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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019.02.07 OSTB Regular Session Minutes_S MINUTES OPEN SPACE AND TRAILS BOARD REGULAR SESSION February 7, 2019 530 E Main St.,Aspen CO, 81611 OSTB Present: Graeme Means Howie Mallory Amy Barrow Michael Kinsley Wayne Ives Dist. 1, Chair Dist. 2 Dist. 3 Dist. 4 Dist. 5 Staff Present: Gary Tennenbaum, Lindsey Utter, Paul Holsinger, Janet Urquhart, Kim Arensdorf, Richard Neiley, Jessie Young, Dale Will Others: Tim McFlynn Graeme Means called the meeting to order at 9:01 a.m. PUBLIC COMMENT Tim McFlynn commented on the success of the Dottie Fox Overlook and presented a donation and thank you letter from the Wilderness Workshop to Jessie Young. McFlynn said Open Space and Trails has extraordinary projects happening, including the $11 million that the county has committed to new open space and a conservation easement, and the wildlife study. McFlynn applauded the progress of the Dottie Fox Overlook, noting excellent work from Jessie Young, he stated that she was incredibly skillful and dedicated. McFlynn commented that Jessie put together a steering committee with the Fox children and everyone reached consensus on what would be the best place for it. The Dottie Fox overlook was a unique acquisition, a place for solitude honoring a visionary person, McFlynn said. The planning and partnering of this program has leveraged the restricted fund, private partners have allowed the program to do much more and going forward they can present more opportunities, McFlynn said. McFlynn urged staff to have a discussion about future project partnerships in an upcoming executive session. Graeme Means thanked Tim McFlynn for building this program and his continuing involvement. Gary Tennenbaum stated that staff would draft a letter thanking Wilderness Workshop, acknowledging the donors. Howie Mallory asked what the timeline was for completing the project and what would be accomplished by this spring. Jessie Young stated that because of this year's snowfall, landscaping will be pushed to next fall to give the plants the best chance for survival. She stated that the benches and plaque will be in place this spring which will allow for a gathering. Tim McFlynn left at 9:15 a.m. Dale Will entered the meeting at 9:20 a.m. 02/07/2019 OSTB Regular Session Minutes Page 1 of 5 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES Wayne Ives moved to approve the OSTB regular and executive session minutes of January 3, 2019 as amended. Howie Mallory seconded. Motion passed(5-0). Emma Townsite Steering Committee Gary Tennenbaum explained that he was working with Jon Peacock and the attorney's office to figure out what uses Open Space and Trails can contemplate for the Emma Townsite and also how to organize the steering committee. We want to make sure we get representation from the community, Tennenbaum said. Tennenbaum mentioned that only certain potential uses can be funded by Open Space and Trails,per the charter. Depending on what is suggested by the committee, OST can also lease the parcel to others. Tennenbaum discussed how the committee members will be selected, he stated that we are looking at nine members from the 40 that applied. Tennenbaum explained that our staff will send out a questionnaire for people who signed up for the committee, these responses will be forwarded to the board to make a recommendation to the BOCC. Tennenbaum proposed that the committee be made up with a Basalt Regional Heritage representative for the historical piece, a Town of Basalt representative, an Emma Caucus representative and six public representatives. He proposed that the Open Space and Trails Board choose the six public members at its March 5th meeting, then have the BOCC ratify that decision. Richard Neiley entered the meeting at 9:32 a.m. Lindsey Utter explained the questionnaire for the steering committee selection is intended to identify individuals who have the best interest of the buildings in mind rather than advocates for a specific use. Utter explained that the questionnaire will be sent through Survey Monkey. The responses will be due February 20t, they then will be distributed to the OSTB and then discussed at the next meeting on March 5th. Graeme Means asked if one of the board members should be on the committee and nominated Michael Kinsley. The board's representative should not have a vote on the committee, Tennenbaum said. Howie Mallory asked what the county is putting in the budget for the buildings. Mallory also asked what constraints are foreseeable for an implementable plan. Tennenbaum explained that OST has clear policies in place and certain ideas cannot be funded by OST per its charter. Michael Kinsley clarified that the funding from OST is constrained for this project depending on the chosen use. Dale Will noted there are some people who don't want the buildings used, but just kept as a historical site and others who want to repurpose these buildings for an ongoing use. 02/07/2019 OSTB Regular Session Minutes Page 2 of 5 Mallory asked if the Mather House will be included in the committee's deliberations. No, Tennenbaum said. Means asked for a date to review housing priorities for the Mather House. Tennenbaum said it would be a discussion item in April. Wayne Ives asked if the steering committee discussions will be open to the public. Yes, Utter said. Highlands Ranch Gary Tennenbaum provided an update as to where the BOCC is at in regards to Highlands Ranch. Tennenbaum mentioned previous concerns of OST in regards to protecting the open meadow on the property as it is very visible and has direct views to Highlands. The OSTB had