Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 06/15/2004 - RESOLUTION 2004-072 APPROVING AND ADOPTING CHAPTER ITEM NUMBER: 17 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: June 15, 2004 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Lucinda Smith SUBJECT Resolution 2004-072 Approving and Adopting Chapter 3 —Air Quality Policy of the Air Quality Plan as a Policy Element of the City's Comprehensive Plan. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY City Council is being asked to adopt an update to the City's air quality policies,which are now over ten years old. The Policy Chapter of the 2004 Air Quality Action Plan, if adopted by Council, will supercede the 1993 Air Quality Policy Plan. Council action will also incorporate the Policy Chapter as an element of City Plan. Staff worked closely with the Air Quality Advisory Board and obtained input from the public and other Council advisory boards during the update process. BACKGROUND The City's Air Quality Plan currently consists of a 10-year Policy Plan and a 4-year Action Plan, both approved by City Council. Both documents are due to be updated. This is being accomplished by creating a single document, the 2004 Air Quality Plan, which is a five-year policy and strategic planning document. This approach streamlines the planning process, elevates the level and frequency of air quality policy discussion,and allows more flexibility in annual staff work planning to take advantage of emerging opportunities. Under this new approach, Council will adopt the Policy Chapter of the 2004 Air Quality Plan. City Council adopted the first Air Quality Policy Plan in 1993. It contained one principle and twenty-five policies addressing air quality issues such as mobile sources,commercial and residential emissions, and broad approaches to air quality protection. In 1997, all the air quality policies contained in the Policy Plan were adopted into City Plan,the City's Comprehensive Plan. City staff has previously prepared for Council review every two to four years an Air Quality Action Plan that contained plans for implementation of the approved air quality policies. City staff and the Air Quality Advisory Board have reviewed this practice and are recommending that the Air Quality Action Plan and Air Quality Policy Plan be merged into one document to streamline the planning process,elevate the level and frequency of policy review, and allow more flexibility in annual staff work planning to take advantage of emerging opportunities. June 15, 2004 -2- Item No. 17 When City Plan was updated by Council in 2004, ten air quality principles and policies that relate directly to land use, transportation, and greenhouse gases were incorporated. These ten policies (labeled ENV) are also contained in the policy chapter of the 2004 Air Quality Plan. Twenty-three additional air quality principles and policies relating to residential and industrial sources of air pollution, indoor air quality,wood smoke,health, and other operating practices (labeled"AQ")are also contained in policy chapter of the Air Quality Plan. Thus,Council adoption of Chapter 3 of the 2004 Air Quality Plan constitutes adoption of the full suite of air quality principles and policies. Policy Revisions Most of the policy changes involve minor wording revisions or reformatting. Seven policies were deleted either because they are covered elsewhere under City Plan or they were deemed obsolete. The few more substantive policy changes included in proposed Chapter 3 of the Air Quality Plan are summarized below. 1) A new policy was added to address non-road mobile source emissions (Principle AQ-12 and Policy AQ-12.1) Emissions from on-road mobile sources are predicted to decline over time as the result of increasing federal controls of emission and fuels.Consequently,the relative contribution of non-road emissions to Fort Collins' air pollution will increase. Non-road sources include construction equipment, gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment,farming and mining equipment,and locomotive and aircraft emissions. 2) A new policy was added calling for actions to reduce residential emissions that contribute to ozone formation (Policy AQ-14.2) Fort Collins is only 16% below the new federal health standards for ozone, which contributes to asthma and other respiratory ailments. Along with Denver,Boulder, and Greeley,Fort Collins has been included in EPA's deferred ozone non-attainment boundary. New state regulations will address most -o o e z n forming emissions from commercial sources(gas wells)and mobile sources(by lowering gasoline volatility). Therefore, the City should focus outreach efforts on residential practices that contribute to ozone. City actions could include lawn mower rebate programs, automobile gas cap replacement programs(to remove leaky gas caps),and encouraging mowing and refueling when the sun is low to reduce evaporative emissions. 3) Anew principle was added to clarify the City's role in health protection (Principle AQ-15) The protection of human and environmental health forms the basis for all air quality protection efforts, yet the City is not a human health protection agency. The proposed new principle establishes clearer boundaries around what has long been a gray area; the City's role in air quality- related health issues. It defines the City as "solution seeker" for issues that may be raised by the public or Council such as radon and second hand smoke, not as "standard setter'. 4) Refrained"toolbox" of air quality strategies (Policy AQ-1.5) Previous policy has been to apply air quality strategies in a certain order of priority: starting with City leadership in its own operations, through education, promotion, and incentive programs, and June 15, 2004 -3- Item No. 17 finally to regulation. In practice, although education is always a first resort, air quality programs have applied the approach most appropriate to the circumstances,rather than follow a strict priority order. The proposed policy simply lists the strategies in the City's"toolbox": education,incentives and price mechanisms, and regulation. 