HomeMy WebLinkAboutInformation Update 121322AGENDA
INFORMATION UPDATE
December 13, 2022
5:00 PM,
I.Information Update
I.A Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion
I.B
City Council Critical Goal Childcare Capacity Update Work Session Follow Up Memo
I.C
City Council Critical Goal – Schematic Design, Burlingame Early Childhood
Education (ECE) Center Work Session Follow Up Memo
Construction_and_Demolition_Waste_Diversion_-
_Information_Only_Memo_December_2022.docx
12.12.22 WorkSession FollowUp Memo.docx
12-05-22 WorkSession FollowUp Memo.docx
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Ainsley Brosnan-Smith, Waste Diversion and Recycling
Administrator
THROUGH: Tessa Schreiner, Sustainability Manager and CJ Oliver, Director of
Environmental Health and Sustainability
MEMO DATE: December 5, 2022
MEETING DATE: December 13, 2022
RE: Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion - Information Only Memo
REQUEST OF COUNCIL:
The purpose of this memo is to update Council on the progress made towards
construction and demolition waste reduction in the City of Aspen. No action is requested
of Council at this time.
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
In August 2021, Council adopted a two-year carbon reduction goal via Resolution #76,
Series of 2021, which directed staff to reduce Aspen’s greenhouse gas emissions by
taking meaningful action in a variety of sectors, including waste, and providing
leadership in reducing the community’s greenhouse gas emissions. Landfill disposal
accounts for 9% of the community’s greenhouse gas emissions, and construction and
demolition (C&D) is one of the largest sectors of materials landfilled in Aspen.
In May of 2020, staff provided Council with an update on C&D waste generated in
Aspen and discussed Pitkin County’s Title 6, Construction and Demolition Debris
Diversion Ordinance. Shortly after the program launch, the Pitkin County Solid Waste
Center (PCSW) hired a full-time employee to oversee required waste diversion at
permitted projects in unincorporated Pitkin County. Prior to a project receiving its permit,
project developers are required to place a deposit of $1,000 per ton of estimated
generated waste from the project. The PCSW requires 25% of the generated waste
from a permitted project to be recycled. If the 25% diversion requirement is not met, the
deposit is kept by the PCSW.
Since the start of this program, over 4,000 tons of C&D debris has been diverted from
the landfill. In October 2022, the PCSW reported most of their projects have exceeded
their 25% diversion requirement, averaging around 48% diversion per project. Due to
the ongoing success of the program, the PCSW has suggested raising the C&D
diversion requirement up to 35%. The Board of County Commissioners show ongoing
support for this diversion program and will consider increasing the diversion requirement
later this year.
Aspen’s C&D debris accounts for an estimated 80% of all C&D debris buried at the
PCSW. In 2021, C&D waste generated from Aspen projects contributed an estimated
15,413 tons of material buried in the landfill.
DISCUSSION:
In 2022, the moratorium on residential development resulted in new regulations limiting
residential demolition to six (plus up to two) allotments per year. These demolition permits
are accompanied by the Residential Demolition and Redevelopment Standards, which
regulate sustainable building standards, including waste diversion requirements. These
annual demolition allotments are required to divert a minimum of 35% of C&D waste, by
weight, that would typically be landfilled.
However, unlike the County’s program, which collects a $1,000 deposit per ton of
estimated debris, this program does not collect a deposit or enforce penalties for not
meeting the diversion requirements. Environmental Health and Sustainability (EHS) staff
is collaborating with Community Development and Engineering staff to evaluate the next
steps for non-compliance, enforcement of diversion requirements, and ways to enhance
building waste diversion and materials reuse. Staff will update Council on the status of
the new residential demolition requirements as they come online in the next year and
provide additional recommendations for increased debris diversion.
Staff has met with PCSW staff to discuss their processing capabilities and capacities for
building materials accepted through their Construction & Demolition Debris Recovery
Program. This program reprocesses building materials such as concrete, asphalt, rock,
cover soil, and mulch; the PCSW then resells the recycled aggregate for reuse. PCSW
encourages more projects to recycle C&D debris through their onsite recovery program
but has found voluntary participation unsuccessful. Upon evaluating the PCSW’s recovery
program, the success of the program depends upon an end market for the reprocessed
materials. EHS staff is exploring requirements for the use of recycled materials in new
construction, stimulating the creation of a local market for those products. Supporting the
use of locally available, recycled materials would reduce the demand for virgin building
materials that add to the global impact of GHG emissions and resource extraction.
In conclusion, C&D debris is a large percentage of the community’s waste. Sending that
material to the landfill has both environmental and community impacts. To increase
diversion rates for construction and demolition material in the city, EHS staff continues
to monitor Pitkin County’s C&D diversion program and evaluate how diversion
requirements like Pitkin County’s could be applied to construction projects in Aspen.
The interrelationship between development, landfill and resource management,
construction materials markets, and City waste policy makes the issue of C&D waste
complex. Staff is also looking to other municipalities that have implemented more
stringent demolition, deconstruction, and building material reuse requirements to
improve local air quality, reduce GHG emissions, and decrease the landfilling of usable
building materials. In the coming year and beyond, staff will evaluate the new C&D
diversion requirements for demolition allotment projects and consider ways the program
can be expanded and improved for amplified impact. More information on these findings
and options will be brought to Council for consideration in the third quarter of 2023.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS:
Sustainable building, reuse, and deconstruction practices have proven to extend the life
of a landfill, conserves resources, reduce GHG emissions, and improve local air quality.
