Parks & Open Space Acquires 340-Acre Conservation Easement Near Lyons — Lyons Area

Parks & Open Space Acquires 340-Acre Conservation Easement Near Lyons — Lyons Area

Boulder County Parks & Open Space has acquired a 340-acre conservation easement on a working ranch near the town of Lyons. The easement permanently protects critical wildlife habitat along the St. Vrain Creek corridor and preserves agricultural land from future development while keeping the property in private ownership.

The project includes improvements along Baseline Road between Erie and the intersection with SH-119 Diagonal Highway. Construction is scheduled to begin in October 2026 with completion expected within 15 months.

The Board of County Commissioners will review progress on this initiative at their May 23 business meeting. Agenda items and supporting documents are posted on the Boulder County website 72 hours before each meeting.

Next Steps

For questions about this program, contact Brian Nakamura at Community Justice Services: (303) 441-5532 or email Community Justice [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Walk-in services are available at the Erie office without an appointment.

Residents in the Erie area should note that service boundaries may differ from city limits. For properties in unincorporated Boulder County, contact Community Justice Services at (303) 441-5532 to verify eligibility and requirements.

What You Need to Know

Affordable housing remains the top priority identified in the 2025 Community Survey. Boulder County’s Worthy Cause program has funded 1,051 affordable housing units since its inception, with 183 additional units in the development pipeline.

Data from the 2025 Boulder County Community Survey shows that 38% of respondents rated this service as “important” or “very important.” The survey, conducted every two years, received 7,182 responses from residents across the county.