HomeMy WebLinkAbout730669.tiff ! ! r
BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
WELD COUNTY, COLORADO
WELD COUNTY
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REPORTER'S CERTIFICATE
Pursuant to Notice published in legal papers throughout the
Weld County area, hearing on the above matter was held in
4-H Building, Island Grove Park, Weld County, Greeley,
Colorado, on Monday, April 2, 1973 , at the hour of 10:00
o 'clock a.m. , before the Board of County Commissioners;
Glenn K. Billings , chairman, Harry S. Ashley and Ray Moser,
members of the Board, Sam Telep, County Attorney and Burman
Lorenson, County Planner.
Keith W. Rusk
Official Shorthand Reporter
Greeley, Colorado
730669
1$1.11126
INDEX
NAME GROUP REPRESENTED PAGE
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Carl Felte Land Use Committee, Forward 3
Together
/ J. Norman Brown Ag Council
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Bob White Ag Council, dryland 11
J Elton Miller Ag Council 11
,/Alex Hoffner NFO 14
Halley Carroll Himself 16
v/Gretchen Cutts Greeley Audubon Society 18
V Norman Carlson Weld County Ag Council 20
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,/ Jerry Cogburn Himself 22
,VLawrence Hertzke Forward Together Planning 24
Council
Irma Princic Herself 27
v/ Joan Harrison League of Women Voters 31
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APRIL 2 , 1973
CARL FELTE
Mr. Chairman and the County Commissioners, I am Carl
Felte, Route 1, Box 98, Windsor, Colorado . The first part
of my talk I represent the Land Use Committee of Forward
Together. The committee has been studying land use, and
particularly the Comprehensive Plan, at four separate meet-
ings .
When I was picked for this committee I was , at that time,
President of the West Greeley South Conservation District.
I was President of the upper Platte Soil Conservation District,
which goes from Douglas , Castle Rock south of Denver over to
Fort Morgan, clear up to the Wyoming line. Since then I have
become also President of the Weld County Farm Bureau. So,
I feel that I do speak with some emphasis .
Here is what, in the Forward Together Committee , we have
come up with in resolutions on what we don't like about the
plan. I will read it to you.
The sub-committee of the planning council on Land use
of the Forward Together program has made a study of the pro-
posed Weld County Comprehensive Plan and has approved the
following resolutions .
One . WHEREAS , since prime agriculture lands falling in
soil classification 1 , 2 and 3 are very desirable for the
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production of farm products sorely needed by the nation,
BE IT RESOLVED that these lands must be preserved as
agriculture lands and that the tax base be adjusted down-
ward and the land assessed as agriculture lands .
Two. WHEREAS , since soil classification lands of classes
4, 5 , 6 and 7 are less desirable for the production of farm
products ,
BE IT RESOLVED that urban growth should be on these
lands at a low density rate and dispersed throughout the
county rather than limit urban growth strictly to cities
and towns.
Number Three. WHEREAS , since industrial development
restricted entirely to existing urban areas intends to inten-
sify congestion and air pollution problems ,
BE IT RESOLVED that a study be made to locate indus-
trial sites as to land capabilities , transportation and
utilities dispersed throughout the county. The industrial
development must be compatible with existing agricultural
facilities and historical uses .
Number Four. WHEREAS , , since the Tax Defferral plan in
paragraph 2 , page 107 , would be hard to administer and could
be unfair to farmers ,
BE IT RESOLVED that this paragraph be stricken from the
plan.
Resolution Five. WHEREAS , since Weld County is very
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large and with so many diversified interests that the planning
commission membership should be expanded to get wider repre-
sentation,
BE IT RESOLVED that each school district within the county,
by popular vote of the people within the district, elect one
member to the Weld County Planning Commission.
Resolution Six. WHEREAS , since paragraph 6, page 94, is
both discrimitory and contradictory,
BE IT RESOLVED that the paragraph be stricken from the
plan.
