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Home My WebLink AboutTHE GROVE AT FORT COLLINS - PDP - 16-10B - CORRESPONDENCE - ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT (5)o As per the site visit (and previous plans) the two cottonwoods on the southeast corner of the property will be removed as per the development plan due to the realignment of Roland Moore Drive. The only other trees to be removed are the box elder that is 400' west of Centre Avenue and one small Russian Olive within the parcel. One box elder tree on the site was determined to potentially have safety concerns, but given that the development does not propose to encroach on the tree, the tree can be preserved for now. o In the landscaping plan, seeding within the existing ditch area should be proposed to prevent weed establishment. In addition, some cottonwoods and peach leaf willow tree can be planted to enhance the riparian corridor. • Wildlife habitat o In the current, preliminary plan for the ditch relocation, the existing Larimer No. 2 Canal footprint would remain and continue to serve its role as a corridor for wildlife. The additional plantings, as discussed with Ripley Design, Inc. will only enhance this areas function as a corridor. Thus, from a wildlife perspective, the relocation of the ditch does not impair the area's function as a corridor and may even enhance it. o Due to the (potentially) significant enhancement and increased quality of this overall wildlife corridor, it may be preferred by the landowner on both sides (CSURF) to memorialize the setback/buffer requirements for future development of their property on the south side of the Larimer Canal No. 2. This may include a performance -based evaluation of the aggregate corridor, perhaps resulting in future development up to the edge of the new ditch riders road. • Ditch seepage/function o As per discussions with Northern Engineering, groundwater monitoring will be initiated to understand the flow of groundwater from the existing canal footprint. o As the vegetation within the ditch area appeared to be hydrophytic (specifically at the western end of the ditch and potentially out of the relocation area), Lindsay will contact the Army Corps of Engineers to assess if they have jurisdiction over these wetlands and if they would regulate if these wetlands were to dry up. Given the overall objectives of this relocation, if the Corps did not regulate these wetlands, the City would not as well. o One concern brought up at today's meeting was whether, if the existing ditch was sealed at either end (during the relocation process), seepage into the remnant ditch would occur and if (because of the sealing) if the water could be stagnated due to the seepage or during precipitation events. Nick Haws indicated the monitoring would help to assess this. Project: Grove Site Visit: March 7, 2011 9 In Attendance: Ripley Design: Northern Engineering: Larimer Canal No. 2: City of Fort Collins: Purpose of Site Visit: Site Visit Meeting Notes — The Grove March 7, 2011 Linda Ripley, RLA Nick Haws, PE, LEED AP John Moen, Ditch Superintendent Steve Olt, Project Planner; Lindsay Ex, Environmental Planner; Tim Buchanan, City Forester; Ralph Zentz, Assistant City Forester; Denae Cameron, Forestry Field Worker II • Discuss the overall alignment for the ditch relocation; • Determine the effects of the ditch relocation on the following elements: o Existing trees o Wildlife habitat, and o Ditch seepage/function. Key Points/Summary: • Overall alignment o The proposed realignment, in concept, will generally follow the existing fence line and ditch rider road on the south side of the Larimer Canal No. 2. This is as depicted on the preliminary sketch. The potential exception may be to gain more separation from the ditch/large tree (50'±) at the pinch point approximately 480' west of Centre Ave. o A ditch riders road will be maintained along the south side of the realigned ditch. o There is no intention or desire at this time to fill-in the abandoned section of ditch. o The ditch company is not expecting a fully lined channel section for the newly cut ditch. However, should any sections of subsurface sands, gravels, or other facets that may allow undesirable seepage; such stretches would require a compacted clay or bentonite "liner." • Existing Trees o It was discussed that relocating the ditch would allow the trees to remain on the site as they are, with the exception of the trees noted below. The ditch company has made clear that without relocation of the ditch, they would have removed the trees to reduce the seepage in the ditch. This relocation of the ditch serves to reduce the seepage impact, preserve the existing trees and potentially increase the total area dedicated to wildlife habitat. Project: Grove Site Visit: March 7, 2011 1 Page 3 of 3 development up to the edge of the new ditch riders road. - The ditch company is not expecting a fully lined channel section for the newly cut ditch. However, should any sections of subsurface sands, gravels, or other facets that may allow undesirable seepage; such stretches would require a compacted clay or bentonite "liner." Thanks, Nick Haws, PE, LEED AP NORTHERN ENGINEERING