September 1, 2011

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LOOK INSIDE:

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Changes at CCAH

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Flock Talk Bass caught

the

Sopris Carbondale’s

weekly, non-profit newspaper

Sun

Volume 3, Number 29 | September 1, 2011

Club Rotario’s Festival Las Americas last Sunday in Sopris Park proved to be a colorful one with games for kids (led by this top-hat wearing clown), music from Manuel Loera y Migente, and the Defiance String Band. There was dancing, tasty foods plus Frisbee tossing, a dunk tank, bounce castle, lawn-chair lounging and more. Photo by Lynn Burton

Trustees inch closer to Thompson Park decision By Lynn Burton Sopris Sun Staff Writer

T

he Carbondale Board of Trustees inched closer to a decision on the Thompson Park annexation/ zoning Tuesday night, instructing town staff to return with a document they can vote on Nov. 8. “I want to get this down on paper, what it is,”said trustee John Foulkrod, who made the motion to move the process forward by drafting an approval document based on town staff’s recommendations. The main issue Tuesday night, and at previous meetings, is whether the trustees will give developer Frieda Wallison several years to complete “deep utility” work on the project as she proposes, or make her do it in an early stage. “I can’t commit $1 million for infrastructure … ,” Wallison told the trustees. “I can’t do it.”

Thompson Park is a 10-acre parcel near the north end of River Valley Ranch that’s surrounded by Carbondale but was never annexed into the town, so technically it is subject to Garfield County land use codes. Key to Wallison’s proposal is a pledge to donate the 123-year-old Thompson House (aka Holland-Thompson House), plus the 1.4 acres it sits on, to the town or Mt. Sopris Historical Society (MSHS). The Thompson family has already donated the house’s contents to the MSHS, which hopes to operate it as a museum. Wallison told the trustees several times Tuesday night that she can’t invest $1 million in the deep utilities (such as water lines) until she develops a revenue stream through the sale of lots to pay for it. With the economy such as it is, she doesn’t expect to see those sales for at least five years. Trustees Frosty Merriott, Ed Cortez, John Hoffmann and Foulkrod appeared sympa-

thetic to Wallison’s utilities proposal, but mayor Stacey Bernot took a harder stand. “I’m more comfortable with the staff’s recommendation (to require deep utilities early in the project),” Bernot said. Although not specifically stated, it was understood the trustees are not bound to approve the staff-written document as drafted, and can change it as they see fit. “This (the document) is a place to start,” Foulkrod said.“ … I’m tired talking about this.” Trustee Elizabeth Murphy agreed. She alluded to the staff drafting an approval document for the Village at Crystal the trustees will review and vote on. With a similar document for Thompson Park, they can “evaluate it (the application) in its entirety.” Wallison first presented her proposal in 2009 and it has been through several incarnations since. Earlier in the meeting, MSHS board members Greg Forbes and Darrell Munsell told the

trustees their group would like to take possession of the house, either outright with the property underneath it or leasing the grounds. In a prepared statement, Munsell told the trustees the community lost one of its most famous and important historic ranch houses when a new property owner “wielded the wrecking ball that destroyed the Grubb house” (just south of River Valley Ranch). “I don’t think the community can or should tolerate the loss of another historic ranch house, one of the very few remaining not only in this area but throughout the state.” Munsell continued, “Denial of this project, in my opinion, would be the HollandThompson House’s obituary. I doubt that a denial of this application will forever forestall development of this ground. My guess is that someday this parcel of land will be developed. I suspect, however, that that development will come only after the wrecking TRUSTEES page 7


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