Chapter 327 - SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PROGRAM

Sec. 326.208. - Signs in violation; abatement procedure. Chapter 328 - MILESTONE INSPECTION REGULATIONS Chapter 327 - SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PROGRAM

Sec. 327.101. - Intent.

It is the intent of the Council in creating this Sustainable Building program to demonstrate a substantial commitment on the part of the City to finance, plan, design, construct, manage, renovate, commission, maintain and deconstruct County Buildings with sustainable building standards and to support development of privately owned buildings in Jacksonville to sustainable standards. The purpose of this program is to provide the City with a certification-based "sustainable building" program to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly practices of design, construction, commissioning, maintenance and retirement for buildings. It also the intent of Council to comply with F.S. § 255.2575.

(Ord. 2009-211-E, § 1)

Sec. 327.102. - Applicability.

(a)

All new buildings owned by the City, including its independent agencies or authorities, will follow the requirements of this Chapter. All new City-owned buildings shall, at a minimum, obtain approved sustainable building certification for any buildings in the project.

(b)

All modifications to existing City-owned buildings where the total renovation include more than 50 percent of the total building square footage shall follow the requirements of this Chapter.

(c)

For all other construction projects, including all private construction projects, compliance with this Chapter is voluntary.

(Ord. 2009-211-E, § 1)

Sec. 327.103. - Definitions.

For purposes of this Chapter, the following terms, words and phrases shall have the following meanings:

Alternative sustainable building certification system means a system adopted by the Environmental Protection Board for establishing sustainable building certification standards in addition to, and as an alternative to, LEED certification, GBI's Green Globes rating system, or FGBC green building standards.

Department means the Neighborhoods Department.

FGBC means the Florida Green Building Coalition.

FSEC means Florida Solar Energy Center, a unit of the University of Central Florida.

GBI's Green Globes mean the Green Building Initiative's Green Globes rating system.

LEED means the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Rating System of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Sustainable building means generally the resource efficient design, construction, and operation of buildings by employing environmentally sensible construction practices, systems, and materials. Sustainable building also means an office, residential or civic structure which has obtained sustainable building certification.

Sustainable building certification means the final designation awarded to a program participant for a particular project for satisfying all requirements associated with LEED certification, GBI's Green Globes rating system, FGBC's standards, or other certification systems approved by the Environmental Protection Board.

Third party rater means an independent third party certified by the USGBC, FGBC, GBI or an alternative sustainable building certification system as a sustainable building rater qualified to verify that the building project has satisfied all of the requirements associated with the standards applicable to a particular project.

USGBC means the U.S. Green Building Council.

(Ord. 2009-211-E, § 1; Ord. 2011-732-E; Ord. 2013-209-E, § 40; Ord. 2016-140-E, § 16)

Sec. 327.104. - Administration.

(a)

The Public Works Department is responsible to ensure compliance with applicable requirements of this Chapter in the construction of new City-owned buildings. The Public Works Department in consultation with the Department is also responsible for reviewing, assessing and making determinations concerning existing City owned buildings being considered for participation in the Sustainable Building Program and, in the event such buildings are so included, for ensuring compliance with the requirements of this Chapter.

(b)

The Environmental Protection Board may, through its rule-making process, adopt alternative sustainable building certification systems.

(c)

The Department shall coordinate at least one training workshop per year for the purpose of educating City staff and current and potential participants in the Jacksonville Sustainable Building Program on the program and its benefits and requirements. The Environmental Protection Fund may be utilized as a source for such training, subject to appropriation by the Council, notwithstanding the limitations of Sections 111.755 and 360.602.

(d)

The Public Works Department shall provide fast track development review pursuant to Section 327.106(a). The Public Works Department Director may, upon a showing of just cause by the aggrieved party, reconsider the administrative decision to deny persons or entities access to future fast track development review pursuant to Section 327.106(a).

(e)

The Sustainable Building Program shall be administered on either a per-unit or per-development basis, as specified at the time of permitting. "Per-unit" means each unit built, except that any multi-family dwelling or similarly clustered structure may count as one unit. "Per-development" means each Planned Use Development, subdivision, or business park.

(Ord. 2009-211-E, § 1; Ord. 2025-30-E, § 13)

Sec. 327.105. - Standards.

Published LEED standards of the USGBC, FGBC green building standards, GBI's Green Globes rating system, or standards of an alternative sustainable building certification system shall be used to measure compliance of buildings participating in the Sustainable Building Program.

(Ord. 2009-211-E, § 1)

Sec. 327.106. - Incentives.

The incentives contained in this Section are intended to encourage the construction of sustainable buildings. For any program participant seeking sustainable building certification for new residential or commercial construction, residential or commercial retrofitting/remodeling or new City-owned buildings, the following incentives shall be made available:

(a)

Fast track development review:

(1)

Development services, including preliminary site plan review (including 10-set review), submitted or resubmitted for review, for Sustainable Building Program projects shall be given priority over projects which are not Sustainable Building projects by all City departments reviewing such applications.

(2)

Applications for administrative deviations pursuant to Section 656.109, when submitted to facilitate sustainable building certification, shall be given priority over other applications which are not Sustainable Building Program projects, to the extent possible consistent with the time requirements of Section 656.109.

(3)

Applications for plat approval pursuant to Chapter 654 shall be given priority over other applications provided the developer records on the public records of Duval County covenants or other restrictions sufficient to require that all homes in the subdivision will be constructed so as to qualify for sustainable building certification.

(4)

Requests for relief from the requirements of Section 656.607(i), when submitted to facilitate sustainable building certification, shall be liberally construed to promote such certification.

(5)

Applicants who obtain priority status pursuant to this Section shall provide proof of sustainable building certification to the Department within 180 days of construction completion, as defined by Certificate of Occupancy issue date. Application forms for sustainable building certification and agreements with property owners or developers seeking priority status may provide that property owners or developers who obtain priority status but fail to obtain sustainable building certification may be denied future priority status by the Director of the Public Works Department.

(b)

Designation: The Department shall coordinate a program of recognition, on the internet or through other additional means, identifying permitted construction as a sustainable building project with benefits to the community and the environment.

(c)

Refund of certification expenses: Subject to, and within the limits of, funds appropriated by the Council for the purposes set forth in this subsection, owners or developers of Sustainable Building Program projects may receive a refund of the actual costs of sustainable building certification pursuant to the Sustainable Building Certification Refund Grant Program administered through the Environmental Protection Board.

(Ord. 2009-211-E, § 1; Ord. 2025-30-E, § 13)

Sec. 326.208. - Signs in violation; abatement procedure. Chapter 328 - MILESTONE INSPECTION REGULATIONS