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Photos by JoAnn McNabb

Click here or on the photos to zoom in

Below: (L to R) Trustee Dave Mertz, Mayor Byron Glenn, and Trustee Frank Orten ponder the issues involved in the Promontory Pointe project. 

Below: About 150 attended the February 6 Monument Board of Trustees hearing on the Promontory Pointe project. Attorney Tim Schutz is standing at the left edge of the frame. 

Below: The Promontory Pointe property as seen from Baptist Road. 

Below: Town Manager Cathy Green refers to land use maps from the Town’s comprehensive plan.

It was standing room only for 150 attendees in D-38’s Big Red, with a court stenographer to record the legal arguments and two police officers on hand for crowd control, at the biggest Monument development hearing since the Baptist Road Wal-Mart proposal was rejected.

During a meeting that lasted five hours, the Monument Board of Trustees (BOT) unanimously approved the annexation of the northern two-thirds of Promontory Pointe, the 117-acre vacant parcel north of Baptist Road and Gleneagle Drive. However, the board again rejected the latest version of the proposed development, due to its density and the proposed design of Gleneagle Drive. Landco, the developer, withdrew the sketch plan before a vote was taken.

The Promontory Pointe hearings were moved to the last agenda item before an executive session for real estate negotiations. All trustees and staff department heads were present.

Trustee Gail Drumm reported that the Kruse family was very pleased with the celebration of "George Kruse Day." Kruse, who passed away at age 94 in December, had been an advocate for senior services in Monument.

Town Manager Cathy Green reported developer HPR, LLC had submitted a petition for annexation of the 431 acre Home Place Ranch Development on the south side of Higby Road, adjacent to Jackson Creek. The board unanimously passed a motion to refer the petition to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation, as required by state statutes.

The board unanimously approved Town Treasurer Pamela Smith’s request for six disbursements over $5,000:

Green scheduled a dinner meeting for the trustees with the Triview Metropolitan District board on Feb. 13 "to discuss issues in common." The board will also schedule a joint dinner meeting with the Planning Commission by an e-mail poll of available dates.

Green reported that Administrative Assistant Irene Walters had moved from Town Hall to the Police Department due to a substantial increase in municipal court work. Green recommended upgrading a part-time employee position to full-time to replace Walters, which the board approved by consensus. Green said she would e-mail the summary of the staff’s retreat on management issues to the trustees rather than discuss them at this meeting.

Green recommended that the board postpone the ballot issue asking the voters to permit the town to retain excess revenue for another four years from April to November so that the question could list some intended uses for the revenue retained. The board agreed by consensus.

Triview street sweeping contract renewed: Public Works Director Rich Landreth proposed a resolution to renew the street sweeping contract between Public Works and Triview. There was no public comment. Landreth noted that three employees have completed training for operation of the new street sweeper. The resolution was unanimously approved.

Triview water operations contract extended: Green and Landreth noted that Triview is preparing to take over operations of their water treatment plant. The plant is currently operated by Public Works staff under a service contract with the town. Landreth proposed extending the 2005 contract on a month-to-month basis until Triview was ready to take operations. Triview District Manager Ron Simpson said his board would review the status of the takeover at their Feb. 22 board meeting and he would update Landreth on their recommendation. The resolution to extend the contract passed unanimously.

New police records management software purchased: Police Chief Jake Shirk recommended an upgrade to software that is compliant with the National Incident Based Reporting System. The board unanimously approved a resolution to convert to the new system. The 2006 contract for $34,341.55 covers the cost of new software and hardware, onsite installation and training, as well as the annual costs of licensing and support ($2,750.55 per year).

New police car lease approved: The board unanimously approved a resolution for the Police Department to enter a three-year lease-purchase agreement with Wells Fargo Bank for three new Impala patrol cars at a total lease cost of $79,705, divided equally for each year, plus $1 to buy the cars at the end of the lease.

Budget process policy adopted: The board unanimously approved a resolution establishing a new policy recommended by Smith that provides for greater input by department heads. The policy parallels that used by El Paso County.

Mayor Byron Glenn announced that the board wanted respectful hearings and that citizens who did not maintain decorum would be escorted out of the building by Monument police officers. All those wishing to speak during the hearing were sworn in simultaneously by the court reporter hired for this meeting.

Glenn said that he had been coordinating the private financing of the Baptist Road interchange and the public improvement fee with the Colorado Department of Transportation and El Paso County and several developers seeking annexation. Green noted that there would be votes for a resolution on substantial compliance with state statutes, an ordinance for annexation and rezoning, and an ordinance for a development sketch plan.

There was lengthy testimony by development and legal representatives for the applicant, citizens for and against, and by attorney Tim Schutz representing several Kingswood residents. After all had spoken, there were several rounds of rebuttals and additional comments until everyone had an opportunity to express all their views before the votes. The hearing lasted well over four hours, with two recesses.

Green reported that the staff had found that Landco’s annexation application was in substantial compliance with state statutes, that 100 percent of the landowners had signed the application, that the annexation was in the best interest of the community, and the proposed parcel had at least one-sixth contiguity with the town boundary, and had been properly advertised and noticed by posting and by certified mail to adjacent landholders. She noted that the densities in adjacent developments range from 7 dwelling units per acre in Gleneagle to 5-acre lots in Kingswood.

The developer’s traffic impact study calls for converting the existing westbound acceleration lane on Baptist Road at Gleneagle Drive into an eastbound left-turn lane for northbound Gleneagle into Promontory Pointe.

The Planning Commission voted (4-1) in favor of the annexation, but (3-2) against the sketch plan. A condition of annexation requires Landco to petition for a Planned Development zone district within 90 days of annexation approval.

Landco attorney Duncan Bremer gave a short presentation on the history of the proposal.

Terry Schooler, of the land planning firm William Guman and Associates, described the background to the annexation request and noted that the parcel is in the urban growth portion of the future land use map from the Town’s comprehensive plan. Triview drilled a well and built a water tank on 2.5 acres in the northeast corner of the parcel, in the county, after the bottom third of the parcel, 39 acres, was annexed by the town in 1989. Triview formally agreed to provide services to the remainder of the property in 2003, including water, sewer, street and street lighting maintenance, and snow removal.

Landco will provide formal engineering proposals, landscaping and park development plans, and drainage studies later in the development process, after annexation and the density proposed in the sketch plan are approved.

Bill Guman gave a brief summary of project design and changes made to the proposal after each preliminary presentation to the Planning Commission and the board. He described the changes made to the proposal after meetings with homeowners in Jackson Creek and Kingswood to address their concerns about perimeter lot size and lot line alignment for each adjacent Jackson Creek lot, rear setbacks and separation for all adjacent homes in Promontory Pointe, and cross-traffic elimination on Walters Creek Drive. Lots next to Kingswood have been enlarged with greater separation distances, with height restriction and large rear setbacks to protect their views.

Guman also noted that the number of lots had decreased from 328 to 294 lots, with an overall density of about 2.7 dwelling units per acre. It complies with the town’s comprehensive plan with parks, trails, and open space that exceed minimum requirements. He said the proposed alignment for the northward extension of Gleneagle Drive is curvilinear, to conform to the natural contours of the land. He said the project will have the appearance of a "unique destination point," with amenities that increase the value of surrounding properties.

