HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 5/7/2024 - Memorandum From Jacob Castillo, Dean Klingner, And Lawrence Pollack, Re: April 9, 2024 Work Session Summary: 2024 Appropriation Of The 2050 TaxFinancial Services
215 N. Mason Street
PO Box 580, Fort Collins, CO 80522
970-416--2439
lpollack@fcgov.com
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MEMORANDUM
Date: April 23, 2024
To: Mayor and City Councilmembers
Through: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Travis Storin, Chief Financial Officer
From: Jacob Castillo, Chief Sustainability Officer
Dean Klingner, Community Services Director
Lawrence Pollack, Budget Director
Subject: April 9, 2024 Work Session Summary: 2024 Appropriation of the 2050 Tax
The purpose of this memo is to document the summary of discussions during the April 9 Work
Session. All Councilmembers were present. This work session item followed a previous Council Finance
Committee meeting discussion and provided a summary of the ‘2050 Tax’ approved by the voters in
November 2023 elections. The new 0.5% Sales and Use Tax lasts from 2024 through 2050 with 50%
dedicated to Parks and Recreation, 25% to Transit, and 25% to Climate
Authorization to spend these funds will occur in June at the earliest. With that in mind, staff associated
with these proposals focused primarily on shovel-readiness of projects and turnkey/scaling ability on
programming based on our current service offerings. There are not new programs being proposed with
these funds in 2024; that may occur in the BFO process for the 2025-26 Budget.
Follow-up from Parks and Recreation:
Additional detail was requested about the proposed uses of the tax revenue and the information is
provided below. For 1st Reading, the $5.3M request will be submitted as 3 separate proposals, as
outlined.
The implementation of the Parks and Recreation funding is based on the assessment and
prioritization in the Parks Infrastructure Replacement Program (link:
https://www.fcgov.com/parks/files/fort-collins-parks-infrastructure-replacement-program-
management-plan_compressed.pdf) and proposed work to bring the current understanding of the
Recreation Facilities needs up to the sam e level of detail and maturity.
Based on the April 9th WS conversation, Staff heard general support for the proposed offer and
the request for a more detailed understanding of what will be done. Staff proposes to:
o Break out the proposed 2024 funding into the following categories:
(1) Building Capacity. $550k. This offer will fund the necessary steps to begin to
staff and design a dedicated Asset Management team within the Park Planning
and Development Team. This offer will also scope and fund the necessary as set
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evaluation and planning necessary to fully understand and plan the needs for the
Recreation Facilities.
Key Outcomes:
o Phase 1 of hiring the staff necessary to stand up the programs.
Includes 4.0 FTE. Completion of Recreation Asset Management
Plan and integration into the Parks IRP (estimated date of
completion: 2025). (Essentially create an integrated Parks and
Recreation Asset Management Plan to inform future investments
for the P&R portion of the 2050 tax.
o Create Program Accountability and Reporting mechanisms.
(2) Accelerate Existing Infrastructure Program and Preventative Maintenance
Investments. $750k. This offer seeks to deliver some improvements to Parks as
quickly as possible. This means utilizing existing programs and contractors and
prioritizing projects with little to no planning or design requirements.
Key Outcomes:
o Focus on safety issues, continued preventative maintenance
projects, projects of opportunity based on partnerships or
construction optimization.
o Funds will be appropriated as lapsing, so any funds we do not
expend or encumber this year will fall back to reserves and
require future council action to reappropriate.
Potential Project Examples
o Sheldon/PV&L raw water lateral pipe lining
o Rolland Moore Ballfields regrading
o Playground surfacing preventative maintenance and playground
repairs
o ADA scoping
o Greenbriar Tennis & Basketball Court replacement
o Foothills Activity Center Door
o Senior Center Office Security
o Northside Aztlan Center – Front Desk Renovation; Volleyball Net
Replacements; Childcare Outdoor Play Area (2024-25)
(3) Transform Scale of Projects Delivered. $4M. This offer funds the investments
necessary to complete larger projects in future years. This includes program
design and strategy, program planning and coordination, design development,
and procurement. This work needs to start as soon as possible since larger
projects may have design development schedules of multiple years. Although
much of these funds will not be expended in 2024, this appropriation allows
procurement processes to start.
Key Outcomes:
o Focuses on backlog of deferred maintenance projects as listed in
the Top 40
Projects of opportunity may mean that additional assets
are added to the scope of the Top 40
o Delivery timeframe of larger projects is dependent on an
integrated reserves and bonding strategy for the SE Community
Center.
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o Scale of projects or change in use dictates public outreach for
many of these projects.
Example Potential Projects
o Planning and design work initiated for Rolland Moore Tennis
Center and playground
o Planning and design work for initiated for Mini Park Refresh
Projects (3): Alta Vista, Freedom Square, Romero
o Ridgeview Playground Replacement initiation
o Scoping of Landings planning outreach and design
Starting this work now allows the potential for projects such as those
listed below to be completed within 1-3 years:
o Construction for Rolland Moore
o Construction for 1-2 Mini Parks
o Construction for Landings Park
o Skatepark Planning and design work (Old Fort Collins Heritage,
Edora, Spring Canyon)
o Pedestrian bridge improvements
Follow-up from Transit: Not applicable
Follow-up from Climate:
Council members shared appreciation for the diverse array of projects put forward for funding by the
climate portion of the 2050 Tax. This reflects how the Our Climate Future (OCF) framework approaches
climate action at a holistic, systems level with a focus on mitigation, resilience, and equity in near and
long-term time scales.
