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News from
Jefferson County
Want more news and information about Jefferson County? Subscribe to our monthly citizen newsletter that covers topics from all of the departments and divisions throughout Jeffco.
Simply click the link above or the icon below, enter the email address you'd like the newsletter to be sent to and then choose the "Jeffco eNewsletter" option. |
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Jeffco Receives GOCO grant for Clear Creek Canyon Trail
The BCC at its Sept. 25 hearing approved a grant agreement between the county, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and Clear Creek County.
On June 19, 2012 the GOCO Board awarded Jefferson and Clear Creek counties $4.6 million for the Clear Creek Canyon segment of the Peaks to Plains Trail under the River Corridors Initiative. Jeffco's portion of the award is $1,802,288 with a match in partnership pledges from Jeffco Open Space Foundation; the cities of Golden, Wheat Ridge, Lakewood and Arvada; Apex and Prospect Recreation Districts; and the non-profit Team Evergreen and Jeffco's Open Space sales tax revenues.
During the three year construction period, an estimate of $4,542,832 from the Open Space Fund and partnership contributions will cover costs associated with the design and construction of a regional trail from the Jefferson County line in Clear Creek Canyon to the Mayhem Gulch Trailhead. |
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Contracts Approved for Work at the Airport
 The BCC, at its Sept. 25 hearing, approved two items for work related to the Runway 11L Safety Area Enhancement Project at the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.
The first was a purchase order with CH2M Hill Inc., for $1,077,943. CH2M Hill will provide construction observation/management services for the project.
The second was a contract in the amount of $6,486,955 for construction services to relocate State Highway 128 and Interlocken Loop. This contract is with American Civil Constructors, Inc.
Ninety percent of both of these items are being funding through a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration. Five percent is coming from the Colorado Department of Transportation - Division of Aeronautics and five percent from the county.
The current Runway 11L Safety Area does not meet the criteria outlined for airports certified under Federal Aviation Regulations. The intersection at Interlocken Loop and Highway 128 needs to be relocated to the north and slightly west to accommodate the full 1,000 feet required for the runway safety area. |
| Commissioners Oppose Amendment 64
At the Oct. 2 Board of County Commissioners hearing, the board approved a resolution opposing Amendment 64 - Legalization of Marijuana for Recreational Use.
The amendment would make Colorado the first state in the country to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes and would allow anyone 21 years or older to posses and consume up to one ounce of marijuana. It would permit opening marijuana retails stores, growing facilities, manufacturing facilities and testing facilities in Jeffco. It also conflicts with federal law and jeopardizes federally funded projects. It also conflicts with drug-free workplace requirements
The commissioners feel that the passage of the amendment would harm Colorado's image as a healthy place to live, work and raise a family and would undermine workplace safety programs, expose workers to an increased risk of injury and increase liability to employers.
The BCC has previously exercised its land use authority to prohibit the operation of marijuana dispensaries in the unincorporated areas of the county and continues to stand by its commitment to not allow the expansion of marijuana use in Jeffco. |
County Receives Grant to Cover Fire Costs
 The BCC at its Oct 2 hearing approved a grant with the Colorado Department of Public Safety to reimburse the county, up to $195,000, for costs associated with the Lower North Fork Fire that began in March of this year.
The Colorado Department of Public Safety, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management agreed to provide the funds to assist Jeffco's recovery efforts following the fire. This includes, tree removal, sanitation provisions, reclamation at Reynolds Reserve Open Space Park and personnel costs.
The agreement will allow the county to contract with Mountain Resource Center, which has helped with the needs of the Confer community in recovering from the fire impacts. The agreement will also allow the county to purchase additional equipment to continue thinning forested acres near critical infrastructure and populated areas. |
Hearing Regular Items Approved
At the Oct. 2 hearing, the commissioners approved two land use items on their regular agenda.
The first item approved was the Hiwan Design Studio Official Development Plan (ODP) Amendment 1. The applicant was seeking to amend the Planned Development (PD) zone district to allow for limited, light commercial uses. The property is located at Bergen Parkway and Keystone Drive.
The current zoning was approved in 1986 to allow for medical/dental offices, professional offices, laboratories less than 5,000 square feet and a child-care facility. The applicant purchased the property shortly after that to operate his landscape architect/design business in the existing building. The amendment will now allow the property to be used for small scale retail, person care service and a specialty restaurant in conjunction with a coffee/tea house.
The second item was approved 2-1 and was also an amendment to an OPD. The Foothills Park and Recreation District had asked to amend the PD zoning to allow for commercial uses on two parcels it owns at the northwest and northeast corners of Wadsworth Boulevard and Coal Mine Avenue. The previous zoning was for park use. The approval included conditions such as fence height of six to eight feet and what kind of commercial uses can be there such as restaurants, banks, offices, fast-food, churches and other uses similar in nature. |
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View BCC Meetings Online!
 Did you know Jefferson County records each County Commissioners Hearing for rebroadcast on its website? You can also find recordings of other county meetings, videos of events and Jeffco's video program, Jefferson County Insights. To learn more, visit the Jeffco Media-on-Demand site.
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