AURORA | Arapahoe County taxpayers purchased 2,800 acres of open space on the eastern plains south of Byers in 2010. Fourteen years later, the county government is inviting the public to submit suggestions on how to best use that property as a recreational area.
County officials say the master plan for Bijou Basin Open Space must have minimal impact on the land while “maintaining and encouraging active agricultural uses of the property, such as dry-field farming and livestock grazing.” Options for the property include a multi-use trail system, trailhead parking, picnic areas and restrooms.
The district has established three ways for the public to comment on these details:
- A booth where employees will be soliciting suggestions during Bennet Days on Saturday, September 7 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Trupp Park, 105 Palmer Avenue in Bennett.
- And a public open house on Wednesday, September 11 at the Kelver Library, 585 S. Main Street, Byers, between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.
Located about five miles south of Byers at the intersection of Quincy Avenue (CR30) and Bradbury Road (CR173), the land for the recreation area was purchased with funds from the county’s open space sales tax and county use taxes. It includes a 1,470-acre conservation easement held by the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust. The property borders conservation areas including Mule Gulch Open Space and West Bijou Ranch.
For more information, visit the project website at www.arapahoeco.gov/bijoubasin.
Related
