The Upper Black Squirrel Ground Water Creek Management District was recently asked to review preliminary plans to change the zoning on a 2378 acre parcel in eastern Black Forest from rural residential to planned unit development zoning.But Tracy Doran, secretary for the district, said she was unable to locate a sketch plan or the water right determinations for the subdivision.Further investigation found the subdivision owned by Morley-Howard Investments, now called Sanctuary in the Pines was originally the Pineries Ranch.Generally located north of Shoup Road and east of Vollmer Road, current subdivision plans call for 390 houses with a minimum lot size of 2 1/2 acres. According to county records, the Sanctuary also contains a 1,040-acre conservation easement designed “to protect biologically sensitive portions of the land where rare and unusual plants and diverse wildlife can be found.”The conservation easement will be dedicated to El Paso County for a regional park.Water supplies for the subdivision will come from a central water system with individual septic systems to provide wastewater treatment.The UBS board found the 2 1/2 acre lots are situated on Snipe Creek, directly on the headwaters of Upper Black Squirrel Basin.In a Jan. 16 letter addressed to Mike Garrott, El Paso County Development Services project manager, the board expressed their concerns about possible groundwater contamination, which may occur should 390 septic systems be installed, because other subdivisions near the Sanctuary contain shallow bedrock and perched ground water.The subdivision water plan prepared by Curtis Wells states the following: ìThe water rights owners are seeking an export order from the (State Ground Water) Commission to transport water across the political boundary of the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Ground Water Management District.”However, the UBS board informed El Paso County Development Services, that it is ìagainst the Upper Black Squirrel Rules to export water out of the district unless the applicant comes before the board.îIn addition, the water supply for the Sanctuary in the Pines may be in jeopardy should it include any water to be exported from the Upper Black Squirrel Basin.Todd Williams, who is working for Morley-Howard Investments on this project, said the subdivision name was changed because it was called the Pineries Ranch by the original owners.He was not able to comment on the amount of water the developers wanted to export from the Upper Black Squirrel Basin.The county has not yet set a date for the Sanctuary in the Pines Preliminary Plan hearing.Editorís note: John Morley did not return phone calls, but the NFH will follow up on this particular subdivision.
