Blog – Page 2 – PLAN Jeffco

2024 Conservation Awards Ceremony Pays Tribute to John Litz

February 6, 2024/in News & Views /by BlogMaster

By Vicky Gits

Once a year, Jefferson County Open Space honors those who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and exemplary effort as volunteers on behalf of Open Space Parks, as well as the causes on behalf of land preservation and involvement.

About 300 people attended this year’s Conservation Award event at the Lakewood Cultural Center Jan. 31. Members of the Open Space staff nominate candidates and choose the winners.

The highlight was a video tribute to volunteer role model John Litz, longtime board member of PLAN Jeffco, who died Dec. 29, 2023 at age 87. Although suffering from cancer, Litz continued to serve as an active member of both the PLAN Jeffco Board and the Open Space Advisory Committee before he died.

Among many other things, Litz was noted for advocating the establishment of a volunteer function in Open Space and for identifying strategically important lands. Litz was also famous for his spreadsheets and strategies for financing acquisitions.

“We would not be here without John,” said Tom Hoby, Executive Director of Open Space.

John Litz Stewardship Fund

An anonymous donor contributed $15,000 to start a John Litz Stewardship Fund and Jeffco Open Space Foundation contributed $25,000 toward a goal of $100,000. Contributions can be made at coloradogives.org. Funds are for public lands volunteerism, visitor stewardship, courtesy education and scholarships for conservation careers.

The 2024 Conservation Awards

Aspen Award – Tom Elliott, Rookie Park Patroller

Named as the outstanding first-year volunteer, Tom Elliott served as a Nature Center Ranger. He stood out for his way of making people feel like they are having fun while learning. His ability to speak Spanish is helpful with Spanish-speaking students. He has an engaging way of reminding visitors to abide by the rules, without offending them. To Elliott, a retired educator, translating the language is an important element of teaching.

Mark Hinchman, RM Juniper Award Winner

Rocky Mountain Juniper Award – Mark Hinchman, Trails and Restoration

Hinchman logged an impressive 600 volunteer hours in 2023, mostly as an enthusiastic member of the Trails Volunteer Team. He makes an extra effort to help others understand the big picture behind the physical work activities. He is an effective advocate for stewardship. He absolutely loves any and all kind of rock work, the outdoors and the physical activity.

The Conservation Fund-MountTom - DougFir Award

The Douglas Fir Award – The Conservation Fund-Mount Tom Project

The Conservation Fund won kudos for its critical work in bringing together the landowners whose participation made possible the landmark preservation of 2,100 acres, valued at $25 million, near the Douglas Mountain Study Area and the Ralston Creek State Wildlife Area, only 20 minutes from Denver. It also was able to pre-acquire one of the key parcels to protect it from development. Jeffco Open Space partnered with TCF, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Great Outdoors Colorado and Mountain Area Land Trust to bring the deal to fruition. As a result, there will someday be a new trail to the top of Mount Tom (9,741 feet).

Blue Spruce Award – Inclusive Guide

The Inclusive Guide, co-founded by Crystal Egli and Parker McMullen Bushman, created a Yelp-like website, inclusivejourneys.com, that helps people connect to safe and welcoming spaces and holds businesses and organizations accountable as customer-friendly and inclusive. JCOS parks and trails was the first open space agency to be listed in the guide. The Inclusive Guide helps eliminate the element of uncertainty involved in visiting public parks and other places.

ENOR Discovery

Gambel Oak – Eagle’s Nest Owl’s Roost (ENOR)

In its 50th year, ENOR Environmental Discovery Camp provides educational week-long, all-day outdoor summer day camp experiences to help 4th to 8th -graders learn about the outdoors and principles of stewardship. Jefferson County is the only county in the state to have this kind of program. The Colorado State University Extension 4H office is the managing agency. In 50 years about 20,000 youth have attended the camps.

Leslie OConnor - John Litz Award winner

John Litz Award – Leslie O’Connor, Park Patroller, 20 years

O’Connor was instrumental in creating the park patroller program and is renowned for being an outstanding role model to all volunteers. After 20 years in service, O’Connor remains involved and excited about connecting people with open space. She says her reward is having the opportunity to engage with people and talk to them about nature and the parks.

The Aspen Award

To view videos of each of the Conservation Awards:

2024 Conservation Awards – Aspen Award – Tom Elliott

2024 Conservation Awards – Rocky Mountain Juniper Award – Mark Hinchman

2024 Conservation Awards – Douglas Fir Award – Conservation Fund

2024 Conservation Awards – Blue Spruce Award – Inclusive Guide

2024 Conservation Awards – Gambel Oak – ENOR Environmental Discovery Camp

2024 Conservation Awards – John Litz Award – Leslie O’Connor

The PLAN Jeffco Monthly – January 2024

January 31, 2024/in News & Views /by BlogMaster

Download your copy of the January 2024 PLAN Jeffco Monthly newsletter here

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In Memoriam – John Litz, PLAN Jeffco Founder

January 7, 2024/in News & Views /by BlogMaster

John Litz at the PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary celebration, 2012

It is with heavy hearts that we come to you with news of the passing of one of our own, John Litz. There are some people for whom words are just not enough.

