VIDEO: Citizens Square Off on Green City Initiative

After about three hours of comments, questions and debate, the Aliso Viejo City Council sent staff back to the drawing board on the Green City Initiative.

The standing-room-only crowd of about 100 listened to one another debate the usefulness and cost of the 104-page resolution on its 24th draft that has been over two years in the making.

For or against? See videos attached to this story.

The law would provide guidelines to residents and businesses for cutting carbon emissions. Read more about the initiative here.

Those guidelines would be voluntary, said City Planning Director Albert Armijo, who drafted the initiative.

"The opposition of the business community of anything that rang of 'mandatory' required me to rewrite," he said. "This document became entirely voluntary in nature. It is our intent as a staff to recommend... that it be and remain voluntary and not be confused with any mandatory action."

Though the law would be voluntary, critics like resident Bill Perkins say it will make mandatory laws easier to pass in the future. He said having a voluntary law on the books is like an incumbent political candidate—"it's already there," so it's difficult to remove.

"You approve it, then you have a 'should," he said. "But when another initiative comes up with a 'shall,' it's easier to pass it."

Councilman Mike Munzing raised similar criticisms. He described the law as a "nightmare" that would help cripple the nation's energy production if passed.

Councilman Bill Phillips had several concerns about the initiative:

• The 12 public workshops held to discuss the document have been expensive
• He doubts the document is enforceable, particularly future greenhouse gas inventories
• He wondered if it would take legal precedent over similar state laws
• He wanted staff to clearly outline what parts of the law are required by the State of California, and what parts are not required
• The law could duplicate the city's building code in some cases, which could lead to confusion

At Councilman Ross Chun's request, Armijo broke down the document's $400,000 price tag:

Armijo was instructed to answer a variety of council questions and bring answers back to the council at a later date. Mayor Carmen Cave said it will likely be May or later before the document returns with answered questions for the council's approval.

What do you think of the Green City Initiative? Do you like it as-is, does it need to be changed, or should it be scrapped?