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HomeMy WebLinkAbout158 - 11/19/2024 - APPROPRIATING PRIOR YEAR RESERVES IN THE NATURAL AREAS FUND FOR THE PURPOSE OF LAND CONSERVATION NOTORDINANCE NO.158, 2024 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING PRIOR YEAR RESERVES IN THE NATURAL AREAS FUND FOR THE PURPOSE OF LAND CONSERVATION NOT INCLUDED IN THE 2024 ADOPTED CITY BUDGET A.The City is committed to preserving natural areas and providing educational, interpretive and appropriate recreational opportunities to the public. B.Natural Areas pro gramming 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. C.The Natural Areas Department is funded primarily through the collection of City 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 deposited in the Natural Areas Fund. D.Article V, Section 9 of the City Charter permits the City Council, upon the recommendation of the City Manager, to make supplemental appropriations 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. E.Article V, Section 11 of the City Charter requires all appropriations unexpended or unencumbered at the end of the fiscal year lapse to the applicable general or special revenue fund, except appropriations for capital projects and federal or state grants do not lapse until completion of the capital project or expiration of the respective grant. F.The City Manager has recommended the appropriation from prior year reserves in the Natural Area Fund of $2,000,000, comprised of unspent and unencumbered appropriations from 2023. G.The City Manager has recommended the appropriation described herein and determined that this appropriation is available and previously unappropriated from the Natural Areas Fund and will not cause the total amount appropriated in the Natural Areas Fund to exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues and all other funds to be received in this Fund during this fiscal year. H.The appropriation described herein benefits the public health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Fort Collins and serves the public purpose of acquiring and conserving land consistent with the Natural Areas Master Plan. -1- In light of the foregoing recitals, which the Council hereby makes and adopts as determinations and findings, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that there is hereby appropriated from prior year reserves in the Natural Areas Fund the sum of TWO MILLION DOLLARS ($2,000,000) to be expended in the Natural Areas Fund for land conservation to benefit the residents of the City, in accordance with the Natural Areas Master Plan. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading on November 4, 2024, and approved on second reading for final passage on November 19, 2024. Effective Date: November 29, 2024 Approving Attorney: Sara Artmann -2- , Sr. Deputy