HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 7/2/2019 - Memorandum From Ginny Sawyer Re: Legislative Review Update2019 LEGISLATIVE
POLICY AGENDA
2019 LEGISLATIVE POLICY AGENDA
Adopted December 4, 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Home Rule and Local Control............................................. 6
Affordable Housing .............................................................. 6
Air Quality ............................................................................. 6
Beer and Liquor .................................................................... 6
Broadband and Cable ...........................................................7
Climate ....................................................................................7
Development Review and Land Use Planning .................7
Elections .................................................................................7
Energy .....................................................................................7
Finance ................................................................................... 8
Hazardous Materials Management .................................... 8
Human Resources ................................................................ 8
Marijuana ............................................................................... 9
Municipal Court..................................................................... 9
Oil and Gas ............................................................................ 9
Open Records and Data Management .............................. 9
Parks and Natural Areas .....................................................10
Public Health ........................................................................10
Public Safety ........................................................................10
Recycling and Solid Waste Reduction .............................10
Risk Management and Liability..........................................11
Transportation ......................................................................11
Urban Renewal and Downtown Development ............... 12
Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater ............................... 12
City of Fort Collins Legislative Contacts .......................... 12
4 Legislative Policy Statements 2019
INTRODUCTION
Fort Collins is a community of 170,100
residents. 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 a Policy Agenda ahead of the
upcoming Colorado general Assembly
session for the purpose of guiding
legislators and staff in supporting
community goals.
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.
Fort Collins welcomes 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 and
Mobility. The Policy Agenda identifies this
alignment as it is important for City staff
to ensure that advocacy supports specific
desired outcomes.
5
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 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 Ken Summers, Chair
• Councilmember Ray Martinez
• Councilmember Ross Cunniff
LEGISLATIVE REVIEW
PROCESS
In 2019, the City of Fort Collins will rely
heavily on the Legislative Policy Agenda,
the Colorado Municipal League, and the
Colorado Communities for Climate Action
organizations for the majority of bill
tracking and identification.
The City currently maintains memberships
with the Colorado Municipal League
and Colorado Communities for Climate
Action – both groups maintain a fulltime
presence at the capitol and engage in bill
identification and advocacy consistent with
their own adopted policy agendas. The City
influences both groups’ policy agendas,
and while not perfectly consistent with our
own, both generally advance and protect
the City’s interests.
Bills introduced in the Colorado General
Assembly, United States Congress and
federal, state or county regulations or
rulemakings are reviewed by City staff.
Bills, regulations and rules that are
identified as having a potential impact
on the City will be brought to the LRC for
discussion. If LRC adopts a position,
staff will convey that information to the
appropriate state or federal representative
and advocate for the adopted position.
Due to the time-sensitive nature of the
General Assembly, if a bill’s subject matter
is explicitly addressed in this Policy Agenda,
staff will proactively work with state and
federal representatives to advance the City’s
position as expressed in this legislative
policy agenda and other Council-adopted
plans and policies. Staff will provide regular
updates to the LRC and the full City Council
regarding bills of consequence to the City
and will consult with the LRC regarding
bills for which direction under the adopted
policy is unclear.
6 Legislative Policy Statements 2019
2019 LEGISLATIVE
POLICY STATEMENTS
HOME RULE AND
LOCAL CONTROL
In order to consider and manage local
conditions and desires, community issues
and needs should be addressed locally.
For this reason, home rule authority is
of utmost importance to the City of Fort
Collins. 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 accumulative
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:
1. Supports strengthening and preserving
home rule authority of municipal
governments.
2. Opposes 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. Opposes 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.
4. Supports enabling cities to choose the
provision of services through private
enterprise in a manner that fosters cost
effective, sustainable, quality services.
5. Supports local control of the awarding of
contracts and the accountability of local
officials for those actions.
6. Opposes mandates that increase the
complexity and cost of services without
improving those services.
7. Supports collaborative regional
efforts for the benefit of participating
communities.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
NEIGHBORHOOD LIVABILITY
AND SOCIAL HEALTH
The City recognizes that the affordability
and availability of quality housing is critical
to a vibrant and diverse community.
Therefore, the City:
7
BROADBAND AND CABLE
ECONOMIC HEALTH
Reliable, high-speed, and affordable access
to broadband and cable programming
throughout the community remains a
priority and a long-term goal for the City
to ensure our economic vitality and allow
for equal access for all residents and
businesses.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports maintaining 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. Supports allowing communities to offer
and/or partner to offer high speed
internet, Wi-Fi and other enhanced
telecommunication services to residents,
schools, academic institutions and
businesses.
