Park Hill Golf Course Open Space At Risk
The open space of the Park Hill Golf Course (PHGC) land is threatened. Critical basic facts regarding the PHGC land and its future are set out in detail below under the heading “THE FACTS.”.
In short summary, the legal status of the 155-acre PHGC land is as follows: The land is zoned Open Space-Recreation (OS-B) and since 1997 it has been protected by the perpetual open space conservation easement that Denver taxpayers paid $2 million for under the Webb administration. The relevant open space legal documents are the Conservation Easement between the City and the George W. Clayton Trust (Clayton) dated November 4, 1997 and the Agency Agreement between the same parties dated October 13, 2000 (see the “Documents” tab). Clayton holds title “as agent of the City, to hold for the benefit of the citizens of the City and the general public.” Clayton leases the land for golf operations to Arcis, a large Texas-based golf operator and commercial development company. The current term of the lease is through 2023 with an option to extend the lease through 2028. The lease contains a right of first refusal for Arcis to purchase the land.
As thoroughly explained below and elsewhere in this website, the current threat to preservation of this open space is caused by a confluence of the following factors: Clayton wants to sell the land, Arcis wants to purchase the land, and the current City administration and City Council have recently demonstrated both a desire to have the land developed for mixed residential and commercial use and a willingness to tear up the perpetual open space conservation easement.
Denver citizens must fight to protect this invaluable open space.
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