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Contents:
Wal-Mart meeting draws hundreds of concerned Tri-Lakes residents
Over 350 seats were filled, and numerous people found standing room only at the community meeting sponsored by the Coalition of Tri-Lakes Communities. The chief purpose of the meeting was to review the Wal-Mart proposal and its potential impacts on the Tri-Lakes area. Coalition members presented various aspects of the Wal-Mart proposal and at the end of the presentation answered questions from the audience. Speakers included John Heiser, Dr. Linda Silveira, Steve Sery, and Dale Turner. John Heiser began by describing the proposed Wal-Mart store, a 24 hour a day 186,245 square foot supercenter with a grocery store, garden shop, tire-lube-tune-up express, and gas station. The 18-acre parking lot would hold about 930 cars. Following are some of the major issues with the Wal-Mart project raised at the meeting.
********** Additional information on this project is available on-line at www.ourcommunitynews.org and www.CoalitionTLC.org or by calling John Heiser at 488-9031. To provide comments for inclusion in the county planning commission and board of country commissioners packets, contact Carl Schueler, Assistant Director, El Paso County Planning Department, 520-6300, CarlSchueler@elpasoco.com. Mail comments and questions to the El Paso County Planning Department, 27 E. Vermijo, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903-2208. View a photo of the site and photos of the meeting
Baptist and Northgate interchange projects on indefinite holdBy Leon Tenney State funding for further interchange projects in El Paso County may not happen for over six years. The funding of the various road projects within El Paso County is confused at the state level. New prioritization of the designed, but not begun interchange projects may not receive funding until Fiscal Years 2009 or 2010. As part of the economic slowdown affecting state revenues, The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will not start the Baptist Road / I-25 interchange project until after 2008. All available dollars are going to that black hole of transportation funding, the T-REX project in the Denver Metropolitan Area. The existing design for the Baptist Road / I-25 interchange will be put on the shelf when completed. A final public meeting on this interchange project and the Northgate Interchange Project will be held at Lewis-Palmer High School from 5 pm to 8 pm on December 11, 2002. [See story on page 2] Citizens wanting to have input into these projects should attend or visit with the state senators or representatives to turn these funding priorities around back to those areas that are in crying need now, not 10 years from now. The current project at State Highway 105 and Interstate 25 will continue, since it has received full funding. Latest information is that it will be completed in less than three years or possibly 2004 at the earliest. From this sidewalk superintendent’s vantage point, progress looks good. The implications for our own local development continuing unabated are enormous, particularly if you use Baptist Road for your daily commute to work, to school, or to shopping. With continuing growth and planned regional shopping centers, all of us must ask, "Can the existing two-lane road handle this increasing volume of traffic?" Even if the funding sources can be found for widening Baptist Road, how can the existing interchange at I-25 handle any increase in volume with its limited spacing for on-and off-ramps and no traffic lights? Is gridlock along Baptist road going to be our future for the next ten years, until the state gets its act together?
County parks board postpones decision on Wal-MartBy John Heiser Within minutes after the November 14 meeting was brought to order, the El Paso Park Advisory Board appeared ready to recommend approval of the Baptist Road Wal-Mart proposal based on the staff recommendation. Then several Tri-Lakes residents voiced concerns about the project. Chaparral Hills resident, Dale Turner pointed out that there are no trail connections from Fox Run and Gleneagle to the Santa Fe Trail where it cross Baptist Road west of I-25. He said, "It is within parks purview to say we would like trail access across this property on the south side of Baptist." One of the criteria the parks board uses in reviewing proposed projects is, "The assurance of the continuity of open space links, trails and other major components of the regional open space system." [Land Development Code, Section 49.3A] It was also noted that the Baptist Road Rural Transportation Authority (BRRTA) concept plans for Baptist Road presented October 28, call for 10’ sidewalks on both sides of Baptist Road separated from the roadway by 6’ landscaped medians. After some discussion, board member Nancy Hobbs made a motion that was unanimously approved to continue the item until their next meeting December 10. The continuance is to allow their staff time to assess the need for pedestrian and bike access. Board member Hobbs later asked why The Land Development Code currently exempts commercial properties from contributing land or fees toward urban parks. Such developments are required to contribute 0.05 acres per developed acre toward regional parks. This topic may be addressed further at the December 10 meeting. ********** The county parks advisory board normally meets the second Tuesday of each month at 1:30 pm in the 3rd floor hearing room at the county building, 27 E. Vermijo, Colorado Springs. The next meeting will be held December 10. For further information, contact Rich Havel of the parks planning staff at 520-6985, richhavel@elpasoco.com, www.elpasoco.com/parks, or board secretary Cindy Olson at 520-6999. The park and open space portion of the Land Development Code is at www.elpasoco.com/parks/land_code.asp. The entire Land Development Code is at www.elpasoco.com/planning/LDC/.
Open house on I-25 interchange designs Dec. 11The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), in cooperation with the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), is holding its third open house meeting to present the preferred design alternatives for the I-25 interchanges at Baptist and Northgate Roads. The open house will be held on Wednesday, December 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Lewis-Palmer High School, 1300 E. Higby Road in Monument. Presentation boards outlining the proposed design alternatives for the I-25/Baptist and Northgate Road interchanges will be on display and representatives from CDOT, USAFA and the engineering firm of Post, Buckley, Schuh, and Jernigan (PBS&J) will be available to answer any questions. "Based on information gathered at previous open house meetings and further evaluation of our initial concepts, we’ve come up with interchange designs that we believe will meet the needs of the community as well as satisfy state and federal requirements," said James Flohr, I-25 Corridor manager. "We’re very pleased to share these interchange design alternatives and look forward to learning what the community has to say." For more information on the Northgate and Baptist Road interchange projects, visit the web site at www.interstate25.com or call Dan Hunt, CDOT, or R.A. Plummer, PBS&J at (719) 520-5800.
BRRTA meeting Nov. 8 approved budget, reviewed Baptist Road design, and wrestled with Creekside feeBy John Heiser At their regular quarterly meeting November 8, the board of the Baptist Road Rural Transportation Authority (BRRTA) approved the 2003 budget and discussed the Baptist Road design project and the permit fee for Creekside Middle School. The BRRTA board is composed of three county commissioners (Duncan Bremer, Chuck Brown, and Ed Jones) and two Monument board of trustees representatives (Mayor Betty Konarski and Trustee Byron Glenn). 2003 Budget The 2003 budget presentation by Conner Shepherd, BRRTA Project Manager, included 2002 revenue and expenditures through September 30. Konarski questioned why BRRTA spent $19,287 on management fees instead of the $10,000 budgeted. Shepherd replied that contract management of the Baptist Road design project, coordination with the County Department of Transportation and the Colorado Department of Transportation, and participation in public meetings required more of his time than anticipated. He said those activities are not expected to be a significant factor in 2003. Despite that assurance, management fees for 2003 were set in the budget as not to exceed $20,000. Permit fees, the primary revenue source for the authority, were estimated for 2002 at $96,000. Only half that much was received through September 30. Shepherd said, "Permit fees have not materialized. One expected source was the school district impact fee." Permit fees are paid at the time building permits are granted. There is a $500 fee for each house within the authority. The fee for commercial structures is $1.25 per sq. ft. The fee for institutional structures is $1.00 per sq. ft. Ron Simpson, manager of the Triview Metropolitan District, said so far in 2002 fees for 105 houses in Jackson Creek have been collected. He projected that in 2003 there would be fees paid for about 100 houses. Carl Schueler, assistant director of the county planning department, said, "The big question in the county is Wal-Mart." He later added, "Timing of [the improvements to] the interchange is a big deal." The cost for upgrading the interchange has been estimated at about $30 million. Regarding funding for the interchange improvements, Bremer later said, "The current state funding situation doesn’t look too hot. It will take a long time to get funded." If the board of county of commissioners approves the Wal-Mart, the BRRTA permit fee would be about $233,000. Bremer said, "It would be imprudent to budget for it." In discussing other county proposals, Schueler said there is no final plat or development agreement in place for the Forest Lakes residential project. The project is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit brought by nearby residents. The redesign of the Struthers Ranch project was unanimously recommended for denial by the county planning commission. Schueler predicted the project would not reach building permit stage in 2003, "if it goes forward at all." Permit fee income for 2003 was projected at $100,000 apparently assuming the school district would pay approximately $50,000 to supplement the $50,000 from the anticipated new houses in Jackson Creek. Due to market conditions, investment income of $4,667 through September 30 was only half as much as projected. The budget for 2003 was revised to reduce the projected investment income from $10,000 to $5,000. $190,000 was projected to cover engineering design of Baptist Road. $180,710 was budgeted in each of 2001 and 2002 for engineering design but only $28,461 was spent in 2001 and $83,804 was spent in 2002. Peter Loris, President of Loris Associates, BRRTA’s consulting firm on the design, said he thought the preliminary design would be completed by the third quarter of 2003. With $100,000 held as a contingency, the ending funds available were projected at $70,551. After reducing the anticipated investment income from $10,000 to $5,000, the revised 2003 budget was unanimously approved. Baptist Road Design Project Loris reported on the two alternatives presented at the public meeting October 28. He noted that 64 advantages and 68 disadvantages were recorded for concept plan A. 35 advantages and 84 disadvantages were recorded for concept plan B. Loris said, "We need to know which alternative to go with." Konarski said, "A project of this scale isn’t going to come down to two alternatives. Asking for A or B is useless." She asked Loris to identify the elements and the proper sequence and then produce a plan and timeline with costs. Bremer asked that Loris prepare their recommendations by the next BRRTA meeting January 17. Noting that the concept plans do not match CDOT’s plans for the Baptist Road interchange, Simspon said, "We need more consistency." In particular, he cited the design on the west side of I-25 where no access is shown to the Forest Lakes commercial property south of Baptist Road. It was also noted that the maximum grade of 9.6% shown on both concept plans exceeds the county’s 5% limit for major arterials and its 6% limit for minor arterials. To reduce the maximum grade, Loris’ Keith Scoggins said grading would have to be extended east past Tari. Bremer said, "Maybe that is the way to go." Tari is the current eastern boundary of the project. Simpson added that the 1996 Baptist Road concept plan included a grading plan that kept the maximum grade to 6%. Loris’ estimate of construction cost for concept plan A is $8.2 million and for plan B is $5.3 million. The 1996 concept plan estimated $10 million in 1996 dollars, which would be perhaps $11-12 million in 2002 dollars. Bremer asked, "Cost is a big, big issue. What do we do to finance it?" He suggested escalating permit fees by the cost of living. It was agreed that the board would look at fees at their January 17 meeting. Creekside Middle School Fee Dr. Jeffrey Ferguson, president of the Lewis-Palmer school board, objected to the imposition of a BRRTA institutional structure fee on the middle school. Depending on how it is calculated, the fee could be $60,000 to $100,000. Noting that many who use Baptist Road, including those who live in Gleneagle, never paid a fee to BRRTA, Ferguson said, "From a fairness of balancing benefits and costs, it is not right." He also said that just two people voted to create BRRTA and now BRRTA is trying to encumber the 15,000 taxpayers who live in the school district. Lewis-Palmer Superintendent Ted Bauman added that the school district was never invited to meetings where the fee concept and structure were set up. Ferguson asked the BRRTA board to reconsider its position. Brown said, "The roadway is needed for people to get to the school. There has to be revenue generated to build the road." Bremer said, "Yes, you are due some consideration. So let’s discuss it." He noted that the amount of traffic generated is limited since the school district uses buses and operates only nine months each year. Schueler recounted some of the background on the fee structure that was adopted in July 1998. One component was that the fee for commercial structures was set lower than would be dictated by the amount of traffic generated. That was done in anticipation of a 0.4% sales tax. The sales tax ballot measure failed at the polls but might be proposed again. Glenda Smith, member of the Monument Board of Trustees and a member of the BRRTA board when the authority was formed, said, "We should have had more discussion. BRRTA was formed for building roads not taking money from the education of children. BRRTA needs to really rethink the school district fee issue." Bremer said, "It is clear the fee is unfair. It is a creature of the statutory set up and the rule that the fee is to be paid only by new construction." The BRRTA board appointed Konarski with Glenn as alternate to discuss the matter further with the school district. Next Meeting The next BRRTA meeting will be held Friday, January 17, 1:30 pm, at the 3rd floor hearing room, County Building, 27 E. Vermijo, Colorado Springs. ********** Articles on prior Baptist Road-related meetings are posted at www.ourcommunitynews.org/top_stories.htm#baptist. There is also background info at www.elpasoco.com/Transprt/baptist_rd.asp and www.coalitiontlc.org/baptist_road.htm. To get more information and provide comments on the Baptist Road Improvement Project, contact:
View a photo of the meeting
By Tommie Plank November 21: David R. Dilley was appointed to be the next Superintendent of Schools for District 38. He will officially replace retiring Superintendent Dwight "Ted" Bauman on July 1, 2003. When the Board decided to conduct an internal search for possible candidates for the position, two district administrators submitted applications: Mr. Dilley, currently Assistant Superintendent, and Dan Lere, Director of Finance. Board President Dr. Jeffrey Ferguson commented that the Board was highly impressed with the qualifications of both candidates, as well as their enthusiasm and dedication to the district. After the interviews, the Board decided that there was no need to advertise further, and both candidates were listed as finalists for the position. Following the appointment of Mr. Dilley, Dr. Ferguson read a statement of support from board member Hugh Eaton, who was unable to attend the meeting. The board members in attendance and Mr. Bauman praised Mr. Dilley’s accomplishments in the eight years he has worked in the district, and spoke of their confidence in his ability to take the District to new levels of excellence. Mr. Dilley expressed his appreciation for the support, saying he knows he has big shoes to fill, but said he will work hard to uphold the high standards of his predecessors. Last June, Dr. Kaye Branine, principal of Lewis-Palmer Elementary School in Woodmoor, notified the Board of her intention to retire at the end of this school year. Dan Lere, Director of Personnel Services, is directing the search for a new principal. The position has been posted in-district only, and will close Dec. 6. Interviews will be held December 9-11 for any internal candidates applying. At the December 12 school board meeting a recommendation is expected to appoint a new principal or conduct an out-of-district search. In response to a request from the Town of Monument for a comment on Jackson Creek Filing #5 (89 single-family lots), Mr. Bauman was directed to write a letter of non-support. In the past, the board approved every request by Jackson Creek, believing there was cooperation by the developer in designating the Creekside Middle School and future elementary site. There now appears to be some disagreement over how much additional land the developer is required by law to dedicate for schools. The district will respond to this land use request after the land dedication issue has been resolved. Mr. Bauman and Mr. Dilley presented probable program costs associated with options being considered as part of the ongoing future high school discussion. Costs were analyzed for four possible options:
The costs in each scenario were based upon current LPHS program costs, keeping curriculum and programming equal. The differences ranged from a low of an additional $1.6 million in scenario 1, to the highest, an additional $2.4 million for scenario 4. Program costs reflect salaries for the people required to run the various programs, including administration, teachers, clerks, auxiliary services, and extra-curricular activities. The presentation at the December meeting will focus on options in terms of community input received at the meetings last spring. An analysis of potential boundary lines and transportation costs will also be considered. The fee the Baptist Road Rural Transportation Authority is attempting to assess against Creekside Middle School in Jackson Creek continues to be unresolved. Dr. Ferguson addressed the BRRTA Board at their November 8 meeting, with no movement in the positions of either side. The school board continues to believe the fee is unjustified, possibly illegal and unconstitutional. The board did agree that Dr. Ferguson should meet with Monument Mayor Betty Konarski, who serves on the BRRTA Board, to further discuss the issue. ********** Due to the Christmas/winter break, the December meeting will be held December 12. The meetings begin at 7:00, and are held at the Administration Building at Second and Jefferson Streets in Monument.
