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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPAWS OF THE ROCKIES - PDP - 29-06 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT (3)Type: deciduous shrub hardy to zone 4 (ave. min, temp. -30 to -20 " F) Site: moist, well -drained soils Exposure: full sun to partial shade. Habit & Form: 3' to 7' tall, forms dense thickets, spreading Summer Foliage: opposite, round or elliptical, undersides have whitish hair' Autumn Foliage: insiginificant Flowers: white or pink, bell -shaped, .25' to .5' long Fruit: white berries in fall, up to .5" long, persisting through winter, showy Common Landscape Uses: hedge, screen, for winter effect Liabilities: no major problems CuitivarsNarieties: (h) The project may be designed to provide appropriate human access to natural habitats and features and their associated buffer zones in order to serve recreation purposes, provided that such access is compatible with the ecological character or wildlife use of the natural habitat or feature. No recreational human access is being proposed. (i) Fencing associated with the project shall be designed to be compatible with the ecological character and wildlife use of the natural habitat or feature. No fencing is being proposed. Type: deciduous shrub hardy to zone 4 (ave. min. temp. -30 to -20 " F) Site: prefers acidic, well -drained soil, soil adaptable Exposure: full sun to partial shade Habit & Form: 2' to 6' tall, rounded and moundlike, often wider than it is tall Summer Foliage: alternate, compound with 3 leaflets, temninal leaflet I'to 2.5" long, deep green, odorous Autumn Foliage: spectacular orange to red fall color Flowers: pale yellow, in small dense clusters, bloom before leaves Fruit: small red berries Common Landscape Uses: massing, woods edge, naturalistic areas, bank covers, groundcover Liabilities: leaves odorous, leaf spot, rusts, aphids, mites, scale Rlbes aureum Golden Currant Fort Collins native plant in foothills riparian and plains riparian zones. Type: deciduous shrub hardy to zone 5 (ave. min. temp. -20 to -10 ° F) Site: grows well in sandy and rocky soils Exposure: full sun Habit & Form: 3to 9' tall, irregular crown Summer Foliage: alternate, simple, ovate with 3 to 5 lobes, light green and glossy, .5" to 1" long and wide.. Autumn Foliage: red fall color Flowers: long, trumpet -shaped, fragrant, long-lasting yellow flowers bloom April to June Fruit: small black berry with numerous seeds Common Landscape Uses: screen, hedge, for flower effect Liabilities: CultivarsNarieties: Symphorfcarpos oreophflus Mountain Snowberry Save Our Shade moderately low water -use deciduous shrub. Fort Collins native plant in foothills riparian and foothills upland zones. Type: deciduous tree hardy to zone 3 (ave. min. temp. 40 to —30 ` F) Site: adaptable to most soil types Exposure: full sun Habit & Form: up to 50' tall, upright, spreading crown Summer Foliage: leaves shaped like spearhead, shiny dark green Autumn Foliage: bright yellow fall color Flowers: pale yellow -green catkins, bloom April to May Fruit: small dry capsule containing numerous small, cottony seeds, ripen May to June Common Landscape Uses: lawn tree, shade tree, specimen Liabilities: only male cottonwoods can be planted within city limits CultivarsNarieties: Prunus Americana American Plum Fort Collins native plant in foothills upland and plains upland zones. Type: deciduous tree hardy to zone 3 (ave. min. temp. 40 to -30 ° F) Site: soil tolerant Exposure: full sun to partial shade Habit & Form: 12' to 25' tall, up to 20' wide, rounded to irregular crown Summer Foliage: altemate leaf arrangement, oval leaf shape, 1.5" long to 3", medium green leaf color Autumn Foliage: yellow fall color Flowers: white flowers bloom in April, showy, clustered in up to 5's Fruit: rounded, fleshy drupe, 1" in diameter, yellow to red, edible, showy Common Landscape Uses: specimen, mass or grouping, under power lines, buffer strip, parking lot, container, bonsai, patio plant Liabilities: can become weedy, thorns, tent caterpillars CultivarsNarleties: most cultivars have been selected for better fruit quality Rhus trllobats Threeleal Sumac. Skunkbush Fort Collins native plant in foothills upland, foothills riparian, plains upland, and plains riparian zones. var. atropurpufea - A naturallyoccuring variety that has reddish foliage that tends to fade to green during the summer. Comes true from seed with a range of intensity in the red color. Commercial red foliage cuttivars are chiefly selections of this variety with exceptionally nice coloration or habit. 