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Environmental Sustainability Board clarified as advisory body; council adopts revised ordinance
Summary
Council adopted a revised ordinance clarifying the ESB’s advisory role, flexible membership, and advisory duties (policy review, planning input, outreach). Staff recommended operational limits be kept in a board handbook rather than the ordinance; council approved the measure unanimously.
Representatives of the Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB) asked council to clarify the board’s purpose and operations; council adopted a revised ordinance that frames ESB as an advisory body and sets membership flexibility.
Giles Dunn (speaker 5) summarized the board’s vote to shift toward an advisory posture and requested language to make duties clearer. Staff recommended retaining strategic and advisory functions in the ordinance while moving operational permissions — such as specific spending authority, interviewing roles for appointments, and administrative permissions — into a board handbook or rules of procedure so the ordinance remains a clean authorizing document. The council endorsed that approach; members also discussed adding natural‑environment language to ensure pollinator and habitat topics are included in ESB’s scope. The ordinance was adopted unanimously and staff will coordinate handbook language and the board’s involvement in upcoming master‑planning processes.
