OSAC Meeting Notes – July 2014

Study Session:

A field trip to Peaks to Plains Trail Segments 3 & 4 was held in lieu of a study session. These segments will be East of the Mayhem Gulch parking area.

Regular Meeting:

Joy Lucisano presented the quarterly real estate update for the Committee to review proposals that meet one or more Open Space Master Plan criteria or values. She highlighted projects that have been completed, new proposals, and those that have a higher level of staff activity. The review included maps for 12 completed projects, maps and a summary of 16 projects in process, and maps of the 17 new proposals.

Regina Elsner reviewed a presentation of the Mountain Plains Industrial Center property along Highway 93, North of the West Rocky Flats entrance, proposal and staff’s recommendation to forgo consideration for acquisition. The Advisory Committee unanimously approved to forgo. Mr. Foreman thanked the owner for bringing the proposal to Open Space and stated that the Committee’s vote to forego was not a reflection on the property, but that it came down to the cost of the commercially zoned property versus the value to the system, and therefore the forego seemed to make sense.

Scot Grossman reviewed slides of the Peaks to Plains Trail Segments 3 & 4, including areas that the Committee toured during their field trip, and then discussed the project details, which include the need for an elevated trail crossing of Highway 6.

Don Klima reviewed the proposed 2015 Jeffco Open Space Budget as well as business cases for two new staff positions. He also provided an overview of the Five-Year Financial Strategy for 2015 – 2019.

Tom Hoby reviewed the findings from the Jeffco Shooting Range Working Group and the staff recommendations:

1, Site A, The Arvada-owned property adjacent to Highway 93 where Pioneer Sand & Gravel has a lease for their quarry property. The site and the adjacent Patridge open space (bought by JCOS for the City of Arvada) are within the corridor for the proposed Northwest Parkway. The Patridge property has a reverter clause on it, but Tom Hoby believes that the reverter can be moved to some other property);

2, Pike National Forest;

3. Further exploration of existing quarry reuse.

Tom Hoby presented a proposal for a series of mountain bike events that staff has been working on with the Jeffco Outdoors Foundation and Team Evergreen Cycling as a possible fundraiser for the Foundation. The Foundation has proposed using some of the Open Space Parks as a venue for these events. The proposal still is in its initial stages and no specific events were described.

The Advisory Committee approved requests from Golden and the Evergreen Audubon Society for supplemental grants from the Local Grants program. Golden’s request was to complete the 44th Avenue trail and the Audubon’s request was for additional improvements to the Evergreen Lake Nature Center.

Advisory Committee officers were elected for 2014-2015: Wayne Forman, Chairman; Bob West, Vice Chair; Janet Shangraw, Vice Chair; John Litz, Secretary; and Ken Morfit, Secretary pro tem.