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A Fabulous Fourth - Click here for pictures of the parade and street fair in Monument

Fire study recommends unification - Residents urged to attend important July 15 joint public meeting

The study

The long-awaited, report by Emergency Services Education and Consulting Group (ESECG) entitled Regional Fire Protection Feasibility for the Tri-Lakes Area was received in mid-June by its joint sponsors, the Town of Palmer Lake and the Tri-Lakes and Woodmoor-Monument Fire Protection Districts. The study strongly recommends that the two fire protection districts unify, either operationally or legally through consolidation or inclusion, and that Palmer Lake join the unified district so long as the town’s voters can be convinced to pass a fair-share tax contribution. If not, the consultants recommend that Palmer Lake, as a minimum, contract for various administrative services from its neighboring district or districts, services that it is not now configured or funded to provide adequately for itself.

The study recommends ways in which the operations of each of the three departments can be improved and identifies substantial benefits to be expected from creating a unified district. In the latter case, the study argues that benefits should be realized in terms of significantly better, more responsive service at somewhat lower cost achieved principally by reducing the need for future capital outlays.

Preparation of the report progressed smoothly, due largely to the efforts of the local Steering Committee chaired by Tri-Lakes Board Member, Charlie Pocock, as well as to the very extensive and timely support provided the consultant by each of the department chiefs and their staffs.

The study and its recommendations address vital fire response and EMS services in the foreseeable future. As recent events have made manifest, these subjects are extremely important to Tri-Lakes area residents and business owners. In view of this, the three boards jointly sponsoring the effort are interested in the public’s input on the concept of unification.

A joint public hearing will be held Monday, July 15, at the Pinecrest Event Center in Palmer Lake. A public joint meeting of the boards with the consultant will be held at 6:30 pm followed at 8 pm by a full public presentation.

Directions to the Pinecrest Event Center: Travel west on Highway 105 until you reach the 30 mph speed limit sign. Take a left onto South Valley Road (not marked). Take an immediate left onto Spring Street (tight U-turn). Follow Spring Street until you arrive to a stop sign with a choice to turn left or right (Greeley Blvd). Turn left on Greeley Blvd, follow the road a few hundred yards, and turn right onto Pinecrest Way. Once on Pinecrest Way, the event center is on your right.

To provide a basis for public comments, OCN is printing the executive summary of the study in its entirety below. If more detail is desired, the complete study is available for public review at a number of convenient locations:

REGIONAL FIRE PROTECTION FEASIBILITY – TRI-LAKES AREA 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report details the study of fire protection and emergency medical services in a portion of El Paso County, Colorado known as the Tri-Lakes area. Three generally contiguous fire protection agencies serve the area; one municipal fire department and two fire protection districts. The three agencies are:

The first half of the report details all administrative and operational systems of each agency. We make recommendations for improvements based on a risk analysis of the programs and character of that agency. The second half examines the potential for service improvement based on joining the programs or organizations of two or more of the agencies.

We recognize that information, by its very nature, is always incomplete. Every effort is made though, to compile data that are as comprehensive and as accurate as possible. Our information gathering process includes a broad evaluation checklist of each organization, measuring results against acceptable industry standards and good practices. Whenever possible, we make quantifiable comparisons to other fire and emergency medical service organizations. Checklists and documentation are followed-up by one-on-one interviews with key staff members from each of the agencies and every program area.

This study follows the Scope of Work as outlined by the ESECG contract dated November 6, 2001. The report surveys the management and operational components of each of the area departments focusing on the identification of organizational strategies likely to result in improved service to the public. The study also analyzes system improvements and cost reduction strategies derived from shared services or from a complete union of fire protection services. This study considers partnership strategies that include only the three jurisdictions.

Each agency faces challenges in the performance of the emergency mission. In the past, the departments addressed critical issues and overcame difficulties on their own. We know though, that the economy and geography of the area, along with the interrelationship of the three fire departments, results in an interdependent emergency services system. Our study of the Tri-Lakes area fire departments brings to focus certain critical issues that influence the level and efficiency of emergency service. A regional fire protection strategy should address these issues. The most important critical issues are:

A fire chief heads each fire department. The chief is generally responsible for oversight of the agency and for the development of rules, procedures, and plans crucial to effective and efficient service delivery in that jurisdiction. Each fire department also devotes the time of other staff members who assist the chief in the administration of the agency. The fire departments are all faced by emerging safety regulations, and all acknowledge the challenge of maintaining effective fire protection services in the future given the demands of regional property development, increasing regulation, and the limitation of fiscal resources. Quite clearly, the administrative staff each of the fire departments duplicates the efforts of the others. Administrative duplication detracts from other important functions such as strategic planning, of which the three departments have done very little.

Colorado first authorized fire protection districts to give unincorporated communities the means to protect lives and property from fire. The system has worked wondrously for many years, undoubtedly saving countless persons and preserving billions of dollars of property in the process. During the time that the law has been in effect however, Colorado and the nature of fire protection have changed a great deal. Cities and rural communities have grown to the extent that previously isolated villages and neighborhoods now blend, becoming regional centers with interdependent economies and service demands. At the same time, modern fire protection has evolved to include much more than just extinguishing fire. Today, fire departments are sophisticated and indispensable channels for all forms of emergency service including natural and man-caused disaster management, fire and accident prevention, and pre-hospital care. In the process, the role of many fire districts has transformed from a rural to a regional emergency service provider.

