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Wal-Mart among likely new Monument Marketplace tenants

View renderings, photo, and download the latest Marketplace site plan

Below: Monument Marketplace rendering showing the proposed locations of the Wal-Mart, Kohl’s, Office Depot, Petco, and other tenants.

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Below: Following announcement Jan. 10 (L to R) Wal-Mart’s Keith Morris and Roger Thompson, Monument Mayor Byron Glenn, Monument Marketplace developer Tom Phelan and his representative Rick Blevins. Photo by John Heiser 

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On Jan. 10, representatives of the Marketplace developer, Monument Towne Center, LLC, and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced that Wal-Mart signed a contract Dec. 22 to occupy 206,288-square-foot pad A at the northern end of the 88-acre Marketplace site plan.

It was also announced that additional likely Marketplace tenants include several restaurants and a variety of other stores including a Kohl’s department store, Petco, and Office Depot.

Rick Blevins, representative of the Marketplace developer, said the proposed Wal-Mart supercenter is consistent with the overall Marketplace plan approved by the Town of Monument in 2003. He added, "The Wal-Mart store plan was approved through the town administration."

Roger Thompson, Wal-Mart’s real estate manager, said Wal-Mart would own, not lease, the store. He said that assuming no major problems arise, Wal-Mart would likely submit building plans to Regional Building in early March 2005. He added that they intend to start construction before the end of the summer and hope to have the store open in February or March 2006.

Thompson said, "This store will include a full array of retail services including grocery, a garden center, tire-lube-oil express, pharmacy, and a separate gas station."

Noting that a gas station was not on the approved plan, Monument Mayor Byron Glenn said the town must determine if inclusion of a gas station constitutes a major amendment to the approved plan. If so, he said the Monument Planning Commission and Board of Trustees would hold hearings on the change.

Thompson added, "We are hoping to have a gas station."

Blevins noted that a convenience store with gas pumps has been planned for the southern tip of the Marketplace site plan near Rodeo Drive. He added, "At present, there is no tenant or interest."

Glenn noted that the exterior architectural features of the store must conform to the Marketplace design standards and will be consistent with the existing Home Depot store.

Thompson and Keith Morris, Senior Manager of Community Affairs for Wal-Mart’s Midwest region, said it was a difficult decision for the company to switch from the Baptist Road site, which is directly south of the King Soopers shopping center. Thompson noted that Wal-Mart had held a land contract on that site since 1996.

Morris said the company considered resubmitting the plan for the Baptist Road site to county planning. He said, "We spent a good deal of time looking at how to make the Baptist Road site work. The [three] new county commissioners introduced a whole new set of unknowns." Thompson added, "It was hard to pull away, but the company is now 100 percent committed to the Monument Marketplace."

Morris added, "The project makes much more sense in the Marketplace location that serves the same population. It benefits from the traffic of being next to the Home Depot. This is an excellent location without compromising the amenities."

Thompson said, "We dropped our purchase agreement on the other site." Reportedly, plans have recently been circulated for a mixed residential and light commercial development on the 30-acre Baptist Road site. The plan is said to be similar to the plans suggested by the Wal-Mart opponents at the July 15, 2004 hearing before the Board of County Commissioners where the Wal-Mart proposal was unanimously voted down.

Morris declined to estimate first-year sales at the store but said $1.5 million to $2 million in local sales tax would be generated. Since the store will be within the Triview Metropolitan District, the sales tax will be split 50-50 with the town in accordance with a long-standing intergovernmental agreement between the town and the district. Morris’ sales tax estimate does not take into account sales tax losses at the other stores, including King Soopers and Safeway, that are within the town.

Morris said there would be about 350 employees at the store. Of those, he said 70 percent to 75 percent would be full-time positions. He said hiring would start midway through construction and added that a local wage survey would be conducted at that time to determine what King Soopers, Safeway, and other larger local stores are paying. He said the survey results would influence the average wages to be offered.

Blevins said adding Wal-Mart and its estimated 13,500 car trips per day to the Marketplace will increase the developer’s commitment of funds for Baptist Road improvements by about $500,000. He said Jackson Creek Parkway would remain a two-lane road from the north boundary of the Marketplace to Highway 105. Marketplace marketing materials showed the current traffic counts on Baptist Road and Highway 105 as 12,461 trips per day and 14,417 trips per day, respectively.

Regarding the water supply for the store, Ron Simpson, manager of the Triview district, said, "No additional wells will be required [to serve the Wal-Mart]. All the infrastructure is in place." Much of that infrastructure, including construction of Jackson Creek Parkway, was funded by $15 million in additional bonded indebtedness the district issued in 2003.

Glenn noted that the addition of the Wal-Mart traffic will increase the urgency for the Colorado Department of Transportation to rework the Baptist Road/I-25 interchange. He described it as a "dire need." Funding for that estimated $30 million project has not yet been identified.

Blevins noted that the Wells Fargo Bank branch is nearly completed and will open soon. He mentioned the following additional likely Marketplace tenants, some of which he said are not currently under contract:

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Marketplace representative Rick Blevins can be reached at 385-0555 or rblevins@jacksoncreek.com. 

View renderings, photo, and download the Marketplace site plan

Gleneagle pond site of tragic drowning

Below: Photo by Jim Kendrick shows the rescue effort.

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At about 5 p.m. on Jan. 23, Jeremiah Brockett and Mike Schmid tried to bicycle across the thinning ice on the 15-foot deep Gleneagle golf course pond next to Huntington Beach Drive. It was about 60 degrees. Brockett fell through the ice first, then Schmid fell in as he attempted to rescue Brockett. Brockett was able to pull himself out of the water but was not successful in rescuing his Pine Creek schoolmate and good friend, who sank before the first emergency crew arrived.

The Donald Wescott Fire Protection District was assisted by AMR Ambulance, Colorado Springs Fire Department Heavy Rescue 9 and Engine 9, Flight For Life Helicopter, Black Forest Fire Rescue District, U.S. Air Force Academy Dive Team, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, T.S. 7, and Fire Rehab. Schmid’s body was recovered by the divers a little after 8 p.m. The search was hampered by visibility of less than four inches in the 35-degree water.

