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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 08/05/1992• MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD 281 N. COLLEGE AVE. - CONFERENCE ROOM AUGUST 5p 1992 For Reference: Will Smith, NRAB Chair - 221-0425 Cathy Fromme, Council liaison - 223-9360 Tom Shoemaker, Staff liaison - 221-6263 Board Members Present Hal Swope, Will Smith, Terri Knudsen, Steve Erthal, Bill Miller, Craig McGee, Tim Johnson Board Members Absent (excused) Deni LaRue, Phil Friedman Staff Present Tom Shoemaker, Julie Bothwell, Brian Woodruff Minutes It was moved, seconded, and unanimously approved that the Minutes of the July 1, 1992 NRAB meeting be accepted as written. Old Business Water Treatment Plant #1 Shoemaker stated the Land Use Committee met and drafted a final letter that will be sent to potential attendees for tours of the Water Treatment Plant #1. He commented that everything is on schedule. The tours will be Saturday, August 29, Saturday, September 12, from 10:00 a.m. until approximately 12:00 p.m. and the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday September 16, at 7:00 p.m. The Water Department will have staff available for the tours and Suzanne Jarboe -Simpson will facilitate the meeting. New Business Committee Appointments for 192-193 The members chose the committees that they would like to serve on for the following year: Water Committee - Swope Land Use Committee - Johnson, Knudson, Miller Recycling Committee - Smith, Erthal Hazardous Materials Committee - Knudson, McGee, Erthal Transportation Committee - Smith, Johnson Education Committee - Miller, Friedman Friedman will be asked if he would like to serve on the Water Committee. LaRue will be asked if she would like to serve on the Education Committee. Those marked in bold will be Chair for that committee. 01 Election of Officers It was voted unanimously to elect Smith as Chair and Miller as Vice Chair. Enerav Policy Woodruff reviewed the issues that still remain with the Energy Policy. Woodruff explained that it was the decision of the staff working group that has been developing the policy to go ahead and bring it to Council in its present form. The group is aware that the NRAB would not be pleased with the decision because the Board thought it was vague and did not have concrete goals and schedules. The staff working group took the comments seriously, but felt that the approach they are taking of having the staff prepare workplans each year addressing energy efficiency is a better approach than setting out an arbitrary energy efficiency goal. Therefore, the City would take a continuous improvement approach and have City Departments working through their annual work plans to improve energy efficiency. The Natural Resources Division will be implementing a couple of items from the EMP that will meet some of the concerns that were expressed. Smith was concerned with Section lA of the policy because it still focuses on a fueled vehicle, i.e., gasoline, propane, and not on use of alternatives to fueled vehicles. The most energy efficient you can get in terms of fossil fuel usage is to walk or bike. Erthal suggested striking the title, "Comprehensive Energy Policy" and call it an, "Energy Wish List," because there is nothing comprehensive about it. He feels that it all falls back on Council; Council has not taken it seriously enough to give the staff any direction or any guidance in what they are looking for. If it is to be a continuous improvement policy, then Council should have an advisory board overseeing it to come up with recommendations and suggestions on energy reductions and savings. At the end of every year an advisory board should have an evaluation. Erthal feels that there should be some concrete goals stated in the policy. There should also be some incentives to the consumers or energy taxes. He feels it is still too vague. Miller does not feel that anyone is in the position to identify a specific number/percentage that should be reduced right now, because we do not really know how population will grow. He feels that at present we cannot build anything definite into the policy, as there are too many things that are unknown. Johnson asked who in the future will be overseeing implementation of the policy? Woodruff replied staff is proposing that an interdepartmental staff guidance team be formed. Johnson feels that a responsible group definitely needs to be identified. McGee asked what was the role of the policy with respect to the proposed CPES work items. Shoemaker replied that some of the items were identified in the EMP and some are developments in response to the policy. The Planning Department has been directed to look at some of the fundamental assumptions of the LDGS, and there is a strong energy component to that. Departments are looking at how they can add some important work program elements related to energy or in some cases highlighting those things that are ongoing that have critical energy components already, such as alternative fuel vehicles. Fa McGee asked how Oaff viewed the role of thoolicy after it is adopted and moving along. Woodruff replied that if you think of it in terms of the timing, the City departments are in the middle of planning for 1993 and have submitted budgets for 1993. The Energy Policy is superimposed on that process; the intent of showing the example work program items is to illustrate the kind of things that will be in workplans that will advance energy efficiency. Woodruff stated that, with the policy in place in 1993 the planning for 1994 will be much more focused on energy issues. Swope agreed with Erthal in that it is mistitled. Rather than a Comprehensive Energy Policy, it provides guidelines for developing a comprehensive energy policy. Swope asked if the direction from Council was to