Just as economic development drives the creation of fire districts, so does the process lead to the eventual amalgamation of fire district boundaries to improve emergency service delivery to the public. This is because the successful outcome of emergency service is highly dependent on the rapid mobilization of significant numbers of personnel and equipment. Regional fire protection agencies inherently have the ability to field greater numbers of emergency workers and equipment while capitalizing on efficiencies of scale in management, oversight, and planning. The evolution occurs just about everywhere that rapid economic growth spawns brisk suburban development. Numerous examples exist where the usual patchwork of fire districts surrounding core cities gives way to more strategically based service.

The illogical service boundaries of El Paso County have not escaped the notice of the media and others in the community. The boundaries and fire station locations of the Tri-Lakes area fire departments are a case study in inefficiency. The emergency service system of the Tri-Lakes area must address these issues in going forward. In fact, the State of Colorado supports such action as a general statement of policy in CRS 32-1-102 (4).

All three departments operate within the constraints of limited financial resources. The fire districts must manage budgetary tax requirements below millage rates approved by their respective electors. In the case of TLFPD, the authorized annual mill rate is 7.01 mills, while WMFPD enjoys a slightly higher endorsement of 9.5 mills. On the other hand, PLVFD must operate with resources that are not only limited, but also severely constrained. In order to maintain continued operations, the Department must supplement the funding of the Town with contributions from the community and the Volunteer Association. All three fire departments must plan budgeting to meet current operational needs while reserving funds for the renewal of the emergency fleet and the development of additional facilities.

Seen from the air, no clear geographical demarcation separates the communities of the Tri-Lakes area. Each neighborhood and subdivision is highly dependent on the economic health and vitality the others of the region. In a like manner, the area fire departments demonstrate interdependence, relying on the joint capabilities of mutual aid departments for serious emergencies. Consequently, it makes sense to design a regional emergency response system that spreads service and funding across the area.

Fire departments that rely on volunteer workers for all or part of emergency response must continuously deal with recruitment and retention of volunteer members. The number of volunteer firefighters maintained by TLFPD and PLVFD is of critical importance. Fire departments that depend on volunteer firefighters for some, or all, emergency response must make certain that membership numbers are adequate to guarantee timely and appropriate response in all but the most infrequent cases.

Many of the emergency planning and practice functions of the region take place at the county level. Individual departments do some limited unilateral emergency planning, but little interdepartmental coordination or training takes place. While the agencies have adopted a common command structure, not much training or practice in the routine use of the system takes place.

Emergency medical services are an important element of the emergency system of the region. The nature of the service assures frequent contact between fire department personnel and the customer base, and yields great lifesaving potential in proportion to tax dollars spent. The three Tri-Lakes area fire departments provide differing forms of EMS; PLVFD at the first responder level, WMFPD with paramedics, and TLFPD fields emergency medical transport service. There is little planning or coordination between the EMS programs of the agencies, which equates to lost revenue and poor patient outcomes across the Tri-Lakes area.

An active firefighter training program is key to the successful recruitment and retention of volunteer personnel. Training is also of vital importance in maximizing the value of the limited availability of human resources, whether volunteer or career. There is significant variation between the training standards of the Tri-Lakes area fire departments. Some joint training occurs, but not nearly enough given the interdependence of the area. Training procedures, nomenclature, and practices area not standardized.

Each of the three Tri-Lakes area fire departments devotes human and fiscal resources to a jurisdictional-based fire prevention effort. TLFPD and WMFPD maintain senior staff positions for a fire prevention officer; the Town of Palmer Lake contracts with an individual for fire prevention services. All of the agencies use the same edition of the UFC, but fire prevention efforts are not coordinated across the region.

This report examines four options uniting the departments into different combinations. The options represent all possible combinations of the three. We intend each option to serve as a tool for policy makers to compare the financial and operational outcome of the concept with the known state of the present. It is important to remember that each of the options presented here is possible through either operational and/or legal strategies.

The reader should remember that while the scope of this study is limited to three jurisdictions, other regional players do exist. Most notably, the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District (DWFPD) serves territory near Baptist Road, just south of the Tri-Lakes study area. Geography, the transportation system, jobs, and other demographics unavoidably connect the areas. While we present options to assist policy makers in moving forward, such a decision should not be necessarily limited to any one of the four models. One or more of the options presented by this report can easily be modified to include DWFPD (or others) if greater efficiency or economics are a likely result

The organizational combinations are:

Basis For Financial Analysis

Financial analysis is an important part of the evaluation of options. To this end, we develop a computer-driven model budget for each of the fire departments. The model budget is designed to fairly represent monetary policies on an equal basis, to neutralize the normal differences usually found in unilateral fiscal practices, and to account for any financial peculiarities (such as budgetary back loading). The technique assures that an "apples to apples" comparison is made to each of the agencies. Budget modeling allows the estimation of the true public cost of each department, and provides the means for an analysis of the effects of consolidation options.

We generate a modeled property tax mill rate for each agency by applying the calculated operating requirements of the organization against the assessed value. The calculated mill rate represents the amount of public tax support each fire department needs to provide fire protection services. The tax rate permits the comparison of the effects of the proposed action only. The model tax rate may not equal the actual tax rate of the agency for a number of reasons. (In the case of PLVFD, no tax rate is associated with the department because it is supported by the general levy of the Town.) The estimated tax required to support emergency services in each agency is shown in Table 1 below.

