1-Color
January 22, 2014
75 cents | Volume 49, Issue 2 Tri-Lakes Region, Monument, Gleneagle, Black Forest and Northern El Paso County A publication of
tri-lakestribune.net
Pot sales, fire mitigation topics at meeting Jan. 18 meeting was attended by 60 people By Danny Summers
Dsummers@coloradocommunitymedia.com
John Vincent, fire marshal of Tri-Lakes/Monument Fire, spoke at the Palmer Lake town hall meeting on Jan. 18 about the importance of fire mitigation. Photo by Danny Summers
The Town of Palmer Lake held the first of a series of town hall meetings on Jan. 18 to discuss recreational marijuana sales and fire mitigation. The first portion of the two-hour meeting — about 75 minutes — focused on fire mitigation and what the local residents can to do help prevent disasters like what occurred in the Black Forest and Mountain Shadows areas of Colorado Springs in recent years. Tri-Lakes Fire Marshall John Vincent and Westcott Fire Marshall Margo Humes addressed the crowd of about 60, which included residents, business owners, volunteer firefighters and members of the media.
“Mitigation in Colorado is a lifestyle,” said Vincent, who used various maps and visual illustrations to drive home his point. “Fire is going to happen here, it’s a fire prone state. It’s not matter of if, it’s when.” Vincent discussed various ways on how home owners can mitigate their own property. He talked about thinning of the Pikes National Forest and building fire breaks. “There are 3,840 acres in Palmer Lake’s six square miles,” Vincent said. “There are a million acres in the Pikes National Forest. We can make a difference by doing our part.” Vincent also said that in the event that a major fire broke out in Palmer Lake, the evacuation route would be heading north on Highway 105 toward Douglas County. Humes said she was one of the first people on the scene at the start of last June’s Black Forest Fire. “I don’t want to see the people of Palmer Pot continues on Page 5
Gleneagle Golf ponders uncertain future The Palms Restaurant is closing this month By Danny Summers
Dsummers@coloradocommunitymedia.com When you go to the Gleneagle Golf Club web site the first thing you see are four photos of the picturesque golf course. You can also click on a link to the Palms Restaurant web page, which the site advertises as being open. Not anymore. This month, the restaurant will close, leaving the 40-year-old golf club a wasteland. “It’s not a surprise that the restaurant is closing,” said Ken Judd, who sits on the board of the Gleneagle Civic Association. “Restaurants have a short shelf life. “These guys did very little advertising and the restaurant never was connected to the Gleneagle community.” Judd is the point man who many Gleneagle residents look to for answers related to the future of the master planned community. “I’m also very interested to know what going on out there,” a concerned Judd said. “I still think the most likely scenario is that someone will buy it as a golf course and put the money into it and fix it up.” Judd was much more optimistic a few months ago when club general manager Rick Evelo and property owner Miles Scully announced that golf course would be closing Nov. 1. But Scully, whose office is in San Diego, has not returned Judd’s telephone calls. The Tribune tried reaching Scully, but he did not re-
turn phone calls. “I think we have a right to know what’s going on,” Judd said. “But maybe that’s more of a moral right. “It’s is a private business and I respect that.” The Gleneagle golf course is owned and operated by MCTN LLC, a Nevada limited liability company set up by Atlanta-based Mad River Holdings Inc. and the Miles and Denise Scully Trust. MCTN LLC purchased the 135.4acre course in 2003 for $825,000, according to records supplied by the El Paso County Assessor’s Office and the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office. Judd said that rumors were circulating all over the community recently after Donala Water and Sanitation sent a survey crew out to one of the fairways. Judd received calls from concerned Gleneagle residents who thought the Donala survey crew was actually a land developer. “The immediate concern you hear from residents is property values,” Judd said. “Speculation is running wild. I’ve heard that property values have declined by $25,000 to $30,000. “When buildings are empty, or in this case an entire golf course, it’s inevitable the vandalism occurs. That is not good for the community no matter how you cut it.” Evelo has had very little to say on the current or future state of the course. “There are a lot of possibilities,” Evelo said. “Hopefully we do hear something sooner than later.” Last October, about 45 residents of Gleneagle community showed up at the Gleneagle Civic Association general meeting to get more information on the
POSTAL ADDRESS
Gleneagle area residents have expressed concern over the closing of the course and Palms Restaurant. Photos by Danny Summers closure of the golf course. Judd shared what he knew, specifically citing a development agreement between Scully’s company and the Board of County Commissioners of El Paso County in May 2010. “(Scully) expressed an interest to turn the driving range into town homes to create capital for the golf course,” Judd said in reference to the agreement with the County. The agreement, which was signed May 27, 2010, allows Scully’s company to develop the driving range at any point. However, the agreement also states that the rest the course’s 135-plus acres cannot be developed until at least May 2020.
TRI-LAKES TRIBUNE
The Palms Restaurant at Gleneagle Golf Club is closing its doors this month. The golf course closed last November
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