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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 12/16/2014 - RESOLUTION 2014-117 SELECTING A NAME FOR A 31-ACREAgenda Item 20 Item # 20 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY December 16, 2014 City Council STAFF John Stokes, Natural Resources Director SUBJECT Resolution 2014-117 Selecting a Name for a 31-Acre Natural Area. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to review and select a name for a new 31-acre Natural Area. The property is located next to Woodward Governor’s new headquarters and the Poudre River. The staff recommended name for the site is “Homestead Natural Area.” The Land Conservation and Stewardship Board supports this recommendation. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Woodward Governor conveyed a 31-acre site to Natural Areas along the Poudre River and adjoining its new corporate headquarters (Attachment 1). It is the practice of the Natural Areas Department (Department) to name its properties for both interpretive and management reasons. In early 2014, staff suggested naming the property after the family that settled the property. That approach however was not supported by the Land Conservation and Stewardship Board. In April of this year, Council appointed an ad-hoc committee to review naming opportunities. On August 19, 2014 Council adopted Resolution 2014-075 (Attachment 2). The Resolution directed staff to restart the naming process for the property and to name the loop trail on the site the Coy-Hoffman Trail. After this direction from Council, staff reviewed more than 150 names that had been submitted by the public. In addition, staff considered the preference expressed by descendants of John and Emily Coy, as well as interested citizens, to name the entire site for the Coy family. On October 1, 2014, staff recommended the selection of “Homestead Natural Area” to the Land Conservation and Stewardship Board (LCSB). The LCSB expressed it support for that name, as well as the name “Homestead on the River Natural Area” (Attachment 3). Staff believes “Homestead Natural Area” will lend itself to interpretation of the site’s cultural and historic significance as well as its natural attributes. In addition, the Coy-Hoffman loop trail will bring visitors to a location near the historic barn and provide a site-specific opportunity for interpretation. Upon Council approval of this approach, staff will develop interpretative features and install them during 2015. This work will align with ongoing efforts to improve interpretation and signage throughout the Poudre River corridor. Early in 2015, the Natural Areas Department will install 17 kiosk signs and 30 interpretive signs on 17 Cache la Poudre River natural areas between North Shields Pond and Arapaho Bend. These signs have similar design elements and information to provide a cohesive and comprehensive user experience along the Agenda Item 20 Item # 20 Page 2 river’s natural areas in Fort Collins. Additionally, three kiosk signs were developed with the Parks and Utility departments. This work was made possible by a major grant from the Poudre River Heritage Alliance. FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS The financial impacts of naming the site will be limited to the development, installation, and maintenance of interpretive materials. BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION The Land Conservation and Stewardship Board recommends adoption of Homestead Natural Areas. (Attachment 3) PUBLIC OUTREACH Staff solicited names from the public and heard testimony at Council meetings as well as the Council ad hoc committee meeting. ATTACHMENTS 1. Location map (PDF) 2. Resolution 2014-075 (PDF) 3. Land Conservation and Stewardship Board memo, October 1, 2014 (PDF) 4. Powerpoint presentation (PDF) UDALL NATURAL AREA SPRINGER NATURAL AREA WILLIAMS NATURAL AREA GUSTAV SWANSON NATURAL AREA New Woodward Project Natural Area Site Location Created by City of Fort Collins Natural Areas - 2014 New Natural Area Site 0Areas 125 250 500 City Natural Feet 31-Acre Natural Area Site ATTACHMENT ² WOODWARD CAMPUS SITE ATTACHMENT 2 Natural Areas Department 1745 Hoffman Mill Road PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970.416.2815 970.416.2211 - fax fcgov.com/naturalareas   MEMORANDUM TO: Fort Collins City Council FROM: Trudy Haines, Chair, Land Conservation and Stewardship Board DATE: October 1, 2014 RE: Naming of the Woodward Parcel Transferred to Natural Areas LCSB RECOMMENDATION The Land Conservation and Stewardship Board recommend that City Council approve naming the parcel transferred by Woodward to the Natural Areas Department the “Homestead Natural Area” or “Homestead on the River Natural Area” for a more descriptive name. The Board believes that “Homestead” (along with the John and Emily Coy loop trail as directed by Council) represents a good and reasonable approach to naming this beautiful and important property. Thank you for your consideration of our recommendation. ATTACHMENT 3 Site Name for New 31-acre Natural Area ATTACHMENT 4 Background On August 19, Council directed staff to name the Coy-Hoffman Loop Trail Council also directed staff to develop a name for the entire site that reflects the cultural and natural history of the site Staff recommends Homestead Natural Area Coy-Hoffman Loop Trail - 1 - RESOLUTION 2014-117 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS SELECTING A NAME FOR A 31-ACRE NATURAL AREA WHEREAS, on November 1, 2011, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 134, 2011, which added to the City Code Sections 23-141 and 142 regarding the naming of City properties and facilities; and WHEREAS, on January 15, 2014, Woodward, Inc., conveyed to the City a 31-acre parcel of land adjacent to the Poudre River to be used for Natural Areas purposes (the “Property”); and WHEREAS, on January 15, 2014, Natural Areas staff evaluated names solicited by the public and recommended to the Land Conservation and Stewardship Board (“LCSB”) that the Property be named after the families that homesteaded and farmed the Property, prior to Woodward, Inc.; and WHEREAS, the LCSB did not make a recommendation to City Council regarding adoption of any name proposed at its January 15, 2014 meeting; and WHEREAS, on April 1, 2014, pursuant to Section 23-141(b) if the City Code, Mayor Karen Weitkunat requested an ad hoc City Council committee be formed to select and recommend a name for the Property; and WHEREAS, the ad hoc committee met on May 8, 2014, and was unable to reach consensus among its members regarding a name to recommend to the City Council for the Property; and WHEREAS, the ad hoc committee met again on August 11, 2014, and voted to recommend a name for a loop trail on the Property and to restart the process to name the overall natural area; and WHEREAS, on August 19, 2014, the City Council adopted Resolution 2014-075, naming a loop trail on the site the “John and Emily Coy Homestead Trail”, and directing staff to restart the naming process for the Property as a whole; and WHEREAS, staff has evaluated additional names solicited by the public and recommended to the LCSB that the Property be named “Homestead Natural Area”; and WHEREAS, on October 1, 2014, the LCSB approved a recommendation to the City Council of “Homestead Natural Area” and “Homestead on the River Natural Area” as potential names for the Property that reflect the historical, cultural, geographic and natural significance of the site and area of the site in the heart of the City; and WHEREAS, upon consideration of the recommendations of the LCSB and staff, the City Council finds it to be in the best interest of the City to select “Homestead Natural Area” as the name of the Property. - 2 - NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the City Council hereby adopts the name “Homestead Natural Area” for that 31-acre parcel of real property, located adjacent to the Poudre River, that was conveyed to the City by Woodward, Inc., on January 15, 2014, for natural area purposes. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 16th day of December, A.D. 2014. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk