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Boulder County has a proud agricultural heritage and has administered the conservation easement program for over 40 years. These easements are designed to protect agricultural land, serve as buffers between communities, and provide protection of wildlife habitat and scenic open space from development while keeping the ownership, management and use of the property private.
However, it appears we are at a tipping point due to the recent termination of several Boulder County conservation easements which are allowing urban growth to override preservation of agricultural, scenic, cultural and natural values.
The most recent termination occurred on Wednesday August 15th with the Boulder County Commissioners voting 2 to 1 to terminate the Kanemoto Estates Conservation Easement adjacent to the City of Longmont. By terminating this conservation easement, 40 acres are planned to be developed into a high density of up to 426 homes. There are no assurances that the property will be developed with 12% affordable housing and 88% middle-tier income earners as the developer has promised. Therefore, realizing the benefits of gaining affordable and middle income housing may be a pipe dream. This is not the first time that a developer has promised affordable housing and not delivered. Of course, there will be a continued planning process, including annexation of the property by the City of Longmont, deliberations by the Planning and Zoning Commission, and a slew of public meetings.
However, the die has been cast. This is not the first time that a conservation easement has been terminated in favor of development and will not be the last unless action is taken to reverse this development trend. As Boulder County Commissioner, Ashley Stolzmann stated, “Anytime it’s housing versus open space, we lose as a community”.
Michael Spratt
