HomeMy WebLinkAboutWATERFIELD P.U.D., 2ND FILING - FINAL - 7-95D - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - WILDLIFE DOCUMENTSPage 4
May 5, 1997
Native vegetation should be used for plantings wherever possible
on the site, and the areas adjacent to the wetland area should
not be sprayed or mowed if possible. If mowing must be done, it
should be delayed until the end of July when most bird species
have fledged their young. Rail type fences are preferred over
chain link or tight mesh wire to allow animals to move freely
through the area. Homeowners should be required to keep their
dogs and cats at home to reduce harassment and predation upon
wildlife. These are a few suggestions to help minimize the
negative effects to wildlife.
The best possible scenario for wildlife would be to not develop
the property and to enhance wildlife habitat areas on the
property and protect the wetland. The least desirable scenario
would be to allow the development to encroach into the wetland
area and to fail to maintain adequate buffer zones for the
wildlife species that inhabit the wildlife area. If these
recommendations are not followed, mitigation of the degradation
of this wetland should be considered. This could be done by the
developer securing a conservation easement on another wetland
area nearby. Cooper Slough is a wetland area that runs north to
south across Vine Drive about 1/2 mile west of I-25. Cooper
Slough is a valuable wetland area and is used heavily by
migrating waterfowl during the winter, and stays open when other
open water areas are frozen and allows the birds to feed on
aquatic invertebrates. The part of the slough that is north of
Vine Drive is already slated for development, but if a
conservation easement could be secured on the portion of the
slough that is south of Vine Drive, with an adequate buffer
zone, it would go a long way towards mitigating the loss of the
Waterfield PUD wetland area.
Wetland areas can provide a focal point for wildlife and people
alike, and watching wildlife is one of the most popular
activities in the Fort Collins area. If the proposed
development is done in such a way as to protect the wetland area
and associated habitat, there will be wildlife there to watch
and enjoy for many years to come. Thanks you for the
opportunity to comment, and please call if you have any
questions or comments.
Sincerely,
Mark Leslie
District Wildlife Manager
Fort Collins North District
. qw
Page 3
May 5, 1997
The area immediately west of the proposed development is not
currently in the city limits of Fort Collins, and goose hunting
is common on that property and other surrounding properties in
the area. Hunting seasons for small game begin on September 1
and run through the end of February, and during this time
period, gunfire is common. Waterfowl hunters cannot hunt within
150 yards of a building or dwelling without the permission of
the owner or lessee, and all hunters must hunt in a safe manner,
but hunting is legal in the area, and homeowners should be aware
of this.
There are several recommendations that can be made to minimize
or mitigate the effects of the development on the wildlife in
the area. However, there is no absolute solution to any problem
or concern, and I can only recommend what is best for the
wildlife involved. In general, clustering of developments and
of housing within developments can be more beneficial to
wildlife than disseminating houses throughout the geographic
area. This clustering can allow protection of open space areas
and other important wildlife habitats. The plan shows a buffer
zone of 25 to 225 feet at various locations around the wetland
area with a trail winding adjacent to the wetland on the south
and west. Because species such as great blue herons use the
area, the buffer zone on the east and west sides of the wetland
may be inadequate to protect the herons. If the buffer zone was
increased to 100 feet from the wetland vegetation, the herons
would be less likely to be disturbed from human activity. This
could be accomplished by moving the trail to the other side of
the housing areas on the west side and moving the row of houses
from about —lots 96 through 108 further west. The small open
space areas just west of those two rows of houses could be moved
to the west side of the wetland area. This would probably
require curving the north -south roads associated with those two
rows of houses, and possible redesign of the road on the eastern
side of the senior cottages. A rectangular design might provide
the space needed there. The row of houses on the east side of
the wetland area numbered 65 through 76 is positioned very close
to the wetland area. To provide an adequate buffer some of
these could be moved to the north of the wetland just south of
the current lots 77 through 84. This would provide a larger
buffer on the east side and still be further away from the north
side of the wetland than they currently are from the east side.
If these buffers are not established, earthen berms with native
shrub and tree plantings could be built on the extreme outside
edge of the wetland area to help provide a visual barrier
between the wetland and any developed area such as houses and
the pedestrian trail.
