission requests <br />that the council pursue and approve these recommendations. <br /> <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />Introduction <br />In January 2007, the council adopted the Sustainability Initiative Goal to develop the Office of <br />Sustainability and the Sustainability Commission to support sustainable practices and businesses <br />producing sustainable products and/or employing sustainable practices. <br /> <br />The council adopted Ordinance No. 20379 in February 2007, establishing the Sustainability Commission <br />as a policy advisory body to the council and City Manager to assist in the development of programs to <br />create or enhance sustainable practices within the community. The Sustainability Commission is <br />charged with advising the council on policy matters related to: sustainable practices; businesses that <br />produce sustainable products and services; City building design and infrastructure; and related issues <br />that directly affect sustainability efforts considered by the City Council. <br /> <br />On May 8, 2008, the council adopted the Sustainability Commission’s work plan. The work plan <br />outlines a framework of eight broad priority issues organized into three main component areas: internal <br />City operations, community, and education and outreach. The commission is currently researching <br />some of the issues identified before recommending specific actions to the council. However, the <br />Sustainability Commission believes that there are several issues with sufficient information to support <br />the policy recommendations detailed below. <br /> <br />Since its first meeting on November 28, 2007, the commission has received a variety of reports, <br />presentations and public testimony regarding many of the proactive policies and positive actions being <br />implemented across Eugene, Portland and other communities nationwide. In addition, the commission <br />has reviewed and discussed a range of social, economic and environmental issues that pose a variety of <br />complex and interconnected threats to our local, regional and global well-being. Throughout <br />commission deliberations there has been a palpable sense of urgency from members of the commission <br />and the community regarding the serious and imminent nature of these threats. The 2007 Community <br />Survey results also reflect the need and desire for more action from the City on sustainability issues. <br />When asked how important it was to them that the City engage in environmentally sustainable practices <br /> <br /> Z:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M081008\S081008Aand attA.doc <br />