CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY FOURTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-21-171 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Isaac Benton, by request
RESOLUTION
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Concerning The Future Management Of Candelaria Nature Preserve And The Approval Of The 2020 Resource Management Plan (Benton, by request)
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CONCERNING THE FUTURE MANAGEMENT OF CANDELARIA NATURE PRESERVE AND THE APPROVAL OF THE 2020 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN.
WHEREAS, Candelaria Nature Preserve (CNP), formally known as the Candelaria Farm Preserve, is a 167-acre area purchased by the City of Albuquerque in 1978 as part of the Bosque Open Space Land Acquisition Project in 1978 using a combination of federal, state and city funds; and
WHEREAS, the CNP is managed by the Open Space Division of the City of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Department; and
WHEREAS, the use of federal funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) requires a current management plan and full compliance at CNP with applicable LWCF rules and regulations; and
WHEREAS, Resolution R-16-147 directed the OSD to convene a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to complete a Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Candelaria Nature Preserve to clarify and update previous plans and to comply with the LWCF rules and regulations; and
WHEREAS, Resolution R-17-159 directed the Open Space Advisory Board (OSAB) to have oversight of the RMP process; and
WHEREAS, the OSAB, working through the TAG and with the Open Space Division, has engaged in an extensive planning process over three years with significant public input and has completed a new RMP for the Candelaria Nature Preserve; and
WHEREAS, when implemented, the RMP will result in improved ecosystem health and increased biodiversity for the wildlife preserve, while supporting appropriate nature study and outdoor wildlife-oriented recreation for the public that complies with LWCF guidelines and fulfills the requirements of City Council Resolutions R-16-147 and R-17-159; and
WHEREAS, interested parties including the “Friends of the Preserve” group or other individuals should contact the Open Space Division, participate in Open Space Advisory Board meetings, or contact the City Councilor’s office in which the Candelaria Nature Preserve is located with questions or concerns about the management of the area or the implementation of the plan; and
WHEREAS, the Open Space Advisory Board approved the RMP on January 28, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the Environmental Planning Commission (EPC) considered the RMP on December 10, 2020 and on January 21, 2021 via Project# 2020-004639 and then forwarded a recommendation of approval to the City Council.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
SECTION 1. The City of Albuquerque hereby approves the 2020 Resource Management Plan as depicted in Exhibit 1 to this resolution for the Candelaria Nature Preserve and directs the Open Space Division of the Parks and Recreation Department to implement the plan.
SECTION 2. The Open Space Division shall provide an annual report to the Open Space Advisory Board and to the Councilor’s office whose district the Candelaria Nature Preserve site is within, available to the public, regarding the status of RMP implementation. The annual update shall specifically include the scope of use of herbicides and outcomes from using herbicides during the previous year. In addition, the Open Space Division shall, with the involvement of the OSAB, complete an in-depth review of the RMP every four years, for 20 years, to evaluate progress and consider potential updates in accordance with the RMP goals of wildlife habitat protection/restoration, nature study and outdoor recreation.
SECTION 3. The TAG shall be disbanded. The Open Space Division shall work with the existing Middle Rio Grande Habitat Council to support the implementation of the RMP. The Council is comprised of professionals with expertise in biology, wildlife, habitat restoration, and land management and advises the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, the Whitfield Conservation Area, and Candelaria Nature Preserve. The Open Space Division shall meet quarterly with the Council. The Open Space Division shall also continue to keep neighbors, other stakeholders, and the general public regularly updated on the management of CNP and the implementation of the RMP.
SECTION 4. NO INTERFERENCE. Nothing in this resolution is intended to limit or interfere with projects intended for the repair, maintenance or upkeep of the CNP.
SECTION 5. SEVERABILITY. If any section, paragraph, sentence, clause, word, or phrase of this resolution is for any reason held to be invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this resolution. The Council hereby declares that it would have passed this resolution and each section, paragraph, sentence, clause, word or phrase irrespective of any provisions being declared unconstitutional or otherwise invalid.
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