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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Board - Minutes - 10/21/2010Water Board Chairperson City Council Liaison Gina Janett, 493-4677 David Roy, 217-5506 Water Board Vice Chairperson Staff Liaison Steve Balderson, 223-7915 Brian Janonis, 221-6702 Roll Call Board Present Chairperson Gina Janett, Vice Chairperson Steve Balderson, Board Members Brian Brown, Mike Connor, Johannes Gessler, Duncan Eccieston, Phil Phelan and Brett Boyce Board Absent Board Members Reagan Waskorn, Eileen Dornfest, and David Pillard Staff Present Brian Janonis, Link Mueller, Kevin Gertig, Dennis Bode, Steve Comstock, Robin Pierce, Steve Catanach, Carol Webb, Ken Waido, Timothy Wilder, and Jennifer Shanahan Guesis Ryan Grabowski, Sean McCarthy, and Courtney Peterson Meeting Convened Chairperson Janett called the meeting to order at 3:08 p.m. Public Comment Ryan Grabowski and Sean McCarthy attended the meeting as student observers for a course, Environmental Conflict Management. Minutes of September 16, 2010, Meeting Board Member Connor moved to approve the minutes from the September 16, 2010, meeting. Board Member Eccieston seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. Plan Fort Collins Draft Plan Feedback Ken Waido, Deputy Project Manager with the Plan Fort Collins Project Management Team, facilitated a discussion related to Principles and Policies in the Draft Plan, scheduled for public release November 19. Boards and commissions will have until December to provide feedback on the Plan. Council will hold a comprehensive discussion at the January 11,2011, work session and provide direction to staff to finalize wording. More emphasis is being placed on monitoring progress of Plan components toward the vision. Monitoring which was in place with the last City Plan is being refined with this update. An action plan will be associated with these documents and divided into three sections — implementation action (policies, ordinances, new programs, etc.), a short-term action plan and a long-term action plan. Water Board Minutes October 21, 2010 Fort Collins Utilities Water Board Minutes Thursday, October 21 , 2010 Stormwater and Flood Management, Principle ENV 18 The new idea moving forward is to have larger-scale stormwater detention features to allow for paths and trails. Referring to the note to add a graphic of College Avenue and Drake Road, as multi-disciplinary simulations were done, this area was studied, and the model contained stormwater detention. Policy ENV 18. 1, Balance Environmental and Economic Concerns: This Board has recommended Council prohibit structures in the floodplain. Policy ENV 1 8.2, Manage Risks: Statement is very difficult to understand. The Board would like differentiation between 100-year and 500-year floodplain in all references. Policy ENV 18.5, Provide Education: Add educating the public about the function of floodplains, e.g., floodplains slow water down and minimize destruction. Many of the statements appear to be out of date. How will these statements serve to influence anything? Policy ENV 20.4, Develop Public/Private Partnerships: Intent is not clear whether the Plan is trying to enhance compact development or engage private partners to invest funding in these activities. Policy ENV 20.5, Emphasize a Linked Surface Stormwater System: This term is not familiar to the Board, e.g., coordinating with natural areas, wildlife habitat, etc.? Water Resources, Principle ENV 22 Policy ENV 22.1, Placeholder for Wastewater Policy: Anticipate future water regulatory criteria. Add a third policy to reflect this to Water, Wastewater, Stormwater, and Energy. What is the City’s stand on reusing wastewater? Our ability to reuse wastewater is limited by Colorado water law, but 100 percent of our reusable water is sent to the Rawhide Power Plant for cooling. Poudre River Corridor, Principle ENV 24 Board members noted their objection to the conditional language contained throughout this section, e.g., “when possible” and “make efforts to.... support” terminology beginning with Policy ENV 24.1, Support Ecological Resilience. Jennifer Shanahan, Natural Resources environmental planner, noted a perspective that some conditional language is necessary since many varying factors impact the ecosystem. Board members requested a level of specificity be added. Principle ENV 26 The Poudre River Master Drainageway Plan is the same as the Poudre River Storrnwater Master Plan. This term was not familiar to the Board. Water Board Minutes 2 October 21, 2010 Policy ENV 26.3, Assure Setbacks for Channel Instability and Policy ENV 26.4, Improve Channel Migration seem redundant to each other and could be combined. Policy ENV 26.5, Development in the Floodplain: Board members suggested changing “Implementing appropriate conservation techniques and floodplain regulations” to “best management” techniques. The Asset Management initiative is referred to in the Draft Plan. Chairperson Janett will prepare a memo representing the Board’s feedback for the Plan Fort Collins Project Management Team. Meadow Springs Ranch Grazing Lease (Presentation available on request) Water Reclamation and Biosolids Manager Steve Comstock, presented an update on grazing activities at Meadow Springs Ranch. This year’s lease has once again been awarded to Natural Fort