In their final meeting of 2018, the Poncha Springs Board of Trustees and the Planning and Zoning Commission held a joint public hearing on November 26th to consider the Tailwind Major Subdivision final plat, and also to consider a commercial site plan for Lot # 3 in the same development. After presentations by the Crabtree Group’s Joe DeLuca, and some discussion regarding the changed plans for development of Lot #3, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend approval of the final plat, and the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve it as Ordinance #2018-10.
The Board also voted unanimously to pass Resolution 2018-8, supporting a grant application to the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), for the completion of the Crossroads Welcome Center Project, and held a public hearing on the 2019 Budget prior to voting unanimously to pass Resolutions 2018-10 and 11, approving next year’s budget.
Joe DeLuca gave an update on the Tailwind project, a 27.5 acre parcel also known as the Bagwell Property located on the east side of Poncha Springs Lane, north of Little River Ranch and south of U.S. 50. The plan calls for it to be divided into 68 lots with a mix of residential and commercial development, before the project comes efore the trustees for final approval to proceed. DeLuca reviewed the phases of the project, with Phase 1 consisting of a row of townhouses fronting Poncha Springs Lane, and Phase 2 consisting of sales of lots intended for single-family housing, including the infrastructure for the sewer and gutters. The biggest change was the site plan for Lot #3; a commercially-zoned lot originally slated to be part of Phase 3. DeLuca asked that development of lot #3 and #4 be moved to Phase 2, as he had a potential client already interested in building a fitness center on Lot #3.
After a review of items in the annexation agreement, such as stop sign placement and privacy fencing to be added after lot grading for Phase 2, DeLuca said that highway access permits from the Colorado Department of Transportation were “still up in the air.” He outlined the steps he had gone through to get the permits and then requested final plat approval even though “we know we still have some work to do with CDOT.”
After some discussion of both the CDOT issues and concerns brought up by the Chaffee County Fire Protection District, Mayor Ben Scanga closed the public hearing and convened the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Mayor Pro-tem Adrian Quintana made a motion to recommend approval of the final plat, with additional language to the effect that sales of certain lots be subject to approval of highway access plans from CDOT, and a letter from the fire department stating that they were satisfied with the development’s fire safety plans. Dave Ward seconded the motion, and it passed 3-1, with Ken Donovan voting nay.
The Board of Trustees then considered the recommendation, and also the commercial site development plan for Tailwinds Lot #3. Mayor Scanga made the motion to approve the final plat, Darryl Wilson seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. Resolution 2018-8, supporting an application to DOLA for Energy and Mineral Assistance Grant funds for the Welcome Center improvement project, also passed unanimously.
When discussion turned toward the budget, Dave Ward asked if there was any money earmarked for the Poncha Springs community garden. Public Works Supervisor Bret Collyer said “No” – that he had talked with the people running the garden and told them that they would have to come to budget meetings to make their case for earmarked funds, which they had not done. Town Administrator Brian Berger pointed out that there was money available to the garden through other line-items, namely donations. The Board then unanimously approved the proposed 2019 budget.
The next public meeting is scheduled for January 7, 2019.
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