Council Planning and Public Works Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Planning and Public Works Committee met on January 15, 2013, at 1:00 p.m., with Bill Farmer presiding. The committee addressed five agenda items during the meeting, including the election of a committee chair and approval of meeting summaries from November 20th and December 11th, 2012. The committee also received an informational update on exploring the use of alternative fuel resources for Fayette County, specifically a CNG (compressed natural gas) update. One agenda item regarding referred items was deferred for later consideration. The committee took five motions and votes during the meeting and heard five public comments.

Attendance

Present: - Linda Gorton - Charles Ellinger - Steve Kay - Chris Ford - Diane Lawless - Julian Beard - Bill Farmer - Jennifer Mossotti - Harry Clarke - Peggy Henson - Jenifer Benningfield

Absent: - Tom Blues - Stinnett

Late: None recorded

Votes and Decisions

All votes taken during this meeting passed unanimously with no abstentions or dissenting votes.

Elect Bill Farmer as Chair of the Planning and Public Works Committee 1:12 - Motion by: Charles Ellinger - Second by: Julian Beard - Outcome: Passed unanimously - All 10 members voted in favor: Linda Gorton, Charles Ellinger, Steve Kay, Chris Ford, Diane Lawless, Julian Beard, Bill Farmer, Jennifer Mossotti, Harry Clarke, and Peggy Henson

Approve the November 20th, 2012 Summary 3:21 - Motion by: Charles Ellinger - Second by: Linda Gorton - Outcome: Passed unanimously - All 10 members voted in favor

Approve the December 11th, 2012 Summary 3:55 - Motion by: Linda Gorton - Second by: Charles Ellinger - Outcome: Passed unanimously - All 10 members voted in favor

Refer the social service aspects of the Newtown Pike Extension Project to the Social Services and Community Development Committee 51:19 - Motion by: Bill Farmer - Second by: Linda Gorton - Outcome: Passed unanimously - All 10 members voted in favor

Adjourn the meeting 51:54 - Motion by: Bill Farmer - Second by: Julian Beard - Outcome: Passed unanimously - All 10 members voted in favor

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial commitments related to compressed natural gas (CNG) infrastructure and equipment:

CNG-Powered Solid Waste Compactors

The government approved the purchase of 5-6 CNG-powered solid waste compactors for $850,000. This acquisition represents an investment in environmentally sustainable waste management equipment.

CNG Fueling Station Contract

A Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued for a short-term CNG fueling station with a contract duration of 24-36 months, budgeted at $1,000,000. This temporary fueling infrastructure is intended to support the operation of the CNG-powered vehicles and equipment.

These two financial actions together total $1,850,000 and reflect a coordinated effort to develop CNG-based transportation and waste management capabilities.

Public Comment

Five members of the public addressed the board during this meeting, raising questions about alternative fuel options, vehicle infrastructure, and road maintenance.

Alternative Fuel Concerns

Peggy Henson 16:15 asked about cost savings comparing CNG to biodiesel and raised environmental concerns about fracking, noting that all fuel options involve trade-offs.

Diane Lawless 18:26 expressed support for exploring CNG but questioned the environmental impact of fracking. She also inquired about the viability of using used cooking oil as a fuel source.

Vehicle Implementation and Infrastructure

Steve Kay 23:50 asked about the typical life cycle of vehicles and whether there is a threshold for infrastructure investment. He also inquired about vehicle trade-in options.

Jennifer Mossotti 27:34 asked whether electric vehicles had been considered for the light fleet and whether maintenance mechanics were trained for CNG vehicles.

Road Maintenance

Linda Gorton 39:46 requested an update on requesters for salt and asked whether there was a quantifiable way to determine the cost of additional salt for school routes.

Appointments

Jennifer Mossotti was appointed to serve as Vice Chair of the Planning and Public Works Committee.

Contested Items

Environmental Impact of CNG and Fracking

Councilmembers engaged in a heated discussion regarding the environmental trade-offs associated with compressed natural gas (CNG) and fracking practices. The debate centered on weighing the fuel's cost and emissions benefits against environmental concerns. Several councilmembers expressed reservations about CNG despite its potential advantages, indicating disagreement over whether the environmental risks of fracking outweighed the benefits of adopting this fuel source.

Social Service Aspects of Newtown Pike Extension

A motion to separate the social service components of the Newtown Pike Extension project and refer them to the Social Services Committee resulted in a split vote outcome. The motion passed unanimously, demonstrating that councilmembers reached agreement on the necessity for specialized oversight of the social service elements within this project. This decision reflected consensus that these components warranted dedicated attention from the appropriate committee rather than being handled as part of the broader project.

Election of Committee Chair

During this agenda item, councilmembers nominated and elected Bill Farmer as Chair of the Planning and Public Works Committee. Jennifer Mossotti was appointed Vice Chair.

Key speakers in this discussion included Charles Ellinger, Julian Beard, Bill Farmer, and Linda Gorton.

The election was approved.

November 20th, 2012 Summary

2:49

The committee approved the summary of the November 20th, 2012 meeting. The discussion focused on street tree ordinances, with committee members David Leonard, Tom Blues, Steve Kay, and Peggy Henson participating in the review.

The approved summary included recommendations for code revisions related to street tree management and regulations. Additionally, the committee discussed public outreach efforts to accompany these potential code changes.

The agenda item was approved by the committee.

December 11th, 2012 Summary

3:55

The committee approved the December 11th, 2012 summary during this meeting. The summary covered three main areas of discussion and action items from the previous meeting.

Topics Covered

The approved summary included updates on the following matters:

• Re-paving program
• Utility pole policies
• Items referred to the committee

Key Participants

The discussion involved three key speakers:

• Jane Driskell
• Kevin Wente
• Jonathan Hollinger

Outcome

The committee voted to approve the December 11th, 2012 summary as presented.

Exploring the Use of Alternative Fuel Resources for Fayette County – CNG Update

John Sheed presented an update on the city's exploration of compressed natural gas (CNG) as an alternative fuel resource for Fayette County's heavy fleet operations 5:00.

Presentation Overview

Sheed highlighted the potential benefits of transitioning to CNG, including projected fuel savings and reduced maintenance costs compared to traditional diesel fuel. The presentation addressed the city's interest in evaluating CNG as a viable option for heavy-duty vehicles in the county fleet.

Key Topics Discussed

The presentation covered: - Potential fuel and maintenance cost savings from CNG conversion - Infrastructure challenges associated with implementing CNG fueling stations and vehicle conversion - Partnership opportunities with LexTran to support CNG fleet development

Participation

Commissioner Hamilton participated in the discussion, engaging with the information presented on alternative fuel resources.

Outcome

This agenda item was informational in nature, providing the commission with an update on the city's ongoing exploration of CNG technology and infrastructure requirements for potential fleet conversion.

Items Referred to Committee

38:38

The committee reviewed several items that had been referred for consideration, including revisions to the sign ordinance, an update from the Design Excellence Task Force, and an amendment to Article 5A regarding Right of Entry.

Key speakers during this discussion included Linda Gorton, Steve Kay, Chris Ford, and Peggy Henson.

Among the matters addressed was the Newtown Pike Extension project. The committee determined that the social service aspects of this extension should be separated from the main discussion and referred to the Social Services Committee for further review and consideration.

The outcome of this agenda item was deferred, indicating that final action or decisions on these referred items were postponed for future consideration.