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12.06.23 OSBT PacketOpen Space Board of Trustees December 6, 2023 MEETING AGENDA (Please note that times are approximate.) I. (6:05) Approval of the Minutes II. (6:10) Public Comment for Items not Identified for Public Hearing III. (6:25) Matters from the Board A. Comments/Questions from Trustees on Written Information memos or public comment (10 min) B. OSBT Retreat Follow-Up: OSBT Rules of Procedure Approval (15 min) IV. (6:50) *Public hearing and consideration of a staff recommendation to the Open Space Board of Trustees on assigning management area designations to specific Open Space and Mountain Parks properties that are without a designation (75 min) V. (8:05) Matters from the Department A. Update on Climate Action (50 minutes) B. Director Updates (5 min) a. Upcoming Community Meeting on Prairie Dog Management and Restoration of Irrigated Ag Fields VI. (9:00) Adjourn *Public Hearing Written Information A. Gebhard Integrated Site Project B. Fort Chambers / Poor Farm Site Management Plan Update Open Space Board of Trustees Members: Dave Kuntz (2019-2024) Harmon Zuckerman (2023-2025) Michelle Estrella (2021-2026) Jon Carroll (2022-2027) Brady Robinson (2023-2028) Open Space Board of Trustees *TENTATIVE Board Items Calendar (Updated November 28, 2023) December 11, 2023 6:00 – 7:00 pm Annual Prairie Dog Management Community Update (a virtual meeting format) January 17, 2024 (please note date change) February 14, 2024 OSMP staff will provide the community with an update on prairie dog conservation and management on OSMP lands including 2023 accomplishments and planned 2024 work on restoration of irrigated agricultural lands. Matters from the Board: • Trustee questions on Written Memo items or public comment (10 min) Action Items: Matters from the Department: • Update on OSMP's 2024- 2025 Strategic Enhancements in relation to Annual Budget and Work Planning Development (45 min) • South Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation Project: Staff Update on Request to Utilize OSMP-managed lands for flood mitigation purposes (105 min) • Director verbal updates (5 min) Matters from the Board: • Trustee questions on Written Memo items or public comment (15 min) Action Items: • Utility Easement Request related to undergrounding utilities in the Chautauqua area (30 min) Matters from the Department: • Fee study update (45 min) • Annual prairie dog update, summary of 12/11/23 community meeting and planned 2024 management (45 min) • Director verbal updates (5 min) *All items are subject to change. A final version of the agenda is posted on the webpage the week of the OSBT meeting. OPEN SPACE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Action Minutes Meeting Date November 8, 2023 Record of this meeting can be found here: https://bouldercolorado.gov/government/watch-board- meetings (video start times are listed below next to each agenda item). BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT Dave Kuntz, Chair Michelle Estrella, Vice-Chair Jon Carroll Brady Robinson Harmon Zuckerman OSMP STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT Dan Burke Jeff Haley Heather Swanson Jennelle Freeston Brian Anacker Chris Wanner Paul Dennison Leah Russell Sam McQueen Andy Pelster Tory Poulton Lauren Kilcoyne Will Keeley Guests from Boulder Fire Rescue Kerry Webster, Wildland Operations Specialist Brian Oliver, Wildland Division Chief CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. AGENDA ITEM 1 – Approval of the Minutes (3:30) Michelle Estrella moved the Open Space Board of Trustees to adopt the minutes from Oct. 11, 2023 as amended. Dave Kuntz seconded. This motion passed unanimously. AGENDA ITEM 3 – Public Participation for Items not Identified for Public Hearing (20:00) David Olscamp spoke about the Voice and Sight Tag program. Paula Shuler spoke about neighbor relations on irrigated agricultural lands with prairie dogs. Elizabeth Black spoke about neighbor relations on irrigated agricultural lands with prairie dogs. Dan Moorer spoke about neighbor relations on irrigated agricultural lands with prairie dogs. Robert Murphy spoke about neighbor relations on irrigated agricultural lands with prairie dogs. Lindsay Hitchcock Cushman spoke about neighbor relations on irrigated agricultural lands with prairie dogs. Robert Murphy spoke about neighbor relations on irrigated agricultural lands with prairie dogs. Lynn Segal spoke about the OSMP budget and CU-South. AGENDA ITEM 4 – Matters from the Board (54:00) The Board asked questions about the neighbor relations on irrigated agricultural lands with prairie dogs memo. They acknowledged the comments from the public and noted that they take those perspectives Agenda Item 1 Page 1 seriously. Brady asked staff about mowing weeds before going to seed even if it means doing multiple times; do we have the in-house ability to attempt to meet this request. In regard to the December open house, it was asked if topics that came up during public comment could be brought to that meeting. It was additionally suggested that staff should look at finding a middle ground/alternate gatherings between the annual meeting where everyone is invited and one-on-one meetings. The Board reviewed the OSBT Rules of Procedure document. Edits will be sent to the City Attorney’s Office for review and this item will return to the OSBT in December for approval. The Board reviewed their time on the joint field trip with POSAC as well as visits to the North Sky Trail. AGENDA ITEM 5 – Matters from the Department (1:46:00) Brian Anacker, Science and Climate Resilience Sr Manager, Paul Dennison, Wildland Fire Sr Program Manager, and Brian Oliver, Wildland Division Chief, presented the Wildland Fire Resilience Program Update: CWPP and Strategic Wildfire mitigation Enhancements. The Board asked questions about wildfire management, the WUI management program, and prescribed fire. Will Keeley, Senior Wildlife Ecologist, and Heather Swanson, Interim Deputy Director Resource and Stewardship, Ecological Stewardship Senior Manager, presented the 2023 Wildlife Program Update. The Board asked about the mule deer data and what staff is doing with this research. They also asked about what has changed with the cattail habitat. Dan Burke gave an update on Lisa Dierauf’s retirement from the department and highlighted her tenure and accomplishments. He also recognized Jen Sherry who is leaving the department after 22 years. ADJOURNMENT – The meeting adjourned at 9:52 p.m. These draft minutes were prepared by Leah Russell Agenda Item 1 Page 2 RULES OF PROCEDURE OPEN SPACE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ARTICLE I TRUSTEE EXPECTATIONS AND CONDUCT OF TRUSTEES 1.Trustees shall conduct their duties in accordance with the City Charter, Article XII, Sections 174 and 175; and BRC 2-7, 2-3-1, and 2-3-9. 1.2.Trustees shall conduct themselves with proper decorum and treat their fellow Board members and staff with respect at all times. 3.It is expected that Trustees shall fulfill their service to the public by regularly attending business and special meetings, study sessions, field trips, and retreats of the Board. and open houses. All of these are integral to the business of the Open Space Board of Trustees (the “OSBT” or the “Board”) and are included in attendance expectations. 2.4.Should a Trustee fail to attend to their service expectations as outlined aboveregularly fail to meet attendance expectations, the Board may vote to recommend to City Council the removal of such Trustee for nonattendance to duty. 3.5. Trustees shall conduct themselves with proper decorum and treat their fellow Board members and staff with respect at all times. ARTICLE III OFFICERS 1.The Board shall elect officers at its first regular meeting after the City Council has made its annual appointment of new Board members, or at any other time that it may become necessary to elect officers. 2.The Chair shall accept nominations from the floor for the officers to be elected which are Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary. 3.The Chair shall preside at all meetings and public hearings of the Board; shall decide on all points of order or procedure; and may assist in the preparation of special reports. The terms of office shall generally be for one year, however if decided upon by the Board, the Chair may preside for two successive terms. 4.The Vice-Chair shall assume the duties of the Chair in their absence. To promote smootha smooth transition, the Vice-Chair will be included in agenda setting meetings, as an observer, starting in January of each year. 5. The Secretary shall be responsible for and maintainmaintaining the records of the Board and shall perform such other duties as the Board may require and shall typically be the Director of the Open Space and Mountain Parks Department (Director) or their delegate. Agenda Item 3B Page 1 ARTICLE III MEETINGS 1.The Board shall have regular meetings at least once a month. There shall typically be a meeting held on the second Wednesday of each month. If a second meeting is deemed necessary, it shall generally be held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Generally, meetings shall occur at the Penfield Tate II Municipal Building or the Open Space and Mountain Parks Administration Office. However, other locations may be used as necessary and noticed. The Chair and Director may agree to forego a meeting if the situation warrants. 