Greeley board approves one-year hunting license for Lowell property amid neighbors’ safety concerns

The Greeley Water and Sewer Board approved a one-year hunting license agreement for the Lowell property, a parcel the city acquired in 2021 that includes Greeley Irrigation Company shares and multiple parcels.

Morgan, presenting the item for staff, said the hunting license covers roughly 55 acres and runs Oct. 1 through March 31. The agreement allows lessees to install and remove a blind for waterfowl hunting and includes a $150 annual fee; it requires board approval, execution of a waiver of liability by each hunter and staff recommended delegating renewal authority to the director of Water and Sewer provided the material substance of the agreement remains unchanged.

Board concerns and discussion
Several board members raised neighborhood-safety and proximity concerns. One member, Mr. Otis, described a trail (the Larson Trail) along the east perimeter and said there is adjacent housing and a manufactured-home park; Otis said he had observed shots last year and said he intended to vote no. Other members asked whether the city had received complaints; staff said they were unaware of formal complaints and that the hunting group has hunted the parcel for more than 10 years and coordinates with the sheriff’s office.

Liability and insurance
Board members and staff discussed indemnification and insurance. Staff said the agreement contains an indemnification, release and waiver of liability and that each individual hunter must sign a separate waiver. An attorney on the dais said he would verify whether the agreement currently requires evidence of liability insurance and return with a confirmation; staff indicated proof of insurance language should be checked and possibly added as a condition.

Property context and future plans
Staff and the chair noted the city purchased the property for its No. 3 Ditch shares and for future public infrastructure use; the parcel under lease is roughly 80 acres overall and is being evaluated for a future public infrastructure and maintenance campus. Staff said neighboring parcels north of F Street are proposed for natural areas holdings; parcels south of F Street may be resold to recoup raw water acquisition costs.

Motion and vote
A motion to approve the hunting license agreement and delegate renewal authority to the director was moved and seconded. During the vote the chair called for those in favor to raise their hands and reported a "5 5 2" vote distribution. The transcript records the split vote count but does not record a roll-call tally by name or a final explicit read of "motion carries" or "motion fails" in the minutes text. Staff and several board members continued discussion after the vote, and board members requested that lessees be informed the license may not be automatically renewed in the future.

Next steps
Staff will verify whether the current agreement requires evidence of liability insurance and, if not, will follow up with the board or counsel to add an insurance requirement if appropriate. Staff also said they will hold neighborhood meetings for future infrastructure planning on the larger property and be a point of contact for adjacent neighbors with hunting concerns.