Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAir Quality Advisory Board - Minutes - 02/27/1997• 0 q7 —dZ —08 MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING 281 CONFERENCE ROOM - 281 N. COLLEGE AVE. FEBRUARY 27,1997 For Reference: John Fooks, AQAB Chair - 229-5225 Will Smith, Council Liaison - 223-0425 Brian Woodruff, Staff Liaison - 221-6604 Board Members Present Nancy York (until 6:00 p.m.), Susan Bilo, John Fooks (until 6:50 p.m.), David Gallup, Raymond Sons, and John Scanlon Board Members Absent Harry Edwards, Eric Levine and Pete Perkins Staff Present Natural Resources Department: Sally Maggart, Brian Woodruff, and Lucinda Smith; Community Pl nni g and Environmental Servicea: Tom Vosburg; Traffic Operations: Eric Bracke Guests The meeting was called to order at 4:30 p.m. Approval of Minutes The minutes of the January 23, 1997 Regular Meeting were approved as written. With the following changes, the minutes of the February 5, 1997 Special Meeting were approved as written: Susan Bilo noted that after the motion on Page One, she actually said that "delaying the redesignation is selfish, the money is earmarked for communities in trouble and it is time to give it up". Review and Update Action Log See attached. John Fooks distributed a draft of the 1997 Workplan and asked for members to bring feedback to the next meeting. Council Six Month Planning Calendar Brian Woodruff noted that the second reading of the Radon Ordinance is on the March 4 Council Agenda. He asked David Gallup to represent the board at the meeting. Raymond Sons said that Eric Levine should be the representative. He noted that there was no advocate for the majority opinion Air Quality Advisory Board February 27, 1997 Page 2 of the board at the first reading of the ordinance. Gallup said that he had attended the meeting on the first reading and reported to Council that the Board had a lack of consensus with a 3-2-2 vote. Woodruff said the staff is still sorting out the woodsmoke issue. Woodruff noted that the board's agenda will have action items first and information items last. Fooks said that the new meeting schedule will be on the second Wednesday from 7:30-9:30 p.m. The March meeting will be on the fourth Thursday, March 27 at 4:30 p.m. The meeting room remains the same. ACTION ITEMS City Plan Update, Tom Vosburg and Eric Bracke Brian Woodruff noted that the adoption of the new land use code goes to Council on March 4. He said that the air quality objective is to reduce vmt (vehicle miles traveled) growth. The Board has supported the Structure Plan, Master Street Plan and Principles and Policies components of City Plan. Tom Vosburg, Policy Analyst, said that modeling was done in the Structure Plan for air quality implications. Eric Bracke, Traffic Engineer, added that transit corridors are expected to carry significant amounts of trips, 3.8-4 million vmt by 2015. The Structure Plan will keep it close to 3.1 million. Presently it is close to 2.2 million vmt a day. Few changes are anticipated within the next few years because behavior changes take time. Woodruff noted that everything needed to construct the Structure Plan on the ground has not yet been committed. Bracke added that there is still a lot of work to do on the general infrastructure and maintenance. The system is not up to par, but the code changes will help get there. Woodruff asked how the code would advance the hoped -for vmt reductions. Vosburg responded that the land use pattern in the Structure Plan is the basis for modeling the transportation system and air quality things. There is no vmt specific test in the code. He added that the zoning map is built to bear a striking resemblance to the Structure Plan. Fooks said that there is a need to talk about the relationship between the city code and air quality. Vosburg said that the "meat" is to make sure activity centers take place by zoning. Fooks asked if that is used to model air quality. Vosburg responded that there is no way to model on a project specific basis; air quality implications have to be inferred. Bracke noted that there are los (level of service) standards that ensure infrastructures are in place. The standards are oriented toward alternative modes. Air Quality Advisory Board February 27, 1997 Page 3 Nancy York asked what would happen if no businesses want to locate in an activity center for 20 years. Vosburg responded that the activity center would not get built; market conditions have to be viable for development. York noted that Timberline Road will lead development to the north. Vosburg said that Timberline Road is critical to the establishment of an activity center in the north. It is the first step toward meeting goals from an air quality perspective. Bracke said that the Master Street Plan is looking at an interchange at Vine and I-25 to make a truck bypass more viable. Gallup asked what the sequence of events are leading to the realization of the Structure Plan. Vosburg responded that there is no detailed sequencing. The parameters are projections about the amount of population, the number of people within the urban growth area, and patterns that capture population. He added that the southern part of the city should fill out first. It is important that the City does not play a proactive role in directing development. Fooks said that the City is taking a proactive role in regulating development. Vosburg said that the City is not controlling sequencing or timing; it is setting up a regulatory system. Fooks said that he has not reviewed the code but he understands that the code will move the city in a direction to take positive steps to meet the Structure Plan and reduce vmt growth. Gallup asked if certain air quality goals are to be satisfied by the Structure Plan and how the development community can be encouraged to follow the plan rather than wait for serendipity. Vosburg responded that it can be accomplished with road improvements, the Vine Drive interchange and a coordinated capital improvement program. Gallup asked how mass transit and rail system are integrated in the Structure Plan. Vosburg responded that if a development parcel is on a corridor, bus stops would need to be provided. Vosburg