2.Study sessions of the Board may be held as necessary at the request of Open Space and Mountain Parks staff, the Chair, or City Council. Such study sessions may be held at such time and public place as may be designated by the Chair and Director, provided that notice is given to the public and to each member as required by Section 2-3-1, B.R.C 1981. The purpose of a study session shall be for information and discussion purposes only, and votes on actions shall not be taken at such meetings. Study sessions will be open to the public; however, there will be no public participation unless specifically requested by the Chair. 3.Special meetings of the Board for purposes of public participation and action by the Board may be called by any three members of the Board as provided in Section 174, City Charter, Article XII. 4.Board Field trips may be scheduled by the Chair and the Director. 5.In-person meeting attendance is preferred. Upon notification to the Chair and the Director, and if technology allows, virtual meeting attendance to meetings is permitted. 6.Consent agenda – action items needing less discussion or which are not deemed to be controversial may be placed on the consent agenda, the procedure for which will be the same as the consent agenda procedure adopted by City Council 7.The order of business at all regular meetings of the Board will generally be as follows: a)Call to order and roll call b)Approval of minutes of previous meeting(s) c)Public Participation for Items Not Identified for a Public Hearing d)Consent Agenda (upon approval of the Director and Chair) d)e) Public Hearing Items e)f) Matters from the Department f)g) Matters from the Board g)h) Adjournment However, the agendas may be adjusted at the discretion of the Director or the Chair. 8.All meetings of the Board shall be open to the public and publicly noticed by any reasonable means in accordance with Colorado Open Meeting Laws, Section 24-6-401, et seq., prior to Agenda Item 3B Page 2 each meeting, and the meeting process shall be as described in City of Boulder Charter, Article XII Sections 174, 175, and 177, City Charter, Article XII. a) Three members of the Board shall constitute a quorum, and an affirmative vote of at least three members shall be necessary to authorize any action of the Board. Any disposal of Open Space land and assets shall require an affirmative vote of at least three members after a public meeting held in conformance with Charter Section 177. Said Charter Section requires at least 10 days’ notice and subsequent approval by City Council, followed by a sixty-day waiting period, during which time a petition may be filed requiring that such disposal be submitted for a vote of the electors. b) When the disposal of any interest in Open Space land as defined in the City Charter is proposed, written notice shall be mailed to owners of property and residents within 600 feet of the boundaries of the Open Space land proposed for disposition. This will include, at a minimum, the location of the land in question and the intended disposal thereof together with the date, hour and location of the board meeting where such a proposed disposition will be considered. 9. Public participation.imitation of time. a) Public participation shall ordinarily be limited to three minutes per speaker per item. However, the Chair may determine speaking time for all speakers during public participation depending on number of speakers and time available. All speakers wishing to pool their time must be present, and time allotted will be determined by the Chair, not to exceed ten minutes total. Speakers are requested not to repeat items addressed by previous speakers other than to express points of agreement or disagreement. b) In general, follow-up questions from Board members to community members who speak during any public participation will be limited to clarifying questions. The Chair may suspend or shorten any individual speaker’s public input if such speaker expresses themself with a lack of decorum or respect, or, for example, makes personal attacks or uses violent or hateful speech. c) The Chair will help support and uphold the city’s vision for productive and inclusive civic conversations. ; a vision that supports physical and emotional safety for everyone, as well as promoting democracy for people of all ages, identities, lived experiences, and political perspectives. 10. A majority of the Board may delegate or appoint the Chair and/or other members of the Board to assist in the presentation of the Board recommendations to the City Manager or to the City Council. Any presentation of a recommendation should also include a brief synopsis of any dissent. Agenda Item 3B Page 3 ARTICLE IVII AGENDAS 1.The Director shall provide the members of the Board with the necessary information for performance of their duties. 2.An interested party requesting time on an agenda needs to present the proposed agenda topic in writing to the Director with sufficient notice (ordinarily one month) in order to be considered for the “three-month outlook” Board calendar. 3.The Director and the Chair may postpone or reschedule certain pending agenda topics until sufficient meeting time may be available for the Board’s proper review of such topics. 4.The Director and Chair will strive to create agendas that allow meetings to end in a reasonable time. The Board's goal is that meetings adjourn by 9:00 p.m. Agenda items that have not yet commenced by 9:00 p.m. shall not be taken up at that meeting except by majority vote of Board members present. 4.5. Staff shall make a reasonable effort to submit detailed reports including meeting agendas and information concerning agenda topics to the Board members at least five days prior to the meeting. Such staff reports shall be in sufficient detail to provide Board members with basic facts on each topic on the agendas and an adequate description of the problems so that members may be prepared at the Board meeting to consider the topic without need for lengthy review at the meeting of basic information considering such topics. 5.6. In general, substantive topics that would either require significant amounts of time or staff preparation to properly address, should be outlined a month in advance under the OSBT’s “three-month outlook” calendar, which is provided in each month’s Board packet. If there are changes to this calendar, a one-month notice will be provided to the Board via the Chair and/or Director. 6.7. Changes to the agendas or the calendar, and reasons for those changes, will be provided to the Board via the Director as expeditiously as possible. 7.8. Consent agenda – action items needing less discussion or which are not deemed to be controversial may be placed on the consent agenda, the procedure for which will be the same as the consent agenda procedure adopted by City Council. ARTICLE IV COMMITTEES 1.The Board may establish such committees as it deems advisable and assign each committee specific duties or functions. 2.The Chair shall designate the members of each committee. The members of the committee shall elect their chair. 3.No member of the Board shall be required to serve on more than two committees simultaneously. Agenda Item 3B Page 4 ARTICLE VI RECORDS 1.The Secretary shall maintain an accurate record of all studies, plans, reports and recommendations of the Board and the discharge of its duties and responsibilities. In addition, minutes of Board meetings will record decisions reached/action taken, and topics addressed in the discussion but not all the points made in the discussion that went into making the decisions. Action minutes serve the purpose of keeping minutes and transactions as the official record for this Board. Minority opinions shall be drafted by the initiating member(s) and provided to the Secretary for inclusion within the minutes. 2.Records of the OSBT shall be available for public viewviewing in conformance with the State Open Records Act. ARTICLE VI I INTERESTS OF MEMBERS 1.Those Board members who have a conflict of interest and feel participation in deliberations pursuant to Section 2-7-1, et.seq., B.R.C. constitutes a conflict of interest shall disqualify themselves from discussion and voting. 2.Individual Board members who appear before, or who write to, duly constituted bodies or officials shall not represent the Board as an official representative unless that individual has been so designated by consensus of the Board, when, at its discretion, it wishes to express views relating to Open Space activities or to policies which may affect Open Space. If the Board is not in complete agreement about the matter under consideration, then no representation of the entire Board is permissible. 