Monument Board of Trustees, Jan. 18

Franchise fee dispute settled; Mountain View Electric to pay town $102,500

At the regular Jan. 18 meeting of the Monument Board of Trustees (BOT), the board approved a settlement agreement with Mountain View Electric (MVE) and selected three planning commission members and an alternate from among six candidates.

Among numerous other actions, the board approved relaxation of the noise standards for heavy industrial districts, reviewed a proposal to expand the detention pond for the Peak View Ridge subdivision, and received a pre-application presentation for Home Place Ranch, a proposed 440-acre residential development on Higby Road.

The candidates were current planning commissioners Lowell Morgan, John Kortgardner, and Jim Thresher; planning commission alternate Tim Davis; Travis Easton; Len Erickson; and former Monument trustee Glenda Smith.

Each of the candidates—except Davis, who was absent, and Thresher, who withdrew his candidacy during the meeting—made a statement and answered questions from the trustees.

Morgan said he is a self-employed physicist who has lived in town seven years, had an office in town for nine years, and lived in the area for 18 years.

Trustee David Mertz asked whether Morgan, who chairs the Monument Sanitation District, might have a conflict of interest continuing to serve on the planning commission. Morgan said there would not be a conflict since the sanitation district constructs and maintains a sewer system and does not have any role in the land use decisions the planning commission considers.

Mayor Byron Glenn asked for Morgan’s views on large lot versus small lot developments. Morgan replied that he objects to plans that put single-family houses on 3,000-square-foot lots. He said, "You are asking for trouble." He added that for affordable housing, he prefers creative concepts with patio houses and townhouses.

Kortgardner said he works at Synthes as a quality engineer and project manager, has a background in architecture, and has served on the planning commission for 6 months. Kortgardner said he has concerns about overall growth, wants to preserve quality of life and small-town atmosphere, and wants to avoid "a sea of houses."

Easton said he works as a civil engineer and construction manager for engineering consulting firm Nolte and Associates, and that he is working on the proposed Timbers project south of the Home Depot.

Trustee Tommie Plank noted that Nolte works on various developments in the area and asked how Easton would handle potential conflicts of interest. Easton said, "I would probably just abstain."

In response to questions, Easton said he likes the area and wants to keep "the open feel, the open space."

Erickson said he is an operations manager for Rampart Supply, has lived in Monument for one year, and cares for the town and being in touch with the townspeople.

In response to questions, Erickson said he wants to preserve the "friendly, small-town, family feel of Monument."

Smith said she has lived in Monument for nearly 24 years. She added that she has been off the Board of Trustees for about one year and wants to continue looking after the community. Like Morgan, she said there was no conflict between serving on the planning commission and her position on the board of directors of the Monument Sanitation District. She said it is important for the town to "stick to the comprehensive plan."

After two rounds of secret ballots by the trustees, Kortgardner, Easton, and Davis were elected to the planning commission, and Morgan was elected as a planning commission alternate.

Jim Miller, Vice President of Land Development for John Laing Homes, and Mike Bramlett, Principal and Director of Operations for JR Engineering, presented a proposal to reduce the discharge rate from the detention pond for the Peak View Ridge subdivision from 18 cubic feet per second to 5 cubic feet per second.

Miller and Bramlett said they are seeking permission from the board to expand the pond by about one-half acre. The purpose is to reduce existing downstream drainage issues. Bramlett noted that the expansion would infringe on a portion of a planned park. They proposed offsetting that by expanding another portion of the park.

Miller said, "Our project is done and accepted. This is not something we have to do. We wanted to do more. We are a good builder, and we want to stand by our development. We are willing to spend money to expand the pond. We are asking you to contribute land."

Trustee Gail Drumm, who lives in the area, asked if Miller had contacted the homeowners association (HOA). Miller replied that he approached the town first before contacting the HOA.

Drumm recommended that more general solutions be considered. He said that only 15 percent of the drainage is from the John Laing Homes project, while 85 percent is from the Santa Fe Trails subdivision. He suggested that the increased detention capacity should be constructed further south.

Trustee George Brown asked about construction of a common detention pond for the two projects.

Bramlett said there is a 16-foot difference in elevation between the two existing ponds, making it difficult to construct a common pond. He noted that the Santa Fe Trails pond discharges at 70 cubic feet per second.

A motion was unanimously passed to support the concept of the pond expansion. The action was subject to development of legal descriptions of the changes and approval of the HOA.

Roger Sams presented a summary of the proposed expansion of the Upper Monument Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF). The WWTF is jointly owned by the Donala Water and Sanitation District, the Forest Lakes Metropolitan District, and the Triview Metropolitan District. It is located south of Baptist Road.

Sams said the plant was constructed in 1988 and has been operating since 1995. He noted that it is now operating at about 59 percent of its rated capacity. He said the $85 million expansion project, which will double the capacity of the plant, is proposed to start in the fourth quarter of 2006 and be completed in early 2008. He said the expansion would provide for roughly 15 years of additional growth in the area.

Sams said state regulations require that the town, county, county health department, and Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments be given the opportunity to review the plans and make a recommendation regarding the project.

Sams said the plan is to present the proposal to the state in April with a decision anticipated in June or July.

The trustees agreed to review the plan and discuss it further at their Feb. 7 meeting.

Town attorney Gary Shupp presented revisions to Ordinance 32-2004, increasing allowed noise levels in heavy industrial noise districts from 45 dB to 75 dB from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and from 55 dB to 80 dB from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. He said the changes were needed for anticipated heavy industrial district applications.

It has been widely reported that Transit Mix is planning to submit a request to build a concrete batch plant near the WWTF south of Baptist Road. The ordinance change would make it easier for Transit Mix to satisfy the noise limit requirement.

The board approved the ordinance 5-2, with Plank and Drumm voting no.

This topic was continued from the Dec. 20 board meeting. Town manager Rick Sonnenburg reported that three town employees have accrued more than 360 hours of sick leave and three more have accrued more than 504 hours. The accrued sick leave was identified as a significant liability by the town’s outside auditor Kyle Logan of Swanhorst & Cutler, since terminated employees are paid for 50 percent of accrued sick leave.

Insurance agent Dick Welch submitted a proposal to change the disability insurance policy, reducing the waiting period from 90 days to 30 days for an additional annual premium cost of $4,353.

The board unanimously approved the change in policy coupled to reducing the sick leave accrual cap from 720 hours (90 days) to 360 hours (45 days).