3. Opposes restrictions on providing
telecommunication services within City-
owned facilities and on City property,
and related restrictions on the manner
in which such services may be financed,
funded or structured.
4. Opposes infringement on municipalities’
ability to compete in the broadband
marketplace.
5. Opposes right of way use contrary to
existing aesthetic policies and practices,
including the addition of any above
ground cabling.
CLIMATE
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
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. Fort
Collins has adopted aggressive emission
reduction goals and supports policies and
legislation helping communities and the
state to achieve these goals and enhance
the environment as detailed in the Climate
Action Plan.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports greenhouse gas (GHG)
emission reduction targets, planning,
and implementation at all levels of
government.
2. Supports market-based mechanisms
to reduce emissions, including
incentives, enabling legislation, and
other mechanisms to achieve emissions
reductions and increase resiliency in
8 Legislative Policy Statements 2019
4. Opposes barriers to coordinating
integrated planning for energy supply
and demands.
5. Supports state and federal funding for
resilience efforts to mitigate potential
energy and climate related disruptions.
6. Supports federal and state incentives
for 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.
7. Opposes attempts to prevent or inhibit
provision of municipal electric service in
newly annexed areas.
8. Supports smart grid technology
adoption and grid modernization.
9. Supports minimizing the environmental
impacts of all forms of energy.
FINANCE
HIGH PERFORMING GOVERNMENT
Strong fiscal planning, prudent debt
management and investment policies, 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:
1. Supports expanding municipal authority
to establish alternative funding
mechanisms, including financing tools
such as public improvement fees (PIF)
and certificates of participation (COP).
2. Supports increased funding for K-12 and
higher education, specifically Colorado
State University and Front Range
Community College.
3. Encourages the equitable treatment
of sales and use taxes to residents and
corporations residing or doing business
in Colorado by limiting exemptions.
4. Supports the equitable distribution
sales tax collections on e-commerce
transactions.
5. Opposes efforts that inhibit the City’s
ability to increase its revenue base
(sales, use and property taxes).
6. Supports protections that do not
unnecessarily restrict the investments of
government entities.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
MANAGEMENT
SAFE COMMUNITY;
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
It is an important concern of the City
9
MARIJUANA
SAFE COMMUNITY
After the State’s legalization of medical
and recreational marijuana, the City
of Fort Collins created local marijuana
business licensing programs and adopted
ordinances to balance the needs and
desires of the community related to legal
marijuana.
The City’s licensing program supports the
state dual-licensing system for medical and
recreational marijuana businesses.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports communities’ ability to raise
necessary funds to maintain public safety
and enforce marijuana possession laws.
2. Supports additional state marijuana
enforcement resources, especially for
field enforcement.
3. Opposes under-21 access to marijuana.
4. Supports local opt-in provisions
regarding new permits and/or licenses.
5. Supports re-scheduling of marijuana at
the federal level to help address safety
through research and legal banking, and
to reduce conflict between Colorado and
federal laws.
MUNICIPAL COURT
SAFE COMMUNITY; HIGH PERFORMING
GOVERNMENT
The Fort Collins Municipal Court is
responsible for administering the
operations of the judicial branch of City
government according to the City Charter
and ordinances adopted by City Council.
Cases adjudicated in Municipal Court
include traffic violations, misdemeanors,
civil infractions, and civil cases. Generally,
cases are brought to Municipal Court by
Fort Collins Police Services, Colorado State
University Police Department, Animal
Control, other City departments, and
private citizens.
Therefore, the City:
1. Opposes limitations on the authority
of municipalities to enforce their own
ordinances in municipal courts and
increased procedural requirements
or limitations on municipal court
proceedings, such as limitations on
bonding requirements related to municipal
court warrants and sentencing options.
2. Opposes the imposition of state
surcharges on municipal court fines for
the purpose of funding state programs.
3. Opposes any unfunded mandates
imposed on municipal courts by
the state.
OIL AND GAS
10 Legislative Policy Statements 2019
PARKS AND NATURAL AREAS
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH;
CULTURE AND RECREATION
The City is committed to providing the
community with excellent natural areas,
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 natural areas, parks and recreation
programs.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports maintaining or enhancing
funding for parks, trails, forestry,
horticulture, natural areas, and recreation
services and facilities.
