May 1, the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners voted 4-0 to find another location for an off-highway vehicle facility. For the past several months, the county has pursued Corral Bluffs, southeast of Falcon along Highway 94, as the location for that facility.Before the vote, Tim Wolken, director of El Paso County’s parks department, recommended the county discontinue its pursuit of Corral Bluffs based on the results of preliminary fauna and paleontological studies.The fauna study indicated the proposed location is home to at least one pair of nesting prairie falcons. A required buffer of up to one-half mile between the nest and any proposed trail would have made access to the area nearly impossible.The paleontological study confirmed claims by Corral Bluffs residents that the area is an exposure of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary and has worldwide significance for the number and types of fossils found there.In view of Wolken’s recommendation, commissioner Amy Lathen moved that the county direct the parks department to look for another location for an OHV park. Her motion passed unanimously. Commissioner Wayne Williams was absent.
