Two weeks ago, after an initial vote by Colorado Springs city council, it looked as though a controversial proposal to annex a planned development known as Amara was on its way to becoming part of the city. But on Tuesday night Councilor Dave Donelson changed his position, which reversed the outcome of the previous vote.
Donelson said there are reasonable arguments in favor of the project, but the city’s rate of growth needs to slow.
“It is wrong to let our city become something that the majority of our citizens dislike. Too big, too crowded, too dense, too tall and too noisy,” he said.
Amara’s developers, La Plata Communities, had proposed a so-called flagpole annexation because the land was not adjacent to the current Colorado Springs boundaries. Final build out for Amara was estimated at 9,500 homes across the 3,200 acres, plus mixed-use and commercial development.
A number of people spoke both in support of and opposition to the project. Many of the issues, both positive and negative, were similar to comments made during the first public hearing in July.
Supporters of the project cited the need for more housing, especially for military families in the southeast part of the city.
Farmers and ranchers from communities in the Lower Arkansas River Basin spoke in opposition to the project related to concerns about water resources in southeastern Colorado. Other opponents of the project cited worries about increased pressure on city services and infrastructure, as well as utility rate payer costs.
Councilors Yolanda Avila, Michelle Talarico, David Leinweber and Brian Risley voted in favor of the annexation. Donelson’s no vote combined with nos from Nancy Henjum, Lynette Crow-Iverson, Mike O’Malley and board president Randy Helms to defeat the plan.
