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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWATERFIELD PUD - PRELIMINARY - 7-95B - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - WETLANDS DOCUMENTSAPR-09-97 WED 10:09 WILDLAND.CONSULTANTS 3036352436 P.07 7.0 References Churcher, P.B. and J.H. La%,61on. 1989. Beware of Well -Fed Felines. Natural History, Julv:4047. Clarion Associates of Colorado, LLC and Colorado Division of Wildlife. 1996. Managing Development for People and Wildlife. Colorado Division of Wildlife, Denver, CO. 149pp. Gammonly, J. 1997. Waterfowl Biologist, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Fort Collins, Colorado. Personal Communication With E. Berg, Wildland Consultants, Inc. Ringelman, J.K. 1991. Evaluating and Managing Waterfowl Habitat. Division Report No. 16. Colorado Division of Wildlife, Fort Collins, CO. 46pp. Riverside Technology, Inc. Jurisdictional Wetlands Delineation Survey for the Country Club Farms L.L.C. Larimer County, Colorado. Rodgers, J.A., and H.T. Smith. 1995. Set -back Distances to Protect Nesting Bird Colonies from Human Disturbance. Conservation Biology. 9:99-99. Wilkinson, R. 1997. City of Fort Collins, Natural Resources Department. Personal Communication With R Berg, Wildland Consultants, Inc. April, 1997. APR-09-97 WED 10:08 WILDLAND.CONSULTANTS 3036352436 P.06 except to control noxious tiveeds. The native grassland of the buffer should provide nesting and foraging habitat to some grassland adapted birds and also potential nesting habitat to waterfowl. ' A trail will be built along the outside edge of the buffer zone. The trail will serve to channel human traffic off of the wetland area and off of native vegetation. Signs will be posted along the trail identifying the area as a wildlife habitat, restricting human use off of the trail, and asking that all pets be walked with a leash. It may be desirable to change the trail so that it runs along the southern edge of the wetland buffer only. The trail along the eastern edge of the wetland brings people into close contact with the wetland and pond. Pedestrian traffic along the eastern segment could be routed onto the sidewalk along the street. 'Approximately 14A acres associated with the detention pond in the southwest corner and the Larimer and Weld Canal in the northwest comer of the development will be leis as permanent open space. The site in the northwest corner supports a small area of native grassland (with introduced plants present). This area will be enhanced with additional native grass, forb, and shrub plantings. The detention pond will be seeded with a native grass/forb mix, with native shrub plantings along the edges (see the Preliminary Landscape Plan). A wildife corridor linking the wetland area and the detention pond will be seeded with a native grass/forb mix. No annual mowing or maintenance of these areas will occur except for the control of noxious weeds. These sites will provide small habitat zones for grass]and/agriculture adapted wildlife species. • The presence of the wetlands area and detention pond open space near the elementary school will provide invaluable opportunities for environmental education. The wetlands area and other natural open space will be made available for use by the local school for nature study. 6.0 Conclusions No developments adjacent to natural areas are possible without impacts to wildlife. Construction of the Waterfield P.U.D. will result in some degree of loss of waterfowl, waterbird, and other wildlife use of the wetlands area. Species sensitive to human disturbance will use the area with less frequency. Other species not sensitive to human disturbance will continue to use the area. It is impossible to quantify this loss except to say that the lake will no longer be used by the same diversity of migratory waterfowl and waterbird species. Increased predation of wildlife will result from an increased population of pets (cats and dogs) in the area. Mitigation and enhancement measures outlined in section 5.0 will help to reduce impacts to wildlife. These measures include: dedicating a 22.1 acre open space wetland and wetland buffer area; dedicating 14A additional acres of natural open space; completing habitat enhancements including plantings of native grasses, forbs, and shrubs; and providing a wetland area for nature study available to the local elementary school. APR-89-97 WED 10:08 WILDLAND.CONSULTONTS 396b6bZ45b r.nn approximately 25 to 225 feet (see the Preliminary- Landscape Plan). Species like the mallard, Canada goose, and American widgeon appear to have high tolerance for human's and human disturbances (Gammonly 1997). Other species like the great blue heron, most other waterb rds, teal, and most diving ducks (canvasback, redhead, scaup, and others) appear to have low tolerances for human's and human disturbances. The great blue heron (a species that uses the wetlands on the site) has been shown to flush an average of 105 feet away from human disturbance near a nesting site (Rodgers and Smith 1995). Feeding herons are likely to have similar flushing distances from human disturbance. Vegetation cover can help screen human disturbances and may reduce flushing distances of sensitive animals. Limited human disturbances (duing spring planting, fall harvesting) already occur around the wetland_ Human disturbance on the site after development will result from humans and pets walking on the trail and other areas around the wetland; and human and pets in the backyards of homes on the east and west sides of the wetlands. Human disturbance will be long terns and fairly constant through the year. Increased human presence is likely to result in some level of reduced use of the wetlands area by waterfowl and waterbirds that are sensitive to human disturbances. Species like the mallard, American widgeon, and Canada goose are likely to continue to use the area. It is not possible to quantify the level of reduced use by sensitive species. Predation and disturbance of wildlife near developments by cats and dogs has been shown to have a significant impact on local wildlife populations (Clarion Associates and Colorado Division of Wildlife 1996, Churcher and Lawton 1987). Predation by pets already occurs on the site to some degree. However, predation is likely to increase with higher house cat densities associated with development. The City of Fort Collins Leash Law prohibits free roaming cats and dogs. Enforcing the law (especially for house cats) could reduce predation levels. Some level of reduction in the populations of nesting and wintering passerine birds; and resident small mammals, reptiles and amphibians is likely to occur in the wetlands area as a result of increased predation