Protect Hughes in Perpetuity: Make Hughes a New City Natural Area!
Please complete this form to stay informed about the City of Fort Collins outreach process for Hughes Public Open Lands.
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Hello Hughes Open Space Supporters,

The City of Fort Collins, with virtually NO notice of the residents of Fort Collins, has begun its outreach efforts to determine the future use of the Hughes Public Open Lands parcel.  An Outreach Consultant from Kearns and West has been hired. Future land use scenarios for Hughes may be presented to Council as early as March 14, 2023. Let’s make sure we get OUR voices heard about how important it is to PROTECT and CONSERVE that land as a Natural Area (that is, protected open space) per the intent of the citizen-driven ballot measure. In April 2021, nearly 70% of voters voted in favor of protecting this property as protected open space. PATHS will continue to push for appropriate land uses that the community has continuously and consistently asked for from day one of this effort, including way back when the first listening sessions were held at the Drake Center by CSU and the City of Fort Collins. Here is what the letter and spirit of the ballot measure envision for the future of Hughes based on extensive community input.
  1. Make Hughes a Natural Area. First and foremost, because of Hughes’ proximity to the existing Maxwell and Pineridge Natural Areas, and because so many wildlife use the open land to migrate through the area, we must maximally PROTECT Hughes as open space in perpetuity for our community, for future generations, and for our local urban wildlife. One thing many people don’t realize is that “open space” is not truly protected in the City of Fort Collins unless it is a designated City “Natural Area”. Therefore, the most EQUITABLE and PROTECTIVE use for Hughes is that it be designated a City Natural Area, contiguous with the existing Natural Areas, Maxwell NA and Pineridge NA, with a low-impact trail connection. A Hughes Natural Area would allow the City to respect the spirit of the land and engage with indigenous communities for ceremonial uses. Moose, elk, deer, coyote, foxes, bobcats, and countless bird species (including great blue herons) and herps, have been observed at Hughes. Furthermore, Hughes is one of the few locations remaining in the City of Fort Collins where dark skies truly prevail, and we should aim to protect our dark skies by excluding light pollution from Hughes.
  2.  Retain the decades-old disc golf course and sledding hill as appropriate low-impact recreational uses, which have provided years of free, year-round family fun.
  3. Lease about 5 acres of the 165-acre parcel to the NoCo Wildlife Center for wildlife rescue, rehab and education.

Thank you for your enduring commitment to conserving Hughes in perpetuity as open space. Now let's ask the City to PROTECT Hughes forever by designating the special greenspace a City of Fort Collins "Natural Area", for our community now, for future generations, and for our urban wildlife!

Thank you for your enduring commitment to conserving Hughes as PROTECTED open space for our community, for future generations, and for our urban wildlife!  We'll be in touch soon!

--The PATHS Organizing Team

https://yes4hughesopenspace.com

Email City Council Now

Protect Hughes in perpetuity. Make Hughes a City Natural Area. 

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Email *
First Name *
Last Name *
Phone Number (including area code) *
Format: 555-555-5555
Home Address *
Did you sign our citizens ballot measure petition to zone and conserve the old Hughes stadium location as open space/natural area? *
We need your help! Would you like to: *
Required
The future of Hughes is at stake yet again with the City's outreach process. 

Will you endorse Hughes primarily as a "City Natural Area" (PROTECTED open space), where we can also keep the decades-old Disc Golf Course & Sledding Hill, and add a 5-acre Wildlife Center for the NoCo Wildlife Center? *
If you said YES to endorsing Hughes as the City's newest protected Natural Area, may we PLEASE include your name on a list of Endorsers (of individuals and organizations) on our website?  *
In which Fort Collins City Council district do you live? You can look up your district and council member representative by entering your address here: https://www.fcgov.com/cityclerk/district-boundaries *
Please add any other thoughts, ideas, comments, or questions you have. Thank you!
Will you please support our tireless commitment to conserve Hughes as PROTECTED open space (a City Natural Area) with a small donation? Your donation will go to our pay for the services of our amazing environmental attorneys, without whom we could not do this work to save Hughes, as well as to our ongoing communication, education and outreach efforts. Thank you!   *
We are a grassroots group of neighbors and concerned residents who have organized like-minded folks in our City to conserve Hughes as open space in perpetuity. We cannot do this without the support of the Fort Collins community at large.  Please donate to support our ongoing efforts. We can't do this without you. Thank you.  https://yes4hughesopenspace.com/donate
A copy of your responses will be emailed to the address you provided.
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