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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20070773 STATE OF COLORADO Bill Owens,Governor Weld County Planning Department O1PR`!O — DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES '✓ O DIVISION OF WILDLIFE GREELEY OFFICE c , AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER MAR 2 200! x,.1 ita Bruce McCloskey,Director RECEIVED �`� 6060 Broadway Denver,Colorado 80216 For Wildlife- Telephone:(303)297-1192 For People wildlife.state.co.us March 5, 2007 Kim Ogle—Planner Todd Hodges Design LLC-Applicant Weld County Planning Department Pyrenees Properties c/o Christine Wenrick 918 10th Street 1269 North Cleveland Avenue Greeley,CO 80631 Loveland, CO 80537 RE: Case Number PF-1114 Dear Kim, The Colorado Division of Wildlife(CDOW)has received and reviewed the proposal for the Final Plat for 8 Residential(Estate Zone)Lots, I Residential Lot with Agricultural Zone District Uses,and 1 non-buildable outlot. During the review, Troy Florian-District Wildlife Manager, made a site visit to the parcel. In this letter you will find the Division of Wildlife comments concerning the proposal. The site is located north and adjacent to WCR 80 and 1/2 mile east of WCR 19. The parcel appeared to be an agricultural field irrigated by a Center Pivot Sprinkler system. Nearby homes are located on the west, south and east sides of the parcel. An active prairie dog town was observed on adjacent property on the east side of the proposed parcel. Summary of Comments. If the parcel is divided for residential purposes,the CDOW recommends that: co • Ground-breaking construction occur between August 15 and April 1 to prevent the destruction of nesting wildlife. • Noxious weed and re-vegetation management plans are developed and implemented in areas where there N will be ground disturbance due to construction activities. • Any fences built are recommended to be three or four strand fencing with a bottom strand height of 17 inches and a maximum top strand height of 42 inches,along with installation of double stays between posts. • Leash covenants are used in the development. • Future homeowners are made aware of traditional land uses that may impact them. • Future homeowners are made aware of nuisance wildlife in the area DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES,Russell George,Executive Director x=x ' WILDLIFE COMMISSION,Jeffrey Crawford,Chair•Tom Burke,Vice Chair•Claire O'Neal,Secretary W tt, Members,Robert Bray•Brad Coors•Rick Ei is I um.Richard Ray•James McAnally•Ken Tares Ex Officio Members,Russell George and Don Alf fent Supporting detail for comments. �-. Ground-breaking Construction. It is possible that human activities around ground nest sites during critical nesting periods can have significant negative impacts. In regards to ground-nesting birds in the area, it is recommended that ground breaking construction that takes place on the proposed area occurs before April 1 and after August 15 to minimize any impacts that human activity may have on these ground nesting birds. US Fish and Wildlife Service(USFWS)staff recommends this as well as a way of avoiding violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. If ground breaking construction cannot be performed outside of critical nesting periods mentioned above, it is strongly recommended that a certified avian biologist perform ground nest surveys for migratory bird nests/eggs/young to ensure that they are protected against damage or destruction. The developer should be aware that Rocky Mountain Plover are attracted to bare ground fields for nesting,and that Burrowing Owls commonly use burrows in prairie dog towns for nesting. Surveys on this particular parcel should include searches for Rocky Mountain Plover and Burrowing Owl nests since this parcel consists of bare ground cultivated fields,and is adjacent to an active prairie dog town. Weed Management. Noxious weeds reduce property value and wildlife habitat. With new construction taking place and machinery being transported from one site to another, it is important to help prevent the spread of noxious weeds. Equipment should be cleaned periodically to remove weed seeds even if no weeds are recognized. It is recommended that noxious weeds are actively eradicated. A working weed management and disturbed area reclamation plan should be developed and implemented throughout construction and until all disturbed areas are properly re-vegetated to prevent erosion and invasions by weeds. The applicant may want to contact the Weld County Weed Inspector to facilitate development of reclamation and weed management plans for the development. Fencing. CDOW is concerned for the safety of the wildlife in the area if fences are erected,as some