Page 2
May 5, 1997
close proximity to the wetland area may concentrate nesting
birds onto poorer sites, thus increasing predation by natural
predators such as red foxes, raccoons, coyotes, skunks and
raptors. Great blue herons which feed in the shallow water areas
of wetlands may leave the area altogether due to disturbance by
humans and pets if adequate buffer zones are not established and
maintained. It is also likely that there will be an increase in
the number of road -killed wildlife on East Vine due to an
increase in vehicular traffic.
Because the area is currently agricultural land and has been
farmed, it is likely that there is some fertilizer that makes
its way to the wetland area in early spring. Because of the
timing of the fertilizing, effects to the wetland system may be
different than when the area is developed. The increased
nitrogen loading from homeowners fertilizing their lawns in the
summer may cause algae blooms which could affect the vitality
and productivity of the wetland system by depleting oxygen
levels in the water. This in turn could have negative effects
on the waterfowl and shorebirds that feed on the aquatic
invertebrates that live in the water.
People living in this area will almost certainly experience
nuisance problems from the wildlife that live there. Canada
geese use this area as a resting and feeding area in the late
fall and winter months and there is likely some nesting and
brood rearing in the spring and summer. When this area is
developed, geese will thrive on the bluegrass lawns that are
planted in association with the wetland areas, and homeowners
living adjacent to the wetland area will experience nuisance
problems with the geese. These nuisance problems will likely be
in the form of geese nesting in yards and flowerbeds, and
feeding and defecating on lawns. When the area is developed,
trees will be planted where they currently do not exist and this
will create habitat for woodpeckers and fox squirrels.
Woodpeckers will peck holes in lawns and wood siding as well as
in trees in search of insects, and can be difficult to dissuade.
Squirrels will eat bird seed out of bird feeders that are not
properly constructed to exclude them. Raccoons and skunks will
dig in garbage that is not properly contained, and will dig in
lawns for grubs and will eat pet foods that are left out
overnight. Coyotes and foxes will prey on small pets if left
out at night or unattended. Deer and rabbits will eat ornamental
flowers and shrubs if they are not protected. All of these
problems can be overcome by using the proper techniques and
common sense, but they are representative of calls that the
Division of Wildlife deals with on a daily basis in the Fort
Collins area.
STATE OF COLORADO
Roy Romer, Governor
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION OF ■ILDLIFB GOB O
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
John. Mumma,_. Director _ �°.. ', ' � •• � •
6060 Broadway..
Denver, Colorado' 80216
Telephone: (303) .297-1192;'_ �! ;i'_ _ OF
Area 4'�Of f ice For - ..
Northeast Region _ wildlife-
317 West Prospect For People
Fort Collins, .CO 80526
Date May 1, 1997
Rob Wilkinson
City of Fort Collins
Natural Resources Department
281 N. College Ave. -
Fort Collins CO 80522
Re: Waterfield PUD
Dear Rob,
In response to your request for comments on the proposed
Waterfield PUD on East Vine Drive in Fort Collins, Division of
Wildlife Biologist Jim Dennis and I made a site visit to the
property in April, 1997. The proposed development is located
northwest of the intersection of Vine -Drive and Summitview Drive
andconsists- of irrigated agricultural land with an 11.5 acre
wetland :onPthe west'_central portion of the property. We•have;'
also..reviewed..comments by Wildland Consultants about the .impacts
to the, wildlife on the property.
The wetland areas have the greatest value to wildlife on
the site and provide resting, feeding and nesting cover for a
variety of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Wildlife
species vary in their tolerance to human disturbance, and the
development proposal will have a greater effect on some species
than others. Species such as mallard ducks, Canada geese,
coyotes, red fox, raccoons, skunks and deer adapt well to living
in close proximity to humans, while others such as great blue
herons have lower tolerance for human disturbance and proximity.
The development of this site will change the wildlife species
composition and densities found there, but it is difficult to
quantify these changes. It is likely that mallards and many
passerine birds will still use the wetland area for nesting,
brood rearing, and feeding, but nesting success may decrease due
to predation by domestic and feral cats. Human disturbance in
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Jim Lochhead, Executive Director
WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Arnold Salazar, Chair Rebecca Frank, Vice -Chair • Mark LeValley, Secretary
Jesse L. Boyd, Jr., Member • James R. Long, Member William R. Hegberg, Member • John Stulp, Member • Louis Swift,
Member