Dear Editor,

My heartfelt thanks to the Proponents and residents of Nederland who initiated & signed the Referendum petition on the Teens Inc. SRU per the Public land at the Old Town Shop site.

The owners/Town residents should have a vote on whether or not they want to give a non-profit entity, with a yearly 5 million dollar budget, a second 99 year lease for $1 yearly, while residents lose Use Rights completely and any potential Use of land that has value as habitat and open space, and a small oasis for neighborhood children and passers-by to enjoy, in addition to its value as a building site. This Public land was promised via Resolution in 2017 to be housing & park space.

The Teens Inc application violates the Town Code since it did not include REQUIRED written consent from the owners granting Use permission per NMC 16-52: "An application for approval of a Special Review Use may be filed…with the written consent of the owner, and shall be made on a form provided by the Town." Nor was there an open call for development bids from Town. These & numerous other conflicts exist. To play fair & just the owners/the residents deserve this democratic vote.

Kathleen Chippi, Nederland