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Articles from Vol. 23 No. 9 - September 2, 2023

El Paso County Planning Commission, Aug. 3 – Flying Horse North draft service plan recommended for approval

By Helen Walklett

At the Aug. 3 El Paso County Planning Commission meeting, the commissioners reviewed the draft service plan for the proposed Flying Horse North (FHN) Metropolitan Districts Nos. 1-5 and voted 5-3 to recommend it for approval.

A revised sketch plan was approved in November 2022 for the 910-acre area that would be covered by the plan. See https://www.ocn.me/v22n12.htm#epbocc.

The service plan includes a maximum debt authorization of $450 million, a debt service mill levy of 50 mills for commercial and residential property, and an operations and maintenance mill levy of 15 mills for a total maximum combined mill levy of 65 mills. Kari Parsons, senior planner, Planning and Community Development Department, said the statutory purposes of the district would be very standard and would include street improvements, the design, construction, and maintenance of drainage, sanitation, and recreation facilities, and covenant enforcement.

Parsons said a letter of opposition had been received. It came from FHN resident Phil Shecter who spoke against the FHN revised sketch plan at the El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) land use meeting in November 2022 and raised concerns about possible impropriety during that hearing with the BOCC in February 2023. Parsons said the letter raised concerns about land use, density, the home valuations included in the financial plan prepared by DA Davidson & Co., and the sketch plan approval process. She clarified that this application would not consider the sketch plan, the land uses within it, the density nor the process by which it was approved by BOCC.

The financial plan is based on 900 single-family units with estimated values ranging from $1.5 million to $6.0 million per unit, a golf clubhouse, fitness center, and convention center with estimated values of $400 to $500 per square foot and annual sales of $250 per square foot, and a 225-room hotel with estimated values of $200,000 per room and an average daily room rate of $500.

Attorney Russ Dykstra, partner, Spencer Fane, representing the applicants, said the residential development of about 844 acres would be located in districts 2-4 with the commercial development being located in 1 and 5. He said full buildout was anticipated at the end of 2030. The purpose of the districts would be to provide for construction, installation, financing, ownership, and maintenance of public improvements. They would accommodate the need for phasing of development and allow for a coordinated approach to infrastructure financing. He said there were significant costs for development in the area and public improvement costs are estimated at $39.35 million

Ahead of public comment Tom Bailey, chair, asked those who wanted to speak to limit their comments to the criteria. He said, “as Ms. Seago [Lori Seago, senior assistant county attorney] pointed out earlier, other questions about the approval of the sketch plan, the possible changes, anything else, the process that was used to get us where we are today, those are interesting but irrelevant. We can’t necessarily consider those things as we’re looking at these criteria for approval of this particular special district.”

Four members of the public spoke in opposition. No one spoke in support. One citizen said, “This type of debt and inflated housing is unsustainable.”

Terry Stokka, representing the Friends of Black Forest and the Black Forest Land Use Committee (BFLUC), commented, “While we understand a metro district is a logical thing to do for this, we’re not objecting to the metro district itself. We’re opposed to some elements of that plan because we believe that the costs are above reasonable. He continued, “We recommend that the service plan be returned to the applicant for some updates and some more realism.”

Amy Phillips, former chair, BFLUC, questioned whether the requirement that there be a demonstrated need for the services was being met. She said, “The existing residents do not need a hotel and do not want a hotel.”

Dykstra spoke again to clarify that the tax burden would only fall on new residents, saying, “This will not be on any existing residents out in Flying Horse North. This is just new residents.” He also clarified that the district would not be paying for the golf course or clubhouse which would be paid for with private funds. These facilities would be paying toward the debt service, however, and Dykstra pointed out this would lower the tax burden for residents. It is not yet known whether the convention center will be a public or private facility. Existing FHN residents will have access to all the public facilities.

Commissioner Becky Fuller said she didn’t think the assumptions made sense. She asked what the absorption rate is for new or resale $1.5 million homes in the county and was told about 75 per year.

Bailey said, “For me the assumptions made in the financial plan are reasonable. They’re not exact.”

Fuller said, “So when I’m looking at this, I do believe the first three criteria have been met. When we’re getting to item four where the financial ability to discharge the proposed indebtedness on a reasonable basis, we’re looking at 900 homes being absorbed in six years, which is about 150 a year over a million and a half in a market where we’ve seen 75 per year. I think that the underlying assumptions, they’re just not reasonable to me. For me, I think that it probably should be a different amount that they’re asking for.”

The vote to recommend for approval was 5-3. Commissioners Tim Trowbridge, Fuller, and Eric Moraes were the nay votes. Trowbridge said he agreed with Fuller and did not believe criteria 3 and 4 were met. Moraes commented, “I think a lot of the assumptions are a bridge too far to put faith in it at this point.”

Commissioner Christopher Whitney commented, “This is the second or third time since I’ve been here that I’ve felt like I need to vote aye because of what the statute and regulations require and, notwithstanding the fact that, on a moral basis, I’m not happy with it.” Describing the criteria as having been met “highly shakily with bullet form,” he added, “As the chair noted and as the testimony provided or the comments provided, we’re talking about a structure or a framework. We’re not talking about a plan that is written in blood and [which] everybody has to follow going forward so, for purposes of a structure or a framework, I’m okay with it but I expect it to change umpteen-nine times between now and when we finally finish.”

