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Minutes - Open Space - 04/25/2001.~ Approved as a»iendecl Open Space Board of Trustees Minutes Apri125, 2001 Board Members Present Chris Mueller Larry MacDonnell Linda Jourgensen Sean Kendall Staff Present Jim Crain Delani Wheeler John D'Amico Cary Richardson Cecil Fenio Bob Crifasi Brent Wheeler Jim Reeder Mike Patton Michael Sullivan Ronda Romero Steve Armsfead Wally Cameron Dave Kuntz Eric Butler Matt Jones Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 6 pm. AGENDA IT~M 1- Approval of Minutes Linda Jourgenson moved that fhe minuCes oP April 4, 2001 be approved. Larry MacDonnell seconded and the motion was passed unanimously. AG~NDA ITEM 2- Director's Update a. Emergency wildlife closure for raptor nesting site protection. Steve Armstead and Cary Richardson gave the Board the background on the decision to establish a seaaonal wildlife closure of AmphiCheater Rock in Gregory Canyon. After staff was alerted by climbers and careful monitoring was conducted it was discovered that a pair of prairie Palcons were displaying nesting behavior. A voluntary closure was attempted buC some climbing activity continued in the area. Staff decided that a seasonal closure would be necessary to maximize nesting success. Stieve told the Board the various ways the closure was publicized and how and where signage is being used to warn climbers and hikers about the closure. Dates of closure were discussed and the success of the nesting will determine if the trail could be opened before the July 31" reopening date. It was suggested Chat thc closure time should be extended to ensure adequaCe time to complete the nesting cycle. Cary felt that it is important to keep wildlife closures (dates) as consistent as possible. Steve was confident tihat staff will be able to tell iP additional time will be needed by June or July and extend the closure date at thaC time. Sean Kendall asked whether they intend to close the same area nexc year beginning Febivary 1. SCeve told him that if the nesting is successful this year we will anUCipaCe making the same closure next year unlcss Che birds do ~. ~ not return to fhe site. Linda Jourgensen thought that protecting these nesting birds was actually providing a valuable seivice Co the community. Mikc Patton introduced Jim Reeder, the new Land and FaciliCies Services Division Manager, and welcomed him to tlie Department. b. Water Resource Inventory & Water Plan Update Dave Kuntz inh•oduced Bob Ciifasi, the Water Resouece Specialist, and told the Board that this, as well as the Visitior Use presentation, will complete the 1999 InvenCory of Open Space report from staff to the Board. Bob described the role of water as a critical reeource within the OSMP system. He related our involvemenf in managing water resources, what the De~artment owned, how it is measured, diverCed, transported and used within the system. He clarified thaC water rights are purchased with or without land. Some of the uses for water, besides expected agricultural needs, include maintaining wetlands, tallgrass prairie and Spiranthes diluvialis habitat. IrrigaCing land can also help control prairie dog habitation. Becauee of the many diversions of water by various users many local creeks have a streamflow below whaf is necessary for a healthy system. A healthy creek musC have periodic flushing which has also been eliminated (for the mosC part) from the nafural cycle in our area. Protecting instream flow is crucial. Board members asked how Chese issues could be addressed. With data already collected and continued monitoring, a management plan for water should be complete in about a year. The plan will reflect the charter philosophy as iC addresses water rights, uses, quality, etc. c. Visitor Use Inventory & Visitor Plan Update Brent Wheeler introduced the VisiCor Use Inventory by noting tihat it was completed before the addition of Mountain Parks lands and so wili have some changes after inPormation on the Mountain Parke is included. He described the five key components of the invenCory: inventory of undesignated trails, existing use restrictions, communiry phone suivey, recceational supply and demand prQjeetions, and cuxrent reeceational facilities and services. The results of Che community phone survey showed that Che great majority oY the people contacted (about 93%) were saCisfied with the quality of their OS experience. Because of inereasing levels of use, problems such as crowded trails and parking lots, degradation of habitat and contlicfs with other land uses must be addressed. The addition of Mounfain Parks means that several new issues, such as rock climbing, will be included in the Visitor Pian. Brent reviewed the kinds of services provided for visitors: parking, signs, rest~~ooms, dog stacions, etc. Visitation is expected to double within the next 20 years. Direction far the Visitor Plan is guided by the Visitor Plan Advisory Committee, the public, OSBT and Mountain Parks Resource Protection and Visitor Use Plan. This will involve a 4 tiered approach for recreational activities (a way of categorizing appropriate use) and management strategies that will include a simple land classificaCion and employing Che "least restrictive and most effective means of managing visitor M , tiisd'. Opportunities for public input will be an imporCant part of developing policies this summer and fall. Staff will continue monitocing various aspecCs of visitor use and a draft plan should be