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COLORADO
Administration
March 22, 2006
The Weld County Board of Commissioners
P.O. Box 758
Greeley, CO 80632
Gentlemen:
In the City of Evans Open Space and Trails Master Plan of 2004, we identified the need to
"coordinate with Greeley, Milliken, LaSalle and Weld County to develop a regional plan and
strategies to finance and implement a regional open space and trails system".
I am writing you today, as County Commissioners, to ask for your support to take an active
leadership role in an effort to form a county-wide group that would focus on open space and the
Colorado Front Range Trail Corridor Plan. As a part of this endeavor, the Colorado State Parks
Division has adopted the Colorado Front Range Trail, which strongly supports linkage of trails
from Ft. Collins to Trinidad, including links via the Poudre River and South Platte River
corridors.
The intent of this county-wide group (somewhat similar to the Poudre River Trail Corridor
Board) would be to seek ways to preserve the South Platte River corridor and explore ways to
implement the development of this project, which will ultimately have a positive effect on the
quality of live for residents throughout the entire County.
In addition, we in the City of Evans, as in other communities in Weld County, feel the time is
ripe for Weld County to take a pro-active planning approach to open space in the County and to
assist communities in a county-wide master planning effort. It is time to plan now for our future
and I offer you the following relevant information:
1) Open Space provides a range of benefits to citizens of a community, beyond the
benefits that accrue to private landowners. Parks and natural areas can be used
for recreation; wetlands and forests supply storm-water drainage and wildlife
habitat; farms and forests provide aesthetic benefits to surrounding residents. And
in rapidly growing urban and suburban areas, any preserved land can offer relief
from congestion and other negative effects of development (January, 2005 -
McConnell/Walls—Resources for the Future).
2) Trails preserve open space for current and future generations to enjoy as well as
providing a unique opportunity in Weld County to take advantage of our natural
waterways for future trails. As development occurs, this task will become more
difficult.
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1100 37th Street • Evans, Colorado 80620-2036 • (970) 339-5344 • Fax: (970) 330-3472
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3) An effort must be made to create a system of trails and linked features, including
parks and open space, rather than letting these things occur in random fragments.
4) To be pro-active in preserving lands in the face of rapid development and by
identifying lands now, strategies can be in place to protect them as development
occurs, with the goal of having green spaces within future developments as the
County and local communities grow.
5) Protecting open space can stabilize or increase nearby or adjacent property
values--avoiding the need for increased property tax rates (Trust for Public
Lands).
6) River corridors provide rich and diverse terrestrial and aquatic habitats, public and
privately owned open space corridors, and recreational opportunities (Great
Outdoors Colorado objective, Strategic Plan—April, 2002).
As I believe this is a quality of life issue, I urge you to consider forging partnerships with those
involved in the Colorado Front Range Trail Corridor Plan to provide for completion of this
effort. You have shown to provide positive leadership in many areas, so I ask you to do likewise
for this timely and important endeavor.
Thank you for your consideration. Please feel free to contact myself or Andy McRoberts, Evans
Parks and Recreation Director, if you have any questions or need additional information.
Sincerely,
Harold Weisberg
Mayor
City of Evans
970-339-5344 ext, 206
hweisberg@ci.evans.co.us
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