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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20031110.tiff Weld County Planning Department To: David Long GRTI 0, HUE From: Daniel &Amy Rice FEB 2 1 2003 2094 Bryant Drive Longmont, CO 80504 RE C E Y V D 303-485-5120 Date: Feb 16th, 2003 We are very concerned about the church development planned for just west of our neighborhood (The Elms at Meadowvale). We have been informed that this church is planning to build a large outdoor amphitheater and a very large, TALL auditorium. While the implications of these structures are by themselves unacceptable to our community, the projected traffic they would generate is off the charts. We are informed that they plan to use our community as a primary access route into their grounds. A nightmare producing number I have seen is 56,000 additional cars coming through per day. Even if this were an order of magnitude smaller, it would still be completely unacceptable. My wife and I (and I'm sure most of our neighbors) chose this community in part because of its built in extra space and general healthiness for raising a family. It is designed to be quiet and safe. My wife is a homemaker and we home school our four children,and are consequently home a lot. The planned church would likely ruin most of what we value about this community. I am concerned primarily(but not exclusively) about the following potential implications: - Increased traffic through our development. Its intrusion into the peace and quiet and the threat it poses to the safety of our community and our children. - The auditorium's height would badly mar the skyline and effect property values. - The outdoor amphitheater would likely produce a lot of noise intruding into our neighborhood. This will be particularly true if it is not oriented correctly. - The proposed parking lot(6000 cars)would, along with helping to generate all the extra traffic, likely add a lot of ambient light at night. This neighborhood is, right now, an excellent place for night sky watching(very little "light pollution"). Among other things we have heard are that the church originally planned to put these structures up closer to the intersection of County Line Rd 1 and 119, and to put their proposed housing nearer to our neighborhood. This plan might be much better than what they are thinking of now. We would like the Weld County Board of Commissioners to think long and hard before rezoning this land and extending the subsequent approval required to make this a reality (nightmare). We appreciate your consideration of our concerns, 2003-1110 Daniel &Amy Rice EXHIBIT 130 Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE FER 2 5 2003 l rrn 7 n ?: II M't i 09 Rk..'\.. NED 1� February 20,2003 County Commissioner Mr. David Long PO Box 758 Greeley,CO 80632 Dear David, I am writing this letter in concern as a homeowner in Weld County,Medowvale subdivision,in regards to the impending buildings going up to the West of us. Bringing in a huge Amphitheater and traffic to go with it,will take away the serenity and view of the mountains that we all want and paid for. I don't care if there is a church there,but I moved just outside the city to get away from the"hussle&bussle". The church alone will bring a lot of traffic. I understand that growth is a normal process and revenues are a good thing,but it is my understanding that the church and all affiliated with it are tax exempt? How is Weld County and it residents benefiting from this growth? It's huge! It's costly! Why can't it be built closer to 125 for easy access for all the out of town people it will bring? Please consider the little people and not let this HUGE Mega-plex take place. Put limits and rules. Sincerely, Penny Rehn EXHIBIT Page 1 ! 31 Weld County Planning Department GREET FY OFFICE FER 2 5 2003 David Long P.o. box'158 --- ., r D Greeley, CD Solon Pi! 51 R �i s L Dear Mr. Long Where do I begin? What can I do? What will it tatce to persuade Weld County to agree to not to rezone the property currently owned by Life Bridge Church from agricultural to residential. It hardly seems possible that this isn't a dream. How can a "church" have the capability to build such a complex of this size? As a resident of the elms of Meadow Vale subdivision I do not want this "church" in my bacK yard. The simple request to rezone the land as residential is a jolts!! How can a boon-seat out door amphitheater or a 400o-seat auditorium be remotely considered a residential development? I do not want a Fiddlers Green in my bacK yard. I do not want an auditorium the size the Buell Theater in my bacK yard. I don't the traffic associated with this development on my street. My children's safety will be an issue. I don't want the crime or the noise associated with type of development. Question?? A church is considered a non-profit organization, will they also be exempt from paying taxes. Who will pay for the extra manpower to police the area? Who will pay for maintenance of the streets? Most of the fire stations are volunteer based. Who will pay the extra fireman needed? The cost to Weld County will be great, but who will benefit. Most of the members are Boulder County residents. The list of negatives goes on and on. LooK at the plan closely. See how negatively it would impact both the residents of the surraounding communities as well as Weld County. I feel that we live in "Nowhere Land". We have Longmont addresses, we live in Weld County, and our zip code S05o4 will occasionally automatically pull up Fredria as our city of residence. We need to heard and represented. Mr. Vaad has put us in hazardous position. We have no true representation. Please hear our pleas and see how wrong it would be to allow this development to move forward. - a�IOU c C ris ine Hains EXHIBIT 32 Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE Mr. David Long ' _ FEB 2 6 2003 .day I share my position on Life Bridge? RECEIVED "Entitlements" The question here is...Who's 2 And the priority, each should have. r-L-:i - The future is unknown. With the exception of death and Taxes. Which leads us to the 'charter' of the commissioners. I believe it imperative that the commission put tax revenues high in its decision process. What tax revenue will this undertaking generate? Especially near-term, during the construction phases. Will it pay for the infrastructure that it consumes,on an on-going, and increasing basis? Will it pay for: roads, sewer, water, fire protection, traffic congestion, and noise pollution. What about adequate Weld county police protection ? My home building site was robbed twice during construction in 1998. Will it enhance the value of adjacent property? thus INCREASING the county's tax revenue base, to pay for these infrastructure costs? Or will the Weld county tax office be inundated with neighborhood taxpayers contesting valuations and assessments? I attended an 'information' meeting, initiated by Lifebridge. Feb 3, 2003 The structure maximum height, stated in the meeting by Bruce Grinnell, was 90 feet. '�Nhat is the actual height requested on the re-zoning document? Was his statement accurate? My request "REJECT the Lifebridge rezoning petition" Additionally, I have all the same concerns that other letter writers are expressing to you. Please give serious consideration to my "tax revenue" point. Thank", atce Paul R. King 1877 Meadow Vale Rd Longmont, Co 80504 EXHIBIT 33 Mike Geile Part.001 Weld County Planning Department_ Page 1 GREELEY OFFICE FEB 2 6 2003 RECEIVED To All Board Members: My name is Carol Zuber. I live at 11720 Montgomery Circle, Longmont, CO. 80504, at the Elms at Meadowvale subdivision. I am writing to inform you of my disapproval of possibly approving the building of the new Lifebridge Church, here in our subdivision. I am not against building a church, however; I am against building a complex of such multitude. I have researched such"Megachurchs"and have found out the following information: 1)Traffic Congestion: Building this church would not only congest traffic along 119, but also in our little semi-rural subdivision. Not to mention the wear&tear on the above mentioned streets. Constant repair will be inevitable. Who will pay for this?The untaxable megachurch? Either another traffic light will have to be installed or else a patrolman will have to direct traffic.We will also need more policemen patrolling the area. Once again,who will pay for this? 2) Safety: My research indicates that along with these"Megachurchs"follows crime. Eg.-The breaking in of cars and sometimes buildings.We chose to live in this subdivision because it was understood that it was zoned"semi-rural".We felt that our children and grandchildren would be a little safer living in such a rural environment. This will not happen when a numerous amount of cars driven down our streets will more likely increase the amount of accidents between cars and pedestrians.The breaking in of cars& buildings is another problem. 3) Noise Pollution: With the building of an ampitheater comes noise.We moved to a peaceful community. We would like it to stay that way.Just the traffic alone will cause an increased amount of noise.There are people living in this subdivision that currently work the night shift.They need to sleep during the day. My husband is sometimes one of them. Being a Commander and S.W.A.T. Commander on the Longmont Police Force, he sometimes will work a long day,then be called out during the night. He expects to be able to sleep when he gets home. This will not be possible even if it wasn't on a Sunday. I researched the -�-. activities and programs they provided at the church. I was very surprised to see the large number of activities and events they had on any given day.The least amount of activites I found were 17 in one day. And that day was not a Sunday. I could go on and on but I think you get the point. Many neighbors in my subdivision feel the same way I do.We do not want this mega church and community built in our neighborhood. Please think about what I said. If you were living in our subdivision,would you like it to be built so close to home? Thank you so much for your time and consideration regarding this matter. It really is appreciated. Sincerely, Carol E.Zuber EXHIBIT 1 3< • (Mike Gede- Part.001 Page 1 <P>Dear sirs,</P> <P>l am writing to you to tell you about my experiences living in East Longmont.We loved our home and our neighbors. Unfortunately the traffic along 119 became unbearable. People were driving through our residential neighborhood and throwing trash in our park.&nbsp; My husband and two children and I were forced out of our neighborhood.We moved near the Longmont Rec center because we were afraid our children would be run over by traffic going through the neighborhood.We saw many near misses.</P> <P>l understand that a bypass is being built. However, if the Lifebridge annexation goes through as planned,this bypass will just fill up with cars again. I think mega churches need to be encouraged to downscale and make several smaller churches, and not huge complexes that ruin neighborhoods. It is unfair to do this to the people that live in those neighborhoods. I hope you will consider asking Life bridge to keep their current facility and just build another smaller church and school in the Weld area.Thank you for listening to my opinion.</P><BR><BR><p><br><hr size=1>Do you Yahoo!?<br> <a href="http://rd.yahoo.com/O=1/l=brandr/vday03/text/flow/fittp://shopping.yahoo.com /shop?d=browse&id=20146735">Yahoo! Shopping</a>-Send Flowers for Valentine's Day Weld County Planning Department Department of Planning Services GREELEY OFFICE Mr. Kim Ogle Ms.Monica Daniels-Mika , •rl FERt 2 6 2003 County Commissioners ,r Mr. Glenn Vaad L' r:21 25 +ft3' Mr. David Long L U M.J.Geile �_ l..__ .,._. ,,_� Mr.William Jerke f tE( :: •:` ' Mr. Robert Masden 02-23-03 RE:Re-zoning of property on the northeast corner of WCR 3-1/2 and Hwy 119 in Weld County. Dear planning staff and commissioners, Lifebridge Church has submitted a re-zoning request to build a VERY large.VERY high-use development immediately adjoining the east side of the residential Longview community and the west side of the Genesee,Elms and Meadowvale residential developments. I have many concerns about this issue, some of which are the following: 1. Traffic,traffic,traffic,transient traffic,construction traffic for their 50 year plan 2. Noise 3. Resale value on my home 4. Safety issues with thousands of people coming and going in a residential area 5. Light pollution 6. The huge complex not being compatible with the existing neighborhood 7. Tax increases to cover the cost of Weld County services for this area 8. Controls on future building phases of the church complex 9. Visual pollution 10. Does Weld County have enough fire,police,EMT's to cover the increase of people and places in the area and will this be a tax burden on the current home owners in the area because the church is a non-profit organization that pays a much lower tax, if any. This is not just a church it is a MEGA-DEVELOPMENT involving more than just a"church complex." Lifebridge plans to partner up with many non-church commercial entities of their choosing to help pay for the development. My understanding is this area is currently zoned agricultural.The Weld County multi-use development, (M.U.D.)plan specifies the proposed development site could be re-zoned as residential. The bulk of the re-zoning request submitted to Weld County is for CI (neighborhood commercial)and C2 (general commercial). C2 zoning violates the Weld County code which requires compatibility with existing environment. I realize that zoning it residential technically allows for churches, schools,etc.,but the proposed complex of this size is not compatible with the existing residential neighborhood. I am not anti-church or anti-change. All I ask for is a sensible development. Lifebridge is large and powerful,but as a Weld County homeowner I am very,very dismayed you may allow this complex to go forth and be built. Especially when so many current residents are aghast at the plans. I am counting on you to follow the rules without any undo influence, from Commissioner Glenn Vaad,an elder with Lifebridge,even though he has said he would exclude himself from the final vote.I am asking you not to allow Lifebridge to build this very large,high use development in my neighborhood. I am alarmed at the prospect of this happening. Not that it is any concern of yours,but have any of you ever questioned the reason Boulder County would not let Lifebridge expand on their current 35 acres??? W azds, 0 81O1 Bobbie Evert 11302 Bryce Longmont,CO. 80504 EXHIBIT 35 Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE Mr. David Long FEB 2 7 2003 County Commissioner 7 r n o_ D Weld County RECEIVED Kathleen Trubell Ili LJJ 11713 Elmer Linn Drive Longmont, Co. 80504 February 24, 2003 Dear Mr. Long I have a need to write this letter to address my concerns as to what is being proposed near my home. The purpose of this letter is to point out the devastating affect the Life Bridge Christian Church future development will have on four surrounding residential communities. I will start off by stating that the elaborate proposal is illegal for this community. The property that Life Bridge is looking to purchase was zoned for residential use only. I understand that a church is permissible under this zoning but it is illegal to build 120 foot plus tall buildings, a 6000 seat amphitheater, a 6000 seat auditorium, a university,youth center, and recreation center. All these facilities and the people who will run these add up to an over abundance of traffic which will cause congestion to County Line 3 V2 and Hwy. 119, not to mention the air pollution that will be created, when built out, with over 25, 000 cars per day. My question is; will tax payers be willing to have their taxes increased to pay for build out of these roads and to accommodate the added police and fire protection? The proposed development will have an impact on the water quality of the St. Vrain River from the increased urban storm water runoff. And who owns outstanding shares of the Oluqarchy ditch and how will Life Bridge work with that? I can not understand why Weld County is not taking a more thoughtful and caring interest in this matter. Are the commissioners being influenced by someone or something to be in such a hurry to want to pass something that is not agreeable to the majority of people in these communities? I moved to this peaceful area two years ago with investigated information that there were no long range plans for such an aggressive and stifling development. Now, all I see is future noise and traffic pollution, traffic congestion, poor water rights, and sky scraper architectures. I am sure my taxes will be increased dramatically to support the extra cost in developing this project, since they are considered a church and their tax base will be much lower than the single dwelling residences in the surrounding area. My goal in moving out of the city of Longmont, was to appreciate the peace of the countryside and to receive the privileges of Weld County in retirement. I now see that fading quickly. • I 34 Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE David Long PO Box 758 FEB 2 7 2003 _ Greeley, CO 80632 RECEIVED 26 52 Dear David Long: DL , I am writing to you to express my strong objection to the proposed zoning change for Life Bridge Christian Church. I have several concerns regarding the development including environmental impact, property value, traffic patterns and tax disbursement. My main concerns are listed below. Impact on the environment: A study performed by the Department of Transportation indicates that Life Bridge's proposed campus could produce up to 56,000 car trips a day. This is the amount of traffic generated on Interstate 25 between Highway 7 and Highway 34 on a daily basis. As we are all aware, Colorado is in midst of a severe drought. The sheer quantity of people would stress the already short water supply. Furthermore, the proposal has a parking lot for 6,000 cars. The impact from snow removal chemicals and oil and gas run off would be tremendous. The property abuts an irrigation ditch for other farms. How will this impact them? The property in question is a haven for wildlife, each morning my family wakes to the sound of migratory geese and falls asleep to the sound coyotes. How will this retail, commercial development impact them? Property value: My home is on the western edge of the Elms subdivision. I paid a large lot premium for a mountain view, not a church's parking lot, amphitheater, steeple, outbuildings, outreach center, etcetera. I was expecting the property to be developed in the future, but not to the extent of the church's mega campus. Their ideas of a development this large do not appear to be in line with the spirit of Weld County zoning regulations. Particularly, a church campus of this magnitude sandwiched between two rural residential communities. Traffic patterns: I am a mother of three small children and like many other families in my community, I feel that the sheer volume of predicted traffic is a disaster waiting to happen, i.e., sometime and somewhere in these communities a child will be fatally injured! Currently, our kids play hockey, basketball, and ride bikes in the street. With an estimated 56,000 cars a day, the kids will most likely be kept in-side, both to avoid a fatality noted above and to avoid the possibility other catastrophes happening to my kids. County Budget and Taxes: A non-profit organization, such as Life Bridge, will put an even greater burden on an already strained county budget. Who will pay for the extra police and emergency services which will be needed to service this monumental church development? Life Bridge has proposed an auditorium and amphitheater not exclusive for its own use. What is the county commissions position regarding these buildings being rented to non-church affiliated organizations for events such as music concerts? EXHIBIT 1 37 Has the county commission office also received any assurances from Life Bridge Church elders that IF this disastrous plan does get approval, that the land will ONLY be used for church purposes and not sold for sheer profit and gain? Your sinter y con rued constituent, Anda Brenholt Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE Barb Poquette FEB 2 7 2003 2778 Cherry Lane Denver,N. C. 28037 RECEIVED Feb. 24,2003 Mr. Kim Ogle 1555 N. 17 Avenue Greeley, Co. 80631 Dear Mr. Ogle, I have just completed reading about the LifeBridge Christian Church which is asking for rezoning in an area which the Weld County Master Plan has already zoned residential. Even though I now live in North Carolina,I was raised in the Longmont area and had lived there for 43 years. I still call it"Home". I have many valuable relationships with friends there and even have one son and his family who reside there. Needless to say,I return often. I have seen the beautiful Meadow Vale area and can see how a church would be welcomed in the place, but not a 6000 seat amphitheater, a college, a 6000 seat auditorium,an outreach center or youth center, or buildings that are 10 times the size of a normal home. Surely there are suitable areas where this type of project would be welcomed. I have been employed by a local church in my area for 8 years and would be the first to encourage additional religious facilities. But would also be the first to admit that a church of this massive size would not be advisable nor welcomed in a rural neighborhood such as Longview. The LifeBridge Church is probably the dream of many well-meaning people but I hope you will take into consideration the dreams of those families already living in the area. Many families have saved for years to be able to own their own homes. Homes that were zoned residential and to their knowledge would remain that way,that's why they located there. They have sacrificed, saved,and invested their life savings hoping for a future free from worry that their children will become an auto fatality. In reading the study from the Department of Transportation,when the entire area is finished,a top figure for car trips in a day would be 56,000. This is not a figure that should be used in accordance with a neighborhood church. I am sure this is not what the Planning Commission had in mind when they wrote"a church would be a reasonable addition to a residential area." I have noted that not only do the neighbors of this planned church oppose its development,but even the City of Longmont has expressed their concern to Weld County. Shouldn't the voices of those most closely affected be considered first? Do those responsible for the project realize that the residents do not want this building next to them? Do they think that forcing its construction will somehow make their neighbors like the situation more? If their hoping that"Love thy neighbor"will come into play in this situation, maybe they should consider it first. My letter is from many miles away but my love for the City remains. I have seen unplanned growth, greed, and indifference destroy something that could continue to be beautiful. We all want what is best for the area but need to remember that when you erect buildings you are also erecting positive or negative affects on lives. Please don't allow this travesty to happen in my "Home." Sincerely, EXHIBIT AA' 3? Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE FEB 22 7 2003 j2CFF Mr. Kim Ogle Februa 2tjO& IVED Dept. of Planning Services Weld County Administrative Offices 1555 N. 17th Avenue Greeley, CO 80631 Mr. Ogle, We are residents in the Elms at Meadowvale subdivision in Longmont on the border of Boulder and Weld counties. On March 18, 2003 there will be a planning commission meeting to discuss the rezoning of several hundred acres to the west of our subdivision. The Lifebridge Christian Church has submitted plans to build a mega-church complex in the farm field directly adjoining our residential subdivision. Though we do not object to the fact that Lifebridge wants to build a church, we do object to what Lifebridge terms a "church campus" in what is becoming a burgeoning residential neighborhood. Lifebridge claims, in their own material about the campus, that they intend to build "facilities that go beyond the traditional worship, education and fellowship model". This clearly is NOT a residential use of the property; it's a mega-complex!! Studies performed by the Department of Transportation show that, when completed, the mega- complex could produce up to 56,000 car trips a day! Lifebridge plans to provide parking for all this traffic in lots twice the size of the Twin Peaks Mall in Longmont and on a par with Invesco Field in Denver, hardly residential complexes. Much of the traffic heading for these parking lots will be routed through our neighborhood if a planned extension of one of our community roads, Pearl Howlette Drive, is connected to the east side of their mega-complex. Based on current Lifebridge plans, the main entrance to the church will be via Pearl Howlette Drive. This will cause a traffic nightmare on a stretch of road that was to be used to access a community playground, • jeopardizing the safety of the children in the neighborhood as well as making access to our mailbox complex difficult during church services each Sunday and during special events which Lifebridge currently boasts numbered 267 in 2002. Lifebridge currently has to employ off-duty police officers to help maintain order and direct traffic during Sunday services and special events at their current location. Could you imagine the nightmare it would cause on our residential streets in our neighborhood? Not to mention the impact to traffic flow on Highway 119 in and out of Longmont? We expect the number of special events to increase if current plans to build an outdoor amphitheatre the size of Fiddler's Green, a 6000 seat auditorium, a college, an outreach center and youth center in the mega-complex are allowed. When most of the residents moved into the Elms at Meadowvale complex, not to mention the neighboring Meadowvale Farms community to the east and Longview subdivision to the west of the proposed mega-complex, we anticipated the land to be used for open space or additional residential housing. Now we are finding out that, if the re-zoning is approved, that Lifebridge plans to construct buildings as high as 200 feet, which is roughly ten times the height of an average house. In addition, Lifebridge plans to sell off the southern half of the property to pay for the construction of the mega-complex, which could result in even more commercial buildings being built. Because of the size of the mega-complex it will undoubtedly attract additional commercial interest in the neighboring parcels of land. These hardly sound like residential uses of the land to us. Most cities and counties along the Front Range are limited to structures of no more than 50 feet high, Lifebridge would like to build structures five times that height. For those of us who plan to live here for many years to come we also worry about what would happen if Lifebridge built most, if not all, of the mega-complex and decided to move elsewhere or sell out. What would become of these"residential" structures they plan to build? Dr 39 The city of Longmont has been very opposed to the mega-complex Lifebridge is trying to build and worries today about how the city will be viewed if the first thing most visitor's to the city arriving from 1-25 see is a mall-like facility reaching to the sky impeding many of the views it is noted for, specifically Longs Peak. We also have concerns that our county commissioner, Mr. Glenn Vaad, is not properly representing our district, as he is a church elder at Lifebridge Church and has recused himself from the voting on the re-zoning. That leaves a district that has contributed over$2 million dollars in tax revenue without a representative. How will our voice/vote be heard? It is for these reasons we ask those that have a vote on the re-zoning request being submitted by Lifebridge Church to REJECT the application based on the plans submitted to date. What we are asking has nothing to do with religion or ones personal beliefs but fairness of having our lifestyle in our community curtailed around what they do in the proposed mega-complex next door, their comings and goings to use these"facilities that go beyond traditional worship", not to mention Sunday's when a existing clergy of 2700 members head to the complex for services. The effect on property values for adjoining communities would suffer if the land were re-zoned. Who would knowingly want to live next to the equivalent of a shopping mall with an outdoor amphitheatre and mini convention center? Please help our community stop irresponsible development! Sincerely, •`mil,`/- Robert and Diane Harrison 11696 Montgomery Circle Longmont, Colorado 80504 Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE Ice Mr.Kim Ogle FEB 2 8 2003 Dept of Planning Services Weld County Administrative Offices RECEIVED From:Daniel&Amy Rice Date 2-25.O3 We are very concerned about the Lifebridge plan for the land just west of our neighborhood(The Elms At Meadowvale).While it is our understanding that the area requires rezoning from agricultural to residential,and that'residential'usually includes churches,the Lifebridge vision seems to stretch the concept of"church"beyond the breaking point,particularly where the spirit of its inclusion in residential is concerned. The picture(perhaps idyllic)that forms in most people's minds-a modest steeple standing guard over the roofs of houses-is nothing like Lifebridge s long-term ambitions as we understand them.These apparently include a huge(vertical)auditorium,outdoor amphitheater,outdoor parking for 6,000 cars and many other objectionable ideas which in no way fit the general idea of "church"or"residential". We chose to build in this neighborhood in part because of its spaciousness,low density traffic and quiet. We wanted a quiet,sale place to raise our kids.Amy is a homemaker and we are home a lot. We were also hoping our home would prove to be a good long term investment II Weld County rezones the land,and Lifebridge has its way,all these things will be negatively effected.We are Christians and would welcome a modest community church in the area(perhaps one more in keeping with its founder Jesus-of whom it was said"He had no place to lay His head"),but this Ltfebridge vision is not in the least compatible with our community. One of the things we value about Boulder and Weld counties as they currently exist is the preservation of the skyline.Boulder has a signs limitation law(limiting the heights and sizes of signs)and also limits the heights of the buildings built there.While there are things we find questionable about Boulder,these limitations are,in our view,very intelligent laws with long term effects wisely taken into account.This,we believe,is a large part of why it remains such a physically attractive place. Lifebridge apparently plans to build an auditorium that that will be roughly 200 feet high.Is this in the long term interest of Weld County?It certainly isn't compatible with our residential community nor is it in our neighborhood's long term interest. We have heard estimations(high end?)of the traffic that might be generated by the planned Lifebridge community.56,000 car trips is,in our estimation,well MORE than an order of magnitude out of bounds and out of the compatibility domain of a residentially zoned area. We are concerned about the very idea of an outdoor amphitheater and the excess noise it will introduce to our neighborhood,particularly with their plan to rent it out and maximize its use. If oriented poorly,this could be a sound(literal and figurative)disaster for our neighborhood. Because of the spacing of houses and the lighting the community has chosen to put into this neighborhood,the ambient light at night is very nice and the sky remains clear for star gazing, something we value greatly.Lifebridge would bring a lot of so called"light pollution"that would ruin this facet of our community. This represents the SHORT list of our concerns about Lifebridges long term vision for its "church". If you wish to hear more,feel free to call us. Daniel&'Amy Rice EXHIBIT I 1/10 Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE FEB 2 8 2003 Michelle Floriolli RECEIVED 11467 Hot Springs Longmont, CO 80504 February 26, 2003 Kim Ogle Dept. of Planning Services Weld County Administration Offices 1555 N 17th Ave. Greeley, CO 80631 Dear Kim Ogle, I am a resident of Longview and have lived in this quiet, quaint neighborhood for the past 18 months. I am a person who supports construction, which is compatible to the surrounding community. In fact, my occupation is funding and supporting the construction of primary and secondary residences. My office is located 40 miles from my home, in South Denver. Yes, this may sound like a ridiculous commute. However, I felt what Longview and the surrounding area offered, out weighed the distance. Longview is a safe, quiet neighborhood. We are only four miles from Longmont's Main Street, yet we have a country feel. If Lifebridge is allowed to move forward with their colossal, money earning project, numerous changes will occur and the cons defmitely out-weigh the pros. Lifebeidge's proposal will bring thousands of people to this quiet, rural area. Again, I agree with new"compatible" development such as new homes. Homeowners will take care of their neighborhood, not hurt or steal from their neighbors. They will help watch and protect their community, not cause havoc. Lifebridge's Mega-plex will bring thousands upon thousands of transients to this area. Whether these transients are church members, students or other individuals attending functions at the facilities, they will create more traffic and decrease everyone's safety in some way. More traffic increases the danger to residents and other commuters. Longview has two entrances/exits. Both connect Longview to CR 31/2. Lifebridge planes to create several entrances/exits, which will also connect to CR 3'/2. As I see it, residents of Longview will be trapped in the development when functions at the Mega-plex empty. As I understand, experts have projected high traffic numbers if the entire area is used for homes only. This may be true, however; thousands of residents do not leave their homes simultaneously, such as people leaving events at the Mega-plex will. To make matters worse, CR 3'/2 would not be expanded during phase 1 and possibly phase 2. So they county will force over 3500 people to use this little 2-lane (half dirt) road for several