9
August 28, 2014
Condemnation issue off table
LIFT
Critics still seek election despite council resolution
Two seek opt-out
By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com The war of words got turned up another notch during Littleton City Council’s Aug. 19 meeting, even as council made a gesture of goodwill to critics who fear urban-renewal efforts will destroy the city. “Human nature tends to have concern when there is not certainty,” said Mayor Phil Cernanec before casting a yes vote on a resolution that bars council from authorizing the use of eminent domain for redevelopment unless a property owner requests it. The resolution passed without the support of Councilmembers Randy Stein and Jerry Valdes, who both represent properties included in the four areas under consideration. “I think taking this tool away from future councils is not a good way to go right now,” said Valdes, possibly surprising some of the other Sunshine Boys-affiliated folks in the room who attended to voice their very strong opposition to the city’s urban-renewal efforts via the Littleton Invests for Tomorrow (LIFT) authority. Carol Brzeczek is one of those. She says a mere resolution doesn’t have the same teeth as a petition being circulated by the Sunshine Boys — a group of local residents who consider themselves to be watchdogs of Littleton government — and the grassroots Citizens for Rational Development. If they get enough signatures, voters could force a special election on any project approved by LIFT. “If you’re going to do this, do it in a way that provides assurance to the property owners that your words have meaning,” said Brzeczek. Stein, noting that he got a lot of support from some Sunshine Boys during his campaign, said he feels they really missed the boat this time. “There’s been a level of divisiveness created around this particular topic that saddens me,” he said, noting that it costs the city $40,000 to $60,000 to hold a special election. “It will kill urban-renewal efforts in Littleton, and this is its intention,” agreed Councilmember Debbie Brinkman, who once enjoyed Sunshine’s support but helped get the
Continued from Page 1
ball rolling on urban renewal as mayor in 2012. Stein took offense at the activists’ actions during the Western Welcome Week parade, where he says he saw them “furtively sneaking around” asking people to sign their petition and holding signs reading “Stop Eminent Domain Abuse,” which he called fear-mongering. Mayor Pro Tem Bruce Beckman remembered back to budget talks in 2011, when he was considering running for council. Doug Clark, who has been a vociferous critic of LIFT despite sitting on the authority in the 1980s, was the mayor at the time, and things weren’t looking great for the city’s finances. “Perhaps the most appropriate term to describe the outlook for 2012 is `murky,’” reads the 2012 budget. “If sales tax returns continue at a rate of 2 percent to 3 percent annually for the foreseeable future, it will be increasingly difficult to maintain a balance between core services and quality-of-life services.” According to the 2014 budget, revenues in 2013 climbed 3 percent over 2012. “They said then that future councils will have to take a drastic look at the city’s functions and the expectations of the community,” said Beckman. “The can was kicked down the road, and now here we are.” Clark himself was in the room to point out that despite the fact that LIFT says it excluded all occupied single-family homes not being used for a business, there are two homes on a small farm Gary Sutton owns just south of Denver Seminary, and one has been occupied by the same family for 54 years. “What they say will never happen is, in fact, happening,” said Clark. Jim Rees, LIFT’s executive director, said on Aug. 20 that he would check into the Sutton property, but adds the criteria the board set is that the homes have to be owner-occupied. “If it is, they may want to exclude it,” said Rees. “I don’t believe he has contacted anyone about it, though.” LIFT has only acknowledged two property owners who have asked to be excluded. The board voted to accept Littleton Equine Medical Center’s request, but did not address one by Evergreen Motel’s owner. LIFT approved plans for the Santa Fe corridor and Columbine Square on Aug. 18. They were set to move on to the planning board on Aug. 25, then to council for final approval.
Not everyone is as enthused as Chang. The owners of Littleton Equine Medical Center and the Evergreen Motel, both in the Santa Fe plan, asked to be removed from the plan areas. The LIFT board granted the request for the horse clinic, situated on a rolling estate that boasts a Southern-style mansion built in 1913. The board did not address the motel, which is just north of the McDonald’s at Santa Fe and Church Street. Even the owners admit it is less than pristine, but they say they’ve applied for historic-preservation funds from the city to restore it to its 1954 heyday, when it was the first motel to cater to the Centennial Racetrack crowd. “It’s mine, and it’s not for sale,” said James Donnelly, who has owned the motel for 35 years and worries the city could take it from him using the power of eminent domain. It’s an issue that is dividing many in the community. City council has the ultimate say about when eminent domain can be used, and some members have said it would never happen. Council passed a resolution to ban its use on Aug. 19, but a citizens group is still gathering petitions in an attempt to place any such decisions in the hands of voters. “Our whole downtown was revitalized, and we didn’t have urban renewal,” said critic Jeannie Erickson. “To me, it seems like developers are coming into Littleton and running over everything.”
Some oppose `B’ word
Others have a problem with the term “blight” being applied to practically all of the city’s commercial properties. “Whenever urban renewal is announced, the value for everybody’s property in the area has been sterilized,” said Dan Arizumi, who said he was representing Gary Sutton. Sutton owns the little farm tucked away just south of Denver Seminary on Santa Fe Drive, and Arizumi said Sutton is afraid it’s being targeted. He called on the LIFT board to show a specific plan for the area. Consultant Ann Ricker has said repeatedly that LIFT can’t devise a specific plan for the area; a developer or property owner has to present one. The appointed urban-renewal authority approves financing tools, she explains, not land use; that still falls under the purview of the elected members of city council. “No urban-renewal plan is going to be so specific as to even imply that it’s telling property owners what to do,” she said. “It can’t do that, and it doesn’t do that. … It’s a financial tool, not a regulatory tool.” The Columbine Square plan passed unanimously, but Dennis Reynolds voted against the Santa Fe plan. He wanted to remove the Ensor property, which is everything south of Mineral. At 111 acres, it’s the largest piece of property left to develop in the city. “I still think development should pay its own way,” said Reynolds. “That’s just a redistribution of wealth, and I don’t support that either.” The planning board was scheduled to address the projects on Aug. 25.