Resolution Seven. WHEREAS, the County Planning Commis-
sion and county planners have put in a great deal of research
and study in writing the Comprehensive Plan we commend them
for the work done. This committee, however, believes it
should be revised before adoption,
BE IT RESOLVED that the Comprehensive Plan be made more
concise, less contradictory, specific and not repetitious in '
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its objectives of providing a guide for orderly growth in Weld
County.
This committee realizes all of these resolutions cannot
be fulfilled by action of the County Commissioners or the
Planning Commission, therefore, we recommend legislation be
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promoted so that they could be accomplished.
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Carl Felte , Chairman, Lard Use Committee.
CHAIRMAN BILLINGS : Carl, could we have a copy
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of those resolutions.
MR. FELTE : I believe Lawrence has a copy.
If some people don't know, of course , I had sent out
letters on the Forward Together Plan. The Chamber of Commerce
doesn't really have a managing committee and that is broken
up and under that Lawrence Hertzke is the Chairman of one of
the committees and under him are three committees and I am
the chairman of the Land Use Committee; sub-chairman of the
Land Use Committee.
CHAIRMAN BILLINGS : Thank you, Carl.
Lawrence, we would like a copy of those resolutions so
that those recommendations can be considered.
MR. FELTE: Now, I would like to speak of my
own personal feelings. As I told you before I had been picked
because of the committees that I 'm on in studying this plan.
Don 't get me wrong after I read my statement here. I
believe in planning, but you will see why I object to it.
My Personal Feeling. On the face, this plan could be
sold to a lot o£ people; farmers who would like to keep it
agricultural , but this is not all the plan says. It says
that it will stay agricultural until those in power decide
otherwise. Who will be those in power? The cities and towns
who do not even pay the taxes on agricultural land,
Under this plan the cities do not give up any of their
rights to do as they please . They are outside of the juris-
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diction of the group tht will plan the agricultural area. They
can plan anything they want, regardless of the effect it has
on the agricultural people . It gives them the right to con-
trol all agricultural people . Under this plan the County
Commissioners are also giving up some of their power to plan
what is best for all of its citizens.
Under this plan if those in power in the cities want the
best and most profitable businesses that are planned to be
built, they can demand that they must be built within their
boundaries or not built at all.
This to me makes farmers second class citizens ; subservient
to the wishes of the citizens of the cities and the bureaucrats
in power.
I, for one , do not plan to let this happen without op-
position. If we are to have a plan for this county , all of
the people must come under it, including cities and towns .
Farmers should have the same right to vote on anything that
goes on in the county, especially, if he is the owner of
the land and is the one who must pay taxes .
If the cities and. towns want to control, let them buy
the land, pay the taxes and see to it that a crop is raised
to feed themselves and all the other people.
If this plan is adopted in its present form, my advice
to the agricultural people is to cut production until the
food supply is short and the city people realize that the
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farm people should have equal rights .
I thank you.
CHAIRMAN BILLINGS : Carl, we would also like
to have a copy of that.
(Applause. )
Next on the list is J. Norman Brown, representing the
Ag Council.
J. NORMAN BROWN
I am J. Norman Brown, Route 1, Box 10 , Pierce, Colorado.
I am here representing the Ag Council. There was four dif-
ferent ones that were elected from the Ag Council to speak
here about this plan. I was the chairman originally of the
Ag Council Committee to help work on part of this plan.
We did not work on the last of the planning and it was
about a week before this hearing that I finally was able to
obtain a copy of the Comprehensive Plan. I breifly have a
few questions that I would like to ask and I am directing
these questions presently to the Commissioners for their
consideration before they adopt this plan.
In the data that comes with this pamphlet and in the
plan, question one is on the accuracy of the soil use maps
that are shown here. Now, in my own area I am quite familiar
with some of the land and some of the land they have classified
in here.
I am presently a dry-land farmer and this is part of the
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fight that came about three or four years ago in that area
when one of the assessors thought the same thing and the same
error was made that is on this map . The gravel land up in
north area of the county is listed as one agricultural land.
As far as dry land is concerned and agriculturally, it is not.
I have farmed both and I have the soil maps and these
flat lands in that area are not number one land. I think the
error is that same that was originally made by the assesor,
in the fact that he classified it as a number one. As the
top agricultural land, I mean, for dry land, not number one
type land.
