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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAir Quality Advisory Board - Minutes - 06/24/2008AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING AGENDA DATE: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 LOCATION: 215 N. Mason Conference room 1-A TIME: 5:30 -8:00 P.M. Dinner is served starting at 5:15 For Reference: Eric Levine, Chair - 493-6341 David Roy, Council Liaison - 407-7393 Brian Woodruff, Staff Liaison - 221-6604 Board Members Present: Eric Levine, Dennis Georg, Greg McMaster, Dale Adamy, Katrina Winbom, Kip Carrico, Dave Dietrich, Nancy York Board Members Absent: Staff Present: Brian Woodruff, Alexis Hmielak Eric Levine called the meeting to order at 5:40 Eric announced that Jeff Engel has resigned from the board because of his heavy schedule. 5:30 Public input none 5:30 Approval of May 27, 2008 minutes Greg McMaster, Levine and Nancy York submitted minor corrections/additions to the minutes. The technical advisory Greg McMaster moved and Dennis Georg seconded a motion to approve the May 27, 2008 minutes as amended. Motion passed unanimously Council periodic review of AQAB The AQAB discussed the upcoming periodic review with City Council. They need to finalize the questionnaire and send it to Council by Friday, June 27, 2008. • Brian Woodruff pointed out the council meeting will be televised but he does not expect the entire AQAB to be at the table. • As Eric Levine will be in Florida, AQAB vice chair, Greg McMaster and Dale Adamy will attend the July 8 Council review and July I reading of West Nile Virus before Council. • The group discussed what to say at the review in order to convey to Council their desire to work more effectively with them and have more interaction on issues concerning air quality in Fort Collins. o The AQAB commended Brian Woodruff for writing the draft of the Council review questionnaire they were discussing tonight. o Dennis suggested Dale and Greg emphasize the best way to communicate with Council, how Council can effectively use what the AQAB provides them and how the efforts various boards can be better coordinated. o Greg felt they should also discuss how the AQAB can better coordinate work schedules with Council and have Council acknowledge the AQAB's input. o Eric felt the AQAB's recommendations to Council are the result of in-depth study by sub committees such as West Nile and Climate Task Force. He also would like to see included in all issues that AQAB not be excluded from issues relating to air quality. o Since the AQAB and Council both meet on Tuesday nights, the AQAB would like to change their meeting night so they can attend the Council meetings in the future and present their recommendations. Alexis Hmielak will coordinate finding a suitable day and place for future AQAB meetings. o The AQAB reached consensus of what to put in the questionnaire and Brian Woodruff will finalize and send the following to Council. 1. COORDINATION WITH OTHER BOARDS: The AQAB currently has the following language in the charter calling for them to coordinate with three other boards. They recommend that Council put parallel language in the other boards' charters, because their efforts to coordinate have been rebuffed. Sec. 2-94. Coordination with other boards. The Board shall coordinate its work with the Transportation Board, Natural Resources Advisory Board and the Planning and Zoning Board, recognizing that certain transportation and land use decisions, policies and programs affect future air quality. 2. ANTIQUATED LANGUAGE: The Board suggests minor revisions to Sec. 2-93 [AQAB Functions], in order to remove antiquated provisions. The mark-up is in the attached file, first page. Brief updates Downtown parking structures Concerns about the number of parking spaces being proposed for the downtown area led to a wide-ranging discussion touching on such issues as: o Is there too much investment in downtown parking? o Is public financing going to automobile infrastructure at the expense of transit, etc? o How well is the downtown shuttle connected to other downtown projects? o How is the planning profession responding to the new paradigm of high -cost gasoline? Is excess parking just the last gasp of a dying land use & transportation model? o How is the City doing on integrating land use, transportation, and air quality planning [LUTRAQ]? o Is there a holistic plan that considers and integrates all the downtown issues, e.g., traffic, alternative travel modes, hotels, entertainment, air quality, etc? o Will the planned investment in Mason Corridor be worth it? o Is current development, such as the boom along Harmony Road consistent with the City Plan vision? Since these issues extend over both land use and transportation, the Board decided to invite the City's Director of Planning, Development & Transportation to meet with the Board and give his perspective, perhaps at the August meeting. This would be "A Conversation with the PDT Director" and Brian suggested the Board spend