Members to consider Sugar Creek annexation
Part of land is where Thompson School District wanted to build new high school
Despite its sweet sounding name, a proposal to annex the 171-acre Sugar Creek addition on the north edge of Loveland for medium-density development is striking a sour note with nearby residents. At Tuesday’s regular meeting, Loveland City Council will hold a public hearing on the request and an associated amendment to the comprehensive plan to allow denser housing.
The property in question lies between East 57th and East 71st streets, east of Garfield Avenue (U.S. 287). It is currently vacant, but has been used for agricultural purposes in the past.
The northern parcel, around 100 acres adjacent to 71st Street, is now owned by Thompson School District, which once planned a high school for the property, but is now attempting to sell it. The other 70 acres to the south is owned by David Sitzman of real estate developer Sitzman-mitchell and Co.
According to materials in the agenda packet, developer Black Timber Builders is proposing a mix of single- and multi-family housing on most of the property, with 10 acres reserved for a small commercial portion near Garfield Avenue. To help offset a future increase in traffic, plans also call for future extensions of Monroe Avenue and 65th Street.
The developer is requesting planned unit development (PUD) zoning with a maximum density of 6.5 units per acre, or up to 1,110 units. However, this will take an amendment to the city’s 2015 comprehensive plan to re-designate the property to medium density residential from estate residential and public/ quasi public.
The developer and city staff held the first neighborhood meeting for the proposal in January, and more than 100 neighbors from the adjacent Bruns, Vista View and Horseshoe View estates subdivisions showed up to express concerns over the potential traffic impact of the proposed development, the threat to local wildlife, the loss of rural character in the area and the conflict with the comprehensive plan and other regional planning documents.
Many of those neighbors also showed up six months later when the city’s Planning Commission held its hearing in June. Despite a robust and lengthy discussion, commissioners voted unanimously to recommend approval of the annexation and comprehensive plan amendment to City Council.
This will be the first annexation request heard this year by the newly constituted Loveland City Council, which turned over three members in last month’s city election. Earlier this year, City Council approved annexation of the Taft Ridge addition, a 266-acre development in northwest Loveland, and the smaller Westerdoll annexation in central Loveland.
City Council also has more new business to discuss on Tuesday, including a proposal by Councilor Dana Foley to reduce the city’s property tax rate to help offset the large increase in assessments earlier this year.
Councilor Steve Olson will also introduce a discussion of performance reviews for City Council direct report staff members, which include the city manager and city attorney.
Later, a new business item from two weeks ago concerning remote access to Police Citizens Advisory Board meetings is returning as regular business this week. Loveland Police Chief Tim Doran will present options for streaming and recording the monthly PCAB meetings.