• 2005 – The Town of Firestone acquires the 252-acre Central Park property to serve as a central community hub.

• 2015–2020 – Early conceptual plans explore recreational, sports, and community uses for the park.

• 2021 – A comprehensive master plan is initiated with public engagement sessions and community meetings.

• 2023 – The Town conducts a National Community Survey to gather resident input on Central Park and other community priorities.

• 2024 – The Board hires P3 Advisors LLC to study Central Park and evaluate possible development options, including financial and feasibility analysis. Results of this study are not available.

• March 2025 – The Board transfers small parcels of land to Trustees through quitclaim deeds. The Board now qualifies as voters in creating the Downtown Development Authority (DDA). The DDA is then established to guide future planning and development in the Central Firestone District.

• September 2025 – The Town announces a partnership and pre-planning agreement with the United Soccer League (USL) and Card & Associates.
  

In the 2023 National Community Survey, Firestone residents were asked to rate how much priority the Town should place on various amenities for Central Park. The results showed high or medium priority for:

• Amphitheater and community gathering space (≈ 70%)

• Courts for basketball, tennis, pickleball, or volleyball (≈ 71%)

• Restaurant/dining opportunities (≈ 75%)

In the spring of 2025, the Town’s latest survey again reflected strong public support for open space, parks, and trails as key priorities for Firestone’s future (firestoneco.gov).

These surveys consistently show that residents prioritize green, active, and communal amenities — gathering spaces, courts, open fields, and trails — over large-scale commercial or private developments.

Inbetween these two surveys, the Town engaged P3 Advisors, LLC to conduct a feasibility study for potential development at Central Park. The study was not put out for competitive bid, had a maximum compensation of $380,000, and, as of now, the results have not been publicly released.

In March 2025, the Board transferred tiny parcels of land to the individual Trustees through quitclaim deeds for $10 per parcel. These micro-parcels qualified the Firestone Board as landowners and therefore “voters” to create the Downtown Development Authority (DDA). The Board’s micro-parcels aren’t in the park—they’re a legal loophole to give them voting power in the DDA. Control of the DDA lets them influence Central Park indirectly through funding and planning authority within the district, giving the Board full control over an entity that can direct municipal funds toward development in the Central Firestone District—without any input from residents.

The DDA centralizes decision-making, bypassing voter approval and placing authority for planning and funding entirely in the hands of the same Trustees who already serve on the Town Board.

Crucially, the DDA’s authority is tied to these individuals. If these Trustees are replaced or leave office, the DDA’s composition and control could shift, limiting its ability to act independently or redirect municipal funds without broader oversight.

Firestone’s recent actions to create its Central Firestone Downtown Development Authority (DDA) appear to be atypical compared with how other Colorado municipalities have formed DDAs.

Elsewhere in Colorado, DDA formations rely on existing qualified electors — people who already live in, own, or lease property within the proposed boundaries — not on manufactured elector status. Examples like Denver’s 2024 DDA election and recent formations in Avon and Fraser used standard resident/owner/lessee elector pools rather than conveying tiny parcels to officials to qualify them as voters.

Firestone’s approach raises serious ethical and governance concerns: it creates an appearance of self-dealing and conflicts of interest, as the board effectively made itself the deciding electorate for a taxing and financing body. Even if technically legal, this tactic departs from normal Colorado practice and undermines public trust.

Bottom line for voters: this is not how DDAs are typically formed in Colorado, and Firestone’s use of sliver quit-claim deeds to convert sitting trustees into the primary electors looks unusual and problematic — enough so that it warrants public scrutiny, an independent legal review, and (if residents agree) political action such as a recall or formal challenge.

The Firestone Board of Trustees recently approved Resolution 25-90, calling for a November 2025 election to authorize the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to collect, retain, and spend revenues under TABOR.

But here’s what most residents might not realize — Firestone’s citizens and registered voters won’t be part of this election. Only “eligible electors” of the DDA — a narrow group tied to property ownership within the district — will be allowed to vote. In other words, everyday taxpayers who fund the town’s operations will have no voice in deciding whether the DDA should gain the power to collect and spend additional public revenues.

Even more concerning, the Board of Trustees and the DDA are the exact same people. The same officials who voted to place Resolution 25-90 on the ballot would also control how those funds are used if it passes.

While the Town Attorney has stated there is no legal conflict of interest, this situation creates a serious ethical one. The entire purpose of having separate boards is to ensure oversight, accountability, and transparency in how taxpayer dollars are managed. In Firestone, those checks and balances simply don’t exist. The same group of officials is effectively granting itself expanded financial authority — while excluding residents from the decision entirely.

In short, the people making the rules are the same ones who benefit from them, and Firestone’s taxpayers are shut out of the process. That’s not transparency or good governance — it’s a closed loop of power that erodes public trust.

The history of Central Park shows a consistent pattern: residents shared their vision for trails, open space, and gathering areas, yet key decisions were made without transparency or meaningful public input. The formation of the DDA gave the current Board control over planning and funding, bypassing voter approval and consolidating power.

Recall gives residents a real opportunity to remove the Town Board from the DDA, restore community oversight, ensure public spaces reflect the priorities of Firestone citizens, and reset decision-making so future development serves the community — not just the Board.