Home Place Ranch pre-application presentation

View and download information on the Home Place Ranch property and vicinity

Dale Turner, representing Colorado Commercial Builders, said the project would cover 440 acres south of Higby Road, east of the Jackson Creek development. He said the project would contain 800-1,200 houses with an average density of less than four dwellings per acre, similar to portions of the Jackson Creek development.

Turner said the project, which would be mostly residential, would include a small area of neighborhood retail. He noted that the major commercial chains like Home Depot and Wal-Mart are interested in coming to this area because of the growing residential base.

He said the project would apply for annexation to the town and noted that the area was identified in Monument’s comprehensive plan annexation map as an annexation candidate area. He said, "I would much rather this be developed in the town than the county."

Turner added that the land includes 15-20 acres of beautiful rock formations and said, "It is our intention that those would remain as a park for public use." He also said connections would be included to the two trails that come from adjoining properties.

He said that some areas of the property are treed and the development in those areas would be similar to the Fox Run subdivision. He said, "We will maintain as much forest as we can. We want to do a plan that is sensitive to the surrounding environment."

Turner noted that there are also seven springs, several stock watering ponds, and mouse habitat on the property.

He noted that road connections to Fairplay Drive and Gleneagle Drive are intended to be part of the project. Both of these connections are shown on the county’s recently revised major transportation corridor plan.

Turner said he intends to obtain water and sewer service from the Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District or the Triview Metropolitan District, both of which abut the property. He said that if the project is included in the Woodmoor district, a metro district would probably be formed to relieve the town of such responsibilities as maintaining the roads, doing snow removal, and mosquito control.

Brown said, "I’m not in favor of another metro district."

Glenn said he supported including a community park.

Drumm expressed concern about the amount of traffic generated: 800-1,200 dwelling units would generate 5,600 to 12,000 car trips per day. Drumm said, "They need to be quite a bit bigger lots to be consistent with the area."

Turner thanked the board and said he would return when he had more detailed plans.

Ten-year capital improvement plan

Glenn noted that with the coming of Wal-Mart, he anticipates the town will receive additional revenue in 2006. He said, "Let’s start saving Old Town." He added, "We need a master drainage plan for Old Town so we can phase the improvements."

Drumm suggested a high priority should be to pay off the town’s debt.

Glenn proposed a study session in March to start development of a capital improvement plan.

Plank said, "With the Public Works Supervisor not in the best of health, now might be a good time to bring back the Public Works Committee. They looked over sewer and water and access to streets to ensure the infrastructure would be done properly. It took some of the burden from the planning commission and board of trustees."

Glenn agreed it would be helpful to have a committee to review capacity. He said, "We need to come up with a mission statement."

Plank suggested the board discuss reinstating the Public Works Committee at its March 21 meeting. Trustee Frank Orten said, "We have done a fairly good job of streamlining the process. I don’t want to add another layer of bureaucracy."

The board went into a short executive session to discuss negotiations with Mountain View Electric (MVE) regarding the franchise fee issue.

Following the executive session, the board unanimously approved a settlement agreement whereby MVE will pay the town $102,500 as settlement of the franchise fee dispute. MVE further agreed to provide detailed accounting regarding future collection of the franchise fee. The agreement also called for negotiations within 45 days of a replacement franchise ordinance that would "more precisely define terminology and the rights and responsibilities of the parties." As part of the settlement agreement, both parties agreed not to further discuss the merits of the dispute.

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The Monument Board of Trustees normally meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. The next meeting will be held Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. at Monument Town Hall, 166 Second St.

For further information, contact Rick Sonnenburg, town manager, at 481-2954.

Two pre-application proposals were presented at the Jan. 12 Planning Commission meeting to the four commissioners present. Commissioners Jim Thresher, Ed Delaney, and Eric Johnson, and alternate Tim Davis were absent. (See the article covering the Jan. 18 Board of Trustees meeting for changes in planning commission membership for 2005.)

The first pre-application proposal was from Goldwest II, LLC, which proposed a new and substantially different design for a seniors’ "independent assisted living facility with unbundled flexible services and home health care offered." The undeveloped 3.5-acre property lies between Beacon Lite and Grace Best Elementary School, south of the Pankratz Gallery Center building.

The Goldwest parcel is an undeveloped 3.5-acre "old downtown" city block consisting of 16 very small "historic area" lots that were originally platted when the town was first created. Goldwest first proposed replatting and rezoning the parcel for 26 to 28 patio homes on May 17, 2004. This revised proposal includes replatting and rezoning for 50 to 52 dwelling units, 44 apartments in a two-story structure and 6 to 8 patio homes. The parcel is currently zoned R-2 (downtown residential), so this second proposal for senior housing would also require rezoning to PUD (planned unit development).

Last May, the planning staff report to the trustees noted that the lots were "legally created and zoned" when the town was first incorporated, but are "too narrow by today’s standards for typical single (family homes)." However, one developer has designed new single-family homes with garages that fit on these lots and are under construction between Jefferson Avenue and the Santa Fe Trail, north of Third Street.

The stark contrast between historic construction codes and new Comprehensive Plan and Regional Building Department regulations creates complications that can often confound developers and town officials, as was evidenced by comments at the May 17 and January 12 presentations.

The new regulations add complexity for owners of existing "old downtown" structures who may not be able to afford to modify their buildings for new purposes because of the additional costs they would have to bear to comply with current Regional Building codes.

Even though the Goldwest parcel is undeveloped, re-platting the parcel would require that new construction conform to new downtown zoning regulations. The default residential zoning would normally be R-2, which is residential single-family homes on half-acre lots, calling for no more than two homes per acre or seven single-family homes total.

In May, Goldwest only owned the six northeastern lots of the block. It now owns the entire city block, including the central north-south alley right-of-way between the eight eastern and eight western lots.

Background: Goldwest’s initial proposal was a patio home development, presented to the Board of Trustees at the May 2004 meeting. The higher density would require rezoning to PUD (planned unit development). The project then consisted of 13 or 14 one-story patio home duplexes, with two bedrooms and two baths and adjacent one-car garages connecting, while separating, the living units. The exterior grounds would be owned and maintained by the developer. These units would have cost about $250,000 and would have included front and rear porches.

