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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 12/01/19990 0 MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING 281 N. COLLEGE December 1, 1999 For Reference: Randy Fischer, NRAB Chair - 491-6303 Bill Bertschy, Council Liaison - 484-0181 Tom Shoemaker, Staff Liaison - 221-6265 Board Members Present Kelly Ohlson, Don Rodriguez, Jan Rastall, Phil Murphy, Nate Donovan, Bill Miller Board Members Absent Randy Fischer, Reagan Waskom, Rick Harness Staff Present Natural Resources Dent Terry Klahn, Mark Sears, Tom Shoemaker, Karen Manci Guests Tom Keith, EDAW Agenda Review Kelly Ohlson suggested delaying the work plan and annual report discussion until after the Fossil Creek Conceptual Plan. He also suggested not doing the New Issues and Concens item until it's determined how best to continue these discussions. Tom Shoemaker said the reason he put the New Issues and Concerns item on the agenda was because there had been concern about having the discussion without his presence, and that there was talk of a retreat. He said a game plan needs to be figured out before a retreat is scheduled. The reason the Natural Areas Work Plan isn't on the agenda is several of the issues raised relate to priorities in the 2000 Work Plan. He proposed spending the entire second meeting of January on the Natural Areas Work Plan. Tom Shoemaker said there will be a joint meeting of the NRAB and the Parks & Recreation board on Wednesday, December 8 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Utilities Conference Room at 700 Wood Street. The meeting will be an executive session. John Fischbach, Greg Byrne and Mike Powers will also be attending. Kelly Ohlson questioned why City staff felt it was necessary to hire a consulting firm for the Fossil Creek Reservoir Park plan. He added he has more faith in City staff than an outside firm. Karen Manci responded that there are issues such as time commitments and expertise. They can do the conceptual drawing, and they may also think of things we Natural Resources Advisory Board December 1, 1999 Page 2 haven't considered. Manci explained that it was an RFP process and several firms were interviewed to get a feel for their vision. Tom Shoemaker added that the key in selecting a firm is to find one that adds to what you know. Review and Approval of Minutes November 3. 1999 The minutes were approved as written. Bill Miller distributed a handout regarding a potential development parcel on the Hazaleus Natural Area. He received a phone call from Ed Schemm who expressed concern regarding the suitability of the location of the proposed development proposal. Miller proposed the NRAB and NRD staff take a field trip to the site. Tom Shoemaker said he met with members of the neighborhood to talk about their concerns, and will be meeting with Greg Byrne and Joe Frank to discuss those concerns. He said that after that one of the first tasks will be to define the exact boundaries of the development parcel and develop a further recommendation whether it should be sold for affordable housing. Kelly Ohlson said any changes need to be based on science, and not on well -wired people getting organized, and that changes shouldn't be based on anything but wildlife. Fossil Creek Reservoir Park Preserve Conceptual Plan Tom Keith, EDAW, said they have been working with the City and County on a Resource Management Plan for Fossil Creek Reservoir. Also involved in the process has been a technical advisory group, the DOW, and a representative from Audubon. Guidelines for the plan include preserving the view, preserving the natural areas around Fossil Creek, and the protection of sensitive wildlife habitat. Keith distributed a handout outlining the different pieces that make up the management plan. Keith said that in the recreation piece there was a potential opportunity for non -motorized boating, but the indication from the Colorado Department of Health is there is pretty poor water quality. There's a lot of stuff in that reservoir that you don't want to come into contact with. Now, the direction is no boating. There is a regional trail, a secondary natural surface trail opportunity for wildlife viewing, and a limited amount of picnic sites. In looking at wildlife enhancements there is a need for some kind of stabilization and planting of native species. The other major concern is the degraded habitat from recreational use. Discussion • Ohlson: I appreciate that you are here early enough in the process that our feedback will make a difference. With respect to the fourth bullet on the handout, the City organization seems to think that operations and maintenance require a paved ten foot path. It's the majority viewpoint of this body that we don't really want roads for a pickup to go in and pick up the trash occasionally, and that we need to minimize the roads for maintenance. • Ohlson: I was a liaison on the Commission on Disability so I'm not insensitive, we always want to make sure we do whatever we can for enhancement, but there's no • Natural Resources Advisory Board December 1, 1999 Page 3 need for over -kill. Sometimes Parks & Recreation goes a little nuts, I would ask that we only do things that are specifically needed. • Ohlson: Is the Regional Trail sensitively placed, it sounds like it will be. I love the idea of the spurs for the passive experience, but again, let's not over -kill. It's much easier to add more later than try to close existing ones. • Ohlson: Why do we want dogs at all, except on the regional trail. • Ohlson: Why did so much of the trail go along the shore line? Because of the private land situation, in some places we only have fifty to one -hundred feet of land to work with. • Ohlson: You're planning for a fifty -car parking lot, and space for 50 overflow. I can't imagine there being more than ten cars there. Don't want to build for peak capacity, can always add more later if they're needed. The overflow is necessary because we anticipate school groups and buses. They need a certain area to maneuver. I'm speaking more to the harder structure. There's a big gap between fifteen and fifty. If people know there's room they'll drive, but if it's limited there will be more carpooling. • Rastall: Is there any way to pull back the trail that is subject to a seasonal closure? The terrain allows people to go where they want. We could pull it back, but we would risk people leaving the trail. Maybe a spur could be added. There may be a need to close it for winter raptors, pulling it back wouldn't help that