Agenda Date: 12/16/2025
Subject:
Title
Ordinance 27-2025: An ordinance on second reading authorizing four farm lease agreements on behalf of South Platte Renew
Body
From:
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager
Prepared by:
Reid Betzing, City Attorney
Presentations:
Reid Betzing, City Attorney
PURPOSE:
To approve four (4) farm leases that the Cities of Littleton and Englewood jointly own near Byers, Colorado and Bennett, Colorado which are used for the South Platte Renew Biosolids Management Program.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
Sustainable Community; High-Quality Governance
DISCUSSION:
South Platte Renew (SPR), is jointly owned by the Cities of Littleton and Englewood.
SPR manages a total of 7,530.6 acres of farm property near Byers, Colorado that was purchased by the Cities of Littleton and Englewood for the beneficial land application of biosolids generated at the SPR facility. Four (4) lease agreements for this property will expire at the end of their existing five (5)-year term on December 31, 2025. These leases have been updated for a term of one (1) year, commencing on January 1, 2026, renewable annually for five (5) years.
The existing lease agreements are between the Cities of Littleton and Englewood (Cities) and Progressive Farms, Craig Farms General Partnership, Gary and Nancy Meier and Jason Meier (Meier), and Kent Beichle. The City Attorneys for both Cities have reviewed and updated the lease agreements. The previous cash rent for the properties that apply biosolids was set at $16.00/acre based on data from the Colorado State Land Board's equation for standard rates in Adams and Arapahoe Counties. This amount was increased to account for inflation and current agricultural market conditions.
SPR maintains an active and beneficial long-term relationship with its tenant farmer partners in order to sustain the Beneficial Use Program and the successful land application of biosolids. SPR and its tenant partners prioritize industry standard farming prac...
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