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POSEAC backs Parish 3 and 4 acquisitions to fill landscape connectivity gaps near Rabbit Mountain
Summary
POSEAC unanimously recommended that county commissioners approve two linked transactions: Boulder County to acquire Parish 3 (fee title, ~60 acres) and contribute to Parish 4 (conservation easement interest on ~80 acres to be held by Larimer County); combined county costs total about $2.82 million.
Staff presented two related acquisition proposals intended to improve connectivity around Rabbit Mountain and the Little Thompson River.
Aaron Clark said Parish 3 (approximately 60 acres within Boulder County) would be acquired in fee by Boulder County and includes water interests (six Colorado-Big-Thompson units and a 50% undivided interest in a supply ditch share the county already partially owns). Clark said Parish 3's purchase price and associated water interests total about $2,420,000 and would be paid from open-space sales tax funds.
Parish 4 is an approximately 80-acre parcel that spans county lines; Larimer County would acquire fee title and Boulder County would contribute $400,000 from the conservation trust fund to hold a conservation easement interest. Larimer County's contribution is $250,000, making the parcel's total price $650,000; Boulder County's combined cost for both Parish 3 and Parish 4 is roughly $2,820,000, staff said.
POSEAC members asked why Boulder would fund an easement on land with Larimer fee ownership (staff said the easement preserves Boulder County's investment and helps prevent development that could create access or traffic impacts through Boulder County), what would happen to existing buildings and leases and whether public access might be allowed. Janice Wissman and Aaron Clark said due diligence (including structural inspections and Phase I environmental assessments) would happen during acquisition, agricultural leases would be handled as part of the transaction and public access and management would be determined in later planning.
A member of the public urged staff to consider public trail connections and campground opportunities. Derek Turner moved and John White seconded POSEAC's recommendation that commissioners approve the acquisitions as presented; the committee voted unanimously to forward the recommendation.
Next steps: staff will present the acquisitions and funding plan to the Board of County Commissioners and continue due-diligence work and planning for management and access if the board approves the transactions.
