HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 10/19/2016MINUTES
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD
Date: Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Location: Colorado River Room, 222 Laporte Ave.
Time: 6:00–8:30pm
For Reference
Bob Overbeck, Council Liaison 970-988-9337
Katy Bigner, Staff Liaison 970-221-6317
Board Members Present Board Members Absent
John Bartholow, chair
Katherine de Leon
Drew Derderian
Nancy DuTeau
Bob Mann
Elizabeth Hudetz
Luke Caldwell
Jay Adams
Harry Edwards
Staff Present Staff Absent
Katy Bigner, Staff Liaison, Environmental Services
Dianne Tjalkens, Admin/Board Support
Rebecca Everette, Senior Environmental Planner, Environmental Services
Ed Bonnette, Senior Buyer, Purchasing
Guests: none
Call meeting to order: John called the meeting to order at 6:01pm
Agenda Review: Sustainable Purchasing Practices will go before Downtown Plan.
Public Comments: None
Approval of Minutes:
Katherine moved and Luke seconded a motion to approve the September minutes as amended.
Motion passed unanimously, 9-0-0.
Correction: Nancy acted as Chair; John sent minor edits.
AGENDA ITEM 1—Overview of Sustainable Purchasing Practices
Ed Bonnette, Sr. Buyer, provided an overview of the City’s purchasing approach for sustainability
considerations.
City purchasing has a large local economic impact: $270M annually in purchases. Important to be
green in purchasing to have reduced negative effect on human health and environment. Triple
Bottom Line perspective includes social aspects in purchasing selections. Citizens expect City to lead
by example. In 2013 created checklist for sustainable purchasing. Ex: new construction and remodel
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meets LEED gold or better, consider alternative fuel vehicles, promote alternative modes of
transportation, etc. Each purchase order is coded as sustainable or not and assigned a commodity
order. In 2014 started collecting data on sustainability of purchases. YTD, 29% sustainable. Office
Depot is office supply vendor—41% green spend overall, and 88% green spend on copier paper.
Achieved Gold status for State Electronics Challenge. YTD have recycled ~$550K surplus metal and
sold ~$150K in surplus property at public auction. Using DocuSign for purchasing contracts.
Discussion/Q&A:
• Criteria for evaluating purchases? Source is important. Are distance and packaging also
considered?
o Challenge is measuring City-spend. Much of it is in services and construction. Started
with looking at highest level spend and will work way down. Don’t buy a lot of
commodities. Do a good job of buying EP Gold computers, but have opportunity in
packaging of those.
• Is it common practice among vendors to track green the way Office Depot does?
o Not common. They are strong leader in this area. Have another vendor that gives
ratings, but their measures are not as meaningful as Office Depot’s.
• Does the City have cost-preference for more sustainable products? Used to be 10%
preferential discrepancy—could pay 10% more. Economic incentive.
o Evaluation criteria in requests for proposals (RFPs) include a 10% weight for
sustainability. We direct vendors to tell us how sustainable their operations are. Part
of the evaluation. In December will start looking at expanding this to bids.
• Who determines what “sustainable” is?
o The checklist was put together by the buyers. Did outreach to best practice agencies
to determine how to define and measure green spend. Ex: We don’t purchase
janitorial supplies, but ask our janitorial service to use green supplies. Have ability to
code purchase orders, so generate and track a lot of data.
• If had a person concerned about something the City considers green, how would the item be
reconsidered?
o Ex: Hand-dryers or towels, which is more sustainable?
o Concerned about natural gas coming from fracking, so if want to ask the City to
reconsider the green classification of natural gas vehicles, who to talk to?
City Council. Ex: CNG vs. diesel. If CNG dump truck is $100K more, have
to determine if it’s in the budget to make that purchase. Also, some options
are not available.
ACTION ITEMS: Elizabeth will follow up on natural gas fleet vehicles.
AGENDA ITEM 2— Downtown Plan Overview
Rebecca Everette, Sr. Environmental Planner, provided an overview of the environmental elements
of the updated Downtown Plan. She will return in November with a public draft and will be seeking a
recommendation at that time.
Purpose of Downtown Plan is to be a guidance document to inform code requirements, City policies,
what programs/projects to invest in, where to direct infrastructure improvements, development
patterns, and character for 10-20 years. Focused on areas zoned commercial development from CSU
campus to Woodward. Community engagement has reached thousands and included newsletters,
surveys, boards and commissions, open houses, focus groups, public events, etc. Six topic areas with
working group of City staff and outside stakeholders for each. Also divided into character sub-
districts, where have specific needs and priorities. Districts include innovation, Poudre natural area,
river, historic, etc.
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Doing internal review of draft plan; will have public draft November 7. Month long review process,
with additional public outreach including boards and community groups. Working toward Council
adoption in January.
Energy & Environment topic area guiding principles: Preserve and enhance natural corridor, tie into
Climate Action Plan (waste management, renewables, electric vehicles, etc.), incorporate Nature in
the City, ensure utility infrastructure meets current and future needs. Have aging infrastructure. Ex:
Mountain Ave project last summer replaced pipes that were over 100 years old.
