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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAir Quality Advisory Board - Minutes - 01/28/1998• 0q�-o/ -/z MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES CENTER 405 CANYON AVE. JANUARY 28,1998 For Reference: John Fooks, AQAB Chair - 229-5225 Scott Mason, Council Liaison - 226-4824 Tom Shoemaker, Staff Liaison - 221-6263 Board Members Present Harry Edwards, John Fooks, John Schroeer, David Gallup, Nancy York, Mandar Sunthankar, and John Scanlon (7:15 p.m.) Board Members Absent Raymond Sons and Eric Levine Staff Present Natural Resources Dep rnnent: Tom Shoemaker, Brian Woodruff, Sally Maggart, Lucinda Smith Transportation Planning: Kathleen Reavis, Suzanne Edminster Guests Bob Stuart, University of Denver student The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. John Fooks distributed information on the North Front Range Technical Feasibility Study and the Transportation Alternatives Feasibility Study. Approval of Minutes With the following changes, the minutes of December 17, 1997 were approved as written: Harry Edwards noted on Page 3, last paragraph, the "s" was omitted from his last name. Review and Update Action List Items 1., 2., 4., and 7. have been completed. Item 3. will be discussed at the next meeting. Lucinda Smith distributed and explained a memo regarding the Modeling Approach used in the "CO Hypothetical Community Graph". Review Council Six -Month Planning Calendar • Transportation planning items will be discussed tonight. • The land use plan for Fossil Creek, developed jointly by the City and the County, is proceeding through the review process. Air Quality Advisory Board November 19, 1997 Page 2 Transportation Transfer Center and I-25 Interchange Kathleen Reavis Tom Shoemaker explained that staff has been working with CDOT to make sure the I-25 Interchange project at Harmony Road conforms with city goals. He said that Transportation Planning staff would like the Board to make a recommendation to Council. Shoemaker noted that the Transfer Center is proposed to be located on approximately six acres of land purchased with the Natural Areas 1/4 cent sales tax. At the time of purchase, a portion of the land was identified to possibly be sold in the future. He said that proceeds from the sale would go back into the Natural Areas fund. Kathleen Reavis, Transportation Planner, gave an update on the overall project. She cited the location of the bike lanes, detached sidewalks, signalized intersections and frontage road. Reavis noted that there will be extensive landscaping, jointly funded by CDOT and the City, to tie into the "gateway" concept. She added that the whole interchange project is budgeted at around $14 million. Reavis noted that the Transfer Center is designed to serve as a park and ride for carpooling, vanpooling and private transit carriers. She added that the potential for future expansion is included in the design. Reavis said that there will be covered bus shelter areas, phones, water fountain, and bike racks and lockers in the plaza area; restrooms are not included now, but could be added in the future. Reavis explained that a formal grading and erosion plan has been submitted and approved by the City. She noted that CDOT agreed to meet all the development criteria; they were not required to because the property is not in the city limits. John Schroeer asked if the property would be annexed by the City in the future. Tom Shoemaker responded that the City does plan to annex the property. David Gallup asked if there was any consideration given as to what the improved interchange area would do to business traffic around the Conoco station, and if the gas station would be asked to participate in the funding. Reavis responded that she has not heard of any fanding contribution. Harry Edwards asked about the impact of the project on air quality. Reavis explained that a formal air quality analysis was not a required element of the project, but a full traffic study has been done as far as future volumes. Edwards asked on what basis would the Air Quality Advisory Board make a recommendation. Reavis responded that this would be a facility that encourages people to get out of cars and use alternative modes of transportation. Nancy York asked how many bicycles would be accommodated. Reavis responded that there will be 12 lockers, each holding two bikes, and covered bike racks that hold another 20 bikes. She added that the lockers are free; there is also a picnic and rest area located at the site. Gallup asked if there is a comprehensive plan to encourage people to use this facility. He said that he is not convinced that someone's going to want to park there and use alternative modes to go into town. Reavis responded that education is a needed component of the project. She noted that the City has a Smart Trips program, with the charge to get people to use alternative modes of Air Quality Advisory Board November 19, 1997 Page 3 transportation. Mandar Sunthankar said that $14 million is a lot of money to spend on the facility. Reavis explained that $14 million is for the entire interchange project and will be spent whether or not the Transfer Center is built. Sunthankar said that he would like to see a railroad station next to the project. Reavis noted that the median on I-25 will be kept at 80 feet to accommodate future light rail. Suzanne Edminster, Transportation Planning and Parking Manager, explained that the proposed Transit Center is part of the long range vision adopted by City Plan for an enhanced transportation corridor. She noted that the Mason Street Corridor will be the first project funded. Edminster said that the I-25 Transit Center will be a connection to Front Range Community College and to the Mason Street Corridor. Fooks said that he felt one negative aspect is that the center is located so far off of the highway. Reavis explained that time studies were done on all four quadrants when doing the site selection and this was the most efficient location. Nancy York asked what would happen to the runoff. Reavis said that the there will be a series of bioswales within the parking lot, with a detention area along the west edge that will process the water before it gets into the pond. She noted that Stormwater Department has been involved in the design and it meets the City's criteria for runoff and water quality treatment. Gallup noted that, from an air quality standpoint, this is more a contribution to the front range and less to our own area in terms of building a larger facility for parking to accommodate carpooling to Denver. He said that government pays for improvements, business enjoys the benefits, and we are missing the boat if