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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 03/06/1991MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD 281 N. COLLEGE AVE. - CONFERENCE ROOM MARCH 6, 1991 Board Members Present Tim Johnson Deni LaRue Christine Ferguson Will Smith Board Members Absent (excused) Harold Swope Board Members Absent (unexcused) Ward Luthi Staff Present Tom Shoemaker Edith Felchle Guest Jerry Krygier Dave DuBois Bill Miller Chuck Davis Julie Bothwell Warren Vann minutes It was moved, seconded, and unanimously approved that the Minutes of March 6, 1991 NRAB meeting be accepted as presented. Public Participation Jerry Krygier and Warren Vann from Clarendon Hills Subdivision were present to give an update on the Clarendon Hills Park/open site selection process. Krygier said a new elementary school will be constructed at the northeast edge of Clarendon Hills and a park will be built adjacent to it. The residents feel that the park will be too close to Harmony Road, and would like it to be built at a site within Clarendon Hills. The park could be built in conjunction with plans to preserve a buffer strip along the Burns Tributary. The Parks Master Plan calls for an open space corridor in that area and they would like to see that maintained. Finally, the residents are concerned that the park would disrupt a nature education program being conducted by Front Range Community College at the current park site and .support the preservation of the area. Shoemaker noted that the park site has not been selected. Both sites mentioned are being evaluated and the Parks Department will be holding a public meeting on the issue within the next few weeks. He said the issue of the open space corridor along the Burns Tributary is a concern from the perspective of wildlife habitat as well. Currently the set aside area is sufficient for a trail and for stormdrainage purposes, but a wider strip may be E a trail and for stormdrainage purposes, but a wider strip may be needed to maintain the wildlife movement corridor. This is difficult because of the layout of the road system and the price of the land ($24,000/acre). He noted that the issue of the nature education program at Front Range is complex, because Front Range just sold the land to Poudre R-1. Ferguson noted that the Parks Board should be the primary board to address these concerns. The board took no action. Johnson thanked Krygier and Vann for coming. Committee Reports Education Committee Symposium Edith Felchle gave an update on the planning for the 1991 Symposium. The event will be April 24 at the Lincoln Center. The event will be an evening of environmental/natural resource films. Felchle said the goal of the planning committee was to select films that will inform the audience on natural resource issues and give them the feeling that they have the power and ability to address the issues. She also said the evening will combine fun, information, and motivation. Felchle said that have added two new features to the symposium this year. One is the NRAB Environmental Recognition awards which will be announced at the beginning of the program. The second is the addition of a children's segment. One room will be devoted to children's films and activities. The board volunteered their help if needed. NRAB Awards All the nominations are turned in now for the NRAB awards and will be presented at the 1991 Symposium April 24. There will be an Education Committee meeting at Smith's house, March 13, at 6:30 to review the nominations and develop recommendations for consideration by the full board at the April 3 meeting. Recycling Committee Smith notified the board members that Nelson Metals has increased its operations and now accepting nearly any material one can think of. New additions include magazines, chipboard, and several plastics. Shoemaker added that Nelson Metals is planning to locate drop-off sites at several locations within the city and that they are developing recycling programs at several businesses and five schools within the city. Smith noted that Frank Lancaster will be making a presentation on recycling to the Sierra Club on March 21, 7:30 p.m. Shoemaker said that the County is progressing with the Intermediate Processing Center. The Request for Proposals should 9 0 be complete soon and put out for bid. The delays in the proposal development will mean that the IPC will not be complete in June as hoped, but probably in September or October. City and County staff are working together to develop a temporary facility so that implementation of the city's curbside ordinance can proceed on schedule. Shoemaker noted that the "quantity -based trash billing" bill was killed in committee in the legislature. The County is looking at a local ordinance. He noted that the Council Legislative Committee has directed staff to try to work with local haulers to see if quantity -based billing can be achieved and to support the County's efforts. old Business Mail Creek Update Shoemaker said the Request for Proposals for expenditures from the Mitigation Fund will go out in March. The board can expect to review proposals and make decisions on expenditures in early May. Shoemaker said that the Natural Resources Division and the Stormwater Utility are cooperating on a project to clean the irrigation ditches above Fairway Estates. City staff will work with the homeowners and the County's Workender's program to clean the ditches in early April. Also, Stormwater is now designing the trash rack and expects to construct it sometime this summer. Smith said the transportation plan mission statements and objectives are complete, except for the Pedestrian Plan. The committee is also reworking the Automobile/Truck Plan, to address transportation demand management. The goal being discussed is to keep the rate of growth of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) equal the to the rate of population growth. Currently, the VMT growth rate exceeds population growth rate. The question being addressed by the Joint Chairs group is how to decrease VMT and at the same time build more roads. Smith gave an update on the solar orientation and energy conservation projects which the board discussed at the February meeting. The energy conservation measures were approved by the Planning and Zoning Board and will go to Council in March. Council held a worksession on the solar orientation project. Smith said that several members of Council raised questions about the need for solar orientation requirements. The question was, if the public really wants solar orientation, wouldn't builders supply it now. Smith remarked that, in his view, the market doesn't always meet the demand. He noted that Council appeared divided on the issue of whether to require solar orientation. Shoemaker noted that Planning staff would take alternative resolutions before Council on March 19 to obtain formal direction on how to proceed. EMP Framework and Natural Areas Policy Plan Shoemaker gave an update on progress on the NAPP and the EMP. He said that the NAPP will be released for public review during March, and brought to the board at the April meeting. This will begin the public review process, which is expected to last 4 to 6 weeks. Based on comments, the plan will be revised and then brought back to the board for formal recommendation. Johnson noted that staff took Council on a preview tour and that Council members appeared to be very interested in the plan. Shoemaker noted that field trips will be scheduled for boards and the public, probably in the third week of April. Shoemaker said that the after the NAPP. The document the May board meeting. Nev Business EMP Framework will be completed should be available for review at Johnson reported on the recent meeting of the chairs of boards that work with Development Services. He noted that the chairs had received copies of the "Goals and Objectives" document of the Comprehensive Plan. He said that the board should probably review the goals and objectives related to environmental protection. Shoemaker observed that the EMP Framework will address potential revisions to the Goals and Objectives and that discussion could occur in May. 1992 Budget Process Shoemaker distributed a memo from Mayor Kirkpatrick to all boards and commissions. Council is asking for early input this year on major budget issues. He said that the intent is for the board to identify important funding issues as early as possible in the budget process so they can be addressed in the context of all budget issues. Last year several issues were raised late in the process and could not be fully addressed. Johnson asked the board to think about potential issues and plan to discuss the matter at the April board meeting. Other Business LaRue shared with the Board several pictures of the Miami Metro Zoo, which she recently visited. She said the zoo is set up much like the one being discussed here in Fort Collins. She said it was a simple and unique concept, and that because animals were not caged, it created a nice visual experience. Shoemaker distributed copies of draft legislation being considered for the Poudre River National Water Heritage Area. He said that the legislation is aimed at establishing a mechanism for recognizing the unique cultural history of the Poudre River and providing recreational, educational, and interpretive features. He noted that the legislation attempts to stay neutral on both environmental and water development issues. Its intent is not to provide impetus for additional environmental regulation or for additional water use. Johnson asked the board to review the legislation and bring comments to the next meeting. Announcements Smith said that if anyone had articles pertaining to environmental issues that they felt were particularly good, he'd like to obtain copies for possible printing in the Kodak newsletter. Smith invited board members and staff to a party at his house on March 22. Adiournment The meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m.