HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks And Recreation Board - Minutes - 10/22/2008Council Liaison: Kelly Ohlson Staff Liaison: Craig Foreman, 221-6618
Michael Chalona Phone: 490-2335 (home) 472-8954 (work)
Call Meeting to Order: Mike Chalona called meeting to order 5:40pm
Agenda Review & Items of Note: Last P&R Board meeting for 2008 is scheduled for Dec 3. Would Dec 10
work better? Carol will send e-mail for consensus on dates of Dec 3 or Dec 10.
Citizen Participation: Three CSU Natural Resource students sat in on meeting to observe.
Approval of Minutes: Greg Miller, moved to approve — Jessica McMillan, seconded — Approved: 7:0
Council Liaison
Kelly Ohlson stopped into the P&R Board Meeting to talk about the importance of the trail system but the need
to move trails back from the river when appropriate to conserve wildlife habitat. Trails impact on wildlife have
a permanent disruption so it's important to minimize what wildlife looses as it relates to the placement of trails.
The Parks and Recreation Policy Plan has verbiage to address the issue of trail placement.
Agenda Items
Natural Resources Trail Program — Karen Manci, Senior Environmental Planner, gave a presentation on
Natural Areas and Trails.
The mission of the Natural Areas Program is to protect and enhance lands with existing or potential natural
areas values, lands that serve as community separators, agricultural lands, and lands with scenic values.
Protection of natural habitats and features is the highest priority, while providing opportunities for
education and passive recreation for the Fort Collins community.
Highlights of the presentation:
There are 43 Natural Areas — 58 Miles of Trails
45 miles natural surface, 4 miles crusher fines,
1 mile paved in nat areas, 8 miles paved through Parks.
Trails consist of:
Older Trails - prior to 1998
Bike Trails (funding for construction via Natural Areas — maintenance by Parks)
Newer Trails — after Natural Areas Policy Plan adopted
Trail Construction:
Criteria - Avoid wildlife habitat, rare native plants, communities, fragile rock formations, historic needs
protection and apply buffer zones/distances which vary depending on wildlife. Address neighborhood issues
and provide connectivity for access from parking lots to trails. Create sustainable trails that required less
maintenance.
P&R Board Meeting —October 22, 2008
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Placement - place trails in areas of interest to user groups (scenic, wildlife watching, unique site feature,
educational, etc.)
Compromises - depending on the various wildlife moving out from streams can impact wildlife in grassy
areas, and we have to minimize conflict between criteria and placement for wildlife and users. Balance of
sensitive features, neighbor concerns, user groups and maintenance.
The power point presentation is attached with the minutes.
Policy Plan — The Council date has been moved to Tuesday, January 6, 2009.
Disc Golf — Bill Wright is an advocate and shares his expertise in Disc Golf Course design. There is still a plan
to have a course at Hughes Stadium. We are also working on moving the Edora course to the east side of Edora
and out of the main part of Edora park.
Parks & Recreation 2009 Work Plan — Jessica McMillan moved to approve the 2009 Parks & Recreation
Work Plan. The motion was seconded by Anne Hunt.
Board members approved the 2009 Parks & Recreation Work Plan 7:0.
Proiect Updates
The skate park at Northside Aztlan Community Center is complete. It was constructed with some recycled
material. The handball courts, and playground area are also completed.
Other Business — None
Correspondence — None
Adiournment — Board adjourned: 7:40pm
Respectfully submitted,
Carol Rankin
Administrative Support Supervisor
Parks Department
Board Attendance
Board Members: Mary Carlson, Michael Chalona, Shirley Christian, Ann Hunt, Jessica MacMillan, Greg
Miller, William Pickering.
Staff: Craig Foreman, J.R. Schnelzer, Carol Rankin, Karen Manci, Kelly Ohlson
Guests: 3 Students from CSU
P&R Board Meeting —October 22, 2008
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