Original watercolor artwork by Sean McCartney
As you take a wintry walk around Westminster, you may encounter some furry friends, native neighbors, or pretty plumage. In our Front Range grassland prairie ecosystem, sightings are plentiful thanks to one crucial decision made by the residents of Westminster back in 1985. That decision was to designate large parcels of undeveloped land throughout the city as Open Space and include it in the City’s municipal code to protect that land.
“The objective of the Open Space program is to promote quality of life for citizens of Westminster through the preservation and protection of the quality of the natural environment that has given Westminster much of its character.”
– Westminster Municipal Code, 13-5-1
Westminster’s Open Space Superintendent Joe Reale cited the community’s value for the outdoors as the most important reason why Westminster’s Open Space program has become such a rare gem in Colorado.
“Our Open Space is woven into the community. Virtually every resident can walk from their front door and be in a park or open space within 15 minutes,” he said.
Reale emphasized that historically, residents have not only fought to protect Open Space with their words, but their dollars as well.
“In 1985 the residents voted to tax themselves, imposing a quarter-of-a-percent sales tax dedicated solely to the acquisition of Open Space Properties. Today we refer to that same tax as the POST [Parks, Open Space, & Trails] tax,” he explained.
With the implementation of the POST tax, Westminster was able to make its initial land purchase to acquire Westminster Hills Open Space (10499 Simms Street), The Ranch Open Space (11899 Tejon Steet), and Ketner Lake (10200 Countryside Drive).
Forty years have passed since that purchase, and Westminster’s Open Space program, the second to be established in Colorado, continues to bring enjoyment to its residents and visitors. Reale reported that Open Space also increases property values, aids in carbon sequestration, and preserves native plant and animal habitats.
To date, Westminster has protected nearly 3,800 acres of Open Space, accounting for roughly 15 percent of the City’s land, and including over 120 miles of trails. There are numerous legal protections in place for Open Space land including strict guidelines for how the land can be used. Only City Council can approve a change to the use of Open Space, and only after meeting legal requirements.
Reale said these vast spaces are managed by only 12 dedicated staff members who work to clean, maintain, and protect them year-round. Pride stretches across his face when he concludes: “I can’t emphasize enough the foresight of those people, of the community, our city managers, and City Council at that time to say this is something we want to do, not necessarily for us. It’s for the generations that come.”
To honor the highly regarded decision to protect Open Space, the program introduced a new logo for the 40th anniversary. Open Space staff also collected resident submissions for an anniversary photo contest. Visit our Parks & Open Space page to view the winners.
