Item A: Triple Bottom Line Framework

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ATTACHMENT A City Manager’s Office City of Eugene 777 Pearl Street, Room 105 M Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793 EMORANDUM (541) 682-5010 (541) 682-5414 FAX www.eugene-or.gov Date: April 8, 2010 To: Mayor Piercy and City Council From: Kevin Finney, 541-682-5017 Interim Sustainability Manager Subject: Update on Triple Bottom Line Framework The triple bottom line concept balances multiple values and acknowledges that actions have social, environmental and economic impacts. The Sustainability Commission in 2008 recommended that the City of Eugene develop and implement a triple bottom line (TBL) tool for City Council policy decisions. The notion was that this tool could be used in preparing service profiles and to assess policy-level decisions made by the council, including new items proposed in the annual or supplemental budgets. At the direction of City Manager Jon Ruiz, staff has created several TBL “screens,” including an online tool currently available for internal use. Staff included members of the Sustainability Commission, Human Rights Commission and Planning Commission in thinking about the framework and developing the tools. They remain keenly interested in continuing progress, and in assuring application of the TBL framework. The tools have been applied in various ways – reviewing recommendations to date in the Walnut Station mixed-use project, evaluating potential FY11 budget reductions and fee increases for the Recreation Division, and conducting a back-end examination of Neighborhood Matching Grants. Beyond the tools themselves, staff is finding other ways to apply a triple bottom line framework to decisions. The triple bottom line framework incorporates several elements: Social Equity How might a proposal or action affect the ability to meet basic human needs? How could it influence cultural expression, community relationships, effective government, safety and personal security needs, and neighborhood and stakeholder commitment and stewardship? Are there potential inequities for specific groups of people, and how are those addressed? Have all voices been heard? Environmental Health How could a proposal or action affect environmental health and our ability to effectively address climate uncertainties? Does it prevent pollution? What the possible impacts for air, soil and water? How might it affect how our community looks?