The Falcon Fire Protection District held its monthly board meeting April 8 at the Falcon Fire Administration Building at 7030 Old Meridian Road. Joan Fritsche, attorney; Tom Kerby, vice president; Ray Hawkins, treasurer; James Reid, president; Dan Kupferer, assistant secretary; Steve Podoll, secretary; and Trent Harwig, chief, attended.
March minutes
The board unanimously approved March minutes.
Training center site acquisition
The board was able to get an agreement from Circle K to cap the water well and mitigate the asbestos prior to removing the gas station structure, thereby eliminating any environmental concerns prior to acquiring the land.
The board passed two documents that authorized them to purchase the property and also name authorized board representatives to execute the transaction on behalf of the district.
The district was also able to get a deviation application approved with El Paso County to authorizing an access site from Meridian Sol Drive nullifying the need for the Private Road Access Easement Agreement.
Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code
Fritsche reported that House Bill 26-1334, requesting a delay in adoption of the CWRC, did not pass. Harwig presented the board with the Amended and Restated Resolution to Adopt the 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code, which excludes the appendices with provisions on enforcing the code. Because of the district’s current inability to enforce the code and inaccuracies in the current map risk assessment, Harwig recommended designing an amended map to accurately reflect the risk of designated areas and resubmitting this to the state. Kerby expressed concern that approving the code prior to approval of the amended map would cause increased expense for homeowners pulling permits in the incorrectly designated higher risk areas beginning July 1. The board discussed how Harwig had recently received a stern letter from the state for not already approving the code by the April 1 deadline.
Reid said he would support approval of the resolution if Harwig felt strongly that any further delay would not put district funding at risk. However, based on his prior experiences with similar measures, Reid felt this was highly unlikely. The board ultimately directed staff to begin creating the revised map and decided to wait until next month’s meeting to decide whether to pass the resolution prior to state approval of the updated map.
Colorado Department of Transportation
The board unanimously approved the CDOT “Intent to Acquire a Temporary Easement” on Highway 24 and Meridian Road.
FFPD
719-495-4050
7030 Old Meridian Road
