Tag Archives: elizabeth

Say NO To CR 178 Shortcut!

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Unbelievable.

Jim Marshall, developer of Spring Valley Ranch in Elbert County has proposed a “shortcut” and is attempting to get out of an agreement he made with the county a few years ago to pave 16.15 miles of roads to and from his development. His proposed “shortcut” across CR 178 only paves 7.15 miles of roads.  At a million dollars a mile, that’s a $9,000,000.00 savings to the developer and a $9,000,000.00 theft from from the citizens of Elbert County.  Simple stuff you say?

Not really.  For some reason, his proposal appears to have traction. We’ve seen hundreds of emails where he is directing taxpayer paid county employees to develop power point presentations, directing former planning commission members, even hired a former county commissioner to run his Special Taxing Districts, directing our county attorney on hiring, cozy emails with our county manager and county assessor, and he also has his minions sending “shortcut CR 178” support emails to the county.  It appears the fix may be in, but hopefully our three county commissioners will do the right thing for the citizens of Elbert County and stick to the original 16.15 miles of paved roads, right?

Anyway, your voice, your email does matter.  We have seen several times on development issues how the commissioners point to the “on the record” support they have received for some developments in making their decisions.  That support is mostly canned realtor forms in support of high density developments, but nonetheless, still mentioned as a deciding factor.  Some of us are showing our support to enforce the already signed agreement obligating Jim Marshall to build 16.15 miles of roads by sending emails.  Here’s my email to the county:

“To Whom It May Concern,

Please enter into the record my support FOR the original agreement that Jim Marshall, the developer of Spring Valley Ranch is to build 16.15 miles of paved roads into and out of Spring Valley Ranch. (see obligation, attached map).

I am AGAINST the current proposal allowing a CR 178 shortcut, only paving 7.15 miles of roads.

The citizens of Elbert County deserve what was previously agreed to.

Wayne Ordakowski, Elbert County Citizen
Your address here”

Map: https://saveelbertcounty.com/178.pdf

Email addresses:
Chris.Richardson@elbertcounty-co.gov
Grant.Thayer@elbertcounty-co.gov
Rick.Pettitt@elbertcounty-co.gov
Christina.Stanton@elbertcounty-co.gov
Bart.Greer@elbertcounty-co.gov

There’s a lot of disinformation floating around right now, but the map of what is obligated versus the developers green line proposal is clear. Elbert County citizens deserve the 16.15 miles of paved roads.  Perhaps you may lend your email voice also so feel free to copy my email (edit to your name and address) and send it off to the county addresses above!

Map: https://saveelbertcounty.com/178.pdf

“Buyer Beware” – Independence Taxes

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Hard to believe you will pay $6,400 a year (every year) in taxes on a $535K house, but here you have it!  Elbert County Commissioner Grant Thayer must’ve known a little something when in September, 2017 he publicly stated, “Buyer Beware” as he was questioned on the Independence Special District tax rates. Don’t worry though, he approved the development just minutes later. He had already done the math, obviously.

$533 a month!  Just in recurring property taxes!

Elbert County Independence Development Taxes

I’ve said it in an earlier post, “Looking at the Elbert County Independence development “Engineering Estimates and Map of Improvements“, simple math suggests the project costs are going to REALLY swamp the new homeowners with crushing property taxes. By their own estimates, $184 Million divided by 920 lots is $200,000 per lot.  $200,000.00 PER LOT! And that doesn’t include the actual home!”  ($184M Map Of Improvements Link)

I dare you to try and find the property tax rates for ANY home listed for sale in Independence.  They’ve pretty much hidden them all.  That’s a number they do not want any prospective new homeowner to find (until of course it’s too late).  I cannot imagine anybody would want to hear they have to budget an extra $600 a month ON TOP of their principle, interest and insurance costs.

An example of how they hide the annual taxes on this $587,161 Independence Home.

I sure hope ALL prospective new home buyers are doing their due diligence and learning about how Special Districts operate in the Denver Metro Area, and especially in Elbert County.  Maybe you’ve stumbled into SaveElbertCounty.com because you’re looking to move here?  Here’s a few articles about Special District’s and how they tax below:

Channel 7 Special District Article

The Denver Post Special District Featured Story

Strong Town’s “Ticking Time  Bomb”

“Buyer Beware“.  Glad we could help you find your way, enjoy!

Independence $237/mo Water & Sewer

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Elbert County IndependenceTaking a peek at only one single Special District Service Plan, the Independence Water And Sanitation Service Plan (there’s 6 total), I broke out what I considered a typical Colorado Spring/Summer/Fall month for water and sewer costs.  Mind you this is only water and sewer costs per month.  It does NOT include infrastructure, streets, roads, HOA, parks, storm sewers, or anything else. ONLY water and sewer.

I gathered the info direct from their Independence Water and Sanitation Service Plan.

The numbers broke down like this:

District Base Fee = $21/mo
Water Use Base Fee = $45/mo
Water Usage Fee @ 12,001 Gal/mo = $60/mo
Irrigation Use Base Fee (Apr-Oct) = $25/mo
Irrigation Usage Fee @  7,200 g/mo = $26/mo
Sanitary Sewer = $60/mo

Total = $237/month for water and sewer. Almost 3 grand a year.

Oh, and a Tap Fee of $27,500 per home that’s built into the price of your home at purchase.

Think I’ll stick with my rural county well and septic, eh?

Buyer Beware.