John was an original founder of PLAN Jeffco, the keeper of Open Space histories and teacher of conservation methods. His accomplishments are too numerous to list, his encyclopedic knowledge of land and conservation opportunities profound.

When I joined the PLAN Jeffco Board in 2006, I was in the company of Open Space legends – the very people, ordinary citizens all, who had the foresight and the energy to manifest Jeffco Open Space. They had fought long and hard to make Open Space what it is today, a national gem in Open Space programs. They nurtured and guided Open Space through the decades. Margot Zallen, Bette Seeland, Ann Bonnell and John Litz took me under their wings, tutored me in how to become a conservation activist, how to ensure that Jeffco Open Space stayed aligned with the Enabling Resolution. I will be forever grateful for their patience and their guidance.

When Margot left Colorado to join her family in Oregon, she handed me the reins to PLAN Jeffco. She knew that she was leaving me in good hands with John, who was there, every month, every time I had a question, every time I needed to understand how to do something. His departure, expected and inevitable, has left a huge hole in my heart, and a strong desire to live up to his faith in my ability to carry the torch of PLAN Jeffco.

For John, I will do my very best. …Michelle Poolet, President ProTem

I wrote the following poem in tribute to John and Ann while I was in Berlin with the attached photo of the location where I happened to be in Berlin when I learned of John’s passing. The photo, however, is from 2018 as explained in the poem.

Bodestrassee, Museum Island, Berlin, Germany

In memoriam for John Litz and Ann Bonnell

Speaking of marvels, I [was] alive together

with you, when I might have been alive

with anyone under the sun . . .

—Lisel Mueller, Alive Together.

IN PASSING

I’m on Bodestrasse when I get the news about John. I’d already known about Ann but it takes a bit of time to write about how lovely it was to have been alive together with the two of you.

John, no one I’ve met displayed a fiercer intelligence on each and every subject you cared about, including the preservation of the natural world.

Ann, the same can be said of you—who suffered no fools or challenges in your pursuit of all things ornithological, ensuring that there will always be birds.

You know, I’ve been at this spot before. It was during a wonderful summer visit with my cousins, Leo and Linda. We watched a young woman reading under the light here.

It was the perfect evening to a beautiful day. I still like to think that she was reading Hegel or Heidegger or that whatever it was, it was something beyond me:

few ever say it—and you’d both think it impolite—but this is safely said: those whom we admire and thus choose to point the way, are the smarter among us. …Peter Ruben Morales, Vice-President ProTem

CCC Gateway Segment Cable Cutting 20210925 – Jean, Michelle & John

When I think of John as a person, the words that come to mind are: pragmatic, visionary, and persistent. His passing, after half a century of applying those traits to the betterment of Jefferson County’s open spaces, leaves a huge void in the ranks of our effective environmental advocates and in our knowledge of how our open spaces came to be as they are. John did not just think about, or appreciate, or talk about the value of open spaces for their ecological and human values, he acted on their behalf. His presence and all that it embodied will be missed. …Jean Tate, Treasurer ProTem

PLAN Jeffco in the cemetery, 1972

Remembering John.

John was a quiet leader. You could always count on him to come to well-reasoned decisions.

He knew how to research and gather the information needed to make good decisions.

He was a team player. He always did more than his share, although it was hard to get him to share responsibilities.

He was generous – with his time and resources.

It was a privilege to know and to work with him. He leaves a large gap, impossible to fill. …Bette Seeland, Founder Board Secretary

Academy Team at the Mountaineering Center – Academy 2023-04-29

I first encountered John at an information session hosted by my state representative – the topic was land preservation and John spoke on the history of PLAN Jeffco and the origins of JCOS. Only then did I realize that a dedicated group of citizens was responsible for establishing the Open Space park system that I had enjoyed all these years. When the opportunity came my way to join PLAN Jeffco, I was thrilled for the chance to learn from these rock stars! I came to know John as extremely knowledgeable – I think he knew every parcel of land larger than 40 acres in the county, who owned it, what it was used for, whether it was a candidate for preservation, and how it might be obtained. John was also a kind and decent man – warm, and generous with his time and expertise. His departure leaves a gaping hole in the Jeffco conservation community. I’m sure that there’s so much more that I could have learned from John, but I am grateful to have had this blessing in my life. …Catherine Schramm, Board Member

John Litz field tripping in Clear Creek OS Park circa 2021

I did not know John all that long, so there’s not a lot of history with him to remember. He was skeptical of me joining the PJ Board, ostensibly because he didn’t know me. He warmed a little over time, but I can’t say we were friends. All that said, he was impressive, not only for his accomplishments, but for being remarkably knowledgeable about so many things! He could tell you about virtually every little corner of the County, particularly the JCOS parks, not to mention being up-to-speed on the current County and JCOS affairs. I will miss him for his encyclopedic knowledge, and I’m sure most people whose paths crossed with him will feel the loss. …Fred Naess, Board Member

John Litz named to the Jefferson County Hall of Fame 2022

John was a key member of the group who got Jefferson County Open Space started and was a lifelong member of OSAC. Everyone who walks, runs, bikes, rides, etc. on our wonderful open space parks here in JEFFCO owes him and his comrades a huge debt of gratitude. The greatest honor we can do him and the beautiful open space he helped create is to be grateful for it, and to think about the legacy he left. Please be more selfless, compassionate, patient in his honor, and think about what YOU can do to protect the legacy, both in how we treat each other but also how we treat the land, the trails, the flora and fauna that live in these open spaces. Please be courteous. For 2024 let’s all be more selfless and less selfish, in small ways, in big ways. They all count. Thank you. For John. For me. For you. For the baby birds. For the deer. For everyone. …Lydia Andrews-Jones, Board Member

John Litz, JCOS Volunteer Picnic, circa summer 2021

As a pioneering member of PLAN Jeffco, John Litz was one of our touchstones with the past. Not only did he possess deep knowledge of the evolution of Open Space and PLAN Jeffco, he was also the person who volunteered the most loyally and prolifically. He was unassuming but brilliant at the same time. John was both treasurer as well as newsletter editor. He was a member of the Open Space Advisory Commission for 30 years. John regularly volunteered his living room for meetings and hosted the annual Christmas party. He helped with the marketing and sale of artwork for PLAN Jeffco’s outdoor painting fund-raiser, In Plein Sight. He never said he was too busy to do one more thing. His work identifying desirable parkland and staving off development over the years has vastly improved the quality of life for thousands of Jefferson County and Front Range residents. …Vicky Gits, Board Member

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A Volunteer Park Patroller’s Perspective

January 1, 2024/in News & Views /by BlogMaster

Fred Naess, 30-year Volunteer Park Patroller & PLAN Jeffco Board Member

What’s it like to be a Volunteer Park Patroller with Jeffco Open Space?

With over two dozen parks, more than 270 miles of trails and nearly 60,000 acres in the system, a Volunteer Park Patroller has many options. Once you’ve been vetted and trained as a Park Patroller, you can sign up for a specific date and time at a park of your choice, but there’s no rule that says you can’t spontaneously “stop by” a park on the way home from work. It’s unlikely you’ll see another Volunteer Patroller, except perhaps on a busy summer weekend, but if you do, there are plenty of other alternative parks to visit for a patrol, none of them very far away.

The range of park experiences is huge. There’s the beautiful suburban Crown Hill Park, located in Wheat Ridge at an elevation of about 5,600 feet, with both paved and natural-surface trails winding around a waterfowl-studded lake. The nearby ponds are preserved as a National Urban Wildlife Refuge. The main lake is stocked with rainbow trout during the ice-free months, providing fishing opportunities for both people and raptors. During the winter months, I’ve seen two bald eagles perched in the stately cottonwood trees beside the lake, near patches of open water.

South Valley Open Space Park- CarbonFibre Photos

South Valley Open Space Park, photo courtesy of CarbonFibrePhoto

Moving up into the foothills, there’s South Valley Park near Ken Caryl and C-470, which has numerous red sandstone rock formations scattered along the trails. They provide a visual feast of stunning shapes and colors, constantly changing as the sun progresses across the cobalt blue Colorado sky. Prairie falcons often nest on narrow ledges high on the rock faces, and golden eagles soar from their nests on the rocks overlooking the Lockheed Martin facility, which is the adjoining property to the west.

Clear Creek aerial view

At the mouth of Clear Creek Canyon, and just west of Golden, is the Gateway Trailhead, entrance to the ambitious Peaks to Plains Trail, which will ultimately stretch all the way up to the Loveland ski area on the Continental Divide and beyond. The paved beginning of this trail meanders right along Clear Creek, whose waters sing to the visitor and provide fishing and kayaking opportunities. Keep a sharp eye out for Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep grazing in the sun-drenched meadows above to the north.

Further into the foothills is Mt. Falcon, with the west trailhead at nearly 8,000 feet elevation, nearly 2,000 feet above the Morrison trailhead. The main Castle Trail has a spur leading to the historic John Brisben Walker’s castle.

