Michael Turner: Water questions
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Wednesday's Steamboat Today contained a letter by Omar Campbell that was right on the money. If you did not read the letter, I suggest that you obtain a copy of Wednesday's paper or look it up in the archives.
As the election nears and the candidates are out seeking your vote, please ask them those questions. As for the candidates, be prepared to offer viable answers to those questions - no doublespeak, no political spin, no empty promises.
I have additional questions to add to Mr. Campbell's list: What exactly is the number of faucets, washing machines, dishwashers and lawn sprinklers our present water supply is capable of adequately supporting? Can anyone tell us, the current residents within the city limits, where we will be in the overall scheme of water availability when all of the current projects are completed and the renovation and additional housing units in Ski Time Square come on line? Where is the water for the proposed development west of Steamboat going to come from? The city system, wells, or some other source? If some other source, what exactly is that source?
All of those running for City Council this November better have the answer to those questions, and the answers should come from the water experts, not the developers' lobby.
Michael Turner
Steamboat Springs
Comments
id04sp 5 years, 8 months ago
Mike is 100% right.
The developers will make their money and run, leaving the residents without water and sewer service and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on worthless building lots.
This is precisely what happened at a subdivision north of Clark many years ago, except that property values were only a fraction of what they are now.
Water and sewer infrastructure is what's required to profit from development in Routt County. Individual wells and septic systems are impractical because of the clay in the soil which prevents percolation. The requirement outside of the city is 36 acres for a single-family house because of these limitations.
A lot of people are going to lose a lot of money on building lots when the water and sewer doesn't come in. The developers will be long gone, and so will the money. It is a huge scandal waiting to happen, and the people in the government who are allowing it to go on are either ignorant or stand to make money from it.
At least one subdivision HOA is currently spending homeowner fees on road construction in order to provide year-round access to a large number of vacant lots owned by several groups of investors. One group has a representative on both the HOA and Water and Sewer District board of directors. The W&S district already claims to be short on water and is urging conservation, yet, they are in the process of expanding capacity without a source of additional water. The investors are going to sell a bunch of lots at high prices and then let people race to pay their tap fees until the W&S District is forced to stop allowing water taps. The lucky ones will be able to build expensive homes, while the slow ones will be stuck with a lot of high-priced open land that can't be built on because there's no water supply.
Does it take a rocket scientist to see what's happening? Apparently so. The County should step in right now and stop it for the good of the public, but it won't happen. The HOA is controlled by the people who stand to make money, and have the legal power and the war chest to deter individual property owners from suing to stop it. It's a racket, and it's enabled by a state law that puts individuals at risk of hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees if they decide to fight the HOA.
Routt County is full of potential for land scams, and these examples are proof. It's been done all over the country, and particularly in places like Florida, Georgia and North Carolina where people flock to buy resort property. Looks like Steamboat and Routt County are next.
There are lots of places where you can fly over and see road patterns from subdivisions that were never built. In most cases the money disappeared offshore and so did the crooks.
Mike's questions deserve a hard, honest answer. His letter is reasonable and insightful. The only people who would object to getting the answers are the ones who are afraid that the rest of us will find out the truth.
Ilike2dv8 5 years, 8 months ago
Mike,
I'm curious about your infinite knowledge... I mean you have been here approximately 3 years and in that time you decided that the airport needs to close along with the gate apparently right behind you. It is precisely people like you that have our town in turmoil.... you come from out of town and within a short time you know everything that is best for Steamboat. You don't know jack. I'm embarrased to know you were a member of the armed services, especially a Marine. It's rare that I have zero respect for someone who has served our country but your actions certainly have earned it.
There are so many great places that share your selfish, socialist views. Please seek them out and move there.
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