City of Fruita working towards future development at former Fruita Lagoon Property.

The City of Fruita, in collaboration with a developer, 2 Forks Ventures, is determining the viability of development on the former Fruita Lagoon Property. The property is a 25.15-acre parcel of land formerly used for Fruita’s sewer lagoons until 2011. Development of the property is outlined in the City of Fruita’s long-term planning goals including a 10-year comprehensive plan, the Parks, Health, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails plan, and a 2017 conceptual plan for the property. The Lagoon Property is zoned as an innovation/flexibility zone, giving the property the ability to have multiple underlying zones to maximize the development opportunities outlined in the City of Fruita’s planning documents. 

In June of this year, the City of Fruita and 2 Forks Ventures signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to pursue a potential partnership in developing the land. 2 Forks Ventures is a real estate development and construction firm building communities through innovative development and construction. Specializing in adaptive reuse, highly efficient modern residences, and innovative planned developments, their team builds exciting new buildings for and with local communities. 

“We are thrilled at the opportunity to work with the City of Fruita on the Lagoons site. Building on the success of the FARM project downtown, 2 Fork Ventures is thrilled to bring community-centered development to a park and innovation zone neighborhood that is focused around access to the Colorado River and Little Salt Wash. The opportunity to clean up and revitalize a brownfield site while expanding both recreational and economic development opportunities is a perfect fit for 2 Fork Ventures history of successful projects. Being able to do so in partnership with the City of Fruita is a continuation of our track record of successful collaboration with forward-thinking municipalities.” – Gavin Brooks, 2 Fork Ventures 

On Thursday, September 14, 2023, the City of Fruita purchased the 15-acre property adjacent to the 25-acre City owned riverfront property, which was partially owned by the City of Fruita, Mesa County, and the Colorado Riverfront Foundation to construct the Little Salt Wash Trail in 2016. The City of Fruita’s planning documents indicate this parcel of land is essential for future development of the area. 

Through this partnership and recent purchase, the City of Fruita will identify goals with the developer that positively impact Fruita’s core values of expanding the quality of place, economic health, and lifestyle for the Fruita community. Initial efforts are focused on accessing more of the river and Little Salt Wash for recreational purposes, creating open space areas for residents to enjoy within the floodplain, and prepping the site for complementary commercial and residential uses. 

“With this collaborative partnership in conjunction with our long-term planning goals, we can now work towards feasible opportunities. We are excited to pinpoint development goals that align with Fruita’s core values.” - Fruita Mayor, Joel Kincaid 

About the Fruita Lagoon Property 

In 2011, when Fruita’s new sewer treatment plant was constructed, the sewer lagoons on the property were fully decommissioned and cleaned up to an environmentally safe condition. Located near I-70 and the Colorado River, the property is a prime location in Fruita with scenic views, access to water, and connections to trails and other recreation opportunities. The property is located at the west end of Raptor Road and is bounded by I-70 on the north, the Colorado River and Little Salt Wash on the west, the James M. Robb Colorado River State Park to the south, and commercial land uses to the east. 

In 2017, the City of Fruita created a conceptual plan that outlines a broad and long-term framework for the property. Through the process, the City of Fruita gathered input from the community and stakeholders to brainstorm ideas on what the property should be developed into. Input received at this time showed strong support for development with mixed open space, recreational, and commercial uses. The conceptual plan process was intended to begin the discussion regarding the enormous potential that the property has for redevelopment to create lasting impacts on the community. 

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Media Contact: Ciara DePinto, Communications and Engagement Specialist, cdepinto@fruita.org, 970-858-3663

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