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Home My WebLink About06/18/2025 - NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD - AGENDA - Regular Meeting Natural Resources Advisory Board REGULAR MEETING – Wednesday June 18, 2025 LOCATION: 222 Laporte Ave. and via MS Teams: fcgov.com/nrab-teams-meeting 6:00 CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL 1. AGENDA REVIEW 2. COMMUNITY MEMBER PARTICIPATION 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – MAY 4. NEW BUSINESS 6:10-6:55 15-minute City Council Priorities Rachel Ruhlen (Transportation Planner, FC Moves) will share progress toward Council Priorities “Advance a 15-minute city by igniting neighborhood centers” and “Advance a 15-minute city by accelerating our shift to active modes”. A 15-minute City analysis was conducted in 2022 as part of the Active Modes Plan. Staff are now bringing that analysis in-house and will share draft findings. (Discussion) 6:55-7:25 Which Wheels Go Where? – August Work Session Rachel Ruhlen (Transportation Planner, FC Moves) will share the results of community engagement and research exploring updating rules governing operations of micromobility such as e-scooters, skateboards, electric skateboards, and electric unicycles on City facilities like sidewalks, bike lanes, streets, and paved trails. City Council is scheduled to discuss this item on August 12th. (Discussion) 7:25-7:40 Water Efficiency Plan – Memo Refinement Consider support for a memo, based on attached draft, supporting adoption of an updated Water Efficiency Plan (WEP) by City Council and suggesting consideration of additional refinements to the plan. (Action) 7:40-7:55 Board Elections Board members will nominate and elect a board vice chair. (Action) 5. OTHER BUSINESS / UPDATES a. Reminder: Earlier NRAB meeting start time beginning in July (5:30-7:30PM) b. Board Member Reports c. Six Month Calendar Review https://www.fcgov.com/cityclerk/planning-calendar.php d. 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 1 5/21/2025 - Minutes Natural Resources Advisory Board REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, May 21, 2025 – 6:00 PM 222 Laporte Avenue and via Microsoft Teams 1. CALL TO ORDER: 6:03 PM 2. ROLL CALL a. Board Members Present – • Dawson Metcalf (Chair) • Barry Noon • Leslie Coleman • Sharel Erickson • Xavier Pereira • Teagan Loew b. Board Members Absent – • Kelly Stewart (Vice Chair) • Sara LoTemplio • Kelen Dowdy c. Staff Members Present – • Honore Depew, Staff Liaison d. Guest(s) – • Madeline Duke, Water Program Assistant • Alice Conovitz, Water Conservation Specialist 3. AGENDA REVIEW Chair Metcalf reviewed the agenda items. 4. COMMUNITY MEMBER PARTICIPATION None 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – APRIL 2025 Noon made a motion, seconded by Erickson, to approve the April 2025 regular meeting minutes as written. The motion was adopted unanimously. 2 5/21/2025 - Minutes 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Water Efficiency Plan (WEP) – June Work Session Alice Conovitz, Water Conservation Specialist, noted the Water Efficiency Plan (WEP) is open for public comment until the end of June and stated staff is seeking a recommendation from the Board prior to going before Council on September 2nd. Conovitz noted the City’s Water Utility covers about 80% of the city’s population and about 60% of the land area, and that is the focus of this Plan. Conovitz noted the last WEP update was in 2015 and the goal was to lower demand to 130 gallons per person per day by 2030, and while the per person use has significantly decreased over time, that goal was only met in the wet year of 2023. She noted growth and warming are both projected for the service area, both of which increase demand and drive the potential for more water shortages. She also noted efficiency is only one piece of preparing to be a resilient utility into the future. Conovitz stated the updated WEP presents two goals, one to reach a 4% annual reduction in treated water demand by 2040 to reduce the risk of shortages. Noon asked if the percentage annual reduction is relative to a baseline year. Conovitz replied it is 4% below the projected demand without conservation measures. Conovitz stated the second goal of the Plan is to improve water efficiency and build resilience on City-owned landscapes to benefit the community and the environment, and she further detailed the strategies proposed to meet the goals, including behavioral strategies, economic strategies, and regulatory strategies. She noted customers like incentives, though there is openness to also having thoughtful regulation. Noon stated it is important to communicate to the public the upper limit of availability. Conovitz stated the firm yield, which is the amount of supply that is available under certain drought conditions, could be the most relevant number to compare. Noon noted it is more difficult to maintain minimum water quality standards as the population increases, particularly if there are no investments made in improving water treatment facilities. Conovitz stated the treatment capacity on a daily basis is one place where efficiency can make an impact by keeping peak daily demands lower. She also noted a lot can be done in terms of blending the Poudre and Horsetooth supplies from a treatment side. Conovitz discussed the treated water demand over the last five years and the associated measurable water conservation program savings. She also noted conservation and efficiency is much less expensive than purchasing additional water rights. Additionally, performing long-term efficiency and providing education and programs help build a responsive and informed community. Conovitz outlined the next steps for the WEP, including the public comment period, visits to multiple Boards and Commissions, and an early review from the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Following that input, revisions will be made prior to Council’s review of the Plan in September. 3 5/21/2025 - Minutes Pereira asked if there is any strategy for looking at water rights that are near expiration and supporting them in reducing water use without reducing the amount of water they can access. Conovitz stated setting the goal that is focused on the City’s water use gets into that a bit as there is so much untreated raw water irrigation on City properties. She noted water rights are a tricky topic and stated at least some of the City’s raw water used for irrigation could be transferred to treatment for municipal use. She noted there is incentive to be more efficient with that water . Noon noted 62% of the Poudre flow is diverted into irrigation canals at the mouth of the canyon, and those are based on historic senior water rights. He also commented on the projected flows for rivers across the state and noted the Colorado River will be particularly hit hard. Conovitz noted Fort Collins Water has a bit more than half of its water rights as Colorado Big Thompson water that is stored in Horsetooth and little less than half of its water is Poudre River basin supplies. Noon noted the original estimated cost for Glade was $400 million and the current cost estimate is $2.2 billion. He noted Northern Water is in the business of selling water. Chair Metcalf asked about the rise of concern for water during the community outreach process. Conovitz replied the engagement showed varying levels of concern with some groups being more concerned about water quality than efficiency. Chair Metcalf asked how staff is approaching getting to a place of having to rely more on regulation than incentives. Conovitz replied people seem to like incentives, but are open to thoughtful regulation. She noted an effective place for more regulatory actions is around new development and redevelopment. Coleman asked if there is a rate tier structure . Conovitz replied in the affirmative and stated more is paid per gallon over certain thresholds. Additionally, there is a commercial seasonal rate structure. She noted the utility is projecting continued rate increases. Conovitz stated there will be a city-wide communications plan after the WEP is in place to help inform residents about the 4% reduction goal. Chair Metcalf asked what would be most impactful for the Board to provide. Conovitz replied a recommendation would be valuable if the Board feels the Plan is ready, or some suggestions for changes or inclusions would be helpful if the Board feels the Plan is not ready. suggested including information regarding how different measures impact the overall goal from a numbers standpoint. Pereira suggested including a bit more specificity regarding the planned City projects that accompany the second overall goal. Chair Metcalf suggested the Board look at all of the materials provided and discuss forming a memo at the next meeting. 4 5/21/2025 - Minutes Noon made a motion, seconded by Pereira, to draft a memo in support of the Water Efficiency Plan. The motion was adopted unanimously. b. NRAB Orientation Chair Metcalf commented on open meetings laws which require Boards to conduct their work publicly. Depew clarified it is important to not have any back and forth email or text communication, or back and forth communication in a shared document, though comments can be made on a shared document and the draft with comments can be published as part of a meeting agenda. Chair Metcalf provided copies of the 2025 NRAB Work Plan and requested input from the new members. He commented on the unique opportunity the Board has to touch on many different topics, but acknowledged that does make narrowing down topics difficult. Depew commented on the formation of the Work Plan. Pereira commended the proactive planning and intersectionality of topics. Erickson stated she does not see any gaps