HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006 - Natural Resources Advisory Board - Work Plan2006 WORK PLAN
NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
DATE: November 29, 2005
TO: Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Nate Donovan on Behalf of the Natural Resources Advisory Board
SUBJECT: NRAB 2006 Work Plan
This memorandum presents the Natural Resources Advisory Board's (NRAB's) work
plan for the year 2006. We developed this work plan during November 2005, during
which time we identified the issues we believe are central to the environmental quality
and sustainability of our community. This plan for 2006 reflects our commitment to
provide Council with sound advice on these issues throughout the coming year.
This work plan identifies items and issues that are scheduled or that we anticipate will
be considered by the NRAB during the year 2006, either by the full Board or by Board
subcommittees. Naturally, the NRAB closely monitors Council's six-month planning
calendar for upcoming topics on which to provide recommendations. Other unforeseen
issues will be addressed by the Board as they are brought before us by Council or Staff.
The work plan informs Council of the board's future agenda items, and will be relied
upon throughout the year by the NRAB for our own planning purposes. To the extent
practicable, the timing of our consideration of these items will closely parallel Council's
schedule, as many of the items and issues identified in this work plan are also
contained in City Council's Policy Agenda.
General actions that we anticipate will be taken by the NRAB in 2006 include the
following:
• Reviewing City policies and plans for consistency with the community's
environmental goals and values through regular meetings and subcommittee
meetings;
• Coordinating activities with other City Boards and Commissions, such as the Parks
and Recreation, Air Quality, Electric, Land Conservation and Stewardship and
Transportation Advisory Boards, and with Larimer County's Environmental Advisory
Board;
• Continue providing feedback to Staff by participating in task forces and special
committees to address specific policies, plans or regulations;
• Developing recommendations to Council through Board discussion and consensus;
NRAB Year 2006 Work Plan — Page 1 of 5
• Communicating our recommendations to Council through written memoranda and
attendance at Council meetings, hearings, and study sessions.
Specific items and issues that we expect to consider in the upcoming year are
presented on the attached pages in the categories of Administrative Issues; Open
Lands and Land Use Planning; Transportation Planning; Environmental Protection,
Health and Safety; and City Utilities Projects.
We look forward to a productive year of volunteer service to Council, the citizens of Fort
Collins, and the environment. As always, please feel free to contact us with any
comments or questions regarding our work plan for 2006.
Sincerely,
Nate Donovan, Chair
Natural Resources Advisory Board
cc: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
John Stokes, Director, Natural Resources Department
Greg Byrne, Director, Community Planning and Environmental Services
Ben Manvel, City Council Liaison to the NRAB
NRAB Year 2006 Work Plan — Page 2 of 5
ANTICIPATED NRAB ACTION ITEMS DURING 2006
Administrative Issues
t . Biennial Budget Process/Budgeting for Outcomes for Fiscal Years 2006/2007 —
continued review and comment;
2. Council's Policy Agenda and Six -Month Planning Calendar— monitor for natural
resources and environmental issues;
3. City-wide Capital Projects inventory — participate in discussion on environmental
priorities, funding sources, project siting issues, and environmental impacts of
new projects, and implementation of the Building On Basics priorities;
4. City-wide Action Plan for Sustainability — Monitor, discuss, and provide input as
the system is implemented.
5. Participate in planning for the future role of the Natural Resources Dept.
Open Lands and Land Use Planning
Natural Areas and Open Space — As necessary, until the new Land Conservation
and Stewardship Board is functioning: Review and comment on natural areas and
other open space acquisitions, management, monitoring, and restoration issues.
