Page 2 - Sentinel January 2018
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NO TOLL INCREASE FOR E-           Only a couple of weeks into this transaction, the County will be
                                470  EXPRESSTOLL  USERS:          studying the best ways to preserve while offering public avail-
                                The  E-470  Board  of  Directors   ability to the large ranch land. As their plans develop, public
                                announced a toll adjustment that   hearings are anticipated. Hats off to a quick response by the
                                will freeze toll rates for Express-  County to preserve and protect Larkspur’s natural environment.
                                Toll drivers on the 47-mile user-  the sales tax-funded preservation acquisition fund. The meeting
                                financed roadway through 2020,     was well attended with all parties in favor of the acquisition.
        pending annual board approval. This means ExpressToll users   ~Walt Korinke
        driving E-470 will be able to lock in the rates they are paying
        today in 2017 through 2020.
                                                                  CHANGES IN REMUDA RANCH PLANS
        THE BOOK EXCHANGE, Larkspur’s free library, is open on    Walt Korinke...
        Saturdays (except holidays) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Thurs-
        days from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. It is located in the heart of Lark-  “Suburbia”  coming  to  Lark-
        spur at 9524 Spruce Mountain Road, in the Town Hall Annex.   spur’s #105 Corridor.
        With over 7000 books as well as CDs and video tapes, there’s
        something for everyone. You don’t have to live in Larkspur to   Back  in  2009,  when  Doug-
        take advantage of this fabulous resource or to bring a book to   las  County  still  had  its  “ur-
        donate. If you do have a donation, we don’t take textbooks,   ban plan” in effect, the Wiens
        encyclopedias, or magazines, (though we’d like to look at the   family was successful in obtaining a rural site plan known as
        encyclopedias for other purposes). For more information, con-                           REMUDA       RANCH.
        tact Krystine at 413-348-3579 or Cindy at 303-681-3046.                                 The  plan  provided  for
                                                                                                the  development  of  86
        THE BLANKET BRIGADE has been very busy making our                                       residential  lots  ranging
        quilts and we are on target to make 300 quilts this year!  We                           in size from two to nine
        meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month at the Perry                              acres in size and stretch-
        Park Country Club at 10 a.m. We tie the quilts there, so you                            ing  across  the  western
        don’t need any special sewing skills! We are a 501(c)3, and                             boundaries of the Wiens
        we always welcome any fabric, yarn, batting or thread dona-                             Ranch  from  the  Perry
        tions. If you have donations, please contact Gwen Underwood,   Park northern boundary to Dakon Road.  In contrast to the cur-
        gwenspur@icloud.com (phone 303-681-2125) or Cindy Ho-     rent proposal, the existing plan would be mostly hidden from
        taling,  cjaspsjr@yahoo.com  (303-681-0374)  and  we  will   view from the #105 corridor and would provide for 529 acres
        make arrangements to pick them up.                        of development with 1,090 acres of “open space” conserved.
                                                                  In order to make the development feasible, they would have to
        COUNTY PURCHASES SANDSTONE                                secure enough lot sales to support the required upgrade of the
        RANCH FOR OPEN SPACE                                      road system along with the development of the utilities with the
                                                                  start of the first property.  This has apparently hampered their
        On December 27, the Douglas County Commissioners formally   sales effort, prompting their need for a change.
        approved the acquisition of the 2,038- acre Sandstone Ranch,
        with the formal closing to take place mid-January. This was a   Though  the  rural  site  plan
        remarkable several-week transaction which followed the sales   program  is  no  longer  in  ef-
        price drop from $27.6 million to $18,750,000. Approximately   fect,  amendment  of  existing
        on-half of the funds will be provided by grants with the county   plans is permitted.  In process
        responsible for just over $9 million which comes from he sales   with the county is a proposal
        tax funded preservation acquisition fund. The meeting was well   for  subdivision  exemption
        attended with all parties in favor of the acquisition.    that increases the number of
        Some of the questions and responses include:              lots from 86 to 94, decreases
        • Use – The property will remain an active working ranch with   the  lot  sizes  from  the  for-
        public access.                                            merly  ranchet  two  to  nine
        • Management – the current ranch manager will remain, now   acre lots to a subdivision sized 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 acres.  It takes out
        employed by the County                                    the stretched out ranch-like development and compresses it into
        • Access – the rear access will be gated and will not be used as   a compact subdivision bunched at the Dakan Road end of the
        a major entrance. A study will follow to address the best public   Wiens Ranch.
        access location.
        • Trails – trails will be added and will include the County’s 2nd,
        non-motorized access to Pike National Park.               A major argument for their support of the new plan is the in-
        • Water – the surface and subsurface water rights will remain   crease from 1,090 acres of open space to 1,428 acres while re-
        with the property and will be used as they are currently for the   ducing the actual total development lot area from 305 to 110
        agricultural use of the property.                                                           Contined on page 4
        Page 2 - January 2018 Perry Park Sentinel
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