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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Board - Minutes - 01/16/2020WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING January 16, 2020, 5:30-7:30 p.m. 222 Laporte Avenue, Colorado River Community Room 01/16/2020 – MINUTES Page 1 1. CALL TO ORDER 5:30 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL • Board Members Present: Michael C. Brown, Jr. (Chairperson), Jason Tarry (Vice Chairperson), Kent Bruxvoort, Jim Kuiken, Steve Malers, Phyllis Ortman, Nicole Ng, John Primsky, Greg Steed • Board Members Absent - Excused: Randy Kenyon, Cibi Vishnu Chinnasamy • Staff Members Present: Theresa Connor, Katherine Martinez, Eileen Dornfest, Dan Evans, Donnie Dustin, Cameron Gloss, Carol Webb • Members of the Public: Brian Zick 3. AGENDA REVIEW • Chairperson Mike Brown noted a few additions to the agenda: o Chairperson Brown will draft the Annual Report and distribute to board members for comments and revisions o The Water Board will discuss and edit its comments about the Halligan Water Supply Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) in a letter to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers o Staff is available to answer board members’ questions on the Montava development and recent Coloradoan article. 4. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION (3 minutes per individual) • Brian Zick, district manager of Boxelder Sanitation District, introduced himself and summarized district services and the district’s philosophy of collaboration. Boxelder is a special utility and provides wastewater service primarily to northeast Fort Collins. These areas were developed by special district regulations and state law, and the district’s service area boundaries were established by collaborative efforts of Northern Front Range Water Quality Planning Association ( www.nfrwqpa.org/ ). Within their service areas, each district makes decisions on planning and service to customers. As Fort Collins grows, the district must consider how to plan and collaborate. In the past, the district has, for example, worked with the Town of Windsor to determine which organization will serve new developments; he stated there are reasons for the City and district to talk and collaborate as developments come up. He wanted to reach out and provide information, and invited the board to contact him. WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 01/16/2020 – MINUTES Page 2 5. INTRODUCTION OF NEW BOARD MEMBER Chairperson Brown invited new Water Board Member Nicole Ng to introduce herself. Ms. Ng is a registered professional engineer in Wyoming whose background is in civil and environmental engineering; she is a colleague of former board member Andrew McKinley. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES • Chairperson Brown asked for comments on the December 19 minutes. A board member noted minor revisions. Board Member Malers moved to approve the December 19 minutes with the minor revisions noted. Board Member Ortman seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: it passed unanimously, 9-0. 6. NEW BUSINESS • Staff Reports (Attachments Available Upon Request) o Halligan Water Supply Project Quarterly Report Special Projects Manager Eileen Dornfest summarized highlights of the public hearing hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on January 13, and stated the event was successful. Discussion Highlights: A board member commented on the possibility of reservoir public recreation and consequences; Ms. Dornfest replied that staff will study and address that topic and related issues such as safety, environmental and property owner concerns, etc. o Montava Development Questions Utilities Deputy Director Carol Webb answered board member questions. A board member expressed concerns about learning about some issues from newspaper articles, such as water issues related to the proposed Montava development, rather than hearing about them first from City staff. Ms. Webb replied that staff will work to add Water Board members to the daily media summary email list, and agreed staff needs to do better to alert the Water Board of issues as they arise. In some cases, staff is directed to research and analyze a proposal that is ultimately not pursued, and it therefore does not come to the Water Board. WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 01/16/2020 – MINUTES Page 3 Other board members commented on and inquired about other issues such as the reason for the fish kill (it was determined that City facilities were not the cause; a cause was never found); costs of water service; water storage; new developments in the Growth Management Area and not in the City service area; water needs of new developments; philosophical debate about how much to charge new development for water; Ms. Webb encouraged board members to watch the video of the January 14 City Council meeting agenda item on the Montava Planned Unit Development (PUD). 