03.13.13 OSBT Chapman with AttachmentsAgenda Item 7 Page 1
CITY OF BOULDER
OPEN SPACE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MEETING DATE: March 13, 2013
AGENDA TITLE: Chapman Drive Trail: Land Use Designation, Mountain Bike Use
and Dog Management
PRESENTERS
Michael Patton, Director, Open Space and Mountain Parks
Annie McFarland, Visitor Access Program Coordinator
Heather Swanson, Wildlife Biologist
Dean Paschall, Manager of Public Process and Communication
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
With the purchase of the Schnell parcel, located on the northwest flank of Flagstaff
Mountain approximately three and one-half miles up Boulder Canyon Drive, visitors to
Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) are now able to make a trail connection from
Flagstaff Drive down to Boulder Canyon, via Chapman Drive Trail (Attachment A).
This trail connection was identified as a high priority in the West Trail Study Area (TSA)
process.
Currently, the Chapman Drive Trail (CDT) is open for pedestrian and equestrian use. It
is also open to uphill bike use; downhill bike use is prohibited. Dogs are currently
allowed on Chapman Drive Trail from the Tenderfoot Junction uphill to Flagstaff Drive
under voice-and-sight control (V&S); dogs are not allowed downhill from that junction to
Boulder Canyon.
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STAFF RECOMMENDED MOTION
Staff requests Board consideration of this matter and action in the form of the following
motion:
That the Open Space Board of Trustees recommends that City Council: 1) designate the
Schnell property as a Habitat Conservation Area (HCA), becoming part of the surrounding
Western Mountain Parks HCA, 2) allow bike travel in both directions on the Chapman
Drive Trail up and downhill five days a week, (two days a week bikes would be
prohibited) and 3) that dogs be allowed on-leash on the entire length of Chapman Drive.
COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENTS AND IMPACTS
Environmental: Open Space and Mountain Parks is a significant community-
supported program that is recognized worldwide as a leader in preservation of
open space lands contributing to the environmental sustainability goal of the City
Council. The department's land acquisition, land and resource management and
visitor service programs help preserve and protect the Open Space values of these
lands.
Economic: Open Space and Mountain Parks contributes to the economic vitality
goal of the city as it provides the context for the diverse and vibrant economic
system that sustains services for residents. Diverse and high-quality opportunities
for visitor activities in the West TSA help attract and support businesses and
residents who seek such opportunities.
Social: Because the Open Space land system is accessible to all members of the
community, it helps support council’s community sustainability goal because all
residents who live in Boulder can feel a part of, and thrive in, this aspect of their
community.
OTHER IMPACTS
Fiscal: The cost to make the minor improvements necessary to implement the
recommended uses on Chapman Drive Trail would be minimal.
Staff time: Initially it would take significant staff time to inform visitors of the
new regulations. Over time, this high staffing level would decrease to a level
representative of the entire OSMP system.
PUBLIC FEEDBACK
During January, 2013, OSMP staff met with interested stakeholder groups. During these
meetings, each group was provided the opportunity to express their concerns and
opinions about how to best manage uses on Chapman Drive Trail. Specifically, each
group was asked to comment on bikes being allowed uphill only, bikes allowed to go up
and downhill and possible management strategies to implement if bikes were allowed
downhill. Each group was also asked their preferred management strategy for dogs along
Chapman Drive Trail and their opinions regarding the proposed HCA designation of the
Schnell property.
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OSMP also hosted an open house on Feb. 13, 2013, during which attendees were able to
provide feedback regarding these three topics.
BACKGROUND
The West TSA identified the goal of pursuing a mountain bike/multiple-use trail
connection between Flagstaff Drive and State Highway (SH) 119, using Chapman Drive.
With the purchase of the Schnell property, this connection became possible.
In late 2012, OSMP received the final approvals necessary to open the new Chapman
Drive bridge. At the same time, the new trailhead constructed on the east (Red Lion side)
of Boulder Creek was opened. The new trailhead can accommodate 11 vehicles and is
the only parking available at this time near the northern end of the trail. OSMP is
currently in the process of planning the construction of an auxiliary trailhead and parking
on the west side of SH 119, directly across from the new bridge. When this new trailhead
is completed, trail users parking at this location will be able to safely cross under the
highway in an existing box culvert.
