Committee Report - Leg Matters - 9-3-15 — File 199879

Legislative Matters Committee Page 1 of 3 Printed 9/8/2015 September 3, 2015 REPORT OF THE LEGISLATIVE MATTERS COMMITTEE Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Mary Jo Rossetti Chair Present Mark Niedergang Vice Chair Present Katjana Ballantyne Ward Seven Alderman Absent Matthew McLaughlin Ward One Alderman Present William A. White Jr. Alderman At Large Present Others present: Michael Glavin - OSPCD, Geroge Proakis - OSPCD, Oliver Sellers-Garcia - OSE, Matt Buckley - Law, David Shapiro - Law, Goren Smiljic - ISD, Omar Boukili - Mayor's Office 1. Approval of the August 20, 2015 Minutes RESULT: ACCEPTED 198251: Assistant City Solicitor submitting a proposed Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance. Mr. Buckley discussed similar ordinances from other communities and noted that Great Barrington grants exemptions for farm stands using plastic bags. The ordinance used in Brookline is the most comparable to Somerville’s proposal. The committee discussed amendments, fines, offenses, potential waivers and bag thickness although Somerville’s proposed ordinance doesn’t differentiate based on the thickness of bags. Chairman Rossetti requested that the proposed ordinance be distributed to all members of the Board of Aldermen. Chairman Rossetti requested that a communication be sent to Representative Provost inquiring as to where her sponsored plastic bag reduction bill, H739, came up with the requirement that recycled bags contain a minimum of 80% recycled material, noting that Mr. Sellers-Garcia represented that 30-50% is most common in districts as well as being less costly. Mr. Smiljic asked to know which businesses would be impacted by the proposed ordinance, (for enforcement purposes), and suggested that businesses be informed of the change during the license renewal process. Alderman Niedergang favored notifying businesses ASAP and the Chamber of Commerce prefers at least 90 days notice. A public hearing will be scheduled on the matter.

Legislative Matters Committee Page 2 of 3 Printed 9/8/2015 RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 198393: That the City Solicitor draft an ordinance requiring an institutional master plan for any institution in Somerville. Mr. Proakis discussed how an institutional plan would impact the way things are presently done. Members discussed that G.L.c40A already protects religious facilities and we would not seek change of this legislation. Mr. Shapiro reviewed with the committee his draft document of a Home Rule Petition which would grant the City the authority to adopt the requirement of local review of all Institutional Master Plans. The document will be presented at the Board's next regular meeting for consideration of approval. RESULT: WORK COMPLETED 199267: That the City Solicitor draft an ordinance that institutional master plans must require home rule petition approval from the Legislature (per a 5/7/15 Planning Staff memo). RESULT: WORK COMPLETED 198398: That this Board's Committee on Legislative Matters review the current pervious surfaces ordinances for their effectiveness and sufficiency. Mr. Proakis and his staff will be prepared to present additional information at the Committee's meeting of October 15, 2015. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 198000: Requesting an amendment to the Trash Ordinance in Chapter 11 of the Code of Ordinances. At the request of the Administration, this item is placed on file as we await a revised Amendment in the near future. RESULT: PLACED ON FILE 199064: That the Director of SPCD (ISD) and the Commissioner of Public Works inform this Board of enforcement of the trash ordinance for private trash pickup (barrels and dumpsters), when trash can be set out prior to pickup, and whether the current ordinance can be amended to address private trash pickups. The committee heard from Mr. Smiljic, who discussed the current ordinance and its enforcement. He suggested that most of the problems were coming from commercial dumpsters. He also reminded the Committee that Commercial businesses are bound by state legislation. Alderman

Legislative Matters Committee Page 3 of 3 Printed 9/8/2015 White suggested that the City Solicitor review and make recommendations to our current ordinance and be invited to a future meeting. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE