Consideration and Adoption of Resolution No. 2017-01:  A resolution adopting the Management Plan for Legally-Designated Open Space Properties (Management Plan). 

The City has acquired 2,729 acres of legally-designated open space properties since 2012 using funding from the 2004 voter-approved Observatory Mesa and Neighborhood Open Space bonds and Arizona State Parks Growing Smarter Grants. In 2012, the City acquired 478 acres at Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve, and in 2013, the City acquired 2,251 acres at Observatory Mesa Natural Area. As part of the acquisition process for Picture Canyon and Observatory Mesa, conservation easements were granted to Arizona State Parks which specifically outline construction, access, and development limitations on each of the properties.  Additionally, the Open Space Program manages a 20-acre City-owned parcel off of Schultz Pass Road as a trailhead for recreational access, as well as a 20-acre parcel immediately adjacent to Observatory Mesa Natural Area.     It is necessary for the City to establish management policies for these complex parcels to ensure natural, ecological, and cultural resources are protected within the legal framework of local, state, and federal regulations and the conservation easements. The Management Plan outlines overarching management policies for legally-designated open space properties with additional chapters outlining management considerations and improvement projects specific for the Picture Canyon and Observatory Mesa properties.

This decision has no financial impact on the City.   Projects outlined in the Management Plan are either funded by the Open Space base budget (214-06-170-0665), outside grants, or in-kind/volunteer contributions. Open Space staff will work to identify funding and partnerships to complete large scale projects that do not currently have identified funding sources (e.g. constructing the Don Weaver Trail at Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve). Please see the Expanded Financial Considerations for additional information about how projects are funded.

This decision does not have an impact on existing policy.

COUNCIL GOALS:
1) Grow and strengthen a more equitable and resilient economy – increase eco and historic tourism in Flagstaff; market Parks and Recreation as accessible for all regardless of income
3) Advance social justice in our community – increase communication and engagement with indigenous communities regarding City decisions; strengthen and repair relationships with the indigenous and immigrant communities
4) Deliver quality community assets and continue to advance and implement a high performing multi-modal transportation system.
8) Actively manage and protect all environmental and natural resources
 
REGIONAL PLAN:
Goal E&C.4. Integrate available science into policies governing the use and conservation of Flagstaff’s natural resources.
 
Goal E&C.6. Protect, restore, and improve ecosystem health and maintain native plant and animal community diversity across all land ownerships in the Flagstaff region.

Goal E&C.8. Maintain areas of natural quiet and reduce noise pollution.

Goal E&C.9. Protect soils through conservation practices.
 
Goal E&C.10. Protect indigenous wildlife populations, localized and larger-scale wildlife habitats, ecosystem processes, and wildlife movement areas throughout the planning area.

Goal OS.1. The region has a system of open lands, such as undeveloped natural areas, wildlife corridors and habitat areas, trails, access to public lands, and greenways to support the natural environment that sustains our quality of life, cultural heritage, and ecosystem health.

Goal CC.1. Reflect and respect the region’s natural setting and dramatic views in the built environment.
 
Goal CC.2. Preserve, restore, and rehabilitate heritage resources to better appreciate our culture.
 
Goal LU.3. Continue to enhance the region's unique sense of place within the urban, suburban, and rural context (Policy LU.3.3).
 
Goal WR.6. Protect, preserve, and improve the quality of surface water, groundwater, and reclaimed water in the region.
 
Goal CC.2. Preserve, restore, and rehabilitate heritage resources to better appreciate our culture.
 
Goal ED.7. Continue to promote and enhance Flagstaff’s unique sense of place as an economic driver.
 
Goal REC.1. Maintain and grow the region’s healthy system of convenient and accessible parks, recreation facilities, and trails. 