In addition to providing recreational opportunities, the Schnell property offers protection
and continuation of the natural values found within the adjacent Western Mountain Parks
HCA. Diverse topography surrounding Chapman Drive on the Schnell property
combined with north-facing slopes with seeps, springs, and riparian drainages support a
variety of habitats that include mixed conifer forest, ponderosa pine forest and woodland,
montane and riparian shrublands, and rocky outcroppings. It is highly likely that the
Schnell property provides habitat for rare and uncommon plant species that occur on
nearby OSMP land such as the Rocky Mountain sedge, wood lily, and several orchid
species. The Schnell property along with adjacent areas such as Lost Gulch, combine to
form the high quality, large habitat blocks that are typical of the Western Mountain Parks
HCA. The Chapman and Schnell areas provide habitat to support a variety of forest and
riparian dependent wildlife species. These include three known forest hawk territories
(two Cooper’s hawks, one sharp-shinnned hawk), breeding forest owls, a diverse
breeding bird community, mountain lion, bobcat, deer, elk, foxes, coyotes, pine marten,
Abert’s squirrels and a variety of other species. Data from radio-collared animals show
high use of the drainages in this area by both mountain lions and bobcats. Habitat
suitability modeling shows areas of highly-suitable habitat for goshawk and other
accipiters (forest hawks), Abert’s squirrel and foraging black bears. Continuity of habitat
onto the recently purchased Schnell property suggests that these highly suitable habitats
extend onto this property as well. See Attachment B for more detailed wildlife
information and habitat suitability modeling.
Chapman Drive provides a valuable emergency egress for the Flagstaff area in the event
of fire, and for Boulder Canyon in the event of flooding. OSMP will continue to
maintain Chapman Drive Trail at a level so that it is passable for vehicles and a Type VI
fire engine.
Currently, pedestrians and equestrian are allowed on Chapman Drive Trail. Bikes are
also allowed, but must travel in the uphill direction only. Dogs continue to be allowed
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under voice-and-sight control from the top of Chapman Drive Trail, at Flagstaff Drive, to
its junction with Tenderfoot Trail. Downhill from the Tenderfoot Trail junction to
Boulder Canyon, dogs are currently prohibited.
ANALYSIS
Cultural resources
Chapman Drive was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a division of the
New Deal program launched during the Great Depression as a way to alleviate
unemployment. They began construction in 1933 and the road was opened in 1935. It
contains 28 historic elements which display beautiful rockwork, including a newly
repaired switchback, cattle guard and retaining walls. OSMP does not believe that the
staff recommendation will negatively impact the cultural resources in the area.
Management Designation of Schnell
At its May 16, 2011 meeting, Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) members
unanimously recommended the purchase of the Schnell property by OSMP. At the time,
the Board also made a recommendation that the property be designated an HCA and
become part of the surrounding Western Mountain Parks HCA. During City Council
discussion of the purchase, support for HCA designation was voiced. However, the final
motion approving the purchase did not address the management designation. Based on
the environmental values described above staff again recommends the Schnell property
be designated as HCA. Regardless of what designation is ultimately decided upon, staff
will need to return to City Council for a final decision on the management designation for
Schnell.
Staff Recommendation:
1. Staff recommends that the Schnell Property be designated an HCA and become
part of the surrounding Western Mountain Parks HCA except the footprint area
required to construct the future trailhead on the west side of Highway 119.
Visitor experience
Chapman Drive Trail provides an important regional connection for the community and
provides a connection between SH 119 (Boulder Canyon) and Flagstaff Drive. From
feedback OSMP received during the public process, it is expected that many of the bikers
who ride up Chapman Drive to Flagstaff Drive will continue to Walker Ranch. However,
bike use is only part of the puzzle when making a recommendation on how best to
manage Chapman Drive Trail. Dog guardians also have an interest in Chapman Drive
Trail and the ability to have a trail leaving Boulder Canyon to walk their dogs.
