Aspen City Council hopes to get voter approval to buy land for municipal water storage, and they’ll discuss a ballot question Monday night.
Last month, city manager Steve Barwick announced a plan to purchase 63 acres of land in Woody Creek to use for water storage. On Monday, council members will discuss a question for November’s ballot that asks voters to approve $3 million in bonds to buy that property.
The city does not currently own rights to store water there. At a press conference last month, Barwick said staff hopes to transfer storage rights from Maroon and Castle Creeks. The bond approval would not guarantee this will happen, because it would have to be approved in state water court.
The discussion is part of an effort to find alternatives to the city’s current rights to store water on the two scenic creeks. The city is working to keep those conditional water rights but faces opposition in water court.
Council will discuss the ballot question at a 5 p.m. meeting Monday.
