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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-036-02/18/1992-CHEROKEE PARK PURCHASE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY US FOREST SERVICE RESOLUTION 92- 36 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS SUPPORTING THE PURCHASE BY THE UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE OF CERTAIN PROPERTY IN CHEROKEE PARK OWNED BY THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY WHEREAS, the Union Pacific Railroad Company ("Union Pacific") is the owner of approximately 18,761 acres of land in Cherokee Park northwest of Fort Collins; and WHEREAS, these lands are interspersed in a "checkerboard" pattern within and adjacent to Roosevelt National Forest; and WHEREAS, these lands present to the public unique recreational opportunities including mountain biking, fishing, hunting, hiking, camping and the viewing of wildlife and plant life; and WHEREAS, these lands present rich riparian wildlife habitat areas and critical wintering range areas for wildlife and include both the North Fork of the Cache La Poudre River and approximately 24 miles of high quality riparian habitat along eight streams; and WHEREAS, these lands support much-needed wintering range for Rocky Mountain elk, deer and mountain lions; and WHEREAS, these lands, if acquired by the United States Forest Service, would present a substantial benefit to the National Heritage Area established along the Cache La Poudre River and, by the filling of the "checkerboard" pattern, would allow for more efficient management of all lands in the Cherokee Park region owned and managed by the United States; and WHEREAS, prompt acquisition is considered necessary because of the strong potential for private development of portions of said lands for residential uses. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1 . That the Council has determined that it is in the best interests of the citizens of the City and the surrounding region that the United States Forest Service acquire approximately eighteen thousand seven hundred sixty-one (18,761) acres of land from Union Pacific, which land is located in the Cherokee Park region of Colorado, as more specifically described on Exhibit "A, " attached hereto. Section 2. That the Mayor and City Manager be, and they hereby are, authorized to take such steps as are reasonably necessary to deliver the Council 's position and recommendations on this purchase to the appropriate officials of the United States Forest Service, the United States Congress and other appropriate agencies of the United States government. 1 Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins held this 18th day of February, A.D. 1992. Mayor ATTEST: City ClerkQIN 2 FACT SHEET PUBLIC AGENCY: U.S. Forest Service Roosevelt National Forest PROJECT NATME: Cherokee Park (Union Pacific), Colorado PROPERTY: 18,761 acres of recreation lands and big game habitat, including over 2_4 miles of high quality riparian habitat along 8 streams PRICE TO AGENCY: $3.5 million (estimated) SIGNIFICANCE: In the past, Cherokee Park was home to many Native American peoples including Ute. Cheyenne. Arapaho and Kiowa. It received its name when a party of Cherokee travelled to this north central Colorado area in the 1840s. Today, Cherokee Park and the adjoining Red Feather Lakes District, are popular recreation destinations for the 2 million residents of the Denver and Ft. Collins metropolitan areas. It also serves residents of Laramie and Cheyenne, Wyoming who can reach the area in one hour. Wildlife is drawn in great numbers to Cherokee Park because of the rich riparian areas and critical winter range. The U.S. Forest Service has an opportunity to purchase over 18,000 acres of prime recreational lands and critical wildlife habitat in the Cherokee Park area. The lands offer numerous opportunities for mountain biking, fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, and for viewing wildlife and spectacular fall foliage. The property's excellent riparian resources include a section or the North Fork of the Cache la Poudre River as well as 24 miles of high quality riparian habitat alone 