years. Does sound inconvenient to you? Again, increased traffic increases your chance for an accident. Again, we will have a road that will not be able to support the massive amount of vehicles and EXHIBIT Floriolli Letter page 1 people. As the Mega-plex grows, there will have to be another exit. As Bruce Grinnell stated in Longview's community meeting in January, the fire department insists upon having the Pearl Howlett Drive exit created. However, in Longview's community meeting in February, Grinnell recanted this information somewhat. He stated this exit would not be created in phase 1, which misled several residents to believe that this exit would never be created. What he didn't say is that eventually the exit will have to be created as the Mega-plex grows. My question to you is "How many people like sitting in traffic?" Not many if any! Almost everyone gets impatient when trying to leave a function, so what will the ramifications be? People will use the Pearl Howlett Drive exit to "out smart" other commuters. Note this exit goes right through a development with children playing. How safe is this for a child, or anyone, in a development. How many people will NOT follow the speed limit? There is too great a chance for people, especially children to get hurt. Think back to when you were 18-25 and attending college or a function. How many short cuts did you take to beat the traffic? How fast did you drive through neighborhoods? How often did you think about the consequences of your decisions? As the transient traffic increases the chance for crime will also increase. Our police force is strained as is and there is no extra money in the budget to assist with protecting the residents. Think about our current response time. Yes we may only be 4 miles from the police station, but that station is Boulder County, NOT Weld County. Just recently, I had issues with being connected to the proper fire station. The first two times I was connected with Boulder County Fire. Unfortunately, they were unable to assist me since I live in Weld County. As extra money is needed, residents'tax will increase. Lifebridge's Mega-plex will be the main reason for the extra funds being needed; however, they will not have to pay anything. What about the noise and light pollution? Per Grinnell, Lifebridge opens around 6 or 7 a.m. and closes at midnight. These hours mean noise of various kinds almost continuously, not to mention the lights in the parking lot. If Lifebridge is safety conscious, they will keep the parking lot lights on every minute it's dark. The residents in this area chose NOT to live near the Twin Peaks Mall. Why would we want something of that size near us now? Has anyone thought of the no human lives we will be effecting? We have some amazing waterfowl in this area. Remember, for every pair of eyes we see there are at least 100 pairs we don't see. Wildlife of all kinds will be displaced in one way or another. Yes you can argue that new residences will disperse them, but not even close to the way the Mega-plex will. Think about the amount of asphalt that will be used to make the parking lots alone plus the amount of land for the numerous enormous buildings. Per Grinnell, they will preserve our historical ditch by putting it under ground. How is that preserving it? "Look honey at the beautiful canal of concrete." We are learning every day about how precious our water resource is. What about the animals that use the ditch for their livelihood? How are they going to get the resources they need if it is buried under concrete? Floriolli Letter page 2 The main reason I am against the Mega-plex boils down to one thing... it is NOT compatible with the area. The smallest building is going to 2 stories. Okay, that sounds fine, but wait! That's 2 stories in commercial building, which equates to a 5 story home or higher! A 5 stow home! How is that compatible with the community? Many individuals moved to this area because it was zoned as residential. The average person thinks residential... homes. Not office size buildings, amphitheaters or concert halls in the middle of the community. I am NOT against religion in any way. I agree with freedom of speech and religion very much so. Grinnell said in Longview's February meeting, "We want to be good neighbors." I don't see how this is possible when a vast number of the community is against what Lifebridge is planning. Lifebridge says this is a 40-year project. As a person in construction, I know all they need is money to put this project in high gear. The ideas they are proposing will increase the church's revenue a 100 times over. What about the little man? What about the community? We pay taxes, yet we have no one to support us in our time of need since our county commissioner has removed himself from this situation due to conflict of interest. Doesn't this go against my constitutional rights? Taxation without representation! Before voting for or against this Mega-plex proposal, put yourself in the shoes of the residence of the community. I doubt you would want something this massive near your quiet community. Lifebridge wants to bring the community closer together which is quite admirable. Yet the only thing I see Lifebridge accomplishing, is alienating the existing community. Please take time when reaching a decision. Your vote will effect many lives and several species. Thank you for your consideration involving this matter. Michelle L. Flo Longmont Resident cc: Monica Daniels-Mika Floriolli Letter page 3 11703 Pleasant Hill Road Longmont,CO 80504 Mark and Jennifer Hargrove 303-774-8075 c^ Weld County Planning Department February 23, 2003 / -d GREELEY OFFICE FEB 2 8 2003 Chairman Glenn Vaad RECEIVED Weld County n Board of Commissioners P.O. Box 758 Greeley, CO 80632 Dear Mr. Vaad: We are writing to express our concern over the proposal for re-zoning presented by the Lifebridge Church for their property at Hwy.119 and County Road 3 'h. This property should not be re-zoned. The development plan submitted by Lifebridge in no way conforms to the Weld County requirement for congruent development and residential zoning. Our objections to the plan include: 1. Traffic. We used to live in the Shores area of Longmont and have driven by the current Lifebridge building on Hwy. 66 right after Sunday services. Traffic was jammed in both directions, and they required a police officer directing traffic. The roads around the proposed development site are even less capable of carrying this kind of traffic load. 2. Noise and Light Pollution. Unincorporated Weld County is a quiet, peaceful place to live. Indeed, its rural character is the very reason that many of us choose to live here. A"24/7" use complex would change this area into another suburb, like so many others. Also,the 6000-seat outdoor amphitheater is large enough to hold rock concerts, and there is no way to stop that from happening once the facility is built. Putting the equivalent of Fiddler's Green in the middle of a residential area is absurd and clearly violates what planners had in mind for the area. 3. Environmental and Aesthetic Impact. Weld County has no emissions test requirement for vehicles. The traffic level from the proposed development would create smog. A parking lot that size would almost certainly generate polluted run-off into the area's surface water. Migrating waterfowl and other wildlife use these bodies of water. In addition,there is no community in this area, except urban Denver,that contains buildings more than five stories tall. The fifteen-story structures proposed by Lifebridge would dwarf everything else in the area, including the natural beauty. 4. Cost. Lifebridge, as a non-profit organization, does not pay taxes. However, we do. Lifebridge won't be paying for extra police, fire, and rescue personnel, we will. Lifebridge won't be paying for road improvements and maintenance, we will. Indeed, every resident of Weld County will. Development in this area is inevitable. We would be pleased to have a typical neighborhood church as our new neighbor. However, a"church"that is a three-story building, used heavily on Sunday by 1000-2000 people is not appropriate for this area. A church loans its facilities to members for special occasions, not to renters for daily use. A church is a place for spiritual reflection, not a"24/7"center of commercial enterprise. The Lifebridge proposal is not for a church; it is for a-mall/entertainment complex. And we strongly object. Sincerely,/niGtC/---r Mark and Jennifer Hargrove EXHIBIT 1/2, rMike Geile- LBCC PUD request for rezoning Page 1 From: "Gene Merrill" <gcmrll@earthlink.net> To: <gvaad@co.weld.co.us>, <dlong@co.weld.co.us>, <mgeile@co.weld.co.us>, <wjerke@co.weld.co.us>, <rmasden@co.weld.co.us> Date: 3/1/03 1:44PM Subject: LBCC PUD request for rezoning Weld County Board of Commissioners PO. Box 758 c) Greeley, Co. 80632 Dear Sirs: As a tax paying citizen of Weld county residing at 11717 Elmer Linn in the Elms at Meadowvale, I would like to express my concerns for the rezoning request of the land for the Life Bridge Christian Church Mega center. This poses three major concerns. First: The amount of traffic this will funnel through the residential areas of Meadowvale and Longview makes very little sense. This will certainly require resources of security and maintenance that will severely tax already slim funding. I am sure this is very apparent to everyone and should be one of the major points in considering this proposal. Second issue is the safety issue of children and pedestrians trying to use the neighborhood streets. Due to the increase in traffic I hope that the Weld County is ready to accept the amount of injuries accidents and possible deaths that are inevitable with the amount to traffic projected for the roads in and around the Meadowvale and Longview Communities. This too should be a major consideration. Third: Pollution: Large complexes with amphitheaters will generate not only noise but light pollution also. I am certain that our county commissioners are well aware of how this relates to quality of life, which is why most residents chose to live in this area. Maybe alternative site planning would be an option. (Put residential areas next to the residential areas and the large and noisy sites near more industrial sites that would be less affected by noise and light.) In conclusion I would like to ask that the Weld County commissioners please take this rezoning request seriously and consider all of the consequences of this decision. I am sure after all of the alternatives are considered a reasonable solution can and will be achieved. Sincerely, Gene C. Merrill EXHIBIT 41/43 Dale E. Tenny 2112 Bryant Drive Longmont, Colorado 80504 Phone 720-494-8556 Fax 720-494-8557 F', } 9: 0 5 ter•; - February 28, 2003 Weld County Planning Department M. J. Geile GREELEY OFFICE William Jerke Commissioners at Large MAR 5 2003 Weld County 915 10th Street, 3`d Floor Greeley, CO 80631 RECEIVED RE: LifeBridge Christian Church, Proposed LBCC Development Gentlemen: I wrote earlier to District 2 Commissioner, Glenn Vaad, concerning this topic, without realizing that he was an Elder of the LifeBridge Church, a virtual traitor to some of the constituents who helped elect him, and—I suspect—a quietly proactive proponent of the LifeBridge project. He should resign as Commissioner! My wife and I moved here in late October, seeking a quiet, scenic, peaceful neighborhood suitable for retirement. With no heads-up warning from area home builder, Ryland (which undoubtedly knew about the LifeBridge church's plans), we have been