599 Rosalie Road

A community asset soon to be offered to the highest bidder…

Almost 1700 people have signed an online petition and several hundred a paper petition urging the Park County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) to consider the merits of using Land and Water Trust Fund (LWTF) monies to purchase 72 acres of pristine property within the Bailey community. The property is owned by the Platte Canyon School District and was recently declared surplus, enabling it to be sold. Less than a mile off 285, it is located at 599 Rosalie Road, a left turn onto Rosalie Road from 285 before you get to the Loaf ‘N Jug. 

As a general rule, politicians ignore petitions unless they reflect the sentiments of registered, active voters. Then, those voters can oppose the politician’s reelection for not agreeing to whatever the petition supports. Otherwise, politicians generally ignore nonresident petition signers. That said, it is not unreasonable to say nonresident supporters of any cause may catch a politician’s eye.     

The 2022 Platte Canyon School District bond issue failed at the polls. Thus, the district must seek funds elsewhere to begin its master plan to consolidate district schools.

Many residents on the Bailey side of the county desire to maintain the land for park and recreation purposes and wildlife conservation. The sale of the land to a developer would significantly increase density in the area and further challenge water resources.

The 2022 assessed value of the property is $483,480. A recent unconfirmed appraisal of the property was $800,000 to $850,000. Therefore, speculation is the value of the property on the commercial market would exceed $1 million. Only after the School District has undergone an appraisal of the property and the county has conducted its own appraisal will the current market value be known. The basis for discussion and perhaps negotiation between the county and the school district may be provided after those appraisals are completed.   

The BOCC has directed the County Manager, Tom Eisenman, to contact the school district and commence the county’s property appraisal.

The property sale will most likely be conducted by sealed bids if an intergovernmental agreement between the county and school district is not achieved. Consequently, developers or other interested parties, including the county, may provide proposals. Generally, the highest bidder will be declared the “winner,” and the property will be sold to them.

Several issues must be resolved if the county wins the bid or reaches an intergovernmental agreement to transfer the property from the school district to the county for its fair market value. Unfortunately, as Commissioner Amy Mitchell pointed out at a recent BOCC meeting, Park County does not have the resources to maintain and manage the property. Therefore, interested parties in the community must propose a method for doing that—trash, toilets, management of activities, etc. A 501(c)(3) would most likely be the mechanism for attaining that. Additionally, if a 501(c)(3) is established, it could apply for conservation monies from the county and other grants to fund its activities.

If a private individual altruistically wishes to purchase the property with the intent that it remains a public space, they would necessarily have to provide their own liability insurance. The cost of that insurance would be very high and probably prohibitive. Additionally, the private individual would have to arrange to maintain and manage the space for public use. Finally, a private individual applying for a conservation easement for the property would encounter additional costs.  

Opposition to the county purchasing this property basically centers on four points: 1) The school district should consider only the highest bid, regardless of where that bid comes from. In their deliberations, they are only obligated to the school district, not the surrounding community. 2) The LWTF should not be used for recreation purposes, even though that use, recreation, was codified in the 2018 renewal of the 1% sales tax which funds it. Commissioner Dave Wissel has declared “recreation” is not an appropriate use of LWTF funds and, as a campaign promise, indicates he will attempt to change that. 3) Other properties in the area would serve the purpose of a park. The site they often refer to is the 270-acre Deer Creek at Lone Rock property purchased via the LWTF in 2016. However, the conservation plan for that site specifies low-impact recreation, including fishing, hiking, wildlife viewing, and hunting. The conservation plan would not accommodate disk golf, dog walking, community picnics, turkey trots, mountain bike races, and 5ks. 4) There are other outdoor spaces that Bailey area residents have access to, mainly in Jefferson County, though at least one charges an entrance fee.

Proponents of the land purchase argue there is a win-win for the school district and the county. The school district would get fair market value for the land, and the community, which the school district is a part, would reap the benefits of the open space. There should be, they argue, no perception that the school district is not part of the community. The school district must consider the community in its deliberations. 

The density of the area is also an issue. Proponents believe the development of this area would significantly alter the essential character of the community. They argue they moved out of the city for a reason.

Water resources are also an issue for proponents. How would a development on the property affect water resources already stretched thin?

Proponents also argue that since over 60% of Park County’s population resides on the county’s Bailey side, LWTF monies should be equitably distributed. About 90% of projects funded with LWTF monies have been on the Fairplay side of the county.

At this time, the Platte Canyon School Board has not publicly offered this property for sale, nor to my knowledge, have they conducted an appraisal of the property. Public interest, however, is intense, and there is frustration about how the public can be involved in this process. Nevertheless, the public’s involvement is critical since final decisions are left to politicians. Therefore, sign petitions that assure politicians will be aware the signature comes from a registered, active voter in Park County. In addition, attend School Board and Commission meetings online or in person. Speak to the boards during public comment. Also, contact School Board Members and County Commissioners via any method available. And it is invaluable to provide verifiable testimonials from past users of the space. Verifiable narratives that reflect the value of the area as a community resource for recreation and what it represents as an essential part of the community’s open space character.  

Park County Board of Commissioner deliberations and discussions (both work sessions and general quasi-judicial meetings) are listed here with links for viewing via Zoom: https://parkco.us/AgendaCenter

Email for Commission Chair Amy Mitchell: amitchell@parkco.us; Commissioner Dick Elsner: delsner@parkco.us; Commissioner Dave Wissel: Dwissel@parkco.us.

Platte Canyon School Board Meetings are listed here with a link for live viewing: https://www.plattecanyonschools.org/en-US/board-of-education-1c5950ec

Email for elected Platte Canyon School Board Members: President Garrison Genschorck: genschorckg@pcsdk12.org; Vice-President Frank VanDeHey: fvandehey@pcsdk12.org; Secretary Sheri Bezzant: sbezzant@pcsdk12.org; Treasurer Missy Winefeldt: mwinefeldt@pcsdk12.org; Director Tammy Potter: tpotter@pcsdk12.org