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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 02/20/2019February 20, 2019 – Minutes Page 1 NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING FEBURARY 20, 2019 – 6:00 PM 222 LAPORTE AVENUE, FORT COLLINS – COLORADO ROOM 1. CALL TO ORDER Nancy called to the meeting to order at 6:00pm Board Members Present: Jay Adams Drew Derderian Elizabeth Hudetz Luke Caldwell Danielle Buttke Nancy DuTeau Board Members Absent: Barry Noon Staff Members: Lindsay Ex Ryan Mounce (City Planner) Molly Saylor (Environmental Planning) Kurt Friesen (Parks Planning Director) Cassie Archuleta (Air Quality Program Manager) Guests: None 2. AGENDA REVIEW Nancy reviewed the Agenda out loud, no amendments 3. COMMUNITY MEMBER PARTICIPATION None 4. ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR Luke nominates Nancy for Chair, Jay 2nd, unanimous Nancy nominates Danielle for Vice Jay 2nd, unanimous Jay moves nominations to be closed, Elizabeth 2nd, unanimous Jay moves to approve the slate, Elizabeth 2nd, unanimous 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Luke motion to approve minutes from January meeting, Jay 2nd, unanimous. Approved as posted. 6. NEW BUSINESS a. City Plan and Transportation Master Plan Ryan Mounce, City Planner, and Molly Saylor, Environmental Planner and Data Analyst, will provide an overview of the final City Plan documents, and specifically how they relate to sustainability. (Action: 60 min.) February 20, 2019 – Minutes Page 2  Now includes the transit master plan, moving forward with March 19th adoption day at city council, may move back between now and then.  City Plan and Transportation Master Plan combined into one document  Highlights community approach to integrated land-use and transportation  High-level direction for the seven key out comes areas  Plan Hierarchy  Why- Community Engagement & Direction  What- City Plan (long term) with Strategic Plan (short and mid-term guidance)  How/Funding- Budgeting for Outcomes  Climate Action Plans Transit Master Plan and many others  Maintaining Direction  Growth Management Area Size  Natural Areas and Land Conservation Strategy  Parks, Rec, Transit, Historic Preservation and more  2019 City Plan changes  Simplified principles and policies  Strategic plan provides near and mid-term guidance  Utilize functional and neighborhood/corridor plans for more detailed policies and actions  Focus areas influencing new ideas / changes in 2019 City Plan update  GMA Buildout (Growth Management Area)  Employment lands Industrial lands and how does this shape up for the future  Housing choices & access • Key focus, important to community  Expanded transportation options • Popular with community  Climate Action • Include updates to Climate Action Plan  Community Vision Update • Big change is simpler, focused on values Livability, Sustainability  Making the most of land we have left  Commercial and Transit Corridors  Vacant Land / New Development  Where greenfield growth will occur? This will be high growth area, also natural resource area, create new partnerships, look at different standards  Employment Zone  Have large excess of employment zoning  Additional small user industrial space along E Mulberry • Including north east areas • Land areas left over in north area • Shifting some lands along Mulberry  Flexibility for secondary uses and amenities support employers and employees • Campus employment, like HP, seems like more people want access to leave for lunch and that sort of thing  Gateways • Understand suitability and update vision for I-25 gateway • There is an effort to look at I-25 and Harmony Gateway, looking at May timeframe • Prospect and Mulberry will have separate efforts  Housing Options February 20, 2019 – Minutes Page 3 • Update standards to reduce barriers and incentivize a broader mix of housing in new development • Investigate the possibilities of choices in neighborhoods e.g. accessory units  Clarify Land Use Code standards for infill and redevelopment projects  “Co-housing” is not directly part of the plan, multifamily elements. Group of people who have shared open spaces, “Intentional Communities”, community building activities. Affordable housing aspects are built in.  Strategy is strong for housing choices, to help with affordability, aging, locations, and more  ELIZABETH notes that insects are decreasing, and with things like permi- scape/zeroscape and other accommodations with water use will need to be encouraged. Do we promoted programs and incentives to help with appropriate landscaping?  DANIELLE – are grey water standards part of the plan? Yes they will be indirectly included through partnership/learning opportunities for water management and conservation practices  Transportation Major Concepts o Looking at ride share services and additional curb areas • Transit expansion • Mobility as a serve • Mobility management • Layered networks  ELIZABETH brings up opportunities for city and school busses to combine, example of New York, where you don’t even need to own a car to live there. Help people get out of cars, better sense of community, helps kids get in the habit of taking the bus. Lightens traffic. Need to look at more, expanding thinking to new ideas, focus on congestion and pollution.  How do you get people use to these systems?  