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Committee reappoints Jamie Tanimoto to Clean Water Natural Lands Advisory Commission
Summary
Jamie Tanimoto was reappointed by the committee to a second term on the Clean Water Natural Lands Advisory Commission, term to expire Jan. 14, 2030. The committee reported the resolution out for adoption after hearing testimony and discussion about land‑acquisition processes and fund access.
The committee considered Resolution 25‑45 on Feb. 11 to reappoint Jamie Tanimoto to the Clean Water Natural Lands Advisory Commission for a term expiring Jan. 14, 2030. Tanimoto spoke to the commission’s work and her background in environmental science and clean water protection.
Tanimoto said she has worked in environmental science and clean water protection for 19 years and described land preservation as a tool to prevent water pollution. Council members questioned potential long‑term stewardship and whether the city should include safeguards in underlying statutes to protect city investments if nonprofit stewards lacked capacity decades later. Tanimoto and members noted DLM’s vetting process for acquisitions, including conditioning agreements and annual reporting; she recommended further discussion with DLM if statutory safeguards were desired.
Council members also discussed whether the Clean Water Natural Lands Fund is serving its purpose. One council member said the fund “has upwards of maybe $50,000,000 sitting in it” and expressed concern that the money is difficult to access; Tanimoto and others said the fund’s original intent favored real‑estate purchases and that grants could be an alternative tool to support cultural and preservation activities.
Public testimony in support included an unregistered in‑chamber speaker who praised the emphasis on contractual obligations, property management, and professional administration. Following discussion, the chair recommended that Resolution 25‑45 be reported out for adoption; there were no objections recorded in the transcript.
Why it matters: the Clean Water Natural Lands Advisory Commission advises the city on acquiring and stewarding lands for water and natural resource protection; reappointing an experienced member shapes future conservation and outreach decisions.
Next steps: the resolution was reported out for adoption and will go to the full Council for final action.
