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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1127 W. PROSPECT RD., WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATION FACILITY - PDP - PDP150033 - REPORTS - (5)West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 1 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved WEST PROSPECT ATLAS TOWER ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION STUDY © April 2015 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 West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 2 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 3 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 5 2.0 SITE DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................................................ 5 3.0 ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION ............................................................................................................... 5 3.1 WILDLIFE...................................................................................................................................................... 6 3.2 WETLANDS ................................................................................................................................................... 6 3.3 PROMINENT VIEWS ....................................................................................................................................... 6 3.4 NATIVE TREES AND VEGETATION ................................................................................................................. 6 3.6 BANK, SHORELINE AND HIGH WATER MARK OF PERENNIAL WATER .......................................................... 7 3.7 SENSITIVE AND SPECIALLY VALUED SPECIES ............................................................................................... 7 3.8 SPECIAL HABITAT FEATURES ....................................................................................................................... 8 3.9 WILDLIFE MIGRATION CORRIDORS .............................................................................................................. 8 3.10 GENERAL ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS ........................................................................................................... 8 3.11 TIMING OF DEVELOPMENT IN RELATION TO ECOLOGICAL CHARACTER ..................................................... 8 3.12 MITIGATIVE MEASURES ............................................................................................................................. 9 4.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................................... 9 REFERENCES....................................................................................................................................................... 9 APPENDIX A: PROJECT MAPS ...........................................................................................................................11 APPENDIX B: SITE PHOTOGRAPHS ....................................................................................................................21 APPENDIX C: WETLLAND DELINEATION FORMS...............................................................................................21 West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 4 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 5 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved 1.0 Introduction This report documents ecological characteristics within a proposed 50 feet x 50 feet leased telecommunication site (located within Parcel # 9722161004 owned by Pumbaa Properties, LLC) on West Prospect Road in Fort Collins. 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 the project is within 500 feet of an area identified as a natural habitat or feature on the City’s Natural Habitats and Features Inventory Map and within 100 feet of a wetland greater than 1/3 of an acre without significant use by waterfowl and shorebirds. 2.0 Site Description The proposed West Prospect Atlas Tower telecommunication lease site encompasses 0.62 acres (2,500 square feet) and is located on the south side of West Prospect Road approximately 500 feet west of South Shields Street. The Property is bounded by the Stone Creek Apartments to the west, Heritage Park Apartments and Townhomes to the south, South College Avenue to the east and commercial office and retail buildings to the north. The proposed plan includes an 85-foot tower (either monopole, flagpole, or stealth tree) within a fenced 50 feet x 50 feet area. Inside of the lease area there will be three to four equipment pads/shelters to house electronic equipment for each carrier that installs antennas on the tower. A proposed access easement will exist from the northwest corner of the lease site due north into the parking lot of the commercial office and retail buildings. The legal description for the site is a portion of the northeast ¼ of Section 22, Township 7 North, Range 69 West of the 6 th Principal Meridian in Larimer County, Colorado. A plat map is provided in Appendix A. A Vicinity and Photo Point Map and Site Photographs are provided in Appendix A and B respectively. The site was inventoried and wetlands were delineated by Matt Tobler (Natural Resource Specialist) and Clint Hinebaugh (Wildlife Biologist) with Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting on April 23, 2015. 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. The proposed site is adjacent to an area identified as Wet Meadow and Emergent Wetland according to the City of Fort Collins Natural Habitat and Features Map. According to the National Wetlands Inventory this same area supports a 1.49-acre Freshwater Emergent wetland and a 0.33-acre Freshwater Forested/Shrub wetland (Appendix A). More information on these wetlands can be found in section 3.2 of this report. West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 6 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved 3.1 Wildlife Due to the Property’s urban location, developed nature (concrete/asphalt pad, parking area) and high human disturbance level, wildlife value is non-existent. Most wildlife use can be expected to be transitional as animals travel the riparian corridor to the south, which is outside of the Property boundary. 