Chuckanut Community Forest Baseline Documentation Report draft October 13, 2015 Chuckanut Community Forest Baseline Documentation Report draft 10/13/15 Prepared for: Chuckanut Community Forest Park District PO Box 4283 Bellingham WA 98226 Prepared by: Ann Eissinger Common Futures LLC PO Box 2891 Corvallis OR 97339 www.commonfutures.biz Maps Prepared by: Chris Behee, GIS Specialist, City of Bellingham, Planning and Community Development Department 210 Lottie Street Bellingham WA 98225 Document Prepared In cooperation with the City of Bellingham Date of Completion: Photographs by: Ann Eissinger including file photos from Nahkeeta Northwest Table of Contents Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 3 1. Conservation Easement Certification ................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Conservation Easement Summary ................................................................................................ 1 1.2. Baseline Documentation Report Definition and Purpose ............................................................. 1 1.3. Certification Statement and Signatures ........................................................................................ 2 2. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 4 2.1. Quick Reference Fact Sheet .......................................................................................................... 5 3. Background Information ....................................................................................................................... 7 3.1. Description and Location ............................................................................................................ 10 3.2. Property History .......................................................................................................................... 10 4. Conservation Easement Summary and Purpose ................................................................................. 13 4.1. Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 13 4.2. Conservation Easement Purpose and Values ............................................................................. 13 4.3. Conservation Easement Reserved Rights and Permitted Uses ................................................... 14 4.4. Conservation Easement Restrictions .......................................................................................... 14 5. Current Baseline Conditions ............................................................................................................... 15 5.1. Property Ownership and Access ................................................................................................. 16 5.1.1. Ownership ........................................................................................................................... 16 5.1.2. Access .................................................................................................................................. 18 5.2. Parcel and Corner Descriptions, with Title Details...................................................................... 21 5.2.1. Parcel Descriptions .............................................................................................................. 22 5.2.2. Corner Descriptions ............................................................................................................ 26 5.3. Landuse – Current Use and Zoning ............................................................................................. 39 5.4. Proximity to Conservation Areas ................................................................................................ 42 5.5. Manmade and Structural Features ............................................................................................. 45 6. Natural Features and Conditions ........................................................................................................ 47 6.1. Natural Features Table ................................................................................................................ 47 6.2. Physical Features and Conditions ............................................................................................... 49 6.3. Biological Features and Conditions ............................................................................................. 70 6.3.1. Forest, Plants and Fungi ...................................................................................................... 71 6.3.2. Wildlife and Habitats ........................................................................................................... 81 6.3.3. Wetlands and Buffers .......................................................................................................... 89 7. Site Disturbances, Monitoring and Planning ...................................................................................... 93 7.1. Temporary Disturbances and Impacts ........................................................................................ 94 7.2. Monitoring and Stewardship ...................................................................................................... 97 7.3. Master Planning .......................................................................................................................... 97 8. Conservation Easement Responsible Parties and Contact Information Page .................................. 100 9. Preparer Qualifications and Contact Information ............................................................................ 101 10. References .................................................................................................................................... 102 11. Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 105 11.1. Comparable Examples of Selected Uses per Conservation Easement Part IV w/................. 106 11.2. Species Lists – Plants, Birds, Mammals ................................................................................. 114 12. Legal Information .......................................................................................................................... 125 12.1. Copy of Conservation Easement ........................................................................................... 126 12.2. Copy of Interlocal Agreement ............................................................................................... 141 12.3. Title Documents .................................................................................................................... 149 List of Maps Map 1: Location........................................................................................................................................... 7 Map 2: Location ........................................................................................................................................... 8 Map 3: USGS 7.5 Series Topographic Map .................................................................................................. 9 Map 4: Ownership ..................................................................................................................................... 15 Map 5: Access Points ................................................................................................................................. 17 Map 6: Parcels ........................................................................................................................................... 21 Map 7: Property Corners ........................................................................................................................... 25 Map 8: Zoning and Landuse ...................................................................................................................... 39 Map 9: Conservation Areas ....................................................................................................................... 42 Map 10: Bellingham Parks Open Space Corridors ...................................................................................... 44 Map 11: Manmade Structures .................................................................................................................. 45 Map 12: Topography ................................................................................................................................. 50 Map 13: Geology ....................................................................................................................................... 52 Map 14: Soils ............................................................................................................................................ 55 Map 15: Hydrology .................................................................................................................................... 58 Map 16: Wetland Hydrology – Water Movement ..................................................................................... 61 Map 17: Vegetation Cover Type ............................................................................................................... 71 Map 18: Wetland Buffers .........................................................................................................................