'Bagatelle'- A compact form that is similar to'Crimson Pygmy', except the leaves are shinier and smaller, and the plant grows more slowty. To about 12" to 16" tall. Foliage is a strong purple -red. 'Crimson Pygmy' - A slow -growing, red leaf form with a mounding, dense habit. One of the older dwarf, red foliage cuttivars. Red color is best in full sun. V to 2' tall and 2' to T wide under most circumstances, but can be larger. Probably the best known barberry cultivar. 'Rose Glow' (also labeled as'Rosy Glow' and'Rosey Glow') - A vigorous grower with red and cream variegated foliage. The mixing in of cream on the foliage is most pronounced on vigorously growing shoots, as older growth seems to fade to solid red. Best color development is achieved in full sun. Introduced from Denmark and very common on the market. Other cultivars: 'Aurea,' 'Bogozam,' 'Kobold,' 'Helmond Pillar,' 'Sparkle,' 'Thornless,' 'Variegata' Crataegus succulents Fleshy Hawthorn, Western Hawthorn Fort Collins recommended drought -tolerant species. Save Our Shade low water -use deciduous tree. Fort Collins native plant in foothills riparian zone. Type: deciduous tree/shrub hardy to zone 4 (ave. min. temp. -30 to -20' F) Site: tolerant of most soil types Exposure: full sun to partial shade Habit & Form: 6' to 20' tall Summer Foliage: alternate leaf arrangement, simple, deciduous leaves, 2" to 4" long, lobed, pointed, medium green leaf color Autumn Foliage: bronze fall color Flowers: white flowers, 0.5" in diameter btooms early in June, short bloom time only 7 to 10 days Fruit: a red pome, 0,25" in diameter, matures Sept. to October, persist through winter, birds eat fruit Common Landscape Uses: specimen tree, screen border, prune into hedge Liabilities: thorns can be hazardous, tends to have many pest problems similar to apple trees Cultivam/Varieties: Populus x acuminate Lanceieaf Cottorrvood Fort Collins native plant in foothills riparian and plains riparian zones. recommended include Western Hawthorn, Mentor Barberry, Japanese Barberry, Golden Currant, Mountain Snowberry, American Plum, Three Leaf Sumac, and Lanceleaf Cottonwood. Berbera mentorensis Mentor Barberry Save Our Shade moderately low water -use deciduous shrub. Type: semievergreen shrub hardy to zone 5 (ave. min. temp. -20 to -10 " F) Site: prefers well -drained soil, easily transplanted Exposure: full sun to partial shade Habit & Form: stall with an equal or slightly greater width, upright, rounded habit Summer Foliage: simple, semi -evergreen leaves, alternate leaf arrangement, 1" to 2" long, leaf margin entire or sparingly spiny at the apex, dark green leaf color Autumn Foliage: yellowish -red fall color, leaves hold late into the fall Flowers: yellow flowers, Flowers bome in long, pendulous clusters, blooms in mid April, showy Fruit: red fruit, doesn't fruit often Common Landscape Uses: border, massing or grouping, hedge, barrier due to thorniness Liabilities: large thorns and spiny leaves make the plant difficult to manage, avoid use where small children will be present, collects litter and leaves around the base Cultivars/Varieties: none Berberis thunbergii Japanese Barberry moderately low water -use deciduous shrubs. Type: deciduous shrub hardy to zone 4 (ave. min. temp. -30 to -20' F) Site: exceptionally tolerant and adaptable, withstands drought and heat well, urban tolerant, dislikes continually wet soils Exposure: best in full sun, but tolerant of partial shade Habit & Form: 3' to U tall, slightly wider than tall, very twiggy, with overarching branch tips Summer Foliage: altemate, deciduous leaves, ovate shape; significantly wider at the tip than at the base, 0.5" to 1.25" long, 0.25" to 0.5" wide, bright green color, early to leaf out in spring Autumn Foliage: deciduous, with orange, red and purplish fall color Flowers: small yellow flowers in April, numerous and interesting, but only slightly showy Fruit: bright red berries, color up in October, typically numerous and reasonable showy, fruits last for a while into winter Common Landscape Uses: borders and hedges, groupings and mass plantings, in