further betrayed by politicians actually seriously considering a change in existing law—to accommodate a so-called non-profit (and non-tax-paying) church organization's extraordinary ambitious and profit-generating commercial plans(e.g., 100 ft. to 200 ft. tall buildings and paved parking for up to 5,000 automobiles). Why in the world would you want to see non-taxable development, and existing property value erosion, rather than continue to approve developments compatible with what is here ... and infinitely more taxable (i.e., profitable)for government over the long haul? If County government approves this program of outrageously incompatible development, and the LifeBridge Church is able to destroy what we sought here, we will sell (at an anticipated loss) -- and get out of Weld County. What a reputation Weld County and its planners will likely have established for themselves in this community for years to come. Sabotaging the intent of existing law because of political pressures from a non-tax-paying (but apparently profit-hungry) group of church administrators will damage Weld County budgets and reputation for the next 150 years. Who will pay(increased taxes) for the costly governmental services (including road modifications, police and fire protection, etc.) that will necessarily accompany a zoning change of the magnitude proposed? Not us; we assure you—at least, not beyond the price we will pay to get out of Weld County as quickly as possible— should you folks approve the zoning change. EXFNMT "4/y M. J. Geile William Jerke February 28, 2003 Page two It should be noted that the State of Colorado budget would also likely suffer if the church's plans were approved. From all I can tell, more costs and less revenue is not an advantage to anyone in the entire state. Commercial development belongs in the area south of Highway 119, not in the area apparently planned for profitable spin-off by the LifeBridge administrators. We sincerely urge you not to approve this"no good for nothing" zoning change. ery ru�� urs, f� 7,1 Dale E. Tenny Natalie P. Tenny CC: The Editor Daily Tribune 501 8th Avenue Greeley, CO 80631 Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE March 1, 2003 MAR 6 2003 Mr. David Long R.L ° 5' Weld County Commissioners P.O. Box 758 Greeley, CO 80632 Dear Mr. Long, We would really appreciate it if you would enforce the current rules and laws that are in effect with regard to the proposed Lifebridge Christian Church(LBCC) expansion and their subsequent rezoning request. We do not have objections to LBCC building a church in our community but we do strenuously object to the proposed MEGA Church that LBCC wants to build. We have gone to church at Faith Community Lutheran which is one quarter mile west of the current LBCC campus for about 20 years and we are well aware of the traffic congestion and confusion caused by the many vehicles going in and out of the LBCC campus. We do not need this congestion in our neighborhood and Weld County does not need the tremendous added expense of providing county services to this facility. It would appear that a large number of people who live in Boulder county are going to enjoy having Weld County residents foot the service bills for the LBCC facility. I would also ask where is the water going to come from to service this facility and is there adequate sewage disposal facilities available to handle the large amount of waste that this facility will create? The proposed LBCC expansion will be very detrimental to both Weld County and its residents, I can see absolutely no benefit to anyone except the few LBCC church members who purchased property adjacent to the LBCC property. Thank you for your consideration. Roger B. Olsen Dana March 3, 2003 Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE Mr. David Long rP.O. Box 758 MAR 6 2003 Greeley, CO 80632 —5 tci tO: 2^ RECE : VED Subject: Rezoning for LifeBridge Church We are opposed to the proposed zoning change for LifeBrid 'eht{i`eh tdr following reasons: The Weld County Master Plan calls for the area to be used as residential. The loop hole is that residential allows churches. However a 6000 seat amphitheater, a 6000 seat auditorium, a college, an outreach center, a youth center and more is simply more then what the regulations had in mind. This mega-church is not the church the zoning regulations spoke to. The required study performed by the Department of Transportation indicated that, at maximum build-out, the complex could produce up to 56,000 car trips per day. This is the same amount of traffic that travels between Highway 7 and Highway 34 on Interstate 25 on a daily basis. How is that residential, or for that matter even close. The combined number of parking spaces would be twice the number of the Twin Peaks Mall and more than Invesco Field. An outdoor amphitheater the size of Fiddler's Green in the middle of three residential neighborhoods would create noise, air and light pollution. The 6000 seat auditorium will be twice as large as the Buell theater. Up to 30% of each building could have an allowable height of 150-200 feet. That is 10 times the height of a standard house in the area. The Southern area of the development will be sold off to independent developers to help LifeBridge pay for their buildings. This means we will have no input on density, heights and use once the land is re-zoned. Pearl Howlett Drive will be opened into the development, causing traffic to wind through our neighborhoods. Weld County wants this opened to make interconnectivity between neighborhoods. The main entrance to the church will face Pearl Howlett, meaning that much of the traffic will be diverted our way. This traffic will be traveling next to a proposed playground, creating a hazard for children. Additionally traffic on WCR 3.5 will carry several thousand car trips per day, along with WCR 26. The planners have now relaxed the requirement for Pearl Howlett to be opened up. However, what safeguards are in place to permanently keep it closed? Our county commissioner, Glenn Vaad is a LifeBridge elder. He has recused himself from the rezoning vote; however, he ran for office at the same time that LifeBridge was attempting to buy the land. He may have already influenced the other commissioners at large. Since churches are non-profit and tax exempt,the surrounding residents will be forced to bear the financial burden for highway and street upkeep and necessary law enforcement. We will be forced to do this while our property values decline due to the existence of this "Mega Church". b, u.L Tony& Linda Mollohan 11686 Victor Drive Longmont, CO 80504 EJ• NMBIT Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE March 3, 2003 MAR 6 2003 Sheri O'Neal "' '.z, 0 RECEIVED d rJi 11278 Canyon Creek Longmont, Colorado 80504 _'`.; I` i Mr. David Long P.O. Box 758 Greeley, Colorado 80632 I am writing to protest the re-zoning of land in Weld County for the Lifebridge Church. The area of re-zoning is currently zoned for residential use and while a church is allowed in this type of zoning my feeling is what Lifebridge wants to build is more like a campus than just a stand alone church. The large auditorium and amphitheater, both of which will seat 6000, outreach center and college are not meant for a residential area. The size and height of these buildings are enormous and the increase in traffic would make it extremely difficult to access Weld County road 3.5 for our community. I realize that this entire project would be built over a long time period, but our concern should be for both future and immediate development. I urge you to vote against rezoning the property to allow for this massive development. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, en 'Neal EXHIBIT Weld County Planning Deinitn'h» GREELEY OFFICE MAR 6 2003 February 28, 2003 RECEIVED '- t+ "' 02 Terry-Lee Braun 11715 Elmer Linn Dr t=l� Longmont, Colorado 80504 David Long, Pro-Tern P.O. Box 758 Greeley, CO 80632 David, I recently became aware of a petition to re-zone land adjacent to the Elms at Meadowvale development to make the land residential. I reviewed the proposal for—re- zoning and a few things come to mind. First, the required study performed by the Department of Transportation indicated that, at maximum build-out, the complex could produce up to 56,000 car trips per day. That is the same amount of traffic that travels between Highway 7 and Highway 34 on Interstate 25 on a daily basis. How is that residential, or for that matter even close. Second, the area that Lifebridge is building on was stated to be residential in the Multi- Use Development District plan. The loophole is that residential allows churches. However a 6000-seat amphitheater, a 6000 auditorium, a college, an outreach center, a youth center and more is simply more than what the regulations had in mind. This mega- church is not the church the zoning regulations spoke to. Thirdly, Pearl Howlett Drive will be opened into the development, causing traffic to wind through our neighborhoods. Weld County wants this opened to make inter- connectivity between neighborhoods. The main entrance to the church will face Pearl Howlett, meaning that much of the traffic will be diverted our way. This traffic will be traveling next to a proposed playground, creating a hazard for children. Additionally traffic on WCR 3.5 will carry several thousand-car trips per day, along with WCR 26. The planners have now relaxed the requirement for Pearl Howlett to be opened up. However what safe guards are in place to permanently keep it closed. I formally request that this petition be rejected on the grounds previously stated above. Sincerely, Terry-Le raun EXHIBIT d yf March 1,2003 '..'. -5 !i 10: 13 Tom Geldmacher 11725 Pleasant Hill Road Weld County Planning Department Longmont,CO 80504 - GREELEY OFFICE MAR 6 2003 County Commissioner RECEIVED David Long P.O. Box 758 Greeley,CO 80632 Dear Sir or Madam: I am writing this letter to bring some of my concerns as a homeowner regarding the proposed location of the LifeBridge Church to your attention. It is my understanding that the land is currently zoned as agricultural and that LifeBridge is requesting that the land be re-zoned as residential. It is also my understanding that residential zoning allows "churches"because they are to be considered to be "compatible" with residential dwellings. It seems very dear to me that what LifeBridge is planning to put on this land is more than just a "church" and challenges the definition and expectation of what a church would encompass. It is my understanding that the master plan fin the land will include a 6000 seat amphitheater,a 6000 seat auditorium, a college,an outreach center and a youth center.This sounds like much more than a"church". I do not know of a 6000 seat auditorium in the middle of a residential neighborhood. The auditorium LifeBridge is planning will be twice as large as the Buell Theater in downtown Denver. The Buell Theater is in a commercial area where traffic is welcomed by neighboring businesses. It is safe to say that neighborhoods do not welcome this volume of traffic through their streets and that this traffic would be to the degradation of the residential and rural areas.This is not compatible with a residential neighborhood. The proposed outdoor amphitheater is approximately the size of Fiddler's Green. However, Fiddler's Green is located in the Denver Technological Center right next to I-25. This area is all commercial and industrial.The amphitheater will create noise,air and light pollution. We do not have any neighbors who put on