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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLAPORTE SOLAR ARRAY - PDP - PDP150003 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTNorth Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 1 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved NORTH TAFT HILL ROAD AND LAPORTE AVENUE ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION STUDY © December 2014 Larimer County, Colorado Prepared by: BLUE MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING Supporting Sustainable Management of Natural Resources 937 MALLARD DRIVE, FT. COLLINS, CO 80521 (970) 224-0851 North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 2 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 3 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 4 2.0 SITE DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................................................ 4 3.0 ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION ............................................................................................................... 5 3.1 WILDLIFE ........................................................................................................................................... 5 3.2 WETLANDS ......................................................................................................................................... 5 3.3 PROMINENT VIEWS............................................................................................................................. 6 3.4 NATIVE TREES AND VEGETATION ...................................................................................................... 6 3.5 NON-NATIVE TREES AND VEGETATION .............................................................................................. 6 3.6 BANK, SHORELINE AND HIGH WATER MARK OF PERENNIAL WATER ................................................ 6 3.7 SENSITIVE AND SPECIALLY VALUED SPECIES .................................................................................... 6 3.8 SPECIAL HABITAT FEATURES ............................................................................................................. 7 3.9 WILDLIFE MIGRATION CORRIDORS .................................................................................................... 7 3.10 GENERAL ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS ................................................................................................. 7 3.11 TIMING OF DEVELOPMENT IN RELATION TO ECOLOGICAL CHARACTER ........................................... 8 3.12 MITIGATE MEASURES ...................................................................................................................... 8 4.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................................... 8 REFERENCES....................................................................................................................................................... 8 APPENDIX A: PROJECT MAPS ...........................................................................................................................11 APPENDIX B: SITE PHOTOGRAPHS ....................................................................................................................16 North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 4 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved 1.0 Introduction This report documents ecological characteristics within the North Taft Hill Road and Laporte Avenue Solar Farm being proposed by Bella Energy. Bella Energy intends to build a solar array as shown in the attached site plan. The project will be comprised of approximately 900 kW DC of solar modules mounted on racks supported by a driven pile foundation system. There will be between 400 to 500 foundation piles, and they will be installed by a hydraulic post pounding machine. The leading edge of the solar modules will be no less than 2.5 feet above grade. The only civil work required for the project involves 1 or 2 concrete pads designed to support electrical equipment. It is anticipated that each pad will be no larger than 6' x 10' and sit on grade. There will also be a gravel access road running from West Vine Drive south through the Forney Pond parcel owned by the City of Fort Collins. The road will be 1,725 feet long and 18 feet wide to accommodate Poudre Fire Authority access regulations outlined in the 2012 IFC. An electrical conduit will extend from the solar array underground to Laporte Avenue along the eastern property boundary. It will cross underneath the Larimer County Number 2 Ditch that transects the subject property (1912 Laporte) at a depth of no less than 4 feet below the lowest point of the ditch. The project will create solar energy that is put onto the city's electrical grid. This report conforms to Section 3.4.1 (D) (1) of the Land Use Code of the City of Fort Collins regarding the preparation of an Ecological Characterization Study (ECS). This report is required by the City of Fort Collins Community Development and Neighborhood Services because portions of the project lie within 500 feet of an irrigation ditch that serves as a wildlife corridor. A site map of the proposed project and a Natural Habitats and Features Inventory Map are provided in Appendix A. 2.0 Site Description The proposed North Taft Hill Drive and Laporte Avenue Solar Farm encompasses 5.0 acres and is limited to the portion of 1912 Laporte Avenue that is north of the Larimer County Canal Number 2, west of the Forney Industries property, and south of the Forney Pond property. In addition, an access will extend from West Vine Drive south through the Forney Pond parcel which encompasses 0.71 acres. The project area and access road are presently a hay field. The site was visited by Matt Tobler (Natural Resource Specialist) and Clint Hinebaugh (Wildlife Biologist) with Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting on December 19, 2014. Ecological communities are classified as „agriculture‟ according to the Colorado Vegetation Classification Project (http://ndis.nrel.colostate.edu/coveg/) and consist of irrigated pasture, hay fields and dryland crops. A brief discussion of species composition is provided below in Sections 3.4 and 3.5. North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 5 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved 3.0 Ecological Characterization The elements of the Ecological Characterization Study are summarized in this section in the order listed in Section 3.4.1 (D) (1) of the Land Use Code. Site photos are provided in Appendix B. 3.1 Wildlife Due to the Property‟s location, size, and adjacent land uses, on-site wildlife value is generally low. Greatest diversity will occur along the Larimer County Number 2 Ditch and species such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), coyote (Canis