County planning commission recommends approval of Falcon’s Nest #3 Preliminary Plan and Final PlatBy John Heiser View plan for Falcon's Nest #3 November 19: By a vote of 7-2, the El Paso County Planning Commission recommended approval of the preliminary plan and final plat for Falcon’s Nest Filing #3 proposed by Summit Enterprises of Kansas, LLC. Project description The proposal calls for 127 lots on a 29.3 acre parcel located east of I-25 between the interstate and Struthers Road about ¾ of a mile north of Northgate Road. The single family housing subdivision would be buffered from I-25 by 500’ of Air Force Academy property. There are several drainage tracts including a 60,000 sq. ft. detention pond on the west side. There would be a 3.1-acre mouse preservation area at the north end of the property. Of the total, the single-family houses would be clustered on 16.86 acres for an average density of 7.5 houses per acre. The proposed minimum lot size would be 3,600 square feet with 50% maximum structural coverage of the lots. Privately maintained hammerhead cul-de-sacs would be used to access the closely-spaced houses. Water Supply The Donala Water and Sanitation District that serves Gleneagle would supply water and sewer service to Falcon’s Nest #3. At the September 19, 2000 county planning commission hearing on the Struthers Ranch, Dana Duthie, manager of the Donala district, stated that the district may have as little as 30 years and probably no more than 156 years of water available to be pumped. Additional commitments such as Falcon’s Nest #3 increase the demand on that supply. The Falcon’s Nest #3 plan would require the Board of County Commissioners to approve a waiver of the county’s requirement that developments demonstrate 300 years of water availability. History As reported in "County Planning Commission recommends approval of Greenland Forest and disapproval of Falcons Nest #3" in the June 1, 2002 issue of OCN, a May 21, 2002 planning commission motion to recommend approval of the sketch plan for the project failed by a vote of 4-5. As subsequently reported in "County commissioners approved Falcon’s Nest Filing #3 rezoning and Phillips Ranch plan" in the September 9, 2002 issue of OCN, at the July 18, 2002 Board of County Commissioners hearing, County Commissioner Duncan Bremer’s motion for approval of the sketch plan passed 3-2. It was supported by commissioners Bremer, Chuck Brown, and Ed Jones and opposed by commissioners Jeri Howells and Tom Huffman. The Planning Commission Vote The Planning Commission vote November 19 on motions to recommend approval of the Preliminary Plan and Final Plat (with waiver of the 300-year water availability rule) was 7-2 with commissioner Steve Sery and planning commission chair Terry Bernstein opposed. Sery said, "It was a bad plan at the sketch plan. It is still a bad plan. Just because the Board of County Commissioners approved it doesn’t change my mind." ********** For more information on these and other projects within the county, contact the planning department at 520-6300 or visit www.elpasoco.com/planning. All back issues of OCN are available at www.ourcommunitynews.org. View plan for Falcon's Nest #3
Fire protection district merger study updateBy Tom Conroy The northern El Paso County Fire Districts collaborative program to study organizational consolidation as a means of improving future service effectiveness has been underway since the Fall of 2001. A sub-group of the involved fire district boards/town council, called the Joint Working Group, has been meeting regularly to ensure program progress. This is the second update published for the purpose of keeping the residents of the Tri-Lakes area informed of our progress. A public meeting of all of the participating Fire Districts was held at the Palmer Lake Town Hall on November 19, 2002. The Boards of Directors of each of the Fire Districts and the Palmer Lake Town Council were in attendance. The following status was reported. Since the last merger update on October 1, the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District has joined the working group as a full participant. Donald Wescott is a welcome addition to the group, and strengthens the group by adding expertise and providing more options to deliver efficient and effective fire and emergency services throughout the northern El Paso County area. Participating Districts now include Donald Wescott, Palmer Lake Fire Department, Tri-Lake Fire Protection District, and the Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District. The joint working group continues to adhere to the established project plan and timeline, scheduled to result in an initial recommendation regarding consolidation in Spring 2003. As previously reported, the common chart of accounts is being implemented in time for 2003 budgeting. It will result in greater efficiencies across departments and also help with analysis of consolidation alternatives. To understand the legal implications of the several consolidation alternatives, Toussaint, Nemer and Coaty, a legal firm with extensive experience in special district consolidations, has been chosen. An analysis of 5-year capital requirements under a consolidation scenario has just gotten underway. The joint working group operational subcommittee, made up of the Fire Chiefs and other department members, continue to make progress towards greater operational consistency. A review of the Emergency Services Education and Consulting Group (ESECG) recommendations has been completed and short-term objectives established. Next steps involve the establishment of common operating and training procedures for fire emergency response, and EMS response and transport across all four departments. This work is beginning now. As the northern El Paso county area continues to grow rapidly, it is critically important for the fire, rescue, and emergency medical services to keep pace and to meet the changing needs. The participating fire departments are working collaboratively to gather the information needed to optimize the future delivery of emergency services throughout the entire area. At the same time, service effectiveness is being improved today by implementing best in class common policies and procedures across departments. While a great deal of work focused on the future is underway, all four participating fire departments want residents to know that our number one priority today remains to deliver the best possible fire, rescue, and emergency medical assistance to our respective citizens.
TLFPD board reviews plans for station 2 and commends success of training program for volunteersBy John Heiser View a photo of TLFPD candidate class instructors and students View an artist's rendering of the planned station 2 At their regular meeting November 21, the Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District Board of Directors conditionally approved the 2003 budget, reviewed plans to build the district’s second fire station on the site of the existing unmanned facility near the intersection of Highway 105 and Roller Coaster Road, and commended the success of the recent training program for volunteers. 2003 Budget Approved The district’s budget for 2003 was unanimously approved subject to minor adjustment based on the county assessor’s November 30 report of property values in the district. The budget includes funding for two additional full-time personnel and a part-time paramedic. Station 2 Tri-Lakes district board member Rick Barnes’ firm Barnes Architects is designing the new station. It will house an urban interface fire engine, a water tanker truck, and an ambulance and will incorporate residential units for firefighters on the second floor and three bunk rooms and a kitchen on the main floor. [See artist’s rendering] The district is in discussions with the Great Divide Water Company that operates a deep aquifer water augmentation well adjacent to the Station 2 site. The district wants access to the well and permission to use some of the land for additional parking for station personnel. According to Barnes Architects project manager Matt Hood, with the proposed off-site parking space, the total area at the site would be about ½ acre. Since that does not provide sufficient space for a septic system with leach field, a holding tank design will be used. The details of that system are being discussed with the health department. Director and Treasurer John Hildebrandt reported that the loan on Station 1 was refinanced at a lower rate and the balance was increased $20,000 to obtain the funds needed to cover the cost for architectural services on Station 2. Construction is planned to start in the spring of 2003 and be completed by early 2004. Cost of the station is estimated at $700,000. Board President Charlie Pocock said, "Our goal is to be able to respond to 95% of the district within 6 minutes. With the construction of Station 2 we will be about at that goal." Chief’s Report Chief Robert Denboske reported the district handled 80 responses since the October 17 board meeting for a total of 807 responses so far this year. Last year at this time, there had been 796 responses. Total personnel increased from 67 to 70. The chief reported that an agreement with the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department for automatic mutual aid has been signed. Having completed their training, seven new Firefighter I’s are now at the station. The chief said, "I am proud of all of them." Three more will be taking the written exam. The planned Firefighter II training begins in December. The chief reported that he is checking to see if the property to the east of Station 1 could be used as the site for a hazardous household material collection event. EMS Report Emergency Medical Services Manager Ron Thompson reported that the district is catching up on billing for ambulance service. He noted that what is being charged is not enough to pay for the cost of the ambulance and medical personnel. He proposed an across-the-board increase of 10% in the fees charged for emergency medical response. He added that with the increase, the costs would still be less than for commercial ambulance service. The proposal to increase the emergency medical response billing rates effective January 1 was unanimously approved. Thompson also suggested an increase in the charges for rescue services. That proposal was tabled pending further research. Thompson reported that the Woodmoor-Monument Fire Protection District has signed Dr. Gifford as the physician-advisor for their district. Dr. Gifford is currently the physician-advisor for the Tri-Lakes district. This is an important step in coordinating emergency medical services between the two districts. Effective January 1, an ambulance and paramedic will be available 24 hours per day. Thompson described a recent training exercise with El Paso County Search and Rescue as, "a little mixed up. There were a lot of new people and they learned a lot." Future training sessions are planned to correct the problems uncovered during the exercise. Local company J&L Computers has nearly completed installation of the computer to host the new software for EMS billing and report writing. The project is on track to be operational January 1. There is an April 2003 deadline for electronic billing to Medicare. Volunteer Program Chip Fleming said, "We have an incredible program going." He reported that, as a result of the recent volunteer training program, nineteen candidate firefighters have been added to the roster. He said, "I am very proud of them. They have done a great job." Seven of the candidates are EMTs. Fleming added, "That just about doubles our ambulance crew and comes close to doubling the staff of our department." Future classes will be held about every six months. Noting that the training included people from other fire departments, Fleming concluded, "We are on the way to being the training program for this part of Colorado." [See picture of students and instructors] Fire agency study working group Noting that "We have a year left to go on getting ready [for merger]," Charlie Pocock reported that the working group, composed of two representatives each from the Palmer Lake volunteer fire department, the Tri-Lakes district, and the Woodmoor-Monument district, has continued to hold frequent meetings. Representatives of the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District that serves areas south of Baptist Road and the Black Forest Fire Protection District have been attending the unification working group meetings as observers. Voters recently approved a property tax increase to 7 mills for the Wescott district. Pocock commended the Wescott district’s "great willingness to join in the merger effort. Wescott is a valuable adjunct to this." Hildebrandt added that close cooperation with the Wescott district "helps our southern exposure." Firefighters from the Wescott district recently responded within 3 or 4 minutes to a grass fire in the Green Mountain area near Hay Creek Road west of I-25. Bunker Gear Firefighter/EMT Mike Keough reported the results of his research into purchasing firefighter clothing and equipment (bunker gear). He said some of the current equipment is fifteen years old. The district is currently borrowing seven sets from the Woodmoor-Monument district. Keough concluded that the cost for new gear would be about $1,100 per set. The board unanimously approved $11,500 for the purchase of additional bunker gear. Five additional sets are included in the 2003 budget. Deannexation Tabled A 2.5-acre parcel in Palmer Lake currently covered by the Palmer Lake department and the Tri-Lakes district has been proposed for deannexation from the Tri-Lakes district. The matter was tabled pending discussion with the landowner. ********** The Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District board normally meets at 7 pm on the third Thursday of each month at the district firehouse, 18650 Highway 105 (near the bowling alley). The next meeting will be held December 19. For more information, call Chief Denboske at 481-2312. View a photo of TLFPD candidate class instructors and students View an artist's rendering of the planned station 2
Fire stations collecting Christmas toysThrough December 20, in cooperation with the charity Christmas Unlimited, the Tri-Lakes and Woodmoor-Monument fire stations are collecting Christmas toys to be distributed to needy families. Christmas Unlimited has been serving families in need since 1923. Items requested: Toys, books, puzzles, games, sporting goods, and art and craft supplies. Items must be new and unwrapped. Bring items to be donated to Tri-Lakes Fire Station #1, 18650 Highway 105 or Woodmoor-Monument Fire Station #1, 1855 Woodmoor Drive. ********** For more information, call Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District Administrative Assistant Paula Abrahamson at 481-2312.
