HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 10/02/1996E
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MINUTES
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
281 CONFERENCE ROOM - 281 N. COLLEGE AVE.
OCTOBER 2,1996
Phil Murphy, NRAB Chair -
491-6303
Gina Janett, Council Liaison -
493-4677
Tom Shoemaker, Staff Liaison -
221-6263
Board Members Present
Craig McGee, Phil Murphy, Linda Kirkpatrick, Kelly Ohlson, Jan Behunek, Bill Miller, Phil
Friedman, Ed Secor, Katy Mason
Board Members Absent
None
Staff Present
Natural Resources Dgnt: Tom Shoemaker, Sally Maggart, Susie Gordon, Margit Hentschel; Lighl
& Power: Steve VanderMeer
The meeting was called to order at 6:35 p.m.
Guests
Scott Mulvany, Rich Wollam, Heather Brooks and two other CSU students.
Review and Approval of Minutes
With the following changes, the minutes of the September 4, 1996 meeting were approved as
written:
Phil Friedman said that on Page 4 in the last bullet under DISCUSSION "bikes" should be
added. He noted that Craig McGee left at 10:30 rather than 11:30.
Katy Mason said to add "at least" to the reference to "one hauler" on Page 3.
Agenda Review
A presentation on the Wind Power Pilot Program by Steve VanderMeer, Light and Power
Department, was added to the agenda.
Bill Miller requested time at the end of the meeting to give an update on the 35 Acre Task Force and
Rural Land Use Plan.
Announcements
Tom Shoemaker announced that there will be an open house regarding the Pineridge Natural Area
on Monday, October 7 at the Lincoln Center Columbine Room from 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Natural Resources Advisory Board
October 2, 1996
Page 2
Phil Friedman announced that there might be a ten year wild and scenic designation celebration
sponsored by the Friends of the Poudre on November 9.
Susie Gordon announced that October is Larimer County Recycling Month. She noted that leaf
dropoff collection sites will be located in different geographic sections of the city.
Kelly Ohlson showed a doggie waste pickup bag that is provided to trail users in Steamboat.
Wind Power Pilot Project, Steve VanderMeer
Steve VanderMeer, Light & Power Department, distributed brochures describing the Wind Power
Pilot Program. He reported that this source of energy is more affordable now due to development
in technology. VanderMeer added that the City needs to sign up 350 customers in order to move
forward with this project.
City Plan Report from Growth Management Committee, Katy Mason
Katy Mason reported that the committee had met twice to review the environmental section and
comments were included in the board packet. Since the committee did not review the whole
document, the board went page -by -page and suggested the following changes:
Introduction
Page 1, 3rd paragraph: Committee recommended the use of "will' rather than "shall' and "economic
health" rather than "sustainability" Strike the word "can benefit" in the first paragraph; not neutral
on growth.
Page 1, 4th paragraph: Should apply to new and existing neighborhoods.
Page 2: Stick with 20 acres and lower the percentage to 75 percent. Need to address the issue of
affordable housing. Change "products" to "housing". Define home occupations and "excessive".
Uncomfortable with home occupations being looser than present regulations. Need to regulate
magnitude of impacts.
Page 3: Against gated communities from a social standpoint.
Page 5: Strike: "to make it easier for developer". Good idea to use untreated water for irrigation,
where appropriate.
Page 6: Loophole: "to the extent possible".
Page 8: Define 'owner" (owner or developer).
Page 10: Inconsistent. May include one or more of these types of things in 8.2.
Page 12; Include students of all grade levels.
Page 15: Reference solar access code.
Districts
Pages 2 & 3: Edge as a bridge is contradictory. It defines but does not isolate.
Page 5: Need to recover costs. Make sure who benefits and who pays; an equitable fee policy is
needed. "Urban estate" is an oxymoron term; urban implies density.
Page 9, 6.1: Add "where environmentally appropriate, locate and design trails with careful placement
design and construction."
Page 14, Principle DD2: Delete "if feasible" and put in "and/or". Delete "affordable" parking.
Natural Resources Advisory Board
October 2, 1996
Page 3
Page 16, Principle DD3: Place period after population.
Page 19: Add Natural Areas Policy Plan.
Page 20: Drive up windows should not be allowed.
Page 24, Principle: Tone down "accessible primarily by automobile". Define "big box" retail.
Page 26: Add "and/or" to 3.3, last sentence.
Page 28: Clean up junk adjacent to foothills campus.
Page 34: 'Big box" in industrial zones is contradictory. 1.4 is too lenient, weak. Need to do better
on design.
Corridors
Page 1: Add "sensitive" language to Water and Wildlife Corridor.
Page 3: TC2.2 is not proactive. Give priority to alternative modes prior to when automobile
congestion decreases.
Page 4, Pedestrian Plan: Give pedestrian the right of way. Would prefer it to be "legal'.
Page 5: Add Congestion Management Plan.
Page 6:
• 1.3: Delete "trade offs" - use "balance of landscape elements".
• 1. 1: Not the main function of the Poudre River.
• 1.2 & 1.4: Delete "where appropriate" and change "required" to "retained".
• 1.2: Need integrated approach; not site specific, case by case.
Page 7: Add "where environmentally appropriate" in 2.1 and 2.3.
Poudre River Corridor
Page 2: Buffer zone does not mean manicured bluegrass. Specify existing development and
change wording "with an emphasis" to 'limited to".
