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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAir Quality Advisory Board - Minutes - 07/25/2000coo -o—X— \ 1 MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING 281 N. COLLEGE AVE. July 25, 2000 For Reference: Eric Levine, Chair 229-5225 Scott Mason, Council Liaison 226-4824 Brian Woodruff, Staff Liaison 221-6604 Board Members Present Nancy York, John Schroeer, Eric Levine, Linda Stanley, Chris Kavanaugh, Mandar Sunthankar Board Members Absent Harry Edwards, Raymond Sons, Jim Dennison Staff Present Natural Resources Department: Brian Woodruff, Terry Klahn, Sarah Fox Transporation: Susanne Durkin, Ray Moe, Tom Raff Guests Matt Dixon Everett Bacon, LSA Associates Dirk Draper, LSA Associates The meeting was called to order at 4:35 p.m. Minutes With the following changes, the minutes of the June 27, 2000 meeting were unanimously approved: Page 5, 4`h bullet from bottom: Change "voluntary" to "involuntary", and "your rights end where your noise begins" to "your rights end where my nose begins". Review and Update Action List 1. Provide info about the 25 July Council study session on Land Use Patterns - Done 2. Experience of other cities in controlling diesel construction vehicles - Done 3. Information in packet on anti -smoking campaigns in other communities — Done (handout) 4. Information about Council Community Dialogue — Done 5. Contact Mike Byrne about siting of public buildings — Pending (Eric Levine) Review Council six-month planning calendar Sept. 12: Mason Street Transportation Corridor Master Plan Sept. 26: Population Growth Review Process Analysis FY 2001 Budget Discussion Oct. 3: Mason Street Transportation Corridor Master Plan Air Quality Advisory Board July 25, 2000 Page 2 Regarding Council's September 26, 2000 budget discussions the board unanimously (6-0) passed the following motion. Move the chair craft a memo to City Council, prior to the September budget study session, urging that they not take away already constrained TransFort funds. Agenda Planning August: Climate Wise Campaign Results September: Mason Street Corridor Plan Short Discussion Items • Holnam Update — Eric Levine received a letter from Steve Roy saying he technically cannot represent the board on the task force, but can report back to the board. Also, he will not be indemnified against possible legal action. • Radon regulation re -review — Woodruff distributed a letter from Sarah Fox addressed to citizens interested in radon regarding the process of this review. • LUTRAQ Update — The staff team is putting together work plans for five projects aimed at improving the way the City reduces VMT growth. Council Health & Safety committee will review in early September. • Stanley: Due to the fact that I'm new to the board I'm not clear on where the board has been, regarding the secondhand smoke issue. As far as City Council taking a look at what they can cut, what are the- priorities? Some people feel passionate about this issue. In terms of programs, and allocation of staff time and money is the secondhand smoke issue really a priority? Is there anything we can do, or is this issue too big for us? While diesel pollution and exhaust are things that are involuntarily breathed, why are we focusing on secondhand smoke. • Schroeer: Many of the recipients of secondhand smoke are children. They are highly impacted and usually don't have a choice. Adults have the choice of leaving, but that's not the case with kids. • Stanley: Most of their exposure is in the home. I'm not saying I'm for or against, I'm just asking what the priorities are. How will resources be allocated? • Woodruff: The most important way we have of prioritizing issues is the Air Quality Action Plan. It's adopted every four years by Council, and contains significant prioritization. The plan will be updated two years from now, with minor revisions made this fall and spring. • Levine: Much of what we do is based on land use patterns, and especially transportation patterns. Smoking is directly in our sights, if we don't address it and are non -active there's really no other group who will. In public places it is a worker safety issue. You can chose not to go in, but people have a right to a safe workplace. • Stanley: I want to get the most bang for the buck. That's what's important. Where can we make the biggest steps with the resources we have? Air Quality Advisory Board July 25, 2000 Page 3 Mason Street Corridor, Susanne Durkin Susanne Durkin said there will be an Open House on Saturday, August 26, 2000. We're encouraging community participation and want people to have an opportunity to speak their piece. Everitt Bacon, LSA Associates, briefly reviewed the air quality components of the plan that were included in the packet materials. The year 2020 was chosen as the build out year. Some projects are expected to come on line sooner. Discussion • Levine: I would be more comfortable with 2010 as the year of analysis. You wouldn't see as big of numbers, but I wouldn't be surprised if the results were similar. • York: When will it be completed? We have funding through 2005. We're trying to get financing that would pay for the bike/ped portion also. My preference would be 2005, but I feel safe saying 2010. • Stanley: How much will this cost in the end? Our preliminary analysis shows fifty to sixty million on the transit side, and approximately 6.5 million on the bike/ped piece. We're not firm on enhancements and amenities. • Stanely: Based on the "person hours" reduction you'll have a really favorable benefits to cost ratio. And, don't forget about the air quality benefits. • York: With