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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 05/04/1988i MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD MAY 4, 1988 Board Members Present: Dave DuBois Ari Michelsen Tim Johnson Pat Reed Denise LaRue Robert Sanz Board Members Absent: (excused) Sheryl Barr Bill Fischer Suzanne Bassinger Rich Fisher Staff Present: Roger Krempel Bob Wilkinson Brian Woodruff Edith Felchle Approval of Minutes The Minutes of the April 6, 1988 meeting were unanimously approved as submitted. Committee Reports Water: DuBois reported on two bills which recently passed. One sets up a new fund to replace the construction grant program. The second bill relates to agricultural non —point source problems. The State put together a non —point source assessment report which has been approved by the Water Quality Commission. This was required in order to get money from EPA to fund the non —point source problems. Colorado was the first state to complete its assessment report. A management report must now be prepared and then a priority system must be established. Reorganization of Natural Resources division Michelsen introduced City Manager Steve Burkett. Burkett stated that he intended to come to this meeting to listen to NRAB comments about the reorganization of the Natural Resources division. Another matter arose, however, and he was unable to stay in the meeting. He asked the board to put together a list of the most important functions of the Natural Resources staff. He stated that he will also be meeting with the Natural Resources staff to discuss the reorganization. He stated that the lines on the organization chart do not necessarily indicate the effectiveness of any department. If there is a commitment to and support for what Natural Resources is suppose to get done, then these things will get done. He stated that the three options being considered for Natural Resources are (1) continue as it is and find someone to replace Roger, (2) become a division of Storm Drainage, or (3) become a division of Development Services. He said he would like to hear what NRAB considered to be the advantages and disadvantages,of those three options. Continuation of Committee Reports Recycling: Krempel stated that staff thought it would be necessary to go to Council for funding to extend the pilot curbside program to the end of 1988. However, the waste hauler has indicated that they will cut their fees for the rest of 1988, and Project Manager Shirley Bruns conserved some • { grant money to enable the program to continue. So the curbside program will continue to.the end of 1988. Staff will submit recycling in the 1989 budget. More will be presented on this at the June NRAB meeting. Krempel mentioned that recycling survey results are still coming in. There are no major changes in the results from last month's report. Wilkinson reported that a composting committee has been formed. They are considering yard waste and kitchen waste. He asked that someone from NRAB's Recycling Committee attend the meetings. The next meeting is Friday, May 6, at 8:00 a.m. in Natural Resources conference room. Krempel stated that a second recycling survey is going out in City utility bills to see how 1000 people who are not in the pilot area feel about recycling. He stated that the City has received several letters from residents expressing opinions about the curbside recycling program. NRAB would like to see the letters. Land Use: Michelsen said he will talk to the other Land Use Committee members to determine a chair to replace Deborah Shimkus. Reorganization of Natural Resources Division The discussion of Natural Resources division's reorganization was reopened. Comments included the following: Concern about putting Natural Resources under Development Services, since Development Services has a different mission. It will be easy for Development Services to say they will promote natural resources, but then it becomes a matter of judgement as to what is actually done to make things smooth and easy for the developer. Just because someone has a responsibility does not mean they will become an advocate. Development Services' environmental sensitivity is not borne out in records. If Natural Resources is under Planning/Development Services, environmental issues may be traded off for other issues. Most important thing to look at: Maintaining autonomy in order for Natural Resources to set goals and carry out what is important to be worked on for the protection of resources. Should be separate from any/all conflict of interest. Autonomy to pursue the Council's charge without diminishment from other departments. Important focus: Council's charge to the division when it was founded. If Naturdl Resources is put under Planning, would Natural Resources' charge disappear and be overridden by Planning's charges? Just as NRAB focuses on overall environmental issues, so does Natural Resources division. Checks and balances are necessary. Important functions: the six charges from Council -- backyard wildlife habitat, hazardous waste, wildlife habitat protection, composting, air quality, and recycling solid waste. Accomplish these functions through (1) education, (2) program development, and (3) voluntary compliance versus regulation. An asset of Natural Resources division is that it provides an opportunity for citizen participation. Natural Resources division's customer is the entire community, not special interest groups. Michelsen will draft a letter to the City Manager expressing NRAB's opinions on this matter. Announcement It was announced that Bassinger Commission and has been interviewed. weeks. applied to serve on the Water Quality A decision is expected in a couple of Boards and Commission review Copies of letters presented to Council were distributed earlier. Michelsen stated that Council made no response to the presentation at the 5/3 meeting. Hazardous Waste Management Plan Woodruff reported that the Hazardous Waste Management Plan went to the County Commissioners with support from the cities of Fort Collins and Loveland. The Commission tabled the matter at the initial hearing. There will be another meeting in a month at which the committee will present additional information. Woodruff said it may be an uphill fight to get the Commissioners to approve the plan. The Commissioners are not convinced that hazardous waste in the landfill is a problem. They are not convinced that small quantity generators really see this as an economic development issue. The Commissioners feel that small quantity generators are really a State concern and therefore of no concern to the county. The Commissioners felt the hazardous waste committee was stacked toward environmentalists. To enable the committee to provide autonomous recommendation, Frank Lancaster (County staff) has resigned as chair. Scott Doyle of PRPA is the new chair. It was stated that hopefully at the next Commissioners meeting on this matter it will be brought to the forefront that waiting until a crisis exists at the landfill will create an extremely expensive situation. The County staff is now proposing to drop the small business portion of the 1 plan. This would reduce funding requirements. Woodruff stated that Commissioner Zollner is in favor of the plan, Commissioner Hotchkiss is against it, and Commissioner Klassen is somewhat against it but may be persuaded to change his position. '88-'89 Better Air Campaign plans Woodruff reported that he is working with the Chamber of Commerce Air Quality Committee and it is exciting that the Chamber and the City will be working jointly in planning for next year's Better Air Campaign. The Chamber is interested in outreach to schools, to business and industry, and to retail merchants. They are also interested in working with the City in an outreach program with employers. A $25,000 funding package is being put together -- $15,000 for a person to help for six months and $10,000 for advertising. The first attempt to get funding will go to the Gannett Foundation. Miscellaneous Wilkinson reported that a bike awareness week is being planned for the week of June 19, with a bike -to -work day on June 22. The Chamber of Commerce may help get local business behind the promotion. It was requested that a report on the spill from Anheuser-Busch's waste line be presented at the June NRAB meeting. A question arose about the MPO on the air quality planning council. Woodruff stated that it is advancing through the Governor's office. The air quality issue will follow at a later time. The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.