Another question that I have, Carl Felte brought this
up in his part o£ his statement, but I would like to read
it. On page 94 of this document, item number six states
as follows : "To keep protection of farming areas in agri-
culture until needed for normal uses. " I thought that , number
one, this thing was protection agriculturally. If this is
to protect agriculture , then all references of this type
should be stricken from this document, ' if this is our ob-
jective. If not, what do they mean, "until needed for
normal uses?"
The other thing that bothers some of us at the Ag
Council was a little bit on this water. Water is money in
this county, it 's also a crop protection. We think there
should be a few more things more specifically spelled out
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about water and water usage.
I think my information is correct that the two ditches
in the immediate area is owned by -- over fifty percent of
the ditches are owned by somebody that is not in agriculture.
Shouldn't we protect those people that are still trying to
farm under those ditches so that they could not be shut off
from running water? I believe that is correct that if over
fifty percent of the users of a ditch are not in agriculture
that is too many and they could shut the water off. I am
referring to Kodak specifically, they are on the North Poudre
and the Loveland ditch.
I would like to also know, I think we need a little more
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spelling out on what the aquafier recharge areas in this
county are, which wasn 't mentioned by Mr. Lorenson. There is
supposed to be restrictions on any of their usage, their
building and I believe that at least two of the present ones l
are located on such lands that are going to be prevented to
grow. Or aren 't they?
I believe that 's all I have. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN BILLINGS: Norman, do you have a
copy of that or were you just speaking off the cuff?
MR. BROWN: Just off the cuff.
CHAIRMAN BILLINGS : Okay, we have it.
Bob White, also representing the Ag Council for the dry-
land people.
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BOB WHITE
I 'm Bob White from Briggsdale, I live out on the other
side of that map there.
I would like to commend the Planning Committee and the
Commissioners on their efforts to come up with a plan for
Weld County. It is necessary that we have some type of
planning.
I'd like to make three points. When the town and cities
provide for the desires of the people at a cost they are
willing to pay. The majority of the people will probably
live there.
If this plan is adopted it should be adopted with an
open mind and there should be a willingness to correct any-
thing that doesn't work or isn' t fair to the people.
If you do adopt this plan I hope you adopt it on a trial
basis of not over three years.
Thank you.
(Applause. )
CHAIRMAN BILLINGS: One question we can certainly
answer for you, Bob, is that we can change the plan from time
to time where the need arises and we think it should be that
way.
Next on the list we have Elton Miller representing the
Ag Council.
ELTON MILLER
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Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Members of the Board of
County Commissioners. I am Elton Miller, Rural Route 2 ,
Fort Lupton, representing the southern end of Weld County
for the Weld County Ag Council.
I suppose most of you have read in the Tribune where it
said the Ag Council opposed this plan. This does not neces-
sarily mean that we are opposed to planning, but there is
some things that I think we need an understanding and
guarantee to agriculture on before this plan becomes a
reality.
I would like to refer to a couple lines in this sum-
mary of why this plan was adopted. It says that the val-
uable agricultural base of the county can be best maintained
by following this choice. The choice of the ring growth
areas around existing communities . Who will receive the
greatest benefits from this plan? The future urban pop-
ulation of the county will derive the greatest benefits
from this choice.
This may be true and we would like to see our agri-
culture base maintained here.
We don' t know of the planners that drawed up this
plan was interested in planning the agricultural economy
where they are based on the tax basis . This is something
that ' s going to be important.
This county grows and this isn' t going to limit the
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growth of the county. Maybe Greeley is going to go to
three hundred thousand, I believe I recall that figure.
It is going to be awful difficult for agriculture to pay
this tax that it is going to take to maintain this type
of population and I would like the Commissioners to set
down and negotiate with the Ag Council or any agricultural
group that they would give us some guarantees that we are
going to have equity and justice on the cost of the growth
of Weld County.
All good plans are plans for greenbelts and open spaces.
We in agriculture can maintain them, but I don' t know whether
we can afford to pay the entire bill.
