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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 05/03/1995MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING 281 CONFERENCE ROOM - 281 N. COLLEGE AVE. MAY 3, 1995 For Reference: Phil Friedman, NRAB Chair - 493-2959 Gina Janett, Council Liaison - 493-4677 Tom Shoemaker, Staff Liaison - 221-6263 Board Members Present Lisa Steffes, Phil Murphy, Bill Miller, Phil Friedman, Arlene Blum, Tim Johnson and Katy Mason (until 9:00 p.m.) Board Members Absent Don Tidd (excused), Craig McGee (excused) Staff Present Tom Shoemaker, Sally Maggart, Mike Powers, CLRS Director The meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m. Guests Ed Secor, citizen, joined the meeting after the approval of the minutes. Approval of Minutes Bill Miller moved and Katy Mason seconded the motion to approve the minutes of the April 5, 1995 meeting with the following changes: Under "Other Business", last paragraph, page 8, second sentence, Phil Friedman said his statement should read: "... the water department decided to join" (delete"not") and the "Platte River Recovery Project' should be the "Water Congress". Poudre River Land Use Study, Mike Powers, CLRS Director Tom Shoemaker noted that the board reviewed this study at the March meeting and had questions about the future scope of the planning work. He introduced Mike Powers, Cultural, Library and Recreational Services Director (CLRS). Powers said that because of financial constraints it was not possible to do a total land use study. He explained that, as a foundation for a more comprehensive report, policies from prior river studies were compiled and merged into one document. Powers added that he will be requesting funding from council for a total land use study. He asked for board support. Natural Resources Advisory Board Meeting May 3, 1995 Page 2 Powers noted that page 22 of the study summarizes the consultant's recommendations. He said that he will ask council at the May 16 meeting to adopt these recommendations. Powers added that the study will be part of the comprehensive plan and should be completed in 18 months. Powers noted that the study suggests two things for the future: 1) submitting a GOCO Grant to proceed immediately with the gravel mining aspects of the plan, and 2) seeking funding of the remainder of the master plan in the 1996 budget. He noted that if the funding is not available through the GOCO grant, the total amount would have to be included in the 1996 budget request. Shoemaker noted that the gravel concern is addressed in the Natural Areas Policy Plan. Tim Johnson suggested changing the "amphitheater site" designation on the two maps located in the study to reflect the present use. Lisa Steffes noted that the "amphitheater site" area is presently the Kiefer property. Powers noted that the "amphitheater site" designation came from the Performing Arts Feasibility Study. He added that it would be difficult to correct it at this point due to time constraints, but he will work with Shoemaker to identify it as a change that could be made in the final printing. Mason asked what the cost of the land use study plan would be based on receiving GOCO grant funds. Powers said that the total cost would be around $125,000; if the GOCO grant is approved, the budget request could be $60-70,000. Tim Johnson moved that the plan be adopted as put forward, with the change on the map to mark the "amphitheater site" as the "Kiefer site". Phil Murphy seconded the motion. Katy Mason suggested that the "Fort Site" name be changed, for consistency, to the "Historical Fort Collins Site". Tim Johnson accepted this as a friendly amendment. The motion passed unanimously (7-0). Phil Friedman asked staff to draft a letter to council for his approval. The board thanked Powers for his presentation. Meeting Management, Phil Friedman Friedman explained that the memo included in the board packet focuses on streamlining meetings and increasing the information flow. He said he has no problem limiting the discussion of agenda items if this is acceptable to the board. Phil Murphy said he would like the opportunity for open discussion and not feel the pressure to make quick decisions. Friedman suggested the following agenda changes: 1) Start the meeting with an agenda review. 2) Sequence the announcements after the approval of the minutes. 3) Start the meeting earlier. 4) Have a mid -month meeting, as needed. Natural Resources Advisory Board Meeting May 3, 1995 Page 3 Blum suggested holding a regular meeting on a Saturday or Sunday morning on a quarterly basis. She said she has been on other committees that have done that and it was well received. Shoemaker said that a public notice would have to be posted in advance and the meeting would have to be at a location suitable for public attendance. Friedman noted that the board does not have to take action on this tonight. He asked the members to bring suggestions to the June meeting. City Council Policy Agenda, Phil Friedman Friedman noted that council will go on a retreat Friday, May 5. He asked the board for specific policy agenda recommendations to be included in a memo to council. After discussion, the members decided on the following priority items: 1. Give high priority to the Master Naturalist Program and to the funding of a Ranger Naturalist position to ensure enforcement of ordinances and management guidelines within natural areas. 2. Emphasize timely completion of a comprehensive Cost of Development Study II. 3. Complete the Comprehensive Plan (City Plan) in a timely manner. 4. Adopt and implement a master plan for the Poudre River Corridor. 5. Find a way to open Water Treatment Plant 1 to public use. Set aside $80,000 per year for the next three years for matching funds for grant applications. 