HomeMy Public PortalAbout017-2012 - ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY COMMISORDINANCE NO. 17-2012
A GENERAL ORDINANCE ADDING A NEW SECTION
TO THE CITY OF RICHMOND CODE CHAPTER 32
WHEREAS, The City of Richmond, Indiana, has declared the importance of sustainability and
conservation of natural resources by making them an integral part of its
Comprehensive Plan, in order to protect and enhance the social, economic, and
environmental wellbeing of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, The Common Council of the City of Richmond, Indiana, declares sustainability,
conservation of natural resources, and maintenance of a healthy environment,
together with social and economic wellbeing, vital to the public interest; and
WHEREAS, It is the intent of this ordinance to coordinate and inform efforts to promote
environmental sustainability and conservation of natural resources, for the greater
good of the public of Richmond, Indiana.
NOW, THEREFORE, be it ordained by the Common Council of the City of Richmond,
Indiana that a new Section 80 is hereby added to Richmond Code Chapter 32 to read as follows:
Section 80: III.32.80: Richmond Environmental Sustainability Commission
32.80.01 Purpose
(a) The City of Richmond, Indiana deems it in the public interest to establish the City of
Richmond Environmental Sustainability Commission in order that said Commission may
assist the City of Richmond as follows:
(1) promote environmental sustainability and conservation of natural resources in the City of
Richmond, Indiana for the public good;
(2) inform and advise the Common Council, the Mayor, and the City Government on matters
relating to environmental sustainability and conservation of natural resources;
(3) coordinate public and private efforts within the City of Richmond, Indiana towards
sustainability, environmental health, and conservation of natural resources;
(4) help the City and its departments and committees strive toward operating in a manner that
is sustainable to the environment.
(5) help assess potential environmental liabilities and potential costs of government policies
and practices in the City of Richmond, Indiana;
(6) coordinate and promote grant and funding opportunities for the City related to
sustainability, environment, and conservation;
(7) promote environmental resources and quality of life in the City, in order to attract and
retain businesses and economic investment and reinforce the civic pride and identity of
the City;
(8) facilitate environmental education, for both the city government and general public;
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32.80.02 Establishment and Organization of the City of Richmond Environmental
Sustainability Commission
(a) Creation: pursuant to Indiana Code (IC) 36-1-3-1 et seq. (Home Rule), there is hereby
established the Environmental Sustainability Commission of the City of Richmond, Indiana
(hereinafter referred to as the "Commission").
(b) Composition: the Commission shall consist of nine (9) voting members. The voting members
shall be initially appointed by the Mayor of the City of Richmond, Indiana, subject to the approval
of the Common Council of the City of Richmond, Indiana. Subsequent appointment of voting
members as terms become open shall be made by nomination and vote of existing Commission
members (requiring at least 2/3 approval), subject to the approval of the Mayor and Common
Council of the City of Richmond. The members of the Commission should include persons
knowledgeable and engaged in matters of sustainability, conservation, and environment and
involved and committed to promoting such matters in Richmond. As environmental concerns
cannot be contained within a political subdivision, membership of individuals residing outside of
the Richmond City limits is allowed; however, no more than three (3) of the Commission
members may live outside the City and it is recommended that any non-resident members be
residents of Wayne County or residents of counties adjacent to Wayne County. To ensure that the
Commission represents a wide range of interested constituencies and stakeholders, as necessary
for its advisory and coordinating role, the Commission should include representatives actively
associated with the following constituencies:
• non-profit organizations
• business/ industry
• city governance
• education
• youth (attending high school)
• utilities
To represent a constituency, a member of the Commission should either be fully employed (or in
the case of youth, fully attending) within the designated area, or hold a significant public office in
that area (as in the case of members of the EDC, school boards, etc.). No member of the
Commission can represent more than one of these constituencies on the Commission at any given
time. Not all members on the Commission are required to be associated with one of these specific
constituencies. The Commission should include members from all major political parties active in
Richmond, Indiana (i.e. parties whose candidates regularly appear on the Richmond election ballot
for city positions), to make its recommendations non -partisan. Commission members shall serve
without compensation.
(c) Term: members shall serve for a term of two (2) calendar years; however, in order for the
terms to be staggered, the initial terms of members shall be as follows:
Four shall expire December 31, 2013;
Five shall expire December 31, 2014
A vacancy shall be filled by nomination and vote of existing Commission members (requiring at
least 2/3 approval), subject to the approval of the Mayor and Common Council of the City of
Richmond, within ninety (90) days from the time of vacancy. The new member shall serve for the
unexpired duration of the term of the member who is being replaced. There is no limit to the
number of terms or consecutive terms that a member may serve.
