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Home My WebLink About09/16/2024 - AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD - AGENDA - Regular Meeting Air Quality Advisory Board & Natural Resources Advisory Board JOINT MEETING – September 16, 2024 Location: 222 Laporte Ave. and via Zoom - https://fcgov.zoom.us/j/96692253468 5:30 CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL 1. AGENDA REVIEW 2. COMMUNITY MEMBER PARTICIPATION 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – [POSTPONED TO REGULAR MEETINGS] 4. NEW BUSINESS 5:45-6:30 Budgeting for Outcomes: Finalize Joint Council Memo Advising the City Council on the City of Fort Collins 2025-26 budget, the boards will review and finalize a joint memo in preparation for a separate vote by each board for submission to the City Council. Members will also discuss sending representatives to speak at the budget public hearings. 6:30-6:45 Urban Forestry Strategic Plan: Finalize Joint Council Memo The boards will review and discuss a joint memo in support of the Urban Forestry Strategic Plan (Rooted in Community) in preparation for a separate vote by each board for submission to the City Council. 5. OTHER BUSINESS / UPDATES • Board Member Reports • Six Month Calendar Review https://www.fcgov.com/cityclerk/planning-calendar.php • Revisit action items from previous meetings & preview of next meeting City Websites with Updates: • Air Quality Advisory Board webpage: https://www.fcgov.com/cityclerk/boards/air-quality-advisory • Natural Resources Advisory Board webpage: https://www.fcgov.com/cityclerk/natural-resources.php • Our Climate Future: https://ourcity.fcgov.com/ourclimatefuture 6. ADJOURN MEMORANDUM AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD & NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD DATE: September 16, 2024 TO: Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Air Quality Advisory Board, Natural Resources Advisory Board SUBJECT: 2025-26 City Manager’s Recommended Budget Dear Mayor and Councilmembers, On August 19, 2024, and September 16, 2024, the Air Quality Advisory Board and the Natural Resources Advisory Board came together in two joint meetings to review original budget offers and the City Manager’s Recommended Budget. The purpose of this joint statement is to emphasize AQAB and NRAB’s support for and advise additional considerations of the City Manager’s Recommended Budget for 2025-26. With AQAB’s mission of improving and maintaining the city’s air quality, as well as NRAB’s mission of promoting sustainable natural resource management, budget offers under the Key Outcome Areas of Environmental Health, Neighborhood and Community Vitality, Culture and Recreation, and Transportation and Mobility were identified. Priority offers that are aligned with the charge of both Boards and unfunded (or underfunded) are identified in this memo. Environmental Health Outcome ● Offer #7.30 | Utilities: Wastewater - DWRF Sidestream Phosphorus Removal Phase 2 ○ We propose altering the funding support of $1,000,000 to the full request to meet current environmental regulations and protect and improve watershed and environmental health, as well as strengthen the resilience of the City’s utilities. ● Offer #42.10 | Environmental Services - Recycling Characterization Study and Measurement Consulting ○ This offer would allow a needed inventory and evaluation of the waste from Fort Collins homes and businesses, including greenhouse gas emissions impacts, to understand how recent policies and programs may have impacted waste composition and diversion. ● Offer #71.1 | Parks Lawn and Garden Equipment Replacement ○ We propose altering the funding support of $25,000 to the original funding request of $50,000. The rationale for this is to speed the conversion/replacement of fossil fuel powered equipment with electric alternatives helping to meet the City’s greenhouse gas reduction goals and reduce the amount of ozone precursors and air pollutants emitted by internal combustion engines. ● Offer #72.1 | Poudre Flows Design and Permitting ○ This offer would allow for an existing diversion structure to be upgraded, which will provide protected instream flows to support wildlife and a more resilient river. ● Offer #74.1 | Carbon Sequestration in Areas Protected by the Land Use Code ○ This offer would allow the City to restore Natural Habitat Buffer Zones which will help mitigate the effects of climate change related disasters, as well as act as a nature- based solution for carbon sequestration storing up to 365 