Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 07/01/1992• MINUTES • CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD 281 N COLLEGE AVE - CONFERENCE ROOM JULY 1, 1992 For Reference: Will Smith, NRAB Chair - 221-0425 Cathy Fromme, Council liaison - 223-9360 Tom Shoemaker, Staff liaison - 221-6263 Board Members Present Phil Friedman, Steve Erthal, Terri Knudsen, Craig McGee, Will Smith, Harold Swope, Deni LaRue (left at 8:35), Bill Miller. Board Members Absent Tim Johnson (excused) Staff Present Tom Shoemaker, Edith Felchle Introductions For the benefit of new members, attendees introduced themselves and provided brief information about backgrounds and expertise. Minutes Minutes of the June 3, 1992 NRAB meeting were unanimously approved as submitted. Old Business Bylaws The amended bylaws were unanimously adopted as proposed. Water Treatment Plant #1 Shoemaker handed out copies of Mayor Kirkpatrick's response to the Board's letter to Council on this issue. He also handed out copies of the draft letter inviting interested parties to tour Water Treatment Plant 01. Smith noted that Mayor Kirkpatrick's letter confirmed that Council has no problem with the Board's current activities on this matter. For the benefit of the new members, Smith briefly recapped the history of the Water Treatment Plant issue. He then recapped the June worksession, saying that Mike Smith recommended having several tour sessions. Mike Smith also indicated that Water and Wastewater would conduct the tours. NRAB's responsibilities are to send out the tour invitations and then to hold the meeting to discuss options for the treatment plant. LaRue suggested the meeting be held on a week night, maybe using NRAB's worksession night. It was decided to hold the tours on August 29 and September 12. The invitation letter will be modified to allow people to indicate if they would like to attend the tour but cannot on either of the above dates. If there is a need, a third tour may be scheduled. The meeting will be scheduled for September 16, with September 23 as a second choice. Smith said he would coordinate with Mike Smith and Suzanne Jarboe -Simpson to make 1 sure these dates work foi_ :hem. Relative to the invitation list, Shoemaker said Natural Resources staff will provide addresses from its files. If there are some organizations for which Natural Resources does not have addresses, NRAB Education Committee members will help locate those addresses. Miller will finalize the invitation letter. Shoemaker said he would arrange for buses for the tour. It was noted that Transfort is not on the invitation list. Because of some transportation proposals for operation of the Water Treatment Plant as a park site, it was suggested that they be added to the list. It was noted that the invitation letter should advise people that a meeting will be held to discuss Water Treatment Plant options. Smith said he would like to defer to Suzanne Jarboe -Simpson to select a site for the meeting. New Business Hazardous Materials Survey Shoemaker referred to material that members received in their packets. He said that this survey of City facilities is the first step in a multi- step process. Another step will be an environmental audit. He said a pilot source reduction project in Council's work plan is also part of this process. He said that staff will be talking to all City staff who generate hazardous wastes to find out what kind of help they may need to manage those wastes. Shoemaker said the survey revealed that City departments who deal with serious hazardous waste issues have things well under control and that there already are a lot of efforts to reduce hazardous waste. He cited an example of a product used by Water and Wastewater. The product is Safety Kleen. Because of its flash point, it is listed as a hazardous waste. Water and Wastewater is looking at a new, less hazardous, product to substitute for Safety Kleen. Shoemaker said motor oil is a waste issue of concern to the City. The used oil is being sent out to be recycled, but it actually is being burned as fuel by plants in Wyoming. The City doesn't really consider that recycling, and would like to find a company that would re -refine the oil. Smith asked if this survey fills any holes in the Environmental Framework, and if so, if these could be identified. Smith also asked if Poudre Fire Authority is aware of the survey. Shoemaker replied that they are, but that their focus is on reducing the risk of hazardous material releases, not hazardous waste disposal. Miller asked if the results of this survey can be shared with the County and CSU. Shoemaker replied that he will be meeting with County personnel soon and will share this survey information with them. He said CSU has their hazardous waste issue well under control. Knudsen asked if anyone is looking at medical wastes. She wondered if it is being dumped in the sewer. Shoemaker said his understanding is that it is all incinerated. Smith said that in future steps in this process, the Purchasing Department should be included, so the City can start looking for vendors 2 who will do take -backs• • Natural Resources Division Project Update Shoemaker handed out an update of the Natural Resources Division work plan, highlighting several items. He said the division was very busy this past legislative session. They provided analysis and advice to Council and gave testimony on several environmental bills. He recapped new State environmental legislation: The new State CFC regulations are basically the same as those of Fort Collins and five other Front Range municipalities; the air quality bill that passed is relatively good, but has some problems; the hazardous waste bill gives municipalities some authority and also takes some authority away from municipalities. Relative to air quality projects, Shoemaker said that development of the Air Quality