ICenter, you'll find Gray.

He manages programs and schedules at the ring.

Like the Lord's Good morning.

Welcome to the City of Colorado Springs work session, Monday, February 23rd, 2026.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Councilmember Bailey.

Here.

Councilmember Crow Iverson.

Here.

Councilmember Donaldson.

Here.

Councilmember Gold.

Here I am.

Councilmember Henchon.

Present.

Councilmember Williams.

Here.

Councilmember Lion Weber.

Here.

Councilmember Raining.

Here.

Councilmember Resley.

Here.

All nine present.

Moving on to changes to the agenda.

Are there any changes to the agenda for today?

Seeing none moving on to the regular meeting comments.

Are there any changes to the regular meeting tomorrow?

Moving on to the review of the previous minutes.

Will the clerk please read item 4A into the record?

City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes, February 9th, 2026.

Are there any changes to the minutes?

Moving on to 5A.

Will the clerk please read item 5A into the record?

Gwen Hedge and Hall versus Brandon Hensley.

Good morning, Sarah.

Good morning, Sarah Bruin, City Attorney's Office.

In addition, the community, the committee further recommends that the city reserve the right to decline payment of any punity damages if they are awarded.

And at this time, we request authorization for defense from the council.

It can be done by thumbs up or head nods, whatever you prefer.

Okay.

Moving on to fight him item 5AB.

Will the clerk please read item 5AB into the record?

Sarah Bruin, City Attorney's Office.

The Civil Action Investigation Committee also voted to recommend to City Council that the city provide representation to our employee in this case as well, pursuant to the city code and the city governmental immunity act.

The committee further recommends that the city reserve the right to decline to pay punitive damages if they are awarded.

And at this time, we request authorization for defense.

Okay.

Thank you.

Moving on to item six A.

Will the clerk please read item six A into the record?

Red Cross presentation.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Thank you so much.

It's an honor to be here.

Council members, thank you so much for the opportunity to inform and educate you on the world's number one nonprofit, the American Red Cross.

For over 140 years, we have been a part of the community.

First of all, our Southern Colorado team, uh, myself, uh, we've got our community disaster program manager, uh, Linda Russet is our volunteer engagement manager.

Uh we have Emily Martin, our client care manager, and uh our service to armed forces is Daniela uh Ed Mosillo.

We got a great team here, and uh we're really proud to be a part of the community for so long.

Uh the face of uh who we are, one red cross.

Uh we work with everything regarding disaster response.

Uh we work with our service members and their families each and every day.

Uh blood collection.

Uh, this is something I'm excited to share with you uh because we're going to be opening up a new blood facility right here in Colorado Springs, and I'll share with you in just a few minutes uh and entail those details.

Uh fundraising, of course, volunteer recruitment, engagement, training service partnership as well.

Uh, our overall goal is to leverage our community mobilization strategy uh to build a robust uh capacity and competence to deliver our core services to the community, and we're excited to do that.

We are community-led, we are volunteer powered, and we are donor-funded, uh and we're proud to be a part of the Colorado Springs facility for so many, many years.

Um my territory is 22 counties, of course, including El Paso County as well, uh, all the way from the San Luis Valley up to La Junta, Colorado, down to Pueblo, and of course, uh here in El Paso County.

Uh we currently have about 953 volunteers.

That number, of course, fluctuates depending on the uh the time of the season.

Uh and last year alone, 76,203 hours we had uh right here that were documented for uh the purposes of disaster relief.

So really excited about that.

Uh part of what we do, fundraising, preparedness, engagement, our biomed and our blood drives as well, our advocacy, uh really excited about that.

We prepare the community.

Again, most people think that uh, you know, we we are there in the event of opening up shelters, maybe feeding.

That's of course a big part of it.

But a lot of what we do is prepare the community for those disasters.

Uh we've got these great home fire campaigns.

We work with Randy, of course, from the uh the the fire chief.

Uh we install free smoke alarms in the community as well.

Uh we partner with uh so many entities, and uh it's a wonderful, wonderful uh program where we go into needed areas and we install these smoke alarms at no charge.

Uh we uh request uh uh volunteers, we request a community to come out and help us and support us.

Uh but it's a great campaign.

Uh the needed areas uh that we go into and we canvass the area a couple of weeks before, uh, and then we basically go and install them.

So it's a great partnership with the Colorado Springs Fire Department, and it's one of our most uh uh wonderful programs that we offer in terms of preparation.

Uh we have free classes, of course, uh shelter training in the event of a disaster for the community, uh, for uh the business community, our Be Red Cross ready, which is basically teaching businesses.

Are you prepared for a disaster?

Extremely important to make sure that our business community is prepared.

So we will go in there and teach them uh all about disaster training and what to do in the event of a problem, if whether it's a uh wildfire, whether it's a flood, all those things that could happen, of course, in our community.

We want to make sure the business community is is prepared, absolutely free at no charge.

So we invite all businesses to allow us to go in there and train their employees uh about our Be Red Cross ready.

Our hands-only CPR, it's a 30-minute course.

It's a wonderful way to get all your employees trained as well.

Uh we go to the schools, we go to the colleges, and we want to make sure that you know what to do in the event of uh CPR is needed.

Uh, we also, of course, have extensive training uh that uh is required for uh a couple of days to get your CPR certificate.

We offer those classes as well, but our hands-only CPR is only 30 minutes.

Be happy to train the council any time you want.

Uh, and it is a great, great class that gives you an idea of what to do.

Right now, two-thirds of people do not know what to do in the event of cardiac arrest, which is frightening.

So we want to change those numbers and really, really allow the community to know that we can help and uh train uh you.

Uh stop the Bleed, Active Threat.

Again, these are all free classes that the American Red Cross provides each and every day.

Uh, in terms of our youth, uh, it's uh it's an honor and a privilege to go to the schools.

I was just in the San Luis Valley and did a presentation there.

Uh, but proudly uh would like to let everybody know that we offer uh pay uh prepare with Pedro.

These are fire classes.

What what do you do in the event of a wildfire?

Teaching the young kids what to do and how to react.

Uh that when that smoke alarm goes off, you have two minutes to get out of the house.

But what should you bring?

So we have a great program.

We have a mascot, uh Pedro the Penguin that comes in there and really focuses on uh preparedness on education, and we make it fun for the kids.

We give them books, we watch a video as well that you can find on YouTube, and it's just a really great, great way to make sure that our youth today is uh prepared in the event of a disaster.

So that's certainly something that we can do.

And of course, we cater that not only to the young ones, but to middle school students, high school students as well, and of course, colleges as well.

So it's an honor to be a part of that, and we want to make sure that our preparedness programs are being utilized in uh the uh community.

Uh, some and henchem.

Good morning, Phil.

Thank you for being here.

Um I am wondering, I was a candy striper as a teenager.

And my recollection is that that was through the Red Cross, but it was a very long time ago.

Is candy striping through the Red Cross?

And if so, do you all do you all have that program?

You know, uh that was something that was certainly done uh a while ago.

You know, that is certainly something that we work with the hospitals to make sure that you know we teach them be Red Cross ready and disaster preparedness.

Uh, you know, back uh we've got a volunteer council uh counselor uh that is 60 years with the Red Cross.

Uh and she uh was talking about her time as a donut dolly back in Vietnam, which is just incredible.

So the days of candy stripers and and donut dollies, a big part of our history at the Red Cross.

So it is a part of the Red Cross history.

Correct.

Yes, yes, I did remember that correctly.

Okay.

Thank you.

You're very welcome.

Thank you for the question.

Thank you so much.

Uh we respond as well.

It's important that uh in the event of a wildfire, in the event of a flood uh, regardless of the disaster.

Uh Red Cross response to an event right here in Colorado, on average of about every 16 hours.

Uh the most common response is a house fire.

Uh it it's it's important to make sure that we get out there.

We sent a uh couple of folks that go and and evaluate the situation.

We provide financial assistance, we provide uh, you know, these comfort kits that we have.

Uh, we do everything we possibly can.

We get those calls from the Colorado Springs Fire Department, and we're proud to say that we are very much a part of the community and we'll continue to be as well.

Of course, with wildfires, large-scale flooding, uh, transportation incidents, mass cows mass casualty incidents.

We were a big part of down in Pueblo with that 30-car uh uh pileup on I-25.

We were there uh immediately uh and provided assistance there as well.

Uh so it's important to know that the when there is a disaster, the Red Cross will be there and will continue to be there.

Uh we coordinate as well.

Uh we are proud to say uh that with jurisdictions through and with emergency managers.

Uh we work with our fire chiefs, our police chiefs.

Uh we'll work with our volunteer organizations active in disaster, our Voad team, uh and of course local partners, the business community.

Uh you know, we just had a meeting the other day with Widener Field looking to do something with them as well.

So uh it's it's a wonderful partnership.

We're part of the El Pomar Foundation and what they do, uh certainly seeing the value of the American Red Cross.

Uh and Biomed update as well.

Uh we're proud to say that we just started blood uh just a little over a year ago, year and a half or so.

And currently we've got about 37 blood drives that we've done so far.

Uh we've had about uh 1,532 units collected, first-time donors 450, and we're proud to say that we are bringing a blood facility uh right here to Colorado Springs.

We remain on track for a fixed blood donation site.

Uh we're looking at 2027.

Uh our team right now is scouting locations and making sure that we find the exact uh uh area that we want to be a part of uh right here in Colorado Springs.

Date has not been finalized.

Uh right now we've got some great uh wonderful bookings in uh this month and next month.

We're completely fully booked out on drives, but we encourage the business community, we encourage schools that if you'd like to host a blood drive, 40 percent of uh blood comes from the American Red Cross, uh blood collected.

So we encourage those that have the space to allow us to go in there, host a blood drive at your facility.

I can do it right here.

And uh it would be honored to be a part of that as well.

We're seeking those organizations to partner with us, and certainly if you have details about uh whether your business or school would like to be a part of that, let me know and I'll send it to the appropriate channels within the American Red Cross.

Well, we have a question from Councilman Donaldson.

Yes, ma'am.

Thanks, madam president, and uh good morning, Mr.

Martinez.

Good morning, sir.

Where else do you have fixed sites in Colorado?

We have one in uh Colorado uh in Denver.

Yes.

That's the only other one, isn't it?

That is the only one coming right now.

Yes, big city, second biggest city.

Yes, absolutely.

We do indeed, sir.

Um councilman, uh we're proud to have this site.

We're gonna be opening up another one in Aurora.

Uh and uh, but you know, next year we plan on having one right here in Colorado Springs and being a fixed site so we can have folks come by anytime they like.

We need about twelve hundred square feet to go ahead and uh go to your business if you want to host a blood drive, and then we set up everything from the COTS to the team, everybody comes in there, and it's just a great way to give back when certainly uh and save some lives.

So, yes, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Uh we are the nation's number one nonprofit, uh biggest community impact, the most trusted charity, uh most reported uh as well, and we're proud to be a part of the Colorado Springs facility.

One of the biggest questions that I get all the time is I thought you just did sheltering, you know, with the preparedness programs, the responding, the coordination with uh the the team, government officials, the city, the community.

We're always looking for volunteers that want to be a part of our organization and continue to do some great things.

We're about saving lives.

And uh we're just grateful that you allow us the opportunity to be a part of the community.

There is my contact information right there, uh Phil Martinez at Redcross.org.

Uh, we're located on 8th Street, uh about uh a mile uh just uh north of the uh the post office there.

And uh again, just proud to be a part of the community, and thank you for your time today.

Councilman Lineweber.

Yeah, I just wanted to say I'm I'm I've been a proud uh first aid card member for I think I'm approaching 50 years.

