Jefferson County Commissioners rejected a development plan that proposed a 235-acre mountain bike course with a ski lift near Conifer during a November meeting. Jefferson County commissioners rejected a proposed downhill bike park near Conifer after the project plan for the 235-acre site stirred up controversy among area residents.
Developers of the Shadow Mountain Bike Park project intended to build the western United States’ first downhill bike park with a ski lift.
Jefferson County commissioners voted down the bike park, 2-1, following four years of project planning and community pushback. The county’s planning commission unanimously disapproved of the park during a five-hour meeting September.
Developers of the bike park attempted to obtain a special use permit, allowing the bike park to operate within the current zoning, which is mostly agricultural and residential use in the Shadow Mountain neighborhood.
The plans called for a downhill mountain bike park with lift access and 16 miles of ridable trails on 235 acres of the state land located approximately 2.2 miles west of Route 73 on Shadow Mountain Drive, county documents show.
Throughout the county’s special use approval process, locals argued the project would divide the small mountain town community. Some expressed concerns the park would contribute to increased traffic and noise. Others appreciated the potential economic impact to the area.
The bike park was expected to draw 1,000 users per day, according to developers.Proponents viewed the park as an economic driver in the area to help create jobs and provide a unique mountain biking experience.Developers and downhill bikers […]
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