Study Session:
Field Trip to Crown Hill Park OSAC viewed the new restroom and trailhead area. Looks terrific. Also went to the North side of the park where Wheat Ridge High School students congregate and have caused problems with walkers. Are working with school and will post the statutes that under 18 cannot possess tobacco. Are patrolling the area daily and have not had any complaints since the patrolling started.
Amy discussed that the staff is following up on the potential for a trails grant program to assist in connecting parks, especially in the older sections of Jeffco.
Regular Session:
Don Moore (PLAN Jeffco member) commented on the weed infestation along the new North Fork Trail from Reynolds Park to the South Platte.
Hugh Wilson presented the list of potential projects for 2016. Developing the list started in spring 2015. Ultimately it has reached 90 projects. The required staff time for each project was estimated so that the total fits with in the staff time available during 2015.
28 projects are in planning including the mouth of Clear Creek Canyon (the Welch Ditch, including the flume section, was donated to Open Space, allowing the opportunity for some interesting trail options) and revising the west trailhead and parking at Mt. Falcon.
18 projects are asset management – inventory of water rights and develop a new database for the real estate inventory.
18 projects are park improvements – primarily completing JC-3 and JC-4 segments of the Clear Creek trail, see the accompanying map.
12 projects are visitor related, including making the website mobile compatible and updating the park.
Click to enlarge.
2. Smaller events, less than 200 participants, also would need to apply by the end of the year for the next year. Permits also will be approved by the end of January. The organizer would not have to be public entity or a non-profit.
No events will be approved for holidays or holiday weekends.
3. Small group permits will not change – about 500 permits will be issued in 2015.
A 50-year lease on the house, barn, and small pavilions at Alderfer was approved. The new lease excludes the restrooms.
Director’s Report:
Beaver Ranch (on Foxton Road west of Conifer) Grant: We were successful in our application for planning assistance from the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance program for the Beaver Ranch Master Plan. There will be 2 NPS staff, Alan Ragins and Joy Lujan, both out of the Park Service’s Lakewood office, who will be working with us on this Master Plan in 2016.
Crown Hill Park Rules Changes: We will be posting new park hours of 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., to align with the hours of surrounding jurisdiction’s park hours. We are also going to post that the underage possession and use of tobacco is prohibited. This will help us to address issues we are having with Wheat Ridge High School students smoking in the Park and to allow our rangers to enforce this state law.
Breckenridge Open Space Advisory Committee Retreat – On Oct. 30, nine members of the Breckenridge Open Space Advisory Commission and staff from Breckenridge and Summit County visited Jeffco Open Space to hear about visitor management strategies used on our trails and in our parks. The visit concluded with a site tour of Apex and Matthews/Winters Park trailheads.
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