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Commissioners approve new review fees for High Line Canal and other county lands; waiver authority included
Summary
Arapahoe County commissioners approved fees for staff review of license requests, temporary and permanent easements, and authorizations on county-owned lands including the High Line Canal. County staff will collect fees alongside Denver Water and will retain limited authority to waive fees in instances such as grantee-funded conservation work.
Arapahoe County commissioners on the study-session record signaled approval for a new set of review fees to cover staff time reviewing requests to use county-owned open‑space property, including the High Line Canal.
What was approved
Open‑spaces staff proposed four categories of review fees: a $100 fee for a letter of authorization (low‑risk, short‑duration activities), a $500 review fee for licenses (e.g., utilities crossing county land), $2,000 for permanent easement review and additional fees for temporary construction‑easements and larger agreements. The board asked staff for a waiver authority to exempt certain projects — for example, projects funded by grants or local governments that the county has already underwritten — and commissioners approved the fee schedule and the waiver authority as presented.
How fees will be collected and who pays
Staff said applicants will provide two checks when projects involve the High Line Canal: one check to Denver Water for Denver Water’s review; the other to Arapahoe County to cover both public‑works and open‑spaces review charges. The county plans to use the fee to cover staff time and the administrative overhead of coordinating reviews with Denver Water and the High Line Canal Conservancy. Open‑spaces staff acknowledged the High Line Canal creates extra review workload because requests to cross or work on the canal now need three separate reviews — Denver Water (water rights and infrastructure), the Conservancy (conservation and easement values) and county open‑spaces (public access, restoration and safety).
Board action and rationale
Commissioners said they supported the fees to recover staff costs and to encourage applicants to present complete plans up front. Staff emphasized the county needs a formal fee to offset growing workloads from utilities and developers as surrounding areas densify. Commissioners voted by consensus (5-support, 0-opposed recorded by show of hands/thumbs) to adopt the review-fee schedule and directed staff to return any necessary ordinance language for inclusion on a consent agenda.
Next steps and exceptions
Staff will: publish the fee schedule and the process to submit applications, continue to coordinate review flows with Denver Water and the High Line Canal Conservancy, and process requests under the new fee schedule starting March 1, 2025. Staff also will use the waiver authority in cases where fees would be inconsistent with other county grants or where non‑profit or municipal partners are performing conservation work on county land.
