Rules for construction in landslide zones may change
The effort by two Colorado Springs City Council members to provide protection from landslides by changing part of a construction ordinance moved on Friday to the next step.
During a two-hour meeting at City Hall hosted by councilmen Don Knight and Tom Strand, around 25 builders, developers, planners, regulatory agencies and city staff discussed proposed changes to a 7-page geological hazard ordinance.
The meeting’s purpose was to consider whether to change how an area is designated as being at risk for landslides, and whether construction should be limited in those areas.
“What we’re hearing a lot, is we should better document and require the Colorado Geological Survey relationship to be involved with the process from beginning to end,” Strand said. “We felt there were some gaps in that, and maybe at the end they weren’t notified of certain things.”
The apparent consensus was that the attendees are in general agreement with the direction of the matter, and it goes before the city’s planning commission next Thursday for further consideration.
When the councilmen started the process several months ago, they suggested that a moratorium on building in landslide zones might be necessary. They abandoned that idea, however, after concern from the construction industry that it would hurt home sales, and some attendees said just the talk of a moratorium had a negative impact in that regard.
At least one attendee disagrees with the group’s consensus.
“I think what they really did was slow things down so that we can take a closer look at them,” said Les Gruen of Urban Strategies, a local developer.
While many attendees said the current ordinance has generally served the city well, Knight said the heavy spring rains in 2015 prove that the city needs to be better prepared for changing conditions.
“The geology is the same for eons and then suddenly you get a lot of rain, which we don’t usually get,” Knight said.
Any changes to the ordinance must be approved by the City Council at its Aug. 23 and Sept. 13 meetings.
Around 80 homeowners claimed varying degrees of potential or actual damage from the 2015 rains and 26 qualify for relief through a federal buyout program when the money is available.
