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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 06/06/2001MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING 281 N. COLLEGE June 6, 2001 For Reference: Randy Fischer, NRAB Chair - 226-5383 Ray Martinez, Council Liaison - 416-2154 Tom Shoemaker, Staff Liaison - 221-6263 Board Members Present Kelly Ohlson, Reagan Waskom, Nate Donovan, Don Rodriguez, Bonnie Pierce, Steve Ryder, Phil Murphy, Linda Knowlton Board Members Absent Randy Fischer Staff Present Natural Resources Dept: Tom Shoemaker, Terry Klahn, Mark Sears, Karen Manci Guests Joe Martin, Citizen Sally Craig, P&Z Board Eric Hamrick, Councilmember Kathleen Kilkelly Agenda Review No changes. I-25 Regional Corridor, Joe Frank Joe Frank provided information about the I-25 Corridor Plan. Discussion • Ohlson: All of the maps show activity centers, but there's really nothing to prevent the landowners between the centers from developing. What the standards are, and what the plan speaks to is creating compact activity centers. In our subarea plan there will be specific activity centers. In between, the idea is it will be lower intensity use. • Ohlson: The truth is, the areas between the activity centers could all fill up. That's going to happen in some areas. That's not the vision, and we hope that won't happen. There are steps that need to be taken. The idea is to maintain as much of the open land and agricultural land as possible. Natural Resources Advises: y Board June 6, 2001 Page 2 • Knowlton: The more I look at this the more it seems they're backwards in adoption. We're talking about a transportation network without achieving a land use. We have a good idea of the land use from the comprehensive plans. We are establishing a vision. In Fort Collins that vision is in the subarea plan, which does include a land use plan. • Donovan: Do you see opportunities for Fort Collins to provide leadership and expertise for land use planning? Or is there more of a "stay out of our business" mentality? Some of the communities have very small staff, and are doing very little long range planning. One of the implementation actions we're recommending is a technical assistance program. It's a wonderful process to bring the jurisdictions together to talk about planning. This plan is an important first step. We're going to develop an IGA that we hope all jurisdictions adopt. • Frank: I admit we have not given the attention that the issue of open lands deserves in this plan. That reflects the priority of other jurisdictions. We've tried to give more priority to natural areas, or open land. We've talked about a regional open space task force for the I-25 corridor, TDU's, and a development funded resource protection program. • Donovan: This board would be interested in having a representative on the task force. Please keep us informed about that. • Ohlson: The plan needs to include policy direction and funding. There are plans to have public funding for the roads. There needs to be funding in the plan for the open space component too. We talked about funding in the policy committee. Their direction is that the intent of the plan is to provide a vision. • Ohlson: You need to establish a publicly funded regional open space program. Then you're starting to say something. A task force isn't the same thing as a funding mechanism. Costs will be addressed at the next planning level. • Ohlson: If you vote for this plan, what you get is the parallel road system, resulting in sprawl. You don't know if you get true cluster development. Everything this board stands for is on the "maybe list". There is a lot of work to be done. There's interest, that's what we've been trying to generate. We have the goals and objectives, but there's a lot of work that has to be done. There are a lot of open ended questions. • Knowlton: Those funding mechanisms look like a way to push the costs of roads on residents, instead of developers. There are a lot of questions of what's regionally significant. The way we're suggesting those improvements be made is through partnerships. • Knowlton: You've made me more aware that you had to be sensitive to other entities. It's going to raise the bar in Fort Collins in some areas. The '/a mile setback, we don't have that now. We've made mistakes approving development next to the interstate. • Ohlson: This doesn't guarantee that these people will do any of this. People that I respect think this is the biggest issue of the last quarter century. They are all strongly opposed, it's developer welfare. This board did a memo, nothing of significance has changed from what we said in February. Natural Resources *isory Board • June 6, 2001 Page 3 • Shoemaker: Since a lot of this is a vision, and it's based on trust that people will work together, is there a large advantage to adopting it, versus saying this is the vision, and we're going to continue to develop the regional funding? That would be a mistake. Fort Collins needs to show leadership. They're looking at each other for the formal action of adoption. The IGA is important. We need a formal commitment which says that we'll work toward this. • Ohlson: A lot of this stemmed from powerful real estate