5) Internal Conformance. This 1993 policy calling for the City to adopt no transportation or land use plan or program unless there has been an affirmative finding that the plan or program has considered air quality policies is being dropped. Instead,language has been placed in City Plan(page 86)stating that"other recently adopted plans consistent with the Principles and Policies of City Plan can be considered elements of City Plan, helping to further shape our City's desired future. Therefore, these next tier of plans needs to be considered when making decisions." Public Outreach Input on the updated policies has been sought from the general public via the Internet during March and April 2004. Public input is summarized in Attachment B. Board Recommendations The air quality policies contained in Chapter 3 of the 2004 Air Quality Plan were fully recommended by the Natural Resources Advisory Board, which considered the item at its June 2, 2004 meeting. The Transportation Advisory Board recommended all the transportation-related air quality policies. The Air Quality Advisory Board considered the item at its June 8, 2004 meeting, and recommended approval of Chapter 3. Board statements are contained in Attachment B. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A - Chapter 3; Air Quality Policies Attachment B —Public and Board Comments Attachment C - May 13, 2004 Memo Re: May 11, 2004 Study Session Summary RESOLUTION 2004-072 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROVING AND ADOPTING CHAPTER 3 —AIR QUALITY POLICY OF THE AIR QUALITY PLAN AS A POLICY ELEMENT OF THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WHEREAS, a statistically significant survey in 2003 revealed that the citizens of Fort Collins view the air quality program as being critical to the protection of their quality of life, and WHEREAS; citizens of Fort Collins want local government to play an important role in protecting air quality; and WHEREAS,an Air Quality Policy Plan was originally adopted on February 22, 1993,by the Planning and Zoning Board as an element of the Comprehensive Plan, and approved on March 16, 1993, by Fort Collins City Council, and WHEREAS, all but the findings of the Air Quality Policy Plan (all the policies) were readopted by City Council on February 18, 1997, with minor revisions as Section ENV-1 of City Plan 'Principles and Policies", and WHEREAS,in addition to the Air Quality Policy Plan,City staff has in the past worked with the public, the Air Quality Advisory Board and other advisory boards and the City Council to prepare and update every two to four years an Air Quality Action Plan to provide a framework for implementation of the Air Quality Policy Plan; and WHEREAS, beginning in 2003, City staff has worked with the public, the Air Quality Advisory Board, and other Council advisory boards to evaluate those policies and recommend updates to them as needed, and WHEREAS,in order to streamline the planning process and provide for more frequent City Council review of air quality policies,staff and the Air Quality Advisory Board have recommended that the Air Quality Action Plan be merged together with the Air Quality Policy Plan into an Air Quality Plan; and WHEREAS, it is staff's recommendation that the policy portion of the Air Quality Plan be presented to the City Council for regular review and update as part of the City's Comprehensive Plan every five years; and WHEREAS, on April 6, 2004, City Council adopted ten air quality principles and policies that address transportation,land use,and greenhouse gases in Sections ENV-1,ENV-2,and ENV-3 of City Plan 'Principles and Policies", and WHEREAS, Chapter 3 of the 2004 Air Quality Plan contains those ten ENV air quality polices as well as twenty-three additional air quality policies (AQ) addressing broad approaches to air quality protection,commercial and residential sources,health,and leadership,such that all of the City's air quality policies (ENV and AQ) are contained in Chapter 3 of the 2004 Air Quality Plan, and WHEREAS, the Transportation Advisory Board considered Chapter 3 of the 2004 Air Quality Plan on May 19, 2004, and voted to recommend approval of the transportation-related air quality policies; and WHEREAS, the Natural Resources Advisory Board considered Chapter 3 of the 2004 Air Quality Plan on June 2, 2004, and voted to recommend its adoption; and WHEREAS,the Air Quality Advisory Board considered Chapter 3 of the 2004 Air Quality Plan on June 8, 2004, and voted to recommend its adoption; and WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that adoption of the air quality policies contained in Chapter 3 of the 2004 Air Quality Plan is in the best interest of the citizens of Fort Collins. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO as follows: Section 1. The "Chapter 3 — Air Quality Policy" as shown on Exhibit "A" attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, is hereby approved and shall supercede the 1993 Air Quality Policy Plan. Section 2. The "Chapter 3 — Air Quality Policy" as shown on Exhibit "A" attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, is hereby adopted as an element of the City's Comprehensive Plan. Section 3. That the City Manager is hereby authorized to administratively update and modify implementation aspects of the Air Quality Plan, in the place of an Air Quality Action Plan, provided that such implementation shall be consistent with the Air Quality Policy adopted by this Resolution and with any applicable budget and appropriations. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins,Colorado held this 15th day of June, A.D. 2004. