For the third time since November of 2021 (yes 301 and no 302 and no 2 O), voters in the City and County of Denver have sent a decisive message in overwhelming fashion that they wish to guarantee the open space and recreational future of the Park Hill Golf Course land. As the leaders of this multi-year fight, Save Open Space Denver feels it is our responsibility to lay out the principles that should guide any future discussions regarding this invaluable land. We expect the following:
- That future City leaders will respect and honor the conservation easement and its conservation purposes of providing open space and recreation to the people of Denver
- That open space and recreation are the ONLY legal and appropriate uses for this land
- If Westside Investment Partners chooses not to re-open golf operations, that City leaders will facilitate the City’s purchase of the property for a designated city park at its fair market value (as encumbered by the easement) by using funds from the Referred Measure 2A 0.25% sales tax revenues
- That the newly elected Mayor engage a wide range of unpaid Denver community volunteers in a measured and thoughtful planning process to define a broad outline of features and amenities that will activate the land consistent with the conservation easement’s open space and recreational purposes
- That the outgoing administration will respect the next administration’s ability to fully take on this once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen our parks system by refraining from any type of intervention in this process before July 17
- That full appraisals of the property will be conducted to determine its fair market value both with the conservation easement in place and without the conservation easement in place
- That the incoming administration will comply with state law in its future dealings with the protected land
- That the newly elected Mayor and City Council will repeal the small area plan approved on December 5, 2022, in accordance with the voters’ rejection of Measure 2 O