OSAC Meeting Notes – January 2015

Study Session:

Don Klima and Tom Hoby presented the staff recommendations for the local grants. The requests ranged from $6,000 for an entrance sign at Dinosaur Ridge to $1,000,000 to assist Foothills P&R to begin a major maintenance/redevelopment program at Clement Park. See article in this newsletter for details on the grants.

Amy Ito discussed a few of the 97 projects that are planned during 2015, with 55 being target for completion during this year. See article in this newsletter summarizing some of the projects.

Thea Rock demonstrated JCOS’s new web site. The site still is limited by the County’s decision to use an older version of the software and their policy of powering down the County servers at night and on weekends. The site is much improved, easier to navigate, but can be slow to respond.

Regular Meeting:

The Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC) made a presentation on their activities. Participants in the JCEDC include the County, cities, businesses, educational institutions, and chambers of commerce. The goals of JCEDC are to: connect to resources, promote primary employers, stress Jeffco’s advantages (quality of life), and recognize Jeffco’s challenges (aging workforce, low inventory of undeveloped land and vacant office space, limited incentives, and cost of housing.) The objectives of their Forward Jeffco Initiative are:

Attract business – be more aggressive

Retain business – outreach to existing companies

Entrepreneurs – work with technology groups (Mines, NREL, etc.)

The staff’s recommendations for the local grants were approved.

Executive Session:

An update on the Douglas Mountain, Mt Tom properties, and Indigena inholding in Booth Ranch proposals. Offers had been made on all of the properties.

Director’s Report

The Jeffco Outdoors Foundation will be paying the upfront costs for producing a set of eight park, trail, and facility maps similar to the one prepared for the Party for Parks. The goal is to have the complete set ready for printing by the end of 2015.

JCOS worked with Conifer High School parents to get a GOCO grant for lighting the athletic fields at Conifer High School.

Updates:

Local Grants

The Open Space Department budgets $1.2 million each year for local grants plus an amount of the lottery funds that come to Jefferson County. This year the County Commissioners authorized OSAC to distribute $450 thousand of the County’s share of the lottery funds.

On December 4th, 2 cities, 5 districts, and 3 non-profits presented their requests for Grants to OSAC. OSAC and JCOS staff reviewed the grants and on January 8th OSAC approved Grants totaling $1,750,030. Funds for the awards over and above the amount available this year are coming from Grant funds that were not expended in previous years.

The preliminary grants as approved by OSAC are listed below. The County Commissioners will consider the Grants at a meeting early in February and make the official awards.

Arvada – $140,000 for improving the Van Bibber trail as it passes through the Stenger-Lutz athletic fields along 58th Avenue, west of Kipling.

Lakewood – $435,000 for the first phase of redeveloping Carmody Park, south of Jewell along Old Kipling.

Evergreen P&R – $40,000 to cost share with CDOT on replacing the bridge over Bear Creek into Evergreen Lake Park.

Foothills P&R – $1,000,000 to replace the irrigation system at Clement Park and begin a major renovation of some of the facilities at the park. (Note that Open Space developed this park 30 years ago, before leasing it to Foothills.)

Ken-Caryl Metro – $54,280 for installation of a playground and paths at the Community Center in the Hogback Valley.

Normandy Estates Metro – $8,750 for repairs to the tennis courts and seating for the courts and an adjacent playground off Coal Mine west of Sheridan.

Beaver Ranch – $20,000 for a master plan for the ultimate development of Beaver Ranch Park southwest of Conifer.

Evergreen Audubon – $11,000 for exhibit signage and landscaping modifications at the shelter at Evergreen Lake, which is used as a nature center in the summers.

Prospect P&R – $15,750 for outdoor fitness stations at Applewood Park, on 18th West of Youngfield.

Friends of Dinosaur Ridge – $6,000 for an entry sign on the west side of Dinosaur Ridge.

2015 Open Space Goals

At the beginning of each year the Open Space staff prepares a list of projects to be addressed during the year. These projects are in addition to the normal daily routines and potential acquisition projects. This year there are 97 projects listed, with 55 to be completed by the end of the year. Following is a list of the major projects anticipated to be completed by the end of 2015.

County-wide

Develop standardized elements for trailhead design

Implement new designs for trail switchbacks

Develop and implement a trail rating system

Prepare 8 regional maps – similar to the existing Bear Creek Regional Map

Continue enhancing the website

Develop system-wide sign standards

Open Space Building

Major rehabilitation of building parking areas

Apex Park

Realign Pick N Sledge and Poco Calle trails

Complete the reconstruction of the East Trailhead

Clear Creek Canyon Park

Complete the design of the two sections of the Peaks to Plains Trail East of Mayhem Gulch

Complete design of a trail section utilizing the Welch Ditch flume at the mouth of Clear Creek

Complete construction of the first two sections of the Peaks to Plains Trail – County line to Mayhem Gulch

Crown Hill Park

Replace signs to match present sign standards

Remove and replace restroom, new kiosk, and trail realignment

Deer Creek Region

Establish Conservation Network for this County area

Deer Creek/Hildebrand Parks

Develop design for trail connecting Deer Creek and Hildebrand Parks through Lockheed Martin easement

Elk Meadow

Additional trailhead design

Determine how to resolve the groundwater problem impacting the Pioneer Trail

Construct a loop trail within the North area

Hildebrand Ranch Park

Maintenance on permeable pavers in parking lot

Repair of Old Time Ditch

Hiwan Homestead Museum

Repair all roofs

Lair o the Bear Park

Replacement of Dipper Bridge

Matthews Winters Park

Develop a new trailhead design

Complete restroom upgrades

Complete trail connection to I-70 right-of-way

Mt. Falcon

Redesign of the West Trailhead

Relocate West Trailhead restroom

North Table Mountain Park

Realignment of Mesa Top Trail

Complete modifications to the West Trailhead parking – fewer horse trailer spaces

Implement prairie dog management on colony below the West Slope of North Table

Reconstruct trail from Perry Trailhead to the climbing area

Pine Valley

Weatherproofing the exterior of the Baehrden Lodge

South Table Mountain

Review park plans and complete design plans for Quaker Street access

Improve some of the trail surfaces with aggregate

South Valley

Repair asphalt trail by chip sealing

White Ranch

Realignment and repair of Mustang Trail

Realignment and repair of Rawhide Trail

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