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk Attachment A Fort Collins Air Ouality Plan- Chapter 3. Air Quality Policy Draft—May 26, 2004 3.0 AIR QUALITY POLICY 2.1 Organization The City of Fort Collins Air Quality Plan is an element of City Plan, the City's Comprehensive Plan, and as such provides the primary guidance for the City's air quality protection efforts. A subset of air quality principles and polices that relate to land use and transportation are contained in City Plan, and are reiterated in this Air Quality Plan. Those policies are labeled "ENV", exactly as they appear in City Plan. The Air Quality Plan also supplements City Plan by identifying additional air quality policies that address commercial and residential sources, indoor air quality and health protection. These air quality policies, not contained in City Plan, are labeled "AQ". The relationship between air quality policies is illustrated in Figure 3.1 All air quality principles and policies are contained in this Air Quality Plan. City Council adoption of this chapter constitutes Council adoption of all policies contained herein. Figure 3-1. Air Quality Plan is an element of City Plan AQ Air Quality Plan ENV Policy Labels ENV ENV= Environment AQ =Air Quality CITY PLAN 3-1 Fort Collins Air Ouality Plan- Chapter 3. Air Quality Policy Draft—May 26, 2004 3.2 AIR QUALITY VISION, GOALS, PRINCIPLES AND POLICIES Section 3.2 of the Air Quality Plan states all the air quality visions, goals, principles, and policies, including some repeated in City Plan (labeled ENV) and some only contained in this Air Quality Plan (labeled AQ). A note on definitions: As used in City Plan, a "goal" is both a beginning point for City efforts and an end towards which effort will be directed. Goals guide the community's decisions about investment, development, and redevelopment, and act as milestones as progress is made towards the community vision. A "principle" is a general or fundamental rule, doctrine, or assumption. A "policy" is a definite course or method of action selected to guide and determine present and future decisions. 3.2.1 Air Quality Vision and Goals Our community will continually improve air quality as the city grows by applying strong, comprehensive policies and strategies to address air quality issues. The City will strive to reduce tailpipe emissions though clean technologies and by reducing the rate of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by promoting a multi-modal transportation system that offers choices. The City will continue to invest in transit, walking, and cycling capacity and encourage residents to use alternative travel modes, to help shift travel choices toward alternatives that reduce air pollution and traffic congestion. 3.2.2 Air Quality Principles and Policies A note on numbering: Some of the principles and policies below are also contained in City Plan. These have an ENV- prefix and retain the numbering that they have in the City Plan document. The remaining principles and policies have and AQ-prefix. PRINCIPLE ENV-1: Continually improve Fort Collins' air quality as the city grows. Policy ENV-1.1 Air Quality Plan. The City will adopt and implement a comprehensive Air Quality Plan that addresses the following issues: • Emissions from vehicles • Emissions from commerce and industry • Wood burning • Visual air quality • Certain indoor air pollutants and greenhouse gases 3-2 Fort Collins Air Ouality Plan- Chapter 3. Air Quality Policy Draft-May 26, 2004 Policy ENV-1.2 City-Wide approach. The City's primary approach to improving air pollution is to reduce total city-wide emissions over the long term. The City's secondary approach is to assure that localized air pollution exposures conform to adopted health standards. Policy AQ-1.3 Pollution Prevention. The City will promote prevention of air pollution at its source as the highest priority approach in reducing air pollution emissions. Policy AQ-1.4 Priority Pollutants. The City will focus its efforts on reducing high priority air pollutants including ozone, fine particles, mobile source hazardous air pollutants, and greenhouse gases, followed by efforts to reduce medium priority pollutants including indoor air pollutants, nitrogen oxides, PMJO, industrial hazardous air pollutants, and carbon monoxide. Policy AQ-1.5 Toolbox of Approaches. The City will seek to achieve local air quality goals through education, incentives and price mechanisms, and regulation. Policy AQ-1.6 Measurement. The City will measure, review, and report the progress of key air quality indicators at least twice evmy five yews, Drior to the next update-in-adroance of the Air Quality Plan update, to determine whether action strategies are having the desired effect or need to be amended. Policy AQ-1.7 Air Quality Information. The City will report available air quality information to the public on a frequent and regular basis. The City will assist citizens in finding existing air quality information that is of interest to them. Policy AQ-1.8 Enforcement. The City will support the provision of adequate responsibility, authority, and resources (funding and personnel) to agencies charged with the enforcement of federal, state, county, and local air quality regulations. Policy AQ-1.9 Local Authority. The City will oppose any action of the State Legislature that restricts local government authority to improve air quality beyond minimum State requirements, even as the City recognizes and supports the vital role of the State of Colorado in improving air quality. PRINCIPLE ENV-2. The City will reduce total motor vehicle emissions of high priority pollutants by focusing on both technology (tailpipe emissions) and behavior (driving patterns). eollins each day -is rao"ing,faster than populatiots, the City's folig t 3-3 Fort Collins Air Ouality Plan- Chapter 3. Air Quality Policy Draft—May 26 2004 Policy ENV-2.1 Actions on Vehicle Miles Traveled. The City will slow the growth of vehicle-miles of travel by employing strategies that reduce vehicle trip rates, reduce vehicle trip length, and increase vehicle occupancy. Policy ENV-2.3 Price Mechanisms. The City will use price mechanisms of the free market to help shift citizen and business choices toward actions that reduce vehicle miles traveled, including