Adams County hears five‑year parks CIP; commissioners back exploring purchase of 14‑acre Strasburg farm

Adams County parks staff presented a five‑year capital improvement plan to the Adams County Board of Commissioners at a recent meeting and outlined funding limits, maintenance shortfalls and priority projects, including Riverdale Regional Park improvements and a possible 14‑acre Strasburg acquisition that commissioners asked staff to explore further.

The presentation was led by Byron Fanning, director of Parks, Open Space and Cultural Arts, who said the CIP is grounded in the 2022 Parks, Open Space and Trails master plan and additional outreach. “They want restrooms with running water. We hear it in every sense,” Fanning said, summarizing recurring public requests. He said shade, trail connectivity and maintaining existing assets were other top requests.

Why it matters: commissioners repeatedly pressed staff on measurable outcomes, ongoing maintenance capacity and how new capital projects would be funded and staffed. County staff warned that limited recurring funding and current staffing levels constrain the department’s ability to both add facilities and sustain them.

Key details from the presentation

- Funding sources and amounts: Fanning said the open space tax yields roughly $2,000,000 a year to the county, of which about $500,000 is allocated for system maintenance and small construction and about $1,500,000 is earmarked for capital projects. The department also pursues grants (including Great Outdoors Colorado), TIP/state trails grants, Colorado Water Conservation Board funding, federal match opportunities and partnerships with entities such as the Mile High Flood District. Development fees and land‑dedication funds are a third bucket that can be applied to some park projects.

- Staffing and capacity: staff cited a 2019 staffing study that identified a shortfall of seven maintenance workers in parks maintenance and additional staffing needs elsewhere in the department. Staff said their operational standard now assumes one full‑time equivalent per 150 acres of open space, one FTE per 15 acres of active/irrigated parkland and one FTE per 10 miles of trail—levels that staff say are more stretched than national averages.

- Priorities and ranking: the CIP spreadsheet presented to commissioners ranks projects by how many strategic focus areas they meet. Two projects—Riverdale Bluffs and the South Platte River Coalition work—received the highest internal priority score. Placer AI visitation figures for 2024 were cited (Riverdale Regional Park ~1,200,000 visits) to help prioritize investments at high‑use sites.

Strasburg property discussion

Staff described a 14‑acre property in Strasburg that includes a historic farm and outbuildings; Fanning said the asking price was about $700,000. Commissioners and staff discussed whether to pursue acquisition now, given limited maintenance capacity and the county’s constrained budget. Commissioners expressed interest in preservation and in finding partners to carry acquisition or long‑term maintenance costs.

Commissioner Julie asked how success would be measured, saying, “How are we going to be measuring success?” Commissioners Lynn and others pressed for creative funding and partnership options: Lynn said, “I would be a green light for purchasing that,” and several commissioners encouraged staff to explore grants, land trusts, History Colorado, 4‑H, the recreation district and other fiscal partners who might take responsibility for maintenance or activation.

Discussion versus decision

No purchase or formal vote occurred. Commissioners directed staff to explore partners and potential funding pathways for the Strasburg property and to return with options. Staff repeatedly said that while acquisition may be possible, long‑term maintenance would require either additional staff or contractual partners; they noted they did not request any new full‑time staffing in the current budget year because of countywide fiscal constraints.

Next steps and follow up

Staff said they will return with more detailed prioritization and with the results of outreach to potential partners and grantors, and suggested producing annual reports that track measurable outputs (for example, number of restrooms added, miles of trail repaired or signs installed). Commissioners asked staff to bring back cost estimates and maintenance models for the Strasburg property and other high‑priority items.

No formal votes or ordinances were taken during the presentation portion of the meeting.