HomeMy WebLinkAboutSupporting Documentation - Response to Comments - 07/23/2025
8308 COLORADO BLVD • SUITE 200 • FIRESTONE, COLORADO 80504 • PHONE: 303.833.1416
C O M M E N T R E S P O N S E M E M O R A N D U M
TO: City of Fort Collins
Attn. Derek Lutz, P.E.
FROM: Civil Resources, LLC
DATE: July 23, 2025
RE: Comment Response Memorandum
Strauss Lakes PUD
This memorandum is prepared in response to various stormwater comments provided by Derek Lutz via email. The comments
are listed below followed by responses from Civil Resources, LLC.
VIA EMAIL: FEBRUARY 7, 2025
1. Fox Meadows Master Plan - Internal meetings are scheduled with the stormwater master planning group to identify the
preferred option to achieve the regional water quality treatment in this area. This may impact the requirement for the Strauss
Lakes development to accommodate a 7.3 ac-ft water quality pond on the project site. I will reach out once there has been
a decision.
Response: Per discussions with City Staff, this water quality pond will not be located on the West Site.
2. FCRID Restrictor Plate - If previous analysis shows the overtopping of the FCRID due to the restrictor plate on the William
Neal bridge occurs north of the railroad, then an adequate spillway and drainage easement are required.
Response: Relocating the spillway is no longer within the scope of this project. There is an existing agreement in place
between the City and the developer for the existing spillway location.
3. Stormwater Requirements for Horsetooth Road Improvements – Internal discussions have begun with various departments
regarding the location of the stormwater facility. We have also reached out to Larimer County about the possibility of
locating the facility on what is currently county property. The screenshot below shows on-site runoff being conveyed through
a culvert over an irrigation ditch. This configuration may not be feasible on Horsetooth Road over the Foothills Outfall
Channel, but please review the elevations to see if this is a possibility.
Response: Comment acknowledged.
4. Drainage Report Section 1.5 Previous Studies – I think the use of FCO and FCRID may have been mixed up in the last two
sentences of the first paragraph of section 1.5. Please review and clarify these sentences.
Response: The first paragraph of section 1.5 has been revised to correct this error.
5. Drainage Report Section 3.1.1 West Side – Detention will be required for the runoff volume difference between the 100-YR
developed inflow rate and the 2-year historic release rate. Also, any discharges to irrigation ditches (FCRID, Boxelder
Ditch) will require permission from the irrigation companies.
Response: The design parameters for the West Site have been revised to include flood control through the 100-year
storm.
6. Drainage Report Section 3.2 Drainage System Outfall, North Site – We will consider allowing a release rate greater than
the 2-YR historic rate with the 25% reduction factor pending the results of the hydraulic modeling.
Strauss Lakes PUD
Prepared: July 23, 2025
Page 2 of 3
Response: There is an existing agreement between the City and the developer allowing this Site to utilize the remaining
capacity of the outfall channel.
7. Drainage Report Section 3.2 Drainage System Outfall, East Site - We will consider allowing a release rate greater than the
2-YR historic rate with the 25% reduction factor, but the release rate must account for future downstream development
similar to what you are proposing on the North Site. We will not allow the undetained flows greater than the water quality
storm from the West Site to discharge to the FCRID since these flows would not spill into the Foothills Outfall Channel
unless it was the 100-YR event.
Response: There is an existing agreement between the City and the developer allowing this Site to utilize the remaining
capacity of the outfall channel.
Furthermore, there appear to be no properties with development potential located downstream between the Strauss
Lakes property and the FOC outfall to the Cache la Poudre. The properties south of Horsetooth Road are parcel no.
8733231902, owned by the City of Fort Collins and undeveloped, and parcel no. 8733000901, owned the County of
Larimer and currently being mined.
The design for the West Site has been revised to provide flood control through the 100-year storm.
8. Drainage Report Section 3.3 Low Impact Development – I still need to review the proposed design for compliance with our
LID criteria. I will follow up with these comments by the end of next week.
Response: Comment acknowledged.
VIA EMAIL: FEBRUARY 19, 2025
1. I am following up with my Low Impact Development comments. The constructed wetland pond and channel are acceptable
LID systems, but the design and implementation will require a lot of coordination with our group and environmental
planning. At a minimum, forebays will be required at every location that runoff is entering the constructed wetland
channel/pond. Ideally, these would be something like a mini-rain garden. They would collect trash, debris, and provide
initial pollutant removal. These are straightforward to maintain, allowing the wetlands to remain undisturbed for a longer
duration.
Response: Comment acknowledged. This is an anticipated feature of the conveyance swale. A statement has been
added to section 3.1.2 of the Overall Drainage Report stating, “Forebays will be provided at each inlet to this
conveyance swale.”
2. Our criteria states that mitigated wetlands are not allowed to treat stormwater. I interpret this to mean the 0.14 acres of
existing wetland that will be removed and incorporated in the 2.91 permanent wetland cannot count towards stormwater
treatment. So, from a stormwater treatment perspective, the constructed wetland pond area is 2.91 acres – 0.14 acres =
2.77 acres. This may seem like a minor issue, but I wanted to point it out early.
Response: Section 3.3 has been revised to include a statement that only 2.77 acres of wetland are available for
stormwater treatment.
3. Regarding the stormwater requirements for the Horsetooth Road widening, I am confirming that LID is not
required. Detention and traditional water quality treatment are what is required for the added impervious area.
Response: Comment acknowledged.
4. The drainage report narrative does not mention LID treatments on the North Site or West Site. It is not necessary that the
specific LID systems be selected at this point, but please include a statement in the narrative portion similar to the note on
the Overall Drainage Plan that LID will be provided locally via rain gardens, permeable pavers, grass buffers, etc.
Response: This is discussed in the last paragraph of section 3.3. See below:
Strauss Lakes PUD
Prepared: July 23, 2025
Page 3 of 3
“LID for the North and West Sites will be implemented locally through the use of grass buffers,
grass swales, rain gardens, permeable pavers, and other LID features, as needed, to meet the
75% requirement of the City.”
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.
Sincerely,
CIVIL RESOURCES, LLC
Jim Brzostowicz, P.E.
Principal / Civil Engineer