HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 01/20/2016MINUTES
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD
Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Location: 215 N. Mason Conference Room 1A
Time: 6:00–8:30pm
For Reference
Bob Overbeck, Council Liaison 970-988-9337
Susie Gordon, Staff Liaison 970-221-6265
Board Members Present Board Members Absent
John Bartholow, chair Luke Caldwell
Nancy DuTeau
Elizabeth Hudetz
Bob Mann
Harry Edwards
Drew Derderian
Katherine de Leon
Jay Adams
Staff Present
Susie Gordon, Staff Liaison
Dianne Tjalkens, Admin/Board Support
Josh Birks, Economic Health Director
Katy Bigner, Environmental Planner
Guests:
David Tweedale, citizen
Dale Adamy, citizen
Call meeting to order: John called the meeting to order at 6:05pm
Introductions: Katy Bigner will take over the staff liaison position for the NRAB in March. Drew
Derderian is a CSU alumnus in Forestry. Working for the Center for Environmental Management of
Military Lands as GIS technician. Elizabeth Hudetz is a musician, with experience on the
Transportation Board and other human rights and environmental organizations—wants to maintain a
healthy city. Katherine de Leon teaches elementary school and at Front Range—would like to start a
compost facility in the city. Jay Adams is a Coast Guard veteran, belongs to Larimer County Office
on Aging Council, and is a volunteer ranger assistant.
Agenda Review: No changes.
Public Comments: None
Approval of Minutes:
Harry moved and Nancy seconded a motion to approve the December minutes as presented.
Motion passed unanimously, 7-0-0. Jay arrived after vote.
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AGENDA ITEM 1—Brief Overview of Brownfields Survey on N. College
Josh Birks, Economic Health Director, provided early information about environmental studies
being conducted for the North College Avenue area, a project that is intended to help guide
redevelopment planning.
Economic Health focuses on long-term horizon and economic stability—helping the economy fit
with our community values. The City received a Brownfields assessment grant from the EPA for
$500K. Intent is to understand environmental contamination status in key redevelopment areas. Fort
Collins does not have many heavy industrial sites, but does have petrochemical, solvent, and dry
cleaning sites. The grant awards $200K for petrochemical pollutants and $300K for other hazardous
chemicals. Focusing on North College. Will look at focus areas, identify 40-50 sites for assessment,
move 20 to Phase 1 environmental assessment (records review). Another 5-6 sites will potentially
receive Phase 2 assessments, which includes soil sampling. A cleanup plan based on remediation
needed for the particular end use will be completed for 2-4 sites. Owner of property can apply for
grant funding to remediate the site. Program fits into City’s larger plans to find highest and best use
of existing land, rather than growing outward. Focusing on North College and River District area.
This is a coalition grant— the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and County are partners, so
can redirect funds to other locations if necessary. Received funds in October, selected consultant, and
currently identifying sites to assess. Very early days in grant process; have three years to complete
the project (2016-18).
Discussion/Q & A:
• Study of private property?
o Yes. Must be used for private property.
And if owner does not want to have assessment?
• Their prerogative. However, assessment does not oblige owner to do
cleanup. Filtering process is important. Identifying properties that
would change owners or be redeveloped. Willing partnerships.
o Neighbors of property owners have a say?
Yes. Community outreach process to make clear what is being funded, how
assessments can and can’t be used, etc.
• What do you expect to find?
o Petrochemicals from auto repair, buried storage tanks from former gas stations,
cleaning solvents, etc. River District had an oil and gas storage and refining site, and
clean up has been done. Train operates through area. Concrete manufacturer was in
the area. Don’t anticipate large plume. Northside area was used as a landfill, but has
been mitigated and remediated. Uncertainty around contamination can be a barrier to
having sites move to next generation of use. Educate property owners and neighbors.
Many assessments come back with no contamination or minimal contamination that
can be approved for certain uses or can be covered with parking, or is surface soil and
can be easily removed.
• Looking along river for dual benefits?
o Paying special attention to Vine Drive in Poudre corridor—private property that has
yet to be redeveloped. Will have no trouble finding 20 sites. EPA sees success as
redeveloping a site to a higher and better use. If can do that, will be positioned to get
more funding for cleanup.
• Some sites not in use? But some are?
o Correct. Example: truck repair and sales at Vine and College. Could be contamination
due to kind of use.
• Plan to include Engines Lab in study area?
o In study area and has been well studied already. When built facility did Phase 1 and
2. Had limitations on how deep could disturb soil.
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Engines Lab was power plant for City and it burned coal.
Lot of existing information on this site.
• May have 2-4 cleanup sites, but funding is not used for cleanup?
o Funding can be used for cleanup planning, but not for cleanup. Can help owners find
grant funding for that. EPA has not done one of these assessments in Colorado and is
interested in continued success.
