(a) There is hereby created an environmental commission of the city, which shall be composed of 15 voting members of the general public and eight non-voting technical expert members. Each city council member shall appoint one voting member to the commission. The mayor shall appoint the commission chair; and the full council shall appoint the vice-chair. The non-voting technical experts shall be appointed by the full council from each sector of the comprehensive environmental and climate action plan ("CECAP"). Two of the general public members must have public health experience. All other general public members must have a minimum of two years environmental experience or a minimum of two years of neighborhood environmental advocacy.
(1) Public health experience may be demonstrated through documented experience which meets the Center for Disease Control's definition of public health that includes promoting healthy lifestyles, researching disease and injury prevention, and detecting, preventing, and responding to infectious diseases. This qualification may include employment with a health-related entity such as a hospital, clinic, a public health organization, or a non-profit focused on improving local public health.
(2) Environmental experience may be demonstrated through documented education, professional registrations or certifications, or expertise in one or more areas of the CECAP. This qualification may include, but is not limited to, citizen-science certifications, or a bachelor of science or arts in related engineering, environmental sciences, environmental management systems, natural sciences, architecture, landscape architecture, agriculture, and other documented backgrounds related to local, state, and federal laws, or environmental regulations.
(3) Neighborhood environmental advocacy may be demonstrated through documented residency in neighborhoods negatively impacted by environmental issues, with related experience with local neighborhood issues including, but not limited to, transportation, water and waste management, zoning and land use issues, or experience relevant to one or more sections of the CECAP.
(b) A quorum exists when there are physically present a simple majority of the number of members officially appointed to the environmental commission, regardless of the total number of members actually provided for the environmental commission, except that a quorum may not be fewer than six members. Issues are decided by a simple majority of the members present. Each member who is present and entitled to vote must vote in accordance with Chapter 8 of the Dallas City Code.
(c) The environmental commission shall advise on the CECAP implementation and environmental issues which arise in the city.
(d) All members shall be appointed for an initial term to expire on June 14, 2023. Subsequent appointments shall be made in September of each odd-numbered year for a two-year term beginning October 1. All members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. A vacancy for the unexpired term of any members shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made. The members shall serve without compensation.
(e) The commission, unless there is no business for the commission to consider, must meet at least once per month and may hold additional meetings at the call of the chair. The commission shall receive public comment at every meeting of the commission, standing committees, and ad hoc committees.
(f) The commission shall adopt, subject to approval of city council, rules, not inconsistent with state law or city ordinances, governing its proceedings and establishing committees of the commission.
(a) There is hereby created a technical resource panel to be composed of eight members appointed by the city council to serve as non-voting technical members of the commission.
(1) The technical resource panel is not a board or commission subject to Chapter 8 of this code or Chapter XXIV, Section 13 of the city charter.
(2) The city manager may nominate members of the first technical resource panel, as recommended by the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability, through consultation with the Environment and Sustainability Task Force, for approval by the full council.
(3) Following the initial appointments, future technical resource panel members may be nominated by the city manager, as recommended by the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability, through consultation with the Environmental Commission, for approval by the full council.
(b) Each member of the technical resource panel must have at least four years of experience in one of the eight sectors of the CECAP, causing each sector to be represented on the panel. Additionally, appointments to the panel must, to the extent possible, be representative of the ethnic diversity of the city.
(c) Members of the technical resource panel are not required to be residents of the city or qualified voters in the city.
(d) Members of the technical resource panel serve two-year terms and are subject to the same conflict of interest and confidentiality restrictions that are applicable to members of the commission. Members of the technical resource panel are subject to forfeiture of membership on the same basis as members of the commission.
(e) Members of the technical resource panel shall attend and fully participate in all meetings and deliberations of the commission, including closed sessions, but shall not be entitled to vote as members of the commission.
(f) The technical resource panel shall use its expertise and experience in environmental matters to assist the commission to the fullest extent possible in the review of all issues coming before the commission.
(g) The technical resource panel does not have any oversight responsibility or oversight authority with respect to the commission.
(h) Nothing in this section prohibits the commission from seeking additional outside technical expertise and advice, as necessary. (Ord. 31847)
Loading...