identifying and removing hidden cost subsidies to motor vehicle users, employing economic incentives and disincentives, and other market approaches. PRINCIPLE AQ-12. The City will reduce tailpipe and evaporative emissions from highway and non-road mobile sources. Policy ENV-2.4 Actions on Tailpipe Emissions. The City will employ strategies to reduce per-mile emissions such as promotion of car maintenance, mechanic training, encouraging use of alternative fuels, purchasing clean vehicles, use of clean lawn and garden equipment, prohibition of smoking vehicles, consideration of a local emissions testing and repair program, and reducing traffic delays. Policy AQ 12-1. Non-Road Emissions.The City will employ incentive programs and other strategies to reduce emissions from lawn and garden equipment, small and large construction equipment, and other non-road engines. PRINCIPLE ENV-3. By 2010 the City will reduce greenhouse gas emission 30% below predicted worst-case 2010 levels in order to reduce the impact of the Fort Collins community on global warming. Policy ENV-3.1. Local Action Plan. The City will adopt and implement a local action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Policy ENV-3.2. Biennial Report. The City Manager will prepare a biennial report outlining the City's progress on achieving its greenhouse gas reduction goal and recommending future actions. PRINCIPLE AQ-13. The City will reduce commercial and industrial emissions in the Fort Collins area, focusing on priority pollutants. Policy AQ-13.1 Business Assistance. The City will offer programs and assistance to local businesses interested in reducing their environmental impacts such as the voluntary business Climate Wise program. 3-4 Fort Collins Air Oualia Plan- Chapter 3. Air Quality Policy Draft—May 26 2004 PRINCIPLE AQ-14. The City will reduce residential emissions of priority pollutants in the Fort Collins 6,a vv th hinnagen.vit At en area. Policy AQ 14-1. Residential Wood Smoke. The City will reduce wood smoke emissions and the number of non-certified wood stoves and fireplaces in the Fort Collins GMA by, for example, insuring compliance with existing regulations, promoting alternatives to wood burning, and helping to resolve neighborhood wood smoke conflicts. Policy AQ-14.2 Ozone Reduction. The City will reduce evaporative emissions associated with residential activities (lawn mowing, fueling, paint selection and storage) by, for example, educating citizens and providing incentives. PRINCIPLE AQ-15. Recognizing the strong relationship between air quality and human health, the City will, within the scope of its ability, strive to protect and improve the air so it is healthy to breathe and free of levels of pollutants that harm human health. Policy AQ-15.1 Health Partnerships. The City will solicit the cooperation and active participation of a diverse range of knowledgeable health professionals and members of the environmental health community to guide the development of policies so that they reflect priority health issues. Policy AQ-15.2. Seek Solutions. The City will work to protect air quality by seeking solutions to high priority health-related air quality issues using already adopted health standards. Policy AQ-15.3 Air Toxics Coordination. The City will work with County, State and Federal health officials to reduce the health risks posed by toxic air pollutants. Policy AQ-15.4 Indoor Air Quality. Because a-tnajority of indoor air pollution can be a serious issue doms, the City will educate and encourage its residents to reduce their exposure to indoor air pollution. PRINCIPLE AQ-16. The City will lead by example in efforts to improve local air quality. Policy AQ-16.1 Lead by Example. The City will make efforts to reduce and mitigate its own air pollution emissions before asking or requiring others to reduceand mitigate their emissions. Policy ENV-2.2 Actions on VMT. To reduce VMT, the City will encourage its customers to use telephone, Internet, or other methods to register for City offerings and purchase tickets. The City will also minimize the need for driving 3-5 Fort Collins Air Ouality Plan- Chapter 3. Air Quality Policy Draft—May 26, 2004 by organizing offerings with a neighborhood focus, so participants don't have to travel long distances. Policy AQ-16.2. Cooperation. The City will initiate and cooperate with other efforts to improve air quality, while avoiding unproductive duplication of effort. Others include government entities (other City departments, county, regional, state, national, global), the non-profit sector, businesses, and educational institutions. Policy AQ-16.3 Innovations. The City will consider adoption of successful air quality improvement strategies in effect elsewhere, including municipal practices, public information campaigns, incentives and price mechanisms, and regulations. 3.3 RELATED VISION, GOALS,PRINCIPLES,AND POLICIES This section restates other City Plan visions, goals, principles, and policies that, while not considered specific "air quality" policies, do support air quality improvement. 3.3.1 Related Vision and Goals Because most air pollution comes from motor vehicles, City Plan recognizes the importance of land use and transportation policies in helping to address air pollution from motor vehicles. These supporting policies are summarized in the following excerpt from the City Plan Community Vision: Fort Collins will confront and mitigate the negative impact of cars on our lives. The vision recognizes the importance of the automobile as a means of transportation, but begins to shift the balance towards a future in which different modes of transportation are also used. Our community will have an overall transportation systems and urban form the supports a wide choice and efficient ways to travel, thereby reducing the rate of growth of total daily vehicle miles of travel (VMT). Our Master Street Plan and Capital Improvement Program will support the land use goals of the City. New development and redevelopment will be organized and woven into a compact pattern that is conducive to pedestrian, bicycle, and public transit travel. All modes of travel will be safe and efficient. And, the importance of our community's air quality, transportation, and land use goals will be balanced. 