Davis commission recommends updates to integrated pest management policy, mandates formal outreach and five-year review

The City of Davis Climate and Environmental Justice Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council adopt updates to the city’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) policy and procedures, including a mandatory minimum five‑year review cycle and a requirement for formal public outreach between updates.

Adrian (staff lead) told commissioners the proposed revisions convert an originally proposed external technical advisory committee into a Professional Coordination Team (PCT) of city staff because the city now has in‑house capacity—chiefly the environmental compliance coordinator and ecological resources manager—to manage IPM implementation and testing of less‑toxic alternatives. The staff team will continue quarterly or more frequent coordination with operations divisions to share field findings and trial new approaches.

Why it matters: the revisions formalize council direction from 2017 to reduce certain high‑risk pesticides in public areas and to make the IPM program more operationally explicit. As presented, the update would eliminate outdoor use of neonicotinoids across city‑managed landscapes and restrict glyphosate in “high‑use” public areas (parks, greenbelts, playgrounds), while keeping narrowly defined, tightly controlled exceptions for uses that staff says can be limited to enclosed, monitored settings.

‘‘We want to ensure we’re following the least‑toxic hierarchy but also that staff have the tools to protect public health and critical facilities when no viable alternatives exist,’’ Adrian said, describing exceptions for indoor or contained uses such as certain structural bedbug treatments.

Commissioners sought specifics about community input, succession planning and independent expertise. Staff pointed to an opt‑in notification list and the Greener Davis outreach channels used to notify neighbors prior to pesticide applications; they also said consultants or other licensed city staff could be used if the city lacks a PCA‑licensed staff member at a given time.

A motion to recommend council adoption of the update passed unanimously after commissioners added two amendments: require a formal public outreach program between plan updates and codify a minimum five‑year review cycle. The commission’s recommendation will now go to City Council for consideration.

What’s next: staff will transmit the recommendation to council and incorporate edits discussed by the commission. If Council approves the update, the policy will be implemented under the city’s existing IPM operations and monitoring framework.

Quotes: ‘‘We’re formalizing what we’re already doing and tightening community protections,’’ Adrian said. ‘‘The PCT approach leverages existing staff expertise and the city’s ability to pilot less‑toxic options,’’ John Mcnery added.

The commission recorded the recommendation as an official action and closed discussion by unanimous vote; no public commenters spoke on the item during the meeting.