Boulder County real estate division reports $11.9 million in 2024 land acquisitions, highlights Haystack and Rabbit Mountain purchases

Janice Wisman, Real Estate Division manager for Boulder County Parks and Open Space, presented the division’s 2024 closing summary and annual report at the Jan. 23 POSEAC meeting, describing acquisitions, donations and program activity.

"In 2024, we had a total of 646 acres that we acquired, including water rights as well. In 15 different acquisitions," Wisman said. She reported a net investment of just over $11,900,000 for the year and highlighted several transactions.

Notable 2024 transactions cited by Wisman: - Wall Street Mill: 1 acre purchased for $63,000; county previously owned half of the mill and now owns the entire site. - Highlands Camp: 294‑acre property donated as a conservation easement to Estes Valley Land Trust; county holds a backup holder position. - Elk Draw: 40 acres donated; county will manage the parcel together with adjacent Tucker property. - Elk Tracks: 36 acres purchased for $535,000 along Highway 72 in Coal Creek Canyon; identified for view protection corridors and potential future trail connection. - Rabbit Mountain area: 101 acres purchased for $2,975,000, including priority ditch water rights; the land was identified as agricultural land of statewide importance and high biodiversity area. - Haystack Mountain: 106 acres purchased at auction for $6,200,000; the property is designated a natural landmark in the comprehensive plan and is closed to public access for resource protection.

Wisman also described program work beyond acquisitions. The division monitored oil and gas maintenance on open space, reporting 14 groups of maintenance projects involving work on 258 wells (some wells visited multiple times for different maintenance activities). The real estate division’s oil‑and‑gas team coordinates reclamation and impact minimization with ecological staff and other departments.

Conservation easements remain a large part of the program. Wisman said staff monitor about 450 easements annually (roughly half of 848 easements requiring monitoring) and manage a total of roughly 1,046 conservation easements and similar interests when including partner grants and deed‑restriction interests.

Staffing changes: long‑time real estate staff member Don Durso retired when a term position ended; the county hired Michael Sylvester from the county attorney’s office to coordinate oil‑and‑gas maintenance requests and internal team coordination.

Committee members asked for follow‑up details on specific properties and resources to be protected; Wisman said baseline reports, appraisals and other documentation inform monitoring and decisions and offered to provide documents and maps on request.