HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 - Natural Resources Advisory Board - Work PlanRevised 2007 WORK PLAN for
NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
DATE: November 30, 2006
TO: Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Linda Knowlton on Behalf of the Natural Resources Advisory Board
SUBJECT: NRAB 2007 Work Plan
This memorandum presents the Natural Resources Advisory Board's (NRAB's) work
plan for the year 2007. We developed this work plan throughout 2006, during which
time we identified the issues we believe are central to the environmental quality and
sustainability of our community.
General actions that we anticipate will be taken by the NRAB in 2007 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 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;
• Communicating our recommendations to Council through written memoranda and
attendance at Council meetings, hearings, and study sessions.
The Board held a special meeting in April 2006 to discuss and plan for its role, given the
creation of the Land Conservation and Stewardship Advisory Board. The major outcome
of the meeting was a revised list of the Board's priorities, as follows, in order of
precedence:
1. Energy -related issues
2. Solid waste management
3. Growth management issues
4. Transportation plans
5. Water supply, demand management, and storage
6. Environmental sustainability
7. Environmental economics
8. Natural Resources Department design and structure
9. Climate and pollution
NRAB Year 2007 Work Plan — Page 1 of 5
We are committed to providing Council with sound advice on issues related to natural
resources throughout the year. The NRAB closely monitors Council's six-month
planning calendar for upcoming topics on which to provide recommendations.
Unforeseen issues may also be addressed by the Board as they are brought before us
by Council or staff. To the extent practicable, the timing of our consideration of items will
closely parallel Council's schedule, since many of the issues identified in this work plan
are also in City Council's Policy Agenda.
Our priorities are reflected in the attached list of action items for 2007, which identifies
issues that are already scheduled or that we anticipate will be considered during the
year 2007 either by the full NRAB or by Board committees. Specific items and issues
that we expect to consider in the upcoming year are presented in the categories of
Administrative Issues; Human Dimensions; 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 2007.
Sincerely,
Linda Knowlton, 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 2007 Work Plan — Page 2 of 5
ANTICIPATED NRAB ACTION ITEMS DURING 2007
A. City Utilities Projects
1. Electric Supply Policy - Provide input and advice to Council on the
implementation of the City's Electric Policy; explore, review and comment on
long range planning, future power sources, and alternative power sources;
review and comment on the environmental aspects of power generation and
distribution.
2. Floodplain and Stormwater Issues — Review and comment on environmental,
floodplain, and stormwater aspects of development, redevelopment or non -
development; explore, review and comment on potential impacts on the
Cache la Poudre River watershed.
3. 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, water rate policy, and issues
related to special districts.
4. Other City Utility projects to be identified.
B. Environmental Protection, Health, and Safety
Solid Waste Reduction - Monitor and revisit solid waste reduction policies, with
particular emphasis on the 50% diversion by 2010 policy effort of the City,
reducing consumption and waste generation; other solid waste diversion goals,
landfill and recycling center management issues, monitor implementation of
changes to land use code relating to multi -family recycling, trash districting re-
evaluation, and environmental and natural resource education.
2. Hazardous Wastes and Pollution Prevention — Review and comment on:
hazardous waste, toxic substances, pollution prevention, and remediation
programs, internal City audits and internal environmental management systems,
community outreach and education, and brownfields projects.
3. 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.
4. Air Quality - Review and comment on air quality policies, including greenhouse
gas reduction, Cities for Climate Protection - Climatewise Program and business
NRAB Year 2007 Work Plan — Page 3 of 5
outreach, number and location of air quality monitoring stations, Air Quality
Action Plan, indoor air quality, radon ordinance review, and LUTRAQ ongoing
efforts.
C. Land Use Planning
1. 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.
2. Energy Efficient Development— Explore, review and comment on green building
issues, such as LEED certification and retrofitting.
3. Downtown and River Corridor — Participate in the implementation of the
Downtown River Corridor Plan and the Downtown Strategic Plan and other
projects with potential natural resources or environmental impacts.
4. Land Use Code — Review and comment on the natural resources impacts of City
Land Use Code changes and/or revisions.
5. New Development Review and Compliance — Monitoring and follow-through of
new development review and compliance with natural resources protection
requirements consistent with the Board's jurisdiction.
6. Regional Planning — Monitor, review and comment on regional planning
activities, such as intergovernmental agreements with Larimer County and
implementation of the 1-25 Regional Corridor Plan.
D. Transportation Planning
Alternative Transportation — Explore, review and comment on alternative
transportation issues, such as bicycle transportation, important to the City of Fort
Collins.
2. 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.
3. Regional Transportation — Participate in public discussions regarding
environmental impacts of regional transportation projects including 1-25,
Carpenter Road/SH 392, a Regional Transportation Authority, and other
transportation projects that arise.
4. Land Use, Transportation, and Air Quality (LUTRAQ) Committees — Monitor the
natural resources and environmental aspects.
NRAB Year 2007 Work Plan — Page 4 of 5
E. Human Dimensions
Environmental Economics — Explore, review and comment on economic aspects
of natural resources issues important to the City of Fort Collins.
2. Environmental Education — Explore, review and comment on strategies to
implement effective and efficient education about natural resources issues
important to the City of Fort Collins.
3. Forest Resources — Explore, review and comment on natural resources issues
pertaining to forest resources important to the City of Fort Collins.
4. Soil Resources — Explore, review and comment on natural resources issues
pertaining to soil resources important to the City of Fort Collins.
5. Water Resources — Explore, review and comment on natural resources issues
pertaining to water resources, especially the Cache la Poudre River Watershed,
important to the City of Fort Collins.
6. Wildlife — Explore, review and comment on natural resources issues pertaining to
human interactions with wildlife important to the City of Fort Collins.
F. Administrative Issues
Council's Policy Agenda and Six -Month Planning Calendar — monitor for natural
resources and environmental issues.
2. Natural Resources Department — Proactively participate in discussions and
comment to Council about the current and future vision and mission for the
department.
3. City-wide Action Plan for Sustainability — Monitor, discuss, and provide input as
the system is implemented.
4. Biennial Budget Process/Budgeting for Outcomes for Fiscal Years 2006/2007 —
continued reviews and comments.
5. City-wide Capital Projects inventory — participate in discussion on environmental
priorities, funding sources, project siting issues, and environmental impacts of
new projects.
NRAB Year 2007 Work Plan — Page 5 of 5