urban areas, difficult sites, yellow, red and variegated foliage forms to add color to a landscape Liabilities: generally trouble free, can seed itself into the landscape or woods Notable CultfvarslVarieties: 4 grassland birds, fox and coyote dens, mule deer winter concentration areas as identified by the Colorado Division of Krildlife or NAPP; prarie dog colonies over fifty (50) acres in size as included on the Natural Habitats and Features Inventory Map; key areas for rare, migrant or resident butterflies as identified in the NAPP; areas of high terrestrial or aquatic insect diversity as identified in the NAPP; remnant native prarie habitat, mixed foothill shrubland, foothill ponderosa pine forest, plains cottonwood riparian woodlands, and any wetland greater than one - quarter (114) acre in size. This site contains no special habitat features. There is evidence of a den in the ditch, but it is underwater from mid -spring to mid -fall and is of limited value. It has been suggested by Mike Phelan that any foxes that might utilize the den should not be encouraged in this urban setting. (e) The project shall be designed so that the character of the proposed development in terms of use, density, traffic generation, quality of runoff water, noise, lighting and similar potential development impacts shall minimize the degradation of the ecological character or wildlife use of the affected natural habitats or features. Development of the project site will have little effect on the ecological character and wildlife use of the adjacent Warren Lake Outlet Ditch. A berm will shield wildlife areas from parking lots, and prevent headlights from entering wildlife areas. Runoff water will be detained on -site, creating new wetland habitat. Any dog kennels at the veterinary clinic will be indoors and sound -proofed. (t) The project shall be designed to integrate with and otherwise preserve existing site topography, including but not limited to such characteristics as steepness of slopes, existing drainage features, rock outcroppings, river and stream terraces, valley walls, ridgelines and scenic topographic features. The site currently contains no distinctive topographical features other than the ditch itself. A berms will be added in the buffer between the ditch and the parking lot to discourage wildlife from entering unsafe urban areas. Additionally, berms will be added along Harmony Road, as recommended by the Harmony Corridor Standards and Guidelines. (g) The project shall be designed to enhance the natural ecological characteristics of the site. If existing landscaping within the buffer zone is determined by the decision maker to be incompatible with the purposes of the buffer zone, then the applicant shall undertake restoration and mitigation measures such as re -grading and/or the replanting of native vegetation. Current vegetation near the Warren Lake Outlet Ditch is of minimal wildlife value. As suggested by Doug Moore, several native plant species will be added to the buffer area, providing additional food and habitat for wildlife using the site. Speck native plant species that have been 3 Buffer Zone Performance Standards: The following is a response to the City's Buffer Zone Performance Standards, as found in Section 2.4.1 (E) of the Fort Collins Land Use Code. Text from the Land Use Code appears in italics. (1) Buffer Zone Performance Standards. The decision maker shall determine the buffer zones for each natural habitat or feature contained in the project site. The buffer zones may be multiple and noncontiguous. The general buffer zone distance is established according to the buffer zone table below, but the decision maker shall reduce or enlarge any portion of the general buffer zone distance, if necessary in order to ensure that the performance standards set forth below are achieved. The buffer zone performance standards are as follows: (a) The' project shall be designed to preserve or enhance the ecological character or function and wildlife use of the natural habitat or feature and to minimize or adequately mitigate the foreseeable impacts of development. The project will provide a 15- to 20-foot buffer along the ditch, which will be vegetated with edible native plant species beneficial to local wildlife. This will enhance the wildlife use of this feature, which currently contains