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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHEARTHFIRE (HOFFMAN) PUD - PRELIMINARY (REVISED) - 31-95A - MEDIA -Inside Fod ...fire museum... donationin aeu o taxes... From Letters, page a ................. est on the national debt. At a time when the public and politi- cians demand greater creativity and accountability from social programs, the same demands are not placed on the sacred cow of the Pentagon/national interest/war machine. Why is this so? Considering the current po- litical and social climate, I elect to pay my federal war taxes to organizations that favor compas- sion and mercy and promote justice, nonviolence, and peace. I will redirect those funds from the federal government, with its emphasis on militarism and so- cial disparity, to programs that offer alternative visions and fill the gaps. As a Christian Pacifist, I am saddened by the mean -spir- itedness in our country today. I am aware of the possible consequences for my actions. Nonetheless, there comes a time when one must hold the line and shout an emphatic no to the madness around us. I hope that these actions are a proper witness before the juggernaut of war and violence. John Kefalas, Fort Collins WE WELCOME YOUR let- ters. Include your name, ad- dress, and phone number. We prefer typewritten letters (limit 250 words) and resen e the right to edit for 'length and taste. Letters are pub- lished as space allows. Send letters, guest opin- ion (limit 400 words), reci- pes, suggestions, and cash to Inside Fort Collins, 140 W. Oak, Suite 210, Fort Collins, CO 80524, or by e-mail to inside(uverinet.com. Oil and gas fields are new issues in Fort Collins but not around the country... From Boomtown, page i........... spring for a residential develop- ment on the Hoffman property, now known as Hearthfire. At that time, Kathleen Kil- kelly, one of the founders of the Northeast Citizens Coalition, and others questioned the ad- usability of being locked in to city standards that require no less than three units per acre for residential development. She said the group met several times with project designer Jim Sell and sympathized with his di- lemma of meeting the city's den- sity requirement when designing around an active oil field. Den- ver -based Whiting Petroleum Corporation operates the Fort Collins field. "The city and design consult- ant didn't have an understand- ing of what they were dealing with [in planning around an oil field]," said Kathleen Kilkelly. Theodore Chamberlain, a spe- cialist in petroleum geology who also lives in the Richards Lake area, pointed out in a letter that "oil fields are dangerous places" where hard hats and special pre- cautions for fire and hydrogen sulfide gas must be taken. An- other neighbor described the effects of a recent oil spill. Wells dot the Fort Collins oilfield. Although not in the proposed Hearthfire development, this well is located near rural housing outside the city limits. But during Jim Sell's presen- tation to the planning and zon- ing board March 25, he said "oil and gas fields are new issues in Fort Collins, but not new around the country." Steve Olt, a city planner assigned to the project, concurred. He said other com- munities share space with oil wells. City staff recommended ap- proval of Hearthfire to the plan- ning and zoning board, Olt said, after the developer "made some significant changes" on the origi- nal proposal by providing for better transitions from rural to urban uses. Preliminary plans for Hearthfire includes 317 low, medium, and high density resi- dential units; limited commer- cial and business uses; and open space on the 105.3-acre tract. The planning and zoning board denied the Hearthfire Overall Development Plan and the preliminary Hearthfire Plan- ned Unit Development, how- ever. Last Monday, Lucia Liley, the developer's attorney, submit- ted an appeal to the decision. She wrote that the board "failed to properly interpret and apply the relevant provisions of the code and charter" and did not conduct a fair hearing, consid- ered misleading evidence, and failed to receive all relevant evi- dence from the developer. If the city attorney finds the appeal contains no "defects," said Molly Davis, deputy city clerk, then Hearthfire will be scheduled for a hearing by city council, possibly in May. Please Join Us For Spectacular Entertain Money to Get Local New! Come to PRFR DINNER Sunday, May 5, 1996 Reception Et Silent Ai Dinner Et Voice Au( Featuring Paul Gingei Entertainment by Mark Slo, Daughters Plus a Host of Othe Tickets $25 • Lincoln Center A The Fort Collins City Co interested, qualified apr volunteer positions on s commissions. Council appointments to the foil commissions in June: Affordable Housing I Air Quality Advisory Building Review Boe Commission on Disc Commission on the Community DeveloF Grant Commissi Cultural Resources Downtown Developr Election Board Golf Board Housing Authority Human Relations Ct Landmark Preserva Library Board Liquor/Massage Lic, QUESTION: I will not be able to pay your taxes. This to complete my personal incomr- ar FORT COLLINS, COLORADO APRIL 11, 1996 VOLUME2 • NUMBER30 Developer nppeals PEiZ denial Hearthfire project pumps on BY SUSAN HOSKINSON HORSEBACK RIDERS, great - horned owls, and oil wells all coexist near Richards Lake in an area directly north of the Fort Collins Country Club. The homes that line the north edge of the club's golf course on Richards Lake Road also over- look the oil field. Several pumps churn in an open area bounded by Larimer County Road 11 on the east and CR13 on the west. Yet, residents whose homes surround the area say nearby wetlands encourage wildlilc to regularly visit the oil field prop- erty, now within the city limits. In 1924, oil -well drilling be- gan here when the property was known as the Whitaker farm, three miles northeast of town. The Fore Collins Express -Courier reported daily progress at the Whitaker well site along with the sensational news of the big oil strike near Wellington. Speculation in oil encouraged the newspaper to boast later that Fort Collins population would reach 50,000 by 1928. That didn't happen, and the boom slowed to a simmer for more than 30 years. Now, a portion of the open land directly north and east of Richards lake may experience a housing boom instead. Richards Lake Development Company submitted plans last See Boomtown, page 3... Clockwise: Spareman Kellen Kinrairl, public-relalious op'irer Tom Lucero, satel ile buileler)olrn West. ents Catch the WAVE rebereforsi ulateu pace preparefor space mission BY HELEN TAYLOR BLAST OFF IS SCHEDULED for the morning of April 18. At that time, a team of five student astronauts and one teacher from Webber jun- ior High School will hunker down inside a 12- foot-high, fully equipped shuttle for a 40-hour journey through outer space. Several other stu- dents will monitor their progress from mission control, and students throughout the school and from visiting schools will witness the event. Although the space journey will he simulated and mission control is a classroom, the stu- dents working on the project emulate their NASA counterparts with all seriousness. The program is called Webber Aerospace Ventures in Education, commonly known -,is- WAVE. Instructor Grant Pahlau, who pioneered the elective course and after-schrxrl program, Srr. Space, page 9.. INSIDE FORT COLLINS ASKS...