HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011 - Land Conservation And Stewardship Board - Annual Report2011 Annual Report
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
Land Conservation and Stewardship Board
DATE: January 12, 2012
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Trudy Haines, Chair of the Land Conservation and Stewardship Board
The Land Conservation and Stewardship Board (LCSB) are pleased to present its 2011 Annual Report to
the Mayor and City Council. During 2011, the LCSB worked diligently to fulfill its responsibilities as
advisors to City Council on issues related to the Natural Areas Program (NAP).
The LCSB recommended that Council approve the following items: City Plan- Plan Fort Collins;
CDOT’s I-25 Hwy 392 Interchange Easement Request; Strauss Cabin and Sollenberger Land Transfers;
Larimer County’s Storm Drainage Easement Request; Rawhide Flats Access Easements; Transfer of
Acquired Rawhide Flats Road Easements to Larimer County; Sale of the Vangbo Property with a
Conservation Easement ; Sale of the Maxwell Property with a Conservation Easement; Arapaho Bend
Quit Claim Deed; Vangbo Property Agriculture Lease; Sauer Agriculture Lease; Bobcat Ridge – State
Historic Fund Grant; NA’s Utility Easement Policy Update; and an Energy by Design MOU.
The LCSB provided input to Council on PRPA’s Proposed Power line Upgrade across Pineridge.
The LCSB recommended that Council not approve the following items: Electric Bike Use on the Paved
Trail System and the Proposed One Year Trial Period for Electric Bikes on the Paved Trail System.
Staff provided regular updates on land conservation projects and requested input on numerous potential
land conservation projects.
The LCSB received presentations, discussed the issues, and provided staff input on the following
subjects: Prairie Dog Management; Transportation Master Plan; Larimer County’s proposed Regional
Land Conservation, Recreation and Stewardship Study; Electric Bikes; Potential for Oil and Gas
Development on Soapstone and Meadow Springs; Soapstone Wildlife Monitoring; NA’s Agriculture
Policy; NA’s Encroachment Policy; Department of Justice Ruling on ADA Regulations; Poudre River
Natural Areas Management Plan; Public Improvements and Facility Operations; Education and Outreach;
Staff’s use of City Works Software to manage public improvements; Pineridge Trail improvements;
Xcel’s Gas Line Replacement – Proposed Alignments; Ranger Program; GOCO Poudre River Grant
Opportunities; Prairie Dog Vaccination Research; and the Water Supply and Demand Management
Policy.
The LCSB allows time prior to each meeting for public comments. Public comments were made
regarding the following: Trail damage by the Fort Collins – Loveland Water District trucks accessing a
water storage tank located on Maxwell Natural Area when the access road/trail was muddy; the Board’s
recommendation for Council to approve a water line easement across a City owned canal across property
owned by Rose Brinks; the City’s Chief Financial Officer; PRPA’s proposed power line project across
Pineridge; Strauss Cabin; and Electric Bikes.
The LCSB spent time discussing their values and expectations and developed the LCSB 2012 Work Plan.
Katherine Grimes served as our Bicycle Advisory Committee Representative; she provided regular
reports.
In November the LCSB took part in a joint Open Space Meeting with the Larimer County Open Lands
Board, the City of Loveland Natural Areas Board, and representatives from several other cities in Larimer
County. The primary purpose of the meeting was to provide an overview of the proposed regional study
and the status of the GOCO grant request for the study and to allow the board members in attendance a
chance to network, collaborate, and share information about each program. .
As in the past, the LCSB looks forward to serving the citizens and City Council in the year 2012. Thank
you for the opportunity to serve our citizens and make contributions to our community.