little useful vegetation. Additionally, a continuous berm will protect wildlife using the ditch from human disturbances, and an added detention pond on the southeast comer of the site will provide new wetland area. (b) The project, including, by way of example and not by way of limitation, its fencing,, pedestrian/bicycle paths and roadways, shall be designed to preserve or enhance the existence of wildlife movement corridors between natural features, both within and adjacent to the site. This segment of the Warren Lake Outlet Ditch is already isolated from other nearby natural features, and is not part of a wildlife movement corridor. Movement along the exposed length of the ditch will not be inhibited in any way. (c) The project shall be designed to preserve significant existing trees and other significant existing vegetation on the site. Two cottonwood trees have been inspected by Tim Buchanan, city forester, and David Jordan of Jordan's Tree Moving & Maintenance, Inc. These trees exhibit substantial rotting and deadwood, and have been recommended for removal. (d) The project shall be designed to protect from adverse impact species utilizing special habitat features such as key raptor habitat features, including nest sites, night roosts and key feeding areas as identfed by the Colorado Division of Wildlife or in the Fort Collins Natural Areas Policy Plan (NAPP); key production areas, wintering areas, and migratory feeding areas for waterfowl, key use areas for wading birds and shorebirds; key use areas for migrant songbirds, key nesting areas for Request for Buffer Reduction - Paws of the Rockies P.D.P. Applicant: Mark & Debra Holmes Paws of the Rockies 1538 E. Harmony Road, Unit C-2 Fort Collins, CO 80525 Consultant: Troy Jones M. Torgerson Architects 204 Walnut Street, Suite D Fort Collins, CO 80524 Summary of the Request: The property at 2000 East Harmony has been owned by the Fort Collins Loveland Water District for quite some time as a pipe and fitting storage yard. The applicants wish to develop the property in order to construct a building to operate a small animal veterinary business, as well as two future speculative office buildings. The key ecological feature is the Warren Lake Outlet Ditch, which runs from Warren Lake along the northeast edge of the project site and continues to the southeast. Where it abuts the project site, the ditch exhibits some localized wildlife activity. Many segments of the ditch run underground, however, including the segment directly west of the project site and a segment beginning east of the site at Timberline Road, making the ditch unusable as a wildlife movement corridor. There is a small fox den in part of a ditch, which is underwater from mid -spring to mid -fall when there is water in the ditch and thus is not conducive to fox -rearing. This site is directly adjacent to Harmony Road not far from the busy intersection of Harmony and Timberline, and the ditch is surrounded on all other nearby exposed sides by residential and commercial buildings. We have consulted with Mike Phalen of Cedar Creek Associates, and he has suggested that wildlife activity not be encouraged here, as he points out that the Colorado Division of Wildlife generally recommends that animals find habitats less affected by the dangers of high traffic and human activity. Wildlife use of the site already appears to be fairly minimal, as this segment of the ditch is isolated from other nearby natural areas and contains no particularly valuable plant species. Because there is evidence of wildlife activity along this irrigation ditch, it would generally require a 50-foot buffer (Fort Collins Land Use Code Section 3.4.1 (E), Buffer Zone Table). We are requesting that this buffer zone distance be reduced. The proposed parking lot shown in our site plan provides a 15- to 20-foot buffer along the entire length of the ditch (the width varies because the parking lot edge is not exactly parallel with the bank of the ditch). A berm will be provided along the entire length of this buffer to protect wildlife from vehicular traffic and human disturbance. Additionally, edible native vegetation will be planted to enhance the quality of the buffer for those animals that still choose it as their habitat. Please see the following Buffer Zone Performance Standards for further explanations.