HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - Mail Packet - 12/6/2016 - Legislative Review Committee Agenda - December 6, 2016City Manager’s Office
City Hall
300 LaPorte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6505
970.224.6107 - fax
fcgov.com
Legislative Review Committee Agenda
December 6, 2016
3:30-5:00 p.m.
Commons Conference Room, City Hall, 300 LaPorte Ave., Building A
1. Approval of minutes from October 25, 2016 Meeting (3 minutes)
2. Agenda Review (3 Minutes)
3. Review Legislative Priorities and Policy Agenda with Legislators (70 minutes)
4. Other Business (15 minutes)
Next meeting: January 17th from 4:00-5:00 p.m.
City Manager’s Office
City Hall
300 LaPorte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6505
970.224.6107 - fax
fcgov.com
Legislative Review Committee
Meeting Notes
October 25, 2016, 4:00 p.m.
Commons Conference Room
Present: Gino Campana, Councilmember; Ross Cunniff, Councilmember; Ray Martinez,
Councilmember; Carrie Daggett, City Attorney; Jackie Kozak-Thiel, Chief Sustainability
Officer; Lindsay Ex, Climate Program Manager; Ginny Sawyer, Policy and Project Manager;
Tyler Marr, Policy and Project Analyst
Absent: None
Guests: Kevin Jones, Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce; Dan Betts, Senator Cory
Gardner Staff
The meeting came to order at 4:03 pm.
Approval of Minutes
LRC unanimously approved the October 11
th
meeting notes.
Continue Work on Policy Agenda
LRC reviewed
Staff highlighted that previously suggested edits had been made and the language
promised around natural areas funding, the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) and
Municipal Court staffing had been added under the “Home Rule” section of the Policy
Agenda.
LRC discussed leaving Climate Action Plan language as is throughout the agenda.
Mayor Pro Tem Horak was asked to provide comment on the transportation/I-25
section of the priorities document. Councilmember Campana will follow up with him.
Minor grammar edits were requested
Councilmember Cunniff requested consistency throughout the policy agenda in terms
of formatting, e.g., numbers vs bullet use and the use of “oppose” instead of “reject”
City Attorney Daggett explained changes she has suggested for the “Home Rule”
section, which includes expanding the section to include matters of “Local Control”
because not all local control matters are directly related to home rule communities
LRC asked for follow up on HR section to include language that reflects employees are
treated fair and equitably.
Staff was asked to remove number 6 under Fire Protection.
2
LRC unanimously recommended approval of the Legislative Policy Agenda to Council on
November 15
th
.
Discussion with Lindsay Ex Regarding Colorado Communities for Climate Action
Support of CC4CA Policies
Ex summarized that LRC is comfortable with the proposed CC4CA policy priorities,
but that a general statement of principle which was added about funding for communities
adversely impacted by a transition to renewable energy sources was not well received by
LRC.
Councilmember Campana expressed concern that general statement of principle based
on the request being broader than climate action and that the vagueness of the statement
may result in an excess of communities trying to apply for funds.
After discussion with Ex and Kozak-Thiel, the proposed language in the CC4CA
policies was found to be agreeable to the LRC, with the understanding that specifics of
implementation may change LRC opinion once the legislative session starts.
It was suggested that a resolution be brought to Council authorizing LRC to weigh in
on CC4CA priorities items in the future for clarity of mission.
Standing agenda item
Kozak-Thiel and Ex requested a standing agenda place during future LRC meetings due
the increasing complexity of the CC4CA group’s operations and the sporadic popping up
of opportunistic items (such as the Volkswagen settlement testimony below)
o LRC was receptive to this, with the understanding that agenda item should be
cancelled if nothing rises to the level of Committee discussion.
Testimony for Volkswagen settlement
Ex discussed the request of CC4CA for Fort Collins to lobby for the distribution of
funds awarded in the recent Volkswagen settlement as a member of the CC4CA coalition
and as a city in an ozone non-attainment.
City Attorney Daggett suggested a cautious approach, as the policy agenda does not
grant authority to lobby for a specific pot of funds.
Campana suggested not testifying in the first set of hearings on November 7
th
, due to
lack of established policy and process.
Kozak-Thiel recommended bringing a proposal back to a future LRC meeting to
establish a process/policy that would provide guidance for staff and LRC in the future.
o LRC agreed that this was the best approach moving forward. Staff will discuss
options before bringing to LRC in December.
Other Business
Staff provided LRC with a draft calendar for 2017. LRC was receptive to the proposed
calendar.
LRC will not meet on November 8 or on November 22 due to the cancelled Council
meetings
The next LRC meeting will be on December 6
th
.
The meeting adjourned at 5:34 P.M.
City of Fort Collins
2017 Legislative Priorities
2
2017
3
Introduction
Fort Collins is a community of 161,000 residents located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains
along Colorado’s Front Range. Incorporated in 1873, the City has grown to become the
commercial, educational and cultural hub of Northern Colorado. The City adopted a home
rule charter in 1954 and operates under a Council-Manager form of government.
The City is a data-driven municipal organization that strives to fulfill its mission,
“Exceptional service for an exceptional community,” through a vision of providing world-
class municipal services through operational excellence and a culture of innovation. City
leaders seek innovative solutions to issues facing the community and are often willing to
leverage emerging technologies.
The Fort Collins City Council annually adopts Legislative Priorities and a Legislative Policy
Agenda ahead of the upcoming Colorado general Assembly session for the purpose of
guiding legislators and staff in supporting community goals.
• The City’s Legislative Priorities are broad issues Fort Collins is focused on during the
Colorado General Assembly and United States Congress sessions. The Priorities may carry
over year to year since they are larger, more challenging issues that may take multi-year
work to influence.
• The Policy Agenda is broad set of policy statements meant to convey positions on issues
that affect the quality of life and the governance of our community. It is structured to
address areas of local concern and to also reflect the strategic planning that guides City
of Fort Collins organizational resource allocation and decision making.
On many federal and state issues, Fort Collins shares the concerns of others within
the region and statewide. In these cases, Fort Collins will seek opportunities to work in
partnership to leverage additional resources and participate in regional dialogue to achieve
shared outcomes.
The City has identified seven outcome areas to ensure appropriate and effective resource
allocation supporting the community’s priorities. Outcome areas include Culture and
Recreation; Economic Health; Environmental Health; High Performing Government;
Neighborhood Livability and Social Health; Safe Community; and Transportation. The
Policy Agenda identifies specific City Council-adopted goals associated with the policy
statements. This alignment is important for City staff to ensure that advocacy supports
specific desired outcomes.
Fort Collins Legislative
Representation
United States Senate
• Cory Gardner
354 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
P: 202-224-5941
• Michael Bennet
458 Russell
Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
P: 202-224-5852
United States House
of Representatives
• Jared Polis
1433 Longworth
House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
P: 202-225-2161
COLORADO GOVERNOR
• John Hickenlooper
136 State Capitol
Denver, CO 80203
P: 303-866-2471
Colorado State Senate
• John Kefalas
Senate District 14
4
City of Fort Collins
Legislative Review Committee
The Legislative Review Committee (LRC) is a representative group of Council members that
reviews and reacts to proposed legislation on behalf of City Council and the City. In taking
a position on particular bills, the LRC interprets and applies the various policies that are
included in the Legislative Policy Agenda.
Council Members presently serving on the Legislative Review Committee are:
• Councilmember Gino Campana, Chair
• Councilmember Ross Cunniff
• Councilmember Ray Martinez
Legislative Review Process
Bills introduced in the Colorado General Assembly, United States Congress and federal,
state or county regulations or rulemakings are reviewed by City staff. Bills, regulation and
rules addressing a stated legislative priority, or adopted policy position, may be brought to
the LRC for discussion of an official City position. Once a position is adopted on a bill, staff
conveys that information to the appropriate state or federal representative and advocates
for the City’s adopted position.
Staff liaisons support the LRC by contributing expertise in various areas of municipal
service. The input offered by staff experts is invaluable in analyzing impacts of legislative,
regulatory and rulemaking proposals to Fort Collins operations and the community. Fort
Collins also works with community partners to support local projects and staff collaborates
with representatives of other municipalities on mutually-held priorities. Fort Collins actively
seeks innovative partnerships to leverage positive outcomes for residents.
The City works closely with the Colorado Municipal League (CML) and the National League
of Cities (NLC) on many legislative items facing cities. Fort Collins also works with Colorado
Association of Municipal Utilities (CAMU) which represents 29 municipal utilities throughout
the state on utility issues. In addition, Fort Collins actively participates in the Colorado
Water Congress State Affairs Committee to address water-related issues.
In 2017, Fort Collins will contract a state lobbyist to:
• Be a fulltime presence at the capital
• Advise City staff and leaders on relevant bills
• Assist staff who may be testifying in Denver
• Provide frequent updates to the LRC during the session
Wade Troxell
Mayor
970-416-2154
wtroxell@fcgov.com
Gerry Horak
Mayor Pro Tem, District 6
970-217-2993
ghorak@fcgov.com
Bob Overbeck
District 1
970-817-1411
boverbeck@fcgov.com
Ray Martinez
District 2
970-690-3686
raymartinez@fcgov.com
Gino Campana
District 3
970-460-6329
gcampana@fcgov.com
Kristin Stephens
District 4
970-217-5817
kstephens@fcgov.com
Ross Cunniff
District 5
5
Legislative Priorities
Objective:
Cooperate with stakeholders on refinement of Urban Renewal Authority laws
Issue:
An Urban Renewal Authority (URA) is a tool in place to identify and revitalize areas of the
city deemed blighted and provide a funding mechanism to encourage redevelopment. The
main funding tool for URA is Tax Increment Financing (TIF) generated through property
taxes. In its best intention, urban renewal restores economic vitality and improves the safety
of a designated area. Redeveloping urban areas is much harder and more expensive than
new development in “greenfield sites”, thus the use of urban renewal and tax increment
financing responds to larger, more costly infrastructure needs. The state of Colorado has
empowered local authorities to use Urban Renewal Authorities to encourage revitalization
and the elimination of blight in these areas.