County water authority adopts final water study, discusses next stepsBy John Heiser At their regular monthly meeting November 6, the El Paso County Water Authority adopted the final water study culminating three years of work. They also started the discussion of what future steps might be taken. The Water Study Bruce Lytle, vice president of Halepaska, the consulting firm that produced the water study presented at public meetings October 1 and 2, asked how comments received at the meetings and afterwards should be handled. After some discussion, it was decided to include in an appendix of the report all the comments and questions received and for Lytle to only include responses to technical questions related to the report. With that decision, the water authority unanimously approved the final report. It was agreed that a limited number of paper copies of the final report would be available from Dana Duthie for $50 each. The water study has thus far cost the water authority $219,027. Half the cost is to be reimbursed by the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Next Steps Some of the comments received on the water study prompted a discussion as to further research the authority could do. Many of the comments received from farmers and other private well owners were related to groundwater supplies. Regarding the farmers, Charles Pridgen from the El Paso County Farm Bureau said, "What they want to know is what is going to happen to their water, their livelihood." County Commissioner Duncan Bremer said, "They were kind of left out of this study." Lytle said, "We don’t really know what is going on in the Black Forest. At this point, we don’t have that data." Much of the data used in the water study was obtained from operators of central water systems. Ron Simpson, manager of the Triview Metropolitan District, said, "The water authority has some responsibility [to private well owners] due to the contribution [to the authority] from El Paso County that represents those users." Lytle said that existing private wells could be retrofitted to measure levels. The wells selected to be measured should be those drilled to the full depth of the Dawson aquifer, typically 700-900 feet. To save cost, the authority would need the well owners to record the measurements. He suggested a public meeting be held to discuss the scope of the project and ask the private well owners what they are willing to contribute. Monument Mayor Betty Konarski said, "This is a collaborative opportunity. Getting this data would benefit the water providers and the individual well owners." Further discussion on additional studies was postponed to future water authority meetings. Well Survey Larry Stanley, President of Protect Our Wells (POW), described the organization and on behalf of POW expressed interest in becoming an associate member of the water authority. Stanley was accompanied by Judy von Ahlefeldt, publisher of the Black Forest News, who reported the preliminary results of a voluntary survey of 68 wells in the Palmer Divide area. The results are based on the response to survey forms printed in the Black Forest News in August and September. The survey form is also available on the Protect Our Wells web site at http://www.blackforest-co.com/~pow/db_well_survey.htm. Water Farmers Toward the end of the meeting, Pridgen noted, "Some of the farmers have found it more productive to sell water than raise crops. They are using irrigation wells to pump water they sell to Colorado Springs." He said later that one farmer he knows makes a million dollars a year from water. ********** Founded in 1998, the water authority is composed of 19 water system operators in the county including the Towns of Monument and Palmer Lake and the local Donala Water and Sanitation District that serves Gleneagle, Forest Lakes Metropolitan District intended to serve the Forest Lakes area, Triview Metropolitan District that serves Jackson Creek, and Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District. Each member pays an annual membership fee of roughly $500 to $1,500 based on the number of water taps they service. Even though the county is not a water service provider, it is a member of the authority, contributes $27,000 annually, and donates a variety of services including administration of the master plan consulting contract with John C. Halepaska and Associates of Littleton. While liaison is maintained with Colorado Springs Utilities, it is not a member of the authority.
The water authority board of directors consists of
There are also two at-large members:
The water authority normally meets at 9 am on the first Wednesday of each month in the third floor hearing room of the county building, 27 E. Vermijo, Colorado Springs. Because the first Wednesday in January falls on New Year’s day, the meeting was rescheduled to Wednesday, January 8. For more information on the water authority and the water study, contact the county planning department at 520-6300. The water study is posted at www.elpasoco.com/planning/water_report.asp. For more information on the Protect Our Wells organization, contact Larry Stanley at 495-7825 or visit their web site at www.blackforest-co.com/~pow/.
Monument Board of Trustees meetings November 4By Judy Barnes Special meeting, 5:30 pm: Discussion of board goals Possible roles and structures of advisory committees At their workshop on September 28, some of the trustees expressed a desire to have the town grow its commercial base to provide more revenue for the town and more jobs for town residents. To promote such development, Mayor Betty Konarski suggested streamlining the development review process that currently requires developers to appear before the Public Works Committee, Police Advisory Committee, Parks and Landscape Committee, and Planning Commission before being heard by the Board of Trustees. At the September 28 workshop, Mayor Konarski stated her view that the committees had been created by previous boards "to stop the [development] process." The trustees scheduled this special workshop to consider alternative roles for the committees in order to make the process faster and simpler for applicants. Town Planner Mike Davenport explained that under the present system, an applicant first goes to him, then appears before each of the three committees, then the Planning Commission, and lastly, the Board of Trustees. The applicant must bring paid consultants to all the meetings. The process usually takes four months, unless the applicant chooses to take longer. The proposed change would allow committee review to take place at the meeting right after the application has been reviewed by planning, and the outside referrals (fire department, e.g.) would be solicited concurrently. Davenport would bring all comments to the planning commission and the board of trustees. The applicant need only bring paid consultants to two meetings, planning commission and board of trustees. The process would take three months instead of the current four. Committees would have three roles: development application review; departmental oversight (critical review) and support in budget, staffing, and procedures; and citizen input--to be the eyes and ears to and from citizenry. The town attorney will develop bylaws, charters, and a new ordinance. Draft action plans Changes to the objectives included adding an item for the school district, web site development, and 20-year service awards for businesses, and removing referrals to the Black Forest Fire Protection District. Consolidations, annexations, and IGAs. Trustee Byron Glenn suggested interconnecting water systems with Triview Metropolitan District, which provides water and sewer services to Jackson Creek. Mayor Konarski suggested the town’s parks department could contract out to maintain parks. Ron Simpson, director of Triview, might not want to take care of the parks in his district. Mike Davenport suggested coordinating with the county to trade responsibilities for each other’s portions of roads such as Old Denver Highway, Mitchell, and Beacon Lite. Mayor Konarski mentioned the need to do something about gaining a renewable source of water, indicating that some kinds of relationships would emerge from the county water authority northern providers. Police Chief Joe Kissell saw a need for an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to replace the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for mutual aid between the Monument and Palmer Lake police departments. In particular, Chief Kissel was concerned about insurance issues. An IGA could address the details of worker’s compensation if a Monument officer were injured while handling a call in Palmer Lake, and of liability if a Monument officer were sued as a result of an incident while handling a call in Palmer Lake. Mayor Konarski noted the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce planned to recognize businesses that had been in the area for 20 years or more at their annual meeting, even if the businesses are not chamber members. The special meeting adjourned at 6:25 pm. 6:30 pm Board of Trustees Regular Meeting Scheduled Guest: Ted Bauman – Land dedication requirements in the Jackson Creek Subdivision Mr. Bauman provided documents that lead him to believe that there is still land to be dedicated to the school district for future school facilities in Jackson Creek. The school board has been exploring two options for the high school, building a second high school on 70 acres out east, vs. acquiring 34 acres from Jackson Creek Land Development Company directly south of the current high school and expanding the campus. Even if the school board chose to build a second high school, they might like to acquire the 34 acres in Jackson Creek for another future elementary site or for a buffer zone around the current high school. The school district believes that Jackson Creek still has dedication requirements of approximately 24 acres for schools. So far, Jackson Creek dedicated 8 acres for the Creekside Middle School/future elementary site, and then donated another 20 acres, for a total of 28 acres. The signed property donation agreement specified "Donor [Jackson Creek] is the owner of the Site and is willing to contribute the Site to School District as a donation and, in doing so, Donor fully understands that it will not receive any credit by virtue of this donation against any current or future school fees or property dedication obligations which may be imposed as a result of the development of Jackson Creek." Part of the resolution of this issue resides in the town council’s interpretation of the land dedication requirements, according to Bauman. He asked for the board’s support regarding zoning, etc. He also wanted to find out the board’s interpretation of the land dedication requirements provided in a recent ordinance and in a previous ordinance from the Regency Park days. Regarding Jackson Creek Land Company’s stance that they had fulfilled their land dedication obligations, Kelly Dude, the attorney for Lewis Palmer School District, said, "That’s a totally indefensible position from a legal point of view." Kelly said that the town could withhold building permits, for example, until Jackson Creek Land Company has fulfilled their obligations. Bauman emphasized the need for closure on this issue so they could move forward with their plans. Jackson Creek Land Company was asking $3 million for the 34 acres the district wanted for the new school. Town Planner Mike Davenport indicated that Jackson Creek and the School District might be able to work together to provide recreational fields, to satisfy the need for recreational areas in the neighborhood. Mayor Konarski directed staff to put together a legal view and a philosophical point of view. At the November 18 meeting, there was an executive session to receive legal advice about the matter. Develop Board Comments for El Paso County Referral Re: Wal-Mart Project description, Proposed use: The applicant proposes a 188,000 square foot Wal-Mart Supercenter (discount store and grocery), gas pumps, and another "pad" location for the southeast corner of the intersection of Baptist Road and Jackson Creek Parkway. History: Goldberg Property Investments previously applied to the town for annexation of the same site for a Wal-Mart. The application was put on hold prior to being considered by the planning commission. Traffic and roads. Transplan identified a number of issues, including the need for additional, revised, or updated information. In particular, information is needed regarding the proposed extension of Jackson Creek Parkway south of Baptist Road. It appears that at least half of the right-of-way for the proposed extension is within the town limits. The planning department has not been contacted regarding this proposed road. Questions regarding this road include ultimate responsibility for construction and maintenance. Preliminary recommendations include the following:
Public comments Karen Griffith of Dawson Creek Drive asked the trustees, "Does Monument want a Wal-Mart and if so, where is the best place for it?" She thought the store should be in the town; if they are going to have the impact, they should have the revenue. Griffith questioned if traffic improvements would adequately deal with the impacts of the Wal-Mart. She also had concerns about the lighting, and wanted the Wal-Mart to have the lighting standards of King Soopers so it would not be so bright as to annoy residents. She cited the skylights of Castle Rock’s Wal-Mart, noting that light coming through 24 hours a day would be visible to neighbors looking down. Griffin urged the town to not give Wal-Mart access unless they annex into the town. Steven Sery of Chaparral Hills, Colorado Springs, also addressed the board. Sery is an El Paso County Planning Commissioner, but he will recuse himself from voting on this issue when it comes before the planning commission. Sery said the town’s comments are very important to the county planning commission; they have an impact. He cited Struthers Ranch as an example; when the town objected to the density proposed by the developer. Sery expressed concern that Monument will have no revenue, but added expense. Sales tax revenues of existing businesses within the town, such as King Soopers and Brookharts, will probably drop. Monument police will handle calls to the store. Also, the Wal-Mart does not fit the current zoning of the property, and does not meet covenant requirements of Chaparral Hills. (Some lots in the Chaparall Hills development comprise the Wal-Mart land.) It also does not fit the Tri-Lakes comprehensive plan. More appropriate property is nearby, but it is more expensive than where Wal-Mart is currently proposing to go. Sery contended that if Monument strongly opposed the project, the planning commission would not move forward with it. He urged the board to clearly state they cannot support this proposal at this location, and to ask the county to refer the proposal to the town. The earliest the proposal could go to the county planning commission is December, and it probably will not make it then. It will probably get to the board of county commissioners sometime in late spring. Town Attorney Gary Shupp noted the board of trustees could go to the public hearing. Mike Davenport will ask for more information, and more time to review the additional information. A motion to follow staff’s recommendations passed unanimously. Ordinance to Allow Planting of Street Trees The existing ordinance setting the spacing of street trees effectively prohibits the location of trees in a public right-of-way because of the large distances trees must be set back from the center of a street. The new ordinance would amend the section to allow trees in the ROW. The motion to approve the ordinance passed unanimously by roll call vote. Resolution establishing board and staff roles re: releasing bonds Under the town’s zoning and subdivision regulations, a developer is required to make certain improvements (such as roads, utilities, landscaping) when a property is developed. The regulations further require that the developer provide to the town a financial guarantee (called a "surety") that the required improvements will be made. If the improvements are not made, the town may use the guarantee to pay for having the improvements made. The regulations identify three types of guarantees:
The regulations do not specifically identify who releases the bond. The practice has been that staff releases the bonds. The town received a request from John Laing Homes (of Denver) to release the bonds now being held for landscaping at Peak View Ridge 1st Amendment. The site has been visited to verify landscaping has been installed according to the plan approved by the Board of Trustees. In exchange John Laing Homes would provide the bond required to cover the cost of one year of maintenance of the landscaping. Recommendation:
A motion to approve the resolution passed unanimously. Checks over $5000 GMS, Inc. $10,321.33 for professional services 7/27/02 – 8/30/20. Approved unanimously. Select Locations for Second Street Tree Plantings Earlier this year Mountain View Electric Association, Inc. (MVEA) removed the tall light poles along 2nd Street. (It was determined this summer that the lower decorative lighting is adequate.) Inspection of the holes left from removal of the light poles revealed they were too close to the curb to be suitable for trees. Staff identified eight street tree locations – five near Front Street, the other three near Adams Street. The proposed locations follow one of the major guidelines for design in a downtown area – fill in the gaps. Tommie Plank of the Historic Monument Merchants Association said the merchants are very happy to have these trees. They will be Marshall Seedless Ash, known as a good street tree because they are not messy and they do not get much bigger than two feet in diameter. The trees will be planted after adjacent property owners are notified. Town Attorney’s Report The Transit Mix trial is set for September 29, 2003. Plaintiffs are claiming violations to their procedural rights and a taking. The case will decide these issues and, if plaintiffs are successful, damages. Public Comments Safeway: Trustee Smith asked about the Safeway traffic signal. Town Planner Mike Davenport noted that one Colorado Department of Transportation staffer wanted the signal at the off ramp to I-25, even though the off-ramp will not exist later. Most of the Colorado Department of Transportation people want the signal at the Safeway driveway. Safeway is now applying for a gas pump facility, which requires a traffic study. Safeway is willing to consider an extension for the bond, due to expire in mid-December, to be used for a traffic signal because of this. Trustee Glenn asked for an update on the Beck case by the next meeting. Trustee Brown asked about having an in-house engineer for next year, instead of GMS. The board agreed staff should continue researching this option. The meeting adjourned at 8:00 pm.
