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Home My WebLink AboutInformation Only 062226AGENDA INFORMATION UPDATE June 22, 2026 4:00 PM, I.Information Update I.A Follow-Up Report Cozy Point Expenses I.B Follow-Up Report Open Spaces beyond city limits Follow-Up_Report_Cozy_Point_expenses.docx Follow-Up Report Open Spaces beyond city limits.docx 2600615 Open Space Beyond City Limits.pdf 1 1 FOLLOW-UP REPORT ORIGINAL MEETING DATE: June 1st, 2026   FOLLOW-UP MEMO DATE: June 23rd, 2026 SUBJECT: Cozy Point Update PRESENTED BY: Matt Kuhn, Michael Tunte, John Spiess and Nick Oliver COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: John Doyle (Mayor Pro Tem), Bill Guth, Mayor Rachael E. Richards, Christine Benedetti, Sam Rose WORK SESSION DISCUSSION SUMMARY: Staff was asked to present on the status of projects at Cozy Point ranch as well as projects that may be on the horizon. Parks staff presented on the projects that have occurred on Cozy Point ranch over the past five years many of which reached substantial completion in the 2025 season. The projects that were covered in the presentation included; the grading and drainage project, the renovation of the archery range and ranch operations area, the Farm Collaborative Learning Center, the riparian recovery of Brush Creek, the potable water solutions project, and the 2026 purchase of irrigation reels. The presentation concluded with a discussion of the upcoming management plan update in 2027. The majority of council members expressed support for the work completed at the ranch and the improvements that have been made. As a follow-up to the presentation council asked for a summary of expenses at Cozy Point ranch for the past 5 years, all details are included in the attached table, and are summarized below as total 5-year aggregate expenses grouped by type: Operations (annual expenses, labor) $834,025 Land and Site Improvements $4,029,295 Structures and Facilities $273,542 Tractors and Equipment $180,146 Farm Collaborative Learning Center Contributions $729,497 NEXT STEPS: No further action on this request is anticipated. CITY MANAGER NOTES:   2 Description Account Code 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Total Expenses - Labor, Materials, Supplies and Materials 146,949.00 164,938.00 183,397.00 172,246.00 166,495.00 834,025.00 834,025.00 Cozy Point Ranch Improvements (Grading and Drainage 100.572.81200.57210.51340 372,705.00 163,548.39 584,521.01 2,147,302.71 241,293.45 3,509,370.56 Cozy Point Water and Wastewater Infrastructure 100.572.81200.57210.51567 7,453.00 191,466.00 84,108.00 283,027.00 Cozy Point Compost and Operations 100.572.81200.57210.51858 95,337.00 95,337.00 Juniper Hill Road Improvements 100.572.81200.57210.51475 138,260.00 138,260.00 Juniper Hill Road Maintenance 100.572.81300.57210.40092 3,300.00 3,300.00 4,029,294.56 Cozy Point Ranch Camp Cabin Stain 100.572.81200.57410.51195 4,343.00 4,343.00 Cozy Point Ranch Butler Barn Paint 100.572.81200.57310.51198 4,602.00 14,731.00 19,333.00 Cozy Point Ranch Red Barn Paint 100.572.81200.57410.51194 7,262.00 7,262.00 Cozy Point Boarding Facility Renovation 100.572.81200.57210.51566 33,881.00 64,750.00 98,631.00 Cozy Point Exterior Facility Maintenance (Build) 100.572.81300.57310.40025 34,100.00 34,100.00 Cozy Point Exterior Facility Maintenance (Infra) 100.572.81300.57210.40025 565 37,295.00 37,860.00 Cozy Point Interior Facility Maintenance 100.572.81300.57210.40042 26,144.00 25,007.00 20,862.00 72,013.00 273,542.00 Cozy Point Tractor and Implements 100.572.81200.57540.51481 71,066.00 10,449.00 98,631.00 180,146.00 180,146.00 Cozy Point Primary Power extension 100.572.81200.57210.51434 44,423.00 44,423.00 Cozy Point Ranch Septic System - Farm Collab 100.572.81200.57210.51678 416,368.00 268,706.00 685,074.00 729,497.00 3 FOLLOW-UP REPORT ORIGINAL MEETING DATE: June 1st, 2026   FOLLOW-UP MEMO DATE: June 23rd, 2026 SUBJECT: City Open Space parcels beyond City limits PRESENTED BY: Matt Kuhn, Michael Tunte, John Spiess and Nick Oliver COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: John Doyle (Mayor Pro Tem), Bill Guth, Mayor Rachael E. Richards, Christine Benedetti, Sam Rose WORK SESSION DISCUSSION SUMMARY: Staff were asked to present on the current status of projects at Cozy Point ranch as well as projects that may be on the horizon. Parks staff presented on the projects that have occurred on Cozy Point ranch over the past five years many of which reached substantial completion in the 2025 season. Following the discussion of Cozy Point ranch and the adjacent properties council asked for a summary of all the open space parcels beyond city limits that the city owns or has played a part in the purchase of. The 17 open space parcels are summarized in the attached table and organized in the following way. 1. Open Space owned by the city but outside of city limits. 