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Provide Parks, Trees, and Trails for the People

Goal ML-1: Provide for accessible, safe, engaging, and sustainable parks and open space systems and facilities for all city residents and visitors.

 

Application: Trails, Open Space, and Parks Sales Tax (TOPS): A 0.1 percent (one cent for each $10 spent) tax on all sales in the City of Colorado Springs. The TOPS program was established in 1997 to acquire real property in the City and El Paso County. Extension beyond 2025 will require voter approval. As of 2017 TOPS has played a vital role in enabling the City to make significant land purchases, adding 4,723 acres of open space, 37 neighborhood and community parks, and 46.8 miles of urban trails to City inventory in the last 20 years.

Engage with Our Landscapes

Goal ML-2: Activate and expand sustainable community use and interaction with open spaces, parks, and cultural resources.

Complete Our Creeks

Goal ML-3: Optimize the shared use of our waterways as corridors for wildlife, recreation, stormwater conveyance, non-motorized transportation, utilities, and as natural areas and assets of the environment.

Value Our Scenery and Environment

Goal ML-4: Provide stewardship for our majestic natural landscapes through improved preservation, resource conservation, air quality, and protection of our viewsheds.

 

Application: Adaptable Climate Response Plan: PlanCOS recognizes the differing perspective of our citizens about the extent of global and regional climate change and the appropriate role of the City of Colorado Springs. The plan should be both informed and forward thinking, but primarily locally focused in planning for an adaptive and resilient city responsive to emerging trends in both the physical and regulatory environments. A full range of community stakeholders and experts should be involved in this ongoing, adaptive process, including Colorado Springs Utilities, our military and regional transportation partners, land and forest managers and emergency responders.

Invest in Resilient and Adaptable Landscapes

Goal ML-5: Strengthen resiliency to natural disasters and the impact of climate changes through development patterns, hazard mitigation, and education.