With the Colorado Springs City Council’s approval this week, officials are moving ahead with trail concepts outlined in a hotly-contested master plan for Blodgett Open Space.

The stated idea had been to move ahead on new trail construction this summer at the open space that has expanded to 384 acres in recent years. But neighbors and critics outside the city’s northwest side appealed master plan approvals by the parks board and Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) committee — pushing one last decision to the City Council in what was a longer-than-expected process.

David Deitemeyer, TOPS’ senior administrator, started the process of surveys and public meetings more than 15 months ago. Previously, before the master plan appeal, he expressed hopes in trail-building this summer.

But contractors are “booked out through the summer already,” Deitemeyer said. “So we may not have the ability for trail construction until later this year.”

A long line of opponents made one final plea to the City Council, laying out concerns of a plan they saw as favoring recreation over conservation and safety.

The City Council granted one change: that the new Quarry Trailhead parking lot, adjacent to Pikeview Quarry, be capped at 50 spots, rather than the proposed 180, unless an expansion is approved through another public process.

“Part of the intent of that Quarry Trailhead is to alleviate some of the pressure and demand occuring at the north parking lot,” Deitemeyer said, referring to the small lot off Woodmen Road.

“I think we’re confident in the next few years that (50 spots) would be sufficient. But we won’t know until we open that up and have an idea of how the public wants to utilize that improved trail system.”

Early next year would be the soonest that could open, Deitemeyer said. The parking lot could depend on what he described as “a collaboration” between the parks department and the company that has been stockpiling soil at the site of the lot during reclamation of the Pikeview Quarry.

“Our hope is that through that effort, there is a collaboration in which they conduct the earth work and really minimize the expense the city has, to regrade that site and make it more cost efficient for us,” Deitemeyer said.

From the new parking lot, Blodgett’s master plan calls for 2.3 miles of mountain bike-only trail. Deitemeyer said “some” would be built in the initial rollout, with the early focus also on portions of the Chamberlain and Park to Peak trails — two segments envisioned to connect with parks and open spaces beyond.

Deitemeyer said up to seven miles of new trail could initially be built while undesignated, “social” trails are closed. Along with those bike-only trails, the master plan outlines 10.4 miles for shared use and 1.5 miles for hikers only.

The city has a $250,000 grant from Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the build-out. Another $200,000 has been budgeted from the city’s TOPS program.