Townhome developer seeks Pueblo West's assurances that water will be there for growth
A developer who wants to bring 104 townhomes to Pueblo West asked the Metro District Board Monday for assurances that water will be available before $2.5 million in infrastructure work starts.
Jay Baker of Trinity Alliance LLC said the Archdale Townhomes project has been in the works since the company first agreed to purchase seven lots on East Spaulding Avenue east of Purcell Boulevard between Brisco and Archdale drives for $70,000 last April. The project has been on hold as the district paused building permit and water tap sales to better define the appropriate amount of water taps available.
The pause started in January and was lifted in mid-April when new water tap rules were outlined.
Baker said the townhome project would be done in two phases with 52 townhomes built in each phase. The townhomes will be built in units of two.
Baker was seeking assurance from the board that water will be available before the builder commits to an estimated $2.5 million in infrastructure improvements.
Board Vice President Doug Proal said the district would have to get approval from the state engineers' water office before the project can move forward because it would call for “redeveloping the interior of the district.” Pueblo West Utilities Director Jim Blasing said the district does have the number of water taps the project would need, but agreed state engineer approval would be required.
Board member Jami Baker Orr urged staff to reach out to the engineer for an answer because the project has been on hold for so long and, “No developer is going to put $2.5 million into a subdivision and not get water," she said.
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Citizen input needed for Joe Martinez Boulevard extension name
In other business, the board urged Pueblo West residents to attend a 6 p.m., July 19, forum at Pueblo West Library, 298 S. Joe Martinez Blvd., during which Pueblo County representatives will solicit input on a road name for the long-awaited extension of Joe Martinez Boulevard between Purcell and Pueblo boulevards. The extension will provide a link between Pueblo and Pueblo West and help alleviate heavy traffic on U.S. Highway 50.
A 70-acre section of land will be annexed into the city of Pueblo and will allow for the road expansion and space for the county’s new jail. The county will pay to bring utilities and infrastructure to the site for the new jail and in turn, make those amenities accessible to private developers to encourage development in the area.
The county has been seeking suggestions for a road name that will tie together the communities of Pueblo and Pueblo West.
“We were all kind of surprised by this,” said Brian Caserta, metro district administrator, pointing out many assumed the extended road would keep the Joe Martinez name.
The road is named after U.S. Army Pvt. Joe P. Martinez who was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery during a World War II battle during which he was mortally wounded. He was the first recipient from Colorado and the only Chicano to receive the Medal of Honor during WWII.
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“It would be nice if they would keep it the same name,” Baker Orr said, encouraging community members to show up at the July 19 meeting and make their wishes known. The county also is accepting online suggestions through July 30 at county.pueblo.org/road-name-suggestion-form.
Pueblo West maintaining roads 'the best we can'
Also during Monday's meeting, new board member Joe Mahaney asked how he should address residents’ criticism of the road conditions in Pueblo West. The district tried two failed ballot initiatives seeking approval of sales tax funds to fix them, so the Pueblo West Metro Board voted Nov. 22 to end an intergovernmental agreement and allow Pueblo County to take over maintenance of all the roads in the district.
The transition is expected to take five years.
“In the meantime, we will continue using the (state) Highway Users Tax Funds that come to us through the county to maintain the roads the best we can,” Proal said. “It would take $3.5 to $5 million (a year) to maintain the roads at the level they are at now and we don’t have that – that's why we are giving the roads back to the county.”
Proal said roads were “terrible” the first time he served on the board in 1986 and they continue to be a huge issue with residents.
“We are maintaining 400 out of 700 miles of road in Pueblo West,” Proal said, pointing out the remaining 300 miles of roads have not even been accepted by the county as bonafide roads. “The county is looking at how they are going to accomplish this task and I think it is a larger task than they expected."
Baker Orr indicated that the past two road task force meetings between the district and the county have been canceled due to scheduling conflicts. The next meeting is set for July 27.
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Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@chieftain.com or via Twitter at twitter.com/tracywumps.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Townhome developer seeks Pueblo West's assurances on water availability