Um I'm a outfitter and guide, so we I've been um a rafting guide and a fishing guide for a number of years, and uh it's required by the state if you're an outfitter guide to get a have a Red Cross first aid.

But what's interesting, and the comment I wanted to make is how often the CPR program, for example, has changed.

I mean, a lot of people um really need to understand that there's been more and more science that's kind of been put in.

I mean, it's like I mean, you guys keep altering the way it's to be done.

And it's getting a little bit confusing to this point because I can't like the beats have been different, the the you know, you the mouth to mouth is no longer.

Um and so there's all these different variations that kind of happening, and I just wanted to make a statement for everyone to understand that it's not the same CPR you might have had 10 years ago.

It's been quite a bit updated, and that's what makes it really important to get updated, not to just think that you you got some training ten years ago because it's different now.

So anyway, I just wanted to make that comment.

So I'm so glad, councilman, that you said that.

You know, a lot of folks think that if you got trained, you know, 15, 20 years ago, that it's essentially the same thing.

To your point, absolutely it has changed.

Uh most of the classes you can get online, and then we'll have you come in and then showcase uh the details of what you need to know.

But it is it is amazing how it has been uh changed through the years.

We recommend every two years that you update your uh registration pass.

Well, it's actually required.

Yes, you're that is true.

I I'm getting I'm getting updated this Wednesday night.

So nice.

Nice.

Well, we'll see you at the Red Cross.

Well, it won't be it's an instructor that uses your program.

You know what I'm saying?

Yes, yes, yeah.

We have a lot of those that uh we have a very specific area where you you get yourself trained with a Red Cross, and then we allow them to go out there and do that.

And for us, it's been the same instructor.

He was actually, he ran the uh uh he worked in the fire department, Neil Learning, as I kind of look at my fire, and he knows Neil well.

Anyway, so Neil's been teaching first aid, and he's been a guide and outfitter, but he would he um ran the uh EMT department for the fire department for a number of years and was the chief and all that, and we're just lucky to have him.

So he caters it to more like what our guides and outfitters would be experiencing in the outdoors.

So it's an outstanding program, and we encourage those that don't have their uh their license and registration to come on out and get yourself trained and update that every two years.

Thank you so much, sir.

Appreciate that.

Councilman Rainey.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you, Phil, uh, for being here today, of course, uh, with your assistant.

Uh greatly appreciate you all coming here and providing some insight and education on what you do here in the region.

Uh a couple of questions.

Um it comes to like the smoke detectors that you mentioned, especially being free and that you work with the fire department.

What's the process like?

Can any citizen just reach out to you and request a free, or is there a process or an application that they have to fill out?

Can you explain that?

Absolutely.

Councilman Rainey, it's so important that if you want to be a part of our home fire campaign, it's one of our most popular.

Uh, we can just we encourage you to go to our website, redcross.org/slash Colorado, and you'll be able to find us and just sign up to be a volunteer.

It doesn't take very long at all, just a few minutes of your day.

Uh, and then we will ask you, what would you like to do within the Red Cross?

Would you like to be a part of our disaster team?

Would you like to be a part of our speaking team, uh, our training services, CPR.

There's a multitude of things that you can do within the Red Cross.

Uh, and part of our programs, if you if you signify that I'd like to be a part of the events or the programs that you do, uh, our home fire campaign is one of the most popular.

Uh what we would do is we encourage people, we get together at a fire station, and then what we'll have everyone do is educate them.

We'll get together in three or groups of three or four, and then we'll go out in that community that we've been informed of.

Uh we'll canvas a a couple weeks before, and then folks will go out there.

We have all the equipment, we have the fire alarms with the fire department, and then we install them.

So we'll knock on doors, let folks know that we install free smoke alarms, and we're just trying to make the community safer.

But it's just a matter of going to the website, redcross.org/slash colorado, and uh signing up there, and then we will our team will reach out to you and find out exactly what you're interested in doing.

Just mention that you want to be a part of the home fire campaign, and it's just a matter of showing up.

We generally do it on a Saturday afternoon, Saturday morning.

Uh, and uh we'd love to have as many uh people that as possible to join us.

Okay, uh greatly appreciate that info.

Um also um can you uh inform everyone uh I I'm very aware that next month is Red Cross Month.

Uh can you enlighten everyone on that and what's happening in the region on that?

It's amazing.

145 years in existence, the American American Red Cross over that, and uh we are proud to say that every uh March it's it's Red Cross Month.

Uh and it's just a way to celebrate all of the events and and programs and what we're doing.

We have a strategy right now called community mobilization where we want to go into communities and we want to really mobilize the city to include as many local volunteers as possible.

Uh for example, as many people as we can in Colorado Springs to join uh our volunteer base to be a part of the community in the event of a disaster.

We're looking for ambassadors.

If you live on a certain side of town and you want to become actively involved, we would call John Smith and say, John, you know, we need you here.

This is what's happening.

Can you mobilize the team?

That is our goal overall that we're trying to work towards.

And um, and all you got to do again is go to redcross.org.

But we're here to celebrate that and all of the work that the Red Cross does across the world uh uh every March.

Uh and we're proud to have March be uh Red Cross month.

Yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to that.

Uh I know we have a celebration uh that we'll be partaking in uh in March uh with the mayor um and of course recognizing the great work that you and your office uh is doing throughout the region.

Final question uh I looked at all the counties that you are responsible for.

I'm gonna make an assumption because I didn't see Douglas County that you have a working relationship there with Douglas County.

We do.

Yeah.

Uh you know, we're fortunate that we have executive directors all throughout the state.

So, you know, my 22 counties, you know, over 1.1 million people that we're responsible for.

Uh but we are very fortunate that we really go to those pockets of areas where we recruit actively volunteers that can happen.

I was, as I mentioned before, uh in the San Luis Valley.

We had a great volunteer there uh that really organized a um school so we can go inside and teach the youth programs there as well.

So we're looking for people that want to be a part of that that can open up the doors uh to the school system to uh boys and girls club and and allow us to go in there to teach these preparedness classes.

So, yes, sir.

Thank you very much, and thank you for being here today.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Councilman.

Appreciate it.

Councilman Gold.

Thank you, Madam President.

It's good to see you, Phil.

Good to see you too Claire Barton would be really proud.

Um I wanted to ask um in you know, my career, I worked for the American Red Cross.

Yes, you did.

Some of my favorite memories are um with my work at the Red Cross.

It took me to Singapore, took me to Kuwait, took me to Germany.

Um it's a really exciting time.

Um but I learned uh while working there that you can give specifically to Red Cross chapters overseas.

Um I wasn't sure how that worked here.

So if somebody wanted to donate to the Red Cross, but can they make that a specific donation to Southern Colorado's chapter?

Uh Councilwoman Gold, absolutely.

Uh it is so simple to donate as well.

You can of course come by the office if you want to come see us on 8th Street and write a check.

But the simplest way is to go to our website.

You can go to redcross.org.

There's a large uh area called donate there, and as you go through that process, you can specify where you want your donation dollars to go to.

Uh you know, whether it's you know locally, whether it's the state, whether it's a certain area, whether it's overseas, and it is our um uh responsibility to steward those donations where you want it to go.

So absolutely you can go ahead and put that down online at redcross.org.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Good to see you again.

Well, that looks like that's it for the um questions or comments.

Thank you so much for your presentation today.

Thank you so much.

Moving on to item 7A.

Will the clerk please read item 7A into the record?

Wasteless COS presentation.

Good morning, good morning, counsel, and everybody else.

Uh, we are going to be talking about the wasteless COS.

It's a grant funded initiative.

I am Asha Korean, representing from the city of Colorado Springs.

I am joined virtually by Liz Koon from Colorado Circular Communities or C3, Annie White from Resource Recycling System or RRS, and Rachel Zeravin from Circular Action Alliance, CAA.

So what is wasteless COS?

This was actually a grant funded initiative through C3, and we partnered with RRS to understand and analyze the community's needs, opportunities, and challenges regarding our waste and recycling.

We did establish some high-level strategies, did a lot of data tonnage modeling, and we were able to understand our baseline currently is at 16% for diversion, and we want to get it to a 37% by 2045.

So quick fact uh what is diversion rate?

It is the amount of potential items that we can divert from our landfill to recycling and compost or any other items like that.

Moving on.

So this is the methodology that we have done.

Uh, it's into three different phases.

The inspection, we did a one feet one season field inspection over five days, going over about 9,000 pounds of trash actually.

Um, composition study over two seasons in spring and fall, we did both residential and commercial, and then we did an extensive comprehensive evaluation of our systems, which is interviewing our city staff.

We did policy reviews, gap analysis, and a lot of tonnage modeling.

So, what's in our trash?

It's exciting for all the trash folks, right?

So it's top 10 prevalent in MSW, that is municipal solid waste.

As you can see, about a quarter of the trash that we have here is organics, which is your food scraps and yard debris.

Ideally, we want to be able to move that from MSW into composting or other uses.

We are already having a decent percentage when it comes to our recycling, but we do we the some of the items that you see in the MSW with more education and less contamination, we will be able to move that into recycling.

So this is the gap analysis, as we stated as part of our system evaluation.

This is where we scored across the five categories collection infrastructure, policy, outreach, and in markets.

Um, collection, we do have limited access when it comes to organics.

Even recycling is voluntary or opt-in and does cost our residents or commercial when they opt in for recycling.

Infrastructure, we do have limited processing capacity, and there's only one local material recovery facility within springs.

Um, we do not have any incentives for waste diversion or any haul or licensing, so there is a little limitation when it comes to receiving and supporting data collection.

Our education, there isn't much consistent education.

It is dependent purely on what haulers are providing, um, and the community is requesting more educ consistent visual cues when it comes to identifying what is in recycling or not.

Now, when markets with contamination, the material quality that does go into and market support is not really of the best quality, so it's and ends up going back into trash.

Now, this is the community input.

So this is the biggest aspect of our entire wasteless COS.

We conducted community inputs in two different formats.

One was the stakeholder engagement, which was actually five virtual sessions that we conducted across the two weeks with it, it was separated into residents, businesses, and service providers.

We got a good participation of about 97 people who are joined these.

And then the other format was a survey that was spread across 21 days from October to November, and we had over 800 responses.

Um the main things that we do see, the main continuing theme is there is a strong community support for waste diversion and for improving recycling for household hazardous waste.

Um there is organ, there's much needed request from the community regarding organic waste uh reduction, which is your yard waste and food scraps that we just saw in that graph.

Uh, the businesses also want to improve diversion, even though they have some operational constraints, but a lot of them have their sustainability goals, so they really want to partner with the city to help improve that for them.

Um, the main constraints that a community feels is there is there isn't consistent education across the city, and there is actual distrust that if is my recycling actually being recycled.

So there's a lot of distrust with that.

So, with everything that we have here, we've come up with five strategies, right?

We are gonna leverage the extended producer responsibility act, which essentially means our residents will have re free recycling moving forward.

Um, we want to focus on organics, which is the yard waste and food uh food waste that we were talking about.

We want to see what we can do to increase access, collection, and have our community be part of this.

Education, of course, will help with reducing our contamination, so the right items are being recycled.

Um, and we want to provide inclusive multi-multilingual education across, right?

The governance helps us make sure that we have solid data collection across and we are able to leverage our cities citywide waste reduction and recycling efforts.

Speciality waste is something that we want to focus on eventually in the long term, which is mostly on construction demolition, but we want to focus on the other for first and eventually get us into the speciality waste.

With single family and multifamily providing 41% each and commercial at 34%.

So what are the next steps?

