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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 04/19/2011 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 038, 2011, APPROPR DATE: April 19, 2011 A STAFF: John Stokes • - • • Second Reading of Ordinance No. 038, 2011, Appropriating Prior Year Reserves in the Natural Areas Fund for the Purpose of Providing Natural Areas Programming Not Included in the 2011 Adopted City Budget. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Ordinance, unanimously adopted on First Reading on March 15, 2011, appropriates prior year reserves in the Natural Areas Fund for the purpose of land conservation, construction of public improvements, restoration of wildlife habitat and other natural areas program needs to benefit the citizens of Fort Collins. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading. ATTACHMENTS 1. Copy of First Reading Agenda Item Summary- March 15, 2011 (w/o attachments) ATTACHMENT 1 DATE: March 15, 2011 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY STAFF: John Stokes FORT COLLINSCOUNCIL First Reading of Ordinance No. 038, 2011, Appropriating Prior Year Reserves in the Natural Areas Fund for the Purpose of Providing Natural Areas Programming Not Included in the 2011 Adopted City Budget. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY r—� TN n Prior to 2004, the Natural Areas Program was housed within the--Capital Projects Fund and therefore funds did not lapse from year to year. During 2004,\in o\rde(o com`pllyw ih the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, Natural Areas appropriations and funding sources-were aIl-moved into the NaturallAreas Fund, a lapsing fund. Therefore, unspent funds need to be re-appropriated into the following year's budget. The purpose of the previously appropriated funds remains the same: land conservation, construction of public improvements, restoration of wildlife habitat and other natural area program needs to benefit the citizens of Fort Collins. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The funds for the Natural Areas Program come from the following designated sources of revenue, including the City- Open Space Yes! sales tax; the Larime�Gounty%=--Help Preserve Open Space sales tax; and, miscellaneous unanticipated revenues. All of theselfunds are iestricted'to�the purposes of/the Natural Areas Program, including unanticipated revenues which consist,generally of i` ncome from-leases o�,Iglrants. The anticipated use of these funds is, �s: " • Land Conservation-$1,490,000. This balance of unspent Open Space Yes!and County Help Preserve Open Space appropriations will be used for land conservation. • Education - $69,494. Funds in this category include a grant made by the Pulliam family trust to support education activities at Bobcat Ridge Natural Area. The funds will also be used to complete an online registration and volunteer coordination database to greatly improve customer service and volunteer coordination. • Program Management- $10.0,000�hese'funds wilt b ed ascontmgency for all aspects of the Natural Areas Program. • Resource Management-$180;OO�These f and�)arse primarily unspent Resource Management funds from 2010 that will be carried over to finance several major habitat restoration and rehabilitation projects along the Poudre River in 2011. • Public Improvements-$1,111,657. These funds are being appropriated for paved trail construction. Each year, Natural Areas contributes $350,000 to Parks to help fund the regional paved trail system. Parks has been building up these funds to construct a trail to connect the Fossil Creek Trail (Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area)to the Spring Creek Trail (Pineridge Natural Area and Spring Canyon Community Park). The trail and the underpass at County Road 38E are expected to cost about$1,200,000 and will be built in 2011. • Public Improvements-$313,786-Most of these funds-will•be spent on�a variety of unfinished 2010 projects. The projects include a second parkiag,lot for Reservoir Ridge'of%Overland Trail Road and a new trail to connect the Foothills Trail to Overland Trail RoaNalnew-trail to an outdoor classroom, vault toilet and other improvements for the new parking lot-a\Red Fox Meadows; trail's at Pelican Marsh; a natural play area at Gateway Natural Area; and, awault.toilet at,Gustav Swanson Natural Area. March 15, 2011 -2- ITEM 14 • Facility Operations - $89,868. These funds will be used for needed capital improvements including energy improvements and water treatment for the Ranger house and office at Gateway Natural Area; maintenance for the caretaker house at Reservoir Ridge; a small equipment storage building at Soapstone; and, a trash compactor at the Nix Farm - Natural Areas maintenance facility. • Land Management-$20,000. These funds will be used to make needed repairs to the pivot irrigation system on the Maxwell farm in the Wellington Community Separator Area, to keep the farm productive and leased until a conservation easement can be placed on the farm and the farm can be sold (pending Council review and approval). FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS This Ordinance increases 2011 app`opriatiion,in the City'I Natural Areai Fund by $3,374,805. The requested appropriation from prior year reserves-in_the'Natural.Areas Fund represents 2010 appropriations that were unspent and unencumbered at year-end 2010. These funds are restricted to the purposes of the Natural Areas Program. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. COPY COPY COPY ORDINANCE NO. 038, 2011 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING PRIOR YEAR RESERVES IN THE NATURAL AREAS FUND FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING NATURAL AREAS PROGRAMMING NOT INCLUDED IN THE 2011 ADOPTED CITY BUDGET WHEREAS, the City is committed to preserving natural areas and providing educational, interpretive and appropriate recreational opportunities to the public; and WHEREAS, Natural Areas programming implements open land conservation priorities identified in the City's Comprehensive Plan by purchasing conservation easement interests in key natural areas,community separators,or other open lands;providing stewardship for lands purchased; and developing trails and interpretive features for public use; and WHEREAS,the Natural Areas program is funded primarily through the collection of Open Space- Yes sales and use tax revenue, as well as revenues from the Larimer County Help Preserve Open Space sales and use tax, investment earnings, and other miscellaneous revenues; and WHEREAS, the Natural Areas Fund has unspent and unencumbered appropriations from 2010 in the amount of$3,374,805; and WHEREAS, Article V, Section I of the City Charter requires that all appropriations unexpended or unencumbered at the end of the fiscal year lapse to the applicable general or special revenue fund, except that appropriations for capital projects and federal or state grants do not lapse until the completion of the capital project or until the expiration of the federal or state grant; and WHEREAS,Article V,Section 9 of the City Charter permits the City Council to appropriate by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year such funds for expenditure as may be available from reserves accumulated in prior years, notwithstanding that such reserves were not previously appropriated; and WHEREAS, City staff recommends appropriating from prior year reserves in the Natural Areas Fund the unexpended and unencumbered appropriations totaling $3,374,805 to be used for acquisition,construction,enhancement and maintenance of trail systems,wildlife habitat and other natural areas to benefit the citizens of the City. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that there is hereby appropriated for expenditure from prior year reserves in the Natural Areas Fund the sum of THREE MILLION THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FOUR THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED FIVE DOLLARS ($3,374,805) to be used for acquisition, construction, enhancement and maintenance of trail systems,wildlife habitat and other natural areas to benefit the citizens of the City. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 15th day of March, A.D. 2011, and to be presented for final passage on the 19 of April, A.D. 2011. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 19th day of April, A.D. 2011. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk