Table of Contents

Climate Change

The city’s codified ordinances address climate change. It creates an Environment Board to support the city’s efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change, increase resource efficiency, and protect and restore natural systems (§2-10). The Board consists of eleven members with training or experience in climate action or natural systems, natural habitat, and community representatives interested in the topic (§2-10-2).

Food Systems | food trucks

The town’s business licenses and regulations code covers licensing (§6-4-30), operating locations on public land, and rules and regulations (§6-4-80)related to operating a late night food truck, including food safety and sanitation, set up, hours of operation, insurance requirements, and signage criteria. 

Inclusionary Housing

The city's code of ordinances addresses inclusionary housing in its Housing title, in a 2007 ordinance updated in 2015 (§5-7-1 et seq.). The ordinance begins with a purpose statement and definitions.

The ordinance establishes inclusionary requirements for “covered developments” of 5 or more units in TOD areas or 10 or more units outside TOD areas. Privately funded developments must provide 10 percent affordable units; properties receiving public funds must provide 20 percent affordable units; minimum affordability levels are set by the ordinance. Development applications must include an inclusionary housing plan. 

Standards address affordable unit location, construction phasing, exterior and interior appearance, bedroom mix, unit size, and energy efficiency. 

The ordinance allows for a cash payment in-lieu or substitution of an "alternative equivalent action." It offers incentives of expedited application processes, fee deferrals, fee waivers, and development bonuses. The code covers affordability controls and sets affordability periods of 99 years for for-sale units and 25 years for rental units.

The city’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance website offers further information on ordinance administration and unit rentals.

Short-Term Residential Rentals

The city addresses short-term residential rentals in the housing regulations title of its code of ordinances through a 2013 ordinance amended in 2018 (Title 5, Chapter 9).

It defines “vacation rental” (§5-9-2) and establishes an annual licensing requirement (§5-9-3). The code provides information on license permit application requirements and review procedures, including standards for permit approval and fees (§5-9-4).

Requirements and standards for operators address minimum rental periods, general compliance with city codes, inspections, listing information, record keeping, contact information, kitchen sanitation, and bedding changes (§5-9-5). The code also addresses penalties for violations and permit suspension or revocation procedures (§5-9-6, 7).

The business regulations title of the city’s code of ordinances establishes a vacation rental tax imposed on these uses (§3-2-4).

Solar Energy

The city's zoning code includes a section on solar collectors that provides development standards regarding appearance and materials, yards, height and bulk, ground-mounted standards, and accessory use standards (§6-4-6-8).

In the city's point-based green building ordinance, incorporating solar PV or solar thermal is worth several measures (Chapter 22, Appendix B).

Food Systems | Urban Livestock

The city's public safety code was amended in 2010 and 2012 to address the keeping of hens within the city, though other livestock are prohibited (§9-4-5). The code allows 2–6 hens to be kept. State registration and a city hen coop permit is required; nuisances are prohibited. The code provides standards for accessory hen yard and coop construction, design, and maintenance.

The city's public safety code was also amended in 2010, 2012, and 2016 to address beekeeping within the city (§9-4-19).  The ordinance provides definitions and requires annual licensing with detailed instructions provided. Standards address fencing, gates, and signage; water; maintenance; queens; and colony densities.