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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.08 Vegetation Management CommentsMEMORANDUM To: Fred Jarman From: Steve Anthony Re: Comments on the Hunt Ranch Sketch Plan Date: May 1, 2006 Thanks for the opportunity to comment on the Sketch Plan. My comments are as follows: Noxious Weeds Revegetation Inventory and mapping -The applicant shall map and inventory the property for Garfield County listed noxious weeds and one State listed plant, Absinth wormwood. Weed Management -The applicant shall provide a weed management plan for the inventoried noxious weeds. This area is known to have Russian knapweed, plumeless thistle, whitetop, and absinth wormwood. It would be a benefit to county -wide noxious weed efforts if the applicant would implement a weed management program prior to the start of the project. This would help reduce some of the seed spread into future disturbed areas. Staff requests that the applicant verify that weed management is implemented by providing treatment records prior to June 30, 2006. Please send treatment records to: Garfield County Vegetation Management POB 426 Rifle CO 81650 Common area weed management- Staff requests that the applicant should detail how the common areas will be managed for noxious weeds and designate a responsible party. Covenants -Weed management needs to be addressed in covenants. The language should remind each lot owner that it is their responsibility under the Colorado Noxious Weed Act and the Garfield County Weed Management Plan to manage County -listed noxious weeds and State -listed noxious weeds. The revised Revegetation Guidelines from the Garfield County Weed Management Plan (adopted on May 7, 2001) calls for the following: Soil Plan A. Plant material list. B. Planting schedule. C. A map of the areas impacted by soil disturbances (outside of the building envelopes). D. A revegetation bond or security at Preliminary Plan and prior to Final Plat. The applicant shall provide a plant material list and planting schedule. Please provide a map or information, prior to final plat that quantifies the area, in terms of acres, to be disturbed and subsequently reseeded on road cut and utility disturbances. This information will help determine the amount of security that will held for revegetation. The security shall be held by Garfield County until vegetation has been successfully reestablished according to the attached Reclamation Standards. The Board of County Commissioners will designate a member of their staff to evaluate the reclamation prior to the release of the security. The Revegetation Guidelines also request that the applicant provide a Soil Management Plan that includes: Provisions for salvaging on-site topsoil. A timetable for eliminating topsoil and/or aggregate piles. A plan that provides for soil cover if any disturbances or stockpiles will sit exposed for a period of 90 days or more. Rare plant occurrences The globally rare plant, Harrington's penstemon (Penstemon harringtonii) may be present in the project area. Staff requests that the applicant contact a qualified plant ecologist or botanist to conduct field surveys to determine if Harrington's penstemon is located on the property. If present, the locations shall be identified in general terms as they pertain to building envelopes. This plant is ranked globally as a G3 and statewide as an S3 by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP). This means that the plant, according to CNHP is "vulnerable through its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). This plant is found exclusively in Colorado and is known to be only in 37 locations centered around Edwards in Eagle County.