Plans have once again emerged for a 105-acre site in Columbine Valley, but residents have been signing petitions with concerns over traffic, density and changing the character of the community.
Wild Plum Farm, also known as the Tuck property, is by far the largest remaining developable land in the town built around Columbine Country Club and has .
CalAtlantic Homes hopes to build 105 houses and leave more than half of the remaining acreage for a floodplain and open space. The homes would be priced between $900,000-$2 million. JPB Holdings is listed as the applicant.
But many in the town of just more than 1,300 have problems with the potential traffic and density issues that the development could bring.
Many residents from the town crowded the planning and zoning board meeting Tuesday where the plan was presented by staff and the developer.
“We want something comparable to the rest of the neighborhood that will maintain what is unique (about it),” said Ted Snailum, a resident and Burning Tree HOA representative, at the meeting. “We understand it will be developed. We want to make sure we get best development possible. Itap a unique community and want to keep it that way.”
Resident and Columbine Valley HOA representative Jon Piper said the development is a big issue for the town.. He said his neighborhood submitted more than 300 signatures opposed to the plan while another HOA claimed to provide 150.
Town staff recommended that the planning and zoning board delay any recommendation to the town board, which would then either approve or deny a rezoning request to permit the homes. The board listened to two hours of presentations from town staff and some of the 40 people who signed up to speak before adjourning the meeting to Aug. 23.
Town planner Phil Sieber said there were still additional traffic reports needed from the Colorado Department of Transportation in relation to South Platte Canyon Road and other issues that needed to be worked out. The main traffic issues stem from the entryways on Hunter Run Road and a secondary entrance on Fairway Lane, near the country club.
“There are still key pieces missing and Littleton Schools’ response is less than satisfactory,” Sieber said.
Residents also had concerns about the developer’s credibility after a letter was mailed to 90 people that appeared to come from the town and was supportive of the project. A land developer and representative for the applicant, Garrett Baum, apologized and said the intent was to send a flier to the entire town providing more information about the plan. The letter also had Town Hall as the return address, which Baum said is standard practice.
Baum also said that there is more work to be done with traffic.
“We don’t have all the answers today. We hope to at some point in the near future,” he said.
The Tuck family has owned the land since 1954 and has a home on the property and has been looking for the right project for several years. The land was annexed by the town in 1973.
John Robert Tuck represented his family at Tuesday’s meeting and noted he likes the vast open space this development would provide.
“Other applicants failed because they didn’t understand the uniqueness of the property and town,” Tuck said. “The Tuck family would like to see this have large open areas, potentially attract new club members and open this area to the entire town of Columbine Valley.”