Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 09/19/2007Community Planning and Environmental Services Natural Resources Department City of Fort Collins DATE: LOCATION: TIME: For Reference: MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD Regular Meeting September 19, 2007 Wednesday, September 19, 2007 200 West Mountain Ave. Suite A 6:00pm Ryan Staychock, NRAB Chair - 481-1801 Ben Manvel, Council Liaison - 217-1932 John Stokes Stokes, Staff Liaison - 221-6263 Board Members Present Alan Apt, Glen Colton, Amy Dean, , Rob Petterson, Joseph Piesman, Liz Pruessner, Clint Skutchan, Ryan Staychock Board Members Absent Linda Knowlton Staff Present Natural Resources Dent: John Stokes, Alexis Hmielak Ryan Staychock called the meeting to order at 6:10p.m. Guests none Agenda Review Glen Colton pointed out that the NRAB board was to give input regarding the legislative agenda at this meeting, however, John Stokes informed them that Mark Radke, Fort Collins Legislative Director, said NRAB input next month is acceptable. Public Comments none Review and Approval of Minutes: Rob Petterson had previously sent comments to amend the minutes which were incorporated into the minutes under review. Liz Pruessner moved to approve the minutes as amended, Joe Piesman seconded, and the minutes were unanimously approved. 200 West Mountain Avenue • P.O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (970) 221-6600 Budget Update John Stokes commented that the 2008 budget was a compilation of offers drafted to a results team for all the departments of the city and was delivered to city council September 4, 2007. The budget can been seen on the www.fcgov.com website, with a function for making comments. There was also a public meeting Monday, September 17, 2007, where the City Manager gave an overview of the 2008 budget, talked about some of the major issues and took questions. Then there were break-out tables, including environmental health, where those present could talk to staff about their portions of the budget. John reported that people seemed to be interested that the waste treatment plant on Mulberry will have to be taken off line and completely rebuilt due to poor performance because of age and antiquated technology. John Stokes told the group that the City Manager's office has asked Natural Resources to prepare a study on trash districting. He pointed out that if this does get funded, Suzie Gordon and John Armstrong will be responsible for the RFP and choosing and managing the consultants. The consultants hired to do this study will build on what Natural Resources has studied before. They will outline the issues, help the city understand the complicated implementation issues and make recommendations how to implement this system. It will then be up to City Council what to do. The group agreed a new study is in order in order to make a proper recommendation to City Council. John Stokes then gave a presentation comparing the 2008 and 2009 budget to the current 2007 budget to give the NRAB Board perspective on where Natural Resources has been and where it is headed. The Natural Resources Department budget presented includes funding from utilities for Climate Wise and General Fund items. Natural Resources Budget by Category for 2007 = $859,768 • Personnel (59%) _ $509,548 • Contractual Services (33%) _ $281,000 • Other Commodities (8%) - $69,220 Natural Resources Budget by Category for 2008 = $948,521 • Personnel (65%) _ $617,350 (addition of .25 FTE education and outreach person) • Contractual Services (28%) _ $269,391 • Other Commodities (7%) - $61,780 Natural Resources Budget by Category for 2009 = $994,549 • Personnel (65%) _ $643.937 • Contractual Services (29%) _ $288,632 • Other Commodities (6%) - $61,980 John Stokes then presented the Natural Resources Budget broken down into specific categories. Environmental Services 2007 Budgeted Expenditures = $726,585 • Solid Waste Reduction Recycling (38%) - $278,311 —program budget • Air Quality (30%) _ $221,341 • Environmental Services (15%) - $108,168 —personnel & administrative services • Climate Wise — General Fund (7%) _ $47,315 Rivendell Recycling Drop-off Center (6%) = $41,450 — o This will change -A local Ft. Collins contractor will soon be providing the same level of service at the same location for no charge to the city — their revenue will come from sale of recyclables. o The savings to the city will go towards payment to Larimer county for waste taken to the landfill by the city and the lack of revenue of waste from Rivendell that will be taken elsewhere. • Zilch loan program (4%) = $30,000 — o Revolving no -interest loan fund to do radon mitigation, retrofit wood stoves with gas and insulating windows. Environmental Services 2008 Budgeted Expenditures = $757,451 — not much change • Solid Waste Reduction Recycling (33%) - $250,850 • Air Quality (32%) = $241,608 • Environmental Services (14%) - $109,289 • Climate Wise — General Fund (8%) = $61,321 • Rivendell Recycling Drop-off Center (5%) = $35,000 • Zilch loan program (4%) = $30,000 Environmental Services 2009 Budgeted Expenditures = $784,301 • Solid Waste Reduction Recycling (33%) - $258,622 • Air Quality (32%) = $248,543 • Environmental Services (14%) - $112,581 • Climate Wise — General Fund (8%) = $62,889 • Rivendell Recycling Drop-off Center (4%) = $35,000 • Zilch loan program (4%) = $30,000 John Stokes presented a schematic showing what monies Ft. Collins Utilities are contributing and are projected to contribute to the Climate Wise program. He also explained the general fund is going up because we provide services to some companies that aren't in the utilities area • 2007 = (74%) $133,183 + (General Fund = 26% $47,315) • 2008 = (68%) $191,070 + (General Fund = 32% $90,704) • 2009 = (68%) $210,248 + (General Fund = 32% $99,555) John Stokes outlined the various programs being done by a lean Natural Resources staff of five: Natural Resources staff covering air quality are Lucinda Smith and Brian Woodruff. They facilitate: the Climate Task Force, which is an enormous endeavor and critical for the city; an Internal Energy Management team, which looks at energy use throughout the city; an Internal Sustainability Team and they are participating with the state program to bring the city back into compliance for ozone levels. The air quality program has had many successes such as compiling sufficient data on the impact of radon mitigation on the city's air quality to such an extent that the city has passed an ordinance requiring builders to install radon mitigation in new buildings. 