To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Gini Pingenot, Director, Open Spaces Department
Prepared By:
prepared
Roger Harvey, Planning Manager, Open Spaces Department; Josh Garcia, Planner, Open Spaces Department
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presenter
Presenter: Josh Garcia, Planner, Open Spaces Department
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Subject:
title
3:30 PM *Richmil Ranch Open Space Parking Lot Expansion: Funding Request
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
Staff will present a funding request for the Richmil Ranch Open Space project to approve the allocation and expenditure of $483,000.00 from the Open Spaces Acquisitions and Development Fund for the construction of the parking lot expansion.
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Background and Discussion: Arapahoe County acquired Richmil Ranch in 2007. The Park name is derived from the most recent owners, Richard and Mildred Helling who sold the property to the County. The decision to purchase the property was made to preserve the agricultural heritage of the property, the riparian zone of East Bijou Creek and for recreation development for the Deer Trail area. The property is bisected on the north by I-70 and south by Hwy 40 and the Union Pacific Railroad. The property is visible from I-70. A monument sign along I-70 identifies the location which is 6 miles east of Byers and 3 miles west of Deer Trail. The property and area have a rich history located near Deer Trail where the first rodeo is said to have occurred in 1869. The park is 352 acres in size. It consists of mixed upland grass, with some areas under alfalfa production, 250 acres of cottonwood forested natural area, and 100 acres that was under pivot irrigation.
In 2010 and 2011 a master plan was created to design and build a public Open Space Park in the open space area south of I-70, north of Hwy 40. A County Open Space Park was built and opened in 2012. The open space park provides 3.5-miles of crusher fines trails, one loop circling a historic center pivot irrigation field, and trails through...
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