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Council pauses proposed trail hardening near Woman Creek bridge; asks staff for signage, air‑monitoring history and burrowing‑owl results
Summary
After months of negotiation with Jefferson County, councilors reviewed proposed environmental and community protections for a social trail that would connect to the new Indiana Street bridge and directed staff to pause further physical improvements pending additional information and a burrowing‑owl survey.
Council members reviewed an April 14 memo and a county‑funded proposal to "harden" roughly a half‑mile of social trail on the Woman Creek Reservoir Authority parcel that would connect to an Indiana Street bridge being built by Jefferson County.
The Woman Creek property had been the subject of prior direction: council authorized the mayor to execute a property agreement with Jefferson County and separately asked staff to pursue environmental and community protections for the northern social trail. County staff then proposed adding a geotextile liner, six inches of crushed rock road base and a two‑foot native planting buffer along the half‑mile segment to reduce erosion and airborne particulates if use increased after the bridge opened.
Several councilors said the proposed footprint and visibility of the improvements appear to contradict the prior council intent to avoid encouraging new access paths. "The perception of what's happening is different from our intent," Councilor Azadi said, urging a pause. Councilor Ziadhi and others said the proposed work would effectively finish a trail the council declined to authorize and could make Westminster more vulnerable to dust and other impacts. Multiple council members asked staff not to move forward with the county's trail hardening plan as presented.
Staff reported that no construction work has occurred on Westminster property other than a burrowing‑owl survey that will take up to three weeks to complete. The city manager and staff said Jefferson County had offered to fund the proposed mitigation work at no cost to Westminster but affirmed the city can decline. Council asked staff to: (1) pause any trail hardening activity on Westminster land; (2) return with a sign plan for trailheads and consistent corridor signage for council review; (3) research historical air‑monitoring records and options for ongoing monitoring; and (4) report back after completion of the burrowing‑owl survey so council can consider next steps.
