The Colorado Springs City Council on Tuesday rejected an appeal of the Fishers Canyon Open Space Master and Management Plan, leaving the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services advisory board’s approval intact.

The decision ends a months-long, 20‑month planning process for the 343‑acre property on the east side of Cheyenne Mountain and clears the way for phased public access, with the Parks Department proposing a trail network, two parking areas and conservation zones that would protect more than two‑thirds of the site.

Parks Director Bridal Haley told the council the department had led extensive public engagement and technical work before the parks board vote. “After 20 months of site evaluation, public engagement, and work with numerous partners, the 9 citizen members of the TOPS working committee and the 9 citizen members of the parks advisory board all voted unanimously that this plan was the right plan for the next 10 to 15 years,” Haley said.

Appellants argued the timing and the process were wrong. Attorney Les Gruen, representing surrounding residents, told the council that the plan had been made before required rezoning and the development plan steps in the city Unified Development Code, calling the process “premature” and “the cart before the horse.” He and technical witnesses raised concerns about trail placement, stormwater, concentrated flows and slope stability, and wildfire risk.

Lists of technical testimony included a traffic/risk review, a geological overview from the Colorado Geological Survey and a wildfire/insurance risk briefing. Geology expert Jonathan Lofkin told the council the site contains debris‑flow and rockfall hazards and recommended a more comprehensive geologic hazard study tied to any future development. Traffic expert John Merritt warned that an extreme wildfire evacuation could overwhelm local streets if primary routes were compromised.

Fire officials and Parks staff pushed back that the plan is designed to be adaptive and protective. David Dietermeier, the Parks project manager, said the plan includes off‑street parking to prevent neighborhood spillover, an emergency turnout area and an adaptive management approach that would allow the department to monitor impacts and modify access. Deputy Chief and fire marshal Chris Cooper described about 89 acres of fuels mitigation already completed on the property and said the department supported a plan that included hydrants and improved access where feasible.

Councilmembers debated the tradeoffs between opening publicly owned open space and the specific, localized risks to bordering homes. Several councilmembers said they wanted more explicit assurances about stormwater, wildfire mitigation and the sequencing of infrastructure before trails were opened; Parks staff said detailed development and construction plans, with stormwater and geotechnical studies, would be required before building trailheads or lots.

A motion to uphold the appeal (which would have overturned the parks board approval) failed 4–5. Council members who voted to deny the appeal said the master plan provides a phased, monitored way to open a city‑owned open space while allowing city technical reviews and conditions to govern any later construction. Those voting to uphold the appeal said neighbors face unresolved and serious risks that merited further study before the council approved the plan.

The Council President announced the appeal had failed and that the parks board decision was upheld, allowing the Parks Department to proceed to the next steps in its phased implementation, including engineering, stormwater and any required rezoning or permits.

Looking ahead, Parks staff said they will continue to coordinate with the Fire Department, City Engineering and Colorado Geological Survey on site‑specific studies and that the plan’s phased approach requires further technical design and permitting before trail construction or parking expansion.