broadcasts from their backyard or provide live entertainment.We also do not have any neighbors who have high powered lights blaring in the evenings. Our neighborhood has dimly lit street lamps. We are able to gaze at the stars on any given evening and see them all without light distractions. And again the traffic is welcomed by nearby businesses in a commercial/industrial setting. This is not compatible with a residential neighborhood. LifeBridge plans on building a"church complex" that could produce at maximum build-out 56,000 care trips per day. I have been informed that this is the amount of traffic that travels between Highway 7 and Highway 34 on Interstate 25 daily.This is not compatible with a residential neighborhood. In order to provide parking for this amount of traffic,LifeBridge plans to put in a parking lot with twice as many parking spaces as Twin Peaks mall, and more than Invesco Field. This is also not compatible with a residential neighborhood. The houses in the Elms at Meadowvale are taller than many homes. They have high ceilings and thus have high rooftops.The houses in this area are a maximum of two stories. LifeBridge plans of up to 30%of each building being allowed to be up to 150-200 feet. This is 10 times the height of a standard house in this area. Additionally,the maximum building height in most of the cities and counties along the Front Rant,- is EXHIBIT I y9 f —2— March 1,2003 approximately 40-50 feet high.LifeBridge's development plan will allow buildings five times this height. There are very few buildings in Longmont taller than five stories,and each of these is in a commercial or industrial zone. These buildings are more suited for a commercial/industrial area. This is not compatible with a residential neighborhood. Perhaps the most concerning issue for me is the fact that the main entrance to the church will face Pearl Howlett. Most of the traffic will be diverted through our neighborhood. This traffic will be traveling past a proposed neighborhood playground,a community mail center and several school bus stops. This is obviously a hazard for many children in our neighborhood along Pearl Howlett and along other streets in the neighborhood where children can often be found playing games of street hockey, basketball, rollerblading, riding bikes,scooters,etc. I feel comfortable allowing my children to play these games and riding their bikes in the street because all of the traffic along my street is comprised of neighbors who know my children or their guests who are aware that there are many children in the neighborhood out playing Having transient traffic, people who have no vested interest in the area and are unaware of the number of children in this neighborhood,will undoubtedly drive hastily through our streets trying to find the fastest way home. The additional traffic will also bring crimes of opportunity. We can expect more petty crimes and vandalism as a result of the additional traffic through our neighborhood. Additionally, having this much transient traffic will bring many"strangers"through our streets.At this time when there is an unknown car on my street I am able to call several neighbors to find out who they are and where they are. We know when there is a stranger in our community.This development will bring an abrupt end to this very important aspect or our community. Sincerely, Tom Geldmacher ,. -5 LI 1.^. ! 5 March 1,2003 Audra Geldmacher 11725 Pleasant Hill Road � - Weld County Planning Department Longmont CO 80504 GREELEY OFFICE RECEIVED MAR 6 2003 County Commissioner David Long PO.Box 758 Greeley,CO 80632 Dear Sir or Madam: I am writing this letter to bring some of my concerns as a homeowner regarding the proposed location of the LifeBridge Church to your attention. It is my understanding that the land is currently zoned as agricultural and that LifeBridge is requesting that the land be re-zoned as residential. It is also my understanding that residential zoning allows"churches"because they are to be considered to be "compatible" with residential dwellings. It seems very clear to me that what LifeBridge is planning to put on this land is more than just a "church" and challenges the definition and expectation of what a church would encompass. It is my understanding that the master plan for the land will include a 6000 seat amphitheater,a 6000 seat auditorium, a college, an outreach center and a youth center.. I grew up not far from a church. The church was a three- story building that held two services on Sunday morning,one service on Saturday evening,and held catechism one night a week.The church had a parking lot of less than 200 spaces and many of those spaces doubled as basketball courts. The congregation was composed of 250 parishioners and only mildly increased the traffic on Sunday mornings. The only "noise" coming from the church was from the bell tower that was used on Sundays and during wedding ceremonies. I do not know of a 6000 scat auditorium in the middle of a residential neighborhood. The auditorium LifeBridge is planning will be twice as large as the Buell Theater in downtown Denver. The Buell Theater is in a commercial area where traffic is welcomed by neighboring businesses. It is safe to say that neighborhoods do not welcome this volume of traffic through their streets and that this traffic would be to the degradation of the residential and rural areas.This is not compatible with a residential neighborhood. The proposed outdoor amphitheater is approximately the size of Fiddler's Green. However, Fiddler's Green is located in the Denver Technological Center right next to I-25. This area is all commercial and industrial.The amphitheater will create noise, air and light pollution.We do not have any neighbors who put on broadcasts from their backyard or provide live entertainment.We also do not have any neighbors who have high powered lights blaring in the evenings. Our neighborhood has dimly lit street lamps.We are able to gaze at the stars on any given evening and see them all without light distractions.And again the traffic is welcomed by nearby businesses in a commercial/industrial setting. This is not compatible with a residential neighborhood. LifeBridge plans on building a "church complex" that could produce at maximum build-out 56,000 care trips per day. I have been informed that this is the amount of traffic that travels between Highway 7 and Highway 34 on Interstate 25 daily.This is not compatible with a residential neighborhood. In order to provide parking for this amount of traffic,LifeBridge plans to put in a parking lot with twice as many parking spaces as Twin Peaks mall, and more than Invesco Field. This is also not compatible with a residential neighborhood. —2— March 1,2003 The houses in the Elms at Meadowvale are taller than many homes. They have high ceilings and thus have high rooftops.The houses in this area are a maximum of two stories. LifeBridge plans of up to 30% of each building being allowed to be up to 150-200 feet. This is 10 times the height of a standard house in this area. Additionally,the maximum building height in most of the cities and counties along the Front Range is approximately 40-50 feet high.LifeBridge's development plan will allow buildings five times this height. There are very few buildings in Longmont taller than five stories,and each of these is in a commercial or industrial zone. These buildings are more suited for a commercial/industrial area. This is not compatible with a residential neighborhood. Perhaps the most concerning issue for me is the fact that the main entrance to the church will face Pearl Howlett. Most of the traffic will be diverted through our neighborhood. This traffic will be traveling past a proposed neighborhood playground,a community mail center and several school bus stops. This is obviously a hazard for many children in our neighborhood along Pearl Howlett and along other streets in the neighborhood where children can often be found playing games of street hockey, basketball, rolierblading, riding bikes,scooters,etc. I feel comfortable allowing my children to play these games and riding their bikes in the street because all of the traffic along my street is comprised of neighbors who know my children or their guests who are aware that there are many children in the neighborhood out playing. Having transient traffic, people who have no vested interest in the area and are unaware of the number of children in this neighborhood,will undoubtedly drive hastily through our streets trying to find the fastest way home. The additional traffic will also bring crimes of opportunity. We can expect more petty crimes and vandalism as a result of the additional traffic through our neighborhood. Additionally, having this much transient traffic will bring many"strangers"through our streets.At this time when there is an unknown car on my street I am able to call several neighbors to find out who they are and where they are. We know when there is a stranger in our community. This development will bring an abrupt end to this very important aspect or our community. Sincerely, � �R� ccc-'r Ciu� Audra Geldmacher Weld County Planning Depart—± GREELEY OFFICE MAR 6 2003 ` , 2143 Meadow Vale Road - RECEI V ED Longmont, CO80504 March 3, 2003 'a 0 Mr. David Long H r( ii Weld County Commissioner P.O. Box 758 Greeley, CO 80632 Dear Mr. Long: I am writing to voice my concerns about the LifeBridge development that is being proposed for the intersection of Colorado Highway 119 and Weld County Road 3 1/2. The proposed development has the look and feel of a very large commercial enterprise masquerading as a church. While a church would be welcome in the neighborhood, a complex that has a theater larger than any in Denver and that may be rented, structures potentially 200 feet tall, athletic facilities, and space potentially for rent to Aims Community College, guarantees an almost 24/7 impact on the surrounding neighborhoods. I see no way that this will not bring noise, light, sound, and air pollution. The increased traffic alone has the potential to make entrance and exit difficult and dangerous for residents living off CR 3 Y2. I'm anything but an expert in tax matters, but I'm concerned about the strain this facility could place on county services, particularly since all governments are struggling with budget deficits and this is a tax-exempt enterprise. I'm also concerned about the integrity of the commissioners' vote on this matter. I know that Commissioner Vaad is a LifeBridge elder and has recused himself, but I also know that in politics, it's common to give support to one project in order to get support for another. Would any commissioner feel comfortable voting against an issue that is obviously so important to Mr. Vaad? How can even the appearance of impropriety be avoided here? All of us in this area moved to unincorporated Weld County for the quality of life it offers. A development of this nature and magnitude would immediately destroy that quality of life for the surrounding residents. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, 4-14t � Denton K. Farnsworth EXHIBIT Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE March 3, 2003 MAR 6 2003 cRmmissioner Long; RECEIVED We would like to take this opportunity to voice s 5ime con§erp s s opinions regarding the Lifebridge Church "developement" near our place of residence. 