Public feedback session set May 18 for North Star plan

Pitkin County Open Space and Trails will host an open house from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, May 18, for those interested in learning more about the draft North Star Management Plan.

Residents can learn about what’s in the plan, view maps, ask questions and offer feedback in the county’s Plaza One meeting room at 530 E. Main St.

The draft plan and an online comment form are also available at http://www.pitkinostprojects.com — click on North Star Management Plan.

The plan is an update to both a 2000 management plan for North Star and 2001 interim plan for the James H. Smith North Star Open Space. The adjacent properties comprise roughly 245 acres of open space south of Aspen, where the Roaring Fork River winds through an area of wetlands and meadows. The open space encompasses significant ecological communities and wildlife habitat. The intent is to fold management of both properties into a single, comprehensive plan that emphasizes the property’s status as a nature preserve. The draft plan addresses public access and recreational use, and proposes measures to improve or maintain the ecological attributes of the open space.