latrans), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), and red fox (Vulpes fulva) will utilize the Ditch to safely transition between habitats. There are no significant trees within the Project area and a majority of the site consists of an irrigated hay meadow. Seasonal and/or year-round use can be expected by a number of urban adapted passerines including American robin (Turdus migratorius), common flicker (Colaptes auratus), mourning doves (Zenaidura macroura), sparrows, magpies (Pica pica), swifts and swallows, crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos), and ravens (Corvus corax). In addition to avifauna, small rodents including mice, voles, rats, pocket gophers (Geomys bursarius) and cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus auduboni) are expected to utilize the Property year round. Species or evidence of species recorded during the site visit included Red-tailed hawk, sparrows, Eurasian doves, rabbits, and coyote and deer. 3.2 Wetlands The Larimer Ditch Number 2 is a small, lotic wetland. This wetland is not classified or identified on USFWS National Wetlands Inventory. According to the Army Corps of Engineers, Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, wetlands are “Areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.” The Army Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual (1987) further stipulates that diagnostic environmental characteristics include hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils and wetland hydrology. The Larimer Ditch Number 2 has controlled flow and is typically at bankfull elevation during the growing season. The ditch is bounded on the north and east sides by an embankment that is approximately 5 feet tall. The predominant vegetation between bankfull (the ordinary high water mark) and the top of the ditch embankment is reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinaceae) an obligate wetland species. The wetland boundary will be flagged in the field and site plan revised to include a 50 foot buffer. In the current development plan, the irrigation ditch and adjacent wetlands is not affected and no adverse effects from development are expected. City floodplains are indicated on the site plan. North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 6 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved 3.3 Prominent Views Prominent views of Horsetooth Mountain Park and Lory State Park and other features along the Front Range are visible to the west from this site. Views to the north, east and south include residential neighborhoods, retail, commercial and agricultural areas. All views include wooded areas and fields. Typical views from points accessible to the general public (West Vine Drive and North Taft Hill Road) are provided in Appendix B. 3.4 Native Trees and Vegetation There are no trees within the project area. There is a stinger of young plains cottonwood (Populus deltoids) trees on the western side of the irrigation ditch outside the project area. A tree mitigation plan will not be necessary as no trees will be impacted by the project. Native vegetation in the herbaceous layer includes goldenrod (Solidago spp.), western wheatgrass, (Pascopyrum smithii) curlycup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa), sedge (Carex spp.) and horsetail (Equisetum). These species comprise approximately five percent of the total cover within the project area and access road. 3.5 Non-native Trees and Vegetation The entire project area is a hay field which is dominated by smooth brome (Bromus inermus) which comprises approximately 90% of the total cover. Other herbaceous plants which collectively comprise the remaining five percent of the total cover within the access road and project area include alfalfa (Medicago spp.), prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola), leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula), kochia (Bassia prostrate), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), and Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense). It should be noted that leafy spurge and Canada thistle are State listed noxious species. 3.6 Bank, Shoreline and High Water Mark of Perennial Water There are no wetlands or perennial water bodies on this site. Wetlands are associated with the Larimer County Number 2 Ditch which is located 50 or more feet from the project site. No wetlands will be impacted by this project. 3.7 Sensitive and Specially Valued Species There are no known occurrences or habitat for sensitive and specially valued species on the Property. The USFWS Information, Planning, and Conservation System (IPAC) was accessed to determine species of concern in Larimer County which included the Preble‟s meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius preblei), Ute lady‟s tresses orchid (Spiranthes diluvialis), and Colorado North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 7 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved butterfly plant (Gaura neomexicana ssp. coloradensis), all of which are associated with riparian/wetland areas. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Hansen 2014 pers. comm.), all trapping for the Preble‟s meadow jumping mouse in Fort Collins has been negative. Typical habitat for Preble's is comprised of well-developed riparian vegetation with adjacent, relatively undisturbed grassland communities and a nearby water source. These riparian areas should include a relatively dense combination of grasses, forbs, and shrubs. Based on these habitat requirements and the negative trapping data, it is BMEC‟s opinion that Preble‟s does not occur on the site and development of this project will not affect Preble‟s adversely. Similarly, it is our opinion that the Ute lady‟s tresses and Colorado butterfly plant do not occur on the site. The closest known occurrences of these plants are near the northwest boundary of Fort Collins (Ute lady‟s tresses) on Overland Trail, south of Michaud Lane, and within the City- managed Soapstone Prairie Natural Area near the Wyoming border (butterfly plant). Suitable habitat is not present within the project area but may exist along the irrigation ditch. 3.8 Special Habitat Features Due to residential use, special habitat features are minimal. Article 3, Section 3.4.1, of the City of Fort Collins Land Use Code applies to Natural Habitats and Features and has identified a buffer of 50 feet from the Larimer County Ditch Number 2 to the northwest. According to the Natural Habitat and Features Map provided the City of Fort Collins (Appendix. A), prominent features in the vicinity of the Property include Riparian Forest, Native Upland Plains Forest, and Non-native Upland Forest. 