3-6 Fort Collins Air Ouality Plan- Chapter 3. Air Quality Policy Draft—May 26, 2004 Air quality is also listed among other issues in the City's overall vision for the environment: Our community will be a responsible steward of the natural environment, such as improving air quality, water quality, conserving resources, and reducing solid waste. 2.2.2 Related Principles and Policies PRINCIPLE LU-1: Growth within the City will promote a compact development pattern within a well-defined boundary. Policy LU-1.1 Compact Urban Form. The desired urban form will be achieved by directing future development into mixed-use neighborhoods and districts while reducing the potential for dispersed growth not conducive to pedestrian and transit use and cohesive community development. PRINCIPLE LU-3: The City Structure Plan ,will be used to provide a geographic depiction of how these City Plan Principles and Policies are applied throughout the City. Note: The Structure Plan focuses on the physical form and development pattern of the city. It calls for a compact development pattern, directing urban development into well-defined areas at higher densities. An expanded transit system is incorporated in the Structure Plan, designed to provide high-frequency transit services along major travel corridors, with feeder transit lines providing connections from all major districts within the city. It establishes new activity centers in transit-served areas that serve as focal points and centers of activity, including Downtown and other mixed-use areas. The Structure Plan facilitates multiple means of travel: pedestrians, bicycles, and transit as well as cars and trucks. Street standards and site planning requirements will ensure that neighborhoods and districts throughout the city will be connected and accessible by all travel modes. PRINCIPLE CAD-1: Each addition to the street system will be designed with consideration to the visual character and the experience of the citizens who will use the street system and the adjacent property. Together, the layout of the street network and the streets themselves will contribute to the character, form, and scale of the city. PRINCIPLE CAD-2: Public spaces, such as plazas, civic buildings, outdoor spaces, parks, and gateway landscapes should be designed to be functional, accessible, attractive, safe,and comfortable. 3-7 Fort Collins Air Ouality Plan- Chapter 3. Air Quality Policy Draft—May 26, 2004 PRINCIPLE T-1: The physical organization of the City will be supported by a framework of transportation alternatives that balances access, mobility, safety, and emergency response throughout the City, while working towards reducing the rate of growth of vehicle miles traveled and dependence on the private automobile. Policy T-1.1 Land Use Patterns. The City will implement land use patterns, parking policies, and demand management plans that support effective transit, an efficient street system, and alternative modes. Appropriate residential densities and non-residential uses should be within walking distance of transit stops, permitting public transit to become a viable alternative to the automobile. Policy T-1.2 Multi-Modal Streets. Street corridors will provide for safe, convenient, and efficient use of all modes of travel, including motor vehicles, transit, bicycles, and pedestrians. Policy T-1.6 Level of Service Standards. The City will prepare and adopt level of service standards for automobiles, bicycles, pedestrians, and transit. PRINCIPLE T-2. Mass transit will be an integral part of the city's overall transportation system. PRINCIPLE T-3. City transportation programs shall address themselves to reduce vehicle miles of travel through strategies that reduce trip generation, reduce trip length, and increase vehicle occupancy. Policy T-3.1 Demand Management. The City will promote travel demand reduction measures that reduce automobile trips and promote alternative travel modes in which results can be measured — such as telecommuting and in-home businesses, electronic communications, variable work weeks, flextime, transit access, bicycle and pedestrian amenities, parking management, and trip reduction programs for large employers. PRINCIPLE T-4. Bicycling will serve as a practical alternative to automobile use for all trip purposes. PRINCIPLE T-5. The City will acknowledge pedestrian travel as a practical transportation mode and elevate it in importance to be in balance with all other modes. Direct pedestrian connections will be provided from places of residence to transit,schools,activity centers, work and public facilities. PRINCIPLE T-9. Private automobiles will continue to be an important means of transportation. Policy T 9.1 Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT): The City will continually strive to reduce the growth rate in VMT by implementing a VMT reduction program that 3-8 Fort Collins Air Ouality Plan- Chapter 3. Air Quality Policy Draft—May 26. 2004 strives to meet or exceed the performance of similar programs in comparable cities. PRINCIPLE T-10. The City will participate in a coordinated, regional approach to transportation planning. PRINCIPLE ENV-5. Energy efficiency and use of renewable energy resources will be encouraged, facilitated, and regulated in both the public and private sector through information and educational services, incentive programs, requirements, and enforcement of regulations such as the Energy Code. PRINCIPLE ENV 9. The City will continue to develop and implement sustainability practices that address long-term social, environmental, and economic considerations of the Fort Collins community. PRINCIPLE ENV-10: The City will apply cost-effective pollution prevention and zero-waste strategies that will help protect all environmental resources, including air, soil, and water and accelerate the community's ability to meet the City's adopted goal of diverting 50% of the waste stream from disposal in landfills by 2010. 