6. Closely monitor the new recycling program, specifically: attainment of goals; careful consideration of a system for districting the city; and development of a composting facility. 7. Provide adequate staffing and funding to implement the Plan for the Region Between Fort Collins and Loveland. 1996 Budget Issues, Tom Shoemaker Shoemaker referred to the memo from Mayor Azari that was included in the board packet. He said that input on the 1996 budget process is due May 8. Johnson noted that some of the policy agenda items seemed appropriate as budget issues. After discussion, the board members agreed, and requested staff to include the budget issues with the policy agenda items in the memo to council. Shoemaker will report on the budget progress at the June meeting. Bill Miller made the motion to send one memo on the policy agenda and the budget issues twice to council. Phil Murphy seconded the motion and it passed unanimously (7-0). Natural Resources Advisory Board Meeting May 3, 1995 Page 4 Work Session and Water Treatment Plant Tour Friedman noted that there will be a work session on Wednesday, May 17, to discuss the Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update and to hear Edith Felchle's presentation on Environmental. Education that was carried over from the retreat. Mason set a Growth Management Committee meeting after the work session to get an update on the Cost of Development Study and the City Plan. The board decided to meet at the Streets Facility Conference Room at 6:30 p.m., with the Growth Management Committee meeting afterwards. Staff will send an agenda and directions prior to the meeting. The Water Treatment Plant Tour for the board, council and community members is scheduled for May 19. The bus will leave City Hall West, 300 LaPorte Ave., at 5:00 p.m. and return at 8:00 p.m. Johnson said that he will provide staff with a list of participants by May 12 and will also contact Mike Smith for fliers. Shoemaker said that staff will provide soft drinks and munchies. Ideas on Provincetown SID, Tom Shoemaker Shoemaker noted an area on the map known as the Provincetown SID. He explained that although this SID has gone under, council has made the commitment to honor the bonds and pay the interest to bondholders. Shoemaker said the city has been advised to separate the SID into smaller parcels in order to recoup the $3 million debt. He noted the three options outlined on the map that staff has recommended for open space retention. Miller noted that there are three main sites in Area 3 where birds of prey have been observed. He suggested taking a line across the road to the farmhouse and enlarging Area 2 to include the roosting trees. He noted that this approach would leave the largest chunk of developable land. Shoemaker said that he was not sure that the larger area would be affordable. Steffes asked if there were enough prairie dog towns in the southern corridor area to support the winter raptors. Shoemaker said no, but noted that there are some locations that could be acquired for $800-1500 an acre (Fossil Creek Reservoir area and McKee Charitable Trust land) that could be established for the prairie dogs. Murphy asked if there was an estimate on how long the roosting trees would last. Shoemaker said they were pretty old and would probably not last much longer. Steffes suggested erecting artificial roosts by the trees. Friedman asked if this would have been an acquisition priority if the SID had not failed. Shoemaker noted that Area 1 was originally identified as moderate priority but the addition of the corridor study provides an opportunity to justify the purchase. Miller said that the combination of Areas 1 and 2 would give a good mix of terrain and habitat Natural Resources Advisory Board Meeting May 3, 1995 Page 5 types. Johnson said he would not like to see all of the natural areas budget used up on this purchase. Shoemaker noted that the southeast comer could be zoned commercial. The board agreed to not rush into a decision and to discuss it further at the work session on May 17. Announcements Recycling articles from Craig McGee were distributed. Johnson handed out information on flooding. Johnson suggested a letter to the Parks and Recreation Board asking them to do an inventory on purchasing access points to the bike trails. Miller suggested using one of the trail rangers that are hired in the summer to establish the inventory. Tim Johnson moved that the board make a request to the Parks and Recreation Board to identify the unofficial access points to the trails. Bill Miller seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (6-0). Johnson said he will draft the letter. Friedman noted an article from the Boulder Weekly that will appear in the "Friends of the Poudre" newsletter regarding the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District pipeline. Friedman announced that the Friends of the Poudre got permission to use the Water Treatment Plant 1 facility for their festival on June 3 and 4. He said participants will be shuttled to the location in vans. He added that volunteer van drivers are needed. Blum announced that she will be resigning from the board because she will be living in Costa Rico next year. Miller suggested that she submit her letter of resignation soon as the city is in the process of recruiting board members for appointment in July. Miller announced that the Larimer County Natural Resources Advisory Board has authorized an environmental award task force. He added that the awards will be presented at the county fair in August. Shoemaker announced that the 150 acres to the north of the Cathy Fromme Prairie is under contract, but not yet final, at a cost of $8,800 per acre. Friedman announced that Gary Kimsey is starting the Poudre Heritage Foundation. He said it will be nonprofit but will accept contributions to be used for matching GOCO grants and future grant opportunities. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 10:13 p.m.