Fort Collins attempts to use URA and TIF judiciously but also recognizes the concerns
raised by counties, special districts and school districts about the use of TIF. URA is an
important and useful tool for Fort Collins in addressing community blight and encouraging
redevelopment rather than sprawl. The City has engaged regional partners in an attempt to
develop an equitable process for utilizing URA in Larimer County. Fort Collins has sought to
identify a mechanism to balance Larimer County costs for providing service in URA areas
and to shared constituents.
2015 URA reform law (HB15-1348) instituted several changes that the City will be
implementing in its URA practices. Key changes to URA law add additional members
from county, special districts and school district to a URA Board and a negotiated use of
tax increment funds before the City could utilize them. Fort Collins is already working on
adopting HB 1348 changes. The General Assembly made clarifications to HB 1348 with
SB16-177. The remaining major issue of concern to Fort Collins in the implementation of
HB 1348 is the applicability to URA projects and clarifying the impacts on existing versus
prospective projects.
The City would like to see clarifications made to HB 1348 as language included in the new
law is unclear on when the law applies to existing activities and assistance. The City also
seeks to ensure development authorities do not become subject to similar regulations.
Urban renewal is an
important and useful
tool and Fort Collins
supports an equitable
process for utilizing this
mechanism locally.
6
Objective:
Support local control of oil and gas operations
Issue:
Fort Collins, like many other Colorado communities, has taken steps to address oil and
gas extraction. Those efforts have been limited by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation
Commission (COGCC) rules. Fort Collins supports studying and better understanding and
mitigating the health and community impacts of oil and gas extraction.
Fort Collins seeks the following:
• Increased local flexibility to regulate oil and gas activity within its incorporated borders
• Limiting the proximity of large-scale oil and gas sites to the City limits in order to
minimize community impacts
• Mitigation measures that balance developing oil and gas resources with community
environmental and human health
• Additional information about the chemicals being injected into the ground, especially
during hydraulic fracturing
• Greater knowledge and control of air emissions from extraction processes and production
equipment; including air emissions transported from outside of our community
• Enhanced right for communities to regulate oil and gas as an industrial practice and
therefore apply local zoning practices to operators
• Better balance between surface land ownership and mineral right ownership
Fort Collins intends to use existing programs like the Local Government Designee (LGD) to
their fullest potential but will also seek legislative remedies to areas of greatest concern.
Fort Collins will also work with other interested communities to address oil and gas
operation concerns. The City will monitor and engage as appropriate in rulemaking hearings
of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
7
Objective:
Advocate solutions to nuisance and safety issues
related to railroad proximity
Issue:
Communities throughout the United States are wrestling with issues related to railroad
proximity. These include extended blockages of community intersections, the transport of
hazardous materials, rail car safety, train horn noise, transparency related to rail cargo and
train switching. These issues affect quality of life for residents and business owners and
can result in catastrophic disasters in cases of derailment.
Fort Collins has two active railroad corridors and three rail companies servicing the
community and is working regionally, through the Colorado Municipal League (CML) and
National League of Cities (NLC), to raise the profile of rail proximity issues. In addressing
rail safety and rail proximity issues, the City has active relationships with Burlington
Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), Great Western Railway (GWR) and Union Pacific (UP) railroad
companies and has cultivated a relationship with the federal regulatory body – the Federal
Railroad Administration (FRA).
In order to foster cleaner air, reduce auto congestion and improve quality of life, several
federal agencies including the EPA, HUD and the Federal Transit Administration are
encouraging Transit Oriented Development. The idea behind Transit Oriented Development
is to bring residents closer to mass transit lines so that they can use mass transportation,
and so that downtown revitalization can occur. The Mason Corridor Bus Rapid Transit, which
began operation in 2014, is one example. At the same time, the FRA train horn rule in effect
is discouraging the development community and residents from locating around transit.
Reform is needed.
Trains have regained preference for transporting goods and materials. The increased use
of rail has added pressure to the system and identified several safety concerns – track
maintenance, tanker car safety, and notification of hazardous materials to public safety
leaders. Fort Collins will work to the following goals at a state and national level:
• Engagement with railroad companies
• Development of a “proximity issues” dialogue between railroad and local governments on
a broad suite of topics
• Notification about hazardous material shipments passing through communities
• Ensuring track maintenance and train car safety
• Collaboration with railroads to train local emergency personnel
• Solution-oriented use of technology and innovation to improve conflict areas
• Promote improve existing federal and state regulations to identify reasonable
safety protections
Fort Collins has two active
railroad corridors and three
rail companies servicing the
community.
8
Objective:
Support marijuana law clarifications and alignment
with Colorado Constitution
Issue:
The passage and implementation of Amendment 64 legalized adult use marijuana in
Colorado. The Fort Collins City Council approved limited adult use marijuana businesses
and sales in addition to existing medical marijuana businesses.
Fort Collins seeks clarification on the following items:
• Conflicts that exist between state and federal laws regarding marijuana possession
• Enforcement of the new law and its impacts on local staff and public safety resources
• Rules pertaining to packaging and labeling marijuana and products containing marijuana
• Effectively funding prevention of under-21 possession and use
• Community public safety
• Limiting THC content per serving size and restricting packaging to a single serving
In addition to adult use marijuana, communities across the United States that have
authorized medical marijuana are struggling with implementation and the need for a
single, viable distribution system. At the core of the issues with both medical and adult use
marijuana is the classification of the drug. Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule
1 drug. This designation means it cannot be prescribed by a doctor or handled through the
same distribution channels as other prescribed drugs. As a result, different states have
adopted different approaches in conflict with federal laws. In Colorado, medical marijuana
may be recommended by a doctor but not prescribed. Work is needed at the federal level
to clarify this issue. The federal classification should be re-evaluated to consider allowing
more medical research. If it is determined that marijuana fits one of the other classifications
and does have medical benefits, it could be included in the existing drug delivery system.
9
Objective:
Participate in federal, state and regional efforts to foster resilient
communities and achieve Climate Action Plan goals
Issue:
Making communities more resilient to disaster and the effects of a changing climate has
become more important to Colorado communities over the last several years as natural
disasters have caused significant human and property loss. Resilience has become a
term used to describe hardening vulnerable community infrastructure and preparing for
predictable hazards in order to soften the blow on citizens and infrastructure.
Making Fort Collins and Northern Colorado more resilient involves providing decision-makers
hazard mitigation analysis and scientific data, then using that information to invest in
complementary systems. Northern Colorado’s experience is that resilience must be a regional
effort that pays off through coordinated advanced planning and investment.
Resiliency efforts are important because they impact a broad set of
critical services including:
• Land use
• Utility operations
• Transportation infrastructure
• Sustainability services
• Health
• Safety
• Emergency Response
• Disaster recovery
Fort Collins adopted aggressive emission reduction goals. The City supports policies and
legislation helping communities to achieve these goals, gather scientific data supporting
the goal and investing in needed infrastructure to ensure a clean energy future.
City staff are working to develop actions to implement in order to achieve the Climate Action
Plan goals. These goals may be assisted and promoted through legislative and regulatory
actions. Success in achieving the City’s goals may be enhanced through partnership with
communities that have adopted similarly aggressive climate action and adaptation goals.
The City is partnering with 12 other Colorado communities via Colorado Communities for
Climate Action (CC4CA) to advocate for these efforts at a state and federal level. Action
in the transportation and energy sectors will be important drivers for reducing emissions
and achieving both the Climate Action Plan and resilience goals. The Legislative Review
Committee will track actions of this group throughout the legislative session and make
recommendations of support as appropriate
The Fort Collins community is just one member of a regional “waste shed” in Northern
Colorado. The City acknowledges this interdependence, and the role that state legislation
can, and should, play in applying broad measures such as setting a state waste diversion
goal and helping to support related strategies, which could also serve to reduce carbon
emissions and create opportunities for waste-to-energy applications when ultra-low
pollution conversion technology is used.
Resilience must be a
regional effort that pays
off through coordinated
advanced planning
and investment.
10
Objective:
Support transportation infrastructure connectivity
with an emphasis on funding an integrated, multi-
modal system
Issue:
Funding for vital transportation infrastructure will continue to be a
high priority for the City of Fort Collins. Transportation infrastructure
is a critical element to supporting community and regional economic
health, safety and quality of life.
The City supports Congress’s recent long-term reauthorization of
the nation’s surface transportation law with a focus on transit,
livable community planning, comprehensive regional investments,
revitalization of existing infrastructure, pedestrian and bicycle
infrastructure, and approaches that decrease petroleum
consumption and reduce carbon pollution.
We strongly support preservation or increase of federal levels of
funding and allocation of all federal motor fuel taxes and other
federal transportation trust funds for their intended purposes. In
addition, we urge development of a new, more stable, long range
transportation funding mechanism that doesn’t rely upon fuel tax
revenues. Fuel tax is no longer a sustainable method of funding the
nation’s transportation infrastructure needs. If there is no way to
raise/index the fuel tax to reflect current economic realities, then
new funding mechanisms become critically important.
Fort Collins seeks a solution to secure critical funding of the
nation’s highway and bridge projects. Allowing the Highway Trust
Fund to become insolvent would be devastating to the City’s
transportation infrastructure and have impacts throughout the
Northern Colorado economy.
A key transportation funding priority for Fort Collins is Interstate 25
(I-25) in Northern Colorado. The highway has become a pinch point
in the regional transportation inventory that limits access to and
from Fort Collins for residents, visitors, and the delivery of goods
and services. Immediate funding to widen north I-25 is needed to
sustain the region’s economic growth. The City is an active part of
the I-25 Coalition whose primary goal is to accelerate construction
of a third lane in each direction of I-25 as identified in the I-25
North Project (from State Highway 6 to State Highway 14).
Colorado Department of Transportation recently received $15 million
in TIGER grant funding for I-25 improvements. This, in combination
with $25 million in local match commitments and private sector
funds, as well as other scheduled funds for improvements,
have accelerated improvements in Northern Colorado by fifteen
years. Improvements include a third, managed (toll) lane in each
direction plus three bridge improvements and regional bicycle
trail connections and are scheduled to be completed in 2020.
Improvements will be between SH-14 and SH-402. While these are
critical improvements for Fort Collins and Northern Colorado, sizable
funding gaps remain in terms of needed I-25 improvements between
SH-402 and SH-66.
