County Line Road widening project stays on track

Design phase continues

BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In a regional e ort to widen a high-tra c, high-volume roadway near Highlands Ranch, the Douglas County commissioners approved a $226,418 amended contract to complete the nal designs.

e $25 million project will widen the segment of County Line Road from University Boulevard to Broadway. is project will include a new tra c signal at the Clarkson Street / County Line Road intersection, a mill and overlay for the portion of the road within the City of Littleton located between Phillips Avenue and Broadway, as well as adding sidewalks.

On May 23, Benjamin Pierce, the county’s capital improvements project supervisor, said the amended contract is needed to allow Felsburg Holt & Ullevig Inc. to complete the nal design stages and keep the project on track.

Currently, Pierce said, the county is on track to get construction bids by late 2023, pending the completion of right-of-way acquisitions, coordination of necessary utility relocations, and obtaining necessary clearances from the Colorado Department of Transportation.

In voting in favor of the amendment, Commissioners Lora omas and George Teal agreed that it wouldn’t be possible without the regional partnerships that have made it possible to fund the entire project.

Teal said, “It’s the child that no one knew they wanted that suddenly everyone wants.” elaborate on that statement.

In the fall of 2019, the Denver Regional Council of Government selected this project to receive $10 million in federal funds through the Transportation Improvement Program. Besides the federal funds, other entities have also kicked in contributions, including $7 million from the City of Centennial and $1 million from the City of Littleton. Commissioner Abe Laydon said it is a high-tra c roadway that serves more than Highlands Ranch as commuters from Douglas and Arapahoe counties use County Line Road regularly.

Douglas County has committed to spending $7 million on the project. Pierce said if all goes as planned, construction will start by early 2024 and the widening project will be completed in late 2025.

Returning to grace means that we give everyone the same grace that we would expect when we screw up. I haven’t met the person, the company, the politician, or anyone else who hasn’t screwed up royally. And I include myself among the elite when it comes to making mistakes, I am pretty sure I am close to the top, if not at the top, when it comes to screwing up.

Are society and the world at large teetering on the precipice of total chaos and anarchy? OK, maybe that is a little dramatic, but then again maybe not. Are there people whose actions and words are driving us crazy? Absolutely. Do we sit stunned as we read or watch the news, wondering, “What idiot thought that was a good idea?” Or maybe we just let the anger and resentment fester inside of us until it reaches a boiling point or creates an ulcer. And then we share our outrage with anyone who will listen. And even if there is no one to listen, we go on a rant on social media, posting our anger and frustration, continuing to carrying the weight of what’s wrong with the world on our shoulders.

A return to grace means that instead of playing the blame game, we play the love and forgiveness game. I know, I know, I have heard it before that this is not a realistic approach in dealing with the nonsense and idiotic decisions being made and the ridiculous actions of those who we do not agree with. And everyone is entitled to their own opinions. My opinion and position are that I would rather live under the spirit of love and forgiveness as opposed to harboring anger, resentment, and frustration relative to the things that I have absolutely no control over. And if you still disagree with me, or think I am a bit too naïve, then maybe this can be your rst attempt at o ering me some grace.

Will society ever be perfect? No. Will people ever be without fault? No. Will the world ever get back to what the majority of us would call normal? Maybe, maybe not. But wouldn’t it be a better place if we all gured how to o er love and forgiveness instead of spite and hostility? As always, I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can truly make that leap towards a return to grace, it really will be a better than good life.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

Private dog park site gaining pup-ularity

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Since Elle Ritt started renting her Wheat Ridge yard to fellow dog owners in November, she’s hosted birthday parties for pups, pooch photoshoots and doggie play groups almost every weekend.

Ritt is one of dozens of renters in the Denver metro area on a website called Sni Spot, which links people interested in sharing their yard with local dog owners who want a private fenced area to let their pups o -leash. rough Sni Spot, renters set an hourly rate per dog and time slot availability for users to book.

With two older dogs who need less exercise, Ritt said she wanted to let other dogs take advantage of her large yard and, so far, there has been no shortage of demand.

“It’s just mindblowing how frequently it’s used,” she said.

Ritt said a majority of her visitors don’t have their own yards and prefer to avoid public dog parks because of reactive or sensitive pups. e site allows users to tailor their search to t needs like a taller fence height or not having other dogs or animals visible.

Dr. Rebecca Ruch-Gallie, a 23-year veterinarian at Colorado State University’s Community Practice clinic, said the uncontrolled nature of dog parks leads to risks like ghts and disease transmission, which is why she typically recommends other ways to exercise dogs, such as daycare or private yard time.

In addition to walks and playtime, RuchGallie said some dogs need to run and all dogs bene t from exploring new routes and places.

Ruch-Gallie said she will sometimes take her pups on what she calls a “sni -ari.”

“ ey take in the world much di erently than we do, so give them those di erent scents to pick up and opportunities to see and smell di erent things,” she said. “Sometimes they just want to go, go, go and get their energy out and other times they just want to meander and take the sni s in.”

Mike Rieber, who has been renting his fenced pasture in Parker since October, said one of the best perks of sharing his yard is seeing how excited pups get to check out new scents and release their energy.

“ ey call it a Sni Spot and I never really understood how important that was to a dog, but that’s the rst thing they all do when they get here is smell everything,” Rieber said. “Especially with the repeat dogs, as soon as their paws hit the ground, boy, they’re o .”

Ritt’s experience has been similar, she said, adding that Sni Spot has been mutually bene cial, not just for the dogs, but also the humans. She’s received multiple thank you notes from visitors and attests that catching glimpses of visitors always makes her smile.

“It’s so cute to peek in the backyard and see grown men laying on their stomachs taking pictures of their puppies,” Ritt said.

Another Sni Spot user, Lyndsey Leach, who rents her Lakewood backyard, agreed. Leach lost her own pooch three years ago but remains an avid dog-lover. “It’s so nice when they’re comfortable and running around,” she said. “I’m always happy when they’re happy.” None of the three renters report issues with destroyed yards, rude users, neighbor complaints or unruly animals.

In addition to the positive mental health benefits, Leach said renting her yard is a convenient passive income and gives her the flexibility to be away from home if needed. Leach estimates that since she started in January, she’s had about 50 visitors and made around $400.

“I don’t really have any expenses associated with it, other than eaten tennis balls,” she joked.

Rieber said he didn’t originally think he would make much money from the app but has been happy with the extra cash. He noted the demand is only picking up in the warmer months, though he got a fair share of visitors during the winter as well.

“We’re not trying to maximize our revenue, we’re doing this more as a service for young people that have dogs and need a place that’s private,” he said.

For Ritt, her most recent month was her most successful, cashing in over $1,000, and before that, she averaged a few hundred dollars monthly.

“One of our dogs has had a ton of health issues, so it’s like SniffSpot funds her care,” Ritt said. “It truly has been a notable supplemental income.”

To learn more, visit sniffspot.com.