Title
Open Space Advisory Subcommittee Report
Body
Tues, March 20, 2018
In attendance: Kevin Holsapple, Liz Aicher, Amy Rogers, Stephanie Nakhleh, Eric Peterson
1. Canyon Restoration Pilot Project: Open Space received a draft Scope of Work, they are updating to submit to procurement. The plan is to use this model to assess other canyons, so a baseline of cost is needed. They are going to take out the signage phase and do that internally through Leslie Buck, which will save some funding. They’re going to get some before-and-after-photos and come up with sign designs. There will be phases, but the objective will be the same. May 1 is the year-end deadline for procurements, so that department is being inundated.
2. Aquatic Center/Acid Canyon trail improvement: this project aims to make trails more sustainable. Open Space might utilize crusher fines, make trails wider, maybe make them stroller accessible. Liz: Sounds like it would be good for tourism. Eric: Open Space is still figuring out how many miles of trails to do. They can’t do this in entire county, too many trails, some have impossible terrain, but this trail system is used a lot. The historic Ranch School steps and other historic sections can’t be worked on. Kevin: Where did this directive come from? We never heard of this before now. Eric: It came from Council to Brian Brogan. Me: Eric sure could use two more FTEs to handle this extra workload. Eric: We want to get boots on the ground to get these projects going.
3. IMBA Ride Center Report: the County is close to reaching Bronze, once some improvements are done. So Open Space is making yet another priority list from that, which will hopefully motivate Council. Kevin: this could cost a pretty penny. Me: Is Council following this directive up with any funding? Eric: The Council has a flat budget: we will not be getting any add-ons. Money for this plan came not from standard budget, but from the Tourism Strategic Plan. Liz: Then that’s where the next steps should come from as well. Eric: An example of an improvement: we will be updating kiosk signs with longer-lasting, tear-proof paper. We can turn informal parking spaces into formal ones. (Then we all discussed parking difficulties at Bayo Canyon.) Kevin: speaking of tourism and trails that are relevant to visitors, the rustic part of Los Alamos Canyon rim is ripe for that. We could utilize the paved trails and create a loop around airport. There are safety issues, though, and they’d also need signage. Eric: that’s what IMBA said: even the green trails have dicey sections. Kevin: it seems that things with a tourism bent are the only things that have Council support. So, we should have priorities in mind that reflect this. Focusing on these trails as routes, rather than trails, would help. Maybe the next time you (Eric) get a directive from Council, go back to them and say “the Open Space Advisory Board has thought this through, including the tourism aspects.
4. There will be a meeting at the Golf Course for LASO sites, seeking public input on development of apartments at LASO. Eric: we had to fight for easements for trails. Eric Martinez is working on Phase 3 for the Canyon Rim trail, to 20th street. They’re going to improve it along Trinity, but they’re not at that phase yet. The County is also moving along for designs on an underpass by Co-Op.
5. Bayo Canyon Flow Trail: Phase II proposal, with initial pricing and concept from proposers. Eric: we can’t update you more on that until Procurement says it’s OK. Liz: How can we advise you if we don’t know what’s going on? Me: It seems the wrong order to be unable to comment until AFTER a contract is awarded. (The committee agrees.) Eric: I can tell you that what was requested was a rough order of magnitude, scheduling, and how long it might take: that’s the Phase II proposal. But Procurement procedure says no talking until after contracts are awarded. Kevin: who is the evaluation team? Eric: me, Chris Wilson, Brian B, and Dan Erickson. No citizens. Kevin: that’s a little odd, it seems someone from Open Space should have been included. Eric: I will ask Brian Brogan why
6. Next steps for OSSC vacancy: whoever is new will be filling the rest of John’s term. This will be on the PRB agenda for April.
7. Fire mitigation: Open Space is doing a lot of training with fire dept. Eric will be alongside them as they do prescribed burns, he’s one step away from getting his red card (for wildland fire certification), he’d be making sure nobody is burning cultural sites or endangered species, etc. It’s a lot of training, but will be focusing only on fires in the scope of local Open Space. Fire Danger Stage signs will go in around town, too.
8. April 22 PEEC and Open Space are having training day for trail maintenance. Pruning techniques, line-of-sight issues. All are welcome.
9. We would like to see the County install bear-proof dumpsters everywhere: in some communities like Durango it’s mandatory; if you live in a bear-infested neighborhood you have to have bear-proof dumpster. Game & Fish did match county in funds for bear-proof dumpsters. Eric has to pick up diapers and prescription pills because of those bears.