We have partnered with Circler Action Alliance on the call and C3 Circular Action Alliance, Rachel will talk to us about what this means for the local government and our residents and how they're partnering with the city of Springs.

And after that, Liz will talk to us about what C3 and how we can partner with them and how they can support us through this.

So handing it off to Rachel.

Great.

Thank you so much for having me.

Happy to chat more about next steps as related to extended producer responsibility.

So if you all recall what this program is, it's a law that passed in Colorado in 2022.

And it makes large brands who supply packaging into the state responsible for covering the cost of recycling that packaging.

So the way that it would work in a community like Colorado Springs, which we would call open market, that's where residents call up their own trash and recycling providers.

We, as the nonprofit producer responsibility organization, we collect dues from the brands or the producers, and then we use those dues to reimburse service providers or recycling collectors to provide recycling to residents at no cost.

So when we think about next steps, we are well on our way.

So we have kind of two buckets that I'm going to talk about.

And first I'm going to talk about the local government benefit, which is direct for Colorado Springs.

So participating local governments can be reimbursed for things like education outreach.

Also drop-off collection or those who drop off can you know centers for those who operate that.

But we're going to start with education and outreach.

So that occurs through what's called a service agreement or a contract.

The good news is that Colorado Springs, because of all the staff participation and engagement, has already met those early deadlines.

So there's one more coming up.

And that meeting all the early deadlines would mean that the earliest reimbursements can occur for education and outreach starting in June of 2026 this year.

And what this funding does, it's direct funding to conduct recycling education.

And there are eligible activities and funding.

So this what's called an application process is occurring right now.

It's designed for local flexibility so that Colorado Springs can do the activities, the educational activities to reach their residents and to reach your residents.

And then the intent is for this localized education to complement both the statewide education that our nonprofits, Circular Action Alliance, is doing, as well as education that is required by participating recycling collectors.

So that next deadline coming up is April 13th.

And really excited to say that, like I said, Colorado Springs is met all those early deadlines so far.

Do know that if a deadline were to be missed, applications received later are still processed on a rolling basis.

So this is not a great competitive grant or grant in any way, shape, or form.

This is all governments are eligible or local governments in Colorado are eligible.

So that's one component.

The other component is the reimbursement for the open market collectors.

So those who participate with us again can be reimbursed to provide residents with recycling.

That also occurs through a service agreement or a contract.

And then that is going to be that process is going to be opening here really by the end of March.

And the earliest payments can occur for open market collection activities in October of this year.

Again, the benefit for residents is that they've received free recycling service.

So once once those service agreements or contracts are in place, collectors cannot charge residents for the recycling services funded and provided by CAA.

And then we are, please know, I guess my ask for you, right?

Because it ends with an ask.

Councilman Henjam.

Thank you, Madam President.

So I uh thank you for for being here and presenting to us.

I'm trying to understand if I'm understanding you correctly, um, trash haulers who are who are providing recycling services, of which I use one and pay for on a quarterly basis, they would have to come directly to you to enroll in this program.

Um and then to be reimbursed by whoever, whoever is who whoever the entity is that is actually does the reimbursement, and then they would be obligated to provide those recycling services to their customers for free.

Is that accurate?

I I think we're super close.

So we as the that's I think you're really close.

So we as the nonprofit that's collecting the dues from the producers or the big brands, we actually reimburse those recycling collectors.

So you are absolutely right in the fact that Circular Action Alliance, our nonprofit, does work directly with the recycling providers who then can offer recycling to residents at no cost, but residents are not required to participate.

That's where I think I want to make sure that that we're clear.

A resident would still need to call the hauler or somehow sign up with that participating recycling collector to get those free services.

And that's really where we think the education and outreach can support that messaging, whether that's through the community level outreach conducted by um by local governments, or whether that's also um with support from Circular Action Alliance and the statewide campaign, as well as those recycling collectors themselves.

Okay.

So I certainly will be reaching out to mine and sharing that information with you because I don't want to pay for recycling.

But would my company then only have to provide to myself and others who reach out to them to say I want you to participate in this, or once they participate, they provide this service free to everyone who is paying them for recycling services?

It's it's only the people who want to participate in recycling.

So if somebody is paying now, the way that we would envision that working is that those customers are no longer charged for the services that that our nonprofit is funding.

So for those recycling services.

For the new customers, there is no requirement that any resident participates.

So that's what I want to be super clear about, right?

And we we could use, I think the goal would be to use education and outreach to encourage more people to sign up for those recycling services, which they can get at no cost.

Right.

Absolutely.

And I'm super on board with helping you with that.

I think I'm just really trying to narrow down.

Say Company X has 500 customers who pay for recycling.

A hundred of those customers reach out to Company X and say, I want to participate, I want you to participate in this program and be reimbursed.

Will the 100 customers who reach out receive recycling free or the 500 who are enrolled?

In other words, is there an assumption that if someone is paying for the service that they want to participate?

Does that is my question clear?

Thank you for that clarification.

That's super helpful.

Um, once the the you know, I can't speak to what the communication will look like between the hauler and their customers.

That's going to come over time as we release more information.

But certainly we would hope that with the resident already participating in recycling that the waste collector would want to continue to serve their existing customers with recycling, at which point they would no longer be able to charge the resident because we would be paying them.

Does that help answer your question?

It does.

It does.

And you have my contact information and we've met before, so certainly reach out to me and I will um work with you on working with the the trash haulers and the community education piece.

Thanks.

Councilman Donaldson.

Yeah, thanks, Madam President.

And um Ma'am Online, I didn't catch your name.

You are what?

Rachel.

It's Rachel.

And is she uh was it doctor somebody?

No.

Okay, just Rachel.

Rachel, you you mentioned that uh Circular Action Alliance has collected these fees from uh businesses.

Uh how much have you collected?

I don't invoices went out in January.

I can say that much.

And also too, um, the final program, the final program for um implementing producer responsibility was approved back in December.

And there's a full program budget in that plan.

Um so you can see that it's on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's website as well as our website.

And in there you'll see the full budget.

So we are collecting against that budget.

Can you tell them just give me a ballpark figure?

Like what's what is the number of what it is anticipate collecting?

Is it a million dollars?

Is it a hundred million dollars?

Is it a thousand dollars?

I don't remember what it is off the top of my head, but I might be able to go look it up while we're here talking.

Okay.

And so I was gonna ask a question similar to what uh councilwoman Henjam asked, but it sounds to me like because I also am signed up, and it's a significant part of the bill for uh trash collection.

We do the recycling.

And um you would anticipate that if they continue to provide recycling services, then that portion of a customer's bill should uh get become zero.

And uh that's what you would expect to happen, is that right?

Well, what is required to happen once uh once a hauler is receiving reimbursement for providing recycling services is that they can no longer charge residents for that service.

Do they have to participate or could they say we don't want to participate in this?

We're just gonna continue to charge.

Recycling, no what recycling collectors do not have to participate.

We hope they will, because the benefit to them is strong, and also because I would imagine that their customers who are already paying for that service would also want them to participate.

I would, and that's why I was asking about how much you collect, because if you only collect, you know, 20,000 or whatever, uh it wouldn't be enough to really do much.

Um if you're collecting way more than their current expenses, then it seems they would be uh motivated to seek more customers and they'd be reimbursed for that.

But uh we'll we'll move on from that one.

I a different question, another question is right now, and this one might be for uh for I think Asher, right?

Is that right?

So we we're we currently have what we sort of estimate to be 16% diversion, and we're saying okay, we're gonna get to 37 by 2045.

Where did we get that number from?

Oh, we can have Annie from RRS.

They did a tonnage modeling based on our population and benchmarking.

So Annie, if you could just elaborate on how we got the 37 percentage as our potential diversion rate.

Um sure.

We um assumed a certain pounds per household uh generation um based on existing data and the current year, the baseline year, um, then modeled population and household growth based on single family, multifamily uh and commercial and separated that out to uh to estimate those waste streams.

We took then um we'd done a number of uh um waste characterization studies, and so we also then modeled out by material type how that uh that material streams would would grow over time, and then for each uh uh there's a number of different actions under each strategy.

So, like for organics or education and outreach, et cetera.

We looked at best practices in um other US communities, um, and so what rate could be achieved when that was at maturity, to plug that in to um, and so those those strategies that were accepted or uh approved for inclusion as recommendations um are all baked into uh that 37% number.

Um so uh to achieve that uh the recommended actions and strategies in the plan would need to be um implemented or uh need to be replaced with some alternative strategies that would hit the same outcome.

Can you tell me a couple of cities in America that are are using this program now?

Well, there's uh oh, you mean for extended producer responsibility, or are you talking about just there's multiple, you know, there's more than 20 actions in the plan.

So we were looking at the best practices for um, you know, that's gonna depend on um each strategy what the peer communities would be.

Okay, what I'm trying to do is figure out uh food waste uh like food waste drop-off sites was under organics and uh having free food waste drop-off sites.

So Alexandria, Virginia, and uh Washington DC are two examples that have that in place.

Um uh hauler licensing program for Collins is an example of a community that has uh uh uh that type of program in place.

So those are kind of examples of how we would um look at it for for those strategies.

Basically the substrategies under each one.

Do you feel like this 37% is kind of a conservative estimate, or is that uh an aggressive or uh you know aspirational kind of uh estimate I think it's um so the US is roughly at 34%.

Um so I think it's in one way reasonable.

Um at the other way of looking at that, doubling in 20 years, I do think is uh uh a pretty uh a decent clip for for change.

So I think it's achievable.

Um, but that does mean to continuing to work to make progress and for that time period.

And I think it was somebody who used to own one of these uh businesses uh explained this to me, or someone who used to drive one of the trucks and the the recycling truck, right?

You know, most people will have two bins, you have the regular garbage one, and then you have maybe it's blue, and that's the one for recycling, and they come along in their truck and they take that and they dump it in the truck and they keep going.

But if one of those containers is contaminated, uh they take that truck and they it goes to the regular dump.

It goes to the regular dump and dumps it out.

And so and so a lot of folks, let me just finish up.

A lot of folks pay the extra money, like I do and and and councilwoman hengem, but our trash ends up going to the same place uh that my neighbor who doesn't pay for it, uh it goes to.

And I'm I shouldn't have said trash, my recyclable uh ends up going to the same place.

Can you uh address that?

And what's to prevent that in the future?

Okay, um some level of contamination is always going to be part of the recycling stream, um, and does not necessarily uh mean that the whole truckload is thrown out.

There are systems to screen out trans uh uh contamination at a material recovery facility, and based on our sort on average for what we sorted, um it was at 14.7 percent, which is that's an okay, that's not uh that's sort of in an acceptable range of contamination, of course, we'd like that to go down, but it's um not at an extreme extremely high uh level.

Um it did come up in the stakeholder outreach that there's significant concern about um where the materials go and needing to work on uh you know trust and transparency in terms of um with the community that materials are actually being recycled.

Um one of the strategies that we proposed um was a hauler licensing and requiring haulers to report where their material is going and how much so that if they have recycling, how much of their recycling is actually being taken to the recycling facility.

Um that type of data um can help, and then sharing that with the public can help um, you know, with with a greater understanding.

Um I think probably also with CAA's work and EPR, this is something that you all are thinking about.

So uh Rachel, is there more that you want to add there?

And then my my last question for you, ma'am, if I could.

Um I know others have questions also, so I won't try to speed it up here.

Is you said that hey, 14% of what's going to the recycling facility is contaminated.

I think that's what you said.

But then you also said it would make sense to have a uh a uh a system to know how much is actually going to the uh recycling facility.