in the Work Plan as written. Noon commented on the global distribution of mammalian biomass noting livestock accounts for 60%, humans just over 30%, and all other mammals in nature less than 5%. He stated limits inform his perspective and this type of data is why he wanted to be part of the Board. Chair Metcalf noted the next Council retreat will occur in early 2026 and stated the Board should be prepared to provide some information related to Council priorities as well as the budget process in 2026. Depew noted it will be important for the Board to work with staff on the strategic funding plan for Our Climate Future. He noted that plan is intended to directly inform Council priority setting and the budget process. Chair Metcalf commented on the basic attendance expectations for members. Coleman asked about the Work Plan item related to Monarch butterfly habitat conservation. Noon noted the species is in very steep decline. Coleman suggested the possibility of broadening the item. Loew commented on the ease of placing milkweed in City seed mixes whenever possible. Chair Metcalf stated the topic was around a joint initiative between the Butterfly Pavillion and Nature in the City. 5 5/21/2025 - Minutes c. Natural Areas Strategic Framework Chair Metcalf noted the Board received a presentation on this topic at its March meeting and a summary of updates was provided for this meeting. He stated the Framework was generally well received by the Board. Depew provided a summary of the themes from the feedback from various Boards and the ways in which the Framework was changed in response. Chair Metcalf noted the Board mentioned connections to measurable outcomes and metrics to track progress and connections to other cross-City priorities and plans. Depew noted staff is planning to go before Council with the Framework on July 1 st. Chair Metcalf noted staff has requested some level of support from the Board and stated he has drafted a short memo in support of the Framework from the Board for consideration. Erickson made a motion, seconded by Loew, to send the drafted memo in support of the Natural Areas Strategic Framework to Council. The motion was adopted unanimously. d. Board Elections Chair Metcalf noted Vice Chair Stewart is willing to accept a nomination for the Chair position. He summarized the role of the Chair and Vice Chair. Chair Metcalf nominated Vice Chair Stewart for Chair. Chair Metcalf made a motion, seconded by Noon, to elect Vice Chair Stewart as Chair for the upcoming year. The motion was adopted unanimously. Noon commended Chair Metcalf’s work serving as Chair. Depew suggested the possibility of postponing the Vice Chair election particularly given absent members. 7. OTHER BUSINESS/UPDATES a. Consider Adjusting NRAB Meeting Start Time Earlier (5:30 -7:30) Chair Metcalf stated Vice Chair Stewart had suggested moving the meeting start time up a half hour. Members concurred. Chair Metcalf suggested keeping the June meeting at 6:00 and moving to 5:30 thereafter. b. Super Issues Board Meeting in August – Ranked Choice Voting Chair Metcalf stated the August Super Issues Board meeting will focus on ranked voting. Depew commented on the premise of Super Issues meetings. 6 5/21/2025 - Minutes c. Board Member Reports Noon reported on the Save the Poudre settlement regarding the Glade Reservoir project. He stated Save the Poudre filed lawsuits against the Army Corps of Engineers for inadequacy of the environmental impact assessment, the County Commissioners for allowing the diversion of Poudre water in Larimer County, and the City of Fort Collins for allowing the 1041 permit. He stated both the City and County lawsuits were lost by Save the Poudre, though Northern Water was concerned about Save the Poudre prevailing in the Army Corps lawsuit and offered a $100 million settlement which was accepted. He stated there will be three members from Northern Water and three selected by Save the Poudre in a group to oversee the funds which can be used for any activity that will improve the ecological integrity of the Poudre River from the canyon mouth to its confluence with the South Platte. Additionally, Noon noted the City could send in a proposal for utilizing portions the funds, which can also be used to purchase Poudre water rights. Noon commented on the new boat passage that will be put in place at the diversion dam near the canyon mouth. Members discussed the ways in which the City could apply for funds and the possibility of the Board supporting or encouraging those efforts. d. Six Month Calendar Review Depew noted he will have a colleague serving as a staff liaison in his stead next month and outlined upcoming Council meeting and work session items that may be of interest to the Board. e. Revisit Action Items from Previous Meetings and Preview of Next Meeting Pereira stated he would be interested in further discussion around the Save the Poudre settlement grants. Members briefly discussed upcoming meeting topics. 