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HomeMy WebLinkAboutINTERSTATE LAND - ODP - 49-02A - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT#A9-Dzt� !w�'e.-<,Eaic Laud-DDp �� � �cL) UA it�\ 44-Ne, Ct��ai r�G I, City of Fort Collins. 2000a. City of Fort Collins Natural Habitats & Features Inventory Map. City of Fort Collins. 2000b. City Code Section 3.4.1. L. Hammerson, G.A. 1999. Amphibians and Reptiles in Colorado. Colorado Division of r Wildlife. Denver, CO. 130pp. I: Spackman, S., B. Jennings, J. Coles, C. Dawson, M. Minton, A. Kratz, and C. Spurries. 1997. Colorado Rare Plant Field Guide. Colorado Natural Heritage Program. System for Conservation Planning. 2002. Colorado Division of Wildlife and NDIS's rSystem for Conservation Planning (SCoP). http//ndis.nrel.colostate.edu/escon/. ` Wildland Consultants, Inc. 2001. Summary Report, Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse Surveys, Interstate Land Development. 7 Creek and the Poudre Reservoir Inlet canal meet or exceed City of Fort Collins buffer zone recommendations. I: The developer proposes the following general mitigation measures: r• Except for the road crossing of Boxelder Creek, no direct impacts will occur to L wetlands or ditch side vegetation. The bridge across Boxelder Creek will be designed to protect wildlife movement through the site. Design guidelines will be developed prior to project construction. • Buffer zones of at least 100 feet are proposed from the development and the centerline of Boxelder Creek. Buffer zones of at least 50 feet are proposed for the Poudre Reservoir Inlet Canal. Buffer zones averaging 254-feet are proposed for the remnant of Cooper Slough. These buffer zones will help preserve wildlife movement corridors, wetlands, and wildlife habitat on the site. • All buffer zones will be separated from the development by a split rail cedar fence (or other approved fence) with inside wire mesh. This fence will separate the buffer zone from the development and trails. Trails will be located along the outside edge of the buffer zones. • The scattered Russian olive trees present along the margins of the Boxelder Creek will be removed. • Disturbed areas within the open space will be seeded with a native grass/forb seed mix. Open space areas that support desirable vegetation will be left undisturbed. Buffer zones areas will be fenced with orange construction fencing during construction to prevent disturbance of natural vegetation. • Surveys for the burrowing owl will be completed prior to any control efforts or construction in the prairie dog colony if such activities are proposed during the owl's activity period (March 1- October 15). • Proposed detention areas will be landscaped and seeded according to the landscape (� plan. �i • The proposed bridge crossing of Boxelder Creek will be permitted with the Army Corps of Engineers. Mitigation for the wetland impact will be completed according to Army Corps of Engineers requirements. 7.0 References Andrews, R. and R. Righter. 1992. Colorado Birds. Museum of Natural History, Denver, CO. 442pp. Colorado Division of Wildlife. 1990. Colorado Mammal Distribution, Latilong Study. Denver, CO. Colorado Division of Wildlife. 1998. Significant Wildlife Habitat Maps, Larimer County. Fitzgerald, J.P., C.A. Meaney, D.M. Armstrong. 1994. Mammals of Colorado. Denver Museum of Natural History and University Press of Colorado. 467pp. 31 C4.0 Views The area surrounding the site to the north, west is already heavily developed with commercial and residential properties. Existing development already exists adjacent to east site boundary along the Frontage Road. The view to the west towards the mountains is already interrupted by existing development t! The buffer zone and open space proposed along Boxelder Creek, the remnant to Cooper Slough, and the canals will help preserve views across the site. 5.0 Project Impacts No impacts of open lands are possible without impacts to the environment. Project construction would result in the conversion of approximately 91.7 acres of farmland to urban uses. The only proposed wetland impact is associated with a road crossing of Boxelder Creek. This impact would be less than 0.5 acres. The exact impact area has not been determined at this time. '+ All of the existing natural areas on the site would be preserved as open space. A total of approximately 85.4 acres of open space would be protected. Buffer zones averaging 254 feet (from the edge of wetland) are proposed along the remnant to Cooper Slough. Buffer zones of at least 100 feet are proposed from the development and the edge of Boxelder Creek. Buffer zones of at least 50 feet are proposed from the development and the top of bank for the Poudre Reservoir Inlet Canal. These buffer zones will help preserve wildlife movement corridors, wetlands, and wildlife habitat on the site. Because of the open space preservation and proposed buffer zones most wildlife species currently using the site would be expected to be present after construction. There are currently no city, county, state, or federal regulations prohibiting removal of prairie dogs from private lands. The black -tailed prairie dog colony may be removed from the site. This would be completed by trapping and relocation, or poisoning by a state licensed contractor. 