REGULAR SESSION PACKET MATERIALS
January 21, 2016
OPEN SPACE AND TRAILS BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Plaza One Meeting Room; 530 E. Main St., Aspen
OSTB REGULAR SESSION PACKET
First Quarter Update on 2016 Projects – Memo
2016 Administrative Action Plan – Memo and 2016 Plan
Bionaz Gulch / Lazy Glen Open Space – Memo
Lazy Glen Open Space Management Plan Process Schedule
OST Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
DATE:
CC:
Open Space and Trails Board
Gary Tennenbaum
First Quarter Update on 2016 Projects
Jan 21, 2016
Dale Will
Lazy Glen Open Space Management Plan
The first public open house was held January 14th at Basalt Town Hall with 18 people attending.
This was a great turnout and staff received very detailed comments on everything from ag to
recreation. The next open house in January 18th at Lazy Glen and OST will have an interpreter
to help with any Spanish speaking residents. The planning process for Lazy Glen is attached.
Staff is working with our engineer, SGM, concurrent with the Lazy Glen Management plan for
bridge design options with costs. Staff is working with SGM on a timeline for completion of
design options.
Castle Creek Trail
OST staff has been informed by the City that the planning funds for the Castle Creek Trail were
not budgeted in 2016. Dale and Gary are going to be working with City staff to determine what
action needs to happen to reengage the City in the planning process and costs. Without City
participation in both planning and funding OST staff feels this planning process needs to be put
on hold till a discussion can occur at the BOCC and Council level. The City Open Space Board
late last year made a determination that the Castle Creek Trail was a priority. More info to
come.
Crystal Trail
Staff is still waiting to hear the official word about the Crystal Trail being included in the 16 for
16 initiative. If selected, staff will learn what is entailed in making the list and report back to
OST Memorandum
the OSTB and BOCC. No changes to our STAP are made right now since it is too early to tell
what will be involved by making the list. Much more to come.
Upper Roaring Fork Valley Trails Plan
City and County staff are significantly changing the current draft with the hope that it will be
ready for public release in March. What staff has realized through the public process and in
coordination with the Skico and Forest Service is that many short and medium term projects
are already covered in existing plans. The current draft has too much overlap with existing
plans and has trail alignments that have already been amended. The plan needs to reflect what
future projects are necessary to provide better connectivity and trail options that both the City
and County can partner to complete.
North Star
Planning for an education and media campaign for river use began in December with staff from
ACES, the City and County. Our consultants are working to prepare a full-scale media and
signage plan to launch in May 2016. We are working with the private landowners along the
Roaring Fork in this area to include their property in the campaign. OST is also working with
ACES on a naturalist program for North Star and the put-in to provide more visitor information.
The County and City are partnering to prepare a River Management Plan for the entire stretch
from the top of Independence Pass through the City of Aspen. The City had this planning effort
funded for 2016 so it made sense to include the planning for North Star in this larger planning
effort. OST, Healthy Rivers and Streams and Community Development will be participating in
the planning. The City has an RFP out for this work and the County will be part of the selection
process.
OST Memorandum
River Access planning is also underway with OST and CDOT working on ROW mapping and the
County working with their design consultants on the plans for better parking and access options
for the takeout and beach access area.
OST is also working with the FS on agreements to allow the County to manage and enforce at
the Wildwood put-in. OST will be creating simple designs that can be implemented under
management of the put-in avoiding NEPA for now on a larger project. This will address the
parking area and potential turn around for this summer. Longer term planning will ensue to
figure out a way for the County to manage the entire put-in. On enforcement the County is
working with the law enforcement staff from the FS to determine how OST rangers can enforce
regulations on FS lands. We thought it could be easy to add our rangers to an existing
agreement the County Sheriff has with the FS, but the rangers are not state peace officers so
other options are being explored. Gary met with Joey to discuss additional deputy presence at
Wildwood and Joey agreed to help this summer, especially during the July 4th holiday and on
hot summer weekends.
Hunter Creek/Smuggler Cooperative Plan
The prescribed burn planning for the Hunter Creek Valley is moving forward and with favorable
weather this can be a reality. Staffs from OST, City, Aspen Fire, FS, ACES, and Wilderness
Workshop are almost complete with a media campaign to be launched in February. The
amount of cooperation from the above agencies has been tremendous and hopefully this will
turn into a successful burn in April/May.
City and County staff are working on a Stewardship Agreement with the FS to include all future
land management and trail projects so we can plan the next 5-10 years of projects and get
them implemented in a timely manner. All trail and forestry projects will be reviewed this
summer with FS specialists so we can have a comprehensive plan moving forward.
