Although initial post-election reports predicted its failure, Boulder Country ballot issue 1B rebounded and passed by a slim margin of 1,029 votes. The new law will raise the county’s sales tax by .015 cents per dollar and be in effect for  20 years.

Boulder County Commissioner Will Toor expects that in the course of 20 years, the tax will raise an estimated $100-120 million. “The reason that this issue came on the ballot is that really important properties are becoming available,” saids Toor.

The passage of 1B significantly increases “the ability (of the county) to acquire some of the last remaining properties and save them for generations to come.” Toor was referring to money already earmarked for two properties in particular, Hall Ranch II and the Loukonen Dairy Farm. 

The county hoped to cloe the first hall Ranch II purchase of 150 acres by the end of 2010. The county will have an option to purchase the remaining 427 acres in March, 2011. 
When it comes to the specifics of the Loukonen deal, Jan Burns, real estate division manager for Boulder County Parks and Open Space, said, “The county closed on the first purchase of the Loukonen property on Oct.15, which included the entire 76-acre Hill property just east of Lyons, and 139 acres of their dairy farm along US 36.” The option for purchase of an additional 467 acres exists here as well.

Ron Stewart, director of Boulder County Parks and Open Space said the Hall Ranch II and Loukonen properties are unique. “They have been rated high in recent bio-diversity studies we have conducted. They are home to a vast array of wildlife including elk, deer, bighorn sheep (on Hall Ranch II), mountain lion, bear, bobcat and a significant variety of other species.”

During the election cycle, some of the detractors of 1B criticized Boulder County land policy as not making enough open space available to the public.
Stewart said, “We are constantly working to open more and more open space properties for public use. As required by the purchase agreement, the Loukonen property will continue to be used as an agricultural property. The Hall Ranch II property will be the subject of a Management Plan study.”

Toor, however, saw the potential for trails to be built out in the Hall Ranch II property in order to connect other large open space domains together.

Besides providing funds to acquire new open space, monies from 1B can legally be used to help with the maintenance of existing open space land, to build new trails and facilities, to fund environmental restoration projects, to enhance the sustainability of agricultural lands, and to help with historic preservation projects.

Courtesy of Jan Burns
A view of the recently purchased Hall Ranch II property.