Markel and Wottge Open Space Plan

Thank you for your question. Also, it is not a problem to send us separate questions. The soft surface material for trails has been requested by the community throughout the public engagement of this project. The loop trail on Markel was presented at the February 16, 2023 Open House and was supported by the responses at the Open House. As you noted the concrete trail does already exist and is a well-used school connection. The soft surface trail was added in response to the community desire for a soft surface looped trail on this project. The soft surface looped trail is approximately 33 feet from the concrete trail and provides a different recreational trail experience. The concrete trail provides direct access to the school. The Parks Division staff plans to continue the maintenance for the concrete trail as it has in the past. The new crusher fines trail will also be maintained by Parks Division staff and the cost is part of the standard maintenance program for trails. The cost for this additional section of new crusher fines trail on the east side of the project is approximately $53 annually

Thank you for your follow-up question to the question submitted and responded to on 9/15/23. The initial survey for the Markel and Wottge project asked 7 questions. Questions 1-6 were simple multiple choice questions and question 7 was an open ended question. 

Here is a link to the raw questions 1-6 data as requested.  Note that these responses have been coded (categorized for the purposes of analysis) by the analysis software and that codification key can be found on the second tab of the linked spreadsheet. This analysis was a simple tally and was completed by the analysis software and verified by CCOB staff. 

The open-ended responses to question 7 were also posted to this project’s Broomfield Voice website page under “Documents” on December 8, 2022 and here is also a link to that raw data. These open-ended responses are the raw, unedited responses, with only personal identifiers removed for the purpose of retaining anonymity of the respondents.

Please let us know if you have any additional questions and if we can provide any additional information. 

Thank you for your question. Yes, the initial survey results were presented at the December 8 2022 Open Space and Trails Advisory Committee Meeting and they were posted on this website on the same day. They can be found on this page on the right side under "Documents", titled "Data from Initial Survey". You can also find all other documents and survey results associated with the public outreach conducted for this project listed under Documents.  

Thank you for your comment. Please see our response to a similar question asked on this page on  Aug. 3. These plans were presented at the Draft Final Plans Presentation on July 29 and posted on this page on August 1st. The planning process has been iterative and previous public meetings noted a need for shade as well as environmental education opportunities, particularly for youth. The west pavilion will be used for nature education and will be similar to the shade pavilion at Tom Frost Reservoir at the Broomfield County Commons Open Space. In response to these concerns, we have removed the east pavilion and now just have a bench with an interpretive sign.  

 Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. I'd like to direct you to the public comments regarding this matter, which have been extensively discussed during the planning process. We truly value the feedback of our community and have worked diligently to ensure a comprehensive plan. The Wottge Plan has been designed with flexibility in mind. If in the future it becomes apparent that additional parking is necessary, there is a provision to incorporate it. Should this need arise, it will include a public process to ensure all voices are heard. For further details about our ongoing vehicular assessments, please see the note on the plan, which discusses our continued vehicle counts. These counts play a crucial role in determining whether the implementation of a vehicular light or possibly a HAWK light is needed. As for the situation on Markel, I'd like to highlight that there is available parking at the park. Additionally, we are installing a flashing crosswalk to ensure the safety of pedestrians and ease of access. Again, thank you for your engagement, and we are always here to address any further questions or concerns.

Thank you for your comments. We received insightful feedback at the 7.29.23 informational booths and are working on implementing these changes into the Final Plans. In response to your questions: 

1) The possible connector trail noted on the Wottge design will not be constructed with this project. This connection may occur in the future if demand or a social trail develops. If that is the case, public outreach would occur to confirm the need for this trail prior to adding. We will just show it on the Final Plan as a dotted line in order to note this;

 2) We are adjusting the size of the crusher final trail that runs adjacent to the concrete trail in the area that you mentioned on the Wottge design. At this section of the trail, the crusher fines portion will only be 5 feet wide, making that portion of the trail 15 feet total (10-foot concrete and 5-foot crusher final trail). This is to align with our trail design standards as well as meet the community desire for a soft-surface trail; and

 3) We are working with our transportation department in the hopes of placing the speed reminder signs along Sheridan. However, any vehicular speed signage will be required to meet engineering/transportation requirements. If these standards are not met, the vehicular speed signage will not be erected.

Thank you for your comment. Previous public meeting information noted a need for shade. The shade structure closest to the pond on the Markel Open Space will be used for nature education. This structure will be similar to the shade pavilion at Tom Frost Reservoir at the Broomfield County Commons Open Space. The pavilion was located here as the pond provides the habitat and experience that makes for interesting nature education, is visible, and has easy access from the Country Estates parking lot. These types of structures are used frequently by Broomfield’s volunteer Nature Program educators for outreach. The pavilion on the east side of the site is proposed to be much smaller and is intended to have approximately two picnic tables.  It is also located away from most of the residential area, except for one lot. We will remove the east pavilion and instead add a possible trellis or other shade design with a bench.

Thank you for your comment. Yes, both properties will have trash cans and provide dog waste bags near the entrances. Placement near entrances is in alignment with our maintenance plans for Open Spaces and helps to balance the need for trash disposal while maintaining the look and feel of natural areas throughout the interior of the properties. 

Thank you for your question. 

You are reading the three arrows from Dillon Pointe correctly. 

Most of our open space properties have more than one access point from surrounding residential areas. Several access points allow people the opportunity to visit the property from surrounding neighborhoods and can help to minimize the use of vehicles to reach an open space property. 

We also completed a natural resources report for the Wottge Open Space. The proposed plan is designed to be respectful of the environment as well as to provide for public enjoyment of the open space. 

Two of the Dillon Pointe access points are minor trails to allow residents to access the open space. The most southern access point is a trail that will serve not only Dillon Pointe but other trail users, including the Aspen Creek neighborhood, that may wish to reach the Wottge Open Space from the Lake Link Trail. There are also access points at Dillon Road, Spyglass Drive, Mountain Meadow Drive and at the Sheridan Underpass. These access points are intended to make the property accessible to all adjacent neighborhoods and trail users in general. The project will also include standard Trails signage, pet pick-up stations, and trash cans. Having several access points into an open space property also can help to minimize the development of social trails.

In summary, the proposed Wottge Open Space Plan is intended to strike a balance between allowing residents convenient access to the Open Space while protecting the natural habitat and agricultural fields surrounding the area.

Thank you for your comment. The draft plans propose continued agricultural use for the Wottge Open Space with an option for future grassland restoration. Grassland seeding and restoration is proposed on the Markel Open Space (no agriculture use is proposed). Both properties will have mow bands adjacent to all trails and adjacent residential properties as is standard for other Broomfield Open Space properties. In regard to haying on the Markel Open Space, our local farmer that farms some of our agricultural land has been contacted to see if he is interested in baling hay on just a portion of the Markel property. Several horses are also grazing on the eastern side of the Markel Open Space, so it is desired to keep grasses in this area.