companies. This isn't about never having an I-25 Corridor Plan. This discussion will be continued later in the meeting. Fossil Creek Reservoir, Tom Shoemaker Shoemaker provided background regarding the Fossil Creek Reservoir Management Plan. Discussion • Waskom: Will there be a Council hearing on this? The Council has not said we'll reconsider the IGA. Rather, they say, we've had a request by a partner, and we owe them the respect of taking a hard look. Ifstaff and the NRAB recommended that Council review the IGA they would. • Ohlson: It's too bad you had to go through all of this, but you did a remarkably thorough job. We went through a torturous public process on this. I hope we support staff 100% on this. • Craig: What's the status on the lease itself? Does the boat association not have the right to renegotiate the lease? • Shoemaker: Those who are lobbying the County and others to reconsider motorized boating fail to mention this is a private boating club. It serves sixty families, 30 of them from Denver. The lease is with the North Poudre Irrigation Company. The boating club has the lease till December 4 of this year. We expect by late summer to have the surface and recreational rights. We are constantly in the position of needing to move ahead. We own or have conservation easements on all but ten acres on the south shore. • Hamrick: Let's say the County and City disagreed about the use of the recreational rights. Is there any recourse? The IGA is a legally binding document. • Rodriguez: Are these folks still launching their boats on the north end? Yes. • Hamrick: Would it be the City enforcing the regulations? The County would be the managing -entity. We're roughly 50150 in the cost of the acquisition. • Kilkelly: I may be preaching to the choir here. The silent majority has been completely silent on this. For the record I'd like to make a statement that you all stand by your original management agreement. The IGA between the County and City is important. I would hate to see a precedent for reopening that. I will be going to the County as well. At the North Poudre Board of Directors meeting I inquired about their intentions. I don't think they have any interest in changing. I would encourage you to stand by the original management plan of no boating. Natural Resources Advise. j Board June 6, 2001 Page 4 Miller: The NRAB has too much time invested in this issue to even consider backpedaling on the boating issue now. The wildlife habitat issues are too great. We have a chance to do something right here. I support the staff position. Linda Knowlton made the following motion: Move that the NRAB urge City staff and Council to stick by, and maintain their original position in the IGA of Fossil Creek Reservoir, pertaining to boating. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved. Shoemaker: K-Lynn Cameron and I were invited to the Coloradoan editorial board. The good news is, they're paying attention. They asked a lot of questions, and I think it went well. Knowlton: The boaters have been good about getting to the city editor. They have been totally unanswered. We need to get some letters in there. We need to get some public exposure on this issue. Ohlson: Are these letters being published in the Loveland paper too? If they are we need the same letters forwarded there also. Kerbel Conservation Easement (County), Tom Shoemaker Latimer County has gotten to yes on the Kerbel conservation easement. It's pretty straightforward. It is essential the County does this, and that we participate to show good faith. The Ag Board is very excited. The only question is its only 103 acres, and it's not connected. In all probability the properties to the south will come along. Those landowners are interested in conservation easements. The County will purchase the conservation easement, and CSU purchases the underlying fee. The County has asked for $50,000. It seems like a good investment. • Ohlson: We agree that when we do these things it should be based on wildlife, or ag lands. It's a combination of factors. Is this a no brainer on the values we're after? In terms of ag land it is, with respect to wildlife it's pretty limited. • Ohlson: If this would fit in to the Wellington community separator plan I guess I'd like us to do more. It's a community separator, it's ag land, it shows a lot of cooperation and support. I'd like to consider throwing in an extra $40,000. • Rodriguez: There aren't a lot of opportunities for us to partner with the County, it's rather unique in that regard. I'm sure they'll ask for help on the areas to the south. • Sears: In the future we'll be asked to ante up even more. But another $50,000 wouldn't have a huge impact. • Knowlton: Is there any reason the County wouldn't want us to put in 50%? I don't think there's anything to be lost by us offering to pay more. This will require Council action. We'll need an IGA between the County and the City. Natural Resources *isory Board • June 6, 2001 Page 5 Ohlson: It fits into the community separator program. Shoemaker: Wellington has been looking for a site for a new sewer treatment plant. They will use the northern portion of the 103 acres for that. This is a good thing. They were looking at sites farther south. This puts the treatment plant closer to Wellington and automatically limits the areas served by sewer. Don Rodriguez made the following motion: Move that the NRAB formally approve the request from Larimer County for financial assistance for the conservation easement on the Kerbel property, and encourage staff to pursue an equal financial partnership with the County. