Commission approves amendment to 6 Mile 1 conservation easement purchased with 2006 open‑space bond funds

County staff and a Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation representative presented an amendment to the 6 Mile 1 conservation easement and commissioners approved the amendment on Aug. 27. Jenny K., a lands and community staff member, said the easement — purchased with 2006 open‑space bond funds and recorded in February 2011 — covers about 890 acres north of Houston along 6 Mile Road and that the amendment would resolve a building violation by allowing a building constructed outside the original building envelope to remain in exchange for permanently retiring the right to replace three other structures.

Jenny K. said staff concluded the amendment “still does protect the open space values that the bond funds were used towards” and recommended approval. Will Trimbach of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation attended and answered questions. A commissioner moved to approve the proposed amendment, a second was made, and commissioners voted in favor.

County staff showed ballot and interlocal agreement language tied to the 2006 bond, noting the bond’s authorized purposes: preserving open space, protecting water quality, conserving working farms and forests, protecting wildlife habitat, managing growth, and providing trails and scenic landscapes. Staff said the amendment would enhance conservation values by limiting further structural development beyond the original easement’s limits.

Why this matters: amendments to easements acquired with voter‑approved bond funds must be reviewed and approved by the commission to ensure continued compliance with bond purposes. The action formalizes a permanent restriction on replacement structures and resolves a record building violation on the property.