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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResponse to Constituent Letter - Mail Packet - 10/07/2025 - Letter from Mayor Jeni Arndt to the Land Conservation and Stewardship Board (LCSB) re September 10, 2025 memorandum re Meadow Springs Ranch Conservation and Environmental Protection Mayor City Hall Fort Collins, CO 80522 970.416.2154 970.224.6107 - fax fcgov.com October 2, 2025 Land Conservation and Stewardship Board c/o Katie Donahue, Staff Liaison PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 Dear Chair Cunniff and Board Members: On behalf of City Council, thank you for providing us with September 10, 2025 memorandum regarding Meadow Springs Ranch Conservation and Environmental Protection wherein you recommend the City Council pursue a conservation easement option agreement on the portion of the property with highest conservation value. We appreciate your acknowledgement of the collaboration between One Water and the Natural Areas Department and the recent dialogue regarding testing for contaminants due to biosolid applications. The staff liaisons are aware of the concerns and ongoing communication remains of utmost importance. Thank you for the expertise and perspectives that you bring to the Board and share with City Council. Best Regards, Jeni Arndt Mayor /sek cc: City Council Members Kelly DiMartino, City Manager Nicole Poncelet-Johnson, One Water Director Jill Oropeza, Water Commission Staff Liaison 1 City Clerk’s Office 300 LaPorte Avenue PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970.221.6515 970.221.6295 - fax Boardsandcommissions@fcgov.com MEMORANDUM DATE: September 10, 2025 TO: Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Land Conservation and Stewardship Board RE: Meadow Springs Ranch Conservation and Environmental Protection The purpose of this memo is to present the Fort Collins Land Conservation and Stewardship Board’s (LCSB) recommendations regarding conservation and protection of Meadow Springs Ranch (MSR). We wish to express that i) the conservation of native flora and fauna is a value worthy of advancement at MSR and ii) we encourage the City and One Water to remain proactive about contamination from biosolids application. As background, MSR was purchased in 1990 by Fort Collins Utilities. It is primarily used for wastewater biosolids application and cattle grazing. MSR is adjacent to Soapstone Prairie Natural Area and therefore serves as a connector in the Mountain to Plains Zone. It is a migratory corridor for species such as pronghorn and mule deer. The extensive open space makes it an ideal environment for several bird species of concern, including golden eagles, burrowing owls, and longspurs. Thanks to conservation action taken by Fort Collins Utilities and the Natural Areas Department, MSR has been home to the endangered black-footed ferret since 2014. Moreover, its 26,000 acres of habitat allow for a large diversity of native plants, including Colorado butterfly plant and other State-listed rare plants. Conservation value The conservation of MSR has been of interest to LCSB for years. The following options have been discussed by the LCSB, in order of increasing cost: • Option agreement to buy an easement on some or all of the property • Right of first offer / right of first refusal on some or all of the property in case of development proposals • Option to buy some or all of the property • Conservation easement on some or all of the property, especially portions with high ecological value • Fee ownership of the portion of the property with the highest habitat value 2 At present, LCSB members have a range of opinions about the permanent protection of MSR. Some members rank it in the top tier of priorities, worthy of a large investment of the current Natural Areas Department budget. Others believe that, in the absence of an impending threat, other acquisition targets should take precedence. However, we all agree that maintaining the land conservation value of such a large and suitably located parcel is of high importance and urge that Council pursue a conservation easement option agreement on the portion of the property with highest conservation value. The LCSB applauds the collaboration between One Water and the Natural Areas Department and wishes to encourage further dialogue and creative thinking about how the land can meet the needs of the utility while maintaining its open space character and habitat quality. Although there is no currently proposed change of land use at MSR, we are aware that development pressure can occur quickly, and we wish for Fort Collins to be prepared in the event that new land uses are considered. The LCSB understands that One Water intends to do site planning in the near future and offers several recommendations: • Wildlife value and ecosystem services should be highly valued in planning, particularly on the western portion adjacent to Soapstone Prairie Natural Area. • A baseline environmental assessment to identify the acreage with the highest habitat value should be undertaken. • The City should avoid new commitments or land use changes that would degrade wildlife habitat. • In anticipation of future project proposals for MSR, an evaluation framework should be developed that identifies potential negative ecological impacts. Biosolids application The LCSB thanks One Water staff for their July 29 memo responding to questions about biosolids testing for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other contaminants. The department’s effort to spread biosolids in a way that is environmentally responsible is commendable, and we appreciate the utility’s leadership in PFAS testing and use of practices that exceed the requirements of federal and state law. Nevertheless, soil contamination remains possible. It is possible that micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) and other, as-yet-unknown contaminants will be found in the soil. Moreover, there is insufficient research on the impact of biosolids on wildlife health, and the limited literature that exists indicates that biosolids can alter botanical structure and therefore wildlife foraging behavior, to the benefit of some species and detriment of others (see, e.g., Washburn & Begier, 2011). The LCSB therefore recommends that One Water include soil sampling in their environmental assessment and asks One Water and the City to remain vigilant about contaminants of emerging concern (CEC). Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to your response.