Monument Board of Trustees meeting November 18By Judy Barnes View a photo of Monument's Well 8 Building Trustee George Brown was absent. Public Comments Richard Pankratz, owner of Pankratz Studios and Gallery at 366 Second Street, commented on a rumor that a public works building was being relocated across the street from him, by Well 8. He noted the comprehensive plan designated that area as a retail corridor; a public works building would not be the best use for that space. Pankratz urged the trustees to consider the standard they want to set, noting the town did not follow it’s own requirements before erecting the Well 8 building. He felt the town should follow the rules set for others. Trustee Glenda Smith remarked that she did not realize the Well 8 building would be as large as it is. When the new public works building comes before the budget committee, Smith wants details about the number of trucks that would be parking there, what the building would look like, and how large it would be. Smith asked if the public works building at that location was a certainty. Mayor Konarski replied that nothing would be decided until the board voted on the FY2003 budget. Scheduled Guests: Rich Muzzy and Mike Wicklund – Fountain Creek Watershed Presentation Bruce Thorsen from the City of Colorado Springs, Rich Muzzy, from Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG), and Mike Wicklund gave a slide presentation on the Fountain Creek Watershed Study with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Watershed problems stem chiefly from population growth, which has led to increased wastewater treatment plant discharge and increased impervious [paved] surfaces. Stormwater is also a cause. The resulting problems include streambank erosion, sedimentation, and flooding. Property loss, infrastructure damage, and water quality are also issues. One of the benefits of the watershed study to Monument would be partnering with other local governments to address watershed issues. The total cost would be $3,633 paid over this year, 2003, and 2004. The money was budgeted in FY2002 and FY2003. The trustees voted unanimously to approve the Intergovernmental Agreement for funding the watershed study. They also approved an amendment to the floodplain management ordinance with El Paso County Regional Building Department. Advisory Committees; ordinance amendments and by-laws resolution At their workshop on September 28, the mayor and most of the trustees expressed eagerness to promote and facilitate development in Monument as a way to solve budget shortages. Mayor Konarski, at that meeting, voiced her view that the committees were created by previous boards "to stop the process." She suggested that streamlining the process would let developers know Monument is open for business. At a special meeting on November 4, the trustees considered alternative structures and roles for the committees. At this meeting, November 18, amended ordinances and a resolution to adopt revised by-laws for the committees--public works, parks and landscape, and police advisory--were before the trustees. Trustee Byron Glenn remarked, "Do we really need these committees to review plans when we have a planner? I prefer to get them out of the review process, personally." "I don’t," said Trustee Glenda Smith. Trustee Frank Orten commented about the review function being unacceptable if it slows the [development approval] process. Trustee Smith objected to the part in the proposed by-laws about removal from office without cause. Orten asked about citizen review by the Police Advisory Committee. Chief Kissell explained they would examine how the police handled complaints; a system of checks and balances. Orten requested examples of how that works in bigger cities. His understanding from a friend in Aurora is that citizen review does not always work as it should. The by-laws lacked information about terms of office, and the police advisory committee was going to meet bimonthly, not monthly as stated in the by-laws for all committees. Both measures were sent back for revision and were tabled. IGA With Regional Building For Floodplain Administration in FY2003 Since 1985, each year in December the board considers renewing the IGA with the El Paso County Regional Building Department for flood administration services. There is no cost to the town. The motion passed unanimously. Monthly Financial Report Town Treasurer Judy Skrzypek presented the monthly financial report. Sales tax was up 17.6% from 2001. A motion to approve the October financial reports passed unanimously. Checks over $5,000: GMS, Inc. $15,622.55 for Professional Services 7/27/02 to 8/30/02, and 6/17/02 to 8/30/02 Wells Fargo Bank, NA $89,441.25 for 1998 GOCO Refund Bond GMAC Commercial Mortgage Corp. $ 6,350.00 Tri View Metropolitan District $40,958.33 The motion to approve the checks passed unanimously. Projects for the Pikes Peak Area Council of Government’s FY2004 - 2009 TIP PPACG has issued a "call for projects" for the 2004 – 2009 TIP. The town has until December 4 to submit a list of projects – by year – with the applicable support information. Possible Projects
Whatever the Town submits will require a twenty (20%) percent local match. Listed below are the project recommendations from the Public Works Committee, Planning Commission, and Parks and Landscape Committee: Public Works Committee. Following the project name is the total cost and in parentheses is the 20% local matching cost.
Planning Commission:
Parks and Landscape Committee
Trustee Orten commented about the lack of projects in the Jackson Creek area; that those residents were not getting benefits for their tax money. The first choice of Trustees Perry, Glenn, and Orten were the sidewalks, curbs, and gutters in historic Monument. Mayor Konarski felt that the bike/pedestrian crossing of I-25 was a major issue and should be on the list every year. Mayor Konarski favored the extension of the Santa Fe Trail to the lake, and others agreed. A motion to recommend those three options passed unanimously. Monument Business Park: Referral from El Paso County The El Paso County Planning Department sent the town a copy of the Monument Business Park application and requested comments from the town. Kiowa Engineering of Colorado Springs is the project engineer. The applicant/owner, Monument Business Park and Romdow, Inc. (Colorado Springs attorney Samuel Schoninger is president of both) requested approval of a zone change and preliminary plan. The tract of land, 9.79 acres, is located east of I-25, between Monument Hill Road and Doewood, and ¼ mile south of County Line Road. It is zoned C-1 and RR-3; PUD zoning is proposed for the tract zoned C-1. The parcels are accessed from the proposed Misty Acres Boulevard off Monument Hill Road. The plan proposes a three-story hotel with 80 units, a one-story office building, and a two-story building of medical, restaurant, and retail. Lot 4, east of the proposed Misty Acres Boulevard, is proposed to be attached townhomes on 3.8 acres with a proposed density of 5-8 density units to the acre. The existing house on Lot 4 would be removed. The easternmost lots, lot 5 (0.7 acre) and lot 6 (0.5 acre), are proposed to be used for single family residences. A tract of 0.62 acres of open space is proposed and would act as a buffer between the proposed townhomes and the two residential lots. In a memorandum dated 11/15/02, Town Planner Mike Davenport noted that the Tri-Lakes plan identified traffic as a significant problem, including lack of north-south roads. Davenport recommended that approval should be subject to:
"What do we have to offer to suggest that they come?" asked Mayor Konarski. "If we’re serious about this, shouldn’t we be dialoging with the land owner? Let us explore what else we have to offer and what else we can do." Konarski noted that this was a perfect time to examine annexation, and the town’s inclinations towards annexation in general. A motion to support the staff recommendations passed unanimously. Committee/ Staff Reports Trustee Smith from Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments: 2002 to 2007 widening of Highway 24. At Shoup and Highway 83, improvements have been delayed. Bridge and road fund is going away, since the jail was not supported. This will cost the town about $10,000. Police Chief Joe Kissell informed the board that the department did not receive the federal grant for mobile data transmitters. Town Planner Mike Davenport noted that the planning commission would resume the hearing on the Valley Ridge development. Town Manager Rick Sonnenburg presented a list of all committees and commissions to which the town is a party. There were two vacancies at this time. Trustee Brown volunteered to be the Chamber of Commerce liaison, and Trustee Warner will be on the Advisory Committee to El Paso County Regional Building Commission. A motion to appoint Brown and Warner to their respective positions passed unanimously. Mayor Konarski suggested having a board member on the Fountain Creek Watershed committee. The town’s representative does not have to be an elected official, however. Currently, Mike Wicklund of Monument Sanitation serves on the board. Public Comments: Judy Barnes appeared before the board regarding the annexation of Monument Business Park. In view of what she recently read about growth not paying its own way, she urged the board to carefully examine whether the revenues from the business park would cover the cost of providing services to the development. Executive Session At 8:30 pm the board went into executive session to receive legal advice from the town attorney regarding clarification of the land dedication requirement for the school district in Regency Park. View a photo of Monument's Well 8 Building
Monument Board of Trustees meetings December 2By Judy Barnes 5:30 pm special meeting about annexation Trustee Doug Warner was absent. In response to a question by Trustee Frank Orten about the status of the comprehensive plan, Town Planner Mike Davenport explained the comp plan map was being updated. Orten said that he heard allegations that people’s zoning had been changed. He explained that his only goal was to limit the town’s liability, and that he did not want to see the comp plan or anything else limit what a person could do with his land. Trustee Byron Glenn asked, "What’s currently keeping us from annexing the Wal-Mart site right now?" Davenport explained that the town would have to surround the site. Town Attorney Shupp added, "Total encirclement has to be for a minimum of 5 years." Davenport noted that the landowner is not interested in being annexed. Davenport remarked on the need to look at the cost of providing services over time, not just at the up-front costs of development that are paid for by one-time fees. Five years out, the cumulative costs with residential development outweigh the revenues. 6:30 pm regular meeting Public Comments Tommie Plank of the Historic Monument Merchants Association presented a revised application for two informational signs at the intersection of Beacon Lite Road and Second Street. The two signs would be placed at right angles to one another, and parallel to the sides of the Well 8 building. The measure passed unanimously. Lowell Morgan, a member of the planning commission, commented on the proposed changes to the ordinance pertaining to advisory committees. Morgan said the planning commission appreciates the insights of people on the committees, and pays attention to what they have to say. He would like the committees to see the development applications. Morgan also noted that the committees give people a rare opportunity to participate in government, and urged the board to not get rid of any of the committees. Ordinance Amendments re: Advisory committees and planning commission The planning commission, planning staff, and public works department will refer projects to the committees for review. Committees will hold public meetings, but not hearings; the applicant does not make a presentation to the committees. Additionally, the committees will serve "as a conduit between the community and the town for purposes of citizen input relevant to the basic functions of the committee." Public works will meet monthly, or as required; police advisory committee will meet bi-monthly, or as required; parks and landscape will meet quarterly, or as required. The amended ordinance passed unanimously. A resolution adopting bylaws for advisory committees also passed unanimously. Personnel policy for stand-by/on-call pay Certain employees may be required to be available to respond for emergency call out from their off-duty status. Public Works Superintendent Tom Wall noted that 3 out of 7 nights per week someone is called in for streets. The stand-by pay will range from 6.25% of base pay to 25% of base pay depending on whether the stand-by shift is on a weekday, weekend, or major holiday. The town would now be paying for the partial limitations of the employees’ liberties. While on call, employees must be able to respond within 30 minutes of being called in and they must not have any alcohol in their blood stream. The budgetary impact will be $3,615 in the streets department and $9,590 in the water department. The policy might occasionally apply to the police department, too, but the budgetary impacts would be small. The measure passed unanimously. FY2003 Budget No public comments were made. Trustee George Brown noted that the town would be spending more than it would be bringing in. As a trustee and custodian of the citizens’ money, he thought it was wrong to accept a budget that was not balanced. Trustee Glenda Smith objected to the planned expansion of the Well 8 treatment facility at Second Street and Beacon Lite Road. She felt that it is not the appropriate place for such a facility and the increased truck traffic it would bring. Mayor Konarski and Trustee Orten noted that the board would not have to approve all capital projects when they come before the board. Trustee Perry expressed his view of capital expenditures as ways to take money out of the town’s savings account to do something for the community. The budget ordinance passed 4-2, with Brown and Smith dissenting. The meeting adjourned at 7:55 pm.
Monument comp plan land use plan meeting Nov. 20By Judy Barnes Thirty people came to see the latest rendition of Monument’s comprehensive land use plan at Monument Town Hall on November 20. Attendees included members of the two committees that worked on the plan, a few local property owners, and members of Monument’s planning commission. Monument Town Planner Mike Davenport gave the first presentation, briefing the audience on the Heritage Grant Tri-Lakes study that was done since the last comprehensive plan meeting. Various local jurisdictions (Lewis-Palmer School District, Tri-View Metropolitan District, Woodmoor-Monument Fire Protection District, Monument, and Palmer Lake) received a grant from the Colorado Heritage Grant Program to plan together for the future of the Tri-Lakes area. The chief issues were growth over the next 25 years and what that growth would mean for traffic in the area. TransPlan Associates, a consulting firm, analyzed the impacts of future growth on traffic and what kinds of improvements would be needed, including the cost to build those roads. Growth The Heritage Grant committee chose to use the official growth projections from the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG). According to those figures, there are currently 23,000 people in Tri-Lakes and by 2025 there will be 55,000. Careful scrutiny of available land and zoning revealed that there is not enough land here to handle 55,000 people. Since the projections were done, Woodmoor has become almost built out and much growth has occurred in Jackson Creek. Current zoning would allow 40,000 people by the year 2025. With current water, sewer, zoning, and subdivision regulations, the area will be built out by 2018. More central water and sewer would require 4-5 square miles of land, the equivalent of the town of Monument’s size, to handle the last 7 years of growth. There is enough business land to last until the end of the century; it would take that long to absorb all the land zoned for business. In 2018, the town could rezone commercial land to residential if people wanted housing, but that would reduce future potential sources of revenue for the town. Traffic Janet Hruby from TransPlan described the long-range alternatives for road extensions that included extending Higby to Old Denver Highway via an overpass on I-25, connecting Mitchell to Old Denver Highway, and extending Mitchell to Baptist Road. Much of Highway 83 would need four lanes, as would Highway 105, Baptist Road near Highway 105,Woodmoor Drive, Jackson Creek Parkway, and perhaps Old Denver Highway. Mike Davenport added that El Paso County considers it a critical project to connect Northgate Road to Baptist Road, and even to Highway 105. Latest Plan Barb Cole from Community Matters, a consulting firm involved with development of the comprehensive plan, explained some of the changes to the plan since the last big meeting December 4, 2001. There were a lot of comments to compile, and changes to the land use plan resulted. The biggest changes: Downtown Monument was designated "mixed use" on the previous draft. Now it is "downtown," intended to accommodate a range of land uses including government functions, convenience and specialty retail, housing above retail uses (apartments above stores, for example), and allows for small locally owned businesses to relocate in the historic homes. This area is intended as a community gathering point and desired attributes include development that is attractive to pedestrians and does not generate a high volume of vehicle trips. Mixed use commercial/residential, on the other hand, is designed more to serve the traveling public, to provide a mix of employment centers, retail, and higher density housing. The old "highway commercial" designation has been replaced by "mixed use commercial/residential." The area around Lewis-Palmer High School is now "mixed use" which, in addition to what is described above, could include entertainment complexes. Another change was to the extensive areas formerly labeled "planned industrial." They are now called "business parks" to more accurately convey the whole range of businesses allowed. The actual zoning remains unchanged. Public Comments Kit Roupe, representing the U.S. Air Force Academy, noted that property with "business park" designation was in the accident zone of the Academy’s airfield, west of I-25 and south of Baptist Road. The accident zone extends to the east side of I-25, but that is mostly Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse habitat. She suggested that, due to public safety concerns, "small office/warehousing" and "planned industrial" might be more appropriate uses as they typically would have fewer people in the area. Parks, trails, and open space Mike Davenport announced that in January the parks and landscape committee will begin work on the plan for parks and open space. The town received a GOCO grant and is working with graduate students from the Colorado Center for Community Development of the University of Colorado at Denver. This group is also working on the design of the Second Street entrance. What’s next? The next step for the comprehensive plan is a meeting sometime in January to review the next draft of the plan. In the meantime, a format will be put together for the planning commission to use and something that could be handed to someone coming to the office for information on the plan; an executive summary with the existing and proposed zoning maps. The entire draft will be made available to the planning commission and perhaps the trustees in December for their review and possible changes prior to the larger January meeting. The final draft will then go before the planning commission, probably in February.
