HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017 - Land Conservation And Stewardship Board - Annual Report2017 Annual Report
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
Land Conservation and Stewardship Board
DATE: January 18, 2018
TO: Mayor and Council members
FROM: Ed Reifsnyder, Chair of the Land Conservation and Stewardship Board
The Land Conservation and Stewardship Board (LCSB) is pleased to present the 2017 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 2018.
Recommendations: The LCSB recommended that City Council/City Manager approve the
following items: Election of Edward Reifsnyder as Chair and David Tweedale as Vice Chair of
the LCSB; the 2016 LCSB Annual Report; the 2018 LCSB Work Plan; Re-appointment of Joe
Piesman as Liaison to the Bicycle Committee; Ordinance authorizing a Notice of Grant
Agreement to be placed on the Evans Tract and the Non-development mineral lease with the
State Land Board as a match to the 2016 and 2017 Neotropical Migratory Bird Grants,
respectively; Ordinance authorizing the conveyance of a Non-Exclusive Drainage Easement on
Prospect Ponds Natural Area; Notice of Alignment to Light and Power for underground utilities
on Fossil Creek Wetland and Fossil Creek Reservoir Natural Area; Notice of Alignment to Light
and Power for underground utilities at Arapaho Bend; Appropriation of prior year reserves and
unanticipated revenues in the NAD fund in the amount of $10,790,000; Access easement re-
alignment and formalization of two utility easements held by the Public Service Company on
Gustav Swanson Natural Area; changes to Chapter 23, Article IX of the City’s Municipal Code
to more accurately reflect definitions of the code, address emerging issues, and provide increase
review time to process Natural Area Permit requests; Resolution supporting the Great Outdoors
Colorado Inspire Initiative grant proposal for Project Outdoors; 2018 Budget Revision for the
Natural Areas Shop Expansion; Appropriation of $50,000 from Noosa for the design of fish
passage at the Watson Lake Diversion; A 20 year lease of approximately 11.85 acres of land to
Hageman Earth Cycle.
Presentations: Staff provided presentations and updates on: Nature in the City 2016
accomplishments and 2017 priorities; Long-range budget projections for Natural Areas
Department; Bobcat Ridge Management Plan update and proposed new ‘On the Rocks’ trail;
Cache la Poudre River Assessment and Report Card; Black-footed ferret management efforts at
Soapstone Prairie Natural Area and Meadow Springs Ranch; I-25 expansion and the impact at
Arapaho Bend Natural Area; Wetland Mitigation Banks; NAD Land Disposition and Leasing
Guidelines; Low Impact Development Standards for stormwater management; Fossil Creek
Natural Areas Management Plan; Northern Integrated Supply Project and the State Mitigation
Plan; Update on the partial land sale of Running Deer Natural Area to Hageman Earth Cycle;
2018 Land Conservation and Stewardship Work Plan.
Field Trips: The LCSB toured the following: Homestead Natural Area.
Memos to City Council: The LCSB prepared the following to Council: Opposing the
proposed sale of a portion of Running Deer Natural Area to Hageman Earth Cycle; Opposing
staff recommendations to engage the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District to discuss
and potentially negotiate mutual interests related to the Northern Integrated Supply Project;
Notifying Council that NAD will complete a feasibility study to evaluate the creation of a
wetland mitigation bank.
The Board held four Executive Sessions throughout the year to discuss potential land
acquisitions.
The LCSB attended the Regional Open Space Meeting in November, with Larimer County and
City of Loveland as well as representatives from the other cities in the county; the theme for the
meeting was the balance of conservation and trails.