Policy
San Francisco is home to some of the world's most innovative environmental legislation and initiatives. Check out our policies to learn about how we put our visionary ideas onto paper and into practice. San Francisco's Environment Code is housed at American Legal Publishing's website.
The Environment Code was developed to consolidate the City's Ordinances governing protection of the environment, natural resources, and sustainability.
Learn about ordinances that the department is actively engaging the public to support compliance. Most of the city's Environmental Ordinances are part of the Environment Code, but there are sections of the Police Code, Health Code, and others that pertain to clean air, open spaces, wildlife, and environmental health.
Regulations help us turn a good idea (Ordinance) into a daily practice (Regulation). Our Environmental Regulations page includes regulations, forms, and other resources for our Environmental Ordinances.
The Commission on the Environment advises the Mayor and Board of Supervisors on environmental matters. Suggestions from the Commission usually take the form of Resolutions, which, when adopted, are directed to the Board of Supervisors. Many of these resolutions have informed legislation adopted by the City & County of San Francisco. The following are resolutions the Commission on the Environment has passed over the years.
A policy statement to express approval or disapproval. Unless otherwise provided by state law, Charter, or ordinance, the favorable vote of six of the eleven Supervisors is required to approve resolutions. Resolutions which have not been referred to committee may only be adopted by unanimous vote of all Supervisors present on the day of their introduction. The Clerk of the Board shall publish at the rear of the Rules of Order a list of actions, which require more than a majority vote of the Supervisors present.
The Urban Forestry Council advises city departments, including the Board of Supervisors and the mayor. Its tasks are to develop a comprehensive urban forest plan; educate the public; develop tree-care standards; identify funding needs, staffing needs, and opportunities for urban forest programs; secure adequate resources for urban forest programs; facilitate coordination of tree-management responsibilities among agencies; and report on the state of the urban forest.