3.2 Wetlands There are no wetlands on the Property. According to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory, there are two wetland types located just south of the Property: Palustrine Emergent Seasonally Flooded Diked/Impounded (1.49 acres) and Palustrine Scrub- Shrub Seasonally Flooded (0.33 acres). Wetlands were delineated in accordance with the Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Great Plains region (March 2010). Wetlands and the Top of Bank were flagged per City requirements on the north end of these wetlands. (Wetland delineation forms that describe soils, vegetation and hydrology of the wetlands are provided in Appendix C.) The approximate wetland boundary is indicated on the National Wetland Inventory Map in Appendix C. Wetland boundaries and Top of Bank will be surveyed and incorporated into a revised site plan. According to the FEMA Map Panel (08069C0978G), the proposed lease area is outside of the City Floodplain (http://gisweb.fcgov.com/FCMaps, accessed on April 27, 2015). A high-risk city floodplain has been identified outside the southern Property boundary. 3.3 Prominent Views From the proposed project site, there are views of the wetland to the south and east. Views of the Front Range to the west and north are obscured by residential and commercial developments, respectively. 3.4 Native Trees and Vegetation The proposed site is does not support vegetation as it is currently an asphalt pad. Trees and shrubs are found on the margins of the bordering wetland and in the uplands. Native trees adjacent to the site include plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) and boxelder (Acer negundo). Native species in the shrub layer include sandbar willow (Salix exigua) and rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa). The herbaceous layer within the wetland is dominated by a native cattail (Typha latifolia) and reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinaceae). Native herbaceous vegetation in the uplands was less abundant consisting of blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), intermediate wheatgrass West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 7 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved (Thinopyrum intermedium), yellow sweetclover (Melilotus altissimus), dock (Rumex spp.) and curlycup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa). 3.5 Non-native Trees and Vegetation Non-native trees found on the nearby wetland margin and in the uplands include crack willow (Salix fragilis), Russian olive* (Elaeagnus angustifolia) and Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila). Non- native species were not abundant within the wetland but dominated the adjacent uplands. Smooth brome (Bromus inermis) is the most abundant herbaceous plant but there was also kochia (Bassia scoparia), horseweed (Conyza spp.), yellow salsify (Tragopogon dubius), stroksbill* (Erodium cicutarium), leafy spurge* (Euphorbia esula) and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). (Note: Species with an asterisk are on the Colorado Noxious Weed List.) 3.6 Bank, Shoreline and High Water Mark of Perennial Water There are no wetlands or perennial water bodies on this site. Wetland boundaries and Top of Bank for wetlands on the adjacent wetland were delineated with red and green flags, respectively. 3.7 Sensitive and Specially Valued Species There are no known occurrences or habitat for sensitive and specially valued species on the Property. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service Information, Planning and Conservation System (IPAC) was accessed to determine species of concern in Larimer County, which include the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius preblei), Ute lady’s tresses orchid (Spiranthes diluvialis) and Colorado butterfly plant (Gaura neomexicana ssp. coloradensis), all of which are associated with riparian/wetland areas. According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service technician Craig Hansen, all trapping for the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse (PMJM) in Fort Collins has been negative. Typical habitat for Preble's is composed 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 Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting’s opinion that Preble’s does not occur on the site and development of the Property will not adversely affect Preble’s. 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) and within the City-managed Soapstone Prairie Natural Area near the Wyoming border (butterfly plant). Suitable habitat is not present within the project area or within the adjacent Fossil Creek buffer zone. West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 8 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved 3.8 Special Habitat Features Article 3, Section 3.4.1, of the City of Fort Collins Land Use Code applies to Natural Habitats and Features and requires a buffer of 100 feet for wetlands greater than a 1/3 of an acre, which are adjacent to the Property, with no significant use by waterfowl and/or shorebirds. The Natural Habitat and Features Map provided by the City of Fort Collins (Appendix A) identifies prominent features in the vicinity of the Property, including wet meadow and emergent wetland communities. 3.9 Wildlife Migration Corridors According to the City of Fort Collins Wildlife Management Guidelines, “the Fort Collins area continues to be an important migratory corridor for raptors, songbirds and butterflies. As wetlands have increased along the Front Range, so has the value of Fort Collins for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds and other wetland bird species.” The wetlands found to the south of the Property serve as a wildlife migration corridor. This corridor connects Heatheridge Lakes and the Red Fox Meadow Natural Area to the west and the Spring Creek corridor, which is located approximately 0.3 miles to the southeast. In addition to avifauna, it is expected that fox, raccoons, skunks and other urban-adapted species use these tributaries to move through the region. The ecological impact to values identified in the City’s Natural Habitat and Features Map is expected to be minimal because no wetlands or natural areas will be disturbed by the project and because the area is already fragmented and developed. Wetland values and the integrity of the wildlife migration corridor will remain intact subsequent to development. 