The developer’s representative told the trustees in May that this type of housing would be the kind that older senior citizens would seek in order to continue living in Monument. He said they typically only have one car, are not interested in yard maintenance, and will accept 15-foot spacing between buildings for a lower purchase cost. He added that while this type of housing is on the low end for square footage and yard space, it is not low end in cost.

The major difficulty with the first Goldwest proposal was that it would have been difficult to legally restrict purchases to senior citizens. Also, the parcel did not have enough water rights, with or without re-platting. In addition to the water constraint issues, development of Goldwest’s parcel under either proposal is complicated by limited traffic access and proximity to the elementary school.

The 16 lots were legal when platted long ago, but are too small to meet today’s water standards for new single-family houses. However, Goldwest still would like to increase the density of the parcel’s zoning, above the current R-2 designation. Downtown regulations for new construction require at least a half-acre per single-family house, after replatting, in order to have water rights for at least one-half acre-foot of water per year for each lot.

Average water availability in downtown Monument from the surface and four Denver Basin aquifers is a little over 1 acre-foot per acre, according to water engineer studies recently conducted for the town. The 3.5-acre parcel would only allow seven or perhaps eight standard residential taps under the current downtown regulations, if replatted. However, Goldwest wanted to build 26 to 28 residences.

Recently revised "downtown regulations," which are different than newly revised regulations for developments outside the original historic area, require stringent water conservation measures for residential development. In comparison, under the town’s new comprehensive plan, there are deliberately generous water and parking waivers available to promote commercial development of historic downtown lots. Both Goldwest proposals call for individual ownership of each of the developments’ residential units, with no subsidies for the unit owners.

The town staff generally agreed with Goldwest that senior citizen housing unit water usage is usually lower than the average of a half acre-foot per year. This lowered usage would only partially compensate for the limited available water under the parcel.

However, now that the Trails End Subdivision has been annexed and approved and 3 acre-feet per year of water rights have just been sold to John Savage for expansion of his Rocky Mountain Oil Change and Carwash Center, the town has very few remaining available taps to sell to developers until another new well is drilled.

The actual water available under the parcel would have to be adjudicated before any decisions could be made about the substantial waivers required. The parcel probably can only supply about 4 acre-feet of water per year. For the May 2004 Goldwest proposal, 26 to 28 single family residences would normally require 13 to 14 acre-feet of water per year, and a purchase of water rights for 9 to 10 acre-feet per year from the town. For the January Goldwest proposal, fifty residences would need 18.75 acre-feet of water per year, assuming seniors would only use 0.375 (3/8) acre-foot of water per year instead of 0.500 (1/2) acre-foot of water per year.

The only current access to the parcel is from the Adams Street segment that extends south from the Second Street intersection, just west of the flashing Santa Fe Trail traffic light. This is a dead-end with no connections to other streets. Access to the parcel from the east is blocked for the most part by the Santa Fe Trail. There could be an entrance road from Beacon Lite at the southeast corner of the parcel, however.

The short segment of Adams is heavily used for student drop-off and pick-up. The pavement currently stops well short of the southwest corner of the parcel, limiting paved access to only some of the lots. The heavy use and the very short setback on Adams Street may preclude on-street parking by residents. On-street parking is similarly restricted on Jefferson Street by the school.

Adams Street access to the parcel is further complicated by the existing school fence that extends from the school’s main entrance through three of the southwestern lots. The school’s track area also "infringes on the property."

The original Goldwest proposal included construction of a half block of First Street, eastward from Adams Street, to the north end of the alley right-of-way. The second access to the duplex development would have been provided by a new Lincoln Avenue cul-de-sac extending west from Beacon Lite to the south end of the alley right-of-way. The alley would be called Lincoln Lane.

Downtown regulations allow alleys to serve as narrow streets, even though these lanes are not usually allowed elsewhere. However, the developer told the trustees in May that he would be agreeable to a town request to widen the proposed Lincoln Lane to a standard width for a downtown street.

The town opposes direct street access from Beacon Lite to Adams Street because of the traffic hazard that may be created for unsupervised children in front of Grace Best Elementary School. The town erected a temporary construction fence to prevent parents from driving to the school from Beacon Lite across the Goldwest parcel south of the Pankratz Gallery Center building. The high number of cars using this unauthorized route had created what appeared to be an unpaved alternative "park" lane, which has invited more frequent use by parents frustrated with school traffic on Adams and Jefferson.

The board concluded in May that it would be very difficult to legally limit ownership of the proposed patio homes to senior citizens under federal equal opportunity housing laws. Young or single-parent families might look at these as duplex units as starter homes—which would mean more water use and more parking needs than the proposed design can support. Goldwest revised its proposal to the Planning Commission on Jan. 12, based on this advice and conclusion from the board and town staff.

There was no formal staff presentation because the Town Planner position is vacant. There was also no discussion of the alternative Goldwest proposal and second sketch plan for 16 patio home duplexes that Goldwest also submitted for review.

The developer did not make a presentation of its first proposal to the Planning Commission in May. Commissioners did not receive a copy of the May proposal or staff report for that presentation.

No agency has reviewed the plans yet. The staff report says the developer "will work with the town and District 38 staff to optimize traffic flow given the peak parental automobile traffic at the beginning and end of the elementary school day."

Goldwest’s Revised Development Proposal

James and Mert Hull of Tecton Corporation, in Colorado Springs, will be "serving as the owner and construction company." Tim Irish of Designed Properties, LLC, in Omaha, NE, "will be responsible for the development, marketing and management of the new community." Irish gave the presentation after James Hull gave a few introductory remarks. Irish’s firm would also manage the senior housing services after completion of construction.

The revised Goldwest proposal would also require a rezoning to PUD and a formal replat to meet current zoning and subdivision regulations.

The sketch plan indicates that the western half-block of the First Street right-of-way would still be paved, but would be a dead end with no access to the parcel’s internal parking. As with the first proposal, the eastern half of this right-of-way would still be vacated and undeveloped. The plan shows some open space and a walking path in the vacated right-of-way. The platted north-south alley (Lincoln Lane) would be entirely vacated.

Adams Street only provides access to the parcel at the northwest corner via a driveway to parking lots for the patio homes and the western parking lot of the 44-unit apartment building. The western parking lot would be separated from Adams Street by a median.

