HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 03/15/2011 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 038, 2011, APPROPRI DATE: March 15, 2011 k, 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
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 order to comply with the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, Natural
Areas appropriations and funding sources were all moved into the Natural Areas 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 Larimer County - Help Preserve Open Space sales tax; and, miscellaneous
unanticipated revenues. All of these funds are restricted to the purposes of the Natural Areas Program, including
unanticipated revenues which consist generally of income from leases or grants.
The anticipated use of these funds is as follows:
• 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- $100,000. These funds will be used as contingency for all aspects of the Natural
Areas Program.
• Resource Management-$180,000. These funds are 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 parking lot for Reservoir Ridge off Overland Trail Road and a new trail to
connect the Foothills Trail to Overland Trail Road; a new trail to an outdoor classroom, vault toilet and other
improvements for the new parking lot at Red Fox Meadows; trails at Pelican Marsh; a natural play area at
Gateway Natural Area; and, a vault toilet at Gustav Swanson Natural Area.
• 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
March 15, 2011 -2- ITEM 14
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 appropriations in the City's Natural Areas 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.
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 11 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 19th day 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