OSAC Meeting Notes – April 4, 2019

Study Session

Mary Ann Bonnell did a presentation on Open Space’s need for guidelines with respect to “artwork” being brought into Open Space parks. She showed examples of art in public parks. Jeffco will issue special use permits for the art. The art must be temporary, culturally or ecological significant, must be a juried piece, and must not be a memorial.

Gina Barton presented a five-year financial plan. The significant items are that the payments on the $100 million bond issue will be complete in 2019 and the payments on the two, $30 million bonds end in 2021 and 2023. Because of the end of the $8.4 million bond payment JCOS will have funds to do some catching up on deferred expenses. Also included is a potential change to the local grants program. Acquisitions would not be separate grants but could be submitted whenever final terms on a property have been reached. Open Space would participate up to 50% on properties of regional significance and up to 25% for locally significant parks. A grant program will be started in 2021 for trails, trailheads, restrooms, historic sites, and capital maintenance. Requests should be submitted at the beginning of the year. The funds available would be determined in that year’s budget preparation.

Regular Meeting

The meeting started with recognition of Rebecca Watson’s service on the Advisory Committee. Rebecca has been on OSAC since 2006 and is moving to Northwestern Wyoming. OSAC approved a resolution thanking her for her service and she was given a large park photograph.

A large group of citizens from the area near 108^th and Old Wadsworth attended the meeting and expressed their concern that Westminster was considering their neighborhood open space park for a large potable water treatment facility. Westminster had evaluated 50 sites for placement of the water treatment facility. They were down to two, one of which was the park. JCOS had participated in the purchase of the park property, and had a reverter in the deed. If the property was not going to be used for park purposes, it either would return to JCOS or be replaced by a property of equivalent value. Subsequent to this meeting Open Space staff reminded all of the cities and districts about reverters on appropriate properties. Update: In late May, Westminster selected the alternate site for the treatment facility.

Eric Delynko demonstrated an interactive map that will be on the JCOS web site that will allow the park visitors to post their interactions with wildlife in the parks.