PIONEER FAMILY AGREES TO LAND SALE FOR PRESERVATION

During the years since the beginning of the Open Space Program, preservation of Clear Creek Canyon has been a prime priority of the Program and of PLAN Jeffco. Consistent with PLAN Jeffco’s Clear Creek Land Preservation Initiative, many properties were acquired by Jeffco Open Space and preservation agreements reached with major adjoining property owners, including Mt. Vernon Country Club and the North Woodside Foundation. In 1998 PLAN Jeffco worked with the County to obtain a significant grant from GOCO for a comprehensive proposal to preserve most of the Clear Creek Corridor from the South Platte River to the West County Line. A grant from GOCO of $5,000,000 was received 1998, with later grants of smaller amounts. In addition some conservation easements and lands have been donated.

The Beaver Brook Trail, a hiker only 8 mile trail owned by Denver Mountain Parks, from Lariat Trail Road to Stapleton Park has long been favorite and well used trail. Most of it is along the south rim of Clear Creek Canyon and it goes through 320 acres which was owned by descendants of the Ralston family, well known pioneers. Efforts to obtain these 360 acres by Jeffco and others from Norm Ralston, had been unsuccessful for over 30 years. Recently, however, Bob Weimer, of North Woodside Foundation and Rock Pring, of Clear Creek Land Conservancy were finally successful in reaching an agreement with Norm Ralston to preserve this key parcel in Clear Creek Canyon and along the Beaver Book Trail.

On October 31^st, 2005, Norm Ralston donated a Conservation Easement to the Clear Creek Land Conservancy and then sold the land to the North Woodside Foundation for $1.68 million ($4,600 per acre.), PLAN Jeffco is grateful to Norm Ralston for assuring preservation of this land in its natural state.

As explained in a letter to Mount Vernon Proprietary Members, written by Pieter Hoekstra: "The Ralston acquisition means that North Woodside will own the title and will oversee and manage the property. The conservation easement- a deed that transfers specified development rights of the landowner to the Conservancy "in trust" forever- ‘means the Conservancy can protect against all residential, commercial, and industrial development and other actions that would destroy the area’s scenic, natural state, no matter who owns the property in the future " The continuity of the Beaver Brook Trail is therefore assured.

Jeffco Open Space, Mt. Vernon, North Woodside and Clear Creek Land Conservancy had worked together in 1996 to provide contiguous land for the nearby Gudy Gaskill Trail.

Adjoining the Ralston land is another 320 acres of land owned by Mount Vernon. A meeting is being held with Mount Vernon Country Club members in February to vote on preserving their land a conservation easement.

Much of the land along Clear Creek Canyon and stretching over to Mt. Vernon Canyon was settled in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s. Ralston, Dieker, Flynn, and Coleman are all family names of landowners from these times. The late Carla Swan Coleman founded and funded the North Woodside Foundation to preserve the lands around the Beaver Book Trail. The Foundation has been acquiring and managing such lands for many years and its acquisition of the Ralston land finally fulfills Carla Swan Coleman’s goal, the preservation of all of the lands surrounding the scenic Beaver Book Trail. The Clear Creek Conservancy was formed in the late 1980’s as a citizen group, (nonprofit, non governmental land trust,) with the goal of working toward preserving both sides of the canyon.

All citizens of Jefferson County should be pleased that one of the long range goals set forth by Open Space in the early 1970’s is almost accomplished. This had been a daunting challenge when first proposed. (See Maps) More than 10,000 acres of land have been preserved, thanks to Open Space, GOCO, Mount Vernon Country Club, North Woodside Foundation, and the Clear Creek Land Conservancy (with prodding from PLAN Jeffco.)

By Marilyn Mueller