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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-118-12/15/2020-GIVING STAFF DIRECTION ON NEXT STEPS FOR CITY COUNCIL ADOPTION OF PLASTIC POLLUTION MITIGATION STRAT RESOLUTION 2020-118 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS GIVING STAFF DIRECTION ON NEXT STEPS FOR CITY COUNCIL ADOPTION OF PLASTIC POLLUTION MITIGATION STRATEGIES WHEREAS, City Council has identified plastics pollution as a priority concern for the City to mitigate,which aligns with the community's Road to Zero Waste goal to produce zero waste by 2030 and its goal to sustain and improve the health of the Cache la Poudre River and its watershed; and WHEREAS,because plastic makes up about 10%of landfilled as"municipal solid waste", mitigating plastic pollution will be a necessary component of achieving the City's goal of producing zero waste by 2030; and WHEREAS, City Council funded midcycle budget offers to conduct plastic pollution reduction awareness and engagement during 2020 and fund a study to address a study of microplastic pollution in the local Cache la Poudre River and other waterways; and WHEREAS, City Council has discussed various options for mitigating single-use plastic pollution, while continuing to study microplastic pollution, at three Council Work Sessions on February 11,2020, October 27, 2020, and December 8, 2020; and WHEREAS,City Council wishes to direct City staff to develop for Council's consideration a plastic pollution ordinance as described herein: and V WHEREAS, City Council further intends to adopt an ordinance and refer it to a vote of the of Fort Collins' voters at the April 6, 2021, regular municipal election. NOW, THEREFORE, BE 1T RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes any and all determinations and findings contained in the recitals set forth above. Section 2. That Council hereby directs that staff prepare and present to Council for consideration an ordinance containing the following elements: A. Ban on distribution of single-use plastic bags and fee on paper bags, applicable to disposable bags (based on the definitions used in Ordinance No. 099, 2014) provided by large retail grocers with a place of business in the City of Fort Collins; and B. Said ban and fee to commence May 1, 2022; and C. Set a not-to-exceed maximum for the paper bag fee and limit any portion of the fee returned to the City to no more than the reasonable costs of a defined plastic -1- pollution mitigation and solid waste reduction program to be approved by Council; and D. Include an exemption to the paper bag fee for low-income residents; and E. Include provisions for compliance audit of and data collection from retailers subject to the ban and fee and civil penalties for violation of the ordinance, and F. Include provision allowing phased or delayed implementation or suspension of program requirements as deemed necessary due to public health emergencies or other unforeseen circumstances; and G. Require monitoring and annual reporting to Council on equity impacts, compliance and outcomes, including performance metrics related to number and type of bags distributed, presence of single-use plastic bags in the environment as a percentage of litter removed from sensitive areas such as Natural Areas and the Poudre River; and H. Include language affirming Council's commitment to evaluating and adjusting, whether by expanding, contracting or modifying, the requirements and provisions of the ordinance based on stakeholder engagement or other unforeseen circumstances. Section 3. Council further directs staff to prepare optional language to provide for phased-in requirements to apply to additional types of retailers. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 15th day of December, A.D. 2020. Mayor ATTEST: A.:It ••ZyN C ity Cl t :' �oia�eA°