Boulder County
Has the Power to
Stop The Gross Dam Expansion
Who To Contact:
The Boulder County Commissioners
Will Toor
commissioners@bouldercounty.org
wtoor@co.boulder.co.us wtoor@bouldercounty.org 303-441-3500 Contact - Board of County Commissioners
commissioners@bouldercounty.org 303-441-3500 (phone) 303-441-4525 (fax) Location Boulder County Courthouse Third Floor 1325 Pearl St. Boulder, CO 80302 Map and directions Hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. M-F Mailing Address PO Box 471 Boulder, CO 80306 |
Ben Pearlman
commissioners@bouldercounty.org
bpearlman@co.boulder.co.us 303-441-3500 Cindy Domenico
commissioners@bouldercounty.org
cdomenico@co.boulder.co.us 303-441-3500 |
Sample Letter
Boulder County Commissioners:
Please hold a public meeting regarding the Gross Dam Expansion.
I am resident of Boulder County and live in the northern, pristine area adjacent to Gross Reservoir. I live here because of its mountain character, peace and quiet, and abundance of wildlife.
I am saddened by the speed and blithe disregard for due process of review by the Denver Water Board (DW) on the dam expansion. I believe that Boulder County has immense authority to stop this project - if it wants to.
This proposed project is not consistent with Boulder County's Master Plan and it is in violation of Land Use rules.
There is many other water mitigation methods that DW could be implementing. But DW has chosen this path which little justification based on many studies and estimates of water conservation. The semi-arid climate of Denver is reaching critical mass of its population's water usage, and needs to be addressed. In addition, it is pretty clear the main beneficiary of the additional acre-feet is the Candelas Development, (City of Arvada), a short sighted and "behind closed doors" agreement with little or no public input.
The larger narrative for the state of Colorado should be about how many more people are we willing to support, and how much growth is enough. The developers will tell you it supports jobs, but clearly growth is ALWAYS detrimental to the communities around it. Boulder county is in a position to begin this narrative, asking the tough questions about when all of us should say "no" to growth, especially when it hurts so many and lines the pockets of only a few individuals.I urge you to hold a public meeting regarding the Gross Dam Expansion, soliciting input about whether Boulder county should allow this project to move forward.
Sincerely
Jake Owsley
Lakeshore Drive Resident
Please hold a public meeting regarding the Gross Dam Expansion.
I am resident of Boulder County and live in the northern, pristine area adjacent to Gross Reservoir. I live here because of its mountain character, peace and quiet, and abundance of wildlife.
I am saddened by the speed and blithe disregard for due process of review by the Denver Water Board (DW) on the dam expansion. I believe that Boulder County has immense authority to stop this project - if it wants to.
This proposed project is not consistent with Boulder County's Master Plan and it is in violation of Land Use rules.
There is many other water mitigation methods that DW could be implementing. But DW has chosen this path which little justification based on many studies and estimates of water conservation. The semi-arid climate of Denver is reaching critical mass of its population's water usage, and needs to be addressed. In addition, it is pretty clear the main beneficiary of the additional acre-feet is the Candelas Development, (City of Arvada), a short sighted and "behind closed doors" agreement with little or no public input.
The larger narrative for the state of Colorado should be about how many more people are we willing to support, and how much growth is enough. The developers will tell you it supports jobs, but clearly growth is ALWAYS detrimental to the communities around it. Boulder county is in a position to begin this narrative, asking the tough questions about when all of us should say "no" to growth, especially when it hurts so many and lines the pockets of only a few individuals.I urge you to hold a public meeting regarding the Gross Dam Expansion, soliciting input about whether Boulder county should allow this project to move forward.
Sincerely
Jake Owsley
Lakeshore Drive Resident
Sample Letter
Dear Boulder County Commissioners:
Please hold a public meeting to solicit input related to Boulder County's opinions of the Gross Dam (Moffat ) Expansion Project.
I have been a resident of Boulder County for 38 years. I moved to Boulder in 1973 in pursuit of a lifestyle that was in harmony with nature. I have not been disappointed in that pursuit. Boulder, it's surrounding landscape and it's community have fulfilled my personal philosophies and desires around achieving a balance between man and nature, between progress and environmental sustainability. As evidenced by the community's intent focus beginning in the late 1890's with the purchase of what is now Chautauqua Park with taxpayer dollars and reaffirmed through multiple decades to the present time with the community continuing to vote for dedicated tax increases to purchase additional acres of green space, Boulder has demonstrated its commitment to quality of life in nature since it's origin. We were early adopters of green technologies such as solar power, we recycle everything we can think of, we implement stringent building codes that while they are onerous to the builder they are designed to limit the impact we have on our environment.
Now we are witnessing a prescribed action to raise the Gross Reservoir Dam by 131 ft to provide 72,000 acre feet of additional water storage for Denver and surrounding communities. The need for this additional water supply is driven by a forecast of use projected between now and 2030 as an 18,000 acre ft/year shortfall that will be driven by new developments such a the Candelas project in Arvada. That project will need additional water supply that Arvada can not supply to support Candelas' commercial and residential plans such as three golf courses requiring lots of fresh Colorado drinking water to sustain them. Boulder will not be a recipient of this new water supply but residents of Boulder county and numerous other counties will suffer the significant damage and loss of natural environment as a result. Compelling research and data has been amassed that demonstrates simple, effective solutions to the water usage increases projected by implementing basic conservation standards. I understand that Denver Water is in the business to sell more water but at what cost to the environment and it's residents? Their proposed project does not deal with the root cause of the water shortage issue. It perpetuates a fundamental problem we have in this state.
