Tag: buffer

City of Loveland Seeks to Build Bike Trail Near Golden Eagle Nest Site

We’ve been alerted by our sister conservation organization Front Range Nesting Bald Eagle Studies (FRNBES) that the City of Loveland is seeking to build a bike trail within 1/3 of a mile of the nest of a pair of Golden Eagles. Normally, Golden Eagles nest along cliff ledges, but this pair is rare in that they’ve chosen a tree as a nesting spot. They are the only documented tree-nesting Golden Eagle pair on the northern Colorado Front Range.
 
Colorado Parks and Wildlife guidelines call for maintaining a buffer of at least a 1/2 mile between trails and an eagle nest. Encroaching within 1/3 of a mile is likely to cause nest disturbance and, potentially, nest failure.  
 
For further information about this issue and how to send in your comments, please go to the FRNBES website: https://frontrangeeagles.org/2022/01/13/call-to-protect-rare-tree-nesting-golden-eagles-in-loveland-colorado.
 

Land Development Code Updates Open For Public Comments

The City of Longmont is currently updating its Land Development Code (chapter 15 of the Longmont Municipal Code) and taking public comment. Comments can be submitted to the Longmont Planning and Development Services Department via phone by calling 303-651-8330, via email by writing to longmont.planning@longmontcolorado.gov or by filling out this online form.

The Land Development Code contains requirements relating to development in the city, including the 150-foot setback for development/redevelopment along St. Vrain Creek and minimizing light pollution in areas of important wildlife habitat. The entire Municipal Code, including the Land Development Code can be read here.

Though these are good first steps, the Land Development Code’s protections for St. Vrain Creek and other sensitive wildlife habitats within the city could be strengthened by:

  • Expressly prohibiting artificial lighting within Longmont’s greenways, open spaces, and riparian corridors;
  • Establishing light fixture shielding requirements and vegetation buffers to minimize the impacts of light and noise pollution from nearby development on greenways, open spaces, and riparian corridors;
  • Restricting building heights adjacent to riparian areas; and
  • Minimizing the amount of impervious materials that contribute to storm-water runoff (e.g. concrete sidewalks and parking lots) near streams and other bodies of water.

We urge you to submit comments in support of stronger protections for Longmont’s natural areas, especially the St. Vrain Creek riparian corridor.