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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 06/05/1991MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD 3036 E DRARE - WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT June b, 1991 Board Members Present Will Smith Dave DuBois Christine Ferguson Deni LaRue Staff Present Edith Felchle Bob Wilkinson Chuck Davis Bill Miller Harold Swope Tim Johnson Julie Bothwell Tom Gallier (Water Dept.) Minutes It was moved, seconded, and unanimously approved that the Minutes of May 1, 1991 NRAB meeting be accepted as presented. Hazardous Materials Risk Reduction Program Warren Jones was unable to attend the meeting. Davis said that he did not see any changes to give him sufficient pause affect the NRAB's willingness to recommend it. It has been folded into the SARA process which increases the chance that the data will be entered into someone's computer rather than just filed away. Davis also said that the intergovernmental agreement identifies the responsibilities of the City and those of the County concerning who has responsibility for which emergency functions. Wilkinson stated that the Planning and Zoning Board will review the program at the end of June, and NRAB can reschedule its final review for July. Both Boards will be making recommendations to Council. Johnson asked Davis to prepare a paragraph for the board's consideration at the July 3 meeting. Ferguson asked whether the intergovernmental agreement would give the Poudre Fire Authority (PFA) a large role in monitoring what was going on at the Holnam Plant. Davis replied that it would not. The County Health Department would have the primary responsibility and would report to PFA if anything was flammable was involved. Wilkinson stated that.the agreement affects anything inside the urban growth area, and Holnam is not in the urban growth area. Mitigation Fund Wilkinson was present in Tom Shoemaker's place. Three applications were considered: Fairway Estates Riparian Habitat Rehabilitation Project, Gustav Swanson Nature Area landscaping, and Gustav Swanson Nature Area irrigation. FAIRWAY ESTATES RIPARIAN HABITAT REHABILITATION PROJECT Swope gave a presentation on Fairway Estates. The whole area is about ten acres. The amount requested from the Mitigation Fund is $7,150. Swope said that the real problem started in 1980 when the Target/LaBelle Complex was built. The City, at the time, assured the homeowners that there would not be a problem because there would be a lot of retention ponds and the water would come out slowly. Swope said there was a tremendous increase in water volume causing an increase in siltation and that is when the water quality turned bad. In 1986 the Arbor Plaza was built and that is when the real destruction took place. Three to four feet of soil silted in to the ponds. The bacteria count ever since the destruction has been very high and the Health Department advises people not to swim there because the bacteria could cause ear and eye infections, along with some rashes. Swope said they want to try to mitigate some of the damage. If they receive the funds they are proposing to put in submergent vegetation such as cattails and hard stem bulrush because these are known to have the factor of filtering out water. Primarily the three water foul food plants; sago pond lily, duck weed, and elodea would all bring in waterfowl. They also would like to reestablish thickets of Choke Cherry and Wild Plum to attract wildlife. Little Blue Stem, Crested Wheat grasses, and a few clusters of trees would be put in. LaRue asked what prevents something happening upstream from again uprooting it. Wilkinson replied that there are few building pads that can be built on, so the damage that can be done is very minor. Johnson asked, in regard of using Roundup, would plowing the grass under be sufficient. Swope answered that it probably would if plowing was deep enough, but that Roundup would not damage the soil. Ferguson asked if there is any kind of threat to the water. Wilkinson replied that there is supposed to be a buffer between where you use Roundup and the edge of the water. GUSTAV SWANSON NATURE AREA (GSNA) Wilkinson said that work on this project has been going on for about five years. Previous funding has come from CDBG Block Grants, Fort Collins Greenway Foundation, Audubon Society, and other smaller organizations, but these funds have run out. Wilkinson said, in order to finish the first phase, plant materials are needed in the main reclamation area adjacent to Linden Street. Additional river rock, fencing materials and sinage also are needed. The second proposal is a combination of an irrigation system and a permanent water tap to the site. Wilkinson stated that they have been working with the adjacent property owners to have water access, but there are now so many plants that water access of'their own is a must. Ferguson asked if it could be watered from the river. Wilkinson answered that they would need water rights to do that. In the future there may be a need to have a drinking fountain and public restrooms installed and a water tap would be needed. Wilkinson stated that there is one water access point by the Light and Power Facility on the back part of the site, but it is a hose hookup and distance is a problem. In looking at all three applications, it was noted that if all the proposals are approved the asking amount would be $20,000. Johnson suggested the board discuss some criteria for expenditure of mitigation monies. Johnson felt that the GSNA has a lot of community value and involves many people of the community. He also felt that direct injury caused by development should be considered. This relates to the history of Mail Creek. Wilkinson stated that Council has set some parameters on how the funds should be spent. The two approaches that were talked about were in Council's range of options. Also included were things such as buying land and conservation easements; those examples would not involve restorations or enhancements, but just acquisitions. Ferguson proposed that Fairway Estates Project be completed and Council be given a report based on the return on investments. She suggested that this also may provide data for continuing