Six citizens from Jackson Creek and Higby Estates spoke in favor of the proposal, noting that the developer had made significant, positive changes that they had requested during several community meetings, particularly in matching adjacent lot sizes. Positive comments were also made on the cul-de-sac street plan. People felt that the size and price range of the planned homes would increase adjacent property values and that the curvilinear design of Gleneagle Drive would enhance safety.

Schutz spoke first in opposition of annexation, representing owners of 30 properties from Kingswood and Jackson Creek with lots adjacent to Promontory Pointe. Other citizens spoke after him to discuss their differing concerns. Some of the legal points Schutz made were:

Several others spoke in opposition, noting that the design of Gleneagle Drive through the parcel was inadequate; that many houses were going to be built in floodplains; that the density would accelerate depletion of groundwater in the area; that the developer’s traffic impact analysis was incomplete; that Triview cannot provide adequate water pressure to most of Jackson Creek, and the problem will only get worse; that Triview’s debt is so high, and getting worse; and that adding more infrastructure responsibilities does not make sense.

Bremer and Schooler rebutted most of these arguments, saying the surrounding area had changed since the first annexation and that Landco’s plan was sound urban planning that matched the town’s plan for annexation of areas it expected to be developed in that manner.

Green said that Kingswood was an isolated enclave in an urban setting. She also reported that the town’s comprehensive plan identifies this parcel as being located in the Monument Urban Growth Area, most easily served by existing infrastructure and special districts. It does not present problems which are associated with sprawl. The Tri-Lakes comprehensive plan notes that the county identifies this land as "low density" development, however the plan also acknowledges, "Monument’s expanding planning sphere of influence means that development happening in and around the Town will develop to more contemporary, suburban standards, rather than the rural standards promoted by the county."

County Long Range Planning Manager Carl Schueler wrote in a letter dated Jan. 11, 2006 to Kingswood resident Debra Wermuth that "the assumption has always been that this 78-acre parcel would be developed as urban density, regardless of jurisdiction. The Kingswood development is more or less bordered on three sides by higher density."

There were two more rounds of rebuttals that largely reiterated all these points.

The board unanimously approved a motion to adopt all exhibits submitted by the witnesses. The petition for annexation was approved (6-1), with Trustee Tim Miller opposed. The annexation request was approved (5-2) with Miller and Plank opposed.

All the board members said the latest sketch plan was a substantial improvement in terms of density and mitigation with neighboring properties in Jackson Creek and Kingswood. However, the density in the center of the plan and adjacent to Kingswood was still too high. There were concerns about the sketch not accurately reflecting the amount of land lost to Baptist Road right-of-way and drainage.

There was no consensus on whether the proposed design of Gleneagle Drive with all its curves, sight line visibility limitations, and curb cuts would meet local or county transportation needs. When it became apparent that the sketch plan had no probability of passing—and several trustees said, "You need to do better" on their expressed concerns—it was formally withdrawn at 11:40 p.m.

During the recess to allow citizens to leave the room, there was consensus among the trustees to postpone the planned executive session until Feb. 21.

Mayor Glenn’s remarks Feb. 6

Prior to opening the board’s February 6 discussion on the Promontory Pointe sketch plan, Monument Mayor Byron Glenn made the following statement:

"I need to say a few things. One is bartering with Colorado Springs isn’t going to happen. Trying to get water in Monument Lake took an act of Congress...almost. The town of Monument pretty much has to stand on its own and be a viable community on its own. We can’t depend on Colorado Springs.

"For instance, I was threatened in the City Council by the Mayor of Colorado Springs that if we interfere with SDS, they’re going to come drill wells and dry us up. So I think that was showing of the city of Colorado Springs and how they feel toward the Town of Monument. They’re ticked because we now have a Home Depot and a Wal-Mart and we don’t spend money down there. So any, any inclination of Colorado Springs helping us with any type of issues, [is] very very doubtful.

"As far as opposition by Woodmoor, I got the letter from the President of WIA. His main concern is the traffic issues on Higby. He has been discussing with the county and the county hasn’t done anything about traffic on Fairplay. The same situation will happen on Promontory Pointe with Gleneagle Drive being a major arterial which isn’t bounded. But again the county has not stepped up to the plate to help us with anything. They approved a multifamily development next to a high school next to an R-4 zone, which doesn’t show buffer to me, so that tells me that the county would rezone this property as well. They rezoned Gleneagle to a high density right next to Kingswood Drive or Kingswood as well. So the county helping us out is pretty illogical, too.

"For instance PPRTA, Pikes Peak RTA, is spending a ton of money, $10 million plus, on Hodgen Road extension, when there is no traffic on Hodgen, but there sure is on Higby Road. And we as a town with the help of Triview and the developers need to come up with a plan to build Higby Road.

"So I’m looking at this as the standpoint that, you know, like it or not, we’re on our own out here, and there are residents here that we need to take care of. I was the first, one of the first homeowners in Jackson Creek, and might have opposed any of you other people of Jackson Creek from coming in.

"The town is growing and we need a good growth pattern. We can’t let it get out of control, and we have to have planned growth.

"The roadways, Baptist Road, the interchange—it’s working. We’re getting a lot of people [who] know the town of Monument. I’ve talked with senators. I’ve talked with representatives. I’m pushing Wayne Williams to sit down with the governor and tell him to give us some cash.

"So bear with us in this time because there’s two sides. There’s the Kingswood people with 5-acre lots that are in pretty much of an enclave and the county who you know will rezone property. The Springs won’t help us at all. You know we need to come up with a plan that’s viable. How we do that is what we’re here for.

"As far as the plan, I congratulate the developer for trying to reduce the density. I understand that the water has already been given to Triview, so 2½-acre lots is not fully conducive at this time. And I’m sure the county would want to serve 2½ units to the acre."

"Mr. Schutz, your presentation was greatly presented. It left a lot of questions in my mind. I think the annexation is in the best interest of the town. But right now, for this land plan, it’s hard for me to really tell. We need the rooftops to support our commercial, and we need the commercial to build revenue in the town to build roads, to build parks, to hire police officers, to extend our infrastructure."

View or download the proposed Timbers Development plans

With none of the drama and tension of the Feb. 6 Board of Trustees (BOT) Promontory Pointe hearing, the preliminary plat and preliminary PD site plan for Hammers Construction’s Timbers at Monument commercial and retail center were approved unanimously.

The board also approved a new liquor license for the Chili’s restaurant being built in the Monument Marketplace. Scott Meszaros swore in new Deputy Town Clerk Claudia Whitney. Trustee Tim Miller was absent.

Skylar Burkhart, who was born in Romania, read her essay, "The Wings of Freedom," which reminded everyone how much we take for granted living in the Tri-Lakes area. Burkhart is an eighth-grader at Lewis-Palmer Middle School. Her paper won first prize at her school in Sertoma’s annual Freedom Essay Program. (See the OCN Web site for her essay.)

