The danger posed by Full Send Bike Ranch
Full Send Bike Ranch (FSBR), in conjunction with Colorado’s State Land Board (CSLB) considers exploiting a loophole in Jefferson County’s Zoning Resolution of 2019 in their application for development. “Location and Extent” (L&E), as defined in the first two paragraphs of Section 8, applies only to public entities.
FSBR is erroneously designated as such merely through listing Colorado’s State Land Board (CSLB) as co-applicant. CSLB, an essentially volunteer board in charge of leasing State-owned lands is likely not authorized to disburse money at any stage of development and is thus co-applicant in name only. Regardless, in Section 32 of the P&Z Resolution, entities such as FSBR appear not to have been granted public status in the past. That is, it takes more than a signature from a volunteer board. Further, nearly all FSBR’s assertions of public benefit have been refuted or are otherwise unsupported by facts.
L&E relaxes requirements regarding mitigation plans and actions which private entities must attend to secure the public good:
·wildfire mitigation and evacuation plans around the 4000 or so ignition sources FSBR hopes to attract weekly
·prevention of surface and ground water contamination and destruction of wildlife and habitat
·prevention of potential, life-threatening burden on Elk Creek Fire Protection District’s EMS.
L&E also eliminates public comment regarding these dangers except for a thirty-day window, post application.
For more information regarding the danger posed by FSBR, see especially Conifer and South Evergreen Community Committee’s website cosecc.org.
* See previous letters to the Courier and several Op-Eds in the Denver Post’s YourHub and e-editions. A CORA search will disclose objections raised with Jefferson County, CSLB, and other Colorado State government officials.
G. Scott O’Connell, Conifer
Support for Evergreen’s “gateway”
I believe that the community will benefit from the new “gateway” that is being developed around the El Rancho property. The time for Evergreen to be “on the map” is long past due. This will benefit our community by not just building new facilities for Foothills Fire and Alping Rescue at zero cost to the taxpayers but providing us with much needed hotel rooms, retail and other opportunities that will create jobs and tax revenue.
I cannot find a single con. Everything aligns for an overwhelming yes. I encourage the community and the commissioners to approve what North Star Ventures has proposed.
In the case of the new fire station this is needed. Even with the improvements to the Rainbow Hills station this facility lacks the ability and infrastructure to adequately provide protection and rapid response to the I70 corridor, Lookout Mountain and Mount Vernon communities. Having spent nearly 5 years with Foothills Fire I can attest to the growing demands and needs of the fire district.
Let’s build our “Gateway”. There is simply no excuse for NIMBYism.
Nate Marshall, Evergreen