We identify a series of benchmarks to aid in study of the operational and financial outcome of each of the four options. In analyzing each benchmark, we compare the three agencies (as they exist today) compared to the predicted outcome of the proposal. The first four benchmarks measure elements of the organizational efficiency. The last two measure the cost of service to the community. The benchmarks are:

Webster’s New World Dictionary defines the word "feasibility" as: "Capable of being done." Largely, the feasibility of a proposed legal unification of fire departments depends on the outcome of a public election. A proposal for inclusion or consolidation will probably fail at the polls if even one of the existing jurisdictions experiences an adverse tax impact as a result. More than anything else therefore, we base our judgment of the feasibility of legal consolidation on the probable impact of the proposal on public funding.

Of the four options for legal unification, we consider only Option 3 (joining TLFPD with WMFPD) to be conditionally feasible. All of the other options involve significant increases to the property tax rates of one or more of the partners and are not likely to survive an election. Our analysis of property tax rates for Option 3 predicts a unified tax rate of 7.8 mills, which represents a 17.5 percent saving to residents of WMFPD and a 15.47 percent increase for those in TLFPD. Success of Option 3 at the polls depends largely on how much negative energy is created by a proposed tax increase in TLFPD, offset by improved service efficiencies and avoided future capital facility costs. Victory at the polls will require a dedicated educational campaign by the leadership and members of both fire departments.

Other factors tend to become more important when judging the feasibility of an operational unification. Cost is still material, but the focus shifts from individual tax rates to the cost of the overall system. No public election is required because the process involves a contract for service between the governing bodies of two or more public entities. As a result, agencies have greater flexibility to design an equitable funding plan. Therefore, when considering the feasibility of an operational consolidation we first look to see that the overall cost of the proposal is commensurate with benefit, and then we examine more closely how the proposal will change the level of service in the community

A cost analysis of operational unification options shows that three of the four have potential to save varying amounts in tax support. We consider Option 2 (joining PLVFD with WMFPD) as the only nonviable alternative because of a potential for significant cost increase. Of the three alternatives judged as feasible, we consider that Option 1 and Option 4 are only marginally feasible because of the difficult prospect of financing a fire station in the Palmer Lake community. We regard Option 3 as feasible because the model predicts an operational saving, and because the fewer fire stations more effectively protect the resultant jurisdiction.

The Table 2 below summarizes the cost-based feasibility of the four unification options in both the legal and operational strategic modes.

The success of any of the strategic alternatives hangs on the resolution of a number of important details. We summarize the issues that should be addressed prior to (or during) the implementation of each alternative in our description of the options. Although some of the challenges are complex matters, none is considered to be a fatal flaw of the option. We are confident that diligence of fire department staff and political leadership will overcome all of the negative issues.

We judge that three of the four alternatives for legal unification are infeasible; one (Option 3) is conditionally practical due to the requirement for election. Of the four operational consolidation choices, one is not is not viable (Option 2: PLVFD and WMFPD). The other three operational proposals are feasible. Of those, we consider operational unification Option 3 (TLFPD and WMFPD) to be superior to the others in terms of citizen benefit. Our financial analysis shows that the option can offer modest cost reduction.

The successful outcome of Option 3 (in either the legal or operational mode) positively influences each of the critical issues identified by this report As a result, we recommend Option 3 as the preferred option of this feasibility study. The agencies may choose to implement the alternative through legal means (inclusion or consolidation), or through operational means (intergovernmental agreement) creating a Service Authority. If the agencies execute Option 3 through the process of inclusion, and in so doing preserve the authorized tax rate of WMFPD, the district will be better positioned to meet the service demands as the Tri-Lakes area continues to develop. Because of this, we also recommend that TLFPD and WMFPD pursue a strategy giving priority to the process of inclusion. The Districts should execute an operational unification if inclusion fails in an election, or if the merger proves impractical for political reasons.

The operational alternative of Option 4 does not fare as well as Option 3 under analysis, but the model does register as neutral or good in a comparison of the four benchmarks. Including PLVFD in the outcome of Option 3 could serve to improve overall service and efficiency, but the alternative carries some complicating financial problems. The uncertain ability of either the Town of Palmer Lake or PLVFD to adequately fund any proposal for complete organizational unification makes Option 4 problematic. The desperate need of a suitable fire station in Palmer Lake only adds financial burden to full unification. Consequently, while we do not recommend the full addition of PLVFD in the unification of TLFPD and WMFPD, we do recommend that the Town of Palmer Lake contract with the unified department as it is able for incremental administrative and support services such as: administration, human resources, accounting, EMS management, training, fire prevention, maintenance, and operational management.

First steps are important. If the partnering jurisdictions support the conclusions of this report, action by the elected bodies needs to focus the efforts of many persons toward the goal of unification. Indecisive or counter-productive activity will result from any lack of clear direction from the political boards. It is also important that all of the region’s fire departments actively participate in the planning process that needs to follow the adoption of a unification goal. If everyone shares in shaping the unification, adverse outcome can be more easily anticipated and adjustments made.

