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Minutes - Water Resources - 4/21/2003 DRAFT CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING SUMMARY FORM NAME OF BOARD/COMMISSION: Water Resources Advisory Board DATE OF MEETING: Apr. 21, 2003 NA.tiIE/TELEPHONE OF PERSON PREPARING SUMMARY: Robin Made]. 303-441-4073 NAMES OF MEMBERS, COUNCIL, STAFF AND INVITED GUESTS PRESENT: BOARD MEMBERS - Robert Fiehweg, Ken Wilson, Jeannette Hillery, Gil Barth, Jim Knopf STAFF - Bob Harberg, Carol Ellinghouse, Carol Linn, Nancy Steinberger, Alice Guthrie, Mary Rozaklis (consultant), Robin Madel, secretary WHAT TYPE OF MEETING (BOLD ONE) [REGULARS SPECIAL QUASI-JUDICIAL Agenda Item 1- Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:07 .m. Agenda Item 2 - Swearing in New Board Member Jim Kno f was sworn in as the newest board member. Agenda Item 3 - Meeting Minutes The minutes from Mar. 17, 2003 were approved as amended. Jeannette Hillery motioned to approve the minutes as amended. Ken Wilson seconded the motion. The vote was 4-0 in favor of the motion. Jim Knopf did not vote because he was not a board member yet. Agenda Item 4 - General Citizen Participation Chuck Howe, Campus Box 468, University of Colorado at Boulder, 80309, sent a memo to board members and city council to raise some longer term issues that Boulder will be considering. Boulder has a chance to undertake some innovative investigations and perhaps to bring about some innovative pricing concepts and to integrate them into the rate structure. Water utilities have been constrained by not being allowed to make a profit. There are revenues to cover costs but nothing more. Part of the problem with this is that the concept of cost is very narrow and it excludes very significant economic costs. The current market values of the water that people would be willing to pay are being given up by virtue of Boulder's use of the water. There is an opportunity in the rate structure study to revisit the concept of costs and to see how they tic in with an increasing block rate structure, which is cost based. Also, there is a question of appropriate rate structures for commercial and industrial customers. The council had problems with trying to extend the proposed rate structure to commercial and industrial users because the seasonality of their business is different from the typical residential household. Over many years and a lot of literature, there are very few studies of commercial and industrial water use patterns and the costs to those enterprises that use water. Boulder has a chance to do some innovative work and get some new ideas on the table and to determine what the social costs really are of serving commercial and industrial water users. Boulder has a chance to come up with some good guidance for rate structures. Someday we should revisit the way in which tap fees arc determined. Most people think that growth doesn't pay its own way. This is partly because of the requirements (or lack of requirements) for new development to contribute to the social infrastructure such as parks, schools, roads and water. This might be out of the purview of the rate study but we should consider this at some point, so that new areas will pay what it takes to accommodate them without deterioration in quality to existing customers. General Citizen Participation was closed. Agenda Item 5 - Staff update and WRAB discussion on the status of 2003 water supplies and drought stage level. Carol Ellinghouse said that the large snowstorm that fell just after the March WRAB meeting helped the drought situation tremendously. The snow pack is melting early and is filling reservoirs. Ellinghouse referred to the drought triggers that were developed in the Drought Management Plan. At this time Ellinghouse feels it is prudent to call for a Drought Stage 1. Unduly constraining the public when it is not absolutely necessary could create hardship but the city wants to be careful with its water supply. WRAB Questions Questions covered the timing of watering and finding the balance between watering enough to recharge the Water Resources Advisory Board Semimary Minutes Apr. 21, 2003 Page I aquifer but not over-watering, and the storage capacity versus the Colorado-Big Thompson quota. Citizen Participation There was none. WRAB Discussion There was none. Agenda Item 6 - Staff presentation and WRAB discussion on Fourmile and Wonderland Creeks. Nancy Steinberger has been working with Bob Harberg on Fourmile Canyon and Wonderland Creeks and gave the background on the problems with the modeling of Fourmile Canyon Creek. The spill area was not accurately discerned before and the floodplain area is larger than previously believed. The original plan called for flow containment with improvements necessary to contain the flows but the Independent Review Panel recommended looking at non-structural methods of accomplishing that. There are also downstream county properties that must be mitigated. Currently the staff is evaluating leaving the spill flow in its current location and flood-proofing existing structures. Harberg added that the entire area is developed. Steinberger said that Love and Associates is evaluating how many structures would be impacted. Steinberger provided a schedule for completing work. The WRAB will be presented with two items, the alternatives analysis and the map revisions for Wonderland Creek, as a public hearing this summer. WRAB Questions Questions included the financial and political implications of various flow patterns. Citizen Participation There was none. WRAB Discussion There was none. Agenda Item 7 - Staff presentation and WRAB consideration of a recommendation of Integrated Pest Management Task Force Recommendations. Alice Guthrie presented the topic and said that Nancy Steinberger has been attending the task force meetings and Mary Rozaklis has been facilitating the meetings. Last summer the city council enacted a moratorium on pesticide application within 50 feet of creeks and waterways and in the municipal complex until a study session could provide recommendations about the topic. The study session never happened but morphed into the task force. The task force has been looking at city pesticide use. Rozaklis said that the task force was charged with creating a list of exceptions to a ban on the use of pesticides. Currently there is no ban, only a moratorium on pesticide application. WRAB Questions Questions covered the definition of pesticide, the schedule for the moratorium, how the flowchart works, current practices and practices involving legally-defined noxious weeds. Citizen Participation There was none. WRAB Discussion Jeannette Hillery moved that the WRAB endorse the Integrated Pest Management Task Force recommendations in the current draft form, making sure that the staff integrates public input with distribution of material and it will potentially help improve water quality. Gil Barth seconded the motion. The vote was 5-0 in favor of the motion. Agenda Item 8 - Staff presentation and WRAB discussion on the 2004 Budget and Capital Improvement Program. Carol Linn presented the topic. She reviewed the Fund Financials for the 2004-2005 budget. The city has been moving towards a two-year budget process. The numbers are in the midst of changing based on updated information. Linn reviewed the adopted 2003 budget. WRAB Questions Questions included the level of detail on the operational expenses and the schedule for improvements to the Water Resources advisory Board Summary Minutes Apr. 21, 2003 Page 2 Boulder Reservoir Water Treatment Plant. Citizen Participation There was none. WRAB Discussion There was none. Agenda Item 9 - Matters from the Staff There were none. Matters from the Board • Bob Fiehwe asked the board to nominate new board officers. For the chair: Jeannette Hillerv nominated Bob Fiehweg for chair. Gil Barth seconded the nomination. The vote was 5-0 in favor of the nomination. For the vice-chair: Jeannette Hillerv nominated Gil Barth for vice-chair. Bob Fiehwe~ seconded the nomination. The vote was 5-0 in favor of the nomination. For the secretary: Jeannette Hiller nominated Ken Wilson as the secretary. Gil Barth seconded the nomination. The vote was 5-0 in favor of the nomination. • Bob Fiehwea asked the board to appoint a representative to work with the staff on the joint WRAB/Planning Board meeting. Jeannette Hillerv nominated Jim Knopf as the WRAB representative to work with staff on the joint meeting with the Planning Board. Bob Fiehweg seconded the nomination. The vote was 5-0 in favor of the nomination. Agenda item 10 - Next meeting agenda The next regular meeting will take place on Monday, May 19, 2003. No agenda items were discussed. Agenda item 11- Adjournment Gil Barth motioned to adjourn the meeting. Ken Wilson seconded the motion. The vote was 5-0 in favor of the motion. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:30 .m. Date, 'l'ime, and Location of Next Meeting: Monday, May 19, 2003, 7:00 .m., regular meeting, at the City Municipal Services Center conference room. I,Vater Resources Adviso+y Board ,Summary Minutes Apr. 21, 2003 Page 3