• Who on staff is going to be point person?
o Josh is project director; project manager is Bonnie Pierce in Utilities. Have hired
consultant group—firm located near the study area. Have expertise in education and
outreach.
• Economic sustainability different from economic development. Have personal concern about
some programs. Is there a line between DDA, Chamber, City—between what they are doing
and want to do?
o Market forces can be shaped but not controlled. Shape through engagement.
Example: state providing incentives to company moving onto Harmony. 600 jobs.
City’s Economic Health Office (EHO) played minimal role since did not see call
center jobs as part of vision. Sustainability comes from using economic development
tools to incentivize businesses that fit our community values. City has not
incentivized data centers—low producer of jobs, prosperity, uses a lot of energy and
land. Industries being created should have long life span as well.
o Environmental sustainability piece. For instance, offering incentives for an industry
that uses a lot of water does not fit with environmental sustainability.
Correct. Climate economy is one theme area of EHO strategic plan.
Opportunity to create jobs around solving climate problems. Want to achieve
broader community goals.
ACTION ITEM: Josh will revisit board with updates.
AGENDA ITEM 3—2016 NRAB Work Plan Development
John drafted the work plan, based on prior work plans, and conversations with the board, Council
liaison Bob Overbeck, and Jackie Kozak-Thiel, Chief Sustainability Officer.
Discussion/Q & A:
• Waste reduction and recycling section—add that NRAB has representatives participating on
regional waste shed planning group.
o Nancy and Bob will continue to attend those meetings.
• Harry has participated with Climate Action Plan.
o Have transitioned to implementation phase with another group.
o No formal place for an NRAB member?
Online application process, selected at large from community.
• Suggestion for board to adopt part of Spring Creek trail.
• Water resources. A lot of trash along waterways. Would like to look at places and determine
what needs to be done. Stormwater, runoff, landscape that is watered, fertilizer, etc. runs into
places it should not.
o Areas that have been or will be re-sculpted.
o County has project areas mapped out. Poudre runs through everything.
• This board does not oversee Natural Areas. That is Land Stewardship and Conservation
Board; however, can look at these issues where this board’s mission intersects.
• Sustainability is direction this board is moving. See if can strengthen language to define
sustainability as a main purpose.
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o Only item under community sustainability is Sustainability Assessment Tool (SAT).
That idea was pushed by previous NRAB groups. Desire for metrics to measure
sustainability. Staff developed tool, but NRAB has not seen it yet.
Cassie Archuleta can present on this evaluation tool. She is reviewing the tool
and surveying staff on its use. Opportunities to ask staff to address
opportunities for better resiliency and mitigation. If want input, could add to
February agenda.
Inputs and outputs. Could be more specific.
• Katy was involved in TBLAM tool development, which was
qualitative tool. SAT is primarily qualitative as well. Diverse staff
members help project managers to think about projects. Can include
more quantitative metrics, but it’s an assessment overview of TBL
concepts. Shows pros and cons in each area. Valuable to City
Council.
o Role that NRAB plays corresponds to interest in key environmental areas that also
have social implications. Need work on introduction to 2016 work plan —explain
how NRAB helps integrate issues. Example: When board looks at water resources
asking about implications to human health.
• Interested in focusing on oil and gas development as well as water. Hoping to learn about
permaculture and xeriscaping—incentivizing both. Keyline is an approach to irrigation that
uses the slope of the land for better water use.
o City has xeriscaping incentive program.
In process of redesigning that program.
o Permaculture is similar, focus is to feed animals with landscape.
Harry moved to adopt the 2016 NRAB Work Plan as amended. Nancy seconded.
Motion passed unanimously, 8-0-0.
ACTION ITEM: Bob and John will make edits to document based on board input.
AGENDA ITEM 6—Other Business
Webpage Language Revisions
When looking at applications for membership, found there was confusion between Land
Conservation & Stewardship Board and NRAB. Want to be clearer about what people are applying
for by strengthening description on webpage.
• Natural Resources was a department that included Natural Areas and Environmental
Services. Split because large part of Natural Areas’ work is land management. Can add
language that NRAB staffing support is provided by Environmental Services.
• Natural resources may be confusing term. Move key areas of focus to beginning.
• Confusing trying to research this board online. Cannot find chain of command.
o Strength is that have ability to look at whole spectrum of natural resources. But
weakness that can cause confusion for the public.
ACTION ITEM: Susie will make edits based on board input and submit to City Clerk.
Announcements/Open Board Discussion
• Does recycling really work? Seems like people putting wrong things in recycling bins.
o Fort Collins has had robust recycling for past 20 years. Community does a good job,
and gets positive feedback from the processing plant. Normal to have a certain
amount of “contamination”, which gets sorted out at the plant Overall, in economy
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of US, waste reduction and recycling is a big economic driver—it creates jobs and
materials for manufacturing. Past couple of years have been challenging as global
demand has changed. China’s economy is slowing down. The US significantly
reduced its domestic processing capability when global market was hotter. Price of
oil has dropped so low, cheaper to use virgin oil to create plastics. However, 95% of
community participates in recycling.