Page 3: Strengthen language to discourage development in the 100 year flood plain.
PRC-4: Eliminate "manage" floodplain.
• 3.3 & 3.4: Avoid or minimize impacts to sensitive ...."
• 3.1: Add and/or "redesign".
• 4. 1: Eliminate sentence on "floodplain management".
• 4.3: Delete "where feasible".
Page 4: Contradictions in 4.4 & 4.5. Strike "development and keep "where mining or other activities
exist in the floodplain". Specify the Storm Drainage document, Standards and Criteria of the City
of Fort Collins.
Page 5:
• 7.2: Change "develop" to "enhance".
• 8.1: Switch "alternative" with "all".
• 9: Delete gravel resources ..." are important to vitality". Strike first sentence.
Page 9: Add "will be preserved". Insert west "to" the Foothills. Add Natural Areas Policy Plan.
Edges
Page 1: Work on open lands issue
Page 2:
1.1: "Develop" appropriate rather than 'consider". Add "use all tools available".
1.2: "Measures" rather than "efforts".
Principle: strike "as serving" wildlife habitat.
Natural Resources Advisory Board
October 2, 1996
Page 4
• 1.5: Too broad. Define "appropriate". Tie in the development of future management plans.
• IA: Add something about minimizing the visual impacts of development.
Page 3: "Urban Estate" concern.
Page 4: 1.1: Strike 'other appropriate activities". Add "while providing opportunities such as
education".
Page 6:
• 1.5: Add Fossil Creek Reservoir as an example. Add "The Plan for the Area Between Fort
Collins and Loveland".
• 1.2: Add "establish", delete "develop".
• 1.3: Delete "large lot rural residences". Make sure people are paying their fair share.
Community Wide
Page 2: Use "dealing with" instead of "accommodating" future growth.
Page 3: Check on 3.2.
Community Appearance and Design
Page 13: Use economic "sustainability" or "health" instead of development. 1.2: Strike sentence
about financial incentives in the last bullet. Strike "promote city as a good place to live and work".
Concerned about level of emphasis and inclusion as component of land use plan.
Page 14: The affordable housing component is weak. Add a minimum regarding new development
for affordable housing.
Page 16: Make wording stronger in 2.6; say that City "will require". Add policy that the City will
add housing regulations to maintain affordable housing by discouraging profiteering on existing
housing stock.
Pages 18 & 19: The order of policies is chopped up. (Titles will be different in the next version.)
Page 20: Change "has given consideration" to "conforms with" in 1.20.
Page 23: Too much emphasis on new water acquisition without talking about acquisition in 3.2.
Add "with other conservation and water measures".
Page 24: Recommend "energy" sources, not "fuel' in 4.1. Delete "consider" in 4.5.
Page 25: Delete "when possible" in 5.1 and 5.2. Add wetlands, riparian areas and wildlife habitat.
Mention buffering.
Page 27: Minimize structural damage; have a dividing line between existing and future structures.
Add watershed protection. Do not encourage development in floodplains and use that as justification
for building levees, dams and other flood protection.
Page 28: Add wildlife and wildlife habitat in 1.1.
Page 29: Use title "Ecosystems Management' in 1.8.
Page 30: Leave in passive or limited and non athletic purposes in 2.1.
Page 36: Delete "encourage" and add "direct' in 4.3.
Page 38: Needs more emphasis. Add "infrastructure" before public facilities and services. Delete
"fair and balanced" way. Mention direct and indirect costs of growth and build into the principle.
Page 39: Change "encourage" to "direct development'.
Page 41: Change "encourage" to "direct' infill development. Add "loss and/or destruction of open
space and wildlife and wildlife habitat' to indicators.
Natural Resources Advisory Board
October 2, 1996
Page 5
DECISION
Susie Gordon will take the changes to the Advance Planning Department. Katy Mason will set
another Growth Management Committee meeting in the next week or two.
Interim Guidelines on Environmental Regulations, Kelly Ohlson
Kelly Ohlson said that there is a need to send a memo to Council recommending interim guidelines.
Shoemaker noted that City Plan implementation will be done by March. He said that adding new
projects might create tension; staff needs to stay focused on City Plan. Ohlson recommended
eliminating the `base by right" in interim guidelines. He is concerned but will defer to staff because
of the work schedule. It was decided that individual board members should express their concerns
to Council.
City Tower Proposed in Natural Area, Phil Friedman
Shoemaker explained that the land at issue on Reservoir Ridge is owned by the Water Utility
Department and they have no plans to build a tower. The Natural Resources Department will likely
be purchasing this land.
Update on 35-Acre Task Force, Bill Miller
This will be on the agenda for next month's meeting.
Joint Meeting with Parks and Recreation Board
This will be on Wednesday, October 30 at 5:30 p.m. at 281 N. College.
1997 Budget Update, Tom Shoemaker
Shoemaker said that this is looking good for next year. He added that he would like Margit
Hentschel's position renewed to interface with all departments on environmental compliance.
Ohlson noted that there is no funding for trash districting in the 1997 budget.
1996-1997 Workplan Update, Tom Shoemaker
Shoemaker said that maximum resources are being focused on City Plan to make sure that the
natural area design mitigation and river plan are included. This necessitates that other projects will
have to be set aside.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 11:15 p.m.