Consequently, we recommend that the fire district boards and the town council jointly resolve to adopt the outcome of the preferred option (including the role of PLVFD for contracted administrative services) as a Regional Vision. The jurisdictions should also resolve to cooperatively work toward carrying out the chosen goal within a specific time. We suggest that the goal be targeted just far enough in the future to allow for systematic planning and implementation, but not so far as to loose valuable momentum. From past experience in such matters, we consider that 18 months is about the minimum amount of time needed to plan and implement these sorts of system changes. We suggest January 1, 2004 be fixed as a target for completion of the goal.

County Water Authority’s master plan nears completion, raises concerns about "water war" with Douglas County

At their regular monthly meeting June 5, the County Water Authority made plans for completion and public presentation of their water master plan that has so far cost $187,833. Half of the cost of the study is to be paid by the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Two public meetings on the report are planned: One at Lewis-Palmer High School and one in Widefield. The meetings would be held in September or October.

Founded in 1998, the County Water Authority is composed of 19 water system operators in El Paso 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:

President: Roy Heald, Stratmoor Hills Water and Sanitation District
Vice President: Phil Steininger, Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District
Secretary: Larry Bishop, Security Water and Sanitation District
Treasurer: Dana Duthie, Donala Water and Sanitation District
County Representative: Duncan Bremer

There are also two at-large members:

Stu Loosley, Cherokee Metropolitan District
Ron Simpson, Triview Metropolitan District

After three years of work, nine of the twelve sections of the report have been completed including an inventory of water demands, inventory of aquifer and surface resources, identification of water supply shortfalls and limitations, water conservation and reuse, potential projects with Colorado Springs, optimum water distribution infrastructure, and potential water import projects. All completed sections are available for purchase at $25 per section.

Remaining to be completed are sections on water supply standards regulations, water plan for private well owners, and the summary and conclusions.

Bruce Lytle, vice president of Halepaska, said draft copies of the completed report will be distributed to members of the water authority for discussion at the July 3 meeting. In response to suggestions that distribution of the draft report should be limited, Lytle asked, "How do you get good public comments unless you make it available to them?" Distribution of the draft report will be discussed further at the next meeting.

There was some discussion as to whether the final report should be printed prior to the planned public meetings. Bremer recommended that it should be prepared after the public meetings are completed. Heald agreed saying, "It will lend more credence to the public process." Simpson added, "The boards have put money into this report and have a right to review and control the content."

Lytle presented highlights of the section covering the optimum water distribution infrastructure. He reported that Halepaska Associates modeled the anticipated impact of Douglas County’s plans to build a satellite well field on Greenland Ranch north of the border with El Paso County. He said their plans call for pumping up to 20,000 acre-feet (6.5 billion gallons) per year. According to the models, he said, "It will have a dramatic effect on northern El Paso County. The draw down of water levels will be evident 12 to 14 miles from the site of the pumping." The models assumed there would be pumping from all four aquifers (Dawson, Denver, Arapahoe, and Laramie Fox Hills).

Lytle also reviewed projected results for the proposed construction of a satellite well field on the Younger Ranch in El Paso County near the corner of Highway 83 and Highway 105. Water from these wells would be piped to the districts in the northern part of the county to reduce pumping within the districts.

Unlike Douglas County, El Paso County rules limit pumping to one-third of that allowed by state law.

The combined effect and interaction of the two proposed well fields is expected to become a bone of contention between the two counties.

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The water authority meets on the first Wednesday of each month in the third floor hearing room of the county building, 27 E. Vermijo, Colorado Springs.

For more information on the water authority and the master plan, contact the board members or the authority’s manager Philip Voegtle at 380-7233.

County commissioner candidate forum/debate July 17

The Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Associations (NEPCO) will sponsor a forum/debate between Bill Guman and Wayne Williams, the two leading Republican candidates for county commissioner district 1 to succeed Duncan Bremer. The forum will be held July 17, 7 pm to 9 pm, Lewis-Palmer High School. Please plan to be seated by 6:50 pm.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Each candidate will make a three-minute opening statement. For the next sixty minutes, the candidates will alternate answering questions posed by the audience. Each candidate will then make a three-minute closing statement.

This is a particularly important election. One of these candidates is very likely to become our county commissioner for the next eight years – a time of important decisions regarding land use, water, and infrastructure issues.

For more information, contact Steve Sery, NEPCO President, at 488-8533 or seryj@earthlink.net.

NEPCO meeting June 1 reviewed history of county zoning and subdivison

At the June 1 meeting of the Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Associations (NEPCO), Carl Schueler, assistant director of the county planning department, presented an historical perspective on zoning and subdivision in El Paso County. Schueler has been with county planning for 17 years.

Zoning started in San Francisco in the 1880’s and was applied in New York City beginning in 1916. In 1926, the US Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality.

Within the unincorporated parts of the county, zoning was first applied to about 249 square miles in 1942. Minimum lot size on the plains was set at ten acres. In 1951, that minimum was reduced to five acres. There are currently about 10,000 five-acre parcels in the county. According to Schueler, "These five-acre zones, which were originally used as holding zones, have taken on a mantra of their own and have become the basis for whole comprehensive plans."

