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Issue #294 — Volume 25 Number 9 — Saturday, September 6, 2025 Our website is OCN.ME. Audio is posted for most of the articles and videos for some events. In the paper, events with videos are marked:
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID MONUMENT, CO PERMIT NO. 32
Lang Investment Services Annual Pig Roast, Aug. 8
Local Events Readers should assume that event information published in this issue is subject to change and information should be confirmed a day or two before the event by calling the information number or checking the organization’s website. See page 22 and page 23 for event locations and other details of these and many other local events. • OCN mailing day, Thu., Sep. 4 & Oct. 2, approx. 7-8:30 am. Become an OCN reporter! Help us report 'What was discussed and what was decided.' Call 719-488-3455. • Monument Hill Farmers Market, every Sat., 8-2 pm. D38 Lewis Palmer admin building, 66 Jefferson Street, Monument. See ad on page 5. • Palmer Lake Farmers Market, every Sun., 10 am-2 pm. See ad on page 2. • 4th Annual Gleneagle Spirit 5k Run/Walk and Kid’s Run, Sat., Sep. 6, 8 am-noon • Palmer Lake Special Election, Tue., Sep. 9, decides recall of two trustees and a ballot measure requiring voter approval of annexations. • Checkered table talks, monthly speaker series. Thu., Sep. 11, doors open 5 pm, program 5:30-6:30 pm, • Palmer Lake Wine Festival, Sat., Sep. 13, 12-5 pm • Ride for Tim memorial honor ride, Sat., Sep. 13, 1 pm • Empty Bowls 2025, Silent Auction Basket donation deadline Mon., Sep. 15. See ad on page 10. • Palmer Lake Historical Society, Thu., Sep. 18, 7-8 pm (doors open at 6:30). • Speed puzzle events, Mon. Sep. 8 & 15. See ad on page 2. • Covered Treasures Bookstore, Sat, Sep. 20, 1-3 pm, Lisa Hatfield signs To Ride a Storm Surge. Fri, Sep. 26, 5-8pm. Roberta Anderson signs A.I for Beginners in the Digital Age. Marj Charlier signs Rebel Nun, Cardlemaker’s Woman, Hacienda, Romancing the Dog (3 Novellas). • Last 2025 Art Hop, Fri., Sep. 26, 5-8 pm, See ad on page 2. • Blues on the Mesa, Sat., Sep. 27, 11-6:30 pm. See ad on page 4. • Empty Bowls 2025 Event, Wed., Oct. 1. See ad on page 10. • WMMI, Miners' Pumpkin Patch, every Sat. in Oct. See ad on page 12. • Benet Hill Monastery, Blessing of the Animals, Sat., Oct. 4, 3 pm. Melanie DeMore concert, Sun., Oct. 5, 11:30 am. See ad on page 3. • Tri-Lakes Women's Club, Fri., Oct. 10, Michael Weinfeld and John Howe present highlights of their book Shootouts, Killings, and War Heroes: The History Hidden in Monument Cemetery. • Maker’s Market, Sat.-Sun., Oct. 11-12. See ad on page 8. • Restyle Your Fur, Mon.-Tue., Oct. 20-21, 10 am-5 pm. See ad on page 12.
In this issue Palmer Lake News 1-7 D38 News 7-10 Monument News 10-12 Fire District News 12, 14 Water & San District News 14-16 County & HOA News 16-17 Letters 17-18 Columns 18-20 Snapshots 20-21 Notices and Calendar 22-23 OCN Info 1, 23, 24
Above: Maybe it was the free food or maybe it was the fact that it didn’t rain for a change, but Monument investment banker Matt Lang’s annual pig roast was attended by more than 500 people, the biggest crowd ever. Lang says it certainly was the event’s longest line, which stretched from the parking lot in front of his office building at 236 N. Washington St. nearly to Second Street. The event has been held annually, rain or shine, since 1999, and over the years it’s often been more rain than shine. Lang joked that it didn’t rain this year because he invested in umbrellas with the Lang logo just in case. The crowd was treated to pulled pork, chicken, baked beans, lemonade, and beer—all for free. Lolley’s also served free ice cream. In lower left photo from left are Lilly Lundy, Sarah Brown, Stuart Denham, Jayce Duffy, and Michael Fulton. Photos by Michael Weinfeld.
Palmer Lake Planning Commission, Aug. 20
Buc-ee’s annexation vote postponed By James Howald and Jackie Burhans The Palmer Lake Planning Commission (PLPC) met Aug. 20 to hold a public hearing on the proposed Bucee’s annexation. The public hearing ran for six hours and was attended by more than 100 people. Three items were on the agenda: annexation, zoning in the form of a Planned Development (PD), and a sketch plan. Charlie Ihlenfeld, the Planning Commission chair, said the meeting would begin with comments from town staff, then the applicant would present, the public would comment, the commission would discuss the application, and, finally, the commission could act on the three items if they chose to do so.
