On June 21, Steve Schleiker, the El Paso County assessor, presented sales data to the EPC Board of County Commissioners for properties located within the Golden West Wind Farm Projectís footprint in Calhan, along the 29-mile transmission line, and including a 2-mile buffer around the perimeter of that boundary. His data covered residential, commercial, vacant and agricultural properties.Schleiker said he presented two sets of data: one from Jan. 1, 2016, through April 30, 2016; and another from Jan. 1, 2015, through April 20, 2016. ìFor the most part within the wind farm footprint, transmission line and 2-mile buffer, things are moving,î he said. ìProperties are being sold for more than their assessed values.îSchleiker said he included the buffer because there was concern from property owners who could see the turbines or lived near them, but did not live within the wind farmís footprint. Additionally, he said he included that same buffer along the transmission line corridor for the same reason. ìWe did the same thing for the properties around the perimeter of the Black Forest fire,î Schleiker said. ìWe wanted to see if there was an effect on the property values of those surrounding properties.îHowever, because that 2-mile buffer includes both densely-populated areas like Woodmen Hills and sparsely-populated areas within the wind farmís footprint, Schleiker said he would have to map out the sales to get a more focused look at sales in certain areas. ìHave I seen any sales anomalies?î he said. ìI have not. It is my job to review and inspect every sale that is filed with the clerk and recorder, so I can map the sales going back to January 2015.îSchleiker said he will present the BOCC with updates on property sales in the area about every four months.