Deer in hoarfrost, Hildebrand Park

In the Evergreen and Conifer area, there are five Jeffco Open Space parks, all between 7,000’ and 8,000’: Elk Meadow, Alderfer/Three Sisters, Flying J Ranch, Meyer Ranch, and Reynolds. These mountain gems offer something for virtually everyone—picnicking, hiking, cycling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and wildlife watching. Even in winter, you will likely spot chickadees, juncos, two types of nuthatches, hairy and downy woodpeckers, flickers, Townsend’s Solitaires, robins, and ravens. During the summer months, you can hear—but likely not see—the elusive hermit thrush. This is undoubtedly an incomplete list. Deer, elk, and moose—even the secretive mountain lion—inhabit this diverse ecosystem, delighting the lucky visitor who spots them. At the time of this writing, considerable forestry work is underway at these parks, thinning the overly dense Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir forest to restore it to its original density, making it more wildfire resistant and enhancing the health of the forest and wildlife habitat.

Baehrden Lodge overlooking Pine Lake, photo courtesy of MAPoolet

Finally, there’s the unique Pine Valley Ranch, my personal favorite. Located near the quaint village of Pine, it straddles the North Fork of the South Platte River at about 6,800 feet elevation. A historic rustic mansion (Baehrden Lodge) was used as a summer retreat by its builders, and overlooks the river and lake, but is not open to the public at the time of this writing, due to health concerns. The main trail runs along the former rail bed of the historic Denver South Park and Pacific Railroad, which serviced the mining communities dotting the Colorado Rockies in the mid 1800s. The east end of the trail extends through a spectacular gorge, with boisterous cataracts and winter ice jams. A sharp eye might spot through the trees the ice wall which forms in freezing weather on the steep little creek on the far side of the river. During the ice-free months, numerous waterfowl use the lake, including mallards, and mergansers, even an occasional osprey. A pagoda, located among the stately spruce trees beside the river, can be reserved for wedding ceremonies, with nearby picnic shelters for receptions.

This is certainly not a complete list of the Jeffco Open Space parks, but it does include the highlights from my perspective. As for being a Park Patroller, my experiences on the trails are almost without exception enjoyable. I meet many enthusiastic visitors and take pleasure in answering questions about flora and fauna, trail conditions, and park rules and information. It is gratifying to have such folks thank me for being on the trails. An occasional contact with a visitor “stretching the rules” usually has a positive outcome, with the visitor understanding the logic behind the pertinent rule. Jeffco Open Space provides enjoyable and thorough initial training, both for the Patroller duties and First Aid/CPR, then annually afterwards.

Jeffco Open Space offers multiple volunteer programs, some of which have won nationwide acclaim: Park Patroller, Park Host, Cliff-Nesting Raptor Watch, and Information Specialist, to name just a few. Personally, I am finishing up my 30^th year as a Volunteer Park Patroller. I would like to think that this statistic is a strong endorsement of the program.

For those who would like more information about the Park Patroller program—and who wish to sign up—there will be recruiting open houses and interviews on Thursday, February 15, 2024 from 4:30-6:30 PM, and on Saturday, February 17, 2024 from 10:00 AM until 1:00 PM (my shift!) For more information, the Open Space main office Welcome Center, open Mondays through Thursdays from 8AM to 5PM, can be reached at (303)-271-5925.

By Fred Naess, 30-year Volunteer Park Patroller and PLAN Jeffco Board Member

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In Memoriam – Ann Bonnell, PLAN Jeffco Board Member

December 29, 2023/in News & Views /by BlogMaster

It is with heavy hearts that we come to you with the news of the passing of one of our own, Ann Bonnell.

Ann was a cherished PLAN Jeffco Board Member, joining in 1997. She had been an active participant until recently, when her health took a serious downturn. She passed on Tuesday, December 26, 2023.

As we bid farewell to one of our long-time Board members, we ask that, if you wish to remember Ann Bonnell, bird and conservation advocate extraordinaire, in lieu of flowers please donate in her name to Denver Audubon, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, EarthJustice, or the Nature Conservancy.

Ann moved to the South Jeffco area in 1975, where she was a volunteer in many projects to preserve open spaces and wildlife habitat in the Chatfield Basin area. Ann spent her life teaching and volunteering, starting with high school biology in Albuquerque, NM, volunteering with special needs populations, and coaching Special Olympics swimming and cross-country skiing, giving her a specialty in accessibility issues for our Open Space Parks. She was involved with the Save the Mountain Backdrop Project here in our own Front Range. Ann was a Volunteer Naturalist for Roxborough State Park, South Platte Park, Denver Botanic Gardens and the Audubon Society of Greater Denver. Ann was an inveterate birder; she used to guide the Tuesday Birders and led teams for the annual National Audubon Christmas Bird Counts. She represented Audubon as a Technical Specialist for 10 years in the development of the proposed Chatfield Lake Reallocation Project. She served on the Restoration Advisory Board for the Air Force PJKS Superfund site, located at their former Waterton facility. Ann was 2nd Vice President of The Audubon Society of Greater Denver and served on their Conservation, Trip, & Nature Center Committees.