some time at the July meeting preparing questions and topics to be shared in advance of the presentation at the August meeting. Brian will make the invitation. Brian informed the board that there are two groups that want to make a presentation to the AQAB in the upcoming months: Trash study and Electric energy policy. Trash Services Study • Eric informed the board the study goes to the Council work session July 8, 2008. • Brian reported that the report is nearing completion and the actual decision making will be in the fall. He will add a presentation to the AQAB to the agenda for July. • Katrina was pleasantly surprised the city now expanded the plastics being recycled. • In answer to a question from Dave Dietrich, Brian explained yard waste is a major component of city waste, but is not being included in the trash services study. • Eric brought John Kefalas' 2007 Public Forum report for the group to see regarding recycling. • Eric pointed out the Climate Task Force is connected to the trash issue because recycling helps reduce CO2. Council is committed to reaching 50% waste diversion by 2011. It is pretty aggressive, but is it doable. If we don't come close to 50% the climate plan's success isinjeopardy. • Currently Fort Collins is in the high 30% for waste diversion while Loveland is over 50%. One reason for Loveland's numbers is that they have a trash utility. • In answer to a question by Dave Dietrich, Brian stated yard waste is a large percentage of city waste. • Eric pointed out construction and demolition waste is also a large volume of waste. • Dave Dietrich felt recycling would not increase to this level unless mandated by law. Climate Task Force Recommendations — next steps • Dennis suggested the AQAB put this on their fall agenda in order prepare for input to Council before they act on the proposal. • Brian pointed out Lucinda Smith will be presenting the Climate Task Force Recommendations to the AQAB in August. • Eric stated there were 2 public forums on the program as it was being developed, but does not think it is in the plan now. • Eric announced there will be a joint RAQC/MPO meeting on Wednesday, June 25, when I&M for the North Front Range will be the featured discussion. West Nile Virus • Greg McMaster updated the AQAB on the West Nile Virus o There will be a presentation to Council on July 1, 2008 with options and a lot of details. Greg will attend the presentation. o The WNT Task Force recommended options C and B being second option, the main difference being the establishment of an Advisory Committee in one of the options with a member from Natural Resources Board, Air Quality Board and a Larimer County Medical official. o Larimer County Health Department will make the recommendation to spray, then Darin Atteberry has the responsibility to accept that recommendation. The Advisory Committee would give Darin feedback o The WNV committee also recommended people have an option to "opt out" of spraying. o The committee will also flesh out some budget issues • The AQAB discussed the options of the WNV policy. o Eric stated he heard from Darin Atteberry the Larimer County Medical Association will pay for the physician on the committee because they need direction and wanted a specific skill set; someone with West Nile and chemical sensitivity experience. o The AQAB discussed who from the board should be designated to be on the WNV Advisory Committee and the consensus was that Greg McMaster would be the appropriate person. Greg agreed to serve on the committee. Nancy York moved and Dale Adamy seconded a motion to endorse Option C of the West Nile Virus policy and if there is any major new information come forth regarding West Nile Virus that the task force be re -reconvened to evaluate it. The task force should also follow up on the health effects of spraying or not spraying. In addition, the AQAB would like the Council to give consideration to those who choose to op out for spraying. Motion passed unanimously Mobility Management Dennis Georg suggested the AQAB review this issue in July in order to prepare for the presentation by the Transportation Board. New Business • Katrina stated she will try to go to the ozone meeting tomorrow at the RAQC. She can give the AQAB a quick email update on what happens there. She reported she also went to an oil and gas study that is drafting stronger regulations for oil and gas companies in Reg. 7. o She also reported southwest Wyoming is having an ozone problem most likely from oil and gas wells. • Nancy York reported she monitors the air quality index on the back page of the newspaper. She is concerned it gives a false report to people in Fort Collins, since the data comes from Denver. o Eric agreed it would be helpful for ozone sensitive people to have an accurate report. Dennis Georg moved and Dale Adamy seconded a motion to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 Submitted by Alexis Hmielak Administrative Secretary I Approved by the Board on , 2008 Signed J Date Administrative Secretary I Extension: 6600