Title
Consider Adopting a “Bird-Safe Buildings” Ordinance. (Vice Mayor Vella and Councilmember Oddie) [Not heard March 21 or April 4, 2017]
Body
COUNCIL REFERRAL FORM
Name of Councilmember requesting referral: Vice Mayor Malia Vella and
Councilmember Jim Oddie
Date of submission to City Clerk (must be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on the
Monday two weeks before the Council meeting requested): Feb. 27, 2017
Council Meeting date: March 21, 2017
Brief description of the subject to be printed on the agenda, sufficient to inform
the City Council and public of the nature of the referral:
Consider adopting a “Bird-Safe Buildings” Ordinance
Given Alameda’s unique position in the San Francisco Bay Area vis-à-vis our wildlife population, and the planned construction at Alameda Point and along the Northern Waterfront, this referral urges the City Council to consider directing Staff to adopt building and lighting regulations designed to reduce the number of bird-window collisions, with specific focus on lighting and façade requirements.
Attached are: 1) provisions of a model ordinance; 2) excerpts from Richmond’s city code regarding bird-safe buildings; 3) an article from the Golden Gate Audubon Society’s newsletter discussing the issue; and 4) results of a study on bird-window collisions at the California Academy of Science.
This referral requests council direct staff to adopt a resolution, using the attached documents as a guide, and that council prioritize this request using the criteria discussed at the February 17 Priority Setting Workshop, including possibly linking this with the proposed nighttime light ordinance.