8. ADJOURNMENT • 8:23 pm Minutes approved by a vote of the Board on X/XX/2025 Headline Copy Goes Here Rachel Ruhlen, Transportation Planner David “DK” Kemp, Senior Trails Planner Which Wheels Go Where? -Project Update 2025 06 18 Natural Resources Advisory Board Headline Copy Goes HereAgenda •Purpose •Community & stakeholder engagement results and research •Discuss options and seek input on proposed code changes Headline Copy Goes Here 3 Purpose Which Wheels Go Where? explores how to accommodate more kinds of micromobility. Micromobility supports climate, active mode, Vision Zero goals. Headline Copy Goes Here E-unicycle 4 Micromobility (human & electric powered) Roller skates Kick scooter Unicycle Bicycle Roller blades Longboard Skateboard E-trikes & E-bikes E-scooter E-skateboard Headline Copy Goes Here Toy vehicles 5 Currently a Complex and Confusing Chart Headline Copy Goes HereNew Micromobility Definitions Human Powered Vehicle Lightweight Electric Vehicle ≤20 mph Low Power Scooter Not lightweight electric vehicle Headline Copy Goes Here 7 A Potential Revised & Simplified Chart Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Prohibited Allowed Allowed Prohibited Allowed Allowed Prohibited Ride Ride Prohibited Dismount Dismount Prohibited Headline Copy Goes Here Headline Copy Goes Here 9 Questionnaire Outreach & Design Outreach Efforts: •English and Spanish Versions •Incentives •Flyers, yard signs, social media, postcards, press release, email •Events •Partners Questionnaire Design: •Quiz to educate •Concerns •Open-ended comment section •Transportation use •Demographics Headline Copy Goes Here 10 Concerns? 1,478 Response Do you have any concerns about human powered or lightweight electric vehicles on sidewalks, paved trails, bike lanes, or streets? All answers Spanish survey Headline Copy Goes Here 11 Top concerns (Sidewalks) Headline Copy Goes Here 12 Top concerns (Bike Lanes) Headline Copy Goes Here 13 Top concerns (Streets) What is your top concern regarding the use of _____ on streets? Headline Copy Goes Here 14 Top concerns (Paved Trails) Headline Copy Goes Here 15 Open-Ended Comments (718) “As a pedestrian on sidewalks, I worry about being hit by an electric vehicle” “Bike lanes should be protected from traffic to increase use and confidence in being safe” “At current state it is confusing, and thus people will not be following the rules anyways” “Educating drivers in how to interact with these devices seems imperative” “Assuming speeds stay low/responsible... there should be no reason to limit these vehicles. Less cars on the road, less traffic, less pollution” “Don't punish good people that are enjoying the ride nicely, simply because of others” “I've witnessed many scooters, bikes, skateboards going too fast and not adhering to the rules of the road/trail.” “Concerned about faster vehicles on trails for human-powered modes of transportation where limited-mobility users/kids may get hurt.” Headline Copy Goes Here 16 Use vs. Facility Type Headline Copy Goes Here 17 Use vs. Facility Type Headline Copy Goes Here 18 Demographics Headline Copy Goes Here Headline Copy Goes Here 20 Enforcement Feedback •Research (Boulder Police) •In 2021, Boulder allowed human powered and lightweight electric vehicles on streets, sidewalks, and paved trails •Police expected more impact from rule change •No increase in crashes •Safety education approach •CSU Police •Need appropriate citation for careless riding on streets, sidewalks •Prefer riders on streets and off sidewalks, regardless of vehicle •FC Police •Allowing micromobility devices on streets could result in increased severe crashes •Speed limits leads to expectations of patrols & enforcements (Police & Prosecutors) •Limited resources for enforcement •Recommend safety education approach •Park Rangers (Paved Trails) •Cannot detain or pursue •“Authority of the Resource” •Recommends safety education approach Headline Copy Goes Here Headline Copy Goes Here 22 Sidewalks Sidewalks Human-powered vehicle Lightweight Electric Vehicle Bikes and e- bikes* Skateboards, roller skates, etc. E-scooters E-skateboard, one-wheel, etc. regulations Allowed (except dismount zones)Unclear Allowed Staff is exploring Allowed (except dismount zones) *Current ordinance is unclear on whether Class 3 e-bikes are permitted on sidewalks. Exploring consistency: Class 3 e-bikes either be allowed or prohibited on sidewalks,paved trails, and crosswalks. (except dismount zones) Headline Copy Goes Here 23 Crosswalks Crosswalks Human-powered vehicle Lightweight Electric Vehicle Bikes, e-bikes* Skateboards, roller skates, etc. E-scooters E-skateboard, one-wheel, etc. regulations Ride (except dismount zones)Dismount Staff is exploring Ride (except dismount zones) *Class 3 e-bikes are currently required to dismount in crosswalks. Headline Copy Goes