Monument Hill Sertoma Club President Ted Bauman said his organization offers about $1,000 in prizes to the writers of the top three essays from each of the area’s middle schools. A total of 538 students participated in this year’s program. The board unanimously approved a proclamation declaring Feb. 19-25 as Freedom Week.

The board also unanimously approved a proclamation declaring March 1 as Read Across America Day; the event is sponsored by the National Education Association.

Mayor Byron Glenn gave an update on recent Baptist Road Rural Transportation Authority (BRRTA) actions. (See article on page 30 for details of the Feb. 10 BRRTA meeting.)

Glenn noted that BRRTA had approved issuing private bonds for financing early construction of the interchange and administering a public improvement fee by retail stores within BRRTA on Feb. 10. He said that the draft intergovernmental agreement for construction with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) was being reviewed at the Attorney General’s office and BRRTA would sign the agreement as soon as it was approved.

Glenn said the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG) will have an agenda item at the March 8 meeting to add the Baptist Road I-25 interchange upgrade to its short-term six-year 2002-2007 Traffic Improvement Plan (TIP), but with no funding. The addition to the TIP is required before CDOT will assign the interchange to its 2007-2012 capital upgrade plan.

Glenn said that members of the BRRTA board will meet on March 16 with CDOT commissioners "to tell them that BRRTA will anticipate CDOT making full payback of the interchange cost at some later date."

Glenn discussed comments he had made at the Feb. 6 BOT meeting regarding water discussions with the Colorado Springs City Council (see page 6). He said he "wanted to put it on the record that at the City Council meeting when I asked Colorado Springs for water [from the Southern Delivery System], Mayor Rivera did not formally say don’t interfere with us or we’ll dry you up." He added, "Though I say things as far as we have to stand on our own, I believe we do … we need to work with the county, we need to work with the city and Palmer Lake." He concluded, "I want to make that clear–no way am I saying that we can’t work with them. We have to work with them."

Chuck Roberts of the Tri-Lakes Health Advocacy Partnership announced that his organization and the Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging would host the Tri-Lakes Senior Forum on April 29 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Lewis-Palmer Middle School. The main purposes of the forum are for senior citizens in the area to identify issues that are and are not being addressed and for area senior services providers to discuss what they can offer to seniors as well as to seek better coordination of their efforts. A summary report for the forum will be prepared and distributed by the sponsors to local government and community leaders. Roberts invited the trustees and staff to endorse the forum and to attend as well. He also asked that flyers and posters be displayed at Town Hall.

Kingswood resident Mike Wermuth, an economist, said he studies "the economic and financial consequences of government decisions." He asked the trustees to study the financial impacts of annexations, such as Promontory Pointe.

Wermuth offered copies of audits and credit reports to the board, noting, "This is important information you don’t have." Referring to the Triview board, he said, "I don’t think they really understand all the information that’s in these reports or they wouldn’t be in the situation that they are today. The Promontory Pointe annexation will have serious long-term financial impacts on the Town of Monument."

Wermuth concluded by praising Glenn and Trustee Dave Mertz "for all their hard work on the Baptist Road interchange, which will have a very positive impact on the area."

Glenn responded by saying that the financial impact of every aspect of the Promontory Pointe development within the Jackson Creek area would be available in a spreadsheet from the developer in April. He said that Triview has open records and has received unqualified audits.

Background: The Triview problem that Wermuth was referring to is that the district has amassed approximately $40 million in debt and has been unable to pay all the associated bond interest for several years. The Triview board has approved a ballot initiative for the May 2 election that would eliminate the district’s current TABOR restrictions on property tax mill levies.

Chris Doherty of Ayres Associates made a presentation on the interim status of the downtown Stormwater Master Plan that he is developing for the town. He has inventoried about half of the town’s drainage system assets. He noted that there are two main natural drainages in downtown: Dirty Woman Creek, where it meets with Monument Creek below the Monument Lake dam; and Crystal Creek, which runs from the truck weighing station on I-25 then under the railroad tracks into Monument Lake.

He said the most urgent problem detected so far is erosion along the length of the railroad channel that has exposed manholes and collection lines that are supposed to remain buried. He showed photos of examples of both, as well as erosions of bedrock sandstone.

Doherty is using town maps, FEMA drainage studies for areas to the north, and information from special districts, CDOT, and El Paso County. This data will be used to analyze five- and 100-year peak storm drainage flows.

Doherty’s goals are to increase convergence and flow volume of existing drainages, divert problem areas to different outfalls, and increase detention storage to limit erosion. He displayed a map with preliminary plans for adding and expanding stormwater detention in the downtown area west of the shopping centers on Highway 105, Lavallet Park, Front and Third Streets, and along the railroad tracks between Second Street and Lincoln Avenue. He will develop cost estimates and possible funding sources such as federal and state grants.

Trustee Travis Easton asked about the inventory status. Doherty said the system is in decent shape overall, but some portions don’t meet current engineering standards.

Glenn said he would like Doherty to give a presentation at a town hall session. Glenn asked Doherty to prepare slides that would show citizens how his master plan would also help Colorado Springs to improve stormwater management. Pueblo has demanded these improvements as a condition for cooperation in the Southern Delivery System (SDS), which will pump water from the Pueblo Reservoir to Colorado Springs Utilities. Director of Development Services Tom Kassawara noted that addition of detention areas would improve discharged water quality and could be the basis of a plan to submit to Colorado Springs.

Town Manager Cathy Green said that the state’s Department of Local Affairs might give a community block grant for proposed detention areas along Third Street. Kassawara said that water quality would improve with the new detention ponds, which would help with negotiations with Colorado Springs for SDS.

The board unanimously approved an ordinance that creates an exception to allow off-site signs for nonprofit organizations only. The ordinance also permits digital displays that promote special events and community activities as well as public service announcements, time, and temperature. These signs will only be allowed in nonresidential districts and must meet all town design standards and requirements. There was no public comment.

The Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce has proposed such a sign on Highway 105, but does not have room on its property for it. The Chamber’s sign will list the names of sponsors supporting the Chamber’s public service announcements on this sign until the fees they pay cover the cost of building the sign. The listings of sponsors will not include any advertisements for them. Permits for such signs will be revocable if they are not properly operated or maintained.

Trustee Easton, a civil engineer, recused himself from the Timbers hearings because he is the consultant for Hammers Construction, the developer.

The Timbers at Monument is a 73.5-acre commercial and retail development between the Monument Marketplace and Baptist Road, on the west side of Jackson Creek Parkway. Between 90,000 and 120,000 square feet of multi-use space will be constructed.

Kassawara reported that Hammers was seeking approval for a boundary plat, which only includes internal roadway configurations, dimensions, and data to define the four-lot master-planned site. The plat also shows where Preble’s mouse habitat, trails, and dedicated right-of-way are located. There will be a separate review and approval process for each of the four separate plats by the Planning Commission and BOT when the lots are sold or leased.

The plat was unanimously approved by the Planning Commission on Jan. 11 with two conditions.