7. NEW BUSINESS • Staff Reports • Water Board Memo to Council regarding Halligan Water Supply Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement, and Reply from Mayor (meeting packet only) • 2019 Fall Water Quality Update – Upper Cache la Poudre Watershed (meeting packet only) Discussion Highlights: A board member commented that the report was excellent, and asked staff to add context to why the pH levels were high. Ms. Webb stated she would share the suggestion with staff. • Financial Monthly Report (none provided this month) Per standard practice, staff will share a year-end report at the February board meeting, and financial reports for January and February at the March board meeting. • Water Resources Monthly Report Discussion Highlights: Water Resources Manager Donnie Dustin answered board members’ questions. Mr. Dustin commented on the wet spring and fairly wet year, and the trend in late summer of not much rain. Precipitation in August was 102% of projected treated water demand, and September was 106% of projected. WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 01/16/2020 – MINUTES Page 4 • Regular Items • Harmony Gateway Plan Amendment/Standards & Guidelines (Attachments Available Upon Request) Long-Range Planning Manager Cameron Gloss summarized the plan and Stormwater Master Planning Manager Dan Evans helped answer questions. The plan covers 420 acres; one-third of the gateway area is vacant and therefore can be developed; 40% of the south portion must be preserved as naturalistic landscape; landscape setbacks from Interstate 25 and Harmony Road. The presentation covered information such as boundaries, land use, design elements (including multi-use paths), floodplain areas, water rights and status of water; building heights, community engagement, etc. Staff requested that the Water Board recommend City Council approve the following proposed changes to the Harmony Corridor Plan and adopt revised Standards and Guidelines, including Chapter 3 Land Use, Chapter 5 Gateway, and Harmony Gateway Standards and Guidelines. Discussion Highlights: Board members commented on and inquired about various related topics, including parking and the possibility of a parking structure (staff considers the area a major transportation hub and is researching this possibility); preference for smaller setbacks on Harmony Corridor with a natural corridor going south; irrigation required for larger setback; suggestion of a matrix to show options; possibility of technology businesses; the perspective that the City is chasing retail sales tax revenue (on Harmony, and near Colorado State University) at the expense of job development; floodway as a buffer to I-25 and Harmony; floodplain mitigation; developer interest in portion of Gateway area for residential housing; Foothills Mall and major retailers struggling; preference for more primary employment in the proposed mix of employment, commercial and residential development while recognizing Water Board should focus on water issues in the plan; general support of plan and specific support of floodplain/floodway elements of the plan; support of naturalistic river valley landscape. WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 01/16/2020 – MINUTES Page 5 Board Member Primsky moved the Water Board recommend to City Council the approval of that portion of the Harmony Corridor Plan and revised Standards and Guidelines as it relates to (a) floodplain/floodway, (b) the natural river valley design element, and (c) water efficient landscaping. Vice Chairperson Member Tarry seconded the motion. Discussion on the motion: excellent plan, Vote on the motion: It passed unanimously, 9-0. 8. OTHER BUSINESS • 2019 Water Board Annual Report. Chairperson Brown will draft the report and share with board members for review, revisions and comments. Board Member Malers moved that the water board allow the chair to create and submit the Water Board 2019 Annual Report. Board Member Ortman seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: it passed unanimously, 9-0. • Water Board Comment Letter on Halligan Water Supply Project to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Board Member Malers moved that the Water Board accept its response to the Halligan Water Supply Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for final formatting and submission to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Board Member Ortman seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: it passed unanimously, 9-0. Discussion Highlights: A board member commented that this would be a good topic for a newspaper opinion piece; Ms. Connor replied that she would contact the Utilities Customer Connections manager about this possibility and posting the piece on the Halligan project webpage. • Officer Elections at February Meeting Chairperson Brown encouraged board members to consider running for Chairperson and Vice Chairperson; duties would begin with the March meeting. WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 01/16/2020 – MINUTES Page 6 • Work Session on February 6 Water Shortage Action Plan, and Water Supply and Demand Management Policy Update • March 19 meeting is the same week as Poudre School District spring break. To be rescheduled to March 12. 9. ADJOURNMENT 7:55 p.m.