Add Sustainability and Climate Commission Code (add Code Chapter 3.136 and amend Code Chapter 3.33)
The City of Portland ordains.
Section 1. The Council finds:
- In 2010, City Council created the Planning and Sustainability Commission (Ordinance No. 184046). At the same time, the preexisting Planning Commission and the Portland/Multnomah County Sustainable Development Commission were dissolved.
- Since 2010, the Planning and Sustainability Commission’s responsibilities for Portland’s land use planning, sustainability, and climate action have become more work than one commission could undertake effectively.
- In 2023, Council created the Planning Commission to focus on Portland’s land use planning and directed the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) to bring Council a proposal to create a Sustainability or Climate Commission (Ordinance No. 191150).
- In April 2023 through April 2024, the Chief Sustainability Officer and the Sustainability and Climate Commission Coordinator (SCC Coordinator) researched 14 climate commissions across the US, held City employee workshops, virtual and in-person community workshops, and convened a 12-person external working group. They received over 700 individual comments through these engagements.
- On November 1, 2023, Council approved the transition of the Chief Sustainability Officer into the City Administrator’s Office, effective January 1, 2025 (Resolution No. 37635).
- On May 8, 2024, Council approved the Sustainability and Climate Commission proposal presented by the Chief Sustainability Officer and SCC Coordinator (Ordinance No. 191710).
- In November 2024 through January 2025, 245 community members applied for the Sustainability and Climate Commission, including 39 youth (individuals ages 16 – 24).
- In January through March 2025, the Chief Sustainability Officer, SCC Coordinator, and over 25 City staff from across the Service Areas conducted Sustainability and Climate Commission application review and panel-style interviews.
- On March 31, 2025, the Chief Engagement Officer presented to the Council Governance Committee about the advisory bodies alignment and modernization project. The Sustainability and Climate Commission will be subject to this project.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:
- Add City Code Chapter 3.136, Sustainability and Climate Commission, as shown in Exhibit A.
- Amend City Code Chapter 3.33, Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, as shown in Exhibit B.
Exhibits and Attachments
An ordinance when passed by the Council shall be signed by the Auditor. It shall be carefully filed and preserved
in the custody of the Auditor (City Charter Chapter 2 Article 1 Section 2-122)
Passed as amended by Council
Auditor of the City of Portland
Simone Rede
Impact Statement
Purpose of Proposed Legislation and Background Information
The Sustainability and Climate Commission (Commission) is established to advance climate action across our city with a focus on environmental justice, City accountability to its sustainability and climate goals, and create and evaluate the City’s Climate Action Plan.
In 2023, City Council separated the former Planning and Sustainability Commission into the Planning Commission and directed the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) to bring Council a proposal for a new Climate Commission (Ordinance No. 191150). On November 1, 2023, Council decided that the Chief Sustainability Officer, would transition into the City Administrator’s Office on January 1, 2025 (Resolution No. 37635). On May 8, 2024, City Council approved the proposal to create the Sustainability and Climate Commission, amending chapter 3.33 of BPS City Code to direct BPS to lead the formation and recruitment of the new Commission with the understanding that the Chief Sustainability Officer, the Sustainability and Climate Commission Coordinator (SCC Coordinator), and the Commission itself would transition into the City Administrator's Office on January 1, 2025 (Ordinance No. 191710). The Commission is designed for our new form of government to report to the Chief Sustainability Officer and advise City Council, the Mayor, and the City Administrator. Since May 2024, the Chief Sustainability Officer and SCC Coordinator have been working with City Attorney and staff that worked on updating Title 3 (Ordinance No. 191461) to align Sustainability and Climate Commission City Code updates to their recommendations and standards for our new form of government. Additionally, the SCC Coordinator has been engaged in the comprehensive advisory body review process with Civic Life, and Commission was reflected in the initial review in December 2024 as it was in the previous form of government.
Since the Charter Reform Commission, there has been public demands for a climate oversight body. The Sustainability and Climate Commission meets these demands and reflects the exact language from the Charter Reform that the Mayor and City Administrator must address the human-made climate crisis and the Commission provides the opportunity for the Mayor and City Administrator to fulfill this charge.
