OPEN SPACE ELEMENT OF THE METRO VISION 2020 PLAN: RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES July 21, 1999 Denver Regional Council of Governments, 2480 West 26th Avenue, Suite 200B, Denver, Colorado 80211-5580 OPEN SPACE AAbstract TITLE: Open Space Element of the Metro Vision 2020 Plan: Resources and Opportunities AUTHOR: Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) SUBJECT: Regional open space planning DATE: July 21, 1999 SOURCE OF COPIES: Public Affairs Office DRCOG 2480 West 26th Avenue, Suite 200B Denver, Colorado 80211-5580 (303) 455-1000 NUMBER OF PAGES:65 ABSTRACT: The Regional Open Space Plan is the Open Space Element of the Metro Vision 2020 Plan. The plan creates a regional vision for a system of linked and integrated open space coordinated with the other elements of the Metro Vision 2020 Plan. It establishes a strategic framework of goals and action strategies for local, regional and state open space protection. It also provides current information (maps, data and tools), identifies issues, and provides a composite look at six categories of open space resources and opportunities for open space protection regionwide. ii TTable of CContents Executive Summary 1 I. Context 5 An Open Space Plan for the Region 7 Metro Vision 2020 Open Space Goal 7 Who is Responsible for Open Space in the Denver Region? 7 Issues 10 The Role of Open Space in Metro Vision 2020 10 Background and Public Involvement 10 Purpose of the Regional Open Space Plan 11 II. Regional Open Space Definition and Goals 13 What is Regional Open Space? 15 How Much Open Space Should We Have In 2020? 16 III. Open Space Categories, Goals and Strategies 17 What is Included in this Section 19 A. Natural Resources 19 1. Aquatic Resources 19 a. Surface Waters 19 b. Riparian Areas 22 c. Wetlands 23 2. Terrestrial Resources 23 a. Commercial Mineral Deposits 23 b. Forests and Woodlands 24 c. Prairies 26 d. Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat 27 B. Environmental Hazard and Development Constraint Areas 29 1. Geophysical and Natural Environmental Hazard/Development Constraint Areas 30 2. Human–made Environmental Hazard/Development Constraint Areas 30 C. Outdoor Recreation 31 1. Regional Open Space Supply For Outdoor Recreation 32 D. Agricultural Resources 33 E. Prominent Geologic and Geographic Features and Cultural Resources 37 F. Shaping the Pattern of Urban Growth and Development 41 1. Urban Shaping and Metro Vision 2020 Plan Components 41 IV. Meeting the Challenge 45 Implementation 47 Goals and Strategies 47 The Relationship of the Regional Open Space Plan Element to the Core Elements of Metro Vision 2020 47 Roles, Responsibilities and Next Steps 48 Tools 50 Conclusion 57 Appendix 58 V. Bibliography 63 OPEN SPACE iii LList of TTables Table 1 1997 Denver Region Parks and Open Space 10 Table 2 Prominent Geologic and Geographic Features in the Denver Region 38 Table 3 Open Space Opportunity Checklist 50 Table 4 Open Space Preservation Focus Areas for the Denver Region 54 LList of FFigures Figure 1 1997 Denver Region Parks and Open Space 8 Figure 2 1997 Denver Region Open Space Ownership 9 Figure 3 Major Surface Waters in the Denver Region 21 Figure 4 Environmental Hazard and Development Constraint Areas in the Denver Region 25 Figure 5 Selected Important Terrestrial Wildlife Habitat in the Denver Region 28 Figure 6 Important Farmlands in the Denver Region 36 Figure 7 Prominent Geologic and Geographic Features and Cultural Resources in the Denver Region 40 Figure 8 Open Space Opportunities with Existing (1997) and Planned Parks and Open Space in the Denver Region 51 Figure 9 Open Space Preservation Focus Areas 55 iv EExecutive SSummary Ask people in the Denver region what makes this place so special, and they will likely respond “the open space areas and the nearby mountains.” Open spaces add immeasurably to our quality of life and citizens are united in their support for preserving it. Protecting our most valuable natural resources and open space into the future will be a challenge, however, because our region’s population is expected to continue to grow by 700,000 people by 2020. It is critical that we plan now to protect key open spaces both within, and be- tween, our towns and cities. Open space lands are diverse and often lie within several jurisdictions. These lands are used and appreciated by the entire region making it important to plan for an integrated open space system at a regional scale. The Open Space Element of the Metro Vision 2020 Plan, developed by the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), is a framework for such an integrated regional open space system. The role of open space in the region’s Plan, which bridges separate state and local plans. growth and development The plan: With the adoption of the Metro Vision 2020 regional 1. creates a regional vision for a system of linked plan in 1997, the Denver region set forth a new guide and integrated open space; for growth, development and infrastructure into the future. Open space is an integral part of the physical 2. establishes a strategic framework of goals and framework for the region. Open space defines where action strategies for local, regional and state open urbanization should and should not occur, creates space protection coordinated with the other buffers for the region’s freestanding communities, elements of the Metro Vision 2020 plan; and and protects air and water quality by focusing land development. 