One point that I wanted to stress. I think we need some
real assurance if this plan is adopted. Without this assur-
ance, a few years down the road agriculture is going to be
a small minority of this county. We will be in the minority
like we are in the State and in the Nation.
Quite recently, first of all, on the State level us
irrigated farms got limited to pumping our wells three days
a week, that was quite a blow to us. Just last week a ceil-
ing was put on meat, but no ceiling was put on the cost of
production.
I think we are fortunate that the situation here is in
the hands of friends and people here that understand our
position and that really give us a chance to sit down and
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talk to them about what our problems are. They probably
understand it.
Thank you very much.
(Applause. )
CHAIRMAN BILLINGS : Thank you, Elton for some
very good comments and I can assure you that we are not
looking for anymore taxes on agriculture. We just hope we
can control the State and Federal governments from putting
any more on.
Next is Alex Hoffner, speaking for the NFO.
ALEX H OFF N E R
I 'm Alex Hoffner from Greeley, I live seven miles east
of Greeley.
I think everything that I wanted to say has already
been pretty well covered. Only I want you to remember that
these men, and myself, were talking of the minority of the
minority.
When we talk about minorities we talk about people
that there aren' t very many of. Well, we are that bunch.
We ain' t that fellow down the street that ' s supposed to
carry a different color or something.
The only thing I would have to add is we have subsidized
the economy of this nation for twenty years .
About fifteen years ago I attended some meetings on
water and got very well involved in it . Everybody had ideas .
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I suppose this plan is the same way. But , anyhow, we found
out that we lost our additional wells by somebody that doesn ' t
understand our problem.
We also have brought up about the taxes. We elected
a governor twelve years ago because he was going to cut our
income taxes. So he has doubled our real estate taxes and
this is still holding true.
I would like to know what is wrong with the urban growth.
Will those people pay their own way? I don ' t want them to
come out and tell me what to do with my real estate. I don't
have any plans , but if they want to develop around Greeley
or Gill, I 'm from Gill really, we have gots lots of room and
we would like to see them come, but let them pay their own
way.
We have been criticized because we, I 'm also a cattle
feeder, not in a big way. Criticized because our cattle
went up to about seventy-eight percent , hogs went to one
hundred percent. That ' s the first time in twenty-three
years. So we have already got a boycott. Which in my
estimate is all right . If they can buy it cheaper somewhere
else or live cheaper on something else I think they should
have done something long before now.
But fellas , these kind of meetings are all right, they
are good, but don ' t let four or five guys that are not in-
volved in your business let them run it for you. Let 's try
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to keep possession.of our land and our water and we have lost
some of our water already.
We have got to, I don' t know where to do it, at the
State level or local level.
A lot of these statements that we have, fellas , here
today don 't hold water. They got a lagoon right next to me
that they voted against in all the areas; I would say ninety
or ninety-five percent, but it makes a difference who you are
and where you are from or whether you can get what you want
on these plans.
Thank you.
(Applause. )
CHAIRMAN BILLINGS : Thank you, Alex.
Next would be Halley Carroll, just representing himself.
HALLEY CARROLL
Gentlemen, I am Halley Carroll and I am a farmer.
Gentlemen, I respect your authority. You, as County
Commissioners , have been elected as officials to represent
the rural areas of Weld County. As a rural resident and
land owner I urge you to give the land owners more consider-
ation by imposing no more restrictions on us for the use
of our land.
The towns in Weld County of their officials to run them
and what the farmers need least of all is for the town people
to take control of our land through unnecessary laws . and reg-
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ulations.
Before election last fall in my conversations with some
of you at political rallies your opinion was at that time that
the county should be allowed to develop, but held at a stan-
dard.
Why the sudden change to go along with the towns instead
of rural areas that you were elected to represent?
At the Johnstown meeting Mr. Lorenson tried to tell the
people that the plan was right , but distorted the truth by
saying, "the water was not available for rural development. "
I quote Mr. Lorenson. "One cannot get a water tap from the
Little Thompson Water District because they are in financial
trouble. " This is not true. The Little Thompson Water Dis-
trict is not and never has been in financial trouble. It
was bond money Mr. Lorenson spoke of for the construction of
new storage and water supply tanks.
