Save Highlands Ranch Open Space

Did you know that the HRCA is considering selling some of our open space to Colorado Christian University?

CCU is hoping to move their campus to this location south of Rock Canyon High School on Monarch.

The proposed campus will serve over 1,500 students in Highlands Ranch.

CCU is a private tax exempt entity.


Why should I care?

Since CCU is tax exempt, will our tax dollars will pay for their county services like police, fire, and road maintenance?

This open space is a pristine habitat for deer, elk, etc. and is supposed to be for the benefit of the residents. A private university, where almost all of the students are from outside of Highlands Ranch, does not serve this purpose.

This open space has some of the most incredible views of Denver and is ideal for parks and trails.

Highlands Ranch residents approved of keeping this area open space as part of the OSCA survey. A university is in direct opposition to this survey!

65% of respondents wanted the land left undeveloped and only 19% disagreed.

57% of respondents disagreed with a university going on this land and only 20% agreed.

CCU is an NCAA Division II school and holds major cultural and sporting events on its campus which will be a burden on the community. Its students and major events will bring large volumes of traffic through the entire community. Other than Monarch, there is no room to widen the roads to serve CCU.

Since CCU is tax exempt, will the residents be paying for any road improvements paid for by Douglas County? There is no easy highway access.

Many of the nearby trails are reserved for residents, yet unless there is someone to prevent them from using them there will be nothing stopping them. This will lead to overcrowding, erosion and destruction of open space.

Why should we be subsidizing a private tax exempt organization with our tax dollars?


What should I do?

Contact the HRCA Delegate for your district. They are the ones who have the power to stop the land sale. Go to www.hrcaonline.org and click About Us and then select Leadership District Delegates. You can also follow this direct link to the HRCA delegates map, move the cursor over the number over your neighborhood and contact information is displayed.

Call your delegate, email your delegate.

Sign the petition opposing the sale:

"We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge the Highlands Ranch Community Association Board to vote "No" to Colorado Christian University's proposal to buy 100 acres of land in Back Country."

E-mail: savehropenspace@gmail.com include your name, address and subdivision, district number or delegate name.


What else can I do?

Send an e-mail to Inforequest.savehropenspace@gmail.com to volunteer to help save Highlands Ranch Open Space

Attend all of the HRCA sponsored community meetings to oppose the sale:
Tuesday, January 5 – 7PM Postponed by CCU and Shea
Thursday, January 7 – 7PM Postponed by CCU and Shea
Tuesday, January 12 – 7PM Location TBD
Thursday, January 14 – 7PM Location TBD
Wednesday, January 27 – 7PM Location TBD

E-Mail the HRCA Board of Directors:
Rick Dinsmore
rdinsmore@hrcaonline.org
303-791-2411

Laura Hopkins
lhopkins@hrcaonline.org
303-346-0603

Paul Meyers
pmeyers@hrcaonline.org
303-791-7868

Todd Landgrave
tlandgrave@hrcaonline.org
303-470-8765

David Martz
dmartz@hrcaonline.org
303-683-9524


E-Mail the Highlands Ranch Community Manager:
Gary Debus
gdebus@hrcaonline.org
303-471-8801

Contact your local association Board of Directors

Attend the RAC meetings at Eastridge Recreation Center at 6:30PM on the third Tuesday of every month starting January 19th 2010. This is your opportunity to speak directly to all of the HRCA Delegates.

For additional information please visit www.savehropenspace.org

Once the HRCA Board decides to sell the land, it will be too late to stop the development

EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG

Help Us Spread The Word!

E-mail at least 10 friends and encourage them to sign the petition as well. You may cut & paste the following to make it simple:

Did you know that the Highlands Ranch Board is currently considering a proposal to sell a portion of Backcountry to a tax-exempt university?

I oppose this proposal as do many other Highlands Ranch residents. Go to www.savehropenspace.org to learn more. To sign the petition, email your name, address and subdivision/cross streets to savehropenspace@gmail.com .

It's just as important to e-mail your delegate to state your opposition. To find your delegate go to, http://www.hrcaonline.org/PortalContent/DistrictDelegates.aspx?PortalID=1&TabID=31&ParentID=6&SubSectionID=228 .

Thanks for your support!

Map Of Planning Area E

This is the map for the planning areas to the south of the Hearth and Firelight. Planning Area E is the proposed site for Colorado Christian University (CCU).

A Photo Tour Of Planning Area E

Yesterday Mike Woodland took a tour of Planning Area E, where CCU is planning on developing their new campus. The HRCA has forbidden human incursion into this land so not to disturb the elk herds, yet feels comfortable considering a campus that will surely impact this natural resource.


A view of Planning Area E, looking east



This photo was taken from the west side of planning area E, looking northeast. The cliff area is the scenic overlook at the end of the Wildcat Mountain Trail. You can see Monarch in the very middle of this photo. There are tracks in the snow, from wildlife, all over this area.



View to the northwest from the east ridge of planning area E.



View to the west from the east ridge of planning area E. The elk are coming up the hill from the middle of the proposed campus location.



Another photo of the elk herd at the proposed site for CCU.



Wildlife tracks are everywhere.