By Helen Walklett
During April, the El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) made decisions relating to the Black Forest slash and mulch program and a Black Forest rezone application.
Black Forest slash and mulch program
At its April 9 meeting, the BOCC approved the 2024 memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Black Forest Slash and Mulch Committee (SAMCOM), the nonprofit responsible for the program’s daily operation.
This wildfire mitigation program, staffed entirely by volunteers, accepts slash (tree debris including branches and leaves) from residents that is ground into mulch, which is available free of charge to the public. The program does not accept bulk loads of needles, tree stumps, roots, weeds or grass.
Under the MOU, the county contributes up to $40,000 toward grinder expenses, and SAMCOM provides $12,000 toward the costs.
The site, within Black Forest Section 16 on the east side of Herring Road and just south of Shoup Road, opened for the 2024 season for slash drop-off on April 27. Normal business hours are Saturdays and Sundays 7 a.m.-4 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday evenings 5-7:30 p.m. Sundays between 7 a.m. and noon are for slash drop-off only. The last date for slash drop-off this year is Sept. 15. The drop-off fee for slash has increased this year to $10 per pickup truck. There is a loyalty card available that offers a discount.
Free mulch will be available for self-loading from May 18 through Sept. 21. For large quantities of mulch, an end loader will be available on Saturdays only, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., charging $5 per bucket.
Describing the program as wonderful, Commissioner Holly Williams said, “I certainly encourage all of our Black Forest residents, as well as many of our northeastern Colorado Springs residents, to take advantage and to keep wildfire mitigation efforts on your property up to date.”
For more information, visit www.bfslash.org. Anyone wanting to volunteer to work a shift can do so via the website.
Vessey Road rezone
At their April 11 land use meeting, the commissioners voted to approve an application by Pawel Posorski for a rezoning of 6.02 acres from RR-5 (rural residential) to RR-2.5 (rural residential). The property is located at 6225 Vessey Road, one-half mile east of the intersection of Vessey Road and Neva Lane. A final plat application has also been submitted to create two lots from the parcel. This is currently under review and has not yet been scheduled for a public hearing.
The application was heard as a consent item, meaning there was no discussion. The application came from the Planning Commission with an 8-1 vote recommending approval. Commissioners Christopher Whitney was the nay vote, having concerns about the zoning not being consistent with the area and about the non-conformity of lots in the area. See https://www.ocn.me/v24n4.htm?zoom_highlight=%22vessey+road%22.
Ambulance license and permits
At the April 16 meeting, the commissioners approved an ambulance service license and two ambulance permits for the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District. At the previous week’s meeting, Commissioner Stan VanderWerf commented on the fact that the state had recently passed a statute that will take away local authorities’ power to issue ambulance permits beginning in July. These will now be issued at the state level. He said, “The law is the law, but this is just another example of centralization of power in Denver that I know in the long run will not be good for the State of Colorado when local governments know best what our local communities need.”
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The El Paso County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) usually meets every Tuesday at 9 am at Centennial Hall, 200 S. Cascade Ave., Suite 150, Colo. Springs. Agendas and meetings can be viewed at www.agendasuite.org/iip/elpaso. Information is available at 719-520-643. BOCC land use meetings are normally held the second and fourth Thursdays of the month (as needed) at 1 pm in Centennial Hall.
Helen Walklett can be reached at helenwalklett@ocn.me.
Other El Paso County articles
- El Paso County Board of County Commissioners, Oct. 7 – Board approves contract for Fox Run Gazebo (10/30/2025)
- El Paso County Board of County Commissioners, Sept. 2, 9, and 23 – County approves park services (10/2/2025)
- Fox Run Nature Center on hold (10/2/2025)
- El Paso County Board of County Commissioners, Aug. 5 – Liquor license approved (9/4/2025)
- El Paso County Planning Commission, Aug. 7 – Variance for rental unit rejected (9/4/2025)
- El Paso County Planning Commission, June 19 – Commission recommends disapproval of Flying Horse East sketch plan (7/3/2025)
- El Paso County Board of County Commissioners, April 10 – Two local projects approved by the county (5/3/2025)
- El Paso County Planning Commission, March 6 and 20 – Three projects recommended to BOCC (4/5/2025)
- El Paso County Board of County Commissioners, March 13 and 18 – Misfits Crew Estates Final Plat approved (4/5/2025)
- El Paso County Board of County Commissioners, Feb. 11 – $4 million in federal funds approved for North Gate Blvd./Struthers Road stormwater project (3/1/2025)