City Council August 18, 2020 Packet Addendum #2 Comments Received August 17, 5:00 pm - August 18, 4:30 pm
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City Council
August 18, 2020
Packet Addendum #2
Comments Received
August 17, 5:00 pm – August 18, 4:30 pm
From: mlczeman@q.com To: City Council Subject: Red Tail Ridge Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 8:29:34 AM Hello Today I am asking again for City Council to vote no on the development plan at Red Tail Ridge. Please don’t have Louisville contributing to the urban sprawl that is occurring all around us. Please continue having the Louisville Planning Department and Planning Commission involved in this project. Linda Cateora Louisville Sent from my iPhone
From: Thomas Deany To: City Council Subject: Redtail Ridge Support Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 8:05:07 AM I’m writing to simply encourage everyone to read Nils Nordberg’s letter to the editor in the Camera supporting Redtail Ridge. I fully share those points. The Redtail Ridge development is perfect for that area of town; it gives Louisville additional park and bike amenities, and is less dense than what has grown up across 36 and the parkway. The road changes will limit the impact of additional traffic and the impact on the character of old town will be minimal - except to bring a few more customers to the area to keep downtown financially stable. Please don’t let a vocal minority that is against everything control the debate on this. Tom Deany 1090 Griffith St Louisville Sent from iPad
From: Lynda To: City Council Subject: Redtail project: what do we value?!? Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 7:29:07 AM As the saying goes- If you want to know what people value look at where they spend their money and resources. What an incredible opportunity for Louisville Council to choose to keep our towns values intact. What do we value and believe in? We are proud to not cave into developers enticing financial incentives like Broomfield, Erie and Lafayette have done that left them permanently dismembered and disconnected from community and beauty. Those towns did not advocate for the land and wildlife that we voted you into office to protect. You have a privileged charge and responsibility to balance growth and preserve our small town and land from exploding into just another developers greed. We have supported the housing developments that let people be included here and gave us revenues for sustainability. We have felt heard and collaboratively a part of the decisions made for changes. Thank you for that! This Redtail project is excessive and will change our town like those surrounding us. You have a chance to choose what we value. There is nothing “balanced” between preservation and development with that Redtail project. That land deserves our vision and protection to be developed reasonably and consciously with what we really believe in, pay for and voted you to protect. I pray you lead from the heart of who we are, not from the financial comforts this project affords. Thank you for your deep consideration. Lynda Freund
From: John Ohannessian To: City Council Subject: No on Redtail Ridge Proposal Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 7:09:50 AM Dear Council, Please vote NO on tonight's Redtail Ridge Proposal. As Louisville residents since 1986 my whole family pleads with you to vote NO. Thank you. John Ohannessian 569 Augusta Drive Louisville, CO 80027 303-665-0130 303-817-3535 (Cell)
From: Michiko Christiansen
To: City Council
Subject: second letter correction ---sorry about this repeat
Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 6:35:57 AM
Dear members of the Louisville City Council,
I just wanted to say thank you for your time listening to all of us at the 8/4/20 zoom meeting. Your patience is greatly appreciated.
Strongly recommended action:
- Create a task force consisting of Louisville Residents, members of the Louisville City Council, and an environmental sustainability group to work together on RFP.
Reasons:
- It defines the City of Louisville's vision of what innovative and modern development would look like on the Conoco Phillips property**
- Propose a path to get there
Where to start:
1) Develop self sustaining energy and water generation.
-Solar, wind, thermal, underground water storage.
2) Commit to a public/ private partnership and publish an RFP to attract a private partner.
-This is from Carolyn Maxine Most's ideas, not mine. I'm in favor of this.
**These are my thoughts:
Conoco Phillips is always seeking renewable energy and sustainable energy, with this we can have solar panels, windmills and buffalo grazing that will support us in terms of electricity just like
Rocky Flats; which are doing well. As a community, we can work with Conoco Phillips on developing Red Tail Ridge without the intervention of an outside developer. A potential example of
removing an outside developer is illustrated in the article "Red Tail Ridge: 'The 50 Million Dollar Question' by Chris Wheeler," where former Director of Conservation Graeme Patterson suggests a
solution that reflects the opinions of many Louisville residents. Patterson suggests that the area in question be turned into a conservation sight for bison. Along with the idea of environmental
sustainability, I would like to see if we can attract sustainable companies like ECOLAB, CISCO SYSTEMS INC, BIOGEN, MCCORMICK, TOO GOOD TO GO, ECOSIA and many more. For they play into
the desires of the residents of louisville.
Transitioning to the next topic, I, as well as others, would like to know why Medtronic is not actively looking at the other options of development in our city. The most prominent examples being the
un-occupied commercial spaces along McCaslin Blvd. Where said spaces are close to existing transportation, there is little or no need to develop or upgrade amenities, supporting the local business
and the location of the sight does not interfere with local wildlife. If for some reason Medtronic does not pursue these other options, then let them go elsewhere. Better companies who value
sustainability and are environmentally conscious.
My last thoughts are quick and easily stated. On the Erickson Home, I much rather not have it due to the home not being cost effective, affordable, and the fact that there is an abundance of senior
housing across Colorado. As for the public comments in the three minute speaking period rule, this applies for everyone including Mr. Baukol and the other companies due to fairness. Lastly, please
do the will of the people who elected you to represent them, and vote no on the proposed development of Redtail Ridge.
