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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAir Quality Advisory Board - Minutes - 12/18/20231 12/18/2023 - Minutes Air Quality Advisory Board REGULAR MEETING Monday, December 18, 2023 – 5:30 PM 222 Laporte Avenue, Colorado River Room 1. CALL TO ORDER: 5:35 PM 2. ROLL CALL • Board Members Present – • Mark Houdashelt (Chair) • Dan Welsh • Maria Moore • Matt Ayres • Board Members Absent – • Greg Clark (Vice Chair) • Staff Members Present – • Selina Lujan de Albers, Staff Liaison • Emily Olivo, Sr. Specialist • Guest(s) – • None 3. AGENDA REVIEW No changes. 4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION None. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES • Board did not have quorum to vote on the November meeting minutes. 6. PREVIOUS BUSINESS Mark: • Encouraged members to try to recruit new Board members. • Maria and Matt need to reapply – applications close mid-January. • Council has already made appointments to a few other Boards. Selina: • January meeting will be on the 22nd. • February meeting will be on the 12th. • Room conflict for April meeting; therefore, that date or location may need to 2 12/18/2023 - Minutes change. Mark: • Council adopted a new version of the Land Use Code and the petition effort to get it repealed did get enough signatures. There was a protest against the petition which was recently denied. Council will either refer the Code to the ballot or repeal it at tomorrow’s meeting. • The Mayor has expressed her desire to repeal, tweak the Code, and immediately readopt it. • Prior to a new Code being adopted, it would need to go before the Planning and Zoning Commission. Dan: • What are the residency requirements for Board participation? Selina replied an applicant must have lived within the growth management area for one year and members must commit to one meeting a month plus time to review the meeting documents. • Members discussed other Boards that are having trouble getting applicants. Selina noted only the AQAB and Land Use Review Board have received no applications. She shared a flyer for AQAB recruitment. 7. NEW BUSINESS • 2023 End of Year Report • Mark provided a summary of the End of Year Report and discussed its evolution over the years. • Members determined Dan was elected to serve on the Air Quality Monitoring Advisory Committee by a vote at the September meeting . • Mark stated he would double-check the Report and bring up any questions at the January meeting. • Memo to Council Regarding 2024-2025 Council Priorities • Mark stated there were four items discussed by the Board members as being priorities: improved communication between Council and the Board, indoor air quality, wildfire smoke, and climate. • Maria suggested cutting the language around improved communication . Members discussed ways to properly phrase the item. • Members discussed ways to phrase the item regarding indoor air quality. Mark suggested it would be nice if the Healthy Homes staff had some opinions about how they think the program could be expanded or improved. Selina stated the focus for the program for the next year is around home resiliency, and if the program is awarded the Environmental Justice Grant from the CDPHE, the hope is to continue what has been ongoing as part of the EPA grant, including furnace servicing, fire safety equipment, low-level weatherization, and portable air cleaners, with the addition of air conditioning should that additional grant funding be received. • Dan suggested including language related to awareness of the hazards of indoor air pollutants. 3 12/18/2023 - Minutes • Selina noted another priority for Healthy Homes is giving people the tools to combat or prevent indoor air pollutants, particularly when considering disproportionately impacted communities. • Maria suggested including information on the importance of venting if gas stoves are used and stated the hazards of using them should also be discussed. • Members further discussed proper wording for the item related to Our Climate Future and wildfire smoke home preparedness and evacuation. • Selina noted the Healthy Homes workshops do offer information on how to prepare one’s home in the face of wildfire smoke. Members discussed how best to include that information. • Members discussed the ozone item and large emitters in Fort Collins. Members also discussed how many of these types of discussions occur at CSU. Mark noted CSU has won many awards for being green and energy efficient. • Maria noted Greg Clark had advocated for oil and gas operational standards to be placed on this list, and members discussed placing it under the ozone item. • Agenda Planning • Mark noted Council is considering some items regarding tree mitigation, landscape standards, and the urban forestry strategic plan in March, and oil and gas operational standards remain in a ‘to be determined’ status. • Members discussed having a report from the Healthy Homes team. • Selina noted FCTV is producing a video for the Healthy Homes program and that can be shared with the Board. • Mark suggested the Board receive a presentation from CSU staff and the City Forestry Department regarding their work. • Members discussed receiving a presentation about Fort Collins’ community wildfire preparedness plan headed up by PFA or the appropriate agency. • Matt discussed the possibility of some type of community outreach or air quality open house in the coming year. Selina stated she would look into what that might take. • Members discussed outreach through social media. • Members discussed having a presentation from the Regional Air Quality Council. Dan stated he would follow up with the status of the proposals before the AQCC. • Mark mentioned other potential items including lawn and garden equipment and Front Range rail. • Selina asked what specific items the Board would like to discuss at the January meeting. She stated she would attempt to get some more information regarding the proper contact for the community wildfire preparedness plan. • Dan stated he would contact the Regional Air Quality Council about potentially coming to the January meeting if there are updates. • Members discussed having the Healthy Homes team attend the January meeting. 8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS 4 12/18/2023 - Minutes • Matt reported on the recent Super Issue Board meeting that was focused on climate change mitigation for water and on Halligan Reservoir getting a new dam. Additionally, water efficiency standards and expanding gray water use were discussed. • Dan reported he is officially on the Air Quality Monitoring Advisory Committee and the first three meetings have been scheduled for January through March. 9. STAFF REPORTS • None 10. OTHER BUSINESS • None 11. ADJOURNMENT • 7:50 pm Minutes approved by a vote of the Board on 01/22/2024