At the BOCC meeting on Aug. 29, the commissioners were expected to schedule the application to be heard at their Sept. 28 meeting.

Helen Walklett can be reached at helenwalklett@ocn.me.

Other El Paso County Planning Commission articles

August Weather Wrap

By Bill Kappel

August was generally uneventful around the Palmer Divide, especially compared to the last few months where we had extremely active weather. Temperatures were slightly warmer than normal, and precipitation was slightly lower than normal.

The first half of the month saw the typical quiet morning, afternoon clouds, and scattered thunderstorms and rain shower pattern. This is the normal pattern, but something we hadn’t seen consistently so far this summer, because the typical North American Monsoon system has not been fully formed this year. This has been the result of various weather patterns across the United States that have been slow to change.

The pattern began to reflect more normal conditions later in July and into August. Of course, there was a major disruption early in the month with the remnants of Tropical Storm Hilary bringing record rainfall to many areas of Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada. Then right on its heels was Tropical Storm Harold, which moved into south Texas, up the Rio Grande basin and into the Four Corners. This added lots of moisture to the region and produced significant rainfall in western Colorado and the mountains. This was welcome in those areas, as they have been extremely dry all summer and desperately needed the rainfall.

During the first two weeks of the month, most of us received 1-2 inches of rainfall, but no single day had any severe weather, just brief rain showers. Drier conditions took hold for the second half of the month and along with that, warmer conditions. Highs were consistently in the 80s from the 15th through the 24th. Temperatures peaked in the upper 80s on the 18th and 19th.

The first cold front of the season dropped temperatures by 20 degrees on the 25th and, when combined with low clouds and rain showers, definitely brought a feel of fall to the area. Temperatures stayed cool the next day before jumping back to the low 80s on the 27th. The end of the month saw a seesaw in temperatures with a few scattered showers mixed in as high temperatures varied between the low 70s and the mid-80s.

A look ahead

September is a transition month for the region, with the last tastes of summer mixed in with our first morning freezes. Leaves begin to change by the end of the month as well and in some years a little snow can happen. The overall weather pattern is generally one of tranquility, with our chances for thunderstorms dwindling and blizzard conditions not quite ready for prime time. We are often greeted with sunny, pleasant afternoons, with highs from the mid-70s early in the month to the mid-60s later in the month. Our first sub-freezing low temperatures usually occur during the third week of the month, so prepare those tender plants.

August 2023 Weather Statistics

Average High 79.0° (-1.5); 100-year return frequency value max 83.9° min 72.9°

Average Low 51.7° (+1.3); 100-year return frequency value max 55.2° min 46.8°

Monthly Precipitation 1.30” (-1.60”, 56% below normal); 100-year return frequency value max 6.07” min 0.94”

Monthly Snowfall 0.0”

Highest Temperature 88° on the 16th, 18th, 19th

Lowest Temperature 46° on the 7th

Season to Date Snow: 0.0” (the snow season is from July 1 to June 30)

Season to Date Precip.: 21.51” (+3.45”, 20% above normal) (Jan 1 to Dec 31)

Heating Degree Days 47 (-15)

Cooling Degree Days 56 (+12)

Bill Kappel is a meteorologist and Tri-Lakes resident. He can be reached at billkappel@ocn.me.

Other Weather Wrap articles

Letters to Our Community: “Disgusted” by MA’s gender rules

After reading the article regarding Monument Academy’s gender issues, I must say I am disgusted and appalled at the way this issue is being handled.

In the very beginning the simple solution would have been to have a boy, girl, and a third for those identifying differently. MA appears to single these students out, making it much harder for them, and at the same time encouraging other students and staff to bully and discriminate.

Did anyone making these decisions stop to think that if a parent needs to be notified that it could devastating to the youth i.e.: being disowned or feeling unwanted or worse yet suicide, it happens every day. School should be a safe place, when sometimes home is not . I don’t see MA being that place.

Having a board member from another district spread conspiracy theories isn’t helpful; neither is legal counsel comparing himself to Moses or the Apostle Paul.

If MA wants to be totally non-secular, then perhaps it should become private and give up those federal dollars and property tax money.

For those of you that think being gay or transgender is a choice, I suggest you educate yourselves and your child for most definitely it is not!

Claudia Swenson
Mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother

Other Letters to Our Community

Letters to Our Community – Preservation of historical Palmer Lake

Ever since the area that became the small town of Palmer Lake was discovered by pioneers in their westward expansion, Palmer Lake has been a part of Colorado history. The Chautauqua movement held a significant presence here for many years. The Salvation Army ran a summer camp here in Palmer Lake for many years, highlighted in both local and Denver newspapers. The property owners fell upon hard times. After multiple ownership changes, the land and the buildings were gifted to the Town of Palmer Lake to benefit the town and citizens. Now designated as the Elephant Rock Property comprising 28 acres of land with buildings, including cabins, the debate has been ongoing for several years regarding what are the most beneficial uses of this land.

