Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutRIDGEWOOD HILLS FIFTH FILING - PDP190018 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 2 - ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTRidgewood Hills Fifth Filing Development – Wetland/NHBZ Memo Russell + Mills Studios The purpose of this memo is outline the mitigation strategy for the natural habitat buffer areas that are being removed or encroached into for the Ridgewood Hills Fifth Filing project. The supplementary wetland/buffer area exhibits attached outline these areas on the plan. Also included is a summary of the last meeting between the City and design team that occurred on Summary of project The Triangle Drive development is located in south Fort Collins, Colorado. The site is bounded on the north by Triangle Drive on the north, and South College Avenue on the east. The proposed residential development is located on a total of approximately 34+- acres. The development includes single family residential, multi-family residential and commercial uses. The proposed development site is surrounded by open land, and existing residential and commercial development. Current land uses on the site include seeded grassland/pasture. The plan is located within the MMN zone district which has a minimum density of twelve (12) dwelling units per net acre for a residential land use. The project is proposing three housing types; multi-family apartment buildings, duplex buildings, and three and four plex townhome buildings. The project is currently proposing 357 units for the project. • Multi-family apartment – 204 units • Duplex – 97 units • Single family attached/Townhomes – 56 units The Strasburg Road connection to the north of the property is necessary and would have to be implemented in the event of any development on the site. The location of this connection is in direct conflict with the existing North Louden Ditch and outfall infrastructure along the northern portion of the site. The outfall area is adjacent to an existing crack willow draw and wetland area (wetland #2 – outlined in ECS). The ditch follows the western property line leaves the site along the eastern edge and re-enters the site towards the southern portion of the project limits. The North Louden Ditch company preferred piping the ditch as opposed to leaving it in place. The ditch buffer zone accounts for approximately 70% of the buffer area mitigation requirement. The large wetland to the south is an integral part to the development and will be maintained in place and will be improved per suggestions listed later in this memo. PDP 1st Round Submittal Revisions After receiving 1st round PDP comments substantial revisions were made in the apartment area to reconfigure the northeast area to maintain the existing tree grove and wetland #2 outlined in the preliminary ECS. City staff gave the design team preliminary ‘approval’ of the plan direction. Further refinements have been made to the plan to provide the necessary NHBZ mitigation area per the calculations on the potential wetland/NHBZ enhancement area plan. This plan outlines 11 acres of area that would be used on site to mitigate for the buffer area being lost due to items listed above. Below we outline how we are meeting the buffer zone performance standards: Buffer Zone Performance Standards 1. 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. The Ridgewood Hills Fifth Filing project has been designed to preserve the existing ecological character of the site by utilizing the following techniques and site features on the plan: • Northern wetland area along the existing drainage area is being preserved and will be enhanced by thinning out hazard trees in this area to promote more understory growth in this area. The majority of the existing trees running perpendicular to College are being preserved and as mentioned above this area will be thinned and cleared to promote healthy growth in this area. • Habitat/wildlife corridor will be mitigated for by providing a 30’ trail easement through the site. This will be used for pedestrian use connecting the south western portion of the site and associated trails to the west to the northern neighborhood and planned trail network. Ridgewood Hills Fifth Filing Development – Wetland/NHBZ Memo Russell + Mills Studios • Central open space area at the intersection of Castle View Drive and Strausburg Road will provide for wetland mitigation and upland restoration. This area will also provide for some passive recreational gathering space for wildlife viewing for residents. The plan will also integrate pollinator garden areas along the path to the gathering area. Matrix planting will be utilized in this area as well. We have recently done several planting plans that include the matrix planting scheme. • The large southern wetland area will be enhanced by performing weed mitigation in the basin to help thin out unwanted species and promote healthier wetland species in this area. In addition, there is an additional large planned detention/wetland area to the east of the existing wetland. This would be designed so that it doesn’t draw water away from the existing wetland. A water quality pond above this detention area is planned to filter stormwater runoff prior to entering either wetland area. • Along with enhancing the large existing wetland, a recreational trail, interpretive signage and nature play area will be provided for the neighborhood and area residents. 2. 