the central business district being described as downtown, the collector streets are going to be the most heavily impacted. And, it is my impression that in the non - attainment area, the express ways are the ones that take the biggest hit by increased traffic. If the model is accurate, the VMT on collector streets actually goes down, from 253,000 to 251,000. • Levine: As far as air quality there is a benefit to all of the criteria. • York: The inconsistency is there's an increase in the VMT on collectors, but the congestion delay goes down and free flow vehicle hours increases. It's an aggregation of a bunch of different links. Included in the packet is one sheet about alternative bus technologies. Dinner Break — 20 minutes Second-hand smoke ordinance, Sarah Fox Kavanaugh: What is the current ordinance? The current ordinance requires restaurants that have a seating capacity greater than thirty to provide a designated separate non-smoking area. Plus, employers must provide smoke free work areas if requested by employees. Sunthankar: I've noticed over the years that the number of offices that have a smoke free environment is substantially increased. Stanley: How outdated is our ordinance compared to cities similar to Fort Collins? In 1986 the ordinance was very progressive. California now has a state law, as well as New York. I had a call from a man in Flagstaff who said they passed their smoke free ordinance eight years ago. Air Quality Advisory Board July 25, 2000 Page 4 • Stanley: Not including bars, how many restaurants are voluntarily smoke free? Fifty-three percent of our restaurants are smoke free, and 92% of businesses are smoke free. • Levine: Many years ago OSHA started regulating work place toxins. Certainly this should be on the list. I'm confused why no workers have gone after this. • Woodruff: There is history with flight -attendant suits. They were instrumental in making the airlines smoke free. • Levine: I would think the risk assessment of second hand smoke in bars is much higher than a lot of the chemicals the EPA strictly regulates. • Kavanaugh: Government is in our lives enough. When you look at the direction of this trend, I question the need for the City to step in with another ordinance. It's happening by itself, why do we need another law? • Levine: The greatest bang for the buck is an ordinance. Education can cost a lot, and the effectiveness can only be measured after some amount of time passes. An ordinance is across the board, it's fair. I would be for a regulation like this, it's a public health issue. • Stanley: This is a very complex issue for me. People do voluntarily chose their jobs. An economist would say, if there's a demand it will happen, it there's no demand it won't happen. But there is the issue of public health. I have a hard time coming down on one side or the other. • York: I wonder if the bar owners could be surveyed. Ask if they would prefer an ordinance, or be required to provide a ventilated non-smoking area. We should try to get their feelings about it. • Levine: Owners of clubs are going to be most opposed to anything that requires them to spend money. • Woodruff: It's interesting that in Boulder, where all the bars and restaurants are smoke free, business is booming. • Fox: In Boulder they had very strong enforcement the first couple of years. However, if you go to bars today there are a few places in which people are still smoking secretly. But, the majority of Boulder went smoke free or closed. • Stanley: Will you get the most opposition from bars. People aren't in restaurants for a very longtime. Yes, and bingo parlors and bowling alleys. • Fox: Someone suggested taking an out an ad in the Coloradoan that lists all of the smoke free establishments in town. • York: I like the idea of a market analysis, and the publicity of smoke free facilities. • Woodruff. Do you think money from the tobacco settlements could be used for a market analysis? We could apply for the money. • Fox: It's important to offer cessation assistance. It's available on a rolling scale, there are free nicotine patches. Between Poudre Health Services and the County it's there, but it hasn't been advertised very well. • Schrooer: It seems to me we're going after the backend of the problem. We should be going after the younger kids that are just starting to smoke. • Woodruff: The Coalition for Smoke Free Kids and communities says we are teaching our youngsters to smoke when they see it in public places. • Schroeer: When we see a fifteen year old kid with a cigarette why can't we fine them? Why don't we go to the point where the problem is? • York: We're in a non -enforcement society. Air Quality Advisory Board July 25,2000 Page 5 • Stanley: As far as an ordinance, is political capital expended to do something that may not have as great a benefit as spending that capital on something else. I would love for it to be smoke free everywhere. It may be worth it in the end, but is this the time and place to doing it? • York: I hate it when you have to pass through people on their smoke breaks. • Fox: Bars are permitted smoking areas no matter what their numbers. Eric Levine said they would have the discussion regarding diesel emissions next month, and asked members to keep the information included in this month's packet for that discussion. Nancy York wants the Board to address the issue of vehicles idling unnecessarily. The meeting adjourned at 7:15. A PTrnN I YQ r v_,.... T..i.. �r ACTION ITEM WHO BY... DONE L Contact Mike Byme about siting of public Eric July buildings. 2. Send memo to Council reagrding TransFort Brian, Eric August funding... "don't cut it"