Stewardship of City-owned Lands Contiguous to City of Columbus

City of Columbus
Michael B. Coleman, Mayor
Department of Public Utilities
Tatyana Arsh, P.E., Director
Stewardship of City-owned Lands Contiguous to City of
Columbus Water Supply Reservoirs
Upper Scioto River Watershed
(Source water for the City of Columbus)
Upper Scioto River
O’Shaughnessy and Griggs Reservoirs
Parts of 11 counties – 1000 sq. mi.
Olentangy River
Not currently source water for Columbus
Alum Creek
Connected to Hoover by transmission line
Upper Big Walnut Creek
Five counties - 190 sq. mi.
Produces 50% of City’s treated water
Consists of 65% agricultural land
Columbus Service Population
1,200,000 people
Land Stewardship Areas
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Hoover Reservoir (1953)
O’Shaughnessy Reservoir (1925)
Griggs Reservoir (1906)
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Joint Management Agreement
with the Columbus Recreation
and Parks Department
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Approximately 1200 contiguous
properties (983 households)
< 0.1 % the size of service
population
Genesis of the Land Stewardship Program
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30+ years of “absentee” land management = many encroachments
(privatization of public property)
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Creation of Waterways Taskforce
(stakeholder meetings)
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Creation of the Reservoir Management Plans
• 1990 – Hoover Reservoir
• 1991 – O’Shaughnessy Reservoir
• 1994 – Griggs Reservoir
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Approval by Columbus Recreation and Parks Commission and Columbus
City Council
Purpose of the Land Stewardship Program
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Stakeholder compromise
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Pollution abatement
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Erosion control and shoreline protection
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Balanced ecosystem / habitat preservation
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Maintenance of existing view corridors
Prior to 1994 the Land Stewardship Program was administered by
the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department (CRPD)
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Challenges
Limited options for
neighbors
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Long distance
monitoring
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Minimal staffing
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Minimal enforcement
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Technology deficient
The Watershed Management Section – est. 1994
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Dedicated Land Stewardship Manager position
Land stewardship agreement was expanded to include
guidelines and specific language acknowledging that the
stewardship area is city-owned.
Land stewardship database was created to track all
documents, photographs, observation notes, etc. by the
contiguous address
Native plant lists were created to aid with creation of
“Active Vegetative Management Plan”
Increased monitoring of septic/aeration systems –
coordination with County Board of Health
Utilization of Water Protection Specialist staff (Rangers)
Utilization of GIS/GPS for mapping and data collection
Completion of boundary surveys
The Land Stewardship Agreement: authorizes and defines the
limited maintenance activities permitted on City of Columbus
property
The Land Stewardship Agreement and Plan
1.
Initial contact with contiguous neighbor (a.k.a.
the “steward”)
2.
Site visit to review area, identify areas requiring
protection or exclusion from maintenance
agreement, and identification of encroachment
issues
3.
Resolution of existing encroachments or noncompliance issues related to any previous plan
for the area
4.
Agreement is signed by “steward” and a
maintenance plan is agreed upon by both parties
5.
Agreement and plan are approved
6.
Signed copies of agreement are returned to
“steward” along with any special instructions or
limitations
7.
“Steward” is eligible for boat dock or stake
permits if desired
50/30/20% Plans
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50% Native and Natural – forested
(no maintenance in these areas)
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30% Annual mow or wildflower
plantings (may mow once annually
between Nov. 1 and April 1)
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20% Mow (mow as desired to
maintain turf lawn appearance)
5’ wide path to dock or stake is
established by CRPD – Permits
and Rental Services Section – is
part of the 20% mow area
50/30/20% Plan
50% forested / natural
20% mow including 5’ wide path
30% annual mow
Goal: Establishing natural vegetation buffers
Reality Check: Non-compliance
The Land Stewardship Program 2006 – present
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2006 transition period and program review
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Inter-departmental emphasis on cooperation and regulatory compliance
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Increased collaboration with City Attorney’s Office
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Formal process for escalation of enforcement when necessary
Encroachment
: to enter by gradual steps or by stealth into the possessions or rights of another
: to advance beyond the usual or proper limits
MerriamMerriam-Webster Dictionary
Types of encroachments:
„ Mowing
„ Tree cutting
„ Illicit docks/vessels
„ Non-permanent items
„ Permanent structures
„ Potpourri
10 acre mowing encroachment in a
designated nature preserve
3 acre mowing encroachment in a
designated nature preserve
Weekend projects
The Broken Window Theory?
A Common Problem
< 0.1%
Encroachment Resolution
The notification process:
„ Identifies the issue(s) that must be resolved
„ Identifies any assessed damages to City property
„ Specifies the resolution that the City will accept
„ Establishes deadlines for resolution of each issue
„ Explains consequences of failure to resolve issue(s)
Consequences of non-compliance:
„ Termination of agreement
„ Ineligibility for boat dock permits
„ Restitution for damages
„ Civil complaint
„ Court related discipline
Illicit docks and boats
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2006 study concluded that 47% of all docks present at the reservoirs were not
legally permitted through the City of Columbus.
Assessed Damages:
2007 to August 2010
„ $193,391 in assessed damages for recent tree cutting alone* ($100/inch)
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$51,700 collected for Reservoir Restoration and Security Fund
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$36,745 satisfied in exchange for replacement tree diameter, etc.
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$105,000 in outstanding damages to be collected or satisfied
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Treble damages
* Does not include any physical encroachments or other violations such as illicit mowing of city lands
Moving forward
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Education – Public awareness
Education – Other agencies and supporting departments
Education – Internally
Early communications – Positive 1st contact
Consistent application of enforcement
Record keeping
Questions or Comments?
http://watershed.columbus.gov
Steven E. Lowe
Land Stewardship Manager
City of Columbus, Watershed Management Section
selowe@columbus.gov
(614) 645-1287 office
(614) 645-1871 fax