Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services PR&CS Administration 1401 Recreation Way Colorado Springs, CO 80905 Agenda Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Advisory Board Please silence your phone during the meeting. Thursday, November 8, 2018 7:30 am Palmer Room Call to Order Citizen Discussion Time for any individual to bring before the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board any matter of interest they wish to discuss that is not elsewhere on the agenda. Comments are restricted to three (3) minutes; you will hear an alarm when your time is up. Please contact PR&CS staff no later than the last Wednesday of the month prior if you wish to place a longer presentation on the agenda. Approval of Minutes- October 11, 2018 Minutes are posted no later than 5:00pm on the Tuesday before the meeting at: https://coloradosprings.gov/city-council/page/parks-and-recreation-advisory-board Ceremonial items (7:30 a.m. time certain) Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates – Stephanie’s Trail Bridge and Lake David Deitemeyer Moraine Trail Presentations Strawberry Hill Master Plan Update Chris Lieber Corral Bluffs BioBlitz Britt Haley Staff Reports Regional Parks, Trails and Open Space Update Scott Abbott Pikes Peak Summit House Update Jack Glavan Water Conservation and Usage Update Eric Becker Prospect Lake Update Kim King Adjournment Board Business COLORADO SPRINGS PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD ___________________________________________________________________________ Date: November 8, 2018 Item Number: Presentation Item # 1 Item Name: Strawberry Hill Master Plan Update BACKGROUND: At its May 2018 meeting, the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Advisory Board reviewed and approved a park development master plan submitted by N.E.S. on behalf of the Broadmoor Hotel for the Strawberry Hill property. The approved plan included a site design for the 8.5 acre building envelope on the property featuring a small equestrian facility. N.E.S. has submitted a modified site plan for the 8.5 acre building envelope. No material changes are included, however the placement of structures within the building envelope has been modified to capture better views of Mount Muscoco, produce a more appealing trail experience and to further minimize site disturbance. This presentation provides an update for that site plan. CURRENT STATUS: This presentation provides an update concerning the site plan for the 8.5 acre building envelope proposed as part of the approved park master plan. No additional structures are proposed, however the approved elements have been repositioned within the building envelope for an improved site plan. In this modification, the cabin/stable is repositioned within the building envelope to the west end of the stable area to separate it from the tackroom and paddock area which is located on the east end of the building envelope. The modifications will result in the equestrian facility being less visible from Mesa Avenue which responds to public comment received during the property’s master plan process. This results in a better sight line looking west toward the cabin to capture the view of Mount Muscoco directly behind the cabin. It produces a better experience for trail users on the South Canon/Chamberlain Trail by providing visual relief across the paddock area which was previously obstructed by the tackroom and stable structure. Finally, the updated positioning of the cabin and tackroom reduces site disturbance by better utilizing previously disturbed land and by reducing the number and height of retaining walls. Master Plan Update Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Advisory Board Meeting November 8, 2018 MP Update • Open Space – No changes proposed • Group Picnic Area – No changes proposed • Stables Area – Update • Minor modification to current approved Master Plan • Program elements remain the same • Stable/cabin building is relocated to west end of stable area • Horse corral/tack room is relocated with east end of stable area Equestrian Stable Area Current Approved Plan Update MP Update Re-orientation of Equestrian Stable Area • The update identifies a responsible land use plan for the equestrian stable area: • Stays within Building/Development Envelope • Less visible from Mesa Avenue • Reduced grading and site disturbance • Enhanced South Canyon Trail experience • Enhanced equestrian experience Update Equestrian Stable Area Cabin North Elevation View to West Corral and Tack Room West Elevation North Elevation Summary • The update identifies a responsible land use plan for the equestrian stable area: • Conforms with the PK (Parks) Zone • Consistent with the terms of the Land Exchange Agreement • Meets