Ann Bonnell prior to her Grand Canyon float trip circa 1960s

Ann prior to her Grand Canyon float trip circa 1960s

During her tenure on the PLAN Jeffco Board, in addition to the multiple articles on birds and birdlife that she contributed for our print newsletter and website, Ann added so much background information relating to birds when we were discussing certain lands that we needed to protect.

We will miss Ann. As a committed and genuine conservationist, she kept us on the right track as we plowed our way through issue after issue. We will look to the skies, at her beloved birds as they wing their way to wherever they’re headed, and ask “What would Ann have us do?”

Articles written/co-authored by Ann Bonnell:

Birds of Jefferson County: Accipiters
https://planjeffco.org/birds-of-jefferson-county-accipiters/

Snowbirds
https://planjeffco.org/snowbirds/

The Great Backyard Bird Count between Friday, February 14 & Monday, February 17. Have You Watched Any Birds Lately?
https://planjeffco.org/the-great-backyard-bird-count-between-friday-february-14-monday-february-17-have-you-watched-any-birds-lately/

Birds of Chatfield
https://planjeffco.org/birds-of-chatfield/

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) Results Are In – from the February 2014 Count!
https://planjeffco.org/the-great-backyard-bird-count-gbbc-results-are-in-from-the-february-2014-count/

The Bird Family with an Attitude: The Corvids
https://planjeffco.org/the-bird-family-with-an-attitude-the-corvids/

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The PLAN Jeffco Monthly – December 2023

December 25, 2023/in News & Views /by BlogMaster

Download your copy of the December 2023 PLAN Jeffco Monthly newsletter here

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Founders Sign Removed from Open Space Park

November 27, 2023/in News & Views /by BlogMaster

By Vicky Gits and Bette Seeland, Nov 26, 2023

Early this year Jefferson County Open Space quietly removed without replacing an interpretive sign that had stood for about 20 years as a tribute to the visionaries whose genius and hard work launched PLAN Jeffco and created the Open Space Park system.

Now that the sign is gone, it is probably gone for good, according to Matt Robbins of the Open Space department. Positioned in Elk Meadow Open Space in Evergreen, the sign was removed because it had fallen into disrepair after weathering outdoors for so long.

Evergreen resident Joe Mackey brought the missing sign to the attention of the Open Space Advisory Commission in October at a regular meeting. A former member of OSAC in the ‘70s, Mackey thinks the sign should be preserved.

“History is important and posterity needs to understand the past, in particular the foundation of the Open Space institution which has enhanced our county,” Mackey said.

The whereabouts of the original sign are unknown and there are no plans for replacing it, Robbins said.

“The new program no longer involves plaques within our JCOS parks, as it was becoming very cumbersome to maintain the quality and integrity of all the plaques throughout the parks to the level which they deserved,” Robbins said in an email.

In some places plaques are posted along with memorial benches. “The current plaques that are out at the parks are permitted to stay until they reach their five-year mark and then JCOS will remove those as the benches become in disrepair or are removed,” Robbins said. However, the memorial bench program was discontinued seven years ago and renewals have been declined since then.

The sign explaining the foundation of open space was part of an outdoor seating area titled the Carol Karlin Overlook off Founder’s Trail in Elk Meadow Open Space Park in Evergreen.

The rustic monument consists of pine trees, a stone pillar that formerly held the sign, a boulder with a bronze plaque and couple of concrete benches. The plaque identifies 45 people under the inscription, “Recognizing the founders who laid the cornerstones on which the Jefferson County Open Space legacy was built.”

There is no standard procedure for removing a sign when it starts to show signs of age. “That is done on a case-by-case basis,” Robbins said.

“But in most cases if a sign is removed a decision is made to post the information at the trailhead or perhaps on the website.”

Robbins said there are no plans to remove the other elements of the Karlin Overlook, such as the pillar, the bronze plaque or the benches.

About a mile north of the Elk Meadow trailhead, the arrangement presents a pleasant place to rest and contemplate the view of the meadow and gentle foothills to the south.

Carol Karlin, who died March 28, 2021, is generally given credit as the person who started the movement that led to the 1972 passage of the citizens’ initiative creating Jefferson County Open Space and PLAN Jeffco, the grassroots organization that spearheaded the effort.

She is famously known for hosting the initial formative PLAN Jeffco gathering in her Lakewood living room in 1971.

Early on, Karlin recruited the support of the Jefferson County League of Women Voters, whose members became the core of the PLAN Jeffco leadership group. The League also produced influential land-use studies, especially “The Mountain Puzzle,” which documented the loss of open space to development. Karlin was a longtime league member.

