COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — A proposed development east of Colorado Springs will not be annexed into city limits, as of early results Tuesday night.
The annexation failed, with 80% of votes cast against the ordinance in early returns. Voters were given the choice to decide whether the “Karman Line” development, near Schreiver Space Force Base, should be brought into city limits.
Early returns showed 14,239 votes for the ordinance and 63,813 against the ordinance. For the latest unofficial results, click here.
Opponents of the annexation celebrated at a watch party in El Paso County Tuesday night as the results came in. Dawn Shelstad, who opposed the annexation said she was "elated" with the results.
"It goes to show that overwhelmingly, the people of Colorado Springs just were not buying this as a logical extension of the city boundaries, so they came out and they voted, and we have overturned this annexation," Shelstad said.
The proposed development was expected to bring about 6,500 homes to the area.
Karman Line was considered a “flag pole annexation” because it would have also required a strip of Bradley Road to be annexed in order to have a contiguous boundary with current city limits.
Opponents argued the annexation was not logical and that it would create issues for water supply in the region, public safety and traffic.
Supporters said the annexation would provide more housing for the military and argued it was needed to create more competition among developers.
Kevin O'Neil, the managing partner on Karman Line spoke to reporters after the first round of results were released Tuesday night. O'Neil said he was disappointed, but not surprised.
O'Neil feels the benefit of this election is on a competing developer, Norwood and that the failure of the issue hurts Colorado Springs housing challenges.
"I think we've just compounded the problem," O'Neil said, "We still see one developer controlling our community more so now than ever. And what does that look like when you have no mandate to be competitive for the city of Colorado Springs, as far as house lots or other things."
Mayor Yemi Mobolade, who supported city council's decision, issued a statement after the results were released Tuesday saying in part "it does not mark the end of the conversation about growth, housing, and long-term planning."
Mayor Mobolade full statement:
“I want to thank everyone who engaged and voted in this election. As your mayor, I remain committed to building a Colorado Springs that works for everyone. That means continuing to prioritize housing affordability, supporting our infrastructure, and ensuring that we grow responsibly and sustainably.
This result does not mark the end of the conversation about growth, housing, and long-term planning. It simply means we must find pragmatic pathways forward, with solutions that reflect the values and concerns of our community while addressing the real challenges ahead.”
Why did Colorado Springs have a special election?
The nearly 1,900 acre property was approved for annexation by Colorado Springs City Council in January on a 7-2 vote. Councilors Dave Donelson and Nancy Henjum voted against.
A group of citizens then gathered enough signatures through a petition process for a ballot initiative. City Council was then given a choice to reverse its decision, or send it to the ballot for a Special Election. Council chose to hold the special election.
Voter turnout as of Tuesday was trending higher than the April city council election. As of Tuesday afternoon, voter turnout stood at 20% of voters. At the same time during April’s election, turnout was at 17%.
The total voter turnout in April was 23%.
RELATED:
New campaign finance reports for Karman Line special election show large sums given in support of annexation
A look at campaign finance for the Colorado Springs special election
Does Colorado Springs have enough water to grow? Here's a look at the concerns and the numbers
Voters deciding whether to annex ‘Karman Line’ into Colorado Springs
This is a developing story and will be updated as more results come in.
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Severe storms begin to pick up Tuesday heading into the evening hours
Skies will begin to turn stormy and unsettled as early as the lunch hour. That's when we expect the first round of storms to develop along the Front Range. For the Pikes Peak Region and I-25 corridor, our main window for severe weather will come between 1-6 pm.
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