Annexation, water, roads, population trends and the county planning process were all topics addressed at the July meeting of the Falcon Business League.Bill Healy, director of planning for Colorado Springs, began his presentation by addressing new population trends within the city. Before 2003, migration was the largest factor driving the city’s booming population. Now, soaring birth rates far exceeding mortality rates are driving population increases in the city. In 2005, Colorado Springs’ population topped 387,000, while the county’s population reached 575,800.Healy discussed the impact of military growth. He said an influx of about 30,000 new residents by 2009 should bring an additional $2.5 billion in revenue from housing construction alone. Local business revenue is expected to increase by $1.9 billion as military families buy goods and services.As the city and county grows, annexation becomes an issue when residents seek services, such as water, sewage, fire and police protection. There are three ways Colorado Springs annexes an area into the city. First, county citizens – property owners – can petition to the city. During this process, an agreement is reached about who pays for city services. Healy said the city will not annex an area unless there is some type of economic benefit to the city.Healy pointed to an industrial area near Claremont Ranch, west of Highway 24, as an example of this type of annexation. While the city will have to build a number of roads in that area and provide water and sewage services, the tax revenue from the industrial site should more than offset services the city will provide.Second, when there are disputes among residents regarding annexation into the city (if not all property owners are in favor of it), an annexation election is held. Healy said Toy Ranch Estates, east of Marksheffel Road, is an example of a subdivision where this type of annexation may take place. Chuck Petersma, a resident of Toy Ranch, said a large developer wants the land to be annexed so that urban-density development can occur. Residents expect the annexation election to take place during the regular November election.Third, the city can annex a property if it is entirely surrounded by the city, but Healy reiterated that it only takes place if there is a financial benefit for the city. Cimarron Hills is the largest unincorporated subdivision that falls into this category, he said. However, “the city has no desire or plans to annex it.”Colorado Springs covers 200,000 sq. miles of land. But over 40 percent is vacant land, with the Banning Lewis Ranch accounting for the largest undeveloped parcel within the city. “So, we have a lot of supply without additional annexations,” Healy said.He said the city gets it water through renewable supplies like the Arkansas and Blue rivers. But to provide for future growth, he said it is important to develop the Southern Delivery System, which will bring an additional 50,000 acre-feet of water annually to the city.Dick Anderwald, director of development services for El Paso County, began his presentation showing satellite photos of the Falcon area from 1998, 2003 and 2005. The photos demonstrated the amount of growth in Falcon over the last seven years.Anderwald said the county population should surpass 800,000 within the next 25 years, with the fastest growing areas in Falcon, Monument and Fountain.To prepare for the growth, county planners want to update small area plans for Falcon-Peyton, Fountain Valley, the Black Forest and other communities, he said, asking for volunteers from the Falcon Business League who would like to serve on the committee that will be responsible for revising the Falcon Plan, which, Anderwald said is “the top-priority of the county at this point in time.”He added that the county has streamlined its planning process so projects can be evaluated quicker, while still allowing time for public comment.A major problem associated with new growth is the proliferation of special districts, Anderwald said. These districts are a popular tool used by developers to provide services to new subdivisions. However, he said there are “long term geographic and fiscal implications for other service providers,” because new homeowners overburdened with special district fees are reluctant to approve tax increases for schools, fire stations and other services. Anderwald said he sees funding for future growth as one of the largest challenges facing the county.Falcon business owners asked both Healy and Anderwald about traffic problems around Falcon. While neither could give the exact timetable for the expansion of Woodmen Road or any other east-west corridor, Anderwald promised to have Andre Bracken, project manager for the county transportation department, address a future meeting of the Falcon Business League.
