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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMOUNTAIN VIEW COMMUNITY CHURCH - PDP200008 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - ECS REPORTEcological Characterization Study Mountain View Community Church Project Prepared for: Russell Mills 506 South College Avenue, Unit A Fort Collins, CO 80524 Prepared by: Wildland Consultants, Inc. 1001 Jefferson Drive Berthoud, Colorado 80513 June 2020 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ………………………………………………………………….. 1 2.0 Vegetation and Wetlands ……………………………………………………. 2 2.1 Rare Plant Species …………………………………………………………… 4 3.0 Wildlife Description …………………………………………………………. 5 3.1 Species and Habitats …………………………………………………………. 5 3.2 Wildlife Corridors ……………………………………………………………. 6 3.3 Rare Wildlife Species ………………………………………………………… 6 4.0 Views …………………………………………………………………………. 6 5.0 Project Impacts ………………………………………………………………. 6 6.0 Conclusions, Proposed Mitigation ……………………………………………. 7 7.0 References …………………………………………………………………….. 8 Attachment A- Site Plan Phase 2, Site Photographs 1 Ecological Characterization Study – Mountain View Community Church 1.0 Introduction The Mountain View Community Church (MVCC) project is located in east Fort Collins, Colorado. The proposed church project is located in an existing developed area on a total of approximately 2.89+- acres. An existing building (former Niner Bikes building) would be remodeled into the new MVCC. The site is bounded by the Spring Creek Trail on the north and northwest, East Prospect Road borders the south side of the industrial park. The site is surrounded by existing commercial development on the south, east and west. To the north across the Spring Creek trail a large natural area extends to the Cache la Poudre River. Current land uses on the site include landscaped lawns, existing building and a small area of undeveloped open space. Site photos of existing conditions are provided in Attachment A The Fort Collins Land Use Code (Section 3.4.1) recommends that an Ecological Characterization Study be completed for projects that are within 500 feet of any natural habitat or feature mapped on the Natural Habitats and Features Inventory Map. The Ecological Characterization study is also recommended if the site includes areas of unique plant life or wildlife habitat (City of Fort Collins, 2020). Spring Creek is just to the north of the MVCC site and is mapped as a Natural Habitat (nonnative grassland, aquatic, riparian forest). The Cattail Chorus Natural Area is located adjacent to the north site boundary. Figures 1 Natural Areas and Features Maps shows this mapped Natural Area (City of Fort Collins 2020). The Ecological Characterization study was completed by Mr. Eric Berg of Wildland Consultants, Inc. (WCI). Mr. Berg is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and Certified Senior Professional Wetland Scientist. 2 Figure 1. City of Fort Collins Natural Areas, MVCC Project 2.0 Vegetation and Wetland Description, Natural Habitat Buffer Zone Vegetation on the site includes urban landscaped areas, approximately 93% of the lot is either developed, parking or urban landscape area. A small area of the northwest corner of the lot (approximately 7,200 square feet) is undeveloped natural area, consisting of seeded grasses. Attachment A Site Photos show details of vegetation on and adjacent to the site. National Wetland Inventory (NWI) mapping shows a riverine wetland north of the site associated with Spring Creek (USFWS 2020). WCI completed a formal wetland delineation along the south side of Spring Creek according to Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) guidelines. Wetland boundaries extend beyond the ordinary high water mark of Spring Creek (Figure 2). Dominant plants in the wetland area include: reed canarygrass, Baltic rush, and coyote willow. Riparian vegetation (riparian forest) is present along 3 Spring Creek north of the site boundary. Dominant plants within the riparian zone include: plains cottonwood, narrowleaf cottonwood, crack willow, peach leaf willow. No wetlands overlap onto the site boundary. The wetland delineation was used to determine the Natural Habitat Buffer Zone (NHBZ). For this site the NHBZ extends 100 feet south of the wetland boundary (per Fort Collins City Code)(shown in brown polygon on Figure 2). Note: the 50 foot buffer from the riparian forest is within the 100-foot wetland NHBZ. The NHBZ regulations were developed after this industrial park was already built, thus much of the NHBZ in this area contains buildings, parking lots, the City trail (an approved use within the NHBZ), and landscaped areas. Table 1 shows NHBZ details for the site. Table 1. NHBZ Details Natural Habitat Buffer Zone Details Square Feet Natural Habitat Buffer Zone (100 feet from wetland edge) within and adjacent to the site 79,536 SF (41,133 SF within lot, 38,403 SF outside of lot) Area of Natural Habitat Buffer Zone that is already developed (building, parking lot, trail, sidewalks) 4,551 Trail (approved use within NHBZ) 9,364 Building 7,096 Parking lot 21,011 SF Area of Natural Habitat Buffer Zone that is formally landscaped and maintained (note: this will be converted to native upland grasses post construction) 12,673 SF Remaining undeveloped Natural Habitat Buffer Zone 7,210 SF New development encroachment into Natural Habitat Buffer zone all within currently landscaped areas. 