As move to alternatives from oil and gas will still need petroleum for plastics.
Hierarchy of waste management—reuse, reduce, recycle. Source reduction is
very important.
Have a bottle/can deposit.
• Many states do this and have incredible recovery rates. Beverage
companies and grocers have lobbied against it. Some places have
redemption centers.
• Difficult for individual city to implement. Needs to be a statewide
program.
• Vermont, Hawaii, California, Iowa, and Oregon all have.
o .
o Paint recycling program: Home Depot charged $0.75 and customer was told to return
to Ace, but Ace would not accept cans. Sherwin Williams took them.
Participating merchants. Susie will follow up.
• Glass recycling containers, being sponsored by a company called Clear Intentions at five
strategic locations, were introduced in October. At Epic, it is around corner of building and
snow has not been removed around container.
o Susie will follow up to see if host sites are managing snow removal. First collection
(November) had about 300 pounds of glass. Helping to promote and get more sites.
Reason interested in getting glass out of curbside is that it is more valuable
separated—it gets less damaged and reduces contamination of other recyclables in
single stream. Haulers used to get paid $18/ton for recycling. Now having to pay
$45/ton to drop off recycling. Detrimental to haulers. Regional waste shed group is
considering removing glass from single-stream recycling altogether.
Have haulers indicated that would make a difference in price paid?
• If no glass price would be $34/pound. Also, glass is most heavy
product.
Glass contaminates everything in single stream. Need to find alternative use.
• If take it out of recycling, will get into trash. Could people just
separate glass in the curbside collection program?
o Body of truck must have separate compartments or a split
body. Additional expense to haulers to buy new trucks.
o In county buildings, glass is separated separately.
Can message that we are at a critical juncture for recycling program and glass
is inert in landfill.
• Must increase publicity for glass collection sites.
• Incentivize? Put near grocery stores?
o Groceries sometimes do not like giving up the space and/or
aesthetics. Clear Intentions has been talking to King Soopers.
o City staff is scouting additional locations.
• Status of community recycling center and recycling ordinance?
o The Community Recycling Ordinance was supposed to go to Council hearing this
month for ordinance change, but have slowed down to do additional work session.
Caroline Mitchell will discuss three decision points with Council: phase-in periods,
curbside organics collection, and price differential. Continuing to meet with haulers.
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o Center is moving along. Will open new drop-off site at Prospect and Timberline.
Prairie dog colony was reported by contractor to have left the property on its own.
May break ground in February.
• Electric bill insert had article on CAP. First goal of 20% reduction from 2005 is set for 2020.
Talk it up and do our part to help achieve the goal. Will mean changes to ways we live and
conduct business.
• New development west of Anheuser-Busch is asking for a variance in setback from an oil
and gas well. 350 feet for residential. Variance requested because well is not active anymore.
o Making progress in getting oil and gas issues before NRAB.
o Can store waste in unused wells. Bad for water. Thought rule was 1000 feet.
• Handout provided on Poudre River Forum, February 5.
ACTION ITEMS: Request Susie learn more about paint recycling program and participating
merchants.
Request Susie follow up with host sites of glass recycling bins to learn about snow
removal practices.
Council 6-Month Planning Calendar
• January: Recycling Ordinance work session
• February: Dust Prevention and Control
• March: Water Efficiency Plan
• March: CAP Implementation
o Should find out who is on the implementation planning group and talk to them.
o Lindsay Ex is the staff lead. Staff is working on strategy ideas. Budgeting process is
beginning and Council wants to see CAP projects.
Harry will contact Lindsay and ask her whether he or someone else on NRAB
can get closer to the process.
o Idea to have informal optional meetings on how to get these types of things done.
Haven’t had many subcommittees. Will consider.
• April: Waste Optimization
o Honoré is working on product stewardship, source reduction, etc. Sustainable
materials management incorporates these principles. Regional waste shed planning is
included. Anaerobic digestion at waste water treatment plant. Honoré is framing
long-term project and seeking input at Work Session.
o Request Honoré present to board in March.
• April: Refreshing Our Parks
o Susie will find out more.
ACTION ITEMS: Request Honoré present in March on waste optimization.
Request Susie to find out more about Refreshing Our Parks project
Agenda Planning
February:
• Stormwater and river bank armoring project
• Instream augmentation plan—project to get more water in the river during low flow periods.
Many stakeholders involved. Complicated legal process. Currently there is no good way to
legally shepherd water downstream.
• Election of officers
Meeting Adjourned: 8:00pm Next Meeting: February 17
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