OST Memorandum
Filoha Meadows
The prescribed burn in the Filoha/Avalanche Creek area is planned again for this spring if the
weather cooperates.
Glassier Ranch Open Space
The equestrian and bike/hike trails will be bid out this winter with construction beginning in
May after the seasonal closure has been lifted. Staff is working on the final mapping to be put
in the RFP and will share this with the OSTB when completed.
The parking area and soft-surface trail adjacent to the Rio has been approved by RFTA and OST
will finalize the design to go to bid for construction in the summer.
Continued ag and irrigation improvements are also planned for 2016.
Sky Mountain Park
The trail connection from the upper Rim Trail will go to bid with the Glassier Trails for
construction this spring/summer. This is a joint project with the Town of Snowmass Village.
OST with the Town will embark on a major noxious weed project on the Town and County lands
on the Upper North Mesa/Seven Star side of Sky Mountain Park this summer.
The County will be involved with the Cozy Point Ranch Management plan this year to analyze
the connection for trails and ag to Cozy Point South and other properties in the Roaring Fork
Gorge.
East of Aspen Trail
Some serious issues have emerged with the East of Aspen Trail. Five piers have uplifted
anywhere from 1-4 feet and two trees have come down significantly damaging the boardwalk.
OST is working with contractors and the boardwalk has been temporarily repaired for safe
OST Memorandum
passage and snow load this winter. In the spring work will commence to fully repair the
structure.
ADA and width of trail improvements will continue in the spring to bring the entire trail into
compliance with ADA and provide a width of 6-8 feet.
New Resource Manager
HR is putting the position announcement together to release hopefully by the time of our OSTB
meeting. Staff, especially me, is looking forward to getting major help in making everything
listed above a reality, especially since the list above is just things in the first quarter and early
spring!
Rio Grande Trail
Some great news to share regarding the Rio Grande Trail. The Rio Grande Trail has been
nominated for the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame. Staff received the following email
from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. We may be asking some board members to assist with
interviews and your help getting votes.
“I’m delighted to share the news that the Rio Grande Trail may become the next inductee in
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame! The year 2016 will mark RTC’s 30th anniversary and,
in celebration of the occasion, we’re launching a public vote for the 30th entry into our RailTrail Hall of Fame. Your trail is among one of only five in country to be selected by our staff as a
Hall of Fame nominee. RTC began recognizing exemplary rail-trails across the country in 2007,
but this is the first time we’ve had a public vote for our Hall of Fame. Inductees are selected on
merits such as scenic value, high use, trail and trailside amenities, historical significance,
excellence in management and maintenance of facility, community connection, and geographic
distribution. Our staff nominated your trail because we felt it met all of those qualifications. We
welcome your participation in the process. Over the next five months, each of the trail
OST Memorandum
nominees will receive a special “Trail of the Month” feature story in our e-newsletter to
introduce our audience of 160,000 members and supporters to your trail’s unique traits and
importance to the community. Voting will commence in early June and we will alert you at that
time, so that you can share the voting link on your website, newsletter, social media, or in other
ways. We hope this will be a fun and friendly competition and provide a terrific opportunity for
publicity and national attention for your trail! The winner of the vote will be announced when
the voting closes a few weeks later, and will receive additional benefits such as special Hall of
Fame signage for the trail, assistance planning and promoting a celebratory event, and a story
in our nationally distributed Rails to Trails magazine.”
OST Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
DATE:
OSTB
Dale Will
Draft Administrative Action Plan
January 21, 2015
As provided in the Open Space Board’s Directors Goals dated August 20, 2015, please find
attached a draft of an Administrative Action Plan (AAP). I have endeavored to include all the
items listed in the goals, as well as others that have come up in discussion. Please note also
the note included by “Unfinished Business.” My understanding, based on the Board’s
discussion in October of 2015 during the adoption of the Stewardship and Trails Action Plan is
that the combination of AAP and STAP collectively supersedes our former list of “unfinished
business.”
Staff have not had an opportunity to view the draft AAP and may have additional comments
and suggestions. Our goal for today’s meeting should be for the OSTB to identify any items or
timing it wishes to modify, and to remand this to staff for review and potential adoption at the
first meeting in February.
Draft Aministrative Action Plan
2016
Project Name
Cost Management Plan
Stategic Long Term Budget Plan
Title 12 Updates
Direction
Board Direction
Board Direction
Type
Policy
Estimated Start
Project Lead
Date
Notes
Summer 2016
We have many informal cost reduction strategiesthis will seek to make those explicit
Unfinished Business
Financial
Legal/Legislative
Done
DW, GT and JA
2016?
DW until referred.