3. provides current information (maps, data and tools) and identifies issues about open space Who is responsible for open space in resources and opportunities for open space the Denver region? protection. Cities, counties, special districts, land trusts, private What is regional open space? landowners, and state and federal agencies all plan and manage open space. As the intergovernmental Through much discussion and debate, a common agency responsible for regional planning, the Denver regional open space definition was established. Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) brought Those public and private lands acquired or preserved in the these interests together and, over the last two years, public interest to provide for: the conservation and created The Open Space Element of the Metro Vision 2020 protection of natural resources, physical and aesthetic OPEN SPACE 1 enjoyment of the out-of-doors, shaping the pattern of open space preservation and management. Regional growth and development, preservation of agricultural open space can be grouped into six broad categories. resources, and protection of prominent geographical, geological, and cultural features and resources. Natural resources How much open space do we have? Conserve and protect important natural resources. In 1997, DRCOG conducted an inventory of open 1. Aquatic Resources space in the region. City, county, private, special Surface Waters and Riparian Areas district and other open space lands, including the national forests and other federal lands, comprise 2. Terrestrial Resources approximately 26 percent of the 5,076 square-mile, Commercial Mineral Deposits, Forests and eight-county Denver region. Twenty percent of the Woodlands, Prairies, Wildlife and Wildlife region consists of national forests and other federal Habitat lands. Approximately six percent of the total region and eight percent of the non-federal portion of the Environmental hazard and development region were locally protected open space in 1997. constraint areas How much should we have in 2020? Natural and human-made environmental hazard areas, as well as public rights of way, utility corridors and other The plan recommends that, at a minimum, the region places where land development is constrained, present protect and preserve an additional 2 percent of the useful opportunities to contribute to an open space system total region (approximately 100 square miles) as open in the region. Where practicable, utilize and manage these space between 1997 and 2020. This would yield areas as open space to capitalize on the open space values approximately 28 percent of the entire region in open that they may offer. space by 2020. This represents only the rate of open space preservation of the previous 25 years. The plan 1. Geophysical and natural 2. Human–made Outdoor recreation Provide for the physical and aesthetic enjoyment of the out-of-doors in an integrated open space system across the region. Agricultural resources Important agricultural resources contrib- ute to the entire region’s cultural and economic heritage and diversity and possess significant open space values. Because these resources are found in only a few remaining areas of the region, local as well as regional and statewide measures should be taken to conserve these resources. Denver Regionl Council of Governments (DRCOG) recommends that the region protect and preserve Prominent geologic and geographic features more than the minimum. Protecting half of the and cultural resources region’s roughly 1,200 square miles of important open space opportunities (+600 square miles) that lie Preserve prominent geologic and geographic features as within five miles of the region’s 2020 urban growth well as important cultural resources that contribute visual, boundary would create a balanced region where 40 historic and educational values to the Denver region by percent of the land would be open space, and 60 acquiring or protecting them as open space. percent a mix of urban and rural uses. This goal provides a target to work toward over the next 21 Shaping the pattern of urban growth and years and will require continued public support and development the action of local government and others to achieve. Utilize identified protected open space lands as a means of What kinds of open space do we have shaping future urban growth and land development and encouraging a compact form for individual communities The plan provides goals, policies, definitions, maps, within the DRCOG region. status, and most importantly, action strategies for 2 What planning tools have been identified to protect River corridor and E-470 in the Brighton-Barr Lake open space? area.