3-9 Attachment B — Public & Board Comments Efforts were made throughout the development of the draft Air Quality Plan to involve affected interests. General public input was sought via the Internet using postcard mailings to a range of stakeholders. Numerous meetings were held with various City staff and consultants to the City Plan and Transportation Master Plan updates, as well as City Council advisory boards. EDAW was hired to review the draft air quality policies and strategies I. Council Advisory Board Input A Sub-Committee of the Air Quality Advisory Board was formed in April 2003, and met five times to provide input at various stages of the plan development. In addition to that, Council advisory boards had opportunities to provide input to the Air Quality Plan at various points in the process. • Air Quality Advisory Board - 6/19/03, 7/17/03, 9/18/03, 12/18/03, 1/15/04, 3/18/04, 4/22/04, 5/20/04, 6/8/04 • Transportation Advisory Board- January 14, 2004, May 19, 2004 • Natural Resources Advisory Board—February 18, 2004, June 2, 2004 Various Board comments can be found in copies of the minutes posted to the Web at http://fcgov.com/cityclerkibc-een-info.php. On June 8, 2004, the Air Quality Advisory Board moved that they "recommend that City Council approve the Air Quality Plan policies as written. They have been developed to protect both air quality and public health of citizens." The motion passed unanimously. On June 2, 2004, the Natural Resources Advisory Board recommended adoption of Chapter 3 of the Air Quality Plan. The motion passed unanimously. On May 19, 2004, the Transportation Advisory Board moved to recommend adoption of the transportation-related air quality policies. The motion passed unanimously. II. General Public Input General public input was sought via the Internet in March and April 2004. Announcements about the Web-based comment opportunity were published in the May City News, and via a press release. More than 150 direct postcard mailings announcing the Web comment opportunity were sent to the following interest groups: • Interested citizens • Other local governments • Environmental groups • Health experts • Wood Smoke Complaint Line participants • Local air quality consulting firms E-1 • Technical experts • Construction firms • Bicycle retailers • Auto repair shops • Lawn and garden equipment retailers • Wood stove retailers • Radon testers and mitigators • Home Builders • Board of Realtors Additional input was solicited by broader e-mail announcements about the Web-based comment opportunity. In addition, public input on the air quality City Plan policies was sought from the City Plan citizen's advisory committee, at several public open houses, and via City Plan website comment opportunities. Air Quality Plan Public Comments (throw 5/2/04) E-mail Comments: I am not impressed with this plan. The 5 years that I lived in Riverside Ca. was a nightmare of smog. I used to work in the orange groves and could see from the hillside the black cloud coming up the valley! We do not have anything close to the land structure that CA does. The wind kicks out all possible problems. I am not infavor of all vehicles being tested. I want the emmission test removed. Please keep me updated on your findings from the emmision control tests over the years that you have done it VS. the years not in place. I wager there is little change or none at all. City Action: Provided information about the benefits of the emissions testing program reported by CDPHE. E-Mail Comments: The FTC Air Quality Plan does not specificly address the issue that overwhelmingly dominates the human health risk from citizen exposure to air pollutants. That is the inhalation pathway of diesel particulate matter and associated PAH's. It is now well known that this is the single most significant air pollution health risk to the general urban population. I am confident that there is likely a >1 ug/m3 DPM exposure on the streets of Fort Collins which would translate to a chronic cancer risk well in excess of the 1 E-5 threshold. Coupled with the toxicity of formaldhyde emissions from motor vehicles, I am confident the exposure on the corner of College and Harmony is a significant health threat and absolutely must be specifically addressed in the Plan. Citizens should be warned. Additionally, to continue to allow semi trucks to use Fort Collins as a bypass to 180 (without a discouraging access fee) is irresponsible because those trucks also make a significant contribution to ! the DPM load, particularly in Old Town. If the citizens of Fort Collins knew the dangers from this exposure, you'd have your hands full. I suggest you address this serious issue. It make all others pale by comparision. You need to recognize the issue and address it with some action items. Please call to discuss as needed. Good luck... -City Action: Add formation of a diesel task force to the list of air quality strategies. Comments by Phone, 3/24/04 (Wood Street Neighborhood Resident) Concerned about diesel (and gasoline) emissions in the vicinity of City Wood Street facilities. The number of trips has increased since parking lot expansion. She suffers health effects from these fumes. She feels the location of these City activities in such close proximity to residential E-2 neighborhoods is poor, notes the emission levels are not monitored, has talked with City employees who are made sick by fumes, and fears more expansions of City facilities in this neighborhood may happen. She has concerns about the proposed vehicle storage facility increasing emissions, or least not reducing emissions. She doesn't perceive wood smoke as a problem in the neighborhood. A horticulturalist has noted air pollution damage to grape leaves on her property. She fears she may have to move if air pollution is not reduced. She calls for monitoring of diesel exposure levels in her neighborhood. City Action: Forwarded this comment to Utilities and Operations Services. E-Mail Comments: Questions: 1) Have IAQ studies been conducted in schools, homes, or businesses where evaporative coolers are used? 2) If so, where can the results be found? 