> Boards & Commissions > Environmental Advisory Board > Issues > Serenade Park  

ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD

 

Post Office Box 1190

Fort Collins, Colorado  80522-1190

 

2.03 Serenade Park

 

v      Basis for EAB Involvement:

 

EAB has an interest in development activities that are potentially harmful to the ecosystem of an area, as well as preservation of existing wildlife corridors and open lands throughout Larimer County.

 

v      Overview:

 

Serenade Park is a proposed amphitheater with seating for up to 9,000 people, community park, wildlife preserve and botanical garden located along US 34 west of Loveland. The site encompasses 1455 acres of land, 240 of which would comprise the amphitheater complex. The remaining land would be placed into a conservation easement.

 

In order to allow Serenade Park to be developed, zoning of the property needs to be changed from FA-1 (Farming-Agricultural) to T-Tourist. The owner of the property has indicated that if she does not obtain the zoning change required to build Serenade Park, she will sell the property to a developer – leading to the potential of the entire 1455 acres being developed into housing units. There is also concern that by allowing the zoning change for Serenade Park, it will lead to further rezoning and development in the area.

 

Concerns have been voiced regarding the degradation of winter and summer grazing ranges of large mammals, travel corridors between the mountains and the foothills for wildlife, the introduction of non-native plant species into a sensitive transitional ecosystem, impacts on area fauna, including birds, prairie dogs, etc., the degradation of area wetlands which would be altered or moved, and the vistas currently present at the mouth of the Big Thompson Canyon. Other potential impacts include quality of storm water during construction and as an operating venue – especially related to runoff into the Big Thompson River, air quality during construction (windblown dust), and a large influx of people into the area; which can tax water resources, add ambient noise, increase traffic, and increase waste and sewage into a small region.

 

It is unclear if developing Serenade Park will fit into Larimer County’s Master Plan regarding land use in that area.

 

v      Priority (High / Medium / Low): Medium/High

 

v      Goals:

Ø      Identify potential environmental hazards associated with developing the site.

 

Ø      Follow progress of the rezoning request through the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners.

 

Ø      Develop a position statement regarding EAB’s recommendation on the development of Serenade Park.

 

Ø      Assist the Planning Department in ensuring Serenade Park, or the subsequent housing development, falls within the vision of the County Master Plan.

 

v      Issues / Opportunities:

Ø      The environmental impact from a 9,000 seat amphitheater could be significant, including traffic congestion, management of sewage, usage of water for people and to support a large botanical garden, increases in ambient noise which may negatively impact wildlife, and habitat destruction of wetlands and grazing land as well as travel corridors for deer, elk, and bighorn sheep in the region.

 

Ø      As proposed, Serenade Park would provide a conservation easement for 1255 acres of land in a visible, community accessible area.

 

Ø      The opportunity exists for education of the community, developer, planning commission, and Board of County Commissioners on the potential impacts of development in the region, balanced with the proposed conservation easement vs. potential housing developments of the entire property.

 

v       Milestones/Highlights:

 

Milestone

Initiation Date

Reviewed Date(s)

Activity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Specific Action Items:

 

 

Item

 

Responsible

 

Target Date

 

Status / Date

1

Acquire appropriate reports regarding impacts to wetlands, air quality, runoff, noise pollution, solid waste, etc. as pertinent to the Serenade Park proposal.

 

Van Eden, Zawacki

 

May 15, 2004

 

 

2

Develop a position statement regarding the Serenade Park proposal, presented to the BCC.

 

EAB

 

June,2004

 

 

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