Title
Ordinance No. 20-87 Amending Ordinance No. 19-87 (2020 Appropriation Ordinance) for a Supplemental Appropriation to the Trails, Open Space and Parks Fund in the Amount of $478,000 for Acquisition of Approximately Forty (40) Acres of Property for the Purpose of Public Open Space and Trails
Presenter:
Britt I. Haley, TOPS Program Manager, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department
Body
Summary:
This is a request for a supplemental appropriation to fund a strategic acquisition of approximately forty (40) acres of property, surrounded on three sides by the existing Corral Bluffs Open Space.
Background:
The 2014 Park System Master Plan ("Master Plan") identifies the Corral Bluffs area as an Open Space Candidate Area. In fact, this area has long been identified for land conservation in advance of development. It was first identified over 20 years ago in the 1996 City Open Space Plan and also in the 1997 El Paso County Open Space Master Plan. Beginning with a TOPS program purchase of the Case property in 2009, the Anderson property in 2010, the Kyle property in 2017, and the Bishop Ranch property in 2018, the TOPS program has diligently and patiently worked to assemble adjoining property in this resource rich area.
The 2014 Park System Master Plan (Master Plan) includes several goals that are supported by this proposal. First it provides enhanced open space opportunity on the City of Colorado Spring's east boundary, just as development is preparing to move forward under a revised and restated Banning Lewis Ranch annexation agreement intended to revitalize development on the adjoining 21,000 acres. Second, acquisition of this property will fill in a gap in the Corral Bluffs Open Space, reuniting this parcel with the original "Bishop Ranch" which will also provide a way to manage an existing access road to the open space currently used by the owner of the property. This acquisition would protect the City's existing investment by securing t...
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