So it sounds like it's 14% of what makes it there, but but my understanding was sometimes a driver will just go straight to the dump because he knows uh it's been contaminated.

Is that is that what I just said accurate?

Uh go ahead.

That would not well, one of the things we're advocating for is uh reporting and requiring that recycling that is collected go to a recycling facility.

That recycling facility, then when the load is tipped, can make the judge about whether that load needs to be rejected.

Then if you're having data at the facility level and otherwise, then you're in uh better shape.

That I it is not a best practice.

Um, and you know, should that be a regular occurrence for a recycling truck to be uh going to uh straight to the uh trash uh and you know I if I could is that more data is gonna be helpful, but I doubt it's happening uh as frequently as you think um or as the the public is thinking, and um and more data and accountability there is one way of really knowing what's happening and um you know, easing that concern and creating more trust in the system.

Okay, but uh and this is it.

It it in Colorado Springs right now, we don't really know if all the trucks go to the recycling facility or not.

Is that right?

There's not a reporting mechanism back to uh Colorado Springs at this time that would make that data available.

Okay.

And then uh this is my final question.

It's for Asha.

Um so Colorado Springs is participating in this program.

That's right, right?

Yes.

Uh, the EPR, I have already signed up.

We got approved as part of our first step, and then we need to work on step two.

Okay.

And I would ask uh, Madam President, that we get, you know, we just get updated periodically on this to see, especially since uh I would like to know how much money is coming to the city, how successful the program is, et cetera.

Um what what impact it's gonna have on the local businesses, all those things.

So thank you.

Councilman Lineweber.

You know, I'm I'm clearly one of those um being so uh involved in the outdoors and stuff that really cares about you know our planet and really taking care of it.

Unfortunately, this is probably the biggest area that I feel is I have such a mistrust of because the media has just discovered so much corruption and everything.

There basically our public just doesn't believe anything is actually happening.

And and I do, I still do it.

I still put everything in the recycle, but I I really don't have I mean, I don't have a trust that it's actually being recycled.

And I think the biggest issue for me is um I don't really believe that the products are actually going towards something.

Like we talk about collection numbers, but we rarely talk about in-market reuse.

You know, like show me what my trash did.

You know, so show me what it created.

Show me what it allowed for some kind of productivity for our society, right?

Um I'm not seeing that.

And I get really excited when I do, you know, I've seen construction materials that have been used and stuff like that.

But I I would prefer instead of programs being given to just collection, because I uh I'm not gonna repeat what Donaldson, everything he all his questions were all ones that I would ask also, because I don't trust it.

I don't, and I know uh the public is losing trust because we're not seeing like all my efforts paid off, and it helped create this construction material, this brick, you know, that is now being used to build a building, you know what I'm saying?

Um I've seen bricks that are getting made from uh that and I'm really excited about that, but I don't see that enough, is what I'm trying to say.

And it's a fair feeling, sir, because that's what the community feels, and that's what we got from our surveys too.

Um I got a couple of responses to that.

One was we were invited, myself, Ryan and the mayor, we were invited to tour the recycling facility over here by public services, and you could actually see where contaminants were being removed, contaminated recycling were remote, so it's not all getting dumped into trash.

And then they had this phenomenal process where you could actually see some of the like aluminium being separated into smaller bales that was getting transported to end markets and the items that could not get transported.

So they did offer that if the council did want to have a tour of their facilities so you can see what your recyclables are actually happening to them, it'll be good, you know, it'll be a good eye-opening exercise.

But again, you don't get to see what that actually becomes because it gets shipped to all the other processing facilities.

The other thing is we did have, I think a couple of months ago, C DC who had actually are working with one of the firms in Korea.

I could be wrong, but one of those Asian countries there where they are recycling uh products into building barricades on the highways that you can use.

So that would be a viable uh material that you will see as what happens once you recycle and reuse that material.

So similar to what you're talking about, those bricks.

So that's another aspect that we could partner with to understand better, because they are also looking into finding a facility for that expansion.

Um easy item for us to use would be composting materials, yard debris that we can turn into mulch and other materials that we can start utilizing and making it part of our contracts when we do landscape for city facilities or city rejuvenations.

So that's where you could compost your yard debris and actually see it being used to improve our city's landscape.

So just a few items just from the top of my head that we are thinking that eventually as we establish this and we get the council support and the community support to start doing, we will see the final end results.

Um and as we work together, I'm sure we'll get better ideas to start seeing more viable products.

Does that yeah, it does.

I and I know and I hope that we're really working on this because you know, transparency isn't about intent, it's about outcome and documentation.

And I, you know, speaking to uh Councilman Donaldson's point, documentation.

I mean, I almost hate the I don't want to bring up the word audit because I don't want to get anybody involved in this because it's a real trashy issue.

Um but anyway.

Oh no.

It was just laying there.

I couldn't, I couldn't resist it.

Yeah.

Um but um, you know, it is it is something that that I think our community is they they all do it because they feel like they they need to.

We need to save the save the planet, right?

But yet we don't the media has shown a light that this uh that there's been some problems, and there's not some.

There's been a lot of problems.

And so we want, I want in agreement with Donaldson, I want to see more measurable outcomes with documentation.

It's a fair ask.

We do have Liz and Rachel on there, so they might have supporting information, like they have their hands raised on teams, so let me um move over to Councilman Hingum, and then we'll bring them in because she they might want to answer some of her questions as well.

Sure, yeah, and I would love to hear from both uh Liz and Rachel.

Um so uh I guess what I would like to say is that my understanding is that the intention of the program really is about increasing trust and accountability.

And um it's a bit of a chicken and an egg thing, right?

So I think this is uh a very important program and participation is um essential too uh and and don't disagree at all with uh getting the data and um and and the measurables is really important.

I think that is what will help with the trust um and accountability.

Um, and then so uh actually either Liz or um Rachel will be able to answer this, but I guess my final question was in the reimbursement to the companies, will they be reimbursed at the rate essentially that you know customers are paying them now to pay for the recycling?

Will the reimbursements cover their cost?

Thanks.

Rachel, can you please answer to that one?

Yes, so the law requires that we reimburse 100% of the net eligible costs.

So that includes everything from collection trucks, fuel, admin, so many other things to help support the collection process.

And then um the other piece, I did look up at the budget really quickly.

So the budget for this year of the program alone in the approved extended producer responsibility final plan for Colorado is 215 to 267 million dollars.

So if that gives you us, I hope that gives a sense of scale.

Um the other thing that I would add too is that the piece of EPR that we did not discuss is that it really goes far beyond collection.

So the producers of the brands, they yes, they fund collection.

They also fund processing and end market verification.

So one piece of extended producer responsibility is ensuring responsible end markets and ensuring that ensuring that those recyclables are given new life in a safe and sustainable way.

Um and then we can also use education and outreach, both a statewide campaign and at the local level and at the collector level to help share those success stories and help build trust in recycling.

Because I think hearing you all speak, um, when we've talked to residents around the state, you're not alone.

And we want to show what this program is doing for Colorado.

Go ahead, Liz.

Yeah, I I also just wanted to add as well.

So um, you know, EPR and producer responsibility and what Rachel and um her program are working on is only kind of half of this presentation.

Um the other side, we also have the state program that I'm here with, which is the Colorado Circular Communities program, and that is what funded this study and what has the ability to maybe do some of this research or policy work or anything it is that the city of Colorado Springs would be interested in, um, along with producer responsibility, either to support the city, being able to be involved in different ways, or to support the city with other aspects of recycling that maybe wouldn't be covered by producer responsibility.

Um so our program, C3 has funding that is available for community events and things like that.

Um, and then we also have a technical assistance program where essentially if you as a city were interested in conducting research or doing targeted um education and outreach campaigns that maybe would require a consultant um or anything like that, we would be able to provide a consultant to the city at no cost to them in order to do that work.

So if you were at all interested in, you know, let's say hauler licensing was something you were interested in.

Um C3 would never kind of push you in that direction.

But if you came to us and you were interested in that, we could conduct a study.

We could talk to all of the haulers in the area, and we could even help with um figuring out what the best parameters would be for that, so that you could have that data that you're looking for to feel confident in recycling or composting or really any other aspect of keeping waste out of landfills.

So I wanted to just throw that out there.

There is another resource as well that isn't producer responsibility that the city could utilize to figure out how maybe council would want to get involved a little bit more in the community's recycling and waste aversion efforts.

Councilman Hincham.

Thank you.

My last comment.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, Liz and Annie and Rachel and um Curry and and Ryan too.

Thank you uh for the presentation on this for the conversation.

I I will say I do talk trash every week, actually.

And I say that um because really, and I'm not exaggerating, there isn't a week that goes by that this conversation about recycling, about waste disposal in Colorado Springs, about trash haulers, about licensing, about the rare and tear and roads, all the things um are a kind are part of a conversation that I'm having often.

In fact, just last night, my family dinner table um uh talked about it quite a bit, and my sister-in-law who who canvassed an entire block to try to get everybody on using one trash hauler.

Um, because people are organizing around this on their own because we haven't yet um as a city decided that that's something that that we want to prioritize.

But I think this recycling program is a great first bite at the apple.

So I appreciate the goals and the uh attempts to um improve in this area, be they aspirational or not, to Councilmember Lineweber's point.

Um, you know, we we are a state that loves its beauty, it's outdoors, and uh keeping it as pristine as possible in managing our waste and reusing it in such a way that's useful is is really worthwhile.

So thank you very much.

Thank you.

Well, just want to say thank you for this opportunity and thank you for our button as well, willing to work with Colorado Springs City.

Uh, well to keep you posted.

Thank you, Asha.

Moving on to item 7B, will the clerk please read item 7B into the record?

Agenda planner review.

Does anybody have any questions or changes to the agenda planner?

Seeing none for the record, there are no changes or questions on the agenda planner.

Moving on to item 8A, will the clerk please read item 8A into the record?

An ordinance repealing and reordinate appendix K, wildline urban interface requirements of part one fire prevention code of our for fire prevention of chapter A public safety.

Good morning, Chris.

Good morning.

Thank you.

Mike's on.

Chris Cooper Fire Marshal.

Good morning.

As we spoke a couple weeks ago, provide you an early draft of our intent to amend appendix K of the fire code to align with the provisions of the Colorado State Wildfire Resiliency Code.

I'm here this morning to give uh an update on the process and to address any questions that you all may have had from the uh draft amendments that I gave you to review.

So uh I'll fly through a couple of these since you've already seen them, but the background I think is really important that we need to make sure that we touch on.

Again, Senate Bill uh 2316 establish a state wildfire resiliency code, and that was adopted by the state in June of 2025.

And through that adoption process, uh it mandated that every jurisdiction across the state adopt the state wildfire resiliency code or an equivalency by April 1st, 2026 and implement within 90 days of that adoption, which would be July 1st, 2026.

The board met here in Colorado Springs.

That's just an example of uh who the board makeup is, and they had an opportunity to see what we're doing locally, and we're fortunate that a lot of the work that was done by the state code board modeled the work that we've done in Colorado Springs ourselves.

The highlights of this code uh really applies to uh now commercial and residential, where our previous code uh focused strictly on residential.

And so the impact that has the ability to add 1200 to 1500 new projects a year uh to our plate that we review in terms of wildfire resiliency.

The majority of those that are lower risk residential, we plan to handle those administratively.

Um so the physical work by staff would be reduced.

Um there's no change to our existing WUI shape, which is the the west side, and I'll show you a map shortly.

Um the big change in this code really brings into what we've previously called the PUI, which is the prairie urban interface, uh, which is the east side of town.

Uh, that is a lower risk area, but certainly not worth overlooking, and I'll speak to that here in a minute.