1 . Traffic--Apparently there was a study done by M1 epartm,ent of Transportation that revealed a possible 56,000 automobile trips in and out of the proposed Lifebridge developement per day. Additionally, with a 6000 seat amphitheater, a 6000 seat auditorium, and 5000-6000 space parking lot, we would submit that the traffic study by the D.O.T. will have been greatly under estimated. This item is a big issue for us in that we live in the Longview developement and our only ingress and egress is county road 31 /2, which would carry the bulk of the afore mentioned traffic. 2. Developement--As you know, this land is presently zoned for residential developement. We consider a church to be a desired addition to a residential neighborhood. However, Lifebridge is proposing a huge developement---40% church campus, 331/3% residential, and 24% unstated. If Lifebridge succeeds in it's rezoning request and subsequently sells off the southern portion of it's property to a developer, who knows what kind of commercial/industrial park might be built there. The maximum building height in most cities and counties along the front range is forty to fifty feet. Lifebridge rezoning request will allow for buildings five times that height, which will include the portion they intend to sell. Our opinion would be for them to request a height variance for '^ the size of the church buildings and build their church, but allow the present zoning to remain intact. 3. Pollution--The use of a 6000 seat outdoor amphitheater, and a 6000 seat auditorium for concerts and other activities would result in excess noise, air, and light pollution. 4. Since Lifebridge enjoys "tax-exempt" status, the taxpaying residents of the area will have to bear the expense of utilities installation, and increased police protection for this proposed huge developement. 5. It would appear to us that there may be moral and/or possible legal issues here. Lifebridge, a church, as a non-profit, tax exempt organization, is buying and selling property (for profit), to build a non-profit, tax-exempt church campus. We feel this to be an endangerment to other churches tax exempt status. 6. We find it very interesting that Mr. Bruce Grinnell, the Lifebridge church administator and several of his church associates own and plan to develope 56 acres of property directly adjacent to the west side of the Longview developement. Could this somehow be involved with the church developement? 7. Commissioner Vaad has recused himself from the rezoning vote due to his involvement with Lifebridge as an elder. As a result, our district has no representation on this issue within the County Commissioners office. This simulates taxation without representation. EXHIBIT We therefore would respectfully urge the Weld County Commissioners to reject the rezoning proposal put forth by the Lifebridge church. ,Jhank you for your kind attention to this issue. Respectfully William J. Whi Jean L. White 34••• 11,44•C - 2 - Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE DUANE J . LEISE MAR 6 2003 February 23, 2003 Mr. M. J. Geile Commissioner At Large 915 Tenth Street P. O. Box 758 Greeley CO 80632 Re: Lack of Representation Dear Sir: Due to your position as an At Large Commissioner for Weld County, I ask that you meet with the Meadowvale and Longview neighborhoods concerning our lack of representation in the Weld County governmental process. The direct and primary representative for our neighborhoods has direct and substantial interests in supporting a mega-development that will harm, endanger and compromise the security and value of our homes. Taxpayers representing well over One Hundred Million Dollars of taxed real estate do not have direct representation due to the conflicted nature of Commissioner Vaad's position with Lifebridge. Mr Vaad simply recusing himself from voting on the issue does not replace a supportive voice for residents, taxpayers and citizens of Weld County. The Lifebridge organization is not located in Weld County and has essentially worn out their welcome to develop in Boulder County. Now taxpayers of Weld County find themselves cut off from direct representation. We look forward to working with you in supporting the proper functioning of the democratic process. Sincerely, Duane J. Leise Member of Elms Homeowners Association 2686 PEARL HOWLETT RD. o LONGMONT CO 0 80504 EXHIBIT PHONE: 303-776-9888• FAX 303-678-9344 5O2 , . From: "Duane J Leise"<dleise@peakpeak.com> To: <wjerke@co.weld.co.us>, <mgeile@co.weld.co.us> Date: 3/10/03 1:44PM Subject: NO REPRESENTATION IN WELD COUNTY ----To Commissioners at Large M. J. Geile and William Jerke ATTACHED -The Word document of two physical letters I sent to each and both Weld County Commissioners At Large M. J. Geile and William Jerke on February 23, 2003 Dear Sirs; I sent the same content physical letter to each of you on February 23, 2003. In those letters I asked for a meeting with either of you concerning our lack of representation in Weld County. Specifically the issue of representation deals with Gleen Vaad's (District 2 Commissioner, our Commissioner) recusal regarding the Lifebridge rezoning application. Simply not voting is far different from representation! I did not ask you to meet with us concerning the rezoning. I specifically requested the meeting concerning our lack of representation. To date I have not heard anything from either of you. Not even an acknowledgement. I would think that there would be some sensitivity to this issue since at the very least the Vaad involvement appears highly suspect. Even the Greeley Tribune in a prominent news article said that our representation would be through the Commissioners at Large since Gleen Vaad was conflicted. However when I ask for a meeting, some contact, even reassurance there is a complete disregard from the both of you for rightful concern. Not even acknowledgement! We are tax payers! We are responsible citizens! We deserve better! I am herewith sending copies of this e-mail message to both Larry Blunt of channel 4 and Julie Hayden of Channel 7, both of which carried features concerning the Lifebridge rezoning issue. I am also sending blind copies to the e-mail contact base of East Longmont Citizens for Sensible Development. The web site is www.eastlongmontCSD.org. I did not think that I would be required to send a certified letter to get a simple acknowledgment from my elected officials. A Concerned Citizen Duane J. Leise 303-776-9888 2686 Pearl Howlett Rd. - Longmont CO 80504 CC: <julie_hayden@kmgh.com>, <Iblunt@cbs.com> P r Weld Cu,: ,. .lair / a GREELEY UrltUE WELD COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE / MAR 1 2 2003 915 TENTH STREET P.O. BOX 758 n • C E G °L: 7 GREELEY, CO 80632 WEBSITE: www.co.weld.co.us PHONE: (970) 336-7235 Q FAX: (970) 352-0242 COLORADO March 11, 2003 Duane J. Leise Member of Elms Homeowners Association 2686 Pearl Howlett Road Longmont, CO 80504 RE: Elms Homeowners Association Dear Mr. Leise: - - This letter is in response to your letter concerning the LifeBridge Church application dated February 23, 2003 addressed to Mr. William Jerke. Please be advised that any communications directed to members of the Board of County Commissioners regarding the LifeBridge Church application cannot be considered by them until such application is before the Board at a formal hearing. Similarly, a meeting which is not part of the hearing process is not appropriate at this time. The application is scheduled to be heard by the Weld County Planning Commission on March 18,2003. A hearing on the application by the Board of County Commissioners has not yet been scheduled. It is my understanding that your letter will be placed in the Planning Commission file for its consideration on March 18, 2003. That file will be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners for inclusion in its file if and when the matter is set for hearing before the Board. Please feel free to call me at(970) 356-4000, ext. 4395, if you have any questions or comments regarding this letter. Yours trul Y Lee . Morrison Assis ant Weld County Attorney pc: Monica Daniels-Mika Bruce Barker, Weld County Attorney M:\W PFILES\LE"I\DuaneLeise.wpd Weld County Planei-q Department GREELEY 0 " CE MAR 6 2003 Vicki Braunagel Duane Braunagel R E C E I V .:, 11677 Montgomery Circle Longmont, CO 80504-5202 March 5, 2003 To: Weld County Planning Commissioners RE: Life Bridge Christian Church application for re-zoning, Case Number PZ-1004 We are addressing the Weld County Planning Commission regarding the application of Life Bridge Christian Church(LBCC)for re-zoning. We live at 11677 Montgomery Circle, which abuts the LBCC property on the east side. We purchased our property located in the Elms at Meadowvale residential community because we like the location of the neighborhood and the semi-rural atmosphere. We intend to retire here. Our ranch style house is oriented on the lot such that the large picture windows in the living area, dining area, and master bedroom overlook the LBCC property to the west. The proposed LBCC church"campus"would be centered in our view to the west. We are both 55 years old. We have worshiped our entire lives in neighborhood churches, and at one time a church was our next door neighbor. We liked the idea that a church was proposed on the adjacent vacant property. However,we are appalled at the grandiose scale and intended commercial uses proposed by LBCC. We want to detail and voice our objection that the proposed use is not compatible with the surrounding residential neighborhoods. We also want to personalize the impact it will have on us. The proposed use is not compatible with surrounding residential uses. While five factors make this development incompatible, the proposed heights are our number one concern. The other four factors are(1)excessive traffic; (2)excessive noise; (3)excessive lot coverage; and (4) light pollution. These remaining four factors can be addressed by normal county controls written into the planning process approvals and appropriate enforcement during the life of the development. Height The I-25 Mixed Use Development Area Structural Plan(1-25 MUD)shows the area in question to be planned for residential uses. A church can be located in this residential area. For Block 3 LBCC was initially seeking an entitlement to build a 6,000 seat Auditorium and Performing Arts Center,utilizing 918,000 gsf. In their initial application,LBCC requested a building height of 120 feet,with a clock tower up to 200 1 FrI feet. In their"clarifications" submitted 2/27/03, LBCC refers to a Fellowship Hall and Dinner Theater, and has dropped the requested entitlement to 787,000 gsf. They also neglected to specify the proposed seating capacity of the Fellowship Hall and Dinner Theatre. They are still requesting a maximum building height of 120 feet,with an architectural element permitted to 150 feet. These heights are proposed in the middle of a residential neighborhood where residential zoning is restricted to heights of 30 feet! The Auditorium and Performing Arts Center (now also called the Fellowship Hall and Dinner Theatre)will be immediately to the west of our home. The tallest proposed building will be centered in our west-facing picture window and will obliterate all views of Longs Peak. This is a church in name only. The Monfort Concert Hall at Union Colony Civic Center seats 1,665 (At 6,000 seats, LBCC is proposing a theatre 360%the size). Nottingham Field at CSU seats 6,642. The Great Hall at the Island Grove Regional Park Events Center seats 5,000 and is only 25 feet tall at the wall and 40 feet at the center(LBCC is proposing a structure 300%the height). The building that LBCC is proposing will be twice as tall as the Greeley National Bank(now Bank One),the stately Weld County Courthouse,or