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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand Conservation And Stewardship Board - Minutes - 10/04/2006MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS LAND CONSERVATION & STEWARDSHIP BOARD Regular Meeting 200 W. Mountain, Suite A October 4, 2006 For Reference: Bill Bertschy - 491-7377 Mayor Doug Hutchinson - 416-2154 John Stokes, Staff Liaison - 221-6263 Board Members Present Michelle Brown, Vicky McLane, Greg Snyder, Linda Stanley, Karyl Ting Board Members Absent Bill Bertschy, Greg Eckert, Michelle Grooms, Paul Hudnut Staff Present Natural Resources Deft: Geri Kidawski, Mark Sears, John Stokes Guests Faculty, Colorado State University: Chris Koziol Michelle Brown called the meeting to order at 6:15 p.m. Michelle mentioned that three items have been cancelled from this evening's agenda, and they are: The Update to the Storm Water Master Plan, Poudre River Floodplain Regulations and Collective Memos Discussion. Review and Approval of Minutes Linda Stanley moved to approve the September 13, 2006 minutes. Karyl Ting second. The minutes were unanimously approved. Public Comments None • Snyder: I would like a few minutes, after the agenda items have been covered, to talk about aquatic reconnoitering regarding several natural areas. UNESCO World Heritage Sites John Stokes introduced Chris Koziol to the Board. Chris Koziol handed out copies of the World Heritage Cultural Landscapes, taken from The George Wright Society, Inc web site. Land Conservation & Stewardship Board October 4, 2006 Page 2 of 4 • Koziol: I am part of the faculty of Colorado State University, in the department of Construction Management. My background is in Public Policy, Urban Planning and Architecture. At the university I am the Director of the Architecture Preservation Institute. The Lindemeyer site, at Soapstone, is on the National Park Service's tentative list for World Heritage status. A tentative list is a national list of natural and cultural properties that appear to meet the eligibility criteria for nomination to the World Heritage List. It is an annotated list of candidate sites which a country intends to nominate within a given time period. The United States law requires that the property be nationally significant i.e., formally designated as a National Historic Landmark or a National Natural Landmark, or be a Federal reserve of national importance, such as a National Park, National Monument, or Wildlife Refuge, and that all owners consent to the proposal and be willing to agree to protective measures for the property. In addition to the Lindemeyer site Soapstone could be entered as a cultural landscape. The type of site that this area is, if you were looking at it with a theme, is that it has serial occupations of over 11,000 years. One of my colleagues Brenda Barrette, who heads up the National Heritage area, and is also an advisor to the Director, National Parks Service, would be willing to come to a Land Conservation and Stewardship Board meeting, and speak to the Board on this subject. I also may have another colleague who would like to speak to this Board on this subject. • Stanley: Who would nominate the Natural Area now? • Koziol: The owners and what is nominated has to have National significance. • Stanley: What is the advantage of becoming a World Heritage site? • Koziol: That would be for the Board to decide. • McLane: Does it enhance grant opportunities? • Koziol: The state of Colorado has the largest historic preservation grant program in the United States. The state of Colorado has betweenl2-20 million in grants for historic preservation, including archeology. • McLane: Are there advantages or disadvantages to being nominated in the cultural landscape category or the archeological category? • Koziol: The site would have to be defined. The easier one would be the archeological category. The Cultural Landscape is a category UNESCO just developed in 1992, and there are currently no World Heritage Cultural Landscapes in North America. It is a new designation for this continent. • Ting: Is there a downside to putting in an application and can it be withdrawn? • Koziol: I am getting the sense that the Federal government is making sure that this is fully voluntary. • Ting: Do we need to go through the window at this time, as opposed to making a decision at another time? Land Conservation & Stewardship Board October 4, 2006 Page 3 of • Stokes: I think, based on what Chris has shared with us this evening, we need to get on the phone and web and do the research, and then bring back some more information to the Board. • Koziol: It seems to be a step process, and there is a pre -proposal. • Snyder: What kind of potential impact might it have, if the Lindemeyer site is approved and becomes a World Heritage site, on the ability, in the future, to re - excavate the site? I feel that at some point in time it should be opened up due to the historical significance buried there. • Koziol: My understanding is that once a site is designated it's hard to undesignated it. • McLane: If the City of Fort Collins decided to do the nomination, would you or the people at Colorado State University be willing to provide assistance? • Chris: There are small groups at the University that have been meeting with regards to World Heritage conservation. So yes there is interest. Here in Fort Collins is the National Association of Interpretation, which may be a good resource for assistance. • Stokes: I think we need to follow up with Chris or anyone else at CSU at a later date. Dixon Reservoir Discussion • Snyder: Dixon Reservoir has some serious problems with regards to water quality, and aquatic plants. Perhaps if Chinese Grass Carp was introduced that may help keep the plant growth under control. • Stanley: Who owns the water rights at Dixon Reservoir? • Sears: The Dixon Reservoir Company does, and also the City owns a very large part. of it. What we will be bringing to the Board shortly, is that we are looking to lease the reservoir for $3,000 a year from the owners. • Snyder: My concern is with that much green plant life in the water, which if the water ices over during the winter and the plant life dies and decomposes, then you start loosing oxygen in the water. The stagnant water of limited depth, of which Dixon Reservoir is, may deteriorate fish population and fish health. • Ting: What is the in -source of the water? • Sears: Horsetooth Reservoir. • McLane: Why is the City considering leasing the water? • Sears: It would clear up the animal at large enforcement issue. Also as our program matures there are a lot of arenas that we can start exploring. Like improving fisheries, either the aquatic habitat and/or stocking. Primrose Studio Sears explained the history of Primrose Studio to the Board, which was originally owned by Rob and Dorothy Udall. Maps and photos of the studio where passed out to the Board for their review. • Sears: When Rob was failing in health he asked K-Lynn, from Larimer County, and I to visit with him, and it was determined at that time that it would be better for him to give the remaining 22 acres to the City of Fort Collins rather than Larimer County. He gave the land to the City, along with $125,000 in cash, to be put in an endowment Land Conservation & Stewardship Board October 4, 2006 Page 4 of 4 for the ongoing maintenance of the property so that non-profit groups wanting to meet at the studio would never be charge a fee. We hired an architect to draw up plans for Primrose studio, and the plans are very close to being finalized. The architecture of the art studio itself will remain the same, the only real difference is on the east side of the studio where the deck will be rebuilt and expanded to hold outside activity. Art in Public Places will also be added to the surrounding area. Using maps and photos Sears continued to explain construction improvements that will be done to the studio. He also spoke about the Primrose Studio "Closing House" event held at the studio on Sunday, September 24, 2006. Announcements Brown: Boards & Commission Appreciation Reception is on Wednesday, November 8, 2006, the same day as the Land Conservation and Stewardship Board (LCSB) meeting. We will change the November 8, 2006 LCSB meeting start time to 6:30 p.m. Stokes: I will send an e-mail with the agenda, which will include the meeting time change. Stokes: The City Council is working on the budget, and one item in that budget affects the Natural Areas program directly, and that is the potential of the Natural Areas taking on Gateway Park from the Parks and Recreation department. We would manage the Park proper as well as some acreage around the Park. The cost of managing Gateway Park is about $100,000 net, so we would continue to collect the fees as the Parks department has done in the past. In the near future there will be a job posting, regarding the hiring of a Ranger who will oversee all management duties at the Park. Brown: I would like to thank staff, Geri, Mark and John for the wonderful volunteer picnic at Bobcat Ridge on Saturday, September 23, 2006. Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m. Submitted by Geri Kidawski Administrative Secretary