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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 06/05/2018 - RESOLUTION 2018-058 DESIGNATING CITY-OWNED PROPERTAgenda Item 13 Item # 13 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY June 5, 2018 City Council STAFF Jennifer Shanahan, Watershed Planner Jody Hurst, Legal SUBJECT Resolution 2018-058 Designating City-Owned Properties Along the Cache la Poudre River as an Important Bird Area. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to designate City-owned properties within the Growth Management Area that adjoin the Cache la Poudre River as an Important Bird Area (IBA). An IBA is defined by the National Audubon Society as a site that provides essential habitat to one or more species of birds during some portion of the year. This designation conveys no legal authority over land ownership or its uses and management. This designation would support City educational initiatives aimed at increasing awareness and enjoyment of Poudre River bird habitat. It may also prove useful when seeking additional funding (i.e., grant applications) for habitat restoration projects. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION An Important Bird Area (IBA) is defined by the National Audubon Society as a site that provides essential habitat to one or more species of birds during some portion of the year (nesting areas, crucial migration stop- over sites, or wintering grounds). IBAs may be a few or even thousands of acres, but usually are discrete sites that stand out from the surrounding landscape. IBAs may include public or private lands, or both, and they may already have regulatory protection. The goals of the IBA Program are: to identify the most essential areas for birds, to monitor those sites for changes to birds and habitat, and to conserve these areas for long-term protection of biodiversity. IBAs have become long-term conservation priorities, and steps have been taken to protect many of them. In 1989, Important Bird Areas in Europe was published, cataloguing over 12,000 sites in over 32 countries. In the U.S., 46 states now have IBA programs and 53 sites have been identified in Colorado to date. By working with Audubon chapters, birders, landowners, public agencies, community groups, and other non-profits, Audubon endeavors to interest and activate supporters to ensure that all IBAs are conserved. It is important to note the designation of an area as an IBA conveys no legal authority over land ownership and/or uses. The Poudre Urban River Corridor IBA would include City-owned properties that adjoin the Cache la Poudre within the City’s Growth Management Area including natural areas, parks, and stormwater detention areas (Attachment 1). Agenda Item 13 Item # 13 Page 2 The process to obtain this designation has been underway for some time. The Fort Collins Audubon Society (FCAS) chapter nominated the Fossil Creek Reservoir Natural Area as an IBA in 1999. FCAS then nominated the Poudre Urban River Corridor in 2007 as an Important Bird Area. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond its control, the Audubon Colorado state office was unable to act upon the nomination which has been in a state of limbo until recently. More recently, Alison Holloran, Executive Director of the Audubon Rockies regional office in Fort Collins and the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies have both reviewed and supported this nomination. Today habitat loss, fragmentation, and climate change are the most serious threats facing bird populations in America and around the world. By working to identify and implement conservation strategies at Important Bird Areas it is hoped to minimize the effects that habitat loss and degradation inflict on birds and other wildlife. If appropriate actions are not taken populations of many bird species will continue to decline to undesirable low levels. The Poudre River corridor provides riparian habitat that is relatively rare for the plains of eastern Colorado, and is essential for the many bird species that require such habitat for forage and nesting. The rarity of riparian habitats in eastern Colorado is exacerbated by loss of natural habitat to development. The FCAS Board believes that the City-owned properties in the Poudre River corridor provide habitat that contributes substantially to ornithology, bird conservation, and/or education. The Poudre River is the focus of many educational programs, field trips, and research activities in Fort Collins. Designation of these sites collectively as an IBA would help establish the importance the River’s natural values offers to Fort Collins residents and wildlife. BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION The Land Conservation and Stewardship Board, the Natural Resources Advisory Board, and the Water Board recommend approval of this designation (Attachments 2-4). Please note that these letters are dated 2014 because the dialog and process occurred over several phases, including discussion with the Boards in 2014. ATTACHMENTS 1. Land Conservation and Stewardship Board Recommendation (PDF) 2. Natural Resources Advisory Board Recommendation (PDF) 3. Water Board Recommendation (PDF) MEMORANDUM FROM THE LAND CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP BOARD DATE: May 15, 2014 TO: Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Trudy Haines, Chair, Land Conservation Stewardship Board SUBJECT: Poudre River Designation of Bird Habitat