Equestrians view Chapman Drive Trail as an opportunity to have a nice, generally
shaded, experience in the mountain backdrop.
Bike Management
Staff utilized a matrix to evaluate a variety of management options against the following
criteria: potential user conflict, resource impacts, safety, visitor opportunities and
feasibility. Options that were explored include: continuing to allow bikes up-hill only,
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bikes up/downhill without restrictions and bikes up/downhill with additional restrictions.
Examples of such restrictions include temporal management, installing speed calming
devices and altering the road bed to create separate travel paths. Most of these examples
were determined to be undesirable or not feasible given the need to maintain official use
on the road for maintenance and emergencies.
Staff believes that allowing bikes up/downhill with a temporal management scheme best
meets the goal of providing for a regional bike connection, while continuing to allow for
a contemplative hiking experience two days a week. Temporal management schemes
similar to the recommendation are utilized in other places along the Front Range
successfully, including Betasso and Centennial Cone in Jefferson County. Although
discussed as an option on other trail projects, this would be the first time OSMP utilizes
this tool.
Staff Recommendation:
1. Staff recommends allowing bike traffic up and downhill on Chapman Drive
with a temporal management scheme.
Dog Management
The current dog management practices on Chapman Drive Trail are dogs under voice and
sight control from Flagstaff Drive to the Tenderfoot Trail junction and dogs prohibited
from the Tenderfoot junction north to Boulder Canyon. Over the past few months, staff
has spent time meeting with several stakeholder groups to seek input about visitor use
options for Chapman Drive Trail. Among the visitor use opportunities explored were dog
management options. The stakeholder group proposed options that ranged from Voice
and Sight from Boulder Canyon to Flagstaff Drive to no dogs allowed in the entire area.
At the time of purchase, OSMP recommended the lower portion of Chapman Drive be
designated as an HCA, which the board approved and passed on to City Council for
adoption. Although the Council motion was silent on this recommendation, if lower
Chapman Drive is designated as HCA then the lower portion of the trail, if dogs are
allowed, should follow the HCA default of dogs on leash and on trail.
Because Chapman Drive Trail has the possibility of becoming a multipurpose trail that
will allow downhill bike travel on relatively steep grades, staff feels that, for reasons of
public safety, dog guardians need to possess the ability to exert physical control over
their dogs to protect them from bikes traveling downhill.
Staff Recommendation:
1. Staff recommends that dogs be allowed to travel on leash and on trail, between
Boulder Canyon and Flagstaff Drive. This will provide the highest level of
resource protection in the HCA and the greatest level of dog control for the safety
of dogs and other visitor activity such as downhill mountain bike travel.
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a. An additional option would be temporal separation as is done for bikes in
the Betasso Recreation Area. As requested by City Council, this would
provide for a minimal new dog-free trail option providing hikers and
runners a more contemplative experience, free from dogs and bikes on
those days. For example, dogs and bikes could be prohibited on
Wednesdays and Sundays.
Submitted by:
_________________________
Michael Patton, Director
__________________________
Annie McFarland, Visitor Access Coordinator
ATTACHMENTS:
A: Chapman Drive Overview Map
B: Wildlife Resources in the Chapman Drive and Schnell property area.
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Management Zone Designations
Habitat Conservation Area
Natural Area
Passive Recreation Area
Boundary OSMP
Other Multi-Use Trail
Chapman Drive Trail
Overview
Schnell Acquisition
Trail Managed By OSMP
Hiking Trail
Chapman Drive Trail
OSMP Trailhead
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Management Zone Designations
Habitat Conservation Area
Natural Area
Passive Recreation Area
Other Multi-Use Trail
Chapman Drive Trail
Habitat Indicators
N
Schnell Acquisition
Likely Abert’s
Highly Suitablle Habitat
Likely Black Bear
Highly Suitablle Habitat
Likely Goshawk
Highly Suitablle Habitat
Modeled Abert’s
Highly Suitable Habitat
Modeled Goshawk
Highly Suitable Habitat
Modeled Black Bear
Highly Suitable Habitat
OSMP Trailhead
with Designated Parking
Trail Managed By OSMP
Hiking Trail
Chapman Drive
Multi-Use Trail