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(d) Council Liaison: one member of the Common Council of the City of Richmond may be
designated as an official liaison to the Commission and charged with informing the Commission
on issues and pending and upcoming resolutions before the Council with special important for the
environment, conservation of natural resources, and sustainability, for the Commission to take up
and advise the Council.
(e) Relation with Maw the Commission shall maintain an active working relationship with the
Mayor, who will inform it of current and potential policies and procedures of Richmond City
government with special important for the environment, conservation of natural resources, and
sustainability, for the Commission to take up and advise the Mayor.
(f) Officers: the Commission shall elect from its membership a Chairperson, Vice -Chairperson,
and Secretary who shall each serve for one (1) year and who may be reelected.
(g) Rules: the Commission shall adopt procedural rules consistent with this Section (32.80) for
the transaction of its business. The rules must include the time and place of regular meetings and
a procedure for the calling of special meetings.
(h) Meetings: Commission meetings must be open to the public and a public record shall be kept
of the Commission's resolutions, proceedings, and actions in accordance with IC 5-14-1.5-1 et
seq. (Indiana's Open Door Law). The Commission shall hold regular meetings, at least monthly,
except when it has no business pending. Special meetings may be called in a manner determined
by the Commission and its rules provided that all public notice requirements pursuant to IC 5-14-
1.5-5 are followed.
32.80.03 Powers and Duties of the Commission
(a) The Commission will have the power to make advisory recommendations, in relation to issues
of environmental sustainability and conservation of natural resources, to the Common Council of
the City of Richmond, the Mayor of the City of Richmond, Indiana, the Richmond Advisory Plan
Commission, and Richmond City Departments and Offices. These recommendations may be
made either at the request of the Common Council or Mayor of the City of Richmond, Indiana, or
on the initiative of the Commission. The Commission will offer these recommendations in an
advisory role only, and its recommendations are not binding in any way on decisions made by the
Common Council, Mayor, Advisory Plan Commission, or other government employees or
officials of the City of Richmond, Indiana.
(b) The Commission will take into account in its recommendations the overall economic, social,
and cultural wellbeing of the general public of the City of Richmond, Indiana, but its purpose will
be primarily to advise on matters of environmental sustainability and conservation of natural
resources, and these elements will be its main concern in making recommendations, allowing
other groups and officials to determine and weigh other relevant issues affecting decisions.
(c) The Commission will attempt to share information and coordinate efforts, to the best of its
ability, among all public groups and private citizens in Richmond, Indiana who are interested in
promoting the goals of environmental sustainability and conservation of natural resources. This
may include, but not be limited to, assisting as necessary with the publicizing local environmental
activities, compiling and providing a list of all environmental speakers to all interested persons,
schools, and groups, promoting the development of environmental curricula in local schools,
encouraging and organizing workshops, seminars, films, slide shows, and speaking programs on
environmental concerns.
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(d) The Commission will research and apply for grants or other funds or gifts from public or
private agencies, to improve environmental sustainability and resource conservation in the City of
Richmond, Indiana.
(e) The Commission will seek to publicize and celebrate successes in the City of Richmond,
Indiana pertaining to environmental sustainability and conservation of natural resources, in order
to attract and retain businesses and investments and bolster civic pride and identity. This goal
may include seeking and maintaining official environmental or sustainability designations for the
City of Richmond, Indiana, such as its current CLEAN Community Status through the Indiana
Department of Environmental Management.
(f)The Commission will seek to facilitate and coordinate environmental education in the City of
Richmond, Indiana. As part of these efforts, the Commission may also promote cleanup, anti -
litter, and beautification projects that serve to develop civic pride in improving the environmental
aesthetics of the community.
(g) The Commission will gather, coordinate, and share data on environmental sustainability and
natural resource conservation within the City of Richmond, Indiana, in ways that are useful and
important to its other functions, listed above.
Passed and adopted this _21't day of _May2012, by the Common Council of the City of
Richmond, Indiana.
S/S Philip Matthew Quinn President
(Philip Matthew Quinn)
ATTEST: S/S Karen Chasteen , City Clerk
(Karen Chasteen, IAMC, MMC)
PRESENTED to the Mayor of the City of Richmond, Indiana, this _22"d _ day of _May ,
2012, at 9:00 a.m.
S/S Karen Chasteen , City Clerk
(Karen Chasteen, IAMC, MMC)
APPROVED by me, Sarah L. Hutton, Mayor of the City of Richmond, Indiana, this _22"d day of
_May , 2012, at 9:05 a.m.
S/S Sarah L. Hutton Mayor
(Sarah L. Hutton)
ATTEST: S/S Karen Chasteen , City Clerk
(Karen Chasteen, IAMC, MMC)
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