Proposed commercial project in Monument raises concern from residents; hearing delayed Monday
MONUMENT, Colo. (KRDO) -- Town officials are discussing a proposal to build a large commercial development but many residents are concerned about its potential negative impacts on the small but growing community.
Officials and a member of the development team did not respond to KRDO NewsChannel 13's request for interviews Monday, but here's what we know based on town records and interviews with neighbors:
The project, officially called the Conexus Commercial Metropolitan District, would be located on 80 acres just west of Interstate 25, bordered by Highway 105 to the north, Baptist Road to the south, Old Denver Highway to the west and I-25 to the east.
Six warehouses of varying sizes would be built on the site, along with reportedly 1,400 parking spaces and loading docks.
"A developer from Chicago is going to build these massive warehouses," said Matt Brunk, a Monument resident. "They have clients like Amazon and NAPA -- big companies that are going to put their people in here and use semi-trucks to get in and out."
The project also would require an estimated $21 million in infrastructure improvements, including $6 million in road-related upgrades, that could be financed by voters approving a property tax increase in November.
A group of citizens under the names of Save Monument and Save the Trail has formed to oppose the project, citing concerns about noise, pollution, increased trucking traffic, property values, safety and the project crossing the popular Santa Fe Trail three times.
The group held an impromptu rally Monday afternoon at the Santa Fe Trailhead.
Opponents said that the project would affect the Pastimes, Santa Fe Trails and Trails End neighborhoods.
"If this passes, I can't live with it," said Monument resident and realtor Jennifer Knisley. "I'll move. Already, two of the houses that were listed have had to lower their prices just because of the proposal."
The Monument Board of Trustees scheduled a public hearing Monday evening to discuss the proposal, but decided to delay the topic for two weeks; people who attended Monday said that the Town Hall chamber was at capacity with another 100 people waiting outside to comment.
Board members delaying discussion of the matter seems to go along with an earlier report that the project's developer withdrew the application recently, possibly to re-apply later.
The public hearing will now be held Aug. 16, but the delay further adds to neighbors' frustrations.
"One town official told me that it's a done deal and another one told me nothing has been decided," said Brunk. "That makes it frustrating to figure out what's going on, what's true and what's not."