Street access to the east side of the parcel is still blocked by the Santa Fe Trail, where it crosses Beacon Lite Road. A walking trail and open space would run along the eastern side of the parcel. The Lincoln Avenue cul-de-sac off Beacon Lite would provide access to the southern parking lot at the front of the apartment building. The southern and western parking lots connect at the southwest corner of the parcel, where Grace Best’s fence and track infringe on the Goldwest property.

Density further increased in new proposal: The proposed development includes two separate portions. There would be six to eight "senior oriented independent patio homes" along the northern Front Street boundary of the parcel. No description of the size or features of the patio homes was given. A common driveway onto Adams Street separates the patio homes from the two-story "senior assisted living center" with 44 apartment-sized units. The resident-owned apartments range from 700 square feet to 1,200 square feet. The units would have one or two bedrooms and one or two baths, as well as a balcony, deck, or walk-out patio.

There are only 40 parking spaces (less than one per unit) for residents and assigned supporting staff in the apartment building lots. The concept plan lacked specifics on how many apartment parking spaces would be open, carport, or garage.

The independent living building would also provide the following services and spaces for the residents and guests: dining hall and serving kitchen; housekeeping; maintenance; administration offices; barber and beauty shops; country store; library/media center; chapel; community room; activities area; hobby shop and craft room; meeting room; clubs; lounge; home theater; computer center; health and wellness center; billiards room; van transportation for shopping, medical appointments, and group outings; laundry; elevators; and guest rooms on the second floor for visiting out-of-town relatives.

During the informal discussion with the commissioners, Irish noted:

Commissioner Lowell Morgan said that neither of the Goldwest proposals would work because of the limited water that would provide at most 11 low-use "senior" taps. The Goldwest proposals call for 26 to 52 taps. Morgan advised Hull and Irish to check with town water engineering firm, Halepaska and Associates, on how to adjudicate the actual amount of water the parcel could provide.

Irish said he thought that each of the 16 obsolete lots would authorize one-half acre-foot of water per year, and didn’t realize that tighter restrictions would apply after replatting. Sonnenburg said he would help Irish make the contact the next day.

Morgan noted that, while agreeing with the concept of the Goldwest development in a different location, those he worked with in developing the Comprehensive Plan really wanted the parcel to be commercial.

Kathy Spence expressed a similar opinion about the location. She asked for confirmation that the barber and beauty shops would not be commercial ventures open to the public, due to what she believed to be inadequate parking. She asked for specifics on which employees would work full-time for Design Properties, and which would be contractors, either part-time or "by appointment only."

John Kortgardner said he believed these seniors would be more likely than other residents to use small downtown shops, to which Morgan said he’d be interested on statistics about the number of trips by van to Wal-Mart compared to Safeway.

View and download information on the Home Place Ranch property and vicinity

The second pre-application proposal was from local developer Dale Turner for Home Place Ranch. This large, undeveloped county property is south of Higby Road. Turner said he will seek annexation of this development by the town and by the Triview Metropolitan District.

Turner gave a brief presentation about the property he had just put under contract. He said the property, which is bordered by Jackson Creek on two sides, exceeds the minimum contiguous boundary requirement for annexation by the town. Because the deeds are over 100 years old, the parcel will have to be surveyed to find exact boundaries and acreage, which is between 400 acres and 440 acres.

Turner said he was a member of the committee that drafted the Comprehensive Plan and said the development would be consistent with its requirements. He estimated the development would include from 800 to 1,200 houses and one small community commercial "7-11 style" shopping center. Subdivisions in the woods would be similar to the Fox Run development and there would be apartments and townhomes in the pasture areas.

Other primary access routes besides Higby would be Fairplay Drive from the north and Gleneagle Drive from the south. Connections would be provided for the town’s trail system to connect with Fox Run Park and Palmer Lake. The existing rock formations and three ponds would be retained as park-type open space. He added that there is a fair amount of mouse habitat on the parcel that will have to remain undisturbed. (For more information on this project see the article on Page 3 covering the Jan. 18 Board of Trustees meeting.)

The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m. The next commission meeting will be Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 166 Second St.

Mayor Nikki McDonald convened the Palmer Lake Town Council meeting at 7 p.m. Trustee Brent Sumner was absent.

The council members first convened as the Liquor Licensing Board. Dennis Phillips of the Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts requested liquor licenses for two events: the opening of a photo show on Feb. 4, and a fund-raiser scheduled for Feb. 12. Both requests were approved unanimously, and the board adjourned at 7:04 p.m.

McDonald asked that reports from the Awake The Lake committee be added to the agenda for all council meetings and made several minor schedule adjustments. The council passed these unanimously, along with the list of consent items.

Trustee Gary Coleman reported that the interior of the town hall had been repainted. All of the work was done by town employees, and he thanked them for their time and effort.

Trustee Chuck Coleman stated that plans were proceeding to upgrade the pump on the D2 well.

Trustee Trish Flake said that Deahna Brown, a local yoga and Pilates instructor, wants to set up classes in the town hall. Some discussion ensued about suitable class times, and McDonald noted that early morning classes would not conflict with other uses for the building.

Flake stated that she’s looking forward to working with the Awake The Lake committee on fund raising.

Trustee Max Parker extended his thanks to Bob Radosevich, Roads Supervisor, for keeping the town’s roads clear of ice and snow. Parker also noted that several contingencies for developer Randy Jones’ road construction permit had been satisfied.

The town received a letter from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stating that no additional study of Preble’s meadow jumping mouse habitat is required on Jones’ property. Parker further stated that the Army Corps of Engineers had approved the road and that the Regional Building department had formally approved the project. Since all contingencies had been met, the construction permit was issued.

Trustee George Reese reported that town police issued 101 traffic citations, made 4 arrests, opened 23 cases, and issued 18 other citations in December. Twenty-four dog warnings were issued along with 1 dog citation.

Fire Chief Julie Lokken reported for Trustee Brent Sumner. Lokken stated that the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD) responded to 1 fire call, 8 medical calls, 1 wildland call, 1 public assist call, and 11 mutual aid calls in December.

She also presented statistics for the department for all of 2004, showing the number of hours spent by volunteer firefighters on various activities during the year. Notable statistics include:

The department is investigating the possibility of staffing the firehouse in shifts and is planning to purchase several Murphy beds to facilitate this. Lokken also said that PLVFD was the subject of a three-page article in the December 2004 issue of Fire Chief magazine.

