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HomeMy WebLinkAboutREDTAIL RESIDENTIAL - PDP - 26-01 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT0 D. Moore 2/24/03 Page 4 (f) Minor slope changes will be required for construction of wetland mitigation areas and detention basins, but the general character of existing slopes within the buffer zone will be maintained after regrading. Therefore, the project is in compliance with this performance standard. (g) As indicated, the buffer zone will be revegetated to native grassland with inclusions of native shrub and tree plantings. Therefore, the project is in compliance with this performance standard. (h) A walking path and wildlife viewing area will be constructed within portions of the buffer zone for passive recreation and wildlife and natural areas viewing. Since existing office buildings and associated human use areas are currently located immediately adjacent to the east side of the wetland drainage, I believe the Redtail walking trail and viewing area to be compatible with the ecological character and wildlife use of the wetland. Therefore, the project is in compliance with this performance standard. 3.4.1 (E) (2) — Development Activities Within the Buffer Zone Portions of the buffer zone will be regraded to create a stormwater detention basins and wetland mitigation areas. Buffer zone disturbances will be revegetated to native vegetation. The stormwater detention basins, walking pathways, and mitigation are all permitted developments within the buffer zone. Therefore, the project is in compliance with the requirements of Section 3.4.1 (E) (2). Doug, this concludes my follow-up evaluation of the Redtail development. Please call if you have any questions. Sincerely, CEDAa C 7EE;c Assocu-,Es, INC. T. Michael Phelan Principal attachments pc: J. Prouty, Lagunitas C. Mathis & L. Herbert, VF Ripley D. Moore 2/24/03 Page 3 adjacent to the existing wetlands and drainage will also serve to enhance the overall habitat value of the wetland. Therefore, the project is in compliance with this performance standard. (b) The potential for wildlife movement from the Redtail Grove Natural into the unnamed drainage on the property will be maintained with project development. The two planned road crossing across the drainage will have minimal effect on urban -adapted wildlife use of the drainage since similar development features and buildings already exist in close proximity to the east side of the drainage. In addition culverts under Cameron Drive and Redtail Court will permit aquatic wildlife movement. The existing unnamed drainage on the property has minimal value as a wildlife corridor to other natural areas for a variety of reasons. First, although the drainage connects to the Fossil Creek drainage south of the Redtail property, immediately east of this confluence the Fossil Creek drainage corridor is interrupted by a major four -lane arterial, College Avenue. The current culvert structure that passes Fossil Creek flow under College Avenue does not permit any wildlife movement. The west end of the unnamed drainage on the Redtail property is interrupted by the Colorado and Southern Railroad right-of-way. Here again, the current culvert design precludes any wildlife movement under the railroad embankment. Residential developments exist west o the railroad right-of-way (c) A number of significant trees grow along the drainage and the pond perimeters. Current project development plans will result in avoidance of disturbance to the most significant stands of trees, but a few native trees will be lost due to project components and the wetland mitigation areas. Trees determined to be significant by the City of Fort Collins will be mitigated by plantings of replacement trees in the buffer zone as required by the City. All remaining undisturbed wetlands and replacement wetland mitigation areas will be protected with the establishment of the buffer zone. Therefore, the project is in compliance with this performance standard. (d) Applicable portions of this performance standard include the protection of nesting, feeding, and wintering areas for waterfowl, wading birds, and shorebirds as well as protection of any wetland greater than 0.25 acre in size. Revegetation of the buffer to native grasses, shrubs, and trees will protect the existing wetlands and enhance habitat and vegetation cover for waterbird use of the wetland drainage. Therefore, the project is in compliance with this performance standard. With respect to the red-tailed hawk nest south of the property, a 6 percent reduction in the 1,320-foot buffer would not have any adverse effect on nesting use for the following reasons. The Redtail development would be out of direct line -of -sight of the nest as illustrated in the September 16, 2002 letter from Jon Prouty to Michelle Pawar and Doug Moore (see attached letter). Outside lighting along the south side of the development as well as areas facing the wetland buffer zone will be shielded to minimize off -site nighttime light intrusion. Street and parking areas are designed to be interior to the project to minimize noise intrusion into the Redtail Grove Natural Area and wetland buffer zones. Finally existing commercial and/or residential developments on the south side of Cameron Drive and the east side of College Avenue are closer to the red-tailed hawk nest than the proposed Redtail project, indicating red-tailed hawk tolerance of these features. Therefore, the project is in compliance with this performance standard. (e) Revegetation of the buffer zone to native grasses, shrubs, and trees will not only minimize degradation of the ecological character of the wetland but enhance adjacent habitat and existing habitat diversity. Further, the project is designed so that roadway and higher use areas are centralized in the project area, thereby buffering these higher use from wildlife areas with the backs of buildings. Plantings of native shrubs and trees will also provide visual screening between the buffer zone and building envelopes. External landscape or security lighting fronting the buffer zone and wetlands will be shielded to minimize nighttime light impacts on these areas. Diversion of surface runoff from developed portions of the property into water quality detention basins prior to release into the wetland drainage will minimize the risk of water quality degradation in the wetlands, ponds, and unnamed drainage. Therefore, the project is in compliance with this performance standard. 