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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD - MINUTES - 04/17/2024 Page 1 4/17/2024 – MINUTES Natural Resources Advisory Board REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, April 17, 2024 – 6:00 PM 222 Laporte and Via Zoom 1. CALL TO ORDER: 6:20 PM 2. ROLL CALL a. Board Members Present – • Kelly Stewart (Vice Chair) • Lisa Andrews • Teagan Loew • Todd Simmons • Kelen Dowdy • Matt Zoccali b. Board Members Absent – • Dawson Metcalf (Chair) • Barry Noon • Sara LoTemplio c. Staff Members Present – • Honoré Depew, Staff Liaison d. Guest(s) – • Councilmember Kelly Ohlson 3. AGENDA REVIEW Vice Chair Stewart reviewed the agenda. 4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION None. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (February and March) Vice Chair Stewart made a motion, seconded by Andrews, to approve the February and March meeting minutes. The motion was adopted 6-0. Page 2 4/17/2024 – MINUTES 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Welcome New Members and Review 2024 NRAB Work Plan – NRAB Co- Chair, Kelly Stewart, will lead an informal meeting to facilitate current and new member introductions and build Board familiarity. City Council liaison, Kelly Ohlson, will join the Board to discuss the role of the Natural Resources Advisory Board and how its 2024 Work Plan aligns with Council Priorities and the City’s Strategic Plan. A welcome packet with detailed information for members has been published with this agenda. (Discussion) Current members, Zoccali, Andrews, and Stewart introduced themselves and discussed their work history and interest in the NRAB. Depew discussed his history with the City and recent work leading the Our Climate Future framework for action. Dowdy introduced herself and stated she is currently the acting Deputy Director of Water Resources for the City of Greeley. Loew introduced himself and stated he is an ecologist for an environmental consulting firm. Simmons introduced himself and discussed his work history as a community leader and proprietor of a local nonprofit. Depew shared biographical information about absent new member Sara LoTemplio, who is a faculty member in the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department at CSU. Councilmember Kelly Ohlson introduced himself and discussed his interest in the Board and his background. He commented on the value Board and Commission members bring to the City organization. He noted he helped create the NRAB and the City’s Natural Resources Department in the early 1980’s and also served on the Board for eight years. He discussed his history on Council, as a Larimer County Public Trustee, and as one of the leaders of the Open Space and Natural Areas ballot measures. Councilmember Ohlson stated the Boards are not present to rubber stamp items and do not need to solely stick to Council priorities for their work. He stated he questioned the Code of Conduct requirement, as passion and feeling are not crimes and can be necessary to make positive changes. He encouraged the Board to send memos to Council and noted this Council prefers shorter memos. He also encouraged the Board to provide recommendations prior to Council’s work sessions. Councilmember Ohlson also stated Board and Commission members should advise staff as well. Zoccali noted he previously worked for the City and stated there needs to be some scope and guardrails for Boards. He stated he has been confused as to Page 3 4/17/2024 – MINUTES why the Land Conservation and Stewardship Board discusses Natural Areas rather than the Natural Resources Advisory Board. Councilmember Ohlson replied staff will assist with guardrails and will inform the Board if it is out of bounds from a technical perspective. He encouraged the Board to weigh in on budget items. Depew noted the Land Conservation and Stewardship Board is mandated by the voter-approved Natural Areas tax of 2006 and it advises the Natural Areas Department. The Environmental Services Department is advised by the NRAB and Air Quality Advisory Board. Depew presented the summarized list of Board foci created by Chair Metcalf. Councilmember Ohlson commended the list and encouraged the Board to not be solely limited to it. Councilmember Ohlson commented on the new 2050 tax that will bring in about $5.5 million for climate issues, annually. Depew noted the Board discussed the ‘2024 mini BFO’ in February and provided a summary of the City’s Budgeting for Outcomes process. Vice Chair Stewart asked Councilmember Ohlson if there is anything the Board should focus on in terms of Council priorities or other issues. Councilmember Ohlson expressed disappointment in the movement of the City in the road to zero waste and commented on the 2030 climate goals and on Council’s related priorities. Vice Chair Stewart asked Councilmember Ohlson if joint Board meetings and memos would be helpful. Councilmember Ohlson replied in the affirmative and stated joint memos could be quite helpful for Council. Depew noted Council will be discussing rough outlines of work plans to help advance its priorities on May 14th and suggested the priority related to reducing climate and air pollution with an emphasis on electrification could be of interest to the Board, in addition to the zero waste priority. Councilmember Ohlson noted Council will be discussing building performance standards on Tuesday and asked whether the Board will be providing a memo. Depew noted there was no quorum at the last meeting to do so. Depew provided a summary of the City organizational chart and noted Sustainability Services is the City’s smallest and newest service area, which braids Environmental Services with Economic Health and Social Sustainability departments. Zoccali stated the sustainability group tends to focus on community issues, but does not necessarily always have a connection with things such as the efforts the water treatment plant is undergoing to drive its own sustainability goals. Page 4 4/17/2024 – MINUTES Depew commented on the sustainability role played by environmental planners in the Planning Department and compliance officers in the environmental space in the Community Development and Neighborhood Services department, among others. He also outlined the way Council conducts its business by updating the Strategic Plan every two years and simultaneously identifying Council priorities, which helps to influence staff work. He further discussed the role of Council’s work sessions and outlined Council’s 6-month calendar. Depew reviewed the 2023 annual report for the Board which outlines what topics were discussed and what action, if any, was taken. Andrews asked if the Board has weighed in about land use or occupancy. Depew replied in the negative but noted land use has a close relationship with environmental issues. He noted Council was poised to adopt an updated Land Use Code, scaled down with less controversial changes. 7. OTHER BUSINESS • Board Member Reports  Andrews reported on attending the Boards and Commissions Super Issues meeting at the Lincoln Center. She noted Chair Metcalf met with the AQAB Chair and encouraged members to attend future Super Issues meetings.  Members commented on the overlap between Boards, particularly the NRAB and AQAB.  Depew discussed ongoing conversations between Board chairs to arrange a likely joint meeting later this summer. • 2024 Super Issues Meetings of Fort Collins Boards and Commissions will be held at the Lincoln Center. The dates are as follows:  Monday, June 10 (Founder’s Room)  Monday, September 9 (Founder’s Room) • Six Month Calendar Review https://www.fcgov.com/cityclerk/planning-calendar.php • Revisit action items from previous meetings & preview of next meeting  FC Moves presentation  Urban Forestry Strategic Plan – “Rooted in Community” – City Forester Kendra Boot  Board elections in May  Move June meeting to the 26th  What month is best for joint meeting with AQAB – June?  Poudre River health assessment – funded by 2050 tax  Council priorities and Work Plan  Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO)  15-Minute Cities  Active Modes Plan – part of FC Moves presentation  Land Use Code updates round two  Water Efficiency Plan update  Shift from PRPA sending electricity to communities to a market system Page 5 4/17/2024 – MINUTES starting in 2026 City Websites with Updates: • Natural Resources Advisory Board webpage: https://www.fcgov.com/cityclerk/natural- resources.php • Our Climate Future: https://ourcity.fcgov.com/ourclimatefuture 8. ADJOURNMENT a. 8:18 pm Minutes approved by a vote of the Board on 05/15/2024.