2. Supports local discretion to use Great
Outdoors Colorado and other sources for
funding municipal government projects
addressing local needs and priorities.
3. Supports equal or greater funding levels
of Great Outdoors Colorado grants
awarded to municipalities
4. Supports maintaining or enhancing tax
incentives to private landowners for
voluntary land conservation.
5. Supports protection of the Cache la
Poudre River and local urban streams.
PUBLIC HEALTH
SAFE COMMUNITY; NEIGHBORHOOD
LIVABILITY AND SOCIAL HEALTH
The City of Fort Collins strives to be a
welcoming and inclusive community
for all, including residents who may
be experiencing the challenges of
homelessness, mental health issues,
addiction, depression, and other
challenging life situations.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports maintaining or increasing the
funds available through the state and
federal government for community-
focused non-profits to provide human
services and housing support.
2. Supports providing communities
with resources to address chronic
homelessness, supportive housing,
mental health, and substance abuse,
including tobacco prevention programs.
3. Supports a standardized statewide
approach to addressing homelessness.
4. Supports statewide efforts to enforce
retail tobacco sales compliance.
PUBLIC SAFETY
SAFE COMMUNITY
The Fort Collins City Council recognizes the
critical importance of maintaining public
safety, providing a safe environment, and
protecting the lives and property of the
11
percent of community waste by 2020; 90
percent by 2025, and 100 percent by 2030.
Therefore, the City:
1. Encourages integrated, sustainable
waste management planning and
implementation policy, including but
not limited to centralized data collection
requirements and formal statewide
diversion targets.
2. Supports a regulatory authority role for
local government to ensure the efficient
management of recyclable material and
solid waste, including application of laws
that prescribe the use of county-funded
disposal facilities for certain types of
wastes, and other local bans on landfill
disposal for certain types of debris.
3. Encourages “buy recycled” or
“environmentally preferable purchasing”
policies for government agency
procurement.
4. Supports incentives and funding for
programs that promote waste reduction,
reuse and recycling, and development of
related infrastructure.
5. Supports continued or increased funding
for programs to collect and monitor data
on trash volumes, rates of diversion from
landfill disposal and economic impacts
of recycling.
6. Supports greater producer responsibility
initiatives, such as “take back”
regulations that assist consumers
to appropriately recycle packaging
materials or certain products (e.g.,
cardboard and expanded polystyrene
packaging, single-use plastic shopping
bags, or mattresses).
7. Opposes CRS Section 25-17-104, which
currently limits local authority to regulate
packaging materials (e.g., single-use
plastic bags).
8. Supports establishing a refundable
deposit fee on beverage containers
to increase recovery rates and pay for
recycling programs.
9. Supports state and regional tax
incentives for existing and new
businesses that provide end markets
for recycled materials in support of a
domestic, circular economy.
RISK MANAGEMENT
AND LIABILITY
HIGH PERFORMING GOVERNMENT
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.
12 Legislative Policy Statements 2019
railroad and emergency personnel, and
the use of safe equipment.
10. Supports funding for the build out of
Interstate 25 improvements, which may
include a ballot measure.
11. Opposes reductions in federal dollars for
bicycling, transit and walking.
12. Supports local control of public
roads, pedestrian paths, and bike
lanes to address emerging modes of
transportation.
URBAN RENEWAL AND
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMIC HEALTH
The state of Colorado has empowered
local authorities to use Urban Renewal
Authorities (URA) and Downtown
Development Authorities (DDA) to
encourage downtown revitalization
and the elimination of blight. The main
funding tool for URAs and DDAs is Tax
Increment Financing (TIF) generated
through property taxes. In its best
intention, urban renewal and downtown
revitalization restores economic vitality
and improves the safety of a designated
area, with limited financial impact to other
government jurisdictions.
Therefore, the City:
1. Opposes limitations on municipalities’
ability to utilize financing mechanisms
such as TIF or Metro Districts.
2. Opposes efforts to increase influence of
non-City jurisdictions over the use of TIF
within City limits.
3. Supports maintaining the ability of
downtown development authorities
to utilize the full offering of tools and
powers provided in the DDA Act.
WATER, WASTEWATER, AND
STORMWATER
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH; SAFE
COMMUNITY
The City operates a water, wastewater,
and stormwater utility in a financially
sound, reliable, safe, and environmentally
acceptable manner. The availability of water
supplies is critical to this mission and is
managed by both the Water Demand and
Supply Policy, and the Water Efficiency Plan.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports expanding the authority
delegated to the state to administer
federally mandated water, stormwater
and wastewater environmental
regulatory programs.