0 Staff working on solid waste are Suzie Gordon and John Armstrong. Cathy Collier will introduce the Climate Wise program at the October NRAB meeting. This has been a very successful volunteer business outreach program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For example, the cost to reduce a ton of carbon in Ft. Collins is $1.81/ton, which is substantially less than in other cities. The group discussed whether this carbon offset could bring extra revenue to the city. General discussion about the budget ensued: The group discussed the defeat of the sale tax proposal and how much would have gone to Climate Wise. John Stokes related that the Natural Resource staff was asked to identify projects that would fit into health and safety in that legislation. He offered to share the presentation that was prepared for the city council. The NRAB board agreed the presentation was well done, but was misrepresented in the newspaper. They also commented that the local newspaper does not seem to cover environmental issues such as high ozone levels. John Stokes pointed out the water quality testing and monitoring component was taken out of the Natural Resources budget because it is actually a Utilities function and Utilities are already funding quite a bit of it. The group discussed that the Natural Resources Budget and the general Fort Collins budget is a maintenance budget with a flatlined income stream and modest growth for the next 2 years. The city will be borrowing from reserves to meet the current and projected budget, but anticipates the revenue curve to increase after 2009. So far, 2007 has been a good sales tax revenue year. • John Stokes explained that the passage of the library district helped take some strain off the budget. It did not create any surplus. • John Stokes answered that, in the process of proposing an enhancement for Climate Wise, the results team requested an additional environmental regulatory compliance person to be paid from general fund because Utilities are understaffed. The lead team felt strongly about this and provided that the additional person will actually be funded by Climate Wise. • In answer to a question from Ryan Staychock, John Stokes stated that, overall, he is satisfied with the budget, and that to his knowledge there is nothing in the budget that would be damaging to the Natural Resources department. • The group discussed ozone monitoring in real time as a sales tax related offer in the budget and the advantages to those with respiratory problems. Project was estimated to cost $30,000 - $40,000/yr which included some reporting and monitoring. Alan Apt — moved and Joe Piesman seconded the following motion: The Natural Resources Advisory Board enthusiastically supports the proposed general fund budget for the 2008-2009 budget for the Natural Resources Department and recommends the following important additions: Air quality monitoring of ozone and particulates. These area proven public health concern and demand immediate attention. Ozone and particulates adversely impact citizens with respiratory ailments. Citizens require accurate, real-time daily data to preserve their health and safety. In addition, the region is not in compliance with EPA standards for ozone levels and local data is needed to develop mitigation strategies. Solid Waste 50% diversion. The Natural Resources Advisory Board chair recently recommended to the Council four high return on investment strategies to accomplish this council -adopted goal. We once again recommend these four strategies to the Council. These strategies, in addition to reducing solid waste, also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (Please see NRAB's memo of September 18, 2007) The motion was unanimously approved. The Board discussed a draft of a Green Energy Recommendation drafted by Alan Apt and Ryan Staychock that was previously circulated to the group for their review. John Stokes pointed out the CSU windpower project is of interest to the Natural Areas program as it has the potential to negatively impact the landscape of Soapstone. Alan Apt moved and Glen Colton seconded a motion to adopt the Green Energy Recommendation document with the following amended wording: "In the process of implementing Item #2 above, we must be mindful of the trade off between local investment and the total global environmental benefit purchased with out dollars." ..."and CSU windpower projects and energy conservation." The motion was unanimously approved. Ryan Staychock will circulate the final amended document to the NRAB Board and Natural Resources staff. Plastic Bottled Water at City Events The group discussed a recommendation The Water Board recently sent to City Council that the city no longer supplies water in bottles at city events because plastic bottles are not recyclable and that this sends a message to the pubic that Fort Collins' tap water isn't as good as bottled water. Clint Skutchan made the following motion: Because Fort Collins has some of the best tap water in the world, the NRAB board recommends the city serve it whenever possible in lieu of bottled water. Glen Colton made motion to amend by adding the following text: "and it's more environmentally responsible" Clint Skutchan accepted the amendment — Liz Pruessner seconded the motion as amended. Because Fort Collins has some of the best tap water in the world, and it's more environmentally responsible, the NRAB board recommends the city serve it whenever possible in lieu of bottled water. The motion, as amended, passed unanimously. 