Overall, we believe this code strengthens our community efforts for community wildfire mitigation.

So some of the key updates uh when we look at classification of hazard, our current code uh simply had one less one layer or one uh risk category.

The state code brings in uh two risk categories, class one and class two, and like you said, applies to both residential and commercial, and it is going to drive a new map as far as what our wildfire risk area is.

Some of the things that this code looks at.

We look at uh roof, fuel, site management, hardening structure, and uh there's various levels based on risk between class one and class two.

And uh one thing that's new uh to the state code that we've talked about for years but didn't implement locally is uh how do we improve site management on a on a uh individual parcel?

And so the state code now brings in uh requirements on fencing and retaining walls as well.

So a comparison uh is the state breaks down uh two classes of risk area.

They have class one, which is generally light to medium surface fuels, low rate of spread, possible spotting and windy conditions, and increased uh fire activity as slopes gradually increase.

Class two is what we consider more of our traditional wooy, which is moderate to heavy fuels.

We get a moderate to fast rate of speed, um short range spotting and low winds, uh long range spotting and higher winds, and increased fire activity on slopes of 30% or greater.

As we've seen in the news over the last week or so, uh, the activities that have taken place in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, uh, those are traditionally what uh we would fall into that class one area.

And so I think it's important to keep in mind that why the traditionally we think of wildfires in forested areas.

The fact of the matter is we're seeing a lot more fires in grassy areas these days under high wind conditions, those fires proceed uh very quickly, and uh we're actually seeing more homes lost in what would traditionally be considered lower risk areas, do those high flashy fuels and uh the wind-driven events.

So the the state wildfire risk, uh, this is the map that state produced.

Um the map, the legend on it is yellow is a low risk, orange is moderate risk, and red is a high risk area.

As the state did their map, they looked at the US or the Colorado State Forest Service uh fire intensity map.

They considered vegetative fuels, topography, local weather patterns, local wildfire history, and fire behavior modeling.

Uh as we've looked at that map, we don't feel like that's a true representation of the risk in Colorado Springs.

So we've done our own map, uh, including all those elements that are listed and required by the state.

And this is what we've come up with.

Um the red is our existing wooy, which would remain uh that would be a class two area.

The green is at lower risk, which would now fall into the class one risk category of the state code.

And as you look, a lot of that area is uh light flashy fuels.

It's out on the prairie.

Um in a lot of that area is yet to be developed.

We're essentially focused on areas from Mark Shuffle Road east to the city limits.

Chris, on the green, yes.

You see some dots of red.

Yes.

So in our uh in our modeling, uh, those areas did stand out as being a higher risk.

Those are generally uh in the watershed areas or in the the drainages where we've got a little heavier fuel source.

Um the code does allow us to consider um ground truthing.

And so, in working with developers, if they were to develop close to those areas, there's certainly provisions within the code that the developer could look at to reduce that risk to drop it down to class one.

So class one provisions in general uh from structure hardening standpoint requires class A roof, non-combustible gutters and downspouts, and listed vents with screening.

Uh class A roof is already the norm in Colorado Springs.

We passed Class A roofing ordinance back in 2003.

Umcombustible gutters and downspouts are industry standard, and listed vents would be the the one increase to the structure hardening for those homes.

Then we would look at the site in landscape and provisions.

Uh we'd look at a five-foot non-combustible uh defensible zone around a house.

Uh that could include some low-filling plants, but certainly uh you know, prohibit any hazardous vegetation within that five foot.

Non-combustible retaining walls means that within eight foot of the house, you could not have uh the standard creosoaked railroad ties, that type of thing.

Um non-combustible fencing.

This is the thing that's really new uh to our code that I think is really important.

Is uh the code says you cannot have a combustible fence within eight foot of a structure.

And so we're not talking about just the wing walls of the house, but we're talking about the house, the fence that would run parallel along the property line.

Uh if that property line was less than uh eight foot from the house, then that fence would have to be non-combustible as well.

The importance of that is those fences, as we saw within the Waldo Canyon fire, and a lot of studies have been done by national testing labs, is those fences uh essentially uh are collection point for embers during a fire storm, uh embers collect at the base of the fence and burn, and that fence then becomes a wick to transfer fire from the uh fence to to adjacent properties.

And then we've looked at uh development uh common areas, fencing and vegetation.

Uh you know, development is only as safe as the whole.

And so if our focus is just on the individual parcels, but we allow the developers to uh have combustible fencing and high risk vegetation, and that really uh flies in the face of what we're trying to accomplish.

So in this code, we've extended that to the common areas of a development, which we think is is really the crux and in this you know, really important piece of hardening and development is to if we can prevent fire from coming into that development from adjacent natural vegetation, we're gonna be better off in the future.

Class two provisions that I spoke.

This is very much in line with what we've done already uh since the Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado Springs.

Uh, it's all the class one provisions, and then we get into non-combustible exteriors, protection on base of walls, non-combustible decking, uh hardened doors and windows, and spark restors on chimneys.

And then um on the site and landscape, um we look at the the brush packages within 10 foot of the house, hazardous trees cannot be within 15 foot, they have to be limbed up and pruned, and so uh we essentially uh provide a little better uh protection around those houses that fall within the class two.

I have a question.

Um, houses that already have in neighborhoods, they already have the wood and non-combustible or decks.

If they were to go get a permit because they need a new deck, they're gonna have to put these restrictions in.

They can't just put on another wood deck, is that correct?

You if they're in the wooy area, the class one or class two.

The way the code is written, it's not considered retroactive.

Uh, and so especially on the class one that would apply to any new developments.

However, uh, if you're within those risk areas and you replace more than 25% of your siding, you do an addition to your house, you replace more than 25% of your roof, or do permitted work to your deck of um above and beyond maintenance.

If you're uh changing the size of it, tearing it down, replacing the structure, then that new structure would have to comply with the the scope of the code for the work that is taking place.

On that map that you showed where it was phase one and phase two, but anything in between does not this time.

Correct.

Okay, thank you.

The areas on the map that are not included in the wildfire risk areas, uh, we consider those urban areas, and this code does not apply to those.

Here's an example of uh that fuels management zones.

Um the immediate zone is within five foot of the structure, and so we're looking at no plants uh shrubs, anything combustible really within that five foot.

Uh you go to the immediate zone at five to thirty, and we're looking at uh removal of dead materials, no large accumulations of a brush, no hazardous brush or trees, uh print of dead limbs, and then you go to the expanded zone.

Um a lot of properties in our community don't have that large of a lot, but if you did, then we look at tree spacing within that 30 to 100 foot around the house.

And our clicker doesn't seem to be working.

Thank you.

So here's uh uh comparison uh that speaks to the differences between class one and class two.

Uh we've already spoken to the differences, but just uh you can see that class one is significantly less in terms of requirements uh between the the two provisions.

Next slide, please.

Thank you.

Uh this graphic just shows uh kind of a comparison as to what uh a smart choice in terms of wildfire resiliency would be uh in how you build a house.

In talking with local builders, the difference between a class one and class two structure, class one uh could be as much as uh twelve hundred dollars per home.

Um however, that greatly varies based upon the size of the home, the architectural design of the home, the materials that the builder typically uses.

Uh, when we get into a class two, then you're looking at less than 2500 per home.

However, a lot of builders within the class two areas are already providing uh a wildfire resilient design within their construction architecturally, and so those costs um are generally within the the design on the home.

So um there is some cost, but but overall it's limited.

So considerations is I spoke to this is a state mandate.

Uh the uh ordinance is or the bill that was written uh was written as a matter of statewide concern from public safety standpoint, which does uh make that exempt to home rule.

Again, that could be up to interpretation, but that is the state's position on it.

Uh if we would go uh if we choose to delay adoption, uh adopting past June 30th of 2026 does have very significant implications locally on energy code requirements through Pikes Peak Regional Building Department is to new codes they would have to adopt.

Uh another consideration is one of the biggest challenges we have in terms of um enforcement of this code uh that we currently have is a lot of the landscaping is not done by the builder, it's done by the homeowner after the fact, or they hire a contractor.

And once that certificate of occupancy signed off on that house, then that really limits our ability to have oversight of that.

We are looking at uh placing that responsibility on HOAs or metro districts through their landscape review boards, and with the hope that they would ensure that uh any landscaping that is done would comply with this code.

So our current public process, we've uh had conversation with HBA.

Uh we've got an upcoming meeting with El Paso County Contractors Association, uh, downtown partners and development review enterprise advisory committee.

We have uh re had this reviewed by the fire board of appeals, which has provided a letter of support.

We've worked closely in coordination with Pikes Peak Regional Building Department and City Planning who are in support of this, and uh we will provide formal letters of support from those remaining stakeholder groups by the time we move forward to this board for first hearing.

Councilman Bailey.

Thank you, Madam President.

Yeah, I just have a question.

I'm a little concerned about uh the the bullet point on placing responsibility on HOAs or metro districts for um owner-installed landscaping.

I think I heard you say that there was a hope that they would comply.

Are there any provisions in the uh in the law that we need to make sure that we enforce that we impose upon them, or is it is it just hope for the best?

So we have ongoing conversations that have been started.

Um again, this this is moving fairly quickly.

Um but the we've written language in the code that puts the responsibility on those groups.

We have uh actual trainings set up to where we'll be training HOA groups and provide ongoing support for them to where those landscaping committees will be provided with the knowledge and skills as they do the landscape reviews for those HOAs to where they can provide that oversight for us and help us to enforce that.

And and that's consistent with the code.

We're we're we're covered with that as far as that's as far as they can go, and that's as far as we're that language is written in the code.

Okay, thank you.

So uh options uh that are certainly presented to this council.

Uh we could amend the our current appendix K to include the new Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code provisions, which is the draft code that we've provided.

We could adapt adopt the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code as written through an ordinance, and that'd be the state language without any local amendment.

We could maintain our current appendix K is written with no change, or we could repeal a current or current appendix K and adopt content as a standalone ordinance.

Our recommendation would be certainly that first bullet.

I think that makes the most sense for what we need to do in our community.

It keeps it clean, it gives us uh the ability to look at what's reasonable for our community, and it includes that code language within our existing fire code where it's been for uh several years.

And so that's the language there.

Uh, we also recommend that we use our local risk map.

I have submitted our map and supporting information to the state, although the state still hasn't provided final processes to what that appeal looks like.

Uh they've acknowledged that they've received it and thought our submittal was good.

We were hoping to have their uh reply before this meeting today, that has not yet happened.

And so uh again, we cannot proceed with this code adoption until the state adopts our local risk map.

And so uh we're hoping that happens timely and so we can come before this board for first reading.

Councilman Donaldson.

Yeah, thanks, Madam President, and uh good morning, Chris.

I think I've heard heard rumors that because other municipalities are not quite ready with this, that the legislature may try to push the uh required dates for this, delay them.

Have you heard that?

I've heard uh requests from groups to petition the legislator to uh delay this.

I've not heard anything coming out of the legislation that they are interested in hearing those delays or considering them.

Is there any what reason we should postpone or slow down uh or does it make sense for us to go forward regardless of what happens, even if they postpone uh uh the requirement for six months or a year or whatever.

I I think it makes sense for us to go ahead and move forward with this.

And the reason I say that, you know, we've shared our concern over the PUI uh for quite some time.

And we've talked about, you know, do we need to do regulation on the east side of town?

Uh I think the local wildfires that we've seen uh in the state of Colorado, and again, you know, uh in uh um Texas, Kansas area over the last couple weeks have really um I think solidified the concern that these fast moving wildfires uh that have the ability to burn hundreds of thousands of acres and does dozens of homes.