Thank you,
Michiko L. Christiansen
From: David Walters To: City Council Subject: Redtail Ridge Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 6:31:45 AM Hello Please vote against the Redtail Ridge development proposal!!!! As it is to day it’s way too large!! Too many buildings and too many stories tall. The Louisville Comprehensive Plan took a lot of thinking and hard work for it to be changed so easily. This should not change! Thanks David Walters Louisville resident since Spring of 1988 Sent from my iPhone
From: sherry sommer To: City Council Subject: Erickson Senior Living at Redtail Ridge Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 6:31:31 AM Redtail Ridge is not the appropriate location for Senior residences. The ConocoPhillips property is in the RMMA airport influence zone, and your packet states that the Senior Living Facility would be in the area most greatly subjected to airplane noise and pollution. The facility is also situated by Highway 36, another source of noise and pollution. In addition, the area will lack amenities that would be foundations of a healthy life for seniors. There are no stores, community gathering places, or cultural facilities within walking distance. Seniors living here would be isolated from the rest of our community. Louisville can and should do better than this. Let’s not allow a white elephant to be built in this location. Sherry Sommer 910 South Palisade Court
From: Nicholas Judd To: City Council Subject: Vote No on Redtail Ridge Development and Comprehensive Plan Amendments Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 12:13:30 AM To the Louisville City Council, I am asking that you vote “No” on the current Redtail Ridge proposal and any amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. I am also asking that you avoid any waivers to the Commercial Development Design Guidelines as proposed in Project 321 - Medtronic. Before anything, I’d ask that you look at the two primary constituent groups who have written in favor of this development. In reading through the public comments, it is apparent that a vast majority of pro-Redtail sentiment is being expressed by 1. Medtronic employees or affiliates and 2. those with ties to Erickson Living. These groups are more impassioned to write to the Council on this subject because they share a personal (if sometimes tangential) stake in the development. While I do not wish to discredit these community members, I worry that the pro-Redtail argument is overrepresented by a select portion of the population, one whose motivations don't represent the broader community. Beyond this consideration, my view has been stated numerous times. I have great respect for our town’s dedication to small-town feel, open spaces, and the interplay between natural ecosystems and overall development. However, during my 23 years in Louisville, I have witnessed as developments (primarily housing or multi-use) encroach on these areas. From a personal perspective, the town feels more claustrophobic than ever before. And as a younger member of the community, who was born and raised in Louisville, I have heard this feeling echoed by many of my peers. Do I think that Redtail Ridge will be the final nail in the coffin? No. But it is certainly a reinforcement. Please side with the Louisville Planning Commission in voting against Redtail Ridge and amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. All the best, Nicholas Judd
From: Michiko Christiansen
To: City Council
Subject: REDTAIL
Date: Monday, August 17, 2020 11:36:37 PM
Dear members of the Louisville City Council,
I just wanted to say thank you for your time listening to all of us at the 8/4/20 zoom meeting. Your patience is greatly appreciated.
Strongly recommended action:
- Create a task force consisting of Louisville Residents, members of the Louisville City Council, and an environmental sustainability group to work together on RFP.
Reasons:
- It defines the City of Louisville's vision of what innovative and modern development would look like on the Conoco Phillips property**
- Propose a path to get there
Where to start:
1) Develop self sustaining energy and water generation.
-Solar, wind, thermal, underground water storage.
2) Commit to a public/ private partnership and publish an RFP to attract a private partner.
-This is from Carolyn Maxine Most's ideas, not mine. I'm in favor of this.
**These are my thoughts:
Conoco Phillips is always seeking renewable energy and sustainable energy, with this we can have solar panels, windmills and buffalo grazing that will support us in terms of electricity just like
Rocky Flats; which are doing well. As a community, we can work with Conoco Phillips on developing Red Tail Ridge without the intervention of an outside developer. A potential example of
removing an outside developer is illustrated in the article "Red Tail Ridge: 'The 50 Million Dollar Question'," where former Director of Conservation Graeme Patterson suggests a solution that
reflects the opinions of many Louisville residents. Patterson suggests that the area in question be turned into a conservation sight for bison. Along with the idea of environmental sustainability, I
would like to see if we can attract sustainable companies like ECOLAB, CISCO SYSTEMS INC, BIOGEN, MCCORMICK, TOO GOOD TO GO, ECOSIA and many more. For they play into the desires of the
residents of louisville.
Transitioning to the next topic, I, as well as others, would like to know why Medtronic is not actively looking at the other options of development in our city. The most prominent examples being the
un-occupied commercial spaces along McCaslin Blvd. Where said spaces are close to existing transportation, there is little or no need to develop or upgrade amenities, and the location of the sight
does not interfere with local wildlife. If for some reason Medtronic does not pursue these other options, then let them go elsewhere. Better companies who value sustainability and are
environmentally conscious.
My last thoughts are quick and easily stated. On the Erickson Home, I much rather not have it due to the home not being cost effective, affordable, and the fact that there is an abundance of senior
housing across Colorado. Extend the three minute speaking period to include Mr. Baukol and the other companies who wish to speak. Lastly, please do the will of the people who elected you to
represent them, and vote no on the proposed development of Redtail Ridge.
Thank you,
Michiko L. ChristiansenFrom: Jeff Regier To: City Council Subject: Re: No on Redtail Ridge Date: Monday, August 17, 2020 9:48:43 PM Dear Louisville City Council members, I would like to reiterate that I feel the Redtail Ridge project should be rejected. This is not a direction that Louisville should go, once this land is gone IT"S GONE. I do understand that the property will eventually be developed. My vision would be less commercial development and more single family housing, parks, open space, etc.. As you drive around our neighboring communities, apartments, stripmalls and sprawl are the rule. I'd like Louisville to lead by being the exception, not the rule. We have an opportunity to help shape a large parcel of land into something that can add to a quality of life that we all currently enjoy. Sprawl, higher densities ,traffic, noise, pollution, these are the words that I associate with this type of development. Please let's stick to the Comprehensive Plan that we all agreed upon seven years ago. Thank you for your time, Jeff & Kim Regier 294 Matchless St, Louisville, CO 80027 On Tue, Jul 28, 2020 at 7:29 PM Jeff Regier wrote: I'm writing to the city council to voice my opinion on the Redtail Ridge project. My wife and I both feel the council should deny the application to amend our Comprehensive Plan and to reject the Redtail ridge plan. This plan does not at all fit or represent the look, feel and character of Louisville. Additionally, with the current pandemic still playing out, if built there could be 10's of thousands of empty square feet of office and retail space as the retail / office model will surely evolve in the coming years. Thank you, Jeff & Kim Regier 294 Matchless St, Louisville, CO 80027
From: wendy podesta
To: City Council
Subject: please consider - Information on public input
Date: Monday, August 17, 2020 8:55:56 PM
Attachments: pastedImagebase640.png
pastedImagebase641.png
This following email was precisely written by Sherry Sommers..... I am in 100% agreement with
this email. Please consider.....
