Should the Chipita Park and Cascade Region Be Annexed? Community Discussion Set for Sept. 29
Comments exploded online, with residents questioning the intent of an upcoming meeting, and whether such an annexation plan is feasible, or who is responsible for such a bold concept. Resident and active community volunteer Darlene Jensen outlined a slew of concerns with this possible annexation bid, and questioned the timing of the forum, (set for Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m.), scheduled the same time as a Monday Night football game showcasing the Denver Broncos. Some wonder if the timing of the forum was designed to preclude public comment.
But GMF Mayor Todd Dixon has cautioned that the upcoming forum is in no way a town-motivated meeting, or an issue being spearheaded by GMF leaders.
“It really comes down to whether the citizens of Chipita Park and Cascade really want this,” said Dixon. “Does this make sense for them and for the citizens of Green Mountain Falls.?
The mayor also made it clear that a detailed process is involved, if any annexation plan is pursued
Two main issues, though, appear to be the driving force behind the annexation idea: A desire to have more clear-cut policies over short-term rental properties in Chipita Park and Cascade, and whether a more centralized sewer system could be developed to help the entire region. The latter point could be a selling point for Green Mountain Falls due to much sterner regulations pertaining to septic rules, which now vastly impact the sale of local properties. GMF leaders and officials are now mulling options, in fear of much stricter rules in the future.
However, based on social media comments aired so far, local GMF residents are quite skeptical of this annexation idea. Many posts made by local GMF residents have questioned the reason and motivation behind this forum.
This community forum is scheduled for Sept. 29 at Marcroft Hall in Cascade, starting at 6:30 p.m. The meeting was reportedly requested by a concerned citizen of the lower Ute Pass region and has been orchestrated mostly by El Paso County Commissioner Bill Wysong. The forum is mainly aimed at generating input from Chipita Park and Cascade residents and has been touted as a discussion session.
A Detailed Process
In order for such a plan to move forward, Dixon believes that the likely scenario would involve a citizen-initiated petition and a formal vote by the residents in the Chipita Park and Cascade communities. But under a GMF annexation bid, property owners in those communities would have to pay an additional levy, which is assessed on all GMF properties.
If the annexation idea gains support in Cascade and Chipita Park, then the plan would go before the elected trustees in GMF, who could put the issue to a vote.
Dixon stated that the annexation idea, if eventually approved, would change the local governance of the region.
Currently, the GMF mayor is taking a cautionary “wait and see” attitude. He prefers if Commissioner Wysong takes the lead role in orchestrating the upcoming meeting and in handling discussions with concerned residents.
“What is important is having dialogue with the residents of Chipita Park and Cascade over any possible annexation. Do they really want this?” “I kind of know the response from Green Mountain Falls residents,” quipped the mayor in outlining the massive level of opposition generated so far.
The mayor has received some criticism himself for not releasing many details about the meeting, including the name of the citizen, or business and property ties of the individual, seeking the forum. But in an interview last week, Dixon stated that he did not believe that releasing this information is appropriate, since this is not a GMF meeting.
Septic Woes Need to Be Addressed
Despite many negative comments on social media regarding such a bold concept, the idea of having a more centralized sewer system, or making improvements to the town’s current wastewater setup could generate strong community approval. GMF residents now use individual septic systems for their wastewater discharge, a system that is being classified as unacceptable by state health officials. Much more stringent regulations are becoming a reality, such as “Regulation 43” that precludes the transfer of property title, unless a new septic system is put in place. New pending state rules could even get worse, warn El Paso County health officials.
As a result, time is ticking for a local wastewater solution. Most likely, the town would have to annex some property or form a wastewater special district to facilitate necessary infrastructure improvements. Since he took the reins of the town administration, GMF Town Manager Caleb Patterson has sought ways to improve the town’s wastewater situation and has been meeting with regional officials and with Colorado Springs Utilities.
The town manager has also cited the importance of not having its comprehensive master plan, adopted several years ago, sit on the shelf and gather dust, a scenario that happed in the past. He wants to develop an action plan for key aspects of this document.
Possible annexation prospects have been advocated in the last two GMF master plan blueprints as a way for the town to generate more revenue and commercial development. But in reality, local residents hold the ace card in determining the reality of any annexation plan.
