Pitkin County takes ownership of Brush Creek Park & Ride for $10

Pitkin County took over ownership of the Brush Creek Park & Ride from the Colorado Department of Transportation in a $10 transfer agreement on Wednesday.

There have been efforts to transfer the 27-acre piece of land to the county as far back as 2016, when the county submitted a letter to CDOT requesting the transfer.

“In the letter to CDOT, we requested the transfer because we have been managing this property,” Pitkin County Public Works Director Brian Pettet said at the Wednesday Board of County Commissioners meeting, where they approved the resolution accepting the transfer. 

“The county spends between $70,000 and $100,000 a year on snow removal, trash pickup, weed control, and general management needs for the property,” he continued.

The lot, which has 400 paved parking spots and capacity for up to 1,200 vehicles during special events like X Games, is an important piece of infrastructure for the valley. It acts as a key transportation hub for work commuters and visitors, according to a press release announcing the transfer. 

“I think it’s critical for the county to take over ownership of this parcel, for many reasons,” Commissioner Patti Clapper said. “It would help us to address issues we have with parking at the airport. There are a lot of opportunities and potential we might have there, but we can’t do until or unless we own the property and create a more specific management plan.”

The transfer of the park-and-ride comes with a deed restriction from the state that ensures that the property can only be used for “transportation purposes or for non-proprietary public use,” according to Pettet. 

The deed restriction was a sticking point at the Wednesday BOCC regular meeting, as some commissioners expressed interest in preserving the option for the county to possibly develop affordable housing on the 27-acre lot, which may be prohibited by the deed restriction. 

As such, commissioners passed the resolution accepting the transfer with new recitals clarifying that the county would like to explore the possibility of affordable housing development on areas identified for “transit-oriented development.” 

That does not necessarily mean the county is looking to develop the land now or in the near future. Rather, it expresses that the county may want to consider using that land for affordable housing at some point and would like to preserve the right to do so. 

The addition of that housing recital raised alarms with Commissioner Jeffrey Woodruff.

“I maintain a license with the Department of Regulatory Affairs, I’m a licensed architect in the state of Colorado, and I have health, safety, and welfare concerns regarding the use of this lot for anything other than transportation,” said Woodruff. 

Nonetheless, the resolution was passed 3-1, with him being the sole dissenter on grounds of his welfare concerns. He has expressed support for this transfer at past BOCC meetings. Commissioner Greg Poschman was not present. 

“This action secures the long-term future of Brush Creek Park & Ride as a vital resource for our community and region,” Brian Pettet, director of public works at Pitkin County, said in the press release. “By assuming ownership, Pitkin County can ensure continuity of operations and ongoing investment in sustainable transit solutions.”