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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBANNER HEALTH MEDICAL CAMPUS - FDP - FDP130020 - REPORTS - ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTJuly 9, 2013 Mr. Clifford Trausch, Project Executive Banner Health Development and Construction, Western Region Northern Colorado Medical Center 1801 16th Street Greeley, Colorado 80631 RE: Revised Ecological Characterization Study (ECS) Letter Report for the Proposed Banner Health Medical Campus Project Site at the Southeast Corner of Harmony Road and Lady Moon Drive, Fort Collins, Colorado Mr. Trausch: This letter report is submitted to satisfy the requirements of Section 3.4.1 of the Land Use Code of the City of Fort Collins regarding the submittal of an ECS report for proposed development projects. The Banner Health Medical Campus project site is an approximate 28.2-acre parcel located south of Harmony Road and between Lady Moon Drive and Cinquefoil Lane in Fort Collins, Colorado. An additional approximate 2-acre site, between Cinquefoil Lane and the west side of the Fossil Creek Reservoir Inlet Canal, would be used to construct an offsite detention pond for the proposed development. Ecological characteristics of the property were reviewed on December 18, 2012. A follow-up survey of the offsite detention pond site was completed on July 9, 2013. The following provides a summary of information required by Fort Collins Land Use Code under 3.4.1 (D) (1) items (a) through (k). ECOLOGICAL STUDY CHARACTERIZATION CHECKLIST (a & i) The entire proposed Banner Health Medical Campus site was historically converted from native grassland to non-native grass hayfield and a small area of residential and remnant farmstead tree stands. As a result the project area has marginal ecological value and supports no natural habitat features. The majority of the property’s surface has been planted to non-native grass, primarily smooth brome (Bromus inermis1), for hay production (see attached Figure 1). Less dominant vegetation species recorded in the grass hayfield areas included tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), and common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). The only woody vegetation remaining on the property are a number of landscape trees and shrubs planted around an occupied residence and a number of trees that appear to have been planted around farmsteads or residences that no longer exist on the property (see attached Figure 1). Several dead or decadent trees appear to have been recently removed from the property based on the presence of fresh cut tree stumps noted during the December 2012 field survey, but several mature trees still remain. Remaining trees on the property consist primarily of blue spruce (Picea pungens), eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), green ash (Fraxinus pennsyvanicus), apple (Malus spp.), and cherry (Prunus spp.) trees. Most are over 6 inches in diameter and may be classified by the City Forester as significant based on the Fort Collins Land Use Code. The City Forester or a private arborist will need to evaluate the health of these trees in order for their significance status to be determined. The offsite detention pond would be developed in non-native grassland/weedy habitat adjacent to the west side of the Fossil Creek Reservoir Inlet Canal. Dominant vegetation species supported in this habitat area are smooth brome and field bindweed. The detention pond area is within a portion of an active prairie dog town, and in areas heavily grazed prairie dogs, grass cover is essentially lacking and field bindweed in the dominant species. 1 Scientific nomenclature follows USDA, NRCS Plants Database. Available online at: http://plants.usda.gov/java/ C. Trausch 7/9/13 Page 2 of 4 Aside from potentially significant trees, the Banner Health Medical Campus site does not support any native vegetation, wetlands, or other unique habitat features, and no features of ecological value exist within 500 feet of the development site, aside from the Fossil Creek Reservoir Inlet Canal near the proposed offsite detention pond. Wildlife use of the Banner Health Medical Campus site is minimal because of past conversion of native habitats to mowed hayfield. Trees on the property may be used for perching, nesting, and foraging by urban- adapted songbirds, and Canada geese grass may occasionally graze the hayfield areas. No raptor or songbird nests were located in the trees on the project area during the December 18th survey. (b) No wetlands are located on the Banner Health Medical Campus site or adjacent properties. (c) The Banner Health Medical Campus site provides relatively unobstructed views of the Front Range foothills. (d) As indicated under (a & i) the Banner Health Medical Campus site does not support any native vegetation, and significant trees are restricted to an existing residence and past residential or farmstead areas along the west edge of the property. (e) There are no natural drainages on or near Banner Health Medical Campus site. (f) There is no suitable habitat for any threatened, endangered, or other sensitive species on or adjacent to the Banner Health Medical Campus site, including the offsite detention pond area. A small extension of a black- tailed prairie dog town south and east of the project site extends into the southeast property corner. The portion of the town on the project area appears to have been subjected to prairie dog removal or poisoning. Most burrows had been recently plugged and no prairie dog presence was observed on the project area. Prairie dog activity was observed immediately south of the project area, and the proposed offsite detention pond east of the development site is partially within the active portion of the prairie dog town (see Figure 2). Mapping of the perimeter of the active portion of this town indicates the town size to be approximately 17 acres. Approximately 1.7 acres of the prairie dog town