Chronicle Parker
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 11, Issue 5
OLDFASHIONED OUTING
November 30, 2012 A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourparkernews.com
Parker moving to outlaw pot shops Pro-marijuana vote fell short in county By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com
A horse-drawn carriage glides down Mainstreet Nov. 23. The streets of downtown Parker are all dressed up for the holidays, with wreaths, garlands, bows and lights. Turn to Page 9 for more on the carriage rides and for coverage of the Nov. 23 mayor’s holiday tree-lighting. Photo by Chris Michlewicz
Town eyes apartment complex Developer plans nine three-story buildings By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com Low apartment vacancy rates are spurring the possible construction of the first multifamily housing in Parker in more than a decade. With a thumbs-up from the Parker Planning Commission, Parker Town Council approved the site plan, replat and use by special review earlier this fall for Vanterra, a 306-unit apartment complex that’s on track for construction on the vacant land south of Mainstreet and between Dransfeldt Road and Twenty Mile Road. The developer, Twenty Mile Town Center II LLC, a subsidiary of Parker-based Faestel Properties, plans to build nine three-story buildings containing one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Heightened demand for multi-family housing is driving the project, which could get under way in April,
said Joel Faestel, a partner in Faestel Properties. “Economic turmoil has created a different set of conditions,” he said. Retail shopping was planned for the 15-acre site, which is behind SuperTarget across Sulphur Gulch, but the economic downturn put an end to that project. During a meeting Oct. 15 to approve the use by special review application, council member Gary Lasater expressed reservations about approving housing instead of sales tax revenue-generating retail. Faestel pointed out that there is enough office and retail in Parker “to last 4-5 years” and said there is a “need for more rooftops” to support them. The single-phase, 18-month construction project will be a welcome sight to retailers and restaurants that are within walking distance, such as Walmart, SuperTarget, August Moon and Junz. Faestel said the “family oriented,” class A apartments are compatible with surround-
An aerial rendering of the proposed Vanterra Apartments, which could open in the first quarter of 2014 if approved by Parker Town Council. Courtesy graphic ing uses, including the Trailside Apartments to the northwest. He said Vanterra is an infill project and “has nothing to do with urban sprawl.” He views the development as a sign that Parker is “getting the engines fired up again.” “I hope everybody will welcome this,” Faestel said. “Parker’s core is finally getting some
activity again.” The exterior design is themed as a “blend of Colorado-mountain style with a Victorian influence that exists in downtown Parker,” according to a planning document. The apartments will all be for rent and, if approved, the first tenant will move in in spring 2014.
Town council has taken the first step toward prohibiting pot shops and cultivation centers in Parker. Councilmembers voted 6-0 to pass the first reading of seven amendments to the Parker Municipal Code, with an aim of banning commercial marijuana establishments, during a special meeting Nov. 26. Officials from several local communities are considering changes, after more than 55 percent of Colorado residents voted Nov. 6 in favor of a constitutional amendment to legalize the recreational use of marijuana for people over 21. Amendment 64, however, contained provisions for individual counties and municipalities to pass bans on the retail sale and cultivation of marijuana. While personal protections would still be in place for those over the age of 21 who possess less than an ounce of marijuana, the changes to the municipal code would make it illegal for businesses and residents within the Town of Parker to sell cannabis. Councilman Josh Martin said town leaders have been united on the issue and the recent move “seemed like a logical follow-up” to laws Parker implemented to bar medical marijuana establishments. The council partly based its decision on the recent countywide vote, which had 54 percent of residents come out against the measure for recreational pot. “There’s no breakdown of Parkerites, but it’s fair to assume those numbers would follow our citizens as well,” Martin said. “That indicates that it’s not something they’re supportive of.” Because of how Amendment 64 is structured, the Town of Parker would not have been able to put the ban to a public vote until 2014 because such ballot questions must be posed during even-numbered years. Martin said there was no discussion about permitting pot shops to increase sales tax revenue, primarily because the town is in a stable financial position. The Parker amendments set up strict guidelines for personal growing, including adhering to building codes, limiting cultivation to an enclosed, locked space and ensuring that it is not perceptible from the exterior; that includes visibility, odor and excessive foot traffic. Residents over 21 cannot exceed state laws that allow for six plants per person. Martin said he is curious to see how the federal government will react to Colorado’s constitutional amendment and predicted at least a year of legal wrangling before the issue is decided. He said Parker could put its ban to a public vote if the federal government decriminalized pot or removed it from its list of Schedule 1 drugs. Town council must approve the amendments on second reading Dec. 3 to make them final. Martin said he does not expect any opposition to the ban — there were no complaints about the town banning medical marijuana outlets — but he welcomes any dissenting opinions.
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