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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022 - Land Conservation And Stewardship Board - Annual Report Land Conservation & Stewardship Board 2022 Annual Report Members: Andrea Elson, Chair Vicky McLane Ross Cunniff, Vice-Chair Alycia Crall Mike Weber Elena Lopez Denise Culver Cole Kramer Joe Piesman 2022 ANNUAL REPORT Page 1 The Land Conservation and Stewardship Board (LCSB) is pleased to present the 2022 Annual Report to the Mayor and City Council. It has been a pleasure to fulfill our responsibilities as advisors to City Council on issues related to natural areas. MEMOS TO CITY COUNCIL June 13, 2022: The Land Conservation and Stewardship Board strongly urges City Council to continue the steps necessary to expeditiously implement the 1041 Regulations and stands ready to review and advise during this important regulatory development process. November 10, 2022: The Land Conservation and Stewardship Board recommends City Council protect Natural Areas to the greatest extent possible through the upcoming oil and gas regulation changes. November 10, 2022: The Land Conservation and Stewardship Board recommends City Council support the proposed 90-day extension to the 1041 Moratorium so City Council may further explore and define the natural resource definitions for 1041 Regulations; and for City Council to consider additional areas and activities that could be covered under 1041 Regulations. RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL The LCSB recommends City Council approve the following items: Recommends City Counc il approve the amendment to the Williams Conservation Easement. Recommends City Council approve the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Larimer County to partner on the purchase of the Quarter Circle Ranch Conservation Easement. Recommends City Council adopt the proposed re-platting with the right-of -way dedication; with the caveat this does not apply any endorsement by the LCSB of future parking lot or road expansion on Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area. Recommends City Council approve an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Larimer County to partner on the purchase of a 675-acre property for the Bobcat Ridge Expansion Conservation Project. Recommends City Council approve the proposed 2022 Appropriation of Prior Year Natural Areas Land Conservation & Stewardship Board 2022 Annual Report 2 022 ANNUAL REPORT Page 2 Department reserves. Recommends City Council approve the grant appropriations for the Poudre River Fish Passage Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA). Recommends City Council approve a resolution and related actions to help bird species recover, by supporting the celebration of World Migratory Bird Day and applying to be a certified Bird City. Recommends City Council approve the proposed updates and changes to the Natural Areas Municipal Code. Recommends City Council adopt the Active Modes Plan. Recommends LCSB support the City signing the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Larimer County and recommend the Natural Areas Department staff investigate and report on existing and potential monitoring on non-target animal species. Recommends City Council approve an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Larimer County to partner on the purchase of the 1,547-acre Heaven’s Door Ranch property. Recommends City Council protect natural areas to the greatest extent possible through upcoming oil and gas regulation changes. Recommends City Council support the proposed 90-day extension to the 1041 Moratorium so City Council may further explore and define the natural resource definitions for 1041 Regulations ; and for City Council to consider additional areas and activities that could be covered under 1 041 Regulations. PRESENTATIONS BY GUESTS AND NATURAL AREAS DEPARTMENT (NAD) STAFF Kristin Powell, NAD Lead Ranger and Dave Irwin, NAD Lead Ranger, introduced the Ranger Team and provided an overview of the mission, history, and structure of the Ranger Program. Julia Feder, NAD Environmental Program Manager; Bernadette Kuhn, NAD Senior Environmental Planner; and Heidi Wagner, NAD Senior Environmental Planner, provided a summary of the Conservation and Stewardship Planning and Mountains to Plains 2021 Zone Update. Zoë Shark, NAD Public Engagement Manager, shared an email from Community Development and Neighborhood Services (C DNS) addressing 1041 Regulations and inquired for volunteers from the LCSB who would be interested in participating in group discussions surrounding 1041. Alynn Karnes, NAD Land Conservation Specialist, spoke about the amendment changes made to the Hazelhurst Conservation Easement. Alynn Karnes, NAD Land Conservation Specialist, introduced the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Larimer County to purchase a conservation easement on 428 -acres, Quarter Circle Land Conservation & Stewardship Board 2022 Annual Report 2 022 ANNUAL REPORT Page 3 Ranch, within the Laramie Foothills Mountain to Plains Priority Area. Heidi Wagner, NAD