Finally, she reiterated the need for homeowners to provide address numbers that are visible from the street, to help the department respond to calls more efficiently.

McDonald noted that on Christmas Day, Water Supervisor Steve Orcutt worked all day repairing six major breaks in the water system. She expressed her personal thanks and the appreciation of the entire council for his dedication to his work.

Police Chief Dale Smith stated that he is preparing a grant application to secure fire sirens for the town. Smith noted that the town currently has two inoperable sirens, one in central Palmer Lake and the other near the west-end trailer court. The total cost of the new sirens is approximately $55,000. The grant is designed to provide all the funding for the sirens without the need for matching funds.

Committee chairperson Jeff Hulsmann stated that the committee has secured some legal and engineering assistance to review the report produced by CTL Thompson and funded by the town. He noted that newly elected El Paso County Commissioner Douglas Bruce had reviewed the water bill surcharge passed by the council at its December 2004 meeting, and is considering legal action against the town on the premise that the surcharge is an illegal tax.

Hulsmann asked if the town was willing to spend the money to fight this potential lawsuit. He restated the committee’s primary intention of refilling Palmer Lake with up to 80 acre-feet of water, and noted that the reason a surcharge was used as a funding mechanism was to obtain funds sooner than would otherwise be possible.

Noting that a lawsuit would likely be a poor use of limited town resources, Hulsmann asked the council to consider lifting the surcharge. He further asked that the town send out a letter to all residents, requesting a donation of $25 to fund the committee’s work to refill the lake.

He said that the committee is reviewing the tasks needed to revive the Lake Restoration Project (LRP) corporation, to take advantage of its tax-exempt status. Hulsmann said he expects the details to be ready by the February town council meeting.

Janine Engle, a member of the committee, presented an idea developed by the group to sell paper "Awake The Lake fish" for $1 each as a fund-raiser. She said that the committee would be selling these at various locations throughout the town and would also be working with groups such as parent-teacher organizations for additional sales.

Hulsmann said that the committee has divided into several working groups focused on fundraising, legal, governmental, and engineering considerations. He asked the council for $1,000 in seed money, primarily for mailings. A motion to provide that money to the committee passed unanimously.

Town Clerk Della Gray noted that the committee would be responsible for accounting for the use of the seed money. Hulsmann stated that the accounting would be set up to mirror the methods used by the fireworks committee.

Bill Hoffman, the branch manager for CTL Thompson (CTLT) and a senior principal engineer for the firm, presented the company’s preliminary findings on the issues affecting the water level in Palmer Lake. Hoffman stated that the investigation was somewhat hampered by the early winter temperatures.

He stated that the east and west sides of the lake are composed of a red/tan layer of sand and gravel to a depth of up to 5 feet. The bottom of the lake is primarily a black clay and silt layer, which is less porous.

Noting "all lakes leak one way or the other," Hoffman said that the sand and gravel layers lose and gain water at a rate of from 100 to 1,000 acre-feet per year. The less porous clay and silt layer drains at a rate of from 1 to 10 acre-feet per year. He also said that the lake loses about 1 acre-foot of water due to evaporation during the summer, and almost none during the winter, although the extended drought probably increased the evaporation rate somewhat.

One of the remediation efforts his firm is considering involves a permeable seal on the east bank’s sand and gravel layer to restrict outflows. However, since water is not only lost but also recharged back into the lake on the east (and the west) bank, this seal would impact inflows back to the lake.

Richard Allen, one of the founding members of the LRP, questioned Hoffman on several issues. In response to Allen’s question regarding damage to the lake bottom due to LRP’s dredging operations, Hoffman said that he didn’t see any evidence of significant damage or impact on the water level because of the dredging. He noted that his firm has seen a reduction in groundwater levels of 5 feet or more as a direct result of the drought, and he felt this had an impact on the lake.

Hoffman said that a draft copy of the CTLT report would be sent to the town the week of Jan. 20.

The council unanimously approved a motion to appoint Phillip Beckman as fire chief of the town of Palmer Lake. Beckman will replace outgoing chief Julie Lokken. McDonald read a letter from the council to Lokken citing her dedication to the town as chief as well as her 14 years as a member of the fire department.

The council presented her with a Michael Garman statue in appreciation of her work. Vinnie Burns of the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District also lauded Lokken’s leadership as chief and expressed his organization’s appreciation for her work and cooperation.

The Palmer Lake Fire Department now includes: Beckman, Assistant Fire Chief Rob Lee, Fire Captain Nora Birt, Fire Lieutenant Dan Reynolds, Medical Captain and Secretary Vicky Baker, Treasurer Della Gray, and 12 volunteer firefighters.

Jan Fraley requested a business license for Details Image Studio, a hair salon. The business will operate in the Escape Day Spa at 755 Highway 105, Suite O.

Jacque Erickson requested a business license for Jacque, a hair salon also operating in the Escape Day Spa. In response to a question from Reese, Erickson stated that her salon will sell hair care products and that she already possesses a sales tax license.

A motion to approve both licenses passed unanimously.

Parker read the text of Resolution 1-2005, a commitment to bring all town employees into compliance with NIMS. Lokken noted that the resolution applies to all aspects of emergency management and is necessary to ensure continued funding from NIMS. Employees will be required to complete NIMS testing by the end of March 2005.

The resolution passed unanimously.

In response to comments received from town residents and a request from the Awake The Lake committee, town attorney Larry Gaddis composed Resolution 2-2005 for consideration by the council. It states that the water surcharge passed at the December council meeting be held in abeyance from Dec. 9, 2004.

Gaddis noted that one consequence of passage of the state law commonly known as the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, is that towns "can be sued for any little thing and they can’t recover attorney fees for defending from lawsuits."

Parker stated that council intended to do what was in the best interests of the town when it agreed to pass the surcharge, and Gaddis said that the council passed the ordinance appropriately. However, several members of the council felt that defending their actions in court was not worth the potential expense and effort.

The resolution was approved unanimously by the council. No other business was presented, and McDonald adjourned the meeting at 8:51 p.m.

The Palmer Lake Planning Commission convened at 7 p.m. for a brief meeting to consider two vacation requests. Commissioners John Cressman, Gary Atkins, Vic Brown, David Cooper, Ken Trombley, and Denise Cornell were present.

