What has the Douglas County Open Space Program Done for You Lately?

The Douglas County Open Space Program started collecting a sixth-of-a-cent sales and use tax in 1995.  That means the Open Space Program collects 17¢ for every $100 in sales in the county.  This adds up to approximately $6.5 million dollars in revenue each year. 

The Douglas County has preserved over 44,600 acres of land during the past 10 years, which is equal to an area of about two Highlands Ranches that will never be developed.  The amount of Open Space funds used to preserve these 44,600 acres was $44,831,425. 

Fifty-three properties have been protected in the past ten years, some through purchase and some through conservation easements. The smallest property is one acre.  The largest group of properties permanently protected is 33,028 acres in the South I-25 corridor,  which is a 12-mile stretch of land between Castle Rock and the El Paso county line.  The beautiful views seen today in this area will remain unchanged.  Preserving the South I-25 corridor stopped the fears that metro-Denver and Colorado Springs will one day blend one into one metro-area

The closest Open Space property to Highlands Ranch is Glendale Farms which is just east of I-25 off the Surrey Ridge exit.  This 160-acre farm was acquired in 1997 and offers a 1.6 mile trail to hike, ride your horse, and mountain bike.  This property is an excellent example of the short grass prairie and shrub land ecosystems present in the county.  People interested in geology can see unique examples of rhyolite, which is native stone found in Douglas County and formed millions of years ago.

Preserving open space in Colorado generates state-wide interest from numerous groups and individuals.  A variety of groups contribute funds to preserve open space in Douglas County.  These partners include Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), the Colorado Division of Wildlife, and Colorado State Parks, to name just a few.  Every $1 in County taxes used to fund open space acquisitions has been matched by $2.15 from funding partners.  Funding partners have contributed $96,793,179to the success of the Douglas County Open Space program. 

Because of accelerating land prices and development pressures, bonds were  issued  by Douglas County to generate enough cash to expedite preserving the 44,000 acres during the past 10 years.  Most of the current sales tax revenues are currently being used to construct trails and trailheads to provide for public access, manage and maintain the County open space, and pay off the bonds before the open space sales and use tax  sunsets in 2023.  Consequently, the County’s financial ability to acquire large tracts of land for open space has been diminished.  The County Open Space Advisory Board (COSAC) is currently reviewing alternative funding sources for the program.

For more information about the Douglas County Open Space Program and to get maps of trails open to the public, call 303-660-6495 or visit our website at “www.douglas.co.us”