3.Anytime Board members express a personal opinion to the media about topics the Board is addressing, they should make clear that such opinion is a personal perspective and does not represent the views of the rest of the Board. Opinions expressed by Board Member(s) should be carefully considered given that the Board consists of five members. ARTICLE VIII ADOPTION 1.These rules of procedure may be amended by an affirmative vote of three Board members provided the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing to each member of the Board at least three days prior to the scheduled meeting. Voted on and adopted by the Open Space Board of Trustees this ____ day of ____________ 2023. Agenda Item 3B Page 5 CITY OF BOULDER OPEN SPACE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AGENDA ITEM MEETING DATE: December 6, 2023 AGENDA TITLE Public hearing and consideration of a staff recommendation to the Open Space Board of Trustees on assigning management area designations to specific Open Space and Mountain Parks properties that are without a designation PRESENTER/S Dan Burke, Director, Open Space and Mountain Parks Kacey French, Planning and Design Senior Manager Juliet Bonnell, Planner EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 2005, the Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Visitor Master Plan (VMP) established a landscape context for planning and identified four Management Area Designations (MADs): Passive Recreation Areas (PRA), Agricultural Areas (AA), Natural Areas (NA), and Habitat Conservation Areas (HCA). The VMP designated MADs for the acquired OSMP land at the time and the current designations of MADS are shown in Attachment A. As described in a written update to the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) in October 2023, mainly due to acquisitions after the 2005 VMP, there are currently approximately 40 OSMP properties that do not have MADs. These properties total approximately 1,450 acres or 4% of the total acreage of lands managed by OSMP. The purpose of this project is to fill in these management gaps on the OSMP system by designating MADs for these properties in a way that is consistent and compatible with the already designated MADs. This will support Master Plan Strategy: FS. 8) Evaluate existing real estate assets on OSMP lands. Designating MADs to these properties will also support future geographic specific planning (i.e., Integrated Site Planning) and other land management operational decisions by providing overall context and guidance on the management emphasis of properties to ensure compatibility of visitor use with natural, agricultural and cultural resources across the OSMP system. Staff has divided the approximately 40 properties without MADs into four groups of properties based on geographic location as shown in Attachment B. Staff is now seeking OSBT feedback on the recommended MADs for the first group of properties in the southern portion of the OSMP system as shown in Attachment C. The main considerations for the recommended MADs are the landscape context (i.e., MADs of adjacent properties) and the criteria as defined in the VMP as shown in Attachment D. In Agenda Item 4 Page 1 addition to recommending MADs staff has also reviewed and made recommendations for the open/closed status of each property. In summary, three properties are being recommended as HCA which require Board recommendations to City Council. Six properties are being recommended as Natural Areas and therefore do not require a Board recommendation to City Council. And one property is still being evaluated by staff and a recommendation will be brought to the board at a later date. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff requests that the Open Space Board of Trustees make a motion to: 1) recommend that the Boulder City Council approve inclusion of the Depoorter II property as part of the Southern Grasslands Habitat Conservation Area, and 2) recommend that the Boulder City Council approve inclusion of the Campbell Overlook and Lauffenberger properties as part of the Tallgrass Prairie East Habitat Conservation Area Staff is also seeking feedback and guidance on the open/closed status of properties and assigning the staff recommended management area designation of Natural Area to the Shanahan Ranch, Wille, Delier Ranch, Stengel II Pond, and Matterhorn I and II properties. COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENTS AND IMPACTS • Economic – Designating MADs will support future management of these properties by providing overall context and guidance which will improve the open space land system which supports the city’s quality of life, attracts visitors, and helps businesses to recruit and retain quality employees. • Environmental – This project will help to ensure compatibility of visitor use with natural, agricultural and cultural resources across the OSMP system and therefore help to ensure natural and cultural resource protection. • Social – Designating MADs to these properties will support future geographic specific planning (i.e., Integrated Site Planning) where visitor access and recreation opportunities are designated. By providing guidance on the overall management emphasis of properties MADs ensure compatibility of visitor use with natural, agricultural and cultural resources across the OSMP system. OTHER IMPACTS • Fiscal – Implementation costs associated with any property improvements to support MAD designation or open/closed status changes are anticipated to be minor and expenses are anticipated in the operating budget. • Staff time – Staff time spent on the development of recommendations and implementation of the MAD and property access recommendations are part of normally allocated staff time for OSMP staff. PUBLIC COMMENT AND PROCESS This item is being heard as part of this public meeting advertised in the Daily Camera on Dec. 3, 2023. Agenda Item 4 Page 2 ANALYSIS The MAD recommendations proposed are shown on the map in Attachment E. The main considerations for recommending MADs are the landscape context (i.e., the MADs of adjacent properties) and the criteria as defined in the VMP. The VMP established a landscape approach and framework for MADs. While there is some variation in values and resources among properties within an area, overall, the values and resources are more similar than not. MADs are meant to provide broad brushstrokes for guidance on the overall management emphasis for areas. There are other more site-specific tools available to manage for the variation of values and resources within a landscape context such as thoughtful design in site planning, the application of visitor regulations, and other wildlife or natural resource closures. When considering the landscape context and the VMP criteria for the Group One properties staff found most properties were similar to the adjacent properties in terms of values and resources. In the couple of instances where this was not the case the landscape context still heavily informed the recommended MAD because the surrounding MAD provided the best context for future property management and/or future site planning efforts. Three properties: Depoorter II, Campbell Overlook, and Lauffenberger are being recommended to be designated as HCAs. Six properties: Shanahan Ranch, Wille, Delier Ranch, Stengel II Pond, and Matterhorn I and II are being recommended to be designated as Natural Areas. Due to complicated circumstances discovered during this process, the Salaman property will be brought to the board at a later date. Details about the properties and considerations for the recommendations are provided below. Staff’s recommendations on whether the properties should be open or closed are also listed below and shown on the map in Attachment F. Upon acquisition, new properties are generally closed to public access and remain closed until the management area designation process. In some cases, properties have had a follow up assessment that has resulted in the property being opened to public access in cases where no resource sensitivities or safety hazards have been identified. Currently, five properties, Campbell Overlook, Lauffenberger, Wille, Matterhorn I and II are open to public access and all are recommended to remain open. Four are closed, Depoorter II, Shanahan Ranch, Delier Ranch, and Stengel II Pond and two, Deporter II and Shanahan, are recommended to remain so and two, Delier Ranch and Stengel II Pond are recommended to be open. Seasonal or area closures may be considered on some of the properties opened through this process to provide natural resource or other sensitive resource protection consistent with OSMP’s systemwide management policies. Details about the properties and considerations for the recommendations are provided below. Habitat Conservation Area Recommendations Depoorter II The approximately 2-acre Depoorter II property is recommended to be designated as HCA and added to the Southern Grasslands HCA because it is adjacent to and shares similar high natural resource values as this existing HCA. As part of the expansive Coal Creek riparian corridor this property is in alignment with VMP criteria for HCA as a large habitat block, high biodiversity area, and important wildlife corridor used by many species of animals and birds as habitat for nesting, foraging, and migration. This property, along with other adjacent and nearby properties along the Coal Creek riparian corridor, is currently closed. The adjacent and nearby properties along the Coal Creek riparian corridor were originally closed as part of the Coal Creek Riparian Protection and Restoration Project in 1999 and guidance to maintain restricted public access for the Coal Creek Riparian Restoration Area was included in the Marshall Mesa-Southern Grasslands Trail Study Area Plan in 2005. For consistency with this guidance, the Depoorter II Agenda Item 4 Page 3 property is recommended to remain closed to allow for the continued protection of the creek corridor and associated habitat. Campbell Overlook This approximately 4-acre property is adjacent to other OSMP properties designated as the Tallgrass Prairie East HCA and has similar