Discussion/Q&A:
• Empty space on map?
o Park next to Buckingham neighborhood. Want it to stabilize and remain the same, not
be rezoned to commercial. This is a historic workforce neighborhood and part of
Trés Colonias. Strong neighborhood desire to not have commercial.
• Document is very well written and prepared; easy to read. Appreciated.
• Reference to achieving energy production within core area?
o Renewable energy production possibilities are unique in Downtown area. In historic
core, not many opportunities. Lincoln Corridor and Entryway Corridor along
Riverside, and open spaces could have solar. Have limited wind at Powerhouse. Solar
is main opportunity. Potential for some geothermal in the Civic District. Also setting
stage for future energy production technologies. As replace old roadways, may be
additional creative ideas to increase energy production.
o Suggest inserting word “renewable” so don’t misunderstand as drilling.
• Didn’t see mention of air quality?
o Talk a little about indoor and outdoor air quality. Could be emphasized more. Have
policy to support indoor and outdoor environmental health, with some actions around
air quality. Addressed more in transportation section.
• Are we getting to growth point that we want to stop cars and work more on public
transportation? MAX isn’t getting us there yet. Public transportation is part of air quality
solution.
o Discussed in Transportation section. Board may be interested in reading draft of that
section.
o Have had dialogue about on-street paid parking. Direction from Council currently is
to pilot it in a section of Downtown.
• Bigger picture have Transportation Master Plan—how does that overlap with this plan?
o Transit Plan, Transportation Master Plan, and City Plan will address similar topics at
the citywide scale. City Plan will not re-open Downtown Plan. Much of what was
developed here will translate well to a citywide scale. Transportation guiding
principles have emphasis on riding transit, biking and walking to reduce GHG
emissions. Talk about shuttles, first and last ½ mile connections, and parking so
people are not circling downtown looking for parking.
• Looking at differences to roads like changes to bike lanes and sidewalks?
o Depends on roads—great opportunity when replace roads to make improvements like
restriping, wider sidewalks, bike lanes, etc.
o What is timeline?
Upgrades already occurring, and will have to occur over next few decades
until we are fully up to date on infrastructure. Work on Mountain is good
example of what is being done.
• Solar collecting roads and sidewalks?
o Concept that exists; no current plan to pilot in the city, but could be considered in
next few years as technology improves. Downtown is opportunity to pilot and
showcase new technologies.
• Putting solar on City buildings?
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o On the roof of 222 Laporte. Part of the plan for most new buildings. Advancing so
quickly—have technology for windows even.
• Infrastructure of sewers—as redevelopment occurs, are developers responsible for upgrading,
or City?
o Combination. Where development happens, the developer is partially responsible—
usually as a payment to the City to do project along entire street, not just at one site.
• Supporter of paid parking, if done well. Seems hard to make assessments with a pilot project.
Human nature will be to park elsewhere. May not get data needed to support scaling.
o Size pilot large enough, and place where demand is high for on-street spaces. If pilot
is too small, won’t be effective. Working with Parking Services.
• Handicapped parking—Five on-street spots between Laporte and Oak on College. Needs to
be re-evaluated. County building has 20 handicapped spaces, but doesn’t do any good for
someone who wants to shop. Suggest having Purple Heart parking for disabled veterans.
Handicapped people will not shop downtown. Handicapped parking is not being enforced.
Commission on Disabilities was discussing this in August, but have not had any updates.
o Will bring comment back to team to ensure that issue is being addressed. Part of crux
of parking issue right now is capacity to enforce.
o Ex: Downtown employee with handicapped placard can use the space for the entire
day.
• Near-term, mid-term, and ongoing. What are the timeframes for these terms?
o Near-term is within next budget cycle (2017/18), immediate is 2017 or already in
motion; mid-term is next two budget cycles; ongoing is long-term.
• Transportation principle 3 is about automated parking?
o Apps and real-time communication in parking garages, maps to direct people to
where parking is available. May include individual space censors in parking garages.
Wayfinding, helping communicate availability, where bike shares are, walking
routes, etc. People get here and don’t know where to park, what is private vs. public,
etc.
Sensors can be used to change prices based on demand.
Scheme for on-street paid parking is market-based tied to time of day, day of
week, etc. so prices are higher when demand is higher.
• Right now have many complex plans that overlap for this area. Assuming Council adopts
this, what will really be different? What are big changes?
o One of biggest changes is in Urban Design section—immediate action to update
zoning code requirements for entire downtown to reflect desired vision for character
districts—setbacks, courtyards, pocket parks, design of buildings, etc. Form of built
environment. The last plan was about revitalization after the original mall was built.
Took a couple of decades for everything to be incrementally realized. Now it is about
managing the success we’ve had and setting the stage for future decisions.
• Part of outreach is dealing with partners—who are they?
o Main partners are DBA (Downtown Business Association) and DDA (Downtown
Development Authority). DDA manages much of this area in collaboration with the
City. DBA is more marketing and business advocacy group. Arts and culture,
transportation and parking, will have involvement. Also partner with CSU, County,
and large employers.
