Decision Delayed Over Proposed Catholic Retreat
By Jamie Leary
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- A decision over a proposed Catholic retreat and conference center in Jefferson County has been delayed until later this year.
Jefferson County Commissioners continued their decision on the proposed retreat until December, saying they need more time to discuss the proposal with the district fire chief who was unable to attend Tuesday's hearing.
Elk Creek Fire Chief Bill McGlaughlin is opposed to the development arguing if a fire started on the retreat property, it would be "unstoppable… evacuation would be extremely difficult."
Commissioners were expected to make a decision Tuesday but had many questions that couldn't be answered without McGlaughlin's presence.
Even in the absence of the chief, the Tuesday hearing lasted four hours. The Archdiocese was able to make its case for the retreat saying it had scaled back the size of the building to just under 90,000 square feet and added other compromises to the plan, like making some of the fire pits gas instead of wood.
This didn't qualm many of the residents' concerns. Dozens spoke against the plan Tuesday. Some said the idea was "sold" to them as something much smaller than what it has turned into. Immediate neighbors want the compromises, along with more details in writing. They said it's been a lot of empty promises.
"We understand the neighbors have concerns," said Catholic Archdiocese Vicar General Randy Dollins. "If I had made an investment in a home up there I would have similar concerns."
Dollins talked to CBS4 about the proposed 241-acre facility the Archdiocese wants to build on property it bought in 2015 in Jefferson County.
The church is trying to have the property rezoned so it can build a main lodge with 52 guest rooms, meeting and eating facilities along with a chapel, a dormitory-style youth retreat center and small cabins.
During Tuesday's meeting, commissioners not only expressed disappointment that there was no one to represent the fire district but also said they did not get the clarity they were hoping for from the Archdiocese.
"I feel like it's better when the community comes together and works out these problems as opposed to bringing it to bringing it to the government to solve their problems and I was hoping there would be better cohesion," said Jefferson County Commissioner Libby Szabo.
The Jefferson County Planning Commission approved the rezoning but now county commissioners must decide on the rezoning. Although some neighbors support the project, which is near the intersection of Highway 285 and South Elk Creek Road, many have spoken out against it like Gail Hite.
She lives in the adjacent Douglass Ranch subdivision and fears thousands of outside visitors a month would bring the potential for an accidental wildfire.
"This is going to magnify that fear. We can't even grasp it at this point in time," said Hite.
Hite said she believes that if a grass or forest fire started on the archdiocese property, it would spread to her subdivision within two minutes.
"For us this is life or death. We have one way in and one way out," she said.
There is currently only one road that winds through the Douglass Ranch neighborhood and residents would need to evacuate along that road in case of a sudden fire.
Fire Marshal Shelley Hunter backed the fire chief's concerns and wrote that the proposed retreat is "in a significant high fire risk area. Extreme measures would need to be taken to evacuate in case of a wildfire in this area which would exceed available resources for additional needs."
Dollins said the fire chief's comments "kind of caught us off guard. If anyone doesn't want a fire it would be us. We would not want to see a fire happen up there."
He said the Archdiocese would implement a forest mitigation plan to make the area "fire safe." He added the buildings would be equipped with sprinklers and would comply with fire codes.
The Archdiocese's last mountain retreat, St. Malo in Allenspark, was destroyed in 2011 in an accidental fire.
The Jeffco facility would act as a replacement for St. Malo. Dollins said the church was attracted to this parcel of land due to its proximity to Denver, about a 45-minute drive, along with the peaceful setting and abundance of hiking trails.
But neighbors are spooked by the sheer number of potential visitors and the Archdiocese being allowed to eventually construct up to six outdoor fire pits.
"To me," said Hite, "it's not if but when a cigarette or flaming marshmallow starts a fire. It would reach us in less than a minute."
David Froman, another resident of Douglass Ranch, said since he has lived in the area, there have been five major wildfires in the vicinity scorching hundreds of thousands of acres and costing lives.
"The site of this development is in the epicenter of all the fire activity here in the last 20 years. I don't know of any other development where the fire department has come out and said, 'This is a bad idea,'" said Froman.
Although he expressed understanding of the neighbors' concerns, Dollins said it was just as likely lightning would start a fire as humans, "We're committed to making this a reality but were not going to do it like bulldozers. We're going to be neighbors for a long time with everyone up there."
Commissioners hope to make a decision at the next scheduled hearing on Dec. 6.