high resource values and will contribute to maintaining important grasslands to Boulder’s eastern perimeter. In addition to its important grasslands with unique plant communities that are in alignment with VMP criteria for HCA, the property is also part of a large habitat block with high scenic value that is highly visible from the Boulder-Denver Turnpike and is considered a “gateway” property to the Boulder Valley. During acquisition, it was indicated that staff intended for this property to be designated as HCA. The property is currently open to public access and the recommendation is that it continue to remain open since no related visitor impacts have occurred to the property’s natural or scenic resources. Lauffenberger The less than 1-acre Lauffenberger property is adjacent to the Tallgrass Prairie East HCA. The property was purchased with the original intent of pursuing the possibility of providing a larger trail connection from the Richardson I property to the Church-East property within the Tallgrass Prairie East HCA. Other than the Lauffenberger property no other acquisitions have been obtained for this longer trail connection. The resource value of Lauffenberger is solely in its recreational or access potential. Minimal natural or agricultural resource values exist within this 10-foot-wide corridor. A determination on whether a trail connection in this area is still desirable would be considered during a future site planning process focused on the Tallgrass Prairie East HCA. While the resource values of this property are not in alignment with the VMP criteria for HCA, it is recommended to be designated as HCA because the planning for this property would occur within the HCA landscape context. It has also been noted that if a trail connection is not desired and the recreational value is not determined to be high, disposal of this property could be considered. This property is currently open and recommended to remain open. Natural Area Recommendations Shanahan Ranch The approximately 179-acre Shanahan Ranch property has similar high value resources as adjacent OSMP properties that are Natural Areas. Given its interspersed relatively high natural, agricultural, and recreational values described below that are consistent with the VMP criteria for Natural Area and its similarity to the adjacent lands, staff is recommending a Natural Area designation. Shanahan Ranch includes higher-elevation grasslands that are part of the Colorado Tallgrass Prairie State Natural Area. Shanahan’s tallgrass prairie has high biodiversity and provides important habitat for birds and other wildlife. The irrigated lower-elevation grasslands support important aquatic and riparian habitat in and around the property’s ponds. Shanahan Ranch also includes a residence and important agricultural infrastructure and resources such as irrigated hayfield and pasture and native grassland pasture. This property also has high scenic value and potentially high recreational value as it is near an extensive network of OSMP managed trails. Upon acquisition this property was closed to the public to prevent impacts to resource values from unmanaged visitor access from nearby residential areas and existing adjacent undesignated trails. It is recommended that this property remain closed to prevent expansion of undesignated trails onto this property and that further evaluation of potential recreational opportunities take place during a future site planning process. Wille This less than 1-acre property was acquired with the intent that it could provide a trail connection from Marshall Road to Highway 93 and with an underpass connect to OSMP’s trails and the since Agenda Item 4 Page 4 removed Open Space Operations Center that was located west of Highway 93 at the time of acquisition. The feasibility and cost of an underpass has not yet been explored but would be challenging and significant. The property has relatively low ecological value and has ongoing weed management challenges. A determination on whether the trail connection is still desirable and feasible would occur within a future site planning process focused on the Natural Area designated lands west of 93 and the Shanahan Ranch property which is recommended as a Natural Area. While the natural resource values of this property are not consistent with the VMP criteria for Natural Area, it is recommended to be designated as Natural Area because the planning for this property would occur within the Natural Area landscape context. If this future site planning process determines a trail connection is not desired and the recreational value is not determined to be high, disposal of this property could be considered. This property is currently open and recommended to remain open. Delier Ranch The approximately 25-acre Delier Ranch property has similar high value natural resources as surrounding OSMP Natural Areas. This property’s interspersed relatively high natural and agricultural resource values are in alignment with the VMP’s criteria for Natural Area. Its natural resource values include the Davidson Ditch corridor, a pond, high quality grasslands with suitable habitat for Preble’s meadow jumping mouse, northern leopard frog, and rare dwarf leadplant. Agricultural values identified on this property are its suitability for grazing purposes and a historic home that has been renovated with the intent to house an agricultural tenant. The Delier Ranch property is currently closed to public access, but it is recommended the property be opened because the surrounding OSMP properties with similar resources are open. These surrounding properties do not have evidence of off-trail access or disturbance. Stengel II Pond This approximately 1-acre property has similar valuable natural resources as adjacent and surrounding OSMP Natural Areas including scenic vistas, mixed grass prairie and riparian shrublands. These relatively high resource values, as well as this property’s man-made ephemeral pond that may support northern leopard frogs are also in alignment with the VMP’s criteria for Natural Area. This property is currently closed, but it is recommended it be opened to public access because all surrounding OSMP properties are open. The Doudy Draw Trail is nearby yet there is no evidence of off-trail access or disturbance to the pond or this property from nearby visitor use on the trail. Matterhorn I and II The approximately 3-acre Matterhorn I property and approximately 4-acre Mattterhorn II property which are adjacent to each other contain similar resource values as the adjacent OSMP Natural Areas including important mixed and tallgrass communities. These properties are part of the large grassland habitat block in this area that supports rare grassland plant communities and high-quality wildlife habitat for species such as Grasshopper Sparrows and rare butterflies/skippers. Given these relatively high resource values that are in alignment with the VMP’s criteria for Natural Area and the surrounding landscape context, these properties are recommended to be designated as Natural Areas. Matterhorn I and II are currently open to public access, as are surrounding OSMP properties. Since visitor impacts have not been observed on these properties, staff recommend that these properties remain open. NEXT STEPS Staff will return to the OSBT with recommendations for the remaining three groups of properties throughout 2024. Upon completion of bringing the recommendations to the OSBT staff will then bring the board recommended HCA designations to City Council. Agenda Item 4 Page 5 ATTACHMENTS: • Attachment A: Properties with MADs • Attachment B: Properties without MADs • Attachment C: Group 1 Properties without MADs • Attachment D: VMP MAD characteristics, goals, and criteria • Attachment E: Group 1 MAD recommendations • Attachment F: Group 1 Open/Closed recommendations Agenda Item 4 Page 6 !i !i !i !i !i !i !i !i!i !i !i !i !i !i !i !i !i !i !i !i !i!i !i !i !i !i !i !i !i !i !i !i !i!i !i !i BaselineReservoir Standley Lake GrossRes BoulderReservoir HillcrestRes MarshallLake LeggettRes ValmontLake Res Gunbarrel /Heatherwood WestSanitas Gunbarrel /Heatherwood- PRA Flatirons/ MountainBackdrop ElephantButtress LowerBoulderCreek WesternMountainParks Schneider-IRLLC BoulderValleyRanch WestMarshallMesa Outlots SouthernGrasslands SouthBoulderCreek EastBoulderValley CottonwoodGrove WesternMountainParks NorthernTier LefthandCanyon Flagstaff /Chautauqua Outlots East Beech Outlots Wonderland Outlots Shanahan Gunbarrel /Heatherwood- NA EldoradoMountain Outlots Dry Creek ValmontReservoir South Mesa EastMarshallMesa Northern Tier EastBoulder Doudy Draw Anemone Hill EastBoulderValley Diagonal NorthBoulderValley CreekConfluence SanitasValley /Red Rocks Hodges NorthernTier TallgrassPrairie East JewelMountain SombreroMarsh NorthFoothills User: PhilC2 Date: 9/22/2022 Document Path: E:\MapFiles\Planning\Data\MADUpdates\OSMPMADBoardPresentation2022.mxd 0 1 20.5 Miles OSMP Management Areas Management Area Designations Other Public Lands Trails Managed by OSMP Non-OSMP Trails Hiking Trail Multi-use Trail All Trail Types µ Habitat Conservation AreaActive Inactive No Public Access Passive Recreation Area Natural Area Agricultural Area !i Trailhead Attachment A: Properties with Management Area Designations Agenda Item 4 Page 7 Attachment B: Properties without MADs Agenda Item 4 Page 8 Attachment C: Group 1 Properties without MADs Agenda Item 4 Page 9 Attachment D: Visitor Master Plan (VMP) MAD Characteristics, Goals, and Criteria Passive Recreation Area Designation Characteristics •Generally in close proximity to city or county development.