1. The final drawing of the preliminary plat must also show the location of the access road agreed upon by Hammers and the owners of Higby Estates Lots 2 and 3, northeast of the Foxworth-Galbraith building currently on Higby Estates Lot 1. This would make a total of two access roads to Higby Estates from the Timbers parcel. Both are required because Struthers Road north of Baptist will be closed when the Baptist Road interchange is improved. Baptist will be widened from two lanes to seven lanes. The current Struthers-Baptist intersection will be eliminated to make room for the lanes for the widened bridge over the interstate as well as the new two-lane off- and on-ramps for exiting and entering northbound I-25. Struthers Road south of Baptist will be rerouted to the east and connect with Jackson Creek Parkway at the existing intersection on Baptist Road.

2. The proposed access for Timbers Drive onto Jackson Creek Parkway, at the northeast corner of the Timbers parcel, must be a public right-of-way. This access will be shared by the Monument Marketplace at the location of the existing Rowdao Drive intersection. Widening and grading of this access, where Timbers and Rowdao will merge, will require land dedications from both developments to Triview. The existing segment of Rowdao has not yet been recorded on the Marketplace plat. Making this shared access a public right-of-way will ensure that maintenance and plowing are performed by a public entity, Triview, rather than becoming a shared private responsibility between the two developers. Triview has agreed to take over the costs and administration of this access.

Negotiations between Hammers and the Marketplace since the Planning Commission approval resulted in further changes to the proposed configuration of the Timbers-Rowdao access to eliminate the need for any additional turn signals.

Kassawara proposed as another condition that Hammers must obtain written approval for vacation of the existing Higby Subdivision water easement in Timbers Lot 4, south of the Home Depot, from the owners of the three lots in Higby Subdivision. Although the Higby Subdivision, on the northeast corner of I-25 and Baptist Road, was annexed into the town more than three years ago, the property still uses well water. The water easement for the well cannot be vacated until the Higby Subdivision is connected to Triview Metropolitan District for water and sewer services.

Glenn added that in the past, most commercial developments have been owned and operated by a single entity via leased space. The four Timbers lots will be sold, however, to other developers.

Project manager Dave Hammers said the unfiltered low-velocity well currently used by Higby Subdivision would be capped, as it has little value for irrigation.

There was no public comment. The plat was unanimously approved with the three conditions.

Easton also recused himself from this hearing.

Kassawara noted that he had listed nine conditions, but said that this was simply a means to protect the town by ensuring each would be done, even though the development is under Triview’s jurisdiction. He praised Hammers and Timbers Development Group for the thoroughness of their coordination and assistance in arranging private financing for the Baptist Road interchange. He pointed out that Timbers landowners had donated substantial right-of-way to CDOT to allow access from Baptist Road at the south end of Timbers Boulevard for Higby Estates Lot 1. This access is roughly 200 feet east of Foxworth-Galbraith’s eastern fence line.

Kassawara stated that there would be no interchange improvements until this site plan and the plat were recorded. He said that BRRTA’s contractor, PBS&J, would also perform the interchange design and project management, to facilitate coordination between the Baptist Road and interchange contractors. Doing both improvements simultaneously will "minimize the impact and duration of the construction activity" and traffic problems. Final approval of the Baptist Road configuration including the Timbers access was given by the county’s Major Thoroughfares Task Force on Jan. 20.

Kassawara said the accelerated pace of approval to accomplish this has probably resulted in a number of overlooked technical issues. He praised Hammers for agreeing to allow town staff to make further changes and add new constraints to the preliminary PD site plan and engineering plans as these "missed issues" are discovered, prior to final approval.

The Planning Commission unanimously approved the Preliminary PD Site Plan on Jan. 11 and recommended a single condition limiting the number of drive-through fast-food restaurants to three. Any other restaurants should require a use-by-special-review process, which includes a Planning Commission and BOT hearing.

CDOT requested that the Traffic Impact Analysis not be approved until the updated report has been reviewed and accepted by the county and CDOT.

Kassawara’s recommended conditions were:

1. The applicant will modify engineering plans and the PD site plans via a minor amendment as necessary, to address issues raised by town staff prior to final approval.

2. The rezoning request must satisfy any conditions related to an amendment to the Regency Park Zoning Map, if required.

3. The first certificate of occupancy will not be issued until all required off-site improvements are completed and accepted by Triview and the Town of Monument.

4. The Timbers/Rowdao Drive access must be completed and open to traffic before the first certificate of occupancy will be issued. This will include the installation of a fully functioning traffic light at the Jackson Creek Parkway intersection.

5. The final traffic impact study must be approved by the town’s consultant, town staff, El Paso County, and CDOT.

6. Town staff must approve the Subdivision Improvement Agreement between Timbers and Triview and all its conditions.

7. Additional landscape buffering adjacent to project property lines and/or roadways will be required to be shown on the site plan for each individual lot of the Timbers parcel.

8. Approval is subject to final approval of engineering plans by town staff.

9. Limit the number of drive-through restaurants to three, with any above three to be approvable only by special review.

There was no public comment.

The board had a lengthy technical discussion about the locations and conditions for drainage and other issues. Easton noted that there would be a new technology for improving the quality of stormwater detained and slowly released into Jackson Creek. The Vortechs system will eliminate sediment, debris, and floating hydrocarbons such as oil and grease. The filtered waste material will be removed periodically by a vacuum truck at substantially lower cost than for maintaining a standard detention pond ($250 per cleaning, twice per year). Glenn asked Easton to ensure that all drainage facilities are well outside the Baptist Road right-of-way.

There was some discussion after Trustee Gail Drumm expressed concerns about whether the proposed clock tower in the single lane roundabout would be a traffic visibility problem. These concerns were allayed by Dave Hammers when he described how open the spacing was between the beams that support the clock mechanism. The design has been used in similar circumstances elsewhere in the country without safety issues. Restricting the roundabout to a single lane for safety was suggested as another condition for approval of the design.

Trustee Tommie Plank requested that the Rowdao access be renamed. The road currently named Rowdao, (pronounced roh-DAY-oh) was originally listed as "Road A" on preliminary drawings. However, since land is being donated by the Marketplace and Timbers, the final name for the unplatted public right-of-way has to be negotiated by the two owners and then accepted by Triview. Plank asked that it be named Timbers Boulevard.

The preliminary PD site plan was unanimously approved with the 10 conditions.

The board unanimously approved a resolution to make a contribution from the trustees’ discretionary fund to the Palmer Lake Fourth of July fireworks fund. The amount recommended was $3,000; however the trustees increased that amount to $5,000.

The board also unanimously approved a resolution authorizing a contribution of $10,000 to the nonprofit Front Range Commuter Rail organization to represent the town’s interests. The proposed rail station would be located northwest of Front and Third Streets. Current plans call for commuter trains to run between Casper, Wyo., and Albuquerque, N.M., once the freight trains are rerouted to a new rail system to be built somewhere to the east in about 10 years.

With no opposition, the new liquor license for Brinker Restaurant Corp., doing business as Chili’s Grill & Bar, was unanimously approved. The new restaurant will employ about 130 people, seat about 200 people, and open on April 20.

