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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 12/05/1997CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING 281 CONFERENCE ROOM - 281 N. COLLEGE AVE. FEBRUARY 5,1997 For Reference: Phil Murphy, NRAB Chair - 491-6303 Gina Janett, Council Liaison - 493-4677 Tom Shoemaker, Staff Liaison - 221-6263 Board Members Present Phil Murphy, Craig McGee, Ed Secor (left during the Zoning Districts portion of the agenda), Linda Kirkpatrick, Bill Miller, Phil Friedman, Ed Behunek, and Katy Mason Board Members Absent Kelly Ohlson Staff Present Natural Resources Dent: Tom Shoemaker and Sally Maggart; Park Planning: Craig Foreman; Water Utilities: Bob Smith and Kevin McBride The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. Guests David Hughes, Parks & Recreation Board; K-Lynn Cameron, County Open Lands; Tim Johnson, Transportation Board (arrived during the Poudre River Land Use portion of the agenda) Review and Approval of Minutes The minutes of the January 8, 1997 Regular Meeting were approved as written. The minutes of the January 16, 1997 Special Meeting were approved as written. Agenda Review Craig Foreman will present an update on the preliminary work on the parking lot at Cathy Fromme Prairie. The presentation on rip -rap is postponed until the March meeting. David Hughes requested five minutes to discuss CIP. Announcements Tom Shoemaker reported that the City closed on the Stark McGarvey property, a 140 acre addition to the north side of the Cathy Fromme Prairie. He acknowledged the efforts of Ron Mills in the Right -of -Way Department and Carrie Daggett in the Attorney's office. The City also closed on the Suitts property along Timberline. Phil Murphy announced that the Poudre River Gravel Implementation group will meet on February 20 at 6:30 p.m. at 281 N. College. Natural Resources Advisory Board February 5, 1997 Page 2 Bill Miller said that there will be a meeting on Thursday, February 13, from 9:30-11:00 a.m. in the County Commissioner's conference room to discuss a new landfill site. Shoemaker reported that Council placed three measures on the ballot having to do with capital spending; the natural areas component is $27 million. Public Input. David Hughes, a member of the Parks & Recreation Board, said that he has volunteered to help in support of this year's tax initiative. He recommended that a member of the Board write a soapbox article on the progress of the Cathy Fromme Prairie. Hughes noted an error in the Foothills Management Plan that states that no bikes are allowed on the Timber Ridge Trail. He also noted that the plan states that Pineridge is the "most sensitive natural area" (Page 12, second paragraph) and he is concerned that the next step will be to ban dogs on leash. Hughes expressed concern that the maintenance budget in the present tax is only for work on new areas. He said Pineridge could do with a maintenance investment. Phil Murphy said that he hopes the people in the Pineridge area realize there was a lot of compromise on the management plan. He added that he is confident that the citizens of Fort Collins will be able to put what happened at Pineridge behind them and move forward. Murphy noted that significant progress was made in opening dialogue. Shoemaker thanked Hughes for bringing the errors in the management plan to the attention of staff. They will be corrected. He added that there is no hidden agenda to change the management plan and the hope is to not revisit it. The first five years of the natural areas funding were intended to be focused on acquisitions and management plans. Roberts Ranch Update, K-Lynn Cameron K-Lynn Cameron, Larimer County Open Lands Manager, explained that The Nature Conservancy is the lead on the purchase of this 16,000 acre centennial ranch in the Livermore area. • The Laramie Foothills area is a high priority to TNC and the present owners have a strong interest in preserving the ranch. • The ranch is valued at $4 million and the purchase price is $2 million because of the Roberts' life estate and donation. • GOCO awarded The Nature Conservancy $1 million toward the purchase and TNC is seeking $1 million from Larimer County. • Another $1 million is being sought for a stewardship fund. • There are still family issues that need to be resolved. DISCUSSION • The County's funding portion will come from the Help Preserve Open Space tax. Natural Resources Advisory Board February 5, 1997 Page 3 • TNC will own the property and continue ranching. • The County will hold a conservation easement. • Some acreage is held in trust for the grandsons and is not included in the purchase. • No money from the Legacy Grant is going towards the purchase. Cathy Fromme Prairie Parking Lot Update, Craig Foreman Craig Foreman, Civil Engineer, explained the proposed parking lot placement. There will be parking for eight cars, with a handicapped stall and bus access. He said that he will stake out the main points next week. Environmental Awards, Phil Friedman Deferred to the end of the meeting. Rip Rap Update, Jay Rose and Rob Wilkinson Postponed. Poudre River Land Use, Tom Shoemaker Update on Plan Kevin McBride, Senior Stormwater Engineer, distributed copies of the changes to the land use code and "Stormwater Quality: A Watershed Approach". He explained the three major components of - natural watersheds and the national model for treatment measures. McBride said that treatment practices will be required throughout town; there will be an erosion control