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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 12/16/1998MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD SPECIAL MEETING 281 N. COLLEGE AVENUE December 16, 1998 For Reference: Phil Murphy, NRAB Chair - 491-6303 Bill Bertschy, Council Liaison - 484-0181 Susie Gordon, Staff Liaison - 221-6265 Board Members Present Phil Friedman, Randy Fischer, Kelly Ohlson, Reagan Waskom, Phil Murphy, Rick Harness Board Members Absent Bill Miller, Nate Donovan, Don Rodriguez Staff Present Natural Resources Dept Terry Klahn, Susie Gordon, Tom Shoemaker, Shirley Bruns, Karen Manci Park Plannine: Craig Foreman, Wally Piccone Guests Sally Craig, Planning & Zoning Board Dan Sherman, Larimer County Recycling Center Agenda Review Add: F.I.D.O. Meeting, Randy Fischer Brief Announcements Phil Murphy: Received a request from Brian Woodruff for a NRAB member to participate in the Noise Ordinance Focus Group. Rick Harness volunteered to represent NRAB. Kelly Ohlson- Our ideas have a better chance to be implemented if Council has them early, at a work session. The calendar changes weekly, maybe we need to rearrange our schedule so we can provide feedback in a timely manner. Committee Reports Growth Management Committee: Bill Miller will give an update at the next meeting. Randy Fischer: First meeting of the Flood Plain Task Force was held. Rick Harness and Randy attended representing the NRAB. The meeting was mostly an orientation, with staff providing an overview. The outcome of the project will be a plan for flood plain Natural Resources Advisory Board December 16, 1998 Page 2 development on a basin by basin approach. They will be starting with the Poudre. The end product will be a new set of flood plain regulations. Review NRAB's Annual Report to Council The Board reviewed the plan and made a minor spelling revision. The plan was approved with the revision for submittal to Council. Cottonwood Glen Final Design, Craig Foreman Craig Foreman presented a brief overview of the design changes. The changes included moving the parking lot and adding a 100-foot buffer off Spring Creek. Karen Manci added that the NRD doesn't have any objections to the design. Discussion • Ohlson: There wasn't any "tweaking" that needed to be done? Have been tweaking as we go. Tom (Shoemaker) suggested that pockets of native vegetation be established to prevent fertilizer runoff. If there are any changes that will have impacts, staff will be brought in again. • Harness: How deep is the pond? Will it be stocked with fish? It's eight feet deep. No, the DOW won't stock it but fish will find their way down from Dixon Reservoir. Do you ever add structure to the bottom of a pond to benefit fish habitat? There are programs we could look at -that's not a bad thought. So far, we haven't done anything for fish habitat. Have to be careful in small ponds, kids can get hooks stuck and hurt the fish. • We're looking at a different kind of roof. The consultants said we can get a weathered steel roof covering. Trying to get a ranch/farm look • Friedman: What kind of lighting is there? There will be a light approximately every 300 feet. Will probably have reflective hoods that cast down, and security lights around the restrooms. The ball field is not lighted, it's day use only. The lighting is passageway and security lighting. • Muryhv: What do the people in the neighborhood think? People thought this was nicer. Had a pretty good response from the public. This is the first park designed in- house, not paying a consultant. • Fischer: There isn't a buffer between Pineridge? The part of the road where restoration will be done is only 10 feet. There are exotic plants on both sides of the road, have fifty to seventyfive feet from the native vegetation. • Fischer: On community sentiment, the neighbors I've talked to had a different concept of what they wanted in a neighborhood park. They were thinking of a few picnic tables. • Murphy: What is the sphere of influence in designing a neighborhood park? We go to the policy plan. When we talk about parks, they're called out with a standard design by the policy plan. • Ohlson: So, if the neighborhood's overwhelming sentiment is that they don't want a structured ball field, you'd say no? That's right. We rely on the policy plan to Natural Resources Advisory Board • December 16, 1998 Page 3 address the need of the public. It's unlikely to see that kind of consensus when neighborhoods are usually made up of such diverse interests. Ohlson: It's a really good move to go in-house, can't think of a downside. We ended up with a better product. NRD needs to get down to a minute level of detail to minimize damage to natural resources. Ohlson: Took exception to the P line of the memo, "ethically staff will not do this", we weren't suggesting that anything unethical be done. Need a broader definition of environmental ethics, nobody suggested anything unethical. Gateway Park Update, Wally Piccone Update on Gateway project. Staff has met twice. Forming a planning advisory board, bringing in people from other boards, would like a volunteer from this board. Will start the meetings in January. • Bill Miller is the volunteer for the committee, Phil Friedman is the alternate. • Mu[p : The initial presentation could go to Parks and Rec Board and the NRAB. We will be looking for updates from the NRAB committee representative. • Freidman: Did you go to the trails conference, would you give us an overview of what happened at that meeting? Yes, can give an update. There were two main questions being asked, "What are your standards and how do you deal with environmental issues?" • Trails Committee meeting - P week of January. Recycling Update, Susie Gordon • There was a report in the packets, which was previewed by the Solid Waste committee. It is one year's worth of reporting data, which haulers are required to provide. They had been reporting every six months, we have recently arrived at an agreement to report annually instead of every six months. Some of the numbers are "soft" due to haulers' reporting conflicts and misunderstandings on what is needed. • Dan Sherman provided background information and answered questions from Board members pertaining to the Recycling Center, as well as recycling efforts in general. • Sherman stated that Fort Collins does better than most places as far as the separation of recyclables. • The Board requested a tour of the Recycling Center. Staff will make arrangements. • Gordon showed the Board drawings, from several different perspectives, of the proposed changes at the landfill. Natural Areas Acquisitions, Tom Shoemaker • Shoemaker gave the Board a history on the Natural Areas program, general statistics, and a quick overview of the year and what's happening right now. Natural Resources Advisc.y Board December 16, 1998 Page 4 • Working on a packet that will be available at a later date. Would like to start providing monthly reports (usually written) to the Board. • Regan Waskom stated that this report has been very helpful, and that in a future discussion he would like to know what the budget looks like. Review Future Agenda Items: • Tom Shoemaker will come back in January. • Review and comment on upcoming Council items. Review Action Log See update in packet. Other Business FIDO. Randy Fischer Randy Fisher attended a FIDO meeting at the Senior Center. There were approximately 28 people there. Four or five people were from Boulder to give history of the group (active group in Boulder). The meeting was headed by Ted Shepard. The next meeting is January 25, 1999. The goal of the group, as stated by them, is to form now in an effort to throw political weight around in the April election for City Council and to possibly get an initiative on the ballot. They're using a euphemism for dogs -off -leash; "voice and sight command." Boulder people emphasize not going to boards or staff, but to flex muscle at City Council meetings. They say that basically, all you have to do to get your way is to pack a few Council meetings; when Council is faced with dog -lovers in the chambers, they won't support having a leash law in natural areas. Members are told not to listen to anyone who gives you ecological arguments as to why dogs shouldn't be off- leash. Tom Shoemaker: • Randy Fischer had asked about the property at Taft Hill and Prospect. This was a joint purchase with Stormwater. The land has been tom -up by the previous owner. Stormwater is doing a wetland creation a few blocks away and is using this land for temporary storage of topsoil. It will be there for a couple of months. • Red Tail Grove — expect to see construction in this area. The Water District is replacing the sewer line. Worked with them to move it further from the creek. They stayed out of there last summer when there were nesting hawks in the area. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m.