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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/21/2016 - Proposed Sale Of 11.85 Acres Of Running Deer Natural Area - Natural Resources Advisory Board Environmental Services 215 N. Mason PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970.221-6600 970.224-6177 - fax fcgov.com MEMORANDUM NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD DATE: December 21, 2016 TO: Mayor and City Council Members FROM: John Bartholow, on behalf of the Natural Resources Advisory Board (NRAB) SUBJECT: Proposed sale of 11.85 acres of Running Deer Natural Area At our December meeting, the NRAB considered the sale of a small portion of Running Deer to Hageman Earth Cycle (HEC). We had available to us a variety of material from the Natural Areas (NA) staff, from the Land Conservation and Stewardship Board (LCSB), and our own personal experiences with Running Deer and HEC. We also were aware that the NRAB previously recommended terminating the HEC lease and moving to reclaim this land in 2001. On a vote of seven to one, our recommendation to Council is to not sell the land to HEC. I think it is fair to say that the vote was difficult. Both NA staff and the LCSB have made excellent points that, in a way, have served to sharpen the major points of disagreement on this matter. Our Board’s discussion was wide-ranging, covering such topics as the potential precedent of selling a portion of a natural area to a private business, the future of recycling yard and other organic waste in our ever-changing ‘wasteshed’ environment, the potential to restore the area if retained, the convenience of the site for drop-off, and a variety of alternatives including lease terms and resale considerations. Though many board members expressed support for a long- term lease, the motion was silent regarding the immediate fate of any lease. I also wish to make it clear that the NRAB very much values the services currently performed by HEC and we hope that both they and the City find ways to continue to mutually benefit one another. Regardless of Council’s decision on this specific matter, we believe it is imperative that you ensure that appropriate open space and natural areas policy documents clearly state that the default answer is “No” to any requests for sale of those lands. Rarely, there may be a reason to sell or trade some lands acquired under the program, but only if unambiguously warranted to achieve the program’s goals and operational objectives, better protect the fringes of those lands, or enhance the overall value of this stellar program that our citizens have overwhelmingly supported in multiple elections. We hope we have added value to this interesting discussion. 2 Respectfully Submitted, John Bartholow Chair, Natural Resources Advisory Board cc: Darin Atteberry Katy Bigner John Stokes