Before PLAN Jeffco came into existence, Boulder passed a 1967 law which allowed the city to levy a sales tax for open space, but Karlin envisioned a wider-ranging, county-based effort.

In 1971, Bette Seeland, the League’s land-use chair at the time, and Karlin went to the League’s board for permission to take the sales-tax idea to the membership. Seeland is the longtime secretary and member of the board of directors of PLAN Jeffco.

The key element of Karlin’s vision was a half-cent sales tax, which at the time wasn’t a lot. It raised a measly $1 million or so per year but has since grown exponentially to about $68.5 million a year. The system has grown to encompass 56,000 acres, 27 parks and more than 265 trail miles and become a treasured public resource.

PLAN Jeffco is looking for a photo that shows the narrative sign that for many years was part of the Carol Karlin Overlook in Elk Meadow Park in Evergreen. The sign was atop a rustic stone pillar in a seating area on the Scenic View Trail, a spur off the Founders’ Trail. If anyone has such an image please send to victoriagits@comcast.net. We are also looking for more information about the creation of the overlook and the bronze plaque.

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Trails Partnership Program Awards 2024

November 14, 2023/in News & Views /by BlogMaster

One of the many components of Jeffco Open Space is the Trails Partnership Program. The TPP is a grant program that provides supplemental funding to assist partners in implementing their priority trail projects within Jefferson County. These grants are awarded on an annual basis, provided that funding is available.

At the November 2^nd (2023) Open Space Advisory Committee meeting, Open Space staff presented to OSAC an overview of the TPP applications and proposed funding amounts for 2024. Resolution #23-12, which includes the following projects, was approved that evening:

Applicant	Project Name	Jeffco Open Space Match	Applicant Funding	Project total
Wheat Ridge	Peaks to Plains Feasibility Study	$45,000.00	$45,000.00	$90,000.00
Wheat Ridge	Clear Creek Trail Improvement Projects	$252,650.00	$252,650.00	$505,300.00
Wheat Ridge	Hayward Park Trail Replacement	$32,069.00	$96,207.00	$128,276.00
Pleasant View Metro District	Westblade Park Trail Connection	$29,321.40	$100,995.95	$130,317.35
Ken Caryl Metro District	South Valley Trail Replacement	$333,206.00	$333,206.00	$666,412.00
Foothills Park & Recreation District	Wayfinding	$100,000.00	$100,154.00	$200,154.00
Arvada	Colorado Front Range Trail	$2,383,797.28	$2,383,797.28	$4,767,594.56
Deer Creek Metro District	C470 Trail Connection	$330,724.25	$578,751.75	$909,476.00
Apex Park & Recreation District	Apex Center connection	$76,209.00	$76,209.00	$152,418.00
Jeffco Transportation & Engineering	Enhanced Crossing at Easley & Fairmount Trail	$16,950.00	$16,950.00	$33,900.00
TOTAL	$3,599,926.93	$3,983,920.98	$7,583,847.	$7,583,847.91

Three additional project overviews were presented for OSAC consideration, but it was determined that more work was required on each of these before they could be considered for funding through the TPP grant program:

Apex Park & Recreation District – Lauri Dannemiller Park Connection
- More work needed to finalize canal crossing agreements
Claymore Properties LLC – Welch Ditch Trail Connection
- Trails Partnership Program not best mechanism for pursuing this project
Evergreen Park & Recreation District – Evergreen Key Connections
- More work needed to finalize agreements with private property owners

The TPP recommendation for funding is scheduled to be brought before the Board of County Commissioners on 12/19/23, and a full BCC hearing will be scheduled in January 2024. Upon project completion, funds will be distributed to the requesting project partners.

TPP partners include entities such as cities, recreation districts, metro districts, and County departments. Any prospective project organization has to manage public land and/or provide public park and recreation services in Jefferson County. If it’s a local project, that is, it will serve the immediate neighborhood or community, or is a new trail within a neighborhood park, or is a trail connector from a school to a local park, the TPP match can be as much as 25%. If the project is regional in scope, that is, it serves multiple jurisdictions, or is a trail connection to a currently existing regional trail or is a Jeffco Trails Plan regional trail itself, it can merit up to a 50% match. Trail connections, trail maintenance, trailhead amenities such as benches, kiosks and restrooms, all qualify for the TPP.

For the years 2021 to 2025, $15M was allocated for the Trails Partnership Program. To date, the following funds have been awarded:

2021: $2,717,629.56

2022: $2,672,183.25

2023: $1,738,100.00

Total awarded: $7,127,912.81

Funds remaining for 2024 & 2025: $7,127,912.81

At the time of this writing, it’s anticipated that applications for the 2025 Trails Partnership Program will be available in mid-July 2024.