Financial and Budgetary Impacts
The FY 25-26 City Administrator’s Recommend Budget includes a decision package that realigns $450,000 in ongoing Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) resources and the Chief Sustainability Officer and a one supporting Coordinator II (two existing permanent positions) from the Bureau of Sustainability and Planning’s (BPS) Climate/Energy budget to the Chief Sustainability Office in the City Administrator’s Office. The new office will manage citywide climate and sustainability strategies and support the new Sustainability and Climate Commission. BPS' Climate/ Energy Program will continue to support the activities of the Chief Sustainability Officer and associated Commission, as well as manage a variety of existing climate and sustainability initiatives related to building energy, waste and recycling, land use, housing, renewable fuels, and other climate actions related to the work of the Community and Economic Development Service Area. This realignment is net neutral as it offset with a corresponding decrease in the Bureau of Planning & Sustainability’s FY 2025-26 budget. The Chief Sustainability Officer, in coordination with the Assistant City Administrator, will reexamine the ongoing budget need to support this work after the first year.
Additionally, the program has received $120,000 in one-time grant resources from the Meyer Foundation that will be used for the Sustainability and Climate Commission and developing youth climate governance in the current year and in FY 25-26.
Economic and Real Estate Development Impacts
Not applicable. This action does not impact economic and real estate development.
Community Impacts and Community Involvement
In 2020 through 2022, the Charter Commission conducted community engagement that included 8% of survey comments referring to climate change and climate and environmental justice community listening sessions. Through this work, the community expressed the need for a climate oversight body and urgency for bold climate action that focuses on frontline communities.
The Chief Sustainability Officer and SCC Coordinator had several touch points for community involvement throughout Sustainability and Climate Commission design, processes, framework, and recruitment. Additionally, the Chief Sustainability Officer and SCC Coordinator reviewed prior community engagement to inform the creation of the Commission.
In April through June 2023, the Chief Sustainability Officer and SCC Coordinator reviewed community feedback from prior City community engagement that referred to climate change and environmental justice, and researched 14 climate commissions across the US, and communicated those results to City leadership and staff. In August 2023, BPS held two City employee workshops to collect feedback on a proposed Sustainability and Climate Commission. Over 30 employees attended and contributed over 330 comments. In September 2023, BPS staff held three workshops with key community members to form a 12-person work group. Workshop participants contributed over 160 comments. In September through November, BPS staff hosted three community-wide, one in-person and two virtual events to collect feedback on the proposed Sustainability and Climate Commission. Participants contributed over 200 comments.
In January through February 2024, the Chief Sustainability Officer and the SCC Coordinator reviewed community comments and updated the proposed Sustainability and Climate Commission. In February through March 2024, the Chief Sustainability Officer and SCC Coordinator hosted a fourth workshop with the 12-person community work group and engaged City staff to review the updated Commission proposal, collect feedback and incorporate feedback into a proposal for public comment. In March through April 2024, BPS released the proposal for a 30-day public comment period and hosted two community-wide events to engage the public. Over 20 comments were collected. In March through April 2024, the Chief Sustainability Officer and SCC Coordinator analyzed public comments and finalized the Commission framework proposal. The Chief Sustainability Officer and SCC Coordinator presented the finalized Sustainability and Climate Commission framework during a regular council meeting and it was approved unanimously by City Council on May 8, 2024.
In November 2024 through January 2025, the Chief Sustainability Officer and SCC Coordinator opened Commission applications, engaged over 100 City staff members to share via their community pathways, shared the opportunity externally through individualized outreach and through the City of Portland’s social media channels, reached over 2,000 community members, and responded to all 75 community inquiries received via e-mail and phone. As a result, 245 community members applied for the Commission, including 39 youth representatives (individuals ages 16 – 24). The applicants were from 16 to 81 years old. 13 applicants came from District 1, 63 from District 2, 71 from District 3, 74 from District 4, and 20 from surroundings areas.
100% Renewable Goal
Not applicable. This action does not increase or decrease the City’s total energy use and does not increase or decrease the City’s renewable energy use.
Financial and Budget Analysis
Analysis provided by City Budget Office
This ordinance updates and adds Sustainability and Climate Commission Code, but does not directly amend the City’s budget or financial plan. To support the Chief Sustainability Officer and associated staffing and commission work, $450,000 of Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) funds will be realigned within the FY 2025-26 Annual Budget. The commission will additionally be supported by grant funding through it’s first year. All work related to establishing and supporting the Sustainability and Climate Commission will be managed within existing staff capacity and budgets in the City Administrator’s Office and the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.
Document History
Document number: 2025-118
President's referral: Governance Committee