Dear Members of City Council:
I’d like to juxtapose
communications from Brue Baukol Capital Partners from different sources.
The first is a screenshot of their promotional materials
emphasizing responsiveness to Louisville residents. This was presented to the general public and
is part of your packet.
The second is a screenshot of an August 1 post sent their LinkedIn friends and followers, soliciting
form letters to be sent in to you In support of the proposal.
(As a side note about public outreach—-I have personally spoken to dozens of residents about
this development. The vast majority were not aware of this proposed development until citizens’
groups started making the information public.)
I think you should know that different messages are being communicated to different audiences.
Also, you might want to consider asking what “The plan improved due to the Louisville
Community’s input and comments” actually means.
To cite two examples of community ‘input’: OSAB was asked to comment on two options, both
of which depended on amending the GDP. BVSD focused only on the redesign of Campus Drive,
not any other aspect of the development. This is one way of gathering ‘community input’ I
suppose, but not what I and many residents would care to consider as valid.
Counting the number of letters for and against the project is one way to gauge public opinion.
I hope you will consider the above information when making your assessment of community
support or lack thereof for the project.
(written by Sherry Sommer and I agree 100%)
Wendy Lothian-Podesta
266 Caledonia Street
Louisville, CO 80027Kind regards, Wendy Lothian-Podesta 266 Caledonia Street Louisville, CO 80027
From: Mary Anne Walker To: City Council Cc: Mary Anne Walker; Thomas Walker Subject: Please vote No on this inappropriate and obsolete major development plan plan for Redtail Ridge Date: Monday, August 17, 2020 8:35:37 PM Dear Wise and Dedicated Council Members, The following are my concerns with the proposed development plan for Redtail Ridge in Louisville Colorado: 1. My primary fear is that we all regret allowing a high density project to be built in Louisville for the following reasons: Look to Interlocken and the Flatirons Crossing Mall for yet another example of an underutilized concrete jungle. Must we create another one of these unwanted and cracked surface curses for ourselves? Seems that only littering vagrants most appreciate the space now as I cycle through it’s silent streets. Office space is becoming a joke, telecommuting is becoming the norm. Who wants to swap this or the next pathogen crisis in another apartment complex? Rather to live in a separate dwelling with school and office setup. The offices are being built in single family homes now, not in a business complex. 2. When I moved here in 1997, the population limit was set at 20,000. This seems appropriate to maintain our high quality of lifestyle. We keep compromising quality for quantity and this has to stop before we clone ourselves into the very communities savvy citizens flock here to avoid. Doesn’t it seem like there are plenty of potential and actual Louisville Citizens with higher incomes and assets that can create a quieter and better contributing group of homes, individuals and families in the space under consideration than this block housing project would? Condominium and apartment living has never been less desirable than in 2020 and later. The proposal is absolutely insane to put that level of traffic next to several medical complexes including a nursing home, a hospital complex with an ER and surgical services and a large Junior and High School. 3. Our water security is a primary benefit of residing in Louisville Colorado. Are we going to remain resource ready for any climate crises by wisely limiting additional demands on our utilities or are we going to hand off our water rights directly or indirectly to another unscrupulous developer? Again, we will become another community in water crisis during the next, inevitable drought, when this is entirely avoidable. The Denver Post today published in an article about the current Colorado fires stating some climatologists propose we are on the onset of a 20 year drought cycle. 4. Why are we allowing the ill health patterns and designs of other communities to compromise our Louisville Philosophy of a higher quality of life by removing yet more living and breathing green space while creating significantly more automobile traffic and concrete coverage? People are leaving traffic congestion to come here so why would we develop that very environment? When nearby Broomfield has 4 story apartment buildings clustered in a valley crowded next to the railroad tracks why dare we take one of our most special viewpoints and fill it with even taller structures. Picture that on the hill as you approach Louisville, and now you know why so many came here to avoid that very living and work situation. This would be a horrible affront to our community image and standards. 5. We need more time to see how work and lodging will be orchestrated in the near future before we decide exactly how to develop the site. To rush an approval of this plan would be the most regrettable response possible to the developer’s proposal. There is too much evolution in work and living environs to use past standards to dictate. 6. We need to be fair to us citizens to allow for well thought evaluation and appreciation of the true costs and sacrifices we will incur to allow this vast alteration of our community. At this time pandemic behaviors are interfering with this process of information and reaction in order to protect our most cherished interests. 7. The likely possibility is that this is financed by speculative investors overseas or outside of our community with absolutely no vested interests outside of building as large a project as possible. Please let’s not be the fools that allow them to damage our city and then leave us with something that nobody else wants because it is outdated and obsolete. Who pays for the additional car accidents? Have you sought compensation for the the additional light,
noise and more pollutants that harm us who live here? Where is the reimbursement for the outright damage to our beautiful landscapes, our Award Winning Image and green spaces? I can afford to leave such a community without vision and purpose outside of saying yes to the highest bidder like your best citizens can leaving you with a much less affluent and less contributory community of citizens. Who will pay for the demolition and rehabilitation of this open space if this is a grand mistake? At the very least, this proposal is not possible to be anything but rejected at this time. Please vote No on this proposal and allow the developer to relocate their plan to nearby spaces that can better tolerate it and allow us Louisville citizens more time to understand this and any proposals and react to them by allowing us detailed inputs and time to evaluate them. Sincerely, Mary Walker Resident since 1997 852 Trail Ridge Drive Louisville, CO 80027 mawalkerco@comcast.net Phone 303-506-1049
From: Verstraete, Jim To: City Council Subject: Redtail Ridge Date: Monday, August 17, 2020 8:34:01 PM Dear councilmembers, Please do not let this development go forward. Our beautiful little town has already experienced too much growth, and just losing the charm that we have been famous for. Please vote no on this development. Thank you, Jim Verstraete Long-time Louisville residents This message and any enclosures are intended only for the addressee. Please notify the sender by email if you are not the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not use, copy, disclose, or distribute this message or its contents or enclosures to any other person and any such actions may be unlawful. Ball reserves the right to monitor and review all messages and enclosures sent to or from this email address.
