COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

The Committee on the Environment has been active since its creation and has worked on many and various projects including creating the annual Arbor Day celebration and Adopt-A-Tree program, producing a Local Action Plan for Greenhouse Gas Reduction funded in part by the US Environmental Protection Agency, promoting energy conservation in City buildings, coordinating Energy Workshops, preparing a successful grant application for solar hot water heaters, developing Green Building Guidelines approved by the City Council, promoting tree health and preservation and coordinating a Tree Care Workshop, supporting and encouraging good land stewardship and the City’s acquisition of open space lands for habitat preservation, encouraging and promoting healthy watershed functioning, and served to provide technical support for other City efforts such as the Master Plan Advisory Group, the West Nile Virus Task Force, and the Municipal Energy Authority Task Force.

In 2005, recognizing the permanent nature and long term objectives of the Committee, the City Council established the Committee on the Environment as a statutory, Council-appointed committee. (Ordinance 2005-9)

Committee Purpose:

• To advise the City Council on all environmental issues, including but not limited to, tree protection, open space conservation, biodiversity, watershed functioning, energy use and conservation, and recycling.
• To review and provide advice on City actions that affect environmental quality, preferably prior to implementation. The Committee may review any work within the City which it has reason to believe may impact environmental quality. This includes resolutions, legislation, regulations, policy, guidance, administrative actions, plans, and program activities that may affect environmental quality.
• To educate Takoma Park residents, businesses, and County government on environmental issues and encourage Takoma Park residents, businesses, and County government to choose environmentally beneficial or non-harmful alternatives when available to protect the environment, reduce energy use and limit greenhouse gas emissions.
• To convey citizen views on environmental issues to Council and City staff.
• To work with City staff on environmental issues and projects.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Committee:

The Committee shall advise and assist the Council in developing and implementing policies to protect and preserve the environment in Takoma Park. In furtherance of these duties, the Committee shall attempt to accomplish the following:

• Assist the Council in the development of policies and programming that address the environmental concerns of the community.
• Proactively promote environmental issues and projects based on the technical expertise of Committee members.
• Assist the Council in technical and policy direction and in setting priorities for environmental projects.
• Review and provide advice on any City actions, prior to, during, and after implementation, that it has reason to believe may affect environmental quality. These actions include resolutions, legislation, regulations, policy, guidance, administrative actions, plans, and program activities that may affect environmental quality. The Committee shall make recommendations or give direction for alternatives to change City actions to actions that are likely to improve environmental outcomes.
• Educate Takoma Park residents on environmental issues and actions to promote environmental quality.
• Keep abreast of what other communities are doing to promote environmental protection and preservation.
• Prepare an annual report to the Council on the activities of the Committee and provide additional briefings as needed.

Membership and Appointments:

The City Council may appoint seven to 11 members to serve on the Committee. Efforts shall be made to have representation from a variety of scientific, technical, and environmental policy disciplines, outreach skills related to environmental science, and with a variety of organizational talents. Members shall attempt to assess environmental issues and protect the environment across the entire City without political bias. Candidates are encouraged to attend meetings and volunteer with the Committee prior to appointment.

Committee members are appointed to serve renewable three-year terms.

If you are interested in being appointed to the Committee please submit an application to the City Clerk, City of Takoma Park, 7500 Maple Ave., Takoma Park, MD, 20912 or e-mail clerk@takomagov.org.

To send correspondence to the committee, please address it to Committee on the Environment Chair, City of Takoma Park, 7500 Maple Ave., Takoma Park, MD, 20912.

Ordinance 2005-9, Establishing the Committee on the Environment

Staff Liaison: Daryl Braithwaite, Public Works Director, 301.891.7615, darylb@takomagov.org

The Committee generally meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month. To confirm the meeting date, time, and location, check the “committee calendar”

Meetings are open to the public in accordance with the Maryland Open Meetings Act.

Minutes:

• May 8, 2007
• April 10, 2007
• March 13, 2007
• October 10, 2006
• September 12, 2006
• October 11, 2005

Committee Activities and Projects:

• Report to the City Council - January 22, 2008

(Page updated 8/26/08.)