DEPARTMENT: Office of Sustainability
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Douglas Melnick, AICP CNU-A
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: All
SUBJECT:
Green Events Ordinance Amendment
SUMMARY:
This ordinance approves and authorizes City staff to amend Chapter 26, Article III of the City Code of San Antonio, Texas relating to pollution control to update the green events certification requirements.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On April 8, 2010, City Council passed an ordinance requiring events meeting certain criteria to obtain a Green Event Certification. Certification can be attained by securing points via a green event scorecard or through purchasing green event certification in lieu of implementing “green” practices. The “Green Events Ordinance” is consistent with the objectives of San Antonio’s “Mission Verde” sustainability plan, adopted by City Council on February 4, 2010. The Office of Sustainability, in coordination with the Center City Development and Operations Office, Solid Waste Management, Convention Sports and Entertainment Facilities, Culture and Creative Development, and Parks and Recreation Departments, developed a green events policy to target the reduction of waste, energy and materials consumption at medium and large-scale events occurring through City contracts and permits for usage of City-owned properties. This ordinance requires events meeting the following criteria to obtain a Green Event Certification:
A medium scale event is 1,000-2,000 persons and a large-scale event is 2,000 or more persons.
• Medium and large scale events on City-owned property;
• Medium and large scale events receiving City funding or sponsorship valued at half of the event costs;
• Medium and large scale events requiring right-of-way permits
In order to obtain a Green Event Certification, event organizers are required to complete a Green Event Scorecard for submittal along with each City reservation contract or permit. The scorecard contains various “green” measures and practices that event organizers can implement to obtain certification, such as providing recycling opportunities or utilizing two-sided printing for promotional materials.
Since ordinance inception, the City of San Antonio has certified over 300 events, recycling over 400,000 pounds of trash. In collaboration with the Fiesta Commission, the number of certified Fiesta events increased from 13 events in 2013 to 47 events in 2016.
ISSUE:
This ordinance approves and authorizes City staff to amend Chapter 26, Article III, of the City Code of San Antonio, Texas relating to pollution control to update the green events certification requirements.
The proposed Ordinance will amend Chapter 26, Article III, of the City Code relating to green events certification to add a requirement for all certified events to include a one-to-one trash receptacle to recycling receptacle ratio. The intent of this provision is to insure recycling opportunities are more prominently available to event participants. Additional green event practices will be added to the “Green Events Scorecard” as options for event coordinators to obtain certification. The Ordinance will also amend the change of the department name from “Office of Environmental Policy” to “Office of Sustainability” in the document.
City staff provides event coordinators technical assistance and services to effectively organize a certifiable green event. For example, Solid Waste Management Department will continue to provide access for event coordinators to borrow recycling receptacles to reduce any barriers for events to comply with the ordinance.
City staff has completed outreach to obtain consensus on this amendment from the Fiesta Commission and other major event stakeholders.
ALTERNATIVES:
This request can be postponed or cancelled. The cancellation of this request will not amend Chapter 26, Article III, of the City Code relating to green events certification by adding a requirement for all certified events to include a one-to-one trash receptacle to recycling receptacle ratio.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this ordinance will not result in any direct fiscal impact.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance, amending Chapter 26, Article III, of the City Code of San Antonio, Texas relating to the update of the green events certification requirements.