3-23-17 Villager E Edition

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DEFECTIVE LEGISLATION

ICONS OF EVENT PLANNING

SPRING FORWARD

CORRIDOR | PG 7

FLAIR | PG 12

SCHOOLS | PG 14

Can lawmakers fix the condo problem?

Cherry Creek Schools reconfigures start times

Sights and sounds from an ‘eventful’ ceremony

S O U T H

M E T R O

VOLUME 35 • NUMBER 18 • MARCH 23, 2017

Since 1982

www.villagerpublishing.com

TheVillagerNewspaper

@VillagerDenver

Major drug bust

District Attorney George Brauchler discusses last week’s indictments in an illegal marijuanatrafficking operation that stretched well into Arapahoe and Douglas counties. Greenwood Village Police Chief John Jackson, center, stressed the need for revised legislation.

tied to south metro communities

Photo by Peter Jones

16 people indicted in out-of-state pot trafficking A large illegal-marijuana bust last week stretched well into Arapahoe and Douglas counties. “Much of this went on in suburban population areas as much as it did out in rural areas,” said District Attorney George

Brauchler, who detailed the case during a March 17 press conference at the Centennial office of the Drug Enforcement Agency. Brauchler said many of the local transactions that led to illegal shipments of marijuana out of state took place in clear view throughout the metro area and the 18th Judicial District, including in parking lots for local schools and popular retailers.

In total, 16 people were indicted in connection to the homegrown operation that produced as much as 300 pounds of marijuana a month for nearly three years. At press time, only one of the accused remained at large. That person was believed to be out of state, Brauchler said. According to a grand jury’s indictment, the criminal ring would in part use the cover of Colorado’s legalizedContinued on page 3

Greenwood Village special election set for June 6 Council sends Orchard Station Comp Plan to citizens BY BECKY OSTERWALD MANAGING EDITOR

Greenwood Village will be having a special election June 6 to let voters decide whether to give final approval to an amended version of controversial changes to the Comprehensive Plan for the Orchard Station Subarea. A taskforce had been formed to work out the language of the proposed changes. That got the City Council “to the two-yard line,” according to Councilmember Dave Bullock, who voted against the proposed changes, as did Steve Moran and George Lantz.

A mixed use of office, retail, hospitality and possible residential are all included in the proposed Comp Plan. One of the major concerns has been the height of buildings. In the compromise reached by the council, no building in the subarea could be taller than those in the current Landmark complex. A balance of office and retail space, along with limited residential “shall be evaluated to determine its cost impacts on city resources,” the proposed amendment states. Freda Milkin, a councilmember, explained that the mixeduse portion of the development would generate a net surplus of $2.2 million annually for Green-

wood Village. Another issue was whether to allow single- or multi-family housing. The amendment states that the developed area may consist of multi-family housing units and prefers that they be for sale rather than rentals. Traffic was a major concern among those who attended the March 20 meeting. Councilmember Leslie Schluter stated that once a proposed development is resubmitted, possibly from Alberta Development, the city would be able to undertake a traffic study, pursuant to the Comp Plan amendment. One of the issues brought up during the public meetings was impact on the Cherry Creek School District. The plan would

take into consideration any comments the district has about the development of the area. Lantz said he was opposed to the amended plan because, among other things, he felt the citizens were concerned that it would change the character of Greenwood Village. He wanted the current mix of 54 to 46 percent, multi- to single-family homes, to remain intact. Moran did not believe the Comp Plan went far enough to protect the existing residents. A special election will cost the city an estimated $36,000. The amended version of the Comp Plan can be read on page 17 of the legal section.


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