HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 4/4/2023 - Memorandum From Tessa Dieter Re: Council Priority Update: Construction And Demolition Recycling
Environmental Services
222 Laporte Ave
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221-6600
fcgov.com
MEMORANDUM
Date: March 28, 2023
To: Mayor and City Councilmembers
Thru: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
Jacob Castillo, Chief Sustainability Officer
Lindsay Ex, Environmental Services Director
Caroline Mitchell, Manager, Environmental Sustainability
Kira Beckham, Lead Specialist, Environmental Sustainability
From: Tessa Dieter, Senior Specialist, Environmental Compliance
Re: Council Priority Update: Construction and Demolition Recycling
The purpose of this memo is to provide an update on construction and demolition (C&D)
material recycling progress, next steps, and opportunities. This Q1 2023 memo is one of the
commitments contained within the Council Priority to Make Real Progress on the Road to Zero
Waste (with a focus on multi-family and construction and demolition recycling).
Bottom Line
In 2022, the City hired its first employee dedicated solely to C&D recycling, and this position has
been laying the foundation to transition C&D recycling enforcement from reactive to proactive.
This shift to proactive enforcement has included, thus far, refining processes, building
relationships with contractors, providing proactive education, conducting compliance through
documentation and field visits, and engaging in statewide efforts to expand C&D recycling. In
2023, staff will continue the education, compliance, and regional and statewide collaboration
work highlighted in this memo as well as continuing to identify short-term and long-term needs,
opportunities, and risks.
Background
The City adopted C&D recycling requirements in the Building Code in 2010 but did not have
C&D recycling compliance resources until the City created the first Senior Environmental
Compliance Specialist position in 2017. This staff member was able to complete documentation-
based C&D compliance, but since they were also in charge of compliance for air quality and
other recycling requirements, workload did not allow for proactive C&D enforcement.
In 2021, Council adopted the priority to Make Real Progress on Zero Waste and identified C&D
recycling as a focus area within the priority. In response, staff developed a budget offer in 2021
to create a staff position dedicated solely to C&D recycling improvement.
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Progress and impacts in 2022
• Hired and onboarded a new Senior Environmental Compliance Specialist position
focused on C&D recycling
• Documentation-based compliance: processed over 550 C&D waste management plans
o Increased level of review and accountability for non-compliant documentation
• Proactive site visits to over 70 sites that represent 200 active permits
o Increase from 0 proactive site visits at the 2021 staffing level
• Educational engagement with large developers and others in C&D community
o Contractors are now reaching out to C&D staff member to proactively plan for
C&D recycling
• After initial education phase, now issuing warnings to non-compliant operations
o Three warnings have been issued thus far
• Identified and implemented process improvements for efficiency
o More efficient processes support predictability of customer service experience for
C&D contractors and will allow City staff time for more proactive C&D
enforcement
• Engaged in statewide C&D recycling market development and collaboration (see below)
o Other cities are recognizing Fort Collins as a leader in C&D recycling
Market development and statewide coordination
Fort Collins is on the forefront of C&D recycling in Colorado. However, the lack of markets and
infrastructure for C&D materials is a barrier to progress in C&D recycling, as is the interrelated
issue that only a few communities require C&D recycling. Markets and infrastructure are
generally best created on a regional and statewide level.
Staff is working to address these issues in the following ways:
• Create more source materials for market development:
o Working with statewide stakeholders through Recycle Colorado to:
Developing tools that encourage other local governments to adopt similar
C&D regulations
Drafting a policy brief to Colorado legislators about the potential impact of
a statewide C&D waste diversion mandate
• Create infrastructure:
o Working with regional partners in the Regional Wasteshed Coalition to support
construction of a C&D materials recycling facility. If Larimer County opts to not
move forward with such a facility, City staff will begin to explore other partnership
opportunities.
Cross-departmental collaboration
Staff is engaging in the 2023 organization-wide compliance analysis to identify opportunities for
more effective, efficient, and equitable compliance citywide (Offer 71.1 Assessment of Citywide
Organizational Practices and Structure to Deliver on Compliance with Local Policies, funded in
the 2023-2024 budget).
Opportunities moving forward
The Senior Environmental Compliance Specialist will continue the education, compliance, and
regional and statewide collaboration work highlighted in this memo. Staff is also continuing to
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identify short-term and long-term needs, opportunities, and risks. Additional resource
opportunities will be included in future budget cycles.
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