From: Lindsay Ex [mailto:lex@fcgov.com] Sent: Monday, March 07, 2011 5:38 PM To: Steve Olt; Linda Ripley; Nick Haws Cc: Tim Buchanan; Ralph Zentz Subject: meeting notes from today's site visit at the Grove All, I've compiled my notes from today's meeting as a reference for us all as we move forward. Can you please edit/add/delete items as you see fit and send them back to the group so we have a record of today's process? I do not have John Moen's email; if you would like to send these to him, can you please cc me so I have his contact information as well? Thanks, Lindsay Lindsay Ex Environmental Planner CDNS I City of Fort Collins lex@�fcqgv.com 970.224.6143 Office Hours: M 8-5; T-Th 8-12 A 3/28/2011 Page 2 of 3 Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2011 9:05 AM To: Nick Haws; Steve Olt; linda.ripley@ripleydesigninc.com Cc: Tim Buchanan; Ralph Zentz; Rosanna Harris Subject: RE: meeting notes from today's site visit at the Grove Nick, These are great additions — thanks for capturing them. I've attached the revised notes to this email. Cheers, Lindsay Lindsay Ex Environmental Planner CDNS I City of Fort Collins lex@fcgov.com 970.224.6143 Office Hours: M 8-5; T-Th 8-12 From: Nick Haws [ma ilto: nick@ northernengineering.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2011 7:59 AM To: Lindsay Ex; Steve Olt; linda.ripley@ripleydesigninc.com Cc: Tim Buchanan; Ralph Zentz; Rosanna Harris Subject: RE: meeting notes from today's site visit at the Grove Lindsay, Thank you very much for helping to coordinate this meeting; as.well as sending out your notes. It appears that there is an opportunity to improJe.both the wildlife corridor, as well as the ditch company's operations; while also addressing some previous concerns related to the Grove student housing development plan. John Moen does not use e-mail; however, the ditch company's secretary does. Her name is Rosanna Harris, and I've copied her on this e-mail. I wanted to add a few additional items that I took away from yesterday's meeting regarding specifics of the ditch relocation itself: - The proposed realignment, in concept, will generally follow the existing fence line and ditch rider road on the south side of the Larimer Canal No. 2. This is as depicted on the preliminary sketch. The potential exception may be to gain more separation from the ditch/large tree (50'±) at the pinch point approximately 480' west of Centre Ave. - A ditch riders road will be maintained along the south side of the realigned ditch. - There is no intention or desire at this time to fill-in the abandoned section of ditch. - Due to the (potentially) significant enhancement and increased quality of this overall wildlife corridor, it may be preferred by the landowner on both sides (CSURF) to memorialize the setback/buffer requirements for future development of their property on the south side of the Larimer Canal No. 2. This may include a performance -based evaluation of the aggregate corridor, perhaps resulting in future 3/28/2011 b Pagel of 3 Steve Olt From: Lindsay Ex Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2011 8:56 AM To: Nick Haws; Steve Olt; linda.ripley@ripleydesigninc.com Cc: Tim Buchanan; Ralph Zentz; Rosanna Harris Subject: RE: meeting notes from today's site visit at the Grove Nick, Thanks for this update from the Larimer County Canal No. 2 and their work (or lack of work) with ACOE to date. I haven't had a chance to get a hold of Terry yet, but I'm still planning to do this. I think having something in writing documenting the Corps position will be critical not only to this process, but in other projects that will likely arise in the future. Cheers, Lindsay P.S. Rosanna, if you already have this in writing, can you please send it on to me? From: Nick Haws [nick@northernengineering.com] Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2011 8:08 AM To: Lindsay Ex; Steve Olt; linda.ripley@ripleydesigninc.com Cc: Tim Buchanan; Ralph Zentz; Rosanna Harris Subject: RE: meeting notes from today's site visit at the Grove Lindsay, Thank you very.much for updating your minutes for the entire group. I don't know if you've heard back from Terry McKee with the ACOE yet, but I thought I'd share some information gleaned from a meeting I had yesterday with the Larimer County Canal No. 2 Irrigating Company. Representing the ditch company was John Moen, Superintendent; John Strachan, President; and Gene Fischer, their attorney. We asked them if the Larimer No. 2 was considered a jurisdictional waterway or not. They all said, fairly firmly and without reservation, that they were not. They said that their ditch is essentially a closed system, and has no direct connection to the Poudre River or other regulated waters of the U.S. They said they have never had to go through the ACOE during any of their tenures for ditch activities of any sort, including previous. relocations. I'm not trying interrupt your dialogue with the Corps; however, I thought this was useful information to pass on. These gentlemen certainly have quite a bit of historical knowledge when it comes to the Larimer No. 2. Thanks, Nick Haws, PE, LEED AP NORTHERN ENGINEERING From: Lindsay Ex [mailto:lex@fcgov.com] 3/28/2011