'Stage One' Fire Restrictions in Place

The unincorporated areas of Fremont County remain under a fire ban with Fremont County Sheriff Jim Beicker imposing 'Stage One' fire restrictions as defined under a new ordinance adopted by the Board of Commissioners Tuesday.

The fire ban ordinance spells out fire related activities permitted and prohibited under three well defined stages of restrictions. Stage One outlines minimum fire restrictions while Stage Three limitations are the most restrictive. Sheriff Beicker said that while some areas of the county have received some rainfall in recent days, critical fire weather conditions still justify imposing Stage One restrictions.

The State One restrictions prohibit all open fires, open burning, and smoking; all agricultural burning, use of fireworks and explosives, and open fires using rock ring burn pits. The exceptions which are permitted under stage one restrictions include open fires only at developed recreation sites or improved sites; charcoal, propane, or other contained fuel grills; open fires in metal fire rings in campgrounds and parks; smoking only within enclosed vehicles or buildings, at a recreation site, or within a designated smoking area with an approved container for discarding of cigarette butts; use of approved spark arrestors on internal combustion engines; and outdoor welding and grinding with proper distance from combustible materials as long as there is proper fire protection and suppression equipment available.

Sheriff Beicker says the new Stage One limitations parallel similar restrictions now in effect in the Canon City Fire Protection District and the Florence Fire Protection District.

Under a resolution also adopted by the Board, the Commissioners granted authority to the Sheriff to impose or lift fire restrictions on his own, based upon existing conditions.

May 23rd Commissioners' Meeting

The Fremont County Commissioners made short order of a busy agenda of business at Tuesday's regular meeting. The meeting was highlighted by the board's approval on second and final reading of a new fire ban ordinance.

The fire ban ordinance specifies three different stages of fire restrictions. The intent is make it clear to residents across the county what fire related activities are permitted and which are prohibited as fire conditions worsen. The three stages of restrictions are also designed to fall in line with similar restrictions imposed by other local, state, and federal agencies. The Commissioners also adopted a resolution granting the Fremont County Sheriff the authority to impose or lift fire restrictions as conditions warrant.

Following a brief public hearing the Commissioners approved a special review use permit allowing Aquila to replace a 55-foot communications tower at its' electric substation near the Holcim Plant at Portland with a new 80-foot self supporting tower. The substation and tower site is located a mile south of the intersection of Colorado Highway 120 and County Road 112.

In other action Tuesday the Board of Commissioners:

• approved transfer of ownership for a retail liquor license and retail 3.2% beer license from Akc and Zak's to Forge Food Mart & Liquor;
• appointed Randy Adolf to fill a seat on the Fremont County Airport/Industrial Park Advisory Board. The seat was held by Myron Smith who did not seek reappointment;
• approved a request from District Attorney Molly Chilson to use $11,818 from her 2005 budget balance to purchase new computer equipment;
• approved a six month extension for Jim Milam's three lot minor subdivision along Grandview Avenue in the FourMile area;
• approved a six month extension on a conditional use permit for Shane Cooper to get a gravel pit in operation on a BLM piece of leased property along Iron Mountain Road in the Copper Gulch area;
• and approved a two lot minor subdivision for Kenneth and Lois Snapp for property located northeast of Lombard and Beulah Avenue in Lincoln Park.
  

Phantom Canyon Bridge Reopened

Fremont County Road 67, the Phantom Canyon Road to the Victor and Cripple Creek area, was reopened to traffic Monday morning. Reynolds Construction of Canon City spent only three weeks on a bridge repair project just south of the Fremont-Teller County line. Reynolds Construction had to remove the old bridge decking and install new pressure treated timbers under the $23,967 contract.

The construction calendar originally allowed Reynolds until the middle of June to complete the work. Fremont County District 2 Commissioner Larry Lasha said the County was hopeful that the bridge work could be completed before the busy summer tourist season. Lasha said in addition to the new bridge deck the County also arranged to have Reynolds Construction clean up old timbers that lay strewn in the creek bed below the bridge for decades.

The project was funded by a $50,000 Colorado Mineral Impact Grant, $10,000 in local matching money from Fremont County, and a generous $10,000 donation from the Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mining Company.

May 9th Commissioners' Meeting

Final adoption of amendments to the zoning resolution, three public hearings, and consideration of a plat for a large subdivision north of Canon City highlighted a busy agenda for the Fremont County Commissioners Tuesday.

The Commissioners unanimously approved the 23rd Amendment to the Fremont County Zoning Resolution which was the subject of public hearings on March 28th and April 25th. The Commissioners noted that they resolved the issue which was of concern to most citizens. The amendment now permits orchards and vineyards in all agricultural zones including Ag Suburban and Ag Estates zones. Previously they were prohibited in those transitional ag zones and the initial language change would have permitted orchards and vineyards in those two zones with a minimum of 4 ½ acres. But after citizens told the board that orchards and vineyards already see widespread use in those zone districts the Commissioners decided to permit them with no acreage restrictions.

