Subdivision on the Auction Block
BUENA VISTA – The Cottonwood Meadows Subdivision in Buena Vista is going on the auction block September 30.
The subdivision has been plagued with problems since its conception by developer John Cogswell. The proposed 274-acre project called for 715 new residences and 110 acres of open space. Annexation of the land to the town of Buena Vista was approved by town council but a petition drive was launched by members of the community to put the issue to a public vote and the annexation was narrowly defeated. The subdivision application was resubmitted and approved in November 2009 and opposition to the plan resurfaced (see the January 2010 Colorado Central).
In 2010 Cogswell filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy under Lonesome Pine Holdings, LLC. On Aug. 23, town trustees approved a motion to disconnect the development from the town.
The subdivision will be divided into parcels for the auction.
City sells Land for NRC
SALIDA – On Sept. 13, the Salida City Council approved an agreement to transfer 191 acres of the Vandeveer Ranch property on the east end of town to the newly formed Salida Natural Resource Development Corporation, a 63-20 nonprofit corporation, according to The Mountain Mail.
36 acres of the property have been designated for the proposed Natural Resource Center (NRC) which will be leased to the U.S. Forest Service for a 10 plus 10-year lease. Fifteen of those acres are under contract by the Corporation to sell to private developer Jane Pinto. The newly-merged Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife has not committed to leasing space from the NRC.
Rail Cars being Relocated
CANON CITY – Bulgarian artist Christo has done what residents of the Arkansas River canyon have been unable to do – get the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) to move a large number of graffiti-laden, rusted railcars which have been parked on tracks between Cañon City and Parkdale for several years.
The unsightly freight cars had been stored along the banks of the Arkansas as a result of the “bad economy” according to spokesmen for the UP.
Christo plans to lease the tracks to move equipment into the canyon to construct his proposed ‘Over the River’ project. The OTR project is paying the UP for the removal of the cars. A final decision by state agencies on the status of the project is expected this fall.
Libraries on Gunnison Ballot
GUNNISON – The Gunnison County Library District will have two questions on the upcoming November ballot.
One of the ballot questions would help pay for capital improvements at the Gunnison and Crested Butte libraries, including a new children’s library annex in Crested Butte and a new library building in Gunnison. The second question would provide maintenance and operating revenues for the new facilities, according to The Gunnison Country Times.
The first question proposes up to 3.5 mills per year for operating and maintenance costs but the library district plans to utilize only 1 mill in 2012. The second question seeks a property tax increase to repay the issuance of $6.5 million in general obligation bonds.
Oh, the Inhumanity
FAIRPLAY – A Park County man was arrested on suspicion of theft of more than $100,000 from Habitat for Humanity (HH) of Eagle and Lake Counties, according to The Fairplay Flume.
61-year-old Donald McBee was employed as a construction manager for HH and was responsible for approving invoices for work done for the organization. Police learned he submitted invoices for a company called Encompass totalling nearly $83,000. It turns out that Encompass was actually McBee.
Notable Quotes:
“I’m cold and lost, come get me.” – An unidentified 69-year-old Buena Vista resident, who called 911 on his cell phone after getting lost on Mt. Princeton. The man had apparently started hiking up the mountain at 7 p.m.. He was found, uninjured, by rescuers the next day. – The Mountain Mail, Sept. 23, 2011.
“Everyone says ‘I want 1 percent, 1/2 percent, 1/4 percent.’ I am being percent-ed to death.” – Salidan Larry McCaffrey, speaking before Chaffee County Commissioners about upcoming ballot tax initiatives. –The Mountain Mail, Aug. 31, 2011.