Welcome to the ‘Wild West’ Show
Rick Langenberg
The Teller County commissioners are finding themselves referring a barrage of bitter fights over land use and property right concerns these days, while also grappling with problem issues pertaining to fire safety and the area’s growing insurance crisis.
And the main theme getting conveyed by area leaders: Let’s tone down the rhetoric, before someone gets killed or seriously hurt.
“We are not in the ‘Wild West’ anymore,” blasted Teller County Commission Chairman Dan Williams during the peak of a recent meeting, dominated by public comments voiced by residents. In fact, if it wasn’t for public comments, the July 24 regular commissioners’ session probably would have lasted 20 minutes. But that wasn’t the case in what at times actually turned into the “Wild, Wild West” show with a forum extending for several hours.
“We have to do the right thing,” stated Williams, when responding to a group of residents not happy about the county actions in requesting the removal of a large greenhouse structure in Divide, an issue that has commanded much attention and even sparked an inquiry by Colorado Governor Jarid Polis. “This isn’t pretty. People have to abide by the law. We have land use regulations. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse,” added Williams, who actually served as the county’s head planner for a number of years.
Moreover, Williams and his fellow peers and attorney Paul Hurcomb conceded they have been victimized by death threats and all forms of abuse that won’t be tolerated any longer. “This is disrespect for neighbors,” said Williams
At the July 24 meeting, she again cited the Farm Stand law, giving them the right to have this structure that serves agricultural purposes. “You have to follow the (state) law,” said Virginia Loop, when addressing the commissioners.
The Loops got much support from a score of residents who attended the recent meeting. Several residents in the area couldn’t understand why the commissioners are making such a big deal of the Loop greenhouse, when they are neglecting concerns over junky properties in other parts of the county. They even suggested that the constitutional rights of the Loops are being violated.
Both Virginia and Zac Loop addressed the board during the July 24 meeting and referred to their greenhouse effort as a real plus for the community. Zac Loop apologized to the commissioners regarding any threats they have received and made it clear they were not involved in this social media campaign in any way.
Commissioner Bob Campbell, meanwhile, expressed concerns over water rights for the new structure.
All of the commissioners informed the Loops and their supporters that the rhetoric generated over this issue needs to get toned down before someone get shot. Hurcomb even stated that he would be willing to share some of the hateful voice mails and messages county officials have received.
Williams admitted the group was quite successful in generating attention over this situation and even admitted that he was personally contacted by Polis regarding the farm stand matter. But once Williams sent a photo of the operation, he stated that the governor decided not to get involved.
Despite efforts to resolve this matter publicly, both sides appeared to sharpen their verbal swords. Finally, Hurcomb agreed to meet with the couple, in an effort to try to reach a compromise solution.
This issue wasn’t the only land use battle the commissioner grappled with recently at a public forum. At the same meeting, an Indian Creek resident complained about the lack of enforcement in dealing with a trashy property in their subdivision, filled with garbage and junk, causing property values to plummet. Hurcomb admitted this property was a problem and stated that a formal abatement process had begun to resolve the situation.
But the resident complained that this type of stand isn’t good enough, and sought action to clean up the property, arguing that this problem had been an ongoing nuisance for months. But the attorney cautioned that the county had to follow a set process, when dealing with problem properties that are violating its nuisance laws and regulations against trash sites. Other residents hinted that it was quite hypocritical to attack the Loops, while not doing anything concrete against a property owner who was definitely creating a major nuisance.
The county attorney noted that part of the problem deals with state action to de-criminalize this type of nuisance activity.
To top matters off, the commissioners also recently got a hefty dose of questions about its fire safety regulations. At issue for several residents are whether residents are adequately prepared for the inevitable. “It is not a matter of if It is a matter of when,” said resident Mike Chanler. “We need to do more with the people in our community.” Another side issue in the fire scenario is the difficulty many are having in getting their properties insured.