Want a system that can grow over time? Does it come often enough? A lot of discussion about fares, and other cities that have seen success in fare-free. Logistics, most of the routes have 30/60 minute frequencies, don’t align with school start times. Presenter:  Future Transit Network – focus is on higher frequency • 3 new Bus Rapid Transit routes • 30 minutes services or better throughout the system • Regional connections • Loveland, Longmont, Boulder • Looking at Wellington, Greeley via Windsor  Mobility Hubs • How can we connect ride share, transit charging systems, where people can connect into other travel options  Innovation Zones • Current Transit Network • Now *23% residents access to frequent transit *58% residents access to all transit • Future *53% residents access to frequent transit *85% residents access to all transit • New road construction and widening will be limited to areas like NE FC • Ongoing targeted improvements • Continue work on signal timing optimization February 20, 2019 – Minutes Page 4  Climate Action • First time climate action and City Plan have aligned at this level • Multi-modal investments balance out population-driven increases in Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) • Community-wide impacts were less than expected • CAP / Energy Policy update will identify pathway to 80x30 goal and • Identify actions for climate adaption and resilience planning  ELIZABETH: Looking at fracking, and bids that are coming in. Polis is now stating that cities should have a say in whether they allow fracking; he will not sue cities who will not allow fracking. While they are still functional, this needs to be addressed. Air quality will becoming a larger problem.  What will it take? • Decrease ground travel • Expand mobility innovations • Increase electrification • Decrease Solid waste • Increase sustainable building practices • Decrease natural gas usage  Reminder: • City Plan looked at scenarios • Status quo • More density, more multi-modal infrastructure • CAP Analysis • Considered status quo as similar to “do nothing more” for case • Looked at how scenarios compared to status quo  2017: 17% below 2005 – Metric tons of CO2 Equivalent  In 2011, there was a hydro-dip, because it was a good year for amount of “leverageable” water, 2012 was not a good year for hydro. o (this is just the impact of City Plan, not other initiatives)  Adding a lot of people, and land use density will somewhat balance out all of the people.  Trajectory for 2040, puts FC at 235,000; includes folks in growth mgmt. area but not in city limits currently  In 2030 Best CAP outcome at 2030 (scenario 2) – due to increase in housing options that will be available in 2030  DANIELLE – how do commuters affect this model  This model is based on carbon inventory inside of town, more analysis needed to separate commuters to in town residences. Difference would show in per-capital scales, but are not currently analyzed  More need for a regional lens on this for the future  LUKE- FC Moves does a survey to business owners  Recently, if you look at Larimer and Weld, the population size of Loveland is commuting between the counties.  Key Takeaways February 20, 2019 – Minutes Page 5 • Population growth will pay significant role, especially 2030-2040 • Densification will help lower emissions (especially at neighborhood scale) • Yet, community-wide densification has low impact • Not yet modeled • Impact of 100% renewable electricity • Environmental Health • Principle / Theme Areas • Ecosystems and Natural Spaces • Create enhance, conserve  CAP goals • How we’ll get there (energy, electrification, transportation, etc.) • Maintaining reliability and affordability in our sustainability strategies • Integrate mitigation  Waste System  Water  Poudre River (water ways)  Urban Forest  COMMENTS/DISCUSSION • ELIZABETH – if we go with 1 versus 3, does it limit growth in population • The scenarios are meant to be discussion topics to start and then divide by priorities and what is available for tweaks in new developments • DANIELLE – Concerns of library park area, part of historical district, but also part of City Park redevelopment, • A little bit of both, updated Old Town Update area, people could convert their homes but historical will be preserved • LUKE – when will strategic plan be updated • This fall, always the off cycle of the budget • NANCY – Gateways will be pushed to May, as a separate update, to go to city council • Next public meeting for Harmony gateway is next week (27th?) • LUKE – within the GMA, we have strong needs for parks, rec fields, and natural areas. Encourages acknowledgement that as space is running out, not to overrun natural areas with growth. • Value on natural areas is front and center. Building in land use codes and standards. • NANCY – areas for infill and redevelopment, most impact will be on transit routes, not as much in established neighborhoods. Appears that some private entities are stepping in with mobility, bike shares, to help meet some of the demand. • Still affected if there is minimal visibility in the neighborhoods.  