From: Terry Barr To: City Council Cc: "Laurie Barr" (laurie.j.barr@gmail.com) Subject: Redtail Ridge Date: Monday, August 17, 2020 8:09:01 PM Dear Mayor Stolzman and Council. I write to you expressing my support for the Redtail Ridge development, my view is that it would be fiscally irresponsible for the Council to delay or stand in the way of this development. Based on the recent Council presentation it would appear to me that the pro-development result is a very positive revenue generating position for the City whilst preserving a responsible level of open space. What I was particularly impressed with, is the additional vehicle access provided by the development to the Monarch High School for emergency services to this campus. As I understand it there is currently just one way in and out of the campus and the Emergency folks has opined reasonably that this is less than satisfactory. This alone in my view would sway my opinion for a yes vote however the overall advantage of having world a class medical appliance facility, as the anchor tenant and all the tax revenue that that will generate, really makes a positive decision a “no brainier”. Let’s keep a focus on how to grow Louisville environmentally responsible for the benefit of all its citizens. Regards, Terry Barr 724 lincon Avenue
From: d ervin To: City Council Subject: Redtail Ridge -please add our opposition to the tally Date: Monday, August 17, 2020 8:03:40 PM Greetings, City of Louisville (CO) City Council, Let me get to it. This proposal is in the same vein as the 4-5 storey parking garage, near Lucky Pie and Sweet Cow. Ideas that don't really benefit our community. Just because Brue Bakol considers the 430 acres of the long vacant StorageTek /ConocoPhillips property along US36 as "developable", does not mean it is so. The majority of Louisville citizen responses are against this proposal, even when threatened with the loss of Medtronic as a (potential) anchor tenant. The density of the proposal is problematic to us, as well as the nebulous tone to the proposal. Boulder County has been a pretty good guardian of the more than 35 year old grand idea of protecting /preserving open space around our communities. Let us not buy into the endless subdivisions+endless blah strip malls one can find along any major US highway or interstate in this country. Especially as we citizens purport to consider our open spaces as almost sacred. We even use it as a plus to describe our community. BB is not interested in any of that. They just want to develop for their own interests. To them, it's just a waste, not to build on empty spaces. Respectfully, Debra and Bob Ervin Front St
From: Laura Myers To: City Council Subject: No Redtail Ridge Date: Monday, August 17, 2020 7:25:19 PM Dear Louisville Council Members, Previously, on August 2, 2020 I wrote: The development is too large and puts too many aspects of our quality of life at risk. It will undoubtedly put unnecessary and unmitigated stress on our streets, schools, water and air. As it stands development in Louisville over the last several years has proven detrimental to the quality of life of long-term and new citizens. I have been a resident of Louisville for 18 years and now instead of hearing residents praise Louisville for its quality of life, I hear complaints of overgrowth and unnecessary crowding. Fix traffic on highway 42 and South Boulder Road, improve school building safety with HVAC/air circulation, technology, space, sanitation, and security, invest in the lifestyle secured by Louisville residents and businesses long ago-before considering additional development such as the Redtail Ridge development. Finish the Safeway (Alfalfa's) shopping center improvements, invest in planting trees in the open space (several have died over the last few years). Figure out better ways for residents and visitors to walk, ride bicycles, use public transportation efficiently from here to Boulder/Denver and back! Please, invest in us, your residents and your community first. Thank you for your consideration and support. Now today, after receiving your acknowledgment of my prior email and attending the City Council meeting on August 4, 2020 I am writing again to implore you to stop the Redtail Ridge development. Having more information and more time to consider the development I am convinced the proposal is flawed. Please consider the size and type of development and the impact it will have on our community and surrounding areas including wildlife, air quality, traffic choice and congestion, water, energy, revenue and expenses, housing (apartments v affordable single family homes). Consider the proponents and their motives, they are in for the short-term financial gain and name recognition and will not be here to endure this development and the impact to our small community and neighbors in Boulder and Broomfield counties. Louisville has plenty unfinished business related to recent developments. I respectfully request the city stop the Redtail Ridge development and consider convening a community group to work with the Council to assess our communities needs with consideration for sustainable growth. Thank you for your consideration. Laura -- Laura Myers-Wagner, SPHR, SCP, CPCC Mobile: 720-501-8070 lauramyers07@gmail.com www.linkedin.com/in/lauramyers07
From: Thomas Walker To: City Council Subject: Please vote NO on the Redtail Ridge Development Date: Monday, August 17, 2020 7:15:32 PM In addition to what I originally wrote the City Council on August 3, 2020 concerning the Redtail Ridge Development (which I repeated below in blue), I found a very interesting article in the September Kiplinger Magazine written by columnist James K. Glassman (pp. 28 and 30). His article discussed the changing demographics of housing and businesses due to Covid 19. The points taken from the article that are extremely relevant and timely to provide additional support to the City Council for voting NO on the Redtail Ridge Development. 1) According to the Gallup poll taken in April 2020, Americans, by a 3 to 2 margin, prefer to keep working from home after the pandemic is over rather than going back to an office; by telecommuting, employees can live wherever they want to. If a person telecommutes they can live anywhere.