Strategic Plan is well underway. Swope asked the status of getting a second air quality monitor. Shoemaker said that both staff and the Air Quality Task Force (AQTF) felt that a second monitoring station was not warranted. But they did feel that a visibility monitor was needed. The visibility monitor will be installed sometime this fall. Shoemaker noted that the division has produced several new air quality brochures. He had the brochures available for those who wanted them. He also reported that Felchle is serving on a task force dealing with promoting alternative transportation in the high schools. Smith asked if air quality education includes two-stroke motors. Shoemaker said that this may come out in the Strategic Plan, because the plan will focus on sources of serious pollutants. Relative to recycling, Shoemaker noted that the IPC has been a major part of the Division's work for quite some time. A review of the overall recycling program will soon be presented to NRAB. Smith asked if hauler information relative to curbside programs will be provided to the public. Shoemaker said that could be included in the next recycling directory update. Relative to natural areas, Shoemaker said he will bring the revised Natural Areas Plan to NRAB in August. He said the Bridges acquisition will go to Council 7/7. Relative to cooperative planning, Shoemaker noted NRAB's interest in a world class environmental learning center. He said the City, CSU, and 40 other interested groups will be meeting the week of 7/6 to -discuss such a center. Erthal asked if Shoemaker has any information about the open space initiative. Shoemaker said he has asked for legal advice regarding staff involvement in this initiative. He will also ask for such advice for the board. Shoemaker reported that the Gustav Swanson Nature Area is progressing well. He said interpretive signs will be up in August, and a handicapped fishing pier is being built. He said this nature area has involved a minimal amount of City funding and a maximum amount of volunteer effort. Relative to the mitigation fund, Shoemaker reported that the Boltz Junior High project is still uncertain. Some neighbors feel this project may be undesirable. 3 Relative to the Environmental Framework, Shoemaker said that NRAB can expect to be involved in at least those major projects: a citywide environmental audit, a review of data collection and monitoring efforts: and a review of the impact assessment features of the LDGS. He said these projects will extend well into 1993. Shoemaker said that project review has been heavy this year, both in terms of volume and controversy. Relative to environmental education, Shoemaker said that the new newsletter, "Environmental News," has been a major shift in emphasis and responsibility. He also reported that the environmental fair will be held September 19. Committee Structure Smith stated that NRAB members will decide at the August meeting which committee(s) they want to serve on for the coming year. He briefly reviewed what each committee has done during the past year. He asked how board members felt the committee structure is working. Everyone felt the structure is working well. Smith also reminded members that election of officers will occur in August. committee Reports Transportation Committee Smith reported that on 6/29 he met with the Transportation Board and the AQTF. He said the Transportation Board wanted to know how NRAB works with Council -- they knew how it was supposed to work, but they wanted to know how it really worked. Smith told them it works pretty much the way it is supposed to work. He said there also was discussion about clarifying areas of overlapping interest, but this was more between AQTF and the Transportation Board. He said NRAB may need to monitor their activities relative to land use. Recycling Committee Shoemaker reported on worksession feedback on the Division's approach to reviewing the recycling program. He said the committee liked the fact that staff was collecting data. They wanted staff to look closely at the demographics to make sure they are looking at households, not individuals. They also wanted people to be given more opportunity to provide comments. Shoemaker said that the ad agency felt the survey was asking for too much information for a telephone survey so it is being changed to a mail survey. The agency also suggested separating the two basic ideas of the survey: 1) how the citywide program is used, and can be improved, 2) how well the City's education efforts are received. Shoemaker said that the Community Planning and Development Services staff is looking at how the City's economic development program can attract industry locally that will take materials from the IPC and make new products from them. The Economic Affairs Office is looking at developing a strategic plan for this. Announcements Smith passed around a letter for everyone to sign thanking Chuck Davis for his contributions to the board. 4 Swope reported to at the Planning and Zoniq meeting, the Oak Cottonwood Park development came under scrutiny for solar orientation. He said most of the development meet the requirements. A variance was allowed for a small portion. Swope said he had been talking to Jerry Craig of the Division of Wildlife relative to prairie dogs. He said Jerry Craig has proposed setting up a mitigation fund to be used to manage existing prairie dog areas. Shoemaker handed out a list of NRAB members' addresses, asking everyone to check, and if necessary correct, their addresses and phone numbers. The corrected list will be distributed to the board. It was determined that the July work session date, July 15, will be used for the Land Use Committee to work on the invitation letter for the Water Treatment Plant tours. Location of the meeting will be announced. The meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m. 5