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ORDINANCE NO. 26-6 INTRODUCED BY: Mrs. Goodwin AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CODE OF ORDINANCES CHAPTER 284: ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY BOARD (SECTIONS 284.01, 284.02, 284.03, AND 284.04), CHAPTER 288: TREE COMMISSION (SECTION 288.04), AND CHAPTER 220: COUNCIL (SECTION 220.05). WHEREAS, the Environmental Committee and the Environmental Affairs Advisory Board have recommended amending Code of Ordinances Chapter 284, Sections 284.01, 284.02, 284.03, and 288.04; Chapter 288, Section 288.04; and Chapter 220, Section 220.05; and WHEREAS, Council, coming now to consider said recommendation, approves it in full. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AVON LAKE, STATE OF OHIO: Section No. 1: That Code of Ordinances Chapter 284 is hereby amended as follows: CHAPTER 284: ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY BOARD § 284.01 ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE. There is hereby established an advisory board to be known as the Environmental Affairs Advisory Board with its purposes to include the following: (a) To study and advise courses of action which the Environmental Committee of Council may take to formulate and promote general and broad codes of land, air and water management for the city; and (b) To study and investigate other environmentally related concerns and issues of importance to Council and residents of the city and to report its findings and make appropriate recommendations to residents of the city and Council, as needed. § 284.02 MEMBERSHIP;TERM; COMPENSATION; AND REMOVAL. (a) Membership. The Environmental Affairs Advisory Board shall consist of 14 members, comprised of the following: (1) Up to six members shall be employees or representatives of industrial concerns located within the city who shall be selected because of their knowledge, technical capability or interest in matters relating to air and/or water management and for their ability to ORDINANCE NO. 26-6 Page | 2 competently represent both their own industry and industry in general, which is located in the community. The industrial members need not be residents of the city and shall be appointed by Council. (2) The other members who for the previous two years have been registered, qualified electors of the city and who are not employees of industrial concerns located in the city, shall be appointed by Council. (3) One ex officio, non-voting member shall be the Public Works Director. (4) One ex officio, non-voting member shall be the Chairperson of the Environmental Committee; and (5) One ex officio member shall be a member of the Tree Commission. (b) Term. The appointed resident members of the Environmental Affairs Advisory Board shall each serve three years with staggered terms, a third of which shall be appointed each year. Each member is eligible for reappointment without limitation on the number of consecutive appointments. (1) Beginning in 2026, the Chairperson shall serve for three years, and the Vice- Chairperson shall serve for two years, then every appointment thereafter, shall serve for three years. (2) Vacancies on the Environmental Affairs Advisory Board shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner that the position was originally filled. (3) The Chairperson will notify the Clerk of Council when a vacancy exists. (4) Any vacancy shall be filled within 60 days, unless extenuating circumstances require a longer period. (c ) Compensation. Members of the Environmental Affairs Advisory Board shall serve without compensation. With prior approval of the assigned Department Director, according to the city procurement policies, any expense incurred by the Commission or the members thereof in the performance of their duties shall be paid from the city treasury. (d) Removal. Any Environmental Affairs Advisory Board member who misses three consecutive meetings, or more than 50% of the regular meetings on an annual basis, may be removed from the Board by a majority vote of the other Board members. § 284.03 POWERS AND DUTIES. The Environmental Affairs Advisory Board shall seek, as its general goals: (a) To create and foster a positive, responsible, cooperative and continuous effort among businesses and residents of the city; (b) To educate Council and residents of the city on important environmental issues; ORDINANCE NO. 26-6 Page | 3 (c) To establish and make appropriate recommendations to Council through the use of subject matter experts on land, air and water management programs; and (d) To investigate every reasonable means available to inform and educate its members relative to the problems and possible solutions of land, water and air pollution and management in communities of similar size to the city. § 248.04 MEETINGS AND ORGANIZATION. (a) The Environmental Affairs Advisory Board shall elect by a majority vote its own Chairperson to make its own rules and regulations and keep a record of its proceedings. (b) The Environmental Affairs Advisory Board shall meet on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as requested by its Chairperson. Minutes of Board meetings shall be forwarded to the Mayor and members of Council and filed with the Clerk of Council. Section No. 2: That Code of Ordinances Chapter 288 is hereby amended as follows: CHAPTER 288: TREE COMMISSION § 288.04 MEETINGS; ORGANIZATION. (a) The Tree Commission shall hold an organizational meeting at its first regular meeting date of the year, and the meeting schedule for the year will be the first order of business. There shall be a minimum of six meetings per year. Work sessions or special meetings may be called at the discretion of the Commission Chairperson. (b) The Tree Commission shall elect by a majority vote its own officers, make its own rules and regulations and keep a record of its proceedings. A handbook shall be kept in the Clerk of Council’s office as a permanent record. In the absence of any rule regarding the matter of business, the Commission shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order. (c) The Tree Commission shall appoint one of its members to serve as an ex officio member of the Parks and Recreation Commission and one member to serve as an ex officio member of the Environmental Affairs Advisory Board. (d) A majority of the members shall be a quorum for the transaction of business. All plans, findings, advice, reports and recommendations made by the Tree Commission shall be in writing and shall designate by name those members of the Commission approving the same, failing to concur therein or abstaining therefrom. Those who fail to concur or who abstain shall have the right, as a part of such report, to state their reasons for refusing to approve or to concur. Minutes of meetings shall be filed in the Urban Forester’s office and forwarded to the Mayor and the Clerk of Council. ORDINANCE NO. 26-6 Page | 4 Section No. 3: That Code of Ordinances Chapter 220 is hereby amended as follows: CHAPTER 220: COUNCIL § 220.05 STANDING COMMITTEES. (3) Environmental Committee. A. All ordinances, resolutions and other matters relating to natural resources and environmental protection; shoreline protection; preservation and conservation of Lake Erie; recycling; yard waste, waste collection and contract, leaf humus, branch pickup and woodchips; compost; and inventory of brownfields shall be referred to the Environmental Committee for study, investigation and recommendation to Council. B. One member of the Environmental Committee shall serve as an ex officio, non-voting member of the Environmental Affairs Advisory Board. Section No. 4: That it is found and determined that all formal actions of Council relating to the adoption of this Ordinance were taken in an open meeting, and that all deliberations of Council and its committees resulting in such actions were conducted in meetings open to the public in compliance with all applicable legal requirements, including Section 121.22 of the Ohio Revised Code. Section No. 5: That this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after the earliest period allowed by law. 1st reading: 01/26/2026 2nd reading: 02/09/2026 3rd reading: PASSED: 02/23/2026 ____________________________ President of Council POSTED: 02/27/2026 Approved: 02/24/2026 ATTEST: __________________________ ____________________________ Clerk of Council Mayor