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WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT
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More Recently
What are the next steps?
- We have filed a district lawsuit and it will either uphold or reject the land use analysis by the Town’s Community Development Department/Randy Hunt and the Larimer County BOCC appeal.
- We are also considering appeals of the Board of Adjustment and Estes Valley Planning Commission rulings
- We MUST immediately reverse the Code changes from 2017 that allow commercial development on residential land.
Then we can stop other proposals while a rewrite of the existing Code is underway.
- Currently a 90 day moratorium is in place while a new Development Code is drafted. Why the rush?
In truth, this is not enough time for thoughtful and visionary changes. The County and Town can also override this moratorium as they please
- We need protective zoning measures in the Code. We cannot have future business proposals approved or
put out for “special review” and then have exceptions granted at the direction of the Town Attorney or a Town Trustee
- Recall of Mayor Todd Jirsa and Cody Walker
Originally
This project is unprecedented in the recent history of Estes Valley developments insofar as it is planned to take place on
unincorporated Larimer County land (immediately adjacent to town land), which, however, falls within the scope of the Estes Valley
Land Development Code. As such, this situation allows both the Town Trustees and the Larimer County Commissioners to each claim that
it’s the responsibility of the other to oversee the Town’s planning staff, which is quietly pushing the project forward, supposedly
without input from either (we don’t really believe that for a moment!).
Moreover, a serving Town Trustee – Cody Walker – is the project applicant. Can anyone seriously accept the notion that Town staff feel
themselves able to go up against the personal interests of a member of the governing board that has oversight over their decisions, and controls
their employment?
Since the Town planning staff has now approved the project (with conditions), we are working on a multi-pronged appeal process, of which the two key elements are:
- To the Larimer County Commissioners concerning the land use issue. We will contest the bogus interpretation of the EV Development Code, which
the Town staff and attorney claim allows a blatantly commercial amusement facility to be established on residentially zoned land.
(See Code Issues).
- To the EV Planning Commission concerning the development plan, which includes operational considerations such as traffic and safety issues, noise and lighting pollution
and other things that threaten to destroy the quality of life for everyone in the neighborhood, including the elderly residents of the Good
Samaritan home who thought they were coming to a place where they could spend their remaining years in a quiet and peaceful environment.
Multiple residents and the Good Samaritan home will file the appeals, which must be received by the respective reviewing organiztions no later than September 5, 2018.
In addition, we are taking the following action:
- we have accumulated the names of nearly 400 local residents who have given their permission to publish their names in the local newspapers
and on this site as formal opponents of this project. We intend to add as many more names as we can to demonstrate to the County Commissioners the
fierce local oppostion to the project and the way it is being handled by our Town government.
- we continue to send letters to the editor of the local newspaper and to write guest editorials expressing our disgust at the entire process
and the way the Town has essentially forbidden our elected trustees to involve themselves in opposing the project, even though we
know quite well that four of the seven Town Trustees have deep misgiving about it.
- we are engaged in discussions with several regional news organizations including Channel 4 News (which aired our story on its August
22 evening news program), Channel 9 News, KUNC and the Coloradoan
- we have received a commitment from the Town Board to hold a public discussion of the project at its next meeting on Tuesday, August 28.
We do not expect that the Trustees will take any action to put a hold on the project and refer it to an independent review panel as we have repeatedly requested.
However, this will be an excellent opportunity for you to take a minute or two to make your voice heard. We will be sending out some talking points
for you to use so please watch your e-mail inboxes.
- we will continue to schedule periodic public meetings at the Good Samaritan home as a way to update people on what's happening and to collect fresh ideas.
Again, please watch this site and your email inbox.
- we are sending one or two of our group to each weekly County Commissioners meeting in Fort Collins to use the public comment period to make
the Commissioners aware of our ongoing commitment to fight this disgraceful affair in any way we can
- we have set up mechanisms whereby supporters of our position can make donations to what promises to be a prolonged legal battle.
(See What You Can Do)
If you have questions .. click here "noestescoaster@gmail.com".
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