Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES-06/17/2003-RegularJune 17, 2003 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO Council -Manager Form of Government Regular Meeting - 6:00 p.m. A regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins was held on Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the City of Fort Collins City Hall. Roll Call was answered by the following Councilmembers: Bertschy, Hamrick, Kastein, Roy, Tharp and Weitkunat. Councilmembers Absent: Mayor Martinez. Staff Members Present: Fischbach, Krajicek, Roy. ("Secretary's Note: Mayor Pro Tem Bertschy chaired the meeting.) Citizen Participation Mary Kay Johnston, 3616 Terry Point Drive, representing the High Tech Network, described the organization and spoke regarding the loss of jobs in the high tech industry. She spoke regarding the need to replace lost primaryjobs and strengthen the economy. She asked that Council acknowledge the seriousness of the economic downturn, establish a cohesive economic vision for the City and streamline the processes necessary to replace primary jobs. Citizen Participation Follow-up Councilmember Kastein stated the Council began crafting a two-year policy agenda at the recent retreat and that a major topic of discussion was the economy and what the role of the City should be. Councilmember Tharp stated she was scheduled to meet with Ms. Johnston and was interested in pursuing further discussions regarding the unemployed. AAeenda Review City Manager Fischbach stated item #16 Resolution 2003-079 Adopting Amendments to the Financial Management Policies would be pulled from the agenda and would be scheduled for a later date. CONSENT CALENDAR Consideration and approval of the Council meeting minutes of May 6, and May 20, 2003. B112 June 17, 2003 8. Second Reading of Ordinance No. 087, 2003, Appropriating Unanticipated Revenue in the General Fund for a Poudre School District BuildingSurvey urvey and Historic Schools Context. The City of Fort Collins, Advance Planning Department has received a Certified Local Government grant in the amount of $23,000 from the Colorado Historical Society. Matching funds are not required. This Ordinance was unanimously adopted on First Reading on June 3, 2003. 9. Second Reading of Ordinance No. 088, 2003, Appropriating Unanticipated Revenue in the Capital Projects Fund Building Community Choices - Community Horticulture Center Capital Project to be Used for Design and Construction of the Education Room. Ordinance No. 088, 2003, which was unanimously adopted on First Reading on June 3, 2003, appropriates unanticipated revenue in the Capital Projects Fund Building Community Choices - Community Horticulture Center Capital Project to be Used for Design and Construction of the Education Room. 10. Second Reading of Ordinance No. 089, 2003, Appropriating Unanticipated Revenue and Prior Year Reserves in the General Fund for the Purchase of a Computer Aided Dispatch System, Records Management System, aCorrections Management System and an Automatic Vehicle Locating System. This Ordinance, which was unanimously adopted on First Reading on June 3, 2003, appropriates funds to purchase and jointly operate with Larimer County an Emergency Services dispatch, records and correction system that will serve Fort Collins Police Services, the Latimer County Sheriff's Office, Poudre Fire Authority, Poudre Valley Health Care Ambulances, CSU Police Department, Estes Park Police Department and Berthoud Police Department. 11. Second Reading of Ordinance No. 090, 2003, Making Various Amendments to the City of Fort Collins Land Use Code. Staff has identified a variety of proposed changes, additions and clarifications in the Spring biannual update of the Land Use Code. On May 15, 2003, the Planning and Zoning Board voted 6-0 to recommend approval of the proposed changes to City Council. Ordinance No. 090, 2003, was unanimously adopted on First Reading on June 3, 2003, making various amendments to the Land Use Code. 465 June 17, 2003 12. First Reading of Ordinance No. 091, 2003, Appropriating Unanticipated Revenue in the General Fund and Authorizing the Transfer of Appropriated Amounts Between Accounts and Projects for the Multi -Jurisdictional Drug Task Force. Fort Collins Police Services and Loveland Police, Larimer County Sheriff's Department, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Colorado State University Police Department are members of the Larimer County Drug Task Force (LCDTF). For the past 16 years, Fort Collins Police Services, as administrator of the LCDTF has applied to the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice for Federal Byrne Grant monies to help fund the investigation of illegal narcotics activities. The City has recently received notification of the grant award in the amount of $271,081. The participating agencies must provide matching funds in the amount of $426,658. Fort Collins' portion of the match is $43,664. This match is met via the budgeted salary and fringe benefits of existing Fort Collins Police Services personnel currently assigned to the Drug Task Force. In addition, the City will receive $3,600 from CSU, to fund their portion of training costs. 