8 streams. The North Fork flows into the Cache la Poudre. Colorado's only fede-ally designated Wild and Scenic River. The entire Cache la Poudre River basin provides mc-easingiy scarce winter range for 600 Rocky Mountain elk. 800 mule deer, and a sizable mountain lion population. The Colorado Division of Wildlife maintains a State Wildlife Management area in Cherokee Park to protect these wintering herds. Acquisition of the property is critical to the protection and management of the wildlife and the riparian habitat that the animals reiy on. Union Pacifies Cherokee Park holdings are intermixed in a "checkerboard" pattern with sections of National Forest land. The result is public land surrounded by privately held properties. This configuration makes it virtually impossible for the Forest Service to manaae their :and for public use. In addition, people who wish to use Forest lands are forced to trespass. Adding the 18.761 acres to the Roosevelt National Forest would allow access to all of the Forest Service acreage in Cherokee Park that is currently out of reach. A FY 1993 appropriation of 53.5 million would provide the Forest Service with the necessary funding to take advantage of this one-time opportunity to protect recreation lands, important wildlife habitat, and consolidate public ownership in the National Forest. If not acquired in FY 1993, these lands will be threatened by harmful division and development. Not only will the sale property be threatened, but the interspersed neighboring properties of the Roosevelt National Forest will also be in jeopardy. R. 75'V, R. 74 W. _ R. 73 W -- WYOMING T r t_ ?C a 90 It T. 1 2 N. .. `..• \ EI m r T^°'Idoom , l r < r f✓aH "'v �1. �yy �.� ham am 1 Cl I 'Wn A UIL a a �p !�,p'�. ��' •' �. �` —* —� T. IIN.- C ARC 0 I •� Creak s y J � •ME' p 1 v I ) 1 z I I. -atiEX pork qtr its Me e tt G 1 I LYtli 0 j ' � • f � I i m �J� ' � / !+t"� I ' F, �, 4, c'�' tinny I �� I i♦<-p ; 71 fin` sate 'J rhutt -v T. 10 N. W • }} C +Malmo«-- t019rCOtl7 o�okr e.wav li ♦ o r tF 30- {IMF- t t hC1YZJN FORK DAE 1 i �IEnaa rill MCunly NORTl'I Low ,.. •m DIM �J ntl s -1— HI fNf 1 L o 1 1 I •, KILLPECKFR I♦ 6 ICE s r_ tar` a 1—1! 1—' + ♦ „}�,� 1 F-t`Fe►cher,io Se. /f' ( if { —+ - deWEa rHEp w uN ._ % wIII I t ,I Art, 4-18eM +— Ll +— - I^''�Megno atat Raa..vetl NanorVl Fp.n lj dM r l 1 �I Bell.". 1 Y L�j unO wgnvMlrwVinlOnaoff.oabl 0!mA='j�J' CC1r�aGCr 1."' - LAk1 %I '� IA/(x' • arwwn on mla maolw To.Nml4 Y A UNION PACIFIC PURCHASE PROPOSAL NrawnO inE RopsFall NelOnal fo..n11 + y *eft< Roosevelt National Forest WM-rnsss-Imo,orrea.en.clezaN +aan� Y � m«^•^,=-awNlPm- IPrn^,o,L.l Larimer County, Colorado Ourea aamnswr W M ome.Nanao.I coven __ _ _ ® N,„wn„P,n ' wren rem a nwMtn Non-federal lands k% .IaMa ara eapal �� �L 7 ® 8LM UM El + ® Sln-PUMC Uw urea 1, a ` Stap ;Y—I MIL. I O r 1 4 0 1 5 Mlln S,n- 0 Lam to eauny S a _ Iwrmowisgn d Lwaw pulrea to antral {,��.- .( \ A'�YPI�G aE Ora -•-.- '`�ii4o�J :� el _y.•' -oy>. —►'— —�— ��' I _� � S �as�� — e •�y� I Aa►'^ r N Stan FM BlJA8 grA•re goal ES 1 0/15/90 y LJ!t 1� WrEJ) ARLL hinAa . ^t_'k,�'si'-' (1'.) ft. " n Wyomir UNION PACIFIC s "r ' ACQUISITION �` - :.� � aar•'�,a 207 �� �.:. N •T + -aW Ellie •4[Ia r•— �� \ \� • � � Y L.:..su I s, {. 3_ ped'Fe.aner F �dne Rine Siv, ,1 Q�1../dr4 Aaybl I y wualee aea 4 _ r, Cache _-, N.n Sit a. '�.7— �l•'I. 1 tm— ! lU — i 1 — n Y 1 _ U.5 Forest Service Wilderness Area �1 Boundary Map - _ Matldnai Park Se,vlce Bureau of Lana Management CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER State at `dldradd NATIONAL WATER HERITAGE AREA wlla Cacho Po aver Basr — —� wnd aver ® rs ■ � �.�—: Receallonal Rive rj �Wlld and Scenic Alves act page i Land Letter, September 10. 