Actions that may expedite the continued improvement and
expansion of northern sections of I-25 include:
• A Transportation Revenue Anticipation Notes (TRANS) bond II
ballot initiative (TRANS bonds were previously used to help fund
the $1.67 billion T-REX I-25 improvements in the south Denver
Metro area)
• State of Colorado General Fund dollars going to transportation
(maintenance & capital construction)
• Tax credit legislation for specific highway projects
11
Objective:
Support comprehensive water resource management
Issue:
Water resources in Colorado and throughout the West are
stressed by many factors – environmental, population growth
and aging infrastructure. Local water resource planning efforts
ensure adequate supply to residents through managing the City’s
water rights portfolio, encouraging increased efficiency and
expanding storage. Fort Collins will support efforts to address
local and regional water needs, preserve its water rights portfolio,
and to encourage conservation of water resources based on the
2016 adoption of the Water Efficiency Plan. The conservation of
water resources extends to support for Cache la Poudre River
restoration projects.
Fort Collins will participate in implementation of the Colorado
Water Plan by the Legislature and any State agencies, rulemakings
by water-related State agencies (such as, by way of example,
the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment,
the Colorado Division of Water Resources, the Colorado Water
Conservation Board), and the federal U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’
and Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rulemakings affecting
water storage, use, quality and conservation.
Objective:
Support a comprehensive approach to reduce the
impacts of poverty and housing affordability
Issue:
Poverty and lack of affordable housing are persistent issues in
Fort Collins and across Colorado. The City is interested in developing
local solutions to these persistent problems through collaboration
and innovation. The City plays both a convening and leadership
role among the many community service providers – seeking
to foster sustainable solutions to complex social issues through
a combination of City involvement and leadership.
Fort Collins supports solutions to address poverty within the
community such as:
• Fully resource a state affordable housing fund
• Implement funding for the Earned Income Tax Credit
• Develop or expand programs that ensure a smooth transition
from foster care to independence
• Increase funding for mental health care/programs
• Increase development of condominiums by addressing
construction defect law reform
• Pilot innovative programs to address housing
Objective:
Support Efforts to Address both Homelessness
and Resource Resistant Populations
Issue:
Homelessness and transient populations are persistent challenges
in Fort Collins and other communities. Fort Collins works to address
homelessness through partnering and supporting many community
service providers and has a goal of making homelessness rare,
short-lived, and non-recurring.
The resource resistant populations are those that occupy public
spaces and are not interested in housing or other community
services offered. In this arena, the City supports efforts to address
public safety concerns, enforce existing local laws, and maintain
a welcoming environment for all.
The City opposes efforts to undermine local control or enforcement
of activities on public property.
12
City of Fort Collins Legislative Contacts
Legislative Review Committee
Name District/Title Email Phone
Councilmember Gino Campana District 3 gcampana@fcgov.com 970-460-6329
Councilmember Ross Cunniff District 5 rcunniff@fcgov.com 970-420-7398
Councilmember Ray Martinez District 2 raymartinez@fcgov.com 970-690 3686
Wendy Williams Assistant City Manager wwilliams@fcgov.com 970-416-2899
Carrie Daggett City Attorney cdaggett@fcgov.com 970-416-2463
Ginny Sawyer
Tyler Marr
Legislative Staff
gsawyer@fcgov.com
tmarr@fcgov.com
970-224-6094
970-416-4205
Legislative Staff Liaison Members
Topic Area Name Title Email Phone
Affordable Housing and Social
Sustainability
Beth Sowder Social Sustainability Director bsowder@fcgov.com 970-221-6752
Air Quality Cassie Archuleta Environmental Planner carchuleta@fcgov.com
Cable Television Franchise Carson Hamlin Cable Television Manager chamlin@fcgov.com 970-221-6510
Climate Lindsay Ex Environmental Program Manager lex@fcgov.com 970-224-6143
Environmental Protection Lucinda Smith Environmental Services Director lsmith@fcgov.com 970-224-6085
Elections, Liquor Licensing,
Medical Marijuana Licensing
Wanda Winkelmann City Clerk wwinkelmann@fcgov.com 970-416-2995
Cultural Services, Parks and
Recreation
Mike Calhoon Director of Parks mcalhoon@fcgov.com 970-416-2079
Energy
Tim McCollough
John Phelan
Light and Power Operations Manager
and Resource Conservation Manager
tmccollough@fcgov.com
and jphelan@fcgov.com
970-416-2622
970-416-2539
Finance Michael Beckstead Chief Financial Officer mbeckstead@fcgov.com 970-221-6795
Economic Health Josh Birks Economic Health Director jbirks@fcgov.com 970-221-6324
Fire Protection and Carrie Daggett City Attorney cdaggett@fcgov.com 970-416-2463
Hazardous Materials
Management
Bob Poncelow Division Chief, Poudre Fire Authority bponcelow@poudre-fire.org 970-416-2871
Human Resources Janet Miller Assistant Human Resources Director jamiller@fcgov.com 970-221-6826
Legal Carrie Daggett City Attorney cdaggett@fcgov.com 970-416-2463
Natural Areas, Open Lands and
Cache la Poudre River Issues
John Stokes Natural Resources Director jstokes@fcgov.com 970-221-6263
Neighborhood and
Building Services
Mike Gebo Chief Building Official mgebo@fcgov.com 970-416-2618
Planning and Land Use Tom Leeson
Community Development and
Neighborhood Services Director
tleeson@fcgov.com 970-221-6287
Public Safety Jerry Schiager Assistant Chief jschiager@fcgov.com 970-221-6671
Recycling and Solid Waste Susie Gordon Senior Environmental Planner sgordon@fcgov.com 970-416-2432
2017
LEGISLATIVE POLICY AGENDA
Adopted: November 15, 2016
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TOPIC PAGE
INTRODUCTION 3
FORT COLLINS LEGISLATIVE REVIEW COMMITTEE 4
LEGISLATIVE REVIEW PROCESS 4
2016 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES 5-12
LEGISLATIVE POLICY STATEMENTS 13-35
COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD LIVABILITY 14-16
AFFORDABLE HOUSING 13
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AND INSPECTION 13
PLANNING AND LAND USE 14
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY 14
URBAN AGRICULTURE 15
CULTURE AND RECREATION 17
CULTURAL SERVICES 17
PARKS AND RECREATION 17
ECONOMIC HEALTH 18-19
FINANCE 18
INVESTMENTS 18
PRIVATIZATION 19
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 19
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 20-25
AIR QUALITY 20
CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 21
NATURAL AREAS AND OPEN LANDS 21
OIL AND GAS 22
RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE 23
UTILITY SERVICES 23
ENERGY 24
WATER SUPPLY AND QUALITY 25
HIGH PERFORMING GOVERNMENT 26-28
HOME RULE 26
HUMAN RESOURCES 26
RISK MANAGEMENT 27
SOVEREIGN AND GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY 28
TELECOMMUNICATIONS 28
SAFETY 29-31
FIRE PROTECTION 29
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT 29
MARIJUANA 30
MUNICIPAL COURT 31
PUBLIC SAFETY 31
TRANSPORTATION 33
TRANSPORTATION 33
CITY LEGISLATIVE STAFF 35-36
3
INTRODUCTION
Fort Collins is a community of 161,000 residents located at the foot of the Rocky
Mountains along Colorado’s Front Range. Incorporated in 1873, the City has grown
to become the commercial, educational and cultural hub of Northern Colorado.
The City adopted a home rule charter in 1954 and operates under a Council-
Manager form of government.
The City is a data-driven municipal organization that strives to fulfill its mission,
“Exceptional service for an exceptional community”, through a vision of providing
world-class municipal services through operational excellence and a culture of
innovation. City leaders seek innovative solutions to issues facing the community
and are often willing to leverage emerging technologies.
The Fort Collins City Council annually adopts Legislative Priorities and a Legislative
Policy Agenda ahead of the upcoming Colorado general Assembly session for the
purpose of guiding legislators and staff in supporting community goals.
The City’s Legislative Priorities are broad issues Fort Collins is focused on
during the Colorado General Assembly and United States Congress sessions.
The Priorities may carry over year to year since they are larger, more
challenging issues that may take multi-year work to influence.
The Policy Agenda is broad set of policy statements meant to convey
positions on issues that affect the quality of life and the governance of our
community. It is structured to address areas of local concern and to also
reflect the strategic planning that guides City of Fort Collins organizational
resource allocation and decision making.
On many federal and state issues, Fort Collins shares the concerns of others within
the region and statewide. In these cases, Fort Collins will seek opportunities to
work in partnership to leverage additional resources and participate in regional
dialogue to achieve shared outcomes.
The City has identified seven outcome areas to ensure appropriate and effective
resource allocation supporting the community’s priorities. Outcome areas include
Culture and Recreation; Economic Health; Environmental Health; High Performing
Government; Neighborhood Livability and Social Health; Safe Community; and
Transportation. The Policy Agenda identifies specific City Council-adopted goals
associated with the policy statements. This alignment is important for City staff to
ensure that advocacy supports specific desired outcomes.
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CITY OF FORT COLLINS
LEGISLATIVE REVIEW COMMITTEE
The Legislative Review Committee (LRC) is a representative group of Council
members that reviews and reacts to proposed legislation on behalf of City Council
and the City. In taking a position on particular bills, the LRC interprets and applies
the various policies that are included in the Legislative Policy Agenda.
Council Members presently serving on the Legislative Review Committee are:
Councilmember Gino Campana, Chair
Councilmember Ross Cunniff
Councilmember Ray Martinez
LEGISLATIVE REVIEW PROCESS
Bills introduced in the Colorado General Assembly, United States Congress and
federal, state or county regulations or rulemakings are reviewed by City staff.
Bills, regulation and rules addressing a stated legislative priority, or adopted
policy position, may be brought to the LRC for discussion of an official City
position. Once a position is adopted on a bill, staff conveys that information to the
appropriate state or federal representative and advocates for the City’s adopted
position.
Staff liaisons support the LRC by contributing expertise in various areas of
municipal service. The input offered by staff experts is invaluable in analyzing
impacts of legislative, regulatory and rulemaking proposals to Fort Collins
operations and the community. Fort Collins also works with community partners to
support local projects and staff collaborates with representatives of other
municipalities on mutually-held priorities. Fort Collins actively seeks innovative
partnerships to leverage positive outcomes for residents.
