Boucher: The Anti-Growth Majority Strikes Again
By Andrew Boucher
1:05 a.m. MT Apr 18, 2008
Skeptical that Fort Collins doesn't deserve its “anti-business” reputation?
David White owns some property along Interstate 25, near the interchange at Prospect Road. Fourteen months ago, he went to the City of Fort Collins and made a simple request: He wanted to have the land re-zoned from industrial to a mix of commercial and “employment” zoning. The re-zone would have improved the property and attracted economic development—new jobs—to Fort Collins.
What follows is a cautionary tale.
White's team did their homework. They put together a proposal that addressed transportation issues and the environmental impact. They ran the numbers and made their case that this would be an economic benefit to Fort Collins. They held meetings with neighbors and stakeholders.
The city staff gave the project their recommendation. The Planning and Zoning Board—a politically diverse group of citizens appointed by City Council—voted unanimously to approve the re-zone.
Then they went to the City Council for final approval. That's when anti-growth politics took over.
Let's back up a bit. So what exactly was being proposed? Essentially, the project would have taken land, predominantly in the northeast corner of the I-25/Prospect interchange, and allowed for commercial development instead of purely industrial development. According to Mike Freeman, the city’s chief financial officer, the long-term difference would have been to change the site from something resembling the old Fort Collins Air Park to something that looks more like the Harmony Corridor. Not only that, but the commercial space would have provided needed sales tax revenue to the city by attracting regional shoppers.
When it first came before council, the re-zone was considered such a no-brainer that it was slated for the “consent agenda,” the portion of the agenda that staff assumes needs no prolonged debate among councilmembers.
Fourteen months. That's how long ago this process started. It ended this past Tuesday when councilmembers Kelly Ohlson, Ben Manvel, Lisa Poppaw and David Roy voted 4-3 against the re-zone. There will be no “employment” zoning at I-25 and Prospect. There will be no new retailers. City staff projects the eventual development under the current zoning will be “highway-oriented” retail in the small remaining commercial space (think gas stations and truck stops) and “metal roof” industrial development, likely to focus on vehicle storage.
Mayor Doug Hutchinson repeatedly deflected the misdirection, red herrings and scare tactics of the majority. Ohlson repeatedly referred to the re-zone as a “strip mall.” Hutchinson reminded him that this was “exactly the opposite” of a strip mall. Roy invoked the viewsheds and the pristine open space. Hutchinson reiterated that both the view and the open space would be untouched. Someone brought up the effect this might have on the Foothills Mall. Hutchinson pointed out that this was a different consumer market than Foothills. Hutchinson shot down their objections, one by one, citing the extensive studies, staff reports and City Plan.
It didn't matter. Actually, it got worse. Kelly Ohlson declared: “The sad part is, this isn't really about economic health. We're talking about retail here.” So apparently shop owners and retail employees don't count towards Ohlson's vision of economic health. Ohlson even went so far as to proclaim that the re-zoning “would hurt the long-term economic health of the city of Fort Collins.”
But that wasn't even the most surreal moment of the evening. That came when Councilmember Lisa Poppaw described the potential to look at the interchange and see a Pottery Barn. “That doesn't seem like the vision that this community wants,” Poppaw declared.
Really? We've come to this? City Councilmembers are so convinced of their own enlightenment that they are willing to tell the citizens where they can shop?
Memo to Fort Collins voters: Lisa Poppaw doesn't want you to shop at the Pottery Barn.
Did we elect these people to outlaw stores they don't like?
We have a serious problem in Fort Collins. A landowner spent 14 months trying to get industrial land re-zoned so that it could attract retailers and primary employers. He did everything right. He got the approval from the experts on city staff. He got the unanimous approval from the Planning and Zoning Board.
And then he ran into the tone deaf and apathetic four-person majority on Fort Collins City Council. This re-zoning would have brought jobs to Fort Collins. Now it is not going to happen.