1991 How the Land and Water Conservation Fund Works Each year Congress appropriates mene•: for :he presidcnt's signature to become law. The money Land and Water Conservation Fund in the Interior then goes to the agencies. wnich use it for the appropriations bill. By law at !east 40 oc:ccnt of the approved acausitiens. LWCF [peal. (but n recent practice more than 90 The state grant process is different. The LWCF act percent), goes for federal land acquisition and is - sout up among tour federal agencies—:he Nationalrequires each state to prepare and maintain a ?ark Service, Forest Service,-Fish and Wildlife statewide comprerensive outdoor recreation pian. Service and the Bureau of Lana lyfanazement. T'he or SCORE in order to be ciigibie' to receive acqui- romainde: noes to states as matching *ants to be smon and development grants. These plans identtfv used for acquisition. development ariaimprovement conservaron and outdoor recreation needs, de:ine of outdoor recreation areas. I- fscai 1991. which ObleaavCS for ^tee ng those pee and set foam an ends Scot. 30, 5341.7 million was appropriated to action plan far achieving :hem. The plans must take :he Puna of which 5_9.8 million went for state into account ail state. federal and iocai resources 'Tans aria programs :hat affect recreational opportunities for its c:t:zens. including those Private sector On the federal side, the administration has a land programs and resources in adiacert states. It also acquisition priority system that snits accuisition must cover opportunities for the ciceriv antisis- prolecs accoraing .o certain -.:te7:a suca as re- abiea. Polio•: aria ac::en plans :rust be updated at source values ana nearness to cities. Eaca azencv is least every tive vea's. Federal gutdeiines for these allowed to add "bonus oeins ' to some orotec:s that plans were comoie:eiv updated in !990. The act wouldn't otherwise rank aiiM e ncugh to be funded. turner requires :hat ail orocerty acouirec or aevei- .Adter nezodauons. the list is made finai and be- ooec with fund money_ oe maintained pemetuaiiv in comes part of the president's annual budge: oro- public recreauen use. posai. which s submitted to Congress by eariv February and cove :he fiscal year beginnin¢ in i nrough its regionai offices. the National Park Service administers the state grant orogram on the Comber. The Interior appropriations subcommittees federal level. State zcve:nors designate a state :n the House and Senate then 7cid ,hearings on each = - azencv's budge: as well as on recucss from indi- liaison office: :e tun :ne stake program. Eaca state viduai membe of Congress and requests tom the has developed an "ooen prciec: selection orocess." pubiic. Input from the agencies, member and wnica tncorcerates a seieanon crtteta ana priority groups is mixed with lobbying efforts ranking system that fudges the quality of each grant aimed at members of the subcommittees. The result proposal in relation to the goals and priorities s funding for individual acquisition proiec:s. established in a state's planning process. Eligible state and local agenc:cs then aooiv to the state Congress has tended to give more weight :o re- liaison officer. who in :urn apoiies to the federal source values as opposea :o the administration's government fcr the 50 percent matching pant lean toward nearness to cities in ;udging proiec:s, money. States have flexibility in this process so which helps-Fish and Wildlife Service orocosals that the exact procedure differs from state to state. :hat otherwise can fare peoriv in the administration In 1990. 84 oercent of the 383 grants were for apprpaca, said tieai Sigmon. a staff aide with the recreational facilities such as snorts fields. 11 House Appropriations Interior panel. percent went for acquisition of 7,795 acres of park :reuse and Senate subcommiaecs the:,, proposes aria recreation land and the rest was for improve- :heir own lists of lard acquisition orojeos as part of meats to state recreation plans. Local government- :heir overall Interior appropriations bill, which is sponsored oroiec:s received 58 percent of the 5:0.8 the-, amended in full commiuce, and on the floor of million funding with 38 oercent going for state- each house. In a conference bc:wet-, the House and sponsored proiec:s. About 13 percent, of the grants Senate. the difference 'between :he:Senate and and 4 percent of the money requested were House bills are settled. The bill then requires the awarded. p T H E TRUST F O R PUBLIC Winter 1991/92 LAND FACT SHEET The Trust for Public Land (TPL) conserves land as a living resource for present and future generations. TPL is