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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 03/01/2000E i MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING 281 N. COLLEGE March 1, 2000 For Reference: Randy Fischer, NRAB Chair - 226-5383 Bill Bertschy, Council Liaison - 484-0181 Tom Shoemaker, Staff Liaison - 221-6263 Board Members Present Randy Fischer, Kelly Ohlson, Don Rodriguez, Jan Rastall Phil Murphy, Rick Harness, Reagan Waskom, Nate Donovan Board Members Absent Bill Miller Staff Present Natural Resources Dot: Mark Sears, Tom Shoemaker, Terry Klahn Guests Sally Craig, Planning and Zoning Board John Skinner, CSU student Suzanne Terry, CSU student Carol Voice, CSU student Stephanie Smith, CSU student George Wallace, Larimer County Agricultural Advisory Board Ted Swanson, Larimer County Agricultural Advisory Board Agenda Review • Tom Shoemaker said he needs to recruit one or two volunteers to join an ad -hoc group looking at VMT growth. • Randy Fischer suggested moving the Acquisition Updates to the very end of the meeting since that would be discussed in executive session. • Kelly Ohlson requested five minutes for a summary of the board's direction on natural areas acquisitions. Announcements • Tom Shoemaker said the City's Climate Wise program was kicked off on Tuesday, February 29. A breakfast was hosted for about twenty businesses in the community. There were two speakers from large businesses in Denver explaining the benefits of • program. There has been a lot of support from the City Manager's office and John Fischbach has played a great role in the program. Natural Resources Advisu.y Board March 1, 2000 Page 2 Don Rodriguez reported that he, Sally Craig and Randy Fischer met with Craig Foreman and the Lee Martinez Neighborhood group, to hear the collective vision about the future of Lee Martinez. Randy Fischer said the plans for frisbee golf and a dog park have been abandoned. Sally Craig suggested a joint meeting with the Parks & Recreation Board to review the progress being made on the Master Plan. Tom Shoemaker said he will try to make that happen. Review and Approval of Minutes January 19, 2000: The minutes were unanimously approved as written. February 2. 2000: Kelly Ohlson requested the discussion of these minutes be postponed to the April 5 meeting. Chairman Fischer approved the request. Committee Reports • Phil Murphy attended the I-25 corridor study. He said they reviewed the guiding principles, goals and objectives. Murphy said they'll start getting in the meat of the process at the next meeting. • The Natural Areas committee meeting has been postponed from March 8 to March 22. An Evaluation of Tools and Techniques for Minimizing the Loss of Agricultural Land and Water in Larimer County, George Wallace, Ted Swanson, Larimer County Agricultural Advisory Board Wallace explained that the Agricultural Advisory Board began as an Agricultural Task Force. The principal task is to evaluate the array of techniques used around the country for preserving agriculture land and water, and decide which ones are most appropriate for Larimer County. He said this is an outgrowth of the PLUS process. One of the first things the AAB did was write the Right to Farm (RTF) resolution. The basic idea of the resolution is if there is an existing agricultural operation, it's more difficult for that operation to be sued on the grounds that it's a nuisance. The protection can be lost if the operation is expanded. One of the other provisions is to provide for mediation when there are conflicts. Discussion — Ohlson: In Iowa the Right To Farm resolution was challenged, and thrown out by the supreme court. Does Colorado's differ from Iowa? It hasn't been challenged in Colorado, and I haven't researched it thoroughly. In Colorado it's if you're already here you can continue, in Iowa it was more like a zoning procedure. Farmers and ranchers are feeling beleaguered by the accelerated development around them. We see this mostly as an educational tool, and would like to see it read at real estate closings. Ag zoning is used in some parts of the country. We don't intend to push for it here. Clustering apart of the master plan. A recommendation was made to the rural land use center for consideration when awarding density bonuses. — Ohlson: One suggestion would be permanent easements, temporary land easements have been shattered by the legislature. I hope that you push for permanent land use, Natural Resources Advisory Board • March 1, 2000 Page 3 it's very important. The rural land use center is already considering permanency as a criteria for the density bonuses. — Swanson: The whole idea of conservation easements is to waive the right to develop. Not everyone is in a position to donate those rights. Wallace said they were awarded a LESA (Land Evaluation and Site Assessment) grant to pilot the project. Swanson said there are two components, land evaluation and site assessment. The goal is to come up with a set of criteria that fits Latimer County, using a systematic approach that is fair. Our hope is as the purchase of development rights becomes more realistic the City will become more involved in terms of open space dollars. — Ohlson: I have a problem with the purchase of development rights in general. The Boulder example is the way I support. I would rather buy the land and lease it out. I agree Boulder has been successful. Our board members are open to the idea In order to get things started we'll have'to start with easements. It probably needs to be a combination. — Ohlson: Some of my concerns are the