Jul. 25--Manitou Springs' dreams of world conquest will have to be placed on hold.

Just a few weeks ago, the leaders of that seemingly evolved little hamlet aspired to join the likes of Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, Vasco da Gama, and Francisco Pizarro. The plan was simple: charge $5 per car to park at the parking lot at the base of Barr Trail.

This fee would have brought riches akin to those accumulated by the world's most famous exploiters. It probably would have produced an annual revenue stream in the six figures, enough to buy parcels of land near Manitou's downtown area, where tourists with fat wallets could lighten their loads a little.

Parking! A parking enterprise!

Enough money to pave the Western world! All achieved with almost no investment! They'd have enough left over to paint it all green!

Of course, it was too good to be true.

The conquistadors discovered, and Manitou's city fathers and Earth mothers learned, that planting the flag is one thing, and holding on to the territory is quite another.

Especially when that territory belongs to Colorado Springs Utilities.

Too true, as was reported here in June, the parking lot that inspired these dreams of sugar plums really wasn't owned by Manitou at all, and the town probably had no legal basis for any of the parking tickets issued since 2001.

The parking lot, frequented by Manitou Incline walkers and Barr Trail hikers, belongs to the utility.

Those stubborn little property lines -- just TRY rubbing them out. They say you can't fight city hall, but it's another matter to do battle with the utility company, which now is what Manitou finds itself doing.

The outline of a deal took shape last week and it won't be finalized for a while. Manitou will patrol the lot, which will be improved; some sort of parking fee will be assessed and the revenue will be spent on maintaining the lot, as well as performing maintenance on the Incline and the lower section of Barr Trail, which is heavily traveled by users of the Incline.

Springs Utilities also owns water and electric infrastructure there, so it has an interest in controlling erosion near the Incline.

There won't be enough loot left over for Manitou to pave its manifest destiny.

It is yet to be determined what the parking fee will be, but this will be a fair result. Users should pay for what they use.

"If you're going to charge for parking on our parking lot," Colorado Springs Councilman Scott Hente said, "we want to see the money go for the parking lot, the Incline and Barr Trail."|

Hente, who has hiked the steep Incline, said, "What is the right amount to charge? I don't know the answer to that."

Hikers should pay a fair share to enjoy amenities that need regular maintenance, even if Coronado never paid for a hiking trail.

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