a results-oriented organization that works closeiv with community groups and government agencies 'o acquire and preserve open space to serve !,.umar. neecs. Since its founding in 1973. TPL has protected over 570.000 acres of scenic, recreational, urban, rural and wilderness land in .40 states and Canada. These lands range from single lots in Manhattan to a three thousand-acre tract of redwood canyons and black sand beaches in northern California; from the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts to waterfront parks in downtown Seattle. TPL's status as a nonprofit, charitable organization often allows individual or corporate landowners to donate or sell land to TPL with a savings of state and federal taxes. TPL has transferred 809 parcels of open space with a total value of over S629 million into public ownership. TPL strives to structure transactions that serve the complex. and sometimes competing, interests of landowners and public agencies. In metropolitan areas, TPL works with community organizations to revitalize and enhance neighborhood life. The Trust also helps concerned citizens preserve significant land resources in suburban and rural communities. Typical projects include organizing nonprofit, grassroots groups known as land trusts. and helping them identify and acquire key parcels of land for open space preservation. To date, TPL has established more than 300 of the nation's 900 local land trusts. Acting together, nonprofit citizen groups and TPL can provide open space or parkland at reduced cost to local governments. Some projects involve preserving river corridors and forests, while adjoining lands are used for appropriate development such as clustered housing. Other successful projects have protected fragile wetlands along the Florida coast and helped preserve agrarian lifestyles in rural Colorado communities. The national office of the Trust for Public Land is in San Francisco. Regional offices are located in Santa Fe, New York, Boston, Tallahassee, and Seattle. S O U T H W E S T REGIONAL OFFICE P O B O X 2 J i SANTA FE. SM +7 iii I i J i i �i FAX ;5,oi a_ o .i T H E TRUST F O R PUBLIC LAND The Trust for Public Land in Colorado January 1992 e Trust for Public Land (TPL) has helped to protect over 21,000 acres of land in Colorado since 1981. Among the 30 transactions TPL has completed in the state are the following; • Phantom Canyon, 1981. Conveyed 320 acres in Phantom Canyon (Fremont County) to the Bureau of Land Management. • Roxborough State Park, 1984. Purchased and conveyed to the Colorado Division of Parks more than 700 acres (four separate parcels), including key rock formations, doubling the size of the park. • White River National Forest, 1985. 47= acres within the Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness Area along Conundrum Creek were conveyed to the U.S. Forest Service. • Colorado Wildlife Preserves, 1986. Conveyed conservation easements over 11,535 acres in Mesa County to the State of Colorado. • U.S. Forest Service Exchange, 1986. Completed multi-party exchange in which threatened lands within the Hunter/Frying Pan Wilderness Area, Pike National Forest and Roosevelt National Forest were transferred to the U.S. Forest Service. • Big Creek Ranch, 1987. 3,800 acres were conveyed to Mesa County Land Conservancy. • Green Mountain, 1988-1990. Helped the City of Lakewood and Jefferson County complete a senes of acquisitions to protect the last remaining 435 undeveloped acres on the east and north sides of the mountain. • Golden Gate Canyon State Park, 1989. Purchased and conveyed approximately 400 acres to the Colorado Division of Parks. • Grand Junction riverfront, 1990. Negotiated acquistion of key 50-acre riverfront parcel -- formerly a landfill and salvage yard site -- which will be reclaimed by the City as part of a riverfront greenbelt. • San Juan National Forest, 1991. Assembled and conveyed to the U.S. Forest S O l T H W E 5 TService over 640 acres of mining claims in the Weminuche Wilderness to prevent REGION 1OB o`hoFF}9 Edevelopment in the Chicago Basin alpine area along the Continental Divide. SAATA FE. 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