Margaret Hoeppner

The Love of Teaching Music

A forum to encourage communication and exchange of ideas on preserving our neighborhoods.

Hoeppner Letter to Commissioners

October 07, 2016  /  Margaret hoeppner

1573 S Uinta Way

Denver, CO 80231

October 6, 2016

 

Mr Brian Weiss, Planning Commissioner

Public Works and Development, Arapahoe County

Lima Plaza

6924 S Lima Street

Centennial, CO 80112

 

Dear Commissioner Weiss:

On May 17 of this year you and three of your colleagues bravely voted not to increase the density on the west side of South Uinta Way.  We as a neighborhood are grateful for that.  Now the same amendment is coming up again but this time it is worded for three properties to be changed.  These three belong to the same three property owners who approached the Planning staff late last year and asked how to change the subarea plan.

South Uinta Way is a relatively narrow street which is currently experiencing increasing traffic due to the new homes that Denver permitted adjacent to the Highline Canal which are accessed from Uinta Way.  Some of those homes are not yet occupied which will increase traffic even more.  We are concerned that the infrastructure will have to be increased if this first step to alter the subarea plan is adopted.  This is only the first assault on the neighborhood.  If the amendment passes there will be other developers who will be pushing to increase the density. 

If approved this will drastically change the ambience of the neighborhood forever . This area provides a balance to the increased development that is going on on the north side of Parker Road and provides a wildlife corridor and mountain views. Towering 100 year old ponderosas line So Uinta Way.  This is an oasis and people bought homes here because of the rural atmosphere and open feel.  Not a day passes that someone doesn’t say to me “Wow, I never knew this was here! It’s so beautiful!”

We urge you to stay strong and vote once again to preserve our neighborhood.  As you may remember a survey was done of the neighborhood which indicated that 2/3 of the neighbors oppose increasing the density.  We realize that because of the current housing boom inDenver there is pressure to develop parcels but this boom will not continue forever, and we fear we will be left with a neighborhood which has become just another crowded suburban street.  Please vote against the amendment, #F16-002.   Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Fred and Margaret Hoeppner

Comment

Proposed Amendment

September 11, 2016  /  Margaret hoeppner

Planning Division staff has posted to our Major Planning Cases web page (link below) the letter of intent for an application by the owners of three lots along the west side of Uinta Way to amend the land use designation for their properties from “single-family residential, one dwelling unit per acre” to “single-family residential, one-to-two dwelling units per acre,” as designated on the land use map for the Four Square Mile SubArea Plan, which is an element of the Arapahoe County Comprehensive Plan. The three lots requested for amendment are noted in the letter of intent.

 

§  This application is classified as a Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment, and the final decision is made by the Planning Commission following a public hearing. The approved land use designation establishes a range of densities, but not a specific lot size.

 

§  Please note this is not an application to rezone property (or to approve a Preliminary Development Plan/PDP) or to subdivide property. These are future steps that would be necessary if the owner(s) of an individual property were to choose to move forward after a decision on the Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment request. Applications to amend the zoning on property require public hearings with the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners. Rezoning typically establishes either a minimum lot size or a maximum number of lots or a maximum density that can be developed for each property rezoned. A subdivision plat establishes the new lot boundaries.

 

§  No public hearing date has been set at this time. The hearing could be held no earlier than October 18, 2016, based on our review process and noticing requirements. As we have restricted hearing space for the October 18 and November 1 meeting dates due to use of County facilities by the Elections Office for early voting, it is possible that a hearing will be scheduled for the November 15 regularly scheduled meeting or an alternate noticed date. An informational update will be provided as staff is able to establish a date, and noticing requirements for a public hearing will be met.

 

§  For application information posted, please see the Arapahoe County web site at www.arapahoegov.com and follow the path:  Home >Departments > Public Works and Development > Planning and Land Development > Major Planning Cases, or click on this link:http://www.arapahoegov.com/planningcases.

 

§  The Four Square Mile SubArea Plan may be viewed at: www.arapahoegov.com and follow the path: Home > Departments > Public Works and Development > Planning and Land Development > Comprehensive Plan and SubArea Plans, then select Four Square Mile SubArea Plan, or click on this link:   http://www.arapahoegov.com/DocumentCenter/View/332. This application would amend the land use map of the subarea plan.

 

§  Procedures for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment may be found in the Arapahoe County Comprehensive Plan, section V-3. This document may be viewed at: www.arapahoegov.com and follow the path: Home > Departments > Public Works and Development >Planning and Land Development > Comprehensive Plan and SubArea Plans, then select Arapahoe County Comprehensive Plan, or click on this link: http://www.arapahoegov.com/DocumentCenter/View/330.

 

§  Public comment on the proposed amendment may be submitted in writing or through participation in the public hearing. Any written comments received by the time the Planning Commission staff report goes out will be included as an attachment (staff reports are typically sent seven to ten calendar days prior to the hearing date); written comments received after that time will be forwarded to the Planning Commission or provided to the Planning Commission at the time of the public hearing.

 

Parties who may submit comments include, but are not limited to:

§  Any interested party, whether in support, opposed, or neutral

§  Any referral agency (these may be service providers such as school districts, water and sanitation districts, County departments, or others)

§  Individual property owners within the neighborhood

§  Home Owners’ Association

§  Neighborhood Association

 

Ways to submit written comment:

By email (please copy both in case someone is unexpectedly out of the office):

jyeckes@arapahoegov.com – Jan Yeckes, Planning Division Manager

jiturreria@arapahoegov.com – Julio Iturreria, Long Range Planning Program Manager

 

By mail:

Arapahoe County Planning Division Manager

Public Works and Development Department

Arapahoe County Lima Plaza

6924 S. Lima St.

Centennial CO 80112

 

Additional ways to participate:

Provide public comment at the public hearing (comments by individuals are limited to three minutes each, so you may want to coordinate issues and have speakers arranged to address specific information to ensure all areas are covered).

 

The Staff Report to the Planning Commission will be posted to the County web site approximately one week prior to the noticed public hearing date at the following location: www.arapahoegov.com, follow the path: Home > Agendas and Minutes, then select Planning Commission, then the date of the hearing. From the agenda, you may click on the individual agenda item or just scroll down until you get to the staff report of interest. A direct link to the Agenda Center: http://www.arapahoegov.com/agendacenter.

 

Thank you for your interest and participation. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions.

 

Jan Yeckes, Planning Division Manager

Arapahoe County Public Works and Development

Arapahoe County Lima Plaza, 6924 South Lima Street, Centennial CO 80112

720-874-6655 Direct | 720-874-6650 Planning | 720-874-6574 TDD

jyeckes@arapahoegov.com | 720-874-6611 Facsimile | www.arapahoegov.com

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