In particular, reliance on five acre zoning is an important element of the Tri-Lakes comprehensive plan that figured prominently in the recent board of county commissioners decisions to approve the Forest Lakes project and deny the Hay Creek Ranch project. [For details see the Forest Lakes and Hay Creek Ranch articles in the June 1 issue of OCN.]

In an accompanying handout, Schueler wrote, "Although zoning (in almost all cases) is not a legal entitlement, it typically becomes a perceptual one." Those whose land is zoned for five-acre minimum lot size usually resist efforts to increase the minimum lot size on their land. As happened with Forest Lakes and Hay Creek Ranch, the neighbors often object if an owner wants to reduce minimum lot size below 5 acres. This has led to a convergence on five-acre minimum lot size.

Schueler noted that around the state there is no consistency in minimum lot sizes with different areas using 1 acre, 5 acres, 10 acres, etc.

The first zoning in the Tri-Lakes area was applied in 1955. It called for five-acre minimum lot size.

The minimum lot size for use of individual septic systems was 5 acres up until 1981 when it was reduced to 2.5 acres. Minimum lot size of 2.5 acres is now common west of Roller Coaster Road.

The most recent major zoning action was the 1999 initial zoning of 840 square miles in the eastern part of the county to A-35 agricultural zone district with 35-acre minimum lot size. Emotions ran high about the highly controversial action by the board of county commissioners.

Schueler cited a recent trend toward use of the Planned Unit Development (PUD) zone district. PUD allows for a more customized design instead of the typical "cookie cutter" design promoted by conventional zones. Schueler commented, "[With PUD] we can get more out of the developer in terms of off-site improvements." Often the average lot size in a PUD is less than what would have been allowed by conventional zones. This is characterized as giving a "density bonus" for good design. Schueler noted that the county’s Land Development Code (LDC) does not specify clustering goals or density bonus criteria.

The county’s subdivision regulations were adopted in 1972. Prior to that, property owners just filed a plat map with the clerk and recorder. That process led to such projects as the Brentwood cabins developed in Black Forest in 1926 that put 400 lots on 160 acres in an area that now typically requires five-acre minimum lots.

Schueler cited availability of water as a key factor in determining appropriate zoning and subdivision Throughout Colorado, approval of a subdivision requires that the State Engineer certify that the proposed source can supply water for a minimum of 100 years. The county adopted a more stringent 300-year rule.

Schueler noted, "The board of county commissioners has the ability to waive the 300-year requirement and has done so. Woodmoor and Gleneagle are two areas where the board has seen fit to waive the rule." A recent example was the approval of a waiver of the 300-year rule for the Struthers Ranch development between Gleneagle and I-25 south of Baptist Road. The developer proposed using water from the Donala Water and Sanitation District that serves Gleneagle. During the course of the planning commission hearing on that project, 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. Chaparral Hills resident Dale Turner remarked, "I don’t see how the board could approve Struthers Ranch because it damages Gleneagle residents."

Questions arose concerning the recently approved Forest Lakes subdivision. It was noted that there exists only enough water for 115 houses, but the remaining 350 need to use surface water from the reservoirs. Former Monument Mayor Leon Tenney expressed the view that the Town of Monument owns the senior surface rights to Beaver Creek that feeds Bristlecone Lake from which the water would be drawn.

Steve Sery, NEPCO president, noted that the road network is not keeping up with population growth. Schueler added, "It is a local, state, and national issue." He said that during the time the population in the county has doubled, traffic has increased fourfold. There are now more vehicles registered in the county than people living here.

Schueler asked, "How much [of the cost of roads] do you hang on the developer?" He cited the case of the ongoing redesign of the Baptist interchange and said that, based on generated traffic, the Forest Lakes developer might conceivably be required to pay 10% of that cost or about $3 million.

Schueler stated that traffic at the Baptist interchange is expected to reach Level of Service (LOS) F, the worst there is, sometime before the rework is completed. He said, "If Wal-Mart is approved, the day it opens the Baptist interchange will go to LOS F. No matter how much Wal-Mart contributes to Baptist Road improvements, the day it goes in it would kill the interchange." He added, "The state says if you want a new interchange, you pay for it. If you want to swamp an existing one, you don’t." He characterized it as an "incrementalist" issue. Former Gleneagle Civic Association President Bob Swedenburg said, "It is the board of county commissioners’ responsibility to balance public safety vs. development."

Beth Courreau, President of the Woodmoor Improvement Association, noted that comprehensive plans are advisory. Schueler agreed, saying, "Comp plans are not binding and are subject to interpretation." He went on to say that furtherance of the master plan is the first justification listed in the LDC for changing zoning. The other reasons are a change in circumstances in the area, a mistake in the original zoning, and promotion of the general health, safety, and welfare of county residents.

Schueler observed that state law for PUD rezoning is more stringent. For approval, the board of county commissioners must be able to make a finding that the proposal is in general conformity to the master plan; however, Schueler noted, "[The board] can almost say black looks white to me."

Turner suggested the planning department should require developers to build road improvements before they are allowed to go ahead with a project.

Schueler asked "How do you hold someone’s feet to the fire?" He added that the county does not have the tool of annexation that municipalities have to compel developers to make expenditures.

Leon Tenney, former mayor of Monument, said, "You don’t have to approve the project."

Schueler said the planning department is finding itself in the role of a negotiator trading off density vs. off-site improvements. He noted that the ongoing revamping of the LDC will give more guidance on clustering provisions and off-site improvements. One area he said will not change is the water availability regulations including the 300-year rule.

