FACT: Hughes is Already Funded!
A Hughes Natural Area is the ONLY proposed use at Hughes that is already funded. Hughes was funded in the acquisition from CSU, and there is a dedicated Natural Areas sales tax that has been in existence over 30 years that is used for acquiring and protecting land, a dedicated sales tax which Fort Collins taxpayers will likely be asked to re-approve in perpetuity in November of 2025.
A Hughes Natural Area is also the most unifying, inclusive, protective (and funded) use for preserving Hughes Open Space.
That's why we see such vitriol from opponents who favor costly, niche uses, against a Hughes Natural Area. Read more below.
Hughes Open Space is already funded, and in fact, it is already 1/3 paid off thanks to a $4 million down payment, shared by the City’s General Fund and the Natural Areas department. The remaining $8.5 million is in a favorable, low-interest loan that spans 10 years, just like a low-interest mortgage, per City staff's own description of the loan.
Just $550K will be paid from Natural Areas and the General Fund each, for 10 years. In 10 years, Hughes will have been gradually, and entirely, paid off. No department is going to go bankrupt over $500K per year, especially where there is an existing dedicated sales tax for land conservation (that we all pay into), and General Fund contributions.
In 10 years, when Hughes is fully paid off, the City could choose to keep the cost sharing between the General Fund and the Natural Areas Department as is for a 100% Hughes Natural Area, because it is within their power to do so! In fact, in 10 years, with minimal intervention from Natural Areas, Hughes will be well on it’s way to further rewilding and restoring itself with the help of Mother Nature.
Please don’t believe the misinformation being circulated on social media channels by those that feel threatened by Direct Democracy and a vote of the people. Thank you!
Additional Info:
Yes, we are aware that a small vocal group in support of the large-scale bike park at Hughes is spreading disinformation about the funding of Hughes and more. As you know, they REALLY want their dirt bike park at Hughes, and a Natural Area would preclude that high-impact use. But, mountain biking will still be allowed just like it is on practically every other trail in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado. This small but vocal groups continues to use deceptive rhetorical tactics which are totally transparent, so we’d like to encourage the community members to simply ignore them. These tactics reveal a sad lack of respect for Direct Democracy and for Fort Collins community members.