Observatory Mesa Natural Area On June 4, 2013, the Flagstaff City Council adopted Resolution 2013-12 approving the submission of a grant application to Arizona State Parks for the Growing Smarter State Trust Land Acquisition Program to acquire approximately 2,251 acres of state trust land on Observatory Mesa to set aside as protected open space for the Flagstaff community. On November 5, 2013, the City Council passed Ordinance 2013-25 authorizing the acquisition and purchase of 2,251 acres on Observatory Mesa for $11.6 million using $6 million dollars from the Growing Smarter grant, $5.5 million from the Observatory Mesa bond, and $916,000 from the 2004 voter-approved neighborhood open space and Flagstaff Urban Trail System bond.   On April 5, 2016, City Council passed and adopted Resolution 2016-12 amending the Regional Plan to change the area type designation of Observatory Mesa Natural Area to Parks/Open Space. On April 19, 2016, City Council passed and adopted Ordinance 2016-20 annexing the entirety of the Natural Area into City limits. City Council also passed and adopted Ordinance 2016-21 on April 19, 2016 rezoning the Natural Area to Public Open Space.   Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve On June 7, 2011, Council adopted Resolution 2011-22 in support of the preservation of Picture Canyon. On April 3, 2012, Council adopted Resolution 2012-12 to reclassify Picture Canyon for conservation purposes. On June 5, 2012, City Council approved the submission of a grant application to Arizona State Parks for the Growing Smarter State Trust Land Acquisition Program to acquire approximately 478 acres of state trust land to set aside as protected open space for the Flagstaff community. On October 16, 2012, the City Council approved the Growing Smarter grant agreement and accepted $2.389 million in grant funding to purchase the parcels.   On July 15, 2014, Council adopted Resolution 2014-29 in support of dedicating two trails in Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve the “Tom Moody Trail” and “Don Weaver Trail”. On April 7, 2015, Council adopted Resolution 2016-09 in support of applying for $74,446 of Recreation Trails Program grant funds to fund trail system improvement projects at Picture Canyon.   On April 19, 2016, City Council passed and adopted Ordinance 2016-18 annexing 77.8 acres of Picture Canyon into City limits. City Council also passed and adopted Ordinance 2016-19 rezoning the Preserve to Public Open Space and applying the Landmarks Overlay, Resource Protection Overlay, and Rural Floodplain designation.   Schultz Creek Trailhead The City of Flagstaff acquired the 20-acre Schultz property in 1914 from the McMillan family. In fall of 2013, City Council asked the Open Spaces Commission to review 17 City-owned parcels for their value as open space.  The Commission determined that this 20-acre City-owned parcel, also known as the “Schultz Creek Trailhead”, is important as open space given that it provides a trailhead to connect the Flagstaff Urban Trail System to the U.S. Forest Service trail system, serves as valuable wildlife habitat within an important wildlife corridor, and is the location of a historic water reservoir.   On October 29, 2013, the Flagstaff City Council recommended incorporating this parcel into the City’s open space program after receiving substantial public input regarding the issue. In order to provide a layer of protection to the designation, City Council rezoned the property to Public Open Space with Landmark Overlay Zoning, Resource Protection Zoning, and Rural Floodplain designations on April 4, 2017. Additionally at the April 4, 2017 meeting, City Council annexed the property into City limits to streamline the management process.

Option A – Adopt Resolution No. 2017-01 as submitted and authorize adoption of the Management Plan for Legally-Designated Open Space Properties. This option allows Staff to implement collaborative processes for managing legally-designated open space properties using best available science and management practices.

Option B – Do not adopt Resolution No. 2017-01 and do not authorize adoption of the Management Plan for Legally-Designated Open Space Properties. This option does not allow Staff to implement collaborative processes for managing legally-designated open space properties using best available science and management practices.

The City of Flagstaff was a primary partner in developing the Open Spaces and Greenways Plan in 1998. That plan identified goals for regional open space and identified priority areas for conservation, including the State Trust parcels comprising Picture Canyon and Observatory Mesa.   In 2003, the City Council established the Open Spaces Commission to serve as an advisory body for acquisition and management of the City’s open spaces. In November 2004, Flagstaff voters approved 2 separate open space bond initiatives – one dedicated to acquiring neighborhood FUTS and Open Space and another dedicated to preserving State Trust parcels on Observatory Mesa.   In October 2012, the City used a portion of these bond funds and an Arizona State Parks Growing Smarter grant to purchase 478 acres of State Trust land now known as Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve for permanent preservation as open space. Picture Canyon is a natural and cultural amenity for northern Arizona given the significant cultural resources present on the property, multiple habitat types, and recreational and educational opportunities.   In November 2013, the City used a similar funding mechanism to purchase 2,251 acres of State Trust land now known as Observatory Mesa Natural Area for permanent preservation as open space. Observatory Mesa is a very popular recreation area for Flagstaff visitors and residents to engage in hiking, biking, running, snow shoeing, and cross country skiing.     In 2015, City Council approved a 2-year temporary Open Space Specialist position dedicated to managing and maintaining the City’s approximately 3,000 acres of legally-designated open space properties. Having this full time position has allowed the City to facilitate open space planning processes, develop this management plan, secure grant funding, and implement improvement projects (e.g. educational signage, trail construction, restoration projects).

