HomeMy WebLinkAbout20050311.tiff -
Weld County Planning Department
GREELEY OFFICE
JAN 0 0 2005
CORRESPONDENCE RESPONSE,
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DEPARTMENT OFt-
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BOARD ACTION: (Initial by Approval) MG RM BJ DL GV
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Worksession --- -- -- --
METHOD OF RESPONSE:
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Department Head Signature
M:\CAROL\OPMAN\RDCOM P2
2005-0311
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Cf - ; Pi- 1-01119%
December 20, 2004
Attention: Weld County Commissioners
915 Tenth Street
P. O. Box 758
Greeley CO 80632
I appeared for a hearing on December 13, 2004. My husband and I had requested
a zoning permit for"Accessory to the Farm" and had been denied. In the denial letter
that we received we were told we had the option to request a hearing to review our
request. So we did. Had I known it was going to be such a complete waste of my time I
would not have bothered. It was obvious to me that you had decided against our
application before I said a word. You didn't want to "set a precedent" of allowing an
"accessory to the farm" on 80 acres.
I think there is a problem with the zoning department. Apparently they don't
review permit applications at all when they are submitted. They also don't review them
in a timely fashion. I turned in my permit application and my check for$300 on
9/17/2004. I never heard a word about my application from anyone at the department
until I received a letter in the mail dated 11/12/2004 denying our application. This
shocked me. Especially since while at the hearing I received the distinct impression that
there was no way our request would have been approved. If this is true why didn't the
zoning department provide better guidelines for the application and why didn't they call
us and tell us that we didn't meet the requirements and that our application would be
denied and simply return our application and our check?? Instead we had to go through
all this waiting and stress and aggravation.
Where I work we review approximately 300 permits a month. If there are
problems with a permit application we call them up and discuss it with them and help
them figure out a way to make it work or return the permit to them if there isn't a way it
can work. Every permit is reviewed within 30 days. I think you definitely need to look
at your current system and see if there isn't a better way to handle the applications.
After the hearing I went over to the planning department to find out about what
you told me I should do which is to file for a recorded exemption. Are you aware that a
recorded exemption costs $990? So now we are out the $300 we spent on a zoning
permit application and we will have to pay for the exemption and then if the exemption is
approved we will have to hire and pay a surveyor and last I checked surveyors were
pretty expensive. We will also have to pay for the building permit itself Have you
considered applying the $300 towards the recorded exemption fee in situations like this?
Or do you just consider it easy money? I almost forgot to mention the cost of making 10
copies of the packets, why exactly do you need 10 copies to apply for a recorded
exemption?? I thought all the computer and database upgrades were supposed to
eliminate the need for all these copies.
So for all this money please tell me what exactly it is that Weld County does for
us as taxpayers? Protect my home in case of fire?No, we are in the Wiggins Fire
Protection District (Morgan County.) Educate my children? No, my children attend
school in Wiggins (Morgan County.) Keep our county road in good condition? No, the
road grader shows up a couple of times a year and rarely even gets the washboards out.
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In fact the last time the road grader came by he didn't even lower his blade to the ground,
he just drove down the road. Provide me with electricity? No,the closest company that
provides electricity is Morgan County REA. Help me get good health insurance? No,
since our zip code is in Morgan County our insurance is also based on that.
When I explained what happened at the hearing to my husband, his comment was
that apparently it is "all about money." Why does it matter to Weld County if we have 2
homes on our land and one is our home and one is an accessory? How is that different
from applying for a recorded exemption and having 2 homes on our land? Apparently
the difference is that one costs a lot more than the other and with the recorded exemption
home "we can do whatever we want with it"per Commissioner Geile. Not to mention
that I am sure you will consider the home more valuable on it's own plot and charge us
more taxes.
As far as I can tell all Weld County does is charge us taxes and tell us what we
can't do on our own property. If I thought it would work I would secede from Weld
County and become part of Morgan County. I might at least get value for my tax dollars
with them.
Elaine& Tim Winick
25575 CR 89
Orchard, CO 80649
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