The City works closely with the Colorado Municipal League (CML) and the National
League of Cities (NLC) on many legislative items facing cities. Fort Collins also
works with Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities (CAMU) which represents 29
municipal utilities throughout the state on utility issues. In addition, Fort Collins
actively participates in the Colorado Water Congress State Affairs Committee to
address water-related issues.
In 2017, Fort Collins will contract a state lobbyist to:
Be a fulltime presence at the capital
Advise City staff and leaders on relevant bills
Assist staff who may be testifying in Denver
Provide frequent updates to the LRC during the session
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LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
Objective:
Cooperate with stakeholders on refinement of Urban Renewal Authority laws
Issue:
An Urban Renewal Authority (URA) is a tool in place to identify and revitalize areas
of the city deemed blighted and provide a funding mechanism to encourage
redevelopment. The main funding tool for URA is Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
generated through property taxes. In its best intention, urban renewal restores
economic vitality and improves the safety of a designated area. Redeveloping
urban areas is much harder and more expensive than new development in
“greenfield sites”, thus the use of urban renewal and tax increment financing
responds to larger, more costly infrastructure needs. The state of Colorado has
empowered local authorities to use Urban Renewal Authorities to encourage
revitalization and the elimination of blight in these areas.
Fort Collins attempts to use URA and TIF judiciously but also recognizes the
concerns raised by counties, special districts and school districts about the use of
TIF. URA is an important and useful tool for Fort Collins in addressing community
blight and encouraging redevelopment rather than sprawl. The City has engaged
regional partners in an attempt to develop an equitable process for utilizing URA
in Larimer County. Fort Collins has sought to identify a mechanism to balance
Larimer County costs for providing service in URA areas and to shared constituents.
2015 URA reform law (HB15-1348) instituted several changes that the City will be
implementing in its URA practices. Key changes to URA law add additional
members from county, special districts and school district to a URA Board and a
negotiated use of tax increment funds before the City could utilize them. Fort
Collins is already working on adopting HB 1348 changes. The General Assembly
made clarifications to HB 1348 with SB16-177. The remaining major issue of
concern to Fort Collins in the implementation of HB 1348 is the applicability to
URA projects and clarifying the impacts on existing versus prospective projects.
The City would like to see clarifications made to HB 1348 as language included in
the new law is unclear on when the law applies to existing activities and
assistance. The City also seeks to ensure development authorities do not become
subject to similar regulations.
Objective:
Support local control of oil and gas operations
Issue:
Fort Collins, like many other Colorado communities, has taken steps to address oil
and gas extraction. Those efforts have been limited by the Colorado Oil and Gas
Conservation Commission (COGCC) rules. Fort Collins supports studying and better
understanding and mitigating the health and community impacts of oil and gas
extraction.
PRIORITIES
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Fort Collins seeks the following:
Increased local flexibility to regulate oil and gas activity within its
incorporated borders
Limiting the proximity of large-scale oil and gas sites to the City limits in
order to minimize community impacts
Mitigation measures that balance developing oil and gas resources with
community environmental and human health
Additional information about the chemicals being injected into the ground,
especially during hydraulic fracturing
Greater knowledge and control of air emissions from extraction processes
and production equipment; including air emissions transported from outside
of our community
Enhanced right for communities to regulate oil and gas as an industrial
practice and therefore apply local zoning practices to operators
Better balance between surface land ownership and mineral right
ownership
Fort Collins intends to use existing programs like the Local Government Designee
(LGD) to their fullest potential but will also seek legislative remedies to areas of
greatest concern. Fort Collins will also work with other interested communities to
address oil and gas operation concerns. The City will monitor and engage as
appropriate in rulemaking hearings of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation
Commission.
Objective:
Advocate solutions to nuisance and safety issues related to railroad proximity
Issue:
Communities throughout the United States are wrestling with issues related to
railroad proximity. These include extended blockages of community intersections,
the transport of hazardous materials, rail car safety, train horn noise,
transparency related to rail cargo and train switching. These issues affect quality
of life for residents and business owners and can result in catastrophic disasters in
cases of derailment.
Fort Collins has two active railroad corridors and three rail companies servicing the
community and is working regionally, through the Colorado Municipal League (CML)
and National League of Cities (NLC), to raise the profile of rail proximity issues. In
addressing rail safety and rail proximity issues, the City has active relationships
with Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), Great Western Railway (GWR) and Union
Pacific (UP) railroad companies and has cultivated a relationship with the federal
regulatory body – the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
In order to foster cleaner air, reduce auto congestion and improve quality of life,
several federal agencies including the EPA, HUD and the Federal Transit
Administration are encouraging Transit Oriented Development. The idea behind
Transit Oriented Development is to bring residents closer to mass transit lines so
that they can use mass transportation, and so that downtown revitalization can
occur. The Mason Corridor Bus Rapid Transit, which began operation in 2014, is
PRIORITIES
7
one example. At the same time, the FRA train horn rule in effect is discouraging
the development community and residents from locating around transit. Reform is
needed.
Trains have regained preference for transporting goods and materials. The
increased use of rail has added pressure to the system and identified several
safety concerns – track maintenance, tanker car safety, and notification of
hazardous materials to public safety leaders. Fort Collins will work to the following
goals at a state and national level:
Engagement with railroad companies
Development of a “proximity issues” dialogue between railroad and local
governments on a broad suite of topics
Notification about hazardous material shipments passing through
communities
Ensuring track maintenance and train car safety
Collaboration with railroads to train local emergency personnel
Solution-oriented use of technology and innovation to improve conflict areas
Promote improve existing federal and state regulations to identify
reasonable safety protections
Objective:
Support marijuana law clarifications and alignment with Colorado Constitution
Issue:
The passage and implementation of Amendment 64 legalized adult use marijuana
in Colorado. The Fort Collins City Council approved limited adult use marijuana
businesses and sales in addition to existing medical marijuana businesses.
Fort Collins seeks clarification on the following items:
Conflicts that exist between state and federal laws regarding marijuana
possession
Enforcement of the new law and its impacts on local staff and public safety
resources
Rules pertaining to packaging and labeling marijuana and products
containing marijuana
Effectively funding prevention of under-21 possession and use
Community public safety
Limiting THC content per serving size and restricting packaging to a single
serving
In addition to adult use marijuana, communities across the United States that have
authorized medical marijuana are struggling with implementation and the need for
a single, viable distribution system. At the core of the issues with both medical
and adult use marijuana is the classification of the drug. Marijuana is currently
classified as a Schedule 1 drug. This designation means it cannot be prescribed by
a doctor or handled through the same distribution channels as other prescribed
drugs. As a result, different states have adopted different approaches in conflict
with federal laws. In Colorado, medical marijuana may be recommended by a
doctor but not prescribed. Work is needed at the federal level to clarify this issue.
PRIORITIES
8
The federal classification should be re-evaluated to consider allowing more
medical research. If it is determined that marijuana fits one of the other
classifications and does have medical benefits, it could be included in the existing
drug delivery system.
Objective:
Participate in federal, state and regional efforts to foster resilient communities
and achieve Climate Action Plan goals
Issue:
Making communities more resilient to disaster and the effects of a changing
climate has become more important to Colorado communities over the last several
years as natural disasters have caused significant human and property loss.
Resilience has become a term used to describe hardening vulnerable community
infrastructure and preparing for predictable hazards in order to soften the blow on
citizens and infrastructure.
Making Fort Collins and Northern Colorado more resilient involves providing
decision-makers hazard mitigation analysis and scientific data, then using that
information to invest in complementary systems. Northern Colorado’s experience
is that resilience must be a regional effort that pays off through coordinated
advanced planning and investment.
Resiliency efforts are important because they impact a broad set of critical
services including:
Land use
Utility operations
Transportation infrastructure
Sustainability services
Health
Safety
Emergency Response
Disaster recovery
Fort Collins adopted aggressive emission reduction goals. The City supports policies
and legislation helping communities to achieve these goals, gather scientific data
supporting the goal and investing in needed infrastructure to ensure a clean
energy future.
City staff are working to develop actions to implement in order to achieve the
Climate Action Plan goals. These goals may be assisted and promoted through
legislative and regulatory actions. Success in achieving the City’s goals may be
enhanced through partnership with communities that have adopted similarly
aggressive climate action and adaptation goals.
The City is partnering with 12 other Colorado communities via Colorado
Communities for Climate Action (CC4CA) to advocate for these efforts at a state
and federal level. Action in the transportation and energy sectors will be
important drivers for reducing emissions and achieving both the Climate Action
PRIORITIES
9
Plan and resilience goals. The Legislative Review Committee will track actions of
this group throughout the legislative session and make recommendations of
support as appropriate
The Fort Collins community is just one member of a regional “waste shed” in
Northern Colorado. The City acknowledges this interdependence, and the role that
state legislation can, and should, play in applying broad measures such as setting a
state waste diversion goal and helping to support related strategies, which could
also serve to reduce carbon emissions and create opportunities for waste-to-
energy applications when ultra-low pollution conversion technology is used.
Objective:
Support transportation infrastructure connectivity with an emphasis on funding
an integrated, multi-modal system
Issue:
Funding for vital transportation infrastructure will continue to be a high priority
for the City of Fort Collins. Transportation infrastructure is a critical element to
supporting community and regional economic health, safety and quality of life.
The City supports Congress’s recent long-term reauthorization of the nation’s
surface transportation law with a focus on transit, livable community planning,
comprehensive regional investments, revitalization of existing infrastructure,
pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and approaches that decrease petroleum
consumption and reduce carbon pollution.
We strongly support preservation or increase of federal levels of funding and
allocation of all federal motor fuel taxes and other federal transportation trust
funds for their intended purposes. In addition, we urge development of a new,
more stable, long range transportation funding mechanism that doesn’t rely upon
fuel tax revenues. Fuel tax is no longer a sustainable method of funding the
nation’s transportation infrastructure needs. . If there is no way to raise/index the
fuel tax to reflect current economic realities, then new funding mechanisms
become critically important.
Fort Collins seeks a solution to secure critical funding of the nation’s highway and
bridge projects. Allowing the Highway Trust Fund to become insolvent would be
devastating to the City’s transportation infrastructure and have impacts
throughout the Northern Colorado economy.
