This spring, the largest stretch of open ranchland in the middle of Highlands Ranch passed into public hands. The communitywide survey on what it should become is a single section of the Highlands Ranch Metro District's annual citizen survey. The survey closes Wednesday, Oct. 28.
The Historic Park section sits in the middle of a general survey. Most people open that survey expecting questions about budgets and services. This year it also asks how the pasture, barns and windmill south and east of the Mansion should be used for decades to come.
What Changed Hands on April 30
On April 30, 2026, Shea Homes conveyed about 197 acres of ranchland to the Metro District. That grew Historic Park around the Mansion at 9950 E. Gateway Drive to almost 250 acres. The full property is bounded by E. Gateway Drive, E. Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Summit View Parkway and S. Ranch Road/Sterling Drive.
The transfer had been on the books since the community was first planned. The Douglas County News-Press reported that the original development guidelines, approved by Douglas County in 1979, called for the Mansion and ranch property to be open for public benefit. The paper quoted Shea and an unnamed speaker, who called the conveyance "the final and full completion of public land dedications" required under the Highlands Ranch planning and development guide. The same story noted that the Metro District took over the Mansion itself from Shea nearly 16 years earlier.
The new acreage comes with a working ranch headquarters. The Metro District's inventory lists:
- The historic windmill
- Two silos and four barns
- A bunkhouse and two cottages
- Sheds and a blacksmith shop
- A laundry/power plant building
- Stables
The Metro District's history of Highlands Ranch says the barns were used for dairy and feed storage, lodging for ranch hands and maintenance, and the corrals were used for calving and branding. The surviving windmill marks the main well for the ranch headquarters and the Mansion, and that well still runs on an electric pump. The property's owners go back through Lawrence Phipps Jr., who named it Highlands Ranch. Before him came the Kistler family's Diamond K, Waite Phillips' Highland Ranch, Hughes' Sunland Ranch, the Springer era of Castle Isabelle and Samuel Allen Long's Rotherwood.
The Survey Most People Will Open for Something Else
The Metro District held three community meetings this summer at the Highlands Ranch Senior Center, 200 E. Highlands Ranch Parkway, on June 17, July 22 and Aug. 17. Each meeting opened with a 15-minute history presentation and Q&A. Attendees then voted on the activities and priorities that mattered most to them. No vote totals from those sessions have been published.
The fall survey reaches far more people than three weekday meetings could. The Metro District posted it on Oct. 1. It runs on Polco, takes about 16 minutes and requires an email address. The district says the results will guide board and staff decisions on planning and budgets, and that it will post them on its website later this year.
The Historic Park section asks three kinds of questions:
- Priorities. Residents rate eight planning factors from essential to not important. The list includes history, nature, agricultural heritage, cost-consciousness, stewardship and compatibility with neighboring homes.
- Programs. Residents rate how likely they are to use fee-based options. These include youth and K–12 education, farm-to-table experiences, animal interaction, live ranch demonstrations, special events, barn rentals, agricultural education, gardening, cultural programs and stargazing.
- Facilities. Residents say how often they would use trails, a picnic shelter, historic interpretive signs, a museum and a nature center. A free-response box at the end takes any other ideas.
The Questions Describe a Working Ranch Park
Much of the survey is about fee-based programs. Barn rentals, farm-to-table dinners and live ranch demonstrations need staff, schedules and buildings that are safe to use. Those questions reflect how the Metro District plans to pay for the park. Its FAQ says $10 million is set aside in the long-range financial plan for initial design and part of the improvements. After the concept plan is done, staff will put together cost estimates and look at phasing and funding options. A business plan to estimate ongoing operating costs will be completed at the same time.
Some options are already off the table. "We see this as a place that will be a passive park, land that will provide opportunity for education, speaking to the agricultural and ranching history," Metro District general manager Stephanie Stanley told the Douglas County News-Press. "We don't see this as a place for sports fields." The district's own page says the same thing plainly: Historic Park will not have sports fields.
The News-Press also reported that the district has been talking with Douglas County, the Highlands Ranch Community Association, the Douglas County School District and CSU 4-H Extension. Those partners line up with the youth education, agricultural education and animal programs listed in the survey.
Board chair Renee Anderson told the paper the park "will bring history to life for future generations of visitors."
Why the Windmill Is Still Off Limits
Owning the land does not open it to walkers. For several years, Shea leased the property to Clough Cattle & Fence Company. The Metro District will keep leasing it to Clough until it is ready to build improvements. The district's park listing shows walking trails but marks the historic windmill as private property. So the hill south of the Mansion is still grazing land for now.
Not every building is guaranteed a second life. Staff and consultants will check each structure's condition. In the district's words, "To the extent structures are safe, have a defined purpose, and it is financially feasible, they will be renovated." Renovated buildings will be open to the public, but operating hours have not been set. The survey's program questions feed directly into that decision. Before a barn can be renovated, it needs a defined purpose.
What Happens After the Survey Closes
The Metro District has laid out three phases, each with a round of public input:
- Planning. In 2027, a consultant will turn this year's input into a concept plan with possible amenities, cost estimates and an approach to long-term operations. Residents will be able to review and comment on that plan before design begins.
- Design. Final design will refine the details, make cost estimates more accurate and test how the park would run day to day.
- Construction. Timing depends on the final design. The district may build everything at once or add amenities over time.
No construction date or cost estimate has been announced yet. Residents can sign up for project updates through the Historic Park planning page or email [email protected].
Getting Close to the Ranch This Season
The closest public view of the ranch headquarters is from the Mansion grounds. Unless posted closed, they are open daily from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free self-guided and docent tours of the interior run only during listed open hours. Reservations are recommended, and groups of 10 or more must book ahead.
| Date | What's on | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 15, 20, 22, 27, 29 | Mansion open hours | 9 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Oct. 28 | Mansion open hours | 3–6 p.m. |
| Oct. 31 | Last Stop Halloween | 6:30–9 p.m., free, outdoors only |
| Nov. 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24 | Mansion open hours | 9 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Nov. 4, 11, 18, 25 | Mansion open hours | 3–6 p.m. |
| Nov. 16 | Landmark Lecture on Denver department stores | Sold out, waitlist offered |
| Dec. 1, 3, 8, 10, 22, 29 | Mansion open hours | 9 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Dec. 2, 9, 16, 23 | Mansion open hours | 3–6 p.m. |
| Dec. 5 | Holiday Celebration | 10 a.m.–3 p.m., free activities |
Both big events have tight parking. Last Stop keeps the Mansion interior closed and offers limited parking in the west lot. Parking in the surrounding neighborhood is not allowed, and organizers encourage carpooling, walking or biking. At the Holiday Celebration on Dec. 5, parking at the Mansion is limited to vehicles with disability placards or plates. The event page says off-site transportation will be provided, but it hasn't named a location yet. The day includes hayrides, Santa and self-guided Mansion tours. Activities are free, and food trucks charge for food.
At Edge Real Estate, Kari Edge has spent years designing and improving working ranches. Barns, corrals and stock wells are the things we pay closest attention to on any property. If you'd like to talk about the history of ranch land along the Front Range, or what makes it valuable, Edge Real Estate would be glad to hear from you. Let's Connect.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