noted that compact urban growth standards to discourage leapfrogging, adequate public facilities and the 1/6 contiguity requirement keep development going in a sequential process. Sons asked what would happen if somebody was not ready to develop a parcel, creating a roadblock. Vosburg responded that this is a criticism of the standard and Council will have to make the decision. Sons asked if there is any indication that if Vine St. is improved, trucks would spend less time in the city and pollute air less. Bracke said that there is no specific answer, the percentage of trucks was not modeled. Vine St. would provide an alternative route, take traffic off Mulberry and decrease Air Quality Advisory Board February 27, 1997 Page 4 travel time to the interstate. John Scanlon asked if the air quality benefit that will reduce vmt growth will match the population growth. Bracke responded that to get a seven percent reduction through improved transit, the ridership will have to get from the current 3,500 daily to 40,000 daily. The assumptions being made are for a three percent reduction with bicycles and the rest divided into vanpooling, carpooling and telecommuting. Scanlon asked how the current daily trip will be increased with modeling. Bracke responded that this is a 20 year transit development program that sets the framework. Vosburg noted that very aggressive air quality goals will need a phenomenal transit system and bike program along with carpools, vanpools and telecommuting. He added that adequate funding and more education is also needed. Bracke said that traffic is not going to get better; it will continue to grow. Vosburg said the important thing is that without activity centers, there will be the same congestion. Fooks said that it is a good idea to tell Council to implement the code to meet the goals of the Air Quality Policy Plan. Raymond Sons made the motion to advise Council that it is the belief of the Air Quality Board that the land code should be adopted because it will reduce the growth of vmt 25 percent. Susan Bilo seconded the motion. John Scanlon agreed in general with the recommendation but believes that the land use code and City Plan is not going to reduce vmt, it is one element in working toward vmt reduction. David Gallup agreed and said that we would be kidding ourselves to say that vmt will be reduced 25 percent Raymond Sons accepted an amendment to his motion saying that the land use code is a positive step toward the realization of the Structure Plan. The motion passed unanimously (5-0). Transportation Board Coordination, Nancy York Nancy York distributed an outline of possibilities for discussion. She suggested information finding with the Transportation Board and sharing with the public to assess what they see is reasonable transportation after being informed about economics, health and safety. Fooks noted that there are many things of joint interest about air quality impact rather than safety. Air Quality Advisory Board February 27, 1997 Page 5 He said that the health issue and cost benefits are more important and the focus should be on air quality impacts. Woodruff noted that it is in the board's work plan to coordinate with the Transportation Board. Fooks asked what the best approach would be. Woodruff suggested talking to Transportation staff and the Transportation Board. Gallup suggested having a liaison attend both meetings. York said that she is presently getting the Transportation Board packets. York asked if both boards should meet or just the representatives. Bilo suggested that it should be representatives. Fooks said that the first step is to attend their meetings, find out the issues and build an agenda. York volunteered to attend a meeting and make contact with the Transportation Board. She suggested forming a subcommittee and asking for staff assistance to brainstorm and prioritize issues. Sons said that the two boards need to figure out how to get transit funding through Council next time. Both boards are disappointed that it was not included in the CIP. Woodruff offered to meet with Tom Frazier, staff liaison for the Transportation Board. He said that he will report back at the next meeting. Bracke noted that the Transportation Board meets the first and third Wednesday of the month, alternating between the CIC room at City Hall and the Ben Delatour Room at the Library. Meetings start at 5:45 p.m. Proposed AQ Standards, Lucinda Smith Lucinda Smith reported that she has taken the board's comments and drafted letters to Council and the EPA. Woodruff said that no further action is required at this meeting. Smith explained that the vote at the board's special meeting stands but there is an opportunity for the board to approve a draft letter since the deadline was extended. She noted that the draft letter was included in the board's packet for this meeting. Sons said that the draft conveys the sense of what the board said at the meeting. Fooks expressed concern that his views were not conveyed by staff during his absence at the special meeting. He said that he will sign the letter if the board agrees. He left the meeting at this point. Scanlon said that he has heard criticism regarding ozone. He asked what EPA's response is to concerns addressed about CO regarding pin 10, altitude correction and the possibility of increasing pm10. Smith responded that there is nothing official. EPA has sent information about altitude Air Quality Advisory Board February 27, 1997 Page 6 correction but there is not adequate information supporting retention. Susan Caplan and Harry Edwards attended a forum but altitude correction was not discussed. Woodruff said that a final draft of the letter will be sent for the Chair's approval. INFORMATION ITEMS Clean Cities There will be a meeting March 13. PROPOSED ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING'S AGENDA ► Ratify decision on meeting the second Wednesday of the month. ► Discuss smoke free zone inside municipal buildings. ► Discuss posting minutes on City's web page. ► Review work plan. ► Review joint meeting with the Transportation Board. ► Discuss vmt and the web page. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 7:04 p.m