Community Forum Regarding the Future of the Park Hill Golf Course Land
Original Notice
The open space future of the Park Hill Golf Course (PHGC) land could soon be in jeopardy. The PHGC is located east of Colorado Boulevard between 35th and 40th Avenues. On Saturday March 10 at 1:00 p.m. there will be an informational community forum regarding the future of the PHGC land at the Park Hill Congregational Church (2600 Leyden St., Denver). Current meeting sponsors are Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation (INC), Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., the Park Hill Village HOA and RNO, The Overlook HOA and RNO, City Park Friends and Neighbors and Elyria Swansea/Globeville Neighborhood Assn. The forum organizers are also reaching out to other RNOs in the PHGC vicinity. In 1997 during the administration of Mayor Wellington Webb, the City of Denver paid Clayton $2 million for a perpetual open space conservation easement on this 155-acre land parcel. Pursuant to a 2000 agency agreement with the City, Clayton holds title to the PHGC land “as agent of the City, to hold for the benefit of the citizens of the City and the general public.” Clayton’s PHGC lease with the golf course operator could terminate on December 31, 2018 if the operator fails to exercise its 5-year renewal option by June 30, 2018. If the golf course lease terminates, Clayton is expected to ask the City to relinquish the open space protections of the 1997 conservation easement and the 2000 agency agreement and allow rezoning and development of all or a portion of the land. Also–as part of the City’s Platte to Park Hill drainage project–the PHGC will close in early 2019 for the City to install a stormwater detention facility. If the golf course operator exercises its 5-year renewal option, the golf course would re-open as a golf course in mid-2020. But, if this option is not exercised, the public will face critical issues regarding possible relinquishment of the open space protections of the 1997 conservation easement and the 2000 agency agreement and possible rezoning and development of the land. The purpose of the March 10 forum is to inform the community about the current PHGC land situation and to engage in substantive discussions about the future of the land. The forum format includes panelists who will make brief presentations and a moderated discussion among panelists and the other meeting attendees. The moderator will be Tracey MacDermott (Board Chairperson of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.). Currently scheduled panelists are Brad Cameron (INC), Charlotte Brantley (Clayton President/CEO), Jeff Romeo (The Overlook HOA and RNO), Kevin Doyle (The Overlook HOA and RNO) and Kathleen Wells Environmentalist.
The forum organizers have reached out to City Councilmen Albus Brooks and Chris Herndon and to Mayor Michael Hancock and his senior staff for participation as panelists. The Councilmen have said they will not be participating and at this date the organizers have received no participation commitment from the Mayor or any senior member of his staff. Active participation of forum attendees will be encouraged.
I have a memorial bench for my late husband at ParkHill, what would happen to that if there was redevelopment?
I will make sure that it is returned to you or we can find a new suitable to hold his memory.
How can we get involved if we can’t make t to the meeting?
Thanks for your interest. We have just now added a email sign up list. Please share with us your email http://eepurl.com/dnjSUP/ . Information will come from parksandrec@denverinc.org
As I have expressed to the owners of the land on which Park Hill golf course now sits, I am Extremely concerned about the (near) future of this property – especially the section that is furthest west – along Colorado between 40th & 35th avenues & east to about where the golf course ‘driving range’ begins, or about half way inbetween it’s western most & eastern most boundaries. I am a Close neighbor of this land & have been fortunate to have been able to enjoy it & it’s mountain range views for the past several years! It had recently been explained to me by a representative @ Clayton Early Learning that this land – or a majority of it – especially on the west side Would be preserved as free ‘open space’ or community use land that would Not be developed! This was her understanding as, at the time, as the city of Denver was still buying it for ‘limited development.’ There is Critically Less & Less free & open spaces – let alone those available for public recreation left Anywhere in Denver Every Day!! It has to Stop somewhere so that people don’t just ‘live in denver’, we can actually Enjoy Living while we’re living & paying taxes in denver! And the intent of this land long ago Was to be of ‘Benefit to the Community’ (i.e.Neighbors!!) & not Greedy, Bloodthirsty developers anxious to take one of the very last few beautiful, unspoiled, Undeveloped parcels of land in or near this city!! This land is a gem & is truely worth more than just the space it occupies or it’s location! And I was told (by rep @ Clayton) that Even the City of Denver has determined this property to be unfit to develop for building on –
due to it’s need to head off flooding in & around this whole area! I do believe that the people who I have spoken with about this @ Clayton School really Do care not only about the monetary value of the land but it’ even more & longer lasting value to the Park Hill neighboorhoods, & the whole city as open space – useable & enjoyable to all! I am Anxious for any updates on this as soon as they are available!! 303-944-0115.