April 8, 2015 VOLU M E 5 0 | I S S UE 1 4 | 7 5 ¢
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Getting to know the director of planning, Mike Pesicka Monument projects, development take considerable coordination, time By Jennifer Cunningham
Contributing writer
Although behind the scenes, the town of Monument Planning Department plays a major role in the overall look and feel of the town. Mike Pesicka, the director since August 2014, manages a wide variety of tasks regulated by zoning, permitting and various approval processes. Planner Morgan Hester and Tom Martinez, engineering assistant, round out the entire department. Monument is overlaid by numerous special districts. At present, nine separate entities play a role in the planning and development of the town. The largest entity is the Triview Metropolitan District, enveloping 2,580 acres, including the Jackson Creek area. According to their website, the district was formed in 1985, but was annexed into Monument in 1987. It operates like a town, providing water, sewer, road maintenance and public safety in the form of traffic control devices. They do not control zoning of this area, which the town retains, but Triview must review and approve any changes.
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Other significant districts include Woodmoor Water and Sanitation, Monument Sanitation District, which has its own board of directors unaffiliated with the town, and the Tri-Lakes Fire District. Parts of Monument are tied to the Palmer Lake Sanitation District. It is understandable residents are unclear on who to contact when issues arise. “For a town this small, it’s a lot of different districts,” said Pesicka. He is used to working with special districts. Prior to Monument, Pesicka was a principal planner with the city of Centennial. There he dealt with similar issues and concerns. Aside from coordinating with multiple districts, Pesicka also works closely with El Paso County. Numerous properties in Monument, especially commercial use, access county roads. The county also controls the vast unincorporated areas surrounding Monument, so open communication is vital. Perhaps the most important task on Pesicka’s desk is the comprehensive plan. Its last formal review was in 2003. He immediately recognized the need to update the document and approached the board in January to begin the long process. This document determines community goals and aspirations in terms of development. It dictates public policy for transportation, utilities, land use, recreation and housing. Because of manpower constraints, the plan will be done via contract. Prior to sending out a request for proposal, assuming the budget allows, will be approval of the timeline by the town’s board of trustees. The completion of the comprehensive plan is at least one year out. When the process launches, a committee, with supporting sub-committees, will be formed to garner input from the town and surrounding area residents. “It is vital to get communities’ input on issues that concern the town although they’re not in the town,” Pesicka said.
Monument Director of Planning, Mike Pesicka, reviews one of many projects currently in process. There are multiple steps a developer needs to take prior to beginning any new venture. Photos by Jennifer Cunningham Pesicka’s biggest surprise has been how busy Monument is for its size. He has 20 planning requests for approval in process. They are evenly divided between residential and commercial proposals. His role is first working with the developer to prepare their package for public
hearing. He reviews codes, land use and buffer zones, and recommends changes prior to submittal. Once the developer meets requirements, the package goes before the Planning Commission for review. This panel, made up of ideally seven members appointed
by the trustees, meets publicly on the first Monday of each month. They can approve, deny or approve with conditions. If the package is approved, it then proceeds to the town council. Once the Planning Pesicka continues on Page 3
Meet the town gardener TRI-LAKES TRIBUNE (USPS 418-960)
OFFICE: 325 Second Street, Suite R Monument, CO 80132 PHONE: 719-687-3006 A legal newspaper of general circulation in El Paso County, Colorado, the Tri-Lakes Tribune is published weekly on Wednesday by Colorado Community Media, 1200 E. Highway 24, Woodland Park, CO 80863. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT MONUMENT, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. 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. 10 a.m. GE T SOCI AL WITH US
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Flower beds on town property need constant attention to maintain beauty By Jennifer Cunningham Contributing writer
The role of town gardener is more than planting flowers and trimming trees. In fact, Sharon Williams often laments not being able to get outside more. The resident expert for more than seven years, Williams plays a tremendous part in the health and visual appeal of the town’s flora. She received her master gardener certificate in 2008 through the Colorado State University Extension Master Gardener program, then continued on to gain Native Plant Master credentials. Annual renewal of these credentials involve graduate-level continuing education, serving the public at the CSU Extension El Paso County Master Gardener Help Desk, working on various community projects, and developing, providing, and presenting public education. She is also a member of the Colorado Native Plant Society and Colorado Weed Management Association. As the town gardener, she is responsible for many state-mandated plans. The noxious weed plan, which every municipality is required to have, identifies potential risks specific to the town property. Some weeds can pose significant health risks, so it is important to identify their locations and know proper mitigation techniques. A plan Williams hopes to never implement
is the Invasive Disease and Pest Prevention and Response Plan. She is constantly observing plants looking for disease or pest intrusion. The plan identifies the process to report occurrences, along with elimination and recovery procedures. Crucial to the town’s future aesthetics is the tree inventory, soon entering its second phase. Early this year, state officials urged cities to gather as much urban tree data as possible to determine the ash tree population. Concerns emerged in September 2013 when the Emerald ash borer, an insect whose larvae feed on the inner bark of the tree, disrupting its ability to transport water and nutrients, was identified in Boulder. It subsequently devastated their ash population and led to a quarantine on Boulder County restricting the transport of ash wood into or out of the area. In response, Williams wants to ensure Monument has a wide variety of trees to combat a potential mass devastation due to any sort of disease or infestation. “It’s not a matter of if, but when, the ash borer will hit any of our communities in Colorado,” she said. Colorado is the 27th state and the first western state to feel the effects of the infestation. As tree data is gathered, it will be entered into a statewide database, giving a comprehensive picture of the state’s arbor assets. More projects on Williams’ plate include revitalizing the beds in the Monument Cemetery and along Third Street, creating new planters along Second Street, and sprucing up Limbach and Lavelett parks. Williams points out, “This is a combined effort among the Public Works department
Sharon Williams, the Town Gardener, maintains planting beds and shrubs around town-owned buildings and properties. Photo by Jennifer Cunningham personnel when it comes to landscape maintenance of Town of Monument properties. All of us assist and observe for each other.” The Parks Foreman oversees irrigation, turf and tree trimming, snow removal and more. In addition to the above, Williams is responsible for 16 beds, forty barrel planters, and trimming shrubs throughout the community. For more information or questions regarding a yard or garden, those interested can speak with a CSU Extension office master gardener at (719) 520-7684.