Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutLAKEVIEW ON THE RISE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING - PDP - PDP170014 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - WILDLIFE DOCUMENTS1 Memorandum To: Bruce Hagen, Pedcor From: Scott Severs, E&E Date: June 9, 2017 Re: Narrative analysis of compliance with Buffer Zone Performance Standards, City of Ft. Collins LUC Section 3.4.1, for proposed Lakeview on the Rise development Lakeview on the Rise (Project) is a proposed 20‐acre multi‐family residential development that would be located in south Fort Collins, Colorado in an area of mixed residential, commercial, and industrial uses. To the east of the proposed site is agriculture land and the Provincetown neighborhood. To the immediate south is Robert Benson Lake (Natural Area), a City of Fort Collins Natural Area. College Avenue border the west boundary with associated commercial development. To the north is a small, occupied farmstead, bordered by mixed residential and commercial uses. During the review of the Lakeview on the Rise Project Development Plan, City of Fort Collins staff requested additional information with regard to protection of natural areas and special features. Special features identified in the project area during an ecological review include the two large plains cottonwood trees in the northeastern corner; the prevalence of milkweed in unmown areas; and the native wetland vegetation on the fringe of Robert Benson Lake. The lake and adjacent wetlands are considered concentration areas for nesting and migratory shorebirds and waterfowl. The general ecological functions provided by these features include open space, open views of the lake, butterfly and insect habitat, and a water quality filter for water entering the lake from existing fields uphill/north of the wetlands. City of Fort Collins Land Use Code (LUC), Section 3.4.1 defines protective buffer zones for natural habitats and features. The purpose of the buffer zones is to protect the ecological character of these areas. The Robert Benson Lake and adjacent wetlands are considered concentration areas for nesting and migratory shorebirds and waterfowl. The standard buffer zone for a natural area is 300 feet. Currently, a 300 foot buffer from the Robert Benson Lake shore, and 192 to 300+ foot buffer from associated wetlands, are integrated into the Project Development Plan. Fort Collins has determined that these buffer zone widths will be acceptable if they satisfy Buffer Zone Performance Standards outlined in Fort Collins Land Use Code section 3.4.1(E)(1). The following section comprises a narrative response for the Lakeview on the Rise Project Development Plan to each of the Buffer Zone Performance Standards. 2 (a) The project shall be designed to preserve or enhance the ecological character or function and wildlife use of the natural habitat or feature and to minimize or adequately mitigate the foreseeable impacts of development. Pedcor has committed to preserving the ecological function and character of the Project site and nearby natural area and associated buffer. This includes:  Pedcor will adhere to the limits of construction established by the Director of Planning.  All trees within the Project, as well as a natural areas buffer, will be protected or replaced thereby preserving nesting, perching, and feeding areas for birds and wildlife. Native trees and shrubs will be planted adjacent to the natural areas buffer including but not limited to plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides), Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum), American plum (Prunus americana), skunkbush sumac (Rhus trilobata), and golden current (Ribes aureum).  Native seed mixes (detailed in Landscape Plan) used to revegetate areas of disturbance will provide increased vegetation diversity and will enhance habitats for invertebrates and pollinators. Specifically, two native milkweed species, swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) and showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) will be seeded near the overlook gazebo, near the buffer area boundary. The current herbaceous vegetation in this area consists of a near monoculture of the non‐native pasture grass, smooth brome (Bromus inermis).  The approach to managing stormwater follows the low‐impact development (LID) approach. New detention ponds, rain gardens, and erosion control features are intended to comply with City of Fort Collins standards by filtering and treating water before it reaches the waters of Robert Benson Lake, and adjacent wetlands, reducing impacts to vegetation, invertebrates, amphibians, fish, and waterfowl.  Proposed new detention ponds and associated native vegetation will enhance feeding and roosting areas for ducks, geese, shorebirds, and blackbirds over the smooth brome field that currently occurs on the higher areas above Robert Benson Lake. Reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates may also benefit from installation of the proposed detention ponds. (b) The project, including, by way of example and not by way of limitation, its fencing, pedestrian/bicycle paths and roadways, shall be designed to preserve or enhance the existence of wildlife movement corridors between natural habitats and features, both within and adjacent to the site.  The areas of most wildlife movement likely occur within the wetland fringe and the proposed 300 foot lake buffer. No known areas of concentrated movements or designated migration corridors are known in the Natural Area, itself.  No fencing is included in the Project Plan. Proposed pedestrian/bicycle paths and roadways are kept out of the wetland fringe and the 300 foot natural area buffer.  An active irrigation ditch flows adjacent to the northern boundary of, and slightly crossing, the Project site. This feature currently provides minimal function as a wildlife corridor, due to the limited native vegetation cover. The addition of multiple trees and shrubs, per the landscaping plan, adjacent to the south side of this ditch will improve the ability of wildlife to use this corridor. 3  No fencing or other barriers to wildlife movement will be purposely placed along the south edge of the proposed Project area. Therefore, wildlife would not be prevented from moving freely across the Project area, should the circumstances arise. (c) The project shall be designed to preserve significant existing trees and other significant existing vegetation on the site.  