3.9 Wildlife Migration Corridors Larimer County Ditch Number 2 meanders for approximately 0.5 miles along the western property boundary and serves as a wildlife migration corridor. In addition to avifauna, it is expected that raccoons, skunks, and other urban-adapted species use this tributary to move through the region. The current plans call for no development within the 50 foot established buffer zone along the irrigation ditch; therefore, the proposed development should not affect the functioning of the ditch as a migration corridor. 3.10 General Ecological Functions The 5 acre site supports upland ecological functions within the context of a maintained hay field as discussed herein. Currently the site consists of upland vegetation, predominately smooth brome and a few other native and exotic species. There are no trees on the site so tree protection measures are not required. North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 8 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved 3.11 Timing of Development in Relation to Ecological Character It is anticipated that site activities would occur between April 1 and July 31, 2015. The site should be operational by June 30 but additional time will be required for demobilization and similar activities. The primary concern for the timing of development is protection of nesting birds, including birds nesting in the hay field. Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, it is unlawful for anyone to take, possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, purchase, or barter, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests, or eggs. It is important to understand that although there are no significant trees on-site the Property is within the disturbance buffer zone of several potential nesting trees off-site. The breeding season for most migratory birds is between March and August. 3.12 Mitigate Measures The proposed development will occur within a hay field. It is assumed that construction will occur in the spring, care should be taken to avoid Migratory Bird Treaty Act infractions. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) provides recommended guidelines for seasonal buffers for nesting raptors (http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/WildlifeSpecies/LivingWithWildlife/RaptorBufferGuidelines 2008.pdf). Site activities should be suspended during periods of saturated soil to minimize soil compaction and rutting. 4.0 Conclusions and Recommendations The team at Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting believes that no significant ecological resources will be adversely impacted on this site. The primary concern on-site is the timing of the construction. The proposed development meets the standards that preserve or enhance the ecological character, function, and wildlife use of the natural habitat or feature, which in this case is the Larimer County Ditch Number 2 and associated wetlands. References City of Fort Collins Floodplain Maps and Documents. Accessed on December 19, 2014. http://www.fcgov.com/utilities/what-we-do/stormwater/flooding/floodplain-maps- documents Colorado Parks and Wildlife Recommended Buffer Zones and Seasonal Restrictions for Raptors. http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/WildlifeSpecies/LivingWithWildlife/RaptorBufferGuid elines2008.pdf North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 9 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved Hansen, C. 2014. Email communication from Craig Hansen, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lakewood, Colorado to Clinton Hinebaugh, BMEC, LLC. October 4. National Wetland Inventory Mapper. Accessed on December 19, 2014. http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Data/Mapper.html United States Fish and Wildlife Service Information Planning and Conservation System. Accessed on December 22, 2014. http://ecos.fws.gov/ipac/ Wildlife Management Guidelines, City of Fort Collins. http://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/pdf/wildlife-management-guidelines.pdf North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 10 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 11 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved Appendix A: Project Maps North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 12 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 13 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 14 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 15 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 16 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved Appendix B: Site Photographs North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 17 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 18 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved Location: West Vine Drive Photo Direction: South Looking south from West Vine Drive across the proposed access easement (orange line) towards the project site (red arrow). Location: Northeast corner of project area Photo Direction North Looking north along the access easement from the northeast corner of the project area. North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 19 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved Location: Northeast corner of project area Photo Direction: South Looking south along a division fence from the northeast corner of the project area. Location: Northeast corner of project area Photo Direction: West Looking west along a division fence towards the Front Range the northeast corner of the project area. North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 20 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved Location: Southeast project corner Photo Direction: North Looking north from the southeast corner of the project area. Location: Southeast project corner Photo Direction: South Looking south towards the Larimer Ditch Number 2 (cottonwood stringer) from southeast project corner. North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 21 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved Location: Southeast project corner Photo Direction: West Looking west towards the Larimer Number 2 Ditch and the Front Range from the southeast project corner. Location: Larimer Number 2 Ditch Photo Direction: NW Looking northwest from the top of bank by the Larimer Number 2 Ditch. North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 22 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved Location: Larimer Number 2 Ditch Photo Direction: North Looking north from the top of bank on the Larimer Number 2 Ditch. Location: Larimer Number 2 Ditch Photo Direction: East Looking east across the project area towards Forney Industries. North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 23 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved Location: Larimer Number 2 Ditch Photo Direction: South Looking south form the Larimer Number 2 Ditch. Location: North Taft Hill Photo Direction: East Looking east across private property towards the project area from North Taft Hill Road. North Taft Hill Road Ecological Characterization Study 24 Copyright © 2014, BMEC All Rights Reserved