( This is already being observed by many real estate firms and by moving companies.) 2) A Harris poll found that one-third of respondents said they were considering a move to a place less densely populated. 3) According to the National Association of Realtors, buyers want to move farther out so they won’t be so close to neighbors who might be infected, now or in the future. 4) The mayhem that followed police violence this spring has also led to some disenchantment with urban living. Moving to the exurbs and buying a bigger house with entertainment rooms, giant kitchens, pools and separate home offices for spouses are new trends. 5) Covid will change home-buying by creating more homebodies. During the pandemic, homes became the center of nearly all family activity- recreation, entertainment, dining, education and work. All of these reasons concerning the change in how people are viewing their homes and work simply confirms that a development such as the Redtail Ridge development, is not in touch with how business is going to operate in the future. There will be a significant decrease in the need for many types of retail stores and office space. In addition to the above and below points of my concerns, the current drought situation that the State of Colorado finds itself in should be a wake-up call for our community. Water is a precious resource, especially for dry states like Colorado and we must continue to ensure adequate water resources for our community. What kind of City would Louisville be like to live in without adequate water to meet our needs or have a garden? Based upon just the changing demographics of housing, businesses, retail and our precious water, I believe the Redtail Ridge development has no place in our community, but would be a major detriment to our quality of life. Therefore, I request that the Louisville City Council vote NO to this proposed development. I truly believe there are much better uses for the old Storage Tech facility than what has been proposed for this development. I would ask the City Council to vote No on the Redtail Ridge development for the following
reasons. 1) I moved to Louisville in 1997 due to the small town feel, the large amount of open space and great biking and hiking. Louisville does not need such a large development within the city. 2) With Covid 19, retail and businesses are modifying the way they operate. Retail as we knew it in the past is changing drastically- all you have to do is look at the empty retail buildings in nearby towns and in Louisville. We have the Louisville Tech Center and the business park west of Lowe’s that would be more appropriate for business development. The business model for companies is also changing, Goldman Sachs is evaluating having people work from home permanently, as are many other companies. Therefore, as a city, we need to slow down and follow how business is going to change over the next year or two. 3) So many other communities around Denver (e.g., Superior, Broomfield) are putting up retail, businesses and housing in every inch they can find. I would much rather have a larger mix of parks and open space rather than more sprawl. Louisville needs to ensure future open space in our city as well as appropriate businesses. 4) The infrastructure for roads, as well as the significant increase in the number of vehicles along with increased pollution and congestion, is not what I envisioned when I moved to Louisville. We have increased significantly in the number of moderate to poor air quality days in Louisville, which contributes to a significant number of illnesses. Therefore, I would request that the City Council Deny the application. Medtronic only requires 500,000 sq ft. The planning commission was correct in unanimously voting down the current proposal due to the enormity of the development. Thank you for your time and consideration on this important and critical issue. Thanks. Tom President Thomas A. Walker, Ph.D. and Associates, Inc. 720-273-7853 tmwalkerco@gmail.com tmwalkerco@comcast.net www.tawconsulting.net
From: RANDALL JANICE WHITAKER To: City Council Subject: NO on Redtail Ridge Date: Monday, August 17, 2020 6:38:02 PM Hi, Please add our voices to the numbers of residents who want a NO vote on the proposed Redtail Ridge plan. It is too-huge of a development and the addition of 900 new apartment residences is undesirable at best. Thanks for reconsidering this issue. Janice & Randall Whitaker 1107 W Enclave Circle Louisville, CO 80027 303.829.9164
From: sherry sommer
To: City Council
Subject: Information on public input—-please consider.
Date: Monday, August 17, 2020 6:28:09 PM
Attachments: IMG_0503.PNG
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IMG_0487.PNG
ATT00002.txt
Dear Members of City Council:
I’d like to juxtapose
communications from Brue Baukol Capital Partners from different sources.
The first is a screenshot of their promotional materials
emphasizing responsiveness to Louisville residents. This was presented to the general public and is part of your
packet.
The second is a screenshot of an August 1 post sent their LinkedIn friends and followers, soliciting form letters to
be sent in to you In support of the proposal.
(As a side note about public outreach—-I have personally spoken to dozens of residents about this development. The
vast majority were not aware of this proposed development until citizens’ groups started making the information
public.)
I think you should know that different messages are being communicated to different audiences.
Also, you might want to consider asking what “The plan improved due to the Louisville Community’s input and
comments” actually means.
To cite two examples of community ‘input’: OSAB was asked to comment on two options, both of which depended
on amending the GDP. BVSD focused only on the redesign of Campus Drive, not any other aspect of the
development. This is one way of gathering ‘community input’ I suppose, but not what I and many residents would
care to consider as valid.
Counting the number of letters for and against the project is one way to gauge public opinion.
I hope you will consider the above information when making your assessment of community support or lack thereof
for the project.