previously asked the Coffey family, who owns the property, to put a conservation easement on the meadow area and they have now accepted, Tennenbaum said. The Coffey family is currently going through an application process for land-use approvals. Once the overall land-use plan is approved, the Coffey family will do a site plan to determine the conservation easement size. Two other pieces that OSTB asked for was the continuation of the recreation easement and a fishing access easement; the Coffey family was not interested in providing that, Tennenbaum said. The Coffey family is required to do an interpretive trail for the Highland Bavarian Lodge and they offered for OST to design. Tennenbaum said the Coffey family will propose $10k to the county now that a historical and recreation interpretive trail overlooking the lodge is involved. Tennenbaum commented that the conservation easement will not be heavily used, but will be a great way to overlook one of the first ski lodges in Colorado. Howie Mallory commented that it is important OST move positively to accomplish this conservation easement. Mallory asked if the trail could potentially be part of a trail corridor from Aspen to Ashcroft in the future. Tennenbaum commented that it is not the easiest area to do that in and that the trail would connect to the forest behind it for future potential. The key is to first acquire the private section and then propose it to the Forest Service, Tennenbaum said. Amy Barrow asked about a trail easement through Conundrum Creek Road and if that would cause other ramifications. Tennenbaum stated it is matter of asking for extra property if we want to build a trail connecting to Conundrum in the future. Graeme Means commented that the conservation easement provides great benefits to the OST, however he would like to see a trail connection with Conundrum Creek Road. Tennenbaum said there is potential cost negotiation with the Coffey family in regards to a trail easement. Means offered these observations: the conservation easements need to be clearly defined, leaving them as is to protect existing vegetation; when OST is conserving large areas the land owners need to maintain and manage it. Michael Kinsley asked if the board had already decided on this and what would disposition of the lodge be. Tennenbaum explained that no OST funding was input for this project and that it 02/07/2019 OSTB Regular Session Minutes Page 3 of 5 was a referral on land use applications. The property would be classified as historic, per Pitkin County historic guidelines, Tennenbaum said. BOARD AND STAFF COMMENTS Howie Mallory acknowledged the passing of Joy Caudill, he noted her grassroots work along with Dottie Fox and Connie Harvey. We are all very grateful for their work and how that contributed to the OST program, Mallory said. Mallory attended a presentation in Steamboat Springs,by the director of the Routt County Agriculture Alliance program, which works to preserve the local agriculture economy. Mallory stated that Steamboat Springs has their own Open Space acquisition program funded by a mil levy for conservation easements and a property development rights program. Mallory explained that someone can develop up to a certain amount of parcels through subdivision. Mallory mentioned that Steamboat's frost free days are 59-60, which is not a lot for agricultural production. The takeaway is that other valleys similar to Pitkin County deal with the same agricultural problems, Mallory said. Wayne Ives attended Naturalist Nights in Carbondale,put on by ACES and Wilderness Workshop. Ives stated that they were interesting talks about climate change effects to western forests, specifically on aspen forests. Ives provided an update on the Crystal River Restoration group. They have another meeting March 22nd, when they will be working on summary report of existing studies and providing a decision matrix to rank potential projects to focus on. The group will look at the drainage as a whole, there is an existing project in the works involving AVLT that will be used as a demonstration project and to engage the public. They will be sending a letter to Crystal Valley landowners about the riparian streambank restoration. Tennenbaum commented that one topic at the upcoming joint OSTB- HRSB meeting will be the science behind figuring out the impacts and/or benefits of restoration efforts. It will be important to collaborate with the water users on the Crystal River and make sure they are comfortable with the river potentially changing, Tennenbaum said. Janet Urquhart left at 10:12 a.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION The OSTB entered executive session at 10:14 a.m. in accordance with(CRS 24-6-402(4)(a)), (CRS 24-6-402 (4)(e)) and(CRS 24-6-402 (4)(b)) for the purpose of acquisitions, negotiations and attorney consultation. The OSTB adjourned the executive session at 2:04 p.m. BOARD ACTION Payne Property Acquisition Wayne Ives moved to recommend that the BOCC approve an expenditure of$1 million for the purchase of the Payne property. Michael Kinsley seconded. Motion passed(5-0). 02/07/2019 OSTB Regular Session Minutes Page 4 of 5 Sunfire Ranch CE Wayne Ives moved to recommend that the BOCC approve the expenditure of$8.9 million on the Sunfire Ranch Conservation Easement, subject to the later OSTB approval of a master plan and a clean title. Howie Mallory seconded. Motion passed (5-0) ADJOURN The OSTB Regular and Executive meetings of Feb. 7, 2019 adjourned at 2:04 p.m. Approved: Attest: G,. jeans, Chair Kim Arensdorf P ounty Open Space &Trails Board Pitkin County Open Space &Trails Administrative Specialist 02/07/2019 OSTB Regular Session Minutes Page 5 of 5