Westminster Hills Open Space is a valuable resource for our Colorado community. This 1,000-acre tract of shortgrass prairie is part of a regional network of protected areas, including Standley Lake, Great Western, Rocky Flats, and Boulder Open Space. Grasslands ecosystems in general have diminished world-wide due to human actions like: agriculture, urban development, oil and gas operations. As a result, North American grassland birds alone have diminished by over 53% since 1970.
Westminster currently has 3,817 acres of just open space (17.5% of the city), and 6,600 acres of parks, open space and golf land (33% of the city). Westminster Hills was among the first 2% of open space the city acquired.
No. The land has been designated as open space since it’s acquisition in 1988, but has allowed off-leash dog use since 2000. It is currently classified as open space, not dog park (recreational/park).
Open spaces are intended to protect environmentally sensitive features, in this case shortgrass prairie. Westminster City Code requires that lands acquired with open space funds must be preserved and managed in a natural condition.
Open space is legally protected land, and any use on that land must not have a detrimental effect on the natural qualities for which it was originally acquired. Passive recreation is permitted (think: photography, trail development, bird watching, etc), but actives with a detrimental effect on the land are legally not permitted.
An independent third party report identified off-leash dog use as the most problematic issue at this site. The land cannot be returned to its natural condition while being used by off-leash dogs. Something has to change.
Absolutely not. The goal is to decrease the size of the off-leash dog park. but not eliminate it entirely.
In this scenario, the land outside of the designated off-leash area will be accessible to on-leash dogs. Having pets leashed, enables all to safely enjoy a trail while minimizing the impact on the plants and animals.
Dogs will still smell their environment, meet other animals and get exercise. People will still connect with others and nature.
Open space designation is the highest level of protection a piece of land can have in Westminster. It demands both preservation and maintenance from the city. Moving Westminster Hills out of Open Space removes some of those protections.
Open spaces only permit passive recreational engagement (like photography, bird watching, bikes, walks, on-leash dogs on trails).
Parks can be developed for active engagement (like basketball courts or playgrounds).
By recategorizing 470 acres of open space as park land, the city would lose 13% of their total open space and the transitioned land would enjoy fewer protections. City Staff are recommending this property remain open space.
Yes, they do. We all love our animals, but we must understand that dogs are predators, and have been bred to hunt, herd, and protect. Their presence and waste has a significant impact on animals and the plants they are around.
Yes. Shortgrass prairie is the fastest disappearing ecosystem on the planet. It is being lost faster than the Amazon Rainforest.
Shortgrass prairies capture carbon and provide a home to endangered species like the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse and the threatened burrowing owl. Native birds like the lark bunting, mountain plover, long-billed curlew, grasshopper sparrow and the thick-billed longspur rely on this ecosystem. As do prairie dwellers like the swift fox, black-footed ferret and pronghorn. Without proper management and long-term conservation we stand to lose these species.