Residents George Parsons and David Bolko asked the commissioners to vacate rights of way in the Pine Crest Tri-District Assembly Grounds. Those rights of way are known as Loveland Slope and Epworth Highway, encompassing a total of 7,150 square feet.

Parsons and Bolko own properties adjacent to the rights of way. In exchange for the vacated property, both agreed to swap a portion of their properties bordering Shady Lane. The motion to accept the request passed unanimously.

Tom Day submitted a request to vacate a portion of Clio Avenue extending to Buena Vista Avenue and bordered by existing lots. The total area for the request is approximately 4,480 square feet. Day proposed that he compensate the town $698 for the property, which equals a fee of $250 plus 10 cents per square foot. He noted that he owns the properties on either side of the area to be vacated, and that no other landowners would be affected by the transaction.

In response to a question from Atkins regarding utilities, Day stated that an overhead power line runs through the area. Atkins said that Day might need at some time to grant an easement to allow access to the lines, to which Day agreed.

The motion to accept the request passed, with Cornell being the lone dissenting vote. In explaining her vote, she expressed concern that the town was underpricing its property.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m.

At its regular meeting Jan. 26, the Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District Board of Directors agreed to give two fire engines (numbers 10 and 11) to the Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC). Both engines need expensive repairs. The college intends to use them in their firefighter-training program.

The board also discussed the 2004 year-end financial report and further work needed at the new Station 2 on Roller Coaster Road near Highway 105.

Director Rick Barnes was absent.

Charlie Pocock, president of the Tri-Lakes district, said the pump on fire engine 11 no longer works and would cost about $30,000 to repair. He added that in its present condition, the fire engine could be sold for about $2,000. He said PPCC has a similar fire engine but its motor and transmission are in need of replacement.

He said the college could build a serviceable fire engine for training by moving the pump from their fire engine to engine 11, which has a good motor and transmission. He proposed conditions on the donation require PPCC to:

Director Keith Duncan said, "Engine 10 is 10 years older than engine 11. I can’t find anyone that wants it. It has a good engine and could be used for driver training."

The board unanimously approved offering engines 10 and 11 to PPCC.

Duncan said, "It is win-win for the district and the college."

At the Dec. 9 board meeting, Station 2 neighbors Mark and Elizabeth Woish and Andy Reid raised concerns about Station 2 and its operations. Pocock reported the district’s progress on each of their concerns:

Pocock also noted that the bell on the telephone cannot be heard in the apparatus bay. Duncan and Assistant Chief and EMS Manager Ron Thompson were tasked with working on the phone system.

Thompson added that the radios at Station 2 are not hooked up. The board unanimously approved a motion to appoint Chip Fleming to fix the radios.

John Hildebrandt, district treasurer, reported 2004 ambulance revenues totaled about $225,000. He projected ambulance revenues for 2005 of about $300,000. He noted that electronic billing for ambulance services has reduced payment delays by as much as three months.

Hildebrandt noted that total revenues for the year exceeded the original 2004 budget by about $191,000, while the expenses exceeded the 2004 budget by about $134,000, resulting in a net surplus of $58,525 for the year.

Pocock added that the surplus will be carried forward to cover 2005 expenses. He noted that the current account balance of about $191,000 is more than sufficient to cover expenses until the first tax payments are received in mid-March.

Hildebrandt noted that combining the insurance coverage for the Tri-Lakes district and the Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection District has resulted in significantly improved coverage for all firefighters and their spouses at a total cost increase of about $1,400 per year.

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The Tri-Lakes Fire Protection District board normally meets the fourth Wednesday of each month. The next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 23, 6:30 p.m., immediately preceding the Tri-Lakes-Monument Fire Authority board meeting at Tri-Lakes district firehouse 1, 18650 Highway 105 (near the bowling alley).

For more information, call Chief Denboske at 481-2312, or visit www.tri-lakesfire.com.

The idea of having a liaison between firefighters and the board was proposed at the Jan. 26 Woodmoor-Monument Fire Protection District. Battalion Chief Larry Garner requested the board appoint a board member to function in that role, as a point of contact, and the idea was discussed at length by board members and Chief Robert Denboske, who was seated in the audience.

All the board members were present at the meeting, which began at 6:30 p.m.

Concern over chain of command protocol prevented an official decision on the matter. Denboske said he thought the idea was good, "but we’d need to limit the number of times guys come to you." He said there would have to be an understanding that the firefighter first talk to the shift captain, the battalion chief, etc., before going to the board liaison.

Garner expressed concern that there would be too many steps that would need to be followed. Board member Bill Ingram suggested they "keep it simple." Denboske said they could meet and determine the correct steps to follow. Bob Hansen, district treasurer, said several times that he would be happy to be the liaison.

After further discussion on how to best implement this, the board decided not to take a vote on the matter. Denboske said he would work out the particulars at a meeting later that week.

Garner said Fire Marshal Tom Eastburn, who was seriously injured in an accident in December, will be evaluated in February to determine if he can return to work.

Hansen said the year-end balance is $718,615 in checking and savings, more than the projected year-end balance of $613,825. There was $624,738 in the Colo Trust account and $109,380 in the People’s Bank money market account. There was a negative balance in the checking account, which he said he would look in to. (He later learned there was actually $2,724 in the checking account and said it was off on the balance sheet because input hadn’t been done.) There will be an audit next month.

Hansen has been looking into the possibility of transferring the account with Colo Trust (a Denver-based financial institution) to People’s. Currently, money has to be transferred from Colo Trust to People’s in order to pay employees. "We need an easier way to do this," he said.

The public meeting adjourned at 7 p.m. and went into executive session to discuss personnel matters.

After the session, it was announced that board members unanimously approved a contract for Kristian Naslund to get subsidized paramedic training. Details were left for resolution after the meeting.

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The next meeting will be held Feb. 23, 6:30 p.m. at the Tri-Lakes district firehouse 1, 18660 Highway 105 (near the bowling alley).

Below: Tri-Lakes-Monument Fire Authority Board: (L to R): John Hildebrandt, Rod Wilson, Si Sibell, Keith Duncan, Bob Hansen, Charlie Pocock, Bill Ingram, John Hartling, and Jeremy Diggins. Rick Barnes was absent.