We live in a semi-arid climate and continue to develop, grow and use more water than our environment can support. The destruction of streams, riparian wetlands, wildlife habitat and migration paths in the interest of more un-tempered, unconscionable growth bringing financial profit for a few is not what we Boulderites and Coloradans cherish and fight to protect. Our environment, the respect for nature and the pure beauty of this state has to be preserved!
Boulder County has always demonstrated it's commitment to preserving our environment and quality of life. It is time again to demonstrate what we stand and fight for. Please schedule a public meeting to allow for compelling information to be brought forth regarding not only the risk and loss associated with this project but the indisputable alternative solutions that will preserve our way of life.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
Sincerely,
Anna McDermott
Lakeshore Park Road
Boulder, CO
Please hold a public meeting to solicit input related to Boulder County's opinions of the Gross Dam (Moffat ) Expansion Project.
I have been a resident of Boulder County for 38 years. I moved to Boulder in 1973 in pursuit of a lifestyle that was in harmony with nature. I have not been disappointed in that pursuit. Boulder, it's surrounding landscape and it's community have fulfilled my personal philosophies and desires around achieving a balance between man and nature, between progress and environmental sustainability. As evidenced by the community's intent focus beginning in the late 1890's with the purchase of what is now Chautauqua Park with taxpayer dollars and reaffirmed through multiple decades to the present time with the community continuing to vote for dedicated tax increases to purchase additional acres of green space, Boulder has demonstrated its commitment to quality of life in nature since it's origin. We were early adopters of green technologies such as solar power, we recycle everything we can think of, we implement stringent building codes that while they are onerous to the builder they are designed to limit the impact we have on our environment.
Now we are witnessing a prescribed action to raise the Gross Reservoir Dam by 131 ft to provide 72,000 acre feet of additional water storage for Denver and surrounding communities. The need for this additional water supply is driven by a forecast of use projected between now and 2030 as an 18,000 acre ft/year shortfall that will be driven by new developments such a the Candelas project in Arvada. That project will need additional water supply that Arvada can not supply to support Candelas' commercial and residential plans such as three golf courses requiring lots of fresh Colorado drinking water to sustain them. Boulder will not be a recipient of this new water supply but residents of Boulder county and numerous other counties will suffer the significant damage and loss of natural environment as a result. Compelling research and data has been amassed that demonstrates simple, effective solutions to the water usage increases projected by implementing basic conservation standards. I understand that Denver Water is in the business to sell more water but at what cost to the environment and it's residents? Their proposed project does not deal with the root cause of the water shortage issue. It perpetuates a fundamental problem we have in this state.
We live in a semi-arid climate and continue to develop, grow and use more water than our environment can support. The destruction of streams, riparian wetlands, wildlife habitat and migration paths in the interest of more un-tempered, unconscionable growth bringing financial profit for a few is not what we Boulderites and Coloradans cherish and fight to protect. Our environment, the respect for nature and the pure beauty of this state has to be preserved!
Boulder County has always demonstrated it's commitment to preserving our environment and quality of life. It is time again to demonstrate what we stand and fight for. Please schedule a public meeting to allow for compelling information to be brought forth regarding not only the risk and loss associated with this project but the indisputable alternative solutions that will preserve our way of life.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
Sincerely,
Anna McDermott
Lakeshore Park Road
Boulder, CO
Also see: Kit Coddington's Letter here.
Who To Contact:
Report Land Use Code Violations
Boulder County Land Use Dept.The Boulder County Land Use Department is responsible for enforcing compliance with Building Code, Noxious Weed, Rubbish, and Zoning regulations in unincorporated Boulder County (see examples of common Land Use Code violations).
Report a violation:
Contact Information Assistant Zoning Administrator: Taj Yelton tyelton@bouldercounty.org 720-564-2639 Zoning Enforcement Officer: John Holste jholste@bouldercounty.org 720-564-2621 |
Land Use Violations:
1. Gross Expansion Does Not Follow Boulder County Comprehensive Plan
"Citizens in the Magnolia/Winiger Ridge neighborhoods west of Gross Reservoir prepared, in consultation with a professional land use planner and under the aegis of the Preserve Unique Magnolia Association (PUMA), a comprehensive 250-page “Magnolia Environmental ProtectionPlan” (MEPP), which was officially incorporated into the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan in late 2000. Its evaluated 22 sq. miles of lands south of Boulder Canyon, north of South Boulder Creek, east of Peak-to-Peak Highway, and west of Gross Reservoir, and contained recommendations for Denver Water Board, among other parties. During early phases of development of the Moffat Project DEIS, in late 2003, the Boulder County Commissioners informed both Denver Water and the Army Corps of Engineers of the importance of MEPP and requested that they keep MEPP in mind in developing the DEIS. However, nowhere throughout the six volumes of the DEIS can we find any mention of MEPP or its policies, which are summarized at http://www.puma-net.org/popupmepppol.htm" See Comments of Dr. Clark and Y Chapman. 2. Please Contact us with Additional Violations for our list |
Who to Contact:
Colorado General Assembly
Probably Also Has the Power to Stop Gross Dam
... if they wanted to.
coming soon..
