Ken-Caryl board reviews draft South Hogback management plan, asks staff to prepare community outreach

The Ken-Caryl Metropolitan District Board of Directors on Tuesday reviewed a draft management plan for the South Hogback open space and directed staff to prepare a public outreach process to gather community feedback.

The draft plan, prepared by ERO Resources with input from a volunteer task force, summarizes existing resources, sensitive habitat areas, recommended management strategies, and short- and long-term priorities. "We started by reviewing existing data," said Carrie Tanner, natural resource planner with ERO Resources, who presented maps, a disturbance analysis and a management-strategy table. "That was another piece of our resource assessment."

Board members and several task force co-chairs praised the work. "This plan guides long-term land stewardship, the goal of which is continued conservation and responsible use," said task force co-chair Bob Toll, who noted the group included many volunteers with technical backgrounds. Joe Levy, the board liaison to the task force, thanked members and asked staff to develop a robust outreach plan so the public could comment on the first draft. "I am gonna suggest that we direct staff to develop a -- an outreach plan," Levy said.

Task force members and several residents at public comment urged the board to prioritize legal and conservation protections and to be cautious about adding new trails. JJ Hamilton, speaking as an individual, recommended the board consider formally recognizing the property's conservation status and to highlight egress and fire-mitigation measures for the east side of the hogback. "To designate half the valley as off limits to future human use...I think was potentially a broad statement that I would ask the board to critically interrogate," Hamilton said. Resident commenters also asked that the plan emphasize preservation in its mission language.

Board discussion focused on next steps rather than adopting the plan. Several directors and task force members suggested a field visit to the east side of the hogback to see conditions on the ground. The board indicated it supports completing community outreach and incorporating public comments before any formal adoption.

The draft plan lists prioritized strategies (short term, long term, ongoing) and recommends maintaining closures in especially sensitive areas identified in the resource assessment. ERO said the plan's technical data and appendices will remain available in the plan package.

The board gave staff direction to prepare a community outreach plan and suggested the task force remain available to help with outreach and to answer community questions. No formal adoption or regulatory change was approved at the meeting; the item was presented for feedback and next steps.

Staff and the task force said they will return with a public outreach schedule and additional briefings as the board requests.