CROSS CURRENTS

o n’t doubt for a minute that Governor Polis and the Democrat legislative leadership have given up on their idea to create so-called a ordable housing opportunities through usurping local government zoning and land use powers.

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WINNING

t was right before the pandemic of 2020 was announced. My wife and I had the opportunity to participate in a certi cation program put on by the Zig Ziglar Corporation. It is a program called Ziglar Legacy Certi cation, or ZLC for those who have gone through it and graduated.

generate as much opposition.

However, the basic idea of dictating apartment zoning regardless of the local government’s comprehensive land use plan’s density restrictions will still be a “nonstarter” with local governments. Plus, state o cials need to realize they must address the whole water supply component when pushing for high density developments.

A 2024 legislative priority will be somewhat similar to the version that experienced pushback by both Democrats and Republicans in the nal hours of the 2023 session. Perhaps, the next bill won’t have so many components to it thatFinally, if Polis and the legislative leadership think they can dictate actions to provide “a house for every budget” they are simply naïve and disingenuous. While it may be a catchy political slogan, in reality, it will not happen.

As for the accessory dwelling units (ADU’s) rule change which was pushed as a part of the package, some cities already allow them. Little interest in ADU’s has been experienced.

Debt ceiling increase and budget cuts should not be about winners and losers e debate and negotiations on raising the federal debt ceiling should have and could have had far less drama and rhetoric.

President Biden should have been receptive to negotiating with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy much sooner. Biden was naïve if he thought he could get the debt ceiling increased without supporting budget cuts. Why take the risk of nancial instability and triggering a likely recession just to show who has larger manhood?

Anyway, we all lived through it and the problem was temporarily solved. However, I really dislike how the media and press couched the outcome with winners and losers. For example, the June 1 New York Times coverage’s headline stated “Who Won?” at should not be the focus tallying up pluses and minuses by each political party. e focus should be that we were able to avoid what could have been a huge nancial impact on America’s ability to pay its bills and avoid a likely recession. Our economy is teetering enough as it is without another enormous potential negative impact.

Anyway, we can now get back to whatever is normal these days and see what is next on the horizon.

SEE CHRISTOPHER, P13 compliments was usually in tears, happy tears. As it was Jill’s turn to be the center of attention, we all eagerly wrote our messages of love, a ection, and appreciation. And as we all read our note, the consistency was unreal; Jill was light, love, passionate, determined, a role model of success, bright, beautiful, and someone who exuded the desire to help others. when you become Ziglar certi ed and connect with your classmates, you graduate as di erence makers in the personal, professional, and spiritual lives of everyone you have the opportunity to meet. And Jill epitomized that mission and purpose, she changed us all. Even when she was going through life’s challenges herself, she was the rst one to respond to a prayer request, jump into a conversation, or ask a meaningful question during a podcast or webinar. e group that we joined was a ectionately known as ZLC23, as we were the 23rd group to complete the certi cation. On the very rst day we met our classmates, each came up with their own story, their business story, their personal story, and then there was their life story. We met Jessica, Shelly, Marvin, Sundiata, JillMarie, Brent,

David, Amy, Jerrod, and a few others. But there was one woman who stood out amongst the rest, Jill.

Jill’s smile, enthusiasm, and passion for wanting to complete the program and to begin helping others was contagious. Her energy and intentionality for being a difference maker in the lives of others was abundantly clear. Her purpose and mission for attending were evident in how she participated in the learning through role playing, table exercise, and group discussions. I remember sitting next to her for two of those group discussions and table exercises. And I remember walking away from both feeling the impact of her presence and contributions to the conversations.

Why am I sharing this story? Sadly, Jill passed away suddenly last month. Her beautiful smile to never grace this earth again, but that will bless the halls of heaven for eternity.

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Although I was the previous president of the company, and knew the content in depth, I wanted to share this experience with my wife and carry the o cial designation as a Ziglar Legacy Certi ed trainer and coach.One of these exercises required us to share at our table what we liked, appreciated, or loved about someone else we had gotten to know during the week. We had to write it down privately on a note, and then read it out loud before handing it to the person at our table that we were writing about. I will share with you that the person reading the note and receiving the

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LUKE ZARZECKI Community Editor lzarzecki@coloradocommunitymedia.com ose of us who knew her well, knew all sides of Jill as we had three plus years to share calls, Zoom calls, webinars, texts, and emails. Some of us got to see her and be with her since we graduated ZLC23. And there wasn’t any one of us who didn’t appreciate her e orts to worry more about us and how we were doing than how she was personally doing herself.