The board unanimously approved three payments over $5,000: $37,575.50 to Triview for December 2005 sales tax, $3,956.22 to Triview for motor vehicle specific ownership tax, and a $6,000 donation to the Lucretia Vaile Museum in Palmer Lake.

The board unanimously approved the December financial review. The final 2005 figures will be forwarded to the auditor for review. Smith said the draft audit should be available by the end of May for board review and should be approved by the end of June.

Public works: Director Rich Landreth reported that Well 2 needed significant repairs that would likely use at least half of the $100,000 water contingency fund budgeted for 2006. The final cost estimate has not been determined. The pump has been removed to repair a leaking check valve, and repairs are also needed in the well. There have been no repairs required for this well since 1997. He also noted that electrical service would be installed in the new shop building once it has been inspected by the Regional Building Department.

Police Department: Police Chief Jake Shirk reported that Irene Walters had moved from Town Hall to perform police and court administrative duties at the police station. Mariah Hudson is the department’s new full-time analyst and information technology employee. She will implement the new Records Management System just purchased by the town, beginning on Feb. 21.

Sgt. Rick Tudor reported that the three new Impala patrol cars would be painted black and white.

Mary Ellen Burk is administering the new Alive at 25 Program, a driving course developed by the National Safety Council to address the growing problem of fatalities among young drivers.

Officer Michael Wolfe reported an "overwhelming response" to the first offering of the 12-hour Rape Aggression Defense Systems self-defense course for women. For more information on the next class, contact Wolfe at 481-3253. Class size will be limited to 20 participants.

Shirk announced a program to respond to citizen complaints about the police department "to maintain public trust and confidence." Shirk can be contacted at 481-3253 by any citizen.

Shirk held an open forum on Feb. 22 at Town Hall to meet with the citizens of Monument and discuss their needs and the department’s capabilities.

Town manager: Green reported that the town had received a plaque for Hurricane Katrina donations to the Red Cross. She said she would propose that the town contribute $20,000 toward payment of BRRTA’s legal expenses for coordinating private financing of the Baptist Road interchange. The town is not part of the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority, which is paying the county’s construction costs for widening Baptist Road.

Trustees seeking reelection must submit their nominations with signatures by March 3.

Town attorney: Gary Shupp reported that the Rockwell concrete batch plant case has been forwarded to the county’s Court of Appeals to establish a trial date. There has been no change in the status of the Transit Mix concrete batch plant case, which has been scheduled for trial in November.

The board went into executive session at 8:45 p.m. to discuss real estate negotiations. No actions were announced prior to adjournment.

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The next BOT meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. March 5 at Town Hall, 166 Second St. Meetings are normally held the first and third Wednesdays of the month.

View or download the proposed Timbers Development plans

View or download the proposed Home Place Ranch Sketch plan

The sketch plan for the Home Place Ranch development was presented at community meetings Feb. 21 and 22 at the Bethesda Development building on Gleneagle Drive. A total of about 30 local residents attended the two meetings. Joshua Rowland Land Architects and Linda Sweetman-King of TerraVisions made the presentation, with assistance by Colorado Commercial Builders CEO Dale Beggs, President Dale Turner, Branton Turner, and Joshua Beggs.

The project will be presented to the Monument Planning Commission at its meeting March 8, 6:30 p.m. at Monument Town Hall, 166 Second St. There will be a hearing on annexation and rezoning and a separate hearing on the sketch plan. Once the planning commission makes its recommendations, hearings will be scheduled for the Monument Board of Trustees.

The property is currently in unincorporated El Paso County. Rowland said the developer has applied for annexation into the Town of Monument, which, he said, "will give homebuyers more of a sense of place and involvement with the town." He added that property taxes from the project would support the town, including the Monument Police Department, which would provide law enforcement services to the subdivision.

The sketch plan submitted to Monument calls for a clustered development with a maximum of 1,019 single-family houses on approximately 431 acres south of Higby Road and east of the Homestead at Jackson Creek development. During the meetings, the total number of houses in the project was revised to not more than 990.

The residential portion would cover about 262 acres. The overall average density for 990 homes on 431 acres is 2.3. These densities were said to be about the same as the county would allow if the parcel were not annexed.

The plan calls for 145 acres (34 percent of the total area) as open space, including a regional park, drainage areas, and ponds. An extensive trail system, 4.31 miles, is proposed throughout the open space.

The future elementary school site has been moved to the center of the project at the request of Lewis-Palmer School District 38. The district asked for a land dedication rather than cash-in-lieu.

Trapping studies have not found any Preble’s meadow jumping mice on the property. Dale Turner said the nearest a mouse has been found was 1.5 miles from the project.

The small-scale retail component shown in early versions of the plan has been removed.

Rowland said the project plans to obtain services for water, sewer, and maintenance of roads, trails, and open space from the Triview Metropolitan District that serves Jackson Creek. All water rights will be dedicated to Triview.

Dale Turner noted that the project has proposed contributing $1.2 million toward the $4 million cost of constructing a storage tank and related equipment to be located in the Baptist Camp development. The tank will provide improved water pressure for the adjacent area. One resident in the northeast corner of the Homestead subdivision said his water pressure is currently only 26 pounds per square inch, well below the minimum standard of 40-50 PSI.

There Home Place Ranch sketch plan includes 14.37 acres of right-of-way.

The plan calls for the project to be bisected by the northern extension of Gleneagle Drive as a two-lane divided local collector road with an 80-foot right-of-way, landscaped median, on-street bike lanes, and detached sidewalks. Steep terrain and the location of drainage areas have resulted in an "S" shaped route for the road.

Citizens expressed concern that the Gleneagle right-of-way in Promontory Pointe has been proposed to be only 50 feet wide and won’t meet county collector standards due to curb cuts for driveways along most of that roadway. Dale Beggs said the town and Triview would make the final determination on Promontory Pointe now that it has been annexed.

Dale Turner said Triview is expected to create a Road Improvement District to fund and coordinate construction of Gleneagle Drive

The plan shows a secondary access called Ashley Road that connects from Gleneagle Drive to Higby Road. The northern part of Ashley Road has been moved west from earlier plans, in response to concerns expressed by residents of the adjacent Higby Estates development east of the project. Higby Estates residents in attendance at both meetings thanked Beggs for moving the road to the west.

Fairplay Drive is shown extending south across Higby Road to provide a secondary access into the northwest corner of the project. One citizen asked that the roads not meet as proposed. Dale Turner said that the town and Triview have required this alignment. The county’s Major Thoroughfares Task Force has required the alignment of Gleneagle to connect to Furrow Road in the future.

The plan shows no road connections into the existing Jackson Creek and Higby Estates developments, although possible connections are shown to future developments west of the project.

The developers of Home Place Ranch, Promontory Pointe, and Baptist Camp have verbally agreed to contribute to the widening of Higby Road to a 100-foot right-of-way from Jackson Creek Parkway to Gleneagle Drive. Colorado Commercial will also pay for the improvements between Gleneagle and Ashley Drives. Proposed improvements to Higby Road show two 12-foot travel lanes separated by a 12-foot left turn lane. Additional right turn lanes would be added at intersections.