by pets. 5.0 Proposed Mitigation/Enhancement Measures * The entire 11.5 acre wetland area and surrounding 10.6 acre buffer area will remain as permanent open space. The western and eastern wetlands fringes will be planted with riparian adapted native shrub species (willow, dogwood, wild rose, and other species) to help screen human disturbance from the wetland and also to create nesting and foraging habitat for passerine birds (see the Preliminary Landscape Plan). The buffer area between the wetland and the development will be planted with a native grass/forb seed mix and scattered native shrub plantings. This native grassland area will not be mowed or maintained after establishment, APR-09-97 WED 10:07 W I L DLAND. CONSUL TANTS 3036352436 P.04 There have been no detailed wildlife studies completed on the wetland area. For this study 2 field visits were completed during the spring migration period. The following wildlife species (or sign of these species) were observed on the site during field reconnaissance completed on 4/4/97 and 4/8/97: mallard, Canada goose, American widgeon, redhead, green -winged teal, Northern shoveler, cinnamon teal, killdeer, great blue heron, American avocet, spotted sandpiper, tree sparrow, red -winged blackbird, white -crowned sparrow, marsh wren, black -billed magpie, American kestrel, northern harrier, raccoon, red -fox, and coyote. The number of species using the pond through the year is likely much greater than those listed above. Highest use by waterfowl and waterbirds is likely to occur during spring and fall migration periods. The shallow pond and abundance of aquatic vegetation provides an abundant feeding area for resident and migrant waterfowl (Ringelman 1991). The shallow shoreline areas and mudflats attract feeding waterbirds. The pond attracts an abundance of migratory waterfowl and waterbirds because of the available food supply and lack of human disturbance. The small pond and wetland appears to attract a large diversity of migrating waterfowl and waterbird species. Most of the waterfowl and waterbird species using the site in the spring and fall migrations are unlikely to use the area for nesting (Andrews and Righter 1992, Gammonly 1997). No studies have been completed to determine nesting species on the site. However, the mallard and Canada goose are the most likely nesting waterfowl on the site (Andrews and Righter 1992). Killdeer are the most likely nesting waterbird on the site. Red -winged blackbirds are probably the most common nesting bird species on the site. The narrow fringe of wetlands vegetation surrounding the site provides relatively limited nesting habitat to waterfowl. 4.0 Project Impacts No part of the wetland area will be directly impacted by project construction. The entire area will be set aside as permanent open space. Indirect impact to the site will result from increased human use and presence, and possible changing of the hydrologic characteristics of the wetland. (Note: a wetlands hydrology study is now in progress for the site to determine if development will change the water regime of the wetland area. An addendum to the Wildlife Impact Evaluation will be prepared when the hydrology study is completed to determine if changes to the water flow into the wetland area will impact wildlife). Wildlife species have varying tolerances to human use and disturbances (Clarion Associates and Colorado Division of Wildlife 1996). One species may be able to tolerate high levels of human use and another species may discontinue to use an area with high human presence. Creating buffer zones between valuable wildlife habitats and developments is a common way to reduce impacts to wildlife. Determining widths of buffer zones to protect wildlife.is a difficult task. The proposed buffer lone around the wetlands area of the Waterfield project varies from N� ildlife Impact Evaluation - Waterfield P.U.D. 1.0 Introduction This wildlife impact evaluation is designed to address City of Fort Collins, Natural Resources Department comments on the Waterfield P.U.D. project. The Natural Resources Department is concerned about the project impacts to waterfowl and waterbirds from increased human presence and the proximity of development to the wetland area (Wilkinson 1997). This wildlife impact evaluation considers project impacts to the wetlands area only. Information for the report was based on field reconnaissance of the site, appropriate literature, and the professional opinions of Wildland Consultants, Inc. wildlife biologists. 2.0 Project Description The Waterfield P.U.D. is approximately 140 acres in size. The development will consist of a variety of housing types and uses including multi -family, single family, an elementary school, and a developed park. An 11.5 acre wedand area is present on the site. This wetland area and surrounding open space make up approximately 22.1 acres. Other open space on the site occurs along the Larimer and Weld Canal and in a large detention pond in the southwest corner (14.4 total acres). A trail is proposed along the southern and eastern boundaries of the wetland open space area. The Preliminary Landscape Plan details the location of housing, wetland, open space, and landscaping. A buffer (between the wetlands and housing) ranging from 25 feet to 225 feet surrounds the wetlands boundary. 3.0 Affected Environment The majority of the project area is currently used for agriculture. Small areas of native grassland occur along the Larimer and Weld Canal. An 11.5 acre wetland is located in the west center of the site (see the Preliminary Landscape Plan). The wetland is located in a depression surrounded by agricultural fields. This wetland includes a shallow pond with a fringe of wetland vegetation ranging from 50 to 150 feet wide. A jurisdictional wetlands delineation has been completed for the site (Riverside Technology, Inc. 1996). Dominant plant species in the wetland area include: cattail, Onley's threesquare, reed canary grass, fox -tail barley, curley dock, western wheatgrass, smooth brome, Canada thistle, and other species. The only trees in the wetlands area arc three Russian olives. The shallow pond supports an abundance of aquatic plants. Exposed mudflats occur along portions of the shoreline. APR-09-97 WED 10:06 WILDLAND.CONSULTANTS 3036352436 P.OZ Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Project Description 1 3.0 Affected Environment 1 4.0 Project Impacts 2 5.0 Proposed Mitigation/Enhancement Measures 3 6.0 Conclusions 4 7.0 References 5 WILDLIFE IMPACT EVALUATION WATERFIELD PUD Prepared for: Country Club Farms, LLC 8101 East Prentice Avenue, Suite M-180 Denver, CO 80111 Prepared by: Wildland Consultants, Inc. 622 East 8th Street Loveland, CO 80537