The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutSUNSHINE HOUSE FC EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY - PDP/FDP - FDP130041 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTNovember 7, 2013 Michael “Bo” Brown CSU/CSURF Real Estate Office P.O. Box 483 Fort Collins, CO 80522 RE: Second Revision Ecological Characterization Study (ECS) Letter Report for the proposed Sunshine House Daycare development at the southwest corner of the old Rolland Moore Drive (to be renamed) and Centre Avenue (Tract A). Bo: This revised letter ECS Report is submitted in response to the City’s request for an ECS report for the proposed Sunshine House Daycare development on CSURF’s Tract A. This report supersedes and replaces the previous ECS Report submitted on September 30, 2013. The 1.9-acre development site is located between Centre Avenue and recently constructed Perennial Lane, immediately south of the old Rolland Moore Road (partial spur), which was renamed Perennial Lane. The current development proposal calls for the construction of a daycare building and associated facilities. The proposed development would provide daycare facilities for 152 children from infants to kindergarten age. Construction is proposed to begin in January 2014 and be completed by August 2014. The total area of development would include the entire 1.9-acre parcel. Ecological characteristics of the property were evaluated during a field review of the property on October 4, 2013. The following provides a summary of ECS 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 proposed Sunshine House Daycare development site currently has very low ecological value and supports no natural habitat features. The majority of the property was previously disturbed for a sales office and associated parking for the Grove student housing project to the west. Previously the site supported non-native grassland used for hay production and a wetland drainage that carried surface runoff under Rolland Moore Drive and eventually into the Spring Creek drainage. The previous Grove associated developments on the parcel filled a small (200 square-foot) wetland drainage, immediately south of the former Rolland Moore Drive (now Perennial Lane), that was not included in the wetland mitigation area associated with the Grove development. Currently, the Grove sales buildings and associated facilities have been removed, and the site has been graded to approximate original contours and straw mulched (see attached Photo 1). As a result the parcel currently provides minimal wildlife habitat value except for a single, multi-trunked (6 to 14 inches in diameter) eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) tree growing near the center of the property. Wildlife habitat value on the property has basically been eliminated by past development, clearing of structures, and adjacent developments and roadways. Urban-adapted birds such as mourning dove and house finch may occasionally use the site for foraging for seeds. The single cottonwood tree on the project area may also be used for perching and foraging by urban-adapted songbirds. Bird nesting use of the tree is not likely because of its isolated location and lack of any surrounding natural habitats. No bird nests were located in the cottonwood tree during the October 4, 2013 field survey. Prior to clearing and regarding of the development site, Canada geese likely grazed the area occasionally and small mammals such as deer mouse and prairie vole probably foraged in the area. M. Brown 11/7/13 Page 2 of 4 (b) There are currently no wetlands on the property, but as indicated in the previous section, a small wetland drainage was filled by construction of the Grove sales office facilities. Based on Cedar Creek Associates, Inc. staff’s previous knowledge of the project area, this wetland drainage consisted of a narrow, intermittent, and incised channel with adjacent wetland side slopes. This wetland/channel feature was approximately 20 feet long and was estimated to have an average width of approximately 10 feet (200 square feet total size). The wetland vegetation community was dominated by herbaceous species including Baltic rush (Juncus balticus1), threesquare (Schoenoplectus pungens), and reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea). A few coyote willows (Salex exigua) were also present. Open water within the channel, when present, was typically shallow and occurred as a result of precipitation and runoff from the area upslope to the south. Wildlife habitat value was limited to foraging and cover for small mammals such as deer mouse and prairie vole. The City of Fort Collins will require mitigation for the filled wetland channel as a requirement for development of the Sunshine House Daycare development (see the following Section k). (c) The project area does not provide any prominent views of natural features or other areas of scenic value. (d) As indicated under (a & i), native vegetation supported on the project area consists of a single eastern cottonwood tree that may be classified as significant by the City Forester. This isolated tree does provide some wildlife habitat value as a possible perching and foraging site for urban-adapted songbirds. If removal of the tree is required for project development, loss of the tree will need to be mitigated (see the following Section k). (e) The one natural drainage that existed previously in the project area was removed by the previous sales office facilities associated with the Grove project. (f) There is no suitable habitat for any threatened, endangered, or other sensitive species on or adjacent to the project area. No other sensitive or ecologically important species are likely to use the property since its surface has been disturbed and cleared and supports no native habitats. (g) Past removal of native habitat has eliminated the potential for any special habitat features on the property other than the single eastern cottonwood. (h) There are no wildlife movement corridors on the property, but the wetland drainage along the north boundary of the Grove development serves as a wildlife movement corridor to and from the Spring Creek drainage. Portions of this wetland drainage are within 500 feet of the Sunshine House development parcel. (j) There is only one issue regarding the timing of property development and ecological features or wildlife use of the project area. If the development proposal includes removal of the eastern cottonwood on the property or if construction occurs near an occupied bird nest in this tree during the songbird nesting season (April through July), these activities could result in the loss or abandonment of a nest and would be in violation of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Bird nesting use of the tree is unlikely because of its isolated location and lack of any surrounding natural habitats, but the tree should be checked prior to removal during the nesting season to ensure lack of nesting activity. (k) The primary mitigation measure associated with the current development proposal would be CSURF’s commitment to provide mitigation for the previous loss of the small wetland drainage on the property. Wetland mitigation within the current Sunshine House development parcel is not feasible so the City of Fort Collins has agreed to permit CSURF to meet the wetland mitigation obligation for the Sunshine House parcel by assisting the nearby Gardens on Spring Creek facility in their planned expansion of an existing wetland area. The City of Fort Collins, Gardens on Spring Creek, and CSURF have agreed that CSURF will commit $5,000 in mitigation funds to the City of Fort Collins. These funds will be used for the design and construction of an additional 200 1 Scientific nomenclature follows USDA, NRCS Plants Database. Available online at: http://plants.usda.gov/java/ M. Brown 11/7/13 Page 3 of 4 square-foot expansion of the Gardens on Spring Creek’s planned enlargement of its existing wetland, thereby mitigating the previous loss of wetlands on the Sunshine House Daycare development parcel. Since the entire project area has been previously developed and has now been cleared, project development would have no impact on natural habitats or important habitat features, other than the one existing cottonwood tree on the property. The City Forester may classify this tree as significant. The tree may also provide some perching, foraging, and possible nesting habitat for urban-adapted songbird species. If removal of this tree is required for project development, appropriate plantings of landscape trees should be included with project development to mitigate the loss of a possible significant tree and its habitat value for urban-adapted songbirds. Because tree removal or construction near trees during the nesting season could result in the loss or abandonment of a nest, it is recommended that tree removal or construction near the tree occur outside of the nesting season (April 1 – July 31), or the tree be surveyed to ensure lack of nesting prior to removal or construction activities during the nesting season. This mitigation recommendation would preclude the possible incidental take or disturbance of an active songbird nest. Bo, 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 M. Brown 11/7/13 Page 4 of 4