2. Supports reasonable water quality
regulations that are cost effective and
can show identifiable benefits.
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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 Program Manager carchuleta@fcgov.com 970-416-2648
Broadband Colman Keane Broadband Director ckeane@fcgov.com 610-224-6001
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
Delynn Coldiron City Clerk dcoldiron@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, Deputy Utilities
Director Energy Services, Senior
Manager
tmccollough@fcgov.com
jphelan@fcgov.com
970-416-2622
970-416-2539
Finance Mike 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
HAZMAT Mgmt
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
Natural Areas, Open Lands
and Cache la Poudre River
Issues
John Stokes Natural Areas Director jstokes@fcgov.com 970-221-6263
Building Services Russ Hovland Chief Building Official rhovland@fcgov.com 970-416-2341
Planning and Land Use Tom Leeson Community Development and
Neighborhood Services Director
tleeson@fcgov.com 970-221-6287
Public Safety Greg Yeager Deputy Chief of Police gyeager@fcgov.com 970-416-2185
Recycling and Solid Waste Susie Gordon Environmental Program Manager sgordon@fcgov.com 970-221-6265
Risk Management Kendra Radford Safety, Security, and Risk
Management Director
kradford@fcgov.com 970-221-6774
Stormwater Theresa Connor Water Engineering Field Operations,
Deputy Utilities Director
tconnor@fcgov.com 970-221-6671
Transportation Dean Klingner Planning, Development and
Transportation Deputy Director
dklingner@fcgov.com 970-221-6511
Utilities Customer
Connections
Lisa Rosintoski Customer Connections, Deputy
Utilities Director
lrosintoski@fcgov.com 970-416-2432
Water Supply and Quality Carol Webb Water Resource and Treatment
Operations, Deputy Utilities Director
cwebb@fcgov.com 970-221-6231
Auxiliary aids and services are available for persons with disabilities. V/TDD: 711
19-20768
3. Supports municipal flexibility to
manage 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.
4. Opposes unfunded mandates.
5. Opposes barriers to financing for water
conservation projects.
6. Supports funding for the recovery and
treatment of the Cache la Poudre and
other waterways impacted by natural
disasters.
7. Supports enhanced municipal authority
to 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.
8. Supports streamlining federal and state
permitting requirements for water
development projects that increase
coordination between permitting
agencies, reduces administrative and
financial burdens on permit applicants,
and ensures robust and enforceable
environmental protections.
9. Supports the enlargement of Halligan
Reservoir as a common-sense, cost-
effective, and environmentally beneficial
approach to meet Fort Collins’ future
water supply needs.
Legislative Review Committee
Name District/Title Email Phone
Councilmember Ken Summers, Chair District 3 ksummers@fcgov.com 970-221-6878
Councilmember Ray Martinez District 2 raymartinez@fcgov.com 970-690-3686
Councilmember Ross Cunniff District 5 rcunniff@fcgov.com 970-221-6679
Darin Atteberry City Manager datteberry@fcgov.com 970-221-6505
Jeff Mihelich Deputy City Manager jmihelich@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
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:
1. Supports improving administrative
efficiency of the Division of Workers’
Compensation.
2. Opposes increased insurance premium
costs to employers.
3. Opposes administrative burdens or taxes
to self-insurance programs.
4. Supports limits to insurance claim
litigation.
5. Opposes limiting the City’s options
and ability to manage workers’
compensation claims; including actions
like removing existing off-sets to
workers’ compensation benefits or
limiting the City’s ability to designate
treating physicians.
6. Opposes efforts to presumptively
expand workers’ compensation coverage
to illnesses or injuries that are not work
related.
7. Opposes efforts to reduce or weaken
protections against liability through
governmental immunity or other
statutory provisions.
TRANSPORTATION
TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
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 bicycling,
transit and walking whenever appropriate.
Therefore, the City:
1. Opposes 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.
2. Supports alternative methods of funding
transportation infrastructure needs.
3. Support funding the analysis and
implementation of inter- and intra-
regional transit linkages, including future
commuter rail connectivity.
4. Encourages flexibility in federal funding
and regulations in order to better meet
the needs of small to medium-size
communities.
5. Supports 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.
6. Supports broadening the definition
of the gasoline tax to a “fuel tax” that
encompasses other fuel options as they
become more prevalent.
7. Supports enhanced ability to implement
railroad quiet zones in municipalities
and a reduction in train horn decibel and
duration requirements.