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On Jan. 26, following the separate meetings of the boards of the Tri-Lakes and Woodmoor/Monument Fire Protection Districts, the two boards met in joint session as the Tri-Lakes-Monument Fire Authority board. This was the first board meeting since the fire authority started operation Jan. 1.

Director Rick Barnes was absent.

Chief Robert Denboske reported that the inventory of equipment is 50 percent complete. The inventory is needed to make sure the proper equipment is returned to each district in the event the fire authority is dissolved.

Denboske presented a statistical report of emergency responses by the Tri-Lakes district from 1998 through 2004. During that time, the total annual run volume increased from 548 to 1,237. He said the average yearly increase was 15 percent.

Denboske noted Tri-Lakes district data has been reported using nine zones. He said that starting with 2005, the data will be divided into three zones: all areas west of I-25, the area between I-25 and Furrow Road with the alignment extended south to Baptist Road, and east of Furrow Road.

Director Keith Duncan said, "There has been a geometric progression in what the chief is doing. [Chief,] you are doing a great job. We have moved at a huge speed."

Assistant Chief and EMS Manager Ron Thompson reported that the new 4x4 ambulance should arrive toward the end of February. He said that combining the ambulance on the same purchase order with two ambulances for Castle Rock has added some delay.

Thompson said the fire authority will apply for a 50 percent grant for a Life Pack defibrillator for the Woodmoor/Monument engine and other equipment, including a computer.

Thompson said 20 people recently participated in emergency rescue and homeland security training and announced the Palmer Divide Safety Group will be conducting a homeland security exercise at Lewis-Palmer High School on Feb. 5. The exercise will involve more than 100 people from the FBI, sheriff’s office, Monument police department, local fire districts, AMR, and the Pikes Peak ham radio group. He noted that the fire authority will be the primary fire and rescue organization during the exercise.

The board unanimously voted to go into executive session to discuss personnel matters. When the session ended, the board took three actions:

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The Tri-Lakes-Monument Fire Authority board holds regular meetings on the fourth Wednesday of each month, 7:30 p.m., at the Tri-Lakes district firehouse 1, 18650 Highway 105 (near the bowling alley).

For more information, call Chief Denboske at 481-2312, or visit www.tri-lakesfire.com.

Below: Monument Town Manager Rick Sonnenburg presents Merit Award to Richard Hasbrouck, Jan. 19 Photo by Jim Kendrick

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Assistant Town Clerk and Receptionist Irene Walters made sure Monument recognized one of its selfless citizens, Richard Hasbrouck. Hasbrouck rescued his next-door neighbor from a burning mobile home. Hearing calls for help from the neighbor’s husband, Hasbrouck went outside and saw their trailer burning. He entered their home and pulled the woman to safety.

Walters nominated him for the Spirit of Monument Award several times, and even though he did not win, she felt he deserved to be honored by the town. She created a merit award certificate and plaque for him, and obtained the endorsements of Tri-Lakes-Monument Fire Authority Chief Rob Denboske and Battalion Chief Larry Garner. Unfortunately, they could not attend the presentation ceremony Jan. 19 at Town Hall because they were providing assistance at the scene of a fatal traffic accident that afternoon near County Line Road and I-25. Town Manager Rick Sonnenburg presented the certificate and plaque to Hasbrouck and the town staff shared in the cake and punch.

Hasbrouck is a cook at the Broiler Room and part-time student at Pikes Peak Community College. When asked if he would pull someone from a burning building again, he said "Absolutely!"

At its first board meeting of the year on Jan. 19, the Donald Wescott Fire Protection District board noted the groundbreaking ceremony on. Jan. 11 for the Station 3 expansion and discussed the policies established at the first two construction progress meetings.

Assistant Chief Vinny Burns described the debrief by the North Group firefighters who responded to the Bardsley Place structure fire in King’s Deer as "less than useful."

Chief Bill Sheldon was excused due to an out-of-state family emergency.

Four days after this meeting, Wescott led a rescue and recovery effort for two teenagers who fell through the mostly melted ice on a 15-foot-deep golf course pond in Gleneagle. (See article on page 1).

The board reviewed the updated draft of the final 2004 budget that will be submitted to the auditor for review. There are still some items that were not finalized due to delays in revenue and invoice receipt for December. Once these items are added to the document, the auditor will review the board’s finances and report them to the state.

Specific ownership tax revenue was about $11,000 over budget due to a state check received on Jan. 10. Delinquent tax revenue was about $15,000 and when it is eventually received this year, it will be recorded as miscellaneous other revenue for 2005.

Chairman Brian Ritz reported on the first two construction meetings with contractor CMS of Colorado Springs, Inc. Due to some minor changes in the final construction drawings approved on Jan. 3, Regional Building must again review the documents "as if they were brand new." This second review has delayed CMS from receiving a building permit.

It’s unclear how long this second review will take or when construction will start. Construction should take between five and six months after the permit is issued.

Ritz said there will occasionally be visitors’ cars parked on Jessie Drive, which will cause a conflict with parents dropping off or picking up children at Antelope Trails Elementary School during the week. Wescott is doubling its Station 3 parking lot capacity to minimize overflow parking on Jessie once the project is completed. Construction vehicles will need to park on the Gleneagle Drive shoulder when utilities are added and the front driveway is upgraded and widened.

The board unanimously approved payment for a change order for $6,958 to increase the construction bond to cover changes in the building plans. CMS noted that they had not added any handling fee to the change order.

Director Kevin Gould, a professional architect, noted that a change order for testing by a Wescott agency needed to be added to the basic contract. This soil-concrete-and-mortar testing will cost about $4,000 to $5,000. He also advised the board to have the heating and ventilation ducts changed from a square to a rectangular configuration so that the ceilings could be raised within the office space and conference room portion of the addition.

Station 3 will be redesignated Station 1 after construction is completed to give the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office dispatchers time to make the significant changes to the software that supports the 9-1-1 emergency system.

Burns noted that the total number of calls Wescott responded to in 2004 were significantly reduced from the previous year, down 11 percent overall, from 1,619 to 1,444. He advised that one reason for a decrease in the alarms was that the Air Force Academy now has its own dedicated AMR ambulance. Wescott’s AMR ambulance no longer handles Academy calls unless that ambulance is already busy.

There were 642 calls within the di