Latest news with #LineAnnexation
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Several resolutions passed against Karman Line Annexation
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The debate about whether the Karman Line Annexation in Colorado Springs should go through has made its way to southeastern Colorado. Seven government agencies in the area have passed resolutions expressing their opposition to the annexation, which aims to add more than 1,900 acres into Colorado Springs city limits in an attempt to accommodate a growing city. Otero County Commissioners Ron Oquist and Tim Knabenshue's biggest concern is water. 'It what allows us to have agriculture, to have farming, to have ranching,' Knabenshue said. Both are worried more housing in the Springs will mean less water to grow crops like watermelon in the Arkansas Valley. 'Some think they [watermelons] come from Safeway or King Soopers. They come from down in southeastern Colorado, down in the Arkansas Valley,' Oquist said. But the group 'Yes on Issue One,' which supports the Karman Line Annexation, said there is not a lack of water, but water mismanagement, and they argue there will be plenty of water to accommodate the project. While no one from the group responded to FOX21 News's request for comment as of Monday, videos posted on the group's YouTube page show project leaders explaining why they think the annexation is a good thing. 'We can build into a community that supports the needs of the military, whether that's rental detached homes or specialized childcare and health care, to meet the military needs and civilian needs of our community,' said Kevin O'Neil, the Karman Line Managing Partner. But Oquist and Knabenshue want to make sure they have a seat at the table, so the area they represent does not get forgotten. 'We're not against Colorado Springs and we're not against growth; we just want to make sure that we do it responsibly,' Oquist said. In the end, the loudest voice will be the voters of Olympic City U.S.A. The special election for the Karman Line Annexation is set for June 17. Ballots were mailed out by the city on May 23. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Petition seeks to put Karman Line annexation on the ballot
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Following the City Council's approval of the Karman Line Annexation, some community members have filed a petition to oppose the vote. During the vote on Jan. 28, several community members spoke out, hoping to change the Colorado Springs City Council's mind before the vote. Some individuals who spoke expressed concerns about water, emergency services, animals, uncontrolled growth, and more. Karman Line Annexation approved The City Council voted 7-2 in favor of the annexation. The land would annex 1,900 acres located west of Schriever Space Force Base which is currently vacant. The developer said the project would take around 20 years to complete. Now, citizens are trying to oppose the vote once again. 'We feel their vote did not accurately reflect the will of the Colorado Springs Citizens,' the petition that surged online stated. 'For this reason and the key concerns below we have established a legal petition to garner 18,696 signatures to take this to a ballot for Colorado Springs citizens to decide.' According to the group, they would need 18,000 signatures or more by Thursday, Feb. 27 to put the question on the ballot this summer or get the City Council to defer their decision. The opposition gathers key concerns such as: Growth Water Increase in utility costs Housing need Emergency response concerns Underutilized existing resources Wildlife concern City Vision misalignment Urban enclave costs The petition claims that the City Council's approval also fails to meet annexation standards, as Colorado law requires annexations to demonstrate a 'community of interest' and meet a 25% standard of the property perimeter. 'Diagrams submitted for Karman Line suggest this threshold is not met, with only an estimated 15-20% contiguity,' the petition states. Petition organizers told FOX21 News they would be at different establishments around Colorado Springs gathering signatures. 'Flagpole annexations like Karman Line create the worst kind of urban sprawl, stretch municipal services, and prioritize short-term developer profits over long-term city planning,' according to the petition. FOX21 News reached out to City Council for comment but had not received a reply at the time of publication. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
