Jefferson County is tying up loose ends on property that’s intended to be a retail development near Interstate 70 and Colorado 58.
Cabela’s, the sports and fishing outfitter, is to be the anchor store of the development.
Kate Newman, assistant county administrator, said Cabela’s has made a purchase offer of $1.5 million on a parcel of about 7 acres adjacent to property the company already owns.
Cabela’s spokesman John Castillo said the county has accepted the offer.
“The property will be incorporated into the overall development. This is just one of many tasks that have to be completed for us to finalize the development,” he said.
Newman said the parcel — currently occupied by the former Table Mountain Animal Center shelter at 4100 Youngfield Service Road — is part of about 30 acres the county owns, originally purchased in 1931 for $10.
It has been used by the county as a gravel mine, storage facility for the Road and Bridge Department and the animal shelter.
Longs Peak Metropolitan District, which will provide much of the infrastructure for the coming development, will purchase the remaining 23 acres, which is wetlands, for a little more than $1 million.
At a Dec. 14 briefing, Newman presented commissioners with a list of projects that will further prepare the site for sale and enable the county to transfer the property.
“Our goal is to have these things completed by the end of March,” Newman said.
Adjusting lot lines, approving an annexation agreement with the city of Wheat Ridge and vacating right of way for easement access are all items on the to-do list.
With approval of the U.S. Corps of Engineers, the wetlands in the area will be redesigned to allow the water through the wetlands to be filtered naturally before it runs into Clear Creek.
“That’s an environmental concept we are excited about. We have tried to mitigate the impacts of development from the beginning,” Newman said.
She said the proceeds of the eventual sale will go into the county’s general fund.
Wheat Ridge City Manager Patrick Goff said the annexation process would likely take until April.
“It’s going to be considered an enclave annexation because the city surrounds the property,” Goff said. He estimated that once construction begins on the project, it would take about a year to complete.
Castillo, the Cabela’s spokesman, said the economy has prevented the retailer, with headquarters in Nebraska, from moving forward on the project.
“It’s been on hold for a couple years for economic reasons. There is still no timetable for that store,” Castillo said.
Karen Groves: 303-954-2303 or grovesk@yourhub.com
