Title
Ordinance No. 21-87 Amending Ordinance no. 20-92 (2021 Appropriation Ordinance) for a Supplemental Appropriation to the Trails, Open Space and Parks Fund in the Amount of $1,475,000 to Complete the Phase I Acquisition of up to 260 Acres of Property for the Purpose of Public Open Space and Trails
Presenter:
Britt Haley, Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) Program Manager
David Deitemeyer, Senior Landscape Architect
Body
Summary:
The supplemental appropriation request on today's agenda offers the opportunity to acquire up to 260 acres of a total of approximately 343 acres of candidate open space property previously identified in the 2014 Park System Master Plan for the City of Colorado Springs open space system.
Background:
On April 1, 1997, an ordinance implementing a sales tax for trails, open space and parks (TOPS) was approved by the citizens of Colorado Springs. This tax went into effect on July 1, 1997. In 2003, this ordinance was amended to extend the TOPS sales tax through 2025. The TOPS Working Committee is responsible for setting priorities and making recommendations for the expenditures of TOPS funds. The acquisition proposal on today's agenda offers the opportunity to acquire over 340 acres of candidate open space property previously identified in the 2014 Park System Master Plan for the City of Colorado Springs open space system.
The property, which was previously slated for over 70 homes, shares a boundary with the Cheyenne Mountain State Park and the Pike National Forest. It is located just to the west of the Broadmoor Bluffs neighborhood. This property would provide the connectivity needed to continue the Chamberlain Trail along the City's western mountain backdrop. It features rolling grassy meadows, tall ponderosa pine stands, and encompassing views across the City from its higher elevations. Conservation of the City's western mountain back drop is a goal that is identified in the 2014 Park System Master Plan, and t...
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