Um I think that's a reality here.

And we've seen fast moving wildfires in our eastern plains.

Uh we've been fortunate locally uh that we've not been impacted by that significantly.

However, there's a lot of undeveloped land on the side of Colorado Springs that we're certainly subject to the same concerns.

Um delay of this um this code, I think really puts us at risk in terms of other uh regulation, like I've spoken to with the adoption of uh more restrictive energy codes, which could be very crippling locally, and um so to go beyond that June 30th deadline is pretty significant implications locally.

So I think this is the the right time and the right thing to do.

Okay, thanks.

Uh with that, I would uh just next steps.

Uh you know, it'd be our intent if we get the state map adopted and we get or our local map adopted by the state, I'm sorry, um, and complete our stakeholder process with feedback from those groups and letter support.

It'd be my intent to come before this board on uh March 10th for first reading.

And uh I'd be happy to entertain any questions or answer any other questions from you uh based upon your review of the ordinance.

Councilman Risley.

Thank you, Madam President.

I did have a couple of comments and questions.

One, just a comment in my opinion.

This is another prime example of the overreach of the state uh in a way that I think is um inappropriate.

I've been vocal about this in the past, but I I think again, this is just another another example of state legislators somehow having more expertise around a specific topic than our subject matter experts, such as yourself.

So although I disagree with the idea of uh adopting this to placate the state, I certainly understand the rationale to move forward based on what you just said, that this in your opinion is something that is actually beneficial for our community.

I do certainly agree with the fire department's um position, your position of modifying the map such in such a way that represents what we actually believe is appropriate and what represents the true concerns for our community as a again as opposed to the state, sort of without any um demonstrable expertise in the matter, telling us what they think is the right answer.

So that's kind of a statement.

Question would be uh does the state code acknowledge or identify PUI as a term.

The state code does not, and uh so that's why we've kind of moved away from that.

Uh, our terms that we're using uh in this new code is wildfire risk area class one and wildfire risk area class two, and that tends to align and and paints a better picture.

Certainly, you know, the traditional WUI west side, PUE East Side.

Uh yeah, I don't know that we'll ever you know stray from that language necessarily, but uh in context, um, but this the code is written now identifies as those class one and class two risk areas.

So that makes sense.

Um thanks for clarifying.

The last kind of comment or question I have is uh relates to council member Bailey's um comment about HOAs and the ability for us to ask them or direct them to enforce something.

And the reality is that an HOA is a private contractual relationship between a homeowner and a homeowner's association, and as such, any municipality has no ability to actually enforce any sort of third party contractual relationship.

So I I think unless I'm wrong, the reality is we can ask HOAs to make this type of an adoption, but there is nothing that we can actually do to require them to do that or to modify their CCNRs or to modify their bylaws.

So I just want to be very clear that that well, again, unless I'm misunderstanding, uh we as a city and the county for that matter has no legal authority over a private uh contractual relationship between an HOA and a landowner.

Yeah, I appreciate that position.

You know, this has been something that we've kicked around for years, even since the adoption of our current appendix K.

Once that certificate of occupancy is signed off, there's really no good oversight or trigger for us to go back.

And it's really created a ton of challenges for the fire department from enforcement process to go back to homeowners five, 10 years, you know, after they've moved into their home, see that they've planted a juniper right next to their house, and then work with them to remove that.

And so our hope is that the HOAs would be willing to partner with us, and and as they do their reviews of landscaping, that they would help to ensure that smart landscaping is done in accordance with the local code.

Um and I know that's that's a big uh wish, right?

Um, but we've really found no better way to address that without uh more overarching regulation, additional staff to be able to enforce that becomes very difficult.

And so we think that that really meets the intent of the the state code by ensuring that uh we have a process in place to call out plan review that this house will comply, and then by working with the HOAs, if if they're willing to partner with us, then that checks that box as far as people putting eyes on that on our behalf.

And I agree.

I think that's a great aspirational approach.

I would agree that there is no way for this fire department or any other agency across the state to uh reasonably enforce that requirement that the state has put forth.

So no other jurisdiction is going to be in any better position than we are to try to uh enact that piece of it.

Um even if we could, let's say on day one, you go out and inspect and determine that it meets uh the code or the intent of the code.

There's no way of going back five years.

I mean, you're gonna do annual inspections to make sure that nobody digs up a plant and puts a juniper next to the house.

There's that's just a completely unrealistic expectation, again, showing the total disconnect in my view between state legislators and the reality of the world that we live in.

So thank you.

Agree, and thank you for the comments.

Uh we are going to be doing a series of education uh outreach for landscaping contractors as well.

And we're working on some other uh methods to educate the community, uh, potentially down the road and having some demonstration gardens, things like that.

So there's a lot of things in the works to try and educate the both the contractors, landscapers, HOAs, and residents on how to do the smart.

I think this is a really good idea, and I think it's a good opportunity moving forward.

Well, thanks um so much for this.

We do have you on the March 10th um first reading.

We we have that on there.

So wonderful.

In closing, I'd just like to add one other thing that I forgot to mention in my uh presentation.

Uh last year, this uh council did pass the ADU ordinance, and that ADU ordinance uh specifically prohibited detesh ADUs within the WUI shape.

And so I've been speaking with uh plan director Kevin Walker about this.

And I think uh that if this uh code is adopted, it's probably time to revisit that.

And I think the intent would be to um with the spirit of that conversation at the time.

Maybe that drives conversation about prohibiting the detached ADUs within the class two wooy, but still allow that within the class one because we know a lot of the builders on the east side are uh actually designing to accommodate for ADUs.

So I just want to put that out there uh for this council that that's going to drive further conversation down the road.

Any other questions or concerns?

Noted.

I saw Kevin Smile.

Uh that point is the current interpretation that uh ADUs would be restricted in both if this passes the way the uh code is written currently, and Kevin's hearing can certainly speak to that, but I believe the intent the way it's written is it prohibits any detach ADUs within the wildland urban interface overlay.

And so we would have to clarify that language uh to specify that that would be the class two risk area.

But I'll certainly let Kevin speak.

Kevin Walker City Planning Director.

Um a couple of quick things.

First, this is this is a lot of work, and Chris and his staff has done a great job of keeping us involved and worrying about all the moving pieces.

So I want to congratulate Chris on getting it to this point this far.

Um and second, how could he forget about ADUs?

I mean, geez.

Never forget about ADUs.

Uh yeah, so we 12 of them.

We continue to evaluate the language as as it evolves and we'll make some minor changes uh to make sure that what we're talking about is that we we do not allow the detached um and attached uh ADUs in the current uh wooy area, but that we will allow them in the PUI and now class two, I think, area class one area.

And um we'll so we'll be bringing forward some what once the this language is finally decided, we'll bring forward some language that'll modify the code uh to um to reflect that.

Yeah.

If if that's what the fire science recommends or says is appropriate, because if it's wind-driven fires and another structure, you know, between the two homes helps it to move from one to the other.

I mean, I we just want to do what is smart and safe for our residents, not as not what is uh desired by a group if it's unsafe.

I'm sure the uh fire marshal would agree with that.

Okay, and I'm sure Kevin Walker would too.

Yeah, you know, to that point, um, you know, when we talk about wildfire initiated community conflagration, which is what this is when we get a wild fast-moving wildfire grass fire move into a community.

Um the uh proposed code language certainly helps with that.

You know, as I spoke to the more that we can do a rounded development, the better off we're gonna be.

Um, you know, we're never going to completely avoid community conflagration when we build homes in high density areas with uh low uh or with higher flammability materials, right?

And so um, you know, as as we've said before from the fire department, you know, if we want to do this right and we want to protect our community, then we're gonna build everything out of concrete and we're gonna have houses 50 feet apart.

Certainly that's not affordable, and that doesn't meet the intent of what we're trying to do locally.

Uh, that flies in the face with a lot of uh affordable housing initiatives.

But um this is a step in the right direction.

Is it a solve all?

Absolutely not.

Uh I don't know that the state code goes far enough to fix on the the real issue.

Um, but you know, that's uh the debate for another day.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Moving on to item eight B.

Will the clerk please read item eight B into the record?

Resolution approving the amendment intergovernmental agreement between the city of Colorado Spain's and Fessel County in Colorado establishing Pike Speak Regional Office Emergency Management.

Good morning, Ryan.

Good morning, Madam President Cro Iverson, President Pro Tim Risley, all members of City Council, Ryan Trujillo, Deputy Chief of Staff for the City of Carter Springs.

And I'm pleased to provide just a brief introduction to this item.

I wanted to share the success of the Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management or PPR OEM as it's known.

It's been consolidated between El Paso County and the City of Cartoon Springs since 2019.

And since that time, it's provided really a success story for regional collaboration in terms of a unified approach to disaster preparedness, disaster response, and let's not forget about the recovery of the disasters that occur.

Oftentimes our director Nutbaum uh mentions that this is the Office of Disaster Management, not emergency management, and I think that's actually paints a better picture of what it entails.

Uh emergencies are handled every day by our first responders.

Uh this is really the the support of Office of Emergency Management is really when it exceeds the capabilities of our local first responders and they need additional support.

So think large disasters, wildfires that we just touched on some of that on the last item, as well as uh floods and other um types of emergencies that we face here in Colorado Springs.

Uh so it's been a true success story uh in terms of efficiencies for shared resources, um shared investment uh with Opaso County, um kind of a unified uh joint governance structure as well.

And I also want to commend the exceptional leadership of Andrew Notbaum, the director who's been in place over the last three years.

Uh he was also the the deputy director for about a year prior to that.

Uh he's built a phenomenal team over there and is really his professionalism, his expertise, and his uh collaborative spirit uh are really what truly makes this a success.

So with that, I'd like to introduce Andrew Notbaum.

Uh thank you, Ryan.

Um, President uh Crow Iverson, President Pro Tem, members of council uh here today seeking um approval to amend and extend the intergovernmental agreement for PPROEM from El Paso County in the city of Colorado Springs.

Um Ryan had mentioned um uh we were uh PPROEM or the IGA was signed in January of 2019 to create an office and a unified approach to disaster preparedness, disaster response, and disaster recovery.

Uh the IGA was renewed in March of 2023.

Um to renew it again.

We expire in April of 26th, and it requires council action for a renewal.

PPROEM enhances regional coordinate uh nation, reduces duplication, and improves efficiency during disasters.

If you've heard me speak before, you hear me say uh disasters don't stick to jurisdictional boundaries, and that emergency management, disaster management is a better name for what we do.

Disaster management is also not just our team, it is an enterprise.

It takes everybody, our community.

It is vertically, horizontally to get through a large-scale disaster.

The vision of PPROEM was to be a force multiplier for resources and cross-jurisdictional uh coordination, expertise sharing, and I believe we have been successful, very successful in doing that.

Um, just a couple of items uh to go over if you're uh not familiar with this.

Uh our structure, the joint oversight by county administration and the chief of staff's office uh really helps us have a balanced approach to governance.

Um I've got multiple bosses.

I've got Ryan here as the deputy chief of staff.

I also uh I'm a boss with the deputy county administrator, Sonny Bryant, who unfortunately had a commitment this morning, but otherwise wanted to be here to support it.

Um as the director, I oversee the day-to-day operations.

I set our strategic plan, and I am the direct contact to our policy group during disasters.

As far as staffing, we leverage our expertise from the city and the county.

Um, really as a force multiplier.

We do cross training.

You know, we have COP planning.

I have a COP, our COP planner for the city is a county employee.

We approach this work as jurisdictionally blind because really it um the work we do uh helps support both the city and county.

