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Post OMce Box 471 . Boulder, Coorado 80306 <br />Parks and Open Space Department <br />Adminisirahve Office: 2045 13th Street .Boulder. Colorado 80302 • (303) 441-3950 • FAX (303)441-4594 <br />Fairgrounds: 9595 Nelson Road • Longmont, Colorado 80501 • (303) 678-6235/441-3927 <br />May 21, 1999 <br />TO: Chris Toebe r ~., <br />FROM: Jeff Moline, Resource Planner `- ~~. <br />RE: Sprague Quarry Special Use, Docl~t SU-99-04 <br />•~,, ~ . <br />,_" <br />f"/~' ~ . r99y <br />r _ <br />After reviewing the submittal materials and visiting the site, staff cannot support this <br />application for a number of reasons: <br />1. From the submittal, this application attempts to address several "affected areas" <br />outside of the existing permit boundaries by expanding the limits of quarry to the entire <br />property. This is seems problematic since (a.) this may allow the disturbances outside <br />the quarry boundaries to persist without adequate reclamation, and (b.) this would open <br />up the remainder of the property to mining. While this property has been extensively <br />mined in the past, there are places that retain native vegetation and wildlife including a <br />small drainage canyon. Also, the western part of the property is within the Steamboat <br />Mountain Natural Landmark, an area recognized for its scenic qualities and its raptor <br />nesting. While additional areas on the property may be suitable for mining, staff does <br />not feel the entire property is at this time. <br />2. Without an adequate reclamation plan (one is not included in the current application) <br />this proposal for additional mining areas cannot be properly reviewed. <br />3. Because of the Natural Landmark designation on this property, the Land Use Code <br />requires the applicants to prepare a wildlife impact report for this proposal. <br />With respect to the quarry activities outside the existing boundaries, staff agrees with <br />the March 23, 1999 Landmark Engineers report that the removal or relocation of the <br />material in the drainage will be very difficult and almost impossible without further <br />degradation to the area by large machinery. The applicant should prepare, bond for, <br />and perform reclamation of this material in situ consistent with the reclamation of the <br />remainder of the property. The applicant should strive to reclaim those areas of the <br />property that will not be mined any more with the following principles: <br />A. Any areas that will not be reclaimed to a final state within a growing season, should <br />be planted with a cover crop to reduce erosion and weed infestation. <br />B. The reclamation plan should incorporate a "rolling reclamation" method, such that <br />1 <br />Jana L. Mendez <br />County Commissioner <br />Roru]Id K. Stewart <br />County COTmitflOrler <br />PoW DanlVt <br />County ComnUSSloner <br />1 <br />