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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAir Quality Advisory Board - Minutes - 01/23/2001o\-O�-\\ MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING 281 N. COLLEGE AVE. January 23, 2001 For Reference: Eric Levine, Chair 229-5225 Scott Mason, Council Liaison 226-4824 Brian Woodruff, Staff Liaison 221-6604 Board Members Present Jim Dennison, John Schroeer, Don Voss, Eric Levine, Harry Edwards (until 7:00 p.m.), Nancy York, Linda Stanley and Mandar Sunthankar Board Members Absent Chris Kavanaugh Staff Present Natural Resources Department Brian Woodruff, Sally Maggart, Lucinda Smith, Sarah Fox and Susie Gordon Transportation: Tom Reiff Guests Mark Shandrow, Bike Station Coalition Scouts and Scoutmasters from Troop 33 The meeting was called to order at 4:35 p.m. Minutes The minutes of the January 2, 2001 meeting were approved as written. Review and Update Action List 1. Work Plans were included in the Board's packet. 2. The Council Study Session on radon has been postponed. 3. Radon materials for the February packet are on hold. Review Council six-month plannine calendar • The radon program review will go to Council's Health & Safety Committee. Nancy York asked Brian Woodruff to obtain a copy of a radon study referred to in a newspaper article. Linda Stanley suggested that the Board give input to the Health & Safety Committee. A committee was formed to discuss the radon program at a meeting next Thursday or Friday. The committee members are Dan Voss, Mandar Sunthankar and Eric Levine. Nancy York asked to be informed of the meeting date and time. Agenda Planning This was not discussed. Air Quality Advisory Board January 23, 2001 Page 2 Air Quality Action Plan, Mid -Course Correction, Lucinda Smith Lucinda Smith noted that the updated recommendations for changes to the Air Quality Action Plan, as part of a mid -course correction, were in the Board's packet. She reviewed the main changes, and asked the Board for a recommendation. 1. Section 2.4.2 — purchasing guidelines. Smith said that the Board asked for broader use of clean equipment on City projects. Harry Edwards made a motion to replace the word "consider" with the word "implement': Nancy York seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (8-0). 2. Section 2.8.2 — proof of emissions compliance before issuing parking permits. The Board asked Smith to clarify the requirements for municipal staff. 3. Section 2.15.2 — diesel particulates. Smith explained that this is to recommend the addition of adopting state diesel standards into local law. Harry Edwards made a motion to delete this section. Dan Voss seconded the motion. After lengthy discussion, the motion failed to pass, with a vote of I in favor (Edwards) and 7 opposed (other boardmembers present). Nancy York made a motion to drop the word "consider". This was seconded and passed with a vote of 6-2. Edwards and Dennison were opposed. 4. Section 2.11 - renaming the reference to alternative fuel vehicles. Smith distributed a handout illustrating that LEV and ULEV vehicles are cleaner than the Tier 1 vehicles now in place. She asked if the Board is comfortable renaming this section. Boardmembers indicated that they were okay with this. 5. Section 7.15.1 —recommend evaluation of radon ordinances changed to 2001. Smith said that the Board will have an opportunity to provide comments to Council on the radon issue at the next meeting. Linda Stanley made a motion to strike "during the update of the AQAP in 2003" and replace with "possible revisions by Jane 2002". Harry Edwards seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (8-0). 6. Section 7.5.1 — ZILCH loan program. Linda Stanley made a motion to drop the wording "consider dropping" low-income guidelines and replace it with "drop". John Schroeer seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (8-0). 7. Section 9.5.3 — PM,o monitoring site. Dan Voss said that the top of a building in north Fort Collins is not the best location for valid sampling. He suggested moving the location to southeast Fort Collins. Woodruff said that staff could work with the State Health Department to reevaluate the location. Dan Voss made a motion to add the additional language "reevaluate the current monitoring location and propose moving the sampling sites to an on -ground predominantly worst case location. " Nancy York seconded the motion. A friendly amendment was proposed and accepted to takeout the wording "worst case". The motion passed unanimously (8-0). Harry Edwards made a motion to approve the Air Quality Action Plan mid -course correction, as amended. Linda Stahzley seconded the nzotimz. The motion passed unanimously (8-0). Air Quality Advisory Board January 23, 2001 Page 3 Bike Depot Feasibility Study, Tom Reiff Tom Reiff, Transportation Planner, explained that the feasibility study is part of an expansion of Transportation Services using CMAQ funding. The consultant, Mike Shandrow, said that the first facility of this type was built in Long Beach, California. He said that it was built in a transit mall similar to the Mason Street Corridor Project. Reiff explained that public workshops were held to determine the best site in Fort Collins, and what amenities should be offered. He said that the highest rated location is the