[BoulderCouncilHotline] Denver Park Hill Golf Course Conservation Easement

[Weaver, Sam]

Fellow Council Members and HOTLINE followers,

In the Daily Camera ( and Denver Post) today was an article about a conservation easement that Denver entered into in 1997 for $2M to preserve Park Hill Golf Course over the long run as urban open space.  A developer has now purchased that land, and is proposing substantial commercial development on the 155 acres.  The developer's stated hope is to convince the Denver City Council to abandon or alter the former conservation agreement to allow this commercial development.

While I am no fan of golf courses per se, I am interested in how conservation easements work in Colorado, how binding they are, and how to structure them to most effectively achieve long-term goals.  As we approach the decision on potentially referring a measure to use taxpayer funds for preserving Long's Gardens for community agriculture in many forms, I have questions about how to structure any such purchase.

I would request that the Council receive legal advice on the types and durability of potential conservation easement approaches.  From the article cited below, it is clear that there is a possibility that future Councils can unwind what may seem permanent at the agreement execution.  If ownership of a conservation easement by the departments of Open Space or Parks and Recreation could provide additional future protections (such as 2-body approval and/or referral to a referendum), I would like to understand those options.

https://www.denverpost.com/2019/08/04/denver-park-hill-golf-course-green-space/

(On-line, this article is behind a pay-wall if you have read too many free Denver Post articles.  I read the article in print, so it would be great if staff could provide either electronic or printed versions of the article for Council and the public.)

All the best,

Sam Weaver
Mayor Pro Tem
Boulder City Council
weavers at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:weavers at bouldercolorado.gov>
Phone: 303-416-6130

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