6.0 Conclusion, Proposed Mitigation UNo developments of open lands are possible without impacts to the environment. Project construction would result in the conversion of approximately 91.7 acres of farmland to Q urban uses. Wildlife species sensitive to human presence may use the area with less frequency. The small prairie dog colony may be removed. Open space areas (85.4 acres or approximately 48% of the site) will include canals and the area between the canals and the remnant of Cooper Slough, Boxelder Creek and adjacent buffer zones. These natural areas will continue to be used by a variety of wildlife species. The remnant of Cooper Slough on the site does not provide the high quality wildlife habitat associated with Cooper Slough to the north of Highway 14. However, an average buffer zone of 254 feet is proposed for the area. The proposed buffer zones for Boxelder 5 The Boxelder Creek, Lake Canal and Poudre Reservoir Inlet Canal provide resting and foraging habitat to waterfowl and waterbirds. Wintering waterfowl use these areas (depending on water flows) when other water sources are frozen. The remnant to Cooper Slough on the site does not provide the quality wildlife habitat associated with Cooper Slough north of Highway 14. On the site the remnant of Cooper Slough does not provide high quality waterfowl or waterbird habitat. Flowing water is not present within this area. 3.2 Wildlife Corridors Currently wildlife can move through the area freely. Obvious wildlife movement corridors on the site include Boxelder Creek, the Canals, and the remnant of Cooper Slough. The most important corridor on the site is Boxelder Creek because of its length and connection to the Cache la Poudre River. The two canals provide movement corridors for wildlife through an urban environment.. The remnant to Cooper Slough does not connect with Cooper Slough to the north. The remnant of Cooper Slough does not continue south past Prospect Road. The remnant to q Cooper Slough provides a corridor for wildlife movement along the western site boundary but not off of the project area. 3.3 Rare Wildlife Species Boxelder Creek provides potential habitat to the federally threatened Preble's meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius preblei). The site is not listed as a mouse protection or potential mouse protection area by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1999). However, the site is considered to be suitable habitat to the rare mouse (System for Conservation Planning 2002). Trapping surveys for the Preble's meadow jumping mouse were completed on the site during the summer of 2001. Surveys were complete according the guidelines from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). No Preble's meadow jumping mice were captured on the site (Wildland Consultants, Inc. 2001). The USFWS approved the survey effort and determined that impacts to the rare mouse were not expected from project construction (see Attachment The remnant of Cooper Slough and the canals do not support the riparian vegetation preferred by the rare mouse (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1999). A small (less than 0.5 acres) active black -tailed prairie dog colony is present in the proposed open space area between the two canals. The colony is located in the northeast section of the site. The black -tailed prairie dog is a candidate for listing as a threatened or endangered species. Q ►,1 2.1 Rare Plant Species Boxelder Creek and the remnant to Cooper Slough provide potential habitat to the federally listed Ute ladies' tresses orchid (Spiranthes diluvialis). Surveys for this species were completed on the site during the summer of 2003. No Ute ladies' tresses orchids were observed. The only other rare plant species with potential habitat on the site is the federally listed Colorado butterfly weed (Gaura neomexicana) (Spackman et al. 1997). Field surveys have not located this plant on the site. There are no known rare plant occurrences on the site ( System for Conservation Planning 2002). The wetland and riparian habitat along Boxelder Creek is mapped as a rare vegetation type in Larimer County (System for Conservation Planning 2002). 