Reprinted with permission by Michael Chaussee Comments and Objection to Strawberry Field Park Becoming Privately Owned I am a life-long resident of Colorado Springs and recreational hiker that hikes and picnics at Strawberry Fields. I hike Pikes Peak by way of the Barr Trail on a regular basis. I, also, have hiked to the land to the south of Mt. Mancusco that is part of the proposed exchange. Unequal Trade Value / Lack of Access The Strawberry parcel is a prime park for recreational users. The access is immediate from Alta Vista, Old Stage or the South Canyon. It is easy to walk 200 yards to picnic or start a short hike. The park is used daily by hikers and mountain bikes despite not being a well-known destination. The Mancusco land lacks reasonable access by routes requiring technical expertise and top conditioning that most recreational users do not possess. The Gold Camp Road is currently closed to vehicle traffic and does not directly border the parcel requiring an approach of 3 hours including bushwhacking in difficult terrain. The Cutler trail route requires climbing to the summit of Mancusco then rappelling down the south slope to the bottom. At the Open House, I asked every City employee about access and value to the community. No one was able to provide any answers as none of the City employees has ever been to the Mancusco parcel. As the parcel requires so much expertise to locate and enter, I doubt any of the City Council or Mayor’s Office has examined the parcel. In terms of value to the community, the two parcels are not close to fair value for trading. Deed or Conditional Use Permit If the Broadmoor requires a stable business, the general procedure would be for Parks to enter a contract granting a conditional use permit with a set duration and with fair consideration. The property would remain deeded to the public domain (City) to assure ultimate usage as a park. Deeding the property changes the control by granting rights of ownership to the private entity. Creating a potential legal quagmire and liability by substituting deed restrictions, easements and restrictive zoning is poor public policy. At the Open House, no one from the City had any answer as to why a conditional use permit was not a better alternative. As a note, if the previous city councils had granted a conditional use permit to the owners of the Incline (rather than a deed), once the tourist train use terminated, the property would remain in the public domain. This is good public policy for the City of Colorado Springs residents. Private Ownership versus Public Usage Private ownership of prime park land creates conflicts concerning use. Recreational users desire parks while private ownership is motivated by profit and liability concerns. The incline and Barr Trail are an example of the conflict caused by private ownership. The intended use (incline tourist) was abandoned by ownership, but the lands did not revert back to public ownership. Instead, hikers were confronted with no trespassing signs threatening prosecution. This conflict of interests lasted for 15 years and is unresolved today. Why didn’t the Broadmoor donate the land back to the public domain once the intended use of a tourist attraction was terminated? Another example is Seven Falls. While I am familiar with the history of private ownership attempting to save the area for the public, today private ownership is in conflict with the best interests of the people of Colorado Springs due to restrictions placed by the Broadmoor on entry and passing through to other public lands. How is more private ownership anything but a loss for the people of Colorado Springs? Stable Business While it may not be a concern of the City, I question if this property is suitable for a stable business. Strawberry Field s less than 800 acres and is too small for a trail riding operation. Is the plan to board horses on the property rather than ride the horses on trails? Is the plan for a “riding arena” and why isn’t there any information on the actual use? How many horses? Does a stable benefit the Colorado Springs area in any manner? Only hotel guests are allowed to ride at the Broadmoor’s Emerald Valley stables. Is this the plan? Why is a stable beneficial use to the adjacent property owners in the Cheyenne Canon? Why Doesn’t the Broadmoor Donate the Barr Trail Land? The Barr Trail Land was deeded to private ownership for the purpose of being used as an incline cog train to the top of Mount Manitou. The reasoning for allowing the use was that Colorado Springs would benefit financially from the tourist attraction. Today, the use has ceased and there is no other prospective commercial use for the property. Colorado Springs does not benefit financially from the closed incline. The Barr Trail is used extensively by hikers going to Pikes Peak. Why has the Broadmoor not returned the property to the public domain now that there is no commercial use? Why cause a conflict with recreational users trying to climb the Peak? This land is a public relations nightmare for the Broadmoor and there is no other use better than a hiking trail. Why not do the right thing and return it to the public domain?