In addition, promoting the use of recycled content in building projects would develop an
end market for recycled materials processed at the PCSW and decrease the demand
for virgin building materials.
In the third quarter of 2023, staff will have a better picture of the program and will
present Council with an analysis of greenhouse gas impacts. Reflecting on PCSW’s
debris recycling program, and deconstruction policies adopted by other municipalities,
staff will evaluate the cost-benefit analysis of environmental savings when implementing
similar programs in Aspen.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
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FOLLOW-UP MEMORANDUM
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
MEETING DATE: December 5,2022
FOLLOW-UP MEMO DATE: December 16, 2022
AGENDA TOPIC: City Council Critical Goal Childcare Capacity
Update
PRESENTED BY: Megan Monaghan and Nancy Nichols Co-
Managers, Kids First
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Torre, Rachael Richards, John Doyle,
Skippy Mesirow, Ward Hauenstein
_______________________________________________________________________
WORK SESSION DISCUSSION SUMMARY:
1. Topic: Wage Enhancement Grant Funding Staff provided information on The Kids First
Advisory Board recommendation to provide $500 a month to full time, $250 to part time
childcare employees to all licensed childcare programs in Pitkin County, for five years. This
would give staff the opportunity to understand how Pitkin County plans to roll out their
program and if they plan to continue the program past the three years of ARPA funding.
Tuition increases would be mitigated by the Kids First financial aid program that is structured
to increase the support that qualifying families receive as tuition rates are increased.
Funding models for increasing tuition to match increased wages provided. Kids First will
provide business and leadership education and training to directors to create a plan for the
tuition increase.
Policy question for council direction: Does Council agree to limiting the launch of this
program initially to early childhood education programs located within the City, with the
potential to expand the program to all of Pitkin County in the future?
Council majority consensus:
Yes, within City limit over 5 years. Provide the business education through EPIC or other
organization. Look for ways to collaborate with the County.
2. Topic: Yellow Brick Building Rent Subsidy Staff recommends reducing or eliminating rent
in order for Yellow Brick Building childcare tenants to increase their employee supports.
Commented [DF1]: I would suggest making
the Pitkin County-wide recommendation a
Kids First Board recommendation and then
a staff recommendation of City-only at
the outset of the program. Can you put
city-only recommendation first?
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Policy Question for Council: Is City Council supportive of eliminating rent charges at the
Yellow Brick, while still charging proportionally for utilities and trash/recycling services? Is this
an optional 1,2,3 year pilot program or ongoing?
Council majority consensus: City Council may be interested in a pilot program but wants
more information about current leases before making a decision about this question. Will be
addressed next Monday work session 12/12.22.
3. Topic: Yellow Brick Building Entry Steps Replacement Project the Kids First Advisory
Board and staff recommend including snow melt in the Yellow Brick Entry steps replacement
project. A bid for $54,731.96 was received for a hydronic system using two smaller new electric
boilers one for each entrance. It was further recommended by City of Aspen Asset Department
to have a $25,000.00 contingency for additional electrical work and overrides with the total
request of $79,731.96.
Policy Question for Council: Does City Council support the addition of snow melt
systems to the Yellow Brick entry capital project?
Council majority consensus.
Yes.
NEXT STEPS: This section outlines next steps for staff and Council on the topic(s) described
above. This section conveys actionable information to staff in how to respond to Council discussion,
described above.
1. Staff is directed to create a contract with EPIC or other small business education entity, to
provide training for directors, take the concept back to the Kids First Advisory board and
move forward with more information.
Deadline.
2. Staff is directed to provide more information on Yellow Brick Building leases to bring back
to City Council for December 12th work session.
Deadline. Dec. 12th, 2022
3. Staff will plan with Asset Department to engage in pre-work for adding snow melt systems
to the two main Yellow Brick entries starting in the spring/summer 2023. This will require a
supplemental budget request.
Deadline. February 2023, Spring Supplemental
CITY MANAGER NOTES:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________
*This should only be 1-2 pages in length.
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FOLLOW-UP MEMORANDUM
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
MEETING DATE: December 5, 2022
FOLLOW-UP MEMO DATE: December 6, 2022
AGENDA TOPIC: City Council Critical Goal – Schematic Design,
Burlingame Early Childhood Education (ECE)
Center
PRESENTED BY: Jennifer Phelan, Development Manager
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Torre, Councilmembers Ward
Hauenstein, Rachael Richards, John Doyle,
Skippy Mesirow
______________________________________________________________________ WORK SESSION DISCUSSION SUMMARY: Staff provided background on the project and
ongoing design progress to schematic design since the August work session. Staff also
provided follow-up information on a number of items including: staffing needs for the
building, capacity needs data, increasing the density allowance at Burlingame, and
consideration of a change order due to scope increase.
Council showed interest in advancing the ECE center. Some discussion on engaging the
HOA about the density cap for housing was raised. Staff requested direction on whether to
advance or pause the project.
1. Topic: Should the schematic design be progressed?
Council majority consensus: Continue progression of the project to gain land
use entitlements for the early childhood education center only. Any scope
amendments proposed by the consultant team will be negotiated and brought back
to Council for review and approval at a regular meeting in early 2023.
NEXT STEPS: Staff will be working with the design team to see what amendments to the
contract may be necessary to take the ECE center to entitlements. This section outlines
next steps for staff and Council on the topic(s) described above.
1. Staff will work on any necessary amendments to the existing contract for
advancing the ECE center through entitlements. Any change order will be
scheduled before Council in early 2023.
2. As part of the entitlement process, outreach with the HOA will occur.
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CITY MANAGER NOTES: __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________