Parents of Little Leaguers in North Boulder are booing a Boulder County decision to try and market neighborhood baseball fields at Broadway and Iris Avenue for possible residential development after a history of almost 70 years as a Little League park.

County officials are trying to avoid the tag.

The four ball diamonds at Iris Fields lie on the east end of the county’s 17.5-acre North Broadway Office Campus at 1333 Iris Ave. in Boulder, along with five office buildings, adjacent parking lots, paths and a playground. 

The county announced plans in February to sell the parcel, including the ballfields, following a 2024 county space optimization study that had recommended consolidating offices.

Community treasure

Boulder neighbors in surrounding blocks view the fields as a community treasure that has hosted North Boulder Little League teams since 1957, where they have won multiple Colorado state championships.

“We get contacted by people who played here 30 or 40 years ago,” Little League board member Thomas Click told The Denver Gazette. He added that he has three children who either play or have played competitively on Iris Fields, and a 2-year-old who he hopes to see take the field in coming years. 

Click and other supporters have a web site, SaveIrisFields.com, where some 4,700 neighbors have signed a petition begging both the county and the city of Boulder to preserve the diamonds in their current location for generations to come.

Gloria Handyside, a spokesperson representing the county, told The Denver Gazette that the City of Boulder was approached with the opportunity to buy the site.

“To the best of our knowledge, (they) are not currently pursuing this option,” she said.

Clock is ticking

Click, a real estate agent, said that neither the county nor the city has been quick to resolve the threat to the ballpark. That, he added, is despite the fact that community associations both inside the city and outside in the county are regular users of the fields.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking.

In a statement last week requesting bids for the North Broadway Complex, the county set a deadline for submissions of Sept. 19. The request added that offers must include a purchase price and any terms of a sale, along with a commitment to pay closing and title costs and any buyer brokerage fees.

Following a sale, the request said, the county would continue to lease the property back only through the end of 2026.

That statement also requests bidders describe how the purchase would contribute to Boulder County’s attainable or affordable housing stock. However, it doesn’t include any mention of a continued maintenance of the historic ballfields.

Back and forth

“There has been a lot of back and forth,” Click said. “The county tried to get the city to buy it several times, but it has been exceedingly difficult. The city just stonewalled the county.”

In response to a query about the status from The Denver Gazette, the City of Boulder replied that the outcome is entirely in the hands of the county. According to city maps, both the ballfields and all surrounding neighborhoods lie within the city of Boulder boundaries.

“The decision regarding the future of the North Broadway Complex, which includes the Iris Ballfields as well as the sale and relocation of county services, is solely in the hands of Boulder County as they are the landowner of the entire property,” Boulder Communication Manager Shannon Aulabaugh said in a statement.

“The City of Boulder does not have funding available to purchase the Iris property,” the statement continued, adding that “Because the property is within city limits, the city would become involved if the county, or a future owner, wishes to redevelop the site.

City refers matter back to county

“To date, no redevelopment applications have been submitted and, as such, all questions regarding the future use of the property should be directed to Boulder County,” she said.

Boulder has an at-large city council system, where no specific councilmember represents North Boulder where the fields are located. The system has sparked controversy in the past as to whether it provides adequate representation to specific neighborhoods or parties with respect to city actions.

However, two councilmembers spoke to The Denver Gazette, both of whom said they’re working to create a happy ending for ballplayers and neighbors.

“The most important thing is that we find a way to keep those ballfields,” Councilmember Tara Winer said.

She said that dollars involved were a key issue, and that sums being speculated as a purchase price for the property, in the range of $20 million, were an obstacle to city participation.

City must get involved

Mark Wallach, who was a developer in New York City prior to serving on the Boulder City Council, said he believes there will be an outcome that keeps everyone happy.

“Any bid will involve a retention of the ballfields by the city,” Wallach speculated, while adding that, for developers, the goal is to make money.

“Most developers will understand that to get approvals (for development of the property), they will have to work with the city,” he said.

Meanwhile, parents and league supporters have been carrying on discussions with a potential developer about creating a proposal for a medium density project that would both preserve the fields and upgrade them. The support group said a formal offer was submitted this week.

Win-win

“It’s a win-win,” Click said.

“If there are sticking points we can negotiate further,” he added, noting that he and other supporters are hoping that the county is willing to compromise on its expectations.

“We hope they’re not wanting to plug a hole with the biggest number,” Click said. “The two entities should have the kids’ interest at heart.”