The OíNeil Group, owners of Meadow Lake Industrial and Commercial Park submitted requests for rezoning the property, currently zoned Planned Unit Development, into three sections: Commercial Service (CS), Limited Industrial (I-2) and Heavy Industrial (I-3). The land is located at North Curtis Road and Falcon Highway, adjacent to the Meadow Lake Airport, Saddlehorn Ranch Homes and other commercial properties.According to N.E.S., the consultant for the OíNeil Group, notices regarding the applications were sent to property owners May 18 via certified U.S. Postal Service mail. A second letter was sent June 8 explaining that some owners did not receive letters and N.E.S. was providing another notification.John Helmick, chief executive officer of Gorilla Capital, one of the developers of Saddlehorn Ranch, is one of the adjacent landowners who submitted opposition to the proposed rezoning.According to an N.E.S. letter of intent, representatives of the OíNeil Group met with representatives from the Saddlehorn Estates residential development June 29 to discuss their concerns.At the June 29 meeting, Helmick said he and three others involved with Saddlehorn Ranch heard Kevin OíNeil and others from the OíNeil Group say they had plans to build a batch plant (cement plant) at the Meadow Lake industrial property. Helmick is opposed to the concrete batch plant or any heavy industrial use. ìI was more than surprised by this notice to change zoning to I-3. I can see some commercial activity that is clean, non-nuisance industrial activity,î he said. ìI donít think the type of uses that go with I-3 zoning are appropriate and compatible for this community, this neighborhood. Itís not consistent with a neighborhood because of dust, noise, traffic, lights, sound and air pollution.îThe 1-3 heavy industrial use zoning covers 172.4 acres of the Meadow Lake property.About 40 people attended the public open house meeting on June 29. According to N.E.S., ìBalloons were also placed on the site to conceptually represent the height of the tallest anticipated structure within the I-3 zoning district area.î Helmick and three others (all three confirmed the conversation on the batch plant with the OíNeil Group but wanted to remain anonymous) said one of the balloons was specifically for the height of a batch plant.From the general feedback of the public meeting, there was support for the 1-2 and Commercial Service zonings but concern was raised for the potential heavier industrial uses associated with the 1-3 zoning.Craig Dossey, former executive director of El Paso County Planning and Community Development, is now the special projects director for the OíNeil Group. Dossey said there are no plans on the table for a concrete batch plant. ì(The batch plant) would require a totally separate application if the zoning gets approved; it would only be allowed by a special use permit,î he said.In a follow-up phone call to Dossey relaying the recollections of the representatives of Saddlehorn Ranch regarding their conversations with the OíNeil Group, Dossey reiterated that there are no plans for the cement plant. ìI can confirm there is no contract in place for a batch plant ó no application has been submitted,î he said. ìWe have had interest from a lot of different entities on the property but nothing hard and fast. I donít know what the Saddlehorn folks are saying, but I can tell you right now there is no hard and fast agreement in place for a concrete batch plant or any other use at this point.îNatalie Sosa, the deputy director of communications for El Paso County, said in an email: ìAt this time, the applicant has only submitted zoning applications, which are currently under review.†The County has not received any applications regarding any specific uses on this property. A special use permit would be required for a specific use on the property.î She added that a batch plant would only be allowed in the 1-3 zoning and would require a special use permit. Sosa confirmed the request to zone part of the Meadow Lake property to 1-3 (heavy industrial) zoning.
