In November 2019, the City of Lafayette finalized negotiations to purchase the Waneka Centennial Farm and Open Space properties. These parcels are located along the south side of Highway 7 (Baseline Road), east of 120th Street. In June, the City also closed on a 15.33 acre open space trail buffer located along 120th Street and a 23.5 acre parcel previously known as the Lowes property.
“Preservation of open space is a community priority and a tangible way to add to the quality of our environment and surroundings for generations to come,” said Lafayette City Administrator Fritz Sprague. “These properties will protect our lands and serve as a visible welcome for visitors entering Lafayette from the east.”
The three individual purchases incorporate 175.83 acres of coveted land into the City’s open space inventory. The City’s open space portfolio now totals 1,640 acres of solely- and jointly-owned parcels. In 2017, Lafayette voters authorized the existing Legacy Open Space Tax, which allocates .25% of sales tax revenue to be set aside for open space purposes, to continue in perpetuity. This dedicated fund provided the City the ability to purchase these parcels without utilizing dollars from the general fund.