Minutes - Conservation Committee

ECIA Conservation Committee Minutes

July 7, 2020, 7:00 PM

Attending via Zoom: Chair Paul Butt, Vice Chair Tom Brimacombe, Members Carol Beidleman, Thomas Bredenberg, John Parker, John Reynolds (Mary Clark submitted her resignation from the Committee on July 12, 2020), Board Liaison, Carol Sanguinetti. HOAMCO, Mike Rogers, Operations Manager, Sarah Skagen, Tech Support

Guests Attending via Zoom: Jeffe Kennedy, John D’Amore, Paul Fink, Andra, James Knight, Phillip Cohen

  1. 1. Appointment of Recording Secretary, Thomas Bredenberg
  2. 2. Approval of Agenda, motion John Parker, John Reynolds 2nd
  3. 3. Approval of June Minutes, motion John Reynolds, John Parker 2nd
  4. 4. Board Liaison Report, Carol Sanguinetti. Town Hall last night, HOAMCO survey results reported, 500 responses, RFPs received, HOAMCO will continue as HMO management company for the next contract period.
  5. 5. HOAMCO report: Mike Rogers, Post holes have been drilled for car corral. Chair requests maintenance crew to string the wire. Mike can do it.
  6. 6. Project status updates:

                     "Car Corral" opposite TH 4 on CR51. Paul Fink has offered to assist in project, additional volunteers contact chair through conservationchair@gmail.com. Will meet at 7:45 AM tomorrow at TH4 to set wooden corner posts in concrete.  Next, get equipment to move rock from pile at junction 4A across CR51 to corral for erosion controls. (postponed pending County contact, see “Old Business” below)

                     Volunteer information signs. John Reynolds has been looking at examples, recommend wording of volunteers needed. John R. will prepare a draft for CC review. Tom Brimacombe suggested a vinyl banner at trailheads to announce work days.  Weekend presentations at trailheads to solicit volunteers and advise of monthly meetings proposed.          

  1. 7. New business:

Preliminary discussion of recreational metal detector use in the Preserve

Contingent on attendance by David Lowell

Mr. Lowell did not attend so this matter was not taken up.

Preliminary discussion of developing an approved trail in the central Los Alamos Park greenbelt between Glorieta & Melado (extension of Paseo Bibliotheca trail)

Contingent on attendance by Jeffe Kennedy

Jeffe Kennedy attended and presented, Discussion: Very narrow greenbelt, is it appropriate? If so, community buy-in essential

4 Glorieta Road, partial social trail, close neighbors, John Reynolds, logical site, reasonably shallow, dry most of the year, Mike Rogers, flagged it last year with lifeguards. A survey would be required, 12 corners at a cost of $1K. Tom Brimacombe, tread would go thru low point of the available space, erosion control rock works needed.  Chair explained steps, community involvement needed at every step. Consensus to take it up again in Spring. John Parker, consensus to take it up later is no guarantee of approval. 

Consideration of request to include Better Eldorado newsletter in Conservation Committee's communications outlets. John D’Amore, Better Eldorado can offer unlimited space, +400 words for in depth articles. BEblasts for timely announcements. Discussion: Carol Sanguinetti, a good avenue for volunteer outreach. The Board supports maximizing communication, this could reach some who decline ECIA eblasts.  Carol Beidelman, what outlets do we currently use? We use Vistas, ECIA eblasts, marquees, website, which are official ECIA outlets, Better Eldorado is not.  Discussion of opinion pieces versus information pieces. John D’Amore,  BEblasts in addition to BE are informational. Chair, all pieces should be routed through chair who will assure Committee consensus. When asked, no Committee member raised an objection to this arrangement.

  1. 8. Old Business:

                     Signage and Brochure Updates (Tom Brimacombe): Chair will follow up through Finance Committee and HOAMCO on budget adjustment for total signage purchase.  John Parker and Carol Beidleman have weighed in on the brochure text for page 2. Chair requests they continue. Carol B. wants CC to weigh in on regulatory decisions. Chair will finalize regulations on page 1 and distribute it. Bicycle language, appropriate expectations, short of a rating system.  Finalize by August meeting so it can be sent to printer.  Tom Brimacombe will set up a Dropbox for new photos, invites submissions. Call for entries by 07-24-2020.

                     401 Gully, revised Phase I         (RFB Progress) Bid solicitation to proceed after sign project.

                     Summer work day scheduling    ON HOLD

                     Other Projects for 2020- Dynamic Duo project recommendations. Western 400 fence cut repairs. Additional work on car corral, concerns about turn around radius and county drainage. Chair and Board liaison will consult with Joseph Gutiérrez, County liaison. Hold off on setting posts for now.

                    Rock Climber Damage:  

  • Status report on closure of the social trail off of 401 with a sign & brushing. Thom Bredenberg reported very little traffic evidence on social trail since the closure sign went up.
  • Discussion of removal of ladder & other climber-associated material from the Cactus Heaven area. Consensus ladder should be dismantled removed along with the shovel, Thom Bredenberg will schedule.
  • Mike Rogers, Letter sent to Mountain Project requesting removal of website information. Carol Sanguinetti will add to agenda for next meeting with the Board’s attorney.
  • Discussion of Committee members making a hike to climbing site(s) identified by Jim Knight & making an evaluation; Jim Knight, ropes and harnesses would be needed for a close look. Site is not appropriate for ethical climbing (drilling in sandstone). Thom Bredenberg, need to know location to gain a historical perspective on climbing in the Preserve. Chair will go out with Jim and Thom B and locate GPS sites and submit report to CC and Board.  Discussion on trespassing and resident abuse of Preserve. 
  • Status report on review of Colo. Springs Garden of the Gods climbing regulations for possible development of limited climbing policy. Deemed not urgent since there is no initiative yet from resident rock climbers to allow rock climbing in the Preserve.
  1. 9. Open Forum:

          Carol Sanguinetti, PNM service road through the sub-division is a becoming a social trail, we will revisit this in August.

          John Parker; The roadside Siberian elms need watering to nurture them through the drought. Carol Beidleman, this brings up the problem of non-native species in the sub-division. Chair postponed this discussion until August meeting.

         

  1. 10. Adjournment, motion, John Parker, John Reynolds 2nd.