2008 NRAB Work Plan Task Force Regarding the 2008 NRAB Work Plan Task Force, Joe Piesman and Alan Apt volunteered to work with Ryan Staychock to meet 4-5 times to develop a NRAB task force work plan that is due November 30, 2007. At that time, the liaisons to the City Council will review all the work plans and make recommendations. Clint Skutchan asked to Task Force to ask for prior notice of what changes are made to the plan before it's approved by City Council. Update on Climate Change Task Force Liz Pruessner handed out a draft NRAB 2007 Climate Task Force report with updated figures. Input from the Task Force open house and website yielded 200 suggestions of measures to reduce CO2 that were honed down to 25. The goal set by City Council in 1999, was to identify measures that will reduce 1.1 million tons of COZ by 2010. This was to be 30% below the 2010 estimate of emissions. The charge to the NRAB Climate Task Force was to identify measures/costs/strategies to achieve this goal. The first page of the report listed existing programs to reduce CO2. The second page projects the outcome of the existing projects to be 35% of the 2010 goal. The report outlined conservative and aggressive measures to reduce the 600,000 ton gap. The Task Force concluded the 2010 goal is challenging because many measures would actually take more than 2 years to get into place. They considered that 2020 was an important time frame and added numbers to the report showing 2020 benefits. The report also enumerated the costs to the city and the cost to the participants for these measures. Liz commented there are no easy or quick things to do to reduce COZ. The group discussed the advantages/disadvantages of an energy audit ordinance that would require regulatory or voluntary home audits and remediation of energy losses. The group also discussed the feasibility of the plan, how the plan could be funded and how to sell the plan so that people would actually spend money to comply with the ordinance. The group also discussed contributing factors such as transportation, population growth and climate change. Liz Pruessner pointed out solid waste is a doable effort and can help reduce the 1.1 million tons of CO2 goal by 30% and to achieve the entire goal, there must be a paradigm shift in public attitude towards these issues and perseverance to carry out the measures. Ultimately, any NRAB recommendations would have to be approved by City Council. Liz Pruessner announced there would be another open house in October where the public will be able to review this proposed list and give feedback. New Business Evironmental Impact Statement Clint Skutchan announced that he attended a meeting with the chairs of the Parks, Water and Land advisory boards where they discussed a process whereby the upcoming Environmental Impact Statement for Fort Collins would be presented to all of the advisory boards at once. John Stokes gave an update regarding the formation and review of the EIS. The City Council asked the Utilities and Natural Resource Departments prepare response material to the EIS and to submit comments on behalf of the city. Staff is to look at the EIS from the viewpoints of water quality, the impact of the biology of and the economic value of the Poudre river to the city and to respond to the EIS when it comes out in mid -November. The NRAB board agreed it wanted to comment on the EIS as a board. John Stokes explained there is a 90 day comment period, the EIS will be a huge document and that staff would not be able to review and comment until late December, 2007, or January, 2008. He also stated there will be a public meeting regarding the EIS and if the public asks for the comment period to be extended, it could be extended. Regarding how the City Council wants staff to comment, John Stokes expected the Council to ask for comments in a City Council work session, and any action taken by the City Council would be in a regular Council meeting, most likely in January of February, 2008. The board discussed forming a NRAB Task Force to read the sections of the EIS that are applicable to the NRAB. Ryan Staychock summarized that he would report back to the meeting of the boards, that the NRAB board would like to be included in the group EIS presentation, that it will convene a task force to review the sections of interest to the NRAB, by taking staffs lead on that. Ryan Staychock encourages all members to comment as citizens. Budget comments Ryan Staychock encouraged all members to visit the budget online at www.fc.eov.com and comment as citizens. Other New Business Glen Colton made a suggestion to have future presentations about being more self sufficient and less reliant on global economics through utilities, gardening, greenhouses, shop local businesses, etc. Clint Skutchan asked the board if it had any interest in the local uranium issue. John Stokes reported that the City Manager's Office has asked staff to look at it. Apparently, in situ mining doesn't have any direct effect to city because the city doesn't use groundwater as its source of drinking water. Staff reported to Council it was not sure if there would be any relationship to the city, but more will be known during the permitting process and environmental assessment. The group discussed local interest in the potential uranium mining effects to the area, potential economic impacts, interest and actions by Colorado Representative Randy Fisher, interest by the Larimer County Health Department and local doctors groups, and if there would be any impact on the Poudre River. Liz Preussner announced there would be a presentation at the Lincoln Center Tuesday, September 25, at 7 pm regarding the uranium issue. The Board agreed to have a presentation at the next meeting on this subject by a knowledgeable third party in order to make a recommendation to City Council. October Agenda Legislative policy review Uranium mining Cathy Collier will make a presentation on Climate Wise City rezone of the SW corner of I-25 and Prospect Ryan Staychock moved and Glen Colton seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed unanimously. 0 PMMeetin dourned 9:1 V�Sd5� miffed gy Alexis Hmielak Administrative Secretary I Approved by the Board on / //l�,/)./A l , 2007 Signed — A'4 ex A&6nstrative Secretary I Extension: 6600 Date