future downtown transit center, and the most popular amenities are security, bike rentals and repairs, restrooms, public meeting room and a cafe or food service area. Shandrow said that in the future there could be a facility built at the south transit center that would link the two facilities, with a scaled down facility in the middle of the community. John Schroeer asked about the possibility of building in the Oak Street Plaza area. Shandrow responded that Oak Street would be optimal but the cost would be prohibitive. Harry Edwards asked how the air quality aspect will be addressed. Reiff responded that the awarding of the CMAQ grant was based on an evaluation of air quality benefit and benefit per unit cost. Mandar Sunthankar asked how the success of the program will be determined. Shandrow responded that the community benefits by getting people out of cars, improving downtown business, and reducing the need for parking. Linda Stanley said that the idea of a bike depot is great if we had unlimited resources. She said that she is not sure that the bike depot will have much "bang for the buck". Stanley asked about the funding for operation costs. Reiff responded that a cafe is being considered for rental revenue to offset the maintenance costs. Stanley asked what the operation costs would be. Reiff said that they have not yet been calculated. Nancy York said that she is an avid advocate for bicycles and she thinks the facility could generate new cyclists, but she is not convinced it is going to do it. She suggested that one thing that might help is to have a place to shower and change. York said that she is more interested in it being located at the south end of town and geared for employment centers. She added that she is not very enthusiastic about this. Stanley said that we will not get people out of vehicles. Sunthankar said that $50,000 is not a lot to ask for compared to what road improvements cost. Eric Levine said that he could see a bike to work with major employers getting a lot of "bang for the buck". He added that beginning in the downtown area provides good visibility for the proj ect. Sarah Fox said that she was a member of the advisory committee. She said that the committee wanted to encourage all alternative modes to reduce VMT and facilities are needed to do that. Fox said that the committee discussed building in the south but realized there was a potential not to succeed because there is ample parking there. Air Quality Advisory Board January 23, 2001 Page 4 Jim Dennison said that this should be looked into more and the consultant should not get discouraged with the views being expressed. He said that he is attracted to the idea because it is a beginning of a broader effort to work on alternative modes. Dennison added that the advantage is that it would serve as a keystone kickoff effort and stimulate discussion and interest. He suggested looking at it as a larger effort to transition people from cars. Shandrow said that they will be coming back to the board at a later date. On a motion from Jim Dennison, the Board voted unaniniously to extend the meeting. Dennison said that the board has not exercised good discipline as a group and has not kept time budget in mind. He noted that some Boardmember's comments were not well thought out or succinct. Briefing on Transportation/Air Quality Conformity, Vicky McLane Vicky McLane, Transportation Program Manager for the North Front Range Transportation and Air Quality Planning Council, said that the Transportation Plan has to conform to the City's air quality plan and show a positive air quality impact. Woodruff added that there is a federal requirement imposed by EPA and Federal DOT that says air quality plans and transportation plans have to match up; if not, federal funds are cut off. McLane explained the method used to show conformity in Fort Collins as long as it is a non - attainment area. Woodruff said that he will talk about redesignation of Fort Collins as an attainment area at the next meeting, and noted that the method used to show conformity would change upon redesignation. McLane said that the EPA is getting tougher about conformity. Woodruff said that the AQAB and MPO Council work together on issues related to the federally mandated State Implementation Plan (SIP). He noted that the AQAB charter calls on the Board to make recommendations on SIP matters to the MPO the same way as to City Council. The next step would be to make a recommendation on conformity of the 2020 Regional Transportation Plan, and McLane said that she will be coming back to the Board at a later date, when air quality information on the 2020 RTP is available. The following agenda items were not discussed or were discussed earlier in the meeting (radon): Short Discussion Items 1. Radon programs review — form a committee? 2. CO Redesignation — update 3. LUTRAQ project — update 4. Clear Bike Rack Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 7:22 p.m. Air Quality Advisory Board January 23, 2001 Page 5 ACTION LIST — from .Ianii ro 12 00+: ACTION ITEM WHO BY... DONE L Put in February meeting packet: Sarah February • Radon materials for Council study session meeting • Criteria for radon program evaluation (i.e., How will we know whether the program is working well enough?) • Latimer County radon ordinance(s)