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the potential a household could have many animals, adding "it's not Noah's Ark." Mr. Brown declined to <br />accept a friendly amendment from Ms. Ortiz to limit the number to two, pointing out the number could be <br />adjusted later. <br />City Manager Ruiz did not anticipate that staff would be able to return with a proposal before May or <br />June because of the existing work load. He also anticipated the neighborhood associations would want to <br />provide input. He said staff could return with a proposal after the summer recess. <br />Mr. Poling could not support the motion because of his concerns regarding enforcement in the light of <br />proposed reductions to Lane County Animal Control. He was not opposed to urban goat keeping but it <br />was his perception staff was already working on the issue and he did not want to rush something through. <br />Councilors had no objection to the timeline outlined by City Manager Ruiz. <br />Ms. Ortiz asked City Manager Ruiz to direct staff to think about how urban goat keeping integrated with <br />Envision Eugene and to let staff know that the subject was a priority for the council. City Manager Ruiz <br />anticipated staff would provide some information about sequencing and how the topic could be integrated <br />into the planning process. <br />The motion passed 6:1; Mr. Poling voting no. <br />C. WORK SESSION: <br />Plastic Bag Ban <br />The council was joined by Waste Management and Green Building Manager Ethan Nelson of the <br />Planning and Development Department for the item, who led the council through a PowerPoint <br />presentation regarding Plastic Bag Bans. The presentation provided information about local and state <br />attempts to regulate plastic bags through recycling and taxation as well as information about the <br />regulations governing plastic bags adopted by the cities of Portland and Seattle; described some of the <br />environmental, economic, and social equity impacts of a plastic bag ban; and highlighted the council <br />goals and statutes most relevant to a plastic bag ban. Mr. Nelson recommended that staff conduct further <br />analysis and outreach to impacted businesses to develop a program recommendation, including scope, <br />budget, and timeline, by fall 2012. <br />Mr. Zelenka said he had been working with the Northwest Grocers Association, Oregon League of <br />Conservation Voters, Environmental Oregon, and Surf Rider to develop a model ordinance promoting the <br />use of reusable bags at retail ordinances by banning single -use bags and allowing stores to charge for <br />recyclable paper bags. He believed the environmental benefits of such a ban were clear. Few plastic bags <br />were recycled and most bags became litter, lasted forever, and did harm to the environment and wildlife. <br />He said such a ban was consistent with the council's goals and the Climate & Energy Action Plan <br />(CEAP). He pointed out the cost of the ban was easily avoided by the use of reusable bags, which many <br />residents already did. He noted that Market of Choice had stopped offering its customers plastic bags. <br />Mr. Zelenka further noted that Oregon produced paper bags but no plastic bags. He suggested social <br />equity concerns were mitigated by the exemption for low - income residents on WIC. Mr. Zelenka said <br />Portland worked with manufacturers to get low -cost bags to its residents. He commended the model <br />ordinance in the meeting packet to the council. <br />Mayor Piercy noted that the City had already taken positions in support of such a ban at the State <br />legislature. <br />MINUTES— Eugene City Council February 27, 2012 Page 4 <br />Work Session <br />