Comments

Why would your safety be at risk by this development? What would be a better place to put this development in the area? I understand the environmental concerns, but I don't understand your concerns. As long as we live in a capitalist society where corporations can buy politicians with campaign donations, this is the way this country runs.

Very sad Terrible place to put this business They don’t care about the safety of others at all Just $ I will never step foot in that place Never support people like that Devils ☠️💀👿👹👺

We are having the same problem within city neighborhoods here in Monument. Minors as well as adults riding on our private sidewalks and public sidewalks, endangering residents. Parents are aware of their behavior and some have cursed and threatened physical harm to residents who have asked the boys not to ride on the sidewalks. Monument PD has been called multiple times and the offenders wait until the officers leave and resume breaking the law. We paid for a peaceful home and community but instead, we have children destoying our joint properties and quiet life. Help!

Hi Don, To submit your suggestions, please go to https://www.townofmonument.org/691/Rename-the-Road. Thanks. Regards, John Heiser, OCN Publisher

Warehouse Way

Thank you, John. Solid advice. Always send letters of this importance with a signature required. All the best, -- Bart

Hi Bart, You need to convey your questions and issues to El Paso County planning. Email your concerns to Kylie Bagley, Project Manager kyliebagley@elpasoco.com, (719) 520-6323. In your email, clearly reference "EXBL261" or "Project 212065 – Interstate 25 Properties and Monument Ridge West", state that you are submitting public comments/objections for the official project record, and include your name and contact information. Attach any supporting documents if relevant. Submit as soon as possible while the file is "Active" as review comments from agencies are already being processed. This ensures your input is officially logged and considered in the administrative review process. You may also wish to send your comments to the county as a certified letter. If the project later advances to a hearing or major application, additional public comment opportunities will be announced. For general questions about the process, call El Paso County Planning & Community Development at (719) 520-6300. Regards, John Heiser

One additional question for the county: if the parcel is expanding to 53 acres, does the previously submitted water analysis still apply, or must a new 100-year water supply demonstration be filed?

Thank you, John, for covering this issue. Allow me to voice my concern as both a long-time Monument resident and a local business owner. First, an important fact: the Buc-ee’s development on Monument Hill has not been approved to proceed. That naturally raises a question for the public. When a development project has not yet been approved, but the land is already being reshaped for it, people are justified in asking whether the process is leading the decision, or simply following it. According to this OCN article, Vertex Consulting—on behalf of Interstate Properties—has applied to El Paso County for a Boundary Line Adjustment (BLA) that would add roughly 11 acres, expanding the proposed Buc-ee’s parcel to about 53 acres. That request deserves careful scrutiny. Under the El Paso County Land Development Code, a BLA may be approved administratively, without a public hearing, if certain criteria are satisfied. One of those criteria is that the adjustment cannot result in a change in the water supply for either parcel. That requirement alone raises important questions. Public records indicate that filings related to commercial groundwater wells associated with this development occurred prior to the BLA certification stating there would be no change in water supply. When documents tied to the same project appear to point in different directions, it is reasonable for residents to ask for clarification before approvals move forward. There is also the broader water issue. The Town of Monument Trustees voted not to provide municipal water for the Buc-ee’s project, meaning the development would likely rely on groundwater from the Denver Basin aquifer, a resource widely recognized by state regulators as finite and essentially non-renewable. Colorado law also requires something else that deserves attention. Major developments must demonstrate an adequate 100-year water supply before approval. If the proposed Buc-ee’s parcel is being expanded to approximately 53 acres, the public deserves to see the 100-year water supply analysis supporting that development. Where is that report, and has it been submitted to the county? If groundwater from the Denver Basin aquifer is expected to supply the project, the supporting documentation showing how that demand can be sustained over a 100-year planning horizon should already exist in the development file. Given the scale of this proposed travel center, that information should be made available for public review before any administrative approvals move forward. The Colorado Division of Water Resources explains this clearly here: https://dwr.colorado.gov/services/well-permitting/denver-basin When the state itself describes the aquifer as non-renewable, decisions involving large commercial withdrawals should not be handled quietly through administrative paperwork. They deserve full public scrutiny. According to earlier impact reports circulated during the planning discussions, Buc-ee’s estimated water consumption is approximately 1,119,000 gallons per month. Buc-ee’s locations are known for their extremely large restrooms, high visitor traffic, and extensive food service operations. A typical Buc-ee’s may include 80–120 restroom fixtures and serve 5,000 to 10,000 visitors per day, with peak days reaching even higher numbers. When food preparation, ice production, irrigation, and facility maintenance are included, water...

Scott, Thanks for submitting this to OCN. It will be in our March 7th issue coming out next week.

A great time was had a Glow Bingo on January 23rd. We very much appreciate our Tri-Lakes Dynamics Rotary partners in getting us closer to moving forward with getting bids to begin construction this summer. Expect to see this in the printed OCN that comes out March 7th.

Hi Tina, Thanks for your comment. The best way to stay informed about the Buc-ee's proposal and other Tri-Lakes area news is to subscribe to our community newsletter emails. To subscribe, go to https://wp.ocn.me/newslettersignup/. I also recommend you download the OCN app. There is information at https://wp.ocn.me/app/. The OCN app highlights upcoming Tri-Lakes area events and new postings including posting of newsletters on our website. You can also follow us on Facebook and Nextdoor. If you have questions or comments, you can reach me at johnheiser@ocn.me.

