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Staff ask council to signal up to $1.5M from 2050 climate tax to match county grant for Larimer County construction-and-demolition facility
Summary
Deputy City Manager Tyler Marr and Chief Sustainability Officer Jacob Castillo asked the City Council to signal support for using up to $1.5 million of unallocated 2050 climate-tax funds as a possible match to help Larimer County build a construction-and-demolition processing facility at the county landfill.
Deputy City Manager Tyler Marr and Chief Sustainability Officer Jacob Castillo told the Fort Collins City Council that Larimer County is pursuing a state grant and has asked partner jurisdictions to signal support for a regional construction-and-demolition (C&D) processing facility, and staff recommended the council consider earmarking up to $1.5 million of unallocated 2050 climate-tax funds as a potential local match.
The proposed C&D facility would be collocated at the countylandfill site and is intended to increase diversion of demolition and construction materials from the landfill. Jacob Castillo said the county estimates an overall capital cost between $8.7 million and $10.5 million and is applying to the state for roughly $5 million; the county has asked local partners to cover a portion of the remaining cost.
Why this matters: Fort Collins identified C&D processing as a Tier 1 infrastructure need in the city's solid waste plan and staff said the facility would support the city's 0-waste goals and greenhouse-gas reduction by diverting large-volume materials from the landfill. Staff also said that without additional local match funding the countyproject could be at financial risk.
Details and staff briefing
- Project scope and timing: Staff said the county expects the regional landfill and transfer station projects to come online in early 2026 and anticipates the C&D facility would follow; Castillo estimated the C&D processing yard could handle up to 30,000 tons annually with a goal of 40% or greater diversion for C&D materials.
- Funding ask: Larimer County is pursuing a $5 million state grant; staff said the county earlier described potential partner contributions that could total one-third of remaining costs, and Fort Collins currently has $1.5 million of 2050 tax proceeds unallocated from the most recent budget cycle.
- Location: Staff said the facility would be sited at the south end of the current county landfill property.
Council reaction and requests for follow-up
Council members broadly expressed conditional support for the concept and urged staff to provide additional analyses before any final commitment. Questions included: what other jurisdictions would be asked to contribute and in what amounts; how the countydefines the 40% diversion target; how much of the facilitywould directly serve Fort Collins-generated material; and what return-on-investment or greenhouse-gas impacts the city could expect.
Staff said they will do further due diligence with the county and return with answers about partner contributions, the facilityimpacts on Fort Collins tonnage and greenhouse-gas reductions; they noted the state grant application window opens mid-month and a decision is expected in the months afterward.
No formal council vote or appropriation was taken during the discussion; staff asked whether council would be "directionally aligned" with signaling support for up to $1.5 million from the 2050 tax as a contingent match if the countyobtains the state grant. Several council members voiced support in the discussion but asked staff to return with more specific financial and programmatic details before a final commitment.