would be impacted by construction of the offsite detention pond. Section 3.4.1 of the Land Use Code provides for no protection of prairie dog towns less than 50 acres in size, but Section 3.4.1 (N)(6) stipulates that before the commencement of grading or other construction on the development site, any prairie dogs inhabiting portions of the site within the LOD shall be relocated or eradicated by the developer using city-approved methods as set forth in Chapter 4 of the City Code and, when applicable, using methods reviewed and approved by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. (g) Past agricultural and residential conversion of the lands on the Banner Health Medical Campus site has eliminated the potential for any special habitat features on the property. (h) There are no wildlife movement corridors on or near the Banner Health Medical Campus site. The Fossil Creek Reservoir Inlet Canal adjacent to the proposed offsite detention pond serves as a wildlife movement corridor, and a 50-foot buffer would apply to this feature as stipulated in the Buffer Zone Table in Section 3.4.1 of the Land Use Code. As indicated on Figure 2, the proposed offsite detention pond would be developed outside of the 50-foot buffer zone for the Fossil Creek Reservoir inlet canal. (j) Because of the lack of natural habitat features on the Banner Health Medical Campus site there are only two issues regarding the timing of property development and ecological features or wildlife use of the project area. If the development proposal includes removal of any trees on the property, tree removal during the songbird nesting season could result in the loss or abandonment of a nest and would be in violation of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Prairie dogs in the proposed offsite detention pond area would need to be removed as indicated in paragraph (f) prior to the initiation of grading and construction activities. (k) Since the entire project area has been converted to agricultural or residential land use, project development would have no impact on natural habitats or important habitat features, other than existing trees on the property. Because tree removal during the songbird nesting season could result in the loss or abandonment of a nest, it is recommended that tree removal or pruning occur outside of the songbird nesting season (April 1 – July 31), or C. Trausch 7/9/13 Page 3 of 4 trees be surveyed to ensure lack of nesting prior to removal during the nesting season. This mitigation recommendation would preclude the possible incidental take or disturbance of active songbird nests. Native trees or trees determined to be significant currently growing on the property should be preserved to the extent possible. Removal of any trees classified as significant would need to be mitigated with replacement trees, as determined by the City Forester based on the Land Use Code. Prairie dogs in the proposed offsite detention pond area would need to be removed as indicated in paragraph (f) prior to the initiation of construction activities. Since the offsite detention pond would be developed adjacent to 50-foot buffer for the Fossil Creek Reservoir Inlet Canal, it is recommended that the detention pond be revegetated to native prairie species once its construction is complete. The recommended seed mixture would create an area of higher quality habitat than the current non-native grassland/weedy habitat that currently exists at the proposed detention pond location. The detention pond is designed to be a dry pond and only would retain water for short periods after rainfall events. Cedar Creek developed the following native, dryland grass seed mixture that is appropriate for the native soil and moisture conditions at the detention pond site. RECOMMENDED DRY DETENTION POND SEED MIXTURE Rate Lbs./Acre PLS Species Varieties Planted (Broadcast) Seeded/Acre Blue grama Lovington, Hachita 1.00 711,000 Chondrosum gracile Buffalograss NA 11.00 462,000 Buchloe dactyloides Great Basin wildrye Mangar 3.00 285,000 Leymus cinereus Slender wheatgrass Primar, Revenue 3.00 480,000 Elymus trachycaulus Thickspike wheatgrass Critana 3.00 480,000 Elymus lanceolatus Western wheatgrass Arriba, Barton 6.00 756,000 Pascopyrum smithii Totals = 27.00 3,174,000 (~73 seeds/sq. ft.) The mixture contains both cool and warm season grass species to address the varying conditions presented by constructed side-slopes and the basin floor in terms of drought tolerance, runoff, and tolerance to temporary flooding. All species are native to the Fort Collins area and adapted to the presumed soil characteristics of the post-construction facility. Blue grama, western wheatgrass, and buffalograss are dominant or notable inclusions in the vegetation community characterizing the Larimer-Stoneham soil complex mapped across this site. Slender wheatgrass is included in the mixture for its rapid establishment rate, while thickspike wheatgrass is a drought tolerant species that will provide an additional measure of slope stabilization due to its sod-forming characteristics similar to those exhibited by western wheatgrass. Great basin wildrye has a comparatively good flooding tolerance and is adapted to conditions expected across the detention pond floor. C. Trausch 7/9/13 Page 4 of 4 In order to ensure the successful re-establishment of native grasses in the offsite detention pond area, prairie dog grazing access to the detention pond area will need to controlled. This concludes Cedar Creek Associates, Inc.’s evaluation of the Banner Health Medical Campus development site. If you have any questions or require additional information regarding my evaluation, please give me a call. Sincerely, INC. T. Michael Phelan Principal, Senior Wildlife Biologist attachments: Figure 1, Habitat Mapping for the Banner Health Medical Campus Project Area Figure 2, Habitat Mapping for the Banner Health Medical Campus Proposed Offsite Detention Pond Legal Description pc: J. Messaros, BHA Design