Any one in the district can get a water tap any time,
any place by paying the tap fee.
At this same meeting in Johnstown Mr. Lorenson tried to
get a vote from the people and was told it would not be a
fair vote as he had not fully presented his plan. This type
of employee should not be on the public payroll.
(Applause. )
Commissioner Ashley and Planning Board members and Glen
Anderson were present at this meeting.
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If a farmer abides by the regulations made by city folk
for their benefit it ' s one sure way of discouraging young
further farmers , and there are too few of them now.
The boycott against the farmers products is another way
the city folks have of trying to control our activities . The
farmer was smart enough to run his own business for many years
and produced an abundance of food. So, I don' t think we need
any one else trying to run our business now.
If land development is started in rural areas , stop and
think what you are doing to the financial status of farm
land. I ask that you give the farmer consideration and not
allow this Comprehensive Plan to tie up our farm land priv-
ileges.
I would like to ask the people in this crowd, those
who agree with this plan and those who do not agree with
this plan to raise your hands. Those who are in favor of
the plan, raise your hands . Those against the plan raise
your hands . I would like to see those who are for it.
Thank you.
(Applause. )
CHAIRMAN BILLINGS: Next would be Gretchen
Cutts , representing the Audubon Society.
GRETCHEN CUTTS
I will read a statement approved March 5 by the
director of the Greeley Audubon Society.
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My name is Gretchen Cutts , 2336 Sunset Lane in Greeley.
We , the Board of Directors of the Greeley Audubon Society,
membership approximately 65 , wish to express our support of
the basic concepts of the Weld County Planning Board' s Com-
prehensive Plan. We agree that :
One. Agriculture should remain the basis for the county ' s
economy and that further diversion of farmland to residential
or commercial use should be strongly and officially discouraged.
Two. Commercial and residential growth should be limited
to the existing twenty-seven municipalities and not spread
along highways, on floodplains, nor on agricultural or other
open-space lands.
Three. Further industrial growth should be directed to
agricultural service industries .
We feel that such policies can result in :
One. An enduring economic health relying on renewable
resources ; sunlight , soil, and water, and serving fundamen-
tal human needs .
Two. ,A varied and interesting countryside of lasting
social, psychological and recreational value.
Three. The maximum preservation of irreplaceable natural
habitat and species for the benefit of future generations.
In the implementation of the plan we would recommend:
One. Formation of greenbelts as open spaces adjacent to
and within existing municipalities .
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Two. The evolution of floodplains into continuous
greenbelts for open-space recreation, nature study and non-
motorized recreation travel.
Three. The protection of certain unique and threatened
natural areas in Weld County. I have attached a separate sheet
listing those areas .
CHAIRMAN BILLINGS : Could we have a copy of
that , please.
(Applause. )
Next would be Norman Carlson representing Weld County
Ag Council.
NORMAN CARLSON
Mr. Chairman, I am Norman Carlson from Johnstown, I
represent the Ag Council.
Basically, I believe the Comprehensive Plan for Weld
County is a good one.
I believe that man ' s relationship with the land should
result in a creative outlet and I believe that once he has
acquired it, the land is his to keep and use as he sees fit.
I think if we believe in that we do not need the plan.
I'm sure all of you have read, as Elton Miller stated,
that the Ag Council was opposed to the Comprehensive Plan
in its present form. I think with modifications we can
live with this plan because even Mr, Carroll, I 'm sure, would
be opposed to have somebody come in next to him and put in
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something there that would devalue his farm.
I do believe that a lot of farmers in the county have
uneconomical quarters . I don 't mean quarters , I mean areas
that are hard to farm; two or three acres. I think this
area would be ideal for low density housing.
I think the present plan limits any housing in rural
areas. I think the only services needed would be a sewer to
those areas. Areas along county roads should be utilized
where it 's not primarily agricultural land use, where it is
uneconomical to farm.
I think also there is a lot in this book that is in
regard to the legislation that needs to be passed; such as,
lowering the taxes in agriculture.