Here 24 Streets Streets/Bike Lanes Human-powered vehicle Lightweight Electric Vehicle Bikes and e- bikes Skateboards, rollerskates, etc. E-scooters E-skateboard, one-wheel, etc. regulations Allowed Not allowed Allowed Not allowed Staff is exploring Allowed Headline Copy Goes Here 25 Paved trails Paved trails or multi-use paths Human-powered vehicle Lightweight Electric Vehicle Bikes, e-bikes Skateboards, rollerskates, etc. E-scooters E-skateboard, one-wheel, etc. regulations Allowed (except Class 3 e-bikes)Not allowed (except on Mason Trail) Staff is exploring Allowed* *Exploring consistency: Class 3 e-bikes either be allowed or prohibited on sidewalks, paved trails, and crosswalks. Cities that allow e-scooters on paved trails: Denver, Boulder, Fayetteville, Salt Lake City, Columbus Headline Copy Goes Here 26 Trail Safety Education Multimedia Campaign Headline Copy Goes HereSafety Strategy: a four-point approach 27 1.Trail Safety Education Multimedia Campaign 2.Refreshed courtesy and etiquette signs 3.Trail widening, centerline striping and warning signs at bridges, underpasses, and junctions 4.Bicycle Ambassador Program to include routine trail pop-up events Headline Copy Goes Here 28 Board Feedback • What feedback do you have regarding proposed new definitions? • What are your concerns? • What are the opportunities? Sidewalks Bike lanes Streets Paved trails Headline Copy Goes Here MEMORANDUM NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD DATE: May 21, 2025 TO: Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Natural Resources Advisory Board SUBJECT: Water Efficiency Plan Dear Mayor and Councilmembers, On May 21, 2025, Alice Conovitz (Water Conservation Specialist) presented to the Natural Resources Advisory Board regarding potential updates to the Water Efficiency Plan. The updated WEP sets two new goals and includes a number of strategies intended to reduce risk and impact of water shortages by (1) reaching a 4% annual reduction in water demand by 2040 and 2) improving water efficiency and building resilience on City-owned landscapes. The Natural Resources Advisory Board would like to express its support for the proposed Water Efficiency Plan goals. As a Board dedicated to preserving natural resources for the benefit of future generations and grounded firmly in science, we are concerned about the future of water access and availability, not only in Fort Collins, but across the Western United States. We see this update, which took analysis of historical and projected future water use and efficiency savings under a range of climate and growth predictions, as being in alignment with the Our Climate Future Big Move #3 - Climate Resilient Community and City Council Priority #7: Protect community systems in an integrated way to ensure resilient water resources and healthy watersheds. However, we do not believe the updated plan goes far enough. Items we would like to see considered… Thank you for your time and consideration of this policy decision that will have long-term impacts on future community resilience and health. Very respectfully, Dawson Metcalf Chair, Natural Resources Advisory Board Deleted: , and Deleted: to Deleted: e Commented [1]: Although I've read the entire draft plan, it's not clear to me how the 4% goal was chosen. Why did Utilities arrive at that particular number instead of something higher? I'd recommend that the plan include more details/justification for the 4% goal specifically. If, as a board, we think that goal should be more ambitious and can explain why it would be feasible, we could also make that recommendation in this letter. Commented [2]: It may be helpful to delineate whether this feedback addresses the 2 goals or the menu of strategies (which are addressed in section 4). The WEP seems to recognize that the strategies aren't set in stone, so our feedback could be especially helpful here. Commented [3]: My feedback on strategies: --Given the support for regulatory strategies expressed in customer surveys, Utilities should consider pursuing more regulatory measures. --Projects for turf-to-xeric conversions on City-owned property should be designed to maximize co-benefits such as insect and pollinator habitat and native plant restoration; water savings should not be the only selection/design criterion. --On-bill financing should not be limited to high-cost projects and multi-year loans, but rather should be available to income-qualified customers for lower-cost equipment replacements and landscape/irrigation conversions. --One survey theme was that it’s critical to engage HOAs, landscaping professionals, and realtors; Utilities should explore more strategies targeted at these groups. cc: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager Jacob Castillo, Chief Sustainability Officer Honore Depew, NRAB Staff Liaison and Climate Program Manager Kelly Ohlson, City Council Liaison to the NRAB