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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006 - Natural Resources Advisory Board - Work Plan2006 WORK PLAN NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD CITY OF FORT COLLINS DATE: November 29, 2005 TO: Mayor and Council Members FROM: Nate Donovan on Behalf of the Natural Resources Advisory Board SUBJECT: NRAB 2006 Work Plan This memorandum presents the Natural Resources Advisory Board's (NRAB's) work plan for the year 2006. We developed this work plan during November 2005, during which time we identified the issues we believe are central to the environmental quality and sustainability of our community. This plan for 2006 reflects our commitment to provide Council with sound advice on these issues throughout the coming year. This work plan identifies items and issues that are scheduled or that we anticipate will be considered by the NRAB during the year 2006, either by the full Board or by Board subcommittees. Naturally, the NRAB closely monitors Council's six-month planning calendar for upcoming topics on which to provide recommendations. Other unforeseen issues will be addressed by the Board as they are brought before us by Council or Staff. The work plan informs Council of the board's future agenda items, and will be relied upon throughout the year by the NRAB for our own planning purposes. To the extent practicable, the timing of our consideration of these items will closely parallel Council's schedule, as many of the items and issues identified in this work plan are also contained in City Council's Policy Agenda. General actions that we anticipate will be taken by the NRAB in 2006 include the following: • Reviewing City policies and plans for consistency with the community's environmental goals and values through regular meetings and subcommittee meetings; • Coordinating activities with other City Boards and Commissions, such as the Parks and Recreation, Air Quality, Electric, Land Conservation and Stewardship and Transportation Advisory Boards, and with Larimer County's Environmental Advisory Board; • Continue providing feedback to Staff by participating in task forces and special committees to address specific policies, plans or regulations; • Developing recommendations to Council through Board discussion and consensus; NRAB Year 2006 Work Plan — Page 1 of 5 • Communicating our recommendations to Council through written memoranda and attendance at Council meetings, hearings, and study sessions. Specific items and issues that we expect to consider in the upcoming year are presented on the attached pages in the categories of Administrative Issues; Open Lands and Land Use Planning; Transportation Planning; Environmental Protection, Health and Safety; and City Utilities Projects. We look forward to a productive year of volunteer service to Council, the citizens of Fort Collins, and the environment. As always, please feel free to contact us with any comments or questions regarding our work plan for 2006. Sincerely, Nate Donovan, Chair Natural Resources Advisory Board cc: Darin Atteberry, City Manager John Stokes, Director, Natural Resources Department Greg Byrne, Director, Community Planning and Environmental Services Ben Manvel, City Council Liaison to the NRAB NRAB Year 2006 Work Plan — Page 2 of 5 ANTICIPATED NRAB ACTION ITEMS DURING 2006 Administrative Issues t . Biennial Budget Process/Budgeting for Outcomes for Fiscal Years 2006/2007 — continued review and comment; 2. Council's Policy Agenda and Six -Month Planning Calendar— monitor for natural resources and environmental issues; 3. City-wide Capital Projects inventory — participate in discussion on environmental priorities, funding sources, project siting issues, and environmental impacts of new projects, and implementation of the Building On Basics priorities; 4. City-wide Action Plan for Sustainability — Monitor, discuss, and provide input as the system is implemented. 5. Participate in planning for the future role of the Natural Resources Dept. Open Lands and Land Use Planning Natural Areas and Open Space — As necessary, until the new Land Conservation and Stewardship Board is functioning: Review and comment on natural areas and other open space acquisitions, management, monitoring, and restoration issues. 