8. Opposes divesting highway roads in
urban areas from the state and making
them the sole responsibility of local
jurisdictions.
9. Supports safe operation of railroads
through timely track inspections, joint
training and communication between
citizens of Fort Collins on a daily basis
as well as through preparedness and
resiliency planning efforts.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports greater protections to victims
of crime.
2. Supports 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.
3. Supports protocols and funding for
shared, statewide emergency response
communications, including supporting
Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority
(LETA) and other efforts to resolve 911
diversity issues, such as through the
addition of an additional 911 provider.
4. Opposes increased 911 provider tariffs
without clear documentation of cost
needs.
5. Opposes initiatives that have the
potential to compromise officer safety.
6. Supports minimum training criteria
and professional mediator certification
that formally legitimizes the field of
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
7. Supports maintenance of a statewide
database of concealed weapons permits.
8. Opposes municipal liability for prisoners’
self-inflicted wounds while in police
custody or detention facilities.
9. Opposes efforts to undermine local
control or enforcement of activities on
public property.
10. Supports a state fire code, the code
of choice being the International
Building and Fire Code, and allowing
municipalities to adopt their own
amendments.
11. Opposes 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.
12. Opposes restricting any local jurisdiction
from requiring the installation of fire
sprinklers.
13. Supports the City’s ability to prohibit
the use and sale of fireworks and allow
counties and fire districts to prohibit
and otherwise control fireworks within
City boundaries.
14. Supports efforts to reduce abuse and
improper disposal of over-the-counter
and prescription drugs.
15. Supports exclusive digital
communication networks for public
safety personnel during emergencies.
RECYCLING AND SOLID
WASTE REDUCTION
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
The City of Fort Collins endorses a multi-
pronged approach to waste minimization
that includes recycling, re-use, composting,
and source reduction, and which also
applies Sustainable Materials Management
principles such as redesigning systems to
reduce pollution and waste. Additionally,
the City has adopted a goal of diverting 75
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Oil and gas extraction activity and
associated health and environmental
impacts are a concern for Fort Collins.
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 but this
was overturned by the State Supreme Court
in 2016. Additionally, transported emissions
from oil and gas operations outside of
City limits have been demonstrated to
contribute to ozone formation.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports greater local authority to
regulate oil and gas exploration activities
within municipal boundaries, including
ability to inspect sites, ensure operator
compliance, and regulate location of
extraction, storage and transmission
activities.
2. Supports state, federal, and academic
studies evaluating impacts of oil and
gas operations on human health and
property values.
3. Supports air pollution monitoring,
emission characterization and modeling
studies to better understand the
contributions of the oil and gas industry
to air pollution.
4. Supports the current formula
allocation of severance tax to impacted
jurisdictions so that they might address
impacts from resource extraction.
5. Supports industry information
sharing and collaboration with
local governments on the planned
development of resources within
communities’ Growth Management
Areas.
6. Supports legislation that balances the
rights of surface landowners and mineral
rights owners.
OPEN RECORDS AND
DATA MANAGEMENT
HIGH PERFORMING GOVERNMENT
The City is the collector and keeper
of hundreds of datasets and recorded
information and is legally bound and
responsible for responding to Open Record
requests. The City supports transparency
and open data initiatives.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports clear requirements that allow
for reasonable requests and timeframes
to provide information that is legally
available.
2. Opposes mandates that include
unrealistic timeframes and requests that
require additional staff time with no
means to recover costs.
3. Supports cybersecurity efforts that
protect the City, consumers, and
infrastructure.
to safeguard Fort Collins’ health and
environmental safety by reducing
risks from the unauthorized release of
hazardous materials or hazardous waste.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports strengthening the enforcement
of hazardous materials regulations.
2. Supports increasing diversion of
hazardous waste from landfills.
3. Supports 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.
4. Support City’s ability to review and
approve locations of facilities that use
or store hazardous materials or
hazardous waste.
HUMAN RESOURCES
HIGH PERFORMING GOVERNMENT
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 employee compensation,
benefits, appeal rights related to
disciplinary action and policies.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports 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. Supports expansion to the City’s ability
to determine how best to manage
health, welfare and wellness services
for employees.
3. Supports current state funding levels
for police officer death and disability
benefits.
4. Opposes 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. Opposes proposals that would limit the
City’s ability to test job applicants or
employees at work for impairment due
to consumption of alcohol, marijuana,
or other controlled substances or to set
limits related to such testing.
energy, waste reduction, transportation,
and water sectors.