650 sf for sidewalk connections that are required for emergency/ADA egress to public way 4 Figure 2. Site Inventory Map, MVCC Project (wetland shown in green, Spring Creek Ordinary High Water Mark in blue, NHBZ brown shaded area, riparian forest boundary yellow line). 2.1 Rare Plant Species Spring Creek and adjacent wetlands provides marginal potential habitat for the Ute ladies’ tresses orchid (Spiranthes diluvialis) and Colorado butterfly plant (Guara neomexicana), the 2 Federally listed plant species that occur in the region. The orchid has been documented in areas with seasonally wet soils and wet meadows near springs, lakes, or perennial streams and their associated flood plains below 6,500 feet above sea level in the South Platte River Drainage (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1992). The Colorado butterfly plant typically grows on sub-irrigated alluvial soils in floodplains and drainage bottoms and in depressions along slow-moving streams (Fertig 2000, O’Kane 1988). Based on extensive past negative surveys in the area it is highly unlikely that either of these species are present on the site. In addition, there are no known populations of these plants located nearby within the City of Fort Collins. Project development would not impact any potential habitat areas for rare plants. 5 3.0 Wildlife Description 3.1 Species and Habitat The development site provides habitat to wildlife species adapted to urban landscaped areas. Wildlife species from the adjacent Spring Creek wetlands/riparian zone, ponds, and natural area may occasionally use the landscaped areas on the site for foraging. Wildlife species or signs of species observed on the site during spring 2020 field reconnaissance included: English sparrow, common flicker, black-capped chickadee, American robin, starling, magpie, mourning dove, yellow warbler, black-capped chickadee, American goldfinch, house mouse, raccoon, and Canada goose. The adjacent riparian zone, ponds and open space provide raptor nesting (2 red-tailed hawk nests, located 635 and 930 feet north of the site) and a great blue heron rookery (840 feet north of the site) (Figure 4). The adjoining riparian zone, ponds and natural area provide a high quality wildlife habitat area. The riparian forest along Spring Creek (Figure 2) provides good nesting habitat to a variety of neotropical migrant birds. The riparian zone also provides good foraging and roosting habitat to several bat species. Figure 4. Raptor Nest and Great Blue Heron Rookery Locations 6 3.2 Wildlife Corridors The adjacent Spring Creek corridor provides an urban wildlife movement corridor through Fort Collins. The large natural areas to the north provide important wildlife habitat areas with direct connections to the Cache la Poudre River corridor. The Spring Creek corridor is not pristine, there is heavy human use in the riparian corridor (heavily used public trail is within and adjacent to the corridor and riparian habitat) and the corridor is fragmented by numerous urban road crossings. However, it is an important urban wildlife movement corridor. The large natural areas to the north of the site provide important local habitat for species that utilize wetlands, riparian zones, and ponds. 3.3 Rare Wildlife Species The riparian zone along Spring Creek provides potential habitat to Federally Listed Preble’s meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius preblei). Preferred habitat for the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse includes thick shrubby riparian habitat along area streams and rivers (Armstrong et al. 1997). There have been numerous negative trapping efforts for the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse along Spring Creek and along better habitat areas of the Cache la Poudre River in Fort Collins (USFWS 2020). It is highly unlikely that this species is present on or near the MVCC site. The nearest occupied habitat for the Preble’s mouse is along the Cache la Poudre River upstream of LaPorte. Project development would not impact any potential habitat areas for rare plants. 