The annual Chatfield Music Festival has its fans. But neighbors to the Denver Botanic Gardens’ southern outpost are unhappy with plans to make the temporary concert venue a permanent fixture.
Jefferson County and Denver Botanic Gardens officials will meet today to discuss plans to build an amphitheater near Chatfield Reservoir.
The 750-acre Chatfield site, near C-470 and South Wadsworth Boulevard, is operated by the Denver Botanic Gardens. For the past six years, a music festival attracting 5,000 to 6,000 fans has been held at the Chatfield gardens.
Some neighbors in nearby Chatfield Bluffs aren’t happy with plans to replace a temporary stage with a permanent music venue.
Botanic gardens chief executive Brian Vogt said the situation is complex, because the gardens is a nonprofit organization with a partnership with Denver on federally leased property located in Jefferson County.
In response to neighbors’ concerns, the Denver Botanic Gardens commissioned traffic and noise studies that have been forwarded to Jefferson County.
“We are paying the county staff to look out for our interests,” said Dave Evans, a member of the Chatfield Bluffs homeowners board.
The traffic study concluded “no changes to the transportation or traffic-control plans are recommended related to the planned improvement,” gardens spokeswoman Robin Doerr said.
The gardens also will monitor how loud the music is so it won’t exceed 55 decibels.
“We are close to negotiating to have the botanic gardens go through the site-approval process,” said Tim Carl, development and transportation director for Jefferson County.
The gardens officials are “open to a public hearing,” Carl said. The specific concerns about traffic and noise “are things we can talk about.”
Carl said he was optimistic that the situation can be worked out.
Because of the delays, Doerr said there won’t be a concert at the Chatfield gardens this summer. “But we hope to be back in 2009.”
Ann Schrader: 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com