requirements of the Conservations Easement • Stays within Building/Development Envelope • Less visible from Mesa Avenue • Reduces grading and site disturbance • Enhances South Canyon Trail experience • Enhances equestrian experience COLORADO SPRINGS PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD ___________________________________________________________________________ Date: November 8, 2018 Item Number: Presentation Item # 2 Item Name: 2018 BioBlitz Presentation Summary: For the 20th Anniversary of the TOPS Program, BioBlitzes were completed on four (4) TOPS properties in 2017. For 2018, Sharon Milito and our wonderful scientists were willing to volunteer for another TOPS BioBlitz. The recently acquired 80 acre parcel located at the Corral Bluffs Open Space was chosen for the event which was on Saturday, September 8th and Sunday, September 9th. During this year’s BioBlitz, a total of 1250 species were observed by 18 scientists with 501 species documented on iNaturalist. A special “thank you” to Sharon Milito for volunteering her skills and talent to organize and run the event, to Christi Mehew for organizing the details to make it enjoyable and for the TOPS Ranger Team for providing public hikes and informative subject matter talks while the scientists searched for and documented species. Background: A BioBlitz, is an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area. Groups of scientists, naturalists and volunteers conduct an intensive field study over a continuous time period. In 2017, the first four BioBlitzes of TOPS properties were conducted to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of the TOPS Program and to gather data for future use. In 2018, we decided to conduct another BioBlitz because the science teams and Sharon Milito who leads the BioBlitz activities were willing to return and do this again for a TOPS property. The Corral Bluffs Open Space was chosen for this year’s BioBlitz because of ongoing purchases of Corral Bluffs property by the City, and to collect explicit ecological data for use in future master planning. Our objectives are to use this information to help create a baseline of resource information with which to develop future natural and cultural resources and public use management strategies. Science teams were led by and represented by specialists from several regional establishments according to their specialty. • Mammals Fort Carson- Roger Peyton; Bats: Colorado Parks & Wildlife- April Estep • Birds Aiken Audubon Society: Anna Joy Lehmicke • Botany Melissa McCormick • Mycology Ed Lebow and Ikuko Lebow; Colorado Mycological Society- Vera Evenson • Insects Mile High Bug Club- Eric Eaton, Heidi Eaton, Bell Mead • Reptiles and Amphibians Lauren Livo; US Fish & Wildlife Service- Max Canestorp • Education and General TOPS Stewardship Rangers. 2018 Corral Bluffs Open Space Bioblitz Report Presented to City of Colorado Springs TOPS Working Committee Parks Advisory Board November 7 and 8, 2018 By Sharon Milito Science Education Consultant Abstract Due to the success of the 2017 TOPS 20th Anniversary Celebration series of bioblitzes, another bioblitz was conducted at a City of Colorado Springs property in 2018. This event was at Corral Bluffs Open Space on September 8-9. Most of the same biologists that formed last year’s science team continued in 2018. A total of 1,250 observations were recorded on iNaturalist by 18 people yielding 501 different species. Introduction Corral Bluffs Open Space was chosen for this year’s bioblitz because of ongoing purchases of Corral Bluffs property by the City, and to collect explicit ecological data for use in future master planning. Science teams were led by and represented by specialists from several regional establishments according to their specialty. • Mammals Fort Carson- Roger Peyton; Bats: Colorado Parks and Wildlife- April Estep • Birds Aiken Audubon Society: Anna Joy Lehmicke • Botany Melissa McCormick • Insects Mile High Bug Club- Eric Eaton, Bell Mead • Reptiles and Amphibians Lauren Livo; US Fish & Wildlife Service- Max Canestorp • Education and General TOPS Stewardship Rangers The bioblitz was scheduled for September 8-9, however some teams surveyed the area on earlier dates or on more than one occasion. Each team determined their field time and team members. Public hikes were held on Saturday and Sunday and several local organizations set up tables for the public on Saturday morning. Environment The environment of Corral Bluffs is unique in the region. Primarily shortgrass and mixed grass prairie ecosystems, the bluffs create a micro-climate semi-desert habitat due to erosion, slope, soil, and orientation. Temperatures at Corral Bluffs can be 10 degrees warmer than in the city of Colorado Springs, or can feel significantly