Background:
In 2025, the City of Longmont proposed a land swap between two city-owned properties, Distel and Tull, to facilitate the building of a Boulder County compost facility, along with undisclosed City infrastructure projects, on lands currently designated Longmont Open Space. Public sentiment regarding the land swap was overwhelmingly unfavorable. When the proposal was rescinded, it created an opportunity to rebuild trust in Longmont City government and allow voters a say in the future of our Open Space.
Supporting Information:
The following outlines the reasoning for supporting the Longmont Charter Change ballot measure:
- Including “open space” in the City’s charter does not raise taxes and has no fiscal impact.
- Including “open Space” in our charter honors voters’ intent to protect these lands and our investments.
- Including “open space” enables voters to express their opinions on proposed future initiatives concerning our Open Space lands. Longmont City Council was inundated with hundreds of emails against the use of Open Space land to proceed with industrial projects on Open Space. Residents consistently conveyed their desire for their Open Space tax dollars to be used as intended. The City Charter currently
says that city parks and water require a vote before their sale or conveyance. Adding Open Space to this list of assets respects the public’s sentiment in section 13.2 of Longmont’s Charter. - This charter addition does not prevent City Council from proposing innovative ideas for Open Space lands. It just moves the decision into voters’ hands.
- It is uncomplicated and direct. The inclusion in the text of the City Charter Article XIII Miscellaneous Legal Provisions is simple and straightforward:
Proposed Charter change — additions in italics:
13.2 – Limitation on the sale of land and water rights:
Neither lands owned and used by the city for either park purposes or Open Space purposes, nor water rights, shall be sold or conveyed without an affirmative vote of a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon. Other real property may be sold or conveyed by administrative ordinance adopted by a two-thirds majority of the entire council. Nothing in this provision, however, shall prohibit the city from exchanging water, or changing point of diversion of water rights without such vote. The sale or conveyance of lands owned and used by the city for open space purposes shall not require a vote when undertaken for public rights-of-way and easements for public roads, utilities, and life-essential infrastructure, for open space operations, or for the sale or conveyance of structures, dwellings for outbuildings on such lands.
6. Why now? Longmont residents place great value on our Open Space program. This was evidenced by the 74.3% approval rate for the extension of the Open Space Sales tax in 2024. It’s also consistently reflected in the City’s satisfaction surveys. In a time of national political discourse where many people feel frustrated and helpless, the act of empowering voters is praiseworthy.