Grazing, Inc. who has held the lease since the City took ownership of the Ranch in 1990. The lease is based on a ten year term and serves 1100 animal units over a six month period each year. The grazing company offers an excellent rate at $16 per unit compared to the area average of approximately $12.50 per unit. Potential revenue will be $l.056 million dollars. Motion: Vice Chairperson Balderson moved that the Water Board recommends that City Council approve the proposed 2010 Meadow Springs Ranch Grazing Lease. Board Member Brown seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: It passed unanimously. Wastewater Master Plan (Presentation available on request) Project Manager Link Mueller provided an update for the Board on the Wastewater Master Plan. The last update was in 1999. Plant expansion will not be needed to accommodate growth before 2040. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has been looking at nutrients for some time. The nitrogen standard may be delayed to 2017. Fort Collins Utilities is monitoring the many discussions currently happening. Stormwater and agriculture also discharge nutrients. This change will impact stormwater. Our current permit expires in 2013. Each basin is reviewed every five years; our basin was reviewed in 2009. Current master plan spending is projected to load some of the operational replacements across the next nine years. A Board member encouraged the Engineering Committee to promote the benefit of paying cash to avoid interest payments and bond financing to staff and City leadership. Staff will study a rate leveling strategy, as well as current bonds and the relationship to new financing needs. The sewer rate increase is at 8 percent in 2011 and 8 percent in 2012. Are we predicting too ftir in advance what the State is going to do? In our permit, there is a compliance schedule, ranging between two and five years. As a projection, Mr. Mueller chose Water Board Minutes 3 October 21, 2010 three years as the time frame. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established that everyone will adopt nutrient criteria, and the State will adopt basic standards in 2011. The State realizes there is a financial/economic impact for everyone. What are the benefits to the ii’ater bodies? It depends on our load and the particular water body, but it can benefit aquatic life. Hmi’ does ii impact the stormn’aler permit? In the State’s proposal, the controls are put on the publicly-owned treatment works. Stormwater utilities will do monitoring upstream and downstream of their discharges. Seventeen states restrict the amount ofphosphorus and nitrogen in consumer products; hence a legislative tactic may be available. Should our City simultaneously be investigating a legislative option? Board Member Waskom, responsible for Colorado State University’s Water Resource Institute, is interested to explore this. It was recommended the Legislative, Finance, and Liaison Committee meet with Board Member Waskom to discuss further. There are multiple avenues to reduce the expense. Mr. Mueller noted staff has been testing our infiLlent to identify how much of these compounds are coming in. Fort Collins Utilities is a member of the Colorado Wastewater Utility Council which may also provide a forum to use for advocating this. Draft 2011 Annual Work Plan The 2011 Annual Work Plan is due November 30. Chairperson Janett assigned committee chairs to summarize progress on this year’s work plan, circulate among committee members, and submit your updates by Friday, November 5, to Robin Pierce, Utilities. Committee Reports Engineering Committee (Vice Chairperson Balderson). The committee discussed fluoridation at the last meeting. Water Production Manager Lisa Voytko will report back on seasonal dosing and costs. Water Conservation Committee (Board Member Phelan): Legislative, Finance and Legal Committee (Board Member Pillard): The committee reviewed the floodplain regulations. Mayor Hutchinson will sign a letter supporting the proposed new State floodplain regulations soon. Instreani F/ow Committee (Chairperson Janett): The Instream Flow Committee will meet for a last time in October and develop a recommendation for the full Board. Water Supply Committee (Board Member Gess/er): Staff Reports Water Resources Manager Dennis Bode provided the Water Resources Monthly Report, reflecting levels at 93 percent of projected water use. Use has dropped off as homeowners are shutting off sprinkler systems. September was 10 percent above projection, and the trend continued into October. Water Board Minutes 4 October 21, 2010 Other Business Utilities Executive Director Brian Janonis encouraged Board members to attend the November 18 Storrnwater Open House from 4-8 p.m. The floodplain regulations will be discussed, and exact details will be forthcoming. Chairperson Janett noted ongoing issues with quorum and suggested changing back to an evening meeting. Please send your feedback to her. Shared Vision Planning for the Halligan Reservoir project will see completion of the “purpose and need” step in 2011. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 5:17 p.m. Submitted by Robin Pierce, Utilities Administrative Services Supervisor Fort Collins Utilities Approved by the Board on — . . — , 2010 Signed: //71J Board Secretary Date Water Board Minutes 5 October 21, 2010 r