13. First Reading of Ordinance No. 092, 2003, Authorizing the Acceptance of Property Donated by Willowood Corporation and Appropriating Unanticipated Revenue in the General Fund for Said Property Acceptance. This Ordinance authorizes the Mayor to accept the conveyance of approximately 1.54-acres of land to be owned by the City and managed as a natural area by the Natural Resources Department. The parcel is adjacent to the City's Prairie Dog Meadow Natural Area. The habitat is wet meadow and upland grassland. This parcel adds acreage to a currently protected site that is used by prairie dogs, allowing expansion of the colony onto upland habitat and providing additional feeding areas for the prairie dogs. One of the preferred foods of prairie dogs is sedges, which dominate the wet meadow on this tract of land. 14. First Reading of Ordinance No. 093, 2003, Amending Section 23-193 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins Governing Certain Conduct in City Natural Areas. It recently came to the attention of staff that minor changes are needed to Section 23-193 of the Fort Collins City Code (Natural Areas) to accomplish the original intent of the regulations. Vehicle Access: In February 2002, Ordinance No. 031, 2002, inadvertently changed Sec. 23- 193 of City Code (the Natural Areas Regulations) in such a way as to make it impossible to legally allow vehicular access to natural areas for certain desirable and necessary purposes. The Code change at the time also inaccurately indicated `recreation area" (which should have been used in Section 23-203) rather than "natural area" which is the appropriate language for Section 23-193. Im June 17, 2003 The purpose of Ordinance No. 031, 2002, was to exclude electric assisted bicycles from the trails that go through natural areas. Prior to Ordinance No. 031, 2002, the regulations allowed the service area director to grant permits for motor vehicles to be on natural areas in certain situations. In the process of accomplishing the intent relative to electric assisted bicycles, Section 23-193, which governs the use of any motor vehicles, was moved from section (d), which allowed motor vehicles on natural areas only by permit, to section (a), so that motor vehicles are now entirely prohibited on natural areas. This changed the original intent of the provision, which was to allow the service area director to issue a permit for vehicle access to natural areas for certain educational activities and for necessary and unavoidable access needs. An example of educational vehicle access occurs at Coyote Ridge, where the public is not allowed to drive vehicles on the trail, but, when accompanied by the City's education personnel, vehicles may appropriately be permitted to take groups of persons requiring assistance (e.g., persons in wheelchairs or persons who physically are unable to hike into the site) to the interpretive area about one mile into the site. This allows those groups the opportunity to both enjoy the experiences unique to foothills natural areas and enjoy and learn from the interpretive features on the site. 15. Resolution 2003-078 Adopting the Third Amendment to the City of Fort Collins General Employees' Retirement Plan as Amended and Restated Effective December 31, 2001. The City has operated the General Employees' Retirement Plan since 1971. For many years, this Plan served the majority of City employees. As of January 1, 2003, there are 362 active members, 116 terminated members with vested benefits, and 123 retirees or beneficiaries in the Plan. Under the current Plan, employees with part-time service that convert to full-time service can receive a benefit that is proportionately greater than full-time employees. The General Employees' Retirement Committee, with assistance from its actuary, Milliman USA, and internal and external legal counsel, has studied this problem for the last four years. The Committee has developed a Plan change that more equitably matches the retirement benefit to actual service and the contributions made in to the Plan. The proposed change does not increase the cost of the Plan. 16. Resolution 2003-079 Adopting Amendments to the Financial Management Policies. The amendments adopted by this Resolution will become part of the Financial Management Policies of the City. The policies will remain in effect until they are subsequently amended or repealed by Council action. The two operational policy changes pertain to guidelines regarding the accounting for maintenance and repairs of City Facilities and an investment technique known as securities lending. 467 June 17, 2003 17. Routine Easement. A. Deed of easement for public access and recreational trail, located at 2908 South Timberline Road. Monetary consideration: $10. ***END CONSENT*** Ordinances on Second Reading were read by title by City Clerk Krajicek. Second Reading of Ordinance No 087, 2003, Appropriating Unanticipated Revenue in the General Fund for a Poudre School District Building Survey and Historic Schools Context. 9. Second Reading of Ordinance No. 088, 2003, Appropriating Unanticipated Revenue in the Capital Projects Fund Building Community Choices - Community Horticulture Center Capital Project to be Used for Design and Construction of the Education Room. 10. Second Reading of Ordinance No. 089, 2003, Appropriating Unanticipated Revenue and Prior Year Reserves in the General Fund for the Purchase of a Computer Aided Dispatch System Records Management System, a Corrections Management System and an Automatic Vehicle Locating System. 11. Second Reading of Ordinance No. 090, 2003, Making Various Amendments to the City of Fort Collins Land Use Code. Ordinances on First Reading were read by title by City Clerk Krajicek. 12. First Reading of Ordinance No 091, 2003, Appropriating Unanticipated Revenue in the General Fund and Authorizing the Transfer of Appropriated Amounts Between Accounts and Projects for the Multi Jurisdictional Drug Task Force. 13. First Reading of Ordinance No. 092, 2003, Authorizing the Acceptance of Property Donated by Willowood Corporation and Appropriating Unanticipated Revenue in the General Fund for Said Property Acceptance. 