As the news hit our ZLC23 class, we reached out to one another for comfort and understanding; it’s one of the things that happen

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Jill was a di erence maker. I write this column as a tribute to Jill, a true ZLC’er class of ‘23. I write this to remind us that we all have something to give to others regardless of how short or long our lives here on earth are. We can smile, be kind, show our passion, know our purpose, and simply care about the person sitting across from us in the moment, because that is who Jill was, a living example to us all.

Is there someone who you need to tell how awesome they are before they are gone? Did this

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Adams County, Colorado, the tribute love norton@gmail.com, can

However, Congress and the Biden Administration do need to truly address the growing debt of more than $31 trillion. It is going to come back to haunt big time.

Metzger Farm immersive theatre is worth the ticket price e Metzger Farm, located west of Lowell Boulevard and 122nd Avenue is a treasure that the cities of Broom eld and Westminster partnered to acquire under their respective open space programs in about 2017.

I am not a regular movie or live theatre critic, but I want to share with readers the current production of “Pride of the Farm” by the Catamount eatre group that highlights John Metzger, his family and the farm.

Currently, the immersive play runs through June 25 on Wednesdays through Sunday on the farm site. You learn about John Metzger’s di cult upbringing, his political career - as short as it washis legal mentor and his family while living on the farm.

It’s a superb history lesson and gives the audience a avor of life on an early homestead farm starting in the 1940’s. You will love Betty Metzger and her perseverance.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased on the City of Westminster’s website.

Arizona water restrictions could be a precursor for Colorado

While I don’t usually follow decisions, actions and trends outside of Colorado, I want to share a news article involving water and Arizona’s plight. I think the point of the article is relevant to us in Colorado since both states rely on the Colorado River as well as the mega drought which we have “shared.” e State of Arizona will not be approving new housing construction along the fast growing edges of metro Phoenix which relies on ground water (wells) for domestic potable water. Due to years of overuse and the multi-decade drought, state o cials are seeing diminish - ing groundwater. e exception to this statement is that water providers in the southeast part of the metro area (not Aurora) do rely heavily on groundwater. Plus, I am not aware of any existing problems with adequate well water production in the metro area.

Governor Katie Hobbs acknowledges that this action could well impact some of the fastest growing suburbs of the nation’s 5th largest city such as Buckeye and Queen Creek. Developers will still be able to use surface or recycled water for new homes.

Projections show that over the next 100 years, demand in metro Phoenix for almost 4.9 million acre feet of ground water would be unmet without corrective action.

To put things in perspective, it is helpful to know that 80,000 unbuilt homes which were already approved with water certi cation from the state will be able to be built throughout the metro area.

Wells in Colorado are not used as heavily Generally speaking, metro Denver cities and water districts rely mainly on surface water rights (ditch water) as compared to wells. Diversions o the South Platte River and Clear Creek are two of the main sources used via manmade canals.

However, it is bene cial to know how the problem is being handled in another state that is experiencing similar heavy development activity and located in the west with drought problems. It could be a precursor for things to come some day as recharging the aquifers is much more di cult these days with heavier demand.

Retail land development is “robust” while new office activity is “lagging”

Looking at metro Denver’s real estate health, JLL, a global real estate company with a presence in Denver, has reported that postpandemic real estate transactions are both up and down.

For example, retail is showing low vacancy rates. According to Sam Zaitz, an executive with JLL, “there is very little availability for retail space in metro Denver.” lives, it really will be a better than good life.

Overall, about 5%-6% of the retail space is available.

However he points out that the “sought-after” trade areas i.e. retailers and restaurants is closer to 2% vacancy. e lower vacancy rates in retail are in part due to lower construction activity levels. Zaitz points out “What we are seeing is more of mixed-use with retail going on the rst oor of o ce and multi-family developments.”

In Westminster, we can attest to this trend with the New Downtown. Westy sta just recently gave an update on development activity at the so-called “urban center” where small restaurants, retailers and businesses are starting to lease space on the rst oor of the apartment buildings.

Unfortunately, not many of them will produce much sales tax.

On another note, Zaitz mentioned the growing concern about vacant o ce space in downtown Denver. Currently, there is a 28.1% vacancy rate.

“ is is stirring concerns about the downtown bouncing back and the potential of foreclosures.”

If foreclosures are triggered, then there is concern that regional banks could tumble which have made large loans to o ce developments.

Of course, the desire of many employees who normally work in o ces, whether they work in downtown or a suburban setting, is to continue to work from home at least a part of the time. at seems to be the major culprit in the vacancy rates.

I would say don’t plan on any major o ce development in the north suburbs for some time.

Bill Christopher is a former Westminster city manager and RTD board member. His opinions are not necessarily those of Colorado Community Media. You can contact him at bcjayhawk68@gmail.com.