Item B: 2009 Legislative Policies Document

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City of Eugene Legislative Policies for 2009 Oregon Legislative Session V . PCS LANNING AND OMMUNITY ERVICES A. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ?Eugene supports sustainable and green building practices, research into the effectiveness of green building, and economic incentives for designers, developers, owners and builders of more sustainable and green buildings. ?Eugene supports sustainable development that improves environmental standards and community wellbeing. ?Eugene supports regulatory processes that provide incentives and financial measures for preservation of natural resources and that promote sustainable energy policies. ?Eugene supports expanding efforts to promote water efficient practices and ensure a clean, affordable water supply, including, but not limited to, adopting graywater use regulations that facilitate reduced water consumption in urban households through safe and effective graywater use. ?Eugene supports energy tax credits for buildings built to LEED standards, whether residential or commercial. ?Eugene supports eliminating restrictions that prevent private sector installation of waterless urinals consistent with manufacturers’ specifications. ?Eugene supports tax credits for products and practices which achieve energy conservation or other sustainable development goals. As part of the building permit process, the City is increasingly encountering residents, builders, architects, and developers who seek to improve their properties in a way that results in less impact on the environment and helps create a more livable community. The standards most seek to attain have been developed by the United States Green Building Council, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The state should foster public policies that sustain natural resources and minimize the impact of the building environment on the natural environment. B. BUILDING CODES ?Eugene supports state accountability for the additional financial resources that are required when legislative action results in changes not related to traditional building codes that require local administration. ?Eugene supports dedicated revenue from the current state surcharge on building permit fees to fund education and training programs, particularly for local building department staff. ?Eugene supports time lines that ensure plan quality and do not unnecessarily expand work volume or increase administrative costs while ensuring timeliness. 13