To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Director Shannon Carter, Director, Open Spaces
Prepared By:
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Shannon Carter, Director, Open Spaces
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Subject:
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2:00 PM *High Line Canal Deed Transfer Update
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
In July 2023, Arapahoe County entered a memorandum of understanding with Denver Water regarding the process to transfer ownership of the High Line Canal to Arapahoe County. This Study Session will update the BOCC on the status of the negotiations and provide the Board with the opportunity to discuss the deed transfer with representatives from Denver Water and the High Line Canal Conservancy.
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Background and Discussion:
High Line Canal Property
Originally a private venture, Denver Water acquired the Canal in 1924 and has owned most of the 71-mile corridor ever since. The corridor width varies but is generally 100-feet wide and includes an earthen Canal and ditch riders' road that has been converted into a dual-purpose recreational trail and maintenance road. The Canal corridor also contains existing vegetation, roadway crossings, utility easements, recreation infrastructure, access points and other infrastructure typically allowed by Denver Water through licenses and easements. Where the Canal crosses natural waterways the Canal itself is piped over of under those waterways to ensure that Platte River water (its source of water) does not comingle with natural waterways.
The High Line Canal has been identified as a regional asset and contributes to the scenic character of local neighborhoods and the broader metro area. The Canal provides riparian habitat, native plant communities, and open space and a multi-purpose recreational trail. The Canal provides both recreation for residents and a refuge for urban-adapted wildlife. Portions of the Canal are within a parcel deemed to have high biodiversity significance by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program. As mentioned above, several cre...
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