The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 03/01/2005 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 030, 2005, AMENDING ITEM NUMBER: 14 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: March 1, 2005 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: John Armstrong SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 030, 2005, Amending the Land Use Code by Adding "Resource Recovery" as a Permitted Use in the Public Open Lands (P-O-L) Zoning District. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Ordinance would amend the Land Use Code to add "Resource Recovery" to the P-O-L zoning district. Resource recovery is defined as: "The process of obtaining materials or energy, particularly from solid waste"'. Resource recovery complements existing uses in the Land Use Code related to waste diversion, including recycling and composting facilities, but permits additional alternatives to landfilling. In the short-term, adding Resource Recovery to the P-O-L district will allow the Natural Resources Department (NRD) to lease existing facilities at the Resource Recovery Farm to Frontline Bioenergy for experimental research in extracting hydrogen from biomass (specifically chipped tree branches). The 150-acre Resource Recovery Farm (RRF) is located just south of East Prospect Road at I-25. Staff recommends that "resource recovery" be added to the Land Use Code as an allowable use subject to administrative review. BACKGROUND Resource recovery as defined includes, but is not limited to, the following activities: • Recycling • Composting 'Moskowitz,H.S. and C.G.Lindbloom. 1993. The New Illustrated Book of Development Definitions.Transaction Pub. March 1, 2005 -2- Item No. 14 • Waste-to-energy(e.g., yard waste --> Hz) • Salvage (e.g., architectural salvage) • Other alternatives to landfilling Resource recovery is a forward thinking use that potentially provides additional waste diversion options (in addition to recycling and composting), such as construction and demolition material salvage, biomass collection and conversion, and small-scale biofuels generation. Currently, resource recovery per se is not a permitted use in the Land Use Code. Resource recovery is consistent with other allowed uses within P-O-L and U-E, R-C, C, E, and I zoning districts, including composting facilities. Resource recovery does not appear to be an excluded use in the P-O-L(or U-E, R-C, C, E, and I) zoning districts. Differentiating this use from recycling and composting uses underscores the City's commitment to increasing waste diversion, including achieving objectives specified in City Council Policy Agenda 6 (Environment), where it specifies expanding alternatives to landfilling. Resource recovery is consistent with City Plan where it relates to improving air quality, reducing motor vehicle emissions, encouraging and facilitating increased energy efficiency and use of renewable resources, and soliciting cooperation and participation of independent community organizations. Resource recovery also is consistent with City Council adopted Resolution 2002- 027 (adopted March 19, 2002), which established a policy to implement hydrogen-related projects within the city, and directing the City Manager to explore partnerships that would facilitate the creation of hydrogen projects. The City is seeking opportunities to diversify economic development and employment options. Resource recovery may allow for more efficient and logical business relationships by encouraging or facilitating industrial symbiosis (business clusters) or a group of business with functional relationships. "Eco-Industrial" or "Resource Recovery" parks are examples of industrial symbiosis where discards from one business are utilized by another and close proximity allows for increased efficiency and sharing of resources. The City can control all aspects of potential resource recovery-related uses as landowner of property zoned P-O-L. In the short-term, adding the resource recovery use will support leasing a portion of the Resource Recovery Farm (RRF) to Frontline BioEnergy for purposes of researching hydrogen generation from biomass (specially chipped tree branches resulting from activities in the City Forestry program). This waste-to-energy project is considered a resource recovery use and support of this project is consistent with the City's commitment to hydrogen-related projects under Resolution 2002-027 and increasing the community diversion rate. The Natural Resources Advisory Board unanimously recommended City Council approval of the lease on February 2, 2005. Approval of this land use also sets the stage for future integrated planning efforts. CPES and NRD have initiated the first stages of a master planning process for the RRF. NRD intends to seek guidance from City Council on how to proceed with this process in May of 2005. Staff will March 1, 2005 -3- Item No. 14 present several potential planning scenarios which strive to balance effective and efficient use of existing infrastructure while preserving the essential functions of open space, community separator and viewshed. On February 17, 2005, the Planning and Zoning Board voted unanimously to recommend to City Council that resource recovery be added as a permitted use to the P-O-L zoning district. Staff recommends that "resource recovery" be added to the Land Use Code as an allowable use subject to administrative review. ORDINANCE NO. 030, 2005 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS AMENDING THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS LAND USE CODE BY ADDING "RESOURCE RECOVERY" AS A PERMITTED USE IN THE PUBLIC OPEN LANDS (P-O-L) ZONING DISTRICT WHEREAS , on March 18 , 1997 , by Ordinance No . 051 , 1997 , the Council of the City of Fort Collins adopted the Fort Collins Land Use Code (the "Land Use Code") ; and WHEREAS , at the time of the adoption of the Land Use Code, it was the understanding of staff and Council that the Land Use Code would most likely be subject to future amendments, not only for the purpose of clarification and correction of errors, but also for the purpose of ensuring that the Land Use Code remains a dynamic document capable of responding to issues identified by staff, other land use professionals and citizens of the City; and WHEREAS , the staff of the City and the Planning and Zoning Board have reviewed the Land Use Code and identified and explored various issues related to the Land Use Code and have made recommendations to the Council regarding such issues ; and WHEREAS , the Council has determined that the Land Use Code amendments which have been proposed are in the best interest of the City and its citizens . NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the Land Use Code is hereby amended as follows : Section 1 . That Section 4 . 10(13)(2)(b) of the Land Use Code is hereby amended by the addition of a new subparagraph 2 . which reads in its entirety as follows : 2 . Resource recovery. Section 2 . That Section 5 . 1 . 2 of the Land Use Code is hereby amended by the addition of a new definition "Resource recovery" which reads in its entirety as follows : Resource recovery shall mean the process of obtaining materials or energy, particularly from solid waste. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 1 st day of March, A.D . 2005 , and to be presented for final passage on the 15th day of March, A . D . 2005 . Mayor ATTEST : City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading this 15th day of March, A.D . 2005 . Mayor ATTEST : City Clerk