HomeMy WebLinkAbout20013384.tiff RESOLUTION
RE: EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR ST. VRAIN GREENWAY MASTER PLAN
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, pursuant to
Colorado statute and the Weld County Home Rule Charter, is vested with the authority of
administering the affairs of Weld County, Colorado, and
WHEREAS, the City of Longmont has presented to the Board copies of the St. Vrain
Greenway Master Plan ("the Plan"), and
WHEREAS, the Plan identifies a Greenway being close to the St. Vrain River and
extending from the City of Longmont east into Weld County, with the greenway being divided
into an Urban Reach, Suburban Reach, Rural Reach, and a Preservation Reach, with the Rural
and Preservation Reaches being located in Weld County, and
WHEREAS, to date, three miles of trail within the Greenway have been constructed, and
WHEREAS, the vision statement of the Plan is that the "River Corridor will be
transformed into a greenway by developing its recreational potential and by protecting and
enhancing its natural qualities, while maintaining flood control and the conveyance of irrigation
water," and
WHEREAS, the City of Longmont has asked the Board to support the vision set forth in
the Plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of
Weld County, Colorado, that the Board supports the vision set forth in the Plan.
2001-3384
BC0031
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RE: SUPPORT ST. VRAIN GREENWAY MASTER PLAN
PAGE 2
The above and foregoing Resolution was, on motion duly made and seconded, adopted
by the following vote on the 12th day of December, A.D., 2001.
BOARD OF CO NTY COMMISSIONERS
WELD COU Y, COLORADO
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Weld County Clerk to the lc• 0' ,
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APPROVES AS TO FO (�
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Robert D. Masden
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Date of signature: //R
2001-3384
BC0031
MEMORANDUM
COLORADO
To: Glenn Vaad, Board of County Commissioners,
CC: Bruce Barker, Weld Coun At rney
From: Monica Daniels Mika'
Date: Thursday, November 1, 2001
Subject: Executive Summary for St. Vrain Greenway Master Plan
As directed by the Board of County Commissioners I reviewed the St. Vrain Greenway plan and
for your ease of the review I have taken the following statements from the plan.
This plan was citizen initiated sponsored primarily by the Longmont City Council. The plan
intends to identify a greenway. The greenway is divided into an Urban Reach, Suburban Reach,
Rural Reach and a Preservation Reach.
The Urban Reach area is enclosed within the city limits of Longmont while the Rural and
Preservation Reaches are located within Weld County. The Suburban Reach is primarily located
within Boulder County. The County line serves as a divider between the Rural Reach and the
Preservation Reach. To date, three miles of the proposed trail has been constructed. The vision
statement is "the River Corridor will be transformed into a greenway by developing its
recreational potential and by protecting and enhancing its natural qualities, while maintaining
flood control and the conveyance of irrigation water.
RURAL REACH OVERVIEW
• The Rural Reach is identified as the value of the existing riparian corridor significant
within the Rural Reach and is recommended that the greenway through trail be kept as far
away from the River as possible by as much as 1/4 mile.
• Greenway visitors along the Corridor discourage social trail development into Riparian
Buffers.
• Longmont Open Space purchases may need to secure the 1/4 mile buffer zone
recommended between the River and the trail on the south side of the St. Vrain.
Walkways will need to be constructed on both sides of the Great Western Drive to avoid
traffic/pedestrian conflicts.
• Municipal improvements call for the eventual developer to include a 5' walkway along
Great Western Drive.
2001-3384
• The Commuter Trail will also provide a connection to the proposed Spring Gulch
Primary Greenway that will link the St. Vrain Greenway to Union Reservoir.
• It is important that residential or intensive uses not be allowed to occur between the trail
and the river. Special trail between the River and adjacent land uses should be controlled
and trail users need to stay on the constructed trail.
PRESERVE REACH OVERVIEW
• The Preserve concept suggests the intent is to buffer to the extent needed to protect its
existing natural character in a changing landscape.
• The trail corridor in the Preserve Reach is recommended to stay 1/4 mile away from the
St. Vrain River.
• The Preservation Reach has the least active uses for residential.
• This Reach includes significant environmental resources, special trial development is
strongly discouraged.
Implementation Policy
Policy 1
Dedicate the St. Vrain Corridor as a Greenway.
Policy 2
Develop a community-wide support for the greenway by developing interpretative and
educational information and encouraging public use of the recreational facilities.
Policy 3
Promote compatibility of adjacent land uses that protect the natural river corridor and
promotes greenway use.
Policy 4
Develop the greenway as a unique civic feature for the City.
Policy 5
Pursue funding sources for greenway development in addition to lottery funds.
Policy 6
Develop criteria for managing donations to maintain a unified, high-quality character.
One of the proposed mechanism to form a working agreement is to enter into a memorandum of
understanding and a joint management agreement. Under the Joint Management Agreement
each party agrees to continue to manage the property under their jurisdiction, yet agree to a
common set of management practices to unify overall long range management of the region.
These can be agreement between public and private entities as well as between governmental
jurisdictions.
Acquisition of tools for Local Government.
Within each community, a committee or task force should be established to create a workable
system out of the policy directives created in ordinances and intergovernmental agreements.
Regulatory Approaches
1. Zoning
2. Use Restrictions
3. Density Restrictions
4. Tree Protection and Vegetation Management
5. River Corridor Standards
6. Fencing Controls
7. Performance Zoning
8. Subdivision Review Standards
9. Density Bonuses
Most of these have Urban influences.
Map References- Portrait maps to Weld County
Page 40 -Rural Reach
Page 47 - Preserve Reach
Page 59- Appropriate Regional Map
Based on the review of the plan it appears the City intends to make modification to its existing
land use regulations to ensure completion of the plan. I recommend the Board of County
Commissioners provide support for the function of the trail in Southwest Weld. My
recommendation is to adopt a resolution of support for the trail with no discussion concerning
finance or preservation standards for the enforcement of the existing plan.
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