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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIRAMONT PUD, PHASE 3 - PRELIMINARY - 54-87M - CORRESPONDENCE - WILDLIFE DOCUMENTSr STATE OF COLORADO Roy Romer, Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF WILDLIFE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER Perry D. Olson, Director 6060 Broadway Denver, Colorado 80216 Telephone: (303) 297-1192 OF March 17, 1994 For Wildlife -- For People Karen Manci Fort Collins Department of Natural Resources 281 N. College Avenue Fort Collins, CO 805.24 RE: Impacts of proposed Miramont Subdivision Raptor Researcher Jerry Craig and I have visited the site of the proposed Miramont Subdivision, and would like to offer comments concerning the effects to wildlife. I have included separate comments specific to raptors that Jerry has written to me. The site of the proposed development is north of Portner Reservoir and Fossil Creek north of Trilby Road and west. of Lemay Avenue. The site contains several old cottonwood trees and appears to have been a grassland area that was later farmed. A wheat field is currently found on the south edge of the property, and intermittent development is ongoing to the north of the property. When we visited the site, it was apparent that development was underway throughout the property, and crews were working putting in foundations, and some curbs and gutters were.already in place. Several bulldozed dirt roads cut across the property, and some earthwork has been done. Before this development was started, it is likely that raptors such as ferruginous hawks and eagles used the large cottonwoo& trees as perching sites to hunt the prairie dog colony ta.tbe.south, but with the construction activity in the area.,:"t_hese are no longer suitable for that purpose. These trees will still provide habitat for several species of birds for roosting, nesting and feeding areas, and these trees should be preserved if at all possible. A buffer zone of 100 feet will help reduce human disturbance. Several species of mammals are found in the area such as prairie dogs on the wheat field to the south, coyotes, foxes, raccoons and skunks. The development of this site will reduce the numbers of these animals in the area, and cause them to disperse to outlying areas where they may be DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Kenneth Salazar, Executive Director WILDLIFE COMMISSION, George VanDenBerg, Chairman -Thomas M. Eve, vice Chairman -Louis F. Swift, Secretary Felix Chavez, Member -Eldon Cooper, Member -Rebecca Frank, Member -William R. Hegberg, Member -Arnold Salazar, Member 0 March 17, 1994 Page 2 subject to greater mortality due to vehicles, accidents and predation. Eventually, with the development of this site, mammal densities will be reduced because of loss of food and cover. Homeowners who buy in this area can expect to have conflicts with the wild animals such as raccoons and skunks which will still live in the area. It should be recorded in the property deeds that the homeowners are responsible for dealing with these nuisance problems. This is not to say that the Division of Wildlife will not provide information to homeowners, but they must be aware of the problems they have the potential for causing. Some specific recommendations relating to this development should include a buffer zone as mentioned above around the large trees, and mitigation of habitat loss. Perhaps this developer could get together with the developer of the Huntington Hills Subdivision, and purchase some suitable habitat that would be beneficial to raptors. This habitat should include open grassland suitable for prairie dogs, and suitable perching trees for raptors, and should be of a similar size to the developed land. This land should be near enough for raptors in the south side of Fort Collins to use it, so these birds are not completely pushed out of the area. Please call if you have any comments or questions. Sincerely, %%%a"-% �.� Mark Leslie District wildlife Manager 317 W. Prospect Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80526 303-484-2836 F, Dowbad Conespoode only STATE OF COLORADO DI`4TI.SION OF WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DATE: March 16, 1994 TO: Mark Leslie FROM: Jerry Craig SUBJECT: Impacts of the Miramonte (Phase 3) development upon raptors. On this date, I visited the Miramonte (Phase 3) project and investigated potential impacts upon raptors. Several old growth cottonwoods and a grove of other trees were probably the most important aspect of this property for raptors. These trees offered excellent hunting and loafing perches for raptors (bald and golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, and ferruginous hawks) that frequent the prairie dog community immediately to the south of this property. Unfortunately. development in the way of roads and house foundations are already underway, making this area unsuitable for further occupancy by the above mentioned raptors. Present placement of the roads and houses will assure abandonment of these trees. The housing development at the west edge of this property probably made the trees in that area unsuitable for nesting several years ago. I did not see any evidence of recent raptor nests in the trees, but they would have degenerated or blown out over the past couple of years. Given the extent of construction and current layout of the development, there is little probability that raptors will use this property in the future.