•Higher level of visitor use and density of existing trails.•More evidence of human use and impacts.•May include some interspersed patches of high-quality habitat. Goals •Provide a high level of public access to destinations and connection through designatedtrails. •Maintain or improve passive recreational and educational opportunities, while protecting and preserving natural lands and resources. •Accommodate high levels of visitor use with appropriate management, trails and trailheads, and services.•Reduce conflicts among visitor activities. •Minimize the number of undesignated or "social trails;" eliminate undesignated trails when they are duplicative or damaging to resources. Criteria for Inclusion of Management Areas in the Passive Recreation Area Designation •Higher level of visitation. •Trails and trailheads that accommodate high levels of visitor use.•High density of trails.•Offers destinations for a wide range of different passive recreational activities.•Compatibility with adjacent land use (i.e., opportunities to coordinate with neighboring ornearby landowners/managers in providing recreational services). Natural Area Designation Characteristics •Locations can be both close to and remote from development.•Varying levels of visitor use, types of activities, and availability of facilities.•Conditions of natural ecosystems are variable- many areas with ecological systems ingood condition, some with evidence of human use and impacts.•May be in proximity to agricultural production and operations. Goals •Accommodate low-impact visitor activities where adequate trails exist or can be built, and resource impacts can be minimized. •Provide opportunities for passive recreational and educational activities that require topographic relief or a natural setting (e.g., hang/paragliding, climbing/bouldering, nature study, scenic viewing). Agenda Item 4 Page 10 •Protect the quality of natural and agricultural resources (especially where high value resources exist).•Eliminate undesignated trails when they are redundant or damaging to resources. Criteria for Inclusion of Management Areas in the Natural Area Designation •Interspersed recreational and natural values require that management determine theappropriate mix of open space purposes and manage multiple uses accordingly.•Relatively high resource and recreation values.•Compatibility with adjacent land use (i.e., opportunities for coordinating habitatprotection and connections and passive recreational activities/trail linkages). Agricultural Area Designation Characteristics •Rural areas in the Boulder Valley.•May be in proximity to areas of either high or low visitor use.•Areas of intensive agricultural production or operation. Goals •Maintain the efficiency of agricultural production and operation.•Manage agricultural production and operation to ensure safety for operators and visitorsin the vicinity.•Provide, where appropriate, public access and passive recreational opportunities that haveminimal impacts on agricultural production and operation or other resources.•Manage visitor access in areas of intensive agricultural production or operation to ensurevisitor safety.•Eliminate undesignated trails when they are redundant or damaging to resources. Criteria for Inclusion of Management Areas in the Agricultural Area Designation •Crop production and irrigated hay fields and grazing areas.•Areas where conflicts with visitors and their pet companions could or do adversely affectthe efficiency of agricultural production and operations or endanger visitor safety.•Compatibility with adjacent land use (i.e., opportunities for coordinating agriculturalprotection and recreational activities/trail linkages). Note: Areas of concentrated livestock activity (corrals, horse boarding, etc.), privateresidences, machinery storage areas, etc. will be addressed in a separate policy. Habitat Conservation Area Designation Characteristics •Tend to be located in more remote areas.•Typically represent the largest blocks of an ecosystem type with few, if any, trails orroads.•Lower level of visitor use; no or few trails and trailheads.•Naturally functioning ecosystems (but may contain areas with evidence of human use andimpacts). Agenda Item 4 Page 11 Goals •Maintain, enhance, and/or restore naturally functioning ecological systems.•Maintain, enhance, and restore habitat for species of concern identified in the BoulderCounty and the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plans.•Provide public access and passive recreational opportunities that foster appreciation andunderstanding of ecological systems and have minimal impacts on native plantcommunities and wildlife habitats or other resources.•Eliminate all undesignated trails, unless they are made part of the designated trails systemor provide specialized access to appropriate low-use destinations.•Where sustainable infrastructure exists, continue to allow public access to appropriatedestinations. Criteria for Inclusion of Management Areas in the Habitat Conservation Area Designation •Large habitat blocks with a low density of trails, roads, or development.•High potential for restoration of natural ecosystems (including areas with restorationunderway).•Plant communities that are rare or unique on Open Space and Mountain Parks lands.•Habitat for species of concern such as threatened, endangered, rare, and other species.•Areas with high biodiversity such as wetlands and riparian areas (especially un-trailedriparian reaches).•Comparatively lower visitation levels.•Compatibility with adjacent land use (i.e., opportunities for coordinating habitatprotection and connections and recreational activities/trail linkages). Agenda Item 4 Page 12 Attachment E: Group 1 MAD Recommendations Agenda Item 4 Page 13 &Matterhorn I &Matterhorn II &Wille &Campbell Overlook &Depoorter II&Delier Ranch &Stengel II Pond &Shanahan &Lauffenberger User Name: PhilC2 Path: Y:\ArcPRO\MADUpdates\MADUpdates.aprx Passive Recreation Area Natural Area Habitat Conservation Area Agricultural Area Management Area Designations Highway Arterial Road Proposed Property Closures Natural Area Habitat Conservation Area Proposed Management Area Designations Group 1¯ 0 1 20.5 Miles Attachment F: Group 1 Open/Closed Recommendations Agenda Item 4 Page 14 MEMORANDUM TO: Open Space Board of Trustees FROM: Dan Burke, Director, Open Space and Mountain Parks Brian Anacker, Science and Climate Resilience Sr. Manager Alycia Alexander, Climate Resilience Sr. Analyst Brett KenCairn, Climate Initiatives Jonathan Koehn, Climate Initiatives DATE: December 6, 2023 SUBJECT: Update on Climate Action ___________________________________________________________________ Staff will provide an update on strategic enhancements related to climate action. In the Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Master Plan (2019), climate action is identified as an outcome with two attendant strategies as part of the Ecosystem Health and Resilience (EHR) focus area: •Outcome EHR.C) Climate Action: OSMP is a leader in helping native ecosystems withstand and adapt to the effects of the climate crisis. •Strategy EHR.3) Address the Global Climate Crisis Here and Now. For the benefit of natural ecosystems and future generations, exhibit environmental leadership by taking immediate, targeted and unified action in response to ecosystem changes that the global climate crisis will bring about. •Strategy EHR.9) Reduce and Offset OSMP Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Support the citywide climate commitment by reducing and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions related to departmental operations. Since the publication of the Master Plan, city staff have engaged the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) three times on climate resilience topics: 1.Oct. 10, 2021. OSBT Retreat. Addressing the Global Climate Crisis Here and Now. Presentation by OSMP and Climate Initiatives Staff. 2.Feb. 22, 2023. OSBT Study Session. Update on OSMP’s Climate Action and Wildland Fire Resilience Programs. 3.Nov. 8, 2023. OSBT Business Meeting. Wildland Fire Resilience Program Update In 2023, city staff worked with consultants to complete two studies of climate resilience with an emphasis on carbon management. These studies present an inventory of OSMP’s greenhouse gas footprint and describe the amount of carbon stored in natural and working lands. Together, these studies provide the foundation for accelerating climate action at OSMP, including the design and implementation of emission reductions strategies and nature-based solutions. These studies are linked below, and are summarized in a story map: Agenda Item 5A Page 1 •OSMP's Climate Resilience Story Map: Addressing the climate crisis here and now by reducing emissions and taking care of the carbon stored in land. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/d7c1a3cf8d584573bc1dc4cee1bfd3f8 •City of Boulder. 2023. OSMP Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report. https://bouldercolorado.gov/media/13188/download?inline •City of Boulder. 