The Serenity Pointe shithole according to Walton Group:
- Serenity Pointe by Walton Group Oct 23, 2020
Tag Archives: walton
Independence 920 Homes or 2,500? Part II
This just keeps getting deeper and deeper. Like unwinding a crime before it happens. And that’s what it is – a crime. Take our water. Take our land. Take our way of life. For profit.
Walton Group bought a couple parcels of land less than two years ago right here in Colorado. Lochbuie in Weld County as a matter of fact. But what they did there was/is backwards to what they usually do – and it effects us. They usually buy AG land, use their strength to bully small town and county boards to flip the property zoning, then sell it off to developers for profit. In these acquisitions, they bought out the developers and their special districts in the middle of the developers developing their developments (say that 3 times fast). Here’s a few articles:
Walton Group Buys Silver Peaks
It appears they bought both of the developments AFTER other developers went through zoning, planning, and county commissioners. After OTHER developers flipped the county regulators. Even bought it AFTER ground was broke and homes were being built.
And here’s their (consolidated name) project now:
Walton Group Silver Peaks Project Weld County
That’s quite a bit to take in, but it gets worse. Do any of these names ring a bell around here? Good God almighty, look at some of the Weld County Special Districts Board Members and their attorney!
Silver Peaks Weld County Special District Board Members
Dianne Miller Silver Peaks Special District Weld County
Colorado Water Developer “Looted” Development, Lawsuit Alleges
More importantly, look at the dates. Those Silver Peaks & Altamira developments along with their special districts were all put together, started developing, then were sold off to the Walton Group. And now Walton can put their new federally registered patent, “A Walton Community” logo to work:
Walton Group: A WALTON COMMUNITY
Is that what is happening here in Elbert County? It is not a reach whatsoever to speculate this is exactly what is happening here. Walk this through:
Attorney Dianne Miller puts together the Independence Special Districts with taxing and eminent domain powers, all 6 of them – check.
Developer Tim Craft brings the dead Bandera project back to life for Bluegreen Investments, and with a lot of money (who’s money?) and time, gets it approved by Elbert County Commissions. Zoning, Planning and the 3 Member County Commissioners all in his pocket – check
Walton Group raises over 9 Million dollars from their Asian partners for special warranty deeds on land they own abutting Independence. $9,000,000.00 raised and counting (that doesn’t even include any of their money) for a lousy 320 acres of AG land? – check
Walton applies for a change in zoning (out of AG) to Elbert County for their 320 acre parcel abutting Independence, a change NOBODY at the county says they know anything about (I have the emails), but yet what is this “confidential” document? Oh, let’s speculate, “Description: Received correspondence from new owner re AG. Uploaded docs and notified Bart Chambers.”
So who’s lying?
Walton Confidential Doc re: AG 02/2017
Somewhere down the line Walton annexes, buys or takes over (they’ve done all three previously) Independence and bam, we have 2,500+ homes with 7,500 or so new neighbors. And where do you get the water, the resources, to satisfy the needs of 7,500 people? The ingress/egress roads for 30,000 daily vehicle ins and outs that aren’t even in Elbert County. You think our wells here in Elbert County can supply 100% of the water required for this monstrosity? Not a chance, and they know it. I say slay it before it grows.
We got lucky here. I didn’t know about Bandera in 2009, didn’t care, didn’t live here yet.
I didn’t even know about Independence until just a few months ago, and I’ve been an Elbert County citizen and property owner for over 5 years. Seems most people ’round here (me included) mind their own business and don’t get too involved with county matters, just the way country life should be, right? Pretty much easy prey to be taken advantage of by greedy developers and crooked government officials. Hell, half the county doesn’t have reliable cell phone service. Rural.
But now I know.
And I’ll post everywhere, anywhere I can so you’ll know too. I’ll call the old posse and park a hundred Harley’s in front of the County Commissioners to get their attention. I’ll knock on your door, wake you up at 8 AM to get the facts of the matter out. I’ll write posts like these, give you the facts, quote articles, public resources, assessors info, etc. so you can determine what it is they’re doing to our “rural and western” way of life.
Is this what Elbert county residents want? Construction dust and noise for decades? Impossible access along Hilltop and Delbert Roads? Stinky sewer plants for 10,000 folks? To have developers come in here with high density cluster homes and take what’s ours?
Are we going to let this sneak by again, or are we gonna’ take a stand? Reasonable growth is Elbert County is expected, but OVERDEVELOPMENT and taking our water, our resources isn’t.
Listen, I know this is a lot to read. Maybe too much so. But sooner or later you have to make a choice. Stand or fall. Let your commissioners, planning commission members and zoning department know your thoughts. Don’t sit there on your ass and let this freight train run you over – again.
Leave that 320 acres zoned AG, AG. There’s no law that says it must change. There’s no law that says big money wins. There’s no law that says you cannot deny their request. There’s no law that says it’s OK to steal our water, clog our roads (that we don’t fix now) or get bent over a barrel by a few greedy clowns in new cowboy boots. This is rural Elbert County. Growth is coming, but there’s no law that says it can’t be smart growth. There’s no law that says our County Commissioners are not supposed to protect the citizens of Elbert County either.
Here’s your Elbert County Commissioners email addresses:
Chris.Richardson@elbertcounty-co.gov
Danny.Willcox@elbertcounty-co.gov
Grant.Thayer@elbertcounty-co.gov
Coming soon, Part III – that sneaky little multi-million gallon drinking water storage tank that’s connected to Rueter-Hess Reservoir on Singing Hills Road that will feed the machine. Remember pipelines run both ways. Water in, water out. Stay tuned, they broke ground and today there’s excavation and backhoe equipment there. Check back when you can.
Wayne Ordakowski, a concerned RURAL Elbert County Citizen
Independence 920 Homes or 2,500? Part I
They 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