3.0 Wildlife Description 3.1 Species and Habitat The project area provides habitat to wildlife species adapted to agricultural lands, canals, and wetland -riparian habitats. Wildlife species likely to use. the area periodically include: red fox, coyote, raccoon, striped skunk; mule deer, a variety of small mammals (deer mouse, meadow vole, house mouse, prairie dog, cottontail rabbit); a variety of birds (meadow lark, mourning dove, American robin, Bullock's oriole, common grackle, common flicker, yellow warbler, house finch, English sparrow, horned lark, black -billed magpie, starling, American kestrel, great homed owl, great blue heron, mallard, and others); a few reptiles (western terrestrial garter snake, gopher snake) and amphibians (leopard frog, tiger salamander, plains spadefoot toad) (Andrews and Righter 1992, Colorado Division of Wildlife 2003, Fitzgerald et al. 1994, Hammerson 1999). Wildlife species or signs of species observed on the site during 2001-2002 field reconnaissance's included: English sparrow, meadow lark, house sparrow, tree sparrow, mourning dove, crow, Canada goose, snipe, mallard, great blue heron, American kestrel, red-tailed hawk, deer mouse, meadow vole, raccoon, striped skunk, cottontail rabbit, mule deer, red fox, coyote, muskrat, prairie dog, tiger salamander, spadefoot toad, and gopher snake. The most common nesting bird species on the site are likely to be the meadow lark, American robin, and mourning dove. Raptors use the area for foraging and roosting. There are no known raptor nests in the development site. The Colorado Division of Wildlife has mapped Boxelder Creek as High Priority Habitat (Class 4 and 5) for reptiles, and birds (Class 4) (System for Conservation Planning 2002). No other Class 4 or 5 High Priority Habitat is mapped for the site. The highest quality wildlife habitat on the site is associated with Boxelder Creek. Flowing water, wetland vegetation, and upland vegetation provide a diversity of habitats that attract a variety of wildlife species. 3 Slough goes into the Lake Canal, and the Poudre Reservoir Inlet Canal prior to entering the development site. Historically (prior to construction of irrigation canals and irrigated agriculture) Cooper Slough may have flowed through the site to the Cache la Poudre River. On the development site the remnant of Cooper Slough exists as an indefinite drainage swale dominated by upland plants. Small isolated wetlands are present within the swale. There is no flowing water present in the remnant of Cooper Slough. Attachment A, Photographs 1 and 2 show details of the remnant of Cooper Slough on the site. An adjacent landowner graded the largest wetland present in this area during the fall or 2002. Site conditions have changed as a result. The only other wetland area on the development site is associated with Boxelder Creek (Attachment A, Photo 3). A wetland delineation was completed along Boxelder Creek during the summer of 2003. A continuous jurisdictional wetland is present along the Creek through the development site. Dominant plants within this wetland/riparian habitat include reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinaceae), foxtail barley, prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata), American threesquare, watercress (Rorippa nasturtium), and other species. A few scattered Russian olive trees (Elaeagnus angustifolia) and thickets of coyote willow (Salix exigua) are present along Boxelder Creek. Boxelder Creek is a perennial tributary to the Cache la Poudre River. Aquatic vegetation is common within the Creek. The flowing stream channel averages 10-15 feet across on the development site. Typical ditchside vegetation is present along the banks of the Lake Canal, and the Poudre Reservoir Inlet Canal (Attachment A, Photo 5 and 6). Dominant species include reed canarygrass, prairie cordgrass, curly dock, smooth brome, sunflower, showy milkweed I (Asclepius speciosus), prickly lettuce, Canada thistle, and other species. The Poudre Reservoir inlet also supports aquatic vegetation including duckweed (Lemna minor). An area of weedy vegetation exists along the eastern portion of the proposed open space area between the two canals. Common species in this area include prickly lettuce, sunflower, kochia, showy milkweed, and other species. Noxious weeds present on the site include Canada thistle, and leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula). These species are located along the canals, and in other upland non -irrigated zones. The level of noxious weed infestation is relatively low compared to many Front Range sites. Adjacent wetlands within 500-feet of the project area occur just southwest of the site along the remnant of Cooper Slough. A small wetland occurs in a meandering channel south to Prospect Road. The wetland does not extend beyond Prospect Road. Boxelder Creek flows under Interstate 25 to the site. To the east of Interstate-25 the characteristics of Boxelder Creek are similar to those on the site. No attempt was made to delineate offsite wetlands or vegetation types. 