A key transportation funding priority for Fort Collins is Interstate 25 (I-25) in
Northern Colorado. The highway has become a pinch point in the regional
transportation inventory that limits access to and from Fort Collins for residents,
visitors, and the delivery of goods and services. Immediate funding to widen north
I-25 is needed to sustain the region’s economic growth. The City is an active part
of the I-25 Coalition whose primary goal is to accelerate construction of a third
lane in each direction of I-25 as identified in the I-25 North Project (from State
Highway 6 to State Highway 14).
PRIORITIES
10
Colorado Department of Transportation recently received $15 million in TIGER
grant funding for I-25 improvements. This, in combination with $25 million in local
match commitments and private sector funds, as well as other scheduled funds for
improvements, have accelerated improvements in Northern Colorado by fifteen
years. Improvements include a third, managed (toll) lane in each direction plus
three bridge improvements and regional bicycle trail connections and are
scheduled to be completed in 2020. Improvements will be between SH-14 and SH-
402. While these are critical improvements for Fort Collins and Northern Colorado,
sizeable funding gaps remain in terms of needed I-25 improvements between SH-
402 and SH-66.
Actions that may expedite the continued improvement and expansion of northern
sections of I-25 include:
A Transportation Revenue Anticipation Notes (TRANS) bond II ballot
initiative (TRANS bonds were previously used to help fund the $1.67 billion
T-REX I-25 improvements in the south Denver Metro area)
State of Colorado General Fund dollars going to transportation
(maintenance & capital construction)
Tax credit legislation for specific highway projects
Objective:
Support comprehensive water resource management
Issue:
Water resources in Colorado and throughout the West are stressed by many factors
– environmental, population growth and aging infrastructure. Local water resource
planning efforts ensure adequate supply to residents through managing the City’s
water rights portfolio, encouraging increased efficiency and expanding storage.
Fort Collins will support efforts to address local and regional water needs,
preserve its water rights portfolio, and to encourage conservation of water
resources based on the 2016 adoption of the Water Efficiency Plan. The
conservation of water resources extends to support for Cache la Poudre River
restoration projects.
Fort Collins will participate in implementation of the Colorado Water Plan by the
Legislature and any State agencies, rulemakings by water-related State agencies
(such as, by way of example, the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment, the Colorado Division of Water Resources, the Colorado Water
Conservation Board), and the federal U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ and
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rulemakings affecting water storage, use,
quality and conservation.
Objective:
Support a comprehensive approach to reduce the impacts of poverty and
housing affordability
Issue:
Poverty and lack of affordable housing are persistent issues in Fort Collins and
across Colorado. The City is interested in developing local solutions to these
PRIORITIES
11
persistent problems through collaboration and innovation. The City plays both a
convening and leadership role among the many community service providers –
seeking to foster sustainable solutions to complex social issues through a
combination of City involvement and leadership.
Fort Collins supports solutions to address poverty within the community such as:
Fully resource a state affordable housing fund
Implement funding for the Earned Income Tax Credit
Develop or expand programs that ensure a smooth transition from foster
care to independence
Increase funding for mental health care/programs
Increase development of condominiums by addressing construction defect
law reform
Pilot innovative programs to address housing
Objective:
Support Efforts to Address both Homelessness and Resource Resistant
Populations
Issue:
Homelessness and transient populations are persistent challenges in Fort Collins
and other communities. Fort Collins works to address homelessness through
partnering and supporting many community service providers and has a goal of
making homelessness rare, short-lived, and non-recurring.
The resource resistant populations are those that occupy public spaces and are not
interested in housing or other community services offered. In this arena, the City
supports efforts to address public safety concerns, enforce existing local laws, and
maintain a welcoming environment for all.
The City opposes efforts to undermine local control or enforcement of activities on
public property.
Objective:
Support the innovation economy
Issue:
Innovation is a key attribute of the City organization and is also important to the
community. Fort Collins has numerous drivers of innovation, intellectual property
and inventions with an educated resident base, Colorado State University, federal
research labs, and a long list of innovative companies. As a result, Fort Collins has
a culture and support system that nurtures an innovation economy with the City
often serving as a living laboratory for ideas and new technologies.
The City will maintain and enhance its innovation economy through:
Supporting efforts to simplify the commercialization of intellectual property
PRIORITIES
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Efforts to increase the available capital to support innovation and new
business formation
Efforts that support the spin-off and development of intellectual property
from research institutes, private business, and higher education
Efforts to encourage the retention of new and innovative businesses in the
community
Supporting business incubation, primarily through the commercialization of
intellectual property, with strong partnerships
Application of innovative technologies and approaches to improve City
programs and services
PRIORITIES
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LEGISLATIVE POLICY STATEMENTS
NEIGHBORHOOD LIVABILITY AND SOCIAL HEALTH
Strategic Outcome
Provide a high quality built environment and support quality, diverse
neighborhoods
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
The City of Fort Collins supports policy and funding mechanisms that help the City
develop and maintain affordable housing for our community.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Maintain or enhance current levels of funding for affordable housing
throughout Colorado, including expanding the State Low Income Housing
Tax Credit program.
2. Increase local government’s ability to regulate, manage or generate
alternative sources of funding for affordable housing, including public-
private partnerships.
3. Protect the rights of low-income and/or disabled residents in tenant-
landlord disputes, especially as it relates to safety issues.
4. Amend construction defect laws to reasonably balance safe and reliable
housing with needed condominium construction.
5. Increase the amount of affordable, accessible, sustainable and high-quality
housing in communities.
6. Develop strategies that balance the cost of services provided to the
chronically homeless with the cost of providing permanent supportive
housing.
7. Create a standardized statewide approach to addressing homelessness.
8. Invest in innovative approaches to address the causes of homelessness.
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AND INSPECTION
Fort Collins City Council adopts a land use code, zoning and new and existing
property inspection protocol. The City supports retention of home-rule control in
aligning development review and inspections with local priorities. In recent
sessions, state legislators have introduced measures aimed at having local
inspectors provide inspection for building types outside existing responsibilities
without additional resources provided to conduct this work.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
14
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Financially compensate a jurisdiction or agency for additional work of
inspectors through fees or other means.
2. Give local governments choices in accepting additional inspection work.
3. Allow local governments to determine the time needed to conduct
development review and inspection timelines.
PLANNING AND LAND USE
Effective local land use planning and land development regulation contributes to
the quality of life enjoyed primarily by Fort Collins residents, yet shared regionally
within Larimer County. State legislation can influence local governments’ ability
to develop and implement land use plans for their communities.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Require regional cooperation in land use and transportation planning, and
foster sustainable development, without unduly constraining the City’s
home rule powers.
2. Prohibit the annexation of land that is located within the boundaries of a
Growth Management Area that was legally established by an
intergovernmental agreement between a municipality and a county by any
municipality not a party to the agreement.
3. Limit the definition of a compensable taking and/or the definition of vested
property rights beyond the provisions of existing law.
4. Retain local government authority to impose development impact fees.
5. Increase cities’ ability to regulate industrial land uses like oil and gas
exploration and extraction.
6. Foster equitable public housing policies that balance protection of tenants
and landlords.
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
Fort Collins has implemented a triple-bottom line-oriented Sustainability Service
Area in an effort to ensure community resources are allocated by considering
equally human, environmental and economic benefits. The Social Sustainability
Department’s mission is to support a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community
that successfully meets the basic needs of all residents. This mission is supported
through programs, policies, and partnerships that provide access and opportunities
for all.
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY LAND USE
15
Therefore the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Maintain or increase the funds available through the state and federal
government for community-focused non-profits to provide human services
and housing support.
2. Adequately fund K-12 and public post-secondary institutions to ensure
opportunity for youth.
3. Provide funding for before and after school programs and school out days
aimed at at-risk population and low- to moderate-income families.
4. Enhance neighbor relations by improving the resources available to
community mediation and restorative justice programs.
5. Provide communities with resources to address chronic homelessness,
mental health, and substance abuse.
6. Provide reasonable accommodation and expand access for special
populations, including individuals with disabilities, seniors, at-risk youth,
people with mental health needs, and households needing affordable
childcare.
URBAN AGRICULTURE
In 2011, City Plan, our community's comprehensive plan, was updated and
contained four goals related to local food production. Staff has worked to align our
policies and regulations with the goals outlined in our comprehensive plan. We
have updated the Land Use Code to permit urban agriculture in all zone districts,
allow farmers markets in more zone districts, allow a greater number and types of
animals to be raised and exempted hoop houses from the building permit process
in order to facilitate year-round production. The City has also been an active
participant in the Northern Colorado Food Cluster which convenes stakeholders to
advance local food initiatives. Locally grown food is a critical step towards a more
sustainable community.
Therefore the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Provide options for urban farmers to have longer-term access to the land
required for food production.
2. Provide all citizens access to healthy foods.
3. Address supply chain needs to support urban farmers.
4. Diversify the production, consumption and distribution of local food
products.
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY URBAN AGRICULTURE
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5. Adopt food production practices that support innovative and efficient
irrigation practices.
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CULTURE AND RECREATION
Strategic Outcome
Fort Collins provides diverse cultural and recreational amenities
CULTURAL SERVICES
The City recognizes that art and culture are vitally important to the quality of life in
our community and is committed to providing the citizens of Fort Collins with excellent
cultural services.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Fund cultural services activities promoting the education, entertainment and
enrichment of the community.
2. Facilitate the creation, performance and presentation of the arts.
3. Protect and preserve our cultural heritage.
4. Expand access and inclusion for all citizens to cultural events.
PARKS AND RECREATION
The City is committed to providing the community with excellent parks and recreation
services and facilities. Our citizens enjoy a better quality of life, improved health, less
crime and a greater sense of community because of our quality parks and recreation
programs.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Maintain or enhance funding for parks, trails, forestry, horticulture and
recreation services and facilities.
2. Provide maximum local discretion to use Great Outdoors Colorado and other
sources for funding municipal government projects addressing local needs and
priorities.
3. Sustain availability of Great Outdoors Colorado grants to municipalities in equal
or greater funding levels.
4. Enhance the City’s ability to provide quality parks and recreation services and
facilities for its citizens.
