Title
Discussion and Possible Action on Potential Ordinances to Consider in 2025
Recommended Action
For each potential ordinance:
I move that Council direct the County Manager to remand an ordinance on _____________ to the __________________ Board/Commission/Task Force/Working Group and ask that the group provide a recommendation.
OR
I move that Council support _______________ ordinance(s) and further specify the engagement and input process specific to each ordinance.
OR
I move that Council not support an ordinance on ______________.
Body
In previous Council and staff discussions, several potential ordinances have been discussed. It was requested by Councilor Ryti to bring to Council several ordinances to discuss and decide on the path forward for each one. These ordinances include ones that have had some prior Council discussions and public engagement including: charging a fee for single-use plastics; discouraging vacant and abandoned properties; and raising the minimum wage. A brief history of these ordinances is below.
Single-use plastics
The effort to address plastic bag use in Los Alamos began in 2015 with a citizen petition to ban single-use plastic bags and impose a $0.10 fee on paper bags. After public meetings and surveys, where 80% opposed a ban and 72% opposed reducing distribution, the Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB) recommended education over regulation. In 2019, another petition sought to ban plastic bags, straws, and Styrofoam, prompting the County Council to form a subcommittee. By FY2021 budget process, Council actions focused on education campaigns, funding washable utensils for schools, and a feasibility study on food composting, but no plastic bag ban was implemented.
Vacant and abandoned properties
Council sponsored a town hall focused on a possible ordinance on commercial vacant properties on January 24, 2022. The public hearing for this ordinance, based on a similar ordinance in Raton, NM, was brought to the Council on February 1, 2022. The ordinance (Ordinance No. 02-323) provided vacant commercial building registration, fees associated with registration, as well as an enforcement mechanism. At that meeting, action was that “Council refer back to county staff for further consideration or evaluation” the Ordinance No. 02-323.
Raising the minimum wage
Prompted by a presentation from local students recommending that the Council raise the local minimum wage, the Council held a public town hall on June 26, 2023. The Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce developed two surveys to solicit feedback from local businesses. The Chamber and Los Alamos MainStreet held a public forum on January 22, 2024. Ordinance No. 02-347 was created and it set local minimum wage of $15.00, for tipped workers of $3.75, for student workers of $13.50. The public hearing for Ordinance No. 02-347 was held on February 6, 2024 and the motion to amend the ordinance and adopt it failed by a vote of 3-4.
For these three ordinances, discussion should include whether Council supports any changes to previous draft ordinances, needs additional feedback from Council Boards, or other action.
The other ordinances that are also in some form of development and outreach are: traffic cameras to address speeding; hands free only cell phone use while driving; and prohibiting feeding of deer, bears, and similar wildlife. The last item is being discussed in another item at this meeting. For the other ordinances including but not limited to the ones listed, discussion should include what problem is being addressed by the potential ordinance and what feedback and outreach is desired prior to consideration of the ordinance.
Although possible "Recommended Action" are given, they are suggestions, and Council has the ability to draft their desired action during the meeting.
Fiscal and Staff Impact/Unplanned Item
Fiscal and staff impacts will need to be evaluated for each ordinance.