I think also one thing that we should emphasis is the
establishment of mineral rights which have been taken away
from the land and sold. Probably a program should be raised
on those mineral rights and they should be taxed.
I think the town should be defined for growth areas_
and no open-door policies is what I 'm getting at. The County
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Commissioners , in other words , have enough authority in
Weld County, however, the State has authority with eminent
domain and the County Commissioners have no authority to i
offset that eminent domain.
I think the land used in the greenbelt should also be
defined and the taxes on this greenbelt should be either
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reduced or the towns themselves should buy this land and
they pay the taxes on it.
Thank you, sir.
(Applause. )
CHAIRMAN BILLINGS : Thank you, Norman.
Next, Jerry Cogburn, representing himself.
JERRY COGBURN
I am Jerry Cogburn from Eaton, Colorado, Route 1, Box 11.
I have a farm in Weld County and also ranches in Larimer
County. This concerns me on both of these basis.
The question I have to the Commission and the Commissioners
has been brought up in a piece meal way here this afternoon.
The question still is , what is primary agricultural lands?
I would like that defined by the Commissioners and the Com-
mission.
What I am saying by this is the fact I have attended
three of these meetings throughout the county and I think
there has been some misrepresentation or some statements
made which have not been fully defined by members attend-
ing the meetings.
One is the statement, we are running out of agricul-
tural land, or we are taking so much agricultural land out
of production, we are depleting our resources.
I have lived in the State of Washington for two years.
There is a project called the East High Project near Othello,
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Washington, where they have land for a half million acres , I
am talking about agricultural land that would be opened up
with the bat of an eyelash or some nods . If they decided to
open this area there would be a half million acres put under
agriculture tomorrow
Our problem up to now is that we have had to produce
way and above the demands . All we have to do is think back
a few years when prices were lower. We have plenty of agri-
cultural land and the statement that we are running out of
prime agricultural land I can ' t go along with.
(Applause. )
I would also like to direct another question to the
Commission. What is the constitutionality of this plan as
it is or as set up right now? I have had no answers , I have
seen nothing pertaining to the constitutionality segment of
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that.
One segment that has been or is being brought now or
by the City of Denver to the State Legislature is pertaining
to parks . I 'm speaking of priorities of ranches in Larimer
County brought right down here on top of you. That is they
cone in there and designate that there should be a park for
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this ranch and you have a damn development up in those moun-
tains . They take this away without really saying what I
can get for it. In other words , they list the price they
are going to give you for this and condemn my land if they
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want to. They can do the same thing down here if they want
to.
I would just like to know and have a decision made so
far as the constitutionality of the program as it is now
set up.
I just wish I had been at more meetings. This is just
something I wanted to get off my chest. At these meetings
there have been very, very few people there from the agri-
cultural industry and we don ' t want to loose our right of
saying what we want to do with our land. I am not against
planning, I believe in planning, but the farmer and people
in agriculture have been restricted every day. All we have
to do is pick up, what I am saying is that we in agriculture
should get out and be a little more vocal. If we do loose
this it ' s just our own complacency.
Thank you.
(Applause. )
CHAIRMAN BILLINGS : Thank you, Jerry.
Next, Lawrence Hertzke representing the Forward Together
Planning Council and he is representing himself, also.
LAWRENCE HERTZKE
My name is Lawrence Hertzke , I live west of Greeley.
The first few comments will be in regard or about the
Forward Together. Planning Council, of which I happen to be
chairman.
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During the past year this committee , comprised of citizens
throughout the county, studied three separate areas ; land use,
water and urban problems . Carl Felte , who is the chairman of
the Land Use Committee , of course this particular committee ' s
problem is more directly realted- to the Comprehensive Plan
that we are discussing here today. He has given you a re-
port from our Water Committee , which is under the direction
of Ed Husted.
Our other committee headed by John Morris is involved
around urban problems. All three of these groups have been
meeting separately in this past year in their own areas. We
will have a meeting on the 18th of April, at which time
their complete reports will be given. Also at that time
we hope to be able to come up with some worthwhile com-
ments and suggestions which can be beneficial to all who
are concerned about planning. We hope that this report
will be coming out that week and will be presented to the
Commissioners and hope it will be of some value to you.