The project is divided into three areas with differing densities. The easternmost portion, which consists of 80 acres adjacent to the Higby Estates development, would average about two houses per acre.

The areas totaling 140 acres next to the Homestead at Jackson Creek and South Woodmoor developments would average about four houses per acre.

A 26-acre portion along Gleneagle Drive in the center of the project would average about eight houses per acre. Rowland said that part is likely to be comprised of patio homes.

Dale Turner said a 15-acre tract on the southeast corner of the plan is to be developed as part of Classic Homes’ Baptist Camp project and its access to Gleneagle Drive. That portion is shown as contributing up to 91 lots for an average density of about six houses per acre.

Lot widths along the southern boundary of the project will be designed to align generally with the corresponding lots in the Homestead at Jackson Creek subdivision.

The Homestead residents at the Feb. 21 meeting expressed interest in an east-west trail along the drainage easement between the two projects. Dale Turner said Triview currently opposes such a trail. He encouraged the residents to address the matter with the Triview board of directors.

Along the eastern side of the project adjacent to the Higby Estates development, the minimum lot size will be one acre. Higby Estates has a minimum lot size of 2.5 acres due to their use of septic systems. In prior community meetings, Higby Estates residents had expressed concern about the density transition from the Home Place Ranch subdivision to their subdivision. Higby Estates residents thanked the developer for the change to one acre lots at the Feb. 22 meeting. Dale Turner also noted that the existing Beck home and barns will remain unchanged.

Rowland said the project would be developed from west to east, with the areas adjacent to Higby Road being developed first, followed by the area adjacent to the Homestead at Jackson Creek, and ending with the higher density portion in the center.

Dale Turner said they expect to obtain the necessary approvals over the next year and start construction in the spring of 2007. He said there would be three to four homebuilding companies involved in each section. He added that completion of the project would likely take about five years.

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Joshua Rowland can be reached at Land Architects, (303) 734-1777, 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 130, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129.

Linda Sweetman-King can be reached at TerraVisions, (303) 468-6700, 1745 Shea Center Drive, Suite 310, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129.

The developer on the project is Dale Turner, Vice President, Colorado Commercial Builders, 264-6955, 5410 Powers Center Point, Suite 100, Colorado Springs, CO 80920.

View or download the proposed Home Place Ranch Sketch plan

In working through a lengthy agenda at their Feb. 2 workshop, Town Council members discussed new water rates for the town of Palmer Lake. The council also considered several ballot issues, including a request for an additional 1 percent sales tax to fund fire and police protection. If approved by voters, the sales tax would reach the maximum 3 percent cap a municipality is allowed by state law to impose.

The council first convened as the Palmer Lake Liquor Licensing Authority. Nicky Serbanescu appeared before members to request a transfer of the liquor license from The Villa (doing business as Guadala Jarra’s) to his new restaurant, Nicky’s at the Villa. He assured board members that he had "taken steps to educate the serving staff" on the legalities of handling liquor. No members of the public asked to comment on the request, and the licensing authority unanimously voted to transfer the license.

After adjourning the liquor authority meeting, the Palmer Lake Town Council convened their scheduled workshop session at 7:06 p.m.

The Colorado Tennis Association had been scheduled to make an award presentation to the town for $2,500—to help offset the cost of resurfacing town tennis courts—but the presentation was postponed due to scheduling conflicts. Town Clerk Della Gray said the association had not yet committed to a new date for the presentation.

Clara Smith, owner of Clara Jean’s, a carryout breakfast and lunch counter located in the Palmer Lake Country Store and Deli along Highway 105, requested approval for her business sign. The painted sign is displayed on the front of the building. She apologized to the council for posting the sign after it had been accepted by the Planning Commission, but not formally approved by Town Council,. After looking at several photographs of the sign and verifying with Gray that it conformed to existing ordinances, the council unanimously approved the sign.

Members reviewed the business license application submitted by Pacharee and Stephen Ellison for Villa Décor, which will be located in the mall opposite the South End Center on Highway 105. The store will offer home decorating items, specializing in Polish pottery. The Ellisons brought samples of their colorful ethnic clay cookware to show to the council. The council approved the business license.

Formal approval of the sign and business license must take place during an official Town Council meeting. Both will be listed as consent items on the Feb. 9 agenda.

Marguerite Pond, owner of Wred Wrock Enterprises, requested a license for her landscaping business. Pond had previously been listed as co-owner with Glen Price of another landscaping operation known as MGP Enterprises. There was some question as to whether Pond had been operating without a license. Pond stated that because she would only be selling services and not materials, she believed she did not need a business license.

The application was taken under advisement by the council, which needed time to review the associated paperwork. Pond was asked to reappear Feb. 9. Council members will render their decision at that time.

Frank Laird, representing The Liberty Connections, Inc., answered questions regarding the conditional use application to place a communications tower on private property owned by Nick and Darlah Kapusta, at 579 County Line Road. Liberty is acting as an agent for New Cingular Wireless and General Dynamics. The property where the cell phone tower will be placed, and all surrounding tracts, are zoned M-1 (manufacturing). Though the use appears compatible with cell phone tower placement, town ordinances require that each structure must be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Spotty local cell phone coverage had prompted Cingular to search for a favorable cell tower location. Laird said that engineers had performed an analysis of the area and chose that specific site because it was optimal for radio frequency reception and transmission. He also said that the tower would improve coverage for other providers that contract with Cingular.

Council members looked at photographs of the site with the tower superimposed. The structure will be located behind a manufacturing building on the property. Members noted that the actual height of the tower including the base was estimated to be 33 feet, not 30 feet as required by town code. Liberty agreed to lower the height to meet requirements. The structure met all other criteria for approval.

Council member Trish Flake mentioned that income from cell tower contracts could be beneficial to the town. She said she hoped Cingular would consider nearby town property should the company wish to place another tower.

Liberty will reappear at the council meeting on Feb. 9 to request formal acceptance.

Brian Bucher of Bucher Design Studio, Inc., submitted an application to amend the PUD master plan for the Living Word Chapel complex, formerly the Salvation Army Camp Elephant Rock, located at 290 West Highway 105. The original plan was approved in 1986. The facility presently consists of a chapel, dormitory rooms and cabins, a dining hall, swimming pool, and other buildings associated with a camp.

Living Word would like to alter the PUD master plan to expand the chapel and sanctuary, provide additional office space, remodel and add to the dining room and kitchen facilities, and expand and possibly pave the parking area. The religious organization also proposes to build smaller "hospitality units," which will contain several individual sleeping quarters with a desk and private bathroom, in lieu of dormitories shown on the original plans.

Bucher informed the council that all of the proposed uses are in conformance with current use specifications and those previously outlined in the old master plan. The changes constitute a reallocation, not an increase, of the approved square footage. The expansion consists of five phases, which Bucher estimates will take place within the next 15 years.

After briefly reviewing the plans, council members informed Bucher that should the PUD amendment be approved, detailed plans for each phase will still be required to meet the approval of the Palmer Lake Planning Commission and the Town Council.

