$1.00
Week of March 10, 2022
ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ElbertCountyNews.net
VOLUME 127 | ISSUE 4
County seeks consultant on housing Comprehensive plan’s section on housing has not been updated since 2009 BY SCOTT GILBERT SGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
An aerial view shows downtown Elizabeth, the area where the Main Street Streetscape upgrades are planned.
COURTESY OF KEN HANES
Public invited to learn about Streetscape plan Elizabeth Town Hall will host kickoff meeting to explain design ideas, process BY SCOTT GILBERT SGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The kickoff meeting for Elizabeth’s Main Street Streetscape program, an ongoing effort to revital-
ize the downtown area, will be open to the public at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 10 in Elizabeth Town Hall, 151 S. Banner St. In what is described as a “predesign” meeting, the March 10 discussion will introduce the design process for the Streetscape project, which the town says “will involve field work, coordination with Main Street residents and businesses, and the creation of engineering and design plans. Design options, cost estimates, construction schedule, and phasing will be explored.”
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 7 | VOICES: PAGE 8 | LIFE: PAGE 10
The town is seeking a Revitalizing Main Streets grant through the Colorado Department of Transportation to help pay for the project. Streetscape project construction is expected to begin next year, with money from town funding and grants. Upgrades will include “bulbouts” at intersections — rounded corners that will extend into the roadway, reducing pedestrian walkway distance by more than half and increasing safety. SEE STREETSCAPE, P3
The Elbert County government is looking for a qualified consultant to prepare an assessment of the county’s housing needs amid continuing growth, according to an announcement on the county’s website. The announcement of a request for proposals states that the county’s current comprehensive plan is nearly four years old, and the housing section of the plan has not been updated since 2009. “With over a decade of subsequent business and population growth, the county and municipalities need a renewed understanding of the interplay between housing, workers, wages, lifestyle, and policy to shape and guide the next decade of growth,” the announcement says. Elbert County has seen doubledigit decade-over-decade growth in every U.S. Census since 1980. The two biggest spurts were a 76% increase from 1970 to 1980 and a 106% spike from 1990 to 2000. The rate of growth has slowed markedly in the 21st century, climbing 16% from 2000 to 2010 and 13% from 2010 to 2020. The population is estimated at about 28,000 now, roughly seven times the population in 1970. The county’s request for bids for a housing needs assessment can be found at tinyurl.com/elb-consult.
RISE OF THE MONARCHS
Scientists hopeful that butterflies could make a comeback P10