6th Ave & Bromley Lane | Brighton, CO 80601 | 303-659-1970
THANK YOU FOR VISITING OUR WEBSITE.
Below is a timeline and explanation of what is happening to Palizzi Farm in Brighton, Colorado.
TIMELINE...
On September 23, 2023
At its city council meeting, the City of Brighton gave Power of Eminent Domain to a metropolitan district named Parkland Metropolitan District No. 1. Palizzi Farm was never notified of this action being on the meeting agenda, therefore no agent of Palizzi Farm was present for the action. The city did this to begin installation of an underground water drainage system to support a planned new housing development between Chambers Avenue and 19th Avenue, on the south side of Bromley Lane. The city’s planned site for the system is on the land owned and operated as a non-GMO produce farm by Palizzi Farm.
On February 22, 2024
The Parkland Metropolitan District No. 1 sent Palizzi Farm a notice of intent to purchase a wide strip of Palizzi’s farmland for a permanent easement that would extend across the farm from east to west for their drainage project. If Palizzi Farm rejects the purchase, Parkland will move forward with legal proceedings to exercise eminent domain, meaning they will take the land they want for the underground drainage project. Additionally, the Parkland Metro District wants IMMEDIATE access to the Farm to begin construction, which would abruptly END the 2024 farming season for Palizzi Farm. This action would force the closure of the Palizzi farm stand located on Bromley Lane because 90% of the produce sold there is grown on the farm. Palizzi Farm would lose the entirety of the crops already planted, will have to pay the workers hired for the entire season, and be unable to supply the five different summer farmers markets it attends every year.
On May 13, 2024
There is an Immediate Possession Hearing where a judge will determine the fate of the 2024 farming season and ultimately, the ability of Palizzi Farm to operate their produce farm in the future.
EXPLANATION OF PALIZZI FARM’S POSITION...
If the Parkland Metropolitan District No. 1 is successful in obtaining the easement and putting the drainage system on Palizzi Farm, the entire farm becomes permanently un-farmable. If it were a pizza parlor, Palizzi’s could move to another location and reopen to continue serving pizza. This is not the case with a vegetable farm. It will end the livelihoods of everyone employed at Palizzi Farm.
The Parkland Metro District does have other options that do not involve exercising eminent domain and can move the location of the drainage system to the north or south of Palizzi Farm.
For 95 years, Palizzi Farm has been a fixture on the corner of Bromley and Sable Blvd/4th Street growing and selling vegetables and plants for Brighton and surrounding communities. But it’s not just our town that benefits from the fertile soil of the Splendid Valley. Palizzi Farm participates in weekly Farmers Markets in Evergreen, Parker, Denver, Southlands and University Hills from May til October, and has a huge following of faithful patrons year after year. Every Labor Day weekend, Palizzi is host to its Corn and Chile Festival where fresh corn and chiles are roasted on site, food trucks serve their specialties, local musicians perform live music, and the best fireworks show of the summer lights up the night sky…
AND ALL OF THIS WILL COME TO AN END if the City of Brighton and Parkland Metropolitan District No. 1 have their way with land that does not belong to them.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP SAVE PALIZZI FARM?
You can email Parkland Metro District No. 1
and let them know you want them to leave Palizzi Farm in tact, and move their drainage outfall elsewhere.
Their email address is:
board@parklandmetrodistrict.com
Parkland Metro District Board of Directors
Jack Hoagland | President/Chairman Craig Campbell | Treasurer/Secretary Thomas Morton | Assistant Secretary
You can share our website, www.savepalizzifarm.com and post our story on social media platforms and ask friends to do the same.
You can come show support for Palizzi Farm at the hearing Monday, May 13th at the Adams County Courthouse Division C. The hearing is scheduled for 9:00 am to 12:30 pm.
THANK YOU FOR
.VISITING OUR WEBSITE.
.THANK YOU FOR ALL
.YOUR SUPPORT,
.AND PLEASE COME VISIT
.US AT THE STAND.
We will open at 10 am on April 29th and we have loads of garden plants and flowers! And hopefully, thanks to all of you, we will be open to sell our vegetables all season.
