Boulder County approves purchase of 72.4-acre Gateway parcel to protect agricultural buffer

Boulder County commissioners voted Aug. 12 to acquire a 72.42-acre parcel known as the Gateway property in southeast Boulder County to preserve agricultural use and a community buffer.

Parks and Open Space staff told commissioners the county would pay $2,630,000 for the land and development rights and $70,000 for 69.99 shares in the Goodhue Ditch and Reservoir Company, for a total acquisition cost of $2,700,000. The county would own fee simple title and — consistent with a 1999 intergovernmental agreement — grant undivided conservation-easement interests to the City of Louisville, the City and County of Broomfield and the City of Lafayette.

Why it matters: the IGA that recognizes the property’s value as a rural preservation area and prevents annexation expires in 2029. Staff said the property’s recent listing created a narrow window to act and that county ownership would secure contiguous open space and agricultural land that county and municipal partners have prioritized for decades.

Details: Melissa Arnold, land officer with County Parks and Open Space, described the parcel as irrigated farmland bisected by a Burlington Northern line and currently leased for cattle grazing. Arnold said the property includes “69.99 shares of the Goodhue Ditch and Reservoir Company,” two remaining agricultural structures, and no residences. She told the board the county negotiated an expedited closing to secure the $2.7 million price and then planned to seek post‑closing reimbursements from Louisville, Lafayette and Broomfield as their councils determine contributions.

Commissioner questions and public comment: Commissioners asked whether the county could delay closing until partner contributions were firm; staff said the seller required a quick closing and that delaying risked losing the deal. Theresa Glowacki, director of Parks and Open Space, told the board the owners had most recently paid “more than $5,000,000” for the parcel and that the negotiated price represents a significant savings. Members of the Lewisville Open Space Advocates and other residents urged approval at public comment, emphasizing agricultural value, wildlife corridors and connectivity to adjacent protected land.

Outcome: Commissioner Levy moved approval of the acquisition; the motion passed unanimously.

What’s next: The county will close on the property, hold and manage fee simple title, and then grant undivided conservation-easement interests to the three partner municipalities; staff said exact partner reimbursement amounts are pending municipal council decisions.

Sources: presentation and documentation provided at the Aug. 12 Board of County Commissioners meeting and public testimony at that meeting.