HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012 - Natural Resources Advisory Board - Annual Report1
MEMORANDUM
FROM THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD
DATE: January 28, 2013
TO: Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Liz Pruessner on behalf of the Natural Resources Advisory Board
SUBJECT: 2012 NRAB Annual Report.
In 2012, the City of Fort Collins Natural Resources Advisory (NRAB) held 11 regular meetings, during which
41 agenda items were considered, 11 actions were taken, and 5 memoranda were sent to the City Council.
Liz Pruessner and Joe Piesman were elected chair and vice-chair respectively. Four NRAB members served as
representatives on the Bicycle Advisory Committee, the West Nile Virus Task Force and the Oil and Gas
Advisory Committee. One representative from the NRAB assisted with the scoring criteria of the stream
restoration multi-criteria decision making tool for the Stormwater Master Plan. The Board welcomed
new members Paul Nastu, Justin Shepard and Joe Halseth in January. Table 1 outlines NRAB
activities in 2012.
Other actions taken during the year include commenting on the Budgeting for Outcomes Process, the
Stormwater Master Plan, setbacks and land use code changes for Oil and Gas Development within the City, the
Trails Master Plan, Low Impact Development, supporting the Integrated Recycling Facility and removing
cardboard from the waste stream. Several members toured the PRPA Rawhide Power Plant and we discussed
the conversion of Rawhide from coal to natural gas as a fuel source. We explored the impacts of Oil and Gas
Development with several guest speakers. We also devoted a great deal of time discussing the consequences of
the High Park Fire on the Poudre River watershed and the City water supply.
The NRAB had a productive year and we look forward to another year of service on behalf of the environment.
Please feel free to contact me regarding this 2012 Annual Report for the NRAB.
Respectfully Submitted,
Liz Pruessner, Chair
Natural Resources Advisory Board
484-4371
lizpru@colostate.edu
cc: Darin Atteberry
John Stokes
Susie Gordon
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Table 1. Summary of 2012 City of Fort Collins Natural Resources Advisory Board Accomplishments
Date of
Regular
Meeting
Topic/Agenda Item Formal Board Action? Memo to
Council?
January 18,
2012
Organizational Changes for City’s Natural
Resources Department
Bruce Hendee- Office of Sustainability
No No
Recycling Program for Business, Multi-
family Complexes No No
Annual Report for 2011 No Report sent
February 22,
2012
Energy Program Updates No No
Integrated Recycling Facility Report No No
BFO Process No No
Bicycle Committee Report No No
Board Elections Yes - Elections No
March 21, 2012
Colorado State University Sustainability
Efforts No No
Stormwater Master Plan and Capital Project
Prioritization Process No No
Waste Stream Study & Waste Conversion
Technology Report No No
Parking Plan Yes Yes
April 18, 2012 Meeting Cancelled – lack of Quorum No No
May 16, 2012
Vegetative Restoration Project Site Visit –
McMurry Natural Area No No
Budgeting for Outcomes No No
Committee Report - Process improvement
for Boards No No
June 20, 2012
Kechter Farm Development Yes No
Oil and Gas Production – Dr Bryan Willson
of CSU No No
Budgeting for Outcomes; Offers Submitted
on Behalf of Natural Areas Program No No
July 18, 2012
Budgeting for Outcomes Update & NRAB
Recommendations Yes Yes
Waste Conversion Technologies Review No No
Committee Reports No No
August 15, 2012
Trails Master Plan No No
Water Quality Impacts to Poudre River from
Wildfires No No
Land Use Code – Buffer Standards No No
Recommendation from the NRAB in
support of the revised Kechter Farm plan Yes Yes
Budgeting for Outcomes No No
September 19,
2012
Stormwater Master Plan Yes – Passed Motion in support Yes
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October 17,
2012
Effects to Poudre River Ecosystem from
Wildfires No No
Oil & Gas Regulation Yes – Passed Motion in support No
Budgeting for Outcomes No No
November 26,
2012
Two Initiatives; Plastic Bags Restrictions,
and, Increased Cardboard Recovery
Yes – Passed Motion in support
of Cardboard ban in waste
stream
No
Stormwater Permit Expressed full support No
Low Impact Development (LID) Policy Yes – Passed motion in support No
2013 Work Plan Yes Plan
Submitted
December 19,
2012
Budget Allocations 2013-14 No No
Ecological Value of Non-Native Tree
Species in Landscaping Yes Yes
Natural Gas Line in South Fort Collins No No
Urban Agriculture & Changes to Land Use
Code No No
Oil & Gas Regulation No No
Budgeting for Outcomes No No
Conserve To Enhance No No