The Jeffco Trails Partnership Program, working in conjunction with local and regional trails planning projects, is improving bicycle and pedestrian safety by creating a network of safe, convenient trails and on-street facilities that improve trail connections. This goal dovetails with the Jeffco Conservation Greenprint Goal #8: ‘Easy and Equitable Access’.

For more information on the Trails Partnership Program go to https://www.jeffco.us/4138/Trails-Partnership-Program

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Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

October 31, 2023/in News & Views /by BlogMaster

(Apologies to the Five Man Electrical Band and their recording of “Signs”, circa 1970).

Signs guide us as we travel through life. Signs are part of our everyday life; they’re everywhere we look…

There are signs happy signs, announcing fun events that we may want to take part in:

There are signs that remind us about history and historical events:

There are signs that tell us where we are and where we’ve been, and what we were doing while we were there:

There are signs that tell us what we’re looking at:

There are signs that tell us what we just bought, how much we spent, and maybe even how to use it:

There are signs that tell us which services will be available, and when:

There are signs that let us know how far a package has traveled:

And there are signs that warn us of possible danger:

Signs are so ubiquitous that too often we don’t pay attention to them.

Then there are signs that strike home, to the very heart of a problem, and these are signs that we want to watch for:

The instances of abandoned poop bags and piles of unbagged poop on the park trails are not as bad today as it was just a few years ago, which is great – more dog parents are getting the message, more dog parents are being responsible.

But it’s still not good enough.

There should be ZERO abandoned poop bags. There should be ZERO piles of unbagged poop. If you cannot bring yourself to be a responsible dog parent, please leave your fur-friend(s) home. Be respectful of yourself and others who are using the Open Space Park trails.

A quick reminder of the dog-based Rules of the Trail: Park Regulations: https://www.jeffco.us/1583/Regulations

Responsible use of Jeffco Open Space Parks protects them for all visitors. Jeffco Open Space Regulations are part of Jefferson County Policies: Part 6, Chapter 4, Section 1, C, amended by the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners on June 29, 2021.

C.11. Pets:
C.11.a. It shall be unlawful for any person on Open Space Lands to fail to keep any pet under their custody, control or ownership on a leash and under physical control. “Leash” means a strap, cord or chain ten (10) feet or less in length. Fine: $75.00
C.11.b. It shall be unlawful for any person to allow any pet under their custody, control, or ownership to be on Open Space Lands where the pet is off leash and (1) the pet is not within sight of the person or (2) the person is not present on Open Space Lands. Fine: $100.00
C.11.c. It shall be unlawful for any person on Open Space Lands to fail to immediately pick up, carry out and deposit in a waste receptacle, pet excrement deposited by any pet under their custody, control, or ownership. Fine: $75.00

Be a good pet parent; pick up after your fur-baby.

The post Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign appeared first on PLANJeffco.

CROWN HILL OPEN SPACE PARK – A BRIEF HISTORY

October 18, 2023/in News & Views /by BlogMaster

What we know today as Crown Hill Open Space Park wasn’t always a public venue. One year before the end of the American Civil War, in 1864, a young man named Henry Lee sojourned west from Iowa to join his brother, William, who had a farm east of Golden, on the south side of Clear Creek.

The land was rich, fertile enough to support wheat fields (Wheat Ridge), fruit orchards (Fruitdale) and further to the north, the farms that would one day become the city of Arvada.

While William worked the farm, Henry traveled on the narrow gauge railroad up Clear Creek Canyon to the mining camps in Gilpin, Clear Creek, and Park counties, selling vegetables to the residents.

In less than 10 years from the time of his arrival, Henry had met and married Jennie Paul, another Iowa ex-pat, and settled down to a married and family life on land that Henry was now farming.

Portrait of Henry Lee, from the Henry Lee House, circa 1890

Henry was a go-getter. In addition to adding acreage to his farm (at one time it totaled about 640 acres), he got into politics, representing Jefferson County in the State House of Representatives for one term. He followed that with two terms in the Colorado State Senate.

While in the State Legislature, he orchestrated the transfer of two sections of State school land to the City of Denver, which then turned one of those sections (640 acres) into Denver’s City Park.

To support their farming operations in Jefferson County, William and Henry developed the Lee and Brothers Lateral Irrigation Ditch, which tapped into Clear Creek and ran eastward along what is now 32^nd Avenue.

Henry continued to acquire land in Jefferson County, stretching from his original acreage east into Edgewater. When, in 1908, the Crown Hill Cemetery Association approached him about purchasing a little over a quarter-section of land, Henry sold them the eastern portion of his original farm, which included the home he and Jennie had been occupying. The Crown Hill Associates added to that parcel an additional acreage purchased from the Union Pacific Railroad. The 290 acres eventually became the Crown Hill Cemetery.

Crown Hill Cemetery was the final resting place for Henry Lee, when he became one of the first victims of an auto-pedestrian accident in Denver.