‘If you’re going to do this, do it in a way that provides assurance to the property owners that your words have meaning.’ Carol Brzeczek
Marshall Continued from Page 8
Maybe Robin didn’t want help. Everyone is not a perfect candidate for Dr. Phil’s inevitable show-ending offer. This summer was a bunch of bumping bumper cars, wasn’t it? Those kids coming across the border, same-sex marriages, the World Cup, Ferguson, Mo., Mo’ne, here-we-go-again in the Middle East, and a man we all knew who took his life. I am not exactly sure why the magazine cover affected me the way it did. Sometimes life only gives (me) a few days of relief at a time before something shows up in the news that brings me back down again. That will never change. If you tend to think of Robin always
being in motion, watch “One Hour Photo.” There is a scene in Sy Parrish’s kitchen, when Robin, who had been fired earlier in the day, stands alone in his kitchen with a glass of water in his hand. He doesn’t move and the director holds the shot for almost 15 seconds. I am not the most positive, uplifting man you will ever know, and I know that. But I am a sentimental old piece of crust, down deep somewhere, and I just wanted to write a small thank-you note to the man on the cover. Robin said, “In America they really do mythologize people when they die.” Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@ comcast.net.
Have Questions about Funerals, Cremations or Cemeteries ASK MIKE! Mike Heflebower - Funeral Director & Owner of Heflebower Funeral Services • Over 27 years of experience in all aspects of the funeral industry • Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer • National Board Certification • Certified Funeral Service Practitioner and Certified Mortuary Science Practitioner in Colorado
8955 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Ste 100 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 720-344-6087
The Independent 9
OBITUARIES In Remembrance
Did you know...
CATHERINE ANN SVENKOSKY BELL
Colorado Community Media was created to connect you to 22 community papers with boundless opportunity and rewards.
Catherine Ann Svenkosky Bell (Cathy), passed away Aug. 16, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. She was born Sept. 30, 1961 in Fort Collins, Colorado to Marlene Pettit and Stanley Svenkosky. Cathy was a 1979 graduate of Heritage High School and received an Associate degree from ITT. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Denver, Colorado where she was married to the love of her life, Kevin Bell, on Dec. 24, 1995. Cathy had a lifelong interest in learning and in her college years studied music, botany, chemistry and CAD drafting. She was very creative and artistic. Her hobbies included classical music, gardening, flowers, quilting, playing the piano,
NEWEY
reading, making pottery, arts and crafts, rock hunting collecting and polishing, making and collecting Christmas ornaments and photography. Cathy is survived by her husband, Kevin; children, Ryan, Lyssa and Alhana; mother and father-in-law, Virgie and Roy Bell; mother, Marlene Pettit; brother, Timothy Pettit; sisters, Allison Watkins and Jennifer Pettit; sister-in-law, Trisha Blake and her husband, Walter; brother-in-law, Greg Garrison and his wife, Lori; nieces and nephews, Abbey, Nate, Josh, Sam and Justine. Contributions may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International at JDRF.org.
We now publish:
Arvada Press, Brighton Banner, Castle Rock News Press, Centennial Citizen, Douglas County News Press, Elbert County News, Englewood Herald, Foothills Transcript, Golden Transcript, Highlands Ranch Herald, Lakewood Sentinel, Littleton Independent, Lone Tree Voice, Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel, Parker Chronicle, Pikes Peak Courier View, South Platte Independent, Teller County Extra, Tribune Extra, Tri-Lakes Tribune, Westminster Window, and Wheat Ridge Transcript.
To view the obituary, please go to chronline.com/obituaries.
Nicole Rita (Desmazieres) Newey
Nicole Rita (Desmazieres) Newey was born November 15, 1930 and passed away on August 12, 2014. Nicole was the 4th of 5 children to Jacques and Germaine Desmazieres of Lille, France. Nicole first fell in love with the United States during an 18 months stay as an au pair in St Louis and subsequent train ride through the Western United States on the California Zephyr. After a short stay in Denver, she knew that she wanted to return one day. On her return home to France she met a young gentleman from Chicago, John W. Newey, who was aboard the Andrea Dorea with the intention of study-
Nov. 15, 1930 – Aug. 12, 2014
ing in Italy. Nicole and John were married 2 years later in Lille at the home of her parents’. Nicole and John started their married life in Chicago where they had 4 children, Jacques, Nicolas, Natalie and Sophie. Nicole and John and the family moved to Denver In 1970 where Nicole embraced the outdoor lifestyle of Colorado. She spent summers gardening, and playing tennis and winters skiing. Nicole earned her credentials to work as a medical assistant at Arapahoe Community College and worked in several Doctor’s offices in Littleton. John passed away in 1983, but Nicole stayed in
Littleton, a community she loved. She continued to live an active and independent life and continually made family and friends her highest priority. After retiring as a medical assistant, Nicole volunteered at the Inner City Health Clinic where her Spanish language skills were useful. She stayed active and involved in the Catholic Church and the community until the end of her life. She leaves behind her 4 children and their spouses, and 9 grandchildren. Donations can be made in Nicole’s name to the Denver Rescue Mission or the Skin Cancer Foundation .