BALLOT TITLE:
Caption: Amends Charter: Removes citywide vote requirement for mandatory building weatherization.
Question: Shall Charter be amended to allow City to mandate weatherization of structures built before 1979 without a citywide vote?
Summary: The Charter Commission proposed a measure to delete Charter Section 1-108 and allow the City to mandate weatherization of pre-1979 structures without a citywide vote.
Currently, the City cannot mandate weatherization for any structure built before September 1, 1979, unless Council refers the weatherization mandate to voters. This limit was added to the Charter in 1980 through a vote on an initiative petition.
If the measure is approved, the City would be able to mandate building weatherization without referring the mandate to voters.
The City Budget Office determined the measure has no direct financial impact.
Explanatory Statement: The volunteer Charter Commission recommended amending the City Charter to remove the citywide vote requirement for mandatory building weatherization.
Currently, the City cannot mandate weatherization for any structure built before September 1, 1979, unless the City Council refers the weatherization mandate to the voters. This limit was added to the Charter in 1980 through an initiative petition.
Under the Commission’s recommendation, Charter Section 1-108 would be deleted in its entirety. Deletion of the citywide vote requirement would allow the City to more efficiently require energy-efficient weatherization of buildings within the City.