2. Natural Areas Policy Plan and General Management Guidelines — As necessary,
until the new Land Conservation and Stewardship Board is functioning: Continue
working with staff as these documents are shaped;
3. Community Separators - As necessary, until the new Land Conservation and
Stewardship Board is functioning: Actively participate in the adoption and
implementation of true community separators between Fort Collins, Timnath,
Windsor, and Wellington and continue to enhance the Fort Collins/Loveland
separator;
4. Easements - As necessary, until the new Land Conservation and Stewardship Board
is functioning: Update and monitor the implementation of the new natural areas
easement policy and continue monitoring requests for easements on City -owned
natural areas; monitor and provide input on conservation easements on City projects
with GOCO funding;
Agricultural Land Conservation Policies — As necessary, until the new Land
Conservation and Stewardship Board is functioning: Review and comment on land
conservation strategies outside the GMA, Larimer County Open Lands, Agriculture
Advisory Board, and surplus raw water rental policy;
NRAB Year 2006 Work Plan — Page 3 of 5
6. Floodplain Protection and Stormwater Issues — Review and comment on
environmental, Floodplain, and stormwater aspects of development and
neighborhood and subarea plans;
7. Downtown and River Corridor - Participate in the implementation of the Downtown
River Corridor Plan and the Downtown Strategic Plan, including design of natural
areas enhancements and other projects with potential natural resources or
environmental impacts;
Regional Planning — Monitor, review and comment on regional planning activities,
such intergovernmental agreements with Larimer County and implementation of the
1-25 Regional Corridor Plan, and as necessary, until the new Land Conservation and
Stewardship Board is functioning: community separator projects, GOCO Legacy
Project implementation, Foothills to Plains open lands conservation efforts;
9. Growth Management - Review and comment on growth management issues,
transfer of development rights, urban growth area boundaries, annexation plans and
policies, fiscal and environmental impact model, development impact fees, and
community separators;
10. Park Planning and Development — Review and comment on park design and
construction, trails master plan and trail placement issues, environmental aspects of
trails and park design, and dog park issues.
Transportation Planning
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) — Monitor and evaluate reduction strategies, including
multi -modal and mass transit planning, as a means of protecting air quality and other
environmental impacts of growth;
2. Land Use, Transportation, and Air Quality (LUTRAQ) Committees - Monitor the
natural resources and environmental aspects;
3. Metropolitan Planning Organization - Monitor and provide input and advice to
Council on regional transportation proposals.
4. Participate in public discussions regarding environmental impacts of transportation
projects, including 1-25, Carpenter Road/SH 392, Prospect Road, and improvements
included in the Building on Basics ballot measure.
Environmental Protection, Health, and Safety
Solid Waste Reduction - Monitor and revisit solid waste reduction policies, with
particular emphasis on the 5-year strategic planning effort of the City, enhancing the
variable trash rate program (pay -as -you -throw) and reducing consumption and
waste generation; solid waste diversion goals, landfill and recycling center
NRAB Year 2006 Work Plan — Page 4 of 5
management issues, County recycling center expansion, monitor implementation of
changes to land use code relating to multi -family recycling, trash districting re-
evaluation, construction and demolition waste recycling pilot demonstration, and
environmental and natural resource education;
2. Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting - Review and comment on policies affecting
water quality protection, monitoring, and reporting; storm water runoff quality
monitoring, storm water design criteria, best management practices, impacts of
development on runoff quality and raw water supplies, Big Thompson Watershed
Forum and other groups, baseline water quality data from major urban streams, and
monitoring and reporting of water quality in Fossil Creek, Spring Creek, and the
Poudre River;
Air Quality - Review and comment on air quality policies, including greenhouse gas
reduction, Cities for Climate Protection - Climatewise Program and business
outreach, number and location of air quality monitoring stations, Air Quality Action
Plan, indoor air quality, radon ordinance review, and LUTRAQ ongoing efforts;
4. New Development Review and Compliance - Monitoring and follow-through of new
development review and compliance with natural resource protection requirements
consistent with the Board's jurisdiction;
Hazardous Wastes and Pollution Prevention — Review and comment on hazardous
waste, pollution prevention, and remediation programs; internal City audits and
internal environmental management systems, community outreach and education,
and brownfields projects.
City Utilities Projects
1. Water Supply Policy - Review and provide input on issues related to implementation
of the City's Water Supply Policy, including water demand -side management,
additional storage proposals including Halligan Reservoir options, water rate policy,
and issues related to special districts;
2. Electric Supply Policy - Provide input and advice to Council on the implementation of
the City's Electric Policy;
Poudre River and other Master Drainage Plans — Potential impacts on river natural
areas and features;
4. Other Projects to be identified.
NRAB Year 2006 Work Plan — Page 5 of 5