After several rounds of discussions and developer presentations, the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees (PLBOT) have decided to award several acres and a couple of buildings to two developers, one to develop a wedding venue, the second for an eco-friendly spa.

Contrary to the advice from several historical and arts organizations, the PLBOT wants to demolish all of the remaining buildings and will not request grant monies from interested governmental departments to retain this historic legacy of Palmer Lake. The PLBOT will not reserve or allow the remaining buildings and cabins for use by future generations for artists-in-residence, local art programs, and as a community center. One of the developers even offered to do the preservation and restoration at no cost to the town.

Although a portion of the property will be used to provide several new hiking trails, most of the remaining land will be unused, and the future of the remaining land is uncertain. A master planning committee of interested citizens was set up by the PLBOT but was dissolved with no explanation by the PLBOT after one session. As a result, part of the history of Palmer Lake and experience will be lost forever. I urge everyone to petition the PLBOT to save this piece of Palmer Lake history for its citizens, both present and future.

Atis Jurka

Other Letters to Our Community

Between the Covers at Covered Treasures Bookstore: What animals teach us

By the staff at Covered Treasures

“Some people talk to animals. Not many listen though. That’s the problem.”—A.A. Milne

Here’s a sampling of books that provide information on the pets we love as well as the animals that live around us and what we can learn from them.

September 2023. Book cover. Meow! The Truth About Cats

Meow! The Truth About Cats

By Annette Whipple (Reycraft Books) $17.95

Why do cats have whiskers? How do cats land on their paws? Do people need cats? These and other questions are answered, along with some extra information provided by the cats themselves. Annette Whipple celebrates curiosity and inspires a sense of wonder while exciting readers about science and history.

Do You Know Where the Animals Live?: Discovering the Incredible Creatures All Around Us

By Peter Wohlleben (Greystone Kids) $19.95

From the bestselling author of The Inner Life of Animals comes a book for kids about animals at home and around the world. Are worms afraid of the rain? Do fish use farts to communicate? Do animals dream? This visual, fun, and interactive book features at-home activities, facts, stories, and pictures.

The Cat’s Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa

By Jonathan B. Losos (Viking) $28

Jonathan Losos, writing as both scientist and cat lover, explores how researchers today are unraveling the secrets of the cat using all the tools of modern technology, from GPS tracking and genomics to forensic archaeology. It gives us a cat’s-eye view of today’s habitats, including meeting wild cousins around the world whose habits your sweet house cat sometimes eerily parallel.

The Inner Life of Animals: Love, Grief, and Compassion—Surprising Observations of a Hidden World

By Peter Wohlleben (Greystone) $22.95

Readers will discover the latest scientific research into animals’ emotions, feelings, intelligence, and how they interact with the world. We learn: Horses feel shame, deer grieve, goats discipline their kids, ravens call their friends by name, rats regret bad choices, and butterflies choose the very best places for their children to grow up. Animals are different from us in ways that amaze us—and they are much closer to us than we ever would have thought.

The Fur Person

By May Sarton (W.W. Norton) $14.95

This enchanting story is drawn from the true adventures of Tom Jones, May Sarton’s cat. Before meeting Mary, Tom is a fiercely independent, nameless Cat About Town. Growing tired of his vagabond lifestyle, he concludes that there might be some appeal in giving up his freedom for a home. It is here that he becomes a genuine Fur Person. Sarton’s book is one of the most beloved stories about the joys and tribulations in sharing one’s life with a cat.

The Year of the Puppy: How Dogs Become Themselves

By Alexandra Horowitz (Viking) $28

Dog researcher Alexandra Horowitz charts her puppy Quid’s growth from birth to first birthday. She documents social and cognitive milestones so many of us miss when caught up in the housetraining and behavioral training. Horowitz keeps a lens on the puppy’s point of view—how they begin to see and smell the world, make meaning of it, and become an individual personality.

The Stallion and His Peculiar Boy

By M.J. Evans (Dancing Horse Press) $12.95

World War II is raging. Hitler is hiding away the world’s most beautiful purebred horses for use in experiments to create the perfect war horse. A peculiar boy, Teodor, becomes the groom for one of those special horses—Witez II, one of the most famous Arabian stallions of all time. Witez helps Teodor face his challenges and find his voice at a time when little is known about the condition now called autism. Inspired by a true story, this book blends the suspense of a World War II military rescue operation with the challenges of resettlement in a new land.

James Herriot’s Favorite Dog Stories

By James Herriot (St. Martins Press) $25

After being out of print many years, it is now again available, filled with original watercolors that illustrate Herriot’s charming and wholesome tales. This classic includes an introduction from Herriot himself—the last piece of writing the beloved author and veterinarian ever completed. Follow the master veterinarian as he cares for dogs with his characteristic gentleness and peace, profound observation, and deep, loving humor.

Until next month, happy reading.

The staff at Covered Treasures can be reached at books@ocn.me.

Other book reviews