Timnath petition could force second Ladera vote

TIMNATH — Opponents of the 240-acre Ladera development in Timnath have submitted a petition to the town that could force a vote on a key aspect of the project.

A petition with 517 signatures, submitted to the town Tuesday, seeks a ballot measure at Timnath’s next municipal election on April 2 to amend the Timnath town charter to prohibit the town from annexing areas being used for mining until reclamation work is complete.

Town Clerk Milissa Peters-Garcia has until Jan. 2 to certify whether the petition has the minimum-required 348 valid signatures.

Connell LLC has proposed the annexation and development of land near the southeast quadrant of Interstate 25 and East Harmony Road. The site includes land now operated by Connell affiliate Connell Resources LLC as a gravel mine.

Connell LLC’s plan for Ladera includes more than 700 homes and about 2 million square feet of commercial, office and retail space including restaurants, a dual-branded hotel, an assisted-living center and storage units.

It would be the second petition and vote aimed at thwarting key aspects of the Ladera development. Voters earlier this year passed restrictions on the height of nets in the town, effectively killing a planned Topgolf in the project.

In a statement emailed to BizWest, Connell expressed disappointment that another petition has been submitted.

“We are disappointed that a small group of Timnath residents is once again taking advantage of taxpayer money — using public dollars to fund an election to limit growth in the Town of Timnath,” the statement reads.

“These few residents claim to be protecting the community from a health hazard relating to the reclamation of gravel pits. However, these references are simply scare tactics; no health hazard exists. This is clear from the safe and successful development of the Walmart shopping center and Windsor’s Raindance development, both of which involved the reclamation of gravel pits.

“We firmly believe the Ladera development is thoughtfully designed and will be a visually pleasing economic asset – generating millions in revenue – for the town of Timnath. The annexation application we submitted in January 2023 also includes more than 100 acres of natural areas, trails, and multiple lakes on what is now a working gravel pit.”

Connell’s statement said opponents are concerned with stopping growth, not reclamation.

“The group supporting the ballot initiative claims they are not against growth, yet everything they have done to date is designed to stop or slow Ladera,” the statement reads.

“The reclamation of the gravel pit is not the primary focus of this petition. It is – and has always been — to halt growth and options in Timnath.”

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