Sherry Sommer
910 South Palisade CtFrom: Irene Shaffer To: Ashley Stolzmann Cc: City Council Subject: Redtail Ridge Date: Monday, August 17, 2020 5:34:48 PM Dear Mayor Stolzmann and City Council Members, As a longtime Boulder County Realtor and property owner in Louisville, I have been following the proposal of the Redtail Ridge plans from the beginning. I have heard the comments of "it's too big" and "bait and switch." I think it is important to remember how we got here. When the project first began, it was going to be a Medtronic campus, other commercial and just senior housing. The developers held several community meetings to gather feedback. The feedback they were given was, "where is the housing?" "With all these jobs we should have housing to cut down on traffic coming to and from." "Louisville has limited affordable housing, we need affordable housing." From the School District, "we would like another access road to and from the Monarch campus." From the residents, "We want that road to be a 4 lane Boulevard with trees in the median." From the residents, "We would like a park, soccer fields and trail access." The plans have been redrawn 5 times in the last 2 years to try to accommodate what the residents and planning staff requested. Now there is a vocal minority who apparently haven't been involved in the process who are trying to nix the time and effort of those who have been involved in making the included suggestions. Nobody in this day and age wants growth in their neighborhood, but I am guessing we all live in neighborhoods and homes that someone who was there first objected to. From my outside perspective, this has been a very collaborative effort between the city, the city’s board’s, the community and the developers which solves many issues for Louisville in keeping it the vibrant city that it is. Irene Shaffer
From: William G. Falardeau To: Ashley Stolzmann; City Council Subject: No on Redtail Ridge - letter from Julie Kovash (Daily Camera) Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 8:31:57 AM Dear Mayor Stolzmann and City Council, Please vote no tonight on the Redtail Ridge project. I agree with Julie Kovash that the plan is too large, too ambitious and not forward thinking about what is needed for the 21st century. Redtail Ridge has the potential to be a Sam's Club and a Kohl's, only on a much larger scale. After the pandemic what is needed? We don't know yet? It certainly doesn't seem to be Redtail Ridge. Sincerely, Karen Falardeau This letter appeared in today's Daily Camera: (8/18/20) Julie Kovash: Redtail Ridge: A blow to small-town life For the last year, the City of Louisville has been assailed by developer Brue Baukol to build out the 390 acres in the Phillips 66 Rural Special District, calling it Redtail Ridge. Under contract by Brue Baukol, but still owned by ConocoPhillips, the private property has been sitting empty for well over a decade. The Brue Baikol plan is an ambitious plan. The company has brought two anchors, including Fortune 500 medical manufacturer Medtronic and Erickson Senior Living. The proposed development would be 150 percent larger than what was approved for ConocoPhillips in 2010, and 245 percent larger than the original StorageTek buildings. The plans are 20th century ideas, with no sustainable building, no solar; simply wall-to-wall buildings and asphalt. To do this, the company needs Louisville to change the zoning of the land from rural to suburban and to approve a much larger plan than was approved for ConocoPhillips, requiring changes to our comprehensive plan. This development is too large, and in essence would be unsustainable urban sprawl – a detached city within a city. Near and dear to my heart is the wildlife that has thrived unfettered on the property for more than a decade. What happens to the animals during construction on the nearly 400 acres, and when ultimately there are only 40 acres of open space? This isn’t just a matter of NIMBY, the strain on city services and infrastructure would shatter our small-town life. The Louisville City Council must listen to residents and vote “no” on the development plan. Residents of Louisville need to come together and reassess what, if anything, is suitable for the property and hold the City Council and city staff accountable for respecting our wishes and needs. Julie Kovash Louisville
From: Ashley Stolzmann To: Robert Anastasi Cc: Meredyth Muth Subject: Re: Redtail Ridge development Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 8:29:28 AM Thank you so much for taking the time to provide me this feedback. The Mayor and the City Council will consider this development in a quasi judicial capacity, so in a sense, we will act as judges that will consider the application against our municipal laws to determine if the conditions (if any) for approval, denial, or remanding it to planning. I am copying our City Clerk, Meredyth Muth, on this note, so she can include your comments in the public record for Council to consider. Because the Mayor and Council are judges in a pending case, we cannot have conversations about the application outside of the official public hearing (like a judge or jury in a court case). Ashley Stolzmann Louisville Mayor 303-570-9614 AshleyS@LouisvilleCO.gov From: Robert Anastasi Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 1:56 AM To: Ashley Stolzmann Subject: Redtail Ridge development Ms. Stolzmann, I’m not sure where you stand on the Redtail Ridge development proposal, but as someone who supported you in the last election, I hope that I can count on you to listen to what your constituents have to say. I, for one, would like to see the city council vote against the development. The promise made when the StorageTek facility was torn down was that the space would not be used primarily for more residential growth. But that’s what Redtail Ridge is… whether senior housing or more traditional residential units, the development is far more about adding residential units that will be a drain on city resources, than it is about growing our tax base, which is what this city really needs. And despite arguments that it is “on the edge of town” and therefore will have little impact on Louisville’s “downtown and historic charm,” adding enough residential units to grow Louisville’s population by 20% or more can’t help but have a dramatic impact on Louisville’s “small town feel.” And the addition of more small retail locations as part of the development seems like if offers little value at a time when the city needs to continue to focus on keeping our current small businesses from going under (and, unfortunately, some will, which means more existing retail storefronts that will need to find businesses to fill them before we worry about adding more storefronts). As for Medtronic, as much as I would like to see a company like this growing and providing jobs, if the only way that happens is through the approval of this development, then I believe it’s not worth it. I also wonder — with so many companies now revisiting how much office space they really need as employees working from home becomes more the norm — will Medtronic’s numbers for how many “new jobs” this location will provide, end up coming up short once the rubber meets the road. Regards, Bob Anastasi 839 Trail Ridge Drive
