Council approves buy of 26-acre Miller parcel for parks and open space at $8.1M; funding sources cited

City Council approved a purchase-and-sale agreement authorizing the city to buy 26 acres at 4584 West 130th Avenue for parks, recreation and open-space uses; staff said the agreed purchase price is $8,100,000 and the city plans to use funds designated for public land dedication and from the open-space portion of the open-space and parks sales-and-use tax.

The nut graf: Staff told council the property appears in Broomfield’s 2005 and 2024 parks and open-space master plans as a priority acquisition, due diligence shows no active oil-and-gas wells and a Phase I environmental assessment revealed no environmental issues that would block purchase; the site includes an older farmhouse built in 1935 that will need asbestos abatement if retained.

Staff presentation: Kristen Pritz summarized the property location—southeast corner of Sheridan and W. 130th Avenue—showing the parcel’s relationship to nearby neighborhoods and Broomfield County Commons Park. The 2001 purchase agreement for a neighboring 41-acre parcel included a right of first offer that covers the Miller land; sellers notified the city in spring 2024. Staff said a Phase I environmental site assessment found no issues, that asbestos was identified in old floor tile and drywall (common in a 1935 farmhouse and subject to abatement if the structure is retained), and that no oil and gas wells were found and future development would be subject to setback rules.

Funding and next steps: Pritz said the purchase would use the public land dedication fund and the open space fund (the presentation described projected balances and estimated closing costs). Staff said closing is expected in about 60 days if the agreement is finalized. Pritz also explained staff will propose a comprehensive-plan land-use map amendment (from residential to open lands), rezone the property to the city’s open-lands district, and develop a future property-management plan with community engagement; because the purchase uses open-space fund dollars at least seven acres must be used for open-space purposes.

Council action: Resolution No. 2025-95 approving the purchase agreement passed unanimously. Council thanked staff and committee members for the long-term work to secure the property, and staff said committees and public outreach will guide detailed planning and potential amenities.

Ending: Staff will complete closing and begin a management-planning process with community engagement; staff noted several other open-space properties are in planning or construction phases and that the purchase advances the city’s open-space goal (staff reported the city’s open-space percentage rose toward the 40% target after this acquisition).