As summer winds down and we approach the Labor Day holiday, we want to update you on several issues that we’ve been tracking these last few months.
The 63rd Street Subdivision proposal is back.
After suspending their original proposal last October, the applicants are back with a revised proposal (SD-23-0003) for a subdivision at the southwest corner of 63rd Street and Niwot Road. (This is the issue that we fought last year and that prompted us to start the Pro-RURAL Alliance!)
The timeline is brisk and the community is organizing to oppose this application. There’s a new petition. New signatures and new letters to the County are needed by September 26.
See the opposition website, stop63rdstreetsubdivision.org, to find information, sign the new petition, and submit comments to Boulder County. A first community meeting is scheduled for Saturday September 7 at 10 am. Please see the website to request the location.
The property is part of a historic rural/agricultural area, falls in the County’s category of Agricultural Lands of Statewide Significance, is recognized as a Protected View Corridor, and is adjacent to rural farms and ranches that define the character of the area.
Bicyclists, runners, nature enthusiasts, equestrians, and other recreationalists from throughout the County use this area extensively.
“Chipping away” at this 40-acre parcel for development is not in tune with the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan, and would set a new precedent that would threaten rural properties everywhere in Boulder County.
The opposition to a proposed industrial-scale solar facility has organized.
A recent proposal by Pivot Solar Farm (Docket SU-24-0002) would construct a high-density industrial solar farm on agricultural lands of national importance in close proximity to residential areas.
The location is 9215 Arapahoe Road, bordered on two sides by large residential developments.
To our knowledge, there is no precedent in Boulder County for a facility of this size being located so close to residential. The visual impact for residents and along Arapahoe would be enormous.
The concern is that this would open the door for locating industrial projects on agricultural land and too close to homes.
The group opposing this has a website (https://www.protectbouldercountyfields.org) and is gathering signatures on a petition.
The proposal has gotten the go-ahead in the first steps of the County process. It goes before the Board of County Commissioners for the final decision (10 October, 9:30 am). The public is invited to attend and speak at the hearing.
The group is seeking support from the broader community in signing the petition and writing letters to the County before this crucial hearing.
The opposition community’s contact for this issue is Suzie Bruch, suzieq@gmail.com.
Legal action to prevent Boulder County’s termination of the Kanemoto Conservation Easement is now with the Judge.
The opposition group (KARES, Keep Airport Road Environmental and Safe) has concluded the briefing on the Motion to Dismiss by filing its Reply Brief with the Boulder County District Court on 8-21-24. The entire case has been presented before Judge Gunning. The Court will review the KARES case for merit and decide if the Boulder County decision to terminate the Conservation Easement should be vacated. The group is now awaiting Judge Gunning's ruling, which is determined upon his caseload.
KARES is still in need of your generous contributions to cover the remaining legal expenses of this case. Please see the King Soopers contribution link on the KARES website for an easy way to donate by shopping at King Soopers at no cost to you.
A new strategy for locating a tennis facility in Boulder County has emerged.
A Boulder resident has come up with a new idea for how to get the County’s tennis enthusiasts back on the courts. The idea looks promising! The suggested site is some open space land between Louisville and Lafayette that already has nearby ball fields.
Says Steve LeBlang, the resident who has researched and proposed the idea: “It’s a perfect location. It’s flat. It’s on Highway 42. It has turn lanes. It has a signal there already. It has an entrance. A lot of the infrastructure, there’s utilities, water and sewer already available. You don’t have to bring anything. … I can’t think of a better location.”
Neither can we… and the Boulder Tennis Association appears to agree. See this link for their thoughts, and the Daily Camera article (possible paywall).
Volunteer to help us!
If you can help us with research, writing, strategies, and/or communications, please volunteer! There are sooo many issues, and: We need you. Please also tell others about our group.
Thanks for reading! Have a great Labor Day weekend.
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