• What discussions are happening around smaller local businesses?
o Market and Economy section. Outreach asked what people love about Downtown—
people feel local, independent, and small businesses make the area. Have some chains
that people don’t realize are chains. What is it that people like about them? What is
appropriate for the City to do to preserve that character? In Fort Collins there is desire
to let free market work itself out in retail. Can get more information on this.
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• How does issue of public safety fit into this plan? Opiate issues, public drunkenness,
panhandling, etc.
o Addressed in Management & Maintenance section. Downtown has become so
popular that some people don’t feel comfortable at certain times due to behavioral
issues. Distinguishing between homelessness and behavioral issues. One of biggest
actions that is already in progress is Outreach Fort Collins, a collaboration between
Social Sustainability Department, Police, and nonprofits, to do outreach to get people
services and address behavior issues. Had three police officers on management and
maintenance team, so being addressed.
• Trash and recycling?
o Solid waste reduction is moving into management and maintenance section. Have
action item about design enclosures for trash, recycling, linen change out,
composting, oils, etc.
o Have many haulers serving downtown is a concern for emissions, safety, etc.
Staff have been discussing these issues.
• Dark Sky Initiative, lighting, etc.?
o Falls under Nature in the City principle—reduce impact of public lighting on
environment and wildlife. Considering a blackout policy—turning out all lights on
facility when not in use. PSD has found fewer incidents of vandalism since they have
implemented this. Have actions related to decorative lighting in downtown and
development review process is addressing orientation, quantity, color, etc.
ACTION ITEMS: Bob will draft recommendation before next meeting. Rebecca will follow up on
handicapped parking and air quality. Rebecca will be prepared to address Parking & Transportation
questions at the next meeting if Amy Lewin is unable to attend.
AGENDA ITEM 3— Review of Budgeting for Outcome – City Manager’s Recommended
Budget
Nancy DuTeau provided an overview of the City’s Manager’s Recommended Budget and which items
were and were not included.
Nancy: Offers are organized within outcome areas. The funds are not distributed equally across the
outcome areas. Nancy provided a chart and listed the offers NRAB reviewed and where they ranked
in the City Manager’s recommended budget. She learned about off-cycle funding, during which staff
can make additional requests if funds are available. The highest ranked offers in environmental
outcome area were for basic services/utilities. All the environmental offers are critical to reaching
CAP goals.
Katy: Municipal adaptation plan is above the line for 2018, whereas community adaptation is not
recommended for funding. Enhancement for FortZED was reduced 60% and folded into the
Environmental Services core services budget. As core service, it becomes standard business practice
and does not have to compete as an enhancement again.
Discussion/Q&A:
• Admin support offers?
o A number of positions were being proposed to transition from hourly to classified,
but admin did not make it into the recommended budget. There is a plan being
developed to phase those in.
• Two years ago the board raised issue for a couple of offers.
• Happy to see how many offers are being funded.
• When staff put these together they have program proposals. Spring will be a good time to ask
staff for updates on how programs are being developed.
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• Nature in the City and water conservation positions funded, as well as Nature in the City
grant program.
AGENDA ITEM 4— Review and Adoption of 2017 NRAB Work Plan
John and Nancy updated the 2016 Work Plan for 2017.
Nancy added references to Nature in the City, and will change Climate Action Plan to Road to 2020.
Adding City Plan, Air Quality Plan, Transportation Master Plan, Transit Master Plan, and other plans
that will be updated in 2017 to the Work Plan to ensure the board gets updates on these.
Discussion/Q&A:
• HOA has huge retention areas, and is across the street from Front Range Community
College. Wondering how that land could be better used by students to grow food?
o Stormwater controls use of detention ponds. Katy will find out who to talk to about
this.
Luke moved and Nancy seconded a motion to approve the 2017 NRAB Work Plan as amended.
Motion passed unanimously, 9-0-0.
AGENDA ITEM 5—Other Business
Bicycle Advisory Committee Update
• Extension of bike trails—Longview Trail, just south of Cathy Fromme, will connect into
Loveland trail system. Collaboration with Loveland, Larimer County and City of Fort
Collins.
• Shields and Elizabeth underpass—Substantial changes to pedestrian crossings and
intersection.
• Using raw data (incidents number) for fatalities and accidents—no accounting for change in
number of users. Hard to gauge whether safety has been increasing or decreasing based on
those numbers.
Announcements
• Amendment 71—Special event at Best Western conference center in Loveland tomorrow. 71
would require 2% of each senate district to get a new ballot initiative.
• Seeking candidates for board membership for 2017.
Six Month Planning Calendar
• December, Running Deer and changes to land use code for prairie dogs. Does Board want to
weigh in at next meeting?
o Schedule Mark Sears for November for Running Deer.
o Prairie dog issue is mostly taken care of by Land Conservation & Stewardship Board.
Can’t relocate them very well. They are not protected.
Get update of what they are proposing to Council.
• John and Nancy will meet with Katy to determine next month’s agenda.
Meeting Adjourned: 8:09pm
Next Meeting: November 16
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