The council will review the amendment request and vote on it at its Feb. 9 meeting.

A developer’s request to convert seven previously platted lots into three larger lots ran into opposition when neighbors objected to the proposal. Carrie Johnson, representing RFP Investments, LLC, submitted the request to vacate and replat Lots 19 through 25 in Unit 2 of the Lakeview Heights development, which is located east of Palmer Lake.

According to the replat request, Lots 19, 20, and 21 would become Lot 21A; Lots 22 and 23 would become 23A; and Lots 24 and 25 would become 25A. The new lots would access the southeast side of Star View Circle. The owner of Lot 1, a roughly triangular strip that lies between several of the old lot lines and Star View, agreed to grant an easement across the land as a driveway access for the replatted lots.

The lots were originally platted to access the planned Cathedral Drive. Complications preventing a second access to the area have postponed indefinitely the construction of Cathedral. Reconfiguration of the lots would allow immediate construction of homes on the sites.

Resident Pattie Brooks, in speaking for several homeowners, contends the replat would create numerous problems for current homeowners.

Brooks stated that she had purchased her home based on the drawings showing the seven homesites in question that front onto Cathedral Drive; houses would have been built below the sightline of existing homes on Star View Circle. She also pointed out that steep topography along the proposed access to Star View presents a serious safety hazard during icy or snowy conditions. Homeowners of the new lots would be unable to drive their vehicles up the steep incline to get out of their driveways and would instead park on the street, creating obstacles for residents exiting their driveways on the opposite side of Star View.

Brooks told the council that it was her understanding that the fire department had recommended no more homes be built in Unit 2 of Lakeview Heights until an additional road had been constructed. She and her neighbors are concerned that the single road access provided by Star View Circle would be inadequate in the event of a large fire.

Brooks also questioned whether the amount of land disturbed during utility installation and construction would exceed limits specified by the town’s Hillside ordinance. The ordinance is intended to reduce erosion by limiting the percentage of land that may be disrupted during construction on steeper topography, classified as a slope of 16 percent or greater.

Though the Planning Commission had already given its approval to the plan in a 3-2 vote, the council asked that the replat request be returned to the commission to be reexamined. Several members also agreed to meet and view the site as a group, to better understand the plans of the property owner and the concerns expressed by current residents of the area.

As part of their workshop packets, council members received three water rate options created by Integrated Utilities Group (IUG), a consulting firm that specializes in helping municipalities set utility rates. The town had hired IUG to help them establish rates that would enable the town to cover operating expenses using the base service charge and to set aside money needed for repairs and improvements with the per gallon rate.

The Water Committee—which consists of several council members, Mayor Nikki McDonald, Gray, and volunteers from the community—previously reviewed the options presented by IUG and recommended the council adopt rates presented in Option 1, which also followed the company’s recommendation.

Option 1 proposes a base service charge of $28 per month for a water line up to ¾ inches, to be paid by all homeowners whether they use water that month or not. Each consumer would also pay a charge of $2.86 per thousand gallons of water used. The base charge for a service line increases with diameter, up to $933.33 per month for a 6-inch water line.

The vote to accept the new rates put forth in Option 1 was 3-2, with Chuck Cornell and Gary Coleman dissenting. Cornell stated that according to his calculations, monthly service and volume charges would be needed just to cover operating expenses, with little left over for repairs or improvements. To calculate income, he had used 2004 figures for the number of taps and total volume of water pumped and then compared that figure to Palmer Lake’s 2004 water expenses.

He added that Options 2 and 3 also did not add a significant amount to total income. In Cornell’s view, all options shifted the brunt of costs to lower-end users, while providing a 40 percent reduction to those entities, primarily businesses, consuming over 20,000 gallons per month.

Cornell pointed out to other board members that infrastructure within the town is aging. One recent water main break repair cost the town close to $300,000, depleting reserves set aside for future expenditures. He said though the enterprise fund was solvent, the town would soon need to spend money to upgrade the old filter plant. He felt that Palmer Lake should have at least $300,000 to $400,000 in reserve.

The council agreed that the Water Committee should get together to compare expected income figures and expenses once more before Feb. 9. A meeting was set for Feb 6.

Flake told fellow council members that expansion of parking space next to Centennial Park on the east side of Highway 105 was part of the citizen-driven cityscape plan adopted in 2002 as an attachment to the town’s comprehensive plan. As discussed in prior meetings, this will necessitate the removal of several trees along the road. Tree removal is the first step in clearing, filling, and grading the area, which will eventually provide additional parking spaces for businesses located along Highway 105, as well as supplemental event parking.

Susan Miner, former Economic Development trustee, spoke to alleviate concerns previously expressed by citizens that plans for tree removal and parking lot expansion were made without adequate public comment. She assured the council that the expanded parking area was integral to the publicly approved cityscape project, which also included features to attract residents and visitors to the downtown area, including crosswalks and lampposts with flower baskets. Miner emphasized that the town wants to save as many trees as is practical, and replace those that will be lost, through programs sponsored by groups such as the Arbor Day Foundation.

The removal has been posted in the area where the trees will be cut. So far, no public objections have been filed with the town.

Several issues are slated for the May 2006 ballot. Among those is a request for a 1 percent sales tax increase; the additional monies raised would help fund police and fire protection. Gray asked the council to confer with Police Chief Dale Smith and Fire Chief Phillip Beckman to determine how the revenue should be split between the two departments. In accordance with TABOR, municipalities must receive consent from voters to retain any funds exceeding the previous year’s expenditures, plus a limited increase based on factors such as cost-of-living increases and population growth. The town generally collects $20,000 to $30,000 over that amount. Palmer Lake voters will be asked in May whether the town may retain funds in excess of TABOR limits for the years 2006, 2007, and 2008 through 2011.

Gray asked that council members give careful thought to where the excess revenues should be spent, as voters are more likely to approve the measure if officials earmark the money for specific uses.

Gray told council members that the deadline for state submission of the pros and cons for ballot questions is Feb. 17. Specific wording of ballot issues may be determined later. Gray said that in order to give local citizens time to submit comments listing advantages and disadvantages for the state mandated information pamphlet, members must decide what issues will be included on the ballot by the Feb. 9 meeting.

Although not listed on the official meeting agenda, Gray also asked council members to consider whether they would like to ask Palmer Lake voters to rescind, extend, or otherwise change term limits for town officials. She pointed out that several Town Council members, as well as McDonald, were ineligible to run again. Gray expressed concern that there weren’t enough interested citizens to fill the open positions.

Jeff Hulsmann elicited laughter from the audience when he quipped that "anyone who would want to run past their term is obviously insane." Member Max Parker stated that he felt people would "step up to the plate" to fill open positions.

Council members will revisit ballot issues at their Feb. 9 meeting.

The public portion of the meeting was adjourned at 9:38 p.m., and members went into executive session to consider personnel issues. The Town Council will meet again in an official capacity on Feb. 9, 7 p.m., at the Palmer Lake Town Hall, 32 Crescent.

