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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSANCTUARY ON THE GREEN - PDP190003 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 5 - ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTMINIMAL RISK. PAINLESS PROCESS. BEAUTIFUL SPACES. o: 970.224.5828 | w: ripleydesigninc.com RIPLEY DESIGN, INC. | 419 Canyon Avenue, Suite 200 | Fort Collins, CO 80521 September 23, 2020 Sanctuary on the Green Natural Habitat Buffer Zone Performance Review The Sanctuary on the Green project is located in northwest Fort Collins within the West Vine Drainage Basin. The natural features located within the property provide several natural habitat opportunities. The New Mercer Ditch which provides irrigation water to users throughout and around Fort Collins, runs through the eastern portion of the site. Three wetlands have been identified on, and adjacent to, the site by Cedar Creek, the environmental consultant on this project. They include the off-site Fort Collins Wetland (.9 acres), the Cherry Wetland (.14 acres), and the off-site Laporte Wetland (.39 acres). The natural features located within the site will be protected and enhanced with the development of this Project Development Plan (PDP). Buffer areas are planned to be located adjacent to each resource on the site and are intended to preserve and enhance the habitat quality of these spaces while also providing value to future residents living in the vicinity. Per LUC Section 3.4.1(E), the New Mercer Ditch is required to have a 50 foot buffer measured from top of bank. For the Fort Collins and Laporte wetlands which are greater than 1/3 acre, a 100 foot buffer is required, while the Cherry Wetland requires a 50 foot buffer. These buffer areas result in a cumulative buffer area of 6.93 acres on site, which includes the area of the resource they are protecting. The cumulative buffer area proposed on this site through this application is 10.49 acres, or approximately 50% greater than what is required on site. The Natural Habitat Buffer Zone (NHBZ) standards according to LUC Section 3.4.1 (E)(1) are met as follows: (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. While portions of the NHBZ around the Laporte Wetland and the New Mercer Canal are encroached upon, the proposed buffer extends further than required in many other areas. The additional buffer area has been intentionally placed adjacent to the resource itself to further protect and improve the quality of the natural habitat. MINIMAL RISK. PAINLESS PROCESS. BEAUTIFUL SPACES. o: 970.224.5828 | w: ripleydesigninc.com RIPLEY DESIGN, INC. | 419 Canyon Avenue, Suite 200 | Fort Collins, CO 80521 In addition to providing more NHBZ area than is required, Sanctuary on the Green will also restore degraded non-native seeded areas, and provide additional plantings within the buffer zones to further improve the habitat quality. This will be accomplished through the use of native plantings, as well as “plant community features”, which consist of a variety of shrub and tree species specifically chosen to provide structural diversity and increase habitat value. Lots which do encroach into the buffer are screened with dense landscaping, and the surrounding areas will be planted with native grasses to further emphasize the importance of the canal and wetland areas. Building lighting is strategically placed and in some cases removed so not to shine into the NHBZ’s. Short berms and/or dense plantings shield vehicle headlights from shining into the buffers where alleys are present. (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 existing wildlife corridor along the New Mercer Canal is maintained and preserved with this PDP as delineated by the proposed NHBZ boundary. Also, special attention has been paid to the layout of the site to minimize the number of east to west connections across the canal to just one crossing. The proposed pedestrian trails are designed to cross the canal in two locations at which a pedestrian bridge will allow the canal to stay exposed, thus maintaining the existing corridor. (c) The project shall be designed to preserve significant existing trees and other significant existing vegetation on the site. A tree walk was conducted with City Forestry to provide a tree inventory and note special recommendations. Trees that are to be removed will be appropriately mitigated on-site. Environmental planning provided additional mitigation required for habitat loss which is mitigated through the addition of understory plantings such as shrubs and grasses. (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. MINIMAL RISK. PAINLESS PROCESS. BEAUTIFUL SPACES. o: 970.224.5828 | w: ripleydesigninc.com RIPLEY DESIGN, INC. | 419 Canyon Avenue, Suite 200 | Fort Collins, CO 80521 The Sanctuary on the Green Project Development Plan has adequately accommodated for and enhanced the buffer zones around the New Mercer Canal and the three wetlands located within and adjacent to the site. The majority of the perimeter of these resources meets the required minimum setback, and in those location where the setback is reduced, an increased density of plantings is provided for additional screening. A similar approach is taken to increase planting and add short berms along areas where light pollution could impact the canal or wetlands, such at the ends of alleys and along parking areas. (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. The Sanctuary on the Green site layout takes the existing topography and grading into consideration. Where pedestrian trails are designed to cross the New Mercer Canal, pedestrian bridges will be located at the canal to minimize grading disturbance while still allowing visitors to enjoy these natural areas. In addition, existing drainage ditches that are located outside of the NHBZ but within the project site have been enhanced with additional habitat islands plantings and native grass seedings. Today, these ditches are planted with nonnative grass. In the proposed plan, the ditches incorporate an enhanced habitat plant community and add ecological structure above and beyond the NHBZ. They enhanced ditches will also provide additional wildlife movement corridors through the site, running north to south and east to west in addition to the New Mercer Canal and the NHBZ. (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. The proposed NHBZ area exceeds the quantitative buffering requirements as required by code, while also addressing the qualitative buffering standards. The canal and wetland buffer zones will be enhanced through the addition of plantings which are site appropriate and characteristic of the natural habitats. These additional plantings will add aesthetic and ecological value to these areas where it did not previously exist. Additionally, weed mitigation and restoration will also occur within the wetland and New Mercer buffers. (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. MINIMAL RISK. PAINLESS PROCESS. BEAUTIFUL SPACES. o: 970.224.5828 | w: ripleydesigninc.com RIPLEY DESIGN, INC. | 419 Canyon Avenue, Suite 200 | Fort Collins, CO 80521 The vision for the proposed NHBZ is to both protect and celebrate the existing natural features by providing community members safe and manageable points of access to enjoy them. The site layout is designed to incorporate trail systems, connecting walkways, and gathering spaces along the canal and near the wetlands. While different intensities of gathering areas have been placed throughout the site, special care has been taken to orient the quieter, more passive spaces near the NHBZ. These amenity areas are designed to have minimal disturbance to the buffer areas while still providing an opportunity for people to enjoy and learn about natural areas around them. (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. Minimal fencing is proposed for the Sanctuary on the Green project. The fencing which is proposed is primarily located within private lots which will provide residents with privacy while also reducing potential noise impacts to the buffer areas. In no case does the fencing inhibit movement along wildlife corridors.