Jeffco neighbors assail panel over 2-1 vote for development
By April M. Washington, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published June 11, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Homeowners in two neighborhoods charge Jefferson County's commissioners are pushing through developments despite widespread objections.
Critics' cries of foul play grew louder Tuesday night when the commission voted 2-1 to approve the controversial proposal to erect 230 homes in the Willowbrook and Willow Springs neighborhoods, which sit hidden from C-470 between the Dakota Hogback and the embedded rocks of the foothills south of Morrison.
Colorado Christian University, headed by former U.S. Sen. Bill Armstrong, is proposing to sell portions of its land to Shea Homes to generate funds to expand.
More than 100 residents packed the public hearing Tuesday, where they faced off for two hours against developers.
"In both cases, over 100 people spoke against the developments," said Jason Bane, a Democratic candidate for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners.
"In both cases, the two Republican commissioners have ignored the community's concerns and have ignored the county's own community plan."
Residents' anger was mostly directed at Commissioners Kevin McCasky, who faces Bane in his re-election bid, and Jim Congrove, who has decided not to seek re-election.
Commissioner Kathy Hartman cast the lone dissenting vote, saying the development is out of character with the neighborhood.
At one point some residents urged McCasky to recuse himself from the vote, suggesting his close ties to the developers presented a conflict of interest.
McCasky and Congrove deny a conflict of interest or strong ties to Armstrong and Shea Homes.
Both argued that the private university had the zoning to expand its campus to include other buildings, but instead agreed to downsize the project to only include residential homes.
"The statement about conflict is more about politics and electioneering, and there's absolutely no substance to it," McCasky said. "I have no connection to Shea homes or Colorado Christian University. I made an independent, unbiased decision in this case."
Congrove echoed that sentiment, insisting that he, too, has no ties to the developer or Armstrong. He maintains that the property owners have a right to develop the land as long as it's in a reasonable manner.
"Unless they're doing something egregious like building a chemical factory next to a day care, they have a right to develop their property as they see fit," Congrove said. The developer initially proposed to build 280 homes, but scaled back to 230 and agreed to preserve open space after reaching a compromise with McCasky.
It marks the second time in less than two months the commission has approved a controversial rezoning.
Last month, McCasky and Congrove came under fire when they approved, again by a 2-1 vote, expansion of the Rock South Baptist Church in Littleton.
The church, which sits in the Westridge subdivision, plans to construct a 16,000-square-foot youth center and a parking lot west of its current building along the intersection of West Alamo Place and Kipling Street in Littleton.
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June 11, 2008
7:27 a.m.
Suggest removal
polyglot writes:
This opposition is nothing more than cheap political theater put on by the SEIU union folk, oops I mean Jason Bane.
It is unfortunate that Commissioner Hartman pays more attention to her Democrat friends than she does property rights and land use. How is one neighborhood next to another incompatible? Were not talking about mansions next to work force housing.
June 11, 2008
10:57 a.m.
Suggest removal
duanejk writes:
The more we hear about these Jeffco county commissioners the more corruption we uncover. McCasky and Congrove are not only completely in the pockets of the big-money developers, but they are completely out of touch with their own communities.
They are screwing the people they're supposed to represent so they can make more cash for their cronies!
These guys must really miss their buddy Mark Paschall and fancy themselves in orange jumpsuits of their own.
June 12, 2008
11:56 a.m.
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JeffcoGOP writes:
When will it end? I'm a republican, but this scares me because my neighborhood could be next. I'm in favor of property rights as much as the next guy, but not to the extent that they totally destroy longstanding neighborhoods. I've had enough with McCasky and Congrove.
June 12, 2008
9:16 p.m.
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sb1999 writes:
Aren't elected officials supposed to listen to the concerns of the voters and take them into consideration? Hopefully change will come soon.
June 13, 2008
9:05 a.m.
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txren writes:
Way to go McCaskey & Congrove!! Let's see... a 1.9 million square foot campus with 1000+ students and 200+ staff & faculty create far more density and traffic than 230 upper middle class homes. Colorado Christian University made huge concessions to accommodate the homeowners of the surronding areas. I fail to see how a neighborhood of 230 homes is incompatible with the surrounding patio homes and other subdivisions where density is much higher than what was approved by the commissioners. Now I can make an informed vote for commissioner when the time comes.
June 13, 2008
12:44 p.m.
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buffer1108 writes:
What troubles me is that members of the Planning Commission spend a great deal of time deciding what is best for various communities and then the Commissioners (I guess except for Hartman) turn around and ignore their research, not to mention the input of the affected home owners. As texran said, we can make a statement in November. So far, until I learn more, my vote will probably be for Bane based on how he said he would have voted.
August 6, 2008
5:32 p.m.
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elynam writes:
I have been a Jeffco resident for 3 years now. A few years back my neighborhood took similar steps to meet with the Jeffco Commissioners in regards to a new development being proposed that abutted our neighborhood. What we found shocking was the demeanor or lack of consideration from Commissioners McCaskey & Congrove to our objections to the development. These objections were around the density of the housing being proposed on the property.
We made several suggestions to an alternative design that would not greatly impact the original design of the development. I personally stood at the podium and felt like I was talking to a wall. We walked out of that public meeting with a feeling like the board had already made up their mind to rule in favor of the builder.
I feel like all McCaskey & Congrove care about are the builders. This article and my past experience just further confirm that some of the county Commissioners think that Jeffco has too much open space. The open space was one of the biggest attractions for us to relocate to Jeffco County.
Jeffco residents are not against development, we’d be bigots if we thought otherwise. In speaking for myself, our home was built only 3 years ago. All we want are county commissioners that think of smart land use planning. I’m not sure McCaskey & Congrove can say they have severed this county with the residents’ best interests in mind.