Golden – A change in the color of the roof for a proposed indoor sports arena from hunter green to galvanized silver isn’t the only thing that has Jefferson County officials upset.
Rather, the color switch underscores their concern that the Foothills Park & Recreation District and other special taxing districts can make design changes without running them by the county.
“It’s unfortunate they don’t work with the county,” Commissioner Kevin McCasky said last week after learning of the situation.
“If you sign an agreement, you honor it,” McCasky added. “Every developer honors agreements, and I don’t think these guys are any different.”
The Foothills district sees the situation a bit differently. The change from green to silver will save the district $32,000 in building the 65,000-square-foot arena, a hefty sum in tight budget times, said Bill Detweiler, director of parks, planning and construction for Foothills.
When the Foothills district’s board learned of the cost difference, it exercised authority given under state law to special districts for zoning standards.
“Typically, it’s a last-resort issue,” Detweiler said, although the Foothills board also voted to override county design concerns on the The Ridge Recreation Center and The Edge Ice Arena.
Detweiler said the district ordered building materials for the new arena – which will feature an artificial grass surface for lacrosse, soccer and flag-football games – to meet construction deadlines after the site development plan was submitted to the county.
The plan specified earth tones for the roof of the metal building.
Detweiler said the board felt the galvanized roof is appropriate since the building is adjacent to a bus barn and a federal correctional facility, and the arched roof will not easily be seen.
But county planning director Tim Carl said the galvanized roof will reflect light “and creates an ugly building.”
Before the county denies or issues the building permit, “we need to figure out what’s going,” said Commissioner Jim Congrove.
A meeting is planned today between the county commissioners and the district board and staff to discuss the issue.
The arena is expected to be completed by Sept. 1 at the Daniel L. Schaefer Athletic Complex on the southeast corner of South Kipling Parkway and West Hampden Avenue.
Staff writer Ann Schrader can be reached at 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