14. First Reading of Ordinance No. 093, 2003, Amending Section 23-193 of the Code of the Citv of Fort Collins Governing Certain Conduct in City Natural Areas. Councilmember Weitkunat made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Roy, to adopt and approve all items not withdrawn from the Consent Calendar (items 7-16). The vote on the motion was as ENT-1 June 17, 2003 follows: Yeas: Councilmembers Bertschy, Hamrick, Kastein, Roy, Tharp and Weitkunat. Nays: None. THE MOTION CARRIED Consent Calendar Follow-up Mayor Pro Tern Bertschy expressed appreciation for the donation of land next to the Prairie Dog Meadows Natural Area. City Manager Fischbach noted that the motion to adopt the Consent Calendar was for items 7-16 and that another motion would be needed to adopt Consent Calendar item #17. Councilmember Weitkunat made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Roy, to adopt Consent Calendar item #17 (Routine Easement). The vote on the motion was as follows: Yeas: Councilmembers Bertschy, Hamrick, Kastein, Roy, Tharp and Weitkunat. Nays: None. THE MOTION CARRIED Staff Reports City Manager Fischbach reported on positive comments received with regard to the improved traffic signal system along College Avenue. He reported that there would be an office for downtown police officers at the downtown transit center. He also presented an update regarding water supply and stated there was now a plentiful supply of water in the Cache la Poudre and Upper Colorado River basins. He stated most local reservoirs were now full and that Colorado Big Thompson reservoirs were at about 50% of capacity. He stated treated water use had been well below average and that there had been an approximate saving of 2,900 acre feet of water. He stated the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District had increased the CBT quota from 40% to 50%, which would result in an increased supply available to the City in the Horsetooth Reservoir of approximately 3,600 acre feet. He stated projections now showed that the City could meet a typical dry year and end up with a 5% surplus going into 2004. He spoke regarding the Drought Response Plan and stated he was considering not lifting watering restrictions at this time because the drought was still ongoing and the restrictions could still be needed if there was a hot and dry summer. He stated he was also considering recommending leaving the rate structure in place. Mayor Pro Tern Bertschy stated he would support the decision to keep the watering restrictions and water rate structure in place and to keep monitoring the situation. Councilmember Tharp supported that direction and spoke regarding the need for water conservation in a semi -arid climate. ,m June 17, 2003 Councilmember Hamrick stated it would make sense to keep restrictions in place until the new water conservation measures were given a chance to work. Councilmember Roy thanked staff and the Fort Collins citizens who had worked to conserve water. He stated he would support not lifting the restrictions at this time. CouncilmemberTharp asked about refilling ofHorsetoothReservoir. City Manager Fischbach stated it would take several years to replenish after the dam work was completed. Councilmember Reports Councilmember Tharp reported on the work and discussions of the statewide Commuter Bus Corridor Plan Committee. Councilmember Kastein reported on North Front Range Transportation and Air Quality Planning Council discussions relating to the results of a survey regarding the feasibility of a Regional Transportation Authority for the region, a Resolution amending the 2025 Plan, and a Resolution approving transit grant applications. Councilmember Hamrick asked if the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) intended to develop one intergovernmental agreement regarding the RTA for consideration by each participating community or if each community would be drafting an intergovernmental agreement to present to the MPO. City Manager Fischbach stated one intergovernmental agreement would be prepared and sent out to the communities for consideration. City Attorney Roy stated the Policy and Oversight Committee had discussed the process to develop the initial draft and the issues on which direction was needed before going forward. Mayor Pro Tern Bertschy reported on the Transportation Subcommittee discussions relating to transportation funding sources. Councilmember Kastein spoke regarding discussions pertaining to transportation funding. The consensus of Council was that there should be more discussions regarding transportation funding issues. Other Business Councilmember Tharp stated staff had provided an analysis and background information regarding alley house requirements. She asked for additional information about options available to bring inadequate alleys up to current standards. City Manager Fischbach stated staff was working on a report on that issue. 470 June 17, 2003 Councilmember Hamrick stated some Councilmembers had expressed a desire to continue to conduct mid -year performance reviews for the City Manager, City Attorney and Municipal Judge even though there was no legal requirement to do so. He noted that an adjourned meeting was scheduled for July 8 and suggested that could be a good time to conduct the performance reviews. City Manager Fischbach stated the agenda for July 8 was full and that other dates were being considered for the performance reviews. Councilmember Hamrick spoke regarding discussions at the retreat pertaining to economic development and redevelopment and the proposed Economic Summit. He requested a one -page summary of what had been done to date and what the goals and plans would be for such a summit. Mayor Pro Tern Bertschy stated there was a lengthy preliminary agenda for July 15 and that efforts would be made to shorten that agenda. Adiournment The meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m. y_ Mayor — ATTEST: 471