The Land Conservation Stewardship Board heard a presentation from Bill Miller, Fort Collins Audubon Society Chapter Director, and Alison Holloran, Executive Director, Audubon Rockies, regarding a proposal for the Poudre River Urban Corridor to be registered as an Important Bird Area (IBA) in Colorado, in recognition of critical riparian habitat the river provides for bird species. Attached you will find a detailed letter regarding the Important Bird Areas Program description and why the Poudre River Urban Corridor could benefit as an IBA. Based on the presentation and the accompanying letter, the following motion was proposed: The Land Conservation Stewardship Board moves to support the request of the Fort Collins Audubon Society and Audubon Rockies to recognize the Poudre River Urban Corridor as an Important Bird Area. The motion passed unanimously on a vote of 7-0 in favor. Please feel free to contact me regarding this recommendation. Respectfully Submitted, Trudy Haines Chair, Fort Collins Land Conservation Stewardship Board cc Bill Miller Alison Holloran ATTACHMENT 1 MEMORANDUM FROM THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD DATE: April 18, 2014 TO: Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Joseph Piesman on behalf of the Natural Resources Advisory Board SUBJECT: Poudre River Designation of Bird Habitat The Natural Resources Advisory Board (NRAB) heard a presentation from Mr. Bill Miller, Fort Collins Audubon Society Director, regarding a proposal for the Poudre urban river corridor to be registered as an Important Bird Area (IBA) in Colorado, in recognition of critical riparian habitat the river provides for bird species. The following motion was proposed: The Natural Resources Advisory Board moves to support the request of the Fort Collins Audubon Society to recognize the Poudre River Urban Corridor as an Important Bird Area. The motion passed unanimously on a vote of 6-0 in favor. Please feel free to contact me regarding this recommendation. Respectfully Submitted, Joseph Piesman Chair, Natural Resources Advisory Board 691-6697 j.piesman@comcast.net cc: Darin Atteberry Susie Gordon Bill Miller ATTACHMENT 2 M E M O R A N D U M DATE: February 12, 2016 TO: Bill Miller (Fort Collins Audobon Society) Alison Holloran (Audobon Rockies) FROM: Steve Malers, Water Board Chairperson CC: Carol Webb (Fort Collins Utilities), Jon Haukaas (Fort Collins Utilities), Rebecca Hill (Fort Collins Water Board) RE: Designation of Cache la Poudre River Urban Corridor as an Important Bird Area (IBA) This memorandum recognizes the Fort Collins Water Board’s support of the Fort Collins Audobon Society application recognizing the Cache la Poudre River Urban Corridor as an Important Bird Area (IBA). This support was stated at the April 16, 2015 Water Board Meeting and can be reviewed in the minutes for that meeting. ATTACHMENT 3 -1- RESOLUTION 2018-058 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS DESIGNATING CITY-OWNED PROPERTIES ALONG THE CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER AS AN IMPORTANT BIRD AREA WHEREAS, the City is the owner of certain properties along the Cache la Poudre River, shown on Exhibit “A” attached hereto (the “Properties”), that provide essential habitat for one or more species of birds; and WHEREAS, the National Audubon Society defines sites like these Important Bird Areas (IBAs); and WHEREAS, the goals of an IBA program are to identify the most essential areas for birds, monitor those sites for changes to birds or habitat, and to conserve the areas for long-term protection of biodiversity; and WHEREAS, the Land Conservation and Stewardship Board, the Natural Resources Advisory Board, and the Water Board all recommended adopting this designation; and WHEREAS, the Fort Collins Audubon Society believes it is important to designate these properties as an IBA because they provide habitat that contributes substantially to ornithology, bird conservation, and education; and WHEREAS, although designating these sites as Important Bird Areas does not confer any legal authority over land ownership or uses, it would support educational initiatives aimed at increasing awareness and enjoyment of Poudre River bird habitat and could prove useful when seeking additional funding for habitat restoration projects. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS, that all City-owned properties within the Growth Management Area adjacent to the Cache la Poudre River as shown on Exhibit “A” are hereby established as an Important Bird Area. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 5th day of June, A.D. 2018. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk S h e l d o n L a k e Lake S herwood L i n d e n m e i e r L a k e W a r r e n L a k e a P o u d r e R i v e r R i g d e n R e s e r v o i r Lee Martinez Community Park Soft Gold Park Legacy Park Old Fort Collins Heritage Park Buckingham Park Running Deer Natural Area Arapaho Bend Natural Area Riverbend Ponds Natural Area Kingfisher Point Natural Area Cattail Chorus Natural Area Cottonwood Hollow Natural Area McMurry Natural Area Prospect Ponds Natural Area North Shields Ponds Natural Area Homestead Natural Area Udall Natural Area Salyer Natural Area Magpie Meander Natural Area Springer Natural Area River's Edge Natural Area Gustav Swanson Natural Area Williams Natural Area 0 1 2 3Miles GMA Boundary Poudre River Parks Natural Areas I Properties to be Included in the Important Bird Area Designation Exhibit A