In the Region

MEAD TRUSTEES SET SPECIAL ELECTION FOR ANNEXATION
The Mead Board of Trustees voted 5-1 make the Burch Family Farm Annexation the sole issue on a December 20th special election ballot. The trustees decided to give the Burch annexation a separate election because it wants to do everything possible to convince voters to say YES. If the annexation is approved, the property is slated be the site of Meads new wastewater treatment plant. The Burch family has promised to sell 10 acres of its 241-acre farm to the town for the wastewater treatment plant. The rest of the Burch property, on the east side of Interstate 25 between Weld County roads 32 and 34, would be developed privately for 171 acres of businesses and 60 acres of homes. Mead has until November 2009 to comply with a state order to reduce ammonia levels in water released into streams after treatment, which means the town needs a new treatment plant. In addition, Mead is only 120 new water taps away from reaching the 140,000-gallon daily capacity on the amount of wastewater it can treat. Even if its current plant complied with EPA standards additional capacity is critical. At least three and as many as five additional annexations will be put before voters at a January 3, 2006 ballot. All annexations to the Town of Mead must be approved by voters. The big question iswhat will happen to the towns long-term plans if voters do not approve the annexation?
WELD COUNTY OKs LIFEBRIDGE CAMPUS REZONING
Weld County Commissioners approved a change of zoning for the LifeBridge Christian Church campus southeast of Union Reservoir on November 9. LifeBridge plans to build up to 300 homes and apartments, chapels, churches, a sports complex, senior housing, assisted living space, and at least four parks on the 313-acre parcel. Buildout is expected over three phases taking up to seven years to complete. The zoning change is one of the largest and most complicated ever approved in Weld County. Also in play is the nearly 400-acre LifeBridge property north of Colo. 66, west of U.S. 287 that the church plans to develop into a mixed use retail center with an unspecified amount of housing, office space and a number of faith community facilities. The retail and office components of this development could be used to finance the Union Reservoir complex. LifeBridge suggested earlier this year that they my consider annexing the Union Reservoir property into Longmont if it would facilitate the approval and viability of both projects.
FREDERICK EXPANDS PLANNING AREA TO ACCOMMODATE RURAL GROWTH
Frederick officials adopted a revised planning area boundary in November that adds 3,256 acres, mostly to the north and west with a small piece east of WCR 17, north of Colo. 52. The significant expansion is west from WCR 7 to County Line Road, north of Colo. 52, and another large swath at the southwest corner of I-25 and Colo. 119. Town officials say the expansion of the planning area is designed to accommodate demand for rural development west of I-25, while protecting open space near Boulder Creek. Area residents have opposed nearby development with three units per acre density, preferring lots of at least one acre and preferably five acre lot minimums.
FAILURE OF REFERENDUM D COSTS REGION FOUR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS
When voters rejected Referendum D at the November ballot, 55 transportation projects got stalled and some may not come back up for funding consideration for years. D would have allowed the state to bond up to $2 billion and fund all 55 projects at once. Projects affected in our region include: $18 million grade-separated railroad crossing and interchange at Colo. 52 and Colo. 119; $50 million for widening I-25 between Colo. 52 and Colo. 119 in Weld county; $37.5 million for transit and highway improvements along U.S. 36 in Boulder, Broomfield, Jefferson and Adams counties; and, $77 million for a new four lane extension of 120th Avenue over U.S. 36 in Broomfield County.
NEW BOOK ASSERTS THAT HOMEOWNERS PAY THE PRICE FOR SPRAWL
A new book detailing the economic consequences of suburban "sprawl" put the Denver-Boulder-Greeley region at number 10 among the top 20 metro areas most afflicted by development costs. The authors of Sprawl Costs: Economic Impacts of Unchecked Development say the costs of sprawl amount to $84 million daily nationwide, and $31 billion annually. The authors conclude sprawling development would cost $6.4 trillion from 2000-2025 and that denser, more compact development would save $420 billion. Co-author Barbara McCann, says the costs of sprawl are passed on to businesses and residents through higher taxes and fees and sometimes through fewer public services. She adds that in most cases, sprawling developments do not generate enough property taxes to cover these costs. The top nine metropolitan areas that will bear the greatest costs are, in order, Los Angles, Washington-Baltimore, San Francisco, New York City, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, metropolitan Boston, Miami-Fort Lauderdale and metro-Chicago. The authors say that smaller mortgages in outlying communities give the false impression that the overall cost of living in these areas is lower. But low housing costs hide the higher cost of transportation, public safety and other costs.