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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Commission - MINUTES - 09/19/2024 WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING September 19, 2024, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Hybrid in person at 222 Laporte Ave and online via Teams 09/19/2024 – MINUTES Page 1   The Water Commission advises City Council regarding water, wastewater, and stormwater policy issues such as water rights, planning, acquisition and management, conservation and public education, floodplain regulations, storm drainage, and development criteria. Read more at https://www.fcgov.com/cityclerk/boards/water. 1. CALL TO ORDER 5:30 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL  Commissioners Present In Person: Jordan Radin (Chairperson), Tyler Eldridge (Vice Chairperson), James Bishop, Rick Kahn, Nick Martin, Nicole Ng, John Primsky  Commissioners Present via Teams: None  Commissioners Absent - Excused: Paul Herman, Greg Steed, Rick Kahn  Staff Members Present In Person: Jeremy Woolf, John Song, Theodore Bender, Ken Sampley, Phil Ladd, Randy Reuscher, Kenneth Sampley  Staff Members Present via Teams: None  Members of the Public: None 3. AGENDA REVIEW  Chairperson Jordan Radin briefly summarized items on the agenda 4. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION  None  5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chairperson Radin asked for comments and revisions on the draft minutes. Commissioner Eldridge moved to approve the August 15 minutes. Commissioner Bishop seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: it passed unanimously, 6-0 WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING 09/19/2024 – MINUTES Page 2   6. NEW BUSINESS a. Staff Reports   i. Financial Monthly Report (meeting packet only) Discussion Highlights A Commissioner commented on the budgeting of the Oak Street Stormwater Project, including the bonds and interest for the $40M project. Phil Ladd, Financial Planning & Analysis Manager, pointed the Commissioners to the line item set aside for the project and explained its intricacies. Another Commissioner inquired about any areas of concern regarding Utilities’ finances. Mr. Ladd responded that the year-to-date budgets look promising.  b. Regular Items i. 2025 Utility Rates and Fees Randy Reuscher, Lead Analyst, Utility Rate Staff will present on the 2025 utility rates and fees and ask the Commission to move to recommend the changes to City Council. Discussion Highlights Commissioners commented on or inquired about various related topics including rate comparisons to previous years, effects of conservation efforts, Zero Waste goals, and residential development fees. A Commissioner inquired about how long it would take until the rates are doubled from what they are now, to which Mr. Reuscher responded that it would be take about 10 years at the current projection. Commissioners and Mr. Reuscher discussed the expected increase of inflation, its impacts on future rates and fees, and how it would affect the affordability of living. Commissioners further discussed the comparison of rates and fees to neighboring cities, the fixed rates for residents, and rate increases for differing tiers. Commissioner Eldridge moved that the Water Commission recommend City Council adopt the proposed changes to the Utility’s water, wastewater, and stormwater rates and fees as presented. Commissioner Ng seconded the motion. WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING 09/19/2024 – MINUTES Page 3   Vote on the Motion: it passed unanimously, 6-0   ii. City Regulated 100-yr Flood Risk Mapping for the West Vine Basin Theodore Bender, PE, CFM Stormwater Engineering Manager Kenneth Sampley, PE Director, Stormwater Water Wastewater Engineering Staff would like to formally request the updated flood risk mapping for the West Vine basin be adopted to become the effective mapping for the City floodplain management program. Staff goal is to have the mapping adopted by the end of the 2024 calendar year. Updating the West Vine basin flood risk mapping was funded and managed by the City Stormwater Master Planning program. The Selected Plan of Improvements project was placed on pause during COVID and due to staff turnover. The project is active again and moving towards completion. Discussion Highlights Commissioners commented on or inquired about various related topics including the rate of a 100-yr storm, modeling techniques, areas of differing risks, technological advances, and developments in the area. A Commissioner inquired about the regulations for the floodway, to which Mr. Bender responded that the national standard is a depth of one foot, while Colorado’s regulation is half a foot; basically, the map squeezes from the wider floodplain down until it’s at half a foot depth to define the floodway. Another Commissioner inquired about any plans for calibration, to which Mr. Bender responded that it would ultimately require a 100-yr storm in order to legitimately calibrate the map, but there will always be need to update the map due to topographical changes. Mr. Sampley clarified that the City Code allows for these changes to take effect with the signature of the executive director rather than Council’s approval. Commissioner Martin moved that the Water Commission recommend to the Utility Executive Director that the City adopt the new West vine floodplain mapping. Commissioner Eldridge seconded the motion. Vote on the Motion: it passed unanimously, 6-0   7. COMMISSIONER REPORTS  a. RMWEA Water Conference at the Keystone Lodge  WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING 09/19/2024 – MINUTES Page 4   b. Oak Street Stormwater Project Tour    8. OTHER BUSINESS a. Draft Letter for Water Commission Support of One Water Efforts 9. ADJOURNMENT 7:04 p.m. These minutes were approved by the Water Commission on November 21, 2024.