3) If not, who could conduct such a survey? -City Action: Compiled references and replied. E-mail Comments: I like the updated version of the air quality plan, and am pleased the City has one. I particularly like the connection of VMT with land use planning, and hope that this group can promote community development that encourages walking, or public transportation from new or existing housing to shops. City Action: Thank you for your comment. Phone Comments 3/24/04 Diesel emissions are the # 1 air quality human health hazard. He just completed overseeing a study by Lawrence Berkley Lab on human health assessment of diesel particulate matter (DPM). They found that 98% of human health risk from diesels comes from shuttle busses and back-up generators for electricity. This risk is at levels of 0.4 ug/m3 DPM, using B20 (20% BioDiesel fuel). (He didn't say what the risk is, and the study is not published yet.) If human health protection really is the main goal, we should use as risk analysis to prioritize city actions. Actions we should consider include: • Identify DPM risk levels (using standard models) at Harmony and College (McDonald's), Riverside and College, and in Old Town. (Work w/ CSU grad student to complete the study.) • Routing diesel trucks away from the urban center (true truck bypass; and restrict HDDV access in urban corridor. • Reduce idling • Promote BioDiesel • Strategically assess ways to tap into outside funding -City Action: Add formation of a diesel task force to the list of air quality strategies. E-Mail Comments: Your discussion of policy in one big chart says that your mobile source emissions "will bottom out in the year 2000." 1 dont believe you want to use the future tense about a past event, and anyway I believe your calculations are almost certainly wrong. Look for instance at your mean or better yet median CO trend. I bet it continues to go down to this day. If the MOBILE6 model is what you are using to do this calculation you might put in a caveat that you know that it is the legally required model, but also that it is very likely not to represent the real world. This is not the place to do so, but I have an electronic copy of a presentation at the 2002 NCVECS conference which I can sent to you which shows that MOBILE6 horribly overestimates the HC and NO emissions of relatively E-3 new cars and underestimates the older vehicles. The total is not far off, but it is right for the wrong reason and thus is likely to massively overpredict future emissions. Addendum to my previous comment: I see upon rereading that the "future in 2000" text has been deleted and replaced so that is not important. It might be worthwhile nevertheless to note in the Mobile source section that the model used is just that, a model lacking much verification. City Action:Thank you for your comment. Comments received by e-mail 4/15/04 1 just skimmed the Climate Protection Plan update from 2001/2002, which I hadn't done before, and thought it looks really good. I feel very good about Fort Collins' actions to address greenhouse gas emissions. Here are some other thoughts that came from reading through this - SolarBound (MSR) objectives could be included in the plan, unless they become incorporated in the electric energy supply policy targets. Either of those two things would be good. Are you aware of the "Green Building Certificate Program"that Brian Dunbar has put together for CSU extension in Denver? If the City moves toward a Green Building program, or Green Builder certification,that program could be adapted easily to train builders here. I am teaching the solar energy section. -City Action:Thank you for your comment. Comment received by e-mail 4/20/04 Its helpful to see the game plan for commercial and industrial emissions, both in terms of Climate Wise strategies as well as linking with the Chamber. With 172 permitted facilities in Fort Collins, I would think the chamber would be a great conduit for educating local businesses on HAPs, VOCs, etc. The section on how the pollutants were prioritized was fascinating both in terms of process and outcomes. I'm glad to see that GHGs remain a high priority. My only confusion though is how to cross reference the priority pollutants with the Web subtopics. I read the pdf link explaining the sources and issues for each pollutant, but found myself wanting to add a column to the table showing prioritization results with which chapters in the AQP addressed reduction of those pollutants. I'm assuming that the chapter titles are an artifact of past air quality plans, but its hard to see how they match up against the latest determination of priorities. The plan seemed to lack quantitative perspective. As a citizen reader, its hard to tell whether the lists of strategies within each topic will have a significant benefit towards improving air quality or are just'bailing out the titanic with a teaspoon'. I know this is really hard to do, but I think the ghg report is a good model where different strategies are at least roughly quantified in terms of their expected benefits. I'm really pleased to see the plan includes a section on health and call for partnerships with health professionals. I understand the quandary about the scope of the City's role, but I think its very important to recognize the linkage and I like the proposed approach very much. E4 Overall an awesome plan. As a citizen, I'm thrilled that the City is addressing air quality in such a proactive and progressive manner. City Action: Added a column to the table of air quality strategies that identifies which pollutants the strategy addresses. E-mail Comments 4/28/04: 1 have chosen to comment on one specific area that