workshop that generated many ideas that found their way into the plan.

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1 To create a safe, legitimate, non-motorized, multi-use recreational trail system that connects Black Forest neighborhoods to each other and the El Paso County Regional Trail System A Semi-Annual Newsletter Spring 2013 President s Corner By Larry Fariss Spring has sprung and summer is in full swing! It s hiking, riding and biking time! I hope each of you is getting out and enjoying the woods, prairies and meadows that surround us in Black Forest. I am always gratified to see so many people using our trails throughout the region, makes me want to find some more. trails that is! Prospects for gaining some trails in our region have improved with the pending publication of the El Paso County Parks Master Plan. This plan is a guiding document that works with other county plans to strategize and provide outdoor recreation opportunities such as parks, trails, long term protection of open space, and historic and cultural resource interpretation. The Master Plan will be used by the County s Community Services Department, Planning Department, Park Advisory Board, Planning Commission, and the Board of County Commissioners to ensure that new development proposals confirm and contribute to a cohesive system of parks, trails and open space. The plan has been over a year in its development and has had massive public input, including those from the Black Forest Trails Association (BFTA) board and its membership. Our association conducted a public workshop that generated many ideas that found their way into the plan. In addition, BFTA had a seat at all planning sessions. In short BFTA provided direct input into the updated plan and specifically made prioritized requests for the parks in Black Forest over the next 5-10 years. Our concerns were heard and are reflected throughout the document! Here are some examples: BFTA Input: Finish all items in the Black Forest Regional Park Master Plan: This includes the Section 16 Vault Toilet, Fox Run Dog Park, and BFRP parking lot. Update the Park master Plan to determine current and future park needs. Implement park and trail improvement projects consistent with individual park master plans and/or the County Park s Capital Improvement program. Note: The Section 16 Vault Toilet is completed and operational! BFTA Input: Finish The Pineries Open Space development: We want to get this operational ASAP with trails installed as funds become available. Complete capital campaigns for the Pineries Open Space and implement improvements as funds become available. Plan public access and development with a focus on trails. Trailheads are planned with facilities for nonmotorized users and equestrians, along with restrooms and interpretive signage highlighting the property s natural assets. BFTA Input: Establish a Friends Group for each park in Black Forest: Currently only Section 16 and Fox Run have this grass root support in place. Dedicate additional staff resources Black Forest Trails Association - Black Forest Colorado 1

2 to support volunteer management utilizing friends groups, community organizations, and individuals to assist with park system improvements and programming efforts. BFTA Input: Preserve more park land and open space in El Paso County: Whenever and wherever this is possible, grow the amount of public land open for trail recreation. Protect and enhance El Paso County s legacy of unique features and area and cultural resources, working in collaboration with others to conserve high priority open space areas in the county. In addition to our inputs being heard, the Master Plan also outlines some important goals for Regional Trails that will have long term effects in Black Forest: Regional Trails Goal 1: Work collaboratively with other to create a continuous, connected system of regional trails. Black Forest Impact: This will ensure regional trail corridors are secured by the County s Development Services and Public Services Departments during the planning, design and development review processes. Regional Trails Goal 2: Prioritize and locate trail connections using criteria and proposed actions identified in the master planning process. Black Forest Impact: County will seek to locate trails along major drainages or other natural features using existing rights-of-way to the extent practical, while minimizing conflicts between trail development and wildlife habitat. Finally the Master Plan looks out into the future with the eventual completion of seventeen existing and proposed regional trails that would transit the greater Black Forest area. These trails were identified through previous plans, but updated as part of the Master Plan process with input from stakeholders, like BFTA, during the issue identification stage of the process. Most of these trails are notional in concept and broad-brush in nature as specific locations and rightof-ways are to be determined through the county s planning process. However the trails are listed in the plan and are marks on the wall! If they all were developed we would have over 150 miles of new trails to hike, bike and ride throughout the Black Forest region! The Master Plan is slated for final approval by the county in early summer and will have a great impact on our BFTA mission: To create a safe, legitimate, non-motorized, multiuse recreational trail system that connects Black Forest neighborhoods to each other and the El Paso County Regional Trail System. Our organization has a great effect upon our beloved forest, if you use our trails, please renew your membership annually so that your voice is heard! We need each and every one of you! Happy trails to you, Larry Fariss President BFTA El Paso County Park Advisory Board Issues By Barb Remy BFTA Board members Barb Remy and Judi Tobias also sit on the El Paso County Park Advisory Board. In that capacity, they represent our association and community, and are aware of issues that may affect us in Black Forest. Here is what Barb reported to us at the last BFTA meeting: El Paso County Parks Master Plan updated 2013 To read the Master Plan visit: This plan represents 600 miles of trails for all varieties of activities. The Master Plan lists in the plan is listed all the present park assets: Trails and regional parks and open space Lands that are new candidates for open space Two new regional parks for eastern El Paso County New trails and bicycle and horse routes Use of existing parks in 2012 validated through park reservations: 130,639 visitors A lengthy discussion on the present means of funding for the operation and capital expenses of the present assets: A lengthy discussion of the potential funding for parks and recreation which will be substantial enough for the visionary Master Plan that this document represents for the near future and for future generations. 2 Black Forest Trails Association - Black Forest Colorado