5. Enhance the protection of community trees and natural assets against invasive
species, pests and other threats.
6. Expand access and inclusion for all citizens to community recreational
opportunities.
CULTURAL SERVICES PARKS AND RECREATION
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ECONOMIC HEALTH
Strategic Outcome
Promote a healthy, sustainable economy reflecting community values
FINANCE
As a municipality, the City of Fort Collins faces many complex financial issues.
Strong fiscal planning, prudent debt management and preservation of the City’s
revenue base are vital in maintaining and improving the City’s financial health.
Considering the known impacts of legislation on the City’s business community can
help foster a stronger tax base and retain a strong quality of life.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Maintain or expand municipal authority to establish alternative funding
mechanisms, including financing tools such as public improvement fees (PIF)
and certificates of participation (COP).
2. Increase funding for higher education, specifically Colorado State University
and Front Range Community College.
3. Promote the equitable treatment of sales and use taxes to residents and
corporations residing or doing business in Colorado by limiting exemptions.
4. Recognize the importance of sales and use tax to local, self-collecting
municipalities and equitably distribute sales tax collections on e-commerce
transactions.
5. Maintain or increase the City’s revenue base (sales, use and property taxes).
INVESTMENTS
The Fort Collins City Council has adopted investment polices to be used by the
City. The policies are reviewed and updated periodically to ensure the safety and
quality of the portfolio to maintain liquidity and to maximize portfolio earnings.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Protect, without unnecessarily restricting, the investments of government
entities.
2. Provide adequate transparency of the City’s investment activity.
3. Provide municipalities freedom to participate in investments that meet
their strategic objectives.
4. Do not restrict cities’ ability to adopt their own investment policies.
FINANCE
INVESTMENTS
19
PRIVATIZATION
The City of Fort Collins utilizes outside contracts for procurement of many goods
and services. This practice of privatization provides citizens with a balance of
quality and cost efficiency.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Enable cities to choose the provision of services through private enterprise
in a manner that fosters cost effective, sustainable, quality services.
2. Maintain local control of the awarding of contracts and the accountability of
local officials for those actions.
3. Oppose mandates that increase the complexity and cost of services without
improving those services.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Fort Collins seeks to maintain a healthy and resilient economic base of businesses.
The City works closely with businesses to retain and invest in alignment with the
Council’s Action Plan. A healthy and resilient economy for Fort Collins will include:
Diverse jobs that enable citizens and businesses to thrive.
Reflects the values of our unique community in a changing world.
An innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial atmosphere.
Strong partnerships and collaboration with the private sector, educational
institutions, and other organizations.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Promote sustainable economic development.
2. Retain local governments’ use of tax increment financing as a tool to
support Downtown Development Authorities and Urban Renewal Authorities,
taking into consideration the land use impacts of such legislation (e.g.,
sprawl) the unique intent(s) and distinctive differences of both the DDA Act
and URA Act, and the compelling interests and concerns of other taxing
entities.
3. Adopt clarifying language to HB15-1348 to address ambiguity and confusion
created by the drafters. Specifically, clarify intent that the law does not
impact projects already underway.
PRIVATIZATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Strategic Outcome
Promote, protect and enhance a healthy and sustainable environment
AIR QUALITY
The City’s Air Quality Plan establishes a strong overall goal to “continually improve
Fort Collins air quality.”
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Adopt programs and policies that improve public health and air quality, and
support rapid attainment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards
including ozone. .
2. Ensure air quality standards are protective of public health and welfare.
3. Enhance local government authority to improve air quality beyond minimum
State or Federal requirements.
4. Promote strategies to improve regional air quality, recognizing that air
pollution does not follow jurisdictional boundaries.
5. Assure that Federal, State and County agencies have adequate authority and
resources (funding and personnel) to enforce air quality regulations.
6. Promote voluntary actions to reduce air pollution.
7. Reduce vehicle emissions by:
Employing economic incentives, disincentives and other market
approaches that support clean air
Encouraging behavior changes, such as biking, use of transit, and
reducing vehicle idling
Encouraging or promoting lower emissions and lower carbon fuels,
vehicles and supporting infrastructure
Supporting state motor vehicle emissions testing programs consistent
with City air quality goals
8. Provide authority for local governments to implement vehicle emissions
reductions programs.
9. Strengthen standards for tailpipe emissions, aggregate vehicle emissions
and/or fuel economy for all vehicles including reducing the impact of
“rolling coal” and nitrous oxide emissions.
10. Reduce or eliminate residential wood smoke emissions.
AIR QUALITY
21
11. Reduce fossil fuel consumption in the transportation and building sector.
CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
The City of Fort Collins encourages local, state and national efforts to protect and
enhance our environment. Additionally, the City has a policy goal to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and 80 percent
below 2005 levels by 2030 and 100 percent below 2005 levels by 2050. The goals
call for Fort Collins to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Therefore the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Enhance Fort Collins’ resilience to impacts of climate change.
2. Establish greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets at all levels of
government.
3. Establish market-based mechanisms to reduce emissions.
4. Develop strategies to prevent pollution.
5. Maintain and protect the Colorado self-audit law.
6. Evaluate and address impacts of climate change on water demand and
supply.
NATURAL AREAS AND OPEN LANDS
The City has a vigorous program to protect natural areas and other important open
lands within Fort Collins, within our Community Growth Management Area, and
regionally.
The City works in partnership with other communities, Larimer County, private
land trusts, Great Outdoors Colorado, community groups, and state and federal
agencies to achieve community and regional conservation goals.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Maintain or enhance tax incentives to private landowners for voluntary land
conservation.
2. Expand the effectiveness of existing protection for wetlands, wildlife
habitats, and other sensitive natural areas.
3. Support additional funding for conservation programs, including reinstating
Colorado Parks and Wildlife license fees to at least 2005 levels.
4. Protect the Cache la Poudre River and local urban streams.
CLIMATE AND ENV PROTECTION NATURAL AREAS
22
5. Increase the availability of Great Outdoors Colorado grants to municipalities
in amounts equal to or greater than are currently offered.
OIL AND GAS
Oil and gas extraction activity and associated health and environmental impacts
are a concern for Fort Collins and many communities along the Front Range. There
is a portion of a small oil field within Fort Collins ‘incorporated boundaries, and
the City has entered into an Operator Agreement or Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU), that stipulates the operations, maintenance and inspection
process for that operator’s local holdings. Fort Collins residents have expressed
continuing concern about the human and environmental health impacts from oil
and gas operations, particularly from the hydraulic fracturing treatment used on
most Colorado wells. In November 2013, voters approved a five-year moratorium
on oil and gas extraction in order to study its property value and human health
impacts.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Encourage state, federal and academic studies evaluating impacts of oil and
gas operations on human health and property values.
2. Establish baseline air pollutant levels and understand the ongoing
contributions of the oil and gas industry to air pollution.
3. Provide local government the authority to inspect oil and gas sites and
ensure operator compliance through enforcement of federal, state and local
regulations.
4. Allow communities to understand impacts of oil and gas on water quality.
5. Allow greater local regulation of oil and gas exploration activities within
municipal boundaries.
6. Better balance surface ownership with mineral right ownership.
7. Allow local governments the ability to apply municipal zoning on oil and gas
extraction and storage activities.
8. Maintain the current formula allocation of severance tax to impacted
jurisdictions so that they might address impacts from resource extraction.
9. Incentivize industry information sharing and collaboration with local
governments on the planned development of resources within communities’
Growth Management Areas.
OIL AND GAS
23
RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE
The City of Fort Collins endorses a multi-pronged approach to waste minimization that
includes recycling, re-use, composting, and source reduction. Additionally, the City
adopted goals of diverting 75% of community waste by 2020; 90% by 2025 and 100% by
2030.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Clarify and broaden the regulatory authority of local government to ensure
the efficient management of recyclable material and solid waste.
2. Encourage integrated waste and materials management planning and
implementation, including but not limited to creation of a state waste
diversion goal.
3. Provide incentives and funding for programs that promote waste reduction,
reuse and recycling, and development of related infrastructure.
4. Enable and encourage the development of endmarkets through “buy
recycled” or “environmentally preferable purchasing” policies for
government agency procurement.
5. Support programs to collect and monitor data on trash volumes, rates of
diversion from landfill disposal and economic impacts of recycling.
6. Support producer responsibility initiatives, such as “take back” regulations
that assist consumers to appropriately recycle packaging materials or certain
products (e.g., electronic equipment or mattresses)and seek to eliminate state
statute CRS Section 25-17-104, which currently limits local authority to
regulate packaging materials (e.g., single-use plastic bags).
7. Establish a deposit fee on beverage containers and that would be used to
pay for recycling programs.
8. Partner with neighboring and regional agencies and stakeholders to create
facilities and infrastructure for regionally managing waste to its “highest
and best” use.
UTILITY SERVICES
It is critical that the City operate its water, light and power, stormwater and
wastewater services in a financially sound, reliable, safe and environmentally
acceptable manner. Like other municipal utilities across the country, Fort Collins
is faced with many new and evolving challenges associated with changes in the
industry, the replacement and security of its infrastructure and development and
retention of a knowledgeable workforce.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
RECYCLING AND SOLID WASTE UTILITY SERVICES
24
ENERGY
1. Maintain or improve the reliability of energy delivery
2. Promote energy affordability and safety for residents, businesses and
institutions
3. Support reductions of the community’s GHG emissions from energy use in
accordance with the Climate Action Plan (CAP) Framework (March 2015) –
the current community GHG goals are a reduction of 20 percent from 2005
levels by 2020, 80 percent by 2030 and carbon neutral by 2050.
4. Reduce the emission of criteria pollutants
5. Reduce the environmental damage caused by energy extraction and
production.
6. Leverage the role of Fort Collins Utilities Light & Power as the community’s
municipally owned utility.
7. Retain more of our community’s energy expenditures in the local economy.
8. Foster local economic opportunity in energy efficiency, production and
operation.
9. Leverage opportunities to coordinate integrated planning for energy and
water supply and demands.
10. Increase our community’s resilience to potential energy and climate related
disruptions.
11. Maintain compliance with and leverage the potential benefits of local,
regional, state and national regulatory frameworks, which impact energy
production and use (e.g., carbon, fuel standards, ozone).