to put money into the fund. It was moved and seconded that the proposal of the Fairway Estates Project be approved. Because of conflict of interest, Swope did not participate in the discussion on this motion or vote on it. Wilkinson made note that two more requests were received after the deadline. He suggested that a decision be made tonight on the ones that have already been heard and then consider the two received after the deadline in a few months based on how much residual funding is available. LaRue amended the motion to stipulate that volunteer hours worked on the projects be documented. Miller amended that the NRAB pursue also seeking restorations funds from storm water on this project. Ferguson added that she would like to see some of the data, and photos of the changes to allow the board to make the return on investment report to Council. The makers of the motion accepted the amendments and the motion carried unaminously. Davis moved and Miller seconded that the GSNA landscaping proposal be approved. Ferguson added the amendment of the accountability for the return on the investment reporting including worker hours. Davis and Miller accepted the amendment and the Motion carried unanimously. Davis moved and Miller seconded that the GSNA proposal of purchase and installation of irrigation to maintain plantings be approved. Ferguson thinks that some kind of attaching pipe for rain water to redirect it to where the plants are would be great. Wilkinson said that there would still be water right issues. A lot of plants were planted in the spring and Wilkinson said other arrangements would have to be worked out if the area does not get the water tap. Ferguson asked if that area is a significant part of future development plans for the department; if it has potential for future development. Wilkinson replied they see a lot of work that can still be done. At the present have been working on the front part that used to be a old landfill site. Smith asked what the target was for completing a lot of this. Wilkinson answered that it depends on how much funding they receive. The motion carried unanimously. New Business Review of Meadow Springs Ranch Tom Gallier, City of Fort Collins Wastewater Treatment Manager, gave an update on the Meadow Springs Ranch. Council proposed to purchase the property in October 1990 and they approved it in late November. Gallier said that they are finalizing a contract with the consultant to begin a detailed analysis of the site for a possible sludge management program for both their waste water treatment facilities and their water facilities. He stated that it will involve a lot of work and will be a long process. Meadow Springs Ranch is one of six grazing associations in the northern part of the state that was formed from the old Warren Livestock Company that was put together by a cattle railroad baron back at the turn of the century. In the 1960's they broke up the southern half of the ranch. Gallier stated that when they did their analysis of areas where they could do sludge disposal outside of Fort Collins, but still with good access, those areas caught their attention. Gallier said they will be looking at all management issues over the next three years. The total area is 25,680 acres with 18,130 acres deeded and a balance of 7,600 is owned by the State. The property starts at the Buckeye interchange and extends all the way to the state line. Part of the property is in Weld County with approximately 6000 to 7000 acres in Larimer County. Gallier said they have done a primarily analysis of wetlands in the area, exclusions that would occur under state and federal regulations, and also slope exclusions. He said it comes to approximately 27 to 32% of the total land that cannot be used. Council authorized to purchase it, but did not authorize sludge application until the study is finished and they have reviewed the final plans. Gallier said they would like NRAB's input as part of that process. When the contract is finalized, they will start developing baseline data on the site and will work with the consultant and with Colorado State University to look at the overall environmental condition of the site. Gallier said one of the key issues is some privately owned parcels along the railroad tracks owned by Northern Colorado Water Association. They have three wells on both sides of the tracks that serve approximately 700 to 800 rural customers. So the purchase of this is a major concern to those customers. Gallier said that the program they utilize right now, i.e, the use of the current resource farm and agreements with privately owned farms, is working just fine. If the new regulations that come out next year are more stringent than what they expect, this could change. He stated that he does not see a problem, and all this is future oriented. Smith stated that the sludge disposal content assumes the continuing standard way of operation and asked if there are considerations of some waste water treatment methods that use wetland areas to do a lot of the filtration separation. Gallier replied that wetland treatments or natural treatment systems are definite possibilities. He also said that it is difficult to make them work because of the environmental stress. A lot of biological activity would be lost. Johnson asked how much land is owned presently for sludge. Gallier replied that a little over 300 acres is owned. Johnson wanted to know why they were asking for 100 times greater. Gallier answered that the sludge farm was purchased with the concept of using the system where heavy amounts of sludge were used as a nutrient for a crop that needs a lot of nutrient, in this case it is corn. When the farm was put in, it was funded by the Environmental Protection Agency. Ferguson asked how much money it cost to acquire this land, what population it will serve, and what the linkage is to the new Windsor Water Treatment Plan. Gallier replied that the purchase price was $1,000,950.00 (about $105.00 per deeded acre). If the state-owned lands are included, the price is about $75.00 per acre. He stated that is critical in their initial analysis because when they first looked at very low level application, two things happened: there is an immediate benefit