2 wilrilanrl Consultants. Inc. Ca er S( F1Ldmg Pmnf KY - 1 ',. 716 -^� s y t • �SLK Yc,..' �ti 1r t, Or�1m FEET 0 50 ww m lr* YPrmted from TOPOI 02000 Natmml CreogmPl+s H(YkbM (www.topo.coa) Figure 1. Aerial View, Interstate Land Development Site. Ecological Characterization Study — Interstate Land Development 1.0 Introduction The proposed Interstate Land Development is located in eastern Fort Collins just northwest of the Intersection of Prospect Road and Interstate 25. The site is bordered on the south by Prospect Road, on the north by the Lake Canal and the Crossroads East Business Center, on the west by the Boxelder Estates development, and on the east by Interstate 25 Frontage Road (See the Attached Site Plan). The total development area is approximately 177 acres. Proposed used include commercial and residential. Natural area open space proposed for the site is approximately 85.4 acres or 48% of the site. Natural area open space includes the remnant of Cooper Slough (western site boundary), Boxelder Creek and floodplain, and the area between the Poudre Reservoir Inlet Canal and Lake Canal (see Site Plan). Additional open space will include detention ponds and landscaped areas. The Fort Collins City Code recommends that an Ecological Characterization Study be completed for projects that are within 500 feet of any natural habitat or feature mapped on the Natural Habitats and Features Inventory Map. The Ecological Characterization study is also recommended if the site includes areas of unique plant life or wildlife habitat (City of Fort Collins, 2000a,b). Boxelder Creek and the remnant of Cooper Slough are mapped as natural features on the Natural Habitats and Features Inventory Map. 2.0 Vegetation and Wetland Description The dominant vegetation type and land use on the site is agriculture (Attachment A, Photo 4). The site is used to grow corn, and alfalfa. The attached aerial photo (Figure 1) shows the agricultural areas on the site. A wetland delineation was completed along the remnant of Cooper Slough on the site during the summer of 2002. Four small isolated wetlands were located in this area (see Site Plan). Dominant plants present in these wetlands include foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum), cattail (Typha latifolia), American threesquare (Scirpus americwms), hard stem bulrush (Scirpus validus), curly dock (Rumex crispus), and a few other species. Indicators of hydric soils found in these isolated wetland included low chroma colors and ' mottling. Indicators of wetland hydrology included saturated soils, oxidized root channels, and standing water. Flowing water or a stream channel is not present in the remnant of Cooper Slough. Upland areas dominate the remnant of Cooper Slough. ' Common plants in the upland areas include introduced pasture grass (Bromus inermis) and weeds kochia (Kochia scoparia), prickly lettuce (Lactuca serulia), sunflower (Helianthus annruus), Canada thistle (Cirsium arvensis), and other species. The water flow from the warm water Cooper Slough (north of Highway 14) does not access the site (Figure 2). The U. S. G. S. Quad map for the area does not show Cooper Slough flowing through the Interstate Land Development Site (Figure 2). Water flow from Cooper Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction............................................................................. 1 2.0 Vegetation and Wetlands -------------------- --------------------------------------- 1 2.1 Rare Plant Species..................................................:.................. 3 3.0 Wildlife Description................................................................... 3 3.1 Species and Habitats................................................................... 3 3.2 Wildlife Corridors .................................................... I .................. 4 3.3 Rare Wildlife Species.................................................................. 4 4.0 Views.... . ............................... ................................................ 5 5.0 Project Impacts ..................................................... 5 6.0 Conclusions, Proposed Mitigation.................................................... 5 7.0 References................................................................................ 6 Attachment A - Site Photographs Attachment B — U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse Letter Ecological Characterization Study Interstate Land Development Prepared for: Western Property Advisors 11859 Pecos Street, Suite 300 Westminster, Colorado 80234 :And, CityScape Urban Design 3555 Stanford Road Suite 105 Fort Collins, Colorado 80525 Prepared by: Wildland Consultants, Inc. 1001 Jefferson Drive Berthoud, Colorado 80513 August 2003 I i �J wed Co InsuhanN me ''f= ' (97D) 532-4354 (Office), (970) 53�3341(Faz) try;==