HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016 - Land Conservation And Stewardship Board - Annual Report2016 Annual report
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
Land Conservation and Stewardship Board
DATE: January 11, 2016
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Ed Reifsnyder, Chair of the Land Conservation and Stewardship Board
The Land Conservation and Stewardship Board (LCSB) are pleased to present our 2016 Annual
Report to the Mayor and City Council. It was a pleasure to work diligently to fulfill our
responsibilities as advisors to City Council on issues related to the Natural Areas. The LCSB
looks forward to serving the community and City Council in 2017.
Recommendations: The LCSB recommended that City Council/City Manager approve the
following items: Elected Chair Kent Leier and Vice Chair Marcia Patton- Mallory to serve on
the LCSB; 2015 Annual Report: Kingfisher Point – Nix Farm – Emergency Access - Notice of
Alignment; Mallards Nest – Proposed Resolution to an Encroachment; Proposed Changes to
City Code - Camping Ordinance; Proposed Instream Flow Augmentation Phase I Agreement;
Running Deer – Boxelder Sanitary Sewer Line Easement; Donation of Land from Neighbor to
Neighbor; Two Year Lease of 0.70 Acres of King Fisher Point Natural Area to Fort Collins
Nursery; 2016 Natural Areas Appropriation Ordinance; Horsetooth Foothills IGA with Larimer
County; Gheen/Shuman Conservation Easement Amendment; LCSB 2017 – Work Plan; 2017-
2018 Budget; Nix Farm Campus – Master Plan Update; Amended and Restated Kingfisher –
Nix Natural Area Conservation Easement; Kingfisher Point Natural Area – Easement Exchange;
Sale of Seven Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area parcels to resolve seven encroachments.
The LCSB recommended that City Council not approve the following items:
Notice of Alignment for Utilities groundwater underdrain outfall on Running Deer Natural
Area; the sale of approximately 155 acres of Running Deer Natural Area, the LCSB
recommended a 10 year lease with a potential for 2 - 5 year extensions; the sale of approximately
11.85 acres of Running Deer Natural Area.
Presentations: Staff provided presentations and updates on: Land Conservation - monthly,
which included several executive sessions; 2016-2025 NAD Restoration Plan; Natural Areas
Long Range Financial Projections; Natural Areas – Resource Allocations Related to the 2017-
2018 BFO Process; Proposed Running Deer Land Sale to Hageman Earth Cycle on multiple
occasions; Bobcat Management Plan; and Resource Management: Education, Outreach and
Volunteer Coordination; Night Sky Initiative; Wildlife Management Guidelines; Prairie Dog
Management; Nature in the City: Mountain Vista Sub Area Plan, Longview Trail – Proposed
Trail Alignment; and Nix Farm Campus – Master Plan Update.
Field Trips: The LCSBs toured the following: the proposed Longview trail alignment across
Hazaleus and Colina Mariposa Natural Areas; Running Deer Natural Area, twice, to view the
proposed land sale to Hageman Earth Cycle; and a potential land purchase in northwest Fort
Collins.
Memos to Council: The LCSB prepared the following memos to Council: supporting the
changes to the Camping Ordinance; expressing disappointment in the decision to not consider
the changes to the Camping Ordinance; recommending that the proposed sale of land to
Hageman Earth Cycle not be approved and that the land be leased; supporting the Natural Areas
2017-2018 Budget including the ten conversions of hourly positions to permanent; several more
reiterating the boards position on the land sale to Hageman.
LCSB held a Retreat in May; they discussed how the board can be more strategic; the role of the
LCSB; its long range vision for the Natural Areas Program; the need to continue the focus on
land conservation; priorities for land conservation; stewardship of natural areas; and challenges.
LCSB held a special meeting in October to discuss team values to improve the effectiveness of
the Board, to discuss land conservation strategies and ways to be more aggressive at land
conservation.
The LCSB attended the Regional Open Space Meeting in November with Larimer County and
representatives from the other cities in the county; the theme for the meeting was conservation of
agricultural land.