3 S E Q U O I A C L U B Sundance Pipeline Meetings Held by Judi Tobias This is a brief history of some of the information gathered regarding the Sundance Water Project that Cherokee Metro District is involved in. Cherokee has drilled water wells that are located just south of Hodgen Road west of Black Forest Road. At the May 14 Cherokee Metro District Board meeting, Al Watson of Development Services, who is the construction manager for the Sundance Water Project, reported that ten requests for bid documents had been received for the pipeline to bring the water from the Sundance well on Hodgen Road to the Cherokee processing facility on Tamlin Road and so far, nine companies have bid on the project. All bidders are prequalified to have experience in projects of the same magnitude as the Sundance one and have done at least two projects that used 24 pipe. Watson said that, if the winning bid is approved by June 5, the project can begin on June 6 with a goal of completion by November. Watson also said that all the entities whose property south of the holding tank on Frank Road is needed for the pipeline easement have been contacted regarding Cherokee s interest in the property. Manager Sean Chambers told the board that the first one-third of the Sundance Project was scheduled to be heard by the County Planning Commission on May 21 and encouraged Board members to attend the meeting to support the project. Watson reported at the Cherokee Metro Feb. meeting that the Sundance Project meetings in Black Forest went well. In response to concerns from residents of the area where the holding tank is to be built on Frank Road, the tank will be lowered another seven feet and a berm built to reduce the visible impact of the tank. The southern portion of the pipeline should be easier to locate since most of it will be on County and other public land. Watson also said the wellfield design concept is complete. The public meetings regarding Cherokee Metro District s Sundance Project were held at Pine Creek High School on January 28 and 31 to inform concerned Black Forest residents about the status and route of the proposed pipeline which will carry the water from the wells at the Sundance Ranch on Hodgen Road to Cherokee s storage and treatment facility on Tamlin Road east of Powers Blvd. Cherokee Metro s Manager, Sean Chambers, was there to answer questions along with several people from the contractors working on the project, including Al Watson of Development Services, which oversees the project and Travis Easton of NV5 Engineering who is working with Watson on the pipeline issue. To date, the pipeline route is only set from the well sites southeast to a site where a two million gallon holding tank at the corner of Swan and Frank Roads near Vollmer Road is to be built. Easton said the tank will be built about 170 feet back from the roads and will be painted to make it as inconspicuous as possible. The tank will be constructed of precast concrete and covered with a steel skin. The size of the pipe has not been determined but should be between 18 and 24 inches. Travis Easton, one of the project engineers, pointed out at the January meeting that the pipeline was being constructed with concern for environmental impacts, open space, trail connectivity, existing trees, community aesthetics, property impacts, economic feasibility, existing utility corridors (which will be used whenever possible), future improvements, fire protection and construct-ability. Regarding fire protection, he said Cherokee will install valves that will enable firefighters to use water from various locations along the pipeline to fight fires when necessary. Cherokee has already had conversations with Black Forest Fire District about that subject. Cherokee has also held talks with the El Paso County Parks Departments to avoid any conflicts with existing parks, trails and open space. Where possible, they will allow their water line easements to be used for nonmotorized trails. BFTA Keeping Black Forest Parks Clean By Cheryl Pixley Thank you to everyone that helped with the Spring Clean Up at Black Black Forest Trails Association - Black Forest Colorado 3