shooting of coyotes, air and water quality issues, herbicides, pesticides, extensive water and energy use. Farming and ranching is not necessarily environmentally friendly. That's why we have land management. You can always take a run down piece of land and restore it. But, once you subdivide apiece of property it's gone. — Ohlson: It would be good to have it in the criteria. You could build in some stewardship grants. I suspect those issues will come up. In every instance where there is a conservation easement, one of the requirements is a management plan. Wallace: There's a bill in the statehouse to give tax credits to people who do conservation easements. This particular bill allows people to sell the tax credits for conservation easements. Wallce said that there is an economic development subcommittee which has obtained grants for feasibility studies. They are looking at developing a local processing facility for high value crops. Northern Colorado is great for growing cool season vegetables. — Harness: Have you contacted the REA? — Ohlson: There is a virtual incubator, it's providing expertise, staffing and support for getting new businesses off the ground. — Ohlson: I would like to see something, five or ten pages, that shows why I as a taxpayer would want to do these things. What's in it for the average citizen or tax payer, what's the benefit to the community? Outline why preserving agriculture would be beneficial. the studies show a significant number of people say they would like to see ag land preserved — Ohlson: The polls will show overwhelming support until you ask the family to tax itself. — Fischer: I would strongly recommend that if your board identifies a piece of land, that you let Tom (Shoemaker) know. Often times that's how deals get done in the City. Natural Resources Advisc.y Board March 1, 2000 Page 4 — Shoemaker: The board and staff are in the process of re -prioritizing right now. It would be good to get key properties on the radar screen. I would also ask that you to come to the Growth Management Lead Team, and get that level of conversation started too. Natural Area Easement Updates, Mark Sears • Boxelder — Nothing since last report • Coyote Ridge — The Fort Collins/Loveland Water District is looking at an alternative location to the North. • Cathy Fromme Prairie: ➢ South Fort Collins Sanitation will be going across CFP west and south of the observatory. They will start the latter part of March, and should be done in early May. It and some other disturbances will be re -vegetated this spring. ➢ There is another easement east of Taft Hill Road, going south at least a mile. Engineering started talking about this project last summer in terms of the future widening of Taft Hill Road. One suggestion was instead of widening Taft Hill on both sides, look at widening it just on the east side. Fort Collins/Loveland is working with engineering to place the water line. The water line would be 195 feet east of the center line of the road. It seems the further from the existing embankment, the less impact. — Harness: What's the width of the easement we'll be granting? They have 20 feet, may need 20 to 30 feet. — Ohlson: Do we get reimbursed for that? Yes, the first half mile they already have the 20 feet, we'd just move it over. For the 2"d half mile they would have to acquire it. — Fischer: Why is there less impact to move further east? The further east you go, the less sensitive the topography is. The chance of restoration is better the further away you go. — Fischer: With a pipe that large, what's the concern with burying under the road? If they had to do repairs they would have to dig fifteen to twenty feet through asphalt. Right now they own a twenty feet easement that is on vacant ground. — Harness: We should make sure they won't need to go back in ten years, we don't want to continually disturb the land. — Fischer: You need to negotiate tough, need to get something in return. There is a tradeoff, it needs to be a win/win situation. To that district's credit they are trying to identify their needs to us a couple of years out so we have time to process them. — Ohlson: Let's be conscious of making sure that in wildlife corridors there are underground wildlife crossings where appropriate. Review Council's Six Month Planning Calendar March 14: Review of Flood Plain Amendments April 11: Downtown River Corridor Implementation Program Review of Flood Plain Amendments Natural Resources Advisory Board • March 1, 2000 Page 5 May 9: Review of Canal Importation Storm Drainage Master Plan Review Action/Tickler Log Remove: - Provide a legal opinion on the vulnerability of City -owned natural areas to condemnation proceedings by other public or quasi -public entities. - Memo dated 96 or 97 concerning acquisition priorities for natural areas - Schedule a presentation on Mason Street Corridor Plan Add: - Mason Street Corridor handouts Other Business • There will not be a NRAB work session on March 15, 2000. • Tom Shoemaker asked for a volunteer for VMT task force dealing with reducing the growth of VMT. Phil Murphy will attend the meeting. Regan Waskom will also attend if the date will work. • Kelly Ohlson would like some follow-up on the Pollution Prevention information presented at the February 16, 2000 meeting. He would like to know how much the consultant was paid, as well as how much of Margit's time was spent on the project. Natural Area Acquisitions Update, Tom Shoemaker The board voted to go into executive session to discuss natural area acquisitions. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m. 0