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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 08/05/1998MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING 281 N. COLLEGE AVENUE AUGUST 5,1998 AMENDED 9-2-98 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, Phil Murphy, Don Rodriguez, Kelly Ohlson, Reagan Waskom, Nate Donovan Board Members Absent Bill Miller, Jan Behunek, Randy Fischer Staff Present Natural Resources Dent.: Terry Klahn, Tom Shoemaker, Guests Sally Craig, Planning and Zoning Board Fred Haberecht, Jim Sell Design Introductions Each member of the board gave a brief description of their background and employment history. Reagan Waskom and Nate Donovan were introduced and welcomed to the NRAB. Agenda Review • Workplan Review: Postponed until August 19, 1998 Announcements • Phil Friedman distributed a "Proposal to Change Policy Related to Development in Designated Floodplains" statement, which is the result of joint meetings of the Conservation and Public Education and Engineering committees of the Fort Collins Water Board and members of the Utilities staff. • There is concern that the "pay as you throw" trash policy is not working. People are going over their defined limits and are not being charged appropriately. Phil Friedman stated that he had called his trash hauler and requested to be charged for Natural Resources Advisory b. _d Page 2 August 5,1998 going over the limit. People are putting out massive amounts of trash and not being charged. Need to consider putting together a sub -committee to study the problem. • There was an article in the Denver Post called "Forests Alive With Sound of Tourists". The Post did a survey asking if access to the National Forests should be restricted to ease crowding, 71 % of the people surveyed said yes and 28% said no. This may be a good sign that maybe people are starting to "get it", and that there is public acceptance of restrictions to protect resources. • Tom Shoemaker stated there is a contract to purchase the 11 acre property on the southeast corner of Prospect and Taft Hill. This will be a joint purchase with Stormwater. • Kelly Ohlson announced that there will be 4 hearings around Larimer County toward the end of August on the Land Use regulations to implement the Plus System. Issues deal with wetlands, open space and development fee rebates. Kelly encouraged the environmental community to participate. • The `Balancing People and Wildlife Conference" will be in Longmont on Saturday, August 8, 1998. Donna Dees and Jim Miller, NRD staff, will be making a presentation on prairie dog management. Phil Murphy will talk about the City's Prairie Dog Policy. • Kelly Ohlson requested that newspaper articles pertaining to issues directly affecting the NRAB be copied and distributed to NRAB members. Staff will check into this. Committee Reports Natural Areas Committee, Don Rodriguez. This committee is involved in reviewing policy regarding the criteria for naming, signage and logo's relating to natural areas, as well as the review of management plans. Trails. Kelly Ohlson: Trails is a new committee. There is a changing culture in the City with respect to trail placement. Trail placement used to be based on cost and aesthetics, instead of the impact on wildlife and resources. The NRAB is trying to be more involved, doing walk-thru's and giving input. Trails placement has a significant impact on natural area resources. Growth Management Committee. Phil Mumhv: This committee has been in involved in City Plan and in Land Use Code changes. Budget Committee, Phil Mg hy: The purpose of this committee is to get a feel for the NRD budget so NRAB can have input and make recommendations. It's position is not to try to manage the NRD budget, but to see what the needs are and support requests for funding for environmental programs. Futures Committee. Phil Murphy: The goal of this committee is to take a long range view of issues facing the City, and try to get away from the day to day mode of Natural Resources Advisory Board Page 3 August 5, 1998 operations. Need to get together within the next month and try to set something up for this committee's work. Education Committee, Phil Friedman: Emphasis is on doing things that are educational in nature relating to City and NRAB issues. Have sponsored environmental action awards, which are presented by the City Council. Have been involved in community education, including interpretative features at Cathy Fromme Prairie and components of the prairie dog policies. The committee recently met with Karen Manci and discussed the provision of natural area regulations pertaining to City Code. Most felt the regulations looked good, forceful when necessary, with a balance between what's prohibited and what's reasonable and rational. The NRAB will have an opportunity to review the draft regulations after the open