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The county, as we all know, has a terrible time with code enforcement.
It takes years for them to clean up a landowner's mess. When the landowner fails to comply, they send in county trucks and crews to do the job. They bill the owner by attaching a lien to the property and leave. Two weeks later the mess is back and the cycle begins anew.
Our county wants to protect some land out there by the base of Mount Garfield. They want to protect it from development and possible blight, certainly an admirable cause. We all want our visitors from the east to have an immediate favorable impression as they drive into our fair valley. The land was available at a lower price a few years ago, but, that's OK; let us preserve that land even if it costs a few more of OUR bucks.
The problem with this is the scene to the north of I-70 just minutes farther west of Mount Garfield. You have seen it, instant junk yards, and acres of derelict equipment, numerous abandoned mobile homes of no commercial value, and whatever unsightly crap people have chosen to place in close proximity to I-70.
Certainly, there seems to be a homeowner or two out there who is attempting to create an attractive place for their families, unfortunately, they are outnumbered. These festering pockets of trash threaten to spread at a rampant pace unless action is rapidly taken.
There is little if any value in preserving the area at the base of Mount Garfield if it is only to become a pristine spot among eyesores. How far out of hand must this become before our county commissioners take action to stop the rapidly spreading encroachment of junk?
Of course, we can expect them to come forth pontificating about the need to respect property rights, and, of course, none of this is in their neighborhood. Property rights come with property responsibilities. The county needs to rapidly step up and stop this trend toward the uglification of the eastern approach to our valley. After that maybe they can go back and re-clean those eyesores they have previously cleaned.
Land use restrictions and HOAs are fairly similar insofar as the bad taste they leave in the mouths of some. No one likes being told what they can do with their land or being told to clean up a mess or remove equipment or junk. As distasteful as it may be to confront a neighbor or a landowner regarding a problem, it is an incumbent responsibility that cannot be shirked or denied. It appears as our county commissioners have been less than diligent as to their responsibilities in this regard.
Given that truism, how can we trust them to preserve the area around Mount Garfield? A better question may be why keep this area clean when adjacent properties to the north of I-70 rapidly develop as major embarrassments to our city and county? Our commissioners need to do the job for which they were elected, and that includes enforcement of junk ordinances.
We have a huge contingent of potential candidates lining up to replace the term-limited Janet Rowland and Craig Meis. They have a plateful of issues awaiting them if the current commissioners do not act.
Other topics that appear as they may carry over to a new commission is the combined GVT/Greyhound terminal and the ongoing saga at the airport. Given the fact two-thirds of the commission are “short termers,” there is little to suggest there will be action taken to preclude these items from continuing forward. There is also little to suggest that the current powers that be have protected our interests in these areas having given up a $2 million dollar grant, sitting on the sidelines as the airport board freely spends on advertising, purchases land at market price or better, etc.
We can only hope our new crop of representatives are better guardians of the purse strings and realize the imperative of keeping the entire I-70 corridor attractive not just a few acres.
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Jim Hoffman is a local real estate broker and investor who is trying to move from semi-retired to retired. He needs to retire to devote more time to unpaid interests such as skiing, camping and fishing.
It takes years for them to clean up a landowner's mess. When the landowner fails to comply, they send in county trucks and crews to do the job. They bill the owner by attaching a lien to the property and leave. Two weeks later the mess is back and the cycle begins anew.
Our county wants to protect some land out there by the base of Mount Garfield. They want to protect it from development and possible blight, certainly an admirable cause. We all want our visitors from the east to have an immediate favorable impression as they drive into our fair valley. The land was available at a lower price a few years ago, but, that's OK; let us preserve that land even if it costs a few more of OUR bucks.
The problem with this is the scene to the north of I-70 just minutes farther west of Mount Garfield. You have seen it, instant junk yards, and acres of derelict equipment, numerous abandoned mobile homes of no commercial value, and whatever unsightly crap people have chosen to place in close proximity to I-70.
Certainly, there seems to be a homeowner or two out there who is attempting to create an attractive place for their families, unfortunately, they are outnumbered. These festering pockets of trash threaten to spread at a rampant pace unless action is rapidly taken.
There is little if any value in preserving the area at the base of Mount Garfield if it is only to become a pristine spot among eyesores. How far out of hand must this become before our county commissioners take action to stop the rapidly spreading encroachment of junk?
Of course, we can expect them to come forth pontificating about the need to respect property rights, and, of course, none of this is in their neighborhood. Property rights come with property responsibilities. The county needs to rapidly step up and stop this trend toward the uglification of the eastern approach to our valley. After that maybe they can go back and re-clean those eyesores they have previously cleaned.
Land use restrictions and HOAs are fairly similar insofar as the bad taste they leave in the mouths of some. No one likes being told what they can do with their land or being told to clean up a mess or remove equipment or junk. As distasteful as it may be to confront a neighbor or a landowner regarding a problem, it is an incumbent responsibility that cannot be shirked or denied. It appears as our county commissioners have been less than diligent as to their responsibilities in this regard.
Given that truism, how can we trust them to preserve the area around Mount Garfield? A better question may be why keep this area clean when adjacent properties to the north of I-70 rapidly develop as major embarrassments to our city and county? Our commissioners need to do the job for which they were elected, and that includes enforcement of junk ordinances.
We have a huge contingent of potential candidates lining up to replace the term-limited Janet Rowland and Craig Meis. They have a plateful of issues awaiting them if the current commissioners do not act.
Other topics that appear as they may carry over to a new commission is the combined GVT/Greyhound terminal and the ongoing saga at the airport. Given the fact two-thirds of the commission are “short termers,” there is little to suggest there will be action taken to preclude these items from continuing forward. There is also little to suggest that the current powers that be have protected our interests in these areas having given up a $2 million dollar grant, sitting on the sidelines as the airport board freely spends on advertising, purchases land at market price or better, etc.
We can only hope our new crop of representatives are better guardians of the purse strings and realize the imperative of keeping the entire I-70 corridor attractive not just a few acres.
------------------------------
Jim Hoffman is a local real estate broker and investor who is trying to move from semi-retired to retired. He needs to retire to devote more time to unpaid interests such as skiing, camping and fishing.