Staff comments
Palmer Lake Town Attorney Scot Krob commented on the legality of a recording that has been circulating on social media of Ihlenfeld commenting favorably on the Buc-ee’s annexation. Krob said annexation was a legislative matter, and Ihlenfeld was entitled to comment on legislative matters. Zoning and the sketch plan were quasijudicial matters, Krob said, and the legal precedents regarding those issues were not settled. Krob explained that PDs have increased flexibility, and it is expected that in the case of a PD, topics such as setbacks, building heights and lighting are matters that can be negotiated.
Applicant presentation
Nina Ruiz and Craig Dossey, of Vertex
Consulting, were the main presenters of Buc-ee’s application for annexation. Consultants from Kimley Horn, Ecosystem Services, and law firm Mulliken Weiner Berg & Joliet also spoke on civil engineering, traffic flow, environmental issues such as wildlife preservation, and the annexation agreement contract. Ruiz pointed out that the property under consideration for annexation is in unincorporated El Paso County and is currently zoned Commercial (C1) and Commercial Community (CC). Gas stations and convenience stores are permitted uses in these zoning categories. Dossey discussed how the proposed annexation related to the county master plan. That plan designates the property as transitional and identifies it as a potential area for annexation, he said. John Desvardis, a restoration ecologist with Ecosystems Services, said the site, which is surrounded by I-25, County Line Road, and residential housing, was “already damaged and had more economic and cultural value than ecological value.” The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) says I-25 is the most influential infrastructure in the area. There are no wildlife migration paths on the property, which had been run as a ranch previously, Desvardis said. Scott Radcliff, of Buc-ee’s, presented the site plan for the travel cen-
ter. The center is not a truck stop and will use traffic circles and signals to control access, he said. He explained that the underground fuel tanks would be continuously monitored. Stan Beard, director of real estate for Buc-ee’s, presented the plans for lighting and signs. He said the travel center would be as night-sky friendly as possible, but it was not possible to follow a strict night-sky ordinance. He said there would be no light trespass beyond the property lines, and the site would have 3,000 Kelvin lights that are dark sky compliant. He explained Buc-ee’s wants its parking areas to be lighted so they are safe and comfortable. Beard requested a 100-foot sign for the travel center, which exceeds Palmer Lake’s maximum height for signs. He said sign height was important to Buc-ee’s brand but was negotiable. Dossey said the sketch plan conformed to the town’s master plan. He argued the travel center would maintain the small-town look and feel of Palmer Lake because it was 1.5 miles from the town. The master plan states non-residential development is needed to provide tax base and services, and it encourages strategic annexations, Dossey said. He argued the travel center will enhance tax revenue and will showcase locally sourced merchandise.
PL PC (Cont. on 2)
Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, Aug. 6, 14, 28
Board vacancy filled; land use code updated; annexation decision postponed By James Howald and Jackie Burhans The Palmer Lake Board of Trustees (PLBOT) met three times in August. At a workshop on Aug. 6, the board interviewed the final candidate for a seat on the board that was made vacant when Dennis Stern was appointed mayor. At the special meeting following the workshop, the board voted to fill the vacancy. At the first regular meeting on Aug. 14, the board held a public hearing on an ordinance to update the sections of its municipal code that deal with zoning and land use. At the same meeting, the board heard a presentation regarding ways to develop the lodge at the Elephant Rock property and public comments. The meeting ended with an executive session. At the second regular meeting on Aug. 28, the board scheduled a public
hearing on the Buc-ee’s annexation, but that hearing was continued to Oct. 2 because the Planning Commission had not completed its review of the zoning issues brought up by the proposed annexation. See the Planning Commission article above. The board heard reports from town staff, board members, and public comments. The meeting included an executive session.
Final candidate interview
At previous meetings, the board interviewed Mike Boyett, Alex Farr, Beth Harris, and John Marble for the vacant seat on PLBOT. Mike Beeson, who currently serves on the Palmer Lake Planning Commission, was the last to be interviewed for the seat. In his opening statement at the workshop, Beeson said he had lived
in Colorado off and on since 1963. He served in several roles in the Air Force, including cryptologist and squadron commander. He earned an undergraduate degree in business, a master’s degree in public administration and a second master’s degree in national security. After retiring from the Air Force, he served as the chief of Human Resources at the Air Force Academy. He emphasized his leadership, budgeting, and management skills. Trustees Shana Ball, Tim Caves, Kevin Dreher, Amy Hutson, and Atis Jurka asked Beeson the same questions they had previously asked the other candidates, including how Beeson would balance the town’s master plan against smart development; how
PL BOT (Cont. on 8)