12. Make Fort Collins an energy leader that can serve as a model for other
communities.
13. Incent renewable energy production, including wind power, and provide for
“State Implementation Plan” credits for renewable energy (excluding
residential wood burning and corn-based ethanol) and energy efficiency.
ENERGY
25
14. Oppose attempts to prevent or inhibit provision of municipal electric service
in newly annexed areas.
15. Foster smart grid technology adoption and grid modernization.
WATER SUPPLY AND QUALITY
1. Maintain or expand the authority delegated to the state to administer
federally mandated water, stormwater and wastewater environmental
regulatory programs (primacy).
2. Enact reasonable water quality regulations that are cost effective and can
show identifiable benefits.
3. Enable local watershed protection planning.
4. Provide cities the flexibility to enhance in-stream flows to preserve or
improve the natural environment of the stream while protecting the
integrity of Colorado’s appropriation doctrine and City water supply.
5. Recognize the importance of infrastructure security while minimizing
restriction to the Utility’s ability to manage security as an integral part of
the system.
6. Stipulate adequate funding for local governments to implement mandated
programs.
7. Encourage regional collaboration for water planning, and efficiency and
conservation implementation.
8. Encourage greater integration of water efficiency into land use planning and
building codes.
9. Remove barriers to financing for water conservation projects.
10. Fund recovery and treatment of Cache la Poudre and other waterways
impacted by natural disasters.
11. Enable the City to develop, protect and increase the flexibility and
resiliency of its water supply under Colorado’s appropriation doctrine
without adversely affecting in-stream flows or the natural environment of
the stream.
WATER SUPPLY AND QUALITY
26
HIGH PERFORMING GOVERNMENT
Strategic Outcome
Deliver an efficient, innovative, transparent, effective and collaborative city
government
HOME RULE AND LOCAL CONTROL
The City of Fort Collins is a home rule municipality. Home rule authority is of utmost
importance to the City of Fort Collins, and affords the citizens of Fort Collins greater
access to government and increased opportunity for participation and contribution to
the decision-making process. In addition, many policy matters are best left to local
determination and control, and the benefits of allowing for local control are
sometimes overlooked in discussions at the state and federal level.
The City recognizes, however, that there are particular areas in which insistence on
local control may be untimely or unwise. Therefore, proposed legislation must be
reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine when it is in the City's best interest to
assert home rule authority or argue in support of local control, and when the City
should support statewide intervention. The City must be free to regulate local
activities that primarily impact the area within the City's boundaries, such as the
speed of local traffic or the effects of particular land use developments. The City
also understands the cumulative effect of these and other activities have statewide
ramifications that may call for statewide regulation, to effectively manage such
things as overall growth and development in the state, traffic congestion in major
transportation corridors and environmental quality.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Strengthen and preserve home rule authority of municipal governments.
2. Oppose State or Federal intervention in matters of local concern or matters
that unnecessarily or adversely affect the City’s ability to manage and operate
pursuant to its home rule authority.
3. Oppose changes that increase (and support changes that lessen) the burdens on
municipalities associated with public or other government records,
establishment of ethics standards and procedures, operation of municipal
courts, and other matters of municipal operations or authority.
HUMAN RESOURCES
The City of Fort Collins is committed to the health, safety and well-being of its
employees. The City works diligently to be efficient and responsible stewards of tax
dollars ensuring that employee compensation and benefits are fair, market-based,
and competitive. The City believes that its citizens, through their elected
representatives on City Council, are in the best position to determine appropriate City
HUMAN RESOURCES HOME RULE
27
employee compensation, benefits, appeal rights related to disciplinary action and
policies.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Enhance the City’s ability to make decisions on employment issues, including
collective bargaining, arbitration, compensation, appeal rights related to
disciplinary action and benefits to further an equitable work environment.
2. Expand the City’s ability to determine how best to manage health, welfare and
wellness services for employees.
3. Maintain current state funding for police officer death and disability benefits.
4. Oppose proposals that would allow employees and/or retirees with defined
contribution plans to move into defined benefit plans if there is a cost to local
government.
5. Oppose proposals that would limit the City’s ability to test job applicants or
employees at work for impairment due to consumption of alcohol or controlled
substances or to set limits related to such testing.
RISK MANAGEMENT
The City of Fort Collins recognizes the dual purpose of the workers’ compensation
system – providing benefits promptly to injured employees in a cost-effective manner
and minimizing costly litigation. Council also recognizes that the City’s self-insurance
program is a cost-efficient method to insure workers’ compensation and that
government intervention or taxation can negatively impact the City.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Improve administrative efficiency of the Division of Workers’ Compensation.
2. Resist increased insurance premium costs to employers.
3. Limit or reduce administrative burdens or taxes to self-insurance programs.
4. Limit insurance claim litigation.
5. Increase the City’s options and ability to manage workers’ compensation
claims; oppose actions like removing existing off-sets to workers’ compensation
benefits or limiting the City’s ability to designate treating physicians.
6. Oppose efforts to presumptively expand workers’ compensation coverage to
illnesses or injuries that are not work related.
RISK MANAGEMENT
28
SOVEREIGN AND GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY
The Fort Collins City Council recognizes that the complexity and diversity of City
operations and services may expose the City and its officers and employees to liability
for damage and injury. The Council further recognizes that City officers and
employees must be confident that they have the City’s support in the lawful and
proper performance of their assigned duties and responsibilities.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Protect the interests of municipalities and their officers and employees in the
lawful and proper performance of their duties and responsibilities.
2. Discourage baseless and frivolous claims and demands made against
municipalities, their officers and employees.
3. Maintain or enhance municipal liability protections and municipal immunity.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
The City of Fort Collins encourages a competitive, open market for cable and
telecommunications services in order to ensure the public has access to a variety of
programming and services at the lowest cost possible.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statement:
1. Maintain and enhance local franchising authority to preserve local
governments’ ability to negotiate in the public interest for cable channel
space, institutional networks and public education and government
programming.
2. Permit communities to offer high speed internet, Wi-Fi and other enhanced
telecommunication services to residents, schools, academic institutions and
businesses.
3. Allow municipalities to provide telecommunication services within City-owned
facilities and on City property.
4. Enhance exclusive digital communication networks for public safety personnel
during emergencies.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY
29
SAFE COMMUNITY
Strategic Outcome
Provide a safe place to live, work, learn and play
FIRE PROTECTION
The Fort Collins City Council recognizes the critical importance of maintaining a safe
environment and protecting the lives and property of the citizens of Fort Collins.
Therefore the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Institute a state fire code, the code of choice being the International Building
and Fire Code, and allow municipalities to adopt their own amendments.
2. Oppose limits to local enforcement of the International Fire Code as adopted
with local amendments, imposing inspection requirements or preventing
collection of permit or inspection fees as required by the local jurisdiction.
3. Enhance life safety and property protection through the installation of fire
protection systems in structures when appropriate and do not restrict any local
jurisdiction from requiring the installation of fire sprinklers.
4. Strengthen the City’s ability to prohibit the use and sale of fireworks and allow
counties and fire districts to prohibit and otherwise control fireworks without
approval of the County Commissioners.
5. Promote fire safety, education and prevention with the goal of reducing injury,
loss of life and property damage.
6. Allow local jurisdictions (municipalities and special districts) to implement
open burning restrictions.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
It is an important concern of the City to safeguard Fort Collins’ health and
environmental safety by reducing risks from the unauthorized release of hazardous
materials or hazardous waste.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Allow the City to continue controlling risks from hazardous materials use,
storage and transportation through the International Building and Fire Code and
related local amendments.
FIRE PROTECTION HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
30
2. Allow Fort Collins to adopt local regulations for hazardous materials, including
review and approval of the location of facilities that use or store hazardous
materials or hazardous waste.
3. Strengthen the enforcement of hazardous materials regulations.
4. Strengthen the diversion of hazardous waste from landfills.
5. Establish greater flexibility and more options for local government in the
management of publicly-owned areas thought to have asbestos-containing soils
while maintaining responsible site management practices.
6. Prevent and penalize improper storage and disposal of hazardous or exploration
and production (E&P) wastes from oil and gas operations within municipal
boundaries.
7. Preserve community safety by ensuring emergency responders have all
available information needed to effectively address disasters and maintain
public well-being.
8. Ensure hazardous materials are not stored or used within the 100-year
floodplain.
MARIJUANA
In 2012, Colorado voters approved Amendment 64 which legalizes the possession of
adult-use or recreational marijuana in the state. During the same election Fort Collins
residents voted to approve the use of medical marijuana within the city. Federal law
maintains that marijuana is a schedule 1 drug and, as such, can neither be possessed
and used nor researched.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Regulate medical and retail marijuana manufacturing, distribution and
dispensaries.
2. Clarify the implementation and local rights and responsibilities related to
Amendment 64.
3. Clarify and align federal marijuana law with the Colorado Constitution.
4. Protect communities’ ability to raise necessary funds to maintain public safety
and enforce marijuana possession laws.
5. Prevent under-21 access to marijuana.
6. Clarify the rights of individuals, landlords and homeowner associations in
limiting or preventing growing or consuming marijuana in multi-family
dwellings.
MARIJUANA
31
7. Provide additional state marijuana enforcement resources, especially for field
enforcement.
8. Limit THC content per serving size and restrict packaging to a single serving.
MUNICIPAL COURT
The Fort Collins Municipal Court is responsible for administering the operations of the
judicial branch of City government according to the ordinances adopted by City
Council. Cases adjudicated in Municipal Court include traffic violations,
misdemeanors, and civil infractions. Generally, cases are brought to Municipal Court
by the Fort Collins Police Services, Colorado State University Police Department,
Animal Control, other City departments, and private residents.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Support the current jurisdiction of municipal courts, particularly for home rule
municipalities.
2. Oppose limitations on the authority of municipalities to enforce their own
ordinances in municipal courts.
3. Oppose imposition of state surcharges on municipal court fines for the purpose
of funding state programs.
PUBLIC SAFETY
The Fort Collins City Council recognizes the critical importance of maintaining public
order, providing a safe environment, and protecting the lives and property of the citizens
of Fort Collins.
