Timnath voters reject move to stall Ladera annexation

TIMNATH — Timnath voters on Tuesday were resoundingly rejecting a measure that would have effectively nullified the final 188.5-acre annexation for the massive Ladera mixed-use development by prohibiting the town from annexing areas being used for mining until reclamation work is complete.

Unofficial results as of 9 p.m. showed ballot issue 1A with 409 votes in favor and 1,573 opposed.

The Town Council on Feb. 13 chose not to wait for the results of the citizen-initiated measure, instead unanimously approving the annexation proposal, final plat, zoning amendment and planned-unit development overlay that developer Connell LLC said it needs to build Ladera, which would include 680,000 square feet of retail, 212,000 square feet of office space, 80,000 square feet of hospitality uses including a dual-branded hotel, and 100,000 square feet of industrial space.

The annexation includes a working gravel mine and asphalt plant operated by a company affiliated with the developer, Connell Resources LLC. The site of the mine and plant would be part of Ladera after mining is completed and the tract reclaimed.

Proponents of the ballot issue in October filed the petition to put the measure on the ballot, expressing concerns that the town would be left with financial responsibility for the mining site if Connell abandoned it and didn’t reclaim it.

Council members at the Feb. 13 meeting urged the town to act when it did instead of waiting for the election results because doing so could speed the reclamation and transition away from industrial uses on the site and the tax revenue the project would eventually generate would be critical for maintaining services to Timnath residents.

“The Ladera team is thrilled that Timnath residents made their voices heard, and 80% voted “no” on the 1A ballot initiative, eliminating roadblocks that would stall the future growth of a solid tax base for the town. This vote is a vote for the future of Timnath,” representatives of Connell LLC said in a statement emailed to BizWest late Tuesday.

“This election brought many residents together to stand up for what they want to have in their community,” the statement said. “We look forward to working with the town and those interested in locating their businesses in Ladera.

“At completion, Ladera — a 240-acre residential, commercial and mixed-use project planned for the southeast of Harmony Road and I-25 — will be larger and have more diverse uses than any other potential commercial development in Timnath.”

Representatives of the proponents of Issue 1A refused to comment on the election results. During their campaign and at the Feb. 13 meeting, they expressed worries that if the property is annexed, the town would have jurisdiction over the mining site and would be forced to regulate and enforce issues on the property.

However, John Warren, Connell Resources’ president, responded that state mining inspectors and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment have and would continue to have primary oversight. He said the company should be done with the pit in about two years and then would have five years to reclaim it — but that Ladera developers would like to hasten that timeline.

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