house. The board will then need to take formal action, whether to approve, disapprove, or approve with changes. Kinefisher Point Restoration Plan: Fred Haberecht • This meeting is for information purposes, not a decision making meeting. • The plans need to be reviewed by the Water Board (how they will affect flood plain issues) and Parks & Recreation (aspects dealing with future relocation of the Poudre River Trail). • By-product of sugar refinery was lime waste. There are essentially 4 large waste ponds on the site. • A portion of each pond in now under City management. • Reclamation of King Fisher Point has potential of increasing habitat and recreating some of the historic features of the area. • The Timberline Road extension will have a major impact, part of the reclamation plan needs to address mitigation of that impact. • A local cement plant has done testing regarding the feasibility of using the lime waste in production. The product is perfect for cement, but there are issues regarding limitations in handling and workability, health and cost factors. • Is there a compelling need to get the lime waste moved? Reclamation without the lime being moved will be a native, short prairie grass. Will essentially have an island in the middle ofriver and ponds. • The reality is it's visually and biologically out of place. By removing the limestone it will be more natural. • The areas stripped to natural material will become thriving marshes. • If the obstacles to removing the limestone can be overcome, look at how many acres of foothills will not be mined. • If the process could work here there would be implications for other lime waste areas in Greeley, Loveland and Windsor. • Even if there is a subsidy required for removing the lime, it may be our best option. Natural Resources Advisory E d Page 4 August 5, 1998 An option shouldn't necessarily be chosen on the basis of actual cost alone. Need to determine which concepts have the most likelihood of being successfully completed in the shortest amount of time. If the community looks at a site and sees something happening, but never getting better, they're going to wonder what we're doing. We need to try to find an option that will look better more quickly. Need to see good restoration, but also need realistic timetable. Need to get most bang for the buck for habitat restoration, but don't necessarily want to preclude long term restoration/reclamation. Minutes The minutes from the July 1, 1998 regular meeting were approved as written. The minutes from the July 15, 1998 special meeting were approved with the following amendment: Page 4, Prebles mouse update, change from "grazing is an issue" to "poor grazing practices are an issue". Review Action Log Add: • Make sure NRAB is involved in the Cottonwood Glen Preliminary Plan. • When will the update on the Sheldon Lake Project be available? • Growth Management Committee to schedule meeting to discuss Walmart • 15 minute presentation from Susan Duba Hayes on actual flood plain regulations Delete: Review Natural Area Regulations Phil Murphy volunteers to be interim chair for the Solid Waste Committee. Improve working relationships with Parks and Rec. Board. Other Business • Poudre River Natural Areas Plan: Need one more committee meeting before we can get back to staff. Move discussion to September 2 meeting. • Is the board going to weigh in on the Walmart issue? • Meadow Springs site visit: Saturday, September 19, 8:00 a.m. Provide staff with a headcount so they can make transportation arrangements. • Feedlot Pollution at Prospect Ponds: Response in paper that there was nothing the City could do was not sufficient. NRAB needs to make sure they don't just let this issue go. Staff will get an update about the feedlot. • Any response to Water Board memo? Word is they're moving real fast on floodplain recommendations. Natural Resources Advisory Board Page 5 August 5, 1998 • Horticulture Center: Phil Friedman will send a letter to Will Smith and Jim Clark clarifying his position on the selection of the site for the new Horticulture Center. NRAB would like an update regarding the status of the new amphitheater proposed near the Coyote Ridge natural area. Request for NRAB participation in Cities for Climate Protection: Phil Friedman will participate. Review Future Agenda Items: August 19, 1998: Picnic Dinner for Staff and families Work Plan Review September 2, 1998: Elections & committee assignments NE Fort Collins truck Route Project/Mtn Vista Subarea Plan Master Street Plan Update Poudre River Natural Areas Plan September 16, 1998: Maybe waive this meeting? September 19, 1998: Meadow Springs Ranch site visit October 7, 1998: Effects of Mountain Communities' Development on Fort Collins Water Supplies Water Quality; preview chapters from the Water Utility's draft Stormwater Design Criteria/Manual The meeting adjourned at 9:20p.m.