Uh there's equitable sharing between the city and county for PPROEM.

I'm meeting with my leadership constantly to look at investments in technology staffing, training, and infrastructure as we continue to grow this program.

Um we receive programmatic input from a Mac group, which is multi-agency coordination group, which is a MAC system.

These are the uh what we call emergency support functions that staff our emergency coordination center in a disaster, and they cover all sectors: public health, public safety, infrastructure, logistics, our voluntary organizations active in disaster, our hospital system.

They are part of our MAC group and our MAC system that helps support us.

And it really enhances our ability to prepare for diverse hazards and complex incidents.

Um just want to highlight this briefly, but one of uh a success story is our accreditation to the emergency management accreditation program.

PPROEM is the only locally program or local program in the state of Colorado that has been accredited.

We are one of 43 programs nationally that have been through accreditation.

This is a rigorous process to go through 64 different standards that we need to be uh in compliance of that look at make sure our plans, policies, our training and are exercised, meet the standards in the country uh for a program.

Um there are some really great programs out there that are not accredited, but to be accredited really exemplifies our commitment to continual improvement and excellence within emergency management.

So, in just open to questions, but then in you know, the purpose here today is seeking council approval for resolution to amend and continue the Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Colorado Springs and El Paso County, and with that I'm open to any questions.

Councilman Bailey.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh question I had on this was the is there a reason that the limit is three years of this agreement.

The termination provisions in the agreement are that any that we can you know can back out of it and dissolve it within a year.

Is there a reason that we can't extend this the term of the agreement to five or ten years?

Um why do we keep coming back every three years?

You know, that is a great question.

I don't know, Ryan.

Do you know the answer?

Or or Frederick, who's joining us today as well on that the history?

Uh I don't know if there's an exact answer to that question.

It's really just to make sure that both entities, it was a fairly significant change in terms of how we approached um Office of Emergency Management.

So I I think a few iterations at this cadence uh would be appropriate just to make sure that uh if there are things that need to be adjusted in the IGA that we have that opportunity to do so.

Uh but uh I think to your overall point, I think we could look at a longer term uh as we move forward, and this continues to settle in as the way uh that we do things and the success that it's shown.

Yeah, we've we've we've got some experience now, we've seen that it works, we're happy with the way that it works.

The opportunity to amend or the we're going to amend it anyway.

It seems to me that one of those things that you look at is just how often do we really need to come back and do this?

Again, with the termination provision in there, if something starts to go wrong, we can always dissolve it and start over if necessary.

But um the the purpose of coming back every three years, maybe we want to look at that too.

Yes, sir.

Councilman Rainey.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh, just a quick question.

Um, because we have a IGA with the city and a county with five military installations, and each one of those installations having their own emergency management.

Do we have any agreements with them also?

Um just a curiosity question.

You know, I uh we do for response for sure, and and our our fire partners left us um uh and law enforcement.

We got one back.

Oh, yeah.

We can get Tim up here.

So we do have for response.

Um we work with our military installations through our MAC group.

All the installations coordinate through that multi-agency coordination system.

They help provide guidance to our training.

We're also it's not part of the IGA, but PPROEM is the designated emergency response authority for hazardous materials in El Paso County.

So the Hazmat team is under our uh for the county is under PPROEM, and we work hand in hand with our military installations on training uh on a weekly basis.

And so part of that is by agreement, um, part of that is by handshake, part of that is not just um it's our responsibility in my view to work closely with our military partners.

So we have strong relationships there in the emergency management side.

We don't have any um you know uh IgAs with them, um, but there is an agreement to support each other.

What or not an agreement, an understanding, I guess, an understanding to support each other, and we're engaged in each other's training processes.

And it sounds like that agreement is more through the MAC side versus having a separate IGA.

That's right.

That's correct.

Yep.

Thank you.

Councilman Hingem.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

Morning, Andrew.

Um, so is I don't actually know what the amendment to the agreement is.

So is I don't actually know what the amendment to the agreement is.

What are we amending?

I realize we're extending it.

I don't know what we're amending their search.

That's a great question.

There were there were three things in the amendment, and it may have been part of the documentation.

One was that it had search and rescue in there, which was not a function under emergency management.

So we removed that.

It had PPR hyphen OEM.

And so we amended that in the agreement.

The third piece is that we had in there for uh originally to have an advisory council, and we found that the advisory council was the police chief, the the fire chief, the sheriff, um the Pikes Peak Fire Chief Council, City and County Adration.

We did that for the first three years.

We found it was a lot of duplication because I'm meeting with those teams all of the time.

And so we put in the MAC group as our advisory council, and those were the those were the three amendments.

Great.

I didn't see the amended actions in our so that's helpful to understand.

Sounds like it makes it more efficient.

It makes it more efficient, yes.

Okay, I don't see any other questions.

All right.

Thank you very much.

Moving on to item eight C.

Will the clerk please read item eight C into the record?

Resolution authorizing acquisition of real properties and PPRT funds and the alternative treatment site, Austin Bloss Woodman project.

Good morning, Gail.

Good morning.

I'll bring my presentation up.

Um thank you, um, Madam President, President Pro Tem, and members of the council.

My name is Gail Sturdivant.

I'm a city engineer and deputy public works director here in Colorado Springs.

Um I'm joined today by the real estate services manager, Kelly Billingsley.

Uh today, what we're here to talk with you about is a resolution to purchase the property that sits at the northwest corner of Woodman Road and Austin Bluffs Parkway to be used for a stormwater water quality treatment facility that's gonna be used to serve the water quality requirements for several PPRT transportation projects.

So as I mentioned, um with uh the property is located in the northwest corner of Woodman Road and Austin Bliss Parkway.

Uh the map in front of you north is to the top, so you can see that area.

Um, just as you're taking a look at it, you can see that that area is fairly in size with that.

That's the dark coloring on the eastern side of that particular parcel.

And then also in the um the bottom right corner, you can see it looks like there's a trail system or a social network, and I'll talk a little bit about that.

That's currently on private property.

Um this 15.38 acre property was listed for sale by Austin Bluffs Parkway LLC for the amount of 1.38 million dollars.

Uh the city uh did go through an independent appraisal proper process to determine if that was the appropriate amount, and it was determined it is so.

So the city has made an offer that's been accepted by that um by that seller contingent upon all the authority approvals.

Um why do we need this?

So as of the city has these um water quality requirements for all of our projects uh when it relates to stormwater, all of our transportation projects have this.

So we're always having to address that in our projects.

This gives us the opportunity to consolidate that in one area for at least six different PPRTA three A-less projects.

Um and we know from an initial analysis on the site that we would have the capacity to be able to use that um not only in it, and when we do that, our capital cost savings is about $800,000 or just over $800,000.

The bigger savings long term is in that maintenance cost, because now our crews are going to one location to be able to provide maintenance as opposed to going to multiple locations along a transportation uh project and be able to provide or providing maintenance at those locations.

Um so I mentioned there are the six named uh projects, uh the 30th Street corridor approvements, uh all four uh segments of Nevada Avenue, Old Ranch Road, and then other projects that are within that same hydraulic unit code.

Uh we already know that there's a couple other bridge projects we have coming on that are likely going to get credit, and those are the Mark Shuffle Road over Cottonwood Creek and Fillmore Bridge replacement projects.

Um I will before I leave the slide also mention, you know, I meant pointed out the social trails that are there on that uh corner of that property.

Uh the parks department for years has wanted to make all that put could obtain at least portion of the property uh to be able to bring those trails into their network and be able to do improvements on it.

Now with the city owning the parcel, they would be able to come in and do that.

Um as I mentioned, this purchase was um can completed in accordance with our real estate manual.

We did have that independent appraisal.

Uh because it's over 100,000, we do need to come and ask city council's permission to be able to proceed.

Um I will let you know that the six projects that I named on the slide have have been planned to have budget or do have budget to be able to complete this purchase.

Um and it is scheduled for the PPRTA CAC on March 4th and the PPRTA board on March 11th.

Um I would be asking that uh council consider this for your consent agenda at the March 10th meeting when it's currently planned.

So thank you for your time.

I'm happy to answer questions.

Councilman Hincham.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

Um, Gail, this is um actually, I think really an engineering question.

And that is how does one property that's so far away from all of these other projects actually benefit the work of those projects?

Is this like sort of the credit we get through stormwater and the um yeah it just helped me understand?

So um it's that hydraulic uh unit code, which is a fancy way of saying a drainage basin, and those six projects that I named are in the same drainage basin.

So I can provide one mass water treatment location within that drainage basement, even though it's further to the north and get the credit for that within that same basin.

Okay, so it's really credit within that basin that actually Yes.

And and that is actually spelled out as one of the provisions and the city's permit for water quality.

Okay, yeah.

Um, thanks.

Councilman Rainey.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh Gail, a couple of questions.

At that particular location, to the immediate northwest and to the northeast, there are housing uh areas.

Um have you all reached out or notified those individuals or gotten any feedback?

Um, because that particular land that you're referring to is on a very awkward slope.

Um as you get to that intersection, it kind of weaves up, and there's a housing area in the back side of there.

So we want to kind of get uh an ideal of what that looks like from a community perspective.

Right.

Okay, so I will tell you that we have not had individual outreach on this particular project or what we're property or what we would be wanting to do with the property.

It has been for sale and has had several prospectors that come and do mostly commercial uh type activities.

But what they've done when they've gone through and done their due diligence, realize that a lot of that lot really isn't buildable in a fashion to do this.

So we actually think this is probably the highest and best used and bringing a lot of community value because now it is going to remain in some kind of open space.

We'll be able to finish the trail connection there with Cottonwood Creek Park.

We'll be able to um tie in the channel that comes from the north along Austin Bluffs better, and to be able to create that basin to provide water quality improvements overall for the community.

Okay.

Thank you.

Councilman Donaldson.

Yeah, thanks, madam president.

And uh good morning, Gail.

Morning.

Can you help me understand what does that mean?

Water quality improvements.

Is this a big detention pond or retention pond?

It will look very much like a retention pond, yes.

So it will be uh have the ability for water to be slowed down and have the ability to infiltrate into the soil directly.

And should we uh understand this that there's uh an area, some boundaries drawn around it?

There was a fancy word for that.

What was it?

You just mentioned it.

Are you talking about the huck, that hydraulic unit code?

No, not drainage basin.

Uh there was something.

And you said, oh, it's because it was in answering one of uh Nancy's questions that um well it's inside this area, so this will will count towards the Nevada projects.

Yes.

Uh but anyway, the word isn't important.

But is the idea that hey, we just have to do something somewhere inside this boundary.

We have to do enough uh surface area.

If we increase the roads or we do a big uh PPRTA project and we create more runoff, we have to show that we have a uh retention pond some somewhere, even though it's gonna have nothing to do with uh Nevada, is that right?

Uh so let me come maybe start to the beginning and hit all those.

The every time we have a project, and whether it's city or not, but just focusing on city that disturbs an acre of earth, it requires us to provide some kind of water quality treatment.

So that in that water quality treatment is stormwater water quality treatment.

It's not not anything else.

So when we every project we do it, we are looking and we whether we're adding on or creating new basins, or if we're putting what or hydraulic dynamic separators, we're richly your fancy manholes that create some kind of turbulence to settle at the sediment at the bottom of those are those are incorporated in every single one of our projects that disturb more than an acre.

And the case of the six projects that I mentioned, they're gonna have a significant impact.

There's a lot of work that's going to be done on those just those six named projects.

So they're gonna trigger um a significant amount.

And I actually so they happen to trigger 2.5 acre feet of need of water quality treatment need.