Questions and curiosities were raised about clearly describing the nexus between recommended Offers
and the voter-approved ballot language, as well as a request to provide quantifiable emissions reductions,
where possible. While there was general understanding that GHG reductions per dollar invested is not the
only way to measure project impacts, the table in Attachment #1 summarizes the Offers, estimated GHG
reductions, and linkages to the ballot language.
Councilmembers asked specifically about two Offers, including connection to the intent of the ballot
measure and appropriate funding source. Additional context is provided here:
Comprehensive exterior lighting retrofits to City Recreation Centers
o Recreation Centers, as with all City buildings, are maintained by the Operation Services
Department, not the Recreation Department
o Exterior lighting replacement with high-efficiency bulbs directly reduces energy use and
GHG emissions, while also complying with night sky standards
o Retrofit of existing exterior lighting systems at these facilities is estimated to reduce
annual GHG emissions by 24 MTCO2e in 2030, with lifetime savings of 373 MTCO2e
Grants to offset utility fees for affordable housing developments
o Funds will subsidize costs of utility-related development fees for affordable housing
projects to move towards all-electric infrastructure
o Directly subsidizing investment in energy efficiency and electrification improvements for
affordable housing projects reduces barriers and makes it more economically feasible for
affordable housing providers to include infrastructure such as additional electrical
capacity, EV charging, and on-site renewables
The majority of the Offers advance OCF Big Move 4 (Convenient Transportation Choices) and OCF Big
Move 6 (Efficient, Emissions-free Buildings). Progress on these two Big Moves directly impacts emissions
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reductions from electricity, natural gas use, and gas-powered vehicles, which are the biggest contributors
to the community wide GHG inventory.
Councilmembers provided feedback on the “elective” Offers to include the Poudre River Health
Assessment and to explore Natural Areas Department funding for the other two.
The 2024 funds will invest in projects that are shovel-ready and able to be completed within the second
half of this year, presuming Council adoption being effective in June. The 2025-26 recommended budget
will build on this process, including Offers to scale and accelerate climate investments from the 2050 Tax
to advance towards adopted goals.
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4/15/2024
BM Planned Action - Project Description of Climate and Air Pollution Impact Estimated GHG Reduction*
(lifetime** MTCO2e)
Estimated GHG Reduction*
(MTCO2e in 2030)
4 Implement bicycle infrastructure as determined in
the Active Modes plan (Centre Ave)
reduction of VMT and therefore fuel usage (GHG and non-GHG
air pollutants)
~2,120 - 10,680 ~100 - 515
4 Implement bicycle infrastructure as determined in
the Active Modes plan (Laporte Ave)
reduction of VMT and therefore fuel usage (GHG and non-GHG
air pollutants)
~2,480 - 12,660 ~120 - 600
4 Mobility Hubs Plan development
foundational / needed next step for reduction of VMT by
making active modes and transit trips easier
foundational*** foundational
4 Transportation Emissions Reduction Strategy Tool
development
foundational / needed next step for reduction of VMT by being
able to better prioritize and estimate impacts of transportation-
related projects
foundational foundational
6 Comprehensive exterior lighting retrofits at City
Recreation Centers
increased efficiency and resulting reductions in electricity usage 373 24
6 Expand Mobile Home Park Mini-grant through
Neighborhood Services
supports residents in increasing energy efficiency in their
homes (reducing electricity and/or natural gas use)
~2,450 ~125
6 Fund Healthy Homes Program
supports residents in reducing indoor air pollutants and
increasing energy efficiency in their homes (reducing electricity
and/or natural gas use)
~100 ~5
6 Introduce new capital for utilities Epic Loans
program
foundational / needed next step for increasing efficiency of
buildings and therefore reducing electricity and natural gas use
~925 ~70
6 Identify and determine critical support needed to
upgrade under-resourced buildings, focusing on
commercial / multi-family buildings
foundational / needed next step for increasing energy
efficiency of buildings and therefore reducing electricity and
natural gas use
foundational foundational
7 Launch grants to offset utility fees for affordable
housing development, particularly electric and water
makes energy efficient development more economically
feasible for affordable housing providers; has potential to
reduce VMT by making it easier for people to live and work in
the same community
foundational foundational
9 Expand Scholarship Program for Builders and
Building Industry to meet new industry techniques
and future codes
foundational / needed next step for increasing efficiency of
buildings and therefore reducing electricity and natural gas use
foundational foundational
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Impact Summary
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10 Business support for plastic and styrofoam transition
through NocoBIZ Connect
supports a transition to a circular economy foundational foundational
11 Poudre River Health Assessment
supports carbon sequestration through improved soil and
riperian health
~20,000 de minimus
12 Repair Riverside Community Solar Array
increases renewable electricity 7,832 490
12 Add Solar PV System at City Facility - new fueling
canopy and shop expansion at Wood Street
increases renewable electricity 540 19
13 Replace existing Parks Utility Carts with electric
Utility carts
reduces fuel use and therefore reduces GHG and non-GHG air
pollutants
~100-200 ~5-10
Please note that the summary provided to Council on Tuesday, April 9th only included the high confidence estimates.Key
*100 MTCO2e is approx. equivalent to the emissions generated from 13 single-family homes' energy use in one year (EPA Equivalencies Calculator)high confidence
** In these calculations, "lifetime" varies from 15-25 years , depending on the project.medium confidence
*** Our Climate Future defines "foundational" as a necessary next step to for future GHG reduction.low confidence
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