4.0 Views The area surrounding the site is already heavily developed with commercial properties on the south, east and west. The proposed future development plans would not change views across the site. 5.0 Project Impacts Project construction would not result in any significant changes to the site. The site is already developed (existing building, existing parking lots, existing landscaped areas). No new impacts would occur to natural areas or natural area vegetation. Vegetation- There would be no loss of wetland or riparian vegetation or natural area vegetation. All new development would be within existing building envelopes or in existing landscaped areas. Approximately 650 square feet of new sidewalk would be built within existing landscaped areas. Natural Habitat Buffer Zone- There would be no new encroachment into the NHBZ on the site into areas that are not already developed or landscaped. Approximately 650 feet of new sidewalk would be 7 built (are required for emergency/ADA egress to public way) within existing landscaped areas (Attachment A, Landscape Plan). Wildlife- Project construction would not result habitat changes or habitat losses to riparian/wetland habitat areas along Spring Creek. Existing wetland and riparian boundaries would remain unchanged after project approval. There would be no encroachment into riparian/wetland habitat areas or natural areas. The site is already developed and surrounded by development. Human disturbances within the Spring Creek corridor is already heavy especially associated with weekends or days when recreational use of the Spring Creek Trail is high. It is a heavily used riparian corridor in an Urban environment. No impacts to the 2 red-tailed hawk nests or the great blue heron rookery are expected with project construction. New uses of the site would not differ significantly from current uses of the site. No impacts to wildlife movement through Fort Collins are anticipated with project construction. Rare Species- The project is not expected to impact any Federal listed or special status wildlife or plant species. The site provides marginal potential habitat to the Federal listed Preble’s meadow jumping mouse, Ute ladies’ tresses orchid and Colorado butterfly. However, based on past surveys none of these species are present along Spring Creek. 6.0 Conclusion, Proposed Mitigation Project approval would not result in any changes to existing site vegetation or habitat. Future uses would be similar to existing uses. The developer proposes the following general mitigation measures for the project:  Lighting: To minimize light impacts into the adjacent natural area north emergency egress exits will have step lights mounted 12” above finished walk surface. Lights will have photocell that will only enable the lights to turn on if natural foot-candle (from moon) are below 0.5 foot-candles. If 0.5 foot-candles is being met by moon then lights will not turn on. A motion sensor will be located next to each door, in the event of an exit then lights would activate to 1 foot- candle. North parking lot light will be at code requirement of 1 foot-candle until 10:00pm. At that time it will be dimmed 50% for the remainder of the night.  Additional plantings of native shrubs will be completed in the landscaped area north of the parking lot (see Landscape Plan). 8  The existing landscaped turf areas along the north and northwest sides of the building will be converted to a native habitat by reseeding with a native upland grass seed mix (see Landscape Plan). 7.0 References Andrews, R. and R. Righter. 1992. Colorado Birds. Museum of Natural History, Denver, CO. 442pp. Armstrong, D.M., M.E. Bakeman, N.W. Clippinger, A. Deans, M. Marguiles, C.A. Meaney, C. Miller, M. O’Shea-Stone, T.R. Ryon, and M. Sanders. 1987. Report on Habitat Findings of the Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse. Presented to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Colorado Division of Wildlife. City of Fort Collins. 2020. City of Fort Collins Natural Habitats & Features Inventory Map. GIS Data City of Fort Collins. 2020. City Code Section 3.4.1. Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife. 2020. GIS Data. Fertig, W. 2000. Status Review of the Colorado butterfly plant (Gaura neomexicana ssp. coloradensis). Report prepared for the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Wyoming Game and Fish Department by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY. Fitzgerald, J.P., C.A. Meaney, D.M. Armstrong. 1994. Mammals of Colorado. Denver Museum of Natural History and University Press of Colorado. 467pp. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 2019. Wildlife Lighting Criteria. Hammerson, G.A. 1999. Amphibians and Reptiles in Colorado. Colorado Division of Wildlife. Denver, CO. 130pp. O’Kane, S.L. 1988. Colorado’s rare flora. Great Basin Naturalist 48(4):434-484. Spackman, S., B. Jennings, J. Coles, C. Dawson, M. Minton, A. Kratz, and C. Spurries. 1997. Colorado Rare Plant Field Guide. Colorado Natural Heritage Program. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2020. NWI Mapping. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2020. GIS Data. 9 Attachment A- Landscape Plan, Site Photos Photo 1. View to the east along the Spring Creek Trail from the NE site boundary. Trail separates project from Natural Area. Building is the Niner Bikes office (future MVCC) Photo 2. View to the east along the pond just north of the site. The building is the future MVCC. Photo 3. View to the west along the Spring Creek Trail, the new patio is located in the landscaped area south of the trail. Building is the future MVCC. Photo 4. View to the south along Spring Creek, south of the Trail, adjacent to west site of lot. Wetlands and riparian zone. Photo 5. View to east, north of the site and Trail, typical wetland and riparian habitat area along Spring Creek.