I would like to be informed about the current situation with BUCCES and other upcoming news Thank you

Hello I do not agree with you l am a part of a tpusa chapter at palmer ridge high shcool and I supout ginger schaaf for moyar

Hi Rose, We added an accessibility toolbar on the upper right of the screen. It is a figure with arms and legs outstretched in a dark gray circle. It provides many options to adjust the text and the screen. We also added a dark mode tool, which appears to the left of the accessibility toolbar as a smaller circle that initially is half-gray and half yellow indicates the screen will adjust to the system's dark mode setting. Clicking on the dark mode tool will switch it to a sun icon meaning light mode. Clicking again will switch it to a moon icon meaning dark mode. Clicking again brings it back to half-and-half. If the accessibility tools are obstructing something you want to view, you can open the accessibility toolbar and select hide toolbar. Leave the setting at the default of "Only for this session." and click Hide Toolbar. That will reveal a small dark circle containing a minus sign. If you click on the minus sign, the dark mode tool will be removed and the minus will change to a plus. Click on the plus sign to bring back the accessibility toolbar and the dark mode tool. At OCN, we are committed to making our digital presence as accessible and inclusive as reasonably possible for all users. Please let me know if you have any questions. Regards, John Heiser, Publisher, OCN

Hi Rose, Thank you for your suggestions. We will research what can be done to improve the readability of the site. Regards, John Heiser, Publisher, OCN

Thank you for the new website and especially for the topic-specific archives. I have a big ask for improving readability across the website: For normal text, please use a font that is dark enough and thick enough for easy reading.. Because it is both gray and thin, the current font for normal text is incredibly hard to read at a normal 100% size. The text does become easiser to read when the screen is zoomed. So if it is not feasible to use a more readable font, maybe you could add very evident/persistent zoom-In/zoom-out tools to the web pages. A reply will be greatly appreciated.

So are you disclaiming responsibility for the card I just got in the mail quoting you as saying "My family chose Monument after leaving Washington when liberal policies destroyed our schools and communities. We can't let that happen to Monument." Those don't sound like truthful non-partisan statements to me, quite the opposite .

Hello Bill, I have not, nor will I ever make those types of statements. I am unaware of this group that is pushing this agenda and do not support their statements. My campaign will be associated with positive, truthful, non-partisan statements I am running to continue to improve the educational experience that my children and other students should receive from the D38 School District. Our teachers and administrators need our support, and I intend to provide this. As previously stated, I do not condone these statements nor do I support them. I hope that as this campaign continues you will hear what I have to say and what my platform is, not the statements of an outside group that I do not support. Regards, Ginger Schaaf

If you truly value the education your kids received in D38, then why are you running to change everything based on extreme rightwing politics based on believing utter propaganda and cantankerous rhetoric like grooming and litter boxes and accusing others of wanting in-school surgeries for sex changes? Do you hear how ridiculous that sounds, having absolutely no place in a school board race nor education? None of that is happening nor will it ever because it's lies and fear-mongering talking points to libel opponents, nothing more. Why not focus on how to improve kids' educational experience instead of bringing radicalized notions, extreme rhetoric, and just utter lies to the race? This community doesn't deserve this type of mud-slinging, so why not run on your educational and leadership bonafides instead of disgusting topics completely unrelated to education in any way?

Hi Karla, Thanks for the comment. I'll forward your question to the organizers of the event. Regards, John Heiser Publisher Our Community News, Inc. P.O. Box 1742 Monument, Colorado 80132-1742 www.ocn.me Office: (719) 488-3455 FAX: (719) 410-8126 johnheiser@ocn.me

Id be interested in a vendor spot, Im a home based crafter. 3d prints, etched glass, personalized t shirts. Could you tell me the cost of a table and do you have another vendor similar to what I world offer.

Hi Sam, OCN comes out the first Saturday of each month. The ad costs are for appearance of one ad in one of our monthly issues. I'll send you an email with a summary of information on OCN advertising. Regards, John Heiser, Publisher

Hi Ellen, If you go to wp.ocn.me/about/#pick-up-a-copy, you can download a list of spots where we put stacks of papers. At many locations, the copies are picked up pretty quickly. The spot where you are most likely to find a copy at any time during the month is Covered Treasures Bookstore at the corner of Second and Washington Streets. We try to keep them replenished with a good supply. If you have trouble finding a copy, please call me at 719-488-3455. Thanks. Regards, John Heiser, Publisher

I’m interested in advertising. Is the cost monthly or how does that work. Thanks

Can you tell me if there is a physical location where I can come pick up paper copies of this newspaper? Or perhaps a list of some businesses in Monument where I could stop by to check if they have any extra copies? Thank you!

Thanks for your kind words. All of us volunteers here at OCN work hard to make it the best paper we possibly can and it means the world to hear back from readers = especially when they appreciate our efforts. best wishes, Janet Sellers

Thank you to OCN for your contribution to our awareness of life going on around us!

A wonderful and well deserved recognition by the Chamber of the outstanding work by Michael and John for their many years of volunteer work researching and documenting the history of the souls at the Monument Cemetery. Their resulting book is a must-read for anyone interested in Monument's history. Congratulations and thank you to you both!