To quote from Schueler’s handout, "The conclusion of all this is that the numbers used in zoning are important but they may come as much from tradition and convention as from any more rational planning approach. Even if they started out as rationally based, their collective shoe may no longer fit. Communities would do well to step back once in a while and look at the more collective impacts of the numbers they have chosen."

Triview board evening meeting draws capacity crowd

The Triview Metropolitan District Board of Directors held its regular monthly meeting at a new day and time – June 26, the fourth Wednesday of the month, at 6:30 pm. Formerly, the meetings were held the fourth Thursday at 8:30 am. Few residents ever attended the Thursday morning meetings. The Wednesday evening meeting was packed with about 30 Jackson Creek residents.

Vice President Jim Perry nominated Kathy Walters to continue as President. She was confirmed unanimously. Gary Walters and Linda Jones were nominated for Secretary-Treasurer. Walters won by a vote of 3 to 2. The vote was split along residency lines with residents Martha Gurnick and Linda Jones voting for Jones and non-residents Perry and the two Walters voting for Walters. Triview district manager Ron Simpson was reappointed as assistant secretary-treasurer.

In response to a request by a resident, the agenda item for citizen input was moved to the end of the meeting to let attendees observe board actions prior to providing their input. As the meeting progressed, questions and comments from the residents were spontaneously given on many of the topics.

Rick Blevins of Jackson Creek Vision Development Company reported on trail and landscape work including tree replacements and asphalt paving of the trail through Lariat Ranch.

Tap water treatment plant B is substantially complete and is expected to be operational the first week in July. This will relieve some of the stress on plant A and help address water quality issues.

Blevins noted that the 23-lot Carriages at Jackson Creek project approved by the town has been sold to Elite Properties-Classic Homes.

The 76-lot Homestead Filing #3 project is scheduled for a hearing at the July 10 meeting of the Monument planning commission. The project is expected to go before the town board of trustees in August.

District engineer Chuck Ritter of Nolte Associates reported that the Donala Water and Sanitation District that serves Gleneagle is seriously considering switching to use Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) for wastewater treatment. If that happens, it will free capacity in the present wastewater treatment plant jointly owned by Donala, the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, and Triview. Simpson noted that there could be a signed agreement between Donala and CSU by August of this year and conversion in 2004. If this does not occur, the wastewater treatment plant will be at 85% of its design capacity by 2004.

As reported last month, Ritter noted that Union Pacific has approved an at-grade railroad crossing for access to the wastewater treatment plant. The crossing will be southeast of the silver dome that can be seen west of I-25 one mile south of Baptist Road. The type of crossing approved will cost about 20% of the type of crossing previously anticipated.

Simpson reported that he has been in contact with Wal-Mart’s broker. The project is still being reviewed in Arkansas. Simpson said, "It is unknown if and when an application might be submitted."

He noted that monies from the county’s road and bridge fund are being sought for improvements to the Baptist Road bridge over Jackson Creek. State funds are being pursued to help pay for other improvements needed to Baptist Road. The county is expected to require that Wal-Mart help fund the extension of Jackson Creek Parkway south to connect to the stub of Struthers Road that extends north from Northgate Road east of I-25.

Simpson announced the July 23 open house on the redesign of the Baptist Road and Northgate interchanges with I-25. The open house will be held from 4 pm to 7 pm at Lewis-Palmer High School. He said there remain two design alternatives for the Baptist interchange and one design for the Northgate interchange.

State modeling of the traffic on Baptist Road by PBS&J has yielded results 30% lower than the results of Baptist Road Rural Transportation Authority efforts by Loris Associates. Discussions to resolve the discrepancies are ongoing.

Gurnick asked what effect the differences would have on how far east Baptist would be expanded to four lanes. Simpson replied that using the state traffic estimates, the four-lane section should end at Leather Chaps whereas using the BRRTA estimates there should be four lanes all the way to Tari. Simpson said in both cases Baptist would be expanded to six lanes from Old Denver Highway on the west to Jackson Creek Parkway on the east.

New subdivision being planned north of King Soopers

Simpson said there is a proposal in the works for a residential subdivision north of King Soopers. He said that Miles Grant, operating as Monument PRD-4, LLC, is developing the plan. Grant, who builds under the name Genesis Homes, reportedly plans to sell the land to another homebuilder once the plat has been approved. According to Simpson, the area has been shown as residential since 1987. Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse habitat mitigation will be required. A bond or letter of credit will be posted to guarantee that the habitat mitigation is completed. In response to a question, Simpson said that out of 1,580 acres in the district, 175 acres (11%) have been dedicated to mouse habitat. An additional 30 acres (2%) are wetlands.

Simpson announced that discussion of the 2003 budget must begin at the July 24 meeting. The budget must address operational transition in the event Donala decides to have CSU handle their wastewater treatment. Triview also needs to assess whether it is time to do its own meter reading and billing, tasks presently handled by Donala. The Inter-Governmental Agreement with Donala is up for renewal in August.

Lariat Ranch resident Bill Chin complained about black greasy spots in his tap water. Simpson said they will look into it and added that the iron that was getting into the water supply has been corrected.

As required by the EPA, Jackson Creek residents should have received the annual water quality report for the district. Simpson noted, "We test constantly."