4 Forest Section 16 and Black Forest Regional Park April 20-22! Boy Scouts from BSA Troop 70, Cub Scouts from Pack 70 and participants from Pals of the Pines 4-H Club joined BFTA members and other community volunteers in picking up trash in trail corridors and along Burgess, Vollmer, Herring, Shoup and Milam roads where they adjoin the parklands. About 27 workers collected 20 bags of trash! Possible Link of Pineries Open Space and Section 16 By Larry Fariss The Cherokee Water District s attempt to transit Black Forest with a pipeline connecting its wells on Sundance Ranch to its customers in Colorado Springs may prove to be beneficial to trail users in Black Forest by jump starting trails in the Pineries Open Space and linking those trails with Section 16 s Partnership Trail. The District has successfully drilled wells on the Sundance Ranch along Hodgen Road and has sought permission from the county run a portion of its pipelines south along the Vollmer Road right of ways. This pipeline route is proposed to cross Vollmer Road into the Pineries Open Space approximately one mile north of the Shoup Road intersection. Preliminary meetings with county park planners, Cherokee Water District and Black Forest Trails Association (BFTA), indicate the pipeline may be used to build a portion of long awaited trails in the Pineries Open Space. This portion of trail would run along the east side of Vollmer approximately 100 yards to the east, until approaching the Palmer Land Trust Conservatory parcel when it would recross Vollmer just before Shoup Road. Then the trail would cross Shoup Road and provide a link with the Section 16 Partnership Trail. The entire project is still in negotiation with the county, however with final routing still to be determined. BFTA strongly supports this proposal, if the pipeline is installed, since establishing trails in the Pineries Open Space and linking them with Section 16 is BFTA s number one future goal. If the routing remains along Vollmer road, BFTA will strongly lobby with concerned parties to utilize the pipeline to expand hiking, biking and horseback riding opportunities for the Black Forest Trail community. We ve posted a map of the proposed pipeline where it transits the Pineries Open Space online at: Visit that link to download the map in PDF format. BFTA Membership By Andy Meng As you can see from the articles above, the Black Forest Trails Association is actively involved in supporting and advocating the development and maintenance of multi-use trails in the Black Forest. In the short time I ve been involved with the BFTA, I have seen its influence on issues that are small (cleaning trash and debris from Black Forest parks and trails), medium (raising funds for, and building a toilet in section 16), and large (helping defeat a potential high speed railway that would have bisected section 16 and impacted nearly every resident of Black Forest). By supporting BFTA with your annual membership, you help provide the funding and support for a whole range of issues that affect Black Forest trails and the lifestyle we all want to protect. There are 4 tiers of BFTA membership: 1) Individual / family ($15 per year), 2) Business / club ($30 per year), 3) Donor ($50 per year) 4) Lifetime ($150 one time). New for 2013 membership runs from April 1 to March 31. The board made this decision since trails activity starts picking up in April and we wanted to sync up membership with the trail use season. For those of you who paid dues for 2013, please note that your membership will run through March 31, We ll send out renewal notifications in early We use PayPal, which is easy and secure, to accept online payments, or you can print out an application and mail your payment in via US Postal service either option can be completed via our website at joinrenew Did You Know? That your BFTA membership dues are tax deductible? Indeed they are since BFTA is a 501c3 non-profit. That the BFTA operates strictly through the efforts of volunteers? There are no paid positions on the BFTA. All funds are used to directly support the mission of the BFTA. That the board meets frequently throughout the year? Visit our website at for dates and times of board meetings and other events. We welcome ALL members to our board meetings. 4 Black Forest Trails Association - Black Forest Colorado

5 S E Q U O I A C L U B Please Support Our Sponsors Our business sponsors are critical to our success. We urge you to buy from our local business sponsors. If you re interested in sponsoring the BFTA, please JOIN NOW as a business / club sponsor. It s only $30 per year as a business or club sponsor, and you ll get a great ad and link to your website from our website. Black Forest Trails Association - Black Forest Colorado 5

6 Black Forest Trails Association P.O. Box Colorado Springs CO S E Q U O I A C L U B Operations Manager Jerry Westling retires from El Paso County Parks With an official proclamation at its Tuesday meeting, the Board of El Paso County Commissioners recognized the retirement of Jerry Westling, Parks Operations Division Manager, after 26 years of service with El Paso County Parks. Chair of the Board Dennis Hisey read the proclamation into the record, He began his career at the El Paso County Parks on April 1, 1987 as the Fox Run Regional Park Manager where his leadership and commitment contributed significantly to the development of Fox Run Regional Park. His expertise, passion, and commitment elevat- ed the professional management of the County s park system. Community Services Director Tim Wolken added, Jerry has a great passion for El Paso County Parks. He really changed the landscape of El Paso County, when you think of the parks, trails and open spaces he has worked on over the last 26 years. Generations of people will enjoy those projects. Assistant County Fire Marshall Scott Campbell praised Westling for his leadership and assistance in securing funding for the Wildland Fire Team to perform needed fire risk mitigation in County parks. County Administrator Jeff Greene noted, The Parks Department will not be the same without him. You put up with (former County Administrator) Terry Harris and myself walking around the county parks and grounds inspecting everything. You always came through for us. What a lot of people don t know about Jerry, during the lean years in the Parks Department, Jerry made a lot of personal self sacri- fices and paid for things out of his own pocket. Thank you very much for your service to El Paso County. Commissioner Hisey ended the presentation of the Proclamation saying, Most citizens don t know your name but are enjoying the fruits of your labor. Jerry has been very instrumental in the development and maintenance of Black Forest, Fox Run and Homestead Regional Parks as well as the Partnership Trail facility on Black Forest School Section 16.