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December 24, 2014 VOLU M E 49 | I S S UE 49 | 7 5 ¢
Tri-LakesTribune.net T R I - L A K E S R E G I O N , M O N U M E N T, G L E N E A G L E , B L A C K F O R E S T A N D N O R T H E R N E L P A S O C O U N T Y
A publication of
Lake of the Rockies housing project cruising along 156 homes to be built near Monument Lake By Dave Smith
contributing writer Like a drawn out magic trick, what is now a field of dirt will eventually turn into 156 single family homes. The first phase of 58 homes on the project’s south side could be completed and delivered as early as Spring. The Lake of the Rockies project is being built between Mitchell Road and Monument Lake. The project covers a total of about 60 acres including open spaces and public rights of way. “It’s really been smooth and everything is on track, on time and on budget. We are excited about it,” said Andy Boian, spokesman for project developer Century Communities. The company also has developments in Georgia, Nevada and Texas in addition to Colorado. Century Communities is working to make sure the project fits into the existing community as seamlessly as possible. Along the way the developer has agreed to enhance some amenities around the site and works closely with the Town of Monument to be sure all parties are on the same page, reducing any potential hurdles. “We’ve worked well with the Town of Monument,” Boian said. “I’d call it almost a partnership with Monument. We are in contact with the town a lot so we are aware of what they need and want.” One of the amenities developers have
With Monument Lake and dam in the background, a grader works to prepare the Lake of the Rockies site. Photos by Dave Smith coordinated with the town is the improvement of the lake access road. Developer’s crews have graded and widened the road already and will pave it soon. Boian said picnic shelters will be added as well, in addition to replacing the existing port-a-potties with a permanent restroom structure. “Those things are what make a project most special to us, make them unique,” Boian said. Having those improvements handled by the developer as the project progresses
is saving the Town a significant amount of time in getting them completed more quickly. “The town reached out to Century Communities,” said Monument Planning Director Mike Pesicka. “We wanted to make improvements on the lake that would take years. They graded the road, the existing access, down to the lake and will pave it next year. And we are working with them on parking improvements and picnic areas by the lake.” In return for the work Century
Communities will receive a break in the form of credits on traffic impact fees for the project. Where traffic coming from the new development is concerned there are no problems expected. Pesicka said some residents were concerned about traffic issues, especially at Mitchell and 2nd Street. There was good discussion from the few who attended public meetings, he said. Lake continues on Page 5
TLM Fire District ready to move out POSTAL ADDRESS
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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. G ET SOCIAL WITH US
P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
District deals with recession aftermath, evaluates mergers By Norma Engelberg Contributing writer
The Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District will be moving into new administrative offices during the first week of January but this move will not affect services, whether fire or emergency medical in nature. Currently located at 166 Second St. in Monument, the new administrative offices will be locate in an office building on the southeast corner of Baptist Road and Gleneagle Drive, about 500 feet outside the district and close to the Westcott Fire Protection District office. Fire Chief Chris Truty said district officials always knew the Second Street location would be temporary, although the district’s administrative offices have been housed there for several years. “When the recession hit and the town had built a new town hall they were looking for an occupant for this building,” he said. “Monument and Woodmoor departments had just merged and were looking for office space. The newly formed district struck a deal with Monument to lease this building for $1 a year but now the town wants it back.” The process of moving is similar to any other kind of move, with the exception of making sure the necessary technology, phones, computers and Internet, is up and running before moving furniture and personnel. “These days, technology is the core of any office,” Truty said. Because some of the furniture being used in the Second Street building belongs to the town, the district has already started moving some of the new furniture its bought into the new offices. “We’ll be closing both offices for one week,” Truty said. “But the phones will be working and people will be able to get ahold of us if they need to. There will be no delays in service.” This move also means that regular district monthly meetings will be at the Monument Town Hall starting in January. Truty expects that meetings will be at the town hall for the next three years or so, while the district looks for a permanent office. Another possible change a merger with Westcott and the Larkspur Fire Protection District,
Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District Chief Chris Truty will only be able to sit in his office on Second Street in Monument for just a few more weeks until the district offices are moved to an office at Baptist Road and Gleneagle Drive. Photo by Norma Engelberg could have a bearing on where the district’s permanent office is located,. “A committee to explore and evaluate a merger was formed in October,” Truty said. “They’ll be looking at the pros and cons and it’s expected that it will take a year or a year and a half to complete the evaluation.” When Woodmoor and Monument fire districts merged, they spent about a year using an “authority model,” Truty said, explaining that each district kept its own board for financial reasons and another board was created to oversee both districts. After a year, the districts were consolidated, the old district organizations were dissolved and a new taxing district was formed. All the steps to be taken to consolidate the three districts will be evaluated, Truty said “There is a widespread belief that consolidation and merger is the right thing for the maximum efficiency of using tax dollars,” he added. “Most districts struggle with finances. Five, one-station districts can’t do as much as one, five-station district. No single department has enough personnel to hire a dedicated training officer, for example, or a fleet maintenance officer. Consolidation means we can share costs and create a single operational
organization at the top. Consolidation is probably the next evolution in fire districts.” The political climate for consolidation is looking good, he said but added that “The Devil is in the details.” As for other consolidations, Truty doesn’t know what the Black Forest Fire Department is planning but he said the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department recently formed a committee to look at its options along that line. When it comes to finding a permanent office space, Truty doesn’t know if it will be a new building, a rehabbed building or leased space. Right now and probably for the next five years, the district will be concentrating on recovering from the recession. “We still have issues with buildings, our fleet and wages that we have to work on,” he said. Of course, while getting ready for the move, the district also has a couple of holidays to get through. “We won’t be making any staffing changes,” Truty said. “We do make a lot of Santa transports this time of year though. It seems that Santa likes arriving places on a fire engine. Maybe he thinks it’s more exciting than a sleigh.”