we do not get a private contribution. Fooks said that he sees more of a benefit to the property value of the land located to the east. Shoemaker noted that the State Land Board acquired the property where Kenney's Marine is located about the same time as the City acquired the adjacent property. He noted that the State Land Board was hoping that the Welcome Center and the Larimer County Environmental Center would be located there. Since this did not happen, the State Land Board is now trying to figure out what to do with the property. John Scanlon made the motion to make a recommendation to City Council that the Air Quality Advisory Board approve the project because it fits in well with the overall City Plan design for multi modal transportation and is consistent with Board goals. While the Board recognizes that it is a greater contribution far the overall front range than for our community, it is supportive of the project. John Schroeer seconded the motion. Edwards said that he is concerned about the proper evaluation of the air quality impact. He added that the City should be encouraged to come up with an impact assessment on air quality and then consider the recommendation and go forward with the project. Edwards added that it is premature to offer a recommendation to approve the project. Air Quality Advisory Board November 19, 1997 Page 4 Gallup said that intuitively we can look at this and say it is good for air quality, but we cannot quantify that. He added that it is incumbent upon us to request a quantitative analysis in the context that the City is coming to us for an endorsement from an air quality standpoint. York noted that from the standpoint of a parking lot and transit center, it is an improvement. She added that enlarging the highway is part of the 2020 plan. Schroeer noted that the Board is not being asked to vote on the intersection. He said that the vote is about whether or not the Board accepts the multi modal improvements. John Schroeer called for the question. Harry Edwards moved to table the motion. After some discussion regarding Robert's Rules, the motion to table was denied The original motion passed 5-0, with Harry Edwards abstaining and John Fooks not voting. 2020 Transportation Plan and Transportation Feasibility Study, Vicky McLane Vicky McLane said that she works with the North Front Range Transportation and Air Quality Council, a regional transportation planning body that does transportation and air quality planning. She explained that federal and state dollars for regional projects come through the organization. McLane presented some background information on the 2020 Transportation Plan. • The plan is required every three years; it was done in 1994 and 1997 and will be done again in 2000. • Conformity is an important component. • A total of 260 transportation projects have been submitted. • There are five different categories. The NFRTAQ Council is committed to putting significant dollars in "not highway" projects. • The evaluation criteria is based on system continuity, congestion mitigation, safety enhancement, multimodal enhancement, environment/air quality, implementability, and economic impact. David Gallup asked if the goal is to have no negative impact on air quality as compared to the Air Quality Advisory Board's goal to improve air quality. McLane responded that members are concerned about not letting air quality degrade. Brian Woodruff explained that no degradation is determined by a "build vs. no build" test. McLane noted that a transportation planning company in Boulder uses a model that determines what will happen to air quality if nothing is done. She explained that the bottom line is based on tons per year and pounds per day of CO. Transportation Feasibility Study Vicky McLane explained that the purpose of the study is to develop solutions to safety, traffic and air quality issues. She noted that four agencies, CDOT, North Front Range Transportation and Air Quality Commission, Upper Front Range Regional Planning Commission and the Denver Council of Governments, are collaborating on the study. • Air Quality Advisory Board November 19, 1997 Page 5 McLane outlined the criteria and explained how the alignment is evaluated according to the criteria before given a qualitative ranking. She explained that recommendations on technology were made looking at capital costs, not operating costs, and proven technology. McLane said that a "long list" was then prepared from matching alignment and technology. McLane noted that the second phase of the study will start in June with the hiring of a consultant. She said that this phase will look in great detail at the air quality impacts. Nancy York asked to whom concerns should be directed. McLane responded that Will Smith is the City of Fort Collins' representative and Jim Disney is the Larimer County representative on the NFRTAQ Commission. Tom Shoemaker asked how this study is interfacing with land use planning efforts throughout the area. McLane said that it varies from community to community, but it will be looked at carefully. Harry Edwards complimented McLane on a clear presentation. He asked her what the Board can do. McLane responded that a strong voice for air quality in this study is needed. Fooks said that he would draft a letter to Council. David Gallup said that actual results of projects could be negative on air quality and an opportunity is being missed by not analyzing each project. McLane said that she could get the modeling consultant to attend a future board meeting. David Gallup made the motion to draft a memo to Council urging them to request the 2020 group to apply the conformity go/no go test to each individual subproject in order to assist in the prioritization of projects as they impact air quality. Mandar Sunthankar seconded the motion. The motion passed by a vote of 6-0, with John Fooks not voting. Nancy York suggested adding to the memo to Council an evaluation of fuel usage, types of fuels and resulting emissions. Edwards said that he would like a more positive supportive tone to the memo to embody strong air quality issues, and give recognition and encouragement to continue to include air quality issues in the work. Announcements John Schroeer announced a NCVECS meeting at CSU on April 17 from 10:00 a.m.-noon. Lucinda Smith announced a Mobile 5a meeting on February 13 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Special Meeting Because of time constraints, a special meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, February 4, at 7:00 p.m. to finish the Information Items portion of the agenda (T-Board Report, Benchmark Report, State Implementation Plan, and AQAP). Adiournment The meeting adjourned at 9:55 p.m.