Sec. 2-7-60. Powers and duties.
Wherein ecology is defined as the study of the interactions of organisms and their environment, including other organisms, the following powers and duties are assigned to this Commission.
(a) The Ecology Commission shall address issues of ecological concern, as identified by the Town Council. These issues shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) The Ecology Commission shall address issues that impact the quality, health, and welfare of natural ecosystems within the urban core and at the boundaries between the urbanized environment and adjacent wild lands.
(2) The Ecology Commission shall address human-wildlife interactions of concern. Such work shall address mechanisms that reduce or eliminate interactions that may pose a threat to wildlife and/or the safety of the general public.
(3) The Ecology Commission shall conduct research and strive to educate the community about methods to mitigate and minimize everyday adverse impacts on the environment, including but not limited to invasive flora and fauna, landscaping practices, and de-icing practices.
(4) The Ecology Commission shall stay apprised of issues that may impact the Town’s air quality and provide input to the Town Council, when requested.
(5) The Ecology Commission shall stay apprised of issues that may impact water quality in the Town’s streams, rivers, and wetlands, as well as its drinking water. The Commission shall provide input to the Town Council, when requested.
(6) The Ecology Commission shall work cooperatively with regional organizations, as appropriate, to facilitate community sustainability. The Commission shall provide input to the Town Council on sustainability issues, when requested.
(b) The Ecology Commission shall submit an annual work plan for Council review and approval. Council’s review and approval shall occur within Council’s annual budget review process, except in the Commission’s first year of establishment.
(c) If explicitly authorized by Town Council, the Ecology Commission may develop a Wildlife Program or Programs which, through education, policy development and implementation of regulations, enhances coexistence of public activities with wildlife, in and immediately adjacent to the Town’s boundaries. Such programs may include a Wildlife Resource Information System. Any such program shall attempt to preserve known endangered species habitats and minimize all disturbances to those habitats.
(d) The Ecology Commission shall not conduct reviews of new buildings and structures, or their impacts, which are subject to the Town’s Land Use Code, excepting bridges over Cornet Creek and the San Miguel River. This shall not be construed to prevent Ecology Commission members from providing public input as individuals within the Town’s land use approval process. (Prior code 2.12.060; Ord. 1288 §1, 2008; Ord. 1371, 2012)