Title
An appeal of the Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Advisory Board decision to approve the Blodgett Open Space Master and Management Plan
Presenter:
Britt Haley, Director, Parks Recreation and Cultural Services Department
Lonna Thelen, Program Manager, Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) Program
David Deitemeyer, Senior Program Administrator, Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) Program
Body
Summary:
Through an extensive public process, Park Department staff and the consultant team (Tapis Associates) produced the Blodgett Peak Open Space Master and Management Plan approved by the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Advisory Board April 11, 2024. The approved Blodget Peak Open Space Master and Management Plan has been appealed to City Council.
Background:
Blodgett Open Space, located on the northwest side of Colorado Springs, consists of multiple parcels of Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) program acquired land over the past 20 years. The original Blodgett Open Space was first acquired in 2001. In recent years, the City of Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department (PRCS) purchased additional land in three phases for the expansion of the open space. The most recent purchase of 153 acres occurred in the spring of 2021. The entirety of Blodgett Open Space is comprised of 384 acres.
Blodgett Open Space has been used for passive recreation, including hiking, mountain biking and wildlife viewing. The open space also serves as a gateway to the Pike National Forest and several undesignated illegal trails, including access to Blodgett Peak. With the increase in visitation, newly acquired properties, creation of illegal trails and an outdated master plan for the open space, the necessity for the comprehensive planning and resource oversight was critical.
To establish a holistic new plan for the long-range enhancement and management of Blodgett Open Space, PRCS selected Tapis Associates to lead and facilitate an Open Space Master Plan and Management Plan. The combination of these plans will guide efforts to develop improvements and appropriately manage the open space over the next 15 to 20 years to meet today and tomorrow’s demands for the Colorado Springs Community and Pikes Peak Region.
The Blodgett Open Space Master and Management Plan seeks to create a balance between protection of the open space’s cultural and natural resources with current and future recreational use and public access. At the start of this planning process, the PCRS determined that natural/cultural resource management and public access could be most effectively balanced by managing the open space properties together.
The master plan process began in February 2023 with PCRS working with a variety of technical experts to conduct natural resource surveys of the property. Data was collected to inform the plan through a variety of methods including numerous site visits, an active stakeholder action committee, online surveys, in person meetings, and review of existing resource studies.
To help guide the planning process, project rules were presented and adopted by participants of the community meetings. They represent the responsibilities of PRCS and provide the parameters for the decisions that were made through the Blodgett Open Space master planning process. From within this framework, master plan participants and the project team identified the key issues to be addressed throughout the process and established the project and management goals served as the guideposts in the decision-making process for the master and management plan.
These goals will provide management and stewardship of the open space through preservation of the natural and cultural resources, wildlife enhancement with management practices, implementing a sustainable trail system, improving forest health, and involving the public.
As a summary overview of the Blodgett Open Space Master Plan, the following is the list of recommendations:
1. Commitment to habitat protection.
2. Commitment to natural and cultural resource stewardship
3. Improved trail system, trail experience and trail connectivity
4. Enhanced interpretive and educational opportunities
5. Improved trailhead management, resource management and policy recommendations
6. Adaptive management strategies for park staff to support a phased implementation and future management decision making.
The recommended Blodgett Open Space Master and Management Plan was presented to the TOPS Working Committee and the Parks Advisory Board in March of 2024. Based on discussions and member input, the following revisions were made:
• Clarified language on additional public process requirements and format.
• Clarified definition for illegal trails.
• Added permanent closure of system trails to actions requiring additional public process.
The recommended Blodgett Open Space Master and Management Plan was presented to the Parks Advisory Board at the TOPS Working Committee meeting on April 3, 2024. The TOPS Working Committee voted unanimously (8-0) to recommend adoption the Blodgett Master and Management Plan as presented with one modification to allow for a total of 51 spaces at the North Trailhead, where a maximum of 41 parking spaces were presented.
The recommended Blodgett Open Space Master and Management Plan was presented for consideration to the Parks Advisory Board meeting on April 11, 2024. The Parks Board voted 7-1 approval and adoption the Blodgett Master and Management Plan as presented with one modification to allow for a total of 51 spaces at the North Trailhead, where a maximum of 41 parking spaces were presented. The dissenting vote favored deferring the vote and possible approval until after the future of the Pikeview Quarry property was determined.
A group of three citizens filed an appeal of the Parks Advisory Board decision on April 19, 2024, for City Council review and vote. The appeal claims an incomplete public engagement process, incomplete information on traffic/parking, wildfire and wildlife and the appearance of catering to special interest group(s). The master plan process followed the review criteria under the 2014 Park System Master Plan and the Trails, Open Space and Parks Ordinance. The public process and public record supports the robust and complete process, extensive public engagement and generating an open space master plan that strikes a balance between natural resources protection and recreational use.
Previous Council Action:
N/A
Financial Implications:
The responsibility to own, design, construct and maintain Blodgett Open Space is with the City of Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department. The Blodgett Open Space Master and Management Plan includes present day dollar figures that represent the cost to implement the recommendations of the master plan. These recommendations are meant to be implemented over a period of 15-20 years.
City Council Appointed Board/Commission/Committee Recommendation:
The TOPS Working Committee voted unanimously (8-0) on April 3rd, 2024, to recommend the approval and adoption of the Blodgett Open Space Master and Management Plan with a modification to allow up to 51 parking spaces at the North Trailhead, where a maximum of 41 spaces were presented.
The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Advisory Board voted 7-1 on April 11, 2024, to approve the Blodgett Open Space Master and Management Plan with the modification to allow up to 51 parking spaces at the North Trailhead, where a maximum of 41 spaces were presented.
Stakeholder Process:
A total of 14 public in-person meetings occurred including three (3) community workshops, four (4) onsite meetings, one (1) neighborhood focus meeting, five (5) stakeholder action committee meetings, three (3) agency meetings, three (3) online project surveys, three (3) online plan review surveys with 30-day comment periods, and three (3) TOPS Working Committee and three (3) Parks Advisory Board meetings. The robust public engagement process discussed the issues, challenges, opportunities, and possibilities within Blodgett Open Space. With a hands-on activity during each community meeting, the public had an opportunity to hear the information that was presented, provide feedback and learn how their input was incorporated into the overall master and management plan.
Over 1,900 citizen engagements were recorded during the master plan process. The community meetings concluded with the addition of one neighborhood focus meeting on January 22, 2024 to address neighborhood concerns. The community plan review was posted January 17, 2024 with a corresponding survey that was open for 31 days. Comments were reviewed by the planning team and modifications were made to the plan for further refinement of the proposed master and management plan. Although not all requests could be accommodated, the planning team addressed many of the suggestions that were voiced within the context of the established givens and plan goals. All of the input received from the public can be found within the appendices of the document.
The Blodgett Open Space Master and Management Plan represents a significant collaboration between the planning team, staff, agency partners, stakeholders, numerous partnership organizations, and the public. This comprehensive plan will guide the future of this important park resource for the next 15-20 years.
Alternatives:
City Council can approve, change, postpone, or deny the appeal of the Blodgett Open Space Master and Management Plan.
Recommended Action
Proposed Motion:
Deny the appeal, thus upholding the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Advisory Board’s adoption of the Blodgett Open Space Master and Management Plan, based upon the findings that the Blodgett Open Space Master and Management Plan meets the criteria for the 2014 Park System Master Plan and the purposes of the TOPS Ordinance set forth in City Code Section 4.6.101.
Summary of Ordinance Language
N/A