2023. OSMP Land-Based Carbon Inventory & Nature-Based Solutions. https://bouldercolorado.gov/media/13189/download?inline At the Dec. 6, 2023 OSBT business meeting, city staff will present a summary of these studies, describe climate-related strategic enhancements, and review next steps for climate action. Related Resources: •Climate Change and Open Space. https://bouldercolorado.gov/services/climate-change- and-open-space •Open Space Wildfire Risk Management. https://bouldercolorado.gov/services/open- space-wildfire-risk-management Agenda Item 5A Page 2 MEMORANDUM TO: Open Space Board of Trustees FROM: Dan Burke, Director, Open Space and Mountain Parks Jeff Haley, Deputy Director, Visitor Experiences Ilene Flax, Senior Landscape Architect DATE: December 6, 2023 SUBJECT: Written Information: Gebhard Integrated Site Project ________________________________________________________________________ Introduction The item provides an overview and update on the Gebhard Integrated Site Plan project as it continues into implementation. The planning phase of this project began in 2018 with alternatives analysis and was completed in 2020 with the selection of a preferred alternative and management guidance based on board and community input. The preferred alternative outlines specific actions that are to be implemented within the area and can be viewed in Attachment A – Preferred Alternative. Finally, this project includes many details and information that were discussed and presented throughout the public involvement portion of the project and can be reviewed within the project website https://bouldercolorado.gov/projects/gebhard-integrated-site-project . Staff provided a brief update on this project to the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) in January 2023 and a more thorough consideration in May 2023. Currently staff are in the process of implementing the project through final design and permitting. This memo explains the status and anticipated schedule of the various implementation priorities. Overview The OSMP-managed Gebhard property alongside South Boulder Creek is within a Colorado State Natural Area, a designation that emphasizes the state-wide ecological importance of habitat conservation and restoration in this area. This high-value habitat supports riparian nesting birds, federally listed species, and rare plant communities, and serves as an important movement corridor for other species. The area is also designated as Natural Area within the OSMP managed area designations; a designation that acknowledges that in addition to high ecological values this area supports important recreation use, and it is also close to adjacent development. As an example, neighboring community members have enjoyed using this space to walk along and access South Boulder Creek and other community members use the corridor daily for biking, walking, and running. Specifically, staff have managed access to the creek and habitat improvements in this area through native plantings, erosion control, signage, and fencing. These approaches have sought to improve habitat quality and improve visitor awareness of the importance of riparian natural Written Information - Item A - Page 1 resources while meeting community desires for creek access. Despite these efforts, undesignated trails along the west side of South Boulder Creek may impact riparian habitat that includes habitat for Preble’s meadow jumping mouse, a federally listed species. Another federally listed species – the Ute ladies’-tresses orchid is known to occur within the area. In addition, a globally rare mesic tallgrass community is impacted by patterns of use, as are wetlands and a population of the Northern leopard frog, a Colorado Tier 1 Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Based on existing guidance in the 2010 Grassland Ecosystem Management Plan and the 1998 South Boulder Creek Area Management Plan, the current Gebhard Integrated Site Project updates and confirms a sustainable management approach for the future. Staff have worked closely with community members to develop alternative approaches for managing this area and to select a preferred alternative that best meets project goals and objectives. The overall goals for the project include: 1)Restoration of riparian habitat along the west side of the creek between East Boulder Community Center and South Boulder Road as part of the ongoing larger restoration project along all South Boulder Creek; and 2)Providing access to the existing designated trail system on the east side of the creek in a way that aligns with the neighborhood’s interests and values. Update At the May 2023 OSBT meeting, staff shared the status of implementation plan components and specifically discussed potential design elements to explore that address challenges that have emerged with establishing the eastside separated path component of the preferred alternative. The idea of exploring an east-side separated path came from community concerns about user conflict/safety concerns and visitor experience. Following is a discussion of those investigations: •One option involved working with City and County transportation to activate existing bike and multi-use trail infrastructure. Boulder County staff are now working to develop a request for proposals for redesigning the section of South Boulder Road between Manhattan Drive and Cherryvale Road. This work will include an at-grade crossing at 55th Street and replacement of the underpass at the South Boulder Creek Trail with a wider and taller facility. OSMP will coordinate with the County staff as they develop plans and implement the project. These improvements will facilitate better connectivity to the US 36 bikeway while providing opportunities to utilize existing bike and multi-use trail infrastructure to perhaps reduce the volume of users on the South Boulder Creek Trail within the stretch of the Gebhard project. •Other trail options involve updates to OSMP’s Trail Management Objectives (TMOs). TMOs establish sustainable design parameters for trail design and maintenance by evaluating the current and desired types and amount of use and appropriate level of Written Information - Item A - Page 2 development for different settings. OSMP is currently working through the TMO review process for trails in this area. o Exploration of an east side separated trail TMO was initiated and terminated as the ecological impacts and maintenance challenges could not be justified. Furthermore, permitting requires justification of impacts that are deemed necessary, and it would be difficult to show that we avoided impact and justify a new trail given that there is an existing trail in this location. This is particularly true given the sensitive and regionally important nature of the habitat occupied by Preble’s meadow jumping mouse and rare mesic tallgrass plant communities. Finally, some of the habitats within the project area are un-mitigatable – it is not possible to mitigate for Ute ladies tress orchid habitat loss. o OSMP is working to change the TMO for the Gebhard section of the South Boulder Creek Trail. The trail is currently managed for wheelchair accessibility, equestrian, biker, hiker, and authorized (emergency, maintenance, and agricultural) vehicles. For these managed uses the width needs to be greater than 6’ to be considered compliant, leading to the current condition of a width that varies between 6’ and 12’ through this area. The TMO change will create a mechanism for maintenance operations to provide a consistent 8’-10’ width trail. Consistent width, surfacing and clear sight lines will reduce opportunities for conflict through this segment. o Staff have identified a pedestrian-only trail route that extends from the Greenbelt Meadows access point to the new bridge and out to 55th Street. This 3’ width, surfaced trail will be about a quarter mile in length and designated for pedestrian use only, except for a segment near 55th Street that will support ditch maintenance access. Bikes will not be permitted on this trail. Opportunities for Public Information Project updates will continue to be provided in many forms such as the Field Notes email, social media updates and OSBT memos as necessary when project milestones are reached. Staff are committed to ensuring the community is updated and aware of all the sequencing and implementation steps to ensure a successful project. Updates will also be specifically provided to the closest neighbors adjacent to the project in the Greenbelt Meadows subdivision throughout the ongoing implementation. Current Implementation Plan Staff have developed implementation plans for the Gebhard project that detail the design described in the OSBT-reviewed 2020 preferred alternative. The following summarizes the status of the various recommendations outlined within the preferred alternative: •RESTORATION: The integral component of the restoration efforts will be to restore undesignated trails on the west side of South Boulder Creek with native grasses as Written Information - Item A - Page 3 shown in the green color on the preferred alternative plan (Attachment A), both north and south of the proposed bridge. Eight crack willow trees will be removed, along with treatment and removal of teasel and privet. There will be new cottonwood trees, shrubs, native grasses, and plantings that support the grassland and riparian systems through the area. These efforts will be coordinated with the community to ensure there are no surprises and neighbors are aware of the removals and all the ecological reasons why. •BRIDGE: The proposed bridge will connect the west side of South Boulder Creek near the