Opponents of El Paso County’s proposed motorcycle park declared a “fairly major” victory Monday when a parks subcommittee recommended that the state grant a fraction of the money sought for the project.

But El Paso County Commissioner Jim Bensberg, an avid motorcyclist and a champion of the park, said the state Trails Committee acted outside its purview when it voted to recommend to the State Parks Board that El Paso County receive $20,000 to plan its proposed motorcycle park — $300,000 less than the county is seeking for the park’s development.

The proposed county-owned but privately managed motorcycle park is planned for the Corral Bluffs area along Colorado Highway 94 east of Colorado Springs, an area opponents and neighbors say is too historically and environmentally significant to be shredded by motorized vehicles.

Many of those opponents were at Monday’s meeting and viewed the recommendation as a welcome compromise on an issue they have fought since late December.

That’s when El Paso County commissioners voted to apply for a state off-road vehicle grant that would partially pay for the park land.

“They recognized that there was an awful lot of public dissent,” said opponent Jackie Hilaire, whose house overlooks Corral Bluffs, northwest of the proposed park.

The committee recommended that the county go through a public planning process before development money is granted, a decision that Bensberg said is up to the county commissioners.

“My understanding is that the state trails committee has some members that are obviously opposed to motorized access and use even though motorized users have assessed themselves a fee,” said Bensberg, who was not at Monday’s meeting.

The State Parks Board is tentatively scheduled to decide on the county’s grant application for $320,000 in April.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0232 or carlyn.mitchell@gazette.com