Council directs staff to operate Bigelow as open space once acquired; asks advisory boards to define 'net benefit'

Longmont City Council on Aug. 5 directed staff to operate the Bigelow property as open space once the city completes acquisition and asked advisory boards to advise on how to define “net benefit” for future open‑space disposition.

Councilor Matthew Popkin moved that staff be directed to operate Bigelow as open space once acquired; the motion was seconded and carried. Council later moved to ask the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB), the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Sustainability Advisory Board to advise council on defining “net benefit” for open‑space disposition. That motion also passed.

Nut graf: The motions came after council and staff clarified that council had directed purchase of the parcel but that the city had not yet closed. Councilors said early direction about intended use would guide later negotiations and public notice if land uses or negotiations changed.

Council discussion focused on timing and appropriate scope. Popkin said the land was intended as a buffer to adjacent sites and to augment the river corridor; he asked staff to place the item on a future agenda so the legal use direction would be clear during closing. Staff advised that the direction would allow work on posting and entitlements but that any substantial change after closing would be brought back to council.

On the second motion, Popkin said feedback from the three advisory boards would produce a broader set of perspectives — parks, land use and sustainability — to establish clearer criteria for “net benefit” in future open‑space disposition decisions.

Ending: Staff will place the Bigelow operation item on a future agenda consistent with council direction and will request the three advisory boards to return recommendations on a net‑benefit definition for council consideration.