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Open Space board recommends county landmarking for Wells House
Summary
The Open Space Board of Trustees voted unanimously to recommend that City Council support OSMP’s application for Boulder County landmark designation for the Wells House at 3902 North 63rd Street, citing historic architecture, interpretive and funding benefits.
The Open Space Board of Trustees on Nov. 12 voted 5–0 to recommend that City Council support the Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) application to designate the Wells House and its agricultural outbuildings as a Boulder County historic landmark.
Jeff Haley, OSMP deputy director for visitor experience and infrastructure, introduced the staff recommendation and framed the designation as part of implementing the Fort Chambers/Poor Farm management plan. Julie Johnson, OSMP senior program manager for historic and cultural stewardship, described the house’s history and architecture, noting the property’s two construction phases and its continuing agricultural context. She said the house was built in the 1870s with the prominent Queen Anne-style porch added in the 1897–98 period and described the interior’s intact oak staircase and original fixtures.
Julie Johnson said landmarking would add protections against inappropriate alterations and make the property eligible for state historic funds while still allowing flexibility in interior upgrades: “The property is protected from inappropriate alterations and demolition through a process whereby changes are reviewed by the Boulder County Historic Preservation Planning and Historic Advisory Board,” she said. Tim Plass, president of Historic Boulder, urged trustees to follow staff’s recommendation and called the Wells House a "top tier" historic resource.
Trustee Michelle Estrella moved the recommendation and Harmon Zuckerman seconded. The board then took a roll-call vote; the motion passed 5–0. After the board’s recommendation, staff said the next steps would be to send the recommendation to City Council and work with county staff to complete the county landmark application and consider available state historic-fund grants.
The board’s recommendation does not itself change building codes or guarantee funding; trustees and county staff clarified that county landmark status offers review-based protection and can create pathways to negotiation with building officials and to potential funding sources for rehabilitation. The matter will next go to the City Council for its consideration.