requirement in place for every development because of the impact of sediment on streams. DISCUSSION • Rock lined waterways replace the concrete pan concept. • Design criteria are being developed. • Natural Resources Department will be involved in the process. • Stormwater Department will report back to the Board. Floodplain Protection Tom Shoemaker explained that a blanket statement has not been included in City Plan restricting development in the floodplain. He said that staff members are not recommending a blanket statement but are proposing a significant increase in floodplain protection measures through a variety of mechanisms. He presented a floodplain and natural areas inventory map of the Poudre River illustrating the non - developable ground. The zoning district RC (River Conservation) proposed in the code is very restrictive and does not allow a lot of use. This will achieve a significant reduction in the amount of development that would be allowed, but not an absolute prohibition because of two issues: the distance from the river in some areas and takings. Natural Resources Advisory Board February 5, 1997 Page 4 • The key words are "will not cause any adverse effects". • There will be areas where development can take place. • Dueling engineering models between the City and developers can create an engineering bonanza. • Take a fum stand and say no building in the floodplain, aside from the takings and regulatory issues. • Water will go where it wants to go. Nobody is smart enough to effectively engineer solutions. • A fluvial geomorphologist should be consulted; they deal with rivers differently than engineers. • The 100-year floodplain is arbitrary; moving development closer causes water to rise, • Existing development could be redeveloped consistent with uses applicable to the zoning districts and subject to whatever other floodplain development regulations are in place. • Nobody thinks building in a floodplain is a good idea. Ask Council to put it to a vote and put it in the charter with the provision that utilities could cross the river to serve development on the other side of the floodplain. • Sensitivity to what has occurred in the past makes future issues more complex. • Apply a different standard to the Poudre than to that of an area with a wide floodplain. Shoemaker said that he is hearing that the Board wants no new development in the floodplain. He is also hearing that the issue of redefinitions of floodplains could be treated as a separate issue. Shoemaker said that the City's River Team will have to discuss the code language more thoroughly tomorrow. A decision is needed quickly for the code language to go forward to the Planning & Zoning Board. Ed Secor made the motion that the Board recommends that City Code prohibits new development within all 100-yearJloodplains and recognizes that the two other issues that need to be addressed separately are existing development and the somewhat related issue of redefining, floodplains by engineering projects. Bill Miller seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (8-0). Zoning Districts Shoemaker explained that the following districts apply to portions within the city limits along the Poudre River: • RDR: River Downtown Redevelopment • CCR: Community Commercial River RC: River Conservation Shoemaker explained that CCR would be eliminated if no development was allowed on the floodplains. Katy Mason said that she would like to go on record saying that the grocery store on page 72 is a big Natural Resources Advisory Board February 5, 1997 Page 5 facility and is not appropriate. Environmental Awards, Phil Friedman Friedman said that he, Linda Kirkpatrick and Bill Miller met and decided that rather than having a public submittal process, request that staff members find appropriate nominees in the categories. He added that the decision was made because there were no submittals last year by the public. DISCUSSION • It would be awkward for staff to nominate. • Public nominations in some form are important. • Try a combination of public nominations and/or have a nominating committee to include the board and people from the community. • Issue a press release seeking interested citizens to sit on a nominating committee. The task would be to solicit or make nomination to take to the Board. • Do not categorize. Take projects based on merit. • Combine direct calls and a press release to obtain a nominating committee. • Request public submissions. Friedman said that he will talk with Sue Kenney to solicit a nominating committee from the public via a press release followed up by direct calls; an option to nominate a project or a person will be included. A separate news release will be sent out later to solicit nominations. He said the awards are presented in the middle of September. What are Transfer Development Rights and Conservation Easements?, Tom Shoemaker Tom Shoemaker distributed reading materials. This is a discussion item and will be deferred to the next meeting. Other Business Katy Mason requested that a one page fact sheet on the natural area program's accomplishments since the last tax be sent to board members in order to write a soapbox or letter to the editor on the CIP initiative. Bill Miller said that it is needed to keep this as a coordinated effort to support the entire package, not just one element. Shoemaker said that he will provide the fact sheet. Bill Miller noted that he received a second mailing from Bob O'Rourke. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 10:45.