Central Mountains Community Plan Becomes the Heart of the Jefferson County Mountain Planning Process
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The Community Plan JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO, PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT Boulder County Superior 3 9 North. Plains y Broomfield w CommunityH Coal Creek Hwy.Plan Area Adams County 72 Westminster Creek . d v Ralston l B h North t r o w Mountains Ralston s d Res. a Gilpin County Community W 93 Golden Gate r Creek Plan Area Van Bibbe Arvada Canyon Hwy. Rd. Lakeside Mountain Wheat Ridge View k ree Clear C Edgewater I - 70 Lakewood Hwy. 6 w. Colfax Ave. City & County of Denver . d v l Central w. 6th Ave. B Mountains Golden w. Alameda Ave. h t I - 70 r I - 7 o 0 w s d Community a W C - 4 7 Hwy. Plan Area 0 Bear W. Hampden 74 Morrison Creek Bear Lake Creek Bow Mar Clear Creek County Clear Creek Evergreen 285 Arapahoe County Hwy. Creek Evergreen Turkey South Community Jefferson C-470 Plan Area County CommunityW. Ken Caryl Ave. 73 Plan Area D . d. ou y anyon R w C glas H Lake Hwy. 285 Deer Creek Conifer County Creek Park County Chatfield r South e De Central Conifer/285 Mountains Corridor Community Plan Community in relationship to other Plan Area community plans, Jefferson Foxton County and it's iver R neighboring Pine South counties Pike National Forest Platte The Community Plan Introduction Future Development 6 Central Mountains History 43 Housing 11 Profile of the Community 46 Commercial & Office Development 13 Community Advisory Group 49 Transportation Recommendations 53 Mountain Site Design Criteria 14 How to Use this Plan 56 Appendix Preservation Resources 62 Glossary 15 Geological, Paleontological, Archaeological & 63 Maps Historical Resources • 3-D Model • Open Space, Public Lands, 17 Visual Resources • Visual Resources Trails & Recreation • • 21 Open Space, Trails & Recreation Bear Creek Canyon & Colorado Wildlife • 28 Highway 26/County Highway 93 Slope Wildlife • Clear Creek Canyon • Wildfire Hazard Critical Limiting Factors • I-70 & U.S. Highway 40 • Environmental • Historic Constraints 30 Air, Odor & Noise • Existing Land Use • Public Services & Facilities 33 Hazards • Composite 38 Public Services & Facilities 41 Water & Sanitation ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Beginning in June 1989, the Commu- duce this Plan. Individuals within these Public agencies, commissions and or- Denver Department of Parks and nity Advisory Group and Jefferson departments who deserve recognition: ganizations were asked to provide in- Recreation County Planning Department project Gay Ummel, Jean Ayars and Claire formation from the inception through Genesee Foundation team began the planning process to Levy, County Attorney’s Office; Jean final Plan review prior to the Planning Newspaper coverage by The Golden draft the Central Mountains Commu- Montoya, Highways and Transporta- Commission Public Hearings. The Transcript, The Canyon Courier, and nity Plan to serve as a guide for future tion; Penny Boyd, Jenny Redmond and cooperation of these organizations was The Denver Post provided information development. Gary Studwell, Mapping Department; an important aspect of the Central to community residents and other in- and Mindy Ramig, Health and Environ- Mountains planning effort. They in- Members of the project team included terested parties throughout the plan- mental Services. A high level of sup- cluded: Julie Woods, Project Manager, and ning process. The project was aided port was given by the Jefferson County Jonathan Moore, Staff Advocate. Doyle Colorado State Forest Service by the cooperation of the Mount Vernon Board of County Commissioners, Harrison was responsible for the docu- Jefferson County Historical Country Club, the Idledale Community Jefferson County Planning Commis- ment production. Special appreciation Commission Church and the Genesee Foundation, sion, and those overseeing the project goes to Phyllis Scheneman, Project all of which provided public meeting who included: Terry Green, Director of Colorado Division of Water Secretary and to Jo Blakey and Lisa Resources locations. Vernon for their excellent secretarial Administrative Services; Richard The Plan benefitted from the participa- support. Turner, Planning Director; and Joseph Colorado Division of Wildlife T. Crain, Community Planning Super- Jefferson County Sheriff’s tion of the many concerned residents Other County departments which con- visor and former Acting Planning Di- Department of the Central Mountains area who tributed to the development of this Plan completed questionnaires, wrote let- rector for a good share of the planning Jefferson Soil Conservation District include Highways and Transportation, process. Planning Department staff ters and testified at public hearings Denver Regional Council of Health and Environment, Mapping, and providing technical assistance included and took time to attend the Community Governments the County Attorney’s office. Without Mike Kortendick, Christy Clark, Jack Advisory Group meetings, public meet- this interdepartmental cooperation it Williamson, Kevin Nichols, Doug Reed, Public Service Company of Colorado ings and hearings. • would not have been possible to pro- Janet Stromberg, and Karen Hellner. Denver Water Board ON RS CO E U F N F T E Y J FOUNDED 1861 C O O LORAD Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners Betty J. Miller, Chairman Gary D. Laura John P. Stone Jefferson County Planning Commission Sherry Weinstein, Chairman Richard Nelson, Vice Chairman Donald E. Eikner Karen Nicol Norman E. Hodge Jan Rousselot Felicity Hannay Laura Ditges, Associate Member Eric E. Maule, Associate Member Community Advisory Group Karen Bull Dave Denton Gregory Henika Karen Nicol Judith Pearl George (Rock) Pring Dorothy Reed John Studebaker Jan Wilkins Produced by the Jefferson County Planning & Zoning Department 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Suite 3550, Golden Colorado 80419-3550 Richard Turner, Director December, 1994 •4 Geology, and human history since 1859, have combined to place control over the first impression of millions of Colorado visitors in the hands of the three Jefferson County Commission- ers. Tourism is Colorado’s largest in- dustry. As a result, the three Commis- sioners have responsibilities unlike other local governmental officials in the United States. Most tourists, as well as most residents of the state, encounter the Colorado mountains in Jefferson County, be- tween the upslope approaches to the Hogback and the western boundary of the County. It is fair to say the impact of this area is one of the most crucial large scale planning decisions in the State of Colorado. Although the prairie portions of Jefferson County can be the subject of ordinary planning procedures, the mountain portions of the County must be approached with the desire to en- hance what nature has provided, if possible; if not, the least the Commis- sioners can permit is to avoid harming an irreplaceable asset. Due to the alignment of Interstate 70, the Central Mountains Community Plan becomes the heart of the Jefferson County mountain planning process. The preceding letter received at the County is illustrative of the feelings of residents within the Central Mountains Community Plan area. In memory of Len Mogno, Director of the Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Department and Ernest Pearson, Community Advisory Group member. •5 Introduction Central M0untains History The history of the Central Mountain community with its three canyons - Mt. Vernon, Bear Creek and Clear Creek - is rich with memories of Colorado’s early mining days. That these canyons are the “Gateways to the Rockies” is a statement just as true today as it was in 1859 when miners began hauling their equipment up the old Ute Indian trails to the gold mining near Idaho Springs, Central City, Leadville and Breckenridge. Photo courtesy of Denver Public Library, Western History Department. o it was that when Dr. Joseph Casto, an Ohio minister artery, it was soon to be joined, crossed and even used by other who arrived in Colorado in 1859, saw the possibility historic wagon roads going to the gold mines. Old maps and for making his fortune not by mining (which he tried), records show companies such as the Denver City, Mt. Vernon but by building a road up what would later be called and Gregory Toll Road, the Georgetown Stage Road, the Apex- Mt. Vernon Canyon. Dr. Casto received that year a charter to Gregory Wagon Road, the Genesee Wagon Road, Leadville Free build the Denver Auraria and Colorado Wagon Road, a crude Road, the Chimney Gulch Road, St. Vrain, Golden City and road that started in nearby Denver, going west into his newly Colorado Wagon Road, and the Morrison to Evergreen Toll platted town of Mt. Vernon, and continuing on up the canyon Road, all connecting at some point with the Mt. Vernon Toll to Bergen’s Ranch (at Bergen Park), then going south to present- Road. day Conifer and on to the South Park area. The little town of Mt. Vernon was also conceived and promoted At this same time period in Jefferson County’s history, a number by Dr. Casto and, in 1859, the Rocky Mountain News contained an of other wagon or toll roads were being built through the article describing the new village, its strategic location and canyons, including Mr. W. A. H. Loveland’s wagon road up announcing that lots were free for the asking! Nestled between Clear Creek Canyon to the “Gilpin Diggin’s”. This latter road, the foothills and the hogback at the entrance to the canyon, it however, was so narrow and rough that it was soon abandoned. appeared to be the perfect site for a thriving city. Governor It later became the road bed for the narrow gauge railroad that Robert Steele, the first Governor of the Territory of Jefferson, connected the Central City and Idaho Springs mines with the Colorado’s first provisional government, built a house there major railways around Denver. So, although Dr. Casto’s toll before his family came west from Ohio. The George Morrison road, which followed the creek up the canyon, was the main family built a sturdy rock building as a toll station and hotel. An Central Mountains History•6 Central Mountains Community Plan • Introduction early plat map shows the town designed in a rectangular grid of the present day homesites) with just the old dirt Mt.