Senior Environmental Planner, introduced the Cathy Fromme Prairie subdivision right-of -way dedication. Julia Feder, NAD Senior Environmental Planner; Matt Fater, Interim Director, Stormwater Utilities; Jason Stutzman, Senior Project Manager, Utilities Capital Projects; Dusty Robinson Lead Designer, Air Associates; Angie Belewski, Lead Designer, Air Associates; and Bernadette Kuhn, NAD Senior Environmental Planner, presented an update on the Utilities Stream Rehabilitation and Enhancement Program. Kelly Smith, Senior Environmental Planner, Community Development and Neighborhood Services and Cassie Archuleta, Air Quality Program Manager , provided updates on the release of the draft Oil and Gas Regulations update. Alynn Karnes, NAD Land Conservation Specialist, presented a proposed Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Larimer County to purchase a 675-acre property in the Foothills/Buckhorn/Redstone Priority Area. Courtney Geary, Active Modes Manager, provided a summary of the goals of Active Modes to include updating and consolidating the 2011 Pedestrian Plan and the 2014 Bicycle Plan. Katie Donahue, NAD Director, reviewed the Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO) offers explaining the Natural Areas Department is not proposing any offers beyond normal operations in prior years. Barb Brock, NAD Financial Analyst, presented the Annual Appropriation of Prior Year Reserves. Bernadette Kuhn, NAD Senior Environmental Planner, shared a presentation on the Poudre River Fish Passage Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA ), highlighting details of the project and scope of work. Bernadette Kuhn, NAD Senior Environmental Planner, briefed the Board on the w ork NAD has been doing over the last 3 years to obtain a grant from Colorado Parks & Wildlife to improve the habitat for native fish at the Environmental Learning Center (ELC); and a larger project with Utilities to secure a Water Right at the ELC. Julia Feder, NAD Program Manager; Kate Rentschlar, NAD Environmental Planner ; Jen Shanahan, NAD Senior Watershed Planner; and Zoë Shark, NAD Public Engagement Manager, presented conservation and stewardship planning updates for the Poudre River Zone, the Mountains to Plains Zone, and public engagement across zones. Alynn Karnes, NAD Land Conservation Specialist, presented the char ter for placing conservation easements on Natural Areas owned properties, explained the process of ranking for conservation easements, and described how properties are prioritized within each zone. Land Conservation & Stewardship Board 2022 Annual Report 2 022 ANNUAL REPORT Page 4 Zoë Shark , NAD Public Engagement Manager, requested support from the Board for a resolution that would help bird species by supporting the celebration of World Migratory Bird Day and applying to be a certified Bird City. Aaron Reed, NAD Senior Supervisor for Facility Operations, presented the Bobcat Ridge Natural Area Dump Clean-up, which included and summarized a remediation history, two-management options the NAD were offered to address the issue, final steps of remediation, and clean -up costs. Katie Donahue, NAD Director, rev iewed Natural Areas Department metrics and information sharing. She shared a sample of metrics tracked by the City for each of the seven community outcomes, with specific details referring to the Natural Areas Department; reviewed how NAD tracks accountabi lity, and measures improved habitat. Julia Feder, NAD Environmental Planning Manager, opened a discussion about a field trip to Kestrel Fields Natural Area to observe the conservation agricultural project. Katie Donahue, NAD Director, outlined the Natural Areas Department role in the City’s easement application process. Alynn Karnes, NAD Land Conservation Specialist, introduced a potential drainage easement to Fort Collins Nissan-KIA, across the southwest corner of Redtail Grove Natural Area. The Nissan-KIA dealership development plan requires a drainage path be identified and formalized to mitigate their stormwater outfall from the development. Jesse Green, NAD Ranger, presented proposed changes to the Fort Collins Municipal Code Chapter 23, Article IX, which cover Natural Areas regulations. Julia Feder, Environmental Planning Manager, introduced the Buckeye Ranch Conservation Project, to conserve nearly 1,000-acres north of Fort Collins, in partnership with Larimer County. Rachel Ruhlen, Transportation Planner with FC Moves, presented an overview of the draft Active Modes plan which combines and updates the City’s 2011 Pedestrian Plan and 2014 Bicycle Plan, and incorporates micro mobility devices, such as: electric scooters and skateboards. Bernadette Kuhn, NAD Senior Environmental Planner, presented an overview of the RESTORE Big Game Critical Winter Habitat Range Project. Jen Shanahan, NAD Environmental Planner, provided a high-level overview of the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP), outlining the main components, the City’s involvement to date, permitting processes, and the City’s priorities for engagement in 2022. Julia Feder, NAD