Greenbelt Meadows Neighborhood to the east side designated trail system. This location was selected to minimize grading and impacts to the area. The final design and appearance of the bridge will be like the existing bridge just to the north, near the East Boulder Community Center. Boulder County is currently reviewing this design to ensure that the bridge does not impact the floodplain. •TRAILS o DESIGNATED PUBLIC ACCESS: A new three-foot width surfaced trail will provide an accessible connection between the Greenbelt Meadows neighborhood, the new bridge, and 55th Street. A portion of the trail will be the southern route of the existing undesignated trail through that area, and along the existing ditch access route. This new, designated trail connection will activate the existing multi-use trail on the west side of 55th Street as an integral component of the South Boulder Creek corridor and allow designated and improved access to the west. This will provide 1,150 linear feet or about a quarter mile of new designated trails for pedestrians only on the west side of South Boulder Creek and facilitate accessible, looped routes through the area. These loop opportunities will provide visitors with options for varying lengths and types of experiences within the South Boulder Creek corridor and surrounding communities. o SOUTH BOULDER CREEK RESURFACING: Resurfacing work will occur with operational maintenance, which is anticipated to follow the County’s underpass improvements. This work will establish a consistent 8’-10’ width trail, even surfacing, and clear sight lines that will reduce opportunities for conflict through this segment. o TRAILS NETWORK: The County roadway improvements provide exciting opportunities for this project. The at-grade crossing at 55th Street will allow for a safe crossing to the 55th Street corridor. The underpass at the South Boulder Creek Trail creates a safe crossing for more diverse user groups, with better connectivity to the US 36 bikeway. This networking builds resilience for the Written Information - Item A - Page 4 entire system. •VISITOR AMENITIES AND ACCESS ALONG THE PATH o DESIGNATED CREEK ACCESS: Access at the bend in South Boulder Creek will include bank stabilization that includes both structural and vegetation-based erosion control measures to support creek hydrology and people accessing the water. There are additional creek access locations downstream. All other designated access points will remain open while other informal access points to the creek will be closed for restoration of the riparian habitat. o GRASSLAND GATHERING AREA: To address visitor experience desires and to support education and outreach efforts, primarily connecting youth to nature, an area within the grassland east of the South Boulder Creek Trail currently dominated by non-native smooth brome has been identified as a gathering area. Here, visitors can sit on benches or boulders, enjoy the views, and connect with the grassland experience. Plantings will support the mosaic vegetation preferred by the Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse, a listed species whose habitat we value. This area will be located on the east side of the creek and east of the existing path between the new bridge and the existing bridge, allowing visitors to a place to step off the path when multiple users are passing by at once. o NORTH END FURNISHINGS: Supplementing this work, a few locations were identified along the trail north of the project area for benches and a new picnic table. •INTERPRETATION AND SIGNAGE o COURTESY: “Slow Down and Communicate,” the latest thinking in support of trail etiquette and courtesy messaging will be integrated through the corridor to increase safety and courtesy among multiple trail users. o INTERPRETATION: Informed by the Education and Outreach Framework, narratives to be interpreted in the corridor include a boot brush station with information about New Zealand mudsnails at the creek access; Natural areas and Grasslands at the grassland gathering area, and information about water bodies at creek and ditch crossings. o REGULATORY: Signage clarifying regulations through the corridor will educate and inform. Written Information - Item A - Page 5 Schedule and Sequence of Improvements OSMP has identified a construction sequence for implementation: The current estimate for the project divides the work over multiple years and budgets: 2024 Operations $ 24,000 2024 CIP $ 735,000 2025 Operations $ 38,500 2025 CIP $ 152,000 2026 CIP $ 338,000 TOTAL $ 1,287,500 There are constraints on the construction sequence that help to organize this schedule. Privet and crack willow can only be removed during June and July when Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mice are neither nesting nor looking for nests. The bridge can only be constructed in the winter when the ground is firmer, and vegetation is less likely to be damaged by heavy construction equipment. The restoration of undesignated trails will not begin until the new trail connection has been completed. Status of regulatory permits: •A draft of the US Army Corps of Engineers review that refers to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and The State Historic Preservation Office permit application is currently being reviewed internally. •The City Wetland Map revision was submitted at the end of September and is under review by City of Boulder staff. •The County Floodplain permit application was submitted at the end of October and is under review by the County Floodplain Administrator. •The County Site Plan Review has been completed. •County Grading, Building, and Stormwater quality permit applications will be submitted by the contractor following a competitive bidding process. Impacts Associated with Undesignated Trails One of the reasons for launching the Gebhard Integrated Site Project is that staff determined that undesignated trails on the west side of South Boulder Creek create an unacceptable level Written Information - Item A - Page 6 of impact in the current condition. Through the implementation phase of the project, it has become clear that a separated trail on the east side would also create an unacceptable level of impact. Undesignated trails fragment natural habitat for native plants, animals and biological communities, displacing wildlife, and potentially damaging rare plants. Erosion of creek banks and trampling of vegetation has resulted from the use of the undesignated trails. Disturbance of wildlife can result in modification in their use of habitat, disruption to feeding and reproductive cycles, and blocking of movement corridors between the stream and adjacent floodplain habitats. This sensitive habitat area has higher levels of significance and vulnerability including habitat for rare native plant and wildlife species; regionally imperiled and vulnerable plant communities; and plant communities with high diversity of native species and low abundance of non-native species. Closing and restoring undesignated trails on OSMP lands requires strong support from the community, especially in places like this where undesignated trails are frequently used and have been informally established for an extended time. The 2019 OSMP Master Plan Survey showed 86 percent of respondents in support of reducing undesignated trails in sensitive habitat areas. These results provide a strong foundation for tackling the challenging task of addressing undesignated trails. There are currently over a half mile of undesignated trails braiding along the west side of South Boulder Creek. The implementation plan designates and establishes a quarter mile trail that provides key connectivity to several of the area’s existing trails and reinforces the entire trail network with a variety of surfacing and experiential options. There will also be discrete pausing places along the South Boulder Creek Trail at the grassland gathering area and creek access points to provide opportunities to step off the trail and enjoy being in this very special place. Ongoing Management Following installation of the connection between the Greenbelt Meadows neighborhood and the designated trail on the East side of South Boulder Creek, the undesignated trail on the West side of the creek and associated impacts will be restored. Monitoring of restoration and mitigation for impacts associated with the new bridge and trail will focus on vegetation, wildlife, and permit requirements. Seeding and planting will be monitored for a minimum of 5 years to ensure that restoration and closure are successful. Annual reports to the City and USFWS will include percent cover estimates of all species within these areas and photo documentation. Ongoing monitoring of important wildlife and plants will continue in a system- wide context, including vegetation mapping and surveys for Northern leopard frog and Preble’s meadow jumping mouse. Following restoration of the impacts on the West side of the creek, staff anticipate that habitat will be better able to support robust populations of these species. Monitoring of the undesignated trail itself may utilize trail counters, cameras, and condition assessments. Results from the recent Public Opinion and Visitor Experience Survey (POVES) show that trails within the project area average a 12% reported daily conflict rate which for context is slightly higher than average rates (8%) on other OSMP managed multi-use trails. OSMP has not set Written