SUBJECT:
Title
Landfill Task Force Recommendation Presentation
Body
DEPARTMENT: Environmental Services
Department
PRESENTER(S): David Frank, Environmental Services Director
Eryka Thorley, Sustainability Division Manager
Morgan Lommele, Senior Director/Facilitator, Kearns & West
Geoff Deakin, Landfill Task Force Member
First Name, Last Name, Title
TIME ESTIMATE: 90 minutes
only required for non-consent items
POLICY ISSUES:
Presentation and discussion of the recommendations reached by the resident-led Task Force to provide direction to Waste Connections on current and future landfill operations, which reflects the Council’s previous direction.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
No action required at this time; staff and Landfill Task Force members want to provide information to the Council on the recommendations reached on this project.
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
Waste Connections (WC), the owner and operator of the currently active Front Range Landfill (FRL) as well as the closed Denver Regional Landfill (DRL), has indicated a desire to expand the FRL on the east side of its current operations and consider long-term community benefits at both locations. Doing so would require approval from Weld County and the Town of Erie Council through a revised Land Use Application. To explore this issue and ensure effective community engagement, the Council directed staff to form a Task Force consisting of eight members of the community including members residing in neighborhoods immediately adjacent to the landfill and the community at large.
The Task Force met regularly for approximately six months, with facilitation assistance from Kerns & West, a consultant hired by the Town at WC’s expense, to make recommendations to WC and report to the Council on its findings and recommendations. WC will then incorporate the Task Force recommendations into a Land Use Permit, to be presented for Council consideration at a later date.
During Council discussion, staff and members of the Landfill Task Force will present information regarding the recommendations reached by the Task Force. Town staff as well as Members of the Landfill Task Force, facilitators from Kerns & West, and Waste Connections staff will be available to answer questions and facilitate discussions. Additional information, including recordings of the meetings, meeting agendas and summaries, project details, comments and questions provided by the public, and other resources, are available at the Landfill Initiatives Task Force Webpage <https://erieco.us/landfilltaskforce>.
COUNCIL PRIORITY(S) ADDRESSED:
ü Attractive Community Amenities
ü Engaged and Diverse Community
ü Prosperous Economy
ü Well-Maintained Transportation Infrastructure
ü Safe and Healthy Community
ü Effective Governance
ü Environmentally Sustainable
ü Fiscally Responsible
ATTACHMENT:
1. Landfill Task Force Recommendations
2. Discussion Agenda
3. Landfill Task Force Presentation
4. Ongoing Community Engagement Memorandum