In response to remarks that the billing rate is high compared to Colorado Springs, Simpson said, "Colorado Springs has economies of scale." Noting that Donala has among the lowest rates in the area, he said, "We try to stay equal or below Donala." He added that Triview’s tap and impact fees to developers are the lowest in the area.

Many resident questions and comments focused on landscape, park, trail, and open space issues.

Chin noted that his Lariat Ranch neighborhood averages two children per house. He asked if the acreage set aside for parks and open space has changed from the original plan. Blevins replied that the original 1987 plan required 10% parks and open space. So far, not counting the mouse habitat, parks and open space averages 12%. Simpson agreed, "We have more green now than originally approved in 1987." Blevins added that plans for the original "Field of Dreams" ball field were scuttled by the need to preserve mouse habitat. The park space is in pocket parks of one to two acres each.

Simpson reported, "There are not as many over-users with $200+ monthly water bills this year as last year." He added that water consumption is two to three times greater during the months when lawns are watered as at other times of the year.

Simpson noted, "Our major user is the Texaco car wash. There is a lot of water going into that. We told two other car washes that we are not interested. King Soopers seems to use a lot of water for what they do."

The middle school took over landscape maintenance from the landscape contractor and cut their water use in half. Simpson said this is thanks to more care in irrigation and that the lawns are now established.

Peter Susemihl, attorney for the district, reported that the state has not yet responded to Triview’s application for school irrigation with reuse water from the wastewater treatment plant. Gurnick asked if reuse water could be used at the car wash. Ritter said it was unlikely to be approved due to the possibility of human contact with the reuse water. Irrigation at the school will be done at night when wind speed is less than 15 mph to minimize contact. According to Ritter, irrigation at the school offers "less potential for human contact in the eyes of the state."

The district currently uses only water from deep wells. Deep wells are not immediately impacted by the current drought. Simpson said, "There is no source problem with deep water." He later added that drilling a well into the Arapahoe aquifer and building the associated water treatment facility costs about $2 million. He estimated that Jackson Creek will need 18 or 19 wells at full build out.

District resident Sonja Beaudoin noted that the covenants often require Kentucky Bluegrass instead of xeriscape. Simpson said, "It is difficult to convince builders [to remove the bluegrass requirement]." He attributed it to concerns about the appearance of poorly done attempts at xeriscape.

Simpson said that the final draft of the water authority’s master plan will be available next week. It projects resources and needs through 2025. Regarding the plan’s proposal to build a satellite well field in the northern part of the county, Simpson said, "Because Douglas County is consuming more, northern providers should adopt a defensive posture." He added, "Douglas County pumping could reverse the flow of the [Denver] basin to go north." Public meetings to discuss the master plan are to be held in September or October.

Simpson said that the district presently pays $1,100 to $1,500 for the initial video inspection of sewer lines in new subdivisions. He asked, "Is it really appropriate for the district to be paying for it? I don’t think so." In response to a question, he said Colorado Springs requires developers to pay. Susemihl urged the board to postpone action on this until next meeting so they can hear the developer’s side.

Simpson reported that an escrow account is being used to pay the cost of building a line to handle sewage from future commercial and industrial developments on the west side of I-25.

Susemihl said prior owners of the property on the west side of I-25 owed several million dollars in taxes, more than the market value of the property. According to the terms of a negotiated agreement, the county agreed to waive past due taxes, the Triview and Forest Lakes metro districts agreed to sell the property and use the proceeds to pay the taxes owed to other entities and set up a $1 million escrow account to provide water and sewer to the parcel. Pine Tree properties and its subsidiary Phoenix Bell now own the property.

Jones asked for some sort of "overview of bills" to get a better feeling for the reasons money is being spent.

Susemihl described the four-step process of creating a budget, making the decision to pursue an individual project, approving a contract for that project with reference to the budget, and finally approving the contractor’s bills as the work is done.

In prior meetings, concerns have been expressed about the trustee fees being charged for administrating the district’s bonds. Susemihl said that an alternative trustee with the requisite $75 million in reserves has not yet been identified.

Jones suggested that the district approach the present bondholder to discuss renegotiation of the bond interest rate. The blended doubly tax-free rate on the older bonds is more than 12%, which is significantly above current market rates.

Susemihl urged residents to raise questions or concerns first with Simpson and his administrator Dale Hill and said the board meetings are not the best forum for getting questions answered. Beaudoin disagreed saying, "This is the forum."

Residents reported that many of the replacement landscape trees along Dawson Creek and Candle Creek are dying again. After the meeting Heights resident Catherine Rice remarked, "It is terrible to plant a tree and then not water it."

Residents were also concerned that the native grass areas are weedy or dead.

Simpson noted that the trees were replaced by Classic Homes under warranty. He said there is a drip irrigation system but this has been a dry year. The district is getting bids for irrigation of the plantings using existing taps.

Jones said, "Classic supposedly cares about what everyone thinks. I don’t believe in letting them off the hook." Simpson replied, "They redid it. This is mostly our problem. I am not putting it on them. What they were supposed to do doesn’t quite work. Maybe it is time to see if there is something else we should be doing." He added, "It is unbelievable what it is costing for maintenance. It is scary." He said the district has maintenance responsibility for 1.3 million square feet of parks, trails, and open space.