The Palmer Lake Town Council formally approved new rates on Feb. 9 to help provide needed revenue for future capital repairs to the town’s water system. Tap fees have been the traditional source of funding for capital expansions and repairs, but the town is nearing buildout and needs an alternative source of funding for the future. The council also approved all the ballot issues considered at the Feb. 2 workshop. Although a variety of requests were approved, the council formally sent a vacation and replat request for some lots in Lakeview Heights Unit 2 back to the Planning Commission for further study.

The highlight of the evening was Steven Bell’s warmly applauded reading of his essay "What Freedom Means to Me." Bell is an 8th grader from Lewis-Palmer Middle School. His paper was one of the top submissions in Sertoma’s annual Freedom Essay Program. Monument Hill Sertoma Club President Ted Baumann said his organization offers about $1,000 in prizes to the writers of the top three essays from each of the area’s middle schools. A total of 538 students participated in this year’s contest. The council unanimously approved a proclamation declaring Feb. 19-25 as Freedom Week.

Fire Trustee Gary Coleman reported that the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department (PLVFD) made a total of 33 runs in January comprised of 13 medical, 10 structure fire, 3 wildland fire, 2 traffic accident, 2 public contact, and 3 public assistance of which 13 were mutual aid. He also noted that in 2005 there were a total of 258 calls comprised of 185 in Palmer Lake and 73 for mutual aid, with averages of 4 volunteers per call, 15 Palmer Lake calls per month, and 6 mutual aid calls per month. Total logged volunteer time for 2005 was 4,635 hours. He said, "We’re real proud of them."

Coleman again asked town residents to post their addresses at their driveways so that firefighters can find their homes more easily during an emergency, adding he was glad the room was filled with citizens to hear the request. About 40 people were in attendance.

Water Trustee Chuck Cornell reported that the town produced 3,017,384 gallons of tributary water in January. Because no well water was produced, there were no wastewater credits. The end-of-year balances were $68,101 in the water enterprise fund and $331,584 in the water capital improvement fund. No new taps were sold in December, so the total number remained at 913.

Police Trustee Trudy Finan reported police statistics for January as 102 call for service, 2 custody arrests, 15 cases, 35 traffic citations, 20 traffic/dog warnings, and 2 dog citations. One officer remains on medical leave for injuries sustained during a chase leading to an arrest.

Parks and Recreation Trustee Trish Flake reported that yoga and exercise classes were offered in Town Hall at 9:15 a.m on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; each costs $7. She said an off-leash area for dog-walking was being established in the Greenland Open Space along with signs pointing out how to get to the Santa Fe Trail trailhead in Palmer Lake from the Greenland parking area.

Community and Economic Development Trustee Jim Girlando reported that Nicky’s at the Villa would be organizing a fundraiser for the PLVFD fire truck payments. There will be several Saturday fund-raising events for the Fourth of July through July 1. Flake added that the town’s annual fishing derby would also be part of the effort.

Roads Trustee Max Parker reported that Palmer Lake Elementary School received a Great Outdoors Colorado grant for upgrading playground equipment. The town will match the grant with $3,000 of in-kind services for prepping, leveling, and grading the play area.

Mayor Nikki McDonald recommended that Town Clerk Della Gray be appointed the town’s election official; Gray was unanimously approved. McDonald noted that Gary Coleman is the only council member not up for election. Nomination forms are due by March 6.

Bob Miner reported on Fountain Creek Watershed Study progress. He noted that regaining some portions of the substantial reduction in federal funding for the Army Corps of Engineers was a priority for Representative Hefley and Senators Allard and Salazar. The study will now take longer to complete but has not been canceled. Miner pointed out that state funding remains available despite the current federal cuts.

The Awake the Lake committee will be announcing its spring and summer fund-raising activities soon.

The board approved several requests discussed at the Feb. 2 workshop. (See Workshop article on page 15 for details.) Included were a new business license for Villa Décor and a sign request for Clara Jean’s.

After a short discussion, the council unanimously approved a new business license for Wred Wrock Enterprises.

The trustees approved a conditional use in an M-1 zone for a cell phone communications tower for General Dynamics and New Cingular.

Also approved was an amendment to the PUD (Planned Unit Development) plat and site plan for Living Word Chapel, with the condition that the final building plans must be reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission and the Town Council before any construction work can begin.

After a presentation by Town Attorney Larry Gaddis on the ambiguous complexities regarding private and town ownership of portions of the affected property, the council unanimously approved a vacation of a portion of Clifton Hill Road.

The Town of Palmer Lake received a grant from the association of $2,500 for resurfacing the town’s public tennis court in December. The town’s matching requirement is about $5,600.

The grant application was prepared by resident Kim Makower, manager of the Palmer Lake Tennis Center, who conducts U.S. Tennis Association (USTA)-approved lessons at the public courts. The grant request was endorsed by Trustee Flake, former Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce President Steve Spry, and Tim Wolken of the El Paso County Parks Department. Makower had initiated a previous successful resurfacing grant request from the association in 2001. The courts are surrounded by trees; snow and ice are slow to melt, causing problems for the playing surface.

A condition of the grant is a public presentation of the grant check at a regular council meeting, which had been initially scheduled for Jan. 12. However, that meeting was combined with the workshop meeting of Jan. 5 so that the temporary liquor license requested by the Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts for an event on Jan. 29 could be received in time. The $2,500 check goes to the town and the resurfacing contract will be administered by the town. Makower may elect to be a volunteer consultant to Flake on contract administration.

Makower complained on Jan. 5 that he and the Colorado Tennis Association had not been given adequate notice of the two January meetings being combined on Jan. 5. He said Colorado Tennis Association Community Development Director Kristy Harris could not attend the Jan. 5 meeting on such short notice. The town offered to hold a press conference to present the check on Jan. 12 and OCN volunteered to cover the event. However, several trustees said they could not attend the press conference. Makower said the check should be presented at a regular Town Council meeting rather than a workshop or press conference.

On Jan. 9, Gray sent an e-mail to local press and the Colorado Tennis Association that said:

"Since a number of you indicated you would not be at the presentation on January 12 and that you would like for the Association and Kim Makower to have the recognition deserved, I was asked to contact Kristy Harris, Colorado Tennis Association about resetting the date for the presentation.

She would rather wait to be at the February 2nd or 9th meeting in order for more trustees to be there. Kristy will contact me as to which date will work the best for them. If it is on the 2nd, Trish will report through updated committee reports what took place at the workshop so an accounting will be reflected in the actual minutes. This will also allow the names of the two other individuals who will be with her to be listed on the agenda.

I apologize for the confusion, but as you are all aware I had no knowledge of the possibility of the check being presented at the January meeting."

Makower intervened by sending a letter, on a Palmer Lake Tennis Center Association letterhead dated Jan. 12, 2006, to Carolyn Peters of the Colorado Tennis Association’s Community Development Committee saying, the Palmer Lake Tennis Association "is requesting that the committee postpone the awarding of the grant. We would like to investigate and verify the true level of interest that the Board of Trustees has in promoting tennis in the community. We will present the findings of this investigation to you and/or your committee no later than April 17, 2006."

Makower ann