you could easily eliminate immediately-wood burning. The policy is that you not burn unless it is an emergency. Well my neighborhood must be having a crisis. And what about all of these wood burning patio fireplaces? Although the homes in many neighborhoods have gas fireplaces indoors, the residents use these outdoor wood burning fireplaces. How can using those qualify as an emergency? My neighbors on both sides of me have one of those, and they have presented me with some terrible experiences. I am allergic to wood smoke. It affects my breathing. Last summer I had all of the windows open in my house and ran to the grocery store. When I returned, my house was filled with the smell of smoke which remained in the house for over a week. I was on triple the amount of medication that I normally am for over a month. Last Saturday, they had a parry. About 11:30 p.m., I woke up gasping for air to the smell of smoke. They had started their outdoor fireplace, and I had my bedroom window open. About 12:30 p.m., the wind started blowing. I looked out of the window to see flames shooting in the air and sparks flying everywhere and no one outside on the patio. About an hour later they finally became aware of the situation. Thank God our neighborhood was not front page news Sunday morning. You were brave enough to take away people's right to smoke in public places. When I was asked, "Smoking or non-smoking?", I said, "Neither,thank you " and left. But now I can't go home, that's where the problem is. Could you be equally as brave to protect our environment? Home should be my haven not a health hazard. A law would take the guesswork out of whether burning wood contributes to or contaminates my quality of aire. If you need citizen participation, please let me know. City Action: Data show that Fort Collins wood smoke emissions have declined over time, but a slight increase occurred in the last year for which we have data (2002). We added an air quality strategy to"Consider regulatory action to reduce wood smoke emissions if area-wide wood smoke emissions continue to increase." Regulatory action considered but not implemented in the past was mandatory removal of non-certified wood stoves when homes are sold. E-5 Community Planning and Environmental Services Natural Resources Department City of Fort Collins MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of City Counci THROUGH: John F. Fischbach, City Manager Gregory Byrne, CPES Director John Stokes, Natural Resources Di ' o ` S FROM: Lucinda Smith, Sr. Environmental Planner- DATE: May 13, 2004 SUBJECT: May 11 Study Session Summary - Air Quality Plan Update On May 11, 2004, City Council reviewed the draft update to the City's Air Quality Plan. 'Mayor Pro-tem Bertschy and Council members Kastein, Weitkunat, Hamrick and Tharpe participated in the study session. Question one—Is the Council ready to adopt the air quality policy chapter,scheduled for June 15, 2004? • With incorporation of the feedback outlined below, all Council members agreed they are ready to vote on the Air Quality Policy Chapter. Question two—Does the Council have any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding the overall Air Quality Plan document? • All Council members preferred an increased reporting frequency for air quality indicators, over the five year proposed. Actions: Policy AQ-1.6 on Measurement will be changed to say the City will report the progress of air quality indicators at least twice prior to the update of the air quality plan in five years. • Council was not supportive of Principle AQ2 on long term vision to reduce VMT growth rate to population growth rate. Questions were raised about whether population growth was the most important factor in VMT growth rate, as well as whether increases in VMT have a direct relation to air quality, given the projected declines in motor vehicle emissions in the future. Action: Principle AQ2 will be removed. • Council pointed out that Principle AQ-14 to "reduce residential emissions of priority pollutants in the Fort Collins Growth Management Area" implies the City has regulatory 281 North College Avenue • PO.Box 580 • Fort Collins,CO 80522-0580 • (970)221-6600 • FAX(970)224-6177 authority over areas outside the city limits, which it does not. Council also acknowledged that air pollution extends past City limits and that partnerships with the County are supported by policy. Council prefers the language"in the Fort Collins area". Action: Both Principle AQ14 on residential emissions and Principle AQ13 on commercial and industrial emissions will be changed to read"will reduce...emissions in the Fort Collins area." • One Councilmember raised the question about whether Policy AQ-16.1,Lead by Example, should be clarified by adding"cost-effective" actions to reduce or mitigate its own air pollution emissions. Another Councilmember indicated this should be a routine part of City operations, and this level of clarification was not needed. Another Councilmember felt that Council should be the decision-maker for actions that are potentially not "cost-effective", based on a range of values that Council deems important. The majority of Council did not state support for this modification. Action: No change to policy AQ-16.1 Lead by Example. • One Council member indicated the draft plan was not clear about the role of local government vs. state govemment in ozone regulations. Action: Staff will clarify the language on page A-27. • One Councilmember pointed out that some units for indicators on page 5-1 were inappropriate. Action: Staff will fix the indicators. • Many Council members expressed an interest in the concept of establishing air quality improvement goals or targets, then tying air quality budget expenditures to progress on air quality targets. Action: Staff will develop a response to this issue. • Council requested a written response to issues raised in the May 11, 2004 memo from the Air Quality Advisory Board about the plan. Action: Staff will submit a response to Council.