Sustainability Commission forwards two policy memos to City Council and approves committee materials

The City of Eugene Sustainability Commission on Wednesday approved two committee policy memos for transmission to City Council and ratified routine meeting business.

Commissioners voted to forward a Clean and Reliable Backup Energy memo — revised to note the Oregon Legislature “recently considered” related bills and to recommend that the city’s intergovernmental relations (IGR) committee monitor and consider supporting similar future legislation — and a Sustainable Landscaping memo that outlines two pathways for addressing gas‑powered leaf blowers (regulating use or restricting sales).

Both memos were developed by subcommittees and edited to create concise, council‑ready packets. The Commission’s motion on the backup‑energy memo added language to avoid implying the city could still submit testimony for a legislative session that was effectively closed at the time the memo would reach council.

Votes at a glance

- Approve agenda and May meeting minutes — motion carried; one commissioner stated an abstention because they were not present for the May meeting. - Forward Clean and Reliable Backup Energy memo to City Council (with amendments) — approved; staff to prepare cover letter and attachments for council packet. - Forward Sustainable Landscaping (gas‑powered leaf blowers) memo to City Council — approved; memo presents two policy options for council consideration (regulation of use or restriction of sales). - Elect new leadership — Mitra elected chair and Alexi Miller elected vice chair for the upcoming fiscal year.

What commissioners emphasized

Commissioners discussed timing and language for the backup energy memo because the state legislative session was nearing adjournment. One commissioner suggested phrasing the document to record that the legislature “recently considered” the bills rather than asserting the city had time to submit testimony, and the group accepted a related amendment.

On the leaf‑blower memo, commissioners said the memo should provide examples from other jurisdictions and stress equity and enforcement considerations if the council were to pursue regulation.

Administrative notes and next steps

Staff will finalize cover letters and attachments and transmit both memos to City Council; the commission asked staff to choose timing so the council packet reaches members before summer recess. The Commission also recorded outgoing commissioners’ service and thanked them; staff will update the commission roster and public materials to reflect the newly elected chair and vice‑chair.

Ending

The motions passed without recorded roll‑call tallies in the transcript; staff will publish the approved memos and transmit them to the City Council packet as directed by the Commission.