come in with an energy policy. Woodruff replied that Council's work program item is to "consider a City Energy Policy." Johnson suggested renaming the resolution to read "Resolution of the Council establishing guidelines for a comprehensive energy policy." He remarked it took three years to bring the Framework for Environmental Management to fruition. The guidelines in the resolution would thus put energy on the kind of track that the EMP was on and would allow the different staff groups to come up with their ideas. Shoemaker said their initial approach was, "Let's do what we are good at and research every possibility and maybe come up with a numerical energy efficiency goal," but then realized that would take a long time. The other Service Areas represented on the committee had the perspective of: "Yes, that is important, but the policy part we need from Council is to be sure they really want us to focus on energy efficiency, so we can go do it." Johnson moved and McGee seconded to support Resolution 92 with a changed title that reads, "Resolution of the Council of the City of Fort Collins for establishing guidelines for a comprehensive energy policy." Smith stated he sees it as a policy statement that puts forth something that can be used to drive further action in the future, although it has really not taken action in the present. The Board agreed. The motion was passed 6-1. Erthal opposed because he does not feel it is adequate to be called an energy policy. Miller stated that he would like to see the encouragement of a citizen advisory board as part of the process. Natural Areas Policy Plan (NAPP) Shoemaker stated he wanted to begin the Board's final review of the NAPP and have a special meeting August 19 to conclude the review of the action plan. It would be a formal meeting to allow formal action in terms of a recommendation to P&Z Board and Council. The Board looked at the plan in March, April, and May 1991 and comments were favorable. Shoemaker stated the modifications to the plan that have been made have not been to change the direction at all, but to incorporate comments and additional information. Changes have been made in the policy section of the plan for the following reasons: to clarify what actually is policy vs. what is strategy; and to restructure the plan as a pilot in what CPES hopes will be a model for future elements of the comprehensive plan in terms of the policy section. They are striving to have something that is short and can be pulled out and handed to people easily. Shoemaker presented a slide show that talks about the general thrust of the NAPP primarily to refresh the Board of where they are proposing to go with the plan. Members of the Board thought the Policy Plan was excellent and a job well done. Some of the more specific comments and questions were as follows: Swope stated that on page 5-2, number 6, the last sentence summed it all up with the major problem being establishment of criteria to resolve conflicts between proposed developments and natural areas. Erthal liked what was said about preserving areas as well as protecting corridors between those areas. He was impressed with the way the whole approach was integrated with the Stormwater Department and wetland areas. Erthal asked if subdivision regulations can be integrated within current zoning regulations in the City. Also with funding he would like to see the City adopt a fee imposed through developers, the PUD process, or upon every homeowner that is taking out a permit on new construction that would go to funds for open space. Shoemaker replied that this is a distinction between policy direction and implementation; they are trying to leave open all the future options. An action item associated with that is to review potential funding mechanisms for different pieces of the whole plan. Knudson would like to encourage Council to support more national policies that the Country is undertaking, i.e., Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act and its direction that for wetland mitigation planning will target restoration first. Regarding page 5-2 number 7, threatened and endangered species; before Congress are proposals that would require not only identification of endangered species, but a five year plan to restore critical habitat. In doing that, the wetlands or the stream beds that support wetlands species need to be identified so that habitat can be recreated. She also commented on findings 9 and 11 (weed control and exotic plants); the exotic plants are invading the native grasslands and wetlands and we are in danger of losing the wetlands. She would like more of an inventory program that would look at weed control and how that is impacting the native grasslands and wetlands. Shoemaker said that the City has adopted a policy statement with respect to exotic species. Shoemaker said that the August 19 meeting will be focused on the action plan of the NAPP. Shoemaker will draft a letter with the Board's comments. Committee Reports Miller attended a session hosted by CSU and the City to look at the area along the river from Mulberry to Harmony Gateway. The gravel companies, Larimer county parks, CSU, and the City were all represented. He feels that we are going to see some exciting things happening in a 4 cooperative way that 011 fit in directly with toprotection and preservation of local natural areas involving other agencies such as PR-1, Larimer County, etc. Shoemaker stated that there is an invitation to the board to attend an open house to look at what was produced from the visioning workshop on August 19. Announcements There will be a special meeting August 19 at 7:00 to discuss NAPP action items and the Air Quality Strategic Plan. The location for the meeting will be announced. Adiournment The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m. 5