available in November. One of the main cliallenges will be the development of a recreational eCiquette that will, hopefully, be adopfed by specific user groups. d. Lottery Update Chris Mueller invited Christine Andersen co sit with the Board during the discussion about lotfery funds. The joint meeCing with PRAB is in the process oY being scheduled and will probably occur mid May or early June. The Board posed many questions to Christine regarding a spreadsheel from Parks and Recreation showing the proposed 2002 CIP budgeC Por lottery funds. One of the concerns was thaY because all the projected lotlery monies seemed to be accounted for, the Board wondered where there would be uncommitted funds available for fransfer to OSMP Co meet Mountain Parks expenditure needs. Christine told the Boacd that thc spreadsheet is not written in stone and, except for the Debt Service and the Greenways commirinents, there would bc some areas Por possible discussion. Chris also voiced concern over the term "subsidy" used in describing the monies tl~at followed Mountain Parks into the OSMP system. Christine thought that the Cerminology should noC be an issue and the tcrm could probably be changed without much difficulty. Christine told the OSBT Chat there was no intenCional refusal of Parks and Recreation to Cransfer money. She also voiced disappoinhnent in that the current focus on thc budget is diminishing all the positive aspects of the merger. Chris told ChrisCine that the disappointment is not with Parks and Recreation but with tlie City Manager's office. Lariy MacDonnell recalled having a clear idea of the Pinancial intenYions when the deal was being made lasti year and now that the merger has occurred he noted that OSMP is not getting what was expected. Board members hoped Chat a packet will be provided prior to the joint PRAB-OSBT meeting that will give them some needed informaCion about the proposed Lotteiy 2002 budget and that OSBT will also be prepared with specific information about their monetary needs. e. South Boulder Creek Update Cancelled. f. Board 12etreat Requests A IisC was disU•ibuted to the Board members enumerating the information that was requested during thc retreat. Chris Mueller suggested that the 65/35 split discussion be postponed until the fall, after the budgeC issue has been settled. Mike PaCton told the Board Chat Department of Transportation was noY receptive to the idea of moving the Pence along Highway 128 to accommodate a traiL He and 7im Crain invited any other suggestions from the Board. AGENDA ITEM 3- Matters from the Board Board members briefly discussed meeting schedules for the next two months and how the joint meeting with PRAB will fit in. No change in Yhe OSBT regular meeCing schedule was made. AGENDA ITEM 4- Public Participation/Items Not on the Agenda* Ricky Weiser, 4020 N. 75~~' St., was concerned that some pullouts were no longer available for people who wanted to stop and look aC Che view in Mountain Parks. She also fhought that there should be soine way of providing the public with information about the road that goes over Flagstaff, perhaps warning them that it does not connect to a significanC thoroughfare. Sha suggested looking to the Denver Water Board and Gross Reseivoir when making water resource plans and alerted staff about a movement (not speciPied) by some property owners in Eldorado. AG~NDA IT~M 5- Consideration of the purchase of approximately 52 acres located north of the Diagonal Highway and east of N. 55~~' St from ~steigle Partnership for open space purposes John D'Amico introduced the Board to the proposed purchase with a slide presentation of the Esteigle properCy. This parcel is of significance to OSMP because of the amounf of frontage it provides along the Diagonal which is a gateway corridor into Boulder. It also has important agricultural and wildlife value. The property runs adjacent to the Wateistoae development and is bordered on Che north by Sixmile Reservoir. Residents of Waterstone and the owners of this property maintain "recreation" rights to Sixmile Reservoir. This means that hunting, fishing and boating are allowed Co those who have the righYs. Sean Kendall asked iP fhat meanC the citizens of Boulder would have those rights once the property was purchased by the CiCy. Sue Ellen Harrison told the Board Chat technically they would, but John assured them that this is not part of the plan and that they would not. OS has Ueen trying Co acquire this properry Por over 20 years. Public Participation Ricky Weiser, 2040 N. 75'Ii St., encouraged the Board to "do it", Bruce Bland, 1340 Lehigh, has driven by the property and thinks it is very nice. He also said "do it". Return to Roard & Staff MOTION Linda Jourgensen moved that fhe OSBT approve the purchase of approximately 52 acres in fee located norCh of the Diagonal Highway and easC of N. 55`~' Street, along with all associated water rights and mineral rights for $1,756,000.00 from the Estiegle Company for open space purposes and recommends thaf City Council approve the purchase and authorize the City Manager to execute the documents needed to compleCe the purchase. ~f . In addiCion, Che OSBT approvcs the allocation of $12,000.00 from Open Space Fund for immediate property improvements upon acquisition. Sean Kendall seconded. VOTL The motion passed unanimously. (Chris Mueller, Linda Jourgensen and Sean Kendall) ADJOURNM~NT The meeting was adjourned at 8:45pm. These draf't rrcinutes were prepared by Cecil Fenio.