John Scarffe,  Gilpin County.   The Gilpin County Board of County Commissioners rejected a Planning Commission recommendation regarding the separation of marijuana cultivation facilities during a regular meeting on June 12, 2018, at the Gilpin County Courthouse. The Board also implemented Stage One Fire Restrictions in the County.

Sheriff Bruce Hartman requested the fire ban become effective at 12 p.m., June 12. “By reason of extremely dry fire conditions prevailing for the past month, an emergency exists because of extreme fire danger,” Hartman said, and the Board approved.

Stage One Fire Restrictions prohibit any burning or campfires on public lands except in paid, designated camp sites. Burning is also prohibited on private lands except in self-standing grills.

Public Works Director Steven Strohminger introduced zoning code revisions regarding the separation requirements for marijuana cultivation facilities. At the March 27 Board meeting, the Commissioners requested that the Planning Commission revisit the separation requirement for marijuana cultivation facilities, according to background.

It was the Commissioners’ intent that only one license be issued in each County district. When presented to the Planning Commission, the Commission unanimously recommended that the zoning regulations not be modified to include a 3,500-foot-separation between marijuana cultivation facilities.

Planning Commission concerns included the fact that limited emergency responders could benefit from having the facilities close together; the County might be limiting its ability to attract facilities based on the availability of commercial sites within those separation ranges; keeping the facilities separate could be a benefit, for reasons such as resources or public safety.

Strohminger told the Board that the Planning Commission recommended against the 3,500-foot separation. Commissioner Gail Watson said she was surprised, because it was very clear that the Commissioners didn’t want to have one area that was just a grow area, and Coyote has applied. They are farthest away from the fire station, and water issues make it clear they shouldn’t be in the same place.

Board Chair Ron Engels said their opposition doesn’t make a lot of sense to him. “Is it going to be possible for someone to locate there without having to build a huge cistern?” he asked.

Strohminger said they will have to bring in water to be sure they meet the discharge rate. Watson said it’s difficult to have a grow in Gilpin County. “We allowed three opportunities.”

Commissioner Linda Isenhart said that when the County did the original ordinance, a lot of them had reservations about even having one in Mid-Gilpin. “We were very clear on how we wanted to proceed with this. Water and location, and they can probably find a better place than 9,000 feet.”

Watson asked Strohminger to let the Planning Commission know their thoughts. “We’re not getting to hear their thought process.”

The Board passed a motion to proceed with restrictions, and it was approved. Engels asked that Strohminger convey the Board’s respect for what they do, and they believe the separation is right. They respectfully disagree with the Planning Commission.

Public Works Director Gordon Thompson reported on the Justice Center Water Recirculation System. A comprehensive study was done by Iris Technologies. It is professional but needs some clarification.

Since October, the flow has been cut in half, so the replacement of the recirculation system is recommended. Engels said they have talked about other options, such as a disbursed water system.

Dirk Matthews said that a certain amount of circulation is required to have hot water. Watson suggested they look at other options.

Matthews said he had to twist arms to get someone to participate. No one wanted to. They are not contractors. They are very third party.

“You have a damaged system,” Matthews said. “You can still use it by attaching something. It’s a 24/7 operation. This is akin to painting your car while you’re driving to Cheyenne.”

They had a failure Saturday night and last Tuesday morning, Matthews said.

Isenhart said she thinks it’s critical. Engels said it is a critical thing, and he suggested putting together an RFP and getting it out as soon as possible with a relatively short deadline.

Margaret Bowes, with the I-70 Coalition, told the Board about future improvements on the I-70 Corridor. The group is a nonprofit corporation founded for improvements on I-70, and they work to keep this on the radar with congressional representatives.

Black Hawk Resident Lynette Hailey serves on the seven-member board. The problem is severe congestion. The capacity of the highway has been unchanged since 1979, but populations have increased by 75 percent, Bowes said.

Forecasted growth is 2.5 million in the Front Range alone, A 2007 study looked at costs of $839 million per year. Mountain destinations add $88 million to the state revenue and activity adds $5 million. Many of those attractions are accessed by I-70, Bowes said. It was alarming to learn that 69 percent of travels have been reduced by the traffic on the corridor, which results in a $25 million loss in revenue.

The good news is they have a plan. An unprecedented, 50-year planning horizon environmental study took over a decade. They will make improvements in phases. A multi-modal solution is needed, she said.

They have three buckets. The first is highway improvements. The Veteran Memorial Tunnel will be expanded. When people agree to pay, it reduces traffic in other lanes, Bowes said,

Hailey invested a lot of time attending meetings, she said. A new bridge at Floyd Hill and new access are possibilities, as well as adding another lane. They will do a lot of public education and outreach.

In 2009, they started the weekend travel forecast that helps educate folks about carpooling, etc. Since then, they have seen extreme delays flatten out. That will never fix the problem, but it moved the needle a little bit, Bowes said.

The high-speed transit feasibility study found that there were multiple technologies that could handle the weather but were not financially feasible. It would cost $13.3 billion for a full system. Colorado is leading the way on technology.

They are partnering with two high-speed technologies. One company looking at the Denver area wants to build something. Another company will do a spoke and wheel system around the Denver area along 470. It has a very small footprint, and you can drive your personal vehicle on it and it will go 200 miles an hour.

Next steps are the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is looking at a rapid-speed study. What agency would oversee it? It’s exciting that Colorado is leading the way on these technologies. Towns want the people, not the cars.

Commissioner Watson said there is another component to this. “What are we going to do when all the people come?”

(Originally published in the June 21, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)