Palmer Lake Town Council workshop November 7By Judy Barnes Mayor Nikki McDonald was absent; Trustee Susan Miner presided over the meeting. Committee reports Community & Economic Development--Buildings: Trustee Miner announced that in December they would have a single combined workshop/meeting on December 5. Miner is planning a gala event for recruitment of volunteers to contribute four hours of service in a nonprofit organization such as the museum, art center, or parks (planting flowers or cleaning up, for example). To promote a spirit of volunteering for the commmunity, there will be a contest with prizes for best team name and uniform. A family, neighborhood, or club could form a team and choose a team name and uniform (tee shirt or cap, for example). Individuals can compete also. Applications are available at the town offices. Miner also noted plans for a feasibility study for the development of the property by the lake, and is trying to raise the grant match of $3,000 to $5,000. A committee interviewed 13 applicants for the town’s events coordinator position, spinning off two new positions as a result, with a third in the works. Miner first introduced Sonya Barnstable, the new events coordinator for events such as parties and weddings in the town hall and village green. Sonya has extensive catering experience and envisions a décor change for the town hall to a Victorian theme. She plans to market the alcohol-free hall for corporate retreats and workshops. Sonya’s first project is the New Year’s Eve party the town will be hosting for students of Lewis-Palmer High School. Co-sponsors of the party include the school’s International Drug-Free Youth (IDFY), whose members chose the name of the event, Steppin’ to the Starz, and designed a poster that will be displayed around the school. The Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce and George Reese of Palmer Lake Motors are also sponsors. Miner is hopeful the building will earn a profit for the town in the near future; so far it has not been paying its own way. The yearly cost to operate the building is $6,000 for lights, heat, etc. Income from the town hall so far this year is $3,800; it currently rents for $25 an hour. There will be a rate increase, but the old rate will continue for long-time customers such as the Karate class and Palmer Lake residents will receive a discount. Miner would like to buy nice dishes to have for rent at events in the hall. Miner also introduced Lyne Lundquist, special events coordinator for large fund-raising events, who formerly worked in development for the Arapahoe Philharmonic, a 98 piece orchestra. Lyne described her successful fundraising experience in that position. One project in the works is an effort to bring back Chattaqua--a cultural festival--in conjunction with the Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts and Tri-Lakes Views, a group led by Monument Mayor Betty Konarski. A third position being considered is someone to revive the park and recreations activities such as exercise classes and Mom and Tot classes. Twelve years ago the town had a full-time Park and Recreation position. The new event coordinators will work on a commission basis; in lieu of a salary, they will get a share of the money they raise for the town. Police: Trustee Eddie Kinney reported the number of citations was 83, down from 132 the previous month. Fire: Trustee Scott Russell reported on the work to refurbish the star on Sundance Mountain. Funds for the star’s maintenance are raised at the annual chili supper, November 30 this year. Requests for business licenses Honey Bear Bakery: Renee Brodt, whose name means ‘bread’ in German, plans to open a take-out only bakery in the little yellow house at 292 Highway 105. She will offer fresh breads, rolls, biali, danish, cinnamon buns, pies, and other pastries, along with coffee and tea. Special orders will be welcome. In response to my question, Renee informed me that her baked goods are made with butter! She brought samples to the meeting: monkey bread filled with apple butter, cinnamon buns, and some small pastries. In my official capacity, I tasted the first two and judged them to be delicious. The tentative plan is for the bakery to be open from 6:30 am to 2 pm Wednesdays through Saturdays, and 8 am to 1 pm on Sundays. A business license was approved at the town council meeting, November 14. Blue Mountain Water Distributors: Daniel Teuton will have a bottled water delivery service at 579-A County Line Road. His product is El Dorado Artesian Spring Water, from the little town of El Dorado Springs, six miles south of Boulder. Teuton will deliver coolers and 5-gallon bottles of water. He currently delivers smaller bottles to King Soopers. A license was approved at the November 14 meeting. Petition for annexation: Cornuke Subdivision Bob Cornuke seeks a one-parcel annexation, zoning R1E (Estate Zone) and the creation of a single lot minor subdivision located at the intersection of Forest View Road and Douglas Road. At previous meetings, some trustees objected to the annexation and a new water tap when people already in the town had been denied taps. The applicant requested the hearing take place at the December 5 meeting. Request for a fire line by the Inn at Palmer Divide Allen Fritts explained the building will require a sprinkler system and wishes to extend the existing service line on Highway 105. Fritts described three options for providing water for fire protection. Option 1 would bring the main down the highway and add a tap to the Inn. Option 2 would extend the existing tap from Missionary Training International (MTI) 800-900 feet to the Inn. Option 3 would require installation of water storage on the Inn’s property. The water use for flushing 800 feet of line would be 1,250 gallons. Trustee Randy Jones noted that Steve Orcutt, the town’s water superintendent, had expressed concern about health risks to water users resulting from adding more stagnation to the water line. Trustee Kinney felt that Orcutt should attend the meeting to answer questions that arise. Trustee Miner also had concerns about the risk of bacteria in the water. She also noted that a pressure problem would result in the event of a fire. Opening the fire line would quickly drain the storage tank, leaving the town’s water users without water. Fritts wanted to have those views substantiated. "We are not increasing any problems that the town doesn’t already have. I would like to see some empirical data, some objective reason why it’s not feasible to do what we propose…We’re being denied all services except fire…We’re going to be the biggest employer in town," said Fritts. Miner replied, "The burden of proof to prove Steve [Orcutt] wrong is with you. We trust Steve’s expertise and professionalism." Kurt Ehrhardt, the contractor for MTI and the Inn, urged the town, "Please look at the whole scenario when you vote next week." Trustee Cindy Allen noted the possibility of bacteria, backflow, and stagnation were worrisome to her. Trustee Miner concluded, "It’s now a health issue, not a flushing water use issue." The planning commission previously recommended burying storage tanks and denied the water line extension. Request for a building on County Line Road Doug Higgins wants a storage unit for himself, "a sharp-looking building and landscaping." He does not need water to the building right away, but would like to tap onto water when taps are available. Higgins was instructed to appear at the town council meeting the following week. The council approved the request at the November 14 meeting. Discussion of the proposed 2003 budget Town Clerk Della Gins succeeded in balancing the budget.
Palmer Lake Town Council meeting November 14By Judy Barnes Trustee Susan Miner presided in Mayor Nikki McDonald’s absence. Kudos to Travis Coleman and Hunter Faussett Fire Chief Gregg Lokken led the singing of "Happy Birthday" to Travis Coleman, who was celebrating his 29th birthday that day. Chief Lokken honored Travis’s faithful attendance at town meetings. An aside--Travis helps deliver OCN to Palmer Lake, Red Rocks Ranch, and Forest View Estates. Chief Lokken presented an award to six-year-old Hunter Faussett, who saved his mother’s life by phoning 911. Rhonda Faussett is diabetic and suffered an episode of dangerously low blood sugar on the morning of September 27. Hunter phoned 911 when he was unable to wake his mother; then he got her insulin out and ready for emergency service personnel. Request for a fire line by Allen Fritts for the Inn at Palmer Divide Allen Fritts noted that almost every town has deadend water lines somewhere. It is not desired, but they deal with it. An 870-foot extension would have a potential for bacterial problems, but with proper maintenance including flushing, it would not be a health hazard. The town had invited guests to address the deadend line issue. Glenn Bodnar, a professional engineer from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, oversees drinking water quality control in the state. He stated there are problems with deadend lines, especially because drinking water regulations are getting increasingly stringent. The coliform rule allows zero coliform (fecal coliform) content. The disinfectant byproduct rule that will go into effect in 2005 in Palmer Lake, does not allow excess chlorine (4 mL/L) because its buproducts are carcinogenic. His office likes to see looping, as it keeps the water moving and fresh. Stagnant water, such as that in a deadend line, promotes bacterial growth. Bodnar emphasized the importance of careful maintenace with a deadend line, which would mean frequent sampling, followed by flushing when the sampling results indicated it was needed. Typically, a deadend line needs to be flushed every 6-12 months, according to Bodnar. He also discussed backflow preventers, such as those used by car washes, mortuaries, and hospitals. Such a device on a 10 inch line would be very expensive, maybe tens of thousands of dollars, and would be very large. It would have to be protected from freezing. Melissa Wetzig, a professional engineer from RTW Professional Engineers and Consultants, Inc. referred to a letter to the trustees from Steve Orcutt, the town’s water system superintendent. In the letter dated November 6, Orcutt stated, "Hydraulic modeling done by RTW show the existing system does not have adequate capacity, even if looping is used, to supply fire flows at the Inn at Palmer Divide or at MTI without serious impacts in other areas of the town. I believe it should be the town’s policy to not allow modifications to the system that will negatively impact existing users." Jan Bristol, co-chairman of the planning commission, explained that the commission voted to not recommend the fire line extension because of the amount of water needed for flushing, the health issue, and the need for more town resources in manpower to maintain the line. The planning commission decided the recurring cost to the town was greater than any benefit of the line extension to the town. They would love to see a fire line extend all the way to the West End Center. Steve Orcutt said he flushed the line every two weeks this past summer; when the chlorine residual gets down to .2, he has to flush. Palmer Lake resident Bob Miner suggested parties go back to the drawing board to find a solution. Kurt Ehrhardt, contractor for MTI and the Inn, commented that the backflow preventer sounded good. They would need a 50,000-gallon storage tank as required by the state to put out a fire. A six-inch line to the Inn from MTI’s six-inch line would reduce the amount of water needed for flushing. A backflow preventer on a six-inch line would be much smaller and less expensive then on a ten-inch line. Doug Higgins commented that in Phoenix, backflow preventers were very common and the businesses, not the city, were responsible for them. A motion was passed unanimously to form an ad hoc committee to pursue solutions to the problem. Bob Miner, planning commission member Gary Coleman, Allen Fritts, and Kurt Ehrhardt will serve on the committee and bring their findings to the December 5 council meeting. The original motion was tabled until December 5. $10 Water surcharge An ordinance was passed placing a surcharge of $10 per month on water accounts, with a provision allowing for an adjustment using the Federal Poverty Level criteria. The surcharge is an easily revocable interim measure to assure the availability of money to pay the electric bill for operating the wells. Each month the Arapahoe well is turned on, there is an automatic charge for electricity of $932. The two-day test of the well in August cost the town $1,300 in electricity. With the electric company, there is a choice of receiving electricity on demand, or having regular service. Each option has a different rate. The town will not know which option costs them less until they have run the wells for an extended period. They can switch once after making a decision. Increase in dog licensing fees An ordinance was considered to raise dog tag fees to $11 for a neutered/spayed dog and $21 for a dog that was not neutered or spayed. Palmer Lake pays $2,000 per year to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region. To arrive at the new dog tag fees, town staff divided $2,000 by the number of people with dog licenses. Trustee Cindy Allen argued against the fee increase. The measure passed, with Allen and Trustee Eddie Kinney dissenting. Lifting the moratorium on water taps was scheduled to be considered at the combined workshop/meeting on December 5. The meeting adjourned at 10:07 pm.
Palmer Lake Planning Commission Nov. 13 and 20By Judy Barnes Public input Blake Sunderman, who lives on Suncrest at the east end of a long-standing boundary dispute, wants to subdivide his lot. As a result of the boundary dispute, he would end up with two lots of 2.35 acres each. The zoning is for 2.5 acre lots. There would be just one house, and it would not be near the property line. In 1E zoning, 150 feet of frontage is required without a variance. The planning commission recommended that Sunderman go to the variance board first, with a preliminary plat. Request for a vacation and replat of interior lot lines; 7 Valley Crescent; Paula Johnson Mrs. Johnson’s daughter Therese appeared on her mother’s behalf. Mrs. Johnson plans to put up a second building as a bed and breakfast establishment, the Graystone Inn. The planning commission recommended she bring the new square footage of each lot and an approved plan to the next meeting. At the November 20 meeting, the commission recommended approval of the plan, which was scheduled to go before the town council at the December 5 meeting. Sign and banner ordinance, revisited Banners, pennants, and sandwich boards are regarded as temporary signs and require a permit that can be applied for five working days ahead, for $20.