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. • As mentioned above a 30’ trail easement will be provided and will run from the north at Triangle Drive to the south west wetland area. This will promote the movement of wildlife through the site. 3. The project shall be designed to preserve existing trees and vegetation that contribute to the site's ecological, shade, canopy, aesthetic, habitat and cooling value. Notwithstanding the requirements of Section 3.2.1(F), all trees and vegetation within the Limits of Development must be preserved or, if necessary, mitigated based on the values established by the Ecological Characterization Study or the City Environmental Planner. Such mitigation, if necessary, shall include trees, shrubs, grasses, or any combination thereof, and must be planted within the buffer zone. • As mentioned above, the majority of the existing trees along within the northeastern portion of the site will be retained and preserved. A majority of the trees surrounding the southern wetland will be preserved. The large stand of trees along the north west property line will be retained as well. All other trees have been accounted for during our existing tree walk and will be mitigated for on site. 4. 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. • The project is protecting in place the large wetland to the south that provides the highest ecological value for the site. Since it is adjacent to the Long View open space, wildlife habitat freely moves from one space to the other. Large cottonwoods on the adjacent property along the southern property line will be retained. • Large tree groves along the NW property line and within the NE are will be retained in order to preserve the wildlife habitat features. 5. 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. • The development has been designed to highlight and retain the key ecological features on site. This has been done in the following ways: Ridgewood Hills Fifth Filing Development – Wetland/NHBZ Memo Russell + Mills Studios o The north apartment area has been designed to weave around the existing wetland and draw to maintain a large majority of the trees and 100% of the wetland in this area. Other site considerations will be made in order to mitigate the encroachment into the wetland buffer along the south side of the existing wetland in this area. o Large groves of trees have been retained on site to promote ecological character. These include the trees adjacent to College Ave at the north east portion of the site, the large trees along the north west portion of the site and a majority of the trees within the large wetland area to the south will be retained with this development. o Through a collaborative approach with the City, the neighborhood has been designed to retain key features on site. 6. 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. • The development has been designed to integrate and preserve key existing site topography to the extent feasible. These areas include the following: o Existing wetland/draw to the north east adjacent to College Ave. o Existing topography along the northwest portion of the site is being retained to minimize the impact to the existing trees in this area o The southern wetland area is being retained and existing topography in this area will be enhanced to promote better wetland hydrology. 7. 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/restorative vegetation will be planted within buffer areas and buffer mitigation areas to enhance the natural ecological character of the site. 8. 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 has deliberate and designed areas for residents access to natural habitats. This will done in the following ways: o Existing wetland area to the south will be accessible and be promoted as an area for passive recreation with seating areas for wildlife viewing, a nature play area that matches the character of the site, interpretive signage that explains the wetland and its key features. o This area will also include small soft surface trails for intermediate exploring within the buffer area of the wetland. o The area to the south of the wetland will not be accessible per requests from City staff. 9. Fencing associated with the project shall be designed to be compatible with the ecological character and wildlife use of the natural habitat or feature. • No fencing is proposed on the project unless requested by City staff. Weed Mitigation – Southern Wetland Area In addition to upland and riparian planting in the southern wetland area, the client is committed to performing weed mitigation in this area. It was determined that Canadian thistle was present in the basin of the wetland area. The following are guidelines/recommendations set forth by the environmental consultant to mitigate this weed in this area. Ridgewood Hills Fifth Filing Development – Wetland/NHBZ Memo Russell + Mills Studios Canada thistle (and other thistles) is difficult to control due to a creeping root system. Pulling the plant can leave small root fragments that will sprout. The best control strategy is a combination of mechanical, cultural and chemical control. Mechanical control Mowing the plants during the growing season (monthly) will reduce seed production and plant viability. If possible mowing should be completed prior to seed production. Chemical Chemical control may require multiple applications. Herbicides should be applied according to rates recommended by the manufacturer. Recommended herbicides (trade names) include: Milestone, Tordon, Curtail, Banvel, Veteran 720. Cultural Establishment of perennial grasses can help suppress Canada thistle. Mowing during the growing season followed by a fall application of a herbicide is an effective way to control thistle.