3. Supports protection of the Colorado
self-audit law.
4. Supports reducing the emission of
criteria pollutants.
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AND
LAND USE PLANNING
ECONOMIC HEALTH, NEIGHBORHOOD
LIVABILITY AND SOCIAL HEALTH
Fort Collins has a well-established
development review process, land use
and building code; all of which align
with local priorities.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports financial compensation for
additional work of inspectors through
fees or other means.
2. Supports funding for any state
mandated inspection requirements.
3. Supports local governments’ authority
to determine development review and
inspection timelines.
4. Encourages regional cooperation in
land use, transportation planning, and
fostering sustainable development.
5. Supports prohibition to 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.
6. Supports municipal discretion
concerning the imposition of
development fees and requirements.
ELECTIONS
HIGH PERFORMING GOVERNMENT
The City of Fort Collins conducts municipal
elections in April of odd years and special
elections upon initiative referrals. The City
is committed to conducting a clear, legal,
and trustworthy elections process.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports all efforts that assist the City in
conducting fair and transparent election
processes according to the City’s adopted
procedures.
2. Supports process improvements that
encourage voter participation.
ENERGY
ECONOMIC HEALTH,
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
As a municipally-owned electric utility, the
City is committed to providing affordable,
reliable, and clean energy services to
residents and businesses, as detailed in the
Energy Policy.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports efforts that promote energy
affordability, safety, and reductions in
fossil-fuel generated consumption for
residents, businesses and institutions.
2. Supports reductions in environmental
damage caused by energy extraction
and production.
3. Supports opportunities for energy
efficiency, production, and operation in
local economies.
1. Supports maintaining or enhancing
current levels of funding for affordable
housing throughout Colorado, including
expanding the State Low Income Housing
Tax Credit program, but not increases to
unrelated fees.
2. Supports increasing local government’s
ability to regulate, manage or generate
alternative sources of funding for
affordable housing, including public-
private partnerships.
3. Supports stronger amendments to
construction defect laws to promote
the construction of owner occupied-
attached housing.
4. Supports creating an adequate supply
of housing for all income levels and
continued public and private sector
support for these efforts.
AIR QUALITY
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
The City’s Air Quality Plan establishes a
strong overall goal to “continually improve
Fort Collins air quality.”
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports programs and policies that
improve public health and air quality
and support rapid attainment of
National Ambient Air Quality Standards,
including ozone.
2. Supports local government authority to
improve air quality beyond minimum
State or Federal requirements.
3. Supports adequate authority and
resource at all levels of government to
enforce air quality regulations.
4. Supports economic incentives,
disincentives and other market
approaches that promote lower
emissions, and fewer carbon-
based fuels.
5. Supports strengthening standards for
tailpipe emissions, aggregate vehicle
emissions and/or fuel economy for all
vehicles. Supports programs and policies
that promote the use of electric vehicles
and the development of infrastructure
needed to support the use of those
vehicles.
BEER AND LIQUOR
SAFE COMMUNITY
The City issues and renews liquor licenses,
enforces license rules, and holds hearings
for liquor license violations.
Therefore, the City:
1. Supports clarifying the qualifications for
what types and purposes a business may
obtain and use a state liquor license.
2. Supports definition of a “meal” when
calculating the percentage of meals
served for a liquor license.
Staff liaisons support the LRC by
contributing expertise in various areas
of municipal service. The City Attorney’s
Office also reviews selected bills and
may provide confidential legal analysis.
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
maintains membership with Colorado
Association of Municipal Utilities (CAMU)
which represents 29 municipal utilities
throughout the state on utility issues,
Colorado Communities for Climate Action
(CC4CA) which represents municipalities
on climate issues. In addition, Fort Collins
actively participates in various trade
organizations which represent specific
areas of interest to City operations.
Wade Troxell
Mayor
970-416-2154
wtroxell@fcgov.com
Gerry Horak
Mayor Pro Tem, District 6
970-217-2993
ghorak@fcgov.com
Susan Gutowsky
District 1
970-215-6308
sgutowsky@fcgov.com
Ray Martinez
District 2
970-690-3686
raymartinez@fcgov.com
Ken Summers
District 3
970-221-6878
ksummers@fcgov.com
Kristin Stephens
District 4
970-217-5817
kstephens@fcgov.com
Ross Cunniff
District 5
970-420-7398
rcunniff@fcgov.com