2. Natural Areas Policy Plan and General Management Guidelines — As necessary, until the new Land Conservation and Stewardship Board is functioning: Continue working with staff as these documents are shaped; 3. Community Separators - As necessary, until the new Land Conservation and Stewardship Board is functioning: Actively participate in the adoption and implementation of true community separators between Fort Collins, Timnath, Windsor, and Wellington and continue to enhance the Fort Collins/Loveland separator; 4. Easements - As necessary, until the new Land Conservation and Stewardship Board is functioning: Update and monitor the implementation of the new natural areas easement policy and continue monitoring requests for easements on City -owned natural areas; monitor and provide input on conservation easements on City projects with GOCO funding; Agricultural Land Conservation Policies — As necessary, until the new Land Conservation and Stewardship Board is functioning: Review and comment on land conservation strategies outside the GMA, Larimer County Open Lands, Agriculture Advisory Board, and surplus raw water rental policy; NRAB Year 2006 Work Plan — Page 3 of 5 6. Floodplain Protection and Stormwater Issues — Review and comment on environmental, Floodplain, and stormwater aspects of development and neighborhood and subarea plans; 7. Downtown and River Corridor - Participate in the implementation of the Downtown River Corridor Plan and the Downtown Strategic Plan, including design of natural areas enhancements and other projects with potential natural resources or environmental impacts; Regional Planning — Monitor, review and comment on regional planning activities, such intergovernmental agreements with Larimer County and implementation of the 1-25 Regional Corridor Plan, and as necessary, until the new Land Conservation and Stewardship Board is functioning: community separator projects, GOCO Legacy Project implementation, Foothills to Plains open lands conservation efforts; 9. Growth Management - Review and comment on growth management issues, transfer of development rights, urban growth area boundaries, annexation plans and policies, fiscal and environmental impact model, development impact fees, and community separators; 10. Park Planning and Development — Review and comment on park design and construction, trails master plan and trail placement issues, environmental aspects of trails and park design, and dog park issues. Transportation Planning Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) — Monitor and evaluate reduction strategies, including multi -modal and mass transit planning, as a means of protecting air quality and other environmental impacts of growth; 2. Land Use, Transportation, and Air Quality (LUTRAQ) Committees - Monitor the natural resources and environmental aspects; 3. Metropolitan Planning Organization - Monitor and provide input and advice to Council on regional transportation proposals. 4. Participate in public discussions regarding environmental impacts of transportation projects, including 1-25, Carpenter Road/SH 392, Prospect Road, and improvements included in the Building on Basics ballot measure. Environmental Protection, Health, and Safety Solid Waste Reduction - Monitor and revisit solid waste reduction policies, with particular emphasis on the 5-year strategic planning effort of the City, enhancing the variable trash rate program (pay -as -you -throw) and reducing consumption and waste generation; solid waste diversion goals, landfill and recycling center NRAB Year 2006 Work Plan — Page 4 of 5 management issues, County recycling center expansion, monitor implementation of changes to land use code relating to multi -family recycling, trash districting re- evaluation, construction and demolition waste recycling pilot demonstration, and environmental and natural resource education; 2. Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting - Review and comment on policies affecting water quality protection, monitoring, and reporting; storm water runoff quality monitoring, storm water design criteria, best management practices, impacts of development on runoff quality and raw water supplies, Big Thompson Watershed Forum and other groups, baseline water quality data from major urban streams, and monitoring and reporting of water quality in Fossil Creek, Spring Creek, and the Poudre River; Air Quality - Review and comment on air quality policies, including greenhouse gas reduction, Cities for Climate Protection - Climatewise Program and business outreach, number and location of air quality monitoring stations, Air Quality Action Plan, indoor air quality, radon ordinance review, and LUTRAQ ongoing efforts; 4. New Development Review and Compliance - Monitoring and follow-through of new development review and compliance with natural resource protection requirements consistent with the Board's jurisdiction; Hazardous Wastes and Pollution Prevention — Review and comment on hazardous waste, pollution prevention, and remediation programs; internal City audits and internal environmental management systems, community outreach and education, and brownfields projects. City Utilities Projects 1. Water Supply Policy - Review and provide input on issues related to implementation of the City's Water Supply Policy, including water demand -side management, additional storage proposals including Halligan Reservoir options, water rate policy, and issues related to special districts; 2. Electric Supply Policy - Provide input and advice to Council on the implementation of the City's Electric Policy; Poudre River and other Master Drainage Plans — Potential impacts on river natural areas and features; 4. Other Projects to be identified. NRAB Year 2006 Work Plan — Page 5 of 5