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Environmental Quality Advisory Council Charter

Revised Sept. 15, 1981

At a regular meeting of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting in regular session on May 8, 1972, a quorum being present and voting, the following Resolution was unanimously passed:

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors in 1967 created the Fairfax County Beautification Committee; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors in 1969 reaffirmed its concern about the potential adverse impact which urbanization imposes upon the physical environment of the County; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors did, on Feb. 19, 1969, declare it to be the policy of Fairfax County to encourage the preservation of natural beauty and the adherence to high standards of design and maintenance in public and private development throughout the County; and

WHEREAS, continued population growth and development within the County since that time has been accompanied by changes in public attitudes towards environmental quality and the forces which affect the quality of the physical environment of the County; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors, after public hearing and mature consideration, determined that population growth and development have created grave environmental problems which affect the lives of all the citizens of the County; and

WHEREAS, the Board of supervisors adopted a motion on Sept. 22, 1971, establishing the Environmental Quality Advisory Council in order to foster a new and comprehensive approach to said environmental problems; and

WHEREAS, said motion did not fully set forth the purpose, authority or structure of the Environmental Quality Advisory Council;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE FAIRFAX COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS that:

1. The Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council (hereinafter the Council) shall be composed of twelve (12) members appointed by the Board of Supervisors for a term of three years, except that one member shall be a student appointed for a term of one year beginning on July 1 and ending on June 30 of the following year.
   
   NOTE:
   - Amended by Board Resolution June 30, 1975
   - Amended by Board action eliminating Stream Valley Board March 26, 1979
   
   
   1. The following officers shall be elected annually in December by the Council from among its members: a chairperson and a vice-chairperson; and
      
      NOTE: - amended by Board Resolution June 30, 1975
      
      
   2. At least one member shall be selected from each Service District of the County; and
      
      
   3. All members appointed shall have an interest in preserving, protecting and enhancing the physical environment of the County; and
      
      
   4. The terms of the original members of the Council shall be as follows (with expiration date as of Jan. 1 of the year indicated):
      
      NOTE: - amended by Board Resolution June 30, 1975
      
      Lloyd V. Hazleton 1973
      Joseph N. Nash, Jr. 1973
      Orville Paynter 1973
      (Student member to be appointed) 1973
      Robert N. Bodine, Jr. 1974
      Mrs. Tybelle Fasteau 1974
      Ernest Glynn 1974
      Mrs. Betty Sands 1974
      Mrs. Thelma Allen 1975
      William A. Houston 1975
      George E. Taylor 1975
      Mrs. Evelyn Wilcox 1975
      
      Any member of the Council who other than for good cause shall fail to attend 25% or more of the duly called meetings of the Council in a given calendar year shall be deemed to have vacated office as a member of the Council. Any vacancies created by resignation or otherwise shall be filled by the Board of Supervisors as promptly as practicable; and
      
      
   5. NOTE: - Ie. eliminated by Board Resolution June 30, 1975
      
      
2. The purposes of the Council shall be:
   
   
   1. To determine through study on a continuing basis, the quality of the physical environment of the County and the forces or actions which affect, or could affect, such quality; and
      
      
   2. To report its findings thereupon, and proposed policies and actions related thereto, to the Board of Supervisors and the County Executive; and
      
      
   3. To provide a channel within which all aspects of County environmental quality may be brought together for common understanding and consideration; and
      
      
   4. To provide a means by which attention may be directed toward resolution of environmental quality matters which merit particular attention or which require timely County action; and
      
      
   5. To provide means of communication between public and private sectors on matters of County environmental quality; and
      
      
   6. To promote an awareness of County environmental quality and the forces which affect it, and recognition of superior accomplishment in achieving improved harmony between human activities and the physical environment; and
      
      
   7. To act as the advocate of preserving, protecting and enhancing the physical environment in matters under consideration by the Board of Supervisors, the Planning Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals, the School Board, and all County and County-related agencies.
      
      
3. The functions and activities of the Council shall include, but not necessarily be limited to the following:
   
   
   1. The functions and activities of the former Beautification Committee.
      
      
   2. The preparation and submission to the Board of Supervisors of proposed legislation to preserve, protect and enhance the physical environment.
      
      
   3. Appearances through designated members as an advocate of preserving, protecting, and enhancing the environment before the bodies enumerated above under paragraph 2 (g).
      
      
   4. Conduct of such other projects as the Board of Supervisors may assign to the Council.
      
      
   5. The preparation and submission to the Board of Supervisors and the County Executive, of an annual Environmental Quality Report which shall include, but not necessarily be limited to:
      
      - findings on the status of the physical environment of the County.
      
      - evaluations of existing efforts to achieve and maintain or improve environmental quality in the County.
      
      - proposed policies or programs which are designed to assist in further improvement of environmental quality in the County, including relative priority of each such proposal.
      
      
   6. The holding of public hearings related to the purposes set forth under paragraph 2 above.
      
      
4. In carrying out its mission and discharging its responsibilities, the Council shall observe the following principles of organizational relationship with other County and County-related agencies.
   
   
   1. The mission of the Council is to advise or appear as an advocate before the Board of Supervisors, the County Executive, and the other County and County-related agencies referred to in subparagraph 2g; and the Council shall have direct access to both the Board of Supervisors and the County Executive.
      
      
   2. While the County and County-related agencies are encouraged to cooperate with the Council, it is not intended that such agencies be required to allocate effort and other resources to the Council, where these resources are required in the discharge of assigned agency responsibilities.
      
      
   3. The Deputy County Executive for Planning and Development or in his absence the Director of the Office of Comprehensive Planning and a designated staff assistant from the E & P Division shall provide staff assistance and shall provide staff liaison between the Council and all other departments and agencies.
      
      
   4. NOTE: - amended by Board Resolution June 30, 1975
      NOTE: - amended by Board Action Sept. 8, 1980
      
      
   5. County and County-related agencies not reporting to the County Executive are requested to designate similar staff liaison officers for handling of Council requests in similar fashion.
      
      
5. Members of the Council shall receive compensation as may be provided by the Board of Supervisors.
   
   
6. Upon the adoption of this Resolution, the Fairfax County Beautification Committee is dissolved, the motion of Sept. 22, 1971 is amended to provide for the appointment of twelve members, and all prior Board action is rescinded insofar as it is inconsistent herewith.
   
   NOTE: - amended by Board Resolution June 30, 1975
   
   NOTE: - amended by Board Action eliminating Stream
   Valley Board Action March 26, 1979.

A Copy-Teste:

_______________
Helen O. Momsen
Clerk of said Board

(Notes: A new position was added to EQAC by the Board of Supervisors on Jan. 9, 1989. An additional position was created with the establishment of the Sully District in January, 1992.)