1-Color
April 30, 2014
75 cents Teller County, Colorado | Volume 53, Issue 17 A publication of
pikespeakcourier.net
WP Planning Commission begins Aspen Street vacation process Unimproved right of way to be returned to private ownership By Norma Engelberg Contributing writer
Woodland Park High School student Noah Nieman, right, learns how to tenderize meat by pounding the daylights out of it. At right is James Davis, guest chef last week at the Jr. Chef Program at the high school. Photo by Pat Hill
Chef Davis cooks up excitement
By Pat Hill
phill@coloradocommunitymedia.com With culinary swiftness and a saucy twist, James W. Davis demonstrated flash-pan wizardry in the classroom kitchen at the Woodland Park High School. Guest chef of the Jr. Chef Program last week, Davis transformed three varieties of steak into gourmet magic. For the students, the rewards were gustatory nirvana as they did the taste test on beef scaloppini, sirloin mushroom Marsala and marinated flank steak. Angie Cunningham teaches the class that has the students baking bread and making dough for pasta. “We learn about different parts of the world, about different cultures,” Cunningham said. Davis’s marinade for the flank steak fit right into the section on spices and herbs. Succulent and juicy, the steak had been marinated for 48 hours in a mixture of ginger, oil, rice wine vinegar, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and garlic. In addition to cooking and baking, the students pick up tips from television chefs. “We learn about different cultures with our cross curriculum, geography, science, math and English,” Cunningham said. Davis, whose credentials include cooking for the Blue Star, Nosh, La’au’s, developed the recipes for Springs Orleans in Colorado Springs.
POSTAL ADDRESS
Born and raised in Georgia, Davis credits his Southern roots for the nudge toward a profession. “That means cookin’, gardenin’. We were pickin’ peas out of the garden and pullin’ guts out of quails,” he said. Because his grandfather owned a Chinese restaurant, Davis has an Asian bent to his Southern recipes. A showman as well as a chef, Davis entertained the students with two pans going at one time on two different stoves. “I thought that bringing in a guest chef would create some excitement,” said Lauren Stuart, director of food services for the RE-2 School District. From talking to several students, it’s apparent that parents also benefit from the Jr. Chef Program. “I cook at home,” said Keana Bushman. Her sister, Sidney Bushman added, “The class is fun and interesting.” Teler Bradley, 16, is not necessarily aspiring to be a chef, but the class last week made an impression. “I really like the class; it’s informative; the chef made a lot of good meat,” Bradley said. “I like to cook at home. My dad likes it, too.” Caitlin Mullins, too, cooks at home and, with the lesson on the scaloppini, picked up another tip. “Today I learned how to make a roux,” she said. Stuart has big plans for her junior chefs. “We will definitely be at the Taste of Teller next year,” she said, referring to an annual fundraiser in the fall.
PIKES PEAK COURIER (USPS 654-460) OFFICE: 1200 E. Highway 24, Woodland Park, CO 80863 | PHONE: 719-687-3006 MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 340, Woodland Park, CO 80866 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Teller County, Colorado, the Pikes Peak Courier is published weekly on Wednesday by Colorado Community Media, 1200 E. Highway 24, Woodland Park, CO 80863. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs.11 a.m. | Legal: Thurs. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 12 p.m.
In 1888 when Manitou Park’s streets were mapped, Aspen Street was a local road that spanned four blocks from Gunnison Avenue to South Avenue. Manitou Park is now Woodland Park and in 1994 the portion of Aspen Street located between Lake Avenue and the alley north of South Avenue was vacated. According to state statute, titles to vacated rights of way belong to adjacent property owners so the land was divided between those property owners whose land abutted the vacated street. A 30-foot swath of land down the middle of the vacated street was set aside as a utility and pedestrian easement. Starting with the April 24 Woodland Park Planning Commission meeting, the portion of Aspen Street that lies south of the alley is also on its way to being vacated at the request of the two property owners whose land lies east and west of the unimproved street. If the right of way is vacated, the land will be divided equally between Peter Popeszku and Steve Copp. This time, however, the 30-foot easement down the middle of the 60-foot right of way will be only for utilities. According to the presentation by Woodland Park City Planner Lisa Parnell, Popeszku plans to use his part of the vacated right of way as a driveway into his property while Copp plans to sell his two lots. Copp’s properties are in an area zoned Neighborhood Commercial and permitted uses include offices, small retail shops, veterinary and human health clinics and many other uses. A conditional use permit would be needed to construct a single or multifamily residence. Any of these uses might result in improvements to the alley at the developer’s expence. Several neighbors expressed concern about these possible uses if Copp sells. In answer to some of his neighbors’ questions, he mentioned a possibility that the lots could be developed into low-cost apartments. One neighbor, Patricia Bowman, said if that happens her property values would plummet and her neighbors would move out in droves. None of these possibilities for future development was germane to the question at hand, the vacation of the right of way and the dividing of the property. Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend approval and send the request on to city council for a first reading on May 1. Commission Chair Jon DeVaux told the audience that they would be able to voice their concerns to council when it holds the public hearing on this issue May 15.
GET SOCIAL WITH US The Pikes Peak Courier wants to share the news. Check out and like our page on Facebook. Search for Pikes Peak Courier.
Printed on recycled newsprint. Please recycle this copy.