Triview Metro District discusses Monument comp plan, Wal-Mart, the Baptist interchange, drainage, water, and the 2003 budgetBy John Heiser The Triview Metropolitan District Board of Directors held its regular monthly meeting November 20. There were several Jackson Creek residents and other Tri-Lakes area residents in attendance. Bondholder Tom Phelan and his son Chris attended. Monument’s Draft Revised Comprehensive Plan Triview district manager Ron Simpson said that following a meeting between Triview, the landowners, and the Monument Planning Department to discuss issues with the comprehensive plan revisions, "Most of the issues have been dealt with." The setbacks for the commercial and industrial properties have been revised. Sections 7 and 8 on utilities will be based on a draft submitted by Simpson. State approves reuse water irrigation at middle school and Gleneagle golf course District engineer Chuck Ritter of Nolte and Associates reported that the district’s application for a state permit for reuse water irrigation at Creekside Middle School and the Gleneagle golf course has been approved. The Triview and Donala districts now must decide whether to use tanks or ponds to store the reuse water. Donala is currently storing one tank owned by Triview. Installation of the Supervisor Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to control drinking Water Treatment Plant-B is running a bit behind schedule due to some wiring problems. The project is still scheduled for completion before the end of the year. Wal-Mart Simpson reported that Goldberg Property Associates is expected to submit a revised Wal-Mart traffic impact study by the end of November. He said it is still not known when the planning commission and board of county commissioners hearings might be held. Baptist Road Interchange plans Simpson said the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has nearly completed their plan for the changes to the Baptist Road/I-25 interchange. The proposed improvements to Baptist Road extend east beyond Jackson Creek Parkway. He said the improvements would be made "if and when funds are available." He noted that there is overlap between what CDOT is proposing to do and what is expected to be required of Wal-Mart. Peter Susemihl, attorney for the district, said, "We can divert funds and maybe do Jackson Creek Parkway north of Baptist." Traffic Improvement Project Simpson noted that Monument has submitted TIP proposals to the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG, also known as the COG). The proposals cover improvements to Jackson Creek Parkway, Baptist Road, Higby Road, Mitchell Avenue, and I-25. After remarking that he did not know where the town would find the required matching funds, Simpson suggested the district submit a letter supporting the projects and priorities. Susemihl added, "COG committed all the TIP dollars to Woodmen Road for the next five years." Mouse habitat signs Simpson said he is continuing to work with the landowners on how the district can get reimbursed for the approximately $1,000 cost of the signs warning people not to trespass on the Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse habitat. He said, "It is not a significant cost but we need to make sure the process works with the property owners." Rick Blevins of Jackson Creek Vision Development Company added that someone has to be responsible for replacing the signs. That cost could run to $1,000 per year. Drainage study and safety of three dams As discussed last month, the Triview district drainage study produced by Ayres Associates of Fort Collins raised concerns about three dams that do not meet state dam criteria. The Baptist Road crossing of Jackson Creek would be one of the downstream areas at risk if the dams were to fail during a major storm. Simpson said this problem is being discussed with the landowners and their consultants. Parks, trails, open space, and landscaping Triview is nearly ready to submit an application to Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) for a lottery funds grant to improve the Heights Trail and trickle channel landscaping. Some of the residents have written letters supporting the grant application. Simpson noted that in 2002, Triview added 395,000 sq. ft. (9 acres) of district maintained open space. He expects at least 105,000 sq. ft. (2.4 acres) will be added in 2003. Further development requires a new well As discussed last month, Simpson said the district will not issue any more "will serve" letters without a commitment to drill a new well. Water supply Susemihl reported on a meeting with the northern water providers including Woodmoor, Donala, Monument, and Palmer Lake. They are considering what sort of organizational structure will best support local efforts to improve water supply and delivery. Simpson added that the group is looking at renewable resources and the possibility of "joining forces with the big boys to the north." The board unanimously approved formation of a northern water providers group. 2003 Budget, transition of billing from Donala Simpson distributed copies of a revised draft 2003 budget. He said the modified contract with Donala is now in writing. The budget still needs to be changed to reflect the county assessor’s office November 30 report of assessed values in the district. It is expected the final 2003 budget will be approved at the next board meeting December 11. A revised 2002 budget was unanimously approved. According to district administrator Dale Hill, the revisions included a $350,000 increase in payments on the district’s bonded indebtedness. ********** The Triview Metropolitan District Board of Directors normally meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month, 6:30 pm, at the district offices, 174 North Washington St. To meet the December 15 filing deadline for the 2003 budget, the next meeting will be held December 11. For further information, contact the Triview Metropolitan District at 488-6868.
Woodmoor Improvement Association Oct. and Nov. board meetingsBy Chris Pollard In the two meetings prior to the November election, a considerable amount of time was devoted to hearing presentations by both candidates for El Paso County Sheriff. A major part of the discussion centered around the possibility of deputizing or in some way commissioning the Woodmoor security department so they could carry weapons and have the full emergency vehicle lights on their cars. In addition, coverage of the area by the sheriff’s department was discussed. After the election, Sheriff Elect Terry Maketa came back to report that it would be very difficult for the officers to be deputized given the very stringent training requirements. Given the restraints of the county budget, improved coverage is also unlikely. In general, Woodmoor Security does a very good job of deterring crime and provides a neighborly, friendly service. The current policy of checking homes in Woodmoor while owners are on vacation goes well beyond the services normally provided by the sheriff. The most obvious deficiency is in the ability to enforce traffic regulations in the high accident areas that are largely at the boundary lines between the Town of Monument and Woodmoor. Parking will now be provided at the Toboggan Hill open space and plans are being made to replace the "Woodmoor" signs at the various entry points with stone structures. Residents would be mindful to know that covenant violations are attended to on a regular basis and fines levied in the hundreds of dollars. The most frequent subject of violations is barking dogs.
Letters to Our CommunityWater "crisis" or opportunity?Several recent articles about the impending water "crisis" in northern El Paso County prompts me to offer some suggestions on the problem and its solutions. As a resident of northern El Paso County with my own domestic well, as a ground-water hydrologist, and as a member of the citizen’s group that prepared the Comprehensive Plan for the Tri-Lakes Area, I believe that I have something to offer. First of all, there is not a "crisis". Water is available and will continue to be available with good stewardship of the resource. There is an opportunity for recognition of the basic facts of ground water availability, the need for level-headed water planning, and cooperation of all involved water users and water producers. Here are several major points to consider.
I am hopeful that the water users, planners, and producers can appreciate these important facts, incorporate them in our long-range planning, and wisely use our water resources for the near future and well beyond. Chuck Robinove
County CorruptionPower corrupts, and absolute power corrupts, absolutely. Nowhere is this saying more applicable than with the El Paso County Commissioners. But while the public fumes and fusses over the arrogant decisions of the Commissioners to obey the will of the voters, and they have ignored the public interest, one other saying is just as applicable. The public is "getting what it deserves" for ignoring the fact that we are supposed to have a two-party political system. The naïve local greater Colorado Springs area public has for too long assumed that only Republicans and all Republicans in every County office makes for the best government. County government has been rotten for a long time. Because County government IS the Republican Party, unaccountable in any meaningful way to anybody but party insiders. Yet local taxpayers pay for it. And keep voting for it. Why should they be surprised? The failure of the voters of El Paso County to elect at least one Democrat, or even Independent, to the Board of County Commissioners for fully 30 years has permitted the cozy overpaid ($75,000 a year for the next one elected) one-party club, with a very highly paid crafty Administrator, who was also once an elected Commissioner (detect a ‘revolving door’ political system here?) whose position is not even provided for in state law, to get away with many things, out of sight and out of mind of the public. Partisan County government gets precious little effective press scrutiny. And almost never detect power-mongering before the fact. Thus it operates largely behind closed doors, meeting in public as seldom as it legally has to, to plot and plan whatever it wants to do, without a single opposition-party whistle-blower, or observant elected or appointed official who is not serving at the sufferance of the local Republican party insiders to alert the public, in advance, of what is going on. So now, when it is too late, the majority 4 of 5 Commissioners have defied the will of the voters who voted 2-1 against a large bond issue for the jail. They are going ahead anyway, by stripping needed County services and the City of Colorado Springs of their budgets. ‘To hell with the voters. We are Kings. We didn’t even work hard to convince the voters we needed a jail. We have the power to ignore them. And we shall.’ And then using a subterfuge way to get around the TABOR Amendment by approving finance authority bonds to ‘lease’ yet another new building, for government offices, they again have defied the taxpayers, citizens, and the intent of state law. And rubbed it in by putting that new, obscenely large building where it will kill a downtown mall, and block the open vista view of Pikes Peak from the grounds of the Historic Pioneers Museum defying the City Council’s wishes, much less the public’s, and Preservationists. And will still stick the taxpayers to pay for a ‘lease’ which is simply a financial shell game. General Palmer who founded Colorado Springs, and made downtown design decisions to preserve its beauty, would have run today’s Commissioners out of town. Oops. He wouldn’t have needed to. One Commissioner, Ed Jones got pushed up to the State Legislature, even though he has a sordid past, at which even the Republican District Attorney winked. So now the State Level has to live with him. You think this kind of arrogant behavior is new? How about 20 years ago when all-Republican commissioners refused to go to bid for 14 years with their computer services, which were over priced, obsolete, and with blatant conflicts of interests with one vendor who was also the sole technical advisor to the Board? Only citizen action got that rectified. How about the secret relationship 10 years ago between the crook County Pension fund manager and County officials elected to supervise him getting personal loans from him? The stink was so great then, even the local Republican party had to dump one of their own, and put the other one in jail. Don’t tell me the signs of trouble were not visible years before. Where was any whistle blower inside county government then? Republican elected officials don’t rat on each other. And County employees who are hired or appointed by one-party County elected officials or even worse, by the unelected administrator, keep their mouths shut, at risk of their jobs. Then in a repeat performance quite recently, once again those who profess to be conservative, careful with taxpayer money, and believe in open government and the competitive marketplace, refused to go to bid for more computer services, until an outside company yelled loud enough one newspaper looked into it - after the fact. Elected County Commissioners never have practiced what Republicans preach. In El Paso County they are con artists all. The time has come for the local Democratic Party with support from the State Party to nominate a tough minded candidate with no ties to the incestuous local Republican party to fill the next Commissioner seat. And its up to Independents, Democrats, and principled Republicans to elect him or her. Or El Paso County will continue to get the lousy government its voters deserve. And continue to send losers to the State House. And later even to Congress. All schemed for by the money behind the El Paso County Republican Party, whose power mongers can be counted on the fingers of one hand. This has been going on for a half century. Wake up, voters. The El Paso Republican Party has no clothes. Its time for you to show a little shame. Dave Hughes
OCN planned to print Ernie Biggs letter "Green Bigotry" in this month’s issue together with a response from John Heiser who is named in Mr. Biggs letter; however, Biggs’ letter appeared in the December 4 edition of the Tri-Lakes Tribune. In keeping with our policy of not knowingly printing letters that have appeared elsewhere, we have removed Mr. Biggs’ letter. Response to Ernie Biggs’ "Green Bigotry"Mr. Biggs’ letter is filled with ignorance, name-calling, and falsehoods. First off, Mr. Biggs apparently makes up his own definition of bigotry. My dictionary says, "A bigot is one who is strongly partial to one’s own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ." Bigotry is defined as "the attitude, state of mind, or behavior characteristic of a bigot; intolerance." Rather than honestly debate the issues surrounding the Wal-Mart proposal, Mr. Biggs resorts to name-calling and smear tactics against all who disagree with him. It is false to say Wal-Mart has been an asset to all the communities where they operate. Many small towns have been irreparably damaged by Wal-Mart’s arrival. It is also false that the Coalition of Tri-Lakes Communities kept Wal-Mart from being annexed to the Town of Monument. Wal-Mart put their application on hold not because of any action of the Coalition but because the Monument Public Works Committee asked them to propose a way to mitigate their impact to Baptist Road prior to opening the store. The Wal-Mart proposal could have gone forward to the Monument Planning Commission and Board of Trustees with a Public Works Committee recommendation for denial. Instead Wal-Mart decided to go to the county in a blatant example of jurisdictional shopping: Playing one governmental entity against another. Under Wal-Mart’s present proposal, Monument would not receive any tax revenue from the store and would suffer losses of $500,000 to $1 million per year in reduced sales tax revenue from King Soopers, Safeway, Brookhart’s, Total, Shell, and the other stores within the town. By the proposed underhanded arrangement, the voters would have no say in decisions regarding infrastructure improvements. A private corporation not subject to TABOR, open meeting laws, or open records laws would make those decisions. Surely Mr. Biggs does not think that is a good idea. Another falsehood is that having a Wal-Mart on Baptist Road will reduce traffic. In fact, Wal-Mart would double the traffic on Baptist Road. Wal-Mart’s own traffic study concluded that 83% of the vehicle trips to their store would be made by people who would not otherwise be on Baptist Road. As Carl Schueler, Assistant Director of County Planning, said, "No matter how much Wal-Mart contributes to Baptist Road improvements, the day it goes in, it would kill the interchange." Reworking the Baptist interchange is expected to cost taxpayers in the neighborhood of $30 million. Mr. Biggs likes to talk about tax dollars. Perhaps he is unaware the county is considering spending about $2 million on a bridge over Black Forest Creek that runs through Struthers Ranch. The bridge is needed to complete Jackson Creek Parkway south. It would benefit Wal-Mart and a handful of other developers. The Baptist Road site is not zoned for a regional center such as Wal-Mart that draws customers from up to 20 miles away. The neighbors bought their lots and built their homes expecting a neighborhood-oriented commercial site. That expectation is also reflected in the comprehensive plans and the Chaparral Hills covenants. Properly zoned land in the area would cost Wal-Mart about twice as much. If the Board of County Commissioners approves the rezoning, they are handing $3 million in corporate welfare to Wal-Mart at the expense of reduced property values for the homeowners in the area. The crass "butt out" comment at the end is particularly interesting considering that Mr. Biggs does not live within the Town of Monument. The reality is that all Tri-Lakes area residents stand to be affected by this project and have a Constitutionally protected right to express their concerns. As Edmund Burke said, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing." John Heiser
Economic and Tax Impact of Wal-MartI am writing to express my and my wife’s opposition to the proposed Baptist Road Wal-Mart supercenter. After hearing the data presented at recent public hearings, it is clear that the Wal-Mart store will only cause more social, safety, and economic problems in this area. In addition to the problems of more traffic congestion (and accidents), water contamination, light and noise pollution, outside storage and trash issues, and possible destruction of the Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse habitat, it will contribute to added crime and damage if not destroy Monument’s economic infrastructure. Several of the slides at the Community Meeting on Saturday, November 16 discussed the tax implications of the Wal-Mart store.