So we also we know just on the Nevada Avenue corridor itself, because it already has drainage struggles because it's relatively flat in that area.

We can make some of that up in that area, but we knew we were going to have some supplemental treatment we're gonna have to force somewhere.

So we were looking to do some kind of centralized location or really create a bank to provide a more efficient water quality treatment.

Um, when we would do it, it is in that hydraulic uh unit code or that huck, it's that's the abbreviation, and it's really that essentially that same drainage basin that we're allowed to provide that treatment um it within the basin and still receive credit for those each individual projects as we go through there.

Did that answer the points of your question?

It does, but it it seems like this is acceptable, but it's less than ideal because it would seem that you would want this um retention over by um Nevada to slow the water down there from when before it runs off into uh uh monument or fountain creek.

And we will try to capture about 75% of that there within those project sites, but to obtain that last 25% always tends to be a challenge.

And so we want to have this water quality bank to be able to uh achieve our 100% requirements that we trigger with the work.

Okay, and on this site, you what people will see then is a uh a large retention pond.

Is that right?

Yeah, essentially.

Very similar to that.

Anything else?

Um you will actually see the trail.

You know, we anticipate parks as soon as we own the property, come in and do the trail improvements in that area.

Um, you'll see likely I know the stormwater enterprise is working on some additional projects on that channel to the north and seeing some other water quality features, slowing that water down before it even gets into that basin new basin location.

How big is this hook?

Can you just give us some general boundaries on it?

Do you have any idea?

I mean, is it like uh good so I can't remember the northern boundary exactly, but the eastern boundary is just a little bit uh east of of um Austin Bluff Parkway.

It goes to Woodman Road before it starts cutting up and going north and comes down uh past uh Fillmore.

It's it's a pretty large basin.

Down the Fillmore and then over to uh like 25 or something.

It does, yeah.

Um it does because 30th Street is included in that same boundary.

It starts as this very triangular base, and as it comes down and feeds into uh Fountain Creek eventually.

Okay, thank you.

Councilman Rainey.

Thank you, Madam President.

Just for clarity, infrastructure.

There's no infrastructure, no type of facilities or anything that's gonna be built on that location, correct?

No, no, that is not our intent.

Our intent would be to put this water quality facility there and let parks be able to do improvements to these social trails to bring them into their network.

Okay, and for clarity on that point, because we kind of know right now where parks is at from a development standpoint, they're pretty backlogged right now.

Is that something that you all are gonna be helping them with or just kind of do a warm handoff over?

Because what I fear if you do a warm handoff, it's gonna sit there for a while because we're already backed up by five different projects.

So what does that look like?

But we will definitely be coordinating with them and we may even just put that in for them when they we go to do the development of that water quality facility in that area.

Their trail just is a short section, where it's less than a couple hundred feet that or about a couple hundred feet that uh go over the corner of that property.

But that's one of the things we'll keep working with them because I think our intent is when we go out there and do construction that we just do everything in that location at once.

And if it if parks is aligned timing-wise, then we'll help them out with that.

We frequently do a lot of projects with them.

Okay, thank you.

I also just want to mention that racking up those environmental water credits are really important for our grants in the future.

So that's a win-win with it.

So great.

Thank you so much for your presentation.

Thank you.

Is consent on the 10th?

Yes, if possible.

You got it.

Great.

Thank you.

Moving on to item 8D.

Will the clerk please read item 8D into the record?

An ordinance repealing ordinance numbers 0 to 10 and 21-92, thereby dissolving the citizens' transportation advisory board.

Mr.

Montgomery.

Michael Montgomery Legislative Services here to discuss the dissolution of CTAP.

Councilmember Lineweber and Henjum.

We gave a robust uh presentation on February 9th.

And so here to answer any additional questions.

Councilman Hingem.

No additional questions, Mr.

Montgomery, but I do know we have the chair of CTAB in the audience today, Jerry White, and uh um know that we will be planning when we vote on this to do some recognition of CTAB members at that time.

Correct.

Yeah, we'll have a list of accomplishments from the last several years.

And actually hoping that um Gail that you will be able to be present for that, perhaps, and hopefully, depending on your schedule.

I know you've got a lot on your plate.

So if you can't make it understand, um, but I know that you've worked with CTAP for a very long time.

Yeah, thank you.

I don't have any other questions or comments for you.

Thank you so much.

This will be uh coming forth to the regular meeting on March 10th as Council Member.

March 10th.

Yep.

Killing me.

We'll be here till midnight.

I'm kidding.

We will not Mr.

Helms be here until midnight.

I just have to point you out.

Nope.

Moving on to items um under study 10.

We will move on to council member reports and open discussion if we have any council members with any reports.

Now's the time.

Councilman Lineweber.

But I have a question.

Oh, yes.

Councilman Williams, I didn't see your thumb up or hand.

Sorry.

I don't know if anybody sees it, so I just start talking.

We didn't miss anything, President.

I promise.

Um, I just wanted to ask, I'm assuming is Ryan there to represent the mayor's office, Ryan True.

No.

Um Travis Easton is welcome back, Travis.

Uh thank you, Brandon.

You're welcome.

Um again, can't trust everything you read, but um I did read that city officials announced Friday that um you're closing bathrooms and 10 neighborhood parks and rather have that be conjecture.

I would like to ask if that is a true statement.

That's step one.

I yes, I believe that is true.

These were pursuant to the discussions around the budget um issues.

Um I will say, and Sheree is not here, so she's probably office and throw something at me.

I will say if there is any um potential underspend that maybe we look at all of that um pot of money is something that we could see.

Is there is there potential to use some of that?

And if so, maybe we could come up with a list of priorities to do so.

Thank you.

And then uh council member Rainey mentioned, we are behind when it comes to parks maintenance and trails and clearly now bathrooms.

So I would like to officially state for the record that um as we found ourselves in this budget situation, I am not comfortable with adding Fisher's Canyon to the list because all that is is adding more infrastructure that we then have to maintain.

And at this stage of the conversation, it's very evident not only can we not maintain what we have, but the fact that we have to close bathrooms in existing parks, and and that is where we found ourselves.

Um there is no reason we should be spending any money, whether it be design or a drainage report or anything on Fisher's Canyon.

And if we need to have more of a conversation as to buckets of money and colors of money to um further that I'm fine with that, but I just want to on the record that while we are closing bathrooms and parks, we should not be adding more facilities to parks when people can barely enjoy the ones we already have.

Thank you.

Yes, thank you.

And um, pursuant to our text messages last week, I will work to get that meeting set up with you and the park staff to go over Fisher's.

Thank you.

Yep, Councilman Lineweber.

Yes, I'm excited to be back.

Um I had 10 days in Argentina, which was amazing.

Um I did learn something, just FYI.

Um, our security system with the way that we log in and answer emails and stuff like that.

It doesn't allow you to do that when you're out of country.

So out of country, you can't log in.

So uh so for all those out there that were emailing me and didn't get a response.

Well, it's because I was I couldn't log in.

I just I was you blocked me, I was blocked.

So anyway, um I uh I wasn't strongly disappointed that I couldn't respond to emails, but I had a good excuse.

So I just wanted to kind of put that on the table that the city wouldn't allow me to log in to respond to constituents.

So um, but I I am following up on all those immediately right now.

Um so I wanted to make that statement.

Um the other thing was an observation that I made, and I'm I'm actually gonna kind of look into this because I really um you know it's it it's interesting when I go to different countries, it it seems to be really different from one country to the next.

But in Brennes Ares, there's no visible sign of homelessness.

None.

And I toured the whole city, and I didn't, I didn't there wasn't anything.

And evidently they really attribute when I talked to them, they said really the main issue for us is we just don't have a drug problem.

We just don't tolerate drugs, period.

And um and that's what their response to me was when I asked about it, was that we don't tolerate drugs, and that is what is really kind of helped with the homeless situation for us.

Now they do have lower standards of building codes, so it's probably easier to get a house.

Um, and so there's probably those kind of elements.

But I did find it interesting, and I wanted to kind of point out that uh Buenos Aires, which is not a small town by any means, had no visible sign of homelessness.

So anyway, just uh a note.

Councilman Donaldson.

Thank you, madam president.

Uh just a couple things.

Um on Thursday last week, 24 new um Colorado Springs uh police officers were sworn in.

Um, so I want to thank them for uh you know having the courage and the service to uh to serve our citizens of Colorado Springs uh in their current roles now.

They're out uh with their patrol training officers getting in getting more training, and so 24 more officers.

That's great news.

On Friday, Sergeant Olav Cheney, who all of us here know, uh retired after 35 years of service.

He started in 1991.

And I know that several of the ladies up here weren't even born yet in 1991.

So that's quite a while.

And that didn't get any laughter, so I'm a little disappointed.

Um, but I I want to thank him.

He's been a real help for us as we try to uh figure out ways to improve the homeless situation in Colorado Springs.

He has a wealth of knowledge, and he is the guy who has really um run the uh uh their drill team for uh CSPD uh for 34 of those 35 years.

And I've got to say there have been times I didn't even realize that was him up there because he has such a different uh appearance when he's uh doing those duties.

Um yesterday.

One thing that's uh notable about yesterday is it it's the uh the birthday of the you know our founding father George Washington, it's 294 years since he was born.

Um so that's you know that's a happy thing about the date, but but it's also the 20-year anniversary of the uh really the murder of Detective Jared Jensen who died um basically trying to apprehend a uh uh an attempted murderer uh who who then killed him.

So I want to recognize the sacrifice of uh the the Jensen family of detective Jared Jensen, and for citizens that don't know that his brother is uh deputy chief Jeff Jensen, who's still with CSPD.

So um I want to recognize his sacrifice for our city.

Thank you.

Councilman Rainey.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh just want to highlight one item.

And while the item itself may not be direct towards city council, it does have a major impact on future business for the city of Colorado Springs.

Uh two about a week and a half ago, had the honor of uh hosting Dr.

Hong, who is the uh designated general counsel for uh Taiwan here, who's located uh in Denver, and she was able to come down to Colorado Springs and participate in an event uh late in the evening called the Winter Night Club.

Well, during that time frame, one of the things we end up discussing and through her briefing was some of the investments that Taiwan is doing, especially with the recent agreement with the state of Colorado and Taiwan.

Why is that important to Colorado Springs?

Semiconductors and getting more business here into the region.

So we were able to take the city program, i.e.

the sisters program, uh sister cities program, and tie that to her office.

So we're actually scheduling some time with her, uh, and we're rolling in the chamber and some other entities to start looking at how we can build bigger uh business partnerships here.

Uh matter of fact, they just built one massive partnership down in Arizona, and Dr.

Hong is really working hard to make that same uh that same project come here to Colorado Springs.

So more to come on that is uh I think potentially a big win for Colorado Springs.

Um, but uh I think it was pretty uh great for us to connect a sister cities program along with her office in hopes of bringing in more business to Colorado Springs.

So just wanted to make sure everyone is aware of that.

Seeing no others, um I'd be remiss if we didn't mention that um America brought home 33 medals as of last night, 12 gold, 12 silver, and nine bronze.

And my favorite was the men's hockey team pounding on Canada.

That was kind of fun in overtime.

Over time.

Um there were there was a speed skater, uh Dutch speed skater that had my attention throughout most of the weeks.

She was she was very impressive.

Um, but congratulations to all of those as Olympic City USA.

Um, and we'll have to wait another four years for winter, but we have summer coming up here soon.

So if there are no other comments today that adjourns our meeting, we do have lunch right now.

Um, immediately following this meeting.

Mr.

Helms, you're welcome to join us for potluck and jumblea today.

Um, because we have a lot on our agenda, so we are adjourned