A management plan has been developed for the Mayhoffer Farm property located between Lafayette and Louisville. The open space property encompasses 165 acres and is located at the crossroads of South 95th Street and Empire Road.
Mayhoffer Farm Management Plan
Management Plan
The main goal of the management plan is to document the unique history, location, and potential of the Mayhoffer Farm. In addition to documenting past and present conditions, this plan highlights the most promising future uses for the property.
Key recommendations include:
- Increasing community access to the property through building an ADA accessible trail connection to the adjacent Coal Creek trail and Harney-Lastoka trail (Section 2.1).
- Integrating unique interpretive and educational opportunities along this trail (Section 2.6).
- Habitat restoration of the riparian buffer zone along Coal Creek as well as native prairie restoration along the proposed trail corridor (Section 2.3; 2.4).
- Updating and expanding the Operating Plan detailing all aspects of current and future agricultural operations to ensure clear communication of needs (Section 2.5).
- Continued collaborative management to ensure future trail construction and habitat restoration coexist with future agricultural activities.
Plan de Gestión
El objetivo principal de este plan de gestión es documentar la historia única, la ubicación y el potencial de Mayhoffer Farm. Además de documentar las condiciones pasadas y actuales, este plan destaca los usos futuros más prometedores para la propiedad.
Las recomendaciones claves en el siguiente plan de gestión incluyen:
- Aumentar el acceso comunitario a la propiedad a través de la construcción de una conexión con una senda con acceso para discapacitados según la ADA con la senda de Coal Creek y la senda de Harney-Lastoka contiguas.
- Integrar oportunidades interpretativas y educaciones únicas a lo largo de esta senda.
- Restaurar el hábitat de la zona de reserva ribereña a lo largo de Coal Creek además de restaurar la pradera autóctona a lo largo del corredor de sendas propuesto.
- Actualizar le Plan Operativo que detalle todos los aspectos de las operaciones agrícolas actuales y futuras para garantizar la clara comunicación de necesidades.
- La gestión continua en colaboración para garantizar que la restauración de sendas y del hábitat coexista con las actividades agrícolas.
Overview
A team of graduate students from the University of Colorado Boulder worked with Boulder County, the City of Lafayette, and the City of Louisville to create a compelling vision and comprehensive land management plan for the Mayhoffer Farm property.
The open space property was jointly purchased by Boulder County, Lafayette, and Louisville in 2017. The property has the potential to serve a variety of community needs as an extension of the adjacent Harney-Lastoka property including:
- Preserving a greenspace buffer between the growing cities of Louisville and Lafayette
- Conserving historic farmland and native wildlife habitat
- Providing educational and recreational opportunities for the community, including ADA accessible trails
In addition to these land-use goals, all three agencies identified this property as an opportunity to improve access for traditionally marginalized and underrepresented communities. Engaging with these communities, local leaders, resource specialists, and other key interest groups, and incorporating their input was a crucial part of the plan. This aspect of the plan could also serve as a model for incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion into planning and management of other open space properties.