Allowing Wal-Mart to build along Baptist Road is a bad idea. It will weaken the local economy through lost tax revenues and lost jobs, increase public safety problems and crime, and damage the environment. We urge you to prevent Wal-Mart from building here. If we want to shop there and local businesses don’t have what we want, we can easily go to the Chapel Hills or the Castle Rock Wal-Marts. Let Wal-Mart build their next store near Woodmen and Meridian, but not here! The only Wal-Mart truck we want to see in Monument is when they are getting gas at a local gas station. At least then they will be putting money into our economy!! Brian and Fran Freese
Not looking for just AnytownIt is very easy to commend the capitalist free enterprise system for producing innovation and giving choice in the market place. However, capitalism also has a dark side, that of the monopoly. In the early days of the cash register, a company called NCR used a number of predatory practices to drive competitors out of the market. Now that Walmart has achieved an almost monopoly like status by virtue of it being the largest retailer, it can dictate to its suppliers things that smaller enterprises cannot. It can dominate competing retailers by offering lowest common denominator products at lower prices. Most of Kansas has apparently fallen to this model already. Vast areas of that state are now dominated by Walmart. Small business have been driven out of the hearts of many towns. In a strange way, Walmart is beginning to bear some resemblance to what a communist-run supermarket might be like – lousy service, lots of people in look-alike uniforms, the employees are badly paid, there are few benefits, the management is pretty ruthless, and you can only buy what they have. In addition, it’s the only store in town. The inside of the store is one step up from a factory. Maybe it’s not run by a government that wasn’t elected by a democratic process – but it is run by a company that is not under our control. A Walmart will never stock to suit our tastes or special order the different model that suits our need. They either have it or they don’t. You are going to get stuck with what is generally the highest volume and least cost product. The idea of Walmart coming to Monument, quite frankly, scares me. I don’t understand how both Safeway and King Soopers are going to survive. If we lose Safeway, then we will be going back to the situation 20 years ago when there was no decent supermarket in the center of Monument and we had to drive down the freeway to get almost everything. If the Walmart arrives, then Monument will have drifted further into total blandness and become just like so many other towns. We already have far more franchise operations than is common so that the area near the McDonalds comes close to being a miniature North Academy. I don’t want Monument to become Anytown, USA. Is it really necessary for us to lose local businesses that give us personal service just to save a few dollars? We don’t buy the cheapest automobile or live in the smallest house all the time, why do we want this for a source of supplies that isn’t generally the largest part of our budget? I came to Monument for something different; I didn’t come here to get the same products and service as the state next door. Walmart takes us another step towards boring sameness and mediocrity. Chris Pollard
Gazette Editorials Draw FireOn November 20, the Colorado Springs Gazette ran an Our View editorial titled "Big-box boogieman: Retailer is the target of a ruckus in Monument." On November 22, the Gazette ran an Our View editorial titled "American NIMBYs: The new face of exclusionism." The following letters were prompted by those editorials. Most were submitted to the Gazette but have so far not appeared in that paper. We need more planning not lessRecent editorials in the Gazette about the proposed Baptist Road Wal-Mart accuse those opposed to the project of being obstructionist, anti-Wal-Mart and worse, against free enterprise. Name-calling and the use of inflammatory buzzwords are a cheap trick designed to avoid debate and stifle dissent. Fortunately, many Tri-lakes area residents are too smart to be distracted by these diversionary tactics, as evidenced by the number who attended the community meeting November 16th. My husband and I chose a home in the Tri-Lakes area for its natural beauty and relatively gently developed state. We realize growth is inevitable. But as population density increases, maintaining a community’s desirability and unique character requires more planning, not less. We expect our county commissioners to base their development decisions on the comprehensive plan, rather than change zoning at the behest of every developer with deep pockets who is willing to contribute to local campaign coffers.. This development is unsuited for THIS site, under present traffic, water, and infrastructure conditions. I urge Tri-lakes citizens to familiarize themselves with the drawbacks of this proposal. You have a right to help shape the future of your community. Susanne Wielgopolan
A Simple Case of the Wrong ZoningI live in Gleneagle, right off of Baptist Road, and have been following the proposed Wal-Mart debate with interest lately because the development of such a Wal-Mart Super Center will obviously impact me, both positively and negatively. I also had an opportunity to read the "Our View" editorial, entitled "Big-box Boogieman" in the November 20 edition of the Colorado Springs Gazette. I have to write unfortunately first of all, how appalled I was by the total lack of professionalism demonstrated in the Gazette’s editorial. The plethora of name-calling was completely unacceptable. It seems to me that a professional journalist should be able, and expected, to express an opinion or point of view without the use of such sophomoric name-calling. I learned that easy discipline, as most others did, in elementary school debate lessons. The second, and probably more disturbing, issue the Gazette editor needs to address is the lack of comprehensiveness in that editorial. He completely missed the main point of the whole debate. Those of us that have chosen this area of El Paso County to make our lives did so with the understanding that that area is zoned, or designated, for a specific type of development. Now Wal-Mart, the property owner, and the Triview Metropolitan District want to change those rules to line their own pockets. The people living in this area, as do all Americans, just expect everyone to play by and follow the rules, and the rule in this case is that that area is not zoned for a Wal-Mart or any other similar development. It doesn’t matter if it’s Wal-Mart or ‘Joe’s Trinket Emporium’. That type of development is not allowed. I’m not advocating that the owner, and future owner(s), give up their property rights, or that market competition be denied, what I’m advocating is that the rule that has been established be followed, and in this case, that rule states that a "Super Center" type of development in any manner, by anyone, cannot be developed on that parcel. It’s just that simple. Robert Ehrhardt
Concern for the community is everyone’s responsibilityIn response to the "Our View" columns of November 20 and November 22 regarding the proposed Wal-Mart on Baptist Road, it is clear that the editorial staff of The Gazette has not taken the time to educate themselves regarding the facts of the situation and has chosen instead to publish ill-informed rants against the "NIMBYs" and "Big Box Heads." The vast majority of those who are opposed to the proposed Wal-Mart are not opposed to development and are not interested in keeping the intersection of Baptist Road and I-25 as it was 5, 10 or 20 years ago as these editorials suggest. On the contrary, we are very much in favor of development of this area and improvements to this interchange, provided that they are done in accordance with the existing master plan, zoning, and covenants, and with the desired character of the town in mind. One of the biggest problems with the proposed Wal-Mart is that the developer has done and continues to do everything possible to avoid having to contribute to any infrastructure improvements. Far from offering to help cover some of these costs as the November 20 Our View stated, the developer in fact withdrew from discussions with the Town of Monument when the Monument Public Works Committee asked for the developer’s financial participation in necessary Baptist Road improvements. The developer instead chose to pursue their plans with the Board of County Commissioners, scuttling the issues of improvements onto the Triview Public Improvements Corporation. This PIC would be funded with sales dollars paid by customers, with no funds to be contributed by the developer, and no taxpayer input into how the funds would be spent. Why should local taxpayers be forced to subsidize improvements for which the developer refuses to be responsible or even cooperate with? Further, Wal-Mart is simply not the kind of corporate citizen that this area needs or wants to support. In the current climate of corporate crime and misdeeds, it would be beyond comprehension for a responsible citizenry to welcome into their community a corporate entity that continues, in spite of numerous lawsuits and public backlash, to engage in unethical employment practices and business tactics. Wal-Mart may be "successful" as the November 20 Our View states, but is this really the kind of success that our community wants to encourage? The location of the proposed Wal-Mart is clearly not "an empty field" occupied by "two tumbleweeds and 12 protesters" - it is an ecologically important wetland habitat that would be virtually destroyed by the 18 acres of parking lot, trash, chemical runoff and other contamination that the Wal-Mart would generate. The developer’s current plans for the Wal-Mart include no trails, sidewalks, or other buffers to mitigate this impact, ignoring feedback from community members at every turn that these issues must be addressed. The Gazette editorial staff derides those of us willing to take action to educate our neighbors and community members regarding the problems with this proposed Wal-Mart development as "activists" as if this were an epithet. Perhaps the editorial staff needs to be reminded that this country was founded by "activists," and that concern for one’s community and how it grows and evolves is not just everyone’s right, but also everyone’s responsibility. Teresa Schmitt
Violates plansEveryone opposing the proposed Super Wal-Mart on Baptist Road is not a "not-in-my-backward(sic) busybody, anti-capitalist crank or one who despises everyday low prices, ample free parking, and around-the clock shopping."(The Gazette Editorial, Nov. 20). We are concerned citizens who would like to see development that is appropriate for the property and the area where proposed. The Super Wal-Mart proposal does not fit the recommendations of the El Paso County Master Plan, the El Paso County Policy Plan, the 2000 Tri-Lakes Comprehensive Plan or the Chaparral Hills (adjoining subdivision) covenants. It also does not meet the current zoning, R4, which for commercial use is Planned Business Park. The definition of PBP as outlined in the El Paso County Land Development Code is: "The District is established for the purpose of providing for retail sales and service establishments that generally require freestanding buildings that primarily serve an adjoining neighborhood or neighborhoods." A Super Wal-Mart is a regional retail store and will require a two level more intense zoning change to PBC, Planned Business Center. This property is not zoned for any big box store, Super Wal-Mart or otherwise. Steven J. Sery
CommunicationThe Gazette recently wrote an editorial that criticized County Government for not effectively communicating with us citizens. The next day, the Gazette wrote an editorial that criticized citizens who are attempting to communicate with County Government. Is communication good or isn’t it? The Gazette criticized Monument-area residents who are attempting to convince the County Commissioners that a Super Wal-Mart is neither needed nor wanted in northern El Paso County. The Gazette implied that a silent majority may support a monster store that kills all smaller stores. Eighty-five percent of the people in the area feel otherwise. The Gazette said that the people who drive on Baptist Road should be happy that Wal-Mart is offering some money to pay for improvements to Baptist Road. In fact, Wal-Mart is offering a pig in a poke. Wal-Mart wants to avoid paying a 3% sales tax to the Town of Monument. Instead, Wal-Mart wants to pay that money into a private corporation that will have no public meetings or participation. It is hoped that the private corporation will use the money to help the community. However, we don’t know whether that will happen since neither the Tri-View Metro District nor Wal-Mart have put the details of the private corporation in writing. Our community works best when citizens are allowed to participate in major decisions. However, both Wal-Mart and the Gazette apparently believe that when it comes to capitalism, the public should just keep their mouths shut and keep buying. Steve Waldmann
Letters from Law Enforcement: Safe shoppingBy Monument Police Chief The Holiday Season is upon us and with it brings those dishonest individuals who prey upon those in our society who are honest. You can protect yourself during this time by taking some simple precautions that can keep you from becoming a victim. This month, we address some things you can do while shopping at the malls this season that seem simple but go a long way in protecting you and your family. Trust your instincts, they are usually right. Be aware of your surroundings and stay alert. Shop during daylight hours when you can and if you do shop at night, shop with someone. Other things you can do:
Your Police Department wants you to have a safe and enjoyable Holiday Season. As always if you have questions please call us at 481-3253. We are here to help.
Between The Covers at the Covered Treasures Bookstore: Holiday BooksBy Judith Pettibone One holiday season, one of our customers bought himself a book he had been wanting. He wrapped and tagged it …"To Ted, From Ted" ….and put it under the tree. After the initial guffaws, his family has made self-gifting a family tradition. Mentioning this is not to promote self-gifting (though a fun idea) but to note that the gift choice was a book. It will come as no surprise to anyone that books are favorite holiday gifts. Consider the following for your holiday lists – even your very own.
Esther’s Gift Best-selling writer, Jan Karon follows up her holiday hit of last season, The Mitford Snowmen, with another holiday offering – Esther’s Gift. The new book features many of the beloved Mitfordians. Fans might recognize Esther’s famous orange marmalade cake featured as a main character in this book. Warning: last year there was a critical shortage of "Snowmen" … not a book to be had anywhere. "Let’s Start" Series Each of the books in this charming and attractive series is an instruction book and craft kit all in one. Recommended for ages 4 and up, these books would be fun for those holiday mornings when "there’s nothing to do". Selections include stenciling, sand art, modeling clay, collage, papier mâché, fabric art, and robot-building. Knowledge in a Nutshell The perfect gift for the trivia buff … or someone naturally curious about everything. Consider this – Reichblum has created an entire book about Heinz Products. Before you roll your eyes, consider living without knowing that Heinz receives 25,000 bushels of cucumbers each day. Other books include: Nutshell on America, Nutshell on Sports and on and on. Not Just for the Holidays Two books are not your typical holiday children’s books. However, both have become store favorites and are laugh-out-loud … a hit at any time of year. Epossumondas Illustrated by Colorado’s own Janet Stevens, this is a charming retelling of the southern folk tale of the possum who takes everything just a bit too literally. If you can read aloud with a southern accent, all the better. If you know Stephens’s work, you know to expect vibrant illustrations with great hats and shoes! Dear Mrs. La Rue If you think your dog has personality, you have not met "Ike La Rue". Reminiscent of that 60’s hit … "Hello Mudda, Hello Fadda," Ike La Rue, a charming Airedale con-dog, pens letters from obedience school. If there is such a thing as "it’s a hoot". ..it is. The Night Before Christmas If you admired Sabuda’s Wizard of Oz or Twelve Days of Christmas, you will be thrilled by this addition to the world of pop-up art. Sabuda’s talent is evident in the marvelous complexity of each page. The last page is an extravagant wonder. The Little Boy’s Christmas Gift What a lovely addition to a holiday book collection. Setting the Nativity Story in the Middle Ages, Spiers’s retelling of the familiar story is through a young boy’s eyes and would be wonderful read aloud. However, the illustrations and the text pages, reminiscent of illuminated manuscripts, create the magic. Make Your Own Christmas Ornaments Very doable holiday ornaments that kids can make to give or keep. Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear Fans of the Woods will appreciate this latest holiday addition to the "Little Mouse and Hungry Bear" series. A feel-good, appealingly illustrated tale of what happens when Little Mouse realizes that Hungry Bear will not be getting any Christmas gifts from any one. The Christmas Humbugs With the flavor of "bah humbug," these little ‘thumbprint’-like critters come to test the spirit of Christmas with mischievous antics. In clever rhymes, this tale will delight all ages. Christmas Cricket A Caldecott winner for "Snowy Night," Eve Bunting has spun the tale of a cricket who helps a family celebrate Christmas and in so doing, discovers his own worth. Beautiful illustrations by Timothy Bush. Whether giving to yourself or more normally, to someone else, you can never go wrong with a book. A holiday book is really an example of the gift that keeps on giving -- season after season.