Observatory Mesa Natural Area and Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve are very complex properties with extensive natural and cultural resources, substantial public use, Rio de Flag watershed considerations, and sensitive wildlife habitat areas. Subsequently, there are various management requirements and considerations associated with managing these properties and remaining compliant within local, state, and federal regulations. The Management Plan identifies resource-specific management goals, policies, and action items to improve the property, while remaining within the legal requirements and the Arizona State Parks conservation easements.   The Management Plan provides a framework for managing the natural, ecological, historical, and recreational resources to minimize conflict and degradation, and serves as a resource to guide decision-making processes for legally-designated open space properties.   The Plan identifies 5 overarching management goals for the legally-designated open space properties:   To maintain, restore, and enhance the natural ecosystem processes of these properties, including watershed health (including intermittent streams), forest structure, native plant communities, and rare habitat types. To protect cultural resources present within these properties. To maintain and protect diverse and healthy wildlife populations. To provide opportunities for public use of these properties through passive recreational use, resource interpretation, education, scientific research, and other compatible activities in a manner that is consistent with the preservation of the conservation values of the site and the management goals. To maintain and develop partnerships that facilitate resource management, stewardship, and conservation.      The plan is a dynamic document that will be updated and revised every 5 years.

There are a number of action items that have associated costs identified for Picture Canyon and Observatory Mesa in the Plan. These items are funded by a variety of sources. Some projects are included in the Open Space base budget of $32,500 (214-06-170-0665), including designing and installing signage for both properties (e.g. boundary signage, interpretive signage, trail markers, regulatory signage), installing trash and recycling infrastructure at designated trailheads ($3,500/unit), and installing boulders and physical barriers to block illegal OHV access into the properties ($15,000).
 
Some of the projects identified for Observatory Mesa Natural Area are funded by a $40,000 grant from Arizona Game and Fish Department. This includes constructing and repairing boundary fencing ($15,000), developing a Trail System and Access Plan ($15,000), establishing a small parking area along Forest Service Road 515 ($5,000), and installing Game Unit 11M signs throughout the property ($1,000).
 
Some of the projects identified for Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve are funded by a $74,446 Arizona State Parks Recreational Trails Program grant, including mapping and treating invasive weeds and maintaining trails ($6,000).
 
Additionally, some projects utilize volunteer groups and in-kind contributions to complete at no cost to the City. This includes monitoring cultural sites within Picture Canyon using the Arizona State Parks Site Stewards volunteer program, maintaining trails via trail work volunteer events, removing fencing from the riparian area within Picture Canyon as part of volunteer events and an Eagle Scout project, and mapping and removing invasive weeds during volunteer events.
 
Lastly, some projects will not be completed until adequate funding has been identified. This includes constructing the Don Weaver Trail at Picture Canyon (estimated at $100,000), replacing the Rio de Flag bridge at Picture Canyon (estimated at $15,000), upgrading the Tom Moody Trail within Picture Canyon to Flagstaff Urban Trail System standards ($50,000), improving the trail to Picture Canyon’s watchable wildlife site to reduce floodplain impacts (estimated at $10,000), installing permanent “pit” toilet facilities at designated trailheads to both properties ($30,000/facility), removing unnecessary culverts from the Rio de Flag within Picture Canyon (cost unknown), and surveying both properties for sensitive and endangered plant and animal species. Open Space staff will continue to work to identify funding for these projects (cost unknown). 

Having a thorough Management Plan for legally-designated open space properties allows staff to quickly address community concerns and establish appropriate processes. Additionally, chapters of this Management Plan outline processes to improve public access, treat invasive species, and enhance forest health and public safety by treating forest resources. These actions and processes directly benefit the Flagstaff community by reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire and the spread of invasive species to adjacent properties.     The action items included in this Management Plan, including improving existing trails and developing a comprehensive system by constructing and maintaining trails, naturalizing roads, and installing trail markers and educational signs will help protect natural resources and improve visitor experiences. Additionally, these projects will provide an opportunity for members of the Flagstaff community and visitors from around the world to learn about archaeology, geology, ecology, hydrology, and forestry while engaging in outdoor recreation. Well-constructed trails benefit the community by providing opportunities for outdoor recreation within their “neighborwoods”. The Open Space Program is dedicated to developing passive recreational and educational opportunities for Flagstaff residents and visitors, including educational trails and events.

Collaborate - Staff collaborated with many community partners to develop this Management Plan, including natural resource management experts from Arizona Game and Fish Department, Flagstaff Fire Department, Coconino National Forest, Arizona State Parks, and Coconino County. Experts from these agencies and community members reviewed and edited multiple drafts until the Management Plan was finalized. Collaborating with experts from community partners ensures that best available science and management practices are included in the Management Plan.
 
On March 27, 2017, the City of Flagstaff Open Spaces Commission unanimously voted to recommend the Management Plan for adoption by Council.