The two ponds that we now call Crown Hill Lake and the Kestrel Pond were natural ponds on the old Lee Farm. They have been enhanced with additional water, which is used for cemetery irrigation and local community support. The water that fills the 55-acre Crown Hill Lake comes from Clear Creek via the old Lee and Brothers Lateral Irrigation Ditch, which was eventually renamed the Crown Hill Agricultural Ditch, and eventually undergrounded. Most of the water in Kestrel Pond is seepage from Crown Hill Lake.

The Crown Hill Agricultural Ditch, which is now called the Crown Hill Cemetery Assn. Pipe Line & Reservoir (it was filed with the Jeffco Clerk and Recorder in 1911) confers water rights to the Crown Hill Cemetery. In other words, the water in Crown Hill Lake and Kestrel Pond belongs to the Crown Hill Cemetery, not to Jeffco Open Space.

The concept of a public park at Crown Hill was birthed in 1972. As the years following Henry Lee’s death rolled by, the population of Jefferson County continued to grow, hemming in what was left of the old Lee farm on all sides – Wheat Ridge to the north, Lakewood to the south. In 1972, a Texas organization (the West Aspen Company) proposed a development of mixed residential and commercial units, including high-rise apartment buildings for upwards of 8,000 inhabitants.

1972 was the same year that Jeffco Open Space was voted into existence, after nearly a year-long effort by PLAN Jeffco and the League of Women Voters to get the issue on the ballot. With a plan in place, the then-existing Crown Hill neighborhood mobilized, targeting the cities of Lakewood and Wheat Ridge and the newly formed Jeffco Open Space to save one of the last large parcels of undeveloped land in that section of the County.

In 1978, the cities of Wheat Ridge and Lakewood partnered with the County, purchasing 168 acres adjacent to the Crown Hill Cemetery, which included both the lake and the smaller pond, and Crown Hill Open Space Park was born. To this day, Crown Hill Open Space Park remains part of unincorporated Jefferson County.

Today, Crown Hill Open Space Park has grown to 229 acres. As a passive recreation area, activities allowed in the park are walking, jogging, biking, horseback riding, roller blading, wildlife viewing, fishing (only from the dock or access locations along the lake shore and with a State of Colorado fishing permit for anyone 16 years of age and older), and picnicking. Commercial photography and special events, such as painting in the park or guided hikes, require a permit. Dogs are allowed to bring their humans to the Park, but they must be connected to their person by a lead no longer than 6 feet. There is no “dog park” at Crown Hill Open Space Park. Neither are there any entry fees; at the time of this writing, all Jeffco Open Space Parks are fee-free and open to the public.

No swimming, wading, floating, paddleboarding, canoeing or other watercraft are allowed on Crown Hill Lake or Kestrel Pond.

Kestrel Pond is a National Urban Wildlife Sanctuary. The wetlands in the northwest corner of the park are strategically important to migrating wildfowl as well as home to a large variety of bird life. Only humans on foot are allowed in the wildlife sanctuary; no horses, dogs or bikes are allowed.

In a typical year, the wildlife sanctuary is closed from the 1^st of March to the end of June to protect the nesting wildlife. In high-water years (like 2023), the closure may continue until the boardwalk is back above water and deemed safe for foot traffic. It’s always best to “know before you go”: https://www.jeffco.us/1207/Crown-Hill-Park

Jeffco Open Space has been and is still doing a lot of work to enhance the visitor experience at Crown Hill Open Space Park: https://www.jeffco.us/DocumentCenter/View/24942/Crown-Hill-Park-Plan-Virtual-Update-PDF

Statistics:

elevation ~ 5500 feet above sea level
3 miles (4.8 km) of natural surface trail
6.5 miles (10.5 km) of hard surface trail
Flush restroom and drinking fountain, ADA accessible
2 small picnic shelters, each with one ADA accessible picnic table; 1 at main parking lot, 1 overlooking Kestrel Pond
18 park benches
8 picnic tables, 1 ADA accessible in each picnic shelter
Horse hitching rail near restroom
Horse exercise arena maintained by the City of Lakewood
ADA accessible fishing pier; fishing allowed from the access areas along the Crown Hill Lake walking path (but not in Kestrel Pond). Colorado Parks and Wildlife stock the lake annually with bass, crappie, carp, perch, bluegill, and saugeye. Native sunfish and trout live in the lake.
2 asphalt parking lots; 1 lot with 103 parking spaces plus 5 ADA accessible, equestrian parking lot with 13 parking spaces plus 1 ADA accessible and 2 horse trailer spaces

Address: Crown Hill Lake, Bel Aire, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

Phone: 303-271-5925

Season: Year-round

Hours: 5 AM to 9 PM

Fees: None

Last update: 10/18/2023

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