Susemihl suggested that the district have a landscape architect assess the situation and bring options to the board.

A resident suggested that if the district has more than enough water then it should consider selling water to other districts.

Simpson noted there is a plan for interconnection to other districts to supply water for fire fighting but well water is expensive.

Susemihl said, "It’s the board’s responsibility to make sure this district is served first. The policy is to not serve anyone outside the district unless they are on the tax roles" that is, they must have been included into the district.

After the meeting, Rice commented, "Water is a very important resource and needs to be conserved. You can’t live without it."

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The Triview Metropolitan District Board of Directors meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month, 6:30 pm, at the district offices, 174 North Washington St. The next meeting will be on July 24.

For further information, contact the Triview Metropolitan District at 488-6868.

View a picture of the meeting.

Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District Meeting June 25

At the regular monthly meeting of the Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District Board of Directors, thanks were expressed for the many donations received during the Hayman fire. Board member Charlie Pocock said, "The outpouring has been touching. It almost brings me to tears."

Keith Jensen, long-time chief of the Tri-Lakes district, resigned effective June 11 for personal reasons. Jensen was a 16-year veteran of the district and had been chief for more than 10 years. Jensen was an outspoken critic of proposals for unification of the districts raising speculation that his departure was related to the recently completed joint study recommending some form of unification of the Tri-Lakes and Woodmoor-Monument fire protection districts. Assistant Chief Robert Denboske will serve as acting chief until the board names a new chief. Denboske, who has been with the district for 25 years, has expressed interest in becoming the new chief.

Board president Oscar Gillespie, who is recovering from serious health problems, proposed that he switch offices with vice president Charlie Pocock. The motion was unanimously approved.

Treasurer John Hildebrandt reported that the district has received 51% of the anticipated annual income and expended only 31% of the budgeted amount. Maintenance costs and expenditures for 800 MHz communication equipment have exceeded budgeted amounts.

Acting Chief Denboske reported that the district responded to 80 alarms since last month’s board meeting, bringing the year-to-date total to 410. The staff including paid, volunteer, probationary, explorer scouts, and board members totals 40.

Denboske noted that some of the information received about the fire was of poor quality. One of the problems was difficulty determining the exact location of the fire. Denboske said that at one time there were five maps showing five different locations. Pocock noted, "Winds made airborne infrared mapping inaccurate."

Brian Jack was commended for his work exchanging information with the Lake George center.

Ron Thompson, EMS Coordinator for the district, was commended for taking over leadership of day-to-day emergency operations at the firehouse while Denboske was working with the North End Group of chiefs.

Denboske highlighted some of the lessons learned. He described it as a "great tabletop exercise. We gained a lot of information for the next incident. It was good for the Tri-Lakes district in that it showed we are cooperative. It hashed out some training issues."

Denboske said, "The North Group of chiefs functioned very well." Pocock added, "It brought together the North Group."

Pocock said, "Raymond Blake [Woodmoor-Monument fire marshal] did an outstanding job as Public Information Officer."

Pocock said that while it was right to have the incident center at the Tri-Lakes firehouse, it did generate additional overhead expense. Denboske said the district had already applied for a fire management grant to help with the extra costs.

The consultant study of operations and prospects for unification of the Palmer Lake, Tri-Lakes, and Woodmoor-Monument fire organizations is completed. A public meeting on the final report will be held July 15 at the Pinecrest Event Center in Palmer Lake. A joint board meeting will be held at 6:30 pm followed by a presentation to the public at 8 pm. [See "Fire Study Recommends Unification, residents urged to attend important July 15 joint public meeting" in this issue.]

The district is planning to address the deficiencies identified by the study. A prioritized list of items from the study and a draft joint resolution about the study will be discussed at the next board meeting.

The meeting concluded with an executive session to discuss realignment of pay scales.

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The Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District Board of Directors meets the fourth Tuesday of each month, 7 pm, at the district firehouse, 18650 Highway 105 (near the bowling alley). The next meeting will be held July 23.

For more information, call Acting Chief Rob Denboske at 481-2312.

Regional Planning Effort Shows Results

At the June 28 meeting, it was evident that the $50,000 Heritage Planning Grant is beginning to bear fruit. The grant was awarded by a state agency in 2001 to a collection of local jurisdictions to help fund regional planning.

The fire protection district study, partially funded by the Heritage Grant, is completed and will be presented July 15 [See "July 15 Presentation of the Regional Fire Protection Feasibility Study" in this issue.] That meeting was rescheduled from June 20 due to the Hayman fire. David Youtsey, Chief of the Woodmoor-Monument Fire Protection District said, "Our goal in all this is to improve service and increase efficiency."

Using an estimated $20,000 worth of information provided by El Paso County, the City of Colorado Springs, and Colorado Springs Utilities, Monument Town Planner Mike Davenport has developed preliminary projections of Tri-Lakes area population, households, and employment. After being revised based on review by the Heritage Grant participants, these projections will be the basis for the next phase that will identify specific transportation improvements and associated costs needed to address current needs and future growth.

Davenport noted that the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG) projects growth in the region starting at 5% per year in 2000 and declining steadily to about 3% per year in 2025 with an average over the 25 year period of about 4% per year. Davenport noted, "This is considerably less than the 9% per year figure commonly quoted."