Councilor Files Ordinance To Create 15-Member Framingham Sustainability Commission & 13-Member Sustainable Framingham Implementation Committee

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FRAMINGHAM – District 8 City Councilor John Stefanini has filed an ordinance petition to create a 15-member Framingham Sustainability Commission and a 13-member Sustainable Framingham Implementation Committee.

This year is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. The 10th Annual Earth Day event scheduled for this Saturday was cancelled due to the pandemic.

“Framingham residents want its municipality to adopt the proven sustainable practices and policies of other communities, such as use of solar panels, an electrified fleet, curbside composting, swap shops, and open space preservation,” wrote Stefanini in the ordinance.

The ordinance petition calls for the “Mayor and Council to set goals to be carbon neutral and produce net zero waste by 2050 and to establish a commission to identify strategies to achieve said goals.”

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Below is a copy of the proposed ordinance:

Set Goals to Become a Sustainable Community by Reducing Framingham’s Carbon Footprint, Establishing a Commission to Build Community Consensus, and Creating an Implementation Committee 

SECTION 1.

A.   Goals

Framingham shall strive to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  This ordinance establishes community-wide goals to become carbon neutral and zero net waste by 2050.

SECTION 2. 

A.  Purpose

The purpose of establishing the Sustainability Commission is to build consensus for the community-wide climate and solid waste goals established by this ordinance. The members of this commission have been selected to represent the constituencies from the many sectors in Framingham. The commission shall set intermediate goals for every five year period.

B. Sustainability Commission

The mayor shall convene a fifteen (15) member body called the Sustainability Commission to establish goals to be implemented by the Sustainable Framingham Implementation Committee. The Commission shall meet, at minimum, annually thereafter to ensure progress towards these goals in order for Framingham to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions and net zero waste by 2050 and become a more sustainable community. This commission shall be comprised of the following or their respective designee: 

• mayor, 
• superintendent of schools, 
• executive director of the Framingham Housing Authority, 
• chair of Framingham Business Association, 
• director MWRTA, 
• president of Framingham State University, 
• executive director of South Middlesex Opportunity Council, 
• chair of the planning board, 
• chair of Council Environmental and Sustainability subcommittee, 
• a member of the Sustainable Framingham Committee,
• head of interfaith council, 
• chair of the Council on Aging, and 
• two residents selected by the mayor, including a resident for whom English is not their primary language, with professional expertise in the climate change area. 

The mayor shall serve as chair with voting rights in the case of a tie vote.

SECTION 3.

Sustainable Framingham Implementation Committee (SFIC)

Article II of the Framingham Bylaws are amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section:-

Section 25. Sustainable Framingham Implementation Committee

A.  The mayor shall establish a thirteen (13) member body called the Sustainable Framingham Implementation Committee (SFIC) to implement goals established by the Sustainability Commission. The SFIC shall meet at least once per month and be comprised of the following: 

• the director of public works, 
• the sustainability coordinator, 
• the director of community and economic development, 
• chair of the Council environment and sustainability subcommittee, 
• chair of the School Committee climate change, environment, and sustainability subcommittee, 
• chair of a mayoral sustainability committee,
• Member of the student advisory committee, 
• chair of the Youth Council,
• the chair of the planning board, 
• chair of the conservation commission, and 
• three (3) residents appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. At least one of these members shall have experience in the clean energy sector or sustainability fields. At least one of these members shall be from each of Framingham’s residential zip codes, 01701 and 01702.

The SFIC shall elect a chair and a vice chair from its membership annually.

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C. Purpose. 

The SFIC purpose is to assist municipal leaders in achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions and zero net waste by 2050 and become a more sustainable community. The SFIC shall create and approve a plan to achieve the intermediate goals established by the Sustainability Commission. The SFIC shall identify, recommend and oversee the implementation of programs, ordinances and budgets that foster a vital, sustainable and resilient community. The SFIC shall consider environmental justice and the interlocking aspects of sustainability: equity, the economy, the environment, and society.

To achieve its purpose, the SFIC will work toward:

(1) Community sustainability;

(2) Energy use reduction and development of clean energy sources;

(3) Responsible use of natural resources such as land and water;

(4) Food security;

(5) Sustainable transportation options;

(6) Zero waste;

(7) Quality of life;

(8) Robust and healthy local ecosystems and natural communities;

(9) Cleanup of highly contaminated sites; and,

(10) Other matters as the Mayor or Council deem necessary.

C. Membership, Terms and Vacancies. All members of the SFIC will hold 3-year terms, or until each member no longer serves in the position that resulted in the member’s selection.  Any vacancy in the membership of the SFIC not filled by each respective organization shall be filled by the mayor for the unexpired term of such member.

D. Staff: The Sustainability Coordinator shall staff the SFIC unless the mayor shall assign a different staff liaison to the SFIC.

E. The SFIC shall adopt its own rules and regulations.

SECTION 4.

Severability

If any provision of this ordinance shall be held to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be considered separately and apart from the remaining provisions, which shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5.

Effective Date.

This ordinance shall take effect immediately.