$184,000,000.00 Reasons “Buyer Beware”

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Independence.  More like “Dependence”.

“Service Plan Budget”

Looking at the Elbert County Independence development “Engineering Estimates and Map of Improvements“, simple math suggests the project costs are going to REALLY swamp the new homeowners with crushing property taxes. By their own estimates, $184 Million divided by 920 lots is $200,000 per lot.  $200,000.00 PER LOT! And that doesn’t include the actual home!

Independence Special District Estimated Costs

Look at those estimated costs to build the shithole sewer!

“Ahem” – unless of course it’s really 2,500 homes and they plan to start exporting water and sewer services…

Like Elbert County Commissioner Grant Thayer said about Independence, “BUYER BEWARE“.

Sewage Reused 101

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Elbert County ShitIf you’re wondering why Elbert County’s “Independence” construction exploded late last fall – it was because “As of October 2018, Colorado has amended Regulation 84, stating it now approves the use of reclaimed water for toilet and urinal flushing.”

So basically you flush it, and that sewage water gets on-site “treated” to a much lesser standard than potable water, then your kids can play in the non-potable water sprinklers, and you can wash your car with non-potable water, and the grandkids will fill the dogs water bowl from the non-potable water tap on every house.

https://www.watereducationcolorado.org/publications-and-radio/headwaters-magazine/fall-2018-the-promise-of-reuse/saved-from-the-drain/

https://rainwatermanagement.com/blogs/news/colorado-amended-regulation-84-now-allows-reclaimed-water-for-toilet-and-urinal-flushing-use

https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/84_2018%2811%29.pdf

Keep growing Colorado. Pretty soon we’ll be shitting on the streets like they do in California.

Independence 920 Homes or 2,500? Part I

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Independence Serentity Pointe Elbert County ColoradoThey keep saying 920 homes for “Independence”, but even as far back as 2009 another development called “Serenity Pointe” has been right next door to the former “Bandera” development.  Literally, right next door.

Here’s the Elbert County Commissioners Resolution 09-14:

Elbert County Res 09-14 Bandera West PUD

Note section 4:

“4.) The current site layout shows residential clusters abutting the property boundaries on the north, west, and east. To avoid potential conflicts between agricultural uses and the smaller lots (1/2 acre), the buffer area along these property boundaries should be increased. This will require shifting some of the perimeter lots toward the interior to create additional buffer area, eliminating the perimeter lots, or re-locating them elsewhere on the property. Serenity Point is a proposed development adjacent to and immediately north of Bandera. The lot configuration being proposed along Bandera’s north boundary may be appropriate, provided the open space and road connections are coordinated between the two proposed developments”.

As many that were there in person for the County Commissioners public hearing before the vote heard, Independence developer Tim Craft “offered” us citizens increased buffer setbacks out of the goodness of his heart to help sway any doubters.  Such a nice guy that Tim Craft.  Read section 4 above again.

Serenity Pointe is the 320 acre parcel of land immediately north of Independence and is owned by the Walton Group and their Asian “Land Unit” partners.  They together have invested north of 9 Million dollars in AG (agricultural) land.  They invested in a 320 acre field of nothing, not even a tree.  You think they’re going to spend that kind of money to graze cattle?  The storm is right around the corner.

Now, so we’re clear.  Independence is 920 homes, Serenity Pointe exact numbers aren’t known yet, but the Walton Group gives us clues.  Many clues.  They’re doing another development north of Denver in Larimer County called “Taft Ridge”.  Taft Ridge is 855 lots on 178 acres.  Here’s their brochure:

Walton Group “Taft Ridge” 855 lots on 178 acres (.20 acre/lot) (old link was deleted, wonder why, lol).

Walton Group also has several other land development projects going on across the country, including several failed ones.  They don’t actually build homes, they buy ag land, attract Asian investors to lessen their load, flip county zoning, planning and commissioner boards, then sell to real developers and walk away with the profit.  Oh, they usually build a Walmart a few years ahead so their developments have a place to shop at their new store.  Sound familiar Elbert County?

Here’s the Walton Group’s “ownership” with their Asian partners from the Elbert County Assessor Website (log in as public):

Walton Group 320 Acres North of Independence

Click on any of those “special Warranty Deeds” and you’ll see their Asian land unit investors (silent partners) and “SERENITY POINTE REVOCABLE TRUST“.  There’s 411 investor deed issuance’s for a total of $9,030,000.00 for a 320 acre parcel of AG land.  Huh?  What could they possibly know that the rest of Elbert County hasn’t a clue?

So knowing the density of Taft Ridge at .20 acre per lot (5 lots per acre), we can take that number and divide 320 by .20 and what do we have for homes?  1,600 more homes.

So 920 homes is really 2,500 homes now, isn’t it?

You can start connecting the dots as to why Independence needs its own supersized waste water sewage plant.  Why it requested and received 6 Special Districts with powers of eminent domain.  Why the huge push to get Independence through.   And where do you get the water for 7,500 new residents?  There’s soooo much more tied to it, and there’s soooo much money that it’s too big to fail, right?

Haven’t we heard that before.

And finally, did Barry Dulzen from the Walton Group really send this letter of support for Independence to the Elbert County Commissioners?  You bet he did, pulled straight from the Elbert County Website (click to enlarge):

Walton Group Independence Letter (pdf)

My fine Elbert County neighbors, the enemy is much closer than you think.

Coming soon, PART II. Stay tuned.

Wayne Ordakowski, a concerned RURAL Elbert County Citizen