From: Dawn Burgess To: City Council Cc: LeeAnn Cox Subject: FW: Shaping Louisville"s Future Tonight Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 2:13:19 PM Hello Mayor and Council members, Please see the email below from Leeann Cox. For some unknown reason, her emails to you were returned to her as spam. I told her I would forward her email to you. Thank you, Dawn Burgess 303.335.4533 From: LeeAnn Cox [mailto:leeanncox@msn.com] Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 2:10 PM To: Dawn Burgess Subject: Fw: Shaping Louisville's Future Tonight Dear Ms. Burgess, Thank you for your assistance in forwarding this to Mayor Stolzmann and the city council. It is greatly appreciated! Best regards, LeeAnn Cox From: LeeAnn Cox Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 1:04 PM To: AshleyS@LouisvilleCO.gov ; Council@LouisvilleCO.gov Subject: Shaping Louisville's Future Tonight The Honorable Ashley Stolzmann, Mayor of Louisville And Members of the Louisville City Council Louisville City Hall 749 Main Street, Louisville, CO 80027 Dear Mayor Stolzmann and Members of the City Council: I hope this letter finds you and your families well. Thank you for your service to our city, especially in
such challenging times. I am a resident of Louisville and have lived in Coal Creek Ranch since 1998. I am writing because I am concerned about the impending decision on the Redtail Ridge development. I would like to express my hope that you will deny the application and vote “No” on the proposed development plan. I agree with the dozens of other Louisville citizens that have written to you about the development: 1) too large for our community and for the size of the land 2) the negative impact on wildlife and native vegetation if the property is fully developed 3) concerns over increased traffic. As well, I’ve looked into all the developments Brue Baukol has on their website. There is nothing to distinguish their developments from any of the other business parks up and down Highway 36 or I-25. Just more generic big buildings and parking lots built with unsustainable methods from the past. The development's demand on water is a great concern, as is energy. Why can we not seek a developer who would build a LEED certified development? This is such a special property. It should be in the hands of a developer with a view to the future. Which brings me to some new reasons to reconsider the development that I have not seen others bring forth. It does not seem prudent to make a decision about this property at this time, as we are possibly at the beginning of a national shift in how we will work in the future due to Covid-19's impact on how we do business. More and more companies have decided to let their employees work from home indefinitely or permanently. What if this trend holds and the demand for office space changes? Will all that space go un-leased? Will it turn into more blighted properties for Louisville? It seems wise to pause until we understand what the future of work will look like. Here are just a few articles discussing what is happening nationally due to Covid-19’s impact on real estate: https://www.seattletimes.com/business/local-business/rei-to-sell-its-new-bellevue-headquarters- and-shift-office-work-to-multiple-seattle-sites/ “In yet another sign of COVID-19’s disruptive impact on business, REI is abandoning its nearly completed corporate campus in Bellevue and spreading headquarters operations to multiple sites across the Seattle area.” https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/07/zillow-were-at-the-beginning-of-a-great-reshuffling-to- space.html “I believe we are at the dawn of a great reshuffling. I’m sure I don’t need to spell it out for you because we are all living it, spending an average of nine hours more per day at home. Zoom meetings are changing the way families think about space and privacy. Home offices are in high demand. Backyards are more desirable than parks and gyms. Work-from-home policies are eliminating the commute for many. There’s an endless list of considerations.” (Richard Barton, CEO of Zillow) https://www.wsj.com/articles/remote-work-is-reshaping-san-francisco-as-tech-workers-flee-and-rents-fall- 11597413602 There are concerns about the demand for “senior housing”, as well, as the article below highlights. Perhaps this is becoming an outdated choice too. Technology is making it possible for seniors to age in place. This can both protect their estate, since it is less expensive to remain at home, as well as allowing them to continue to be a part of their community. Covid-19 has also impacted this model, as many seniors are rethinking moving out of their home where they have space and freedom, to one in which they may be restricted to their apartments for weeks at a time due to a virus or flu, as well as increasing their exposure to community spread. If this type of real estate will be in less demand, then this would impact this planned property as apartments sit un-leased: https://www.wsj.com/articles/boomers-want-to-stay-home-senior-housing-now-faces-a-budding- glut-11573554601 “The rise of technologies that help the elderly stay in their homes threatens to upend one of commercial real estate’s biggest bets: Aging baby boomers will leave their residences in droves for senior housing. Developers and senior-housing companies have spent billions of dollars over the past five years to build facilities that provide housing, food, medical care and assistance for the elderly. But
this wager on elderly care is falling short of expectations, and there are concerns that it could become one of the biggest real-estate miscalculations in recent memory, some analysts suggest.” In conclusion, we are in the midst of a shift that we don’t yet understand how it will impact our community. The developer, Brue Baukol, will not bear any negative impacts if Louisville commits to moving forward with a model that is becoming outdated both financially and environmentally, but the city and citizens of Louisville will for decades to come. With this decision, we are shaping and choosing the future of Louisville like no other zoning or development decision has yet. Please, listen to the concerned citizens of Louisville, and the recommendations of the Louisville Planning Commission, the Louisville Sustainability Advisory Board, and the Boulder Commissioners and vote “”No” on Redtail Ridge. Thank you and best regards, LeeAnn Cox 958 Saint Andrews Lane Louisville, CO 80027
From: Brian Catlos To: City Council Subject: No to Redtail Ridge Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 2:08:10 PM Hello This is to reiterate that our household opposes the Redtail development for the reasons outlined in the previous email Thank you ======= This E-mail contains legally privileged and confidential information intended only for the individual or entity named in the message. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the agent responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is prohibited. If this communication was received in error, please notify us by reply E-mail and delete the original message. =========================== Dr. Brian A. Catlos 890 S. Palisade Ct. Louisville CO 80027 USA tel.: 303-926-4359
From: Gary & Sharon To: City Council Subject: Redtail Ridge Development Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 1:59:38 PM Mayor and Council Members, At present, I am opposed to more development in Louisville. Will there be increased traffic on Hwy 42/95th St, Dillion Road and how will the city manage it. I don’t think we have been doing an optimum job on managing it due to the development on the the east end of town. I am also interested in what effect this large a development will do to the air traffic level at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport. Has this been investigated? Will there be increased business travel and cargo flights in and out of the airport? More helicopter flights? I agree with the planning commission that this plan needs to be investigated further. Regards, Gary Baxley Ward 1
From: Rob Zuccaro
To: City Council
Cc: Lisa Ritchie
Subject: FW: Questions/Requested Feedback from City Council
Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 1:42:29 PM
Mayor and Council,
The applicant requested that staff submit to Council the following questions regarding the hearing
tonight.
