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Steamboat 700 campaigns taking shape

Local groups on opposing sides of annexation debate

Mike Lawrence

Referendum A

Referendum A, the ballot question asking voters to approve or deny the Steamboat 700 annexation, reads:

“Should ordinance number 2276 adopted by the Steamboat Springs City Council on Oct. 13, 2009, annexing to the city and approving an annexation agreement for a parcel of 484.80 acres more or less, generally known as Steamboat 700, be upheld?”

Ballots for the mail-only election will be sent to registered city voters between Feb. 15 and 19. The election ends March 9.

Good for Steamboat committee

(Supporting Steamboat 700)

Amy Davis, Anne Pagano, Bruce Carta, Bud Romberg, Chris Puckett, Christine Hands, Dave Nagel, David Baldinger Jr., Geneva Taylor, Jim Gill, Kathy Stokes, Kevin Kaminski, Kyle Pietras, Marion Ayer, Nancy Westphale, Ray Martinez, Sara Ross, Scott Lewer, Tessa Devault

Online: href="http://www.... ">http://www.good4steamboat.com

Let’s Vote committee

(Opposing Steamboat 700)

Omar Campbell, Greg Rawlings, Terry Armstrong, Tim Rowse and Cindy Constantine

Referendum A

Referendum A, the ballot question asking voters to approve or deny the Steamboat 700 annexation, reads:

“Should ordinance number 2276 adopted by the Steamboat Springs City Council on Oct. 13, 2009, annexing to the city and approving an annexation agreement for a parcel of 484.80 acres more or less, generally known as Steamboat 700, be upheld?”

Ballots for the mail-only election will be sent to registered city voters between Feb. 15 and 19. The election ends March 9.



Good for Steamboat committee

(Supporting Steamboat 700)

Amy Davis, Anne Pagano, Bruce Carta, Bud Romberg, Chris Puckett, Christine Hands, Dave Nagel, David Baldinger Jr., Geneva Taylor, Jim Gill, Kathy Stokes, Kevin Kaminski, Kyle Pietras, Marion Ayer, Nancy Westphale, Ray Martinez, Sara Ross, Scott Lewer, Tessa Devault



Online: href=”http://www…. “>http://www.good4steamboat.com

Let’s Vote committee

(Opposing Steamboat 700)

Omar Campbell, Greg Rawlings, Terry Armstrong, Tim Rowse and Cindy Constantine

— Campaign groups are formalizing on both sides of the Steamboat 700 annexation debate.

On Monday, a group calling itself “Good for Steamboat” announced its intention to file with Steamboat Springs City Clerk Julie Franklin as a campaign committee in support of Steamboat 700 and Referendum A, the ballot issue that will decide the fate of the proposed development. Steamboat 700 proposes about 2,000 homes and 380,000 square feet of commercial space just west of the current city limits. Also Monday, Let’s Vote spokesman Tim Rowse said that group, which successfully gathered petition signatures this fall in favor of a public vote on the annexation, is filing as an official campaign committee to oppose the annexation.

“Yes, that’s accurate,” Rowse said. “Really we oppose the annexation agreement, is the bottom line.”

On Dec. 15, when the Steamboat Springs City Council voted unanimously to put Steamboat 700 to a public vote, Rowse spoke publicly against what he called the annexation’s “hidden and unknown costs.” Councilman Jon Quinn called Rowse’s comments “ironic,” given the Let’s Vote group’s position during the petition drive that it was lobbying only for a public vote.

Rowse confirmed Monday that the group now stands in opposition to the annexation. He reiterated his concerns with Steamboat 700’s potential costs and impacts related to water use and traffic, and the attainability of housing. Rowse said Let’s Vote will work in coming weeks “to continue informing the public about what we’ve discovered about the annexation agreement.”

Good for Steamboat also cited a goal of public information. Local consultant Chad James and Curtis Church, a former interim executive director of the Yampa Valley Housing Authority, are leading the Good for Steamboat effort. The committee has a Web site at http://www.good4steamboat.com.

Church said the Steamboat 700 development team is paying him and James as outside contractors for the campaign effort. Good for Steamboat has a committee of 19 members, including former City Council members Bud Romberg and Kevin Kaminski.

“We essentially went out and talked to people who we knew were supportive of the annexation and asked them to get involved,” Church said. “It was as simple as that.”

Kaminski said committee members are meeting weekly to discuss campaign plans and the group’s message.

“It’s just going to be trying to get that education out there as much as possible,” Kaminski said about the upcoming campaign. “The growth is going to come. Now is our opportunity to grow correctly.”

Last week, City Council members directed City Manager Jon Roberts to work with city staff to initiate a public information process about Steamboat 700 in coming weeks. Council President Cari Hermacinski said she would like that process to include public meetings and question-and-answer sessions about Steamboat 700.

Ballots for the mail-only election will be sent to registered city voters between Feb. 15 and 19. The mail-only election concludes March 9.


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