2. Open Space that we own in partnership with Pitkin County. 3. Open space parcels that the city contributed funds to the purchase but do not have ownership. NEXT STEPS: No further action on this request is anticipated. CITY MANAGER NOTES:   4 City Owned Open space beyond City limits Year Acquired Acres Purchase Price History Aspen Mass 1998 31 1,600,000.00$ Purchased in 1998 for $1.6 million jointly with Pitkin County. City paid $1,050,000; county paid $600,000. Paid for with housing funds, which were subsequently repaid. In 2006 (Resolution 28), Council agreed to pay county $600,000 for their share. 2 TDRs from that deal are owned by the housing fund. The 3 TDRs (one to the county; two to the city) severs all development rights from this property. There is a deed restriction, reception #523706 to that effect. The county also deeded to the city their share in the water rights associated with Cozy Point Ditch and Jote smith Ditch (reception #528786). Cozy Point 1994 168 3,200,000.00$ Purchased in 1994,168 acres,located on the south side of highway 82 at the intersection of Brush Creek,$3.2 million. Purchased with open space, recreation and affordable housing funds (Ord 57-1994). Hunter Valley Way 2005 9.8 $0 (donation) This 9.8 acres was given to the city as part of the Fox Crossing subdivision, Ordinance #50, 2004. In 2006 the city granted the land to the Aspen Valley Land Trust in a deed of conservation, reception #520959 Lindsay Parcel 2012 7 650,000.00$ North west side of Smuggler Mountain – purchased with city and county open space funds for $650,000. Resolution #88, 2012. Used for open space as part of Smuggler Mountain. Little Cloud 1977 2.2 95,000.00$ The city purchased the Little Cloud Lode Mining Claim in 1977 for $95,000. This parcel consists of 2.2 acres located on the bottom of Shadow Mountain at the end of Fourth street. This was purchased to preclude the owner from constructing a single family residence and to eliminate the precedent for development on Shadow Mountain. This is a picnic site and trailhead for Shadow Mountain. (Book 348/574). Mascotte 99 1977 9.3 370,209.00$ In 1977, the city paid $370,209 for this 9 acres at the base of Smuggler Mountain road. Resolution #91, 2007 Millionaire Mill Site 2007 2.5 $0 (land transfer from Utilities) The steel water storage tank was removed in the late 1990’s. In 2007 there was an election for the Castle Creek Hydroplant which had two ballot questions.One question was to allow the use of a portion of the hydro plant site located on Power Plant Road (acquired with open space funds)with a replacement property held by the Water Fund.The site identified to be traded in exchange for the plant site was the Millionaire Mill site (same as the Little Nell Tank site). The exchange documents to place the Millionaire Lode site and place it in control of the Open Space Board were prepared but never executed because of City Council’s direction not to further efforts on the hydro plant site development. Ute Mesa 2007 4.1 -$ Transfered to the City as a part of the 1001 Ute Subdivision agreement. Ordinace #24 Series of 2006 Smuggler Mining claims 2007 19.6 3,400,000.00$ 3 Mining claims across the east face of Smuggler mountain (Contraband, Result, Della S.) Co-owned parcels with Pitkin County Smuggler Mtn 2005 126 7,500,000.00$ (aka Wilkinson) City and County paid $15 million ($7.5 million each from open space funds) to purchase 170 acres. A conservation easement was placed on this and held by AVLT Mills 1999 31 -$ Transfered to the City and County from CDOT during the construction of the roundabout in 1998. Resolution #99- 86 James H. Smith (North Star) 2001 78 3,400,000.00$ Pitkin County and the City of Aspen purchased the property together in 2001 for $6.75 million. The James H. Smith parcel is managed under the North Star Nature Preserve's Management plan. Supported Purchase OS parcels Sky Mountain Park 2010 850 1,000,000.00$ The city gave the county $1,000,000 out of the Aspen Open Space and Trails to fund the 850 acres Droste property purchase in 2010. Wapiti Meadows 2022 95 1,000,000.00$ The City contributed $1,000,000 toward the purchase of the Moore Ranch (Resolution #112, 2022 Hummingbird 1997 14 1,106,000.00$ Contributed $1,016,000 open space funds toward Pitkin County’s purchase; 14 acres in Hunter Creek Valley. Resolution #92, 1997 Axtell & Protection 2003 20.4 225,000.00$ Contributed to County purchase of mining claims on Smuggler Mountain. Cozy Point South 2005 129 100,000.00$ Cozy Point South is the large meadow on the east side of Brush Creek;the city partnered with Pitkin County and a GOCO grant to purchase this. City gave $100,000 from open space funds, Resolution #14, 2005. 5