HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013 - Natural Resources Advisory Board - Work PlanNatural Resources
215 N. Mason
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80521
970.221-6600
970.224-6177 - fax
fcgov.com
2013 Work Plan for
Natural Resources Advisory Board
City of Fort Collins
TO: Mayor and Fort Collins City Council
FROM: Liz Pruessner on behalf of the Natural Resources Advisory Board
SUBJECT: Natural Resources Advisory Board 2013 Work Plan
DATE: November 29, 2012
This memorandum presents the Natural Resources Advisory Board’s (NRAB’s) work plan for
the year 2013.
General actions that we anticipate will be taken by the NRAB in 2013 include the following:
• Reviewing City policies and plans for consistency with the community’s environmental goals
and values through regular meetings and subcommittee meetings;
• Continue providing feedback to Staff by participating in task forces and special committees
to address specific policies, plans or regulations, including the Bicycle Advisory Board and
the West Nile Virus Advisory Panel;
• 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;
• Coordinating activities with other City Boards and Commissions as needed, such as the Air
Quality, Electric, Water, Land Conservation and Stewardship and Transportation Advisory
Boards, and with Larimer County’s Environmental Advisory Board;
The work plan identifies items and issues that are scheduled or that we anticipate will be
considered by the NRAB during the year 2013, either by the full Board or by Board committees.
The NRAB closely monitors Council’s six-month planning calendar for upcoming topics on
which to provide recommendations. Other relevant 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.
Our priority action items are outlined on the following page in the categories of Poudre River
Health; Water Resources; Oil and Gas Drilling/Fracking; Community Sustainability; Energy
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Policy and Renewable Energy; Solid Waste; Hazardous Waste; Climate Action Plan;
Transportation Planning; Local Agriculture; and Wildlife issues.
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 2013.
Sincerely,
Liz Pruessner, Chair
Natural Resources Advisory Board
cc: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
John Stokes, Director, Natural Areas Department
Bruce Hendee, Chief Sustainability Officer
Lucinda Smith, Director, Environmental Services
Wade Troxell, City Council Liaison to the NRAB
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The NRAB has identified the following issues to be of specific interest over the next year:
1) Health of Poudre River
In the wake of the High Park fire the recovery of the river and the watershed presents an ongoing
challenge for the City. We will continue to review and comment on policies affecting water
quality protection with a particular emphasis on the Poudre River as well as the entire river
ecosystem.
- Water Quality (drinking water from Poudre River and Horsetooth Reservoir)
- Monitor health of fisheries and invertebrate communities
- Watershed restoration
- Conserve to Enhance program (pilot program by FC Utilities to provide citizens with
opportunity to support enhancing instream flows)
- Poudre River Ecological Response Model
2) Water Resources
The NRAB will also focus on other water resources issues including: storm water runoff,
impacts of development on runoff quality and raw water supplies, and monitoring and
reporting of water quality in Fossil Creek, Spring Creek, and the Poudre River. NRAB will
continue to monitor and coordinate with staff and other boards' review of water related
projects and issues; e.g., NISP/Glade, City of Fort Collins Water Conservation Plan,
Halligan/Seaman Reservoir Expansion/Improvements,
3) Oil and Gas Drilling/Fracking within City Limits
- Impacts of oil and gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing on the City
4) Community Sustainability
NRAB will maintain a focus on community sustainability and monitor progress on the
sustainability indicators included in Plan Ft. Collins and the progress of the new Office of
Sustainability.
5) Energy Policy/Renewable Energy
NRAB will review and comment on renewable energy issues including, but not limited
to:
- FortZed
- Commercial feed-in tariff
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- Smart Grid implementation
- Energy efficient development
- Community solar garden
6) Solid Waste
- Cardboard Ban from waste stream
- Integrated Recycling Facility
- Reduction in Disposable Bags use
- Expansion of multi-family recycling
- Increase in voluntary commercial recycling
7) Hazardous Waste
Review and comment on: hazardous waste, toxic substances, pollution prevention and
remediation programs; and community outreach and education.
8) Climate Action Plan
NRAB will continue to urge progress on implementation of the Climate Action Plan.
- Climate change mitigation planning by the City
9) Transportation Planning
Explore, review and comment on regional and local issues affecting transportation planning.
- Monitor progress of Mason Street Corridor
- Vehicle miles of travel
- Need for safe pedestrian design and function at major intersections
10) Local agriculture
Explore issues and ideas in the local agriculture movement
11) Wildlife
- human and wildlife interface issues