To see if the Town will vote to request that the Board of Selectmen, the School Committee, other Town Boards, CommissionS, and Committees, and Town ern~pIOYe~5 pursue the goal of meeting the five (5) criteria for qualifying as a Green Community to make the T~wn eligible for grants and loans, as provided for in the Green Communities Act of 2008. We further request that the Board of Selectmen and School Committee report on progress toward this goal at the next two Annual Town Meetings.

The five criteria are as follows:

1. Provide for the as~of-right siting of renewable or alternative energy generath~g facilities, renewable or alternative energy research and development facilities, or renewable or alternative energy ~anufacturiflg facilities in designated locations.

2. Adopt an expedited application and permitting process under which these energy facilities may be sited within the municipalitY and which shalt not ~ceed 1 year from the date of Initial’ap~liCati0flt0 the date of final approval.

3. Establish an energy use baseline inventàry for municipal buildings, vehicles, street and traffic lighting, and put in place a comprehensive program designed to reduce this baseline, in the aggregate, by 20 percent within 5 years of initial participation in the program.

4. Purchase only fuel-efficient vehicles for municipal use whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practicable. Heavy duty vehicles such as fire trucks, ambulances and public works trucks are exempt from this criterion. Police cruisers are exemPt from the criterion. HOweVer, municipalities must commit to purchasing fuel efficient cruisers when they become commercially available. Police department administrative vehicles must meet fuel efficient requirements.

5. Require all new residential construction over 3,000 square feet and all new commercial and industrial real estate construction to minimize, to the extent feasible1 the life-cycle cost of the facility by utilizing energy efficiency, water conservation and other renewable or alternative new technologies.
Submitted by: Citizen Petition