High Country Highlights: Christmas TraditionsBy Woody Woodworth, High Country Feed When you think of Christmas, one of the first things you probably think of is a Christmas tree. In fact, the Christmas tree is one of the most recognizable images of the season. Almost everywhere you go, it is the focal point of people’s holiday decoration. You pile your gifts under the tree. You gather around your tree to sing Christmas carols and drink eggnog. Why is there a small evergreen tree in your living room? This is a German tradition, started as early as 700 A.D. In the 1800’s the tradition of a Christmas tree was widespread in Germany, then moved to England and then to America through Pennsylvanian German immigrants. Why have you decorated this evergreen with ornaments, lights, fake snow, and plastic tinsel? In Victorian times, people had already started decorating trees with candies and cakes hung with ribbon. In 1880, Woolworths first sold manufactured Christmas tree ornaments, and they caught on very quickly. Martin Luther, in the 16th century, is credited as being the first person to put candles on a tree, and the first electrically lighted Christmas tree appeared in 1882. Calvin Coolidge in 1923 ceremoniously lit the first outdoor tree at the White House, starting that long tradition. Fake snow and tinsel... Who knows? It’s probably related to the song "White Christmas" Why do you have holly draped over the mantel and staircase? Mistletoe has apparently been used as a decoration in houses for thousands of years and is also associated with many pagan rituals. According to the book Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things by Charles Panati, the church forbade the use of mistletoe in any form, mindful of its idolatrous associations. As a substitute, it suggested holly. The sharply pointed leaves were to symbolize the thorns in Christ’s crown and the red berries drops of his blood. Holly became a nativity tradition. The Christian ban on mistletoe was in effect throughout the Middle Ages. Surprisingly, as late as the 20th century, there were churches in England that forbade the wearing of mistletoe sprigs and corsages during services. Why are there oversized socks hanging on your mantel? According to a very old tradition, the original Saint Nicholas left his very first gifts of gold coins in the stockings of three poor girls who needed the money for their wedding dowries. The girls had hung their stockings by the fire to dry. Up until lately, it was traditional to receive small items like fruit, nuts and candy in your stocking, but these have been replaced in the last half-century by more expensive gifts in many homes. The tradition of a lump of coal in the stockings of naughty children comes from Italy. Children all over the world continue the tradition of hanging Christmas stockings. In some countries, children have similar customs, in France the children place their shoes by the fireplace, a tradition dating back to when children wore wooden peasant shoes. In Holland, the children fill their shoes with hay and a carrot for the horse of Sintirklass. In Hungary, children shine their shoes before putting them near the door or a window sill. Italian children leave their shoes out the night before Epiphany, January 5, for La Befana, the good witch. And in Puerto Rico, children put greens and flowers in small boxes and place them under their beds for the camels of the Three Kings. Why are Christmas cards scattered all over the coffee table? Christmas cards started in London in 1843 and in America in 1846. Today, about two billion Christmas cards are exchanged every year in the United States. What ever your traditions are - enjoy a Merry Christmas holiday. All tradition facts were taken from a web site : How Stuff Works.com
Annie got her man!By Judy Barnes Okay…I have to admit that I’ve lived in the area since 1987 and had NEVER gone to a Lewis-Palmer High School show or concert of any kind. What have I been missing all those years? A lot of great entertainment, I found out. My husband George and I went to the final show of Irving Berlin’s "Annie Get Your Gun" at the high school on Saturday evening, November 23 and we were dazzled by the consistently high quality of every aspect of the performance. The casting and acting were top-notch, as were the pit orchestra, choreography, dancing, singing, costumes, sets, and all. What a lot of talent we have right here in the Tri-Lakes area! Feminists might object that Annie Oakley had to pretend to be second best to get her man, sharpshooter Frank Butler, but no one can deny that the show is full of wonderful songs such as "There’s no business like show business," "They say it’s wonderful," "I’ve got the sun in the morning," and "Anything you can do." The student performers did them all justice; the whole show was wonderful. The high school’s performing arts department presents a musical, a comedy, and a drama production each school year. If you haven’t ever seen one of their performances, you don’t know what you’re missing! I recommend you go and find out.
Palmer Lake’s chili supper a rousing successThe annual chili supper on November 30 drew about 700 eager and hungry people. A good time was had by all. Daniel Leonard, age 10, won the drawing for the honor of turning on the electricity to light the star on Sundance Mountain. Money raised at the chili supper goes to the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department for maintenance of the star. The department expressed gratitude for the wonderful community support and for the many local businesses that donated door and bucket prizes.
Palmer Lake Christmas decoration contestPalmer Lake’s third annual Christmas decoration contest is now under way, sponsored by the town’s economic development committee. There will be a prize for the winner in each of five categories: theme, door decoration, yard decoration, house decoration, and most creative use of materials. As in previous years, judges will consider the spirit of the decorations, not just the quantity of lights. Entry forms are available at the Palmer Lake town office; completed forms can be dropped off at the town office or at the Palmer Lake Post Office. Entry forms must be received by December 15. You do not have to enter your own house in the contest, or live in Palmer Lake. If you see decorations you admire in Palmer Lake, you are welcome to pick up an entry form and enter that house. Prizes will be awarded on December 21.
Steppin’ to the StarzNew Year’s Eve Party for LPHS StudentsBy Judy Barnes Lewis Palmer High School students will have an opportunity to dance the night away and usher in 2003 at a celebration in the Palmer Lake Town Hall on New Year’s Eve. The alcohol-free party will go from 8 pm to 12:30 am and will be supervised by volunteer chaperones. DJ Marty Rubio from Rubio Entertainment will keep dancers on their feet, and food will be served. The cost is $15 per person. Tickets will be available at the high school or by calling Sonya Barnstable at 481-9371. Local curfew restrictions will be waived for all party attendees until 1 am. The party is co-sponsored by the Palmer Lake Economic Development Committee, International Drug Free Youth, Palmer Lake Motors, and the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce. There are still opportunities to serve as a chaperone or as a co-sponsor. For more information, call Sonya Barnstable at 481-9371.
Sawatzki’s film "Voices of Cripple Creek" to debut Dec. 22Local producer/director Jim Sawatzki will debut " Voices of Cripple Creek" on Sunday, December 22 at noon, state-wide on PBS affliates. Front Range viewers can see it on CH 8 or CH 6. "Voices" is the sequel to his first video on this famous gold camp, "Treasure of Cripple Creek Mining District" that was nominated for a national Emmy award in 2000. Jim is currently developing a third show on Cripple Creek history that should be out next summer. He produces "Tri-Lakes Today," a community affairs program seen monthly on Adelphia Library Channel 17. For more information, call Jim at 481-3963.
Western Museum of Mining and Industry UpdateBy Bill Chin An exhibit honoring the life and times of Winfield Scott Stratton has been on display at the museum since September. Mining maps, paper artifacts and equipment collections from his mining activities are in the back parlor by the western bar exhibit. An overview of the Cripple Creek Mining district is also on display. Other materials can be found in the museum library. Back on October 5, twenty members of the museum went on a tour to explore the mining towns of Anaconda, Victor, Independence, and Goldfield. Another group went back on November 5 for a lecture on lifestyles of miners in the early 1900s. Looking back at fall Super Saturdays October 12, Super Boo event: 120 children attended the storytelling tales of ghosts and lost treasure that endured through mining history. Memorabilia was also displayed for the children to experience. November 12, Rock Odyssey: 105 young people and 35 adults participated in geologic activities and simulated volcanic activities of seismic proportion. Various Boy and Girl Scout troops attended from Antelope Trails Elementary School, Wagon Wheels and Colorado Springs. Rock identification and mining procedures were reviewed and examined within the archives of the museum library. Video presentations and demonstrations by volunteer museum staff supplemented the games that were part of this event. Upcoming activities Dec 14 Mining Camp Craft day, 1 pm to 4 pm – demonstrations of crafts, games and toy making during mining days in Colorado’s mining communities. Dec 27, Jan 3 and 4 Donkey WakeUp Call day, 9:30 am to 1 pm for the burro mascots of the museum – Polly, Oro, and Nugget. Operational display of mining equipment will follow. Volunteers and members are always welcome. For further details of activities call 488-0880 or check the website, www.wmmi.org.
The Society Page:Local boy makes good in the big cityBy Leon Tenney The Palmer Lake Historical Society heard last November 21 from one of its returning local heroes, Arnie Lavelett, who now is the Director of Emergency Services for El Paso County. Arnie was introduced by his ole’ running buddy, Virgil Watkins, who related part of the story of the flood of ‘65. It turns out that the two of them had gone to Denver for the day for building materials and upon return found that most of Palmer Lake had lost their roofs and part of the structures were floating down the various creeks around town. Whether or not this curious incident was the beginning of a local success story was not made clear. But whatever the reasons, Arnie Lavelett begun his public safety service as a volunteer in the local firehouse of Palmer Lake. In 1966, he became part of the City of Colorado Springs Fire Department, and he was required to move away from his beloved Palmer Lake to the big city. After a mere 28 years in the department, Arnie retired and took a part-time job as Deputy Fire Marshall for El Paso County Sheriff’s Department. Now he has risen in prominence until he is one of the department heads in the Sheriff’s Office. In the local governmental structure, our state legislature has given each of its counties many responsibilities, and over the years, the county commissioners have moved these responsibilities to the Sheriff’s Office and the Sheriff in turn has given them to Arnie’s Department of Emergency Services. Currently, this list includes wildland fires, fire investigations, hazardous materials, search and rescue, and the Office of Emergency Management. His department has five paid staff and over 150 volunteers. They work directly for the new sheriff, Terry Maketa, and the new under-sheriff, Terry Johnson, the first woman to hold this position in the sheriff’s office. Arnie Lavelett told us about the more significant events requiring emergency responses in our county’s recent past. We heard about the Ellicott tornado that ripped the roof off the local high school. Arnie told us it was fortunate that the locals were attending a funeral service rather than the basketball game in the school. As a consequence of this incident, a new tornado shelter is being built in the basement of the school for future emergencies. Arnie told us about the county’s response to the Hayman fire, but fortunately for all of us, the fire did not cross the county line, though some people were evacuated as a precaution. Apparently, the Hayman fire was so hot, the usual technique of infrared imagery for determining fire direction was ineffective. One of the new calls Arnie’s department is helping out on is cracking down on the local illegal drug labs. Since they are being hounded out of the big city, labs are now being set up in trailers in the county’s remote areas. Last summer, some were discovered along Mt. Herman Road. The El Paso County Search and Rescue Team is part of Arnie’s department. The team consists of 75 volunteers who purchase and maintain all of their equipment and animals, including dogs, horses, and snowcats. (Note for our younger readers: snowcats are actually mechanical vehicles and not really a species of animal.) Arnie put to rest that old canard about paying for being rescued. Being rescued is done at no cost to the rescuee. However, he did say if you were in the city limits of our local big city, you would be fined. This search and rescue team has the reputation as being the best in the state of Colorado and is frequently called out to emergencies up and down the front range from Wyoming to New Mexico. As Arnie wound up his presentation, he gave us many tips for being safe during emergencies. He stated that the rule of thumb for blizzards was to have enough supplies to live in your car for 24 hours and in your house for 72 hours. Many deaths occur when people go out for just a little something. During the raging of the storm, you should stay at home and read a book, Arnie advised. He accepted many questions from our usual group of society members, Sam DeFelice, our President Hildegard Juell, Bonnie Allen, Jody Watkins, and Tillie McCarty. (One of these dear ladies was Arnie’s sister, but which one is it?) Next month, the Society has no meeting and will participate in the various religious festivals in our area, from hunting for the elusive yule log to caroling in church. The next meeting is the annual Mexican dinner in January. If you think you are up to being presented in society, you should be there to start the next year out on the correct societal footing. ********** Meetings of the Palmer Lake Historical Society are normally held the third Thursday of each month at Palmer Lake Town Hall, 54 Valley Crescent in Palmer Lake. There will not be a meeting in December. The next meeting will be January 16 at 7:30 pm. For more information, visit www.ci.palmer-lake.co.us/plhs.
Driving Beat: Loud, fast music linked to dangerous drivingAs reported in New Scientist magazine, researcher Warren Brodsky at Ben-Gurion University in Beer-Sheva, Israel, has found that drivers who listen to loud, fast music in their cars may take more chances and have more than twice as many accidents as those who listen to calmer music. Brodsky studied 28 students with an average of seven years of driving experience. He monitored their behavior as they used a driving simulator and listened to various types of music or no music at all. Some of the cautionary results:
Driving is one of the most dangerous things most of us do. This research suggests drivers would reduce their chances of accidents and injuries if they turn off or turn down the volume or select more tranquil music. More on this story can be found at www.newscientist.com/news/news.
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