3.10 General Ecological Functions The proposed 50 feet x 50 feet lease site does not support any significant areas of native vegetation or other unique habitat features. The Property consists of an asphalt pad that is surrounded by upland vegetation. The wetlands and the riparian corridor south of the site provide a variety of ecological functions including wildlife habitat and a migration corridor, groundwater recharge, storm water retention, water purification and they support biodiversity. 3.11 Timing of Development in Relation to Ecological Character If construction takes place between the dates of February 15 and July 15, trees adjacent to the riparian corridor should be checked for nesting activity two weeks prior to the scheduled start West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 9 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved date. If the project remains on schedule, the planning process would be completed in the early fall, with construction scheduled for late fall 2015 or early 2016. The primary concern for the timing of development is protection of nesting birds adjacent to the Property. 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. 3.12 Mitigative Measures This proposed project will have minimal impact on natural habitats and features in the area; however, values can still be enhanced. Principal concerns within the natural area include aesthetics, wildlife habitat value and wetland functions. We recommend that the following measures be employed accordingly. • Plant one or two large blue spruce and Rocky Mountain Juniper trees to screen the tower and provide structural diversity for avifauna. • Plant several shrubs to provide forage for avifauna and insects. o In upland areas: rubber rabbitbrush, chokecherry. o In lowland areas: chokecherry, Wood’s rose. • Reduce hardened surfaces to the greatest extent possible and restore recovered areas with native forbs and grasses. Pawnee Butts Seed Company or Rocky Mountain Native Plants can provide a seed mix that should include the below listed species. o In upland areas: blue grama, buffalo grass, intermediate wheatgrass, Canada wildrye, fringed sagebrush, purple prairie clover. o In lowland areas: western wheatgrass, switchgrass, sedge. • Manage noxious weeds in the restoration for three years. • Remove trash from the entire wetland area annually. 4.0 Conclusions and Recommendations The team at Blue Mountain Environmental Consulting believes that no significant ecological resources will be adversely impacted by the proposed project. The primary concern on-site is the timing of construction to avoid disturbing nesting birds, increased runoff from hardened surfaces and the introduction of undesirable plants. Measures indicated in sections 3.11 and 3.12 should be employed to mitigate project impacts. References West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 10 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved City of Fort Collins Floodplain Maps and Documents. 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/RaptorB ufferGuidelines2008.pdf Hansen, C. 2014. Email communication from Craig Hansen, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lakewood, Colorado to Clinton Hinebaugh, BMEC, Inc. October 4, 2014. National Wetland Inventory Mapper. Accessed on April 27th, 2015. http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Data/Mapper.html United States Fish and Wildlife Service Information Planning and Conservation System. Accessed on April 27, 2015. http://ecos.fws.gov/ipac/ Wildlife Management Guidelines, City of Fort Collins. http://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/pdf/wildlife-management-guidelines.pdf West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 11 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved Appendix A: Project Maps West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 12 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 13 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 14 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 15 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved Vicinity and Photo Point Map 1 2 3 Project Site West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 16 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 17 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved National Wetlands Inventory Map Approximate Wetland Boundary West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 18 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 19 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 20 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 21 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved Appendix B: Site Photographs West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 22 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved Map Number: 1 Photo Direction: North Looking north from point 1. The proposed tower site is the northeast and the wetland is to the east. Map Number: 1 Photo Direction: East Looking east into the wetland from the edge of the parking lot. West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 23 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved Map Number: 2 Photo Direction: North Looking north from the southeast corner of the asphalt pad. Map Number: 2 Photo Direction: East Looing east from the asphalt pad, note the curb at bottom left. West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 24 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved Map Number: 2 Photo Direction: SE Looking east from the southeast corner of the asphalt pad. Map Number: 2 Photo Direction: South Looing south. West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 25 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved Map Number: 2 Photo Direction: West Looking west. Map Number: 3 Photo Direction: East Looking east along a sidewalk, the subject wetland is at right. West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 26 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved Map Number: 3 Photo Direction: West Looking west along the side walk. The subject wetland is at left, the tower site is straight ahead. West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 27 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved Appendix C: Wetland Delineation Forms West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 28 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 29 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 30 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 31 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved West Prospect Atlas Tower Ecological Characterization Study 32 Copyright © 2015 BMEC All Rights Reserved