Environmental Planning Manager, reported City Planning staff submitted comments to Larimer County’s Environmental Planning Review Team on several items, including lighting and plans for the new Larimer County Mental Health Facility. Land Conservation & Stewardship Board 2022 Annual Report 2 022 ANNUAL REPORT Page 5 Julia Feder, NAD Environmental Program Manager, presented the request from the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department to enter an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources to purchase a 1,547-acre property adjacent to the City’s Foothills/Buckhorn/Redstone Priority Area and within the County’s Blue Mountain Conservation Area. Matt Parker, NAD Senior Supervisor Restoration Management and Aran Meyer, NAD Wildlife Ecologist, shared a presentation on prairie dog management efforts on Natural Areas properties. They outlined accomplishments, lessons learned, ongoing partnerships aimed at prairie dog conservation, and described how staff manage Soapstone Prairie Natural Area (SSN) and Meadow Springs Ranch (MSR) in comparison to management of the urban-interface properties. Kirk Longstein, Senior Environmental Planner, Community Development & Neighborhood Services, briefed the Board on the outcomes of the October 25, 2022, Council Work Session on the Draft Oil and Gas Regulations. Kirk Longstein, Senior Environmental Planner, Community Development & Neighborhood Services, briefed the Board on the November 7, 2022, City Council Work Session, in which a 90-day extension to the 1041 moratorium was passed and Version 2 draft regulations were discussed. Sylvia Tatman-Burrus, Sr. Project Manager, City Hall and Ginny Sawyer, Sr. Project Manager, City Hall, welcomed the Kearns & West team: Caitlin Sheridan, Project Coordinator and Morgan Lommele, Director, who shared a presentation highlighting the historical milestones of the Hughes Stadium site and discussed current efforts of the Hughes Stadium site stakeholder engagement conversations and surveys regarding the potential reuse of the former Hughes Stadium. MISCELLANEOUS Andrea Elson was elected to serve as the Chair of the LCSB. Ross Cunniff was elected to serve as Vic e-Chair of the LCSB. Mike Weber provided updates from the Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC): • Passing of the Safety Stop in the State of Colorado • Briefed the Board on the North Metropolitan Planning Organization’s funding discussions for the update on trails, connectivity, and a new bike lane on Pitkin. • SPIN e-bike and e-scooter new public dashboard to view metrics • “Stop-as-Yield” impacts on bike-only infrastructure Katie Donahue, NAD Director, updated the Board on multiple NAD vacancies, internal staf f transitions, and newly acquired NAD staff : • Michelle Vattano, NAD Business Support III – transitioned out of their role with the City • Kelly Smith, accepted NAD Senior Environmental Planner position • Rachael Russell, accepted NAD Coordinator for Primrose Studio and studio space at the Buckhorn Addition to Bobcat Ridge position • Kristina Ostrowski, accepted NAD Business Support III position Land Conservation & Stewardship Board 2022 Annual Report 2 022 ANNUAL REPORT Page 6 • Tawnya Ernst, accepted NAD Land Conservation Lead Specialist position • Seve Ghose, Director of Community Services – transitioned out of their role with the City • Dean Klingner, accepted Interim Director of Community Services position • Tyler Marr, accepted Deputy City Manager position Kelly Smith, NAD Environmental Planner, transitioned project management of 1041 Regulations to Kirk Longstein, Senior Environmental Planner, Community Development and Neighborhood Services, and Rebecca Everett, Senior Manager, Community Development and Neighborhood Services. Katie Donahue, NAD Director, shared the Town of Windsor ballot initiative to increase the town's sales tax by 0.25% to fund acquisition of more open space areas passed. The mayor read the proclamation announcing the 30th Anniversary of Natural Areas and the passing of the first ballot initiative at the November 1, 2022 Council meeting. The City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department hosted the NAD 30th Anniversary Celebration at the Lincoln Center on November 30, 2022. Councilmember Kelly Ohlson attended the December 2022 LCSB Meeting and expressed gratitude to Member Mike Weber and Member Vicky McLane for their service and commitment while serving on the Land Conservation & Stewardship Board. LAND CONSERVATION The Natural Areas Department reported a total of 2,415-total conserved acres year-to-date with a total land conservation portfolio at the conclusion of 2022 of 57,719-acres. Budgeted land conservation funds for 2022 were $15,200,000, with a total of $8,060,853 expended and $2,662,000 acquisitions under contract. Funds remaining for 2022 are $4,477,147. LAND ACQUISITIONS Quarter Circle Ranch CE 428 acres Buckhorn Addition- Bobcat NA 413.58 acres Dry Creek 9.5 acres Dry Creek 0.3 acres Heaven’s Door CE 1,547 acres Puente Verde Addition 16.94 acres Total land conserved: 2,415 acres Total cost: $8,060,853