Information - Item A - Page 7 management thresholds, but industry standards typically do not specifically address conflict rates lower than 25%. Additionally, the top three most strongly supported visitor conflict management strategies identified in POVES results for this area, while a small sample size, mirror system-wide results and are: requiring dogs to be on leash, keeping things generally the way they are now, and requiring one-way travel for cyclists on trails. OSMP will continue our education, outreach, enforcement strategies. These include enforcement and courtesy signage to clarify and educate visitors about expectations. There will be increased ranger presence following implementation to provide that personal level of engagement and education. We will also explore bike patrols through this area—this is an interagency group that works on and is managed by City OSMP, City Parks and Rec, County Open Space, and the Forest Service. Patrol members ride when and where they would like (not scheduled), wear a uniform and a bike placard identifying their role, offer assistance and education to community members and report happenings and maintenance needed on the trail. And we will continue to monitor and measure visitor experiences through ongoing Public Opinion and Visitor Experience Surveys (POVES). In the future, OSMP could build out an adaptive recreation management framework to provide a clear management response if higher levels of conflict are identified. Next Steps Floodplain permitting is currently being reviewed by the County and the Federal permitting is underway. Once those components are completed, the bridge and trail construction package will be finalized and go out to bid. Staff will provide an update to the Board once the contractor is selected and a construction schedule established. Sources VanderWoude, D. and Seidel, H. (in progress). 2021-2023 Public Opinion and Visitor Experience Survey Report. The City of Boulder, Department of Open Space and Mountain Parks. Boulder, Colorado. Attachment •Attachment A – Preferred Alternative Written Information - Item A - Page 8 Atachment A – Preferred Alterna�ve Written Information - Item A - Page 9 MEMORANDUM TO: Open Space Board of Trustees FROM: Dan Burke, Director, Open Space and Mountain Parks Lauren Kilcoyne, Deputy Director of Central Services Kacey French, Planning and Design Senior Manager Katie Knapp, Principal Planner DATE: December 6, 2023 SUBJECT: Written Information: Fort Chambers / Poor Farm Site Management Plan Update The purpose of this memorandum is to provide a written update for the Fort Chambers / Poor Farm planning process (Fort Chambers / Poor Farm Management Plan | City of Boulder (bouldercolorado.gov)). Context The Fort Chambers / Poor Farm property is located east of North 63rd Street and south of Jay Road (an area map is included as Attachment A). The property is important to Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) and the community due to its history and association with the Sand Creek Massacre and the land’s significant ecological and agricultural resources. City staff are working on a government-to-government basis with the three Sovereign Tribal Nations affected by the Sand Creek Massacre (the Cheyenne and Arapaho, the Northern Arapaho and the Northern Cheyenne) to receive and incorporate their meaningful input into the development of a management plan for the property. The Site Management Plan will identify future property improvements and guide ongoing land uses associated with the property. Background The 113-acre property was purchased in 2018 due to its ability to fulfill many OSMP Charter purposes. The most recent Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) update was on Sept. 13, 2023, and included: • guidance from Tribal Representatives on the development of the site management plan, and • an update on the City/Tribal Nations collaboration agreement that guides the planning process. Previous updates to the Board and City Council are available at the following links: • OSBT Memo – Sept. 13, 2023 • OSBT Memo - March 8, 2023 • OSBT Memo - Sept. 14, 2022 • OSBT Memo - March 9, 2022 • Council Memo – Feb. 22, 2022 • OSBT Memo - March 10, 2021 • Council Acquisition Memo - April 17, 2018 • OSBT Acquisition Memo - March 14, 2018 Written Information - Item B - Page 1 Site Management Plan Update Concept Plan Development A concept plan is being developed through a collaborative effort with Tribal Representatives. The process started with compiling information about the site and its history. Various opportunities were explored, leading to the development of 3 concepts, each emphasizing different open space values. The concepts were used to facilitate a discussion with the Tribes in July 2023 to learn what open space values were most important and how those could be enhanced on the site. The Tribes long-term relationship with the land was also discussed; it was conveyed that the Tribes are not interested in owning this property but would like to collaborate on the development of interpretive materials and future stewardship, recognizing the site’s ability to support learning, healing and praying. Tribal feedback centered around the theme “Heal the Land, Heal the People”. The input received guided the development of a draft Concept Plan. On Oct. 27, 2023, Tribal Representatives visited Boulder and met with OSMP staff to review and discuss elements of a draft Concept Plan. The Tribes were supportive, relaying that the draft Concept Plan reflected the previous input received. Plan Overview The plan includes the following main elements: •Ecological Restoration/Conservation and Site clean-up: The Boulder Creek corridor and the south/east ponds are a priority for restoration to enhance wildlife habitat, improve wetland functions and reconnect the creek to the floodplain. Debris removal and management of invasive weeds like Russian olive trees were also identified as actions to immediately start healing the land. •Preserving Agriculture Operations: This includes preserving the relatively uncommon, diversified farming opportunity on a portion of the site along with maintaining the irrigated hayfields. The agricultural structures and residences will be improved to support agricultural operations. Educational opportunities related to the Poor Farm and/or agriculture history could be explored as a secondary use of the Queen Anne style main residence. •Interpretation with a “Healing Trail”: Provide interpretive elements that accurately and wholistically tell about Fort Chamber’s connection to the Sand Creek Massacre. Provide a small, looped trail with spaces for reflection, contemplation, healing, and interpretation. Include spaces to support educational programs with themes that include healing, forgiveness, and cultural and tribal history. The trail would also provide access to indigenous planting areas. Additional Tribal Input •Site Name: There is interest in renaming the property. The Tribes would like to work with us on developing a new name for the site that may not include “Fort Chambers”. •OSBT Meeting: Tribal Representatives are interested in attending an OSBT meeting (possibly in March 2024) to share their thoughts about the project and our ongoing collaboration. More on the next steps are below. •City/Tribal Nation collaboration agreement(s). City staff and Tribal Representatives agreed to use a “Working Agreement” in lieu of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to guide and document the planning process for the Fort Chambers/Poor Farm property. OSMP staff and Tribal Representatives find it helpful to have flexibility and make revisions as we continue to learn and work together. The “Working Agreement” does not require the signatures of officials and can be revised when changes are mutually agreed-upon. Written Information - Item B - Page 2 Next Steps In the upcoming months, OSMP staff will further refine the draft Concept Plan (or preferred alternative). Staff will continue to collaborate with the Tribes and consider options for a new name for the property. Staff will share the Concept Plan with the board likely in March, and have the tribal representatives attend the meeting and share their thoughts about the project, site plan and our ongoing collaboration. Staff are currently confirming availability and scheduling details. The concept plan will be presented to the community along with a questionnaire to gather feedback and gauge community support in late Q1/early Q2. It is anticipated that staff would return to the Board in late Q2 with the final site plan. A summary of the overall planning process is shown below, with a star indicating our current step. Attachments Attachment A: Area Map Written Information - Item B - Page 3 !i !i !i !i !i !(A !(A !(A !(A !i James DR Cottonwood at Jay Rd Sawhill Access North Sawhill Access Northeast Sawhill Access East Sawhill PondsFORT CHAMBERS / POOR FARM - AREA MAP !i OSMP Trailhead with Parking !(A OSMP Access Point - parking on public roads !i Other Boulder Area Trailheads OSMP Hiking Trail OSMP Multi-Use Trail Other Boulder Area Trails OSMP Easement OSMP Ownership Boulder County Open Space 0 1,000500FtN Walden PondsFort Chambers Poor Farm Twin Lakes Valmont Butte Boulder Creek Boulder Airport Boulder CreekJay Rd. Andrus Rd. Valmont Rd.75th St.63rd St.61st St.Heatherwood Trail LOBO Trail LOBO Trail Diagonal HwyATTACHMENT A Written Information - Item B - Page 4