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r Commission recognized that development had a major impact on that ability. He did not believe the energy crisis was over. and was concerned about the continued rise of energy costs. He believed that global warming was a real problem, and was a significant threat to future generations. He believed that the Green Building Ordinance was a way to take local action to minimize those impacts. The precedents for development to mitigate its impact on the community was well-established, and the Green Building Ordinance was a better approach in that it was proactive. He believed it was important to set the standards that development must comply for this mitigation. Commissioner Sullivan believed that the easiest and most cost-effective way to implement the green building strategy was by establishing the ground rules up front, in the early design stages of the project. He noted that implementation of the green building standards early in the development process would significantly reduce costs and simplify the process. He believed that adoption of this Ordinance will allow the City to build the goals of the General Plan for conservation, air quality, transportation, and energy efficiency. Commissioner Sullivan noted that LEED was a welI-established process, which was gaining widespread acceptance by architects, developers, and contractors. Many cities were adopting the LEED system, and he supported the cooperation of staff and Alameda County Waste Management to adapt the Ordinance to City expectations. He did not agree that this was an experimental idea, and noted that its flexible, performance-based approach was a positive feature. He noted that the City had streamlined the documentation r requirements, which the developers could meet in several different ways. He did not agree with all the changes by the Economic Vitality Committee or the Energy Advisory Committee but is willing to compromise on some matters. For example, he believed that building commissioning was an important aspect to ensure that the green building measures employed were effective; however, that item was waived due to the cost considerations. He believed that they had taken a step back with respect to the PV requirement. He supported bringing those items up in a workshop, because he did not wish to hold the adoption process up. Commissioner Sullivan did not believe that the current compliance mechanism was robust enough, but understood the need to start with a simple and less onerous approach. He supported the concept of the Plarming Director as the Green Building Official, because the Planning Department is involved with a project since its inception. He noted that staff was receiving training in the LEED process, and had attended a workshop with Ms. Maier. He noted that first costs were comparable with standard construction practices, and that there were substantial cost savings over the lifetime of the building. He noted that the green building products and services could be purchased locally. He added that reduced operating costs for owners and tenants could mean more profits for business owners, which would free up more money to be spent in the community. ~ PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES September25,2002' Page 12