Hello FOMP Members! Please see the below description of the challenges faced by the proposed Santa Fe Trail East project. This project needs your support, if you can make the meeting Wednesday and express your support for the project that would be fantastic!
If you have question. please contact Phil – his contact info is at the bottom!
Thanks,
FOMP
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Developer Pine Tree Properties in its rezoning request is trying to duck out of Monument’s commitment to a multi-use recreational trail corridor by not including the citizen-requested corridor in its design.
Oct 14 planning board meeting to review developers plans that do not show trail corridor proposed in Monuments 2003 Parks, Trails and Open Space master plan.
Details: Arizona developer Pine Tree Properties is requesting rezoning of 84 acres that lies east of I-25 and South of Highway 105, along both sides of the north end of Jackson Creek Parkway. This is the grass fields that are north of the YMCA and Lewis Palmer high school. They are requesting rezoning from commercial to residential with the platting of 650 lots that will generate over $60,000,000. There have been 2 public meetings for citizen input. The developer received input to adjust the mix of housing, location of access roads, required parks and addition of multiuse trail corridor on the west edge of property.
Developer has responded to public comments, except requested multi-use recreational trail corridor. Current plans show the project meeting required park land quotas by a centrally located “tot lot,“ which will have little benefit to the greater Monument community and a somewhat larger park land on the south east corner of the parcel. Depending on how this larger park area is built and accessed, it may benefit the greater Monument community as it appears to be accessible by Jackson Creek Parkway. The developer has ignored public input to meet required park land quota thru creation of a multiuse trail corridor on west edge of the development. This multi-use recreational corridor –tentatively dubbed the Santa Fe East trail – will benefit the development and the greater Monument community and offset the increase in congestion to the community by creating the long-proposed recreational corridor that was first proposed in Monuments 2003 “Parks, Trails, & Open Space Master plan.” In the Master plan it is identified on page 10 as the “Jackson Creek Trail” and is described as an “off street north-south trail … [connecting] Highway 105 to Baptist road.”
Integral to the development of the 650 lots on the 84 acres the city is requiring Pine Tree Properties to pay for rebuilding the section of Jackson Creek parkway that a joins the land. The design appears to show developing Jackson Creek Parkway as 2 traffic lanes, a turn lane, a small commuters bike lane and a side walk in each direction. This transportation design does not meet the city’s “Parks ,Trails & Open Space Master plan “ for an off street [recreational corridor ] connecting Highway 105 and Baptist road.
Key points are
1. Developer is required to set aside a minimum quota of acreage for “Parks.“
2. The city, through input from its citizens, decides if the proposed “Parks “ acreage and design is acceptable.
3. Rezoning is a privilege that the city may grant at its own discretion. The city is not required to grant this request .
4. Developer has received public input at the last 2 public meetings along with it being included in Monuments 2003 Parks, Trails & Open Space Master plan. So there is no excuse for not including a trail corridor.
5. Arizona developer will generate in excess of $60,000,000 in sale of lots. Creation of a multi-use reactional corridor won’t cost money, but rather will make them money as the lots will increase in value.
6. This development will greatly increase congestion to the citizens of greater Monument. Creation of a “tot lot“ with in the development has little benefit the grater Monument. Creation of a Multi-Use recreational corridor will benefit greater Monument and residents with in the development. It is win-win.
Creating the northern section of the long-proposed Santa fe trail East/Jackson Creek Trail on the eastern edge of Interstate 25 between Hwy 105 and Baptist road, along the western edge of the developments property is the first step in building an asset that will benefit Monument for generations. Please come to the 6:30 PM Oct 14 Planning board meeting at Monument Town Hall and voice your support .
Thank you
Phil Schweizer