types of fencing can be dangerous and even fatal to wildlife. Therefore,we recommend that if any fencing is to be used within or around development sites,either during or after the project, it should be the type that would allow the free passage of wildlife. Fencing plans should avoid the use of woven wire type fences that will trap or prevent movement of wildlife. We prefers the use of three or four strand fencing with a bottom strand height of 17 inches and a maximum top strand height of 42 inches,along with installation of double stays between posts. Leash Covenants. The future residential development should include covenants that prevent domestic dogs and cats from running at large. Domestic dogs and cats roaming the open space in this area and adjacent property would have a definite adverse impact on wildlife in the area. CDOW feels strongly that this wildlife corridor encompassing the adjacent upland should be protected from domestic pets of local residents inclined to walk dogs in this natural area. Traditional Land Uses. As this area develops, it is important to maintain the legacy of traditional agricultural land uses. Hunting is one such activity that provides recreation and income to landowners and businesses along the 1-25 corridor. Deer,geese,ducks,pheasants and doves are a few of the wildlife species that are hunted in this area. In fact surveys indicate that Weld and Larimer Counties are among the most important in Colorado in the popularity of small game and waterfowl hunting activities. People travel from all over the United States to hunt waterfowl along the I-25 corridor. Hunting is not only a recreational activity and economic asset,but also an important management tool used by the CDOW to manage wildlife populations. Hunting is used as the primary tool to balance wildlife populations with available habitat. With increasing rural development, it is advisable that new residents be informed of traditional land uses,such as hunting,occurring on adjacent land that may impact them. Living with Wildlife. It is recommended that future homeowners are made aware of nuisance animals that are found in rural areas. Coyotes,raccoons,skunks,foxes and prairie dogs can all potentially present problems for landowners. Homeowners should be made aware of the potential problems that coyotes and skunks can cause with domestic dogs and cats. The new homeowners should be made aware that it is their responsibility to prevent and handle any problems that may arise. The CDOW has brochures available for homeowners that talk about living with wildlife and will also be happy to give suggestions on how to prevent any potential problems. On behalf of the Colorado Division of Wildlife,I would like to thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this proposal. If you or the applicant has any further questions,please feel free to call Troy Florian at .-, (970)443-1993. Since id B. arkson Area Wildlife Manager Cc:J. Bredehoft S. Hoover Troy Florian Mike Sherman file Page 1 of 1 Kim Ogle From: Anne Johnson of Todd Hodges Design, LLC [annejohnson@gwest.net] Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 2:15 PM To: Kim Ogle Subject: Hollis Crossing Estates Kim, These are the only two points I was going to make, unless you want to: Point of Clarification: Page 3 Reason for Approval B indicates the Estate Zone District will be adhered to. The PUD COZ was granted with exceptions to the Estate Zone District including minimum lot sizes and Auxiliary Quarters on lots smaller than the minimum lot sizes. Point of Clarification: Page 4 Reason for Approval G references the draft Change of Zone Plat. I can only assume this should be changed to the draft Final Plat as it appears to be an author's error. The attorney will look into the School District payment timing issue. It's good and I'll keep you posted. Sincerely, Anne Best Johnson, AICP Todd Hodges Design, LLC 970-613-8556 fax: 970-613-8775 This message and the attached documents are for the sole use of the intended recipient and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, dissemination, copying, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email or by telephone (970-613-8556) and destroy all copies of the original message. Thank you. EXHIBIT I /IF *HIV 03/27/2007 HOLLIS CROSSING ESTATES PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT 1 BEING A PORTION OF SECTION 15, TOWNSHIP 7 NORTH, RANGE 67 WEST OF THE 6TH P.M, COUNTY OF WELD, STATE OF COLORADO atjellialPtil I I a7��� 1- sii'lS'a14 wT6'UE N. at t4Ltt - '� rte A I _ so,-- .m \ ow+ m •. gu rem` c"Vrochritn; maw N L• \ am..... ca, f. N ,1 a It; 'I ..uc \ 1 \ ix.-��... GIN y�y}����� uto p�LOT Ei \ytrai v I` I�eY /' ' to v- 2:lam , ... 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