9 D. Moore 2/24/03 Page 2 City of Fort Collins Buffer Zone Performance Standards (Section 3.4.1 (E) of the City of Fort Collins Land Use Code) The following provides my evaluation for each applicable standard and requirement within this section of the Land Use Code. 3.4.1 (E) (1) — Establishment of Buffer Zones Natural habitats and features on or near the Redtail Project Area for which City of Fort Collins buffer standards apply include the wetland drainage and ponds on the property and an existing red-tailed hawk nest south of the property in the Redtail Grove Natural Area. City standards call for a 1,320-foot development setback from red-tailed hawk nests. As currently proposed, the-Redtail Project has a 1,240-foot buffer that would be a 6 percent reduction in the required buffer. Establishment of an average buffer distance of at least 80 percent or more of the established buffer requirement is permitted by as long as compliance with the City's buffer zone performance standards is demonstrated. Based on previous conversations with Natural Resources staff (Tom Shoemaker and Doug Moore), it was agreed that a buffer requirement of 50 feet was applicable for naturalized detention ponds and associated wetlands located on the Redtail development site. Current project development design indicates that after the loss of the indicated wetland areas at the south end of the property, an average buffer distance of 56 feet would be maintained for remaining undisturbed wetland areas, although some wetland buffer distances would be less than 50 feet. A minimum buffer of at least 50 feet would also be maintained for all created wetland mitigation areas except for the open water mitigation area to be created in the northwest corner of the property. Constraints associated with road design criteria permit no setback from the extension of Redtail Court and the open water mitigation area to be created. Impacts associated with reductions in the 50-foot buffer zone elsewhere will be mitigated by revegetation of all areas of the buffer zone area into native grassland with inclusions of native shrub and tree plantings. All open water and wetland impacts will be mitigated by one -for -one replacement in the designated mitigation areas. A detailed revegetation and wetlands mitigation plan, developed by Cedar Creek Associates, Inc., is included with the Redtail development plan submittal to the City of Fort Collins. Based on Section 3.4.1 (E) (1) reductions in the 50-foot wetland buffer zone can by approved by the City provided the buffer zone performance standards are achieved. My assessment regarding the Redtail project's compliance with the City's buffer zone performance standards is as follows. 3.4.1 (E) (1) — Buffer Zone Standards (a) The project will preserve the remaining non -impacted wetland areas, and regrading disturbances in the buffer zone will be revegetated to wetland mitigation areas or native grassland uplands with inclusions of native tree and shrub plantings. All open water and wetland impacts will be mitigated by one -for -one replacement in the designated mitigation areas. Native tree and shrub plantings will be employed to enhance wildlife habitat as well as to provide visual screening of development features that intrude into the buffer zone. Existing habitat in the buffer zone consists almost entirely of non-native grassland except in the immediate vicinity of the pond edges where wetlands and a few species of native trees are supported. Non-native grassland is dominated by introduced grass species such as smooth brome (Bromopsis inermis), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum), and cheatgrass (Anisthantha tectorum). Habitat value and wildlife use of non-native grassland habitat is limited because of low vegetation species diversity, low forage value, and the relative lack of woody vegetation cover. The proposed revegetation/mitigation plan would replace the non-native grassland community in the buffer zone with. native grasses and tree and shrub plantings. These plantings will enhance habitat diversity by increasing vegetation cover and forage values as well as vegetation structural diversity. Increased habitat diversity CEDAR CC° E-K 916 Willshire Ave. • Fort Collins, Colorado 80521 • (970) 493-4394 February 24, 2003 Doug Moore Natural Resources Department City of Fort Collins P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 RE: Addendum to Redtail Project Ecological Characterization Study Report — Offsite Wetland Impacts and Compliance with City of Fort Collins Buffer Zone Performance Standards Dear Doug: The following sections were prepared to address specific Natural Resources Department concerns that have arisen since completion and submittal of the Ecological Characterization Study Report for the Redtail Project. Potential for Off site Wetland Impacts The Redtail Project, as currently proposed, would eliminate a small (0.29-acre) wetland at the south end of the project area. The wetland to be impacted extends beyond the Redtail Project property boundary into the City of Fort Collins' Redtail Grove Natural Area. This wetland has developed within and along the perimeter of an east -west oriented, shallow drainage. Moisture to this drainage is fed by a culvert located under the Colorado and Southern Railroad tracks immediately south of the southwest corner of the Redtail property (see attached Figure 2 from Redtail Ecological Characterization Study Report). The center and lowest portion of this drainage is located downslope and to the south of the Redtail property boundary. The proposed Redtail Project would not directly impact the adjacent wetland and associated drainage pattern in the Redtail Grove Natural Area. However, Department of Natural Resources staff has expressed the concern that the Redtail Grove Natural Area wetland could be indirectly impacted by proposed project development activities. As indicated, a culvert under the existing railroad right-of-way discharges surface water to this wetland. No changes to the culvert or water flows out of the culvert would occur with development of the Redtail Project. Water discharged from the culvert would continue to flow down the central portion of the drainage that is south of the Redtail Project boundary. Wetlands lost to development on the Redtail Project area would be replaced by building footprints and other impervious surfaces. The impervious surfaces will force surface water, that had previously supported the Redtail property impacted wetlands, down slope into the existing drainage south of the property boundary. Therefore, there would be no reduction in surface moisture discharged into the Redtail Grove Natural Area wetlands or an associated reduction in wetland vegetation. Increased levels of discharged surface water could, however, result in a change in the character, or an expansion, of the Redtail Grove Natural Area wetland. Additional moisture discharged into the remaining wetland area could improve overall habitat diversity at the north edge of the Redtail Grove Natural Area by increasing the diversity of existing wetland vegetation. The extent of this potential change is impossible to predict. The existing drainage has a relatively uniform down gradient to the east into an unnamed tributary to Fossil Creek. Since there are no structures or topographic features to retain or slow the flow of excess moisture discharged into the drainage, increased surface water release may simply result in slightly higher creek flows in the unnamed tributary to Fossil Creek and eventually Fossil Creek.