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07_30_24_Headlines Jackie Sedley
Loveland fire
A wildfire that started 10 miles west of Loveland yesterday morning burned nearly 1,000 acres in a matter of hours, and is still entirely uncontained according to fire officials.
The Alexander Mountain fire forced evacuations for just under 40 square miles of Larimer County, and shut down U.S. 34 to Estes Park. That’s according to The Denver Post.
Mandatory evacuations are still in place this morning, for people living near Storm Mountain, Palisade Mountain, Drake, and surrounding communities. You can find a list of all evacuation zones at nocoalert.org.
As of 8:43 p.m. last night, no structures have been damaged and no injuries have been reported.
Boulder ordinance could hold property owners more accountable
A new ordinance in Boulder could allow the city to revoke rental licenses from property owners who repeatedly violate city code and state laws.
City Council gave initial approval to the “chronic nuisance” ordinance last Thursday. Boulder Reporting Lab says it’s the latest code update aimed at addressing “quality of life” issues in residential areas.
In addition to revoking rental licenses, the city would be able to more easily issue escalating fines to property owners under the ordinance.
In a city memo, officials said they estimate that 20 properties or less per year will actually qualify as “chronic nuisance” candidates, and that violators of the ordinance would be given the opportunity for compliance before facing any penalties.
A second reading and public hearing are scheduled for next Thursday, August 8.
Challenges to oil and gas drilling near Aurora Reservoir this week
State energy regulators will hear arguments this week against a massive oil and gas drilling plan near the Aurora Reservoir.
Crestone Peak Resources, an oil and gas company, wants to drill up to 166 wells on the southeastern fringe of metro Denver, near hundreds of homes and the reservoir.
The “Save the Aurora Reservoir ” advocacy group, made up of hundreds of residents in the area, is urging the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission to say no to Crestone’s plan. The group cites health and ecological concerns, stemming from the air and water pollution that could occur as a result of industrial activity so close to homes and the reservoir. That’s according to The Denver Post.
The Aurora Reservoir is a drinking water source for nearly 400,000 people. The hearing is set to begin today.
This isn’t the first drilling initiative in Colorado in recent years. Six years ago, the environmental nonprofit Colorado Rising tried to get a statewide ballot initiative passed to increase the required distance between wells and homes. It didn’t pass.
Northern Front Range housing shortage
The Northern Front Range’s housing shortage is the focus of a new draft report by the Denver Regional Council of Governments.
The regional transportation planning agency found that the area, including Boulder and Weld Counties among other cities and towns, is 8,000 housing units short of meeting the current demand. They also found that the gap between supply and demand is projected to grow.
Within the next 10 years, the report says, the northern region will need about 37,000 additional housing units to meet current and future housing needs – majority of which will need to be affordable for those earning roughly $61,000 in Boulder County.
The report cites many hurdles in the way of increasing housing supply, including zoning, open space, off-street parking requirements, and limited federal funding to subsidize affordable housing.
The report comes as Boulder City Council is in the process of addressing the city’s high cost of living, through expanding on land-use and zoning reforms passed in recent years.
