Rick Langenberg
A possible annexation bid in the Ute Pass area, which may have involved the town of Green Mountain Falls taking control of the next-door communities of Chipita Park and Cascade, has been nixed, at least for now.
Due to an 11th hour decision by a local citizen interested in pursuing this discussion, a planned meeting for Sept 29 was cancelled. It still has not been determined if this plan will resurface again. The forum was originally scheduled at Marcroft Hall, and it would have been moderated by El Paso County Commissioner Bill Wysong, and may have included comments from GMF officials. The forum was originally aimed at generating input from Chipita Park and Cascade residents, who would initially determine the fate of such an ambitious plan. The meeting was promoted as a discussion-only gathering.
This annexation bid, though, sparked a huge uproar on social media outlets.
From the get-go, the idea got a cold reception from Geen Mountain Fall’ residents, who sought more details regarding the intent of the meeting, and the motivations of the concerned citizen. This plan could have vastly changed the local governance situation in the area.
In an interview with TMJ News, Green Mountain Falls Mayor Todd Dixon made it clear that this idea was not a town-driven plan, and that more input had to be sought from local citizens in Chipita Park and Cascade. According to social media posts, the impetus behind the meeting was to develop better policies for handling short-term rental properties in these unincorporated sections of El Paso County and to consider a way to have a more centralized sewer system that would benefit the entire region.
Annexations are always a dicey subject in Green Mountain Falls. In the last two comprehensive master plans, consultants have cited annexation as a possible solution in trying to generate more revenue for the town. But proposed annexations have always been heavily scrutinized by local residents. In reality, the annexation process is quite cumbersome in Green Mountain Falls.
If such an ambitious plan ever goes forward, Dixon stated the most likely solution would involve a citizen-initiated petition. This could set the stage for Cascade and Chipita Park residents to vote on whether they wanted to become part of Green Mountain Fall.
The latest reported meeting, though, appeared to raise more questions than answers.