The Commissioners asked for more Planning Commission review on a requirement for 24" by 36" drawings on all submittals to the Planning Department. Commissioner Ed Norden said he wants to make sure that requiring larger drawings places no undue hardship on individuals or businesses who draw their own site development plans.

The Commissioners OK'd language in the amendment requiring traffic impact analysis for any zone change applications, but Commissioner Ed Norden asked that the Planning Commission also reexamine that requirement. Norden said based upon comments received during the public hearings and from other business people he’d like to see if a threshold could be defined as to when the traffic analysis would be required so as not to impose more burden than necessary upon small businesses in the county.

The Commissioners approved a preliminary plan for Mesas on Sunrise Ridge, an 89 lot residential development on 29.4 acres, which neighbors have complained about as being too high of density. Commissioners Mike Stiehl and Ed Norden noted comments by a pair of Planning Commission members who agreed that it is a high density development for that particular location. But the Commissioners said the mistake was made in the mid 90's when the 29 acres was zoned for low density residential development. Stiehl says in fact the county cannot legally prevent developer Allan Miller from such use of his property if he meets all of the zoning requirements.

The Commissioners approved a 'life of the mine' conditional use permit for Larsen Colorado LLC to open and operate the Byzantine Quarries west of Canon City. The quarry site is along County Road 69, two miles north of Highway 50, and a three-quarters of a mile west. The company plans to quarry rock and gravel on 175 acres. The permit allows up to 80 trucks to haul per day between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Hours of mining and processing will not be limited but no blasting will be allowed on weekends. The company must also apply dust suppressant on County Road 69 and the access road to the quarry.

In other action Tuesday the Commissioners:

• Approved a temporary use permit for the 16th annual Temple Canyon Hill Climb May 13th and 14th;
• Approved a special review use permit to allow an expansion of facilities for the Cody Park Community Church along Copper Gulch Road;
• Approved renewal of a professional services agreement with Armstrong Consultants of Grand Junction for Fremont County Airport improvements;
• Approved a special review use permit for expansion of the Seufer Tree Farm directly west of River Run Court and Raynolds Avenue on 4.75 acres. The permit was required since the non-conforming use in that neighborhood was being expanded by more than 25 percent.
  
  
  

Tourism Council to Meet

A special meeting of the Fremont County Tourism Council will be held on May 18, 2006 at 7:00 P.M. The Council will meet in The Roman Room at Merlino's Belvedere located at 1330 Elm Ave. (Hwy 115) in Canon City.

The meeting's agenda will include the results of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Royal Gorge Country Branding for the 2007 campaign & beyond. Other council business will be addressed as listed on the agenda.

The general public is invited & encouraged to attend.

Any questions can be directed to the FCTC Chairperson Vickie Casey or FCTC Secretary Danny De George at 269-8245.

Williamsburg Commissioners' Forum

The Fremont County Commissioners host their fourth public forum this year when they travel to Williamsburg this Wednesday evening, May 10th. The Commissioners' Forum begins at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Williamsburg Town Hall.

Following a series of weekly budget meetings with Sheriff Jim Beicker since mid-March, the Commissioners want to discuss a plan that would enable the Sheriff to open the new 96 bed county jail that has been vacant for the past two years because of the lack of funding to staff it. The Commissioners and Sheriff Beicker will seek public input on possible revenue solutions to take to the voters this fall which would get the jail open by mid 2007. The plan would also address ways to earn money from leasing jail bed space, begin scheduled improvements to county roads, and restore emergency cash reserves.

Sheriff Beicker will discuss other law enforcement issues at the forum, and the Commissioners will take other questions of concern from the audience. All citizens who have an interest and want a voice in county government are urged to attend.

The Commissioners will conduct their fifth public forum of the year on Tuesday evening, May 30th, at the Deer Mountain Fire Station.

Plastic Recycling Day

The Upper Arkansas Area Council of Governments hosts another Plastic Recycling Day on Saturday, May 13th, next to the Canon City Public Works building. Fremont County residents are urged to get involved in the monthly plastic recycling. Any plastic container that displays a number inside the triangle of three arrows on the bottom can be recycled. You do not have to separate the plastic by numbers. Simply empty and rinse out your plastic containers and place them all in the same bag. Oil, antifreeze, and pesticide plastic containers cannot be accepted.

There is no charge for the plastic recycling which will run from 9 a.m. until 12 noon on Saturday, May 13th, along south 9th street next to the public works building in Canon City.

The Plastic Recycling Day is co-sponsored by the City of Canon City, the City of Florence, the Fremont Recycling Group, and the Fremont County Board of Commissioners.