in terms of site life. Obviously the less sludge that is applied to an area the longer the site life will be before you reach cumulative build- up. The downside is a lot more land is needed, 300 acres vs 26,000 acres, but what they found was that there were sites available with land values so low they could make it work. The unique characteristics of this land include access off the interstate, rail access through the middle (the same railroad that goes by the plant in Fort Collins), and an abandon state highway deeded back to the property. The population that it will serve depends on what happens with the regulations. This site can have a potential site life of from 60 years up to 200 or more years. Gallier said there is plenty of time to really look closely and decide what really should be done with the land. Miller asked whether the recharge area for the wells would be an appropriate place for disposal. Gallier replied that from a legal standpoint, there is no reason why sludge cannot be applied within that recharge area. Miller asked if Fort Collins was the leases on the state land. Gallier answered in the affirmative. He added that different uses of the land will require renegotiation of the lease. In the proposal and the contract with the consultant, these analysis will not be completed until December 1991. At that point they will be presented with a complete report with recommendations. Gallier said it will be early 1994 before anything is presented to Council. He stated that they really want to involve the community through this whole process. They would like advice from the NRAB, and would like for someone from the board to sit on the advisory committee that will be composed of land owners in the area, regulatory officials, and people from CSU. Gallier invited anyone to come and tour the site. Miller asked what the tax value is: what the annual taxes are, vs the income that is being generated, vs grazing and the traditional uses. Gallier replied that between Larimer and Weld Counties it is a little less that $10,000.00. Northern Colorado Environmental metal learning renter Johnson said that Howard 'Alden would like to come to the September NRAB meeting to discuss the master plan that they are developing. As the Natural Areas Policy Plan is being developed, Johnson feels that this would be a good way to keep the two plans together. Johnson said that the Mitigation Fund would also be good for the learning center for habitat and xeriscape. Davis asked if there were any funding possibilities from the Heritage Corridor. Smith said that there is approximately $3,000,000, but no direction of where the money should go. Johnson said it gives the NRAB a real opportunity to come up with an early proposal. staff Reports Natural areas Policy Plan (NAPP) Wilkinson distributed a list of all the organizations that were notified about the NAPP and a list of those who are interested. The Mayor is interested in promoting the NAPP. Staff is putting together a script and slide show for her to present to community organizations. Ferguson asked how the Developers responded. Wilkinson replied they had a lot of positive response with some concerns that they do not want to pass on to new development all of the costs associated with such a wide spread program for the community. The costs should be borne by the whole community. They feel that the implementation approach should go along with the plan, along with any funding. Wilkinson said that July 7 is the tentative deadline for public input on the draft. Following public input, the draft will be revised and staff will go out for another public review. Wilkinson said they would like to present it to Council in early fall. Ferguson asked if staff has formulated funding recommendations. Wilkinson replied that there are several: money from the general fund, outside sources will be looked for, corporate resources, and developing a program where people can donate land. Natural Areas Funding Johnson discussed natural areas funding in the context of funding from the general fund vs a new tax initiative. With a new tax initiative, if it is voted down it would be out. It is possible to make the assumption that citizens live here because of places like natural aras that are along the river and that such projects should receive money just like streets. Ferguson said that Citizen Planners have sent a letter to Council supporting the NAPP, and suggesting that money should come from the general fund. Swope asked when a list would be available of the properties that are recommended. Wilkinson replied they have some now: Seven Springs Ranch, wetland area north of Trilby Road, Harmony Gateway Open Space. Johnson asked if a partial list could be available for the July NRAB meeting. Wilkinson said one couldbe available. Smith suggested that the Land Use Committee draft a letter regarding all these items that can be discussed at the July meeting. Miller will get the committee together and draft a letter. Recycle Committee Smith reported that the Resolution that the Natural Resources Division presented to Council June 4, to support the Larimer County effort to require all trash haulers to go to a weight or volume based fee structure, passed unanimously. Daryle Klassen is strongly for it and was disappointed that it did not go at the state level. Announce *nts LaRue suggested that in the future, the agenda list who the guest speakers are and who they are with. Ferguson has a new product, Laser Jet Fax, that was just released. If anybody would like more information on this product she will be glad to talk to them. Johnson thanked DuBois for all his efforts with the NRAB on water quality, and welcomed his input on issues in the future. Felchle announced that the new members that have been appointed to the board are Steven Erthal, real estate agent with Van Schaack, and Philip Friedman, a computer lab Manager with CSU. Smith said there had been consideration to see about getting public access to the Entail System that City employees use so that people can see the agendas, public documents without having to look through the newspaper. He wondered how that was coming along. Felchle said she would check on this. Adjournment Meeting was adjourned at 9:40 p.m.