As a personal comment, I hope you will take a little
more time before passing the Comprehensive Plan as presented
here today. I urge you to get more people involved directly
in formulating the plan, such as suggested by Carl Felte ,
by using an individual from each of the twelve school
districts within the county.
We need a plan with enough teeth in it so that we, as
individuals or groups cannot put pressure upon our Commis-
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sioners to veer away from the plan. I don ' t feel the plan
is all bad; the basic concept and philosophy is okay, but
it does need to be revised and refined.
So, if you see fit to postpone adoption at this time,
I hope you Commissioners will not permit any strip or spot
zoning on a few acres across the county, but rather require
a complete P.U.D, concept for a large given area, so that
you know it will blend in the whole area ten to fifteen
years later and not just meet the desires of anyone of us
individually.
In this interim time I sincerely urge, urge you to appoint
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n additional members on the Weld County Planning Commission, to
Cl include individuals from areas not represented now, so our
whole county can have a part in formulating a police of
this magnitude.
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I think one of the best, or worst comments in the plan
was one brought out by several members before and needs to
le repetitious. If you want , I will put it this way; leave
agricultural land agricultural until we desire to change it
in the furture. I am sure that could be reworded in such
a way that we in agriculture can live with it and I surely
hope that it will get more land owners involved in this
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language of this Comprehensive Plan.
Thank you.
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(Applause. )
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CHAIRMAN BILLINGS : Thank you Lawrence.
This covers all of those people who signed their names
and wanted to comment. Now, are there any individuals -- I
see a lady way in the back. Will you come up and give your
name and address so we know who we are
IRMA PRINCIC
Gentlemen, I am Irma Princic, I reside at 2624 West
20th Street Road, Greeley. I am chairwoman of the Forward
Together Housing Council, but today I am here as a private
citizen who has given much thought to this plan and to the
alternatives the citizens of Weld County have if this plan
is not adopted.
Unfortunately a conflict between individual rights ,
free enterprize, property rights and the welfare of the
entire community has arisen because of Weld County's need
to plan land use. As a rugged individualist the American
farmer has suddenly been forced to face the possibility of
property restraints , a reality which the city home owner
has faced for some time. Namely, zoning, subdivision reg-
ulations and sanitation laws .
One day in the store there was a lady who was living
on a farm and she was very up set about the controls on
burning trash. I really don ' t thine; this woman understood
the open burning of trash, she just thought it was another
control put on her.
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These regulations are not only curbing individual rights ,
they are also interferring with free enterprize and property
rights. When I was in, college my professor defined freedom
as the right to do anything .which does not infringe upon the
rights of others. The farmer who is speculating on the
possible residential development value of his land feels
that these land use plans endangers his retirement investment.
He has not considered what uncontrolled growth will do to
the county and particularly our beautiful front range. People
are not going to move to the northern part of the county,
they want to live between Greeley and the mountains .
This plan which is presented today would require growth
to occur contingent to existing towns and cities . I believe
this is wise because approval of the development must be
given by the tax payers who will have to provide th_ e s_ch2ols
and services. In short there won ' t be a Monte Bello type
scandle over the provision of adequate school facilities
after the development is built.
Dispersed growth costs more than contingent growth.
New dispersed developments spend more revenue than they
collect. Jefferson County, Colorado , has allowed dispersed
growth and all though the county has only a one mill wel-
fare levy, Jefferson County patrons pay a higher property
tax, proportionately, because of services ; schools , sewers ,
water , and highways , that this growth demands .
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As a point of emphasis, forty percent of Jefferson County
land is used for the automobile. Families living in the foot
hills have an average of four cars per family, but everyone
in Jefferson County has to help pay for road repairs, traffic
lights , et cetera, that these demand.
Thus this dispersed growth has resulted in higher taxes,
pollution and loss of beautiful natural areas.
I am a native of Colorado and I have witnessed our un-
controlled mushrooming growth with great concern. Wildlife
areas and farms made into quarter acre fenced lots with as-
phalt and concrete replacing grassland and precious trees.