Rob Zuccaro, AICP
Planning and Building Safety Director
City of Louisville
303-335-4590
From: Geoff Baukol
Sent: Monday, August 17, 2020 3:50 PM
To: Rob Zuccaro ; Lisa Ritchie
Cc: Jordan Swisher ; Jay Hardy ;
Chad Brue
Subject: Questions/Requested Feedback from City Council
Rob/Lisa,
As you know, we are working hard to come up with a plan that is responsive to the public feedback
on Redtail Ridge. The primary goal of this effort is to respond to community feedback and find a
solution that significantly reduces the scale of the project and allows Louisville to keep Medtronic,
along with a number of the other public benefits associated with the development of the site. Per
our discussion, here are some topics and questions that we would love to receive feedback on from
Council tomorrow evening. Please let me know if you would like to discuss any of these in further
detail.
What are your thoughts/feedback on the mix of uses on the site?
Is there a desire to have some residential in the mix?
What mix would be most supportable?
If there is desire to include residential on the site, what types and mix of residential would you
like to see, and do you think is most supportable? What are your thoughts on senior living?
What are your thoughts/feedback on a plan that is all commercial, including a portion (let’s
say half) that would be “CTC” product, meaning the same zoning as Colorado Technology
Center and its recently constructed light industrial buildings?
Which would you like to see and which do you think is more supportable: a commercially
mixed plan – let’s say commercial and ”CTC” – that is within the rural FAR designation, or a
mixed-use plan, which includes residential, that is over the rural designation, while still beingsubstantially below our most recently submitted plan in total size?
What is the best procedure for us to work with you and come to a solution in an expedited
timeframe in order to keep Medtronic?
What does this timeframe look like?
Given a plan that is substantially reduced in scale, what do you foresee as the biggest hurdles
for approval?
Thank you,
Geoff Baukol | President & Partner
Brue Baukol Capital Partners
1555 Blake Street | Suite 210 | Denver, CO 80202
T: 303.500.8978 | M: 303.725.7738
geoff.baukol@bruebaukol.com | www.bruebaukol.comFrom: Stephanie Rowe
To: City Council
Subject: No on Redtail Ridge
Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 1:34:02 PM
Attachments: LV4RR Form Letters.xlsx
LV4RR.pdf
Dear Mayor Stolzmann and Louisville City Council,
Please find attached a pdf containing all of the letters sent from LouisvilleForRedtailRidge.com that
were included in the two addenda for the August 4th meeting, and an excel spreadsheet examining the
senders of those letters by city of residence and employer.
As you are probably all too aware by now, the form letter sent from LouisvilleForRedtailRidge
presents the sender as a Louisville resident: it expresses concern for “our neighbors” who work at
Medtronic, for “our schools and hospitals,” and for “our city’s coffers.” It asks for parks for “our
families, and neighbors” and senior-friendly homes for “our parents.”
For the overwhelming majority of these letters, the representation of the sender as a resident of
Louisville is fraudulent. Senders of the LouisvilleForRedtailRidge form letter live in cities throughout
Colorado, and beyond. Why they care enough about a development project in Louisville is not known.
A preponderance of the people who sent in the form letter work in investment banking and finance,
real estate sales or management, and construction. The overrepresentation of these industries in the
letters is striking.
Employees of the Denver office of CBRE (Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis), the world’s largest
commercial real estate services and investment company, are particularly passionate about Redtail
Ridge, sending in 55 of the letters received before August 4. None of these people live in Louisville.
Employees of JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle), also a commercial real estate services and investment
company, and Richey May & Co., a tax consultant and business advisory company, seem similarly
dedicated to the project. None of these people live in Louisville, either.
The point of calling attention to the senders of these form letters is not simply to ask that they be
disregarded as you weigh public sentiment on the Redtail issue. The problem with the letters is much
bigger than that. When Chad Brue put out a call on LinkedIn asking his network to send the letter
from the LouisvilleForRedtailRidge website, he was asking them to pretend to be a resident of
Louisville, concerned about “our neighbors” and “our city’s coffers” and the rest of it. He asked them
to lie, and they did.
In the moral universe envisioned by the poet Dante, fraud is the worst of the three categories of sin. It
is worse than violence – graft is much worse than murder, for instance – because fraud destroys trust,
and trust is what holds society together: without it, there is division and disintegration. I’m not
advocating a return to late medieval moral code, but there is wisdom here. Just look at the fraud that
has convinced people that Covid-19 isn’t real, or that masks will make you sick. Look at the fraud that
says mail-in voting is unsecure and leads to massive voter fraud. Look at the refusal to acknowledge
and act on foreign interference in national elections. These things are causing real division in the US
and undermining our democracy.
Brue Baukol has caused dissension and acrimony in Louisville by counterfeiting a broader base of
public support than actually exists. In bombarding the city council with hundreds of fraudulent
letters, they have demonstrated contempt for council members’ time and intellect. What else is BrueYou can also read
