Frequently Asked Questions

Quincy Farm is a 17.5-acre farm located along the High Line Canal in Cherry Hills Village. The property, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, includes several historic structures and substantial open space. Quincy Farm accounts for 24% of the Village’s open space and parks. In addition to hosting beautiful walking trails and nature paths that are open to residents, Quincy Farm also hosts a variety of nature classes and programs.

The residents of Cherry Hills Village own Quincy Farm. In 2007, Catherine (“Cat”) Anderson, the farm’s former owner, donated the property to the Village, with the transfer of ownership to occur after her death. Cat sadly died in 2016, and her estate transferred possession of the property to Cherry Hills Village. 

Today, the property is managed by the City of Cherry Hills Village in collaboration with Cherry Hills Land Preserve (CHLP), a local nonprofit founded in 2005. CHLP and the City have been working to revive the dormant property and encourage the public to connect with Quincy Farm in a manner consistent with Cat Anderson’s wishes. 

Cat Anderson's vision is spelled out in the detailed conservation easement she created for the property to protect Quincy Farm from further development. Cat spent a great deal of time and effort ensuring that the easement reflected her vision for Quincy Farm. The document carefully spells out how structures on the property, as well as the different areas of the property, should be used and maintained. You can read the easement here; an explainer is available here.

There is a video featuring Cat Anderson herself, which we encourage residents to watch for themselves. Cat hoped the farm would be a part of the community, not closed to the community.

“I would like children to come out here and learn about nature,” Cat said in the interview. “And if they want to go up to the pond and catch frogs or pollywogs… that’s something that kids should do.”

YES, in fact it requires it. The limitations imposed by the easement concern the type of activity allowed on the property—certain areas of the property may only be used for preservation, agricultural, and/or low-impact recreational purposes 

YES, the City is managing Quincy Farm in compliance with Cat Anderson's wishes as specified in the conservation easement.

The conservation easement is specific and detailed in describing how different structures should be managed. Some structures may be demolished or removed if too damaged to repair, while others (i.e., the Big Barn or the Hopkins House) are subject to stricter standards.  You can read the easement here.

YES. In recent years, the City has undertaken numerous maintenance and repair projects at the Farm. The City has installed and improved nature trails, planted pollinator gardens, installed a new irrigation system, repaired gates and fencing, and completed general maintenance projects.

The City is undertaking a renovation of the Big Barn this year as well as reconstruction of the bridge across the High Line Canal. The City has also received a grant to dredge the historic pond on the property. This will improve water quality and make the pond a better habitat for nesting and migrating birds. This project is being completed with the assistance of engineering and environmental consultants.

Ballot Question 300 mandates three major changes. 

1. It would require the City to “repair, maintain and preserve all City-owned or controlled structures, ponds, and areas listed on the United States Department of the Interior National Register of Historic Places unless otherwise approved by the voters.” The conservation easement includes no such requirements. The charter amendment also does not specify to what standard the structures should be repaired or maintained, nor does it specify a time frame within which repairs must be made.

2. It would prohibit public access to the West Area of Quincy Farm without City supervision. (At present, residents can freely access the West Area via the nature walking trail from dawn to dusk.) The conservation easement does not require such a prohibition.

3. It grants any resident the right to enforce the provisions in the charter amendment and the conservation easement. This provision will leave the city vulnerable to frivolous lawsuits as different residents seek to enforce their personal interpretation of the conservation easement or charter amendment. This provision also violates the conservation easement which gives sole enforcement rights to Colorado Open Lands.

The exact cost is unknown because the poorly written charter amendment does not specify to what standard the buildings on Quincy Farm must be maintained, nor does it specify the time frame in which repairs must be made. We also cannot predict whether the City will face legal costs due to nuisance lawsuits resulting from the charter amendment. We believe the costs could run into the millions.

The committee behind this measure is comprised of eight adjacent property owners, Russell Stewart, and Natalie Anderson - a relative of Cat Anderson who does not live in Cherry Hills Village.  The committee spent more than $20,000 hiring paid petition circulators who are not part of the CHV community to get this issue on the ballot.

The group opposing this measure is comprised of many concerned citizens including the current Mayor, all of City Council, the Cherry Hills Land Preserve, former City Council members, and members of City Commissions including the Parks, Trails and Open Space Commission.  A list of citizens who publicly oppose Ballot Question 300 can be found here.  Add your name to the list!