metric tons of carbon and help the City to achieve its ambitious climate goals. Transportation and Mobility Outcome ● Offer #19.11 | Adaptive Program Specialist for Safe Routes to School and FC Moves ○ This offer would allow additional resources to be utilized to enhance and expand the Safe Routes to School program for students with special needs. This would promote alternative forms of transportation to another sector of the community that would otherwise rely on fossil fuel powered vehicles in many cases. ● Offer #21.9 | PDT Active Modes Facility Maintenance ○ This offer would allow for an expansion of active modes facility maintenance to further develop a bike friendly community during all seasons and promote alternative forms of transportation rather than relying on fossil fuel powered vehicles. ● Offer #65.11 | Transfort: Local Fund Match ○ This offer would allow Transfort to be competitive in various federal and state application processes - many of which require a local funding match. By funding this offer, Transfort would have the ability to submit stronger applications and secure additional funds to further Our Climate Future’s goal of implementing a 100% Zero Emission Fleet by 2040. The rationale for highlighting the selected offers lies both in the purpose of AQAB and NRAB, as well as in the established 2024-2026 City Council Priorities, specifically, “Priority #5: Accelerate zero waste infrastructure and policies” and “Priority #6: Reduce climate pollution and air pollution through best practices, emphasizing electrification.” The Boards view the inclusion of these offers in the 2025-2026 Budget as instrumental in City Council achieving goals outlined in the 2024 Strategic Plan and in alignment with City Council Priorities. Through this joint statement, AQAB and NRAB are expressing support of the City Manager’s recommended budget and propose that the offers designated as supported will remain as such. As for offers identified above, we strongly recommend the reconsideration of the proposed funding and advocate for including these offers in the City of Fort Collins’ 2025-26 Budget. Thank you for your consideration and the ability to engage on this matter. Very Respectfully, Dan Welsh Chair, Air Quality Advisory Board Dawson Metcalf Chair, Natural Resources Advisory Board cc: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager Jacob Castillo, Chief Sustainability Officer Amy King, Director, Environmental Services Director Selina Lujan, AQAB Staff Liaison and Environmental Services Manager Honore Depew, NRAB Staff Liaison and Environmental Services Manager Kelly Ohlson, City Council Liaison to the AQAB and NRAB MEMORANDUM AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD & NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD DATE: September 16, 2024 TO: Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Air Quality Advisory Board, Natural Resources Advisory Board SUBJECT: Urban Forest Strategic Plan Dear Mayor and Councilmembers, On August 19, 2024, and September 16, 2024, the Air Quality Advisory Board (AQAB) and the Natural Resources Advisory Board (NRAB) came together in two joint meetings to review City considerations that relate to the missions of both Boards. The purpose of this joint statement is to offer AQAB and NRAB’s support of and address additional suggestions regarding the Urban Forest Strategic Plan: Rooted in Community. AQAB and NRAB were engaged by the City’s Forestry Division through presentations to each Board. AQAB and NRAB both support the overall direction of the Urban Forestry Strategic Plan (UFSP) and think that successful implementation aligns with The City’s Climate Goals, as well as Council Priorities; speciﬁcally Priority 6: Reduce climate pollution and air pollution through best practices, emphasizing electriﬁcation. Along with general support for the UFSP, NRAB and AQAB wish to convey the following recommendations, to be considered as this plan is implemented: • Use of electric vehicles and equipment when possible, minimizing use of internal combustion engines. • Assessment/modeling of overall climate and air quality impacts of urban forest management; considering beneﬁts and drawbacks of UFSP implementation. • Emphasis of native species within the urban forest, with priority placed on species indigenous to Colorado/U.S./North America. NRAB and AQAB thank you for your consideration and the opportunity to engage on this matter. Respectfully, Dawson Metcalf Chair, Natural Resources Advisory Board Dan Welsh Chair, Air Quality Advisory Board