Colorado Springs west side neighbors oppose plan for new apartments, hotel (apartment complex, condos)

[Vision67]

https://gazette.com/news/colorado-sp...a44fd893b.html

"Residents near Garden of the Gods Road blasted a proposal to develop new apartments and possibly a hotel and restaurant in the area, saying it could generate more noise, block views and make it tougher to evacuate during a wildfire.

Several Mountain Shadows residents recounted memories of trying to evacuate during the Waldo Canyon fire during an online neighborhood meeting Wednesday as they spoke out against proposed high-density housing at a business park at 2424 Garden of the Gods Road. Hundreds of additional units could aggravate traffic problems and make it harder to leave during an emergency, residents said.

Mary Beth Netherton recalled the evacuation as a living nightmare.

"I thought we might be burned alive in our cars," she said.

More than 300 residents tuned in to hear about redevelopment plans for the property, a 125-acre office complex that is partially vacant. Developers are asking the city to rezone the property and allow apartments and potentially a hotel and restaurant to be built along north 30th Street, said Andrea Barlow, with N.E.S. a consulting firm. The existing office buildings, formerly home to MCI Communications, would stay in place and the ridge to the west of the offices would remain open space, according to the conceptual plan.

The concept plan for the 2424 Garden of the Gods Road shows the site of a proposed development planned on two parcels along north 30th Street. (Courtesy of Colorado Springs)

In the first phase, 2424 Garden of the Gods LLC, the developer, is planning about 250 market-rate apartments on the 15 acres on the northwest corner of Garden of Gods Road and 30th Street, Barlow said. In the second phase, a hotel and a restaurant or 300 unit apartment complex could be built on 11 acres on the northeast corner of the intersection, she said.

"We not proposing to do any development outside of those areas that have been developed and disturbed," she said.

The new buildings would be built below the existing office buildings and should not adversely impact the views of those living north of the property in Mountain Shadows, Barlow said.

Traffic engineer Mike Rocha said studies showed the planned development would be "well within the available road capacity."

The existing buildings cover about 14% of the lot and have nearly twice as many parking spaces as required by code. Rezoning will "improve the marketability of the existing buildings and increase the redevelopment potential of the site," the developers' proposal said.

Many of the residents who spoke at the meeting raised questions about the presentation and the data used to make conclusions.

While the apartments and hotel would only cover 26 acres, several residents pointed out if developers receive approvals they are asking for, they would be able to build 30 units per acre and in the future could build far more units than Barlow presented.

"We need to change that so that a full build-out won’t be possible into the future," resident Ruth Kelty said.

The portion of the map outlined in red is the 93-acre area in the 125-acre business park at 2424 Garden of the Gods Road that developers want to rezone. (Courtesy City of Colorado Springs)

Many residents also called for new traffic data to be gathered because a survey was done in July when traffic volumes would have been lower because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The road survey is a total waste of time," resident Pam Wood said.

Residents also raised concerns that the city notified only residents within 1,000 feet of the proposed development and not the entire Mountain Shadows community.

"Most of the people in Mountain Shadows don’t know that this project is being proposed," Netherton said.

Kate Kutcho was the only resident to speak in favor of development, citing the need for affordable housing for young workers.

"Colorado Springs keeps growing, it desperately needs housing," she said.

The neighborhood meeting was an early step in the review process of the request to rezone. The Colorado Springs Planning Commission and the City Council will make decisions on the rezoning request.

Barlow said the developers may work directly with the Mountain Shadows Community Association in the future on revisions to the plans.

"There may be some adjustments based on what we have heard today," she said. "

[TCHP]

City planning is never done at a worst case, everyone is mobile scenario. Its based on averages. The Waldo canyon fire was an anomaly to citizen mobility that the city won't plan for anywhere, not just in Mtn Shadows. This is the by-product at living in the foothills; egress is limited to the geography capability.

[wilberry]

Thank you for using the word " Egress " , you don't see it much anymore ....

[Vision67]

Controversial apartments in western Colorado Springs gain approval

https://gazette.com/news/controversi...b3b7637ba.html

"The Colorado Springs City Council approved plans for more than 400 apartments and new business space slated for the westside of town after hearing hours of passionate opposition from residents worried the dense housing could make a fire evacuation more dangerous.

The board voted 5 to 4 to approve the plans for up to 420 apartments and possible new retail shops near the intersection of Garden of the Gods Road 30th Street."

[jake77]

people keep moving to Colorado. Have to build more. That is just live. Colorado is awesome.

[Vision67]

Colorado Springs City Council denies apartment project on Garden of the Gods, in win for residents

https://gazette.com/news/colorado-sp...35fc97f17.html

"In a win for neighborhood advocates, the Colorado Springs City Council voted Tuesday to deny plans for a controversial apartment complex and business space along Garden of the Gods Road that residents opposed because they feared it could make wildfire evacuation more dangerous, among other concerns.

The council voted 5 to 4 to deny up to 420 apartments and additional commercial space planned for 2424 Garden of Gods Road in front of an existing 750,000-square-foot office building along north 30th Street on underused parking lots. "

[TCHP]

5-4 for and then 4-5 against. Tight margins.

Curiously, neighbors had not objections to the approval for Red Leg Brewing's new complex in the area that hold 800+ people inside with 1000+ outside. Similarly, no consideration seems to have been given the Premiere Global's Corp. removal of their many hundred person staff in a building in the campus where these underutilized parking lots are and the apartments were seeking to build. Of course that space is still there and some other business(es) could occupy it.

Oh well, this is how development is done here.

[bontrager]

Originally Posted by jake77

people keep moving to Colorado. Have to build more. That is just live. Colorado is awesome.

Agreed, but expansion like that (high density apts/condos) should be moving East, not on the West side where traffic is already slammed. There's only so much traffic the narrow 2 lane roads can handle.

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

Originally Posted by TCHP

Curiously, neighbors had not objections to the approval for Red Leg Brewing's new complex in the area that hold 800+ people inside with 1000+ outside.

Wouldn't those numbers of people only be there maybe 5% of the time? That seems very different than apartments.

[Loyoung]

While listening to the objections 99% stemmed from concerns about evacuation if another waldo canyon size event occurred again. Interesting enough no one pointed out and event of that magnitude could not happen again at least not in our lifetime.