Since trees cannot grow as quickly here as in more humid
areas, Colorado cannot contain the vast number of people
as say, Virginia, Connecticut or Oregon can contain because
of the lush foilage of these states that provides green
areas easily.
In Colorado greenbelts will have to be located along
rivers , be farm land and even natural grass areas. I, for
one, and I have met and talked with many people in the
county, feel that greenbelts belong to the county people
and if the county wants the greenbelts the county should
be responsible and I am more than willing to pay for it.
But it will have to be larger parcels of land because of
the arid climate.
Another complaint against uncontrolled growth is the
pressure it puts on a farmer who may not want to .sell his
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land for development. I have a friend who lives on a ranch
in Morgan and has for ten years . Last year he paid seventeen
hundred dollars to have his septic system put in and about
two years from now he will have to put in city sewer. They
are being pressured by the land :developers . They don' t want
to leave, they want to stay and raise their horses , but
they feel that they are being put under pressure to leave
because of the development around them:
Also the impact this growth would have on one of Weld
County' s largest industry, namely, meat processing. With
the limited amount of water Colorado actually has there is
not enough to supply both a megapolis of the front range
area and the agriculture further east.
I do not want to take advantage of the farming com-
munity, but at the same time I expect the farming community
to realize they can' t take advantage of the urban sector.
I realize that we must all work together for legislation on
the state level through such instruments as tax incentives ,
in order to assure the farmer that the land is as valuable
left in wheat , corn, sugar beets or just plain grass as it
is in houses.
This plan, limited as it may be and in need of revision,
is the first step to assuring planned growth in Weld County
which will benefit both the urban and rural population.
As I mentioned earlier, I am a native of Colorado. I
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was raised in Wheat Ridge . When I was a small girl, Wheat
Ridge was a small town. It got its name from the great
ridges of wheat that grew there. I'm sure many of you
know what it looks like now and I wouldn ' t want this to
happen to us up here.
Thank you for your attention.
(Applause. )
CHAIRMAN BILLINGS : We have another lady.
JOAN HARRISON
I am not trying to push a lunch boycott, this will
only take about two minutes.
I am Joan Harrison, 2624 13th Avenue. I am speaking
for the League of Women Voters.
A lot of us in this meeting room won't be here fifty
years from now, but we would like to be remembered. We
would like to be remembered as part of a generation that
realized land in Weld County and Colorado was a limited
resource and did something about it.
The Greeley-Johnstown League of Women Voters believes
that the Weld County Comprehensive Plan being discussed
here today is good. We think it is good that there is a
plan. We think it is a good plan. We believe it will
direct the twenty-seven cities and towns and the county
into a desirable living, working , producing pattern for
fifty years hence.
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In general, the Weld County Comprehensive Plan will
give us productive open space, our farming and grazing
lands . It will give us available living space supported by
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municipal services. We want our fertile countryside to
grow corn and beets and cattle. We want our municipalities
to grow houses, sewers and asphalt. That 's pretty much the
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way it has been and we would like to keep it that way.
Developing a plan is one thing, getting it accepted
is something else. We commend the Commissioners for
authorizing the Comprehensive Plan show, which the Planning
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staff has shown all over the county. Selling long range
planning is a hard job. Making the effort, however, is part
of the leadership job of public officials and public of-
ficials lead as well as represent.
Thank you.
(Applause. )
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CHAIRMAN BILLINGS : Could we have a copy of I
that. Thank you.
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Is there anyone else who would like to make a comment.
* * a
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REPORTER' S CERTIFICATE
STATE OF COLORADO )
ss .
COUNTY OF WELD )
I, Keith W. Rusk, Official Shorthand Reporter within
the State of Colorado, hereby certify that I took in shorthand
all the proceedings had and done in the foregoing hearing
on the 2nd day of April, 1973. I further certify that the
foregoing thirty-three pages contain a full , accurate and
complete transcript of my notes.
Keith W. Rusk
Dated this !Zr day of ///CH (" 1973 , at
Greeley, Colorado.
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Hello