05/22/1985 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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- A. Confluence Island Heronry Working Paper and Plan Amendments David Harmonmi11er, 1234 M Street, Springfield, liked the naturalness of Oregon and is sorry it is being chipped away. He said the heronry is an asset. Barbara Kelley, 540 Kingswood, Eugene, read a poem about the value of herons. She presented it in written form along with a picture of a heron to the elected officials. Answering a question from her, Mr. Gordon said a vege- tative fringe around the heronries will be preserved all year and sand and gravel operations will be restricted within 1,000 feet of the heronry during the nesting season. Bob Moulton, 180 East 11th, Eugene, represented Delta Sand and Gravel Company which owns most of the Confluence Island. He urged approval of the recommen- dation. He said the buffer is larger than 400 feet to the north and west of the heronry. He said the land on the Confluence Island is not good for agricultural use. e Answering a question from Ms. Ehrman, Mr. Moulton said his client is happy with the recommended designation for the Confluence Island. His client had concluded that the recommendation for the Pudding Creek Heronry provides appropriate protection for the herons and is more flexible than the natural resource (NR) designation which is recommended for the Confluence Island. Therefore, his client indicated to the MPC that the method of protecting the Pudding Creek Heronry may be requested for the Confluence Island in the future. Mr. Moulton emphasized that the Babb family which owns Delta Sand and Gravel have always planned to protect the heronry. Allen Dale Babb, 695 Fair Oaks Drive, said he was available to answer ques- tions. B. Heronries in General Gwynne Schultz, P.O. Box 5086, represented the lane County Audubon Society. She sa1d the society has been concerned with the protection of heron rookeries because there has been a decline in the number of Great Blue Herons in the. Willamette Valley because of a decrease in their habitat. She recommended the NR designation for the Pudding Creek Heronry and said it is important to protect all natural areas in the same way. e Ms. Schultz said changes in the regulations can be made by a land owner easier if an operational plan is adopted than if the NR designation is applied. She wondered what degree of public involvement there would be if an administrative change is made in the operational plan. She also wondered if the Sand and Gravel Review Committee could modify the operational plan. Ms. Schultz was concerned about the three-year abandonment clause for the Pudding Creek Heronry. She said herons are very easily flushed away from a nesting site. It would be hard to prove the rookery had not been abandoned if the birds were frightened away three years in a row. She emphasized the need for suitable habitat for the herons. She wondered what kind of public involvement there will be if the Fish and Wildlife Department investigates the possibility of abandonment. MINUTES--Eugene City Council, Springfield City Council lane County Board of Commissioners May 22, 1985 Page 3