Therefore, the City supports the following policy statements:
1. Develop treatment and intervention programs, especially for youth, which have
the potential to reduce incidents of violence in the community.
2. Provide greater protection to victims of crime.
3. Maintain or enhance the City’s right to use camera enforcement of traffic laws,
reduce operational restrictions on the use of camera enforcement, and
increases the fines associated with violations.
4. Establish protocols and funding for shared, statewide emergency response
communications, including supporting Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority
(LETA) and other efforts to resolve the 911 redundancy issue.
5. Oppose initiatives that have the potential to compromise officer safety.
MUICIPAL COURT PUBLIC SAFETY
32
6. Establish minimum training criteria and professional mediator certification that
formally legitimizes the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
7. Regulate the use of cell phones by motorists while operating a vehicle.
8. Preserve or increase funding for treatment of mental illness and substance
abuse disorders.
9. Maintain or enhance a statewide database of concealed weapons permits.
10. Seek to reduce community flood risks.
11. Reduce cities’ liability for prisoners’ self-inflicted wounds while in police
custody or detention facilities.
12. Restrict access to illegal substances.
13. Require greater producer responsibility, such as “take back” for prescription
drugs to avoid these substances being abused or being disposed of into the
water supply.
14. Clarify the qualifications for what types and purposes a business may obtain
and use a state liquor license.
15. Define what qualifies as a “meal” when calculating the percentage of meals
served for a liquor license.
16. Increasing state, regional and local disaster resilience.
17. Promote efforts to reduce conflict between community members and law
enforcement.
18. Encourage the voluntary use of body-worn camera technology on officers and
development of community-specific standards for the use of cameras and their
data.
19. Develop grant programs for police department use to fund the purchase,
training and deployment of body-worn cameras and the retention of footage.
PUBLIC SAFETY
33
TRANSPORTATION
Strategic Outcome
Provide for safe and reliable multi-modal travel to, from, and throughout the city
TRANSPORTATION
The City actively promotes the safety and ease of traveling to, from and throughout
the community using a variety of modes of transportation. Additionally, the City’s
policy is to encourage the use of alternative transportation whenever appropriate.
Therefore, the City supports the following policies:
1. Facilitate cooperative programs among government agencies in order to help the
City meet its basic transportation needs, including transit, street, highway, road
and bridge construction and maintenance, and safe corridors for bicyclists,
pedestrians and those using mobility aid devices.
2. Oppose reductions to the present allocation formula of 60 percent state, 22
percent counties, and 18 percent municipalities for Highway User Tax Fund
(HUTF) or any appropriations from the state using the same formula.
3. Explore and analyze alternative methods of funding transportation infrastructure
needs.
4. Fund analysis and implementation of inter- and intra-regional transit linkages,
including future commuter rail connectivity.
5. Facilitate regional planning for various modes of transportation with the goal of
providing practical solutions to reduce reliance on single-occupant vehicles.
6. Encourage flexibility in federal funding and regulations in order to better meet
the needs of small to medium-size communities.
7. Encourage or incent locating affordable housing near transit for greatest
accessibility.
8. Preserve the guaranteed levels of federal funding for transportation and
allocation of all federal motor fuel taxes and other federal transportation trust
funds for their intended transportation purposes.
9. Broaden the definition of the gasoline tax to a “fuel tax” that encompasses other
fuel options as they become more prevalent.
10. Increase local governments’ ability to prevent railroad trains from blocking
street and highway grade crossings for unreasonable time periods.
TRANSPORTATION
34
11. Foster dialogue between railroad operators and communities aimed at solutions
to rail proximity issues.
12. Facilitate the implementation of railroad quiet zones in municipalities and
reduce train horn decibel and duration requirements in existing federal rule.
13. Oppose divesting key highway roads in urban areas from the state and make
them the sole responsibility of local jurisdictions.
14. Maintain safe operation of railroads through timely track inspections, joint
training and communication between railroad and emergency personnel, and the
use of safe equipment.
15. Develop financing programs for Interstate 25 improvements.
16. Explore solutions to improve bicycle safety and fund implementation projects in
communities. Oppose reductions in federal dollars for alternate travel modes.
17. Clarify federal and state regulations in order to preserve local governments’
ability to utilize unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for service-related purposes.
18. Ensure local government has access to test the use of UAVs in service delivery.
35
CITY OF FORT COLLINS LEGISLATIVE CONTACTS
Legislative Review Committee
Name District/Title Email Phone
Councilmember Gino Campana District 3 gcampana@fcgov.com (970) 460-6329
Councilmember Ross Cunniff District 5 rcunniff@fcgov.com (970) 420-7398
Councilmember Ray Martinez District 2 raymartinez@fcgov.com (970) 690 3686
Wendy Williams Assistant City Manager wwilliams@fcgov.com (970) 416-2899
Carrie Daggett City Attorney cdaggett@fcgov.com (970) 416-2463
Ginny Sawyer
Tyler Marr
Legislative Staff gsawyer@fcgov.com
tmarr@fcgov.com
(970) 224-6094
(970) 416-4205
Legislative Staff Liaison Members
Topic Area Name Title Email Phone
Affordable Housing
and Social
Sustainability
Beth Sowder Social Sustainability
Director
bsowder@fcgov.com (970) 221-6752
Air Quality Cassie
Archuleta
Environmental Planner carchuleta@fcgov.com
Cable Television
Franchise
Carson
Hamlin
Cable Television
Manager
chamlin@fcgov.com (970) 221-6510
Climate Lindsay Ex Environmental
Program Manager
lex@fcgov.com (970)224-6143
Environmental
Protection
Lucinda Smith Environmental Services
Director
lsmith@fcgov.com (970) 224-6085
Elections, Liquor
and Marijuana
Licensing
Wanda
Winkelmann
City Clerk wwinkelmann@fcgov.co
m
(970) 416-2995
Cultural Services,
Parks and
Recreation
Mike Calhoon Director of Parks mcalhoon@fcgov.com (970) 416-2079
Energy Tim
McCollough
John Phelan
Light and Power
Operations Manager
Resource Conservation
Manager
36
Legislative Staff Liaison Members
Human Resources Janet Miller Assistant Human
Resources Director
jamiller@fcgov.com (970) 221-6826
Legal Carrie
Daggett
City Attorney cdaggett@fcgov.com (970) 416-2463
Natural Areas,
Open Lands and
Cache la Poudre
River Issues
John Stokes Natural Resources
Director
jstokes@fcgov.com (970) 221-6263
Neighborhood and
Building Services
Mike Gebo Chief Building Official mgebo@fcgov.com (970) 416-2618
Planning and Land
Use
Tom Leeson Community
Development and
Neighborhood Services
Director
tleeson@fcgov.com (970) 221-6287
Public Safety Jerry
Schiager
Assistant Chief jschiager@fcgov.com (970) 416-2587
Recycling and Solid
Waste
Susie Gordon Senior Environmental
Planner
sgordon@fcgov.com (970) 221-6265
Risk Management Kelly Bernish Safety, Security, and
Risk Management
Director
kbernish@fcgov.com (970) 221-6774
Stormwater Jon Haukaas Water Engineering
Field Operations
Manager
jhaukaas@fcgov.com (970) 221-6671
Transportation Mark Jackson Planning, Development
and Transportation
Deputy Director
mjackson@fcgov.com (970) 416-2029
Utilities Customer
Service
Lisa
Rosintoski
Utility Customer
Connections Manager
lrosintoski@fcgov.com (970) 416-2432
Water Supply and
Quality
Carol Webb Water Resource and
Treatment Operations
Manager
cwebb@fcgov.com (970) 221-6231
tmccollough@fcgov.com
jphelan@fcgov.com
(970) 416-2622
(970) 416-2539
Finance Michael
Beckstead
Chief Financial Officer mbeckstead@fcgov.com (970) 221-6795
Economic Health Josh Birks Economic Health
Director
jbirks@fcgov.com (970) 221-6324
Fire Protection and
Hazardous
Materials Mgmt
Bob Poncelow Division Chief, Poudre
Fire Authority
bponcelow@poudre-
fire.org
(970) 416-2871
Risk Management Kelly Bernish Safety, Security, and Risk Management Director kbernish@fcgov.com 970-221-6774
Stormwater Jon Haukaas Water Engineering Field Operations Manager jhaukaas@fcgov.com 970-221-6671
Transportation Mark Jackson
Planning, Development and
Transportation Deputy Director
mjackson@fcgov.com 970-416-2029
Utilities Customer Service Lisa Rosintoski Utility Customer Connections Manager lrosintoski@fcgov.com 970-416-2432
Water Supply and Quality Carol Webb Water Resource and Treatment Operations Manager cwebb@fcgov.com 970-221-6231
Objective:
Support the innovation economy
Issue:
Innovation is a key attribute of the City organization and is also
important to the community. Fort Collins has numerous drivers of
innovation, intellectual property and inventions with an educated
resident base, Colorado State University, federal research labs,
and a long list of innovative companies. As a result, Fort Collins
has a culture and support system that nurtures an innovation
economy with the City often serving as a living laboratory for
ideas and new technologies.
The City will maintain and enhance its innovation economy through:
• Supporting efforts to simplify the commercialization of
intellectual property
• Efforts to increase the available capital to support innovation
and new business formation
• Efforts that support the spin-off and development of
intellectual property from research institutes, private
business, and higher education
• Efforts to encourage the retention of new and innovative
businesses in the community
• Supporting business incubation, primarily through
the commercialization of intellectual property, with
strong partnerships
• Application of innovative technologies and approaches
to improve City programs and services
970-420-7398
rcunniff@fcgov.com
Use cityleaders@fcgov.com to e-mail all City Councilmembers
and the City Manager at once.
200 East Colfax, Room 338
Denver, CO 80203
P: 303-866-4841
Colorado House
of Representatives
• Jeni Arndt
District 53
200 East Colfax, Room 622
Denver, CO 80203
P: 303-866-2917
• Joann Ginal
District 52
200 East Colfax, Room 301
Rm 626
Denver, CO 80203
P: 303-866-4569
Larimer County Commissioners
• Lew Gaiter III, District 1
• Steve Johnson, District 2
• Tom Donnelly, District 3
200 W. Oak Street, Second Floor
PO Box 1190
Fort Collins, CO 80522-1190
P: 970.498.7010