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved. Review of Minutes: April 4, 2001: The minutes were unanimously approved as written. April 18, 2001: The minutes were unanimously approved as written. May 2, 2001: The minutes were unanimously approved as written. I-25 Corridor Plan Discussion (continued) • Ohslon: There was a study that came from the Texas Transportation Institute that said building more roads does not ease traffic congestion. If you think that "a" plan is better than no plan, the chances of getting any systemic, substantive change goes out the window. I urge you to support our recommendation as it was. Randy feels as strongly, or stronger about this. • Waskom: We should have a line that says we endorse regional planning, we need to keep working to get this plan right. We don't want to say no to all plans, if there's a good one, we'll endorse it. • Knowlton: Is there any opportunity to say we support the design standards but not the transportation elements? • Murphy: I wouldn't want to say that without reading them. We could follow with a future memo on those things. • Knowlton: We could do a cover memo and attach it to our previous memo, saying that we see no reason to change our original position because none of our recommendations were adopted. • Ohlson: There needs to be explicit policy direction and funding, and true cluster development. • Pierce: I would add that they only gave the funding component surface treatment. There is no comprehensive, realistic implementation strategy. • Ryder: We recognize there are some efforts made to address our concerns, but they are not adequate in any way. Natural Resources Advis�_y Board June 6, 2001 Page 6 New Buisness ♦ Ohlson: Would like to do a tour of the Meadow Springs Ranch, possibly in the August time frame. It would take close to three hours. ♦ Ohlson: Are we moving toward a true PAYT system? Are we moving ahead on the audit? ♦ Ohlson: Randy mentioned that when they hire for an important position in the City, they involve developers, and wondered what involvement our board will have in the hiring of a replacement for Tom. Shoemaker said that Fischer spoke with Greg Byrne. Byrne extended an invitation for Randy to be on an interview panel. ♦ Ohlson: Fischer is concerned about the Hot Shots being next to natural areas. Are there any issues we should be concerned about? Is it too late for individuals to weigh in. ♦ Ryder: The Spring Creek trail under Lemay is back open. The pink rip -rap has been buried. ♦ Shoemaker: Kudos to Steve Ryder, the County recorded a conservation easement on the commercial property on the south side of Fossil Creek. It was a TDU transfer. ♦ Rodriguez: At my request there was a reading in your packet talking about how open space adds value to adjoining property. ♦ Sears: The "A" trail has been closed. ♦ Sears: There was a boardwalk built at Riverbend Ponds at the Cherly Street parking lot. ♦ Sears: Three of the four vault toilets are now in operation. ♦ Sears: The improvements on the cabin at Coyote Ridge are essentially completed. ♦ Sears: The master naturalists have made 40 presentations to over 1600 people. ♦ Donovan: The Hydrogen Task Force continues to meet. Committee Reports Trails Committee: This committee continues to meet with Craig Foreman and representatives from the P&R Board. We're having good dialogue. Education Committee: Bonnie Pierce met with Sarah Fox and Theresa Ramos -Garcia. They gave a presentation on the education and outreach for clean air. A number of changes have occurred. Theresa has a marketing background, and is bringing in some vital talent. Natural Areas: We talked about the LaFarge home office property. We've made an offer, but have not heard back. We had a lengthy discussion about water retention facilities. Announcements Mark Sears said four people attended the public hearing for the Nix maintenance center. The police K-9 is moving somewhere else. He doesn't think we'll break ground July 1, but sometime is July is a good possibility. Ohlson suggested having the exterior painting completed by the end of September. Natural Resources *isory Board June 6, 2001 Page 7 Shoemaker announced that Susie Gordon has been named as interim Acting Director of the Natural Resources Department. Mark Sears will be the staff liaison to the NRAB. Lucinda Smith is acting Program Manager for Clean Air and Solid Waste Review Councils Six Month Planning Calendar August 14, 2001: Horticulture Center — Shoemaker will check on this. Review Action Log All of the items on the action log have been completed. The following items need to be added: • Get Fossil Creek packet materials to the Coloradoan • Memo on the I-25 Corridor Plan • Status of Hot Shots • Schedule Meadow Springs Ranch tour • Fossil Creek Reservoir memo Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.