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Colorado State Parks
NORTH REGION OFFICE -
3745 E.Prospect Road•Fort Collins,Colorado 80525•Phone(970)491-1168•FAX(970)491-7136•www.parks.state.co.us
April 3, 2003
Weld County Commissioners Office
915 10h St.
Greeley, CO. 80634
Dear Board of Commissioners,
I am writing this letter in response to Weld County's I-25 Parallel 4-Lane Arterial Study(Study). As I understand it,
one function of the Study is to seek public comment and local government input on proposed arterial roadway
aligtynents running parallel to I-25, on the east and west, from Highway 7 north to Highway 60. I am very
concerned the County is considering several proposed alignments (WCR 7 and WCR 9'h)that would be detrimental
to State Park' efforts associated with the St.Vrain Legacy Project.
It is well know by all the Legacy project partners, including Weld County, of State Park plans for land acquisition
and consequent park development at St.Vrain State Park(formerly Barbour Ponds State Park). In December 2002,
Great Outdoors Colorado(GOCO)granted the St.Vrain Legacy Project partners$11.3 million. State Parks
leveraged their share of this funding for the purchase two properties(formerly Rademacher and LaFarge) that added
280 acres to the park. It is on this acreage that significant park development will occur including full service
campgrounds,picnic areas, fishing ponds,multiple use trails,and a park visitor center. Further development is
planned around ponds near the Southwest Weld County Services Complex. Phased development will occur over the
next five years and could reach $13.5 million at project completion.
Weld County Road 7 bisects the Rademacher and LaFarge properties. Currently it is a two-lane blacktop road that
carries park visitors and minimal local traffic. I can assure you, a 4-lane road project is something State Parks did
not contemplate prior to making such a large investment in land acquisition. In addition,it is conceivable that
GOCO would not have looked so favorably upon this project for Legacy funding. A major arterial roadway
carrying large volumes of traffic through a State Park on WCR 7 and/or WCR 9'h is not a compatible use. In fact, it
is highly objectionable and undermines State Park,GOCO and Legacy partner efforts and desires in and around St.
Vrain State Park.
Finally, improvements to WCR 7 will come extremely close to a major heron rookery on park property near the
river. It is our understanding that the Division of Wildlife has not been contacted about wildlife and habitat issues.
We feel this proposal needs more study, an expansion of the project area,and more input from all concerned parties.
STATE OF COLORADO•COLORADO STATE PARKS
Bill Owens,Governor•Greg E.Walther,Executive Director,Department of Natural Resources•Lyle Laverty,Director,Colorado State Parks
Colorado Board of Parks and Outdoor Recreation: Doug Cole,Chair•Dr.Tom Ready,Secretary,Natural Areas Representative•
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While we appreciate the need to plan for transportation issues as a result of strong growth in the area,we believe
there are other alternatives. Therefore, at this time State Parks is strongly opposed to WCR 7 and WCR 9' being
designated as"preferred"alignments in the Study.
Sincerely,
Joe Mauler
North Regional Manager,Colorado State Parks
Cc:
Lyle Laverty, Director, Colorado State Parks
Doug Will,Park Manager, St.Vrain State Park
Dan Woldford, Director,Longmont Open Space
Barb Kirkmeyer, Local Affairs
Jeff Dankenbring,P.E.,Felsburg Holt and Ullevig
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