Mature plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides) trees identified as significant within the project area will be protected, thereby preserving existing nesting, perching, and feeding areas for birds and wildlife.  All existing herbaceous wetland vegetation on the Project site, except a portion where land will be re‐graded to accommodate two detention basins, will be preserved. Detention basin bottoms will be seeded with native wetland and transitional grass species and slopes will be seeded with native grasses (detailed in the Landscape Plan). (d) The project shall be designed to protect from adverse impact species utilizing special habitat features such as key raptor habitat features, including nest sites, night roosts and key feeding areas as identified by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Division ("CPW") or the Fort Collins Natural Areas Department ("NAD"); key production areas, wintering areas and migratory feeding areas for waterfowl; heron rookeries; key use areas for wading birds and shorebirds; key use areas for migrant songbirds; key nesting areas for grassland birds; fox and coyote dens; mule deer winter concentration areas as identified by the CPW or NAD; prairie dog colonies one (1) acre or greater in size; key areas for rare, migrant or resident butterflies as identified by the NAD; areas of high terrestrial or aquatic insect diversity as identified by the NAD; remnant native prairie habitat; mixed foothill shrubland; foothill ponderosa pine forest; plains cottonwood riparian woodlands; and wetlands of any size.  Currently the Project area supports very limited special habitat features that benefit wildlife, with the exception of some bird species and possibly invertebrate species (Ecology and Environment, Inc. 2015).  Robert Benson Lake is noted for providing habitat and concentration areas for migratory shorebirds, waterfowl, and American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos). These concentration areas are protected by the 300 foot buffer on the lake shoreline, which also encompasses the wetland fringe, important foraging habitat for birds. Two onsite water detention ponds will treat residential runoff and storm water before it is returned to Robert Benson Lake, reducing the effect of pollutants and sediments on bird species and their habitats.  Potential habitat for key butterfly species will be protected by the 300 foot buffer (Ecology and Environment, Inc. 2015). In addition, portions of the buffer as well as adjacent land will be planted in the Natural Area Seed Mix, which will provide more diversity of plants to butterfly species than currently exists with the smooth brome field.  Areas of potentially high terrestrial or aquatic insect diversity would be protected by the 300 foot buffer (Ecology and Environment, Inc. 2015). In addition, portions of the buffer as well as adjacent land will be planted in the Natural Area Seed Mix providing a higher plant species diversity for terrestrial insect species that currently exists with the smooth brome field. Two onsite water detention ponds will treat residential runoff and storm water before it is returned 4 to Robert Benson Pond, reducing the effect of pollutants and sediments on aquatic invertebrate species and their habitats. (e) The project shall be designed so that the character of the proposed development in terms of use, density, traffic generation, quality of runoff water, noise, lighting and similar potential development impacts shall minimize the degradation of the ecological character or wildlife use of the affected natural habitats or features.  Measures to minimize degradation of the ecological character of the Natural Area include strategies to exclude pedestrian traffic, as well as resultant noise and physical disruption.  Grading for the rain gardens and detention ponds would create a physical barrier that would deter pedestrian access from the residential area and the Natural Area. In addition, evergreen trees and dense shrubs will be placed in locations where people could potentially walk through the buffer and into the Natural Area. Signs will be placed at the boundary of the Natural Area stating City policy that prohibits access.  Project lighting has been designed to minimize disturbance and overflow into the Natural Area and adjacent land (detailed in the Lighting Plan). (f) The project shall be designed to integrate with and otherwise preserve existing site topography, including, but not limited to, such characteristics as steepness of slopes, existing drainage features, rock outcroppings, river and stream terraces, valley walls, ridgelines and scenic topographic features.  Topographic variation on the Project site is negligible and notable topographic features do not exist. The overall slope from the northwest corner to the southeast corner of the property is 2.9 percent. (g) The project shall be designed to enhance the natural ecological characteristics of the site. If existing landscaping within the buffer zone is determined by the decision maker to be incompatible with the purposes of the buffer zone, then the applicant shall undertake restoration and mitigation measures such as regrading and/or the replanting of native vegetation.  Native grasses, perennial forbs, shrubs, and trees are to be seeded and planted throughout the Project site (detailed in Landscape Plan), and are designed to enhance the natural ecological characteristics of the setting. Existing vegetation within the buffer zone consists primarily of undisturbed native plant species, contiguous to the wetland fringe of Robert Benson Lake. These existing conditions negate the need for vegetation restoration or mitigation within the buffer area. (h) The project may be designed to provide appropriate human access to natural habitats and features and their associated buffer zones in order to serve recreation purposes, provided that such access is compatible with the ecological character or wildlife use of the natural habitat or feature.  The Project Development Plan does not provide human access into the Natural Area. A trail and overlook gazebo will be situated on a high point at the southern end of the project site and will provide views toward Robert Benson Lake. Shrubs (detailed in Landscape Plan) will be planted on the south side of the gazebo to discourage people from walking into the buffer area. 5 (i) Fencing associated with the project shall be designed to be compatible with the ecological character and wildlife use of the natural habitat or feature.  The Project Development Plan does not include fencing. Reference Ecology and Environment, Inc. 2015. Ecological Characterization Study, 6740 S. College, Fort Collins, CO. December 9.