1.4 Magnolia Environmental Preservation Plan

1.4.1 Purpose of MEPP

PUMA has historically interacted in governmental planning processes on an issue-specific basis. In order to develop an organized and comprehensive framework for this effort, PUMA initiated the Magnolia Environmental Preservation Plan (MEPP) in 1997. MEPP provides a basis for predictable, proactive interaction with regulatory agencies, interest groups, and property owners as opposed to reacting to individual land use and land management proposals. MEPP supports responsible action in both the public and private sectors of the Magnolia area. In the public sector, MEPP provides for effective consideration of the goals of PUMA and residents by the local, state, and federal planning agencies that control land use in the Magnolia area. In the private sector, MEPP provides direction for responsible stewardship of private lands. In both cases, MEPP has developed a long-term plan that contributes to the preservation of the natural and cultural resources that exist in the Magnolia area and is consistent with community interests.

In 1998 PUMA received a SSmart Growth Award from Colorado Governor Roy Romer for the MEPP planning process (see fig. 1.1).

Figure 1.1 PUMA representatives Scott Reuman and Bay Roberts receiving the Smart growth Award from Governor Roy Romer, Summer 1998.

1.4.2 MEPP Development Process and Work Plan

The MEPP work plan was developed by PUMA and executed by the MEPP Steering Committee. The work plan was based on three tasks. The first task was issues scoping and grouping of issues into resource domains. Based upon this task, the following resource domains were developed:

• Geology, Mineral Resources and Geologic Hazards
• Water Resources, Hydrology and Hydrogeology
• Vegetation and Ecosystems
• Wildlife
• Cultural Resources
• Public Recreation
• Resources
• Scenic Resources
• Transportation
• Denver International Airport Noise Pollution
• Land Use Planning

The second task was developing reports on each of the resource domains. The work plan applied the following nine steps to each resource domain:

Step One Identify and collect resource information, including applicable governmental regulations and planning policies.

Step Two Identify data gaps in the resource information.

Step Three Conduct fieldwork to provide supplemental, site-specific information and address data gaps, if possible.

This step included the identification and documentation of significant resources. These data were used to support and substantiate the goals and recommendations of MEPP.

Step Four Draft resource domain reports.

Step Five Develop PUMA's vision and desired future conditions statements.

Vision statements are generalized value statements of how a specific resource should be preserved and maintained. Desired future conditions statements are directed at specific issues, may reference particular standards and policies, and may suggest particular actions in order to successfully resolve an issue.

Step Six Review existing governmental planning policies and develop formal MEPP recommendations.

This step includes development of recommendations for new public planning policies in order to achieve the vision and desired future conditions statements.

Step Seven Write final report.

Step Eight Formal approval of MEPP by PUMA and the Magnolia Community.

Step Nine Boulder County adoption of MEPP, by reference, into the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan.

By means of formal adoption, community goals are officially recognized. Adoption of MEPP by Boulder County also contributes to recognition by the National Forest Service, since Boulder County and the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests have agreed to jointly implement their comprehensive plans.

The third task was public review of MEPP. The MEPP Steering Committee carefully reviewed the product of step five, development of vision and desired future condition statements, and step six, development of recommendations and new policies. Because public policy implications were contained in this portion of MEPP, this product was reviewed at a PUMA general membership meeting (May 4, 1998), and an open neighborhood meeting hosted by PUMA (June 18, 1998). Many constructive comments were received at these forums, and the statements and recommendations were revised to incorporate these comments.

MEPP also anticipates a continuing task by PUMA for ongoing cooperation and conversation between residents themselves and between these residents and other interest groups and agencies. This task is intended to keep MEPP viable as a tool for community planning, education and action.

1.4.3 MEPP Product

By completing MEPP, PUMA is reaching consensus about what are the most urgent and important issues and prioritizing its efforts. This creates the opportunity to address each issue in a more timely, efficient and comprehensive manner. Directed internally within PUMA, MEPP has identified projects to be carried out by PUMA in all of the resource domains (listed as the first set of recommendations in the recommendation subsection of each resource domain). Examples of some of the recommendations are:

1. identifying for protection private lands with unique natural, scenic and cultural values by working with landowners and local and state land conservation organizations.
2. developing a weed control program for residents/landowners including an education program regarding weed issues, weed identification and methods of weed eradication.
3. collecting biological data for species which have not been adequately documented in previous research efforts.
4. educating residents about living with wildlife (i.e. bears, mountain lions) through meetings, guest lecturers, and newsletter articles.
5. working closely with public agencies to implement a fire mitigation management plan that is ecologically sound and to the benefit of human and natural communities.
6. working with Denver Water, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, and Boulder County to restore badly abused lands by closing and revegetating illegal spur roads, restoring casual camp sites, removing garbage, and fencing/berming dirt roads to prevent off-road driving and further erosion.

7. working with Boulder County, the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, and interested trails and recreation groups to designate/establish a legal network of trails in the Magnolia area which has minimum impacts on wildlife and their habitats.

These projects will create a basis for cooperative protection and management of sensitive natural and cultural resources by Boulder County, US Forest Service, and Denver Water on public lands.

1.4.4 Planning Area Description

The MEPP Planning Area (Planning Area) encompasses approximately 22 square miles (14,100 acres) in the mountain region west of Boulder, from Boulder Creek on the north, South Boulder Creek on the south, the Peak-to-Peak Highway on the west and Gross Reservoir on the east (Map 1). Land ownership in the area is fragmented, with large blocks of Forest Service land which are interspersed with smaller parcels administered by Boulder County Parks and Open Space Department, Denver Water, and many privately owned parcels. The largest single landowner is the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest with approximately 8,800 acres. Boulder County owns the Phipps Rogers property, Rogers Memorial Park, and Reynolds Ranch totaling 1,728 acres, most of which is in the Planning Area. Denver Water owns approximately 850 acres around Gross Reservoir (approximately 100 acres within the Planning Area).

Private land ownership accounts for approximately 3,800 acres in the Planning Area. Varied parcel sizes reflect the land use history of the region. Several large parcels are still intact with some still being used for cattle ranching as they have been in the past. Both the southwestern and northeastern sections of the Planning Area have a high concentration of small ownership parcels, including mining claims. Many of these have been built on as residential properties. The majority of the privately owned parcels reflect the more recent history of mountain subdivision with clusters of residential development in lot sizes ranging from about 2 to 10 acres. The Magnolia area does have ongoing development potential on private land, but is about 75% built-out at present zoning limits.

1.4.5 MEPP Report Format

Each resource domain has a separate section in the MEPP report. Recommendations for each resource domain are found in the final subsection of each section’s text. Recommendations are directed, in order, to PUMA, Boulder County, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, and Denver Water. A bibliography follows the recommendations. A list of community and agency contact people is provided as the first appendix under each section’s series of appendices.

1.4.6 MEPP Preparers

The report preparers are listed below in Table 1.1. The list of contacts for each resource domain contains addtional names of those who contributed technical information and professional services to this report.

Table 1.1. MEPP Report Preparers