the new State Farm offices in Promontory Park. You have to go all the way to Denver to get something comparable to the size that LBCC is proposing. The Pepsi Center in Denver seats 20,000 and is only 100 feet tall. LBCC is proposing 120 feet, 20%higher than the Pepsi Center. The Pepsi Center is 675,000 square feet, and LBCC is proposing that only one part of their complex(e.g. Block 3 with the revised figure of 787,000 gsf)be 16% larger. LBCC is proposing a Fellowship Hall and Dinner Theatre 20%taller than the Pepsi Center, with a footprint 16%larger than the Pepsi Center! The clock tower or similar architectural feature will be 50%taller than the Pepsi Center, as tall as a 15 story building! It is ludicrous for LBCC to claim that this "church" is compatible with the surrounding residential uses. These heights are not driven by the need for worship at a church, but by the Dinner Theatre requirements to have a fly space for scenery changes. This is a commercial activity, not a conventional worship activity. Calling this a"church"as allowed in residential areas should not fool the Planning Commission members into thinking that this like any church they have ever attended. If it is designed like a theatre, looks like a theatre, and is intended to be a theatre, it should not be judged to be a church and therefore acceptable as a church under the terms of the PUD ordinances. For us,this monstrous edifice just outside our picture windows will obliterate any view to the west. We recognize that a view of the mountains is probably not a property right that we can protect,but the massive heights and large footprint of the proposed"church"(on the scale of the Pepsi Center)will be such a massive visual obstruction immediately adjacent to our property that it becomes an unreasonable visual obstruction. It is not compatible with our residential use. 0 Traffic LBCC conducted a traffic study for their proposed development. The traffic for the entitlement for the development that LBCC is requesting is estimated (by LBCC)to be 28,132 trip ends per day. That is, 14,000 cars will enter their site each day, and 14,000 will leave their site each day. This level of traffic is not associated with normal church activities, but rather is associated with their 6000 seat(?)Dinner Theatre, 1500 seat Outdoor Amphitheater, conference center, gymnasiums,restaurants, shops, 24 hour usages, etc. Let us put this in perspective. lithe average car contained a family of 3 people, then every man, woman, and child in the City of Greeley would travel to the site every two days. It is ridiculous for LBCC to claim that this use is compatible with the surrounding residential areas. It is painfully obvious to us that the adjacent road infrastructure cannot handle this level of traffic. The traffic experts at the City of Longmont have rated this traffic situation"F', which represents total and unacceptable gridlock. LBCC admits that traffic delays on WCR 3.5 and SH 119 will be 15-20 minutes,but these are"short in duration". The original LBCC application proposed a connection of the LBCC "ring road"to Pearl Howlett through the Elms at Meadowvale residential neighborhood. Designated open space of the Elms would have to be condemned by Weld County to make this connection. No other single issue would galvanize the residents of Elms to rise up in opposition to LBCC as the issue of traffic on Pearl Howlett. In their"clarification"dated 2/27/03,this connection to Pearl Howlett has been removed. We encourage the Planning Commission to support this change. We commend LBCC for listening to the concerns of the residents in the Elms and making the requested changes. I do not want the traffic in my immediate neighborhood to be in a constant state of gridlock. Unless WCR 26 is paved, we will live under a perpetual dust cloud. Since we are not traffic experts, we rely on the traffic experts within Weld County to identify the necessary road improvements so that the proposed development is compatible with the surrounding residential neighborhoods. Noise We have two major concerns regarding noise generated by the"church". The first concern is related to the proposed 1500 seat outdoor amphitheatre for which LBCC is seeking an entitlement. The second concern is the noise emanating from Auditorium/Performing Arts Center/Fellowship Hall/Dinner Theatre. The noise that will emanate from the property is not acceptable to the surrounding residential areas unless strict regulations are imposed. Since LBCC is proposing to locate between two existing residential neighborhoods and claims that their proposed use is compatible, the Planning Commission should impose a residential noise standard on these facilities rather than a commercial noise standard. This will ensure that the noise entering residential neighborhoods is acceptable. 2 Let Coverage Weld County regulations permit a maximum lot coverage of 50%in residential areas. LBCC is requesting to have an entitlement in the"church campus"area for a 85%lot coverage. To be consistent with the I-25 MUD,the restriction of 50% should be imposed. The 85%request is not compatible with the surrounding residential areas. Light Pollution LBCC is to be commended for their commitment in their 2/27/03 "clarification"to use directional lighting to minimize off site glare. The 4' to 6' tall landscaped berm that will also be installed should be located in Phase 1 to minimize off-site glare of headlights. Summary LBCC is to be commended for their efforts to work with the surrounding residential neighborhoods to mitigate the impacts of traffic, noise, and light pollution associated with their proposed development. In our personal dealings with Barb Brunk and Bruce Grinnell,they have been most professional and cooperative. However,there is no way that they can mitigate the massive scale of the proposed development. LBCC is asking for an entitlement for buildings that will be taller than the Pepsi Center, and proposing buildings taller than any building in Greeley. LBCC is also asking for an entitlement to a lot coverage of 85%. One way to get these impacts to be commensurate with the surrounding residential areas would to limit the building heights and lot coverage to something less massive in scale. If the Great Hall at the Island Grove Regional Park Events Center can seat 5,000 people and still be only 40 feet tall at its highest point, certainly this church does not need to be 120 feet tall. If LBCC truly needs something 120 feet tall so that it can be a nonconventional "church", it should not be located in a residential area. Buildings that are 70 feet to 120 feet tall are just not compatible with the surrounding residential areas, the I-25 MUD, and the PUD ordinance. It strains the credibility of the Planning Commission and the entire planning process to find that a building larger than the Pepsi Center could be located in the middle of a residential area as a"compatible use". Respectfully yours -6'I 4A-Q),IkallMacp Vicki Braunagel Duane�Braunagel r A March 3, 2003 L. C. O'Neal ' F,• n22 11278 Canyon Creek Longmont, Colorado 80504 p - ` _ -_ Weld County Plai wing Department GREELEY OFFICE Mr. David Long MAR 7 2003 P.O. Box 758 Greeley, Colorado 80632 RECEIVED I am writing to protest the re-zoning of land in Weld County for the Lifebridge Church. The area of re-zoning is currently zoned for residential use. I understand churches are allowed under this zoning, however what Lifebridge wants to do is far more than build a church. The are asking to build more of a compound than a church. An outdoor amphitheater, an auditorium, a college and outreach center these things are all more than a typical church would have or be allowed to have in a residential area. I feel this would be detrimental to property values in our area. If Lifebridge wants to build this complex why not move further south into an area that is already zoned for commercial use. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, (� L. C. O'Neal EXHIBIT 1 51/ Robert D. Sanders c7, '' Y 11717 Montgomery Circle Longmont, CO 80504 -5 r'I q: 27 303.485.0835/cell 303.775.1265 March 3, 2003 Weld County Plarnmg Department GREELEY OFFICE Mr. David Long MAR 7 2003 Weld County Commissioner P. 0. Box 758 Greeley, COC80632 RECEIVED O RE: Lifebridge Development Dear Mr. Long: I am writing to voice my concerns about the planned development by Lifebridge. As a resident of the Elms at Meadowvale, I expected that my neighborhood, with its large lot sizes and country feel would stay that way. The plans that Lifebridge is proposing will make that impossible. The zoning for the area, as I understand it, is for residential. However,the traffic that the new development will generate, as proposed, would be equal to that on I-25 between Highway 7 on the south and Highway 34 on the north. This, in my estimation, is not "residential." Opening Pearl Howlett Drive into that property will also affect the quiet, residential nature of our neighborhood. And the traffic will not be intermittent, as residential traffic usually is. Due to the nature of their business, there will be surges of traffic in and out of this "mega-church" which will adversely affect our neighborhoods, in terms of noise, traffic, safety and pollution. In fact, if they have to hire an off-duty policeman to direct traffic in and out, then I consider that to be even less desirable. It would make more sense to me to encourage Lifebridge to develop somewhere that doesn't have existing residential neighborhoods surrounding it. Then the neighbors who do decide to live near the church would be there because it is their choice, rather than to have the church imposed upon them. I implore you to turn down the rezoning of that land for the Lifebridge church. Sincerely yours, Rob Sanders r EXHIBIT 55 Jane Elizabeth Sanders 11717 Montgomery Circle , _„ Longmont, CO 80504 u I!! 9: 2/ 303.485.0835/cell 303.775.1265 ^ / E) March 3, 2003 Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE Mr. David Long MAR 7 2003 Weld County Commissioner RECEIVED P. O. Box 758 Greeley, CO 80632 RE: Lifebridge Development Dear Mr. Long: I am writing to voice my concerns about the planned development by Lifebridge. As a resident of the Elms at Meadowvale, I expected that my neighborhood, with its large lot sizes and country feel would stay that way. The plans that Lifebridge is proposing will make that impossible. The zoning for the area, as I understand it, is for residential. However, the traffic that the new development will generate, as proposed, would be equal to that on I-25 between Highway 7 on the south and Highway 34 on the north. This, in my estimation, is not "residential." Opening Pearl Howlett Drive into that property will also affect the quiet, residential nature of our neighborhood. And the traffic will not be intermittent, as residential traffic usually is. Due to the nature of their business, there will be surges of traffic in and out of this "mega-church" which will adversely affect our neighborhoods, in terms of noise, traffic, safety and pollution. In fact, if they have to hire an off-duty policeman to direct traffic in and out,then I consider that to be even less desirable. It would make more sense to me to encourage Lifebridge to develop somewhere that doesn't have existing residential neighborhoods surrounding it. Then the neighbors who do decide to live near the church would be there because it is their choice, rather than to have the church imposed upon them. I implore you to turn down the rezoning of that land for the Lifebridge church. Sincerely yours, Jan. Sanders Hello