What is the Highlands Ranch Wilderness Area Plan Update?
The Highlands Ranch Wilderness Area Plan, historically known as the Open Space Conservation Area (OSCA) Plan, is the primary land-use and planning document that guides what types of uses and development may occur within the Highlands Ranch Wilderness Area (HRWA), formerly known as the Backcountry Wilderness Area of Highlands Ranch.
The original planning effort began in the 1990s and culminated in the OSCA Plan adopted by Douglas County in 2000. That Plan established goals and policies for the property, identified areas appropriate for potential development, established permitted uses and development standards, and provided the framework for balancing conservation, recreation, public access and other community uses.
Importantly, the original Plan anticipated that it would need to change over time. It recognized that natural resources, community conditions and public needs are dynamic and that changing conditions would eventually require new planning and public participation.
Twenty-five years later, much has changed. Highlands Ranch has largely built out around the Wilderness Area, wildlife populations and habitat use have changed, recreational and educational opportunities have expanded, and more than two decades of active management have provided a much better understanding of the land. Community surveys, committees, Community Involvement Processes and actual development proposals have also provided substantial information about how residents value and want to use the property.
The proposed Highlands Ranch Wilderness Area Plan is intended to update, not replace, the original planning framework. The goal is to reflect current conditions, incorporate over two decades of management experience and community input, better define where future uses may be appropriate, strengthen conservation protections, and retain enough flexibility to respond to future community needs.