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BACKGROUND Preservation of environmental quality and concern at local, state and national levels. the environment, the City Council added research options for establishment of an advise the City Council on environmental matters. To simplify, the term "advisory entity to be created. energy conservation are issues of overriding To further enhance the City's commitment to to its work plan a priority requesting staff to advisory board, commission or committee to issues, energy conservation and associated body" will be used hereinafter to refer to the The City is already proactive in the arena of environmental issues. Various programs and policies have evolved to conserve resources, reduce consumption and ultimately promote sustainability from a local government standpoint. While some programs are mandated, a large number of these efforts have been initiated voluntarily. Examples include Fire Station #4; the Callippe Preserve Golf Course; active participation in the Alameda County Green Business program; use of green products during renovations or upgrades to city facilities; the installation of photovoltaic systems on City buildings whenever possible; and the implementation and enforcement of residential and commercial green building ordinances. Furthermore, numerous elements exist within the General Plan Update that encourage, reinforce and support a sustainable environment. The enclosed attachment provides an additional accounting of the City's existing environmental programs, services and activities. DISCUSSION In preparing this report, staff surveyed other cities to determine if environmental boards, commissions or committees are in place and found a range of structures. The scope of these advisory bodies is largely dependent upon the policy objectives and general attitudes of each community. However, a general theme of responding to climate action planning, reducing energy consumption and waste and increasing community awareness through partnership programs were common elements. With this background, staff developed the following three options for review and consideration. Option One: Establish a Commission on the Environment. This option is a traditional commission structure, involving adoption of a city ordinance, modeled after the Library Commission or Parks and Recreation Commission and would include five members and one alternate appointed by the Mayor and ratified by the City Council. Members would be Pleasanton residents and initial terms would be two to four years. Terms would vary from two to four years initially to ensure continuity. Commission activities would be subject to requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act, including public noticing of all meetings, agendas and staff reports. Meeting frequency and scope of responsibilities would dictate the level of staff support and expertise necessary to support the commission. The advantage to this type of structure is that it provides continuous advocacy for environmental sustainability. With the City's limited resources and competing priorities, having a standing body focused on the environment would create a long-term balance and partnership with other city priorities, ensuring that environmental considerations receive appropriate attention. Page 2 of 4