NRAB – provide recommendations to City Plan? • DANIELLE – look at case studies to implement combined school and city bus • LUKE – congestion that occurs during school pick up drop off times, needs air quality and traffic studies done • DANIELLE – in carbon modeling have you looked at social impacts (health) • MOLLY – exploring a tool that does measure those pieces • NANCY – Add in to recommendation about more studies needed • Motion to send a memo to council with recommendations Danielle motions, Luke seconds the motions, unanimous February 20, 2019 – Minutes Page 6 • Will happen via email b. Parks Refresh Kurt Friesen, Parks Planning Director, will provide an overview of the current projects, including an update on City Park and the Park Refresh effort and how these efforts integrate with Nature in the City. (Information/Discussion: 40 min.) • Projects Update – Park refresh and its status, some partnerships with nature and the city • Park Planning and Dev • Seven full times staff • Licensed professionals • 20+ active projects, 3 currently under construction • Park planning and Dev is about design and strategies, buys land and water, hands key off to parks department, Park department maintains and owns lands. • DANIELLE – are there public health consultants on projects? • Certain projects have some, depending on outreach options, projects are very participatory • Guiding Docs – Parks and Rec Policy Plan and 2013 Paved Roads Plan • Quantitative and Qualitative Approach o Access to park amenities, quantity of rec components, impact fees (help to keep the bar even) o Community Parks o Large Rec Facilities o Neighborhood Parks • What makes a great park? o Appropriate o Sustainable o Unique o Balanced o Accessible o Connected • TWIN SILO PARK 30%+ with non-irrigated areas, farmhouse, silos and playground, native plants, creek play area, mouse crawl, night access with lighted capabilities • LONG VIEW TRAIL, from FC to Loveland along Shields, 4 mile, partnership between county and Loveland and FC. Wetland mitigation ceremonies, big grand opening • FOSSIL CREEK TRAIL, unique because it burrows under an active railroad, challenges while working in existing neighborhoods, very distinct and separate focus, big grand opening • CRESENT PARK, includes non-irrigated areas, includes sledding hill, in Maple Hill neighborhood, will have spring ribbon cutting, used raw water from Poudre River • POUDRE RIVER WHITE WATER PARK College ave bridge at Old Town; overlook with pedestrian bridge, wave shelter, gathering spaces next to the river is focus, ADA access to get down to river level, great groundbreaking, a lot of philanthropic support/fundraising efforts, found historic (110 years old) manholes, created February 20, 2019 – Minutes Page 7 archeological mapping of these completely under the river. More at fcgov.com/park planning • WHITE WATER will be complete by Summer 2019. • CITY PARK of TOMORROW – replacing City Park Train is the top priority, based on voter approved ballot initiative; refreshing and improving city park, tennis and playground areas are also of interest, shelters and railroad also. • CITY PARK of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Exhibit Intersecting Efforts Had high attendance at community meetings and online surveys o Most Impactful Guiding Principles o Replacing improve infrastructures o Connect people with nature o Scope and Scale of “how much refresh” o Working definition of Park Refresh: To update o Where we are today – selected 32 community members, representing diff demographics, will do 2-day workshop, and presentation • STREET PARK – new under construction, in March. Celebrates heritage of sugar beets. Repurposes city park train tracks, play structure is a giant sugar beet. Vine and Lemay project, will provide Lemay as a local street when it’s done. Includes Garden in partnerships. Play sugar beet is in Discovery Museum until May • TRAILHEAD PARK OPPORTUNITIES – met in December, got feedback • POWER TRAIL & SPRING CREEK TRAIL – connects to existing spring creek trail behind Epic. Project will follow the bridge work completion. This is completely new trail, currently connect Power Trail and Spring Creek Trail • POUDRE RIVER TRAIL & EAST COMMUNITY PARK - Working with county and Timnath to collaborate a crossing under I-25. Will provide bike trail between Fort Collins and Greeley. • POUDRE RIVER TRAIL SPUR • Other projects o Parks and Rec Plan Update o Raw Water Supply Study o Montava/ Northeast Community park o Sidehill Park o 9/11 Memorial Garden o Eastside Park Improvements o Development Review DISCUSSION/COMMENTS/QUESTIONS • LUKE – How sustainable is park funding, how confident are you that we can create all of these projects? • KURT – with fee projections, the funding will exist for the necessary additional 15 parks. Refresh does not have secured tools for funding, will be exploring other means to update existing parks, and cannot use impact fees. • LUKE – with uncertainty if we can reach phase 2 and 3, is it feasible to even start? • KURT – important to be aware of the uncertainty, rebuilding a current park is restricted by the land that currently exists for the park. Even if we just do phase 1, it will be a functional and good park, even if 2 and 3 do not come. February 20, 2019 – Minutes Page 8 • LUKE – does park planning model usage of the parks (like increasing density in city plan), parks will become even more critical as the city becomes more dense. Are there use rates, do they affect how often they phase up? • KURT – as new people come in, new fee structure is used for new parks (not existing parks). • LUKE – needs sustained funding system for parks. Fort Collins has sold brand based on public amenities • KURT – it’s a fair concern and parks dev staff is aware; on the maintenance as well as refresh side, feel like the fee system is working, feels confident that it can happen. Securing land early is better, as land costs go up. • NANCY – how much do you coordinate with Urban Forest? • KURT – a lot of coordination, trees in parks are technically forestry. • DANIELLE – are you familiar with sustainable turf initiative, identifying ways of using turf, with compost and building soil structures, and minimizes needs for pesticides and water. Danielle will forward info to Kurt. • DANIELLE – Harmony and Power Trail, is there a plan? • KURT – need to identify a preferred option and develop funds. At McMurray and Harmony, options are under street or over head above Harmony. This is on work plan, partnering with Engineering to get it done. c. Outdoor Residential Burning Update Cassie Archuleta, Air Quality Program Manager, will provide an update of the proposed approach to addressing Outdoor Residential Burning and seek a recommendation from the Board. (Action: 25 min.) • Outdoor Residential Wood Burning Update – would like a paragraph statement of recommendation • Staff Recommendations o Modifications to Air Pollutions Nuisance Code to support implementation for outdoor residential wood burning o Additional environmental compliance resources o Same project goal • FINDINGS o Smoke and particle pollution o Nuisance and or health concerns o Sensitive populations o Smoke can travel o Social effects • Look at Municipal code 20-1: Air Pollution Nuisances Prohibited o Air pollution Nui Code Limitations – Criminal offense – requires proof of public nuisance o Proposed updates – Decriminalize – add operational requirements =midnight curfew = 15 foot property line setback ( o Implementation and Enforcement Goals – Focus on egregious offenders – Limit first responder resources • STAFF RESOURCES February 20, 2019 – Minutes Page 9 o Air quality compliance support – Additional .25 FTE – Education and Outreach – Implementation and Enforcement = Complaint logs = warning letters = site investigations = citations o LUKE – wood burning next to a drafty house (aligned with fire safety homes) • COMPLAINT AND RESPONSE PROCESS o Smoke concern – access resources – talk to neighbor – reach a compromise? o First Complaint – outreach letter – recommendations o Additional Complaints – Notice of Violation (warning letter) – incident investigations – citation o LUKE Time frame for outreach and violation buildup? o Will be based on priorities level, extra sensitive neighbors. Sufficient evidence will be the biggest challenge. • CHALLENGES o Location known – timely response • EVAL AND NEXT STEPS o 2019 Collect Date 2020 Evaluation and Recommendations (possible permit program) • INCENTIVE PROGRAMS o Remove/recycle wood burning appliance o Add in smoke free appliance incentives • JAY – how was midnight derived? Council was zooming in as a reasonable place to start, and evaluate data. • JAY – why 15 foot? Based only on a fire code that does exist currently • JAY - How many properties does 15 feet exclude? • LUKE – different rules for different densities • DANIELLE – opportunity to incentivize the smokeless, larger for solid burning and smaller for smokeless. Starting these campaigns means that education should start taking place now, while people are talking about it. NRAB RECOMMENDATIONS: The NRAB supports the modifications to the Air Pollution Nuisance Code including decriminalization, the 15 ft setback (or greater), but recommends an earlier curfew (e.g. consistent with the noise ordinance) during the summer to accommodate use of whole house fans. The NRAB also recommends consideration of shorter setbacks for lower smoke solid-fuel appliance options, such as smokeless fire pits. A ban on high pollution advisory days is also strongly recommended, especially during wildfire events. The additional resources for education, outreach, and enforcement are also supported. Elizabeth motions to approve and send recommendations. Danielle second motion, unanimous. 7. OTHER BUSINESS a. March meeting date – Proposed for March 27th To accommodate spring break - approved b. Board Member Reports NANCY - Need new member to eBike committee (replaces Luke), Bob emailed showing interest. February 20, 2019 – Minutes Page 10 Luke motions to appoint Bob Mann to Bicycle advisory committee Elizabeth seconds the motion, unanimous. • DANIELLE – West Nile approach this year is to gather resources to evaluate the impact of spring to inform next year. o Exploring data from ditch companies. o Bottom line is preventing human cases. • NANCY – super issue meeting, city plan and presentation on Montava, which is following city plan closely/ • NANCY and JAY - Gateway committee, gave feedback that Gateway needed to develop within Harmony plan; urging committee to preserve small wetlands part that may be the only natural land in the corridor development. • ELIZABETH - League of Oil and Gas Impacted Citizens, will begin some lobbying opportunities with Joann Ginal or Cathy Kipp. o April will be next combined boards meeting, focus on Triple Bottom Line c. Six Month Calendar Review • 2/26 Work session includes Platte River Power Authority Organic Contract again 3/19 • Lindsey will email the packet to Nancy • EBike work session is 3/5, typical concerns were brought out • Memo is in for wave shed • EBike memo done • 4/9 Halligan • 6/25 Climate Action Plan Update; maybe at this board in May d. Additional Announcements • Rob Kagen, Chair of Parks Board, park and rec maintenance is not sustainably funded, will create an initiative to build a ballot measure of “Pennies for Parks”. • Volunteers for city can now ride TransFort for free, must get updated badge with your photo. • Christine and Lindsay will manage the two alternate positions on NRAB 8. ADJOURNMENT 8:58 p.m. by Nancy