Red Feather Lakes (RFL) Planning Advisory Committee Meeting 1/23/25
by Nanci Wendland
Main Points
RFL will be included in Phase II of the Larimer County Wildfire Defense Project and is encouraged to apply for a $10,000 Forest Service grant for wildfire mitigation.
The RFL Planning Advisory Committee agreed to meeting quarterly instead of monthly.
Ryan Zigray was elected as the 2025 Committee Chair. The outgoing Chair, Weixelman, is being deployed with the military until October 2025.
Posting Public Meetings
RFL Planning Advisory Committee agreed that the 2025 notice of public meetings will be posted on the www.larimer.gov. If exigent or emergency circumstances prevent the use of the website, public notice will be physically posted at the bulletin boards located at the north and south entrances of the Larimer County Administrative Services building, 200 West Oak St. in Fort Collins, Co.
Wildfire Mitigation Project for RFL and surrounding areas
Emergency Management Coordinator Josh Roberts and Forest Program Manager Daniel Bowker talked to the committee members about a $28 million federal forest service grant awarded to the state of Colorado. Larimer County is scheduled to receive $9.7 million of this grant to assist towns and residents with developing an updated plan for wildfire defense and mitigation.
The Larimer County Office of Emergency Management (LCOEM) encourages towns to apply for $10,000 each to assist in reducing their risk of fire damage and to develop a plan for bringing neighbors together after a fire disaster. Staff members from the LCOEM and the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW) will be the steering committee of the project and will work with the RFL Wildfire Defense Advisory team.
Project goals are below:
- Implement wildfire mitigation treatments in open space, along roadways and on private properties
- Provide education on home ignition zone concepts and mitigation work to establish or improve defensible space
- Make improvements to evacuation routes, plans and procedures
- Enhance the community’s capacity to deal with post-treatment, woody biomass
- Make improvements to community wildfire preparedness and build social capital to improve community resilience
The RFL Planning Advisory Committee unanimously agreed to the Larimer County revised bylaws. RFL joins Estes Valley and LaPorte in agreement to standardize processes and procedures with the Larimer County Planning Department. One revision was to agree to quarterly meetings instead of monthly meetings. The committee can always call a special meeting if needed.
A full copy of the changes is in the packet (see link below).
The committee voted on a 2025 Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. Ryan Zigray was elected as Committee Chair, Caryn Hughes will remain as Vice Chair, and Roger Svendsen will remain as Secretary.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:25 p.m.
Next meeting – Apr. 24, 1:30 p.m. in-person at the Firehouse meeting room, 44 Firehouse Lane, Red Feather Lakes, CO., or online via Zoom.
Members’ Present
Lora Gaskill, Ryan Zigray, Roger Svendsen, John Johnson, James Cates, Vice Chair Caryn Hughes, Chair Janice Weixelman.
Others Present
Larimer County Liaison Commissioner John Kefalas, Administrator Christina Scrutchins, Larimer County Staff Liaison Kassidee Fior, Larimer County Community Development Director Rebecca Everette, and Larimer County Planning Engineer Matthew Lafferty, Office of Energy Management Coordinator Josh Roberts.
Recorded Meeting: Videos are not posted.
From the Larimer County Boards & Commissions website: “The Red Feather Lakes Planning Advisory Committee (RFLPAC) is a committee of citizens who live, work/volunteer or own property within the Red Feather Lakes Plan Area, appointed by the Larimer County Board of Commissioners. Its purpose is to provide an organized forum to facilitate communication with the County and within the community on issues that impact Red Feather Lakes (RFL).”