situation. • Miller: What construction material will be used on the primary use trail? I see it as natural service, a graded piece of dirt. • Ohlson: What's your experience with pavers in parking lot construction? I'm personally not in favor of them. They look great in brochures, but they're rough to walk on and impossible on a stroller or bike. I believe we're going to see problems with erosion and settlement. Is there a step between those and asphalt? There are some things we're going to look at, we haven't made a decision yet. • Ohlson: There needs to be discussion regarding allowing dogs in a water fowl area. Why do they need to be there at all, other than on the regional trail? • Rastall: Dog owners are another breed, they want to take their dogs. • Miller: Somewhere along the line we need to stand up and say this is for wildlife, not for dogs. The presence of dogs is threatening. This area is being acquired as a natural area, not an area for dogs. • Ohlson: I don't understand why we are worried about the vested interest. It's a people and wildlife place, it doesn't have to be a dog place. It's a new area, the majority of places do allow dog access, but it doesn't have to be a domino effect. We need to say "no dogs" right away. It's not going to be pretty, they'll come and gripe. But, when they show up we can say thank you, we listened, but we disagree. We'll talk about that again. By the way, there are places dogs aren't allowed, they can't go on the golf courses, but when it comes to the environment people think there are no rules. • Rastall: That's an educational piece that needs to be more emphasized. • Ohlson: This is a perfect opportunity to begin educating them. Natural Resources Advist,.y Board December 1, 1999 Page 4 • Rodriguez: Maybe there's some middle ground, with the regional trail and unlimited access from the north. • Shoemaker: It's important to keep in mind that our conservation goal is not to forget about the north shore. The guidelines the plan laid out indicate that this is the less sensitive area, the goal is that the entire north shore is protected via conversation easements. The intent is zero public access with the use of fencing. • Rodriguez: Now I'm more inclined to say there should be no dogs in the area. Is the thought of the boardwalk to be in the cattails? Only to a slight degree. • Ohlson: You can save a lot of time by presenting your best thinking at the open house, and including whatever you decide to accept or reject from comments made tonight. • Rodriguez: Need to address the overkill on the parking. • Shoemaker: Is that parking lot looked at as a trail head. No, it may do some of that function, but that's not the intent. If it's viewed as a trail head, it would be more difficult to take an approach of no dogs. It would also make it difficult to collect a fee. Haven't worked out who will manage the area, I'm leaning toward Larimer County. New Issues and Concerns Kelly Ohlson said he prefers using the word discussion, not concerns. He said that sometimes people can have a more open discussion and two way communication at a retreat, and that people have retreats all the time. It's legal, ethical and moral to do so. Ohlson said the intent of this discussion is to get to a better place, accomplish more, give people a chance to talk about issues, and gain clarification. Discussion • Shoemaker: I think some dialogue would be good to have. All of us spend a lot of time on the issues. We've had a futures committee formed for two years, but have never met. I'm not willing to commit to a retreat till have a better sense of the issues and concerns. At that point, maybe yes. My interest is in moving beyond the issue, to the resolution. It will require some preparation and planning to structure a retreat. I have a list of issues as well, things that relate around work that ought to be done, to the mechanics of the board. It should be a two way street. • Murphy: It's probably a good list. It would be good to take the list and weed out things. Maybe some are longer term that deserve a retreat aspect. We need to bring both lists together and figure out what those issues are. • Shoemaker: I'd like to suggest that Kelly, Randy, myself, Mark or Susie, and maybe one other board member take two or three hours and sort through the issues and come forward with a proposal on how to proceed. • Miller: My suggestion is Kelly, Randy and anyone else on the board who is interested have a small meeting and flush out issues. • Shoemaker: I would like to be apart of that discussion. • Ohlson: We should get through the natural areas meeting in January before we meet. That will be a good one-third of the questions. Natural Resources Advisory Board December 1, 1999 Page 5 • Shoemkaker: I'd suggest we do the committee meeting soon. We can sort out natural areas issues, and try to answer informational questions in the materials we present prior to and at the January meeting. • Ohlson: I'm very flexible on how we handle it. There are a variety of ways to deal with this, we just need to start doing it. All of our lives will be more fun. , • Rastall: I would like to be a part of the committee. It would be a chance for me to acquire some background and history. • Murphy: I would ask that the issues be written down for the rest of us to see. • Miller: I would like to be a part of the committee meeting. Review and Approval of NRAB 2000 Work and 1999 Annual Report The Work Plan and Annual Report were unanimously approved. Review Council's 6 month planning Calendar • Shoemaker will verify the schedule of the Flood plain amendments • December 7 : Fossil Creek wetland annexation and zoning • 2"d Reading of easements at Cathy Fromme Prairie • 2nd Reading of Boxelder ordinance Review Future Agenda Items • January 19 — Natural Areas Workplan — Reschedule Pollution Prevention for February, check with Margit Hentschel and Judy Dorsey for February 2 availability. • Kelly Ohlson suggested canceling the first meeting of January Review Action Log/Tickler List • Schedule Community Separator memo • Schedule Futures Committee meeting New Business Bill Miller said there has been a request for a volunteer from the board to assist with a regional study of the I-25 subarea plan. Announcements Kelly Ohlson invited board members to a party celebrating the open space victory, Monday, December 6 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Lindens. Kelly Ohlson said the stronger version of Cities for Climate passed with a "cost effective" qualifier. Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.