{"id":666,"date":"2025-07-15T18:33:33","date_gmt":"2025-07-15T18:33:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.canoeinstructor.com\/?p=666"},"modified":"2025-07-17T12:06:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T12:06:15","slug":"how-can-longmont-even-be-considering-swapping-open-space-land-for-boulders-industrial-compost-complex-opinion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.canoeinstructor.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/15\/how-can-longmont-even-be-considering-swapping-open-space-land-for-boulders-industrial-compost-complex-opinion\/","title":{"rendered":"How can Longmont even be considering swapping open space land for Boulder\u2019s industrial compost complex? (Opinion)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Longmont\u2019s Open Space program is being compromised by Longmont Public Works and Utilities.<\/span> Public Works has <\/span>put forward<\/span> a proposal for a land exchange involving property acquired with Open Space tax funds and land currently owned by the Public Works or Utilities Departments.<\/span> This entire proposal is predicated on forming a partnership with Boulder County for regional compost infrastructure.<\/span><\/p>\n

In January 2025, Longmont City Council directed staff to pursue a compost partnership with Boulder County, which <\/span>apparently<\/span> included exploring city-owned properties. <\/span>Boulder County wants to build a large-scale composting operation and does not <\/span>want<\/span> to use Boulder County land, nor <\/span>do they<\/span> want to go through <\/span>their<\/span> own<\/span> stringent Location and Extent, Land Use process.<\/span><\/p>\n

The proposal includes the Distel property, purchased with Open Space dollars, to be exchanged for the Tull property, which was purchased with Public Works and Utility dollars.<\/span><\/p>\n

The city purchased both properties from Aggregate in 2019. The Open Space program fully intended to <\/span>purchase<\/span> both properties for Open Space, as was identified in the initial 2001 Integrated Reclamation Plan, which has been updated and supported by six mayors and their councils, most recently in March of 2022. <\/span>That plan was <\/span>drawn up<\/span> and approved by multiple city departments and past City Councils to protect <\/span>this<\/span> entire riparian and wildlife movement corridor along our St. Vrain Creek and Boulder Creek <\/span>corridor<\/span>.<\/span> A plan that is nearly 30 years in the making.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the last minute of 2019, Public Works argued that their department needed a portion of the Tull property for clean infill from development. Their needs prevailed, and 139 acres of the Tull property went to Public Works. Public Works proceeded to modify the Tull reclamation plan to meet their needs, and now, just six years later, Public Works wants to swap these two properties so Boulder County and City development can happen on Distel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Open Space knew that the Distel property included temporary industrial development that would <\/span>go away<\/span> with reclamation<\/span>, <\/span>now<\/span> Public Works wants to make the industrial development permanent <\/span>with<\/span> their operations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tull is in the floodway and not as readily suitable for development as Distel, due to Public Works negotiations to modify Holcim\u2019s reclamation plan. <\/span>The proposal for industrial development at Distel carves out multiple acres for Boulder County\u2019s compost infrastructure as well as the balance for City of Longmont infrastructure, <\/span>such as moving<\/span> the Fire Training Center and the municipal training center pad for police, fire, snow vehicles <\/span>and<\/span> perhaps<\/span> a warehouse.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both properties are in Weld County <\/span>and<\/span> the neighbors are very unhappy with <\/span>what was<\/span> proposed <\/span>to be<\/span> Open Space <\/span>and<\/span> now<\/span> to be<\/span> a permanent industrial <\/span>development, being incompatible<\/span> with their rural homes<\/span>, <\/span>and <\/span>bolstering volumes of<\/span> traffic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Development in this area will create <\/span>a<\/span> large industrial donut hole in the middle of open space and agricultural lands, <\/span>creating<\/span> additional fragmentation of wildlife <\/span>habitat<\/span> and cutting off wildlife movement corridors.<\/span><\/p>\n