Friends after
BOCC to decide on 1/29
This was completed in 2015
OSTB/BOCC
Board Direction
Working Agreements
Much depends on the choice of when to seek
reauthoriztion. Board direction needed in regard
to how much was completed in the 2016 Budget
Packet. Retreat topic?
Step 1 was the
2016 Budget
Review
DW and GT
Voter Referendum
Reauthorization
DW and GT
DW and staff
See 1/21/16 memo- this should be superceded by
STAP and AAP
Annual
DW
Updates done in 2015. Annual checkin.
Planning
Policy
With the commercial use and OST master plan
sections in 2014, and general updates in 2015, staff
believe this is current.
Staff Evals
County HR Reqt.
HR
Ongoing
Managers (DW, GT,
Current- next due June as per County reqts.
JA and BG
Wildlife Policy
Board Direction
Policy
2016 Spring
DW and GT
As proposed in response to Kevin Wright
DW and GT
This will seek standards for accepting cost of
federal land stewardship
Federal Lands Policy
Board Direction
Policy
2016 Spring
OST Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
DATE:
CC:
Open Space and Trails Board
Gary Tennenbaum
Bionaz Gulch/Lazy Glen Open Space
Jan 21, 2016
Dale Will
With the pending purchase of Bionaz Gulch in February the Open Space staff requests that the
Open Space Board close the property to public use pending the outcome of the Lazy Glen
Management Plan. Currently, the Lazy Glen Management Plan is being created with public
input and access to Bionaz Gulch will be determined in the plan.
Staff will work with the public, BLM, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife to determine the impacts
for public access. The area is mapped as elk and deer winter range as well as elk sever winter
range and elk summer range, so it would prudent to close the property in the winter and let the
management planning process determine if and when access can be accommodated.
Staff Recommendation: OSTB make a motion to close the Bionaz Gulch property to public
access on date of acquisition.
Lazy Glen Open Space
Planificación Cronología
Desarrollo del Plan de
Proyecto
Comience alcance público para
el desarrollo de un Proyecto de Plan
ENERO 11th, 2016, 5-7pm
Los residentes de Glen perezoso" Open
House @ Perezoso Glen Sala de reuniones
ENERO 14th, 2016, 5-7pm
Open House @ Ayuntamiento de basalto
ENERO 20th, 2016
COMENTARIO PÚBLICO POR
ENERO 29th, 2016
FEB 4th, 2016
Personal presenta el Proyecto de
Plan de Espacio Abierto y Trails
Junta para su revisión y comentario
FEB 18th, 2016
Staff presents the updated Draft
Plan to the Open Space and Trails
Board for review and public release
MAR 7th, 2016, 5-7pm
Lazy Glen Residentes de la casa abierta
de revisar y comentar sobre el proyecto de
Plan de @ Lazy Glen Sala de reuniones
MAR 10th, 2016, 5-7pm
Proyecto de Plan de la casa abierta
@ Basalto Ayuntamiento
ABR 8th, 2016
COMENTARIOS DEL PLAN DE PROYECTO POR
ABR 15th, 2016
Personal presenta el proyecto de
Plan de final al paquete Junta OSTB
Personal presenta el Proyecto de
Plan de Espacio Abierto y Trails
Junta para su revisión y comentario
MAYO 5th, 2016
Plan de adopción por el
Consejo OST
JAN 11th, 2016 5-7pm
Lazy Glen Residents’ Open House @
Lazy Glen Meeting Room
JAN 14th, 2016 5-7pm
Open House @ Basalt Town Hall
JAN 20th, 2016
PUBLIC COMMENT DUE
JAN 29th, 2016
Staff submits Draft Plan for Board
Packet
FEB 4th, 2016
Staff presents the Draft Plan to
the Open Space and Trails Board
for review and comment
FEB 18th, 2016
Staff presents the updated Draft Plan
to the Open Space and Trails Board for
review and public release
MAR 7th, 2016, 5-7pm
Lazy Glen Residents’ Open House
to review and comment on Draft
Plan @ Lazy Glen Meeting Room
MAR 10th, 2016, 5-7pm
Draft Plan Open House @ Basalt
Town Hall
APR 8th, 2016
DRAFT PLAN COMMENTS DUE
APR 15th, 2016
Staff submits draft of Final Plan to
OSTB Board packet
APR 21st , 2016
Staff presents the Draft Plan to
the Open Space and Trails Board
for review and comment
MAY 5th, 2016
Plan adoption by the OST
Board
Final Plan
Plan Final
ABR 21st, 2016
Begin public outreach for
development of a Draft Plan
Draft Plan Public Comment
Proyecto de Plan de Comentarios Públicos
Personal presenta Proyecto de
Plan de Paquete Junta
JANUARY
Draft Plan Development
ENERO
PlanningTimeline