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Home My WebLink AboutMinutes - Water Resources - 10/18/2010 CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES Name of Board / Commission: Water Resources Advisory Board Date of Meetin : 18 October 2010 Contact Information of Person Preparing Minutes: Laurel Olsen-Horen; 303-441-3203 Board Members Present:, Susan Iott, Chuck Howe, Kate Ryan, Vicki Schanlhorst Board Members Absent: Bill DeOreo Staff Present: Ned Williams, Director of Public Works for Utilities Joanna Crean, Public Works Administrator Bronwyn Wcygandt, Utility Billing Supervisor Bret Linenfelser, Water Quality and Environmental Services Coordinator D'Anne Koblick, CIS Technical Support Specialist Laurel Olsen-Horen, Board Secretary Meeting Type: Regular Agenda Item 1- Call to Order [7:03 p.m.] This meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. Agenda Item 2 - Approval of the 16 August 2010 Meeting Minutes: [7:06 p.m.] August minutes approved Motion by: Howe; Seconded by. Ryan Motion Passes; 3:0 Agenda Item 3 - Public Participation and Comment [7:05 p.m.] Public Comment: Gary Swanstrom: Mr. Swanstrom is a resident of the Marshall neighborhood. His property is one of the alternatives for the South Boulder Creek and, if approved, could be taken by imminent domain. He is trying to rally public support to help keep his property. His land is home to many species of wildlife. He has created a website: www.rescuemarshall.com. John Militzer: Mr. Militzer is also a resident of the Marshall neighborhood. Would like to know the exact meeting dates that the WRAB will be discussing the South Boulder Creek item. Henry Adamski: Would like to know where to find the Utility's financial tabs on the website. Found only two other countries that have similar inflation rates that the utilities are proposing. Mr. Adamski's view is increase rations, lower the price. Agenda Item 4 - Matters from Board and Staff [7:2-5 p.m.] Matters from Board: Board member Howe brought up the below matters: • The WRAB field trip of the South Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation Alternatives. During the field trip, the board was presented with the possibility of a ninth alternative that would mean no taking of private lands or negotiating with CU. • There was a public meeting on the Boulder Creek Flood Mapping Study on October 6"'. Staff did a very good job presenting that to the community. Board member Ryan brought up the below matters: • Greenways Advisory Committee (GAC) meeting in late August where members went on a bike tour and decision was made to follow the creek bike path option along Wonderland Creek. GAC also discussed a restoration project at Goose Creek and Cottonwood Pond. The US Army Corps of Engineers presented this item to the GAC. Board member Iott brought up the below matters: • On behalf of member DeOrco, the city is working with creating an IGA with CU which would allow for the university to re-use water in a new building. The city staff would use the Windy Gap water in a manner which protects the city's water rights. Would like the WRAB to hear more about this topic (Staff response: this is scheduled for the Nov. 15 inceting). WRAB Minutes IS October 2010 Prize No. 1 Matters from Staff: [7:45 p.m.l • Welcome to Vicki Scharnhorst, our new WRAB member. • Tomorrow's city council meeting: First item: 2011 budget; first reading - 3% increase in water rates, 3% in wastewater and 0% in stonnwater/flood (second reading of the 2011 budget is scheduled for Nov. 16'x'); Second item: I" reading of the Ditch and Water Rights ordinance, including the implementation of the Silver Lake Ditch settlement agreement. Third item: The Wonderland Creek CEAP falls under (lie council as a call-up item. • The CMO has asked staff to review the board and commission selection process questions for next year's applications. Staff would like the input of the board to review the current questions. • There was a public meeting on the Boulder Reservoir Master plan last week. It is currently planned to come to WRAB in November on the boating options. Parks & Recreation Advisory Board is also holding a Study Session with Council on the 25"' of October. Agenda Item 5 - Update on City Code Changes for Drought 18:04 p.m.] Joanna Crean presented item to the board Executive Summary from Packet Materials: The Drought Plan, Volume 1 (Drought Planning and Response Plan) was updated and accepted by WRAB in March 2010 so that drought response strategies and public education efforts would be consistent with the new water budget rate structure methodology. As a result of the updated Drought Planning and Response Plan, the Boulder Revised Code (B.R.C.) needs to be revised through an ordinance. Draft ordinance language implementing the revised Drought Planning and Response Plan along with language about wasting of water will be presented to WRAB at the Oct. 18, 2010 meeting. Feedback from WRAB will be incorporated and presented to WRAB for final review and recommendation at the Nov. 15, 2010 meeting. Ultimately, the ordinance will be considered by City Council, which is anticipated in late 2010 or early 2011. In addition to this ordinance, draft rules and regulations, which will include more specifics about drought response measures, will be presented to WRAB in 2011. Rules and regulations are approved by the city manager by way of the "Rulemaking" process (B.R.C. 1-4) upon completion of a public comment period. WRAB discussion included: 18:08 p.m.] General Comments: Board members liked the updated version of the drought changes. Staff will be meeting with the city attorneys to revise fully the language for the final submission to the code. Staff will bring this item back in November for final recommendation from the WRAB Agenda Item 6 - Update on Water Monitor Pilot Program 18:20 p.m.] Bronwyn Weygandt presented item to the board. Power Point presentation given for this item Executive Summary from Packet Materials: City staff has completed the water monitor pilot program which included a survey and analysis of the 86 customers who have purchased water monitors. The goals of the study were to determine: 1) if the water monitor worked reliably and was easy to use; 2) if the customer used the monitor to track use; 3) if the water monitor was a useful tool to manage water use and 4) did customers use the water monitor to stay within their monthly water- budget. Results showed that water monitors are reliable, easy to use and are good for tracking water use, especially for metered irrigation and single family accounts. The monitors provide real time feedback on the amount of water a customer is using and are extremely useful for leak detection. WRAB discussion included: [8:50 p.m.l General Comments: For the people that have already purchased the monitor at the $200 price tag, will the city refund the difference in cost once the monitor is reduced to $75? [Staff response: probably not. Technology is such that as items first come out, they arc more expensive and as time passes, the cost goes down.] If the cost is non-existent than the use of the unit becomes devalued. Maybe the city could offer for free one or two monitors a month given as a result of a random entry in the conservation newsletter. WRAB Minutes 18 October 2010 Page No. 2 Agenda Item 7 - Discussion on Future Schedule [8:56 p.m.] • Tentatively move the December WRAB meeting to Tuesday, December 14`h, and have the SBC item as the main item for that meeting. • November and December's meeting may be moved to the Municipal Service Center (City Yards at 5050 E. Pearl Street), Agenda Item 8 - Adjournment 19:07 p.m.] There being no further business to come before the Board at this time, by motion regularly adopted, the meeting was adjourned at 9:07 p.m. Motion to adjourn by: Scharnhorst; Seconded by: Ryan Motion Passes 4:0 Date, Time, and Location of Next Meeting: The next WRAB meeting will be Monday, 15 November 2010 - 7:00 p.m., regular meeting, at the Municipal Services Center